Stranded by Lies

Dark Clouds

"Well it's a good thing I came home for my lunch break, then." He smiles, "Want a sandwich?"

"Not super hungry. Meds." 

"Gotcha. Well, I'll sit with you while I make mine." I leave his embrace and sit at the table while he opens the fridge. I'm sure he can tell I'm not really up for small talk right now. I'd rather not say anything unless I absolutely have to. 

I scratch my arm where the numbers are written, noticing that I have an itch. The numbers are only somewhat faded. I need a shower. 

"You have called that number, right?" Liam says, his eyebrows raised. 

"Yeah, just a mom and daughter. Nothing interesting." 

"And they had no clue what happened to you on Monday? No connection at all?"

"None. I'm as baffled as anyone." 

I spent the car ride home from the hospital in a daze, but I remember enough to know that I told Liam everything I remember. He's making small talk. The exact thing I wish he wouldn't do right now. 

"Did you try calling them again? Want to maybe use our home phone?" He slaps mayonnaise onto the bread of his sandwich. I detest mayonnaise. 

"No, I haven't," I ponder his idea, "Do you really think I should?"

"It's up to you!" he pauses, "But if I were you, I'd be getting to the bottom of this. Where's that mystery-solving spirit I know you have? It's in there somewhere!" he winks, lightly teasing me. He does have a point, though. If I weren't so zapped of energy, maybe I'd be pooling all my resources into figuring out what the heck happened to me. 

"I suppose I could call them again, I doubt it would hurt." He finishes making his sandwich and sets his plate down next to me at the table. He grabs our house phone from the counter and hands it to me as he plops down in the seat. 

"You're exactly right."

I dial the number and hold the phone up to my ear. I listen to it ring a few times, and at first no one answers. Finally, I hear a click on the line, but no one speaks. Listening carefully, I say the first words. 

"Hello?" I whisper. I hear what almost sounds like the same breathy noise I heard a few minutes ago. 

"What's wrong?" Liam asks. I hold up a finger, listening intently for any clue as to who is on the other line. A few seconds later I hear another click.

"Hello?" a woman says, her voice sounding familiar. It takes me a second to respond. I feel stunned after hearing the strange breathing again. 

"Fallon, is that you?" I ask, my breath quickening, "It's Dahlia, I called you yesterday."

"Oh, right. Dahlia. I remember. What is it, why are you calling again?" She doesn't sound as frustrated today. Just a little more blunt, is all. 

"I... I thought maybe now would be a better time to call. I've been thinking over what happened to me and I really think that... well... I really think you are connected somehow to what happened to me."

"Look, I'm sorry but I don't know who you are, it's as simple as that."

"Please, there's nothing you can think of to help me out?"

"You're very persistent, aren't you?" she pauses, and I hear her sigh. I hope she doesn't hang up on me. "I'll tell you what. If it'll make you feel better, why don't you drive up to our house tomorrow. We'll sit down, have a nice chat, and if you still think we've got anything to do with your... accident... we can go from there. Get the police involved."

"Really?" I say, excited, "Thank you so much!"

"Sure," she pauses. I'm sure she's surprised at how much this means to me. "Our address is 64 Carwell Drive. We'll be home tomorrow, so show up when you like."

"Thank you, thank you so much! 64 Carwell Drive. I'll be there!" I exclaim. 

She hesitates, "You're welcome. Just park in the driveway when you get here." 

"Alright, I'll do that. Thanks again, Fallon."

"Sure," her blunt response is followed by a click. At first I think the line is completely cut off, but I listen carefully and I still hear that eerie breathing sound. 

"Is someone still on the line?" I ask. No response, only a click and a buzz, signaling I am the only party left on the call. I click the end button and set the phone on the table. 

"Well? Sounds like you made some progress, huh?" Liam says. 

"Yeah, I'm going to their house tomorrow." 

"Where do they live?" 

I hesitate. I know Liam will not like the idea of me going out of town by myself, especially not to a stranger's house. I think about lying for a split second, but know better than to do that to him. 

"I think somewhere in New York."

"New York?!" he raises his voice a little, startling me. "That's so far away, and for you to go by yourself. I really don't like this." he gives me a look, cautionary. 

"You're the one who told me to call them back, and I did. This is just the next step onto figuring out why their phone number is on my arm." I look out the window and notice dark clouds wafting over our house. The wind has been picking up over the last few minutes. 

"And I'm glad you're figuring out, but I just don't like the idea of you going alone," he pauses, thinking to himself. He knows he won't win this argument. I'm too determined. I'm like an animal zoning in on its prey. Once I catch a whiff of intrigue, there is no stopping me from following up. "Just promise me you will call me, no text, call me when you get there. And when you leave." A crack of thunder radiates throughout the house, shaking the foundations.

"Consider it done. Don't worry too much about me, I'll be fine." I say. There are small spatters of rain hitting our window. They glide down the pane and fall off in little droplets onto the ground. My headache intensifies because of the pressure, and I lay my head down on the table. 

Liam rubs my back to comfort me, but all I can think about is what tomorrow holds, and why I can't seem to remember Monday night.