The Boogeyman

A Story by Rachel

Laurie hates her job at the diner, so she calls for a babysitting job. She thinks it will be easy. After all, the kid is asleep. She is being paid to watch TV. How hard can it be? Copyright 2015.

The Boogeyman

Laurie hated her job at the diner. She hated her boss, a fat, greasy man with thinning brown hair and beady eyes that narrowed when he got angry and yelled, which was often. She hated how she always smelled like grease and smoke after work. She hated the customers, who were so demanding and rude most of the time. Laurie wanted a new way to make money, so when she was waiting at the bus stop after work one day and saw the flyer with the words “babysitter wanted” in fat bold letters on the top, she went over to check it out.

The flyer was written in bold, black ink on plain white paper: BABYSITTER WANTED. 132 Hyacinth Lane. We want someone who can be able to sit regularly. Please contact 523-555-5535 for details if you are interested.

Laurie pulled out her cell phone and started to dial. After three rings, someone picked up. “Hello?” said a smooth, pleasant sounding man’s voice. “Yes, my name is Laurie Oakes I am calling about the babysitting job. I saw the flyer.” “Oh, yes,” the voice said, “my name is Charles Jacobs, my wife Linda and I need a sitter for our son, Marcus. He’s four years old and will be asleep most nights. He’s a very calm kid, no allergies, sweet disposition. So, would you be interested?”

Laurie thought that this man sounded nice enough. Anything would be better than the job she had now. She decided she’d quit her job in the morning. Laurie nearly laughed aloud thinking of how mad her boss would get. She pictured him yelling, how his face always turned eggplant purple and his eyes narrowed. Not anymore, she thought. He can’t control me anymore. No more grease, no more obnoxious boss. She was free! “Laurie? Hello?” she realized she was still on the phone. “Oh, sorry, I got lost in thought. Yes, that sounds great.” “Good!” Mr. Jacobs said, “Can you sit tonight?” Laurie agreed to babysit that night at 8:00.

That night, the bus dropped her at a stop near the Jacobs’ house. She walked over to the house, a large, old mansion and knocked on the door. The door swung open, and a tall, elegant, thirty-something woman stood there. She had piercing green eyes and long brown hair. “You must be Laurie,” she said, “come on in. I’m Linda Jacobs.” Laurie was surprised. “Hello,” she said. Suddenly, a man rushed down the stairs. “Laurie?” She nodded. “Great to meet you. I’m Charles. Marcus is asleep, you should be set for the night. He pulled out some crisp bills from his wallet. “Here’s some money for pizza,” he said. He gave Laurie his phone number and his wife’s. “We should be back around 1:00,” he said.

Once they left, Laurie didn’t know what to do. She wandered into the living room and switched on the TV. She watched for a while, until, at around 9:00, she heard the crying. She ran upstairs to the boy’s room, which Linda had shown her earlier in case. Marcus, a cute four year old with light blonde hair and green eyes like his mother’s, was crying. “What’s wrong?” Laurie asked. Marcus’ wide eyes were tear filled. He pointed to the closet. “There’s someone in there!” he said. Laura smiled. Kids and their boogeymen. “There’s nothing in the closet, look, I’ll show you.” She walked over and peered into the closet. There was nothing but clothes and toys. She opened the door wider. “See, nothing.” Marcus nodded. “Okay. What’s your name?” “I’m Laurie, the babysitter,” she said.

Once Marcus settled down, Laurie read him a story, and soon he was asleep again. Laurie wandered downstairs and sat back down in front of the TV. After a while, she got bored and took out her laptop. She browsed for a while, and decided to call her boss to quit. After all, this family seemed great. She pulled out her phone and dialed the diner. “Walter’s Diner, can I help you?” “Tina? It’s Laurie. Is Walter around?” Tina went to get him. “Yeah?” Laurie hated that about him also. Why couldn’t he just say “hello” like normal people? “I quit.” There. Get right to the point. “Excuse me? Who is this?” “It’s Laurie Oakes.” There was a long pause, after which Walter began yelling at her. This went on for about a minute. “Walter, shut up!” she said, “I said I quit. I’m done being bullied by you. Goodbye.” She hung up and did a little victory dance around the house. She was finally free!

Her euphoria was shattered when she heard Marcus crying again. Once again, she ran upstairs to find Marcus pointing at the closet. “Marcus, I told you there’s nothing in there!” Laura went to the closet to show him, and suddenly, something moved in the shadows. It was very subtle, but there, a slight movement, an outline of a figure. Someone was in there. Laurie felt a chill run down her spine. “Marcus, go downstairs and play,” she said, “go into the playroom and lock the door.” “But, I’m scared Laurie,” Marcus whined. “Marcus, do what I say please,” Laurie said. Sobbing, Marcus went downstairs.

Laurie tentatively crept toward the closet. She stopped. Grabbed a bat as a weapon. Cliché but useful. “Who’s there?” she was horrified that her voice shook a bit. Was she really afraid of a closet? She’d probably just been seeing things when she saw the shadow. Sure enough, she looked in the closet only to find…nothing. Juts the same toys and clothes. She moved the clothing aside. Nothing was there.

She went downstairs. “Marcus, you can come back up now.” No answer. “Marcus?” She walked upstairs back into the kid’s room, and gasped. “Marcus, you almost gave me a heart attack, I thought I told you to stay in the playroom!” Marcus smiled, safe in his bed. “I’m fine now, Laurie. Can you just read me a story and I’ll go to bed?” Laurie sighed. This kid had scared her for nothing. “Okay,” she sighed. After the story, Marcus still was not asleep. Check under my bed for monsters,” he demanded. “Okay,” Laurie said. She felt another chill, and chided herself. She wasn’t a small child, she told herself. She had nothing to fear. She knelt down and glanced under the bed. And screamed. A figure was under the bed. It was Marcus. “I think there’s something in my bed,” he whispered, and Laurie felt cold arms grab her around the neck.