Heeju complied, extending her hand to grasp the steering wheel.
“Do what I tell you. D- Don’t stop till we reach the destination.”
The hot breath brushing her ear felt revolting.
Confined with an unknown and clearly unstable individual, Heeju was overcome with terror. Her sweaty palms rotated the wheel.
Beep… beep….
The familiar tone of the dialling phone drew her attention. The man, holding a rather large telephone, placed it on speakerphone.
Beep… beep….
As the one dragged on, the man started trembling like an alcoholic going through withdrawal.
Beep… beep….
Although Heeju was aware of his increasing ragged breathing, she kept her eyes firmly fixed on the road ahead.
--“Yes, this Baek Sa-eon.”
“….!”
The sound of his voice caused her to tremble. Despite the tenuous nature of their marital relationship, his voice still evoked a strong emotional response.
A choked sob escaped her lips, but her mouth was only clamped down harder.
--“If you don’t speak, I’ll hang up.”
Sa-eon’s weary tone suggested that he was getting irritated.
The kidnapper’s lips twitched in annoyance.
“B- Baek Sa-eon w- what I mean…”
--“This doesn’t seem to be Korean number.”
Sa-eon voice moved slightly away, then closer again. It sounded like he was double checking the number.
“H- Hey l- listen…”
--“Who are You?”
Baek Sa-eon asked stiffly.
--“Please identify yourself.”
“K*ll. I’ll k*ll her!”
--“….”
“I kidnapped her. Your wife, I’m going to k*ll her.”
The kidnapper’s voice turned louder as he rambled on.
Heeju move towards the centre and tried to take control on the wheel. Her back was already drenched in a cold sweat.
“…”
There was a chilling silence over the receiver.
She thought she heard a short chuckle, followed by the word, “What kind of nonsense…” and then a short expletive, but she couldn’t be sure.
--“I don’t engage in phishing calls.”
What a sarcastic retort, he hung up.
The kidnapper spat on the floor and slammed his head into the compartment box in disbelief. But Heeju felt the impending horror.
“Arghh… Sis… listen to me…”
The man gritted his teeth.
“If Baek Sa-eon keeps doing this. If he hangs up on me again, if he ignores me again… I- I..”
“…”
“I’ll k*ll you.”
Heeju sucked in a sobbing breath and swallowed.
“Do you know where we’re going now?”
“…”
“Here. Look at the map. We’re heading to the lake.”
YOU ARE READING
When The Phone Rings / The Call You Just Made Is
Misteri / ThrillerHong Heeju is a sign language interpreter who has become mute due to severe depression. For three years of their arranged marriage, she and her husband never exchanged a single conversation. One day, her life takes a harrowing turn when she's taken...
