When she woke up, there were 17 voicemails from a stranger. Squinting at her screen, which seemed overly bright in the dim light of her bedroom, she pressed the play button on the screen and then turned on speaker. The automated voice announced that she had 17 new voicemails and then clicked to the first message.


The bright cheerful voice of a young woman filled the room “Hey Charlie! Can’t believe you’re still sick with that bug! Sooo not fair.” She could almost picture a pretty pouting face “We’re heading to that new club tonight. So gonna miss you!” Definitely a wrong number – her name was Annabell, and she is way past the age of clubs, new or otherwise. Annabell hit delete and the next message played.

“Hey sweetie! Me again! You must be feeling rubbish cause you’re not calling back.” Again Annabell could imagine the accompanying pout. “Anyway the que is massive. I mean like we’ve been in it for nearly 10 minutes and we’ve not reached the front yet. I bet you’d have known the bouncers and got us to the front” There was a high pitch giggle and the sound of other chattering voices. “I’ll take loads of pics so you can see what you missed!” Annabell deleted again and the next message played.


“Me again!” There was music in the back ground now, a thumping base. “You are really missing out. This place is amazing! We’ll come again next weekend once you’re better.” The next messaged were much the same, a bright excited voice with thumping base and chattering voices in the background. Annabell wondered why she was calling and leaving messages, didn’t all young people use messaging apps? And why the wrong number? Even she had everyone’s numbers saved in her phone. Annabell admitted to herself that she had a backup address book with everyone’s contact details written in neat capital letters in black ink but she could also admit that she didn’t trust technology.


Annabell listened through the next few voicemails, deleting as she went along and deciding that she’d send the girl a text and explain that all her voice messages had landed in the phone of a middle aged woman she didn’t know. Voicemail 7, “Hey. Me again.” The voice suddenly had a brittle edge to the brightness. “Listen, Mitchel is here. I don’t think he saw me but maybe I should just go. I wish you were here. You’d know what to do.” Feeling a stab of concern at the sudden change in tone, Annabell clicked to the next message. “So, I was speaking with the girls and I’m not going to leave. Why should I! He’s the sicko with all those texts and calls and stuff. I’m not gonna run away. I’ll keep you posted.” Annabell sat up in bed, suddenly feeling concerned for this young stranger.


Annabell clicked onto the next voicemail without deleting the previous one. “Hey. He saw me and came over. I told him to fuck off. And the girls backed me up so it’s all good.” Annabell felt relieved that she’d clearly delt with the situation. The call went on, “The music is just banging Charlie, I’m going to dance!”


The next few voicemails were all about the club and the music. The girl sounded happy, excited by a night out and giddy with alcohol. Annabell relaxed, propping herself on her pillows and happy to hear that the young woman was having fun and that there was no further mention of this ex. Annabell thought back to her own youth. To a man who had pursued her, paid her attention and turned her head (as the old fashioned saying went). She remembered how she had been romanced and led on by this man who had taken advantage and then walked back to his wife when she told him of her pregnancy. Annabell remember that time of fear and grief. Her parents anger. The termination. She placed her hand on her stomach, there had never been another baby, never even another man. She’d been too frighted of getting caught again. She was too old now, too set in her ways to change. She admired this girl who had the courage to stand up to this man, who saw through him and then moved on. Who was dancing and drinking with her friends at a new club.


Annabell clicks to voicemail 14 “Hey Charlie, OMG! What a night! I wish you’d been here, you’d have loved it! I’m just heading out now. There’s this really cute bouncer and I’m going to chat him up on the way out. See if I can get his number.” Annabell could hear the girl’s slightly breathless giggle. “He’s like all muscles and big blue eyes.” Annabell smiled and hoped that she’d got the bouncer’s attention.

Voicemail 15 opened with a pout of dissatisfaction, “He’d a wedding ring on. Typical! All the good ones are either married or gay.” Annabell heard the slight giggle and was relieved that she’d walked away and not been reeled in by a married man. “Anyway, I’m going to the taxi rank, my feet are killing me but what a night! Worth every blister. Honestly Charlie, we need to come together next weekend!” Annabell wished she was young again. Dancing till her feet blistered and going to the taxi rank at 3 in the morning. After the termination she’d never gone out dancing, in 30 plus years she hadn’t gone dancing, Annabell wondered if she had just wasted her life and clicked to voicemail 16.


“Oh my God, Charlie, he’s here.” The girl’s voice was brittle again and was just slightly above a whisper, “The cue is like massive and he’s staring at me.” Annabell sat up again. Another stab of anxiety for the young stranger. “I’m going to walk home. If I stay here he’ll start something and then I won’t be able to get a taxi anyway. I’ll give you a quick call once I’m home.” Oh god thought Annabell Don’t walk home alone in the middle of the night! That’s too dangerous! Why aren’t her friends stopping her!? She fumbled with her phone, there was one last call. Surely that means she’s okay. She found the right button and clicked to the last call.


The girl’s voice was anxious, breathless, Annabell could hear her heels clicking on the pavement, loud and rapid. “Charlie? I was really hoping you’d pick up. Please pick up! He’s following me. I mean like right behind me. I can see him over my shoulder when I look back. I’m 10 minutes from home. You know that bit where it’s all the car lots? There’s no one about.” There was a slight pause, “Jesus! He’s right behind me!” Annabell could hear running feet approaching the phone. Then the girl screamed. A heart wrenching guttural sound that Annabell had never heard before. She heard the phone clatter to the ground. More screams but there was thumping now too. The meaty sound of fists connecting with flesh. Annabell could hear the girl sobbing now. Pleading with Mitchel to stop. Saying she was sorry. That she didn’t mean it. That she’d do what he said.


Then silence.


Annabell pressed the phone to her ear. Praying to hear something, to hear the girl’s voice. She found herself saying “Please. Please.” over and over as if somehow she could will the girl to pick up her phone. To say she was okay. She heard footsteps approaching the phone, a man’s steps, a man’s voice “She’s mine now Charlie. Always mine”. The phone once again clattered to the ground and silence filled the room as the footsteps faded away and the voicemail timed out.