Out of Range - A Short Story

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There were few things Levi relished more than a long weekend of fresh air, undisturbed hiking trails and a still lake. Everyone else he knew would be making the trip up north the following weekend when the official tourist season kicked off. It was a gamble, and fortunately for him a gamble that paid off with unseasonable warm weather. Of course, his girls didn’t agree. But, he dragged himself to their plays and soccer games and recitals. If he could survive that, they could survive a couple of early spring days in the state park with their parents.

As he finished lacing his running shoes, he could hear Alicia snoring from inside their tent. He would have to tease her about that later. The girls were tucked away in the smaller tent on the far side of the camping area. He was glad it was just him up at this early hour, it was peaceful, quiet and void of any pre-dawn griping.

Being the only one in the park, or at least this part of the park, had its advantages. Most notably, being able to camp closest to the trails. He walked the hundred yards or so before the trail officially began, a good warm-up for his impending romp through the woods. From there he was on his way, gliding across the solid dirt floor, soggy leaves, and pine needles squishing below his feet. He breathed the cool morning air in gulps, taking pleasure in the sting it left in his chest.

Jogging outside, especially with no one around, had a therapeutic value to it. There were no distractions, just miles of wilderness in front of him. Sounds in the forest were clear and harmonious. A myriad of bird calls and the chorus of bullfrogs more purposeful, a stark contrast to the noise pollution back in Detroit. And the fresh air, the way it rid the body of the impurities of the city. Yes, the fresh air was what it was all about.

Just as he was hitting his stride his cell phone rang. Out of habit, he must have tossed it in his sweatpants.

He had been in the zone, as his girls said, and the sharp, artificial noise startled him. He didn’t expect to get a signal out here. Only last night he joked with Amber about having a pizza delivered. It was probably Alicia wondering where he was and complaining about having to prepare her morning coffee over a campfire.

He slowed down to a brisk walk and pulled out the phone without looking at the screen. “Good morning, sleepy head” he teased.

“Hello. Can I speak to Levi Sinclair,” the voice on the other end was all business.

On that the brisk walk came to a dead stop.

Embarrassed, he replied “Yes, this is Levi. I thought…”

“Hello, Mr. Sinclair. This is Ted from Horizon Communications. Mr. Sinclair are you aware that you are currently outside the range covered by Horizon Communications?” The voice still flat and emotionless.

Levi could imagine the person on the other end. An accent as thick as molasses and unnatural stresses on each syllable were enough clues to tell him this call wasn’t coming from within the state of Michigan, nonetheless the United States, but instead a corporate call center halfway around the world. The name Ted was just a pseudonym for American customers easily confused or agitated at the sound of alien names.

“How did you call me? I wasn’t able to get a signal last night.”

“Yes, sir you were unable to get a signal, because you are not within range.”

Great, Levi thought, one of those types of conversations.

Ted, or whatever his name was, continued. “See, sir if you are out of range you will be charged a fee.”

“How can I be charged a fee, if I have no signal?”

“Sir, your service agreement states that if you are no longer in your home area that you will be charged a roaming fee in addition to the long distance fees.”

“But, I can’t get a signal. How could there be a fee when I haven’t received a service?”

Ted ignored the simple logic, but wasn’t deterred from his mission. “Sir, when you are out of range you are unable to utilize the many services of your Horizon Communications account. Also you will be unable to take advantage of the benefits available to Horizon Communications’ customers, a subsidiary of Paramount Corporation. If you are in range you can enjoy benefits from Grand Amusement Theaters, Barrileo’s Roma Pizza, Fallen Cedars Resorts,…”

Alicia had bought into that very reasoning when they were out shopping for new cell phones. She had made the argument that with two girls and all the things they liked to do, especially with the summer break not far away, the discounted rates would quickly make it worth their while. He couldn’t care either way, and only demanded the plan have enough minutes for his work.

“Thank you, but I’m on a camping trip right now and I won’t need any of those things.”

“That’s quite alright, sir,” he assured as if reading from a script. “If you give me the zip code where you’re at I can find the nearest locations and send you a text message with the addresses and distances from where you are at.”

The man wouldn’t concede and his pushiness was becoming insufferable. The man must be making commission if he purchased something from one of the sister companies, Levi thought. But, it was a Saturday morning and all he wanted was a little peace and quiet.

“Listen, I’m in the middle of nowhere and I’m sure the closest place is further than I want to go. I’m not interested.”

“If you’re in the middle of nowhere, why do you have your phone with you?

Levi had enough of that and hung up. Maybe it was someone back home playing a practical joke. Most likely it was Dan. His Borat and Apu impressions were dead on.

He continued jogging, slower now, attempting to regain his rhythm. He found a perfect pace when the phone rang again. This time Levi looked at the display before picking up.

Unknown caller.

He picked up anyway. It could be work.

“Hello.”

It was the same man. “Yes, sir. I think we lost connection. I apologize for the inconvenience. We were discussing your policy and benefits. If you are within range there are also many….”

“I am aware of the policy.” Levi interrupted.

“We have created a wonderful assortment of products and services at discounted prices. Our Paramount sister companies insist that Horizon customers partake in their services. It would be ungrateful for you not to.”

“Excuse me?”

“If you are not within range this could have an adverse effect on your relationship with Horizon Communications and Paramount Corporation as a whole.”

“Adverse effect?”

“Yes, sir.

“Screw you!” Levi shouted. The man was right, he didn’t need a phone this weekend. He hung up and turned the phone off.

Adrenaline pumped into his bloodstream, coursed its way through his veins. His blood vessels contracted, his skin heating up. His pace quickly sped up. He was no longer enjoying what was supposed to be a relaxing morning jog. As he was rounding a bend he heard another noise, not a ring, something different, yet familiar.

It was the phone.

But he had just turned it off, he thought.

He flipped the phone open. It was a text message. Now, he remembered the noise, it was the same noise constantly emitting from his girls’ phones.

The message was written in a large, bold font.

You are currently outside the Horizon range. Please proceed to a area within the Horizon range as soon as possible.

Or else!

What the hell was this? This had crossed the line of being a joke.

Or else!

Levi had never imagined a text message sounding so ominous. He shoved the phone back in his pocket and began jogging again. If there were any more calls or text messages he would just ignore them. Once he got home he would be sure to report Ted and give the company’s customer service department a piece of his mind. Whoever was circumventing his phone’s normal functions and sending him text messages while it was off must be breaking some type of privacy law.

The sun was beginning to break through the tall pines and oaks lining the trail. Early morning shades of gray began to fade, the sun’s rays canvassing the flora. His attitude improved with the dawning of the day and without thinking he began to speed up. With each passing minute the phones calls and text message that threatened to disturb his run were becoming a distant memory.

From inside his sweat pants a high pitched, mind numbing noise screamed for attention. It was another text message.

Ignore it, Levi told himself. Another text message announced its presence.

He sped up hoping the snaps of branches under his feet, the increase of wind against his ears would muffle the incessant sound. Still, the text messages came, barraging his ear drums until they were sore.

He was on the verge of throwing the phone out into the woods where it would rust or be destroyed by a curious creature. He could get a new one, add the contacts back in. But he continued running, hoping whoever was on the other end would just give up.

Suddenly, they did and the phone sat quietly in his pocket, rocking with his every stride. He smiled, imagining Ted sitting in his cubicle in Bangalore, defeated. He was approaching a bend when in the not too far distance he could see the outlines of person, another early morning runner. Apparently, they weren’t the only ones who came up early. He hadn’t noticed anyone the night before. Perhaps they had made it through earlier in the morning.

The person was running towards him. He slowed his pace, squinting to try to get a good glimpse of his fellow runner. From the physical contours, the runner appeared to be a male.

The gap between them had closed. It appeared as though the other runner had increased his pace. In fact, he was at a near sprint, not a typical pace for out here. The sun rose higher and higher and the man neared closer and closer.

It was when the other runner was within eighty yards that he noticed the details of the other runner’s outfit.

The shirt bright orange with blue stripes. The logo on his hat an unmistakable ‘HC.’1

Levi came to a stop, literally dead in his tracks. Quickly he turned, slipping on the sandy trail. Behind the man was gaining ground. Levi was now in a full sprint, swallowing precious oxygen. His legs began to burn and he could feel the numbness begin to take affect, his legs only moments away from collapsing underneath him.

He pulled out the phone and turned it on. The time seemed to take forever and the man was advancing, his strides strangely military like. Finally, the phone’s face light up and he scratched desperately at the buttons trying to dial Alicia’s number. The up and down motion making it difficult to hit the right buttons, he wanted until his finger was flat against the button before pushing down firmly. He would only have one chance to make the call.

At last, the digits for Alicia’s cell phone were in and he pressed the green button to call.

Nothing.

He looked down at the screen for an answer.

Staring back at him the panel read. ‘Sorry. No signal found.’