[ WP ] - Tell a story through a phone conversation twice : the first time , the reader can only hear one side of the conversation , and the second time , the reader can hear both sides .

Sam paced back and forth on the concrete floor, his feet sending a clanging metal noise echoing through the room every time they passed over a patch of iron mesh. A lonely lightbulb swung slowly in the breeze coming from an open window. The night air was cool. Sam clutched the phone in his hand, desperately hoping that it would ring. 
 
 When Sam's feet slammed into the mesh for the fifth time, Dan had had enough. He looked up from playing on his phone and threw a rude gesture Sam's way. 
 
 `` Calm down, eh, would ya? You're makin' *me* all edgy and shit.'' 
 
 Sam stopped and was about to retort when Tim stepped in, as he often did. `` She'll call, Sam. She always does. No point worrying about it.'' 
 
 As if on cue, the phone rang. 
 
 Sam answered immediately without thinking, muttering'shit' before raising it to his ear. `` Hello?'' 
 
 The speaker buzzed with a string of words neither Dan nor Tim could distinguish. All they could do was listen to Sam and try to interpret his reactions. By the looks of it, it was n't going well. 
 
 `` It's not a fucking game! ``, Sam said, a little too loud. Judging by the look on his face, he regretted the words as soon as he said them. 
 
 `` I'm sorry,'' he quickly added, his face growing redder by the second. `` Yeah, that's right.'' What was left of his hopeful look quickly left him as the speaker buzzed again. `` Why not? But- ” More buzzing. “... You're right. I'm sorry. Yes, I remember last time. Yeah. Bye.'' 
 
 Sam lowered the phone and clicked it off. He did n't have to tell the others what happened, but he did it anyway. `` The deal is off.'' 
 
 Dan almost jumped up from his seat. `` What? She ca n't do that!'' 
 
 This time, Sam snapped back before Tim could intervene. `` Yeah, well, she just did!'' Silence fell on the three of them as they pondered the implications. Sam put the phone in his pocket and made for the door. 
 
 `` We're on our own.'' 
 
 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - 
 
 As if on cue, the phone rang. 
 
 Sam answered immediately without thinking, muttering'shit' before raising it to his ear. `` Hello?'' 
 
 A soft female voice came out of the earpiece. `` Hi, sweetie, it's me. Are you with your friends at that thing, playing that computer game?'' 
 
 `` It's not a fucking game! ``, Sam said, a little too loud. Judging by the look on his face, he regretted the words as soon as he said them. 
 
 The female voice gasped. “ Sam Nicholas Whitby! Mind your language! ” 
 
 `` I'm sorry,'' Sam quickly added, his face growing redder by the second. `` Yeah, that's right.'' What was left of his hopeful look quickly left him as the speaker buzzed again. 
 
 “ Listen, sweetie, I know I said I ’ d pick you up, but something turned up here at the office that I can ’ t get out of. I ’ m sorry, I just can ’ t. You and your friends are gon na have to take the bus. ” 
 
 `` Why not? But- ” 
 
 The female voice cut Sam off, taking on a reproachful tone. “ Listen, Sammy, last time I drove you guys halfway to Rinsmark. Remember that? Took me the whole day. I was tired and it was my day off, but I did it. ” 
 
 “... You're right. I'm sorry. Yes, I remember last time. ” 
 
 “ OK. I ’ m sorry, sweetie. I ’ ll drive you next time. ” 
 
 “ Yeah. Bye.'' 
 
 Sam lowered the phone and clicked it off. He did n't have to tell the others what happened, but he did it anyway. `` The deal is off.'' 
 
 Dan almost jumped up from his seat. `` What? She ca n't do that!'' 
 
 This time, Sam snapped back before Tim could intervene. `` Yeah, well, she just did!'' Silence fell on the three of them as they pondered the implications. Sam put the phone in his pocket and made for the door. 
 
 `` We're on our own.'' 
 

