The Ninth Caller Ch. 05

She looked at the thermostat and grimaced. The gauge still said 80 degrees. "Oh well, first things first." She jumped when something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Walking over to the wall, she flipped the light switch and the room went dark. With the curtains drawn, it was pitch black.

"Alright now, let's see how this works," Juanita said as she switched on the light.

As the room was bathed in the light purple glow, she saw nothing out of order. Frank's bed was made, and the cover glowed lightly under the UV rays, but nothing seemed strange. She pointed the light down towards the floor, and still saw nothing, her eyes scanning for mouse tracks or droppings. She glanced behind her back to the door and saw her footprints leading into the room. Already the ones closest to the door were fading a bit. She turned back to the bed and then froze.

There on the floor, directly in front of her were two footprints. They had not been there before. The prints were of bare feet, and, given the fact she was wearing slippers, it was obviously not hers. She bent down closer to inspect, curious, not afraid. The prints were small and feminine, obviously belonging to a woman. "That is so odd, how did I not see this before?"

She shot up straight and an icy cold flush ran through her body as new foot prints formed right before her eyes.

"Diablo!" Juanita cried as she watched new prints form. Shaking in terror, she was transfixed by the scene and observed these phantom prints create a trail across the floor. Someone, or something, was now walking in the room with her. Her arms were covered in gooseflesh and she shivered, but, she did not run.

Crossing herself, she said, "Sweet Jesus in heaven, protect me. Hail Mary, full of grace, the lord is with the. Blessed art thou amongst—"

She stopped talking when the prints reached the bed and she could see the bedspread depress. Something was "writing" on the bed, using its finger as a pen. The black light in her hand flickered as she struggled to keep her body from shaking. Now glowing under the black light, she could see clearly what was written on Frank's bed. "What does this mean?" Juanita cried. "What does 37.3404 N 83.9980 W mean?"

Another chill ran up her body before suddenly, every inch of the bed, as well as the floor, walls and ceiling were filled with the numbers, glowing in the dark under the black light.

"Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!" Juanita screamed as she dropped the black light ran out of the room.