katy has been hired to take care of hector and tabitha's mansion while the two go out for the evening. they usually never leave the house, but have a rare event to attend. tabitha greets katy at the door and explains that the house is always kept at −3 °c as hector and tabitha's disabled brother, andras, needs the air to be at this temperature. the paintings on the house's walls depict the harrowing of hell. after meeting hector, katy is disturbed by tabitha's descriptions of andras, who, it is claimed, does not have a mouth. he instead keeps a bell, which he never uses, beside his bed. katy is told not to go upstairs.