DARK AND TWISTED

CHAPTER 12

After spending a day outside, I didn't even remember when I fell asleep. The next thing I knew, I fell off the couch, hitting my body on the wooden floor with a loud thud. I yawned as I rubbed my eyes.

"Hope, wake up!" Suzanne's voice caused me to flinch.

I unlocked the door, opening it, "good morning, Suzanne. Sorry, I overslept." I rubbed my eyes.

"That's fine. I just need to remind you that you have to babysit someone today while we go out. James is his name. His parents and our family have something important to do today, and we don't want James to be bored out of his mind."

"Sure," I suppressed my yawn. "Let me take a shower first."

She tugged my pajamas, "No, no. James is already here waiting for you downstairs."

I followed her from behind. Our feet pounded the wooden stairs, catching people's attention in the living room. She introduced me to James, who was sitting on the couch, smiling at me.

Christian patted me on my shoulder, "We have to help his parents with something important. So, we want you to babysit him, will you?"

"I told her about it," Suzanne informed as she stepped out.

"Yes, sure. I'll try my best to not be boring so he doesn't run away," with that self-deprecating joke out of my mind, I gave Christian a forced smile.

"Give us a call if there's a problem," he left and shut the door.

Dan was sitting on the couch, staring at James, "we're just guests and suddenly, they want us to babysit a kid? Don't they have a nanny here or something?"

"Can't you just do something nice for someone once?" I argued.

James stared at Dan with his lips quivered. Renee ran downstairs while cheering as soon as she saw James.

"Aww, he's so cute," she loved kids.

"Renee, can you look out for him while I take a shower?"

"Sure but I'll go out with Kate and Tessa later. It was Kate's idea," she chewed her lower lip. "She...doesn't want you to go with us. Sorry."

"That's fine. I'm planning to stay in my room anyway," I dashed upstairs. Seriously, that wasn't the first time people didn't invite me to hang out with them.

After I was done with the shower, I put on some comfy clothes and went downstairs to get James. Suzanne asked me to watch him so I must obey her.

I came back and my blood boiled to see Dan ignored James. He looked over Dan's phone but he pretended he wasn't there. How did Dan become my 'friend'? I must be out of my mind.

I let out a sigh as I pulled James away, "So, what do you want to do?"

"Can I draw? I brought my crayons with me," he lifted his bag full of crayons and pencils.

"That's wonderful idea," I glared at Dan on the couch. "Why don't you stay with me so I can watch you draw?"

He ran upstairs while giggling. It made me so happy to see a kid laugh like that. I had to catch up with him so he didn't hurt himself by tripping on the stairs or anything. Once we were inside my room, I pulled out an empty notebook and gave it to him. I wanted to write about my trip inside it but I could do it on my phone.

He snatched the book as he hopped onto the bed and took out his crayons. He insisted me to sit next to him so I climbed onto the bed. He chose a red crayon and began scribbling something. He started telling me about his breakfast, how much he loved the new cereal, and his new bubble bath smelled like mixed berries instead of the ocean breeze.

In a few seconds, something was bizarre about the drawing. I wasn't good at art but I was pretty sure what he drew was something that shouldn't be drawn by a kid. I thought he was doodling something like a red upside-down tree or something but the longer I watched him draw; I noticed he drew something frightening.

I pointed at the drawing, "can I look at your drawing?"

He gave the book to me, watching my reaction with enthusiasm.

There were two humans hanging upside down with puddles of blood underneath them. Their stomachs were coloured black and red, like both of the stomachs were emptied. Like someone harvested their organs. On the side, James drew their guts and arms. My stomach twisted in every possible way.

With my shaking finger, I pointed, "what is this?"

"Food," he answered with a smile plastered on his face.