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Ping paced up to the door of her new job as a babysitter, her hands clenched into fists. Mr and Mrs Johnson had hired her to look after their seven children while they went on holiday. Ringing the doorbell, she couldn't help feeling overwhelmed by the responsibility.
The door opened to reveal a chaotic scene inside. Seven young children, all under five, were running around, laughing, and playing. Their parents, in a hurry to leave, quickly handed Ping a stack of instructions and emergency contact numbers before kissing their children goodbye and heading out the door.
The front door closed behind them. Ping took a deep breath and turned to the children. "Hello there! My name is Ping. I'll be your babysitter while your parents are away."
"Well, hello there!" Ping tried to sound cheerful, but the children's indifference stung a little. Some of them continued to play, while others openly mocked her, giggling at her attempts to engage them.
"Boys, let's all be nice to Ping," one of the older boys said, but his words were met with more laughter. Ping felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment and frustration. How could she possibly win these children over when they seemed so opposed to her?
Just then, a little girl with big, innocent eyes looked up at Ping and asked, "Can you tell us a story? Her question surprised Ping, but it also gave her an idea. If she could win this child over, perhaps the others would follow.
"Of course, sweetheart!"
"Hey, Ping! Why don't you tell us a scary story instead? That'll show us how brave you are!" Max taunted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. The innocent big girl glared at him, clearly upset by his rudeness. "No, Max! We want to hear a nice story," she protested, trying to push her brother away. Their bickering attracted the attention of the other children, who began to take sides, either agreeing with Max or defending the big girl. Feeling the tension in the room escalate, Ping decided to intervene. "All right, all right. How about a story that's both exciting and funny?" She tried to sound confident, hoping to defuse the situation.
"Once upon a time, there was a tiny baby who was swallowed by a huge, hungry monster. "But instead of being digested like everyone else, the baby started growing inside the monster's stomach! The monster couldn't believe it; he had never seen anything like it before. As the baby grew, it began to stretch the walls of the monster's stomach, causing it pain and discomfort. Ping paused, waiting for the children's reaction. Most of them were listening intently now, even Max, who had stopped teasing for a moment. "Eventually, the baby grew so big that it burst out of the monster's stomach, knocking it unconscious. But instead of killing the monster, the baby decided to keep it alive and use it as a new home. From that day on, the baby lived inside the monster's body, controlling its movements and growing even bigger.
Max's eyes lit up with excitement as he stood up with his hands in the air. "I want to be that baby! Can I be the big, strong baby that lives inside the monster?" He asked eagerly, already imagining himself as the hero of the story. Ping smiled and nodded. "Of course, Max! You can be the baby. Now let's all imagine that we're inside the monster's body and feel the baby grow bigger and stronger." The other children joined in, giggling and imagining themselves inside the monster's belly. Max and the other children, caught up in the excitement of the story, began to suggest role-playing scenarios. Max insisted that Ping should be the monster, while another child wanted to be the baby. Ping was taken aback by their eagerness but saw it as an opportunity to bond with the children and entertain them.
