Hide and Seek

I couldn't figure what at first, but something. I listened. The

sounds had stopped.

With windows to the front and back the light was pretty good here. I

walked in. I still couldn't figure what it was that bothered me about

the room. I walked over to the box spring and looked behind the frame,

even though you couldn't have hidden a bag of groceries back there. I

was looking for what bothered me.

Then I saw it. The ceramic table lamp, sitting on the floor. It had a

shade now. Some droopy kind of thing. There had been no shade

Kim's beer-stained blouse.

I think I smelled it before I recognized it. I lifted it off the

works. Very cute, Kim, I thought. I bet you look just dandy in your

overalls.

I walked to the closet and opened the door, fully expecting to see her

crouching there. There was a scuttling in the darkness near the

floorboards. Just the mouse again, only this time he'd brought a

friend. They froze, waiting for me to do something.

I did.

I took Kim's overalls off the wire hanger.

I couldn't help laughing. Somewhere there was a naked woman running

around in socks and panties. Leaving me a trail to follow. It

seemed that Kim was making up her own game. ,. ^.... Meantime I was

piling up quite a wardrobe.

I shut the door and left the mice to whatever they were up to in there,

and walked out into the hall. There was only one room left, so that

had to be it. If Steven was right about her being upstairs, this was

where I'd find her.

A pair of socks were draped over the inside doorknob. I added them to

my collection.

"Okay, Kim," I said.

I listened. Heard nothing.

There were a number of options. The closet, obviously. Under or

behind the night table. Under the bed. Under the bunched up throw

rug.

The rug looked just as it did before. I lifted it anyway and was glad

I did.