Chapter 1
“Don’t go there. DO NOT GO THERE!” I screamed for the seventh time, but he didn’t listen. How can someone as intelligent as him be so stupid? For God’s sake, he is a doctor, but he is so ridiculous. There she was. Right behind him. Wearing an old, torn white dress, smiling from ear to ear. Her eyes were blood red, her skin was as white as paper, and half of her jaw was missing. Her tongue was dangling from her missing jaw. She was waiting. Waiting for him to notice her. To see her. He felt eyes on his back. He turned. Slowly, like a snail. No matter how many times I told him to run from there, to leave this place, he didn’t listen. He turned, and finally, he saw her. But no sooner had he seen her than she jumped at him. He started to scream his lungs out, but all his screams fell on deaf ears. She sank her bony fingers with bear-like claws into his heart and started to rip his heart out. Slowly, slowly, his screams stopped. But she didn’t. She pulled out his heart and ate it. Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth. The scary smile remained on her face. His lifeless body fell to the ground like a dead leaf falls from a tree. No one was there to witness his death. No one but me. I was the sole witness. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel sad for him. Daniel deserved it. He invited his death. I warned him multiple times not to leave his room and follow the sound. But he didn’t listen. He kept following "The Sound" like a lost puppy searching for its mother. But it was over now. He was dead. I don’t need to tell him not to follow the sound anymore. “You had this coming, you stupid ass human being. I know you are the main protagonist of the film. But still, you were a doctor, Daniel, for crying out loud. You could have used your brain. But just like all the other horror movie protagonists, you chose to follow the sound. Stupid. I expected a lot from you.” I signed. I hoped he wouldn’t be as stupid. I have to admit, the movie was very good, but I hoped he would survive at the end. Why in the world do every horror movie’s protagonist have to go looking for the source of the sound? Why? When you know you live alone, and you have double-checked all the windows and doors, do you have to follow every unusual sound? Moreover, you ask, “Who’s there?” Like, really? Even if it wasn’t a ghost, do you think if it was a burglar, they would say, “Hi, it’s me. I’m here to rob you. I hope you won’t mind.” I was in the middle of my rant when I heard my phone chime. It was a message from an unknown number.
Unknown Number: “Do all the horror movie protagonists need to be this stupid? I was expecting more from Daniel, as he was very intelligent.”
Amara: “I know, right? Like, why? Why do you feel the urge to follow a sound from your empty apartment in the middle of the night when you’re sleeping comfortably snuggled up to your blanket? I would never. I prioritize my sleep. Even if there was a burglar, I would lock my doors and call 911. I would not try to tackle them myself.”
The next massage came a few minutes later.
Unknown Number: “Yeah. I can imagine you doing that. You do prioritize your sleep.”
Amara: “Of course. Why wouldn’t I? Sleeping is a human’s most precious bliss. Besides, I can rarely get to sleep without any worries or stress. So, when I can sleep without any worries, why wouldn’t I? Don’t you prioritize your sleep?”
Unknown Number: “No. Sleeping is the least important thing in my daily tasks. Besides, I prefer to do a much more interesting thing.”
Amara: “Oooky. I guess you’re not wrong either. Everyone has different priorities. I respect that.”
With that reply, I left the comfort of my couch and went to grab some water. All that ranting made my throat dry. Today, after a long while, I will be able to sleep peacefully. These couple of days, I was busy covering the murder case story. A poor man was brutally killed in the nearby alley two months ago. His eyes were plucked out, his tongue cut off, and his nails ripped out. The police couldn’t find any clues about the murderer. Nor could they identify the man. He wasn’t a local. Our news channel was the first to cover the story, and I was the lead reporter. My team worked very hard on this case. But after investigating for a long time but not getting any clues about the murderer, the police announced it as an unsolved case. So, we also had to put an end to our work. Now, I have two whole days free. My phone chimed again. I looked at its screen and saw it was an unknown number again.
Unknown Number: “Do you even realize that you are chatting with an unknown person like an old pal?”
I stared at the message for a few seconds. They were right. I was so amped up after watching the movie that I didn’t notice I was sharing my views of the movie with an unknown human.
Amara: “Do I know you?”
Unknown Number: “No.”
Amara: “Do I want to know you?”
Unknown Number: “Oh, believe me that you do.”
Amara: “Ok, I guess? So, first things first, who are you?’
Unknown Number: “You wouldn’t want to know that.”
Amara: “Weird, but ok. Are you a boy or a girl? Or prefer not to say?”
Unknown Number: “Boy.”
Amara: “Ok.”
After that, I couldn’t find anything else to say. Then another message came up.
Unknown Number: “I think you’re missing the elephant in the room.”
Amara: “And that is?”
Unknown Number: “Go back to our very first conversation, and you’ll know.”
I scrolled back to our first conversation and read it a couple of times. Then it clicked. How on earth did he know I was watching “Countdown: 7 Days”? Shockingly, I wasn’t a bit scared. Just curious. Covering many gruesome, mysterious, and horrifying events made me have nerves of steel. But it was no shock for me to miss this detail. Whenever I’m in my comfort zone, I tend to shut off my brain and notice the things that are only in front of my eyes. I was a completely different person when I was at work. Because my work demanded my complete and undivided attention and focus.
Amara: “How did you know what I was watching? More importantly, how did you get my number?”
Unknown Number: “Ah, finally. I don’t only have your number but also know everything about you.”
Amara: “As if.”
Unknown Number: “Your name is Amara Ashwood. You’re 27 years old. You have warm brown eyes and wavy black hair. You work in Civic Ledger, and you’re the lead reporter of your team. More importantly, you’re looking extremely cute in your panda overalls.”
With his last statement, I started to look around my apartment. Was he watching me?
Amara: “Are you stalking me?”
Unknown Number: “Sure, I am.”
Now I’m fully invested. I needed to know his motives.
Amara: “What is the purpose of your stalking? Do you want to kill me? Or do you like me? Or are you a fan? Or are you just a pervert?”
Unknown Number: “Really? A pervert? And no, I don’t want to kill you. I like you. I want you. And I’m going to make you mine.”
Seriously? Is he even in his right mind? Or is he thinking we’re living in a fictional world?
Amara: “Yeah, yeah. Dream on, creep.”
Unknown Number: “Now, don’t call me that.”
Amara: “So, what am I supposed to call you? I asked for your name, and you’re not willing to tell me.”
Unknown Number: “You can call me yours.”
Ew. Just ew. Why in the world would a man use that pickup line anymore? Don’t they have any new ones? This conversation is making me exhausted. And I don’t have the energy to deal with it anymore.
Amara: “Hope the brutal world crushes your bubble soon. Adios, brother.”
With that, I switched off my phone, finished my bedtime routine, and went to sleep. Because I need my well-earned sleep and don’t want to be disturbed.
