Three Rings

My name is Callie, and I am twenty-five years old. The sudden panic attacks and horrifying dreams I keep having, take me back to that one, unforgettable night. Here in lies the story of one phone call that changed my life forever…

The terror began December fifth of last year. The forecast that day was slightly cloudy with a high chance of snow. At ten o’clock a.m., I slowly rose out of bed in my long, pink, polka-dot pajama pants and a big t-shirt. I could smell the delightful aroma of roasted coffee, and I walked to the coffee pot to pour myself a cup. As I blew on the black, steaming liquid, I checked the calendar on the fridge to see if I had any plans for the day. There was miniscule text, in black ink, written in the right hand corner of the December fifth box. I squinted my eyes to see what was written and the text read, “Dinner date with Sam at six!” I was so excited and frazzled that I burnt my taste buds with the coffee! Sam and I had been dating for three years and I was sure he was going to ask me to marry him. For the next seven hours, I cleaned up, shaved, watched television, painted my nails, ate, fixed my hair, and searched for the perfect dress. In the very back of my closet, there was an elegant, red dress that would go perfect with my black heels. At six o’clock, I heard the doorbell ring and answered the door to find a handsome, brown hair, browned eyed, man dressed in a black tux with a bowtie. This was my man, Sam.? Sam escorted me to his car and opened the door like a gentleman. When we arrived to the restaurant, I told Sam I was going to step outside to make a phone call to my mom. He replied, “Okay, I will order us drinks and an appetizer to start.”

When I stepped outside the restaurant, I realized that I forgot my phone at home. Luckily, I happened to be standing right next to a red phone booth. I started walking towards the phone booth to make my call; when all of a sudden, the phone rang. I thought I misheard a noise, but then once more, the phone rang. I stopped right at the front of the door to the booth and contemplated whether or not to answer. When the phone rang a third time, I decided to answer:
Me: Hello?
Voice: (breathing)
Me: Hello? Is anyone there?
Voice: Hi Callie, (breathing) you may not remember who I am, but I know everything about you. I’ve been watching you Callie…
Me: STOP! NO, WHO IS THIS!?
Voice: Callie…
Me: WHO ARE YOU?
Voice: STOP! Listen to me Callie.
When you answered this phone call, a countdown on a bomb began. The countdown is forty-eight hours. Now listen carefully.
I have written down a clue for you and placed the clue on the counter, in your home. The clue will lead you to the next clue and so on and so forth. The clues will all lead you to your final destination where the bomb is located. I have written informative instructions, next to the bomb, which will help you discontinue the countdown. If you do not understand the clues and do not find the bomb in enough time, the bomb will explode. Unfortunately, there is no telling who the bomb will kill. Now…
Me: OH YEAH? Well not if I get the police to help! They will find you AND the bomb!
Voice: Ah Callie, I thought you might say that; therefore, I had some associates of mine kidnap your handsome Sam for me.
If you talk to any police officers, Sam will die. Now do you understand how this works Callie? (pause)
The clues should be easy to figure out; they are about you and the details of your past relationships. Hope you did not forget any of them (laughs).
Now find the bomb and destroy it.
You have forty-eight hours.
Callie: WAIT! WHO IS THIS AND WHAT DO YOU WANT!?
Voice: (beeping noises)

I was in shock, or better yet, I was speechless. I wondered, who was this man and what did he want? Was he an ex-boyfriend who I dumped harshly? Had he been stalking me? Was he simply just crazy? I had so many questions that were unanswered, but every moment I spent asking questions another minute was wasted. I did not know the man on the other end of the phone line. I had no idea where Sam was taken, and I had no clue where the bomb was located. All I knew was that I had forty-eight hours to find the bomb and destroy it, so with this knowledge, my mission began.