Chapter 7 — 3:27
733 Words
Chapter 7 — 3:27
The second hand moved.
3:26:54.
Travis stared at the clock.
May stared at the message.
Neither of them spoke.
The hospital seemed unnaturally quiet. Even the rain against the windows had faded into the background.
3:26:58.
May suddenly stepped backward.
“Travis.”
“I know.”
“What happens at 3:27?”
“I don't know.”
“You're lying.”
He looked at her.
“I swear I'm not.”
3:26:59.
The second hand clicked forward.
3:27.
Every light in the hallway went out.
May gasped.
Then came a sound from inside Travis's office.
A phone ringing.
Travis turned toward his desk.
His phone was in his hand.
It wasn't ringing.
The sound was coming from somewhere else.
He followed it.
Behind the bookshelf.
He moved the books aside and found an old telephone receiver hidden against the wall.
May stared at it.
“That wasn't there before.”
Travis picked it up.
“Hello?”
For several seconds, there was only static.
Then a woman's voice whispered through the receiver.
“Dr. Hale.”
Travis froze.
“Who is this?”
The woman laughed softly.
May's eyes widened.
She knew that voice.
“Don't listen to her,” May whispered.
Travis covered the receiver.
“You know her?”
May shook her head.
“No.”
The voice came again.
“You have something that belongs to me.”
Travis uncovered the receiver.
“What do you want?”
“You already know.”
“I don't.”
“You've been looking for the missing twenty-seven minutes.”
His grip tightened around the receiver.
“How do you know about that?”
The line went silent.
Then the woman said:
“Because I was there.”
Travis's heart began pounding.
“Who are you?”
A pause.
Then:
“Ask May.”
The call ended.
Travis slowly lowered the receiver.
May was standing near the door.
Her face had lost all color.
“What did she say?”
Travis watched her carefully.
“She said I should ask you.”
May looked away.
“About what?”
“About the missing twenty-seven minutes.”
“I told you. I don't remember.”
“Then why does she think you do?”
May said nothing.
Travis stepped closer.
“May.”
She finally looked at him.
“I remember one thing.”
“What?”
“A room.”
“What room?”
“I don't know.”
“Where was it?”
May closed her eyes.
“There was a clock on the wall.”
Travis waited.
“It said 3:27.”
A chill moved through him.
“What else?”
“A table.”
“Anything on it?”
“A tape recorder.”
Travis's expression changed.
“Was someone with you?”
May opened her eyes.
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Her voice became barely audible.
“You.”
Travis stepped back.
“That isn't possible.”
“I know.”
“May, I wasn't there.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because it's true.”
She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone.
“I found this yesterday.”
She opened a photograph.
Travis stared at the screen.
It was a picture of a small room.
A table stood in the center.
On it was an old tape recorder.
And beside the recorder was a clock.
3:27.
Travis felt his stomach tighten.
In the corner of the photograph was a reflection in a mirror.
Two people were visible.
May.
And Travis.
But the photograph was dated three years earlier.
May whispered, “That's why I'm scared.”
Travis looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because I don't remember meeting you three years ago.”
Before he could answer, his phone buzzed.
A new message appeared.
No number.
Just three words:
COME TO ROOM 27.
Then another message arrived.
ALONE.
Travis looked toward May.
She was already shaking her head.
“No.”
“What?”
“Don't go.”
“Why?”
May pointed at the screen.
“Because there is no Room 27 in this hospital.”
From somewhere down the corridor came the sound of an elevator opening.
Then a woman's voice called softly:
“Dr. Hale?”
Travis and May looked at each other.
The voice came again.
“Your appointment is waiting.”
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