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The Prank Caller


I was 17 years old, babysitting for a family friend’s three kids. After about two hours of fun activities I send them off to bed and flick the TV on. It’s good pay for not so much work and I like the kids too.

At around ten PM I get a call. I answer it:

"Hello?"

Heavy breathing on the other end, I could sense they were male.

The line goes dead.

"Weirdos" I remark and continue watching the TV.

I get another call.

"Hello?" I say.

A hoarse, eerie voice fills my ear: “You don’t have to be afraid.”

"Who is this?" I ask.

The line goes dead.

Ten minutes go by. BRRR-ING, BRRR-ING.

Do I answer it, yes.

"You look really handsome tonight." Comes the creepy voice.

"Yeah, I bet I do" Trying to play along.

"Mmm, tell me: How old are they?"

"How old are who?" I ask.

"The three KIDDIES".

My heart stops. I slam the phone down and punch 911.

”********* Police Department…”

"Hello? I think someone’s watching me."

Silence on the other end.

"Hello?"

"I’m with you sir, where are you now?"

"34 ********* Avenue"

"Great, now have you seen the person watching you?"

"Um. No, not exactly, but they said over the phone that… things they couldn’t have known otherwise."

"Alright sir, I’m just going to need you to calm down, take a deep breath. "

"Okay."

"Right and I’m gonna dispatch a couple of officers to your location they’re gonna make sure you’re okay".

"Thank you!"

"Alright, so getting back to my previous question… How OLD are they?"

I drop the phone on the ground, my heart feels like its in my throat.

The sound of the tumble-dryer in the basement catches me off guard, but I remember the mother telling me about it:

"It rocks from side to side occasionally but it shouldn’t be too much of an issue, usually quietens down after about twenty minutes or so".

I shut the door, cancelling out most of the noise. Then my mobile goes off with a dinky tune, I flip it open “Unknown Contact”… and what I hear next…

A series of bangs happening at half-second intervals, like a… like a…. and then it clicks: Like a tumble-dryer.

—

Credits to: Humblefart

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