The Text Message

Fandango

After reading the cryptic text message that flashed up on his iPhone, a shiver shot down Aaron’s spine. Faced with what he perceived to be an insuperable situation, he texted Amanda and told her to meet him behind the campus chapel. Then he pressed the shutdown button and the screen on his phone went black. Aaron then headed across the main quad to the rendezvous point.

He arrived a few minutes before Amanda and was starting to panic before she arrived. When she finally showed up, she was annoyed, and wanted to know why he texted her and then, before she could even respond, shut off his phone.

“I got a text message from Tony,” Aaron told Amanda. “All it said was ‘This is Tony. I know what’s going on, you SOB!’ Amanda, he knows about us, and I think he’s going to do something drastic, like kill me. Or maybe both of us.”

“Omigod, Aaron, you’re such a drama queen,” Amanda said. “Tony sent you that text because I told him I am leaving him, that I want a divorce and want to be with you. You’re being paranoid.”

“You gave him my name and phone number?” Aaron asked. “Are you crazy, Amanda? Why would you do that? He’s the college wrestling coach and everyone knows he’s hotheaded and a maniac. He’s going to come after me, for sure. Under the circumstances, of course I’m being paranoid. Who wouldn’t be?”

“He’s not coming after you, Aaron,” Amanda said. “He’s just toying with you.”

“Toying with me? I think what he texted is a threat. He’s gonna kill me.”

“There’s a big difference between messing with someone’s head and killing someone,” Amanda said.

“You’re splitting hairs, Amanda. To a guy like Tony, messing with someone’s head is the same as putting a bullet in someone’s head.”

When Tony suddenly showed up behind the chapel with a pistol in his hand, Aaron looked at Amanda and said, “What did I tell you?” right before the first shot rang out.

Aaron fell to the ground. Amanda screamed. Another shot was fired. Then there was silence.

Written for these daily prompts: Ragtag Daily Prompt (cryptic), Word of the Day Challenge (shiver), Your Daily Word Prompt (insuperable), My Vivid Blog (chapel), The Daily Spur (button), and Fandango’s OneTwo-Word Challenge (splitting hairs).

20 thoughts on “The Text Message”

  3. Nope, Not Pam October 4, 2021 / 12:13 pm

    Wow, dramatic. I’m awaiting part 2 eagerly

    Liked by 1 person

  5. bushboy October 4, 2021 / 9:46 pm

    Great ending….and the second shot was chilling. Loved it Fandango 🙂 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  7. mariamichaela October 5, 2021 / 3:14 am

    For a minute there I actually believed Aaron was just being paranoid.

    Liked by 1 person

      • mariamichaela October 5, 2021 / 7:35 pm

        Yup. He was spot on, unfortunately

        Liked by 1 person

  8. Terveen Gill October 5, 2021 / 7:51 am

    Intense. Couldn’t have ended well. Amanda wasn’t using her head. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Marleen October 6, 2021 / 5:16 pm

    Why play with fire?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango October 6, 2021 / 10:32 pm

      I’m glad you liked it. Thanks.

      Like

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