Chapter 19 · Loopbound - Chapter 19: Don't Let Him See

I corner Evan outside the cafeteria at 11:47.

He's got his tray. Dry chicken, sad rice, the orange Jell-O nobody eats. He sees me coming and his whole body locks up.

"I need your hands," I say.

He backs into the doorframe. "What?"

"The summoning circle. The one you've been practicing in the dorm." I step closer. My voice comes out lower than I want. "I need you to draw it. Tonight. Different sequence."

His eyes go wide. "How do you know about—"

"Doesn't matter. I'll give you the pattern. You draw it."

"No." He shakes his head fast. "No way. That's restricted material. If I get caught—"

"You won't."

"You don't know that." His tray's shaking. Jell-O wobbles. "My family already thinks I only got in because of my uncle. If I screw up now—"

"Evan." I grab his shoulder. He flinches. "This isn't about your uncle. This is about eight hundred people dying at midnight."

He stares at me.

"You think I'm crazy," I say.

"Yeah." His voice cracks. "Yeah, I do."

I let go. Step back. My hands are shaking too now.

"Okay," I say. "Okay. Listen. I can't explain it all.