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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

for the holidays!

---------------------------The following is based on actual events--------------------------


It was the summer of my 15th year.  I was young, adventurous, stupid,  innocent...

There was a new family in town.  The father worked at the college where my dad also worked.   They had a daughter and had invited me over.

I remember now that my dad had misgivings about them.  He thought the man strange for some reason.  Said he didn't quite blend in with the rest of the faculty.  But my mom blew that off as to them just being new in town and not knowing many people yet.  After all, ours was a small and sometimes odd town.

Her dad arrived in a red Jeep to pick me up.  He was quiet, maybe a little nervous, the whole time driving.  Was he already anticipating what would come to pass?

We arrived at her house where she and I were introduced.  She seemed nice enough.  Longish blonde hair and a friendly face.  Outgoing even.  Rather mature for her age.  I looked forward to hanging out with her, we seemed easy friends right away.

We goofed around in her backyard with the family dog.  While doing so, her parents let us know that they were going out for a little while.  No problem, we'd hang out at the house.

It was starting to get dark, so we went inside with the dog and settled down to play a card game on the floor.  I vividly remember sitting cross-legged on the floor of her living room, she was sitting opposite from me.  Our game was progressing in a typical manner one minute, but the next, things got...  weird.

She stopped playing and just sat their, still, with a faraway look in her eyes.  She'd straightened up and was looking in my direction, but not at me.  She was looking at something behind me.  And that's when she said it.  When she said those five words that still haunt me to this day.  She said.... she said... she.... said.... she.... she... said.... said... (okay already!)... she said,

"Can you see the demons?"

Wha...?

I slowly turned my head back towards the direction she was looking.  Beyond the living room was the darkened kitchen.  Just the kitchen.  I remember a bowl of grapes on the counter.  No demons.

"No", I replied.  Then, stupidly, "Can you?"

"Yes", she said.  "They're in the kitchen.  On the ceiling."

SH*T!!

I slowly turned to look again, this time at the ceiling.  No demons.  But wait.  Why was the dog being so quiet?

I decided to just change the subject and asked if she wanted to play a different game.  She said no.  She wanted to show me some of her books.  Sounded good to me - not a demon in her reply!

She went to her bedroom to get the books while I cleaned up our game.  I heard her rummaging around down the hall, then, in what seemed a split second, she was standing over me.  Where the frack had she come from?!

I looked up from my position on the floor to see her just staring down at me.  Her longish blonde hair draping her blank face.  I also noticed that she had changed into a gown in record time.  I didn't speak.

I was ready to go home then.  I wanted her parents to come home!  I wanted the dog to not be so quiet!  I wanted my mommy!

There's no one here to help you! We walked for 15 hours today, we ended up in the same place! There's no one here to help you, THAT'S your motivation! THAT'S YOUR MOTIVATION! *

Okay, I wasn't really thinking that at the time.  The line just popped into my head just now...

ANYWAY, I was wondering, how long had I been there?  Shouldn't her folks be back?  Why WAS the dog so freaking QUIET?!

Another look towards the kitchen from hell.  No demons.  Not that I could see anyway.  Just those grapes, LAUGHING at me!

And then...

Jeep headlights through the front window.  A car was pulling into the garage.  Parents home, oh thank you GOD!

Her parents entered the house, gingerly.  As if they were expecting... expecting... what?

I breathed a big inward sigh of relief, rose up and put the card game on the table.  My friend, now shorter than I, remained where she was, looking at her parents.  Was she disappointed they'd returned?

We said our good-byes.  She asked me if I might come to play again.

"Yeah, sure", I lied.

I never saw her again.  The family didn't stay.  They moved shortly after that night.

http://itsybitsysteps.com/
baby-arthur-cleaver-recreates-movie-scenes/
I've often wondered about her.  We're both all grown up now.  She'd be in her thirties, since she was just 3 years old at the time.

Freakiest babysitting job I ever took.



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*Blair Witch Project, 1999
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9 comments:

Jimmy said...

Oh yeah, I'd want to go back for a repeat babysitting job here :^0

Larz said...

fantastically creepy. of course, to me, anything involving small children is creepy so...

terri said...

A babysitting job! HA! Good one. I have a few scary babysitting jobs myself. I just couldn't tell them as well as you do.

Guano said...

LALALALALALALAAA <> LALALALALAAA

Guano said...

(covering ears, squeezing eyes shut)

ShadowRun300 said...

I'm with Guano - stories like this freak. me. out. I've never been a big fan of the scary side of Halloween.
But once again, when I got to the end of your story and learned where you were, I reread your story! :) I like these!

agg79 said...

Oooh. Queue the eerie Twilight zone music. That would've scared the beejesus out of me. Definitely not a repeat customer.

CiCi said...

Ha, great story, I like your reminiscences. Even a child of three can have a strong personality. Hope you made lots of money that night.

Anita said...

A girl approximately your age then (15), showing you her "books." I was impressed, but puzzled. Clothes, wall posters, and music collection would have been more realistic... not to imply that you and your friends were not little scholars.

Anyway, I didn't get that you were babysitting until you told me.

Good one!