Morning all, I slept uncommonly well last night. think my body has adjusted to the different bed. Which also means my trip is about half over, but what can you do. So let’s get on with the morning prompt.
I kind of like this one. No clue what is happening yet, but the menacing man will be coming back to visit poor Anthony. I’m pretty sure of that.
Thursday, July 27th: The doorbell rang.
The doorbell rang. “Are you expecting company,” he asked.
Marcy shook her head. “No,you?”
Anthony shook his head and got up from the couch. He walked to the door and looked through the peep hole installed in the center. The man was someone he didn’t know. There was something off about him though, something Anthony didn’t like. A look on his face.
The doorbell rang again. The man looked at the peep hole as though knowing Anthony was there.
‘Doesn’t look like a salesman,’ Anthony said. Despite his misgivings he opened the door.
“Can I help you?” Anthony asked.
“Yes,” the man said. He smiled. It was a chilly smile somehow and Anthony found goosebumps rising on his arms. “I am looking for a Johnathan Elroy.”
Anthony shook his head. “The Elroys don’t live here. He said. “We bought the hose from them eight years ago. They moved down to Tampa, retirement village near their daughter I think.”
Anthony found himself pleased the man wasn’t interested in him and while he would normally have said very little he volunteered as much information as he could, feeling insanely relived to be able to give the man a direction that was far away.
“Tampa,” the man said. He made it two words and exhaled on the end. Tam Pah.
“That’s what the real estate agent said.”
“Ah and would you have the contact for this agent?” the man asked.
Again, Anthony was pleased to be able to furnish information. “Actually the number is on that sign,” he said pointing across the street. The Fergesons are using the same agent to sell their house. That should be her number on the sign. Or at least her office number.”
“I see,” the man said. His smile never wavered. “How helpful. Thank you I am sorry to have unnecessarily disrupted your evening.”
Anthony nodded as the man turned away. “Good night,” he said as politely as he could. The man waved off the courtesy and walked down the steps and across th yard, heading towards the sign. Anthony closed the door and watched through the peep hole as the man walked away. When he was certain the man was far enough away not to be able to hear it, he turned the deadbolt and put the chain on the door. It was a quiet neighborhood and he very rarely felt the need to lock the door so tightly when he was awake, but something about the man bothered him. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
The man wasn’t large. He wasn’t menacing. He didn’t offer violence, yet there was something about him. Somehow he looked like someone who would enjoy inflicting pain. Once the door was bolted, Anthony moved back to the peephole and continued to watch as the man went to the sign, copied down the number and then went to his car and drove away.
Anthony watched and felt himself relax as the man drove away. He didn’t catch any details of the plate but he felt relieved to have him gone. He shrugged off the feeling and went back to the couch. Marcy was on the phone and hadn’t noticed the exchange. As he returned, she looked up.
“So who was it?” Marcy asked.
“Someone looking for the Elroys,” he said.
“But they moved years ago,” she said.
“That’s what I told him.”
Ten til Midnight 