Sigh~
I let out a slow breath, low and tired, as the faint voice echoed in my head. It felt like someone was whispering my name just behind me, but when I turned, there was nothing.
Just shadows and silence.
Ding.
Ding.
The cracked phone in my pocket buzzed again, that same high-pitched chime ringing out in the stillness. It didn't even sound like a normal ringtone anymore. It was too warped and sharp. Like a child's toy left to rot in the rain.
I didn't want to take it out.
Ding.
Every time it rang, something about the world seemed to shift—barely noticeable, like a picture frame tilted half a degree, or the lights dimming just a little too much.
I could feel it pulsing against my thigh, like it was trying to get out on its own.
Ding.
It buzzed again. Louder. Longer.
I clenched my jaw.
