Member-only story
Title: The End of the Line
image by google
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Arjun was scrolling through his OnePlus mobile phone, flipping through emails, news, and WhatsApp messages with his thumb. It was just one of those dull Monday evenings. But today had something different.
At 7:15 PM sharp, his phone vibed with an unwanted notification; no app, no contact; just a simple text read:
"Don't pick up the next call."
He frowned. Was it a prank? Some glitch? Before any further realization set in, the phone rang; caller ID was hidden.
He should've ignored it. But the curiosity got better of him. He spoke.
"Arjun," a voice distorted and alien whispered. "You should've listened."
Dial tone. Silence echoed in and around him. The cold went right down to his spine.
Then there came another message.
"Leave your house in 10 minutes."
His palms were shaking. Mind racing. Was this a hack? Some kind of a sick joke? Or maybe something worse?
He tried Nisha next, his best friend; no good, no network. Weird. His WiFi was working. His whole phone was on the fritz. He really wasn't feeling it.
