A Break in the Clouds

Forest is shaken, and immediately hangs up on Albert. He literally shakes his head and blinks, at the ludicrous thought, that Albert had just called. He dismisses it as a prank call, and sets his mind on the rest of his work. It was unsettling because of the name. How could a prank caller, know about Albert?

The phone rings again, and Forest stares at it. He now feels agitated at his own reluctance to answer the phone. Scolding himself internally, he picks up the phone and offers the company greeting.

“Hey old friend, why the disconnect?” It was Albert again.

Forest slams the phone down, disconnecting the call. Several of his co-workers turn to see what the disturbance is about.

Forest forces a grin and mumbles, “Wrong number”, he hopes this will end any further curiosity. At this point he doesn’t think he can stand any more unusual things. The phone rings again. He turns it off and leaves his desk.

A Break

The company breakroom is mercifully empty, so he takes a seat by the vending machines. He clamps his hands together to keep them from shaking. The prank call had undone him. It was too uncanny, too weird. Which meant he must have some condition that was previously unknown.

Or worse, he could be hallucinating. The thought quickens his pulse and he feels the apprehension building. He begins breathing deeply and exhaling slowly, trying to stave off a panic attack. It all seemed real, the voice on the phone had felt familiar, and that had spooked him.

With unsteady legs he gets up and paces the floor, trying to dispel his nervous energy. His phone buzzes, and his stomach does an involuntary flip flop. He pulls the phone from his pocket and checks the messages. There is a pic from an unknown number, it’s the thing from the clouds, standing in his living room, holding Albert.

The Clouds

Forest doesn’t remember leaving work, or how he got to this intersection. The car behind him honks its horn and he snaps back into focus. He pulls into a parking lot and puts the vehicle in park.

He looks at his phone again and sees the thing holding the deformed and rearranged Albert. It feels as sinister as it looks. Seeing it in such detail is frightening. It’s in his living room.

Now he gets a text, it’s chilling in its simplicity.

“Quit stalling.”

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