by Lorraine J. Anderson
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11:00 PM. John, I’m at the Antelope parking lot on Cedar.
11:10 PM. Lol. Not John. I think you have the wrong number.
11:14 PM. John, where are you?
11:16 PM. Not John. Look up the number again.
11:16 PM. John, this isn’t funny. I need you here right now. The elephants are coming.
11:16 PM. … The what?
11:17. PM. I told you. Need you here right now.
11:17 PM. Dude, I have no idea what you’re talking about.
11:18 PM. Need the guns and bombs.
11:18 PM. UM, what? I think you need the police.
11:19 PM. They are coming. WHERE ARE YOU!
11:19 PM. CALL 911, DUDE!
11:20 PM. You know we can’t get the police involved.
11:20 PM. I keep telling you. I’M NOT JOHN. I’m Brian.
11:21 PM. STOP FOOLING AROUND. NEED YOU HERE NOW.
11:22 PM. For the elephants?
11: 22 PM. STOP IT! THEY’RE COMING.
11:22 PM. I’m not messing with you! I am not John! I am Brian!
11: 25 PM. They’re here.
11:25 P?M. They traced my cell phone signal. Run. Dump your cell. RUN!
11:25 PM. What! Dude!
11:28 PM. Dude…?
11:35 PM. Dude, are you alright?
11:45 PM Dude, they’re here. And they are not
END
Author’s note: this short short story was inspired by a group text message I was privy to of two groups trying to find each other.
July 2021.
Lorraine J. Anderson 