"Hey! Steve!" a voice came from behind, echoing down the empty hallway of Meadowbrook High School. "Wait up!" It was the familiar voice of Steve's best friend Ted.
Steve looked over the "19" sowed into his senior jacket at his friend jogging up the hallway behind him. "What's up Ted" He asked as he walked out of the metal double-doors.
Ted scrambled to catch up. "What are you doing here so late? Everyone's gone home."
"Detention." He mumbled as they walked into the student parking lot. "Kelmsley caught me sleeping in class.. It took him long enough."
"He never notices anything. I wonder why he caught you today?"
"Who knows.."
They approached Ted's car in the seventh row. "I have to take off, Steve. Want a ride home?"
Steve shook his head. "Nah, I'll walk home today."
"Later, dude." Ted said as he entered his car and pulled off.
Steve stood and watched his friend peel out of the long parking lot. He stood and watched as the tail lights turned a sudden red, and turned right and sped off. He re-adjusted the weight of his back pack and started to walk home. He walked through the lot and into the neighborhood. Pleasant, green leaves hung from taut branches hanging over the sidewalk and bright green grass grew on each lawn. He loved his neighborhood, he had grown up here. He knew the people, he knew the town. It was his own.
He felt his backpack slam into his back with each stride, causing minor pain, but it was definitely noticeable. Steve approached a stop sign, and had to wait for cars to pass. He suddenly felt his backpack vibrate.
"What is that?" He wondered. He slid his backpack off and opened it. Just his usual things, books and papers. His backpack vibrated again. He searched through the side accessory pockets. Nothing. He checked the front pocket, and discovered a small, slim, silver cell phone.
"This isn't mine.." He said aloud. He held the phone in his hand, and it suddenly vibrated again. He clumsily grasped it and pushed the "talk" button.
"Hello?" He said firmly.
"Hello Stephen." A low voice crept its way through the airwaves and into Steve's ear.
"Hello?" Steve repeated curiously.
"How is the walk home going?" the deep monotone voice asked. Steve was starting to feel a little edgy and uncomfortable as he crossed the street with the plastic phone to his ear.
"Who are you?" He asked uneasily as he walked past a white picket fence.
"Who I am is not important." The voice paused. "That I have you is."
"What?" Steve stopped walking. "Who are you?"
"You may call me," he paused and allowed the sound of wind to pass over Steve's ear. "Eight."
"Eight?" Steve relaxed a little and let out a small laugh. "Did you mother name you that?"
The voice remained calm and monotone. "Don't be so degrading, Stephen. It may come back to haunt you."
"Who is this? This has to be a prank. Ted, when I find you.."
Eight interrupted. "Stephen, it may come back to haunt you." Click.
There was silence on the line. It had been merely seconds after Eight had hung up, but beads of sweat had already formed and made their way down his cheek. What's wrong with me? He thought. It was just Ted pulling some prank. But his conversation with "eight" had left him uneasy. He began to slowly and cautiously make his way down his street.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't erase the cryptic voice's messge:
"It may come back to haunt you."
