Crimson Echo by Dusty Burns Page A

altar. That’s all I’ll say about it, you do the research on your own. It won’t be hard to find out what it’s for.”
    “Thank you,” I felt guilty for pushing him, but I would take any information I could at this point.   
                I had to know what was so important about that room and why I should keep it a secret, but who was I keeping it a secret from? I had the piece of the puzzle I needed and the stolen book in tow, now I just needed to get home to see what I could find out on my own.
    “I’ve got to run, let me know if you find anything out about the necklace, I’ll drop by next week or something.”
    “Don’t!” He shouted. “I mean, don’t bother I’ll give you a call if I find anything and we can meet up or something.”
               I knew he didn’t want me back in the store. I saw too much and soon I would know too much, but I played dumb anyway—that’s the best way to get out of a sticky situation. The panic in his eyes when he caught me, made me uneasy. What had Gabe gotten himself into? And what would happen if someone found out that I knew what was behind that curtain? I swear I could almost hear his heart beating and his pulse quickening by the second.
    “Fine with me, you take care of yourself Gabe.” He understood the double meaning behind my words. I’m no idiot; I knew there was something fishy going on in that store and sooner or later I would get to the bottom of it.
    “Yeah, you too.” He shot me a half smile.
               The sun had set before I made it home and all I wanted do was to sneak up to my room and be left to my thoughts. The events of the day came crashing down on me in waves now and my head was still swimming from the previous night and then suddenly I remembered Kane and wondered what he would be doing right now.
                The lights in the living room were visible from the street, so I knew my parents were still awake. I shut my headlights off before I pulled into the driveway and slowly drove to the side of the house. After gently closing the car door, making sure not to make a sound, I crept up the old wooden steps that led to my balcony in order to avoid my parents and the round of fifty questions that was sure to follow.
                I fell into bed fully clothed and felt something poke me from the back of my waistband. It was the book, I had forgotten all about it in my rush to get away from Gabe. I thumbed through it, getting very little light in my dark room, except for the moon. I could only make out a few words as I squinted into the darkness. The book felt heavier then I remembered it. I shoved it under my mattress at that point before I imagined it changing shape. I thought about Kane one last time before I dozed off.
    That night the dreams returned.
                I entered a dark, damp warehouse and the door slammed behind me—like it had a million times before. I climbed up the stairwell, grasping the bar for precautionary measures. I jumped as the building creaked and echoed every step I made. Upon reaching the third floor, I opened the door and let my eyes adjust to the dim light.
                I spotted the light switch on the wall and flipped it, like I had done so many times in my dream. A dense gray wave of smoke rolled under the door and began to fill the room quickly. The lights flickered and the switch sparked like fireworks on the fourth of July.
                I ran to one of the windows that hadn’t been boarded up, but it was no use, it wouldn’t budge, then I darted back to the door that I already knew was locked. The smoke bellowed in faster now, taking up residence in every inch of the darkened room. I held my breath for as long as I could, before I finally gave in and collapsed to the floor.
    I shot out of bed gasping for air as I clutched my throat.
    Just a dream , I reminded myself.
    I eyed the red lights from the digital clock on my