The Sleeping Child

I rang the doorbell and almost instantly, Ms. Stevens appeared.
"Shh!" She whispered. "Matty is sleeping!" I looked at my watch at it was only 6 o'clock. These new parents were overly protective..even if it meant getting a good night's sleep. "I'll be gone until about 11 or 12. Feel free to eat anything or watch TV or go on the computer. But DO NOT wake up my Matty. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow and he needs his sleep! I don't want you up there unless he cries. You hear me?" I nodded slightly. Most families I babysit for specifically ask me to check on their child, but whatever.

Ms. Stevens left and I turned on the TV. Nothing but Glee! was on so I watched old reruns. 9 o'clock hit and nothing was on TV so I went upstairs to find a book to read, as there were none downstairs. I tiptoed past Matty's room and heard a small snore. Satisfied that I knew he was alive, I grabbed a book and read until I fell asleep.

I heard the front door open and there was Ms. Stevens. I looked at my watch and it was 12:30. "Had fun?" I said, trying not to be too loud. 

Ms. Stevens smiled and whispered excitedly, "Yes!"  I smiled back warmly, wondering if I should ask for my money or just wait. "I'm going to head upstairs to grab your money and check on Matty. I'll be down in a jiffy!" She scurried upstairs and I started fold my blanket and gather my things.

A few seconds later, I heard a loud scream. I ran upstairs to Matty's room to find a horrified Ms. Stevens. I looked at the bed to see a bloody child with a slit throat. I gasped and started crying. Someone must have killed Matty while I was sleeping, but I looked like the murderer. I bawled my eyes out with Ms. Stevens. After 5 minutes, she looked at me. Not with anger, but fear. I started blubbering, "I'm so sorry. Your child, I...I didn't check on him but I should have." I kept crying, but Ms. Stevens stopped.

"Matty doesn't exist," She whispered. I nodded, saying I'm sorry for letting this happen. "No no no no." She said. "He didn't exist at all. This was a prank. I don't have a child, I'm only 20 years old.  This was a prank and I was supposed to come upstairs and see no child and scare you. It was a dare." My eyes widened in fear as hers were. We both looked at the bed, but the murdered child's body was gone, with only a blood stained outline remaining on the bed.