The Midnight Caller

Sarah had just moved into her new apartment on the outskirts of the city. It was quaint place, a bit older but with a charm that drew her in. The landlord, Mr. Hargrove, seemed eager to rent it out, and she got a great deal. She didn't mind the creaky floors or the dim lighting in the hallway; it felt like a fresh start.
Her first week went smoothly. The neighbours were friendly, the neighbourhood was quiet, and Sarah finally felt at peace. But then the phone call started.
It was always the same. The phone would ring at exactly midnight. When she picked up, there would be silence on the other end. No matter how many times she asked who it was, she received no response. Just eerie, unnerving silence. She considered calling the police, but what would she say? That she was receiving silent phone calls?
One night, determined to confront whoever it was, she stayed up and waited for the call. At the stroke of midnight, the phone rang. She answered it immediately.
"Who is this? Why are you calling me?" She demanded
There was a pause, then a raspy voice whispered, "I'm watching you, Sarah."
Chills ran down her spine. "Who are you?"
The voice didn't respond. Instead, she heard what sounded like footsteps approaching. Panicked, she slammed the phone down and checked all the locks on her doors and windows.
The next day, she decided to investigate. She asked her neighbours if they had experiences anything strange, but none of them had. When she mentioned the calls to Mr. Hargrove. He looked genuinely puzzled and promised to check the phone line.
That night she decided to stay with a friend, she couldn't bear another night alone with those calls. But at midnight, her friend's phone rang. They both stared at it terrified. Sarah picked it up, and the same raspy voice whispered, "you can't escape me, Sarah."
Terrified, she returned to her apartment the next morning to pack her things. She couldn't stay there anymore. As she was packing, she noticed a small, dusty box in the back of her closet. Inside her old photographs and letters. The letters were addressed to a woman named Emily, from someone named Thomas. The last letter caught her eye, it was dated exactly 1 year ago.
"Dearest Emily," it read. " I can't live without you. If I can't have you, no one will. I will be watching you always. - Thomas"
She froze. The pieces clicked together. Emily must have lived in this apartment before her. Thomas must be the one calling. But why hadn't Mr. Hargrove mention any of this?
Determined to get answers, she marched to Mr. Hargrove's office. When she confronted him with the letters, he sighed deeply and confessed.
" Emily was my daughter," he said, tears in his eyes. " Thomas was her fiancé. he was obsessed with her. When she broke off the engagement, he stopped her relentlessly. One night, she vanished without a trace. The police suspected Thomas, but they never found enough evidence to convict him. He disappeared soon after."
" But why didn't you tell me?" Sarah demanded.
" I didn't want to scare you away away," he admitted. " I thought he was gone for good."
Just then, the phone in his office rang. Mr. Hargrove answered it, and his face turned white. He handed the phone to Sarah. Her hands trembling, she took it.
"Hello?"
The raspy voice was back. " I told you, Sarah. You can't escape me."
She dropped the phone in horror. Mr. Hargrove picked it up and yelled " leave her alone, Thomas!"
But the voice on the other end only laughed. "This isn't Thomas."
Sarah and Mr. Hargrove looked at each other in confusion and fear. The voice continued, " this is Emily, and I am watching both of you."
The call ended abruptly, leaving them in stunned silence. Sarah realised with chilling clarity that Emily's disappearance was more sinister than anyone had imagined. And now, her restless spirit was reaching out from beyond the grave, trapped in a cycle of vengeance and despair.