FicWad

The house was silent for fifteen minutes and then the ringing resumed. I stared at the phone, debating unplugging it. Instead I gave in and answered. “Hello?” This time my tone was hesitant.

“Hey.” Frank’s calm voice met my ears, causing me to relax instinctively.

“Oh, thank god.” I mumbled in to the receiver.

Frank laughed, “I kind of like that greeting.” Of course he would.

“I think I just realized how much of a scaredy cat I am.” I admitted, falling backwards in to the comfortable couch.

“Aww, I could’ve told you that!” Frank replied. I could imagine his soft lips moving together, his teeth tugging upon his lip ring... The fact that he had cheated on me hurt but it didn’t make me immune to how alluring he was. “Do you want me to come over and keep you company?”

“No, I need to grow up.” This fear was easily manageable. I just needed to stop being stupid about it and realize prank calls occur. “How many prank calls do you think people receive each day?”

Frank laughed, “I don’t know, a lot. Do you need the statistics?”

“They would make me feel better.”

“My little nerd.” I heard typing, followed up by, “It’s a pretty big number.” Frank said, in a matter of fact tone. “Did you get another prank call?”

He didn’t need to know the details. “Was it Mikey?”

“I couldn’t get a hold of Mikey.” Frank yawned. “But I’ll definitely ask him about it when he calls me back. Are you sure you don’t want me to come over?”

“I’ll be fine. It’s just some stupid prank.” I paused, hoping I wouldn’t regret my next statement. “I’m not afraid of someone who can only talk to me over the freaking phone.”

Frank took a second to respond, “Well, call me if you change your mind.” I wouldn’t, but okay.

“Night Frank.”

“I really am sorry-“ Frank attempted to jam an apology in to the conversation but I didn’t want to hear it.

“Night.” I hung up, staring at the phone.

I hoped it wouldn’t ring again.

I just didn’t have the patience to play stupid games with some freak over the phone. I’m not afraid. I’m not afraid.

Despite my insistence upon not being afraid I still turned the television on, not liking the thoughts that silence brought about.

So what if I was going to sit down and read a book?

The silence made you start to hear things that weren’t really there and I didn’t need that. The book I was about to read was sitting upstairs on my bed.

It only took me a few minutes to climb the stairs.

The air was cold so I stopped to turn up the heat. I was almost to my bedroom door.

The phone rang.

I paused, considering going back to answer it.

I ended up continuing on to my bedroom instead. The door was shut, which was odd. Usually I left it open...

My fingers closed around the doorknob just as the answering machine picked up the call. A wave of relief flooded over me as my mother’s voice came on, “Hello Honey... Just wanted to let you know that we made it. We’re about to get some sleep. Happy Birthday!” It wasn’t my birthday just yet but it was still nice to hear her say it. “Call me tomorrow please! Love you!” Then the message stopped and she ended the call.

Was I really getting this frightened over a prank caller? I definitely needed to snap out of this. I didn’t want to let fear get to me every single time I was alone. I was in the house I’d lived in for my entire life. I was twenty minutes away from town but Frank was just a phone call away. Frank, the boy that had cheated on me. Frank, I didn’t need him.

I was fine. I just needed to stop freaking out.

But when my bedroom door swung open and my eyes landed on the familiar bed the fear quickly returned, this time it was magnified.

I didn’t move.

I felt like I couldn’t move.

I was frozen.

Mr. Bear, the teddy bear that Frank had given me last month, had a knife sticking out of his stomach.

The knife was red.

Was that... blood?

Oh god.

I jumped as the phone began ringing again.

I still couldn’t move though.

I didn’t want to move.

I wanted to close my eyes and when I re-opened them I wanted the bear to be gone. I wanted this to be a nightmare.

I wanted to wake up.

The machine beeped and the stranger’s creepy voice flowed through the house, “Your cinnamon rolls are burning.”

He didn’t say anything else.

Suddenly music from my ipod began playing, the volume slowly increasing. ‘Fer Sure by The Medic Droid’ was the song that played.

Kick up the stilletos and fuck me in the backseat, fuck me in the backseat...

The music suddenly stopped, then started, playing the same words over again and I noticed that the cold air blowing through my room was coming from the open window.

Despite my growing fear I inched towards the window.

Past Mr. Bear.

I reached out, slowly closing the window. The thought of jumping out had crossed my mind but I was on the second story and not particularly fond of injuring myself...

The song stopped playing, flooding the house with silence. What had happened to the television?

Another song came on,

So tell me honestly, do you ever really want this?

I listened to the lyrics, attempting to stay calm.

You know my heart.

I didn’t touch the bear as I made my way out of my bedroom. I left the door open as I positioned myself against the wall, inching along.

Where was my cell phone?

Downstairs.

Damn it.

I’ll be okay, is that what you want me to say?

The song was almost at it’s end.

Strangely enough... focusing on the lyrics was helping me feel a little more confident.

I peaked around the corner, attempting to glance downstairs.

Once again the music stopped but this time no other sound took it’s place. I listened, wondering just what I expected to hear. Footsteps? I wasn’t entirely sure if that would scare me more, or less.

It was quite frightening knowing that something was going on downstairs yet I was unable to see anything, or whoever was down there.

I jumped and had to cover my mouth with my hand as I heard a loud knocking... Was someone at the door?

Something clattered in the kitchen and I waited, wondering if I would catch a glimpse of whoever was down there.

The knocking continued.

Who would be at the door?

“Kass, you in there?” Frank’s voice came from downstairs, along with more knocking. It was Frank!

I chanced another glance downstairs but saw nothing.

I had to get to Frank.

I just had to.

I didn’t let myself think it through. I didn’t want to chicken out.

I turned and ran down the stairs.

I thought I was going to make it but then my foot hit one of the stairs and I went tumbling, hitting my head against the railing.

It wasn’t enough to knock me out but it sure did hurt.

As I looked up I half expected to see someone standing above me, holding a knife similar to the one sticking out of Mr. Bear.

There was no one near me though and nothing sharp was in sight.

Was I going crazy?

I suddenly felt very stupid for nearly causing myself harm. The fall down the stairs could have been a hell of a lot worse. What was I thinking?

I made it to the door without any problem and my fears were even starting to die down. I was starting to believe that it was a possibility that I had just... let myself believe someone else was in the house with me because that’s the creepy thing we’re all secretly afraid of, isn’t it? I can’t be the only one.

I was letting my fears get to me.

It was nothing.

The television was still on. The volume was just down. Had the volume ever been turned up? I suddenly couldn’t remember.

“What was that?” Frank asked, as I pulled open the door. “I heard a crash.” He glanced behind me, as if expecting to see something disastrous.

“I fell.” Once the words tumbled out I felt completely idiotic and was now to the point where I thought I had to be imagining everything.

“Damn, are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine. What’s up?”

“You sounded kind of spooked on the phone so I thought I’d drop by.” That sounded a little too coincidental to me. It was the bear that Frank had gotten me that got stabbed. It was Frank’s favorite songs that played on the ipod downstairs. It ... happened with Frank supposedly just feet away.

“I-“ I was still a little spooked though. “Come in for a second.”

“Sure.” Frank stepped inside. “Want me to check things out?”

“Go ahead...” He wasn’t really acting weird... Why would he do this to me, if it was him? Well, I had recently broken up with him.

Frank began climbing the stairs and I trailed behind him, thinking through the possibility of Frank being my prank caller.

The calls had suddenly stopped.

It was painfully slow to watch Frank check each room but then...

He opened my bedroom door.

Mr. Bear was gone.

“What’s wrong?” Frank asked, as I blankly stared past him at my bed.

The bedroom window was open again.

“Can you-“ My bottom lip began trembling, “Can you close and lock the window please?” I was surprised at how calm I actually sounded.

Frank went forward, closing the window in one swift movement. I watched as he clicked the lock in to place. “Want me to check under the bed?” Frank asked, his tone light and playful.

“Yeah.” My tone wasn’t nearly as playful.

Frank looked everywhere.

There was no one in the house.





“Are you sure you don’t want me to stick around?” Frank asked, brushing his fingers through his messy hair. He looked as if he had just woken up.

Sleep sounded really good. When was the last time I slept? I couldn’t remember now. Maybe it was sleep deprivation getting to me...

“No, I’m just going to get some sleep.” I still leaned forward to hug Frank though.

Frank hugged me in return. He was warm and comfortable and he smelled like... Cherries? The knife sticking out of Mr. Bear had red on it. Red, like blood... but was it blood?

Cherries were red. If you squished them then it left red coloring behind. “Frank, have you been eating cherries?”

“Nope, why do you ask?” Liar.

“No reason. Um, I’ll see you later... Goodnight.” And please leave me alone!

I was furious.

I debated just telling him that I knew he was the one trying to scare me but I didn’t. I didn’t want him to know that he was still getting to me. I would just pretend that everything was okay.

Frank smiled, “Goodnight Kass.”

I just smiled, waiting for him to leave.

He turned away.

I didn’t waste any time in shutting and locking the door.

That bastard...

I can’t believe he would do that to me. And for what? A cheap fucking thrill! It was worse that I was totally falling for it. I had been terrified just minutes before. It wasn’t funny. His sense of humor was sick.

The next time I talked to him I would be sure to let him know but as for tonight, I just wanted to sleep now.

I went in to the kitchen to grab a glass of water, pausing as I noticed the cinnamon rolls sitting on top of the oven. They weren’t burnt...

Did Frank take them out?

He had to have.

There was even a bite missing out of one of them. That was such Frank behavior.

I picked a piece off of one of the goey cinnamon rolls and slipped it in to my mouth. “Mmm.” Things were starting to look up again. I had a book, a blanket, and cinnamon rolls to last me the rest of the night.

I had eaten an entire cinnamon roll and was just about to eat a little more when I looked up, causing the small piece of cinnamon roll to slip from between my fingers.

“How do you feel Kassandra?” The smooth voice asked, as dark eyes stared blankly at me. He had no emotion anywhere on his face, nor in his tone.

“Who are you?” I choked out, standing just feet from the stranger.

“I’m the one who poisoned those cinnamon rolls.” A small show of emotion took over his face. Was that... happiness?

Poisoned?

He wasn’t Frank.

Where was Frank?

I had sent Frank away.

I began to feel dizzy as I stumbled backwards, away from the stranger.

He just smiled. “I’ll wait here. You won’t get far.”

He was right.

I only made it to the living room before passing out, hitting my head once again.