Pick A Number Novels & Stories

*If you don't pick up I will continue calling* He is a determined human being, I guess I have to off my data and blame it on network tomorrow, I quickly offed my data before his call enters. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves that is clearly in a turmoil, I really should stop behaving like a teenager in love. I dropped the phone and smiled as it felt oddly good that he called even though I don't pick up. I was still in thought when my phone started ringing again, this time around its not a W******p call but phone call, he is determined. I decided to pick up since no backing down for him

But I’m hoping Piper wasn’t so worried about random people taking down her number and texting her the way I was. A small smile curves my mouth at the corner when I find her name. And next to it a phone number. Pulling my phone from my back pocket, I unlock the screen and think this through maybe for a millisecond. Punching the digits in, I open a message thread, and begin texting, only to settle on a one word entry. Me: Hi. I guess that’s better than, ‘hey’. Then, I wait for several minutes until I see the three dots pop up that says she’s texting back.

He said and everyone looked at each other. "So everyone, come closer and pick your numbers" he added pointing to a black box. We all stood and started picking a small ball from the black box. "My number is thirty" I mumbled turning to look at Rachel. "So everyone please I need you all to call out your number loudly to know who your partner is" master said. Everyone called out their number and its was my turn. "Number thirty" I said loudly and the next person which is number thirty one turned out to be Lex.

Please call me. * * *

On the very edge of the white paper, written in tiny, faint pencil marks, were six numbers. 8, 4, 3, 9, 1, 5. My eyes memorized the sequence in a single second, repeating it over and over in my head like a prayer. Eight, four, three, nine, one, five. I pulled my phone from my pocket, my thumbs flying across the screen as I opened the text thread with the unknown number. I typed the six digits into the box and hit send, my hand shaking so violently the phone almost slipped from my fingers.

I whispered into the empty room. [Why did the stream cut out just now?] [Alison's dead? How did that happen? And why's her skin missing? That's so scary!] [Out of the original six, only three players are alive… And how is the pick-me girl still here? It makes zero sense. Also, why is Lonnie going to the GM's office? Dude's digging his own grave!] [Wait, why is the pick-me girl following him?] "This is the GM's office?" Lonnie muttered.

⸻ INSIDE THE CAR Ari picked up her phone and dialed a number. “Hello… guess what?”

As the afternoon began cooling into evening, they packed their beach supplies and walked toward the parking area. Rohan felt more relaxed than he had in months, the combination of salt air and Camilia’s unwavering support creating a sense of possibility he hadn’t dared embrace. That’s when his phone buzzed. Unknown number. Text message. “Beach house. 30 minutes. Come alone. -RS7749” The code at the end hit him like ice water in his veins. RS7749 was a designation that only three people in the world knew, a fail-safe communication protocol that Dario had established years ago for emergencies that required absolute secrecy.

Unknown number. I answer. “Hello?”