More practice for Monkeys with Machineguns Live!
Found a fantastic site for generating random ideas, http://shortstoryideas.herb.me.uk/index.html, which I will blog about later. In the meantime, here’s the end of the line.
Vera had heard about the telephone box. It was the last one left in the county, apparently, sitting quietly on the corner of the village green. It was never vandalised, unlike the play area just a few yards away, never put into service as a make shift toilet or short term accommodation for teenagers overcome by hormones and cheap cider.
No, the phone box just sat, and waited for you to make a call.
It was after John left, that Vera used it.
“It is only for emergencies,” Vera’s mother’s voice rang in the ear of memory as, with a trembling hand, she took hold of the telephone box door’s shiny brass handle. “Real emergencies”.
Vera caught sight of her reflection in the glass. Dark rings surrounded her bloodshot and tear ruined eyes. Her hair had taken on a peculiar shape, mirroring her dishevelled three-days-on clothes.
“Real emergencies,” she whispered to herself, and opened the door.
Inside, the telephone box was silent. The outside world seemed a million miles away as the door shut behind Vera with a soft click. Vera had never been inside the phone box before, but she had heard descriptions, in the rumours and the stories that people told from time to time.
She looked at the sturdy gunmetal grey telephone case. She gingerly lifted up the handset. As she had been told, there was no dial, and nowhere to insert any money. Just a grey metal box, a handset … and a voice at the end of the line.
“Hello?”
Vera jumped, involuntarily. “Hello?” she replied.
“Hello. This is the voice at the end of the line. Can I help you?”
“It … it’s an emergency,” said Vera.
“We understand,” replied the voice. “Tell us what you need, Vera”
Vera didn’t even flinch at the mention of her name. Her mother hand told her that the voice at the end of the line knew things, things about the people in the village.
“It’s Steve, my husband,” said Vera. “He’s left me and …”
“Do you want him back?” asked the voice. “Back can be … difficult”
“No, I don’t want him back,” replied Vera.
“Good,” said the voice. “Then let us discuss your options”.