The Babysitter

Night before...

Damien got on to the floor now on all fours.

"Grrrrrrr" he play growled. His messy black hair covered parts of his eyes, but Sander knew he was looking straight at him. Sander at this point was not amused and uncomfortable.

"GRRRRR!" Damien growled louder and jumped toward Sander. Sander screamed and immediately burst into tears, running the opposite way of Damien.

"Nice first impression charmer," Tiffany said sarcastically to the man pretending to be a wolf.

"You told me you played those kind of games," He tried defending himself while standing up.

"Yeah, but he also likes me," Tiffany said walking toward Sander who was hiding under the table. "I'm sorry about that Sander please come back out. Damien is a bit slow."

"HEY!" The man shouted behind her. This made Sander giggle although he still wasn't the most comfortable. He came out from his hiding and ran into Tiffany's arms. She lifted him up and brought him over to Damien. As they walked toward him Sander smelled a nasty scent that he wasn't even sure of what it was yet. It smelled a bit like fire but dirtier. All he knew was the scent was coming out of the stranger in his house.

"I'm sorry about that bud, I'm not so good with kids. I'll get out of your hair now, but Tiff we still on tomorrow?" Damien pulling his car keys out of his pocket.

"Yeah, it's going to be fun. Drive safe, we'll need you" Tiffany smiled. Sander looked at them back and forth as they talked and after hearing that he's grown curious, but mostly confused.

"I wouldn't miss it for anything. And I'll see you tomorrow as well buddy. Maybe I'll have a better impression." Damien said while patting Sander's head. "See ya!" He said now walking out the door and closing it. Tiffany sets down Sander and he runs toward the window. He never saw a car in the driveway so why'd Damien have keys? Sander watched as Damien walked to the end of their driveway and pulled something out of his pocket that looked like a small stick. The man then puts the stick in his mouth and pulls out a lighter to light the end. It was a cigarette. That was the scent Sander smelled, he hadn't smelled them before until now. Sander continued to watch as Damien walked down the street. "Spying?" Tiffany asked the boy. Sander didn't take his gaze off the man. Damien kept down the street until he reached the black dented car. Damien unlocked the car and got into the driver's seat. Sander took his gaze away from the window.

So that was his car. Why'd he park so far?Sander thought to himself. While deep in thought Tiffany snuck up behind him started to tickle his sides. The boy was shocked but immediately started to laugh hysterically.

"Spying gets you tickled and ignoring me means more tickles" Tiffany said smirking as she went for the boy's neck. Sander laughed harder once she started to tickle his neck.

"I'm s-sorry," Sander laughed out.

"Are you really?" Tiffany teased.

"YES!" Sander yelled.

"Alright well then go upstairs and get ready for bed. I know you got to stay up last time, but tomorrow is going to be a fun day, so you need to rest up." Tiffany said while picking up Sander and setting him on the floor.

"Aww but- "Sander was interrupted.

"What did I say?" Tiffany scolded.

Sander sighed and walked to his room like instructed.

8:20PM

"And you brushed your teeth?" Tiffany asked the last question of the usual bedtime interview.

Sander nodded in reply. Tiffany started to walk over to Sander and he knew the drill, so he laid in his bed preparing to be tucked in. Tiffany stopped at his bed and hovered over him like a shadow. Now was usually the part where she tucked him in and kissed him on the forehead goodnight. But instead she just stood there and stared at him. She proceeded to tuck the blanket and then sat next to him on the bed. She extended her arm and stroked his hair, still not saying a word. Tiffany leaned in and gave him a kiss on the forehead and whispered, "Goodnight Sander." After the odd goodnight she quickly left the room, leaving Sander confused. He wasn't even sure what he was confused for, surely it wasn't too far from normal, but something was...off.