The Package At The Door

I was looking out my bedroom window at the stars one evening when I saw him place a package on the stoop of the house next door. I wouldn’t have really cared if he hadn’t looked left, then right, then over his shoulder before he put it down.

“Hmm ... that looks suspicious.” I also thought it was strange because no one lived there anymore. Our neighbors had moved out about two weeks ago. “Well ... maybe someone will come back to get it.” I went back to my bed to finish reading my book.

When I passed by the house the next morning on the way to school, I noticed the package. It was plain ... wrapped in brown paper. I shrugged and continued on my way to school. I saw my friend, Alice, up ahead and hurried to meet her.

On my way home I was thinking about the test I had to study for the next day. “Ughh! Math!”

As I placed my foot on the steps to my house I looked to my right and saw the package still there. “I hope it’s not something important.”

I got something to eat and went to my room to study. My eyes were drawn to my window. “I wonder what’s in the package?” Then I pulled out my math notes and began reviewing the material for my test.

I was late getting up the next morning, and my math test was in my first class! I dressed and ate hurriedly, then ran out the door. I ran into my class right before the tardy bell rang. As I sat down and caught my breath, I vaguely wondered if the package was still on the stoop next door.

It’s still there! I walk into my house after school. I’m really getting curious about that package. “What if our neighbors were spies and that package is critical to completing their mission?” I giggled at myself and my silly imagination.

After I took a shower and went back to my room I tiptoed to my window and peeked out to look next door. I had no idea why I was tiptoeing or peeking. I guess my imagination was running away with me again. “But what if that package was a present for Mrs. Howard (our neighbor who moved) from her dad who she had not seen since she was a little girl? She thought he was dead. But he had suffered from PTSD and finally cleaned himself up and worked up the courage to see his little girl.” I felt so sad that Mrs. Howard might never get to see her dad. Then I remembered I had no idea what was in that package and who was the man who left it there. It was dark that night I was not able to get a good look at him.

The next morning, I actually walked up the neighbor’s steps and crouched down to get a better look at the package. I thought I might see a name and an address. But the package had no writing on it; I dare not touch it! Who knows what was wrapped inside? “Maybe it’s a bomb activated by touch or movement, and I really don’t want to blow up the neighborhood!”

I was really distracted at school. My teacher even reprimanded me for not paying attention during class. She asked me a question and I didn’t even hear her. I shook off my distraction and looked down at my book to catch up with the lesson.

I rushed home from school. When I got to the house next door the package was gone! “Whew! The neighborhood is safe!” Then I laughed at myself. A bomb? Really? I had really gotten carried away! The mailman probably saw it and picked it up.

But for a few nights after, I walked to the window and looked to see if anything else showed up on the neighbor's stoop.