The One with the Suspicious Plant

My father gives me a Christmas amaryllis every year, but this one is different. This is not a normal plant. (Insert ominous music here..)

Dad had purchased several amaryllses (amarylli?) to give to various family and friends. He made me come over to choose mine since they were in different types of containers. I noticed that one of them was trying to peek out the top of its box, even without its soil, and without water. I thought it was cute, and maybe a bit poetic, that it was trying to grow even under rough circumstances. I took it home.

As I was mixing up the special soil mix, I put the bulb on a dishtowel where the sun was coming through the kitchen window. I had my iPod on, but I really think I heard it emit a little noise, like a sigh. Had to be my imagination. I found a place for the amaryllis upstairs in the office by the window. I gave it water and then forgot about it for a couple of days.

The next time I went into the office, I was shocked at how much the plant had grown! Its stalk was at least two inches taller. Two inches in two days? Freaky! I sat down at the computer to answer some messages. My dog, Moose, was nestled comfortably behind me, breathing contendedly. A second later, I heard the kids downstairs playing with Moose. I looked around...nobody else was in the office. Who had been breathing? Was someone playing a joke? Was it me breathing? I sat very still for a moment. I stared at the freaky plant. It stared back innocently. No way. I have obviously seen "Little Shop of Horrors" too many times.

Last night, the doorbell rang. I walked past the office to answer the door, shooting the two-more-inches-taller amaryllis a wary look. At the door was a bunch of high school students, collecting money for charity. As I looked around for some cash, one of the kids asked to use the restroom. I directed her upstairs. I gave the kids the money and they went on their way. As I shut the door, I realized they were forgetting their friend, who had not come downstairs. I went up, but the bathroom door was open and nobody was inside. I looked out the window and the kids were merrily proceeding down the street. Their friend must have slipped by me somehow....right? RIGHT?????