Sara covered her eyes with her hands. "Please. Just. Put. It. Down." She carefully announciated every word. The terrible two year old twins knocked over the book shelves. "I said please stop." The boys didn't listen to a word she said. "Please!" The two boys finally stopped, their inner clocks telling them to disappear into bed giving Sara exactly four minutes to clean up before the kids parents arrived.
She quickly went into work, picking up books, stuffed animals, clothes and the broken remains of a vase and two dinner plates. Exactly four minutes later the parents walked in, amazed to find their 'angels' in bed and the house still standing.
"I don't know how you do it Sara." The mother commented. "They tear all the other babysitters apart."
"Yeah." The father agreed. "You must have something special."
Sara smiled at them. Yeah, a death wish. "They weren't a problem at all. They're little darlings."
"You must have some talent with kids." The mother went to check on the boys and the father paid her.
Yeah, the money works wonders. "Thank you. Call me again if you need me." Please don't!
"Thank you again. Do you need a ride home?" The man asked her.
"No. I'm fine walking." Sara grabbed her jacket and purse and was out the door before anyone could say another word. Once she was alone in the dark she began to regret her refusal of the ride. Darkness always seemed darker once you were out in it. She walked calmly down the well lit street towards the house she shared with her parents. The darkness between each streetlight seemed to be getting bigger�and Sara thought she heard noise behind her. She quickened her pace. Whatever it was seemed to be getting closer. By the time she reached the end of her driveway she was at a full run.
She burst, panting heavily, into her house. "Sara?" Her father called. "Are you alright?"
Sara fought to catch her breath. "Yeah�..just�.fine."
"What were you running from?" Her father walked into the entrance way to examine his winded daughter.
"Nothing." Sara took off her shoes and grabbed her book bag. She always expected to finish some of her homework while she was babysitting, but it never happened.
"If it was nothing, why were you running?" Her father knew exactly why Sara had sprinted towards home.
"Nothing can be awfully frightening to a teenage girl." Sara smiled and hugged her father. "Mom home yet?"
"Nope. She's working late at the hospital again. I made dinner�or at least attempted to." Her father kissed her forehead. "It's burning on the back burner."
"Thanks dad." Sara dropped her bag on the couch and entered the kitchen to the smell of burning soup.
"How was the babysitting?" Her father picked up the remote and turned the tv on. They never ate in the dining room�it was only for special occasions.
"As usual." Sara spooned herself some of the soup-like concoction. "Is this soup chicken or turkey?"
Her father laughed. "Beef. Wanna order some pizza?"
"No. This'll do." She grabbed a piece of bread and joined her father in the dining room.
"One of these days I'll learn to cook, I promise." Her father smiled and flicked through the stations, not really interested in anything on tv.
"It's okay dad." Sara liked just sitting, eating her father's excuse for cooking, and watching her father flick through the stations. Sara hated to admit it, but she liked her father more. She knew that most children shouldn't admit that. She related to her dad a lot more. He failed math, and held a job working at one of the local shops. He complained about the pointlessness of numbers as she struggled through her math. He made her fell comfortable.
Her mother, on the other hand, was a genius. She was a doctor, who spent almost all her time working at the hospital. She loved her mother too, but she just couldn't relate that much to someone who thought that knowledge of math was as important as breathing.
"Dad?" She asked tentatively, knowing that he wasn't going to like this much. "Can I go out tomorrow night?"
He smirked. "Aren't you a little old for trick-or-treating?"
She finished her soup, put the bowl aside and smiled. "That's not exactly what I meant dad."
"I know." He sighed and turned the tv off. "I just don't like the idea of you going off by yourself."
"I won't be by myself. I'll have all my friends with me. We'll be really careful dad." Sara gave him her best puppy dog eyes.
Her father sighed. "I suppose I can't keep you forever Sara. Where are you going?"
Sara inwardly cringed, he wouldn't like this. "The river."
"The river?!? Sara somebody died there last year!" Her father jumped to his feet, knocking the bowl onto the floor. Luckily the carpet kept it from breaking. "You can't be serious."
"Let her go." Her mother entered the room, dropping her heavy bag onto the couch beside Sara's lighter one. "She's seventeen and she'll be with her friends."
"You can't be serious. She could get hurt."
"I think she won't. Besides, it'll be nice to see you out of the house doing something other than school and babysitting. You need to start living your life."
Her father sighed. "If your mother approves."
Sara smiled and started to say something. "BUT�" Her father interrupted quickly. "Promise you'll be careful."
"I promise daddy. Thanks mom." She kissed both her parents and headed towards her room to plan her costume.
Her mother smiled. "By the way, you have to babysit for the twins tomorrow morning."
Sara stopped dead and just about dropped over dead. "Tell me you're joking."
"Sorry princess."
"That's it!" Sara got an idea. "I'll be a princess." She sighed as she set her alarm clock for early tomorrow so she could prepare herself for the trials of the twins. "If I survive."
"Okay." Sara mentally prepared herself to knock on the door. "I am a seventeen year old woman. I am stronger than two two year old boys. I am in control." She knocked on the door and chaos erupted as the twins parents disappeared almost as fast as Sara had the night before.
One of them managed to say "Thanks for coming again so soon. Be back before lunch."
Sara sighed and watched the boys begin to tear apart the couch. "I understand why they are always trying to get out of the house." She sighed and flopped down on the chair to begin her procession of useless commands.
"Please stop." Not surprisingly, they didn't listen. Sara sighed and sank down farther in the chair. She felt the bag she had brought with her against her leg and got a rather interesting idea. She'd brought the beginnings of her costume with her to attempt to work on it and it couldn't really get that ruined. With a smile on her face she grabbed the bag and entered the bathroom. She exited a queen. "Children!" She commanded. For once in their lives the two boys quieted as they stared in awe at the figure before them.
"Who are you?" One of the children asked.
"She's Sleeping Beauty." The other child answered as they sat in front of her in amazement.
Sara smiled, proud of herself. "Would you like to hear a story about me?"
Both of the children nodded. Sara was rather involved in the drama club, although she usually only had bit parts. She knew how to tell a story.
The twins parents returned to find their house clean and their twin boys listening to a story told by a princess. They stared in awe as Sara finished the story, stood up and walked over to them. "Call me anytime." She smiled. "I'll come as the Big Bad Wolf."
"Were they a problem?" The mother asked, as she always did, slightly shocked by Sara's appearance.
For the first time in her life, Sara could answer that question honestly. "Not at all." She smirked and headed out the door to put the finishing touches on her obviously authentic looking costume.
"You look beautiful honey." Her father stepped back as he finished pinning the dress and stood back to get the total effect.
"You do." Her mother continued to braid her hair. "Absolutely gorgeous."
"Thanks." Sara blushed. "The twins seemed to think so too."
Her father laughed. "I heard about that. Guess you've got a permanent job now."
Her mother kissed her forehead. "I knew you were smarter than those kids."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence mother." Sara laughed.
"That's not what I meant honey."
"I know mom."
"Now Sara�" Her dad tried to be serious.
"Be careful�I know dad." Sara wiggled out of her parent's grasp and headed for her coat and purse.
"We trust you love." Her mother said. "Even if you think we're just freaking out�this is a big step."
"It's a Halloween party mom. I'll be fine."
Her parents exchanged a secretive look. "We know."
Sara was interested. "What's the secret."
"There's no secret." Her mother snapped quickly. "Why would you think there was a secret."
"That look you just gave each other�you know something." Sara took a step closer to her parents.
"We can't tell you." Her father was obviously uncomfortable keeping a secret from her. "You'll find out soon enough."
"Just know that we talked with him and we think you should go." Her mother held her father's hand.
Sara was really freaked now. "What do you mean?"
They all heard Sammy honk from outside. "Have a good time at the party. We'll miss you."
"At a Halloween party?" Sara opened the door as Sammy leaned on the horn.
"Trust us." Her parent's spoke in unison.
"You're both crazy." Sara shook her head. "I'll see you in a couple hours."
"Bye Sara."
Sara continued to shake her head as she entered the van. "It must be Halloween."
Off to the party...
Background from All Hallow's Eve Backgrounds.
Pictures from Evil Doll Dungeon.
