Author's note: So this is my first book no hate please thanks guys. So I changed the main character's because it felt weird having my name.
Mommy forgot to warn the new babysitter about the basement. Violet teetered on the top step, chubby hands reaching up to clutch both railings, her arms shaking so much she could barely hang on. Her legs shook, too, the Dora the Explorer heads on her slippers bobbing.
"Violet?" Amanda's muffled voice drifted up from the dark basement.
"Your mom said the Coke's in the cold cellar, but I can't find it. Can you come down and help me?"
Mommy said she told Amanda about the basement. Violet was sure of it. She closed her eyes and thought hard. Before mommy and daddy left for the party, she'd been playing in the TV room, Mommy had called Violet, and Violet had run into the front hall where Mommy had scooped her onto a hug, laughing, when Violet's doll poked her eye.
"I see you're playing with Princess- I mean Pirate Cinderella. Has she rescued poor Prince Charming from the evil step-mother yet?"
Violet shook her head then whispered, "Did you tell Amanda about the basement?"
"I most certainty did. No basements for Miss Violet. That door stays closed." When Daddy came around the corner, Mommy said, "We really need to talk about moving, David."
"Say the word and the sign goes up." Daddy ruffled Violet's hair. "Be good for Amanda, kiddo."
And then they were gone.
"Violet, I know you can hear," Amanda yelled.
Violet peeled her fingers from the railing and stuck then in her ears.
"Violet!"
"I c-can't go in the basement," Violet called. "I-I'm not allowed."
"Well, I'm in charge and I say you are. You're a big girl."
Violet made her feet move down one step. The back of her throat hurt and everything looked fuzzy, like she was going to cry.
"Violet Lopez, you have five seconds or I'll drag you down here and lock the door."
Violet raced down the steps so fast her feet tangled and she tumbled into a heap on the landing. She lay there, ankle throbbing, tears burning her eyes as she peered into the basement, with its creeks, smells, and shadows. And Mrs. Lottie.
There'd been others before Mrs. Lottie scared them away. Like old Mr. Malley who'd play peek-a-boo with Violet and called her Mary. And Mrs. Draken, who'd ask weird questions, like whether anyone lived on the moon yet, and most of the times Violet didn't know the answer, but she'd still smile and tell her that she was a good girl.
She use to like coming downstairs and talking to the people. All she had to do was not look behind the furnace, where a man hung from the ceiling, his face all purple and puffy. He never said anything, but seeing him always made Violet's tummy hurt.
"Violet?" Amanda's muffled voice called. "Are you coming?"
Mommy would say "Think about the good points. not the bad." So Violet walked down the last three steps, she remembered Mr. Malley and Mrs. Draken and she didn't think about Mrs. Lottie at all... or not very much.
At the bottom, she squinted into the near darkness. Just the night lights were on, the ones Mommy had put everywhere when Violet started saying she didn't want to go downstairs and Mommy thought she was afraid of the dark, which was a little, but only because the dark meant Mrs. Lottie could sneak up on her.
Violet could see the cold cellar door, though, so she kept her eyes on that and walked as fast as she could. When something moved, she forgot about not looking, but it was only the hanging man, and all she could see was his hand from behind the furnace as he swayed.
She ran to the cold cellar door and yanked it open. Inside, it was pitch black.
"Violet?" Amanda called from the darkness.
Violet clenched her fists. Now Amanda was being really mean. Hiding on her-
Footsteps pattered overhead. Mommy? Home already?
"Come on, Violet. You aren't afraid of the dark, are you?" Amanda laughed. "I guess you're still a little baby after all."
Violet scowled. Amanda didn't know anything. Just a stupid, mean girl. Violet would get her coke, then run upstairs and tell Mommy, and Amanda would never babysit her again.
She leaned into the tiny room, trying to remember where Mommy kept the coke. That was it on the shelf, wasn't it? She darted over and stood on her tiptoes, then her fingers closed around a cool metal can.
"Violet? Violet?" It was Amanda's voice, but far away, shrill.
Footsteps pounded across the floor overhead. "Violet, where are you?"
Violet dropped the can. It hit the concrete with a crack, then rolled against her foot, hissing and spitting, soda pooling around her slippers.
"Violet, Violet, where are you?" mimicked a voice behind her, like Amanda's, but not quite.
Violet turned slowly.
In the doorway stood an old woman in a purple housecoat, her eyes and teeth glittering in the dark. Mrs. Lottie. Violet wanted to squeeze her eyes shut, but she didn't dare because it only made her madder, made everything worse.
Mrs. Lottie's skin rippled and squirmed. Then it went black and shiny, crackling like twigs in a campfire. Big chunks fell off, plopping onto the floor. Her hair sizzled and burned away. And then there was nothing left but a skull dotted with scarps of blackened flesh. The jaws opened, the teeth still glittering.
"Welcome back, Violet."
