Chapter Five

The Phone Calls

Silver and Elina finished their food, making their way out of the diner and back into the mall, holding hands like typical female best friends

“Thank you for paying, you didn’t have to.” Silver said quietly to Elina.

“Oh come on! It’s my treat, besides I invited you.”

Elina replied, in her ever cheerful voice.

“Now let’s go shopping! Come on!” She quirked pulling Silver with more force than required. Silver wasn’t difficult to pull in the first place, she was as light as a feather.

“I don’t really need anything.” Silver shrugged, chewing on her bottom lip.

Elina scoffed in response, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. “You’re a girl honey, you always need something.”

She dragged Silver into the nearest store, eyeing up the different clothing, as she traced her fingers along the different dresses, studying them, eyes shining with excitement.

“This one here, this is nice. Goes with your sweet brown skin.” Announced Elina, holding up a pretty yellow summer dress, eyeing Silver, gauging her reaction.

“It is, but it’s not summer.” She stated making her way over the sweatshirts. Smiling as she pulled a pale purple one of the rack, holding it up against herself.

“You look hot in purple.” Complimented Elina. Flashing her a grin.

“But you have so many sweatshirts though.” Elina pouted, pleading with her eyes for Silver to take a dress.

Silver rolled her eyes slightly, putting the sweatshirt back in it’s rack. Jumping slightly as her phone began to buzz in her pocket. Pulling it out, she frowned when she saw a number that she didn’t recognize. Swiping to take the call, she pressed the phone to her ear.

“Hello? Hello?” No response came from the phone and all Silver could hear was heavy breathing. Fear raced through her veins. She ended the call, shaking her head as if to clear the incident. Immediately blocking the caller to make sure they didn’t try to call again.

“Who was it?” Elina asked with concern, when she saw the look of fright on Silver’ face.

“No one.” Silver replied, sounding more like she was trying to convince herself instead of her best friend. Pulling Elina’s hand they began to move towards the next store. The quicker they finished here, the quicker they could get home. This day had been weird from the start.

Silver’s breath caught in her throat as she gazed towards the other end of the shop, gasping to herself, her heart beating frantically in her chest. The same man from the diner was standing by the doors, his eyes latched onto her like a leech, causing her to shift from foot to foot uncomfortably. He looked her up and down as he scowled, his fist clenched by his side, causing fear to surge throughout her veins.

“Can we go?” Silver asked, eyes pleading. Latching onto Elina’s arm attempting to pull her towards the exit.

“Hold on, there’s a sale.” She replied. Causing Silver to swallow harshly, taking a step back. She looked ready to bolt out of the building. Her phone buzzed in her pockets again, but she was too worked up to check who it was. Elina eyed her up and down again studying her odd behavior. Something was clearly off.

“Silver, are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Taking a few steps closer to her and placing her palm on her forehead. Checking if she had a fever.

“Yeah I don’t feel that great. Can we go?” She asked. Eyes darting back to the creepy man, noticing him start to make his way out of the store. Eyes fixated on her shaking frame.

Okay fine let’s go. You’re acting weird though and it’s scaring me.” Elina replied, eyes darting around too. Chewing on her plump lips nervously, worry masking her face.

“Yeah I’m okay, just a little tired.” She said, turning on her heel quickly and making her way out of the store, not wanting to cause a scene over a probably innocent man. She was sure she wasn’t imagining the man. He looked so real, but she had no idea who he was, she didn’t recognize him at all and it scared the living daylights out of her knowing that her mere presence could cause him to be so furious. She tried to convince herself that it was a coincidence that he had been at the diner and now at the clothing store that she had been in, but it just seemed so strange.

A tiny part of her wanted to confront this creepy and demand he told her what he wanted or what his problem was, but she had neither the guts or strength to do it. Plus he looked dangerous, she wasn’t putting it past him to try to hurt her.

“Has something happened?” Elina asked the moment they were out of the mall, walking back out towards her car.

“I just swear I keep seeing the same man everywhere. It’s creeping me out.” Silver replied, rubbing gently at her temples, trying to ease the headache starting to form.

“Who?” Asked Elina, squinting suspiciously, turning this way and that as if trying to catch the man.

“He’s gone now.”

“Well let me know if you see him again, we need to be sure everything is alright. I know you’re literally the most beautiful girl ever but you don’t need a stalker right now.” Elina says lightly, gently poking Silver.

“What do you mean right now? I don’t need a stalker ever!” Silver says, laughing loudly. Grabbing onto Elina’s hand and pulling her in the direction of her parked car. Scanning the area once again for the creepy man. Satisfied with him out of sight. She settles into her car and begins to drive.

“My place or yours?” Elina asked and just as Silver is about to reply, her phone starts to ring again. Taking a quick glance across her screen she sees another unknown number flash across the screen, and her heart starts to beat really fast again.

“Do you know who it is?” Asked Elina.

“No, I don’t. Can you get it for me?” Silver replied. Once Elina swipes the screen to take the call, the sound of heavy breathing is heard on the other line. No words, no nothing. Just the in and out taking of breath. Heavily.

“Hello?” Elina tries, after a few seconds of silence. She gets no response though and chooses to hang up the phone.

“That’s weird. Probably just a cold caller, or some type of prank. I’ll block the number so you don’t get another call. Okay?” Elina says, in an attempt to comfort an obviously shaken Silver. Just as the two girls start to settle down again; headed towards Elina’s home, another call comes through, from another unknown number.

Silver groans in frustration. What the hell is happening? She grabs the phone and puts it on speaker, placing it on the dashboard so she could focus on driving.

The deep baritone of the voice that comes through next, does nothing to hide the sneer of it’s owner.

“Hello Silver.”