Last Call
A voice on the line. Something else listening.
This short story? is based on the prompt by Labyrinthia Mythweaver, Conor MacCormack and Mathew C. Bryant • Horror Poet.
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[For a better experience, use headphones]
[ON AIR]
“You’re listening to Night Signal FM…
this is Last Call.
Hope you enjoyed that one—
that was Should I Stay or Should I Go by The Clash.
It’s 9:30 p.m.,
and that means we open the lines.
Do we have someone with us?”
…
“Perfect.
Let’s take our first caller of the night.”
[PHONE LINE CLICK]
[A RECEIVER IS PICKED UP]
[SILENCE]
“Hello?
Don’t hang up.
Stay with me.
You’re live.”
[HEAVY, UNEVEN BREATHING]
“Go ahead…
we’re on air.”
[SILENCE]
[SILENCE]
[DISTANT SOBBING]
[A SHAKING VOICE]
“…Hello…?”
“Hey—yes, I can hear you.
You’re live on Last Call.
Tell us your name.”
[SOBBING]
[SOBBING]
[SOBBING]
[SILENCE]
“…H…help…”
“Sorry—what?
Hello? Are you alright?”
[A HEAVY SILENCE FALLS OVER THE STUDIO.
THE HOST HOLDS HIS BREATH.
THE TECH GLANCES AT THE CUT BUTTON.]
“…HELP…
please—someone, please help me…”
[SILENCE]
“HELP!!!
HELP!!!!!
SOMEONE HELP ME—SHE’S COMING FOR ME!!”
[THE CRIES BREAK, TURNING INTO PANIC]
[BUTTON PRESSED]
[THE CALL DOES NOT DROP]
[BUTTON PRESSED]
[THE CALL DOES NOT DROP]
[BUTTON PRESSED]
[THE CALL DOES NOT DROP]
[PRESS. PRESS. PRESS.]
[SILENCE]
[THE BROADCAST CONTINUES]
“…Wait—wait.
Who’s coming for you?
What happened?
Is there anyone there who can help you?”
“…I… I just wanted my daughter to live…
I promised… I promised I’d give my life for hers…
But I don’t want to die…
I DON’T WANT TO DIE—
I DON’T—
I DON’T—
I DON’T—
I DON’T—”
“Who did you make that promise to?”
“…Her…”
“Who is her?”
“…She’s something…
a spirit…
something worse…
She takes the souls of the sick…
I prayed to her one night—
I promised my life
in exchange for my daughter’s…
I was desperate…
I didn’t know what else to do…
But now she’s alive—
and I don’t want to die…
I DON’T WANT TO—
I DON’T WANT TO—
PLEASE—HELP ME—”
[A CHILD’S VOICE, FAINT—DISTANT]
“…Daddy… are you okay…?
Don’t cry…”
[SILENCE]
“…I’m okay, sweetheart…
I’m okay.
Here—hold this.
Daddy’s just asking for help.
Everything’s going to be alright.”
[SOBBING]
[WIND BLEEDS THROUGH THE LINE]
“Please… my daughter and I need help…
please—before it’s too late…”
“Do you need us to call the police?
Where are you calling from?”
“ARE YOU NOT LISTENING?!
THE POLICE CAN’T DO ANYTHING!
I NEED SOMEONE
TO GET US OUT OF HERE—
BEFORE IT’S TOO L—”
“NO.
NO—
NO NO NO NO—
NO!
SHE’S HERE.
SHE’S HERE—
SHE’S HERE—
SHE’S HERE—”
[A DULL IMPACT]
[WIND—LOW, HOLLOW]
[SCREAMS]
[THE TECH TRIES AGAIN TO CUT THE CALL]
[THE LINE STAYS OPEN]
[FOR A MOMENT—SILENCE SWALLOWS EVERYTHING]
[NO ONE SPEAKS]
[NO ONE BREATHES]
[SOMETHING HEAVY APPROACHES—SLOW, DRAGGING]
[THEN—IT BREAKS]
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE’S HERE—
WHO IS COMING—
WHY THE HELL WON’T THIS CUT—”
[THE CHILD AGAIN—DISTANT]
“…She’s here, Daddy…”
[SOBBING]
“…Marta… listen to me…
I need you to do something for me.
Okay?”
[SILENCE]
“Go hide under there.
Stay there. Don’t open your eyes.
Not for anything.
Be a good girl.
Stay right there.
Put your hands over your ears—like this.
Everything will be over soon.”
[SOBBING]
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO YOUR DAUGHTER?!”
[SILENCE]
“…It’s too late…
It’s too… late…”
“I’M CALLING THE POLICE—”
“…I can see her…
She came for me…
God—what have I done…”
[A DOOR SLAMS]
[WIND RUSHES IN]
[SOMETHING MOVES CLOSER]
[A SCREAM]
“WHAT IS THAT?!
WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT—?!”
“NO—PLEASE—
NOT YET—
PLEASE DON’T TAKE ME—
PLEASE—
DON’T HURT HER—”
[SCREAMS]
[SOBBING]
[SILENCE]
[A CHILD CRYING—DISTANT]
[THE LINE DROPS]
[A WOMAN LAUGHS]
[SILENCE]
[THE HOST DOESN’T SPEAK]
[THE TECH STARES AT THE CONSOLE—WAITING]
“…Jesus Christ…”
[A BREATH—UNSTEADY]
“…Did you get—
did you get a location?”
[NO RESPONSE]
“Hey—
I said—did you—”
[A LOW HUM BLEEDS INTO THE STUDIO]
[FAINT AT FIRST]
[THEN—NOT SO FAINT]
“…What is that…?”
[THE ON AIR LIGHT FLICKERS]
“…We’re… still live.”
“…No—
we cut the call—”
[A BREATH—CLOSE]
[NOT THROUGH THE HEADPHONES]
“…Did you hear that?”
[THE TECH DOESN’T ANSWER]
“…Hey—
did you hear that—?”
“No…
no, that’s not—
that’s not the line…”
[THE PHONE LIGHTS UP AGAIN]
[NO RING]
[JUST… ON]
“…Why is it—
why is it already connected…?”
[SILENCE]
[A WOMAN LAUGHS—CLOSER NOW]
[NOT THROUGH THE PHONE]
[THE HOST STOPS BREATHING]
[A LONG PAUSE]
[THE TECH TAKES A STEP BACK]
[ANOTHER BREATH—BEHIND THEM]
[NO ONE TURNS AROUND]
“…We’re still live…”
[STATIC—LOW, THICK, ALMOST SHAPING WORDS]
[THE HOST INHALES—SLOW, CONTROLLED]
“…You’re listening to Night Signal FM…”
[A BEAT—TOO LONG]
“…this is Last Call.”
[THE TECH TURNS—SLOWLY]
[SOMETHING IS WRONG—SUBTLE, BUT THERE]
“…We have another caller on the line.”
[SILENCE]
[NO PHONE RINGS]
[JUST THE HUM]
“…Go ahead—”
[A BREATH—NOT HIS]
“…you’re li—
you’re live.”
[SILENCE]
Every quiet gesture helps.
This is fucking incredible!
That literally creeped me out so much I’m going out of this room I’ve been hiding in to play on my phone back out to where the people are 🏃♀️