The Danger You Don't Know

Unknown person: Yesterday on university Able read eggs Ice night Dark animals number ginger every ready, Lettuce encyclopedia answer vase even Not on working

Lorraine Avery looked over at the text she was sent at 11:00 at night and blinked. The words made no sense and she wondered if her tiredness was affecting her vision. She looked at the caller ID and noticed that it was an unknown number. She knew that she should block the person and go to bed, but she got curious. Perhaps this was one of her friends playing a trick on her.

Lorraine: Who are you?

The person typed a moment before responding.

 Unknown person: I am Judd Elliot. You do not know me.

She searched her mind for the name, but he was correct, she did not know him. Then why was he texting her? He probably had the wrong number.

Lorraine: You must have the wrong number.

Judd: Is your name not Lorraine Avery?

Lorraine froze. How did this stranger know her name? Was this some sort of stalker? She was about to press the block button, but something stopped her. She was still curious about his first message. Why had he written those random words?

Lorraine: How do you know my name?

Lorraine: And why did you write that weird text in the beginning?

Judd: I have known your name for some time, but don’t worry I am not a stalker or anything like that. I know that is probably what you are thinking. I will explain how I know your name later on.

His words were so cryptic. He had not answered how he knew her name. She did believe him that he was not a stalker. She did not know why she believed him, but she did. Still, something about thing whole conversation made her uncomfortable. She continued texting though.

Lorraine: You did not answer about your first message? I assume it was a mistake though.

He only responded by sending another strange text.

Judd: YELLOW ON UNDER, APPLES RED ENTER, INTERN NEVER, DROP ATE NAIL GUARD EATEN RISE, LOOK EACH ASSOCIATE VAN EARTH, NOTICEABLE OVER WASHED

She read the text, but it was just as unrecognizable as the first one. She wondered if he was playing some sort of game. Or was he tapping the words by accident. But she doubted that since this particular message was in all caps. She looked at the time, 11:22. In a few minutes she would go to bed, after she got more answers.

Lorraine: How old are you?

Judd: No time for that question.

Lorraine: If there is time for you to text me at 12 am, there for you to answer.

Judd: Fine, I am 22

22, huh. So, he was the same age as her.

Lorraine: Where are you from?

Judd: That is better for you not to know.

Lorraine: Why not? Are you scared I will stalk you? Besides, I was only asking what state you are from, not your address.

Judd: I need you to do something for me. It is very important for your safety and you must trust me on this. I know you do not know me, but I only want to help you.

Lorraine shivered at his words and burrowed deeper under her covers. Perhaps she should just block him and forget this whole conversation. But something about his words reverberated in her mind, for your safety. What did that mean?

Lorraine: You are scaring me. What do you mean by ‘for your safety’? I am perfectly safe.

Lorraine: If this is some sort of prank, you got me. For a second, I almost believed you. Is this, let me guess, Michael? No, Peter. Yes, this is definitely something Peter would do.

Judd: No, I am not Peter, nor am I pranking you. I wish I could say that this was just a prank, but this is something very serious. You must trust me. I can’t say much more than that.

Lorraine: I do not understand you, Judd

He only responded by typing yet another one of those strange messages.

Judd: Yosemite Octopus Underneath, Apt Recycle End, Igloo Nope, Drastic Area Name Greed Ever Right, Let’s Envelope Awning Very Eel

She groaned. Why was she wasting time texting this strange guy? Was she so bored that she spent her night texting a random stranger who had the propensity to right random words for no particular reason? Apparently, she was.

Lorraine: Would you stop with that? I can still block you if I want.

Judd: No! Do not block me! Please read my next message carefully.

Lorraine: Fine, as long as it is a real message this time

Judd: (Read Carefully and look beyond what is written) Yikes Oh Up, At Red Egg, In No, Do At No Go Egg Red, Let Egg At Van Egg, No Oh Why.

She tried to do as he said and read slowly, but his message still made no sense. She read it again and tried to notice something different, but didn’t see anything.

Lorraine: I do not know what you want me to see. Whatever it is I can’t find it.

Judd: Compare it to the other similar messages I sent you, but you must hurry. We don’t have much time.

Time for what? She checked the time, 11:45. Nothing significant beyond the fact that she had been texting him for almost an hour.

Lorraine: Are you going to disappear soon or…

Judd: Lorraine, just read the message!

Lorraine: Fine, I will. You don’t have to be so pushy

She looked at the messages he had sent and studied them. Ah, she found something. In all the messages he had made the first letter of each word the same. She pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil. Slowly, she wrote the letters. Y-O-U-A-R-E-I-N-D-A-N-G-E-R-L-E-A-V-E-N-O-W. She wrote it out as a sentence and it read: You are in danger, leave now.

Lorraine: Judd, what does this message mean?

Judd: No time, just get in your car and drive to the location that is in your gps.

She looked at the gps on her phone and sure enough there was a location on it. A pounding sounded on the front door and then she heard a window shatter. She jumped out of bed.

Lorraine: Judd, I think someone is breaking into my house! What do I do?

Judd: Go out the back door and run until you are far enough away. I will try to get to you as fast as I can.

She heard footsteps coming up the stairs where she was. She froze.

Lorraine: They are coming upstairs!

Lorraine: What do I do, Judd?

Lorraine: Judd?!

Lorraine: Judd!!!!