When The Phone Rings

I’m waiting for my favorite tv show to come on as I flip through the channels and drink the wine in my cup. My blue jeans are tight as I unfold my legs from under me as I go into the kitchen to pour more wine into my glass and get my popcorn from the microwave. On the black stovetop the time reads 7:57.

Out the corner of my eye I see a shadow, I think. I sit my wine glass on the counter and I walk to the large window in the middle of the kitchen to look out. I look all around. There’s no one by the trampoline or the huge, white shed. There’s no cars in the driveway and my dog is laying calmly on the deck, stretched out. If he doesn’t sense anything or anyone there must not have been anyone. I shrug my shoulders deciding that I imagined it and go the counter where I sat my wine glass. Only my wine glass is half empty and sitting on the kitchen table. I thought I had just poured a new glass and sat it on the counter. I look around the kitchen but decide to just leave it alone. Maybe I didn’t. I walk over to the sink and pour the rest of it out. I get my bag of popcorn and shake it into a bowl so I don’t have to reach my hand in and get it all buttery. I turn off the kitchen light and the living room light as I sit back on the couch for the “previously on” of my favorite show. I grab a handful of popcorn and shovel it into my mouth as it starts. The phone rings and makes me jump. Popcorn flies all over the couch, the floor and all over me. It rings again and I walk over to the phone as I brush the popcorn out of my bra and off my shirt. Which only smears the butter. 

I pick up the phone, “hello?”

No one says anything. I wait thinking maybe they didn’t hear me answer, “hello?” I ask again. Still the person says nothing. I roll my eyes and hang up. I look at my mess and get the broom from the kitchen. I start sweeping up the popcorn as I watch my show until it goes on commercial.

As I put the broom up the phone starts ringing again. I answer it, “hello?”

“Hey, what are you doing?” My mom asks as I sit back on the couch.

“I’m watching some tv. I have already washed my clothes and cleaned up. There’s not much else for me to do. What about y’all? Are y’all having fun?” I know they are, I don’t have to ask to know that. She gave it away with her voice.

“Yes. We went to the aquarium today. There was baby sharks, lots of fish and there was snapping turtles too. It was so cool.” She sounds so excited and happy. It’s been awhile since she’s seemed this happy.

“I’m glad y’all are having fun then. It’s been weird here today,” I take another handful of what’s left of the popcorn and stuff it in my face. I wipe my buttery fingers on my already buttered shirt.

“Hey, I’m gonna let you go. We’re about to go looking in the shops. I’ll call you tomorrow to check on you.”

“Okay then. Love you.” I tell her as I get up from the couch.

“Love you, bye.” She hangs up and I toss my phone on the couch as I take my shirt off and put it in the laundry room from the kitchen. I walk through the living room and the hallway to get to my steps to my room where I slip into a warm, black long sleeve that is kind of baggy around my waist. I look in the mirror, “You look good, girl.”

My stomach growls as I walk down the steps and head for my phone and the kitchen. I scroll through my playlist on my phone and decide on Taylor Swift as I look around in the pantry. I decided earlier to make me some type of tacos or pasta so the ground beef is already thawed out in the sink. I grab a jar of salsa and taco seasoning. I head into the kitchen and turn on the stove as I put the meat in the pan and let it cook on medium, occasionally stirring it as I look in the fridge. Thank goodness momma went shopping before she headed to the beach. I get out the tomatoes and the block of cheese. I get the grater from the bottom drawer under the counter, I put it on a plate and start shredding it. I get the knife from the kitchen set and start dicing the tomatoes. From the living room I hear my show come back on. I stir the meat and head for the living room as I turn my music off. In my hands my phone starts ringing and I answer it quickly, “hello?”

“You really shouldn’t leave knifes laying around.” A deep voice answers, leaving me in fear as it sends dark chills through my body.

“Who is this?” I ask angrily as I go back into the kitchen to stir my meat. I glance at the tomatoes to see that the knife is missing from the cut board. “This isn’t funny.”

“I’m not laughing.” The deep voice replies into the phone. The man as it seems starts laughing with cruel, evil intent.

“I’m going to call the cops.”

“Only if you want your parents to die.” My phone dings. “Look at my picture.”

I look down at the phone to see a picture of my mom and dad looking out over the beach.

“What do you want?” Cold fear and worry runs through my veins filling my heart with pain. 

“I want you to scream when I kill you.” He talks lower but as strong as before.

“Why?” I breathlessly ask him as I continue to stir my taco seasoning and salsa into my meat after draining it. I let it simmer as I get taco shells to add my meat to. “What would killing me do?”

“There would be one less person living off of vulnerable people.” I stop pulling the soft shells apart. He has a point. I can’t live off my parents if I’m dead. “I’m going to make you scream and beg for your life. You’ll die nice and slow. Tell Taelor I said hey.”

He hangs up and the line clicks as a soft knock comes from the living room door. I pick up a glass from the counter and walk to the door, quietly. Soon enough the knock comes again. I look out of the glass and see Taelor waiting for me to let her in. I sit the glass on the shelf and swing the door open, faking a smile.

“Hey! So Tyler is my fiancé now.” She holds out her hand to show off her rock. It gleams and the topaz matches her brown skin color, her amazing personality and her curly, bouncy, black hair. I hadn’t noticed how beautiful she really is until now. I can’t let her get hurt because of my situation. She has just started her life. My parents are finally genuinely happy.

“That’s amazing. Why aren’t you with him right now?” I ask blocking the doorway with my body so she doesn’t come in.

“You invited me over yesterday, remember? And Tyler is working right now. I told you he has been working crazy hours and he has been so tired lately. But he is so amazing with Lucas. It’s unbelievable.” She replies looking me over and looking behind me. “Do you have someone else over?”

“No. I’m glad you’re happy with Tyler and Lucas. That makes me happy, but I think it would be better if you came over tomorrow instead? Okay, bye.” I shut the door before she can say anything else and flip the lock. My phone rings and I hurry to get it. I pause with it in my hand before answering, “hello?”

“You were in a hurry. I bet that hurt her feelings. Too bad.” He laughs menacingly and mockingly.

“You leave her out of this. She has no idea about you or anything that is happening. Okay, how did you know her name or that she was coming? She hasn’t done anything.” I whisper to him terrified for her and my parents but my curiosity seeps in.

He hangs up the phone.

I watch it for a minute before turning off the stove and fixing my tacos. I sit at the table staring at them. If I don’t eat them, will he not kill me until I do? Is he going to kill my friend and parents even after he kills me? He called my parents vulnerable, is that good or bad for them? Can I save my parents without dieing? How is he going to kill me? What have I done to deserve to be killed slowly or at all?

Big, fat, silent tears slip down my cheeks and my shoulders shake with furious intensity as I think about my mom’s beautiful face as she finds out  about my death, losing yet another person that she loves. She has already lost so much and people really close to her. Then my step dad’s face not knowing how to comfort my mom without breaking down himself. Then Taelor’s face as she blames herself for not knowing, for being hurt by my rudeness. Every important person to me effected by my death but alive and breathing, trying to comfort each other. Continuing their young and happy lives together with others that they love.

I calmly walk over to the desk in the living room and grab the sketch pad and a pencil. I begin writing and writing and pretty soon I’ve written all of my goodbyes. I walk back to the kitchen as my phone rings once again.

“What are you writing?”

“Goodbyes.” I reply with no emotion and sit at the table. “I’m going to eat now. Then you can come and kill me, but I want you to promise that if you kill me my family and friend are safe. That you won’t touch them in any kind of way and you won’t have anyone else touching them in any way?”

“Yes. They’re safe, if I kill you.” He pauses obviously surprised then he hangs up and I sit my phone down and start eating my last meal.

To be continued…