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Becket: A Short Story

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Reagan sits on the stairs reading a book, ignoring her brother, Becket. Becket watches TV in the living room. Winston stands in the corner of the living room, growling at a large lump under the rug.

[Reagan, looking up from book, glares at Winston, annoyed by his growling.]
Reagan: “Becket, why is Winston upset?”
Becket: “I don’t know, he keeps growling at the floor.”
Reagan: “Well, go see what’s wrong with the floor.”
Becket: “Why can’t you do it?”
Reagan: “You’re closer.’’

[Becket sighs, gets up, and walks over to the dog]
Becket: “He’s growling at a lump.”
Reagan: “A lump?”
Becket: “A lump.”
Reagan: “What kind of a lump?”
Becket: A very large lump –that moves.”

[Reagan laughs and sets down her book, wanting to see the moving lump. She stands …show more content…
The kids yell and back away from the lump under the rug.]
Reagan: “Maybe we should call Mom.”
Becket: “No! We should get rid of it before she gets back.”
Reagan: [nudging the carpet with her foot] “What is it?”

[The lump hisses and moves towards Reagan’s foot. Reagan shrieks and jumps away from the lump]
Becket: “Only one thing hisses and lives under carpets.”
Reagan: “It couldn’t be!”
Becket: “It has to be.’’
Reagan: “I never sweep things under the rug.”
Becket: “I did –once.”
Reagan: [gasps] “Then it must be…”
Becket: “It has to be-“
Reagan: [interrupts Becket in a hushed voice] “A Dust Beast!”

[Winston barks angrily and jumps on the Dust Beast which still lurks under the rug. The Dust Beats wails and shakes him off, the children stare in horror.]
Becket: “What do we do Reagan?’’
Reagan: “We should definitely call mom.’’
Becket: “We can’t do that! She’ll know I swept something under the rug.”
Reagan: “You shouldn’t have done th-.’’
Becket: ‘’We could lure it out!”
Reagan: [sighing] “With what?”
Becket: “Cookie

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