The Sitter

The Sitter

By: Roger Alderman

Cheryl’s eyes flash open and widen with excitement of the hunt, “Okay here I come.” The sixteen-year-old baby sitter jumped to her feet from the Brown Microfiber couch. Cheryl’s blonde ponytail bounced behind her, as she rushed off to start the game of hide and seek across the wooden floors of the two story Victorian style home.

Elisabeth clenched her tiny hands over her mouth in an effort to muffle her breathing to hide better from Cheryl. Her mind raced to thoughts of Danny and Mimi in hopes they had found good spots to hide. Her eyes traced the edge of the wooden kitchen cabinet door, as the kitchen lights announced Cheryl’s entrance.

The uneven cabinet door allowed Elisabeth to peer out without being seen. Her breathing became panicked, as she spotted Cheryl. She swallowed hard and slid backwards into the cabinet, but bumped an old glass vase her mother put down here. Her eyes widened, as the terror of being discovered suddenly became very real.

The bright kitchen lights flooded the interior cabinet. Elisabeth out of instinct raised her arms defensively.  The bright light blinded Elisabeth, as Cheryl’s voice echoed inside the cabinet “I found you!”

Cheryl’s voiced was carried throughout the home and reached Dany’s ears first, as he hid beneath his parent’s bed. He knew to keep quiet unless he be discovered and he definitely did not want that. His thoughts moved to his foot, as he stayed home from school today because he twisted his ankle. He knows he could not out run Cheryl especially now.

Cheryl’s frustration wore deep on her young face, as her eyes scanned the upstairs landing for a clue. Her eyes narrow, as her attention comes to the last room to be searched the Carver Children’s Parent’s room. The door handle is locked from within and a smile crosses her face, “No fair, locking the door, is against the rules.”

Danny began to tremble nervously, but the eight-year-old boy was determined to escape. He immediately began to question his hiding spot, as he suddenly realized that under the bed would be the first place he would look. He crawled from under the bed and began scanning the room for a better spot to obfuscate himself.

Cheryl had returned from the kitchen with a butter knife. She jammed the knife into the space between the door and the frame, it fit. She smiled, as she jiggled the knife until it slid behind the door latch. “Here I come,” she announced.

Danny slid behind his parent’s dresser, as the door burst open. He watched, as she fell to her knees and looked under the bed. He felt relief knowing he had made the right decision. He crouched lower, as she rose and quietly made her way to his parents walk in closet. He smiled, as he knew she would never find him at this rate.

Mimi breathed a little easier knowing that Cheryl had gone up stairs. Then she was struck with the memory of Danny rushing up the stairs amidst all the confusion. She slowly opened the hallway linen closet door and pushed away the pile of colorful bed comforters from in front of herself.

Cheryl’s brow furrowed and her face twisted in anger, as she turned away from the open walking closet. Her eyes darted about the room until they spotted the thick draped that hung near the large Oak Wardrobe, as it moved slightly. A demonic smile crossed her face knowing her prey was within her grasp.

Danny leapt from behind the wardrobe landing on the bed feet first. Their eyes lock for an instance before both looked to the open door. Danny jumped from the bed through the air, but was met by a well-timed shoulder tackle. Cheryl and Danny landed hard against the floor just beyond his parent’s wooden footboard with a resounding thud. 

Mimi looked up, as the loud impact from above made her feel as if the ceiling was going to collapse. She rushed to the end of the hallway entering the kitchen. She paused, as terror took firm hold of her being. The kitchen cabinets were open, but her sisters hand hung out of the lower corner door. She knew it was her sisters lifeless hand, as it still had the friendship bracelet on it they had made together.

Tears welled up in her eyes, but morbid curiosity took hold. She moved to the open cabinet door and wept for her Elisabeth. Her sister, whom now lay before her eviscerated by a trusted babysitter.

Cheryl stood and wiped the blood from her nose, eyes, and mouth with the sleeve from her flannel shirt. She smiled and watched as Danny’s body twitched its last. She was proud of her work, but knew she was not done. “Mimi,” She called out with enthusiasm, “Found everyone, but you. Here I come.”

Mimi was young, but not dumb. She looked up with determination to survive the situation. She drew in a dep breath and summoned courage. She turned to the front room, where everything had started and ran towards the front door. She knew if she could reach the Ditmar’s across the next door she would be safe.

Cheryl rushed to the end of the second-floor landing and looked down seeing Mimi crossing the front room, as fast as her legs would carry her. “All they had to do was pay me for watching you little shits!” Cheryl screamed. “You’re not even our baby sitter you sicko!” the seven-year-old cried out, as she reached the front door.  Cheryl paused at the bottom of the steps and watched Mimi.

Mimi turned to flaunt her success in the strangers’ face, “I’m gonna call the cops to come get you.” She opened the door never loosing eye contact with Cheryl. She smiled, raised her little hand, and flipped off the “Sicko”.

Cheryl’s eyes brightened, as Mimi opened the door, “Brad, you made it.” A teen aged boy in a varsity jacket with well-manicured blonde hair smiled, “Awe, you saved the last one for us to share.”