Txt Read online

Txt

  by M T Mathieson

  Text Copyright © 2012 M T Mathieson

  All rights reserved

  To my children for their infuriating inspiration.

  Carol Walsh stepped off the bus onto the dimly lit street. She hated this part of an evening out, especially when her husband was away. If Rob were home she would send him a text message from the bus and he would walk the few hundred yards to meet her at the bus stop. Tonight though, Rob was working in Colchester and wouldn’t be home until the following evening.

  She walked along the tree lined street, her heartbeat pounding in her head, trying to keep as close to the streetlights as she could and resenting the rumble of the bus as it pulled away, preventing her from listening out for footsteps behind her or unnatural rustling from the gardens she passed. As she rounded the corner into the street where she lived, she started to relax a little. She could see the dim glow from the porch light she always left on if she was going to be home late. She walked quickly, turning into her own small front garden, eager for the safety of her home. Suddenly, she was startled by a sound behind her. Slowly she turned, too afraid of what she would see to move any quicker. She almost screamed as she felt something move close to her. Whatever it was it was close but near to the ground. Looking down in panic, she almost laughed out loud when she saw Max, next door’s cat, searching among the potted plants for whatever potential snack he could find. She turned around again and put the key in the lock, feeling slightly foolish. Sophie was probably right; she does panic over nothing.

  At the thought of her daughter, Carol’s relief turned to annoyance. Sophie had promised she wouldn’t be home late. There were no other lights on in the house. Either Sophie was in bed –unlikely, or she wasn’t home yet.

  Carol put her bag on the hall table and took off her shoes, rubbing her feet before stepping down to the carpet and feeling the strain on her calves as her legs adjusted to the flat. Another good argument against going out: high heels. She walked quietly up the stairs, enjoying the feel of the soft carpet against her sore feet, and pushed Sophie’s door open gently. The bed was empty. What had she expected?

  “Sophie,” she called out just to be sure.

  No answer.

  Carol walked back down the stairs, annoyed that she wasn’t going to be able to go straight to bed as she’d hoped. She felt around in her bag for her phone and took it into the kitchen to call Sophie while she made a cup of tea.

  Again, no answer.

  Carol bristled at the knowledge that she would have to communicate with her daughter by text message. Why do teenagers have to do everything by text? Why can’t they simply speak to people.

  I’m home

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:03

  Sender: Mum

  Carol cleared away the breakfast dishes while she waited for the kettle to boil.

  Still no response from Sophie.

  U said u’d b home b4 me

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:07

  Sender: Mum

  She picked up her tea in one hand and her phone in the other and took them into the living room to wait for a reply from Sophie.

  Sitting down, she turned on the tv and switched to the news channel.

  Still no word from Sophie

  How long will u b?

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:14

  Sender: Mum

  Carol tried to ignore her irritation with her daughter and focused on the tv. Another gang related shooting in London. The World is getting worse. So many dangers growing up these days.

  Her thoughts returned to Sophie.

  I’ve tried phoning. Answer me

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:23

  Sender: Mum

  Carol turned the phone over rhythmically in her hand, as if the action would somehow cause the phone to ring.

  She still watched the tv but she wasn’t really concentrating. What was that last story? Something about interest rates, or was that the one before. She wasn’t sure.

  She tried to phone Sophie again. Why doesn’t she answer?

  Sophie where r u?

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:26

  Sender: Mum

  Carol started to think of all the reasons why Sophie didn’t answer. Maybe she had forgotten to charge her phone. No, the phone rang when she called it. It would go straight to voicemail if it was switched off. Maybe she’d lost it. She would have used a friends phone to call to let me know, surely. What if she’d had an accident? She could be in hospital, or worse. No, she couldn’t think about the worse. Would the hospital staff answer the phone or would they just let it ring?

  R u still with amber?

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:29

  Sender: Mum

  Panic started to take hold. The tea she had drunk was threatening to regurgitate as a sickly, acid feeling started to rise in her throat.

  Sophie?

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:31

  Sender: Mum

  Amber! Carol checked the address book on her phone. Sophie had given her Amber’s number one time when they were going out and Sophie’s phone wasn’t charged. She scrolled down and pressed ‘call’.

  No answer.

  Carol flicked through the channels looking for the local news.

  “Dear God. I don’t care where you are or what you’re doing, just please be alright”.

  She tried Sophie again.

  R u still at ambers

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:34

  Sender: Mum

  If u dont answer im coming 2 get u

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:35

  Sender: Mum

  Carol tried to phone again, and again, and again. It was hopeless. Sophie wasn’t going to answer.

  Karen Davies called up the stairs to the impromptu party that appeared to have developed in her daughter’s room.

  “Somebody’s phone is going loopy down here.”

  Several minutes later, Amber descended the stairs slowly and noisily, talking over her shoulder to her friends as they followed her down.

  “Did you hear me?” Karen tried again.

  “What?” was her daughter’s bewildered reply.

  “Somebody’s phone has been going mad.”

  “Who’s phone?”

  “How should I know?” Karen replied with a look of mock despair. “All I know is that it came from somewhere deep in that pile of bags and jackets on the sofa”.

  Each of the girls searched for their phones in turn.

  “Oh God! It was mine,” said the tallest of the girls, wincing at the thought of how much trouble she was going to be in. “It was my mum. I’d better send her a message.”

  Sophie perched on the edge of the sofa-cum-coat-stand and began tapping the keypad of her phone.

  sos just got ur txt left my phone in another room

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:39

  Sender: Sophie

  Where r u?

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:39

  Sender: Mum

  ambers

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:40

  Sender: Sophie

  U were supposed to b home by now

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:41

  Sender: Mum

  Sophie sighed. Here we go again.

  I no – sos b back soon

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:42

  Sender: Sophie

  I don't like u being late home when ur dads not here

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:43

  Sender: Mum

  Sophie took the glass that Amber handed her and followed her friend back up the stairs, tapping the keypad as she walked.

  I no but still watching the movie

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:45

  Sender: Sophie

  U need to come home now

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:46

  Sender: Mum

  “I’m going to have to leave soon,” she said to nobody in particu
lar, “Mum’s on one again.”

  “But the film’s still got twenty minutes to run,” Amber protested.

  Sophie thought for a moment. “I’ll tell her 10 minutes. She won’t notice the difference.”

  Amber laughed. “I bet she does. Knowing you’re mum she’ll set her alarm.”

  Sophie rolled her eyes and smiled as she tapped the keypad again.

  Another 10 mins?

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:49

  Sender: Sophie

  Ok

  Sent: 2 Jul 23:50

  Sender: Mum

  As the credits rolled, the girls laughed at the sound of Sophie’s text alert.

  have u left yet?

  Sent: 3 Jul 00:09

  Sender: Mum

  Amber gave Sophie a push. “I told you she’d notice.”

  Sophie shook her head. “I’d better go before she worries herself to death.”

  Levin now

  Sent: 3 Jul 00:10

  Sender: Sophie

  How r u getting home? Is ambers dad dropping u off?

  Sent: 3 Jul 00:10

  Sender: Mum

  No hes not here

  Sent: 3 Jul 00:11

  From: Sophie

  Sophie said goodbye to her friend and walked down the driveway to the road, holding the phone in her hand, knowing that would not be the last she heard from her mother. If she was quick and got a head start she could avoid the humiliation of being ‘met’ by her mum.

  Ill come and meet u

  Sent: 3 Jul 00:11

  Sender: Mum

  “For Christ sake,” Sophie muttered. “Give me a break Mum.”

  She kept walking and tapping.

  its ok it wont take long

  Sent: 3 Jul 00:12

  Sender: Sophie

  id rather meet u

  Sent: 3 Jul 00:12

  From: Mum

  mum please im 17

  Sent: 3 Jul 00:13

  From: Sophie

  I don't like u walking at this time of night

  Sent: 3 Jul 00:14

  From: Mum

  im already on my way ill be home in a few minutes

  Sent: 3 Jul 00:16

  From: Sophie

  Sophie walked quickly. Partly to avoid more fussing from her mum and partly because she had to admit, if only to herself, that her mum had a point. Walking along these streets late at night was no fun. Every gust of wind sounded threatening and why did the shadows cast by streetlights appear to move exactly?

  She reached crossroads and pressed the button to cross. As she waited a car came around the corner too fast, the back wheels sliding on the road. What looked and sounded like half a dozen lads hung out of the windows whooping and making incomprehensible, but probably obscene, comments and vague hand gestures.

  Better give mum an update.

  just passing petrol station b home in 3

  Sent: 3 Jul 00:21

  Sender: Sophie

  As Sophie turned the corner, she looked up towards the house, bracing herself for the lecture that she was inevitably going to get. The porch light was on, for which she felt a grudging gratitude.

  Sophie stepped into the hallway and put her own bag on the hall table next to her mum’s. Her first thought was to sneak off to bed and deal with the fallout in the morning. She thought better of it. Maybe she did owe Mum an apology. She decided she’d get it over with while Mum was hopefully to tired to go on for too long.

  She walked up the stairs and turned right towards her mother’s bedroom. The door was open so she walked in. The bed was empty.

  She called out. “Mum, I’m home. Where are you?”

  She pulled the phone out of her jacket pocket and tried her mother’s number, sitting on the end of the bed. She heard the phone ringing through her own handset and pulled it away from her ear to listen for the familiar sound of her mum’s ringtone. Nothing. Eventually, it went to voicemail.

  Well, either it was on silent or she’d gone out. Sophie felt guilt rising. Mum hadn’t gone out to meet her after all had she?

  She began tapping the keys again.

  Im home mum, where r u?

  Sent: 3 Jul 00:27

  Sender: Sophie

  She listened out for the sound of her mother’s text alert tone. Nothing.

  Mum?

  Sent: 3 Jul 00:28

  Sender: Sophie

  This time she heard the faint buzzing from somewhere nearby, on the landing maybe. A loud warble from her own phone brought her attention back to her it.

  She cant answer sophie. Its just u n me

  Sent: 3 Jul 00:28

  Sender: Mum

  ###

  Thank you for reading Txt and I hope you enjoyed it.

  You might also like to try my other short story 'On Rathbone Road'

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