Wake Up Call

Wake Up Call

The ceiling fan hummed softly in the darkness.

3:15 a.m. glowed red from the digital clock beside the bed.

James stirred as something vibrated on the nightstand.

His phone.

He squinted at the screen.

Incoming call… from Mary.

His stomach tightened.

The phone stopped vibrating.

James sighed a breath of relief.

Then, the phone buzzed again. Longer this time.

He turned his head toward the other side of the bed.

His wife, Claire, lay asleep under the covers beside him with her back to him.

He watched her for a moment.

No movement.

The phone continued to vibrate.

James slid out of bed and picked it up.

“Hey,” he whispered. “Everything okay?”

A woman’s voice answered. Soft. Familiar.

“Did I wake you?”

James stepped into the hallway and quietly closed the bedroom door behind him.

“Yeah,” he said. “It’s late. What’s going on?”

“I know,” the voice said. “I’m sorry. I just… couldn’t sleep. I missed you.”

James rubbed his eyes and leaned against the wall.

“I miss you too,” he whispered, “but you know I told you not to call me when I’m home.”

“I know… Is she asleep?” the woman asked.

James glanced back at the bedroom door.

“Yeah,” he said, “she’s out.”

“She’s been tired lately, hasn’t she?” the woman asked.

“I guess,” James said.

A quiet pause stretched across the line.

“Did she fall asleep fast tonight?” the voice asked.

James frowned.

“I don’t know. Why?”

There was another pause. Longer this time.

“What was she wearing when she went to bed?”

James shook his head. “What?”

“What was she wearing?” the voice repeated calmly.

“I don’t know… a t-shirt maybe? Why are you asking me that?”

A small chuckle drifted through the phone.

“You don’t know?”

A cold feeling crept up the back of James’ neck.

“She mentioned it to you earlier,” the voice said softly.

“The new red silk set she bought.”

James looked back at the bedroom door.

“How do you know that?”

The voice responded quietly.

“Did you even look at her, James?”

His chest tightened.

“Mary. What is going on?”

“Go check on her,” the voice said.

“Stop it.”

“Go check, I said.”

There was silence.

James stood there for a moment, the phone pressed against his ear.

He could hear the fan humming faintly from inside the bedroom.

He turned the handle slowly and pushed the door open.

The red glow of the alarm clock illuminated the room: 3:19 a.m.

Claire lay under the covers exactly where she was before.

James swallowed.

“Go on,” the voice said.

James walked over to Claire’s side of the bed.

He pulled the covers slowly.

The body beneath the sheet didn’t move.

His breath caught in his throat.

It wasn’t Claire.

Mary’s pale face stared up at him.

Her eyes were open. Not blinking.

James staggered back, the phone trembling in his hand.

“Who is this?” James whispered.

The woman’s voice answered calmly.

“You really didn’t recognize your own wife’s voice.”

Click.

Thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback. I see what you mean about the twist. In my head the room was dark and her back was to him, and she was mostly covered, so he didn’t get a good look at her to realize it wasn’t her at the beginning of the story. And then with James being unfaithful, dismissive, and not super present, it didn’t feel too far off that he’d miss the physical details about his wife. But yeah, I was definitely going more for unease than realism. Glad it still landed for you though!!