Kate had finally finished a hard day’s work of speaking to people and hearing their problems. She felt like a psychologist, which she didn’t mind, but there was only so much she could tolerate. But hey, it was better than sweeping the floor or being stuck behind a register. As she packed her things and locked up, her phone buzzed with an unknown number.

She held the phone up to her ear and expected to hear crying or ‘I need help’ however, there was nothing but white noise. When she was about to hang up, a child’s voice could be heard.

“H-hello? My mommy doesn’t feel good. I think she’s dead.” The child choked through sobs.

“Ok, um, where exactly is your mom, kid?” Kate asked softly.

“She was on the couch…”

“Can you see if she’s breathing? Having you tried waking her?”

As she waited, she walked down the empty sidewalk where the only light source was the flickering street lamps. The silence was enough to send chills down anyone’s spine, it shouldn’t take this long to answer. The young woman started to wonder what was happening, until the child spoke again.

“…she’s not there anymore.”

“What do you mean? Did she get up? Is she ok?”

“…She told me we are playing hide and seek but I can’t find her.” The child sniffled.

Kate listened in confusion until something made her emerald eyes widened and the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Her grip on the phone tightened. Maybe it was from watching too many horror movies, or being too paranoid again, but her gut instinct told her otherwise and that scared her. That scared her a lot.

“Hey, what’s your name kid?” Her shaky voice barely rose above a whisper, “and how old are you?”

“My name’s Bradley and I’m…I’m five.”

“Bradly, I need you to go into your room and lock the door. Then tell me where you live. Can you do that?”

No response.

“Bradley?”

Nothing.

“Bradley? Kid, you there?”

Silence.

“Answer if you’re there. Please.”

Then Kate heard something that shook her to the very core. Something that even an exorcist would freeze up to.

𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬. 𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬. 𝘚𝘯𝘢𝘱. 𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬.

Multiple cracks followed by labored breathing followed by more cracks. And then silence. The fucking silence. But one reason Kate didn’t hang up right then and there was because occasionally there was a scratch from what was a wooden floor, little raspy whimpers like a slobbery panting dog desperate for water. The other reason was the sudden coldness throughout her own being. It wasn’t that cold outside yet she could see her own breath and goosebumps made their presence known rather instantly.

Her gut instinct was right.

The last thing before the call abruptly ended was the sound of Bradley’s strained intertwined with another’s:

“….Mommy found me….”