The Ballad of a Buried Beast

Chapter 4.

I spun around and grabbed the nearest knife, sliding it off the counter with a loud metal screech.

"Who's there?!"

My knuckles turned white around the held blade, and as I moved over to the light I began to shake. Something was in this house with me--someone I couldn't see. Where were they?

I flicked on the switch, and the shadows of the kitchen revealed itself empty. I didn't buy it.

"Where are you?! Huh-?! Come out-!"

I jumped off my feet as the phone in my hand buzzed.

"S-Shit-" I shook my head as paranoia forced my back against the wall, my eyes darting around the living room, kitchen, and unlit hallway in front of me. Should I check? Was it a trap? How were they here--who the fuck was in my house with me?

"I-I just bought the phone!" I yelled out, desperation lifting my voice, "I'm not the original owner--I-, I just bought it--fuck!"

Did this belong to a drug lord before me? Or-, or someone wanted? A hitman? A serial killer? My mind darted through every explanation as my phone buzzed again, the presence of something more unexplainable pressing against my psyche.

"A-Are you a ghost-? -Hello?!"

Was this retribution? From earlier? When I screamed out at God-? Wh-... Was this a demon?

The phone buzzed again, and it almost slipped through my fingers as my heart began to beat in my throat.

I had to check.

I had to... I had to check. I hit a fist against my waist and rubbed my beaded forehead, sweat beginning to blur my vision.

I whispered a prayer and unlocked the phone with my thumb. The inbox was present, but I didn't have the courage yet to look; I just held the device limply in my hand and continued to pray.

"Okay, okay-okay-okay-okay..." I took a breath and held up my knife in front of me, pointing it out into the seemingly empty house as I brought the phone to my face.

Two new voice messages, one image.

With my eyes darting between the screen and the house, I took in a shaky breath, raised my volume, and pressed play.

"Sssss-ssssssssss..."

It sounded like static and heavy breath, like a wheezed dog straining itself to breathe in a broken radio.

"Ss-sssssssssssooooooooaaaaaaahhhhh... Saaawwwwww... Sahhhhrrrr-"

My stomach churned into a knot as the slurring static crinkled and ended, the message complete.

"Okay, okay-..." I took in a heavy breath and nodded. Maybe they were trying to speak? Communicate? Did demons communicate? Or, maybe a ghost-?

I shook my head of its conspiracies and scrolled down to the second voice recording. It started the same, a broken stereo crackling to life with strained breath.

"Sorrrrrr-rrrrrrrrr-r-r-r-r-r..."

It sounded... Okay, despite the repetition the noise was sounding more like a word now.

"S-o-o-oooooo-rrr... rrr-eeeeeeyyyyyy... Sorrrraaaaaa-h-h-h-h-hhhh..."

Sorr... Sorrah... Sorry?

Sorry?

"Sorry-? Is-, is that what you're saying?!" I asked, pausing for a response as if I'd get one. Not wasting time, I scrolled down to the final message and opened the pending image.