Another Call - Blog entry 2 week 10

"Miranda? Is that you?"
The other end of the phone held silence, static. The tension was thick as Candace Roberts turned the plastic, heavy, cord-connected phone in her hand, waiting for the answer. There was a noise- It sounded like someone swallowing, hard.
"Yes."
Her voice was clipped and harsh, a little ragged around the edges. Candace breathed out, and hissed,
"Where have you been? It's been months, no one's heard of you! You just skipped out, like that?" She waved her hand, invisible to the woman on the other side of the phone line, miles and miles away, as she whispered in the dark, so as not to wake her sleeping husband and children. Candace's husband would have frowned upon this secretization, this phone call, even. He may even have to have words with her- Words that involved palms and bruises, occasionally fists. But- He wasn't awake now. It was alright.
Miranda shuffled, miles away in the plastic phonebooth on a dingy corner, the streetlamp flickering. She kept putting quarters in, though she hardly had enough words in her to fill the fifteen minute time slot. She exhaled and the plumes of breath rose in the air, like warning signals. She shook her head and replied, tasting grit against her back teeth.
"I- I had ta go, Candance. They were findin' me, you know? They kept callin- And callin'. Shit, I can't stay there like that. I can't have them knowin'."
Candace ran a trembling hand through her hair, waves of relief washing over. Was that it? Was that all really it? Was that what had driven her away- Some phone calls?
"Some phone calls? Well- I mean, I'm sure they stopped now. Maybe they were mistaken-"
"He knew my mothers name, Candace!"
The voice exploded from the end of the phone, and Miranda trembled, the explosion of her scream echoing in her temples. Candace nearly dropped the plastic receptical, and whispered,
"Miranda, we checked- We did! There hasn't been anyone calling-"
"Hold on, Candace-"

Miranda turned the phone over, the busy signal beeping. She pressed a button- The call switched, and the man's voice whispered low across miles,
"Hello, Miranda."
She screamed, and fell against the glass in the booth. Thunder shook the world.

Miles and miles away, Candace's line went dead, and she stared at the phone, wondering what had happened.