Magpie Tale # 105

MAGPIE TALE #105

He knew it was odd,

that it didn't belong there

on the side of the road

out in the middle of nowhere,

that they don't exist anymore,

and they were never lit with neon light.

But he wanted to believe

and he yielded to the temptation

to check it out and rode his bike along side of it

and stood there not knowing what to do.

And that's when he saw the prophet's image

in the glass just as the phone rang.

He leaned in and grabbed the black receiver

without thinking of the consequences.

"Hello," he said.

And as he did, the neon light began to pulsate,

and the booth shook and a howling sound sucked him inside.

He screamed, but no one heard him but

...the voice on the other end...

"Number please,"

He screamed and screamed and screamed as he felt his ear sucked into the receiver,

then his head, shoulders, hips and legs.

One last scream as the rest of him followed,

until he was no more.

The booth stopped shaking

 and the neons stilled themselves

...lighting up on the dirt road like a beacon in the night

 for the next believer.

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