Babysitting Troubles
I could see the lights from a house in the distance and I thanked God. In the hour since I wrecked the car, little baby Joseph had fallen back asleep and I had traveled at least three miles through the dark woods. Thanks for giving me the scenic directions to your new house, sis. It almost got your kid and me killed.
Carefully, I held Joe in my hands as I stepped through one last large bush and into someone’s backyard. But nothing could prepare me for what I saw as I gazed through the large glass sliding door and into that house.
Three… inhabitants sat on a couch, completely motionless. They hardly looked human. It was as if someone had taken pale yellow skin and stretched it over the dry bones of a skeleton. You could just imagine that when they moved you’d hear a horrible creaking sound. Their hair was long, messy, and stringy. Deep, dark, probably dank holes held bloodshot eyes that stared straight forward at who knows what. I was just thankful it wasn’t at me and little Joe. They were clothed in old, but fancy dress. Like something you would have worn to church… in 1920. All three of them had their arms folded upon their laps. But the worst thing about them was the smile. Wide as fuck, making sure that each and every one of their yellow teeth was on display.
Every hair on my body stood up, and my spine was most certainly chilled. “You know what, Joe?” I said to the sleeping infant my sister had entrusted to my care. “I think we’ll go to the next house.”
It was another hour walking alongside the road before we came to another house. The lights at this one were off, and I felt bad ringing the bell, but not more than a minute later the door slowly slid open with a squeak to reveal the woman from the skeletal trio. I managed to keep little Joe safe through a car accident and traveling a dense, dark forest, but that shock nearly caused me to drop the poor kid to the ground.
“Hello?” She spoke, never losing that wide smile. I look around, from side to side. I didn’t remember the road turning at all. How did I end up back here?
“I’m sorry, miss,” I finally answered, avoiding eye contact. “We’ve been in a car accident… Can I use your phone?” She nodded yes, and mumbled something I couldn’t hear. I followed her into the house where she led me to the living room. The other two of this terrible trio turned their heads (which did indeed cause terrible creaking) to look upon me and Joe.
“Hi. Just here to use the phone,” I told them. They remained silent. The lady, if you could call that thing a lady, pointed to a phone on a nearby desk. An old rotary phone. Retro. I moved toward it, but stopped dead in my tracks as she cleared her throat.
“Let me hold the baby, dear. Just while you use the phone.” The eyes of this trio burned into me. I looked down at sweet little Joe, fast asleep and unaware of the horrors right before him. I looked to the door, contemplating running.
“You don’t want to do that, dear.” She spoke again. “Now hand me the child.” She walked toward me, arms stretched out. I was shocked to find my arms meeting hers, and dropping Joe into her bony hands. She started to rock Joe in her arms; something barely resembling a lullaby escaped her pale lips.
I woke up the next morning tied to a bed, complete with a gag in my mouth. Joe was nowhere to be seen, but one of the trio stood above me, bloody knife in hand. He was shaking, laughing I think. But it sounded more like bones rattling. Sorry, sis. I told you I was a horrible babysitter.