Dancing with the Dead ✔

Chapter Thirteen - 911, What's Your Emergency?

"911, what's your emergency?" the lady on the other end says, her voice calm.

"H-h-hi," I stutter, something I've never done before. "I..." I pause as I brace myself to say the sentence I never thought I would say, "I think I just found a dead body."

In a split second, I can hear the lady loses her calm and gulps. "H-h-hold on, ma'am." She pauses as I hear the ticking sound of a keyboard being typed. Regaining her calmness, she continues, "Where's your location?"

"The Hill," I say firmly. "I'm near the house on the top of the hill."

All of a sudden the noises stop altogether. My forehead puckers as I'm anxiously waiting for an answer.

A few seconds pass without any sound from the other side. Thinking the line might've been cut off, I ask, "Um... Hello?"

"Ma'am," she finally answers with a firm and rather angry tone, "I'd like to remind you that this is a police line. It is not for a joke. If you repeat this kind of action, we will be forced to arrest you. Have a good day," but her tone makes it clear she doesn't mean the latter.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

***

A few—okay, ten—failed attempts of contacting the police leave me no choice but to call the person I figure I could trust the most. Let's just hope she doesn't think I'm crazy.

"Hey, Lex. What's up?" Claire's sweet voice greets me over the phone.

"Claire? Uhm, is Dean with you right now?"

"Huh? Why are you looking for Dean?" she asks, confusion fills her voice.

"Well..."

Crap. What should I tell her?

Easy. The truth.

Yeah, right. She'll think I'm crazy!

Alexis, we've discussed this before now, haven't we? What else can you tell her if not for the truth? Are you really going to let that poor eighteen-year-old girl be buried in the middle of the woods without anyone knowing? Think about her parents. Are you really that cold?

But, what if she shoves me into the looney bin like last time?

Claire's not Daniel. Trust me.

I suppose I can trust Claire. But Dean? Sure he seems like a nice guy, but I barely even know him!

"Hellooo? Earth to Lexi!" Claire's voice brings me back to reality.

Realizing I don't have much choice, I let out a long sigh. "Uhm, I kinda need his help. So, is he with you? Or at least can you give me his phone number?"

"Well, you're in no luck. He's in San Francisco for that basketball thing I told you about, remember?" she answers to my disappointment. Apart from being a mechanic, Dean—being a former basketball star himself—is also coaching the Casa Nova High School basketball team, who happens to have a big match in San Francisco tonight.

Now, who else am I going to call? I can't possibly dig the grave by myself because I don't have enough strength and Claire's no she-hulk either. In my desperation, I bite my lower lip and begin to curse silently.

"Lexi, are you okay? Are you in some sort of trouble? Because if you do, you know I'm here for you, right?" I must've sounded pretty desperate for her to react with such concern.