#WritcoStoryPrompt6
I can never forget the joyous days of my childhood, especially the summer when all we did was swim in the river or lie on its edge.
I was thinking about these memories, memories that I've always hold on to now that I'm an adult.
I've just started my first job as a salesperson, ready to embark on the unknown journey ahead.
I was a fresh graduate at this time, finally moved out of my parents house to rent my own cozy place.
It was just me.
For the first few months, I was doing fine. But then the bills caught up to me and I could no longer afford some extra night outs or other things for fun. I was too proud to ask my parents money, because I sort of left letting them know that I would handle things well on my own.

I managed to live simply a few weeks after that, but then an unfortunate event fell upon me.

Someone stole my phone.

Living in this generation, life without a phone seemed almost impossible. Especially since I was alone in a big city, trying to figure things out independently for the first time.
Again I could not ask my parents for help. I didn't want them to think I was hopeless or incapable of handling things.

What I did next would unknowingly become the number one thing I'd regret in the future.

I bought a second-hand phone.

Okay, so you might think second-hand phones are alright. That there's no need to stress about it.
That's what I thought, but then on the first night I got my phone, someone called me in the middle of the night.

An unfamiliar ringtone echoed around my room. It was unfamiliar because I wasn't able to change the settings.

I ignored it at first. But then minutes later, it rang again.

I thought this must be crazy, who would be calling me in this ungodly hour? But then maybe the previous owner could be in trouble and just needed my help.

Trying to gather patience, I picked up the phone and answered.

A person was panting on the other end, like someone who's just finished a marathon.

"Hello?" I said .

No answer, just heavy breathing and panting.

Then it went dead quiet .

I was about to turn it off, when a woman started to speak.

"Christina."

I was shocked. How could this person know my name?

"W-who is this?" I stuttered.

"It doesn't matter. Listen to what I'm going to say. Record it if you must. This is important."

I got up from the bed, starting to feel creeped out. I recorded it, just in case I need proof later on if this was ever a stupid prank.

"Whatever you do, don't end this call." She sounded so urgent.

Maybe it was the night, that made me do what she told me.

"This is not a prank. You are in a game. A game with dreadful consequences. The person who previously owned the phone you're holding died because she didn't follow the rules. Now listen carefully, first, men will come at your apartment every morning. They have your phone tracked, so even if you turn your GPS off they will know where you will be, so don't run. They will only ask for money. Give it to them. Don't worry they won't ask for big amounts unless..." She started to sob. I didn't know if this was a joke but she sounded so serious.
"Don't shut the door on them. I don't know what they will look like because they change their appearance each time, but when the time comes, you'll know. Just give them what they ask and things will be fine. Second, do not throw the phone. Keep it with you always. Sometimes you will receive messages or commands that you will have to obey no matter what. Don't worry, the tasks will be simple. Finally, don't rat out. Do not tell anyone about the phone, do not ever go to the police..." She started crying.

"But you just t-told me..." I said, panic in my voice, realizing she just broke the rules.

"I-I know, I can't take it anymore... I'd rather die..."

What I heard next sent a thrill down my spine.

A gun shot.

I didn't realize I was crying. My hand was immobile, as I held the phone next to my ear, listening to nothing. Then I heard footsteps, nearing the phone.
I ended the call as I heard it get picked up by someone from the other end.

I couldn't sleep.
I was haunted. It couldn't be real.
This couldn't be happening to me.
I had a job the next morning, but I just couldn't close my eyes. The moment I do, I see dark images in my head, from trying to imagine what happened to the woman from the phone call.

•••

The sun rose, and I was distressed. Still, I got dressed and prepared for work. My eyes were tired from the lack of sleep, and my bones were aching due to restlessness.

I was about to leave when I heard a knock on my door. It was faint and only happened once, I thought if there ever had been a knock at all.

I nervously opened the door.

It was just the old tenant lady, trying to remind me of my rent. I told her I would pay by the end of the week and she went off.

Just when I was about to close the door, I saw the elevator doors open at the end of the hallway. Two large men in suits walked out and looked at me.
I immediately closed the door and tried to compose myself.

I started to believe what the woman from the phone call told me last night was true.

Seconds later, three knocks came upon the door once more. I took my wallet with me and opened the door, my heart beating wildly in my chest.

The two men seemed even larger up close. They were like the ones from Men in Black. Their head shaved clean and shiny. I couldn't see behind the dark glasses shielding their eyes.

One held up a note to his chest. It said:
"Two Dollars."

I quickly got some notes on my wallet and handed it to one of them. They seemed satisfied and left.

I watched them disappear in the elevator and quickly got inside.
Then it dawned on me.

Everything was real.

I tried hard not to cry, but I was freaked out. I played the recorded phone call over and over in case a clue has been left for me. I got creeped out each time, knowing the call was a dead-end. I didn't know what to do.

My watch beeped and I realized I was late for work.
I immediately got out and used the stairs, in fear that I might bump into those creepy men.

I couldn't work properly. My throat was parched all the time, I was having a lot of headache both from the lack of sleep and anxiety.
I wondered about those two men and what they were up to. I couldn't tell anyone, but I was dying to make myself sane.

Around 2 in the afternoon, I received a text message from an unknown number. It said to go to a location attached in the message. It didn't say what time .
I still had an hour left, so I waited for my shift to be over.

After work I immediately went to the location sent to me. It was an abandoned skatepark. Nobody was there.

Then I got a message again. It said:

"Too Late."

I started to get nervous. What does this mean? What's going to happen to me now?

I left the skatepark and went straight home. I ate a cookie and just watched the door from the living room, trying to hear if someone tried to break in. I couldn't sleep again.
That was the longest night I've ever had in my life.

The next morning, I was in a much terrible state. I wanted to go to the police. I no longer felt safe.

Then the familiar three knocks came upon my door.
Two different men in school uniforms, only younger, held up a note that said:
"One Million."

I started to panic. I had no money that much. I couldn't call my parents, couldn't call for any help at all .

"Yesterday it was only one dollar?" I said nervously, trying to get around this somehow.
One of the men turned in another note, as if they prepared I asked. It said.
"You failed the task yesterday."

The men's eyes were emotionless, it was almost inhuman. I started to cry.
"I'm sorry, I don't have any money, what can I do? What can I do?? "I started to shout.

The men looked at each other. One of them pulled a gun and I backed immediately, hands in the air.

"Please, no. I'll do anything. I'll do whatever you tell me to do, please, please don't kill me."

One of them put a finger to his lips to silence me. The other handed me the gun. I took it with shaky hands. He put a different note infront of him. It said:
"Shoot him."

I looked at both of them in shock.
"I c-can't shoot somebody. I can't kill you." I said to the other guy. He didn't seem bothered by it.
Then he took a gun of his own, and took a note from his pocket.
It said:
"Or I'll shoot you."

"What? Please, no. Please, there has to be another way, please, please..." I was begging, crying, yet they stood there like emotionless freaks.
The other guy started to aim the gun at me, and I saw his finger started to pull on the trigger .

This can't be happening. I can't kill him even if he was a stranger, but I don't want to die either.

The other guy fired, but I was quick.

Seconds later, I was a murderer .


The other guy didn't even react. While I sat on the floor crying myself, he was cleaning things up and packing the body into a bag.
I didn't know what to think or what to do, except feel the guilt that I had just killed somebody. I needed help. Whatever this was, I needed to get out.

I'm trapped.

It only took several minutes for the other guy to finish cleaning up. He took the guns and closed the door behind him when he left.

I couldn't bring myself to work. I needed to figure out a way to get out of this.

A plan.



© IllegnaTheScribbler