Under the Coats

Two little kids – a boy and a girl – are hiding in their parents’ room during a grown-up party. The big pile of coats on the bed helps them to not be seen. The boy suggests they look in the coat pockets for money that, he tells his sister, the guests will never miss. He tells her all the great stuff they could get with money: Toys, fast food, and ice cream. As they start to look, they hear a voice coming from under the coats. It identifies itself as money and convinces them how much it would love to be spent on their desires. All they need to do is climb under the coats so one can see even a piggy toe. They do this. Once entirely hidden, there are quick chewing and swallowing sounds. The coats even seem to form a mouth in the spaces between them. The voice smacks its “lips.” Later, the last guest is leaving. His hosts tell him about the sweet deal they got on the house. The previous owner, it turns out, was a bit off his rocker. He believed the house liked quiet and would take care of him if he kept things hushed. The guest expresses surprise that neither of the kids woke up from the party noise. His hosts don’t know who he is talking about. A momentary wave of nausea sweeps over him, and he forgets what he was saying. Perhaps it will come to him later.