Jim was headed down an old desert road one night. The fog was rolling in and a light drizzle started to fall. He had just gotten back from a long business trip and was on his way to a very important meeting.
He had taken this road before, but never when it was this dark, but he thought it would shave some time off his trip. After several miles of coffee fueled driving, he pulled up to a lone traffic light, no one coming for miles from any direction. While waiting, Jim pulled out his phone for directions to refresh his memory about this road. His phone had one bar of battery life left, so he tried to make it quick.
He was surprised when the directions loaded so quickly. He was connected to a WiFi hotspot, "Out here in the middle of nowhere?", he wondered to himself. He checked the name of the hotspot he was connected to. IF YOU CAN SEE THIS, TURN BACK. Jim got cold chills from seeing this but figured it had to be some kind of joke, and thought to himself, "What's the worst that could happen?"
He looked up from his phone, his eyes still adjusting from his bright screen to the darkness that surrounded him. Then in a flash, everything went black. He awoke strapped to a makeshift hospital bed.
In a daze, his first thought was his meeting. He tried to move, but the restraints were too tight. He observed his surroundings, still woozy from earlier. It looked as if he was in a butcher house. He heard chains clanking and machines whirring. He saw a bloody hammer, probably the same one that knocked him out cold while in his car. The cold chills returned. Then.. Silence.
He heard monstrous footsteps approaching. A mountain of a man opened the door of the room where Jim was still regaining consciousness. The man crept towards Jim, chewing on what looked to be some chicken wings. As he got closer, Jim made out what looked to be a foot. Horrified, Jim looked around for anything that could help him escape this prison.
Jim looked down. Down where bloody stumps replaced where his legs used to be. He yelled so loud, he thought someone surely could've heard him. But instead, silence. Until the man cracked an evil, bloody grin and laughed a hideous laugh. The man picked up his bloody hammer and knocked Jim out of consciousness again.
Jim awoke, sitting up. Thinking that it was just a bad dream and he was in his car again. He went to feel his head where the man hit him with his hammer. He felt warm, thick liquid, and realized his dream was reality. Out of nowhere, like a sign from God, he remembered he had put his phone in his shirt pocket. He reached up, the pain almost too much to handle. His phone was still in his pocket!
He opened his old flip phone. The battery icon was flashing, indicating his phone could die at any second. He had a decision to make. Call for help or call in for his important meeting. He punched the numbers furiously. A female answered.
In a harsh, slurring voice, Jim muttered, "Hey honey, can I talk to.." The woman cut him off and said "of course", sensing something was horribly wrong. Jim could hear her talking quietly, then soft cooing of his newborn daughter filled his ears like a heavenly choir. "Sorry I won't be able to meet you tonight, but I'll see you one day. Tell mommy that I love..."
The battery died. Not even 5 seconds later, the man slammed the door open. He looked pissed. He had forgotten to take Jim's phone and was about to take it out on him for his shortcomings. He stomped over and picked up an old rusty axe, still just as sharp as the day he got it.
Jim closed his eyes. A smile broke out over his face.. Then.. Silence.