Curiosity Part Six

A strange paralyzing fear gripped me.  Was it wrong for me to open the door?  I was too nervous at first to realize I’d gotten exactly what I wanted: interaction.

            “G-good morning!”  I sputtered as the man walked through the door I was holding. 

He turned to look at me before he disappeared through the inside door.  “Good morning to you, too.”  He smiled and was gone.

I stepped inside, mouth slightly open.  The door swung shut and bumped my back.  I couldn’t get over what happened.  I decided to sit back down at my desk and await the rest of the silent zombies.  Though I hadn’t accomplished much, I had learned that it was possible for them to respond to me.  This vital piece of information would be very helpful in my future endeavors to seek out the truth.  The rest of the morning was spent politely wishing everyone a good morning and delivering the biggest smile I could muster.  No one else said a word to me.

Even Bert, the mailman, noticed a change in my attitude.

“What have you done?”

I cocked my head, a blank look on my face.  “Whatever do you mean?”

His eyebrows met in the middle and he stared hard at me.

I took the mail he had for me, all with addresses only and no names.

Again he asked me and I said, “Let’s just say that I’ve found a new interest in my job.”

This was not what he wanted to hear.  “Shannon, I told you to be careful.”  He sounded like a father warning his child.

“I am!”  My voice got pitchy so I whispered it again, “I am, don’t worry.  Honestly, what can I do?  There’s nothing here.”  I gave him my most convincing face.  He sighed, but before he turned to leave he left me with these words.

            “Curiosity didn’t just kill the cat.”

            I shrugged him off but something about his tone made me think he knew more than what he was letting on.