Unspoken Truths: Stories Told Through One-Sided Phone Calls

The average person tells four lies a day. Last week we heard the urgency in what was left unsaid; this week, we hear the silence of growing disbelief. Hello? Oh, hi. Yes, of course. I’m fine. Just… processing. No, it's okay. I can go over it again. It’s simple. I got home around nine-thirty. Locked the door, turned on the TV. Watched a movie.

Fell asleep on the couch. Woke up around two A.M. and went to bed. That’s it. That was my whole night. Pretty boring, I know. The movie? Uh, it was just some old black-and-white thing. Film noir. You know the type. I wasn't really paying attention, to be honest. My head was… somewhere else. The name? I honestly couldn't tell you. Does it matter?

Okay, okay. Just asking. No, I didn’t order food. I wasn't hungry. I think I had… toast. Yeah. Toast. With butter. Why? No, there’s nothing in the trash. I… I cleaned up before bed. I always do. It helps me think. My car? It was in the driveway. Where I parked it. It was there ALL night. I already told you that. I would have heard it if someone tried to take it.

I’m a very light sleeper. VERY light. What do you mean, ‘are you sure?’ Of COURSE I’m sure. I was here. Alone. The car was outside. I didn’t go anywhere. I didn’t see anyone. Why is this so difficult? I’m trying to HELP. I feel like you're accusing me of something. No, I'm calm. I'm perfectly calm. It's just… it's been a long day.

A long twenty-four hours. What security camera? There’s no camera on my street. I would know. The bridge? The toll bridge? No. No, that’s… that’s not possible. My car wasn’t on the bridge. Maybe someone stole my plates? That happens, right? It read your transponder. My… transponder. What time stamp? Oh. Oh, god. So you know. You already knew.

This whole time. You were just… letting me talk. Yeah. I understand. Just… before you come… can you just tell me… is he…? Okay. I see. I’ll be here. The door will be unlocked.