Crimson Echo Read Online Free Page B

                              
     
     
     
                                                               Chapter Two
                                                                  Nightmares
    “You’re the one we’ve been waiting for.” The creepy lady serving food whispered as her eyes turned black. “Don’t be scared, we won’t hurt you.”
    “I’m sorry, I don’t understand.” I stepped back and stared into her eyes. “Who are you?”
    “You’ll see,” she grinned, slopping a pile of mushy corn into a square on my tray. “Seventeen years we’ve waited for you, now you’re here.”
    “What do you mean? You’ve been waiting for me?” I looked around the cafeteria and back through the lunch line to see if anyone else had noticed the lunch lady with her black eyes, but it seemed as though no one else was even aware of her.
    “The dark storm approaches, make sure you’re ready.” She murmured.
    “The dark what approaches?” I leaned over the counter.
    “I’m afraid I’ve said too much already. We never had this conversation, got it? ” Her voice was stern. “She’s such a pretty little thing... such a shame.” A frown formed on her lips as her eyes darted around the crowded room and faded back to their normal color.
    “I don’t know who you are, but stay away from me!” I picked up my food and quickly walked away.
                I paced near the edges of the cafeteria looking for Faith and the rest of the group. I talked myself out of running to the bathroom and crouching in a stall until lunch was over. I didn’t dare turn around to look it at her again. The lunch room at Emporia was as big as Echo High, I was thankful for that almost immediately when I noticed how well I blended into the crowd. All of the students in the whole school were in the lunch room and it made it easier to hide from her frightening eyes.
    “Tristan, we’re over here!” Faith called out from across the room.
               I turned to see where her voice came from when I ran into that familiar brick wall again. His tray collided with my shoulder and sent a bottle of water through the air. He caught the tray and bottle in one fluid motion without even looking.
    “Are you following me?” He smiled.
    “No, I was a…um.” My words trailed off.
    “Relax, I was joking. You look like you’re in a hurry, is everything okay?”
    “I’m not sure… I mean, yes I’m fine.” I tried to breathe through the panic as I turned to watch the old woman. She shook her head and brought her finger to her lips, miming for me to keep quiet.
    “We really have to stop meeting like this.” He smiled. “People will start talking.” He added with a wink.
    I stared into his eyes and got lost. I couldn’t even form a sentence.
    “How’s Emporia treating you?” He went on.
    “It’s okay, I guess. It’s not much different, just a lot bigger.”
    “Well, try not to get lost around this place. It’s easy to do. ”
    “I’ll do my best, thanks.” I felt my face flush as I stared into his crystal blue eyes.
    “You might try to watch where you’re going too.” He smiled.
    “I guess I’m kind of like a human bowling ball in that way.”
    “It’s a good thing I like bowling. I’m Kane by the way.” He held out his hand.
    “I’m Tr istan.” I placed my hand in his. It was nearly twice the size of my own.  He sucked in a breath when we touched and his eyes shut momentarily and then opened as fast as they had closed. His hand trembled in mine and his eyebrows furrowed into hard lines. His eyes stared blankly back at me, but they held no light like before.
    “Is everything alright? You don’t look so well.”
    He pulled his hand back and let it rest at his side. “Yes, I’m fine.” His eyes came back into focus after a moment. It was like he was deep in