ALL IN THE HEAD 1

CYNTHIA

Rosa went upstairs to check on Karen to find her on her knees in her bedroom apparently playing with someone who wasn't actually there. Having been a nanny for many years Rosa didn't see any harm in the fact that a nine-year-old had an imaginary friend, it has been something she had seen on a number of occasions and if no good ever came from it before then Rosa was unaware of that no good.

Karen's father had passed away a year earlier after having lost a battle with illness, and her mother spent most of her time running the business that she had built with her husband, so Rosa most definitely saw nothing with Karen's friend, if anything maybe it was something to be encouraged.

In a town she had been living in less than eighteen months, a town not known for its racial diversity or being racially friendly, Rosa was a Hispanic nanny in her mid-forties who for close to a year took care of a little girl named Karen three days a week while also doing some chores about the house Karen and her mother lived in.

The lack of friendliness shown to her was never as prevalent as it was whenever Rosa was out and about with Karen. The questioning looks she received for being in the company of such a child like Karen were looks she never let affect her in any way. Karen of course, had no idea what those looks were all about.

'Your mum will be late getting home tonight Karen, so I need you to get ready for bed soon honey' spoke Rosa as she went about what she was doing out in the upstairs hallway.

'But I am not tired yet.'

'I know sweetheart but maybe you and your friend might get ready for bed together anyway.'

Rosa received one heck of a fright when she turned around while in that upstairs hallway to find Karen standing directly before her. When Karen had been speaking, she had been in her own room and Rosa had not heard any movement so for Karen to all of a sudden be right behind or now in front of Rosa, well, it did make Rosa take a step backwards.

'Her name is Cynthia, and she isn't tired either' said Karen attempting to sound cross while also crossing her arms.

'Well, I have plenty more work to do so maybe you guys can play a little while longer then you must really get ready for bed, okay?'

'No, that is not okay', Karen put both her hands on her hips.

Rosa became frightened once again, in a different way than before, to a point where it remains with her and such a thing is quite odd for Rosa is more than able to deal with any crap that adults try throw her way ... this, however, is not ... normal. When Karen spoke that last sentence, it sounded out as if two voices had spoken in unison, one being Karen's and the other being a deeper female voice sounding older and raspy, almost demonic in nature. Karen had never been any trouble before, not with children and not like this for this, this is something more.

'We do not want to go to bed' spoke that double barreled voice again.

Rosa's eyes opened wide in shock and her face drained of all colour.

Before she could react any further, Rosa felt a push and couldn't tell who or what it was that pushed her as it came from behind and Karen was still in front of her. Rosa felt a second push and this one had more force to it, and it also came at her from the side. Whatever was doing this couldn't be seen.

A third push came, one more powerful than either of the previous two and Karen watched as Rosa fell down the stairs coming to a contorted halt at the bottom soon after which Karen began humming as if no wrong had occurred at all. She then began to skip her way back into her room to play some more.

Tina, Karen's mom, arrived home close to half past in the evening and screamed before she even had to chance to close the front door.

'What's wrong mommy?' asked a tired looking Karen appearing at the top of the stairs in her pajamas and rubbing her eyes.