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Novelo Rectangle

"Hello?" I say softly while noticing it's three-thirteen in the morning. Confusion rings through my body as I lay in my cozy bed, feeling slightly scared. I'm honestly surprised I even woke up to the call, but for some weird reason, my phone did ring. I always have my phone on vibrate. Talk about freaking out.	I move the phone away from my ear to look at the number again. My finger slides across the screen, increasing the volume and activating my loudspeaker.	"Hello?" I say again, this time I’m growing angrier. "Listen. I don't know what type of sick and twisted joke this is, but how are you possibly calling me from my number?"	There is still silence and it's creepy. I'm getting angry yet concerned. It's like dead air on the other end of the call, yet somehow I can hear the slightest bit of something that I cannot make out. "I'm going to hang up now..."	I pause and my heart drops as a loud screeching sound pours out of the phone. My body falls numb as I toss the phone across my bed, forcing it to land on the edge of my bed. The screeching seems so loud that it pierces my ears and hurts my bones. I'm only twenty-two. No noise should hurt my body.	It has to be a prank! What else could it be? Why would my phone call me from my number and then begin to screech after two straight minutes of dead silence? It doesn't make any sense!	I lean, bringing my body toward the phone as I begin to hear what sounds like chanting or whispering. It sounds like hundreds of voices. The darkness in my room feels as though it’s gotten thicker over the last two moments. The silence in my room has also thickened, making me feel like I’m trapped in the middle of the pitch-black ocean and just waiting for something to come eat me or scare the living crap out of me. 	I swallow the giant knot that has been growing in my throat. Getting closer to the phone feels impossible. My body doesn’t want me near it. My brain is screaming to stop. But part of me is wildly curious. What is this chanting?	It’s like suspenseful music is playing around me as I feel for the phone and the chanting increases. My hands tremble and my heart gallops…The chanting stops…	I clear my throat. “Hello?”	*Click-click-click*	The phone brightens with each clicking sound. Lights that dance to music are what it reminds me of. 	*Click, click, click*	“Stop!” I beg. “Stop doing that sound!”	The blanket slides off me as I quickly reach for the phone and swipe it from the edge of the bed. “Shit!” I scream and toss the phone back onto the bed. My hand stings from the burn of the fiery-feeling phone. It’s too dark to see if I burnt my hand, but it feels like I did.	I was scared. Now I’m terrified. The phone is clicking, lighting up, and feels like it could burn through the earth.	My hair stands up as the sound of static begins to take over the clicking. “Echo.” A male voice softly says my name. “By nine A.M. your entire world will shift. Everything that you’ve been manifesting will become reality. Be careful. EVERYTHING you’ve been manifesting will become a reality.	Everything seems to get darker and just like a light bulb, I am out. 	Nine-fifty-seven A.M.	My chest hurts as I gasp for a breath of air. I feel like I’m being pulled out from death. My body feels like bricks holding me down and my eyes feel like they are sewn shut. 	My hand feels around for my phone, but I’m not feeling it. “What in the hell,” I mumble while fighting to move around this comfortable bed. 	“Echo!” A familiar voice calls out from downstairs. “It’s Becca. Are you up? Normally you’re up at five. Lady! You better be up!”	My breath is heavy as I slowly sit up. My eyes slowly adjust to the edge of my bed and the phone that is still sitting there. My heart sinks and my breath hitches. “Crap! Did I dream all of that? I had to! There’s no way that was real. It was just a dream!”	“Echo!” Becca yells again. “I’m coming in! You better be decent and not naked again.”	Unamused, I flash my eyebrows and exhale an annoyed-sounding breath. “I’m dressed…in my night shorts and a bra. I’m still in bed.”	“Good!” My bedroom door swings open. “Echo, have you heard the news? Brian is dead and his father is flipping out because there was a note about the will. He gave all the money to you. You’re the newest billionaire in town and you’re ex is dead. I can’t be excited that another human is dead. But he did abuse you.”	I hold my hand up and shake my head. “Slow down. You are saying too much at a time. Rewind all of that. What do you mean by Brian is dead? What do you mean he left his money to me?”	“Echo! Brian left you everything. It’s all yours. And his father is freaking out. It’s like it was his way to apologize.”	I slide out of bed, feeling drunk and groggy. “Give me five minutes. I’m so confused right now. I feel like this is all a dream. How did he die? You said there is a note, so did he…”	“No.” She is quick to interrupt and open my bathroom door for me. “His father knew about the note because Brian planned on giving it to you. And we both know Brian’s father did not love him. Once he found out about Brian, Brian’s mom watched as he rushed over to Brian’s house. Brian was in a tragic accident. Either way. He’s gone and the money is yours.”	I leave my bathroom door wide open for Becca to see. The morning is a struggle so far, and that goes the same for trying to slide down my panties and sitting on the cold and hard toilet. 	Was my nightmare real? Did that phone call happen?	“It’s eighty degrees already,” I explain and get off the toilet. “Today is supposed to be hot as hell outside.”	She nods while giving me her best ‘You’re-not-getting-out-of-this’ type of look. “Let’s not change the subject. Your life just drastically changed overnight. The guy who was still trying to abuse you is dead. You’re completely free of any worry anymore like you’ve been doing for the past five years. And you’re now rich as hell too thanks to that same guy. We both know he had that savings that no one was allowed to touch. He even blocked himself from getting it…until now.”	My exhale is nervous-sounding and my heart pounds just a little harder. “Maybe my nightmare was real.”	“What nightmare?” She asks, tilting her head with the most confused look. “What are you talking about?”	My hair sticks from the static of the shirt that I fight to slide over my head. “It’s nothing. I had a horrible nightmare about my phone calling me and it said my life would change overnight and everything I’ve manifested will come true.”	Her eyes wave with curiosity. “I hope that entire thing isn’t true. Because you wanted Brian to change for the better. Even if that meant dying and coming back to life.”	I choke on my spit as I almost gasp and drop my phone. “I pray to God none of that manifesting is real. I wouldn’t want him coming back to life and changing to be a better man.”	She flashes her eyebrows. “Don’t get overly excited because it’s going to take a few days or weeks, but you’re about to be the newest billionaire in town. No more stress for you!”	Five-fifty-five P.M.	“Another,” I say and wave my hand at the bartender. 	The old-style dark and hazy bar is packed tonight and it’s only Tuesday. I only had to work a half-day and since Becca was right, I shouldn’t have to work at all. And nothing but good things have been happening to me all day. Brian’s dad called and apologized and explained how Brian died. He verified that I was the sole beneficiary of that money. Everyone was overly nice to me today. My boss gave me a raise. My coffee ended up being free today because they put two extra creams in it and that made it taste delicious which means it will be my favorite new drink. My car was in the shop getting fixed and they broke something and one of the customers saw it so the repair shop had to fix the entire car for free which means no more bills at all. And there’s been more.	I hear my name being called by Becca but can’t see her anywhere. The bartender sets down another glass of whatever fruity drink he’s been making me. My eyes continue to analyze the bar while picking up the glass to take a drink.	“Echo!” Becca sings with joy and wraps her hands around my shoulders. “Josh is here. Maybe you two should talk.”	I chuckle. “Josh is not going home with me he…” I pause and my heart sinks as I lock eyes with Brian. “He’s dead!”	Becca quickly looks in the direction I am staring in. “Who’s dead? There’s no one there.”	I close my eyes and shake my head. “Brian. I saw him. Which shouldn’t be possible.”	Becca grabs my glass of alcohol and analyzes it. “Either you're crazy or they slipped something in this drink. Brian is dead and he is, absolutely, not here.”	My hair bounces on my head as I shake my head again. My fingers pinch the bridge of my nose so I can stop myself from imagining things. Becca is right. Brian is dead. What in the hell did I just see? Guilt? But why would I feel guilty about anything?	Ten minutes later	The sound of the toilet flushing brings me back to reality. The echoes from my stilettos bounce off the walls of this beat-down and dirty bar bathroom. I reach the sink, lean in, and splash some water on my face. Somehow I’ve seen Brian four times in the past ten minutes and it’s either my brain missing him or his ghost haunting me.	The air from my lungs blows past my lips as I exhale a heavy sigh. “He’s gone. And I’m grateful.”	The lights flicker and create a sound that I’ve never heard before. I look around the bathroom and I’m the only one in it. 	The lights flicker again, going out for a few seconds, and quickly pop back on. “Okay,” I say loudly while trying to hide the fear rapidly building inside me. “The light flickering is cliché, Mister Ghost. Or the bar needs to pay the damn light bill.”	It’s mostly silent, not even the music and loud voices from the bar are reaching past the bathroom door. All I can hear is a drip coming from the faucet every few seconds.	Drip…drip…drip…	My heart begins to pound, and I don’t know why. I can rush out of the bathroom, but I haven’t yet, and I don’t know why. Every tiny hair on my arms is standing up and I don’t know why. But as I slowly turn back toward the mirror, I’m beginning to know why.	A slight breeze rushes past me and as I look into the mirror. My breath hitches and I freeze in place. My heart feels like it has stopped. Hell! It feels like every part of my body has stopped. It’s faint, but Brian’s face stares back at me with a sinister and twisted smile.	“Brian?” I ask softly. “How is this possible?”	His twisted face brightens. “Echo. You asked for this. You manifested all of this. Everything that is going to happen tonight. It’s everything you’ve ever asked for.”	I swallow the fear trying to pour out of me. “I’m not doing this. Let me out of this bathroom now!”	My hands swiftly push me off the bathroom sink. I spin around to leave but the door is missing. It’s just a brick wall. And Brian’s sinister laugh grows louder. “You’re dying tonight, Echo.”	I’m fighting to find a way out. My hands slide against the bathroom wall where the door was. My heart hurts with every gallop. My palms are sweaty. “I’m not dying in a bar bathroom by the ghost of my dead ex-boyfriend!”	The lights flicker again and go out. It’s pitch black. It’s complete silence. The only thing I can hear is the pounding in my chest and the slight noise my throat makes with my continuous swallows. All I can feel is the brick wall in front of me and the fear that’s trying to tear out of me. 	“Please.” I plead while tears begin to trickle down my cheeks. “Let me out. I’ve never done anything wrong in my life.”	I’m stuck. I’m frozen. He’s breathing into my ear, causing my body to want to drop to the floor and chills run down my spine. “You’ve received everything good today, Echo. Everything you’ve ever wanted was handed to you on a platter. With good always comes bad. Now it’s time to receive the bad.”	A coldness slowly slides along my lower back. “No!” I beg as it presses harder, forcing me to press against the bathroom wall. 	The lights flicker causing me to scream. Brian is hovering over me. His blue face is mangled and twisted with evil. His eyes are bloodshot red and yellow. Maggots slowly crawl out of his mouth. His cheeks are torn open like an animal has clawed them, revealing the inside of his mouth through the slits. And the smell of rot fills my nose causing me to gag.	“No!” I scream again, slamming my fists against the bricked bathroom wall. “Please, God! I haven’t done anything wrong!”	My phone begins vibrating. I drop to the ground, slide it out of my pocket, and answer it. “Becca! Please save me! I’m stuck in the bathroom with no way out! There’s no damn door!”	“Sorry, Echo.” She says softly. “It’s your time. You manifested this.”	I press my head against the wall, looking up and at the twisted and disgusted face of Brian. I’m done. There’s nothing I can do to save myself.	The lights flicker, revealing a small heater vent. But it’s big enough for me to slide into. I crawl toward it and quickly slide my fingers into the tiny holes. It pops open with ease. 	Brian’s voice sings. “Echo…You can’t fight it. It’s time.” 	I quickly slide into the vent, my hands clawing at the metal container to help me slide further in. My head feels numb, and my body is struggling, but I’m doing it. I’m moving forward. 	A hand wraps around my ankle, grabbing me and forcing me to shriek in terror. I kick and kick, but it’s pulling me back out. I fight and kick and force myself to slide further up, but he’s too strong. 	“I’m not dying tonight!” I yell in anger and give one more hard and heavy kick. 	The hand releases me and I slam my head against metal, instantly knocking me out cold. Everything falls black. 	Back to reality	“Yo, Echo.” Becca’s voice wakes me up. “Wake up sleeping beauty.”	I gasp for air and rise up like a vampire. My hands frantically search all around my bed and my heart pounds. I scream in terror but quickly stop as I realize I am in my bedroom.	“What happened!” I roar in anger while wiping the sweat from my forehead. “Where is he? How in the hell!”	&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“What?” Becca questions while confusion takes over her expression. “Echo, what’s wrong? It’s morning. You’re waking up. Calm down. Whatever you think happened, it was just a dream.”	I exhale a shaky breath and realize I’m safe. I’m in my bed. It was all a dream. “Brian?” I ask. “The money. The car. The coffee. Everything. All the good and all the bad. Did it happen?”	She chuckles. “You’re losing your shit. You must have had one hell of a dream. Brian is still the piece of crap he’s always been. There is no money. And what about a car and coffee? You’re losing me here.”	“I don’t know,” I say, grateful to be in my bed. “It was all extreme. There was good and bad. But I never want to experience that again. Promise me you’ll never manifest anything.”	She glances at the end of my bed. “I won’t. Nightmares suck. I’ve had plenty of them. What exactly happened?”	I shake my head and slide my hands down my face. “It was all just a nightmare. Thank God! I thought I was about to die.”	“Silly.” She jokes and reaches toward the edge of my bed. “That’s weird. Your phone is down here.”	She hands me my phone. I breathe a sigh of relief. I swipe up to see a missed call. The missed call is MY phone number.&nbsp;

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brandon61386

Brandon Brehmer

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