Taking a deep breath, she dropped the first coin through the deposit slot, and then the second. It took a few moments for the dial tone to come up and she hesitated, staring at the numbers as though she'd already forgotten why she was there, phone in hand.

Slowly, one finger rose and pushed each button individually. 2...0...5...4...7...5....

Manicured nails punched the remaining numbers in and she lifted the receiver to her ear. Holding her breath, she listened as the phone clicked...and then began to ring. After four rings, the line picked up, her stomach immediately twisting into knots.

"Hello? Hello?"

The voice crackled on the other end, the connection terrible enough that the voice was barely audible.

It spoke again, but she said nothing. She knew she had to respond, she knew she should say something, but her mouth opened...and nothing came out.

Silence met her on the other end, the line's static popping every so often.

"Ursula?"

Her heart skipped a beat.

"Ursula? Is that you, pumpkin? Where are you? Ursula don-"

The phone was quickly placed back into its cradle, effectively silencing the voice on the other end of the call. Her other hand let go of the side of the booth, fingers instinctively flexing themselves to get rid of the tension building up within them.

She should have said something. She should have replied. But no answers came. No answers ever came.

Staring for a few minutes more at the pay phone, she finally shook her head. The voice was still talking in her mind - Where are you? Is that you, pumpkin?

How long had it been since she'd been called that?

Reaching into the side of her purse, she drew out her cell phone and flipped it open. Numbers were punched (without hesitation, as before) and as the Hillworth principal answered the phone, Ursula's voice returned to her. After a brief discussion, she was given permission for an extension to her lunch and with one glance back at the lonely pay phone, she disappeared.

States away, the recipient of the silent pay phone call returned their own phone back into its cradle, their attempt at calling the number back having failed once again. It always failed.

Instead of disappearing, however, they instead slumped down into a nearby chair, their head falling into their hands. Fingers ran themselves through graying hair and a choked sob escaped their lips, followed by tears.

It always ended in tears.