Whispers From The Dark Read Online Free Page A

him.
    hello
    Was the only word in the window.  No screen name in front of it, no title at the top, nothing.  Just
    hello
    Bill stared at the word for a moment.  There were only a few people who had his screen name, and all of them opened their conversations with more than just a simple hello.
    Onscreen three question marks appeared underneath the single word.
    Curiosity claimed Bill as a casualty, and he typed: hi
    Almost immediately, a response came.
    how’s it going?
    who is this?  Bill typed.
    how’s it going?
    fine, I guess…who do you think I am?
    been watching you awhile.
    what?
    i like you.  you’re…interesting.
    what?
    who is this?
    nobody
    Bill sighed and closed the window.  “Modern day prank calling,” he whispered as he took a swig from his beer.
    The window appeared again on the screen along with a new message.
    don’t do that again, bill
    Bill’s heart fluttered at the sight of his name on the computer monitor.  Whoever it was knew his name.  His first thought was Tori.  She’d spent the last couple of weeks flirting with him in their advanced biology class, neither of them mustering enough to courage to ask the other out.  Maybe she’d gotten his screen name from one of their mutual friends and was now setting out to woo him in cyberspace.
    Bill smiled at the thought.  He’d had enough alcohol tonight to take the simple flirting to the next realm and perhaps ask her on a date.  He set the beer down and began to type a reply, doing his best to remain coy.
    how do you know my name?
    i know a lot
    did you hack my PC?
    no
    you said you’ve been watching me.
    yes
    where?
    everywhere
    school?
    everywhere
    Everywhere?  Something about that caused a disconcerting feeling to settle over Bill.  He wrote: who are you?
    nobody everybody I AM
    “I am.”
    Bill heard the last two words come from behind him, a barely audible whispercreeping across the room at the exact same moment the words materialized onscreen.  He looked quickly over his shoulder and checked the room.  Other than him and Robert, it was empty.
    He looked back to the computer, unease creeping through him.  Another quick glance over his shoulder reaffirmed his safety.  He was hearing things, thanks to the beer and the uneasy conversation he‘d just had with Robert.
    He was no longer so certain it was Tori.  She didn’t seem the type to spend her evenings behind a computer playing strange and slightly creepy games.
    Nevertheless, Bill was still curious.  It could be her; he didn’t know her all that well yet.  And it was someone he knew, obviously.  At any rate, whoever it was was managing to keep him entertained, if not a little uncomfortable.   
    “Alright.  I’ll play along for a minute,” he said to the screen.
    you know me .  He typed
    yes
    how?
    i know all
    how?
    i am all.  soon you’ll join me
    Join me? Bill thought.  It had to be Tori.  Maybe she was drunk, having a laugh with her friends at his expense.  The nape of his neck tingled as the unmistakable feeling that someone was watching him crept into his mind.
    He cast a nervous glance over his shoulder and scanned the room again. 
    Satisfied that he and Robert were alone in the room, Bill wrote: join you where?
    here
    where?
    in the dark
    Bill frowned at the statement.  The dark.  Blackness.   The thought of pure nothingness crept into his gut again, sending a chill through Bill‘s body.  He shook off the oncoming panic.  He wasn’t going to be unnerved by some jackass with too much time on their hands.
    He leaned back in his chair and took a sip of his beer, staring at the screen and wondering whether or not he should continue this or just give it up, turn off the computer, and go to bed.
    ringo was his name-o.
    Bill froze, can still pressed against his lips, beer growing warm in his mouth.  He swallowed hard, nearly choking on the beer.
    They had heard him.  Somehow, they had heard him.
    No, he told himself.  They may have hacked his