The woman stopped at the plain front door and reached up with a gloved
hand to press the buzzer below the intercom. Stepping into the shelter
of the alcove out of the biting winter wind, she leant forward twisting
her head slightly so she could hear any response better. When there was
no reply, she pressed the buzzer again listening to it echo dully
somewhere in the flat above. Another pause, then...
"Hello ?" It was a woman's voice, bright and enquiring.
The visitor stepped closer still, stooping so her mouth was close to the speaker.
"Ah, yes. Is that Mrs Dickinson ?" asked the voice again. "April Dickinson ?"
April licked her lips which were slightly chaffed due to the cold. "Y..yes that's right."
"Hi there, its Faith. Remember me ? I was the one who chatted with you when you contacted us last week. Do you remember the password I gave you ?"
April nodded despite herself. "Uhuh, I think so...do you want me to tell you it here, right now?"
There was a warm laugh, slightly metallic sounding. "Please do, it's simply a precaution Mrs Dickinson. We have to be sure who we allow in. Pays to be on the safe side you'll find. Go ahead....tell me your password."
Mrs April Dickinson, a tidy, comfortable lady of forty, widowed with two son's long since flown the nest, of hesitant manner and of "volumptious" build paused for a moment suddenly aware of actions and consequences therein. By saying the "word" she was stepping out of her current life with all its security and predictability into a life which was anything but predictable or secure. She didn't have to. She could just turn and walk away and forget she'd ever seen that message whilst surfing around on the Internet. But she didn't move. In fact, she doubted she could move anywhere at all !!
"Mrs Dickinson ?"
April bent closer still, her lips were literally touching metal.
"Spanking...." she whispered.