The Payphone Parts 1 and 2: https://lisaapaul.home.blog/2025/08/11/the-payphone/ https://lisaapaul.home.blog/2025/08/14/the-payphone-part-2/

Connie was a veterinarian. She wondered if she would have chosen her career path if she hadn’t encountered the abomination that was the monster. Whenever she got a call about an animal with an extra limb or a rare mutation like the two-headed calf, she felt a jolt of anxiety and had to remind herself that such things are normal, not the stuff of nightmares.

Connie was one of the best vets in town and before long she was treating the local police department’s K-9 units. She was friends with many of the local police officers, and had dated one, a handsome fellow named Michael, for over a year. She and Michael were no longer together, but she was going to need his help in battling the monster.

After she left Stan’s Place, she went to Michael’s house. It was late, and he answered his door wearing a robe and a scowl. “Connie, what’s up?”

“Can I stay here tonight?” she asked, then added, “actually, maybe for a few nights. I can’t explain why, Michael, but I really need your help.”

Michael opened the door. “Sure, come on in. Can I get you a drink?” She shook her head and sat down. He watched her leg bounce and her run her hand through her hair nervously. Without asking again, he poured them some bourbon and handed her a glass. She drank it without speaking. “Okay, make yourself at home. The spare bedroom’s at the end of the hall, or you’re welcome to..”

“It’s okay, Michael, I’ll sleep in the spare bedroom if you don’t mind. I can’t tell you how grateful I am. I’m going to go to bed now. I’m sure you’re tired.” She stood and they looked at each other, memories thick in the air between them. “Thank you,” she said and walked to her room. Michael watched her go, wondering what was going on. He finished his drink and went to bed.

Connie slept fitfully, she kept waking up and trying to come up with a plan. She rose early, but Michael was already in the kitchen. He handed her a cup of coffee. “Thank you,” she murmured.

“What’s going on, Connie?” he asked.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” she said.

“C’mon, you show up here after we haven’t spoken for months and are obviously in trouble. You can trust me, Connie. Right now my very vivid imagination is imagining all sorts of scenarios. I’m a cop, for heaven’s sake, I can take it.”

Connie drank her coffee, thinking. “Okay, I will be leaving the clinic at 6:00 tonight. You can come by then and we’ll go to my house. I may be able to show you what’s going on. Maybe then you’ll understand. Will that work for you?” she asked and he nodded. “And, Michael, bring your gun,” she added.

“Hey, I always bring my gun, Connie. What’s that supposed to mean?” He grabbed her arm. “Is someone trying to hurt you?”

She pulled away. “Yeah, you could say that. Anyway, that’s what I’ve been told. So, we’ll just see, okay? Will you be there tonight?” she asked and he nodded. “Thank you,” she said and left for the clinic.

After a long day of seeing patients, Connie was tired but still felt nervous and jumpy. Her last, a pregnant Pekingese, had nipped at her hand and drew blood. She knew her anxiety had passed over to the dog. She looked up and saw Michael coming back through the clinic to her. She asked her assistant to lock up and they left together in Michael’s car.

Once home, she showered quickly and changed and then decided it was time to try and explain her fears to Michael. She told him about what happened when she was five, how she had encountered the monster and trapped it in a book. Michael looked at her like she was crazy, but he didn’t say anything. She told him about the payphone at Stan’s Place and what the monster had said. When she was done, she looked at him, hoping he might believe at least some of it.

“Honestly, Connie, if I didn’t know you I would say you’ve lost your mind. And, even knowing you as I do, I’m tempted to believe that. You do realize that what you’re saying is crazy, right?”

“I know. That’s why I want you to stay with me tonight. You can see the monster for yourself. Then you can decide if I’m crazy. If it even comes tonight. I don’t have any control over that.”

“So, if no monster magically bursts out of your closet tonight, you can just say he decided not to visit you?”

“Yes, Michael, I realize how crazy I sound. My own parents didn’t even believe me. They never saw it. It only showed itself to me. So, it may not appear tonight if you are here. But I thought it was worth a try. I need someone to help me with this. I was hoping maybe you would.”

He laughed and she jumped at the sound. “I will stay with you tonight. But you better hope that thing shows up.”

“And you better hope it doesn’t,” she said quietly. Then she put a frozen pizza in the oven and got them a beer and they talked about their lives since they broke up. Connie felt almost normal for awhile. She was grateful Michael had not started dating someone else yet. She watched him talk, his brown eyes animated and she noticed his hair was just a bit longer than he usually wore it, his arms still as muscular as she remembered. The oven timer went off and she realized she had stopped listening to him.

When it got dark outside, Connie began to get agitated. “Maybe we should go to your house,” she said, “I don’t think I can do this.”

“It’s going to be okay, I will be with you and so will my SIG Sauer,” Michael said.

They went upstairs to her bedroom and decided that Connie would lay on the side of the bed closest to her closet. They both lay down on top of the comforter facing each other. Connie kept her back to the closet. It felt strange to be laying in a bed next to Michael, but also very nice. She could smell his familiar scent, and felt his warm breath near her face. She felt very tense, but could tell Michael was relaxed and getting sleepy. She scooted closer to him and he put his arm over her waist and pulled her even closer.

“You know, I am glad you came to me last night. I have been wanting to get in touch with you, but I was afraid you wouldn’t want to talk to me after our break up. I’ve missed you, Connie. I think we made a mistake.”

“I can’t talk about this right now, Michael. I’m sorry,” but she didn’t move away. “I’m too afraid. Let’s just lay here and see what happens.”

They laid silently together, and Connie felt herself relax. Soon they were both asleep. Slowly, the closet door opened, and a floorboard creaked, waking them both up. Connie shook Michael to be sure he was awake and he pulled out his handgun, racking a round and they faced the closet. Without another sound, the monster stepped out into the light. He was more terrifying than Connie had remembered and she could hear Michael draw in a quick breath of shock. The monster growled, a horrible sound, then said in that quiet sing song voice, “My treat, I am going to kill your friend and eat you up.” The monster lunged toward Connie, his sharp claws raking across her side. Michael aimed and fired his gun, hitting the monster in the chest. It kept coming, squealing and growling, and grabbed Connie by her arms, lowering its head to bite her on the neck. Michael fired at its head, but missed and only grazed its ear. Now Connie was between him and the monster and he couldn’t get off a shot. The monster sunk its teeth into her neck, and Connie fainted. It held on to her and spun to go back into the closet and Michael fired into its back. It kept going and disappeared into the closet, and Michael followed. Michael shot the monster in the leg and it hesitated just long enough for Michael to pull Connie away from it and carry her back through the door into the bedroom, slamming the closet door behind him.

He laid her on the bed, pressing the comforter against the bite wound in her neck. “Connie, Connie, wake up,” he said, stroking her cheek. She came to consciousness, screaming.

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