Five Dollars An Hour

She'd dialed the number they'd left in case of a problem, but it rang and rang and they never picked up. She'd have called the restaurant, but she'd forgotten the name. Something fancy and Italian…

They'd said it would be simple: he'd be asleep the whole time, he never wakes up after eight. No reason even to go down there. Why is the baby's bedroom in the basement? Never you mind, Cindy. There's food in the fridge and no boys allowed.

The noises just got louder, and now there was scratching at the locked basement door. She dialed again.

31 comments:

  1. Ohh! Perfect for the season! Loved it.

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  2. Duuuude. It's hard to cram a horror story into 99 words, but you have absolutely nailed it! Awesome work.

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  3. you literally scared me in 99 words. I wanted to text our babysitter and tell her she doesn't need to be scared to be in the house. :)

    as always, you wrote a great piece.

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    1. Thank you :-) But it's good for a babysitter to be a *little* scared. Keeps 'em alert. ;-)

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  4. Why IS the baby's room in the basement?
    Spooky coming and going.

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    1. The baby is a baby, but I wouldn't assume it's a baby *human*.

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  5. A scary story, well written. Let's hope she just keeps dialling and leaves that door locked.

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    1. I have a mental picture of Mom & Dad speeding home after getting her voicemails, themselves frantically trying to return the calls, wondering if they'll find baby has... gotten out.

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  6. I really hope she doesn't open that basement door, but I'm thinking she probably will.

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    1. Think of it as evolution in action. (-Larry Niven) i.e., If she's dumb enough to open the door, she's too dumb to live and perpetuate her genes by reproducing. :-)

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  7. Yeah, this is scary, all right! I don't know what's in the basement, but I hope she doesn't open the door to find out.

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  8. Ah, creepy babysitter stories :D

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    1. Would that be creepy stories about babysitters or stories about creepy babysitters? I'm on misplaced modifier patrol.

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  9. Babysitters taste like candy, or should I say Cindy? ;)

    Creepy-and I loved every word!

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  10. Gah! Consider me totally creeped out. *shivers* GREAT story!

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  11. Very cool! Perfectly creepy.

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  12. AHHH! Don't go down there. Just call the cops. :-) Thanks for linking up, David. I loved it. Don't forget to vote.

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  13. How scary!Glad she had the sense not to go down there or open the door-but she had better run now while there is time-not worth the 5$!Loved this take David:)

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  14. Do Not Open That Door! This was the perfect creepy story. Babies can be scary anyway. The mother's name isn't Rosemary, is it?

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  15. Yes, I agree. Perfectly creepy, with just the right amount of chill.

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