It was 3:17 AM.
Arif's phone started vibrating again on the table.
The screen lit up with the same words:
Unknown Caller
His heart pounded. Slowly, he picked up the phone.
For a moment, he thought about rejecting the call… but somehow his finger pressed accept.
Silence.
Then a faint whisper came from the other side.
"Why… aren't you coming down…?"
Arif's throat went dry.
"I… I think you have the wrong number," he said nervously.
The voice replied, even softer this time:
"I'm waiting… right below your building."
A cold chill ran down Arif's spine.
He slowly walked to the window. His apartment was on the 10th floor.
Outside, the street was empty and dark.
But then he saw something.
In the middle of the road stood an old telephone booth.
Arif frowned. That made no sense.
Those booths had been removed from the city years ago.
And beside it…
There was someone standing.
A tall, dark figure.
The whisper returned through the phone.
"Can you see me now… Arif?"
Arif's eyes widened.
The figure slowly lifted its head and looked straight at his window.
But its face… wasn't a face at all.
It was glowing like a phone screen.
And on that glowing surface, Arif saw the words:
Calling… ARIF
His phone suddenly started dialing by itself.
A message appeared on the screen:
"If you don't come down… I will come up."
At that exact moment—
Someone knocked on his apartment door.
Three slow knocks.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.