Dream Tunnel by Arby Robbins Read Free Book Online Page A

started to walk away.
    “Hang on, chicky.” Tonya grabbed her shoulder.
    Conroe pulled away. “Keep your hands off me.”
    “Whoa,” Kelsey said. “She’s a tough talker.”
    The other girls laughed.
    “Let’s see if she can back it up with her fists,” Tonya taunted.
    “Do we really have to do this again?” Conroe asked.
    “You cheated last time. I wasn’t ready.”
    “I see. And now you’re ready?” Conroe asked, pointing to the three girls standing behind Tonya.
    “No, this is just between you and me. Back off, girls.”
    The other three stepped back.
    “Okay, now,” Tonya said, “let’s do it.”
    “If we must,” Conroe replied, closing her eyes.
    “What are you doing? Open your eyes. This is gonna be a fair fight.”
    “No, I’m afraid it’s not. So, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
    “Open your eyes!”
    “I’m ready,” Conroe said. “Go ahead—give me your best shot.”
    “No problem.” Tonya took a swing at Conroe’s jaw.
    With her eyes still closed, Conroe moved her head slightly as Tonya’s fist approached her face, evading impact by mere millimeters.
    “Lucky move!” Tonya spat, following up with the other fist.
    Again, Conroe moved her head to the side, avoiding injury.
    “How are you doing that?” Tonya raised her foot and jabbed it at Conroe’s stomach.
    Conroe hopped back, out of Tonya’s range. Her eyes were still closed.
    Somebody in Tonya’s gang giggled.
    “Shut up!” Tonya looked back to see who was laughing at her.
    All three were stifling laughter.
    “Alright, I’m tired of messing around.” She yelled like a banshee as she ran toward Conroe at full speed.
    Conroe sidestepped her, eyes still closed.
    Tonya tripped and fell on the ground, face first.
    The other three could no longer contain their laughter.
    Tonya ignored them. “How are you doing that with your stinking eyes closed?”
    “It’s called Gomwei.”
    “What is that—some martial arts crap?”
    “Something like that.”
    “You can open your eyes now,” Tonya said. “I’m not gonna hit you.”
    “That’s for sure,” Kelsey jabbed.
    Conroe opened her eyes.
    Tonya took a swing at her nose.
    Conroe stopped the fist with the palm of her hand, within two inches of her nose. “You lied.”
    “So?”
    Conroe twisted Tonya’s fist sharply, rotating it 180 degrees.
    Tonya screeched and fell to her knees.
    “Do not bother me or Crane anymore. Understood?”
    “Yes, yes—just let go.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
    21
     
    I t was nearly midnight—one hour past Lights Out. Crane lay in his bed, wide awake, thinking about Conroe. He had never met anyone like her. She was strong and smart and pretty, and when he was with her, more than anything, he wanted to hold her in his arms, to kiss her. Every time he lay down to dream with her, holding her hand, he could feel the blood in his veins pulsing against the blood in hers.
    But because he had let his anger get out of control on the basketball court today, he would be locked in his room for three days. Why didn’t Old Cracker send him to Solitary? He wondered if she had been there watching the game and had seen for herself that Number 44 was a bully. Maybe she figured the kid had it coming. Regardless, she couldn’t allow Crane to act inappropriately and go completely unpunished.
    Being locked in his room wasn’t nearly as bad as Solitary. At least here he could play his guitar and sing all day. He hadn’t even bothered to change into his pajamas. He wasn’t sleepy anyway, having taken a long nap that afternoon. Being locked in wouldn’t have been a punishment at all before he met Conroe. But now it was different. Anything that kept him away from her was torture. He had played his guitar for much of the day, even writing a song about how much he missed her.
    Crane heard someone outside his door, trying to unlock it. But who would come to his room at this hour, other than Old Cracker? And why would she come, unless she suspected he was