The air outside is perfectly crisp, leaves float on the breeze as you stomp up your porch steps.

You are in a hurry.

You have exactly one hour to get dressed and make it across town to a Halloween costume party.

As you unlock your front door the plastic shopping bag with your costume is swinging back and forth and your phone vibrates in your pocket. Without looking you put your hand in your pocket and press the phone to your head.

“Hello?” Your voice is pleasant and warm despite being in a rush.

“Hello.” The voice replies in the same pleasant, warm voice.

You drop your keys and the plastic shopping bag on the counter next to the large pumpkin that sits begging to be carved.

“Can I help you?” You say with an incredulous grin in your voice.

“Can you help me?” The voice replies thoughtfully.

You laugh uneasily and scratch your head.

The wind picks up hard outside and there is a soft thud from upstairs.

You take a large knife from the knife block on the kitchen counter and walk to the bottom of the stairs and flip on the light.

“Who is this?” You say in a voice you hope is steady.

“Who is this?” This voice repeats, now honeyed and amused.

Outside the wind picks up again and a branch thuds against the window and you jump.

You laugh shakily and run your hand over your face.

“Cute. Very cute. I can’t play holiday games with you though. I have to go. Happy Halloween.” You say cheerfully before hanging up.

You set the knife and phone on the counter across from the pumpkin and costume and go upstairs to shower, laughing at yourself for being jumpy.

As you get out of the shower you hear your phone downstairs vibrating like mad on the counter. You wrap a towel around yourself hastily and quickly run down the stairs to the kitchen and snatch up the buzzing phone.

“Hello?” You say breathlessly with a grin on your face.

“Hello.” The voice replies in a honeyed tone.

Your eyes narrow, “Look, I don’t have time for games.” You say impatiently and reach for the plastic bag with your costume on the counter behind you.

Except… there is no bag on the counter. You frown, confused. Something at the back of your brain is screaming but the pieces haven’t exactly clicked together yet.

“I have to-” You continue but you are cut off.

“You have to go? You said that. Doing something fun? Something festive? Like a costume party?” The voice says in a warm, amused voice.

Your heart thumps once painfully against your ribs.

You reach for the knife on the counter. Nothing. The knife is gone. You spin around and the shopping bag with your costume is also gone. A soft whine of panic starts somewhere in your chest and your hands begin to shake softly. Your eyes flick to the knife, now sticking out of the pumpkin. Your heartbeat starts in your ears.

You swallow, your mouth suddenly dry and look at your phone.

A sensation like cold water sliding down your spine makes your breath hitch.

INCOMING CALL HOME