Cat Got Your Tongue?

It begun the same as it always did.

I roll out of bed at 6am, knocking over the buzzing alarm clock on my way and by the time I've gathered my things for my morning shower, it has stopped buzzing. I wash quickly and leave my hair slightly wet as it would dry as I made my breakfast. 2 pieces of toast as per usual and they're well buttered, as usual. They're consumed within 7 minutes and I clean up after myself, the house begun to wake up then, around 6:45 when the sun was beginning to rise, heating the house slightly causing it to creak and crackle.

I brush my teeth, scrubbing my tongue as hard as I could before using minty mouth wash for effect and then I left the house, climbed into my car and made the quiet journey to my workplace 34 minutes away. I pull up and wave to a colleague who has pulled up just before me and was collecting his things. he waved back, a gracious smile on his lips.

I carefully work across the car park after locking my car and then walk through the large doors which I barely manage. Michelle, our receptionist looks up to greet me as I walk forth ready to sign the sheet on the desk like we always would.

"Morning." I smile, except for the work never left my lips, it stayed sealed behind my lips, stitched to my throat. I try again this time wiping the look of mild concern off of my face.
"Morning." I smile again, and like the last time nothing came out. Michelle looks to me, her eyes glazed with concern and guilt.

she quickly looks around before looking back to me, then she pulled out a piece of paper from the near by printer and with a fake smile wrote something down. She smiled and slid it towards me.

"Smile, they're watching, none of us can talk, we need to act like normal." she smiles and as she had written I smile back at her and mouth a thank you for the note and made it out like the note passing would happen each day.

As I walk from the desk I turn around and wave at her tucking the note into my pocket, goose bumps rising on my skin.