The Caller

In the apartment, the phone rang; jarring the inhabitants awake. Barbara yawned, as she answered it. She didn't hear anyone on the other end. She was getting ready to hang up, when she heard a voice say, "We want your husband, Barbara."

Her eyes filled with fear. She hung up the phone and went back to bed.Instead of going back to sleep, she laid and watched her husband, Paul. He had slept through the phone call. She could hear his gentle breathing. His chest rose and fell. She put her arms around the slim body and pulled him closer. With her left hand, she brushed it over his soft cheek. They had gotten married four weeks earlier.

She laid awake thinking about the phone call. She had not recognized the caller. The next night, Paul and Barbara had gone to bed and had just closed their eyes, when the phone rang. Like she had the night before, Barbara got up to answer it. This time, the voice said, "We crave your husband."

Barbara put the receiver down on the end table and went back to bed.It was a hot night, so Paul slept in just a pair of shorts. He was suddenly awakened by the touch of a pair of lips in the middle of his chest. He opened his eyes, sat up in bed and turned toward his wife. She slept with her back toward him.

Paul put his head back down onto the pillow. A couple minutes later, he felt a hand running up along the inside of his thigh. He groaned. The next morning, at the breakfast table, he asked Barbara if she had touched him in bed and she told him she hadn't.

The phone never rang the next night, but on the fourth night, it rang. Barbara answered it. The phantom caller said, "We are coming for your husband." Barbara unplugged the phone and went back to bed.

She was awakened by the sounds of Paul's screams. She woke up in time to see Paul being dragged by the ankles from the room. When he looked at her, she was able to see his fear-filled blue eyes. She could see his lips forming words, but she could not hear them.

She could see his hands catch hold of the door jam. Suddenly, she heard the sounds of bones breaking. She saw his mouth open in silent screams, as he was pulled through the door. The last thing she saw, were Paul's hands with dark bruises across the knuckles.

Barbara ran to the phone and found it dead. In her panic, she forgot about unplugging it that night before they went to sleep. Paul laid with his eyes wide with fear. He didn't know where he was.

The last he remembered, he had been dragged from the bedroom. His hands hurt him. He was cold. He could see that the shorts had been torn from his body. He could feel the rope that had been wrapped tightly around his body.

When he struggled, he could feel the rope burn his bare skin. He could feel a hand on his knee. From where he was laying, he could see a small creature. It was about six or seven inches high. It smiled evilly at him, displaying razor-
sharp teeth.

It stood on his bare left leg. Paul heard a small sound. When he looked, he could see dozens of the little creatures. They swarmed over his body. As he struggled, they began climbing upon his body.

When they almost fell off, they would sink their claws into his skin and pull themselves back up. Paul screamed with pain. The first one opened its mouth and sank its teeth into his creamy thigh. Again, he screamed. He could feel blood running down his thigh.

The phone rang and Barbara answered it. she asked, "Is that you, Paul? When are you coming home?" There was silence on the other end. Then the voice said,

"We liked your husband! He was delicious!"

Barbara dropped the receiver on the floor and screamed.

THE END