Matt

I've heard people in real distress.

When you're hurt, when you're panicking, your words break in certain places.

You gasp in the middle of sentences.

This voice didn't.

It was like someone had recorded a clip of a woman begging and was playing it on loop, adding little variations but never letting it slip into true chaos.

It's not real, Miguel whispered.

The voice changed.

Matt, it called.

That did more to paralyze me than anything else.

It was a woman's voice still, but now it used my name.

Perfect pronunciation.

The way my mom said it when she was mad and trying not to sound mad.

The whisper in my ear the night before, hey, Matt, had been Miguel's voice.

this was the same cadence the same casual familiarity but mapped onto something else like it had downloaded a new voice pack overnight don't answer miguel muttered don't say anything don't

Matt, the voice called again.

Please, I know you hear me.

Why won't you help me?

Get back in the truck, Ryan said quietly.

He didn't have to tell us twice.

As soon as the door slammed shut and he started the engine, the voice stopped.