CONTAGIOUS

Chapter 3: Surely

Chapter Three:

Meanwhile, down in the town, in a local cafe, a group of elderly women sat discussing the new return to their town. They were narrow-minded and skeptical of all things to do with the new reality of the advancing world. One with a head of hinted red hair spoke in a brittle tone,

“I cannot fathom how the council could let the monster back into town.”

The other ladies chimed in, with just the same eagerly disgusted attitudes as the first. One with a tea mug in her hand agreed,

“He’s a disgrace to this town!

“Oh and the children — how can we let this man around the town without fearing for the children?” Another women spoke up, in worried rage. Each spoke with such horror. As if the world was coming to an end. They sat round a coffee table in cushioned green chairs and a white couch topped with vibrate, patterned pillows. Sipping their earl grey and hot coffees, the group rested in the sunlight, at their wits end with the return of Eric Evermore, the criminal.

“It’s unfathomable, the way this town has shaped up to be. A wicked monster, he is.” The women who began the conversation responded. As she took a sip of her green tea, she watched as a mother entered the shop, with a children in her arms and one trailing behind. She approached the group of ladies, with polite ease.

“Excuse me,” she captured their attention, “I don’t mean to interrupt, but my children would like to ask you something.” She nodded to the child in her hands who proceeded,

“Cookies? Sooo good,” she beamed, making her checks even more irresistible than before. A few of the women awed in her innocents, though the main participant of the group did not. Her face remained stern. The boy, at his mothers feet, spoke up after a moment,

“Would you like to buy a box?”

“Surely! Surely!” One women responded immediately. Another laughed,

“Who could pass up a good Girl Scout cookie?” She bought two boxes of thin mints. A few others bought some boxes, to the children’s delight. They very much loved the children and all acted as such pleasant human beings to the kids in their presense. Again, the question was asked.

“Why starting so soon?” 

The mother could have expected so much confusion at her daughter's admitance in the Girl Scouts when she could hardly talk yet. She'd come up with different answers for all kinds of different people. 

“It’s good for the children, to learn,” she answered this time.

“You best stop by my son Ernest’s house. He just loves cookies!” A women sipping black coffee pleaded.

“Yes, but stay away from that criminal’s place,” the thin mint enthusiast warned.

“Criminal?” The blonde mother’s attention was fully captivated. What was it that they spoke of?

“You don’t know?”

“We’ve just recently moved here - Could you explain, please?”

“Surely, dear,” the woman began, “There is a man in one of those apartments who was just let out of prison after having killed his old girlfriend. Evermore. Eric Evermore. He's the one with that crazy head of hair. It’s disgusting they’d ever let him back in this town, I know.” She stated as if the mother had said so herself, when she had opposite thoughts. She had just been to each apartment in that building - and there weren’t many for it being on top of a restaurant. Not once had she come by a criminal. Each resident was polite and bought a box - and then their was that boy with those green eyes who bought more than just one, exciting her kids beyond imaginable.