Diana Lynch carefully brushed the lavender polish over her long nails. She wasn’t due for a manicure until next week but she felt like a different shade of purple.

She paused once, listening for the little brats upstairs. She hadn’t wanted to babysit tonight but her parents had asked at the last minute, promising a special shopping trip as payment.

Bobby Belden was spending tonight as well. Normally Diana adored all three boys but tonight she was restless, and on edge. The news had been reporting an escaped convict on the loose, and while he was believed to be far from Sleepyside, Diana was still on edge. She thought about calling the others to come join her but she didn’t want to be teased. Mart and Dan would tease her, Jim and Brian would calmly explain there was nothing to be worried about.

For the umpteenth time, she got up and checked the security system on the house. Still armed.

Returning to her nail polish and an episode of Full House, she tried to not think about the escaped prisoner. Halloween was in a few days, and every channel was running either a Halloween-themed regular show or a scary film. There was no way she was watching Nightmare on Elm Street Part-Whatever it was. She had channel flipped earlier and seen enough of that in the short time she stared at the screen.

Harrison had the night off, which was usually okay with Diana but she really wouldn’t have minded the company. The big sliding glass door that led to the veranda suddenly didn’t seem so charming. Outside, the trees would be barren, the ground at freezing temperatures.

A loud noise outside brought her sitting straight up on the sofa. Heart thumping, she walked to the sliding door and peeked around the corner. There was nothing out there she could see, but suddenly, the trees that surrounded the property felt very menacing.

Deciding she had had enough of the downstairs, she picked up the remote to turn off the tv and the phone rang. Hoping it was Trixie or Honey, she reached for it eagerly.

“Lynch residence,” she said primly.

There was no answer, just heavy breathing.

“Hello?” she asked politely.

The breathing continued.

“Hello?” Now she was annoyed. When there was no answer, she hung up, annoyed. Her prior fear was forgotten and she resettled herself on the sofa.

A few moments later, the phone rang again. Diana reached for it.

“Lynch residence,” she repeated.

More breathing.

“Mart, this isn’t funny,” she snapped, hanging up.

Tense and annoyed, she decided some hot cocoa was in order. She paused at the stairs, listening. She could hear faint laughter. The boys were entertaining themselves, probably with the new Nintendo system.

Heading into the kitchen, she put milk on the stove to heat, trying not to look at the door leading outside.

The phone rang again and Diana almost didn’t pick it up. On the fourth ring she gave in.

“Lynch residence,” she snapped.

More heavy breathing. Then a faint, crackly voice whispered, “Diana…”

“Mart, Dan, you’re going to be in big trouble for this!” she warned before hanging up.

When the milk was warm, she added it to the cocoa powder she had put in a mug.

After a good stirring, she sipped it. The phone rang again.

“This isn’t funny!” she barked into the phone.

“Diana…I want you…” the crackly, faint voice came.

“Pervert! I’m calling the police!” She hung up.

On her way back to the living room, she paused at the stairs. There were two lines in the house--hers, and the family line.

Setting her cocoa down, she crept up the stairs quietly. She wouldn’t put it past those boys…

But she could hear them in the twins’ room, the door was partly open. There wasn’t a phone in their room either.

“Watch out, Terry! He almost got you that time!”

“I know what I’m doing! I’ll get him in a minute!”

“Nah, I’m gonna kick your butt!” Bobby replied gleefully.

Diana could hear the beeps and music of the video game.

Feeling uncomfortable, she returned downstairs, glancing at the sliding glass door.

She sat on the edge of the sofa, sipping her cocoa.

The phone rang again and the hair on the back of her neck stood up.

“Lynch residence,” she said in a small voice.

The now familiar breathing was there. “I’m coming for you.”

“Mart, stop it!” she snapped. “I know this is you!”

“I’m coming for you, Diana,” the voice rasped. “I’m getting closer.”

Diana slammed the phone down, her heart pounding. It had to be Mart. Probably Dan too. Jerks. She’d show them. Picking up the phone, she dialed the police.

“Sleepyside Police Department, Officer Webster,” came the cherry voice.

“Spider?” Diana asked, relieved.

“Who’s’ asking?” he laughed.

“This is Diana Lynch.”

“Hi, Diana. Are you all right?”

“I’m not sure. I’m here with the twins and Bobby Belden, and someone keeps calling me. He just kind of pants into the phone and the last couple calls, he started saying he as coming for me and he said my name.” Diana didn’t realize her voice was climbing in pitch.

“Is this one of your BWGS playing a prank on you?” Spider asked.

“I—I don’t think so,” she said. “But it’s really creeping me out.”

“Ok, here’s what I’ll do. Try to keep him on the line and we’ll put a trace on it. If you can hold him for a couple of minutes, that would help. It’s probably someone just pranking you.” Spider tried to calm the girl.

She was alone in that big house out on Glen Road. The Belden and Wheeler places weren’t too far away, but he didn’t like the thought of the young girl there by herself this late at night. Three eight year old boys weren’t much help.

After Diana hung up with Spider, she sat nervously on the couch. Maybe she should bring the boys down here. Maybe she was overreacting, she though tin disgust. Trixie wouldn’t be sitting here, shaking.

“You’re just being a chicken, Diana Lynch,” she said.

The phone rang again. Diana snatched it up.

“What?”

“I’m coming for you, Diana,” the voice was still thin and raspy. She couldn’t tell if it was Dan or Mart.

“Look, you pervert, I’ve called the police and you’re going to be in trouble!”

The voice wheezed and she realized it was a laugh.

“I’ll be there before they can be…in fact, I’m already here. I know your alarm code.”

“You do not,” she said, suddenly cold.

“Seven two four…”

Diana gasped. This wasn’t Mart or Dan.

She slammed the phone down as tears caught in her throat.

The phone rang again. She let it ring, finally picking it up with a whispered, “What?”

“Diana, this is Spider. I’m on my way. Get out of the house, right now. He’s calling from your other extension!”

Diana hung up. She had to get the boys. But what if the caller was up there already? What if he was in the basement?

Fear and adrenaline surged through her and she raced up the stairs. “Terry! Larry! Bobby! Come here, now!”

There was no answer and her heart pounded in her ears as she raced to their room and threw open the door.

“Boys, now—“ Diana screamed, louder than she ever had in her life.

Blood was splattered across the room. One twin lay on his bed, his head hanging over the edge of it, covered in blood. Bobby was on the floor, face down, but she’d know those curls anywhere. The other twin was flung over the desk. The window was open, the icy air from the evening blowing in.

Diana bolted from the room, screaming for help. Dear God, the boys! Racing down the stairs she ran for the door, not thinking about a coat. Throwing it open she ran, headed for the preserve and Crabapple Farm, her nearest neighbors.

Through the dead trees she saw the red and blue police lights and ran for the car.

In the house, Bobby Belden poked his head up.

“Did you ever hear her scream so loud?” he asked in wonder.

Terry popped up from his place over the desk and laughed. “That was sooo rad!”

Larry giggled as he sat up. “Man, this syrup stuff is awesome. A little food color and she totally fell for it.”

“Couldn’t have done it without Mart’s karaoke machine,” Bobby said happily. “Distorting our voices was genius.”

“Let’s get this cleaned up before Mom and Dad get home,” Terry grinned.

The three were about to strip off their corn syrup covered shirts when they saw the flashing lights outside.

“That’s the police,” Bobby paled.

“She really did call them?” Larry was stunned.

Terry ran and put his head out the window to look. “There are three of them!”

“We’re in so much trouble,” Bobby moaned.

Author's Notes

-The boys were in big trouble indeed-with the police and their parents. And with Mart, for using his machine. They worked a lot of community service hours through the winter – outside.
-Happy Halloween!
- A huge thank you to my partner in crime Ryl, for teaming up with me to make up the challenge, and for editing this so quickly!
-Written for the Jixemitri 2009 Halloween Challenge! I chose the classic "Babysitter" urban legend. - Blood graphic from newscientist.com
-Word Count, 1,494