Faint squeaking.
It sounds close. Too close. I feel the sheets shift a bit and reach over to John’s side but he’s not there.
“Ugh, John!”
No reply.
I reach over and turn on the lamp.
“John! Are you there?”
Still nothing.
Where could he have gone this late? I think back over our last conversation. I wasn’t really listening. He was going on about some bill while I was painting, and it just wasn’t a good time. Was it a bill or the windowsill?
My stomach groans. I throw back the covers and scream. A brown mouse is crawling all over the bed underneath the sheet.
“Jesus! John!”
I jump out of bed and quickly pull the covers back to trap the mouse. I reach for my cell phone and select John’s number.
The phone starts dialing.
“Come on, come on!”
A loud buzzing sound sends me jumping and I drop the phone.
“Shit!”
I grab my phone and pause because I recognize that ringtone. I peak over the bed towards John’s side and see his phone vibrating and singing all over the nightstand. My face is on the screen. I hang up on my phone and toss it on the bed.
A small lump is moving around towards the top of the bed. I shiver and creep slowly around the bed, not taking my eyes off the moving lump. I make it to the door and peek down the hall. It’s dark and quiet. I glance back at the lump. It seems to be trapped so I check the rest of our apartment for my missing boyfriend I’m going to kill the second I find his stupid ass.
I check every room and even under the cupboards (he’s weird) but John is nowhere to be found. I peek out the window and see his car still out front.
“Where the hell?”
I return to our bedroom trying to remember the previous day.
Squeaking.
I scream. The mouse is on top of John’s phone looking right at me. The more I scream the more it squeaks. I try to calm down. I back against the wall reaching for anything to use.
The mouse starts jumping up and down on top of the phone. It’s a terrifying creature but I have to admit this is odd behavior. The mouse jumps back onto the bed and I inch my way over to John’s phone. Typed on the screen are the words: Jenna it’s me John. You forgot to pay the phone bill again! They turned me into a mouse!!! Fix this!!
I look back at the mouse watching me and remember yesterday’s conversation now.
“Whoops.”
John — the mouse, stands up on two legs. He kind of looks angry.
“I thought that fine print was a joke.” I give a weak smile.
