Blue Cell Phone

It was Thursday afternoon when Jacob got home, but he wasn’t alone. In tow was a beautiful girl. Blonde hair, gorgeous blue eyes, tall, skinny. She had to be a supermodel. Or a Barbie. I was immediately intrigued by this beautiful stranger. I was also a little embarrassed that I was wearing my Batman pajama bottoms.

“This is my girlfriend, Alexa.” Jacob gestured toward the blonde beauty. “Uh, hey, Eli, do you have a moment to chat?”

I glanced at Alexa. “Yeah, sure. What’s up?”

Jacob clasped his hands together. “In the other room.”

I followed him to the living room, stopping so I faced the window, overlooking the city. It was grungy, dirty, and cluster phobic as usual.

“Listen, buddy, there’s no easy way to say this.” He shifted from foot to foot, crossing and uncrossing his arms. “But my girlfriend is moving in,” he blurted.

I blinked. “Okay?”

Jacob scrunched his nose. “I’m kicking you out.”

I blinked again, waiting for him to say it’s a joke or “Happy April Fool’s!” But it wasn’t April, it was July and he just stared at me, waiting for my reaction. When I realized he was serious, I pursed my lips and bounced anxiously on the balls of my feet.

“But I just got a job.”

Jacob rolled his eyes. “You’ve had a lot of jobs. Starbucks, McDonalds, Macy’s.” I cringed. Yes, retail had been the worst decision of my life.

“It’s different this time. I’m an electronic repair technician.”

“Every time is different, Eli!” Jacob shouted. He glanced back at Alexa, who was digging through her purse, pretending not to be interested in our conversation. He lowered his voice. “I’ve had enough of it. I don’t care if you’re an electronic whatever. I’m kicking you out.”

That stung. Sure, I hadn’t been the best roommate, but I hoped Jacob would share some of my excitement.

To make matters worse, Jacob instructed me I was to be moved out completely by the next night. Thankfully, for me, I could shove all my belongings in one suite case and I was out of there that night.

No need to stay around and make things more awkward.

I was beginning to regret my decision when it hit me: I had no place to go. I grumbled. Probably should have taken up Jacob’s offer to stay until the next day.

Settling on a park bench, I winced at the thought of a sleepless night with these wooden boards digging in my back. Like a homeless person. Which, I guess, technically I was a homeless person.

A woman wearing a fuchsia fedora and turquoise-rimmed glasses sat on the other side of the bench. We exchanged awkward smiles and I pretended to be interested in my nails to avoid any more eye contact. My plan was obviously not working.

From the corner of my eye, I could tell she was watching me. “Lovely day, isn’t it?”

“Yep.” Stop talking to me. Please go away.

“Visiting?” She gestured to my suitcase and I tensed.

“No… I’m moving.”

“Uh-huh,” she said, disbelieving. “I can’t believe your friend would kick you our either. Especially now, with your prestigious title!”

I gaped. Was this woman a mind reader? I scooted closer to the edge of the bench, ready to run should this witch-woman delve further into my mind.

“I’ve been walking behind you for the past two blocks. You talk to yourself a lot, you know.”

I scrunched my nose. Had I been talking to myself?

She continued, “I’m Melanie, by the way.”

“Eli.” I nodded politely.

“Listen, Eli. I’m friends with the landlord of my apartment complex. I’m sure he could lend you a hand for a few days until you find something. He’s a good guy like that.”

Even though Melanie was a stranger I met only minutes ago, I accepted her offer. Anything would be better than sleeping outside. Who knows what kind of drunks roam around at night, and it wasn’t something I wanted to find out.

Plus, if Melanie turned out to be a murder, I could easily run away.

…

Vince was the landlord and he apparently didn’t do nice things like lend a hand to somebody in need. He narrowed his eyes at me and said, “No free handouts here. Get a job.” Apparently being an electronic repair technician had no effect on him. So that’s how I ended up in Melanie’s apartment, sitting awkwardly in the kitchen chair while she operated the oven and stove, preparing some dish that was her grandmother’s great aunt’s cousin twice removed daughter’s secret recipe. Or something like that.

“Alright, here’s the deal. If you help me around the house you can stay with me.” She plopped a steaming plate of food in front of me.

“Stay with you?” I echoed.

“Yes, rent free. I just need help with small things, mostly. Changing lightbulbs, running to the store, mopping the floors.”

And because I know a good deal when I see one, I accepted. How hard could it be to change a lightbulb? And so I did as Melanie asked for the next two weeks – I picked up groceries, returned movie rentals, cleaned the coffee pot, and even swept the floors. I was very proud of myself, since I hardly even knew what a broom looked like.

Ironically, it was Thursday when things changed again. I came back after a quick trip to the store to find Melanie hovering over a large pot. A horrific smell greeted me and I reeled back, slapping a hand over my mouth and nose. She looked up, eyes wide with shock.

“Oh, you’re back. I thought you would be gone longer.”

“What is that?” I sat the bags on the counter and pulled my shirt collar over my nose.

“The souls of dead children.” She grinned mischievously and then laughed at my horrified expression. “I’m just kidding. They’re the souls of dead adults. I would never do that to a child. Unfortunately you weren’t supposed to see this.”

An alarm went off and I jumped. She grabbed the timer and silenced it. “Looks like it’s almost done. Just need one more thing. Oh, come here. I was kidding. There’s no dead souls.”

She rummaged through a cabinet and then cursed. “Looks like I’m out of salt. Well, do you mind staying her to make sure it doesn’t boil over? Thanks so much. I’ll be back in a few,” she chirped and flew out the door before I could protest.

I stared at the pot, which sat on the unlit stove, wondering how it could possibly boil with no heat. I inched closer and peered inside. A dark, black sludge gleamed back. It looked – and smelled – like she dug it out of a sewer.

Well, that was weird enough for me. Time to say good bye to Melanie and whatever dead thing she was mixing in this large pot. She probably was a witch after all.

The door was locked. No matter how hard I tried, it wouldn’t budge. The windows were the same – resistant to pushing and pulling. Being on the eight floor meant that if I could break the window, but the fall would be deadly.

My best plan was to wait and sabotage Melanie when she returned. Hopefully soon, otherwise I might die from the stench and have to risk jumping from the window.

I settled on the couch, flipping open a magazine when my phone range. Wait. No, not my phone. I followed the noise, rummaging through the kitchen draw to find a blue Motorola flip phone light up. This thing was ancient.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Alright, hi. Fine. It’s your turn, are you happy? You get two wishes. Use them wisely,” a rough voice barked.

“I think you have the wrong number,” I said before remembering I had answered somebody else’s phone.

“Well, it’s your lucky day. Make your wish and get it over with.”

Okay. Ummm…

“I wish I had a million dollars?”

The man on the line barked a humorless laugh. “I’m not a miracle maker. Give me something I can work with.”

I glanced at the locked door, window. “I wish I wasn’t locked in this room.”

There was a beat of silence and then, “I can work with that. What’s your location?”

An hour later, there was a loud banging on the door and a shout, “Stand back!” A loud crack sounded, followed, by dust flying around and the door flew, smacking into the kitchen tables, no longer attached to the wall.

A very short, very balding man stood in the doorway. He coughed, batting the dust from his face. Stepping in the room, he cringed and cupped his hand over his nose.

“What is that awful smell?”

“Apparently the dead souls of children or something.” I pointed at the large pot.

He groaned. “Jeez, this is Melanie’s apartment. She’s into all that weird shenanigans. I hope she’s not here.”

I shook my head. “No, she left, er – I’m not sure when she’ll be back.”

“Alright then. Well, make your second wish. I haven’t got all day and would like to be long gone when Melanie comes back.”

Luckily, I’d been thinking about this second wish while waiting to be rescued.

“I want my friend – exfriend, Jacob’s girlfriend. Her name’s Alexa.”

He nodded slowly. “I need some more details.”

I told him everything, where Jacob lived, what Alexa looked like, the last time I saw her.

“Give me a week and you’ll have your wish,” he said and disappeared.

…

Like all weekday mornings, the city was a bustle and hustle of activity. Cars sat in traffic, crowds of people sped-walked to work.

My first day of work as an electronic repair technician.

I was practically skipping.

I waited until the crosswalk flickered green and the last car to go before stepping onto the street. A car honked its horn, and I turned to look as I was shoved from behind. I stumbled forward, into the path of the car. It slammed into me, throwing me to the ground. I fell on the pavement, my head smacking the concrete.

Everything went black.

…

I’m sure you guessed it – I woke up in a hospital.

A nurse hovered over a machine, taking measurements and readings. Even in the haze of medicine, I recognized her and my breath hitched.

Blonde hair, gorgeous blue eyes, tall, skinny. Supermodel. Barbie.

Alexa.

“Hey,” I said slowly. “I know you.”

Her dazzling blue eyes met mine. A smile played at the corners of her mouth.

“Yes, you’re batman pajama bottoms. Eli, right?”

I nodded enthusiastically. Well, I tried to at least. It was more like a slow blink and subtle head shake.

But she remembered me!

“How’s Jacob?” I slurred.

She raised her eyebrows. “He’s alright. We split up after he kicked you out. You were hit by a car, you know. You’re very lucky. Only a broken rib and arm and a concussion. I’ll call the doctor in to check on you.”

A broken rib. That would explain the painful breathing.

She reached over me, adjusting a blanket. I grabbed her hand before she pulled away.

Maybe it was whatever drug they had given me or maybe it was because it was fate (or my wish) that brought us together that made me ask.

“Do you want to go out for coffee sometime?”

“Oh, umm…” she hesitated. “Sure, I guess that sounds nice.”

The last thing I remember is her beautiful smile of perfect teeth as the drugs pulled me under.