Posted by
Catmman on Friday, October 17, 2008 10:06:31 AM
You finish watching the evening newscast. You can't wait to dig into your Hungy-Man Extra Portions TV dinner. You also can't wait to enjoy a few 'adult-beverages' of the longneck variety. You put on some music and head into the kitchen to take care of business.
You push the newscast to the back of your mind, even though these incredible events occurred just 'next door' in an adjacent neighborhood.
You never did hear the light, ever so light scratching at the front door. The scratching noise has stopped by now anyways.
You finish your dinner and clean up after yourself. "How in the hell did the kitchen get so dirty. I only heated up a TV dinner." you muse to yourself chuckling just a bit. You finish in the kitchen, start a load of laundry. Once the washer is going you pop the top on another cold one, grab that book you've been reading and head to your study to relax and revel in your 'temporary batchelorhood'. You think about giving your wife a call just to see how things are going but decide against it. They've only been gone one day. "I'll call them tomorrow" you tell yourself.
Just under the sound of the music you've been playing, you again fail to notice a scratching noise coming from outside your house. You fail to notice that the noise seems to follow you as you go about your duties inside your home. Scratching, rubbing, pushing the wall on the front of your home. Back and forth.
Back and forth.
Against the front of your home.
You don't notice a few muffled slaps against your garage door.
You are the product of early 21st , late 20th century urban conditioning. Once in your home you are conveniently, blissfully unaware of what is going on around you or your home in the neigborhood. Inside your home you are invincible. You enjoy the peace and quiet. You are engrossed in your book - enjoying the occasional pull from your 'longneck relaxation'. Because of this conditioning, you haven't taken notice of the real 'peace' and actual quiet in your neighborhood.
No dogs barking. No cats mewling. No crickets chirping. No vehicles coming in and out of your neighborhood. There is still the occasional long off siren. An increase in distant traffic noise is noticeable if you are the type to pick up on such things. Unfortunately, your an urban animal. Nothing more than the scantest, subconcious spark flickers in your mind trying to tell you "Something isn't right."
You have no trouble ignoring that spark.
Outside, the initial lone shuffling movement outside your home is joined. The scraping, rubbing, pushing, shuffling, slapping, increases. Slowly.
Slowly.
Determined fingers begin more concerted probing. Slowly.
Slowly.
On the air, a foulness rises. Slowly.
Slowly.
You turn a page in your book.
To be continued...