The Mystery Call (Part II)

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Jae Park via Unsplash, edited with Canva

PART I

My weary body pulled me into a calming, deep sleep. Faced down on my king-size bed, I did not bother to remove any piece of clothing or shoe before I flopped on the bed, my legs hanging out by the edge.

My iPhone buzzed on the bedside table by the corner of the bed, partially waking me up. I grumbled in my head. I ignored it but it kept on buzzing. I raised my head reluctantly from the pillow and glanced at the screen. The same number that had been bothering me for days called again.

The desire to sleep vanished at that moment. I swiped the screen to answer and also turned on the speaker button.

"Is this a game to you?!" I spurted out angrily at the phone, beads of saliva spotted the screen. "Who is this? I will file a report with the police for this harassment. If you are so bold…"

"SHSHHHH….AAAA…."

"Shut up! You are a coward, you know. If …"

""SHSHHHH….AAAA…."

I pressed the end call button hard and dropped the phone on the table, gripped my hair tightly and screamed into my pillow. The bastard on the other end of the line won't let me get any word in or say my piece, just the same eerie, scratching sounds.

My phone buzzed again. I pushed the pillow aside, sat up and picked up the call without checking the caller ID.

"Why do you keep calling?!"

Silence.

"Um, Prof? It's Henry Adelaja. Are you alright?"

I covered my face with my palm and groaned, a little embarrassed. No professor wanted word getting out about her mental state.

"Hi, Henry!" I replied cheerily. "Sorry about that. I had a nuisance sort of call earlier and assumed it was the same person."

"Oh."

"Is this about the notes on your chapter two?"

"Yes, Prof. I'm told you have closed for the day. Can I come over to your house?"

That question robbed me of a breath for a second. I'd never invited any of my students to my house before and Jacob would not be happy about it.

"Uh, no. How about we meet in the office later this evening?"

Since I couldn't sleep anymore, I switched on my laptop and graded some students' work. By six pm in the evening, I showered, sent Jacob a text that I was going to the office and set out on a fifteen minutes stroll to the campus.

The path from the lecturers' quarters leading to the main road was a bit deserted. Hearing the crackle of fallen branches underfoot behind me, I turned to look back. A tall student was closing in on me. Skin pallid with eyeglasses sitting on the bridge of her nose, she looked familiar.

She quickly pulled the hood of her college sweatshirt over her auburn hair, smirked at me and brushed past striding forward at a fast pace. Absent-mindedly, I rubbed my shoulder and walked to my office, my brain running through its facial recognition to remember who the student was. I must have taught her but could not recall when.

As I read through one of my students' work, my secretary, an older woman who reminded me of my great aunt, popped in to say she was closing for the day. I waved her off to enjoy her weekend.

Silence descended upon my part of the administrative block. I became absorbed in my work when heavy footfalls echoed outside the door. I raised my head, looked at the window and realised it was dark. A glance at my phone revealed it was 8.49 pm and there was a text message from Jacob saying I shouldn't stay too late.

I felt my breathing rate increase a bit. Maybe coming back to the office was not such a good idea but I knew there was campus security moving around the block at night.

Knock, knock.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Prof, it's Henry."

I'd forgotten why I came to the office in the first place. "Come in."

Henry Adelaja stepped into my office. Over six feet tall, lean, wearing a polo shirt and blue jeans and armed with a file, he was good-looking. I shook my head and mentally reproached myself. I waved at one of the leather seats in front of my desk, he sat and opened his file.

We were deep in discussion for an hour when my phone buzzed on the table. I turned to glance at the screen and paled. It was the hoax call again.

"Prof?" Henry gently touched my wrist, his hand warm, drawing my attention to him. "Are you alright?"

TO BE CONTINUED….

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43 comments
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Bang, I did it again... I just rehived your post!
Week 118 of my contest just started...you can now check the winners of the previous week!
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Uhmmm... I got chills with the unfamiliar female... Just who could be calling?

I enjoyed this. You write so beautifully well!

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I got chills with the unfamiliar female...

That's one female that has trouble buried up her sleeve! By Friday, we'll understand her role in this mystery. 😃

Thanks for the compliment and for reading.
!PIMP

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(Edited)

Okay am curious to meet the anonymous caller character with my fist to his/her face for terrifying the innocent Professor😅. I guess I will find out in the next part.

But then, is Henry have a crush for our Professor? I enjoyed reading your story you got me hooked from the beginning.!CTP

!discovery 30

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Hahaha! Already putting the puzzles together. About Henry's crush on the professor, well, I can't confirm that yet until next Friday. 😄

By the time the hoax caller is revealed, go easy on him/her, okay? 😂 Thanks for reading!
!CTP !hivebits

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😱🙈 Friend @kemmyb I'm still in suspense, the plot is very good, what will happen to Henry and that mysterious call? Will the guy in the hoodie that was met earlier have something to do with the mystery call? hahaha I know I have to wait until Friday 😁. Excellent work 🤝

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😄 Hi, @marbrym! I guess you will have to wait till Friday to get satisfactory answers to your questions. But you are already putting the puzzles together! Hehe.

Thanks for the compliment and for reading. !LUV 🙂

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Are you sure you haven't written one movie for NETFLIX before??? 🥲🥲🥲

This suspense no be here ooo
Great piece

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Hahaha, Netflix? That would be something!
Thanks for your visit. 🙂

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ok well... whew!!!!! at least we know she's not in the room withthe crazy!!! and that it's not Jacob. because I coudn't take that right now. I'ts 10:20 and time for bed Kemmy!!! I can't have my EKG be pumping hard becuase of my EKG!!!!!!!!!!! ahahahahahaha

ok -and if it's the girl?? hmmm somehow I'm less scared hahahaha but you never know cuz some girls are just too crazy for words

and what is this SHSSSSSSSSSH AAAAAAAAA... i'm trying to figure out what they could be saying - and why!!!!!!!!!

its so freaky!!!!!!!!!!! LOLOLOL please release part 3 tomorrow so i can just not be scared anymore hahahahahahahahahaha

excellent writing!!!!!!!

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ok well... whew!!!!! at least we know she's not in the room withthe crazy!!!

I thought so too, at first. But how psycho would an accomplice be?
The other one calls right when Henry is there, lifting suspicion and giving him opportunity to be the comfort in distress?

This has the ability to turn into a Stephen King like horror scenario....

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what is this SHSSSSSSSSSH AAAAAAAAA... i'm trying to figure out what they could be saying - and why!!!!!!!!!

🤣 I have no idea too! Hopefully I can come up with something by Friday to explain the meaning of the breathing sounds. I couldn't help laughing at this statement! 😂

Rest easy, I don't want your EKG pumping too hard. Hahaha. Friday is almost here. All the suspense will be resolved! 💖 !LUV

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I'm expecting you gonna flip this in some fantastical way. 😂 Like Henry is gonna go "SHSHHHH….AAAA…." and take MC to another dimension or something. 😁

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Hahaha, you know my love for fantasies! Not this time though. Thanks for reading. 🙂

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Whaaaa? She won't get sucked into another dimension?? boooooooo 👎

😝

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Less attention on calls although they continue. But the mystery is felt a little more and now we have this meeting in the office. It gets interesting for the third part. I'll be watching how this series ends. Excellent friend, I like it.

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(Edited)

Hi @fragozar01. I'm glad you find this series interesting and hopefully the ending will be better. Thanks for reading. 🙂 !PIZZA

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Hmm, now I know Henry isn't the prank caller, so it has to be someone we're yet to be introduced to. I can't help but think Henry wants something else from the professor.

Waiting patiently for the last part

!1UP

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I can't help but think Henry wants something else from the professor.

Hmm 🤔, I think that's another way to look at it 😄. By Friday, I'll put these suspense to rest. Thanks for reading. !CTP

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Hehe, I'll be looking forward to it.

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I am beginning to imagine who the caller is but then, I have to be calm till Friday 😅

And as for Henry, what's his mission oo🤩🤩🤩

Friday should just come fast pizzazz

Very smart story...I was glued to my screen reading this.

Found ur post through dreemport

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And as for Henry, what's his mission oo

😂 Maybe he's just a hardworking student trying to impress his professor? Haha. Let's see how the whole story will be concluded. I'm happy you like this story. Thanks dear. !PIZZA 🙂

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Dreemport

Now you got me on my edge. I suspect a really good twist in part 3 that will give me nightmares. Nicely done.

There's more to this caller than meets the eye (or ear). It's not a lonely crazy person, the timing and the surrounding narrative suggest a cunning plan in action.

You've built a good suspense into a nice cliffhanger for speculation.
!BEER

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Yes to the twist, no the nightmares! 😂 Let's see how this 'cunning plan' unfolds by Friday. Hehe. Thanks for your visit. !CTP !PIZZA

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(Edited)

PIZZA! PIZZA! PIZZA!

PIZZA Holders sent $PIZZA tips in this post's comments:
kemmyb tipped fragozar01 (x1)
kemmyb tipped nkemakonam89 (x1)
@kemmyb(3/5) tipped @hannes-stoffel (x1)

Join us in Discord!

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Oh, that’s excellent @kemmyb. Mystery, suspense and tension. Two, distinctly different types of tension, too. Nice work. Lovely, clear writing. I’m on the edge of my seat. 🤗❤️💕

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Haha can't believe I could still get the hang of your story even though I didn't read the first part but I would check out the first part to know how this call came about.

I'm almost certain that there is something going on between the Professor and her student, Henry 😁 or maybe I'm just wishing there is something going on 🙂

Waiting to read the last part, awesome story as always ma'am ❤️

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I am doubting Henry for his strange behavior. Is he having a crush on professor ? And the professor... is she also getting attracted towards him?

The phone call....... huuuuh! Give him a punch at the end, Kemmy 😬😁

Wonderfully written as always

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What's it with that caller? Why do I feel it's someone she knows very well, hmm, well I can't say yet, I will have to read the last part.

This Henry guy, hmm I'm wondering what he is truly looking for sha oo 😁😁.

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The hooded girl, Henry Adelaja, the caller hmmh.

More suspense aye! At this point, you have completely enthralled me and I just want to know who it is.

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