Short story.

The phone

A phone was ringing in the middle of the street. No one else seemed to notice it. Not that there were many other people around.

Sighing, I walked up to it and answered.

“Hello?” I said, annoyance obvious in my voice.

A pause, then a voice said, “Who is this? What are you doing with this phone?”

I blinked, unsure of how to answer. Of cause, this wasn’t my phone and I had had no right to answer it, so I could understand the annoyance of the man on the other side. But that didn’t mean he had to be rude.

“It’s none of your business who I am. But I will tell you why I have the phone.”

“You little thief. You took that phone from him, didn’t you?!”

“No,” I replied, slightly frustrated, “I found it, sitting the middle of the street! You’d better learn some manners mister, because if you want this phone your going to have to ask for it, not accuse me of stealing it. You friend obviously doesn’t respect it, if he left it in the middle of the street.”

O-oh… now I’d done it.

“Look, brat, the mans phone you have, he is a very important man. If you did steal it, you’ll be sorry. Now tell me who the hell you are!” the man on the other end screeched.

Letting my pride and ego take charge, I yelled back, “First off, I’m no “brat”. Second, I don’t care one bit who your boss is. And third, I am not telling you my name, because that is none of your business!”

I slammed the phone shut, threw it on the ground. Then I bolted. Knowing modern technology, they could track that phone and I didn’t want to be anywhere nearby when someone finally arrived.

Breathing heavy, I stopped a few streets away.

And then I heard the public phone down the street ringing.

I tried, by god did I try, to ignore it. But I couldn’t. It just wasn’t who I was.

So, knowing who it would be and dreading the up-coming conversation, I walked up to the phone booth and answered.

As soon as the phone was next to my ear, the man was talking.

“You pest of a kid. That phone had some important files on it. You’re going to regret that.”

“I already do,” I assured the man, knowing this would drive him nuts.

“You fool, you don’t realize what you’ve gotten yourself into, do you?” he stated threateningly.

“No,” I said simply. Let him think me thick, I didn’t care.

Heavy breathing on the other end. Then, as sharp as a blade, the man said, “Run, little girl. Run. Because we’re tracking you. I’m tracking you. And by god, if that doesn’t scare you, then you’re foolish.”

“Try your best,” I breathed through my fear before I hung up.

And then I was running again.

I wouldn’t let this be a game of cat and mouse. I would run, yes, but I wouldn’t let him beat me.

For the first time in my life, I was glad I had no parents. That meant no one he could use to hurt me, no one I had to stay here for.

I turned a corner and stopped. Right on cue, the public phone next to me rung.

Shaking my head at the predictability of it all, I answered, but made sure I got the first word in.

“What now, mister dark and mysterious?” I said casually.

That made him pause, which in turn made me grin.

“Unbelievable. Your actually liking this,” he said, annoyed.

“Oh, yes. Running. Always love some god running.” I said happily.

Another cause for a break on his part.

Then he said, “What is wrong with you, you’re being chased.”

“Oh, I can answer that question! Everything is wrong with me,” I said grinning madly.

This time he hung up.

Shrugging, I began running again.

Even if he’d given up, I truly didn’t care.

I just ran. Never looking back.