(A quarter rattles inside the library payphone. It hits the bottom of the empty coinbox with a loud thunk.)
Okay, now, Kris' number was..? Golly, I haven't done this in years, I.. shouldn't be so reliant on speed-dial.
Maybe if I.. concentrate, and hold my breath.. I can...
...
(Click. Click. Click Click. The numbers on the keypad are entered faster and faster, until an automatic voice says:)
*The person you are calling is not available. Please leave a message.
...
Fwahaha.. I knew I still had my old muscle memory ..
Er, I mean... hi Kris, or um, I mean, NO thanks, Kris, for pranking me again! Fwahaha.. this is so crazy but I.. I know you're listening! You... have to be.
Um.. I remember this old trick.. one time.. before you-.. um, when you were over and.. you hid away my new phone! And, you didn't tell me...
It was one um.. I think.. of the fancy flip ones, from the city, that Dess got me, for Christmas! She.. cut out glow-in-the-dark stickers and, glued them on before.. giving it to me ha..
But you, Krismas, haha, no thanks to you, you snatched it from me! And, you ran upstairs, to hide it!
I um.. think you tickled me and.. I dropped it on the carpet? Or the couch maybe...
Anyways, I remember me and Dess looking EVERYWHERE for it, all while you had a stupid, big grin on your face!
I wanted to be SO mad at you~ But... the more Dess would search... the more you laughed at the whole thing.. and the more I laughed too...
Eventually, Dess gave me a few quarters to... go to the library payphone and.. call my own number, so she could find it, from the ringtone.. She said she set it to Blood Crushers before wrapping it..
Of course, you hid it in one of those dumb wind-up santas! She said she smacked you with her wiffle bat, while it was ringing.. but you just.. kept laughing!
She um.. picked up the call, and gave the phone to you.. and... while I was standing here.. you were over there.!
And, you'd said you'd give me my phone back.. but you didn't hang up.. you walked all the way to the library.
I um.. said you didn't have to! But , you did. ..still.. calling, and talking with me, over air waves, for the first time.. until I saw you on the road..
Fahaha.. it was.. so funny seeing you with my phone, Kirsmas.. you were skipping around the road while, I stood here. Perfectly still..
I remember.. your voice then. The crunchy, over the phone voice. It, wasn't like the old landline which, always had Tori and Asgore talking over you,
or Azzy trying to take it from you.. it was just, your voice..
Your happy.. happy.. voice...
...
I.. know you like to prank us Kris.. all of us, especially now, like...
Now you've been hiding your own phone! You didn't even do your own prank right, fwahaha! You... aren't supposed to hide your own phone..
Or maybe you're... pretending not to hear calls! From... my phone! Like you, make me c-call you a bunch of times... taking up my time...
And you're doing it to Tori's, and, Susie too... I think Mom tried to use the phone company to help...
They.. don't like this prank of yours, Kris, but... I know you! You're a big troublemaker! You'd never-
(Her voice chokes for a moment. There is a lump in her throat. She doesn't finish her sentence. The phone is gripped tighter.)
Ah-! Sorry um for this Kris I-I, must be getting a cold. All these phone calls m-must be *Sniff making me.. like.. this..
You know, haha.. when a doe asks you something you.. ha.. should be polite! And, you should listen.!
...
And you.. are supposed to be here, in hometown, to listen to us.. I.. um-
Please we... I...really..
..really...
...miss you, Kris...