Crimson Echo (9 page)

“I can’t remember exactly what she said.” I hesitated.

“Try, you have to try.”

“She said something about a storm coming. I can’t word it right.” I frowned.

“You’re doing great. Now tell me, is there anything else she said?”

“‘We’ve been waiting for you.’ I think that’s what she said. She freaked me out, I tried not to pay her much attention, I’m sorry.”

“Was this before or after her eyes turned black?”
He asked calmly as he paced back to the window.

“After.”

“They have someone on the inside!” He said through his teeth. “Is that all she said?”

“That’s it, that’s all she said.” I joined him at the window. “How did she know about a storm coming?”

“It’s not that kind of storm,” he informed me. “It’s called The Coming Storm. It’s in reference to a showdown.”

“She told me to be ready. Why would I need to be ready?”

“She must have seen us together. This is exactly what I didn’t want to happen and now it has.” His eyebrows creased into hard furrows. “We’ve got to come up with a plan to hide you.”

            He quickly moved to the kitchen table and sat on the edge of a chair as he silently tried to formulate a plan. The muscles in his forearms writhed beneath the surface of his olive skin when he balled his hand into a fist and slammed it against the table. The table groaned under his hand and I jumped as it brought me out of my clouded thoughts.

           In my head I was already weaving a web of lies to tell my parents. Making up elaborate stories to tell them— excuses for my absence, should anything go wrong. It was hitting me now, the reality of what was happening. Would I ever see Kane again? Would whoever is after Kane and his family ever find me and silence me— silence me for something I didn’t even know about. That was the hardest part, not knowing.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered solemnly without turning around to face me.

             I closed the curtains, turned away from the window and made my way over to him. My body felt weighed down and my feet felt as if I had cement blocks attached to them. His back was tense under the white shirt he wore and the veins in the side of his neck were starting to protrude. I sat down beside him and stared him in the eyes. His eyes were full of anger, but he didn’t let it show on his face.

“Kane, we’re going to figure this out.” I knew I was lying
and not that well.

           
We
weren’t going to figure anything out. I wasn’t allowed to know anything about what was going on. I hated being kept in the dark, but maybe Kane was right, maybe it would be better if I didn’t know what was going on. He stayed motionless for what seemed like hours, still as a statue. The only thing that keyed me in on the fact that he hadn’t killed over from a heart attack was his eyes— they blinked and shifted like he was reading an invisible book.

          
He was deep in concentration, manufacturing a detailed plan— the way I had earlier as I stared out the window. My hands trembled as I waited for him to figure out what his plan was. He took a deep breath and then shot out of the chair sending it rolling across the room.

Then he spoke in fast
, jagged breaths. “Get your things together. Do you have anywhere you can stay tonight?” He asked pulling me up the stairs to my bedroom.

“I should be able to spend the night with Faith, but I’d have to clear it with my parents first.” I stammered as I was yanked up the staircase
two steps at a time.

“
Don’t worry about that right now, just grab some things so it looks like you’re really having a sleep over.”

             I pulled a lime green overnight bag from the top shelf in my closet and shoved
a few pairs of jeans and a handful of shirts into the bottom of the bag. I didn’t know how long I would really be gone, so I wanted to be prepared for anything. I started to feel the searing pain of reality settling in again and I fought to keep the hysterics at bay.

           
I knew I had to hold it together for Kane, so I sucked it up and continued shoving random necessities into my duffle. I hadn’t realized until that moment how much I absolutely hated lime green, it made me nauseous— it was too cheerful and colorful for the somber mood I was in. Black or charcoal gray would have suited the feel of the scene much better. 

           
As I pulled myself together Kane came back into the room and handed me my toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste along with a hair brush and some other odds and ends he thought I couldn’t live without .

“I couldn’t figure out what you would need, so I just brought it all.” His smile wasn’t as bright as usual— I couldn’t expect it to be given the circumstances.

“This is fine.” I opened a side pocket for him to drop the handful of toiletries in.

“Are you alright?” He asked reading my face.

I shook my head. I didn’t speak, I was too scared my voice would crack and give away how truly terrified I was.

“Nothing is going to happen to you, I’m just being overcautious. It’s probably a big misunderstanding and I’ll sort it all out, but in the meantime I would feel better if you were somewhere safe. I promise I’ll come and get you as soon as it’s all settled.”

“What if it really is something bad, how will I know you’ll be okay?”

“Nothing will happen to me, I won’t let it.” He grabbed my bag and headed downstairs.

            I let Kane go ahead of me and wait in the living room. I lingered in my bedroom as long as I could and then slowly
I walked the short hallway to the stairs. Everything was in slow motion now. The pictures on the walls were only noticeable in my peripheral vision. The flowered wallpaper in the bathroom was slightly hazy and my parents bedroom door only made me that much more homesick and I hadn’t even left yet. The light hanging on the wall flickered and began to spiral as my knees gave out. And then it went dark.

            When I woke up
the change in scenery startled me. I was lying on a tan couch and the room was too bright. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been there. I peeled myself from the sofa and sat up. The swift movement made me dizzy again and I had to put my head between my knees and focus on my breathing.

          
When the nausea subsided I looked around the room and realized I was at Faith’s house in her living room. By the strong scent of cinnamon overpowering my nostrils I should have known exactly where I was. I stumbled slowly toward the window to look outside. It was just after sunset, the ending of another day.  Just then I heard a set of footsteps approach from behind me.

“Hey, it’s about time you woke up. Are you feeling better?” Faith asked, sitting a glass of ice water on the coffee table.

“Where’s Kane?” I stared down at the glass; it was already sweating and leaving a ring on the dark wood.

“He rushed out of here so quick, he hardly said two words. What’s going on with you two?”

“Nothing’s going on with us.” I admitted morosely.

“He was in a hurry to get somewhere. Are you sure he didn’t tell you before you passed out?”

“He may have mentioned something about a family emergency.” I lied. There was no use in Faith worrying as much as I was and beside that I wasn’t completely sure what was going on yet.

“What kind of family emergency?”

“He never said.”

“
Be honest, are you and Kane together? It seems a little sudden, don’t you think?”

“No! We’re just friends.” I scowled. “I hardly know him well enough to be
with
him.”

“He sure seems to like you. He was very protective of you when he brought you over.” Faith informed me.

“He was just worried, that’s all.”

“Tristan,” she paused. “If you were passed out, how did he know how to find my house?”

I thought it over for a minute, tossing excuses around in my head, but I couldn’t find one that made any sense and then something occurred to me. “He knew where I lived too. That is strange.”

“I’m starting to think it’s not a good idea for you to be around him. He seems like trouble. How much do you really know about him anyway?” She sprawled herself across the couch dramatically.

“Not much, to be honest with you. But I know he’s not a bad person.”

“I’m telling you I have a bad feeling about him. You need to stay away
from him.” She draped her arm across her eyes.

“Faith, come on. Don’t you think you’re being a little melodramatic?” I sighed, taking a seat beside her.

“You love him!” She accused. “I knew it, you love him!”

“I do not! You were the one who wanted us to be together in the first place.” I reminded her.

“Every time his name is mentioned your eyes light up like the fourth of July.”

“No they don’t. Just stop
it, I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

“Kane!
” She yelled. “See, fireworks! Just admit it.”

“Fine, I may have a slight crush. It’s not a big deal.”

“For all you know he’s running from the law. He could be a bank robber or a hit man and you’re telling me it’s not a big deal.” She disappeared into the kitchen and clanked around in the cabinets.

“I’m not having this ridiculous conversation with you.
He’s not a criminal. He’s a good guy and for some reason he wants to be friends with me. What’s so wrong about that?” I yelled from the living room.

“This is what’s wrong with it.” She
returned from the kitchen and held out a coffee mug , waving it in my face.

“What is this?” I took the cup and stared at the green mush that stuck to the ceramic.

“It’s tea leaves. My grandma taught me how to do it before she passed away.”

“Taught you to do what?”

“I read them. Look, I know you don’t believe in all this witch stuff but it’s never let me down before and these leaves are a warning that danger follows Kane. It says here that destruction is in his path and for all those around him.”

“Who are you the O
racle of Delphi?” I scoffed. “Give me a break. I can’t even take you seriously right now.”

“Think what you want, it’s your life.”

“I don’t want to fight with you about this. I really need my best friend right now. Can you just be supportive for a minute? I’m worried about Kane.”

“I know you are, but maybe you should be thinking a little more about yourself. You did pass out today.”

            I answered with a roll of my eyes, knowing I wouldn’t get anywhere with her. The rest of the night went on in about the same manner. Faith’s unrelenting accusations never let up and my irritation towards her never subsided. We finally moved to her bedroom after a few hours of arguing over a dozen more cups of tea leaves.

           
Once we had made it into her room we analyzed Kane’s motives for the third time, by then I was nearly exhausted. It was only then that I realized she was pushing all of my buttons on purpose. Kane must have told her I could have given myself a concussion and she was trying to keep me awake.

“I really need to tell you something.” She whispered.  “It’s important.”

“Can’t it wait until tomorrow?” I mumbled. “I’m sleepy.”

“I suppose so.” She gave in too easily, but I was too groggy to notice.

            She changed the subject and was talking long into the night about boys, clothes, makeup and magic. I let her do all the talking and I interjected an appropriate grunt at the right times. I fought to keep my eyes open, but it wasn’t long before they closed and my dreams tuned her out. I enjoyed the first cluster of dreams.

          
Butterflies and daisies surrounded me in the peaceful garden my mind had created. In the distance I could hear a faint waterfall as it gushed and rippled into a stream. I noticed I was dressed in an old fashioned, white silk nightgown that flowed and fanned out in the warm summer air.

           
My feet seemed to glide underneath me as I made my way to a stone bench. Gently, I lowered myself onto the hard bench and took in the scenery; it was all too beautiful to be real. An old oak tree swayed in the breeze like something out of a movie and my eyes followed a trail of pansies that led up over a small hill and into a horde of yellow roses. I was spellbound by the view, which looked more like a Thomas Kinkade painting rather than any form of reality. The wind started to pick up and my exquisite painting began to lift from the borders of my mind.

          
At the edge of the small spring I caught a glimpse of something moving quickly, hiding itself behind the whistling oak tree. My peaceful serenity was starting to crumble. I tried to keep myself calm, but it wasn’t long until I began running— running from something or towards something, whatever it was I couldn’t see it.

            I trampled through flowers and moss
on my way to my destination. The colors were spectacular in all their brilliance, I wish I could have stopped and enjoyed it more, but I continued to flee. And then I heard twigs snapping from behind me, I felt my breath hitch and trudged on.