What Night Brings

Good Night

I sat on a stool at the breakfast bar while Jimmy rummaged through the cupboards looking for a snack. I watched him push his too long bangs out of his eyes a few times while shaking a box of Cheese Nips, his bottom lip jutted out in a pout as he did so. "Need a hair cut bud?" I say.

"Yeah, mommy said she'd take me tomorrow when she gets back." He replied before jumping off the counter holding the box of food in his left hand, "Can you get me a drink?" He asked me sweetly fluttering his eye lashes at me. I was so jealous of him, so many boys I know have such gorgeous, long eyelashes. It's so unfair because eit's not like guys need long thick lashes like girls do.

"Sure thing." I get up and walk to the fridge, I open the fridge door, obscuring my view of Jimmy as I pushed a milk carton aside trying to decide whether he she have juice, water or milk.

"There's a scary man in there." Jimmy said suddenly, he sounded as though stating a fact.

I jumped at the sound of his voice, a few seconds later the meaning of his words registered in my mind, my eyes widened and my heart sped up. I spun around immediately letting the fridge door slam shut. I looked around wildly seeing Jimmy standing across the room from me staring at the cupboard door located under the sink. I felt my panic rising, "What?" I ask slowly.

"Under the sink, they is a scary man under there, he'll come out if we sing a scary song."

I let out the breath I hadn't realized I was holding, oh thank god. He was just joking. I place a hand over my chest where my heart is, I felt it beating quickly beneath my hot skin, I mentally willed myself to calm down, I was never this jumpy before so why now? Something about this house, about Jimmy just set me on edge and i couldn't help the hairs on my neck from standing on end.

Jimmy opened his mouth and started to say something under his breath, after a few seconds I realized that he was singing something but he was singing it to quietly for me to be able to figure out what he was saying. I crossed the room with a few long strides and clamped my hand over his mouth, "Alright, enough of that." I say forcing a smile and willing myself to sound casual.

"Okay-" He was cut off by a long yawn, when he finished he blinked up at me tiredly, "Can you put me to bed now?"

"Of coarse, go upstairs and brush your teeth okay?" He nodded and twirled around on his heels and skipped off toward the stairs. I was about to follow after him when I stopped and glanced back at the cupboard. I cautiously opened the door a bit before peering through the crack I had made. It was empty save for some cleaning supplies. I let out another breath, that kid is so getting to me." I mumble before hurrying up the stairs letting the cupboard door close softly behind me.

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"Alright Jimmy, time to go to seep." I say softly after he brushed his teeth, I helped his change into his pajamas and then read him a short bed time story. He gave me a soft smile that made my heart clenth and feel bad for ever thinking him to be weird. He was just so cute and innocent. I felt foolish for feeling on edge around him. 

I stood up and walked over to the crib to check on the baby and saw that she was fast asleep. She was one of the best most well behaved babies I have ever had the change to meet, I swear I half expected her to wake up and start crying any minute but that never happened.

I creep out of the room making sure to turn off the light quickly leaving the door open a crack so the light form the hall way bled into the room. I turn away form the door and walk down stairs after grabbing the baby moniter. I walk to the basement and begin to clean up all of the toys that were scattered around the room form even brfore I had shown up.

That was one thing I always did when babysitting, clean up the house so the parents would want me to come back. I go to the closet and try to open the door but notice it is locked, I remmeber Jimmy telling me that's where his parents put all of the toys and they locked it so that Jimmy couldn't make a huge mess when they weren't home.

I scan the room and find a little shelf next to the door, I slide my hand across it and my fingeres brush a key, my hand jerking back on its own accord due to how cold the metal was. I pick it up and slowly unlock the door.

I open it just a little so that I could peer inside. It looked like a normal closet with shelves overflowing with toys. I open the door all the way and begin to put all of the toys in the room into the closet. I glance around the masement again while surpressing a shiver.

The room looked cozy at first glance, large and open, soft while carpet shelves with books and ,movies in one corner. Two large couches in the opposite facing a large flat screen TV hanging on a wall. Despite this it still felt eery to me, I chalked it up to me just not liking basements.

When I was younger, about 5 I remember that the house I had lived in was old and rickety. I had been playing a game with my uncle. Hide and Seek I think it was, he was the seeker.

I'd always been good at the game, the trick was to never stay in one play. My favorite way to play was follow the person who was 'It' of coarse I followed him around as he looked for me like always. I was a small kid, really light which meant that the floor hardly even made a sound when I stepped on a loose floorboard.

He had looked every were, my uncle Kyle that is but he coudn't find me. Finally he decided to check the basement. My basement was really old, more like a celar than a room, unfinished. It had cold metal floors and walls with a large amount of boxes and old things that my parents had put down there for storage.

Uncle Kyle turned on the lightand walked down the old steps, I naturally followed him. When he couldn't find me he turned around to head back up the stairs, to avoid him seeing, I remember diving into a room. I heard Uncle Kyle climb the stairs so I slowly crawled out of the room. I was just about the follow him up the stairs when the lights turned off and I heard the door shut.

I was about to run up stairs and band on the door when I ran into something. It was pitch black, I couldn't see anything, I fell.

I don't remember what happened after that, I just know that I had it my head off of a table. I had been stuck down there for an hour bleeding out on the floor. That's what my mother told me anyways.

I shudder at the memory and put it out of my mind before stacking the toys in the closet I was about to close the door when I saw one last toy sitting on the couch, I walk over to it and pick it up. Walking back to the closet I try to find space to put it without toppling everything else over. Finally I find one spot and step into the closet. I stand on my tip toes to reach the top of a pile and place the toy down gently and hold my breath cautiosly for a few moments waiting for everything to come crashing down. It doesn't. I take a step back sill keeping and eye on the pile.

"I can't sleep." I drowsy voice says out of nowhere abd my heart rate tripled as I spun around in shock, the hand I had slapped over my mouth didn't help conceal my squeak of fear. I almost ran into the wall in my haste but jerk to the side just in time, I look over at the doorway that lead to the hallway and saw Jimmy standing there watching me calmly.

I ignore the eery look he has on his face, instead I ask, "What are you doing Jimmy? You're suposed to be asleep."

"I can't." He repeats.

I stand here watching him, I lean heavily against the wall. I still wait for my heart to calm down. It doesn't.

"What can I do to help munchkin?" I ask finally.

Jimmy shrugs before gesturing for me to follow him, "Can you read me anoher story?"

I glance down at my watch quickly, "I really shouldn't, you need to go to sleep Jimmy. How about I make you a deal? You go to sleep now and i'll tell your parents how amazing you were. Maybe I can talk them into getting you a new toy or something, how 'bout that?"

Jimmy nodded excitedly, "Okay!"