Close Call

When a call cuts it too close…

Sally never considered her surroundings very much. When she got home from school it was always straight to her room. Her dad would have let the dog back inside when he left for work an hour or two before. This meant she could go straight down the hall and collapse on the bed. 

School always drained her and her daily afternoon nap was now a staple in her routine. As she drifted off she heard a car pull into the driveway. Her dad was always forgetting things, he's likely back to get his phone or wallet. He took a bit longer than normal to hop out of his truck and make it to the front door. Sally tried to ignore the twisting of the doorknob as she insisted on napping. The jiggling continued then stopped. 

"Did he forget his house key?" Sally thought to herself. 

Her dad was a goofy man and a bit of a klutz so it wasn't uncommon that he locked himself out of the house, his truck, or both. Sally felt a tinge of guilt as she pretended to sleep instead of helping her dad inside. 

"He can go around back, it's always unlocked,"

 After a few moments, the sound of the backyard gate could be heard opening. Then the sounds of enraged barking erupted from the backyard. 

"Huh, I guess dad never let the dog back in," 

The barking went from enraged to ravenous, then all at once was silent. 

"Rex is getting worse in his old age. He used to never bark at dad," 

Sally thought to herself as she insisted on napping. Maybe a minute later the doorknob on the back door could be heard moving. Jiggling at first, but becoming more and more aggressive. Until the whole door could be heard moving in the frame. Sally stood up upset that she was now forced to let her father inside. As she stood stretching her muscles into a yawn, her phone began to ring. On the screen was a photo of her father, calling from his work phone. The ringtone was on the maximum volume and could be heard throughout the house. 

Immediately the backdoor stood still, and so did Sally. Her heart was beating so hard in her chest that it began to hurt, and her ears rang as if a gun had gone off. Then through the door, Sally could hear footsteps moving away from the door. The sound of the gate being thrown open, then a car starting up. Sally raced to the window to see the driveway through the blinds. Outside was a car whipping out of the driveway and speeding down the road. A car very different from Sally's father's.