EVELYN.
That very evening my daughter was about to parboil the rice in the kitchen when she suddenly got a phone call from an unknown number.
“Hello..” she answered the call.
“Hello who is on the line?” Evelyn said, looking so confused as she placed the phone on loud speaker.
“Hello..”
“Yes who am I speaking with?” My daughter answered anxiously.
“Give me the phone let me answer the call.” I told her, stretching my hands. Just as my daughter was about handling me the phone, the call aborted.
“Evelyn hmmm! Be very careful o. You need to exercise caution when it comes to the calls you answer. You’re just 24 oo and you need to wise up. Not every call is legitimate. Hope you’ve deleted the line?” I cautioned her while holding my left ear.
After she had successfully deleted the line, I instructed her to inform me when she finished cooking the rice then I went upstairs to the living room to watch the news, which I typically tune into at 6pm.
The following day, as I heated up the leftover rice in the kitchen, I called out to my daughter to assist me in retrieving my phone, which was ringing in my upstairs bedroom.
However, there was an eerie silence that enveloped the entire house. “Evelyn! you’re still sleeping by this time or are you not aware that time is almost nine?” “Evelyn… Evelyn ooo!!”
“I don’t understand. Why is everywhere quiet?” I questioned myself knowing fully well that Evelyn always wakes up on time.
…………..⏸️
Upon entering her room, my heart sank as I discovered it was empty. The disheveled state of her bedsheets indicated a possible struggle had taken place. Though her bags and shoes remained, there was no sign of my daughter. I hurriedly ascended the stairs to retrieve my phone and attempted to call her, only to find that her line was switched off. My husband’s line was busy as well.
“Jesus Christ of Nazareth. My daughter will never leave the house without telling me except something is wrõng. And besides, today’s Saturday and they don’t go to work. Why is her bed scattered?”
While pondering in thoughts, a call came from an unknown number and I quickly picked.
“Hello?” An odd voice came up, looking like a man that was in his 80s.
“He.. Hello.. Hello..” I answered with as my heart continued to race.
“Hello, am I speaking to Evelyn’s mother?”
“Y-yes, Y-yes. Y-yes. Please, tell me what happened to my daughter,” I stammered, my voice filled with anxiety and a heavy heart.
Written by Nicholas Stephen.
To be continued….
