The Apartment
It is a cool day in mid October. You slept in since you are on vacation from work. You're awaken by loud banging at the front door of your apartment. You reluctantly jump up and reach for your phone on the end table, but it's missing. The banging persists. You jump up and throw on a random t-shirt from the laundry basket in the hall. You yell down the hall, 'Who's there?'
"It's Rory! Hurry and open up!" The banging stops suddenly. You're long time friend Rory responds. He sounds frantic. As you get closer you hear a woman's scream and a police sires roaring. Your cellphone on the kitchen counter is buzzing off the charger. You fling the door open without looking and dash for the phone. The ringing stops before you can answer. You have 27 missed calls. You look back at the door, but no one's there.
Check your phone 1
You close the door slowly and lock it. You have several missed calls from family and friends and even a few messages. Rory has called a couple of times. Your mother has called back to back at least 15 times. Your girlfriend has called multiple times. Even your brother, whom you haven't spoken to in several years has reached out to you. Some of the calls are from unknown numbers. It seems there was nearly as many messages as missed calls.
You sit back on the couch and look at the TV playing some random cartoon. A fox seems to be trying to lure a young boy into a dying forest. You check the time on your phone. It is just a little after noon and your growling stomach seems to be reminding you of a missed breakfast. You reluctantly drag yourself into the kitchen.
Leaning into the fridge, you grab out a pizza box. The last two slices are thrown onto a paper plate and launched into the microwave. You crack a can of beer to wait out the time. As you drink, you respond to your texts.
Amber: Hey! R u there?! Pls, pls, pls b ok! CALL ME!
Amber: OMG! R u not seeing the fricking news!?!?!
Amber: Babe!
Amber: I love u
You: Hey, babe. Sry I missed u xoxo!
You: I feel like crap. Don't remember last night at all. Watz up? U ok?
As you wait, you text Rory.
You: Bro! I'm gonna take a swing n say we went in a lil too hard! lol I don't remember a thing! My head feels like my brains are gonna bleed out and I smell like a dead skunk jumped in bed with me! Watz good?
Rory has a habit of not responding to text right away, but your mother does.
Mom: My sweet baby! Call me when you are able!
Mom: Honey, I don't know where you are, but I'm worried about you and all this stuff going on. Please call me, okay?
Mom: Look I know you are a man and you can take care of yourself, but for God's sake, please call me! Let me know you are safe! I need to know! I'm still your mother!
Mom: My baby. Please find somewhere safe to hide until I can come and find you. Mommy loves you so much.
You: Hey, mom. Sorry I missed you. I just woke up. Long night, studying. I got all of these weird texts from you and Amber. Is everything okay? Call me when you can. Love you!
As you finish your can and start on the second, a loud banging pulls your attention away.
As soon as you step out of the kitchen, your phone starts ringing.
Mom: Oh my God! I'm so glad to hear from you, my baby!
You: Hey, mom. What's going on?
The banging at the door is followed by a panicked voice. "It's Rory! Hurry! Open the door!" You hastily approach the door. "Yo! Hold up a sec!" The banging continues. "Yo! I said Hold up!" The door shakes even harder.
Your mom's shaking voice over the phone makes you hesitate at the door. "Don't open it!"
"What?" You try to laugh her off.
The banging intensifies. "Hurry! Open the door!"
"Don't you dare let him in!" Your hand stops on the door knob. The banging has ceased. The apartment is as dead as the grave. Your mother's breaths are followed by almost a whisper. You can barely make out her words. "If you let him in- if you let them in..." she held an eerie pause.
"Mom. What's going on? Your not acting like yourself."
A echoing voice monotone voice covered your mother's words. "Hello, my son. How are you today? Is your little friend here? You should go and answer the door. Do not be rude son."
"Mom?"
"Go on. Answer the door son." As she repeated herself there was a soft knock at the door. You look out, but see no one in the dimly lit hallway. "Go on. Answer the door son. Go on." You step back from the door and call out for Rory. He does not respond. Instead, your mother seems to be repeating herself over the phone. It doesn't take long for your attention to be pulled away from the door and phone by footsteps and whimpering coming from down the hall behind you. As you turn, you find your bedroom door slowly closing. You can see footsteps behind the door.
You turn to check your room. A screeching distorted voice shakes you. "Don't you dare go down to that filthy train wreck! Answer the door! Answer the door! Open it! Let us in!" Your arm pulls the phone back from your ringing ear. You pull your free hand up towards the warm trickling feeling coming from your ear. Blood covers your fingertips. An Earth shattering bang at the front door throws the phone from your hand.
It is a cool day in mid October. You slept in since you are on vacation from work. You're awaken by loud banging at the front door of your apartment. You reluctantly jump up and reach for your phone on the end table, but it's missing. The banging persists. You jump up and throw on a random t-shirt from the laundry basket in the hall. You yell down the hall, 'Who's there?'
"It's Rory! Hurry and open up!" The banging stops suddenly. You're long time friend Rory responds. He sounds frantic. As you get closer you hear a woman's scream and a police sires roaring. Your cellphone on the kitchen counter is buzzing off the charger. You fling the door open without looking and dash for the phone. The ringing stops before you can answer. You have 27 missed calls. You look back at the door, but no one's there.
Check your phone 1
You close the door slowly and lock it. You have several missed calls from family and friends and even a few messages. Rory has called a couple of times. Your mother has called back to back at least 15 times. Your girlfriend has called multiple times. Even your brother, whom you haven't spoken to in several years has reached out to you. Some of the calls are from unknown numbers. It seems there was nearly as many messages as missed calls.
You sit back on the couch and look at the TV playing some random cartoon. A fox seems to be trying to lure a young boy into a dying forest. You check the time on your phone. It is just a little after noon and your growling stomach seems to be reminding you of a missed breakfast. You reluctantly drag yourself into the kitchen.
Leaning into the fridge, you grab out a pizza box. The last two slices are thrown onto a paper plate and launched into the microwave. You crack a can of beer to wait out the time. As you drink, you respond to your texts.
Amber: Hey! R u there?! Pls, pls, pls b ok! CALL ME!
Amber: OMG! R u not seeing the fricking news!?!?!
Amber: Babe!
Amber: I love u
You: Hey, babe. Sry I missed u xoxo!
You: I feel like crap. Don't remember last night at all. Watz up? U ok?
As you wait, you text Rory.
You: Bro! I'm gonna take a swing n say we went in a lil too hard! lol I don't remember a thing! My head feels like my brains are gonna bleed out and I smell like a dead skunk jumped in bed with me! Watz good?
Rory has a habit of not responding to text right away, but your mother does.
Mom: My sweet baby! Call me when you are able!
Mom: Honey, I don't know where you are, but I'm worried about you and all this stuff going on. Please call me, okay?
Mom: Look I know you are a man and you can take care of yourself, but for God's sake, please call me! Let me know you are safe! I need to know! I'm still your mother!
Mom: My baby. Please find somewhere safe to hide until I can come and find you. Mommy loves you so much.
You: Hey, mom. Sorry I missed you. I just woke up. Long night, studying. I got all of these weird texts from you and Amber. Is everything okay? Call me when you can. Love you!
As you finish your can and start on the second, a loud banging pulls your attention away.
As soon as you step out of the kitchen, your phone starts ringing.
Mom: Oh my God! I'm so glad to hear from you, my baby!
You: Hey, mom. What's going on?
The banging at the door is followed by a panicked voice. "It's Rory! Hurry! Open the door!" You hastily approach the door. "Yo! Hold up a sec!" The banging continues. "Yo! I said Hold up!" The door shakes even harder.
Your mom's shaking voice over the phone makes you hesitate at the door. "Don't open it!"
"What?" You try to laugh her off.
The banging intensifies. "Hurry! Open the door!"
"Don't you dare let him in!" Your hand stops on the door knob. The banging has ceased. The apartment is as dead as the grave. Your mother's breaths are followed by almost a whisper. You can barely make out her words. "If you let him in- if you let them in..." she held an eerie pause.
"Mom. What's going on? Your not acting like yourself."
A echoing voice monotone voice covered your mother's words. "Hello, my son. How are you today? Is your little friend here? You should go and answer the door. Do not be rude son."
"Mom?"
"Go on. Answer the door son." As she repeated herself there was a soft knock at the door. You look out, but see no one in the dimly lit hallway. "Go on. Answer the door son. Go on." You step back from the door and call out for Rory. He does not respond. Instead, your mother seems to be repeating herself over the phone. It doesn't take long for your attention to be pulled away from the door and phone by footsteps and whimpering coming from down the hall behind you. As you turn, you find your bedroom door slowly closing. You can see footsteps behind the door.
You turn to check your room. A screeching distorted voice shakes you. "Don't you dare go down to that filthy train wreck! Answer the door! Answer the door! Open it! Let us in!" Your arm pulls the phone back from your ringing ear. You pull your free hand up towards the warm trickling feeling coming from your ear. Blood covers your fingertips. An Earth shattering bang at the front door throws the phone from your hand.