“Why are you doing this to me!??!?!” Emily cries with tears pouring from her green eyes.
The line disconnected.
She lowers the phone from her ear, quickly 911.
“911, what is your emergency?”
“He’s watching me,” she says sobbing.
“Who’s watching you? Miss you need to calm down. What’s happening?”
Emily explains to the 911operator the situation, as an unsettling feeling creeps into her stomach and twists it into knots. Her eyes scan the back yard, hoping the man had finally decided to leave her alone.
“Ok, ma’am. Lock your doors. What is your address? We will send a patrol officer immediately.”
“2750 West Creek Road. Please hurry.”
“Ok, an officer is on the way. Could you tell us the name of the man watching you?”
She answers trying to keep calm, “Max…..Max Rivers.”
“Ma’am, everything is going to be ok.”
She slowly rests the phone on the table, closing her eyes and praying for safety.
It’s been 10 days since the 911 phone call. Emily jumps as the phone rings beside her.
“Hello?” She answers slowly.
“Miss Roberts?” Emily feels herself tense up.
“Yes?” She asks hesitantly.
“I’m calling to inform you that we discovered Max River’s body today. It was hanging from the big oak tree down by the Brookville River. We’re assuming he hung himself.” The officer says.
Emily stares out the window in shock. “He’s…..dead?” She whispers, the words barely able to escape her mouth.
“Thank you, officer.” She says quickly before pushing the red button that would disconnect the call.
Emily sighs in relief as she feels a huge weight lift almost instantly off of her shoulders. It’s finally over. She’s finally free.
10 years later
Emily Irwin sits, rocking her baby girl to sleep. The rocking chair creates an uneven amount of pressure on the floorboards, causing a rhythmic creak to echo within the room. She lays the child in the crib and places a light kiss on her forehead. “Goodnight, Lisa.” She whispers softly. She walks over to the source of noise coming from outside the window; children of all ages running from house to house in a feverish pursuit for candy. She gently eases the window shut.
As she walks into the hallway, leaving baby Lisa’s room, the doorbell abruptly rings downstairs. Emily makes her way down the stairs, and eventually to the front door. Emily places her hands around the bowl of candy and opens the door in hopes of greeting a trick or treater. To her surprise, the porch remained vacant. An eerie fog now occupied the porch and Emily shut the door, not thinking much of it. Feeling exhausted from a long day, Emily lays down the couch and begins to watch television. Her eyes fight to stay awake, but she falls into a light sleep for a few hours. All of a sudden, the phone rings, waking Emily up. Picking up the phone, Emily greets the caller with a tired, “Hello?”
No one answered.
“Hello?” Emily says once more.

Again, nothing but silence occupied the restricted call.
Hanging up the phone, Emily glances at the digital clock on the coffee table adjacent from the couch. She reads “1:00 A.M.” A half hour later, she dials her husband’s number, hoping to reach him.
“You’ve reached Noel Irwin. Leave a message.”
Leaving a message, Emily says, “Noel, I thought we discussed this already. I hate it when you work this late. It’s almost 2 A.M. Call me.” Emily hangs up.
She lays her head on the arm of the couch, tuning into reruns of Law and Order. The doorbell suddenly rings, again. Emily slowly makes her way to the front door, her knees shaking. Before she gets to the door, it slowly opens, and Noel comes into the house.
“Goodness, Noel! You scared me!” Emily cried.
“What? What’s wrong?” Noel asked.
“I just….didn’t expect it to be you. That’s all. I’m going to bed. Come up soon. Goodnight.”
“I will. Goodnight, Emily.” Noel responded.
Emily turned away and walked up the stairs into the darkness. Noel’s places his briefcase on the marble colored island in the kitchen. Opening the fridge, Noel grabs the milk carton. He sets the milk on the island while a cold wind pierces his body. He glanced at the back door, and surprisingly enough, it was wide open. Thinking Emily accidently left it open, he carefully pushes the door shut and locks it. He finishes his milk and scurries upstairs into the bedroom, only to find Emily sleeping.
“Em?” Noel questioned.
“Noel? Is that you?” Emily asked.
“Yes, it’s me. Hey, why did you leave the back door open? The heats on, Emily! I don’t know how many times I have to tell you.” Noel snapped.
Emily rose frightfully out of bed, “What do you mean? I locked the back door before I went upstairs to put the baby to bed.”
“Have you checked on Lisa!?” Noel cried.
Entering the pitch black hallway, Noel races to Lisa’s crib. Lisa was gone, and only a note saying “I told you I would come back for you” lay in the crib.
“EMILY! She’s gone!” Noel screams, trying to hold the tears back.
“Noel?! Where’s my Lisa? Noel, who took her?!” Emily said with tiny illuminating drops drizzling down her face.
“Emily, what is this?” Noel asked woodenly holding the note that was laying in Lisa’s crib.
Emily reads the note, knowing exactly who it is from. She whispers, “They said he was dead…”
Noel looked confused and asked, “Em? What’s going on?”
Emily glanced up, realizing she had spoken aloud. “Nothing, Noel. It’s nothing.”
Noel shook his head as he set the note down, “I’m calling 911.”
Noel exited Lisa’s room and went to call the police. Emily quickly snatched the note and crumbled it in the palm of her hand. Sneaking downstairs, she throws the note in the fireplace and watches it burn into ashes. The reflection of the flames planted in her eyes.
“I thought we ended this, Max.” Emily said.
A figure appeared behind her, casting a shadow in front of her. “Emily!” Noel asked.
“Noel! Stop scaring me.” Emily exclaimed as she wiped the tears from her face.
“The police are coming, Em. We’re gonna find her. I promise.”
“Noel….” Emily said, beginning to tell the truth.
“What, honey?” Noel answered.
“Never mind. I just miss my baby Lisa.”
“We’re going to find her.” Noel assured her.
***
The Brookville River continues to rapidly flow. A long, old, frayed rope tied to the branch of a big oak tree moves in the wind, while the water creates a booming sound as it hits the muddy shoreline. A dark figure appears by the bank of the river, purposely dropping a small purple hat into the water. The hat floats for some time, but eventually disappears into the depths of the murky river.