Dial Tone

Asher breathed out heavy and slow. Only two more hours. Two more soul-crushing hours…

“Hello, thank you for calling Cadence. How may I assist you today?” An automated greeting left his lips like parts off an assembly line.

“I don’t know if he can hear me…” The voice came out raspy and strained.

Asher’s hand gripped his silver stress ball, fingertips digging in, leaving tiny craters. The liquid inside strained against the rubber threatening to explode. “Yes, I can hear you. How can I help you today?” Each word practiced and devoid of life.

“I don’t even know if you can hear me. Probably just wasting my time…”

Just breathe, it’s not worth losing your job. “Sir, I am on the line. Can you hear—”

“So the monitor keeps making a whir sound. I don’t know where it’s coming from.”

Asher leaned back, staring at the ceiling. How did he end up here of all places? What series of events went so wrong that he had to be the one in this chair right now? Fluorescent lights flickered as the cacophony of sounds behind him coalesced, creating a kind of white noise that made his eyes twitch. He closed his eyes attempting to picture something else. Anything else.

“I hope you’re listening…”

“I’m sorry, sir. Go ahead.” His cadence stayed professional in spite of the growing pain in his lower back. All day had been a test of patience. Back-to-back calls. Unjustified anger towards him for actions he had no control over. Painting him as a villain for enforcing rules he had no part in making. Just two more hours…

Static was the only reply. Call disconnected. He set the headset aside, rubbing his temples. The dryness of his mouth made it difficult to swallow. He stretched his legs as he stood, walking towards the water dispenser.

Water filled the cup slowly. Asher stood in the empty hallway staring ahead. A thousand-yard stare into absolutely nothing. Chapped lips parted as he sipped the water. He grimaced. It was lukewarm. The taste didn’t sit right. Metallic and chalky. Almost as if the water jug had been sitting for years. He tossed the cup into the trash bin as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

His eyes tracked the length of the corridor. It was empty save for a few bulletin boards. Each filled with old post-its and ripped corners held down by thumbtacks. Down the hall he heard what sounded like whispers. They were too faint to truly decipher. Was that… crying?

He stepped towards the sound, vision beginning to blur, making the hallway appear elongated. Each step felt like he was walking backwards through time. A sudden vibration pulled him from the illusion. He pulled the cell phone from his pocket and unlocked it. At the top of the screen was a notification: break ending in 2 minutes. Why is time moving so fast? Heavy feet carried him back to his cubicle.

-

Harsh red lines strained his eyes as he looked at the clock. 4:30 on the dot. He was so close. A warm blanket and some mint chocolate chip ice cream were calling to him. His body naturally eased into an armchair that wasn’t there. Shoulders relaxed as he let out each breath slowly, feeling the warmth of the room.

He could hear the sounds of his favorite show playing in the background. Instinctively, he reached for his remote. The phone rang, pulling him out of his daydream. No! I was there. I was home… His head hung low, a moment to mourn the loss. With a deep exhale he pressed the call button.

“Hello, thank you for calling—”

“I know… I know I didn’t say it enough. But I’m sorry.” The voice was low and shaky. A breathy kind of whisper that was almost inaudible.

Asher cocked his head. “I, uh, I think you have the wrong number. This is Cadence.”

“I’ve been… been taking care of the house. Keeping the yard clean. Don’t want the neighbors to talk. A yard should always be clean…”

“Sir, this is Cadence. I think you have the wrong number.” His eyebrows rose, tongue rubbing against the back of his teeth.

“I know I don’t have the right. Sarah lets me. Christ… I don’t know what to say.”

“Right… You have the wrong number, sir. Have a good day.”

Asher ended the call and stared at the phone. What in the world was that? Two odd calls in a row. That rarely happened. Usually, he dealt with people's standard diatribes. These calls seemed more like a prank than anything else. His eyes drifted to the clock again. No, that couldn’t be right. Still 4:30. No time had passed?

That call lasted for a solid minute. He was sure of it. It had to be wrong. Damn thing, must be broken. Mechanical clicking filled the air as he typed. IT should hopefully be here to fix this sometime tomorrow morning. Before he hit send, he checked the time at the bottom of the screen. 4:30. That’s…

The phone rang again and he answered, corporate mask slipping on like a reflex. His hand instinctively found the silver stress ball.

“Hello. Thank you for calling Cadence. My name is Asher, how may I assist you today?”

“The prognosis isn’t good. His brain is still active, but his organs are shutting down.” The voice was firm but gentle. “At this stage all we can do is make him comfortable.”

Asher listened in silence. Someone was messing with him. Three off calls in a row? That wasn’t an accident. He looked around the building. All the cubicles were empty. Screens off. Where did everyone go? The white noise of the office had given way to a crushing silence so empty he could hear his own heartbeat.

What the hell is going on? He stood cautiously, hands gripping the stress ball like it was the last real thing on earth. This had gone too far. Whoever, whatever was doing this had crossed a line.

“Hey! This isn’t funny anymore!” He called out to the darkness.

Someone had to be in this building. He took off his headset and raced towards the break room. The hallway was empty; the room was empty. Even the whispers had stopped. His phone vibrated and he looked at the notification. Breaktime was over. 2 minutes to get back to work.

That’s not possible… The lights began to flicker off and on. His eyes stung from the strobing effect. Stiff hands hugged the wall, keeping him steady. A chill ran down his spine, like someone had run their nails against a chalkboard. All the rooms were empty. Not a soul in sight.

His voice echoed off the wall every time he called out. Every echo felt as if it was surrounding him. Consuming him. Tingling digits flexed over and over, a desperate attempt to regain feeling. His hand pushed back hard against the wall trying to stop it from caving in.

Enough games. He could just call someone or walk out the door. The lights finally stopped flickering, and he returned to his desk to gather his belongings.

The cubicle looked off, but he paid it no mind, grabbing his bag from the floor. Papers were tossed haphazardly into the bag. He froze as ringing filled the air. Another call. Asher sat in his chair, squeezing the stress ball so tight it shook. He slipped the headset back on. “Whoever this is, better stop or I will—”

Crying. No words. Just broken sobs. Then in the background, “Come on, Sarah, I’ll take you home.”

“No.” Her voice was exhausted… and so familiar.

“You need to rest too.”

“I said no! Asher needs me.”

His eyes flew open. Sarah... How could I have forgotten? Wait, why did she say I needed her?

“Sarah!” he called out.

“Sarah, honey talk to me. Tell me what’s happening.” Silence. He felt his stomach lurch. The silver stress ball had fallen from his hand, rolling under the desk. Pale fingers reached for his cell phone. He could barely hold the damn thing steady as he searched through his call list. Sarah’s name appeared towards the bottom. His finger touched the green icon… nothing. He called again. Nothing. Again. Again. Again. His hands shook, breath ragged like he had just run a mile. Then he saw it. No service. His heart dropped from his chest, and he quickly put the headset back on. He called her number manually. “We’re sorry the number you are trying to reach is not available.”

He stared at the clock on the wall. 4:30. Those red lines now mocking his existence. Why does the air suddenly smell sterile? The lights flickered again and he screamed before collapsing back into his chair. His hands tangled in his hair, gripping hard enough to feel the sting in his scalp.

Twitching fingers dialed her number again. Each time the same message played back. Pressure built in his chest. Asher needs me. Her voice repeated the phrase, an enigma he couldn’t understand. I’m getting out of here. Still no service on his cell phone. He grabbed his bag and walked away.

Every step felt unsteady as he walked. As if the floor could cave in at any moment. Elevator doors came into view in front of him and he reached for the call button. The elevator button clicked, giving the sound of a plastic snap, but remained dark. A lifeless dot staring through him. He pressed it again. Nothing changed. Not even a flicker. After a few minutes of effort, it was clear the elevator wasn't coming. Stairs it is.

He headed for the door. Locked. No. Why would it be locked? He tried the door again. When his eyes returned to the window the stairs were gone and behind the glass window on the door was an ocean of black.

A phone rang in the distance. His body went rigid, legs refusing to move. The ringing continued without pause. In the empty office space the reverberations just grew. Sounds built to a screeching crescendo. He stumbled back to the desk, hands covering his ears.

The headset lit up as the phone continued ringing. He slid the speakers over his ears and pressed the call button. “Hello…?”

“I know we had our differences. I wasn’t always available.” Dad…

“I missed birthdays and… and your games.” Sniffles and the sound of tissue crumpling filled the background, along with the faint, rhythmic beep of the heart monitor. “I always cared… you know that right? You know I… God damn it. You’re not even awake and I still can’t say it.”

His legs trembled. Vibrations carried to his spine as the words settled.

“You were right to leave when you did... I shouldn’t have been so hard on you.” The call ended, and a heavy static filled the air.

Tears streamed down his cheeks catching in his beard. He sat in the chair just breathing. How many times had he wished… hoped. His head lowered. The office around him was gone. A dull grey fog filled the empty space. Earlier calls played out in his mind. The patient. Sarah needing to help him. He wasn’t going home.

Memories played like a looped recording. A red car. Steering wheel jerking to the side. Shattered glass slicing skin. Pungent smells of burnt rubber and gunpowder. Sirens in the distance. Then silence. His stomach knotted. No. This isn’t real. Please.

He answered the phone immediately when it rang again. “Asher. Hades turned two today.” A reserved laugh followed. “You’d have smiled. He got a new toy and just tore it apart. Knocked Cody over too. He was so excited. You should’ve seen Cody’s face. Shocked and betrayed at the same time.”

Asher let the words wash over him. “Sarah… I hear you. I’m here.”

She breathed deep, holding back tears. “I’ve been crying for a whole week. The house feels empty now. I had… I bought us tickets to… to…”

The line cut. Asher sat in the chair. The empty space suffocating. No clocks. No computers. His desk was gone. All that remained was the stupid headset. He took it off and threw it into the darkness. This isn’t fair. I was supposed to… He stood, hands clenching and unclenching in his hair. The scream that erupted from him was primal. Painful in his stomach. Violent in its execution. Anguish mixed with rage and understanding.

Through the fog he heard the whisper of his father’s voice. “I still can’t say it.”

“Never could you old bastard!” Asher screamed. “I spent my whole life trying to run from you and then you turn up. You care. Bullshit!”

He collapsed. “Why can’t I hate you? Why!”

The fog whirled. Through the chaos of the smoke, he witnessed their last conversation. Two men sitting on a wall outside. He was trying. He was trying to say he was sorry.

“I forgive you. I shouldn’t. You never earned it. I know your dad was shit to you too, but it doesn’t justify… You know. That’s why you tried.”

The sound of a heartbeat pulsed in the darkness. “It’s okay, Ash. I want you to know it’s okay. We’re all here.”

Her voice made a pit in his stomach. I can’t go. There has to be a way back. The heartbeat slowed and pressure rose in his chest. NO. NO!

“Shhhh. Ash. I know. You’re always stubborn. Always willing to cause a ruckus. I’m sure you’re already giving everyone hell. We’ll be okay. We won’t forget.”

The heartbeat continued its dull thump in the background. His legs could not move at all. Paralysis had reached his chest. His arms barely moved. Each movement felt like he was trying to drag himself through concrete.

“It’s not fair. We didn’t have enough time.” He couldn’t move. His chest rose slower and slower. Each breath was labored. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. She wasn’t supposed to be alone. He had finally earned his peace, only for everything to come crashing down…

He took in what little air would come, calling out into the darkness. “I’m really not coming home this time… Sarah. I’m sorry. I love you.”

He closed his eyes and saw her face. Big bug eyes and an offset grin tugged a smile to his lips. Words couldn’t be spoken, but he could feel the warmth of her hand. He could feel the pressure of her fingers intertwined with his. What a cruel twist that he couldn’t hold her back. His hand wouldn't budge. The words played on repeat as his chest went still. We won’t forget.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

…