Mark sat hunched over his desk, the glow of his computer screen casting long shadows behind him. The clock on the wall ticked closer to 9:17 PM, a time he had come to dread. As expected, the phone rang, its shrill tone slicing through the silence. He hesitated, then picked up. The voice on the other end was urgent, almost pleading. "Whatever you do, stay inside tonight. Please, it's not safe.".
Mark hung up, his mind racing with questions. Who was this mysterious caller, and what danger lay outside? Every night, the same call, the same warning. He peered through the curtains at the bustling city below, the temptation of the unknown tugging at him. "How dangerous could it really be?" he mused aloud, unable to shake the feeling of being trapped by his own fear.
The clock struck 9:17 PM again the following evening. The phone rang, but this time, Mark ignored it. He grabbed his coat, heart pounding with a mix of defiance and curiosity. He opened the door and stepped into the hallway, the familiar sound of the city humming around him. "I'm done hiding," he whispered to himself, resolute in his choice.
As Mark stepped outside, the world seemed to hold its breath. The streets, usually alive with noise and movement, were unnaturally still. Not a single car moved, no voices echoed. A chill ran down his spine as he walked further, the silence pressing in on him like a heavy fog. "Hello?" he called out, but his voice was swallowed by the void.
Mark turned a corner into an alley, his instincts screaming to turn back. In the shadows, something moved—a figure, indistinct and menacing. He froze, his breath caught in his throat. The figure stepped closer, and he could feel a malevolent presence emanating from it. "You shouldn't be here," it rasped, the voice echoing the caller's warning.
Mark backed away, heart racing as the figure melted back into the darkness. The realization hit him like a cold wave—the caller's warnings were real, and whatever threat loomed was very much alive. He turned and ran, the silent streets amplifying his footsteps. As he reached his apartment, he glanced back, the city now a ghostly landscape. "Next time, I'll listen," he vowed, as the phone began to ring once more.
