It was my phone that made me wake up. I tried to ignore it. However, the phone seemed to ring on forever. I had downloaded a song ringtone because I adored Daft Punk. The song “Get Lucky” made me cheerful even at really sad times. Despite that, I had regretted that decision at this point.

My cell phone rang and vibrated under my light pillow. I picked up my head. My hair strangely stood straight up even when it wasn’t coated with gel. I plunged my hand under the pillow, and searched for the obnoxious phone. I found it and pulled it out of its charger. I looked at the Iphone to see who was calling me. It was Jess.

Jess and I had been friends for five years now. She always called me, and I always called her. For about a year now, I had gathered up romantic feelings for her. But I could never have the strength to tell her. So, I had to deal with the butterflies every time I saw her. It used to be only when she smiled. Now I get nervous whenever I hear her sweet voice. Even when someone talks about her I have uncontrollable feelings. I like them, but also hate them.

I answered the phone in a weary tone. “Jess why are you calling me at seven in the morning? You know I need my beauty sleep, we’ve been through this.”

The other side of the call was silent for several minutes.

A light whisper came through, and the phone hung up immediately after.

I held the phone to my ear for a few more seconds. She was gone. I pondered over what she had whispered, but I just couldn’t quite understand what she said.

“Oh great she probably has her friend Liz over and they are prank calling me.” I thought to myself. Liz always lies to play jokes on me. They call me and pretend to be salesmen, or they will do voice impressions, stupid stuff.

“Well I guess since I’m up now I might as well eat.”

I swung my legs out of bed and stretched my short arms. I was never a very tall guy.
I was actually almost the shortest guy in my whole class. Last time I checked, I was about five foot five. I rose out of the bed with my blue and white stripped pajamas on. I began to make my way downstairs for food.

My house wasn’t that big since I only lived with my dad and my baby brother who was only eight months old. Mom died a month ago in a car crash. I tried to let it go but you just can’t do that.

I had arrived at the kitchen and I scanned the room hoping Dad had started to make breakfast. The room was empty. The only thing in the kitchen were the dirty dishes that I had forgotten to do last night.

Then my obnoxious phone started to ring and vibrate again. I took it out of my pajama pocket and looked to see who it was. It was Jess again.

I let out a whiff of air and answered the phone. “I don’t appreciate you calling me, whispering gibberish, and then hanging up. Rude I tell you, just rude.” I chuckled.

The other side of the call was silent again for a few minutes. Then she began to speak. My whole expression changed. I could tell that she had been crying. Her voice was quivering.

“I love you DJ. If you have any feelings for me what so ever. You will come save me.” She hung up.

My whole body shut down and froze. My phone fell to the ground as she was talking and crying. I didn’t even hear the phone hit the ground. After a minute of silence and thinking, I sprinted for the door. On my way down the street, I began to question the wisdom of this trip. But who cares the girl I loved was in trouble.

As I was sprinting down the street, I noticed that I still had my pajamas on. I couldn’t turn back now. I really liked this girl and I couldn’t have her leave like my mom did.

The first call that I got was weird. The whisper at the end of the call. I focused hard on the call.

I had a lot of thoughts clouding my head. She wasn’t depressed or anything. It can’t be suicide. Is someone threatening her? But, I couldn’t make any assumptions. I was already at her house.

Jess’s parents were head of a fortune five-hundred company. Her mom was CEO and her dad was the head of marketing. Her house was the biggest house in Sleepy Hollow, Manhattan.

I slowly walked toward the front door of Jess’s house. There wasn’t any cars in the driveway. Sometimes on weekends Jess’s mom and dad go to work if they have an important meeting. Today must be one of those days.

I opened the heavy front door. The house was clean and seemed to be empty. However, I could feel that someone was also in the house. I looked around the first room in the house. When you walk into the house, directly to your right is a big living room. I scanned the room and there was a house phone attached to the wall where the TV was sitting. A red light was blinking. There was an unread message. I walked over to the phone and pressed a button above the red light.

There was a long single beep. A voice began to speak, “One unheard message. Friday July eighth two-thousand thirteen.”

Another single beep sounded, “Jess honey, Daddy and I have a meeting in Rochester. We won’t be back until Monday.” I heard a manly voice in the background. The woman laughed and started to talk again. “Stay safe and Grandma’s number is on the fridge if you need anything. See you soon we love you!”

The phone went silent. So her parents were away and she was here alone. That sounds like a set up for a crime movie.

I looked around the house for a while, and I found absolutely nothing downstairs. I dreaded the very question that kept running through my head.

“Was she in her room?”

That would be the smartest place to check. But from her call, something inside of me told me I was going to find something I didn’t want to.

I walked to the spiral stairway and looked up at them. In my condition now they looked a lot bigger than normal. A long never ending stairway that I didn’t want to walk up. I finally managed to walk up the steps. My stomach tossed and turned. I started to sweat and grind my teeth. Her room was at the end of the hall at the top. I reached the top and staggered down the hallway. After what seemed like hours walking down that hallway, I reached her door. It was creaked open. I placed my right palm on the door and the light door opened slowly.

There she was. In her pajamas with a tank top on. Her hair wet because she must have just gotten out of the shower. My jaw dropped uncontrollably. I felt the tears rush to my eyes and they came out like a waterfall. She was there hanging by a thick jump rope. It was tied to her hanging light in her room. She was dead, probably before I had gotten in. The water from her hair was dripping making a wet spot on her carpet floor. I was too late.
…
I sat there in her room crying on her floor for what seemed like hours. Pain, anger, confusion, sadness, clustered together. Questions few by in my brain looking for answers. But there weren’t any. I had to call the police. I just couldn’t leave her hanging there. I whipped out my phone and dialed 911.

“911 what’s your emergency?”

“My friend…she…she killed herself.” I cried. “Please come quick!”

“We are sending help immediately. Just sit tight.” Her soft voice would be soothing, however, I was freaking out.

I hung up the phone and waited for the police. The police station was about five minutes away, in the center of town. Despite this I heard a couple police sirens from down the street.

“Me of all people. I’m the one to get punished, the ones I love are dead. Am I cursed or is it just bad luck?”

Then I heard something from downstairs. A door just slammed closed. I was right, I wasn’t the only one here.