DaRK PaRTY ReVIEW

::Literate Blather::

Friday, October 31, 2008

Halloween Terror: The Babysitter - Part 1

(What's better on Halloween than a scary story? DaRK PaRTY presents our pulp horror, soon-to-be-a-classic tale of unimaginable terror. Welcome to the world of "The Babysitter!" Today we'll be running the three part serial to give you all the chills, spills, and thrills that you need to get through Halloween Day.)

Feel the Horror! Experience the Terror! Don't Leave Her Alone With the Children!

DaRK PaRTY
Presents

"The Babysitter"

Part 1

Mrs. Curtain slipped on a hoop earring. “Joanie should be in bed by 7:30 and Joey no later than 8:00.” Her heels clacked the tile floor. She paused and studied her reflection in the hallway mirror. Smiling, she gave her head a quick shake.

“We should be home before midnight.” Mr. Curtain, wearing a dark gray suit and red tie, glanced at his watch and frowned. “Honey, we’re late.”

“One moment, dear,” Mrs. Curtain said. “There’s Pepsi-Cola in the fridge and I think there’s an unopened bag of chips on top of the breadbox. Please feel free to help yourself.”

Amber nodded. She had to admit that Mrs. Curtain looked gorgeous in her red satin dress. The neckline plunged low and her breasts looked on the verge of springing free. She knew that men probably liked that and wondered if she’d ever have a body like Mrs. Curtain.

“Thank you, Mrs. Curtain,” she said. “Just have a good time and don’t worry about a thing.”

Mrs. Curtain smiled. “Isn’t she great?” she said to her husband. She turned back to the babysitter. “I know I seem like a nervous wreck, but I’m always this way with someone new.”

“Honey,” Mr. Curtain said.

“Everything will be fine,” Amber said.

“I’ve spoken to Joey,” Mrs. Curtain said. “Don’t let him hurt you. He can play rough for a six-year-old.”

Amber laughed and walked the Curtains to the door. Mrs. Curtain squeezed Amber’s arm and then the couple hurried out to their BMW. Amber watched Mr. Curtain back down the driveway, the headlights washing over the house, and then the car drove off. Amber wandered to the living room entrance. Joanie and Joey lay on the floor watching a “Dora the Explorer” video.

Amber’s mobile phone vibrated in her jeans pocket. She smirked, walked back to the hallway, and flipped open the phone.

“Are they gone?”

“Yes, Andrew, finally.”

“What are they like?”

“She’s a Barbie doll and he’s anal retentive.”

Andrew laughed. “What time will the Stepford Family be back?”

“Midnight.”

“Hootchie Mama! I’ll be over in 10 minutes.”

Amber rolled her eyes. “I’m not in the mood to have you dry hump my leg. Listen, I have to go. Okay?”

“Hey, I just called!”

“Andrew…”

“I can dry hump either leg you know… all right, all right. I’ll buzz you later.”

Amber returned to the living room. The children stared up at her. Joey licked his lips. He was a cute kid. His blond hair was nearly white and his eyes crinkled merrily when he smiled. His sister was two years younger; also a blond, but her hair darker and her body chubbier. Cute, but not quite in Joey’s league.

“So what’re you guys doing?” Amber asked.

Both children looked down at the carpet. Joanie’s face flushed. Amber knew they were nervous.

“Nothing,” Joey finally mumbled.

Amber clasped her hands. “How would you guys like some…”

They both looked up at her.

“Like some…”

Joey climbed to his feet. “Some what?”

“Yeah, what!” Joanie shouted.

“Some… POPCORN!”

They shrieked with excitement.

Later, all three of them sat on the couch munching popcorn and drinking soda. They watched TV when the children’s show they were watching was interrupted by a news flash. A somber anchorwoman stared out at them.

“This just in,” she said. “Police have found the body of a missing teenage girl at Quaker’s Quarry. According to police sources, Marybeth Kincaid, age 16, was found with multiple stab wounds in the chest and belly.”

Amber grabbed for the remote and shut off the television as the news flashed to police and emergency workers walking out of the quarry woods lugging a plastic body bag.

The room went quiet, except for the snap of the television. Joanie dropped a handful of popcorn on the couch, tears flooding her eyes, and ran out of the room with a sharp cry.

“Joanie!” Amber shouted.

“She’ll be all right,” Joey said. “She just doesn’t like all the blood.”

Read Part 2 of the Terror-Filled "The Babysitter!"

Labels: Fiction, Horror, The Babysitter