Short Stories - A collection

Story 2 - The Babysitter

**Warning: This story contains adult themes and may be disturbing for some readers.**

Erika stood in the hallway, the children finally asleep. A job well done. It was her time now, alone in a stranger's house. The parents wouldn't be home for a few hours yet, and by the look of them they wouldn't notice if a few things were missing. Her search took her into the master bedroom, where she searched through the top draws for hidden money. In her experience clients often hid their money in rolled up socks or under their intimates. She would take just enough that they would think they had spent it themselves. Nothing that would raise any alarm. As she sifted through the poly-blends and the pure cotton she found a silk bag.
Emptying it onto the bed she found jewellery and a small photo album. Polaroids of women. Looking through them she noticed that each woman was wearing a piece of jewellery that was in the bag. As she got closer to the back of the album, one picture made her drop everything. It was a picture of her. Erika stood wide eyed in disbelief, alarm bells ringing in her head. Dropping everything she ran out of the bedroom and down the stairs. She wanted to run, to call somebody but could not find her bag.

"Screw it." She breathed.

Opening the front door she was confronted by the man who lived there; her employer. He towered over her. Dark eyes searched her face and saw the fear that trembled inside her. A smile twisted up his lips and he pushed her back. Closing the door behind him.

"Where do you think you're going?" he said, his voice dripping like molasses.

"Home, the kids are asleep so my job is done here." She said trying to swallow her fear.

"Let me pay you first before you run off."

"Don't worry about it sir." She answered and went to move past him.

"Please. I insist."

Before she could say another word he took hold of her arm, spinning her around he pulled her into his chest and ran his hand gently across her face; wiping away the tears that betrayed her. Pleads went unanswered as he caressed her, running a finger down her cheek and across her lips before moving back upwards and into her hair. Trembling sobs became shrieks of pain. It was no effort for him to drag her by her hair, down through the door beneath the staircase and into the basement where he chained her to the cold cement floor.

"Why are you doing this to me!" she screamed.

One blow of his fist and Erika was out cold, laying face first against the basement floor as her attacker leered over her. A crude tune whistled through his lips as he moved about the dimly lit room, towards a supply cabinet. Taking an old camera from the shelf, he wiped clean the lens with the cuff of his jacket before turning it on. Pictures were taken, the flash lighting up the room for each moment. Tired from the evening, the man then walked back up the stairs and locked the door behind him. The sliding of the bolt meant an end to the night and those who hid in the shadows came forward, their chains only allowing them to move so far. A red headed woman reached a hand out towards Erika as she lay still, gently the freckled fingers stroked her hair as another woman approached, in her hand was a damp sponge and with it she wiped at the blood that wept from Erika's head.

Hours passed and the first light of the day began to creep in through the small barred window, Erika slowly opened her eyes. Shivering, she gingerly pushed herself up onto her side and blinked around the room. Three faces looked back at her through the dull light. Their countenance was low but they each offered a gentle smile. Their clothes were soiled and their hair a mess.

"Who are you?" Erika asked, her voice strained.

"I'm Alex," said the red haired woman. "This is Jane and Beth."