While baby-sitting the new neighbors’ children for the first time, Katie answered the phone. “Hello,” Katie said. There was no answer. “If you’re not going to talk why even call.” Katie was just about to hang up when she heard a faint voice say painfully, “Help me.” Then the phone was hung up. Katie was worried now she hurried to look at the caller I.D. when Tommy and Brady, the kids she was baby-sitting, ran into the room. Tommy, who is 10 years old, and Brady, who is 4 years old, started asking who called. “Oh,” she said surprised, “no one.” Tommy said, “I heard the phone ring.” Katie replied, “No one was there.” The boys ran out of the room. Katie continued looking at the caller I.D. She realized tht the number that called the house was her dad’s cell phone number. Katie went to the phone to call ehr dad. When she picked up the phone and put it to her ear there was nothing. The phone line was dead. Katie was horrified now, but how could the phoneline be out. She looked at the phoneline that went to the wall it had been cut. “Oh, my God, someone is in the house.” Katie said to herself. “Tommy, Brady come here!” Katie yelled. “What’s wrong?” Tommy asked. “I want you to stay with me.” Katie told the two boys. “Why? What’s wrong?” Brady asked lookign around the room scared. They heard something downstairs and the two boys ran into their parents’ bedroom screaming at the top of their lungs. Katie then folloed them into the room. She locked the door behind her, and she told the kids to sit on the bed with her. Just as soon as they got onto the bed the electricity went out. Tommy and Brady started screaming and crying again. Katie heard something coming up the stairs. “Boys be quiet,” Katie whispered. “I’m scared Katie,” Brady replied. Katie asured Brady, “I won’t let anything happen to you.” All of a sudden the electricity came back on. Katie and the kids go tup and they walked out of the room. What they saw was horrible. There lying motionless in a puddle of blood on the kitchn floor was her dad. Then out of nowhere a guy holding a bloddy knife burst out of the closet. Katie, Tommy and Brayd all started yelling. Then Katie grabbed the two boys and ran into the bedroom and locked the door. Then she heard laughing coming from the kitchen. She walked out of the room and her dad was standing there just fine. The guy with the knife was Tommy and Brady’s dad. Katie said angrily, “What are you guys doing. You scared me half to death.” Her dad replied, “We were just trying to see how you worked under pressure.” “Now I know I can trust you with my kids,” said her neighbor. “So you guys did this just to see how good a baby-sitter I am,” Katie said. “Yes,” they both replied. “I’m never snwering the phone agaiin,” Katie said relieved. Katie continued to baby-sit the neighbors’ kids for many more years after that, and nothing scary ever happened again.

— Robby Hartpence