Ready for a Scare? by P.J. Night

song. The same one we heard outside.”
    She nodded, her eyes locating the phone in the middle of the kitchen counter. They watched the phone glow eerily in the darkness. It played the haunting ring-tone over and over.
    The phone definitely hadn’t been there minutes earlier, when they had come in from outside. She was sure of that.
    â€œIs it yours?” Gavin asked, his eyes trained on the phone too.
    She shook her head. “Chrissie’s.” The phone continued to ring. A spine-tingling summons.
    Together, they both stepped toward it, as if being drawn out of the depths of the ocean by a fisherman’s line.
    â€œWho’s calling?” Kelly whispered. The phone pulsed with light, a tiny strobe in the blackness of the kitchen.
    They bent over the counter and gazed at the illuminated caller ID screen. Neither dared touch the phone. “I don’t know the number. Do you?” she asked warily.
    â€œNo.”
    The foreboding melody played again.
    â€œShould I answer it?” she asked.
    â€œYes,” he said, his eyes wide.
    She wondered if she was making a huge mistake. She reached for the phone. “Hello?”

CHAPTER 16
    â€œHello?” she repeated into the phone.
    For a moment, all she could hear was static. Then a female voice asked shakily, “Who is this?”
    Kelly hesitated. She didn’t know what to say. Gavin leaned annoyingly close, blatantly curious. She turned slightly, facing the refrigerator, resting the flashlight on the counter. “It’s Kelly. Who’s this?”
    â€œIt’s Paige.”
    â€œPaige! Is it really you?” Kelly cried. An injection of relief spread through her veins.
    â€œYes. It is.”
    â€œI am so, so happy. I’ve been searching everywhere for you!” The words flew from her mouth. “Wow! You’re okay!”
    â€œI’m sorry.”
    â€œSorry? Why are you sorry?” Kelly asked. She smiled at Gavin and mouthed, “It’s Paige!”
    He nodded.
    â€œPaige. Paige?” Kelly said into the phone, when her friend didn’t answer. “Are you okay? Where are you?”
    â€œNo, I’m not.” Paige’s voice sounded tight. Unnatural.
    â€œWhat’s going on?” The happy warmth of just seconds ago grew cold. “You don’t sound like you.”
    â€œI need help.” The words drew out of her slowly.
    â€œPaige, what’s wrong? You’re scaring me.” Kelly’s voice quivered. “Please, tell me.”
    â€œShe’s here.”
    â€œWho?” Kelly cried, squeezing the phone in frustration.
    â€œShe has me trapped,” Paige explained in a hollow tone.
    â€œWho does? Where?”
    A burst of static obscured the line, muffling Paige’s reply.
    â€œPaige, I didn’t hear you! Where are you?” Kelly screamed, pronouncing each word so Paige could better understand.
    â€œI’m in your basement.”
    Paige was here? In her own house?
    â€œHelp me.” Paige’s voice now a lifeless monotone. “Save me from her. Hurry.”
    â€œYou’re really in my—”
    The line cut off.
    â€œPaige? Paige, are you still there?” Kelly didn’t bother to hide her desperation.
    No answer. Paige was gone.
    On the glowing touchpad, she quickly found redial and pressed. She listened as the numbers clicked in. Ringing. The phone kept ringing. Paige wasn’t picking up.
    Or couldn’t pick up.
    Someone was down there with her.
    Kelly cradled the purple phone in her palm, testing its weight as if checking to be sure it was real. She began to rock slowly. Heel to toe. Back and forth. The rhythm soothed her, allowing her to block all the jumbled thoughts. Heel to toe. Back and forth.
    â€œWhere is she?” Gavin asked. He’d picked the flashlight up off the counter and was now shining the light at her face. “Are you okay?”
    She stopped rocking and shielded her eyes from the