The Mystery Call (Part II)

My weary body pulled me into a calming, deep sleep. Faced down on my king-size bed, I did not bother to remove any piece of clothing or shoe before I flopped on the bed, my legs hanging out by the edge.

My iPhone buzzed on the bedside table by the corner of the bed, partially waking me up. I grumbled in my head. I ignored it but it kept on buzzing. I raised my head reluctantly from the pillow and glanced at the screen. The same number that had been bothering me for days called again.

The desire to sleep vanished at that moment. I swiped the screen to answer and also turned on the speaker button.

"Is this a game to you?!" I spurted out angrily at the phone, beads of saliva spotted the screen. "Who is this? I will file a report with the police for this harassment. If you are so bold…"

"SHSHHHH….AAAA…."

"Shut up! You are a coward, you know. If …"

""SHSHHHH….AAAA…."

I pressed the end call button hard and dropped the phone on the table, gripped my hair tightly and screamed into my pillow. The bastard on the other end of the line won't let me get any word in or say my piece, just the same eerie, scratching sounds.

My phone buzzed again. I pushed the pillow aside, sat up and picked up the call without checking the caller ID.

"Why do you keep calling?!"

Silence.

"Um, Prof? It's Henry Adelaja. Are you alright?"

I covered my face with my palm and groaned, a little embarrassed. No professor wanted word getting out about her mental state.

"Hi, Henry!" I replied cheerily. "Sorry about that. I had a nuisance sort of call earlier and assumed it was the same person."

"Oh."

"Is this about the notes on your chapter two?"

"Yes, Prof. I'm told you have closed for the day. Can I come over to your house?"

That question robbed me of a breath for a second. I'd never invited any of my students to my house before and Jacob would not be happy about it.

"Uh, no. How about we meet in the office later this evening?"

Since I couldn't sleep anymore, I switched on my laptop and graded some students' work. By six pm in the evening, I showered, sent Jacob a text that I was going to the office and set out on a fifteen minutes stroll to the campus.

The path from the lecturers' quarters leading to the main road was a bit deserted. Hearing the crackle of fallen branches underfoot behind me, I turned to look back. A tall student was closing in on me. Skin pallid with eyeglasses sitting on the bridge of her nose, she looked familiar.

She quickly pulled the hood of her college sweatshirt over her auburn hair, smirked at me and brushed past striding forward at a fast pace. Absent-mindedly, I rubbed my shoulder and walked to my office, my brain running through its facial recognition to remember who the student was. I must have taught her but could not recall when.

As I read through one of my students' work, my secretary, an older woman who reminded me of my great aunt, popped in to say she was closing for the day. I waved her off to enjoy her weekend.

Silence descended upon my part of the administrative block. I became absorbed in my work when heavy footfalls echoed outside the door. I raised my head, looked at the window and realised it was dark. A glance at my phone revealed it was 8.49 pm and there was a text message from Jacob saying I shouldn't stay too late.

I felt my breathing rate increase a bit. Maybe coming back to the office was not such a good idea but I knew there was campus security moving around the block at night.

Knock, knock.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Prof, it's Henry."

I'd forgotten why I came to the office in the first place. "Come in."

Henry Adelaja stepped into my office. Over six feet tall, lean, wearing a polo shirt and blue jeans and armed with a file, he was good-looking. I shook my head and mentally reproached myself. I waved at one of the leather seats in front of my desk, he sat and opened his file.

We were deep in discussion for an hour when my phone buzzed on the table. I turned to glance at the screen and paled. It was the hoax call again.

"Prof?" Henry gently touched my wrist, his hand warm, drawing my attention to him. "Are you alright?"

TO BE CONTINUED….