Filipino Scares: a Collection of Short Stories

Phone Call

"Are you alone?" the voice on the other line was rough, just the way Roseann liked it.

"Yes," she whispered. Her room mate was asleep on the bed next to hers. that counted as alone.

"You're lying."

Roseann laughed. "I'm not. I am alone."

"I hate liars, Roseann."

Roseann froze. She hates that she forgot to place a fake name on the dating app where she matched with her virtual Romeo. She turned to the window, starting to feel a chill. Could he see her from outside? The match said they were more than 600 meters apart, but one couldn't be too sure.

"I know you're not alone."

"You don't know that." Roseann rose from her bed and quickly made her way to the light switch by the door. She turned the ceiling light off.

"You shouldn't have done that," the voice whispered, drawing out the words. Sending chills down her spine.

Despite her misgivings, Roseann couldn't help but also feel aroused at the situation. She was starting to enjoy the spookiness of the situation. "You know trying to be scary isn't a turn on for most girls, right?"

"I'm not trying anything, Roseann. I just want you alone."

"If you're concerned about my roommate," she sighed, "don't be. She's a heavy sleeper." Roseann made her way back to her bed. "There's nothing we can do that would wake her."

Roseann stole a glance at her roommate's sleeping form. The even rise and fall of the girl's chest. The thick medical book that lay abandoned on the floor, one finger grazing the edge of its pages.

"I can make sure of that," the voice whispered from the phone. "But you still lied to me, Roseann. And I really hate liars--"

"Yeah? Then come over here and spank me," Roseann challenged with a grin. The night was starting to get hot, but she didn't make a move to open the window. Besides, her sweat was adding to the seedy nature of the call. "I've been such a bad girl."

"You want to be hurt, Roseann?" The voice asked. She could imagine him raising an eyebrow. One corner of his lip. In her imagination, her caller looked nothing like his profile picture. In her mind, he looked like Dion Ignacio. "Because I promise you: you wouldn't like how I will hurt you."

That ruined the mood. "What the fuck is your problem?" She complained. "We're supposed to be playing here. And, besides, you can't hurt anyone over the phone."

"I can."

Roseann felt a chill run down her spine. Not in a good way, this time. For a split second, it was as if all the air went out of the room.

"I have."

Roseann didn't notice one of her hands going up to her neck. Pulling down the neckline of the t-shirt she was wearing. She tried to draw in a breath.

"And now you're truly alone in your room."

The phone went dead. Roseann gasped as air rushed in her nose and her mouth. Roseann leaped out of her bed to open the window, needing fresh air. And getting a whiff of something that smelled like iron instead. Roseann coughed. She needed water. She needed to talk to someone.

She stumbled her way to the light switch, turning the ceiling light back on. Roseann's phone rang, making her jump in shock. Unknown caller. Roseann answered it.

"You still want to be hurt?"

Roseann ended the call. But the phone just rang again. And again. And again.

A text message came in.

"Now, you're truly alone in your room."

Roseann felt a shock from her phone, dropping it. She quickly jumped on her roommate's bed, wanting to wake her up. Wanting someone to talk to.

Only to find her roommate drenched in blood. Chest torn open.

Roseann screamed.

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