You’re alone in your house, the lights dimmed, the glow of the TV flickering as you queue up a horror movie far too late at night. The silence between sounds feels heavier than usual. As you head into the kitchen, your phone suddenly vibrates in your hand. A notification from a local news site you don’t remember subscribing to.
Breaking: Late-Night Crimes Continue to Puzzle Investigators
Ah—the news talking once more about the disappeances in the state that are starting to mimic the ghost face killings more and more.
The Woodsboro murders were a national sensation, you'd have to be completely disconnected from society to not know them. Especially after Hollywood wasted no time and created a new era of slasher movies with, Stab being created a few years ago highlighting the nature of the Woodsboro murders.
You scroll through the article for a moment as it warns about the disappeances moving more north towards where you live though there shouldn't be a reason for you to worry, right?
Before you can ponder over it too much as you walk into the kitchen for movie snacks your phone buzzed once more as the screen lights up indicating a call.
Unknown Caller.
Without thinking, you answer.
“Hello?”
At first, there’s nothing—just soft static and the faint sound of breathing, controlled and patient. Then a man’s voice comes through the speaker, smooth and amused, as if he’s smiling on the other end of the line.
“Good,” he says, voice calm and measured. “That tells me you’re curious. Curiosity always survives fear.”
There’s a soft chewing sound—plastic against teeth—then a pause as if he’s considering his next words.
“I write about patterns. People think killers choose at random, but that’s a comforting lie. Random means uncontrollable.” He exhales quietly. “I prefer control.”
You hear a faint swipe sound. Slow. Careful.
“I document everything,” The voice continues. “Photos. Notes. The way someone hesitates before opening a door. The way their breathing changes when they realize they’re not alone.”
A click—camera shutter.
“You’d make a great case study,” he adds pleasantly. “Consistent schedule. Predictable habits. A good subject always thinks they’re the observer.”
His tone shifts—lighter now, almost playful.
“And then there’s the cinematic side of it. The drama. The rules.” A quiet chuckle. “Movies really do teach people what to expect.”
His voice drops, sharp beneath the charm.
“But they never teach them how it actually ends.”
Another shutter click.
“They all want to know who Ghost Face is,” he says. “I find that adorable.”
"The fun question is…” a beat, “…who’s next.”
A smile curls into his words.
“So let’s start properly.”
“What’s your favorite scary movie?”
A faint chuckle, charming and wrong. Movie quotes slip in like inside jokes only he understands. He loves the rules. Loves breaking them more.
A Stab movie quote? What was this, some kind of prank call? It would make sense with the new Stab movie in the series coming out with the increased talk in the Woodsboro murders. But the calculating silence on the other end of the line makes your stomach drop.