Chapter 1: Those in Central Perk

Ross stares down at his paper. It was a little torubling not because Chanlder was making faces to distract him, but rather the fact that there was a story of another murder in Grenwich Village. Two in one week, it seemed disturbing.

Ross and Chandler were the only friends that were in Central Perk, it was getting deeper into the evening and many others were clearing out. Ross and Chandler still waited for there orders to come.

"Man what is taking it so long, I might just go on up there." Ross said.

He was somewhat shocked not to get an answer from Chandler so he put his paper down. When he did this he saw Chandler kneeling right in front of him with a breadbaskit on his head pouting.

Ross jumped once he saw this.

"Gotcha." Chandler said nodding his head and laughing.

"Oh yeah real mature. But seriously it's like almost 10:30, it should be closing soon and we haven't recieved service in a while." Ross said in a serious tone.

"Maybe it's because nobody is behind the counter." Chandler said peering his head to see the counter and looking confused.

"Hey did you notice that we are the only people here now." Chandler continued.

"Yeah, maybe people left because they didn't get service, Gunther! You in the back?" Ross spoke and then shouted.

They got a chilly silence.

"Kind of spooky." Chandler said.

"Yeah whatever. I well let me finish up with my cookie and we will leave, I paid for this and now I am going to finish it." Ross said stubbornly.

"Okay, want me to wait?" Chandler asked.

"Yeah, I will only be a minute." Ross said taking a bite.

Five minutes elapsed and Ross finished his cookie, still nobody came out of the back and they were still alone, the lights dimmed as the clouds covered the moon. Both men walked to the coat rack together and grabbed thier coats. Chandler walked to push the door but it didn't budge.

"That's odd." He said pulling it and ramming into it.

"Try the other one this one must be stuck." he said to Ross.

Ross did so, but the same thing happened.

"Maybe they...locked it, yeah that has to be it." Ross said in a nervous tone.

"Yeah but when you lock a door, it locks so you can't get in from the other side, besides I didn't see anybody go and do that." Chandler said.

They heard a small noise from the back room.

"Gunther?" Ross said, his voice cracked, his nerves were getting the better of him.

But there was no answer.

"Anyone?" Chandler said next, now he was getting a little frightened.

Again there was no answer.

"Kind of like those news stories. Huh?" Chandler said.

"What one, the two guys that got locked in a coffee house and stupidly didn't just break a window or call for help." Ross joked.

"No the killer, the New York killer, he traps his victims and toys with them." Chandler said.

"Hey come on that's not funny." Ross said spooked by what he was hearing.

"Yeah sorry." Chandler said, unsure if he was joking or really beleived something was happening.

"Uh, hey you got your cellphone on you?" Chandler said.

"I know where you going with this but no, you don't have your phone either?" Ross said.

Chandler shook his head.

"Why not the cafe phone, it was working earlier, we can call from there." Ross said finally with a smile, he was sure it would work.

They both approahced the counter, but before the could even reach for the phone it began to ring. Ross jumped back and knocked him and Chandler over.

"Sorry, I'm kind of jumpy." Ross said.

"Well at least we know it works. So answer it and tell them to get help." Chandler said.

Ross got to his feet and picked up the phone.

"Hello." He said calmly.

"Hello, Ross. You don't know me but I know you." A voice spoke.

"Who is this, Gunther is it you from the back playing a joke, or Joey." Ross said.

"Call me X for now. I noticed earlier that you were reading the paper, did you see the section on New York Murder, that was me. Now listen up, I want you and your friend to die." X said.

"Wha-what this is ridiculous, your kidding." Ross said.

"I didn't trap you in there for nothing, think of it as an honor to be selected, now I want you two to do anything you can to fight for your survival, but I know after this call you will be calling the police, so I will cut the power and leave you to wait for death." X said about to hang up.

"Wait, this is insane, why us?" Ross asked.

"Because I study up on my prey, I know about you, Chandler, Joey Monica Rachel and Phoebe. Because of you they will die, I saw you one morning and picked you, so anything that happens from this point is your fault." X said finally hanging up.

Ross dropped the phone.

"Who was it?" Chandler said.

"I don''t think your going to believe me." Ross said.

"It was..well a killer, like you said one from the paper." Ross said.

"Oh I get it, your reversing my joke on me very funny, but seriously who was it?" Chandler said.

"It was the killer, jokes asside I am being serious, it was X from the papers, Chandler you have to believe me!" Ross yelled.

Chandler was about to say something when suddenly, all the lights went out.