Hello

Tired of the city streets, I decide to visit the park, the strange
section of green nestling in amongst the huge grey and blue buildings.
I sit on a swing and let gravity move me back and forth, as I hold
Cairn's mobile in my hands and will it to ring. My thoughts keep
drifting back to what was said outside the pub. He was right about one
thing - I do walk alone. But I do it through choice. I find some kind
of comfort in it...I don't know why. But perhaps I've had enough of
being on my own.

I want to find people who are real, and genuine. I don't want to have
to wade through layer upon layer of bravado and materialism to get to
the human within. And, for some reason, I feel like Lisa is genuine. If
I could just get to talk to her, I sense that I would have found
somebody that I can understand, and who can perhaps even understand
me.

But maybe not. It's impossible to tell. It's a nice thought,
though.

It takes me a good ten seconds to realise that the mobile phone is
ringing. After every false alarm, I initially discard it as belonging
to another phone. Finally realising, I jump to my feet and scrabble to
release the phone from my pocket.

"Hello?"

There is a pause.

"Um...hi. My name's Lisa. I was given this number to call."

It's her.

"Lisa, yeah. Yeah, I gave the man at the house your number."

Another pause.

"You said we have some work to do together, or something. Is this to do
with the presentation on Monday?"

I pause.

"No, no it's not. It's not to do with the presentation."

The wind kicks up some leaves in front of me.

"Oh. Okay then. Who are you, then? And what do you want?"

I'd been trying to think of answers to these inevitable questions all
day.

The leaves swirl through the air.

"Right, I'm going to be honest with you here. It might sound a little
strange, but just bear with me, alright?"

A deathly pause.

"...okay then."

A deep breath.

"Okay. Alright. Yeah. I...saw you this morning. I was in the area, and
just noticed you. And...well, you looked like a really interesting
person. I wanted to meet you."

"You wanted to meet me?"

"Yes."

Worry.

"You thought I was an interesting-looking person?"

"Um...yes. You seemed...quite unique."

"You're right. That is a little strange."

This isn't going at all well.

"This isn't going at all well, is it?" I try to laugh a little.

"Not really, no. Okay, so you want to meet me?"

A flicker of hope.

The leaves leap higher.

Children scream in the distance.

The swings move backwards and forwards slowly, creaking.

"Well, yes."

"So how do I know you're not some kind of psycho-boy who just wants to
rape me, then, hey?"

Good point.

"You don't. But if you met me, I'm sure you'd see that I'm not a
threat. You choose the location, the time. Bring all your friends
along, whatever. I just want to meet you, talk to you. Say hi. You
intrigue me."

Not good.

"I intrigue you?" A pause. "You intrigue me."

Is that good?

"Okay then," she continues, "let's do this. You know the Sunshine
Mall?"

Unbelievable.

"Yes."

"Be there in an hour. Stand to the left of the entrance, with your
right hand on your head."

"My right hand on my head?"

"Yes. Then I'll know who you are."

"I'll look pretty stupid."

"That's the idea."

Another pause. Longer this time. Crackling down the phone.

"Hello?" I hold the phone closer to my ear. "Are you still
there?"

"Yeah, I'm still here," she responds, a little faint. "Hang on a
second..."

I wait.

I can hear muffled voices. Indistinct.

"Where are you? Where are you now?" She sounds scared.

"I'm in the park."

"Which one? Where are you? Can you get-"

There is a loud crack, as if her phone has been dropped.

The wind halts. The leaves drop heavily to the ground. The children are
silent.

"Hello?" No response. I speak again, louder: "Hello?"

No response.

I can hear strange sounds. Scuffling sounds, cries, perhaps human
cries, another loud crack, as if the phone has been kicked, shuffling
of feet, echoing noise, like a trashcan being hit, a masculine growl -
a scream, which gets fainter and fainter. And disappears.

There is a silence.

I try to comprehend what has happened.

It makes no sense. No sense at all. This shouldn't happen. This doesn't
happen. It's not what was meant to happen.

I calm down a little, and my hearing returns to me. I can still hear
noises coming from the phone's tiny speaker. Many noises, all blurred
into one. Noises of the city. I listen more carefully. If I can just
identify enough sounds, I might be able to work out the location
itself. There is a chance - if I'm just quick enough - that I could get
there, help, save her, rescue her.

I increase the volume on the phone. I can hear music, barely. Traffic
sound, perhaps. A siren starts close-by; just a fire engine, though. My
ears strain, they feel like they are about to bleed. There's something
else. I can barely hear it. A man singing.