TIME’S UP

By TesubCalle

It was an average and unremarkable Summer day; a Monday – the one day of the week I had off in my crazy schedule. Deciding to spend the afternoon with Troy, my ‘significant other’, as is the popular phrase, was a no-brainer. We hadn’t seen each other in a couple weeks, and I missed him. We decided on the lake to relax, get some rays and enjoy each other’s company.

The lake that afternoon was surprisingly unpopulated, given the soaring temperatures. Not that it mattered. I seldom had time alone with Troy, and was secretly grateful for the nearly deserted beach. I was lounging on a towel, watching Troy treading water when my cell phone rang.

I took a glance at the call display. Whoever the caller was, he or she was blocking their ID from their end, making it unrecognizable. I wasn't in the mood to talk to a stranger at this time, so I let the phone ring on.

"Aren't you going to answer that?" Troy called out to me.

"Nah," I replied. "It's nobody I know."

But the phone rang on. I'd programmed in the 'X-Files' theme for the ring tone, even though at the time I was no longer a rabid X-Phile. (In my estimation, it was still a very cool theme song, regardless of how the series’ mythology degraded into mindless mush). By the twenty-first ring, though, I was getting rather irritated, and so was Troy.

"Just answer the phone, huh, hon?" he called out in an exasperated tone.

"Fine." I was about to flip it open when the obstinate thing ceased ringing.

"There, see? Even telemarketers eventually get the message that no one's home."

Five minutes later, the phone rang again. Annoyed, I glared at it, but it stopped at one ring.

"Just turn the darn thing off if you're not going to answer," Troy grumbled.

"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled back. I picked it up and was about to terminate the power when I noticed I had a text message waiting...

'TALK TO ME. OR ELSE.' The words glared ominously up at me from my cell phone’s backlit screen.

"Hey, Troy...Come take a look at this..." My voice was shaking.

"What is it?" he called from the waist-high water he was wading in.

"Please, just come see. Hurry." Who on earth could have sent this? I thought to myself.

"Okay, be right there." Troy said.

I watched as he started making his way to shore. In spite of my sudden feeling of fear, I found myself admiring his tanned bronze skin, his build, his powerful stride as he sloshed through the water. Then I saw him fall at almost the same instant I heard a crack. For a moment I was confused. Troy had almost reached dry land, and then he disappeared under the water with a splash.

"Troy?" I called out, terror gripping my heart. He had not surfaced.

"Troy!" I jumped up from my towel and started for the lake. But my left leg crumpled under me and I sprawled headlong in the scorching sand. My ears were ringing - another crack had pierced the calm of the afternoon. A sudden burning pain ripped through my left thigh. I moved my hand slowly down to the source of the pain and recoiled in horror when my fingers met with warm wetness.

I struggled to comprehend what was happening. In spite of my agony my one thought was to get to Troy. I had to get him out of the water. He would drown if I didn’t get to him. I began dragging myself along the sand, calling out his name. A shadow fell across me and I strained my neck to look up at what was casting it.

A tall figure was silhouetted against the bright sunlight, standing between me and the water. I could not make out any of his features, but in one hand I was able to make out a high-powered rifle. In the other hand, he was holding a cell phone.

 
"Why..?" I asked, my throat dry and voice cracking.

"I've been watching you for a while. All I wanted was a litte conversation; to hear your lovely voice," he said. "But you ignored me."

He dangled his cell phone above me. "I'd let you call for help, but, silly me, I just remembered I've used up all my minutes for this month. Guess it's a good thing we never talked on the phone after all."

He pocketed his cell phone and took aim with the rifle at my head. "Sometimes, those cell phone plans are a killer, aren't they?"

I did not hear a third crack.

END