believe me // the black phone

chapter ten

The air in the house felt suffocating, thick with unresolved tension as Sydney's mother continued her tirade. At just thirteen, Sydney struggled to process the terror she had just escaped, her heart racing not just from fear but from the overwhelming weight of her mother's disbelief. She opened her mouth to speak but found only a trembling whisper escaped.

"Mom, please, you have to listen to me!"

Before she could continue, the doorbell rang, echoing through the house like a lifeline. Sydney's heart surged with a mix of hope and dread. It was the police—her last chance to be believed.

"Stay right there," her mother snapped, marching to the door with an air of annoyance that made Sydney's stomach churn.

When the door swung open, two police officers stood there, their expressions serious and skeptical. "Good evening, ma'am. We received a call about a situation involving your daughter," one officer said, his gaze shifting from her mother to Sydney. "Is everything alright?"

"No, it's not!" Sydney burst out, urgency flooding her voice. "I was kidnapped! He kept me in a basement for days!"

The officers exchanged skeptical glances. "Kidnapped?" the second officer repeated, his arms crossed. "Do you have any proof? Injuries? Any witnesses?"

"I... I don't have injuries," Sydney stammered, her voice trembling. "I was too scared to fight back. He had a knife, and I didn't want to make him angry."

Her mother rolled her eyes, the skepticism in her gaze deepening. "This is ridiculous. She's just trying to get attention because she was out late with friends."

"Mom, please! This is serious!" Sydney cried, her frustration spilling over. "I'm not making this up! You have to believe me!"

"Listen," the first officer said, trying to keep his tone even. "If you were kidnapped, you'd have some kind of evidence. Can you tell us where this happened?"

"I told you! In a basement!" Sydney's voice wavered with urgency. "But he was wearing a mask! I didn't see his face!"

Her mother huffed, dismissing Sydney's fear with a wave of her hand. "She's just looking for sympathy. She's always been dramatic."

"Ma'am," the first officer said, his voice firm, "we have to take every allegation seriously. But we need more than just your word. Your daughter's claims are... unusual."

Sydney felt the walls closing in around her, the disbelief crushing. "What do you mean unusual? Do you really think I'd lie about this?"

The second officer shrugged, his skepticism unwavering. "Kids can exaggerate, especially when they come home late. We need something concrete to work with."

"But he could hurt someone else!" Sydney's voice trembled with desperation. "Please, you have to take this seriously!"

"Let's calm down for a moment," the first officer said, trying to regain control of the situation. "We'll need you to come down to the station to file a report. You can tell us everything you remember there."

"Will you believe me then?" Sydney asked, her voice small, the fear of being dismissed again gnawing at her.

"We'll investigate," the second officer said bluntly. "But we need more than just your word. Can you see how that sounds?"

Tears streamed down Sydney's cheeks as she fought to keep her voice steady. "I was taken to a basement... He had a knife, and I was so scared I didn't fight back. You have to believe me! I swear it's true!"