Chapter 17: The Terrifying Phone Call
Every set of eyes in the room was riveted on Miles.
The room, filled with the sound of a high-pitched phone ringing, was a classroom within a school. Miles was in the midst of dialing a number, and before anyone had the chance to ask what was happening, he abruptly ended the call. His face twisted in an expression of fear that was highly unusual for him.
“Miles, wh-what’s going on?” William managed to get the words out, although they tumbled out more as a stammer than a coherent question.
Fear visibly gripped William’s body, echoing the fear that had transformed Miles. “Please, don’t scare us like this,” he pleaded. “We depend on you. To see you so unnerved… it’s disconcerting. Can you smile for us? Show us that confident grin you always have when you’re in control. We need something to hold onto.”
The group had grown accustomed to Miles’s steady demeanor and his talent for navigating tricky situations. Seeing him lose his cool was a shock to their collective confidence.
A whirlpool of emotions seemed to sweep across Miles’s face. As everyone held their breath, waiting for him to say something, the sharp sound of an incoming call broke the tense silence.
“Beep, beep.”
His eyes quickly flicked to the caller ID, his pupils narrowing. The display read: 138 – the identical number that Thunder King had posted in the online forum.
The mystery caller was making a return call.