The Cell Phone

THE CELL PHONE

by D. HASSEN

THE WEATHER WAS VERY HUMID.  THE ROOM WAS HOT AND STICKY.  JENNY

BECAME RESTLESS.  SOMETHING WAS DISTURBING HER BUT IT WAS NOT SOMETHING

USUAL.  IT WAS A WEIRD FEELING, SOMEWHAT FRIGHTENING.

JENNY WAS COMPLETELY SLEEPLESS.  NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE EQUALITY

OF THE HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE THAT WAS PRESENTLY LURKING VERY HIGH, BUT

BECAUSE THE NIGHT ISSUED AN ERIE SIGNAL.

THE STRANGE, MYSTERIOUS, NERVOUSNESS THAT SURROUNDED HER WHEN SHE HAD

ENTERED THE STORE YESTERDAY REMAINED WITH HER THROUGH THE REST OF THE DAY.

SHE TRIED TO UNWIND, RELAX AND DETERMINE WHY SHE DECLINED TO PURCHASE. ANY

OF THE PHONES.  JENNY  REVIEWED HER REASONS.  FIRST, WHY DID SHE EVEN THINK OF A

NEW PHONE?

SHE WAS STILL SATISFIED WITH THE OLD TRAC PHONE.  IT HAD DONE WELL FOR HER.

IT WAS CHEAP, DIDN’T HAVE TO HAVE A CONTRACT AND SHE COULD PURCHASE THE

TIME AS SHE NEEDED IT.  IT SUDDENLY DAWNED ON HER…YES, THAT WAS IT, SHE

COULDN’T READ THE NUMBERS ANYMORE.

AS JENNY LAY IN  BED, SHE LOOKED TOWARD THE DRESSER TO ASSURE

HERSELF SHE HAD PLUGGED IN THE DEMONSTRATOR MODEL THAT THE SALESMAN HAD GIVEN

TO HER FOR A TRIAL BASIS.  HE ADVISED IT HAD TO BE CHARGED FOR AT LEAST SEVERAL

HOURS.  JENNY WENT OVER AND OVER THE ACTIVITY OF THE DAY.  THE LABORATORY

WAS QUIET AND SHE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW A LARGE GROUP OF SLIDES THAT

HER SUPERVISOR HAD ASKED ABOUT.  WHEN SHE STARTED TO OPEN THE PACKAGE

THAT CONTAINED THE FIRST TWENTY-FIVE, SHE REALIZED THEY WERE COVERED WITH

A FINE DUST AND IT CREATED A PROBLEM WHEN SHE PLACED THEM UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.

THAT HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.  AGAIN, ANOTHER STRANGE MOMENT.  AS SHE

PASSED BY THE NUMBER OF BEAKERS ON THE EXPERIMENTAL TABLE ALL HAD TURNED

VERY DARK SEEMINGLY FOR NO REASON.

ALL OF A SUDDEN THE HEAT IN HER ROOM BECAME ALMOST UNBEARABLE.

SHE THOUGHT, A COOL GLASS OF TEA.  YES, SHE DECIDED SHE WOULD  ALSO TURN ON THE

FAN THAT STOOD IN HER CLOSET.  HER SMALL APARTMENT HAD NO AIR CONDITIONING.

THAT WAS TYPICAL OF ALL OF THE OLD APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN COLORADO SPRINGS.

SHE REASSURED HERSELF.  THE RENT WAS GOOD, IT WAS CLOSE TO THE LAB AND

BEING SINGLE, IT WAS OKEY ALTHOUGH VERY CONFINING AT TIMES.

AFTER MAKING THE TALL GLASS OF ICE TEA, JENNY RETURNED TO THE

DARKENED BEDROOM.  SHE TOOK A SIP OF THE TEA. IT CARESSED HER THROAT..  SHE SAT THE

GLASS ON THE NIGHT STAND BESIDE HER BED.  SHE DID A QUICK TURN TO PLACE THE GLASS

IN A MORE SECURE SPOT.  OF THE TABLE SO IT WOULDN’T SPILL.  SUDDENLY A HUGE BRIGHT

BEAM OF LIGHT SHOWERED FROM THE

SMALL CELL PHONE ON THE DRESSER.  APPARENTLY IT HAD RECHARGED.  THE LIGHT

BLINKED…IT BLINKED THE SECOND TIME …AND THE THIRD TIME!.

SHE MOVED CLOSER  TO IT,  TRYING TO DECIPHER WHAT WAS CAUSING THE BLINKING.

JENNY  PICKED UP THE CELL PHONE.  IT WENT COMPLETELY DARK.  SHE COULD SEE

NOTHING.  SHE DECIDED IT WAS A FREAK OF ELECTRICITY.  SHE MANEUVERED HER

WAY BACK TO HER BED.  SHE WAS AB OUT TO LAY DOWN.  THE STRANGE LIGHT

FLICKERED AGAIN.  THE ROOM WAS SO DARK THAT THE BEAM COMING FROM THE TINY

OBJECT, FLOODED THE ENTIRE ROOM.  JENNY WAS SO STARTLED SHE KNOCKED OVER THE

GLASS.  IT SPLASHED ON HER FOOT.  IT HIT THE FLOOR. THE GLASS CRASHED INTO SLIVERS.

A PIECE OF THE BASE ROLLED TOWARD THE DRESSER.

THE CELL PHONE CONTINUED TO GLOW AND BEGAN A HORRIBLE BEEPING NOISE.

JENNY QUESTIONED HERSELF…WAS IT SIGNALING HER?  SHE REACHED

OUT TO PICK UP THE PHONE.  SHE WAS CAUTIOUS.  SHE HAD HEARD OF ELECTRICAL

SHOCKS.  AS SHE LIFTED THE PHONE FROM THE DRESSER, A RAGGED VOICE ECHOED

FROM THE SPEAKER,  “PERHAPS YOU HAD BETTER CLEAN UP THE GLASS BEFORE YOU

CUT YOUR FEET!”

“OH, MY GOD”, SHE DROPPED THE PHONE!

THE VOICE CAME BACK.

“YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE THAT, JENNY, YOU HURT ME!”

“WHO ARE YOU? WHAT DO YOU WANT?”

THE VOICE CAME AGAIN VERY SOFTLY.

“I HAVE A SPECIAL NEED.”

“WHY HAVE YOU COME TO ME?”

“BECAUSE YOU KNOW WE EXIST.”

“HOW DO I KNOW THAT?”

AGAIN ,THE VOICE CONTINUED.

“BECAUSE YOU NOTICED US TODAY.”

“WHERE?”

“IN YOUR LAB, OF COURSE.”

“WHERE WERE YOU?”

“IN THE MIST ON YOUR SLIDES!  WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF YOU, WE CLOUDED

YOUR WORK.  DO YOU SEE ME SWEATING?”

JENNY ADMITTED THE PHONE WAS DAMP WHEN SHE DROPPED IT. SHE

WAS SHAKING AS SHE CONTINUED THE CONVERSATION.

“WHERE ARE YOU PHYSICALLY?”

THE VOICE STATED, “WE ARE INVISIBLE.”

“NOW,  THAT’S A JOKE!”

“NO, IT IS NOT A JOKE…WE CAN ONLY TURN VISIBLE WHEN WE ARE DAMP OR SPRAYED WITH

H2O AND YOU KNOW THE SYMBOLS.”

JENNY WAS TREMBLING AS SHE PICKED UP THE PHONE.  SHE SLOWLY SAT DOWN

ON THE BEDSIDE.  SHE WAS NOT SURE OF WHAT TO DO NEXT.

AGAIN, THE VOICE BELLOWED.  IT STARTLED HER ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE

EMPHASIS ON HER NAME.

“JENNY, DO YOU SEE THE FAN YOU JUST TURNED ON?”

“YES.”.

“WELL, THERE IS ANOTHER ONE OF US STANDING THERE.”

JENNY LOOKED DIRECTLY INTO THE PHONE, AS IF IT WERE A PERSON. SHE ANSWERED.

“IS IT A HE OR A SHE?”  SHE REALIZED HER QUESTION CONTAINED A LITTLE HUMOR.

SHE GIGGLED TO STIFLE HER FEARS.

THE VOICE STARTED AGAIN,  “DO YOU REMEMBER GOING TO THE ELECTRONICS STORE?”

“YES.”

“WELL, WHAT DID YOU DO THERE?”

“I PICKED UP A NUMBER OF THE PHONES TO SEE WHICH ONE I WOULD WANT.”

“HOW MANY DID YOU TOUCH?”

“I REALLY DO NOT REMEMBER.  MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE.  SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?”

“WE ARE DUST AND WHEN MOISTURE COMES TO US, WE ESCAPE INTO THE AIR

AND THEN WE ARE VISIBLE.  YOU SEE ONLY A LITTLE MOISTURE STARTS OUR GROWTH.

UNTIL WE ARE TOTALLY WET, YOU CANNOT SEE US.”

JENNY WAS USED TO SURPRISES HAVING WORKED IN THE LAB FOR MOST OF HER

CAREER.  THIS SITUATION WAS REALLY UNBELIEVABLE.  SHE STARTED TO QUESTION

THE PHONE AS IF A IT WERE A REAL PERSON.

“HOW DO YOU HAVE A VOICE?”

“WE ARE COMPLETE PEOPLE.”

“CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE ARE YOU FROM?  I FEEL TOTALLY STUPID SITTING HERE

TALKING TO A PHONE.”

“YOU SHOULD.  WHO WOULD KNOW, EVERYONE AROUND YOU, JENNY, IS CONSTANTLY TALKING

TO A PHONE.”

“MY FRIENDS WOULD THINK I’M CRAZY.”

“ARE YOU?”

“NO, OF COURSE NOT…SO WHAT ARE YOU HERE FOR?”

“TO TAKE OVER YOUR WORLD!”

JENNY, FULLY COMPOSED, REPLIED. “BAD CHOICE..OTHERS HAVE TRIED THAT.”

“WE HAVE A GREAT ADVANTAGE!”

“WHAT IS THAT?”

“YOU REALLY DO NOT KNOW WHERE WE ARE.  PERHAPS I SHOULD CLARIFY MY

STATEMENT.  WE ARE HERE TO CLEAN UP THE WORLD.”

“I THOUGHT THAT WAS A DEITY JOB?”

“NOT REALLY,  THE DEITY CANNOT REACH EVERYONE, BUT WE CAN.”

JENNY’S IMPATIENCE PEAKED TO THE POINT OF RAISING HER VOICE. SHE

CONTINUED TALKING BUT WITH EXTREME ANGER, “WELL SIR, IF THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE HERE

FOR, WHEN IS ALL THIS TO TAKE PLACE?”

“WE HAVE STARTED, AND YOU KNOW THAT…”

JENNY’S MIND RACED…HER THOUGHTS WERE…GO GET WATER AND START SPRAYIING.

BUT SHE STOPPED , ASKED HERSELF, DO I REALLY WANT TO BRING THIS SO-CALLED

DUST BAG TO A FULL VISIBLE LIFE?  WHAT IF HE OR IT IS BIGGER THAN ME, OR PHYSICALLY

STRONGER?  SHE TUMBLED THE QUESTIONS  OVER AND OVER IN HER MIND.  A

VOICE VERSUS A HUMAN, WHAT  WAY CAN IT BE CONTROLLED?  PERHAPS I SHOULD

KEEP  IT TALKING UNTIL I UNCOVER  MORE OF THEIR PLAN…YES, THAT’S IT.

SHE PONDERED.  HOPEFULLY IT CAN NOT READ MINDS.  SHE DECIDED TO TEST

ITS’ INTELLIGENCE.  “HOW MANY OF THESE DUST PEOPLE ARE IN THE LAB?”

BEFORE THE VOICE GAVE HER AN ANSWER JENNY’S LAND LINE RANG.  ONCE,

TWICE, SHE SCRAMBLED TO GRAB IT.  SHE GENTLY PLACED THE CELL PHONE ON THE SOFT

MATTRESS PROTECTING HERSELF FROM FURTHER CHASTISING.   THEN ANSWERED, “HELLO”

JENNY’S VOICE WAS DROWNED OUT BY THE SCREAMING OF FIRE ENGINES.  IT WAS HARD

FOR HER TO HEAR THE VOICE ON THE LINE.  JENNY HELD HER HAND OVER HER OTHER

EAR TO SQUELCH THE CONTINUING SCREAM OF THE FIRE ENGINE. SHE HEARD WHAT

SHE DID NOT WANT TO HEAR.  JENNY’S RESPONSE WAS , “OH MY GOD.”

” JENNY HEARD THE SOUND FROM THE CELL PHONE CHUCKLE, “WHAT GOD? LISTEN

CLOSE, JENNY, THE LAB IS ON FIRE, WE ARE ABOUT TO EMERGE!”

JENNY SCREAMED INTO THE PHONE, “SHUT DOWN THE SPRINKLERS, I DON’T

HAVE TIME TO EXPLAIN!  JUST DO IT!  TELL THE FIREMEN ANYTHING, LIKE WATER

WILL MAKE THE LAB EXPLODE, USE CHEMICALS, WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO…”

A PANICKED VOICE FROM THE CELL PHONE YELLED, “WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?”

JENNY DID NOT RESPOND.  SHE GRABBED A PAIR OF SLACKS AND PULLED THEM

OVER HER PJ’S.   A BLOUSE FROM THE CLOSET AND SHOUTED AT THE CELL

PHONE, “BECAUSE , WHOEVER AND WHATEVER YOU ARE,  I AM NOT GOING TO LET

YOU DESTROY US. WE CAN HANDLE OUR WORLD AND WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO

MAKE IT BETTER.”

THE BRIGHT BEAM SLOWLY RETIRED.  THE VOICE BECAME VERY FRAGILE.

ALL JENNY COULD HEAR AS SHE RUSHED OUT OF HER FRONT THE DOOR WAS,

“ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE, WE WILL NOT STOP TRYING.”

THE END