The Whisperer (Nightmare Hall) by Diane Hoh Read Free Book Online Page A

the whole disgusting mess. Her meeting with the whisperer was still long, nerve-wracking hours away. “I’m fine,” she said. “Just … just tired, I guess. Didn’t sleep much last night.”
    “You’re not still worried about that bio exam, are you? I thought the T. A. would have handed it back by now. Since she hasn’t, the chances are that it won’t even be graded now. The T. A. will probably just make up an exam of her own.”
    Shea stared up at him. The roar of the cars whizzing by forced her to raise her voice. “Why did you mention the exam?”
    He bent his head closer. “What?”
    “I said, why did you mention the exam? Why did you think I’d be worried about it?” Maybe he did know which office she’d been coming out of that day.
    He shrugged, and as a space opened up on the highway, grabbed her hand and they hurried across to the green grass of campus. “Well, something’s been on your mind. You’re out in left field most of the time. I thought maybe it was that exam, that’s all.”
    And she had been trying so hard to look normal. Whatever that was. Hard to remember.
    “So, you really going to be here all summer?” he asked as they walked along the curving cement walkway, under huge old oaks and elms. It was dark now, the tall, old-fashioned lamps throughout campus glowing softly. It was a sweet, soft, romantic spring evening. And Coop hadn’t let go of her hand.
    “I think I’ll be here,” she said cautiously. The way things were going, who knew? Maybe, by summer she’d already be back home, hiding in disgrace in her bedroom, while her humiliated parents, in hushed, embarrassed voices, told anyone who came asking for her that she wasn’t “feeling well.”
    Coop glanced down at her. “Things will be a lot quieter around here during the summer months. We’ll have more time to spend together … if you’re interested.”
    Was she interested? He was nice, and smart enough to be up for an important job in the A.B.S. lab and he was very, very cute.
    “I’m interested,” she said softly, and was rewarded for her honesty with a long, slow kiss under a flowering crab apple tree.
    Coop was smiling as they began walking again.
    She wondered what he would say if she said, “Coop, how would you like to explore the woods behind Nightmare Hall with me at midnight?”
    The note had said to come alone. But she didn’t even know where in the woods she was supposed to meet the whisperer. Those were thick, very dark woods. How would she ever find him in there?
    That question was answered when, after Coop had walked her to her room and kissed her good night again, she opened the door to her room and her foot slid on a piece of yellow paper lying on the floor. Someone had slipped it underneath the door.
    Like the first note, it had been folded once and her name was scrawled across it.
    She stooped and picked it up with shaking hands.
    She unfolded it and read:
Dere Shea,
Go up the drivway at
Nitemare Hall. Turn left
at the grag.
    She frowned. Grag?
    Oh. Garage. Turn left at the garage.
Thers a path. Tak the
path. Down the hill.
To the creke. Thers a
big rock ther. You wont
see me but I’ll be ther.
Sit on the rock and wate
for me.
Be ther or be sory.
    It too, was unsigned.
    “Love letter?” Tandy’s voice asked from behind Shea’s shoulder.
    Shea whirled guiltily, crumpling the letter in one fist. “No, I …” she stammered, “Just a notice about some overdue library books.”
    “Right.” Tandy tossed her long blonde hair and grinned. “My face certainly turns six different shades of red when I get an overdue notice. Well, who am I to pry? Anyway, I already know who it’s from. I saw you looking very cozy with Coop. He is cute. I went after him, but I guess he doesn’t go for blondes. Did you know he gets straight A’s in bio?” Tandy smiled slyly. “Maybe he could tutor you, Shea.”
    Ignoring the remark, Shea thought, I don’t need a tutor now. What I need is a miracle.
    She