𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓, v. hopper ☑️

xli. bruce yamada

FINNEYS POV, THE BASEMENT

the sound of the phone ringing fills my ears, i stand up and rush over to the phone, taking it off the stand and putting it up to my ear.

"hello?" i say, kind of unsure of what to say.

there is a static droning on the other line, i look down at piper, who is still sat on the floor.

"is somebody there?" i hesitate, "i need help."

"hello?"

piper mouths, "who is it?"

i shrug, and turn to put the phone back on the stand, until i hear a whisper, "finney.."

i gasp and slam the phone back down onto the stand, my breathing ragged as i back away from the phone, falling down in the corner of the room, as far away from the phone i can get.

"finney! finney! what happened!? who was there? was someone there?!" piper yells, getting up and running over to me.

"someone-- someone was there, they whispered my name."

"your name?"

"yeah, but they whispered it, like--" the ringing starts again, and i stand up, my breathing unsteady.

i quickly walk over to the phone, and pick it up, then slam it back down, stopping the ringing.

the phone starts ringing continuously, i hesitate, but pick it up and but it back to my ear.

"dont hang up." the voice on the other line says sternly, i still cant recognise who it is though.

"i wont." i turn to look at piper beside me, but she looks confused, and mad at the same time, "who is this?" i ask.

"i dont remember my name." the voice speaks again.

"why not?"

"its the first thing you lose."

"first thing you lose when?" i ask, confused.

"you know when."

piper whispers, "name!?"

"how do you know my name?"

"we met once; your arm is mint. you almost had me."

i turn to look at piper in disbelief, "bruce?" i hesitate, "bruce yamada?"

piper looks at me as if im kidding, i shake my head to imply that im not.

"y-yeah... bruce. uh, im bruce." he hesitates, "your arm is mint. you almost had me."

"did the phone ring for you?"

"it rang, but none of us heard it. just you."

"the grabber hears the phone, too. but he doesn't want to believe it." bruce carries on.

"why are you calling me?" i look over at piper, but she looks shocked, too shocked to believe it, and scared, but also as if shes happy, somewhat like she wants to speak to him.

"your arm is mint. you almost had me; im glad its you." he hesitates, "finney?"

"yeah?"

"there's a dirt section of the floor in the hallway where the tile is loose." bruce carries on.

"okay.."

"dig down underneath the foundation. i tried, but there wasn't time for me to dig up and out the other side."

piper shoots her head to me, as if she heard him.

"will i have enough time?"

"tell piper i love her. and that im sorry. please."