11 - CALL

12 - CALL

“Bring, bring. Bring, bring.”

The same old phone ringer on my mobile. I swiped my finger across to see a number I didn’t recognise. It wasn’t anyone professional, it wouldn’t be a mobile. But I answered it.

“Hello?”

No answer. Not even someone breathing on the other line.

“Hello?” I called again.

Stupid kids. Prank calls were always the worst. I hit the red button and the call ended beeping and flashing.

“Bring, bring. Bring, Bring.”

Oh, for god’s sake. The same number as before.

“Listen stop calling me.”

Just silence. No heavy breathing, or voices in the background. Nothing.

“Bring, bring. Bring, bring.”

“I’m calling the police; this is harassment you know.”

One pause and then just as I was about to end the call a voice of some description moved closer. Disappointingly, it wasn’t a real human but one of those robot voices call out in your home.

“They’re coming soon. Perhaps think before opening the front door.”

The call just ended abruptly leaving me with the wallpaper of my pet cat staring at me.

“Stupid pranks... there getting stranger and strange- “

A hammering at the door. I jumped from the chair I was sat on now slightly unreeved by the previous message.

I tiptoed out of the room and into the hallway where the entrance window was frosted. Just ahead of me was someone in red.

It hammered again, making me trip over my own feet. I breathed in and opened the door without a second hesitation.

There, in front of me was a middle-aged man, slightly bolding wearing a red fleece which read “MAIL.”

“Parcel.” He said looking at me as if I’d seen a ghost. I presume the way I was acting would have been strange not knowing the context.

“Thanks.” I brought the parcel in which was wrapped in brown paper and back to the chair.

“Bring! Bring, Bring!”

I rushed over grabbed my phone which I had left lying on the arm of the chair picking the phone up without even looking first.

“Just stop calling me, OK?” I was about to slam my mobile on the table in front of me when a familiar voice muttered.

“Are you alright?”

I took a deep breath in. It was my older sister.

“I’m fine... sorry about that, I had a prank caller.”

“It’s okay, just don’t answer if you don’t know, okay?”

“Anyway, what did you want?”

“I was just telling you that I’m going to be home later.”

“You know, you could have just sent a text like a normal person.”

“I did... it didn’t go through so tried this way, anyway I need to go, it’s all good.”

The phone call ended and the last thing I heard was the beeping noise after she put the phone down. I scrolled straight to my messages and nothing seemed to have come through.

“Bring, bring, bring, bring.”

I sighed, I know I shouldn’t answer again, but the noise and vibrations were now grating on me.

“What?” I said, simply.

“We are doing work around your area, please don’t be alarmed if your phone glitches. Please do not pick up the next phone call.”

The called ended. It was the same robot voice from before and perhaps I’d got everything wrong, maybe it really was a true person trying to call.

“Bring, bring, bring, bring.”

I sat on my hands, the urge to pick the phone back up was like a niggling feeling. Don’t pick up the phone, don’t pick up the phone.

Resisting the urge, I tried to compromise, if I turn it to silent, I won’t be able to hear it ring, the only issue now so the vibration maybe the phone dance around the table.

“Fine!” I shouted looking for the button to switch vibration off too. I grabbed the phone slamming it face down in front of me.

It was several minuets later and I could have sworn the call was still ringing. I turned it over as though it were a pancake to see the blackness of the screen looking back at me. With my fingerprint, I unlocked the phone to reveal wallpaper not of my cat but of an old rotary phone. As I clicked on the screen a sort of alarm cried out around the room causing me to cover my ears it was that loud.

“You should have picked up the call.” The robot voice echoed around me. “Everything you own is now mine.”