Number one! Child's Play

"What'cha drawing there?" I asked in my baby voice. I was babysitting two children-one six and the other four.

The six-year-old showed me her drawing. It was too skilled for her artistic level, almost like a picture.

That moved.

But the worst part about it was that the subject was swaying on the ceiling, a rope coiled around their neck. I was snapped out of my shock when the child spoke.

"She says she's coming for you. Hide."

Scary, no? Well, it's one of my less-frightening ones... Number two! Dear Jessica...

I walked through the door, and immediately knew he was gone. All the life seemed to have been sucked out of the place. Even still, I called out. "Hello?" My voice wavered. After some searching, I entered the kitchen. On the little island in the middle, there was a note, written in Charlie's precise handwriting.

Dear Jessica,

She's following me again. She's been doing it for weeks, but she's getting more bold. When you were asleep last night, I saw her standing on our front lawn. I'm afraid of what she will do to you if she finds you. I'm sorry that I can't tell you this in person, but I knew it would shatter you, and I couldn't bear to see that happen. Please, be careful.

Love,

Charlie

I cried over the note. How could he leave me? I didn't have a lot of time to mourn before I heard the front door open. Thinking quickly, I grabbed a sharp knife from the drawer and hid in a vented closet. Seconds after the door had closed, I saw a woman walk into the kitchen, Swiss Army Knife in hand. She bee-lined for the note. As she read it, tears spilled from her eyes. She fell to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. The knife dropped from her hand. Disobeying every single instinct I had, I jumped out of the closet. Burying the knife in her back, I whispered, "Welcome home, Jessica."

Well, that last one really wasn't short, but who cares! It's still one of my favorites!

The Mistress of Darkness,

MarineDolphin