text: The immediate desperate, panicked breathing told me that this wasn't going to be one of the usual mundane calls that occupied 98% of my time as an emergency responder. It threw me off slightly creating a longer than usual pause before I went into my well worn script. I quickly got a hold of myself and ignored the ragged nature of the breathing long enough to begin “911 what's your emerge...” &#x200B; “I'm not safe!” whispered the person harshly down the other end of the phone. The hairs on the back of my neck grew long and sharp suddenly. The voice was so strained and stretched that it was almost the dying whimper of a wounded animal. Before I could pull myself back to my script again the voice continued, “I don't know who else to call, please listen to me!”. I bought of rusty coughing and spluttering added breaks in the persons speech, adding to the suspense that was clutching the handset to my ear so hard it was turning white. “It's too late for me” a brief pause as if they took time to accept this fact after stating it “but can you pass on a message to Dan Sharper, I believe he's high up in the police force. If you don't know him ensure the message is passed on, it's of the highest importance”. &#x200B; I managed to mutter a brief and uneven 'hmmhmm' in response. “Tell him this and exactly this 'They're here and I fear we are too late my old friend. I see them everywhere and I feel they have caught me looking. You know what must be done'. Did you get that?”. I managed another affirmative while my mind raced through the cryptic message trying to understand. Before I could draw any conclusion my mysterious caller added “You must make haste; and watch the shadows! Count them! They're coming...if they aren't there alrea...” the line went dead. I put the handset back on the receiver but I could still here the constant beep of the line ringing around in my head. &#x200B; My mind was swimming but as I kicked back in my chair and took a breath the rational part of my brain began to tick away. It wasn't uncommon to receive a call from a mentally ill person or a prank call from people who think it's funny to waste our time. My heart rate slowed and I began to calm down. “Tough call, aye?” asked my colleague (Ben) in the neighbouring booth. I turned my chair towards him to laugh it off and tell him about the creepy warning I'd received but something in the back of my mind told me to keep quiet about that call. Maybe it was because I'd let the prankster get to me and I was a little embarrassed. Maybe it was the fact that the only source of light was from the window behind Ben and yet cast in front of me were two elongated shadows. One looking considerably darker and, if I wasn't mistake, seemed to move of it's own accord.