When The Phone Rings

It's Not the End

Zan

I was just contemplating going to bed, most people already had. Something didn't feel right though, holding me back from dreamland. It was as though I could almost hear a voice whispering "Wait". For what though?
I flip open my phone, just checking.
My friend used to call me at this time, both of us night owls. Ne usually would be having a hard time, always seemed keyed up about something, I rarely knew what. We'd sit and talk about some TV episode, usually a rerun we'd seen a million times. It's been years though, no one knows where ne disappeared to nor why.
My life hadn't been the same since ne left, nem and my dog were all I had. Poor Whimsy left this world only a year after ne vanished, it's just me now. Sometimes I get paranoid and think it was all by some mysterious design.
Why am I avoidin' nir name? Hed. Hed was my best friend. I shouldn't be afraid of saying it, in my mind or out loud...
"Hed." I whisper, glancing at the phone again. Nothing.
Sighing, I turn on the TV, and start flipping channels. Was it my fault ne disappeared? Because I didn't answer the last time ne called? It'd never happened before, we ALWAYS answered… But that one time I didn't. I ended up with just a second of voicemail, no words, just a permeating feeling of disappointment. Why didn't I pick up? Was I just takin' it for granted that it was nothin'? Was I angry? I don't even know anymore.
I settle on some cartoon show for adults, I never was a big fan but Hed liked it. It's a new episode, I'm not paying much attention though, just letting my mind wander. Then I hear a ring.
Shocked, I look at my phone but it's silent. I turn back to the TV and watch the character answer.
"Hello?" The character says.
"Cam!" The phone wails. "You have to help me! I've made a terrible mistake!"
"Hold up, what's happening?" Cam, it seems, questions.
"I messed up and… they figured it out, Cam!" There's crying. "They're gonna kill me!"
I click off the TV. Was that show always so dark? Biting my lip, I try to ignore the questions in my mind. What was Hed secretly doin' that kept nem from sleepin' most nights? What really happened? I never really bought that ne had just left and kicked me out of nir life, it wasn't like nem… but then what?
"Hed…"
My phone rings and I jump. It can't be, I hesitate but then quickly answer.
"HELLO!" I say, much louder than I meant.
"Did ya see the new episode, Zan?" A familiar voice asks.
"Hed…" I sniffle, trying not to cry. "I saw, I'm so sorry!"
"I need your help, Zan." Ne shudders.
"Of course! Just tell me what ya need!" I promise.
"Find my killer." The line goes dead.