The Dry Creek Bed

There's A Monster

I was staying over at the next-door neighbour's house. I was babysitting the two kids, Lance and Shelly. They were both very sweet kids and always played together nicely. I brought them a special treat this night and was setting it up in the kitchen. I had brought them some sugar cookies with coloured icing to decorate them. "Ms Kelly?" I heard a little voice behind me. It was Shelly. Shelly was only 7 and Lance was 9. "What's up kiddo?" I asked, squatting down to her level. "It's Lance...he's acting weird. He won't play with me" Shelly pouted. "Oh, I'm sure he's just tired or something." I reassured her. She nodded and smiled. "Ok!" and she went off into the living room. Now it was time to check on Lance. I walked up the stairs and to his room. "Lance?" I asked while lightly rapping on his doorframe. No answer. I went to turn the doorknob. Locked. "Lance you okay buddy?" I asked, rapping again. Yet again, no response. "I'm going to have to ask you to let me in buddy," I said sternly. The door opened and there was Lance, standing there. In a completely dark room. "Yes Ms Kelly?" he asked. "How 'bout we come downstairs and do a little activity before dinner?" I told him and held my hand out for him to hold. He just stared at me, so I lowered it. I started walking downstairs and he followed me, almost too quietly. "Hey Shelly come to the kitchen I have something!" I yelled in the general direction of the living room. She came running in, looking scared. "Whoa, what's wrong kiddo?" I was concerned. "There's a monster Ms Kelly!" she yelled and clung to my legs. I figured it was just a little kid's hyper imagination and hoisted her up. "It's okay it was probably just a shadow or a tree branch," I said soothingly. "O-okay" she whimpered and pressed her face into my chest. I walked into the kitchen to find Lance sitting statue still in his seat. He was staring emptily into nothing. I set Shelly down on a chair and went into the kitchen to grab the tin of cookies and icing. When I came back, Shelly looked frightened. I patted her head and sat down. I gave each of them a cookie and little bowls of pre-made icing. The cookie making was a good distraction for Shelly and she seemed to forget about the thing that frightened her. Lance, however, didn't touch a single thing. "Lance? Are you okay? Do you feel sick or anything?" I reached over and patted his shoulder. He was ice-cold. I jerked my hand back. "No, I'm fine. I'd like to go to bed, may I be excused?" he stared right at me with a piercing gaze. "U-uh sure" I nodded and gulped a little. I watched his stiff movements and he pushed his chair back and walked away, up the stairs and to his room. I looked over at Shelly. "That's a very pretty flower," I told her, looking at her cookie. It was mostly smudged icing with a yellow circle in the middle, but she was only 7. "Ms Kelly?" she piqued up. "Yes?" I responded. "Do you know why Lance is acting like that?" She was completely focused on her cookie. "I think he might be sick or tired," I told her. I looked over at the other cookie Shelly had made and was slightly disturbed. It was a smear of red and black, all smudged and dripping off the edges. In the centre was a smiley face that looked crudely finger made. "Shelly, what's that cookie?" I asked, pointing over to it. Her little face twisted to confusion. "Those weren't the colours I used, and there was no smiley face" she looked scared. "I used pink and blue and drew a little heart". Now I was freaked out. I decided to let Shelly finish her cookie before getting up and making a frozen pizza. But I made Shelly stay near me. I had just popped the pizza into the oven when Shelly stood, frozen looking and mouth agape. I followed her gaze and saw the basement door wide open. I hadn't opened it, and Shelly's surprised face told me she hadn't either. I scooped her up and turned the oven off. I grabbed a flashlight, a couple of water bottles and a few breakfast bars. "C'mon we're gonna do an adventure together," I told her. I crept up the stairs and knocked on Lance's door. This time he immediately answered and followed me. No questions, nothing. I went into their parent's bedroom and locked the door. I sat them on the bed and pulled my phone out. I gave them some paper from their father's desk and some crayons to colour with while I called the cops.

"911 what's your emergency?"

"Hi, I think there's an intruder in the house," I said quietly. I didn't want the kids to get scared.

"And where do you live ma'am?"

"Fox quarry lane, house 202," I told her.

"Alright ma'am we'll send someone out. It should be only a few minutes but fox quarry is a little way out. Are you securely locked in a room?"

"Yes, and I have two kids with me. I'm babysitting and their parents won't be home until late" I informed them.

"Okay ma'am I'd like to stay on the line with you until the dispatch arrives"

"That'll be fine". I was now getting scared. Had I left the door unlocked? A window cracked? Was this going to be my fault? I sat on the bed with the two kids and smiled. "What are y'all drawing?" I said, leaning over to see. Shelly's drawing was happy, with butterflies and clouds. But Lance's was dark and disturbing. He had used the black crayon down to a nub, coating the whole page in it. But right in the centre were two, large, bright red circles. "What's that Lance?" I asked, creeped out and concerned. "The man who watches you while you sleep downstairs" he responded. My heart raced. "Who?" I calmly said, taking the drawing from him. He grabbed the edge of the paper and said, sternly "Give that back".

"Ma'am the dispatch is only 8 minutes away" I had completely forgotten the 911 lady was on the phone. Lance's eyes widened. "He won't like that," he said, staring directly at me. "Who won't like that?" I questioned, now tugging on the edge of paper I held. Lance looked scared. "He wants me to hurt you," he told me. His hands were shaking and Shelly was staring at him, fear painted bright on her face. I pulled her into my lap. "Let's just stay in here, we'll be ok." A loud thump rang out on the door. Shelly screamed and held onto me. Lance seemed weirdly okay and at ease with the noise. He was sitting stiff and straight, looking directly at the closet door. I looked over too. The doorknob turned. The door creaked open. Standing in the shadows looked like a tall man with jagged teeth and bright red eyes. He reached a handout and beckoned for Lance to come to him. And he did. Lance stood up and started walking towards the figure. I grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. He snapped around and his eyes were bloody holey pits. He screamed at me, his mouth opening dark and like a pit. I screamed and Shelly fell limp against my body. Lance completed his walk and reached the man in the closet. The door slammed shut and with a long, terrifying scream, I knew I would never see Lance again. When the police arrived and I explained everything to them, Shelly backing me up didn't believe me. They asked me if I was on any drugs, taking any pills, or had a history of schizophrenia in my family. I frustratingly told them no and pointed to the closet with a horrified look. "Just look in there!" I yelled, clutching Shelly onto me. "Ma'am I'm going to have to ask you to let go of the child" a police officer informed me. "No!" I screamed and held onto Shelly tighter. The images of Lance and his face were still burned under my eyelids. The cop forced me away from Shelly and roughly shoved me into a cop car. A long black figure with bright, red eyes stared at me from the window as the car was driving away. It waved a long, slow-wave, and then I lost sight of the house.