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  'What's your favorite scary movie?'

  Your blood ran cold as the realization struck you. You barely kept a grip on your phone due to shock, but you held on. You stared at the message for what seemed like days, your thoughts going a mile a minute. Then you did the unthinkable. You called the unknown number.

  Your phone rings as you try to connect to the number, anxiety intensifying the buzz in your ears. The phone continues to ring one more time before you hear the call be accepted by the person on the other line. 

  "Who are you?" You raise your volume with each word, eventually reaching a yell.

  "You should keep your voice down, it's rude to yell." The voice is low and mechanical, and you immediately feel your heart sink in your chest even lower. So this is who you thought it was. You had heard enough recordings to recognize who this was. 

  "So you are Ghostface."

  "Glad you recognized me, sweetheart. I was starting to get a little worried." His words dripped with a casual, mocking tone, making you want to throw up. Your head started to spin from anxiety, but you forced yourself to take calming breaths. If you were going to die, you're going out in a calm and collected manner. You're about to ask another question when the serial killer starts to talk again, sounding slightly self-righteous.

"So, are you going to answer my question?" The speed of your thoughts halts when you hear his question. It quickly picks up again when you remember him "taking care of" your boss. The idea of not being harassed anymore is more than tempting, and you start to throw your morals out the window for just one minute. Imagining what life would be like without Derreck was like a daydream, one of the beautiful clouds breaking apart to reveal the long-hidden sun. You snap back to reality when Ghostface clears his throat, clearly getting impatient.

"I'll answer your question if you won't' kill Derreck." 

  You wait with bated breath for his response. He seems shocked by your words and being completely honest, you are too. This man had made you uncomfortable in every way, shape, and form. He belittled you, made your skin crawl every time he cast one of his sleazy glances in your direction. All of these actions made you feel like nothing more than a simple toy meant for an animal's pleasure, a piece of meat served on a silver platter to be consumed. But did Derreck deserve to die for his actions? No, you don't think he does. Rot in jail for ten years maybe, but not die for his choices.

  "It's a little too late for that, sweetheart."

  Shock courses through your veins, causing a tingling sensation to flow through your fingers. You want to cry, not from sadness but joy. You fight the urge to smile; what the hell is wrong with you? Clearing his throat again, your attention is drawn back in, who has been waiting for your next remark.

  "I can't believe this. He's really dead?"

  "I can send you a picture if you want. Would that help you believe me?" Annoyance dripped off his tongue with every word he uttered, making a strange chill on your spine. You chose to ignore the implications of that feeling as he continued to speak. "Now answer my question doll, it's hard to break the ice when you don't respond." You reflect on the question; what is your favorite scary movie? There's been so many that you adored. You sit in silence for a minute, weighing your options before concluding your favorite scary movie.

  "Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman." 

  "I'm being serious, sweetheart." His voice rang out in a low growl, one that was surely accompanied by a grimace. The chill on your spine reappeared with his anger, making you curious if you ever had sanity or if you had just recently lost it. You prayed it was the latter.

  "So am I. Have you ever watched that movie? Animated chipmunks are a nightmare in themselves." A smile played on your lips, insanity gripping you as you started to come to terms with what was going to happen in your future.

  "Last chance", he growled out at the start of the sentence, making you shiver. You decided now was the time to stop teasing.

  "Jeepers Creepers. The movie was truly pretty scary until the Creeper grew wings, that kinda ruined it for me. Other than that, it's a masterpiece."

  "I didn't peg you for that kind of movie. I would've pegged you for Silence of the Lambs or Goonies." You heard a smile curl onto Ghostface's lip through the phone.

  "You were in my house. All of the windows have curtains, the only way you would have been able to see what I was watching as if you were inside." A deep resonant chuckle breaks through the modulator of his mask.

  "You could have been a detective. But you're talking to me as if assuming I'm still not in the house."

  "That's because I am assuming you're not in the house anymore." He chuckled again, causing another set of goosebumps to spread across your skin.

  "It's not very safe to assume." There was a playful intensity behind his words, making the mocking sensation in your mind grow steadily worse. He was truly toying with you. "Besides, how would I still be taking photos of you if I was outside?"

  A gasp slipped from your lips. "I was hearing a camera shutter! Why would you want photos of me?"

  "Why so surprised? A pretty face like yours deserves to be commemorated in my scrapbook. Do you not like having your photo taken, doll?" An uncontrollable blush washed over your face, but you decided that if he got to tease so did you.

  "I'm just a little angry that's all." You puffed out your lip, chewing on the corner to feign frustration. You hear him snicker out his next question, "Why, doll?"

  "Well if I had known, I would have done my hair, put on a little makeup. Maybe I would have even started posing, get some good photos for you." You crack into a smile as the phone goes nearly quiet, hearing electronic breaths fanning from the speaker. In the silence, you hear a camera shutter click from in front of you. You tilt your head towards the sound, noticing only a couple of spaces where he could be hiding. One more joke couldn't hurt. You start to laugh, fear taking a hold of your brain into overdrive. 

  "What's so funny, sweetheart? Think of a funny joke?" A smile was evident in your tone, but you kept laughing. Eventually, you calmed yourself down, wiping the rolling tears off of your cheek with your finger.

  "Yeah, I did. But before I make it, I have a question to ask you!" You sing out the last sentence, a smile stretched across your face. You continued to smile as you listened to the silent debate on the other side of the phone. You looked around the room at the pictures on the wall

  "What's the question?" Your smile gets bigger, happy he was playing along.

  "You know, we're a small town, but we are pretty accepting. You do know that right?" You continue to smile as you reach for any sort of weapon. Your fingers land on your metal water bottle, and you're grateful you filled it up, just this once.

  "I don't know that for sure, but it seems like a safe bet. Can I ask why this is relevant, sweetheart?" You smile as you tighten your grip on the bottle, chuckling under your breath.  

  "I was just wondering if you had something to tell me, that's all." You continued to chuckle, as you hear a confused sigh from the other end of the call.

  "And why would I have anything to tell you?" The frustration of confusion from his voice was only continuing to make tears of joy prick your eyes. The laughter started to pull on your lungs, desperately needing to escape, but you forced it right back down.

  "I just feel like you're suppressing your true feelings, that's all." A heavy sigh fans from his modulator, showing regret in going along with your game.

  "And why exactly do you think I'm harboring hidden feelings?"

  "Because you're hiding in a closet."