day twenty-eight.

It's day fourteen of looking for Mum. We had reported her missing ever since she didn't pick any calls that Wednesday. She was last seen leaving her shop after closing hours, probably going home but she never reached home.

Two days later, the police found the body of a woman that matched the description of our Mum. We were terrified and didn't want to believe that our Mum could possibly be dead. Unfortunately for us, it became a murder case.

After a week of absolute shock, I refused to go out and just stayed at home with my twin sister and my brothers.

My phone started ringing in the other room but I didn't want to answer it. It could be one of Mum's relatives or something and I'm not ready for any condolences. That can't bring my Mum back. Nick, my older brother, offered to bring it to me even though I refused. All he said was Jesus Christ when he picked the phone. My sister and I rushed into the room, wondering what happened.

"Mo…Mo…Mom is calling you." He whispered, his hands shaking as he held out the phone.

"What?!" My sister and I gasped, closing our wide open mouths with both hands.

Our breath hitched. The phone kept ringing, its shrill tone echoing in the tense silence. None of us dared to touch it. Two missed calls later, my heart pounded like a drum. Could it really be her?

Finally, I mustered the courage and answered. My voice trembled. “H-hello?”

“Help!” The voice on the other end made my blood run cold. It was strikingly familiar.

“Mum?” I asked, my voice trembling but braver now.

But the call cut off.

“Hello? Hello?!” My cries filled the room, but the line was dead.

Was it really her? Or am I losing my mind? I need to find out.

Image by Amore Seymour from Pixabay