Harvey sat on the edge of the terrace, her knees pulled close to her chest, clutching her phone tightly in her hands, her mind still racing from the traumatic events that had just happened. In the distance, smoke filled into the air, and faint screams echoed from somewhere far away. Aria was gone—slipped away from her grasp, fallling down into the chaos below. The horror of it was fresh, replaying in Harvey's mind on an endless loop.
Gabie sat beside her, rubbing her sprained foot, her gaze occasionally shifting toward Harvey, waiting for her to speak, but knowing better than to rush her. The silence between them felt heavy.
Finally, Harvey's trembling fingers fluttered over the screen. She took a deep breath and dialed the first number that came to her mind—her mother's.
The phone rang once. Then twice. Harvey bit her lip, her heart pounding with each ring.
A third ring.
Gabie glanced at her, sensing the growing tension.
A fourth ring.
No answer.
"Pick up... please pick up," Harvey whispered, her voice barely audible. Her hand tightened around the phone.
The call went to voicemail, and her mother's recorded message played on the other end. It was a familiar sound, her mother's soft voice asking her to leave a message.
"Harvey..." Gabie started, unsure of what to say.
Harvey ended the call, staring at the phone, her mind racing with dark thoughts. What if something had happened to her mother?
She swallowed hard and took a shaky breath. Without looking at Gabie, she dialed another number—her father's. The phone rang, and once again, no one answered. It rang and rang until it, too, went to voicemail.
Harvey let out a shaky sigh, feeling the weight of the world pressing down on her. Everyone she cared about seemed so far away, unreachable.
"She's probably just hiding, right? they're safe," Gabie said, trying to reassure her.
Harvey sat frozen. The ringing silence of her phone was unbearable, as if the entire world had gone dark around her. Gabie, watching her closely, shifted slightly on the rooftop, wincing from the pain in her foot but pushing through it.
"Harvey," Gabie said, her voice firm but calm, "you need to try something else. Call the police. Fire department. Any emergency service you can think of."
Harvey hesitated, her thumb hovering over the keypad. With a deep breath, she dialed the police emergency number.
The phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
For a moment, Harvey thought she heard a faint click on the other end, but then it continued ringing, unanswered. She gritted her teeth, ending the call. Her frustration rising, but before she could give up entirely, Gabie urged her again.
"Try the fire department."
Harvey gave a forced nod, dialing the number for fire and emergency services. Again, the phone rang with no response. Her heart sank further, the weight of isolation pressing down on her as each call seemed to be a dead end.
"Nothing," Harvey whispered.
Gabie clenched her jaw, her eyes narrowing. "Don't say that. Someone's out there, Harvey. They have to be."
Harvey sat staring at her phone, feeling the emptiness in her chest grow heavier with every failed call. Gabie was still beside her, watching closely, but they both knew that time was running out. The sound of wind brushing against the terrace was the only thing keeping them company now.
YOU ARE READING
Stay Alive
Horror"and suddenly life was not about living, it was about surviving." . . (New chapters every saturday...)
