TALES OF GLENFORD FALLS
Home Alone?
Becky Roma was your average teenage girl. She was into clothes, shopping, her cell phone, boys, and partying. But as much as she liked those things Becky, like most people, every now and then, liked a night off. A night to herself; no parties, no friends, no nothing. Just a good movie, a couch, and a bowl of popcorn. That night was tonight.
Mr. and Mrs. Roma had plans to go to a dinner party for Mr. Roma's work that night which would give Becky the house to herself.
"Are you sure you don't need anything?" Mrs. Roma asked as she slipped on her coat.
"I'll be fine, Mom," Becky assured her. "All I want to do is veg."
"Alright. Well have a good night, sweetie. We might be in late."
"That's fine." Becky just wanted her parents to leave.
"I left a twenty on the counter if you want a pizza."
"Okay. Thanks."
"Call us if you need anything at all."
Becky was about to speak up again, but Mr. Roma took the liberty of doing it himself. "She's fine, honey," he said. "We have to get going, though."
"Okay, okay," Mrs. Roma said and followed her husband through the front door. "Love you, sweetie!"
"Love you too," Becky said. Then, when the door had shut she muttered, "Finally," to herself.
She tossed herself onto the couch and turned on the TV.
An hour and a half later Becky hadn't left the couch. The only part of her that had moved was her finger, hitting the remote. She was checking out the pay-per-view movies when her stomach growled. "Time for pizza," she said and felt in her pocket for her cell phone. It wasn't there. Must be upstairs, she thought. Luckily, the cordless phone was lying on the end table at the end of the couch.
After a quick call Becky Roma had a large supreme pizza with extra cheese being made in her honor and would be appearing on her doorstep within thirty minutes (or it was free). Until then she would be watching Because I Said So on pay-per-view.
She was only five minutes into the movie when the phone rang. "Great," she sighed in exasperation. "I can't even enjoy a movie." It rang again and she considered letting it continue. After five more rings though she'd had enough and pick up the receiver. "Hello?" she said.
There was no answer. No sound at all.
"Hello?" she said again then hung up. "Jerk." Back to the movie.
Ten more minutes passed when the phone rang again. "What the heck?" Becky muttered. She picked up the receiver again. "Hello?" she said.
Again, no answer.
"Hello?" she said.
Nothing.
"Whoever this is it's not funny so stop calling." She clicked the end button and tossed the phone on the coffee table.
No more had Becky got settled back on the couch when the phone rang again. "Unbelievable," she said, staring at the phone debating whether or not to answer.
Ring.
"I'm not going to answer you."
Ring.
"Nope."
Ring.
"Not gonna happen."
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
"Argh!" Becky bellowed and snatched up the phone. "Hello!" she nearly shouted.
"Becky?" it was her mother. "Why weren't you answering? I was getting worried. Are you alright?"
Becky rolled her eyes (partly at herself for being paranoid and partly at her mother for calling to check on her). "Yeah, Mom, I'm fine."
"Why didn't you answer the phone?"
"I-" What did she tell her mother? The truth? Nah. "I was in the bathroom."
"Oh. Okay. I was just making sure you were okay, honey."
"I'm fine, Mom. This isn't the first time I was home alone, you know?"
"I know, I know." Mrs. Roma chuckled. "I'm sorry, sweetie. You have a good night."
"I will," Becky said. "Bye."
"Bye," Mrs. Roma said and they hung up.
Becky put the phone back on the coffee table and looked at the clock on top of the TV. The pizza should be here soon. In the mean time, back to the movie.
After while Becky had all but forgotten about the silent phone calls, brushing them off as just a practical joke. Probably some kids having a sleepover who had just found out about the hilarious wonders of the crank call. Now she just lay on the couch enjoying the banter between Mandy Moore's character and that of Diane Keaton.
Ring.
Becky stared at the phone. "You've got to be kidding me."
Ring.
"I'm seriously just going to disconnect you."
Ring.
She grabbed up the receiver once more. "Hello?" she said, the anger thick in her voice. She expected to be met with silence again, but she wasn't so lucky. This time she was met with the distinct sound of ragged breathing. Chills ran up Becky's spine. She was getting creeped out now. "Who is this?" she asked.
The only answer was the breathing.
"You're sick!" she shouted and hung up and tossed the phone onto the table as if it had burned her hand. She stared at the it like it were a cobra ready to strike. She suddenly didn't want to be alone.
Stop making a fool of yourself, she thought. It's only some stupid kids.
Bing-bong!
Becky jumped out of her seat (and almost out of her skin) and shrieked. "Oh my gosh," she said, her hand over her heart. It was only the doorbell. Her pizza had arrived. She actually laughed at herself and walked to the door, grabbing the money off the counter.
"Evening," the delivery boy greeted her as she opened the door. "One large supreme pizza, extra cheese?"
"Yeah," Becky confirmed and handed over the twenty-dollar bill and took the pizza. "Keep it," she said when the pizza boy started to dig for change.
"Cool," he said. "Thanks!" He turned and walked back to his car.
Becky sat back down on the couch. Pizza would make everything better.
A half-hour late the pizza had made everything better. Becky lie on the couch, stomach satisfied and engrossed in her movie, the creepy phone calls a million years ago.
"I am stuffed," she said aloud and tossed the crust of her piece of pizza back in the box.
Ring.
Becky suddenly felt sick to her stomach (and not for the fact that she'd just eaten half a pizza by herself).
Ring.
Then an idea suddenly struck her. Caller ID! Duh!
Ring.
She reached her arm up and fumbled around for the phone base, not bothering to sit up. She finally grasped it and pulled it down to her.
Her breath caught, her heart stopped, her blood ran cold, she couldn't move.
The name on the caller ID stared back at her in all its horrific glory.
Becky Roma Cell.
Becky looked up just in time to see the knife slash down into her chest.
