Surprise On The Doorstep.

Harsh knocks pulled me from my dream, they echoed up the stairs where they filled each room.

I roll over misty eyed and squint towards the alarm clock which helped the numbers clear. 4:25 am.  Too early for a visitor surely.

By the time I've hauled the cover off of myself and sat up, the knocking seized to exist, but now I was too wide awake to fall back to sleep for a couple of hours now.

I drag my feet out of my room and down the stairs. There was no man nor woman standing at my door.

The door had broken time ago, the deadlock held it tightly shut. With a hard twist the lock grinder open and allowed the door to open. I glance down the street both ways. Dead.

Lay directly in the centre of my door mat, a parcel in a plain cardboard box. Glancing around again I make sure of no audience before bending down and retrieving it. Whatever was in there was warm.

I lock the door unbalanced by the box before entering the front room. I put the parcel down on the closest seat and then flick on the light. Tearing open the cardboard I smell heavy perfume, that is until I open the box fully to find a somewhat fresh load of animal dung.

I waste no time in banishing the box from my house. I turn off the lights and wash my hands in the bathroom before returning to bed. For hours on end I think of people who would send that kind of parcel to only come up short of a single idea. At 6am I propose an investigation starting in 3 hours. With my mind somewhat eased I slip off to sleep.