“We’ve been trying to reach you about your car’s-”
I hung up.
Who on earth is even falling for those scam calls? It’s always the same robotic voice. I don’t even own a car, I bike to my classes. If they had even a slightly intelligent scammer behind that phone, you’d think they would at least check if their unlucky victim had a car.
Everyone’s gotten their share of spam calls before if they’ve had a cell phone. It’s a twenty-first century universal experience. On top of that, everyone and their mother has had the whole “car’s extended warranty” scheme pulled on them at least once or twice.
Or if you’re me, I guess, and they call you every other minute.
My phone had started ringing again as I was sitting there at my desk thinking about it. I glanced down and saw a number I didn’t recognize, so I hit decline. I have work I need to get done.
Regardless of my silent prayers that my phone would remain quiet, it kept going off. My ringtone kept greeting me every time I thought it was over.
“AND IT ALL CRASHES DOWN, AND YOU BREAK YOUR CROWN-”
I snatched up my phone off my desk and answered. “What?!”
“We’ve been trying to reach you about your bike’s-”
I hung up after hearing most of that. It wasn’t until I put my phone back down that I realized the robotic droning on the other end had said “bike”. Not car.
I found myself eyeing my phone wearily. I waited for the call, but this time, it seemed that I had warded the caller off. So I decided I had misheard it, the stress of college probably getting to me. I’m sure it said car.
My ringtone started going off again the next morning, waking me up before my alarm could. I was too exhausted to notice that it was an unknown number. I just flipped over and grabbed it off the nightstand, putting it up to my ear. “Hello??” My own groggy voice was met with silence for an uncomfortable amount of time.
I sat up, rubbing my eyes, listening. But all I could hear on the other end was breathing. Confused, I checked the ID and saw the unrecognizable number. I was about to just hang up when I heard that voice again. “We’ve been trying to reach you about your bike’s extended warranty.”
If it continued talking or I hung up right away, I can hardly remember. I was sure then that the robot had said “bike”. I guess I had complained before about how I didn’t even own a car, and that they should research their victims, but that wasn’t what I thought was going to happen. It’s just a coincidence. It has to be.
Once I tuned back in I had already hung up without thinking. Sighing, I recalled where my bike was chained up outside in front of my dorm. Maybe I should walk to class. Just for a few days.
That’s exactly what I did. It was kind of a pain, and I ended up being late a couple times, but the little anxious itch in the back of my head was scratched. I was a little relieved when I hadn’t received any new calls yet. Maybe that was the right decision.
Until my phone started ringing again. I flipped it over from where it lay face down on my desk and saw the number. It was the same area code as the rest of the calls, 811. Not that it had a location listed under the number.
I clicked accept and put the phone up to my ear. Just like the previous time, there was the sound of quiet breathing, until the familiar voice chimed at me.
“We’ve been trying to reach you about your extended life warranty-”
I dropped my phone. I’ve never hit the end call button so fast in my life.
The phone lay flat on the carpeted dorm room floor as I sat opposite from it at my desk. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. Extended life warranty?
It started ringing again. I didn’t touch it, but it kept ringing.
Finally, I slowly reached down, turning it over. At that point, I made an incredibly foolish decision. I tapped accept.
But I wasn’t greeted by the same robotic voice as always. Instead, there was a person.
“Why did you pick up?!”
I stared down at my phone, not saying anything. I didn’t know what to tell the woman on the other end. I could hear her breathing heavily, as if she had just ran to the phone. It was a familiar breathing pattern.
“WHY DID YOU PICK UP?!” She screamed into the receiver, making me flinch with how loud it was. “They’re going to come for you now!”
“What?” Was all I could remember mustering up. It was hard to speak with my heart pounding into my throat.
“I tried to warn you- oh god.” The woman cut herself off. I stayed quiet. Suddenly, she screamed. It was shrill and long. The sound started to garble as if the reception was cutting out. It was turning robotic. More familiar; until it finally ceased.
The call didn’t end. I watched as the timer displayed on my screen continued to tick up. Each second that passed felt like days. I slowly extended my arm, aiming to end the call with as much caution as possible. But that voice spoke again.
“This is a final courtesy call before we terminate your warranty.”
I tapped the red button on my screen. No sooner than I did, however, there was a knock on my door.
I held my breath. I began to scoot away from my desk in the chair, grabbing my laptop off my desk and trying to reach the window as silently as possible.
There was another knock. I held my breath. The knocks turned into pounding. I didn’t dare to move an inch anymore.
My phone started ringing again. I was several feet away from it, so I didn’t even try to see who was calling, just in case it was someone else. But I didn’t have to check. It picked up by itself.
“We are afraid your warranty has been terminated. Open up.”
I didn’t move. The pounding on the door began to become slamming, as if someone was throwing their entire body weight against the door. I chewed on the inside of my cheek to keep myself quiet, so hard that I could feel blood start to trickle into my mouth. The slams were only growing louder and louder with each passing second.
“Let us in. Your warranty must be terminated. Open the door.” The robotic voice droned on from my phone.
I continued to stay as silent as possible, curled up in a ball in my desk chair. I didn’t move a muscle.
It must have been hours. The sun was starting to set through my window, but I still didn’t budge. I was terrified. And then, my savior arrived.
The door opened. I thought I was done for, but it was just the guy in the dorm across the hall from mine. I straightened up so quickly that my laptop nearly fell to the floor. I scrambled to grab it as the guy leaned against the door - I didn’t know his name, but he was giving me a weird sort of look.
“Are you okay in there? I thought I heard someone hitting the door.” He said, eyeballing me.
I managed to give him a weak smile. “I’m fine, thanks.” How was he going to believe me if I told him the truth?
“If you’re sure. Keep it down, you’re gonna disturb somebody.” He shut the door and went back to his room. It was quiet. The call had ended.
I’m sitting on my bed now, writing out everything that happened in this past week or so. It’s been maybe an hour since my neighbor left, and I haven’t heard anything since then. I’m praying whatever was coming for me is done now, but who knows.
I’m going to get a new phone for sure. I’m typing this on my laptop since I’m sort of scared to touch my phone, pathetically enough. I think I’m going to get a roommate next year as an extra safe guard, someone who will overhear everything as well, hopefully. Convince me I didn’t hallucinate this whole thing or something.
I think I’m safe now. But if I get any more calls, at all, I’m going to block them immediately. I recommend all of you do the same.