“Kayla, can we play a game?” asks Ariana.
“Not now I’m busy,” I reply. Ariana looks away sadly.
Hi, my name is Kayla and I am a 15 year old girl who is babysitting two five year-olds named Ariana and Keegan. I am not a big fan of these kids so I don’t pay attention to them at all.
Ariana is probably the most annoying girl you’ll ever meet. She will beg you constantly to do anything with her. She’s one of those people you really just want to punch in the face. Yeah, she’s five, but she interferes with your life, well mine at least.
I can probably blame my mom for making me meet these brats. See, this morning, I was at my boyfriend’s house. We were cuddling on the couch, when my phone went off. I sat up and looked at the caller’s ID. It was my mom. Like seriously, why would my mom call me when I’m at my boyfriend’s house? So, I answered, and she told me to come home because I had to babysit these two kids. So now I’m here. Welcome to my worst nightmare!
I’m interrupted from my thoughts when a beep goes off and I groan. I stand up and walk towards the microwave. Out I pull a bowl of macaroni and cheese.

“Here’s your dinner kids!” I yell. The kids start running down the stairs and into the kitchen.

“I am so hungry!” Keegan screams. He flashes his toothless smile. I dump the cheese packet into the macaroni and shove a spoon in the bowl. I tell Keegan to stir it and go eat it. I sigh and walk back to the couch. I sit down and turn on the television.

“Can I have some food Kayla?” Ariana asks nervously.

“Go share with your stupid brother,” I answer annoyed.

“I don’t want to though!” Ariana replies.

“Then go make it yourself,gosh!” I scream to Ariana. My words seem to echo in the room. Ariana’s eyes start tearing up as she runs up the stairs. I start to feel a little sorry but I’m their boss for the night, they should listen to me.

“Wait, Ari, you can have my food,” Keegan says.

“No!” Ari screams and slams her door shut. Keegan looks down at his food and eats it as fast as he can. He looks at me to see what I am doing. I try to act like I don’t notice his eyes staring at me. He should really get a life. Mind your own business please.
I look away from Keegan and onto the computer screen. I am Skyping a hot boy who is wondering what I am up to and where I am. So of course I tell him. I tell this boy that I am babysitting two stupid toddlers alone on West Nation street.

“It is so boring! It’s like pulling teeth to get these brats to listen to me. I am their boss for the night, they should listen to me! These kids expect me to do everything in this tiny, crappy house! I mean if you look outside, there is blue paint on the house, I mean who does that?” I tell the person. The person mutters something back, but not loud enough for Keegan to hear. I look at Keegan and tell him to go upstairs. I don’t want him interfering with my social life.






~~~~
I walk down the stairs after putting the kids to sleep. I turn back on the television and look at my computer. The hot Skype boy is gone. I was really hoping on getting a great conversation in now that the kids are asleep. Not having anything else to do, I look up at the television and start watching a random movie playing.
My eyes start to flutter shut.
“No, Kayla, don’t fall asleep while babysitting,” I think to myself. But, screw this, I’m the boss, I do what I want.
My eyes start closing, and I don’t bother to fight it. I slowly drift to sleep.
BUZZZZZZZZ! I wake up to the sound of my phone vibrating. It is a text from Mrs. Johnson, Ari and Keegan’s mother. The text reads:
Hi Kayla!
I’m sorry to say that I won’t be back until Monday night. I’m sorry for the late notice, but I will pay you extra money if you are kind enough to take care of my kids for another two nights. How are the kids doing? Well, let me know, and thanks in advance, you are the best Kayla.
Mrs. Johnson

“Crap! It’s only Saturday night and I have to watch these brats until Monday? What a waste of my life. UGH. I should probably check on how the kids are doing. Then I, can text back Mrs. Johnson. But their room is all the way upstairs! OMG, well I have to at least take a peek,” I think to myself. I start walking up the stairs all the way to the top. On the top on the stairs I turn right past Mrs.Johnson’s room into the kids’ room. I open the door and look to see the children are gone. I look in the closets and every possible hiding spot in the enormous room. Frantically, walk past the window to see it is open a crack. I look down to find a typed note:



kAylA, your childr3n ARe n0w goNe. wHy? how? think About wHo yoU give inf0rmAtion to on skYpe. iF y0u wAnt to hAve them bAck you mUst m3et me in chicAgo. you only hAve til mondAy night, And 0n the wAy you will find some clu3s. see you s0on.






~~~~
3:00 AM, Sunday morning- I am stumbling over the keys on her cell phone. I ’m not sure what to tell Mrs. Johnson. Do I tell her that her children have been kidnapped? I don’t even know. After drinking my third cup of coffee I decide not to respond to Mrs. Johnson.
One train passes, then another, then another. I go to ask a worker when the next train to Chicago will come. The worker tells me that the next train for Chicago doesn’t come till 6:00 AM. I groan and walk away. I’m going to go to jail and never get these children back. This seriously sucks. My life is going to end and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it.
Tears start running out of my eyes making my makeup run. I walk to the bathroom, covering my face, not wanting anyone to see what a wreck I look like. I start applying my mascara, then my eyeliner around my hazel eyes. They are still blood red from crying. I hear a toilet flush and see a girl walk out of the stall.
She is tall with brown, long hair all the way to her stomach. She looks about 19 and is one of the skinniest people I’ve ever seen. She walks forward and smells like strawberries. She smiles at me and asks what is wrong. I don’t want to tell this stranger, but she is my only hope. Tears start pouring out of my eyes as I tell her everything that has happened.
She looks into my eyes, and I’m forced to look back into hers. Her eyes are as deep as the ocean. Mine probably look as red as blood. I think about walking away, embarrassed that I said everything, but she opens her mouth.
“Hey don’t worry about it! Maybe I can help you. First, let’s fix up those eyes of yours, and then we can head to Chicago,” the girl says.
“You’re going to take me to Chicago? Why? You don’t even know me,” I say.
“Why not? I have nothing better to do. My name is Melissa by the way, and you are...?”
“I’m Kayla and thanks I guess, but we should really get going then,”
“Let’s do it,” Melissa tells me to follow her to her car. As I follow her I can’t help but feel nervous. What if she kidnaps me? I don’t think she will, she seems like a great and generous person, but something about her doesn’t seem right.
Melissa unlocks her car and tells me to hop in the front. I sit down and buckle my seatbelt, still not sure about any of this. Melissa’s car smells like smoke. So badly that it makes me gag.
“I’m sorry Kayla, I bought this car cheap and the previous owner must have had a real smoking trouble,” Melissa says as she rolls down the windows.
I wonder what my mother would say if she saw what I am up to. Babysitting kids and letting them get kidnapped, riding a car to Chicago with a random stranger, she would think I’m crazy. But, I guess I am.
Melissa pulls out of the parking garage and starts driving. I take mental notes, because I have to start taking Driver’s Ed classes this year. Melissa isn’t the best example though. As we are driving down the highway, Melissa looks down and laughs. I look down at her and see she is looking at her iPhone. I can’t exactly tell what she’s doing, but it looks like she is texting. It makes me nervous, what if we get into an accident?
I feel a vibration coming from my pocket. I reach into my jean pocket and pull out my cell phone. I look to see if I have any new messages, but I don’t. I look at Melissa to see her already looking at me. She looks away quickly, her brown hair flicking across her body.
After an hour or so my stomach grumbles. It’s quiet at first but then it becomes loud. My stomach won’t shut up.
“Sorry Melissa, I haven’t eaten anything since lunch yesterday,” I inform her.
“That’s fine, would you like to get something to eat?” Melissa smiles.
My stomach answers that one for me.
“What kind of food do you like?” Melissa laughs.
“I’m not sure any suggestions?” I ask.
“I know a great place,” Melissa says.
In a couple minutes we pull up to the drive-thru of Pretey’s Pretzels. It’s in the middle of nowhere. There is a long road and you can see lights but that’s about it. I’ve never heard of this place before and it’s kind of creepy looking. Apparently, they sell hot pretzels and snacks like that. Melissa asks me what I want and I tell her to get me a normal hot pretzel. She orders two hot pretzels and then we are on the road. As she hands me the pretzel, the smell goes all the way up my nose, exactly what I have been craving for. She hands me my order and I unwrap the pretzel. On the wrapper it reads: Pretey’s Pretzels! A place your kids would even starve for!
Reading the quote gives me the shivers. Ariana would starve for a pretzel. I didn't feed her and now she is gone, maybe forever. I start eating the pretzel as the butter sizzles in my mouth. I go on my phone and search up Pretey’s Pretzels. Nothing comes up.
Then it comes to me. Melissa is apart of this whole thing, she must have went to this place that she created with whoever the boy she is with. That’s why it’s in the middle of nowhere! I then realize that the pretzel’s may be poisonous. I spit the pretzel out onto the rest of it. I open the car door about to make a run for it.
“Kayla! What do you think you are doing?” Melissa calls out.
I don’t have time to answer her, I already made a mistake by trusting a random girl. I look back in the distance and don’t see Melissa’s car. I can see all the way back to the pretzel shop but I can’t see her car. I’ve only been running for two minutes! I start running faster. I’m on my own now. It’s up to me to save Keegan and Ari. I don’t stop running and I don’t think I ever will.





~~~~
7:00 AM, Sunday morning- I’m panting for air as I approach the outside of Chicago. I have been running for as long as I can imagine. I see lots of people around but none of them look like Melissa or the Skype boy. I don’t see any hint of Keegan or Ariana either. I reach into my back pocket and find a twenty. A twenty dollar bill. I have no idea where it came from but I know I can use it. My excitement stops as I look on the back of the bill. A handwritten note:

kayla my friend, by now you have realized that everything is not what it seems. Now you are in Chicago and we are close by, yes in deed. Use this twenty and get a cab. Go to Forneway Street and wait for more instructions. And what if I told you that your friend Melissa is with me as well? Don’t worry, I won’t abandon her. The little ones say hello, not for long.

I am shocked. I left Melissa. She wasn’t bad. How could I be so stupid? I have no choice but to run again. I see a cab and wave my hand and yell out “Taxi!”
The taxi slows down and I shove the note into my pocket. The taxi comes to a complete stop and I open the door. The driver looks at me and smiles, he says welcome. I say thank you and close the door. He asks me where to, and I tell him to Forneway Street. He starts driving and I’m staring out the window. I see kids playing with their babysitters and think ‘That should be me.’
“How much will I owe you?” I ask the cab driver. He looks back at me and gives a creepy smile. He no longer seems like a friendly cab driver. I can’t seem to figure out why.
“It is $20.00 for you, all the way to Forneway Street,” the driver says.
“Alright, how long will the drive be?”I ask.
“Probably for a good ten minutes,” the driver replies.
I smile and lean back into the black seat. Everything finally seems to be going my way. I roll my window down and instantly feel a push of cold, strong wind. It feels good to breathe. The sky is dark indigo with big, bushy clouds covering any possible sunlight. The clouds talk to me, they tell me that everything will be ok, that I will get the children back. I just think back how do you know? I’m the worst babysitter in history. The clouds get angry and scream they start to cry and then to bawl. Raindrops start hitting my face and pouring into this tiny car.
“Kayla move your head back inside the car, I need to close the window,” the driver tells me eagerly.
“Alright,” I move my head inside the car and pull my fingers through the snarls in my dark hair. I look at my phone and see that we should be arriving to Forneway Street any minute now.
“Kayla please don’t use your phone, it messes with my signal for my GPS,” the driver tells me. He seems worried, he says my name like it’s a curse, like he shouldn’t be saying it. A giant lightbulb turns on in my brain and it turns my frown upside down. The butterflies in my stomach are now flying around in circles as I get the courage to speak up.
“H-How do you know my name?” I ask the driver trying not to seem nervous.
“Why you told me, of course,” the driver reassures me and looks almost as nervous as me.
“No, no I didn’t,” I reply with anxiety.
The car brakes screech like nails on a chalkboard, and the drivers takes off his sunglasses. He looks familiar. His handsome hazel eyes..oh my god. He is the guy from Skype. I pull on the car door but it is too late, he already has his hands on the lock button. He turns his car around and the car speeds through the wind.
“You are the guy from Skype! You have my kids! Give them back!” I cry out.
His eyes meet mine as he turns around. His arm sticks out and all I see is black.





~~~~
I open my eyes to find myself in a jail cell. It’s about five feet tall and ten feet wide. I feel trapped. It’s not really a jail cell, but it sure feels like one. I look around the room and see a wooden stool. I walk over, my steps creaking, and stand on the stool. It brings back memories of my childhood. When I wanted to grow up, when I wanted to be taller, when I wanted to be the babysitter when my own babysitter bossed me around. All I ever wanted was to be the boss, and now I’ve been given the chance and I've failed. I’ve failed my own life. I’m now trapped forever and I miss my life. All I have been my whole life is self-centered, only caring about myself. But now, I know that was wrong, and it only led me to disaster. I miss my parents and Keegan and Ariana and everyone. Tears start coming out of my eyes. I just want to wake up from this nightmare. That’s all I ask.
I start crying loudly, and feel bad for myself. I feel my pocket, and I feel shocked. My phone is gone. My everything is gone. I studder up to the door that locks me in this dungeon. I twist the handle to find out the door is locked.
“The kids have to be here somewhere,” I think to myself, “Only if I could find a way out of this dungeon.”
The bricks in the walls look like rust and I see a dent. I push, I slap, I pull, I do anything to find out what this dent is. It still won’t budge. I’m getting frustrated as I continue the push, slap, pull process. After about my 25th pull, the brick falls to the ground. Its clank echos in this tiny room.
I look in the dark hole and realize that there is not much to see. I reach my arm back into the hole, not being able to see that far back, and feel something tiny and metal. I wrap my stiff fingers around the object and pull my arm out of the hole. My arm is black, and it rubs off like chalk. Inside my palm I find a key. A little key with the letters ‘LR’ written on it. I really wonder what LR could mean. I sprint full speed, even though I could walk to the door in two steps, to the door. I shove my key into the lock hole. I turn the key and hear a click.
I turn the doorknob, and it won’t budge. I can hear the rust on the door creak.
“Come on!” I think to myself as I keep turning this knob. Finally, I hear a click and the knob turns and the door opens. I run out of the room to see a narrow hallway. About every 200 feet, there is a light planted on the wall. The walls are a pale white. I look around me and I don’t know where to go.
I start walking towards the left. I keep walking the silent hallway for what feels like twenty minutes but it was probably only five. Finally I see a staircase on my left. The stairs are made of wood and look extremely old. It looks like something disgusting is growing on them. Mold maybe? I walk up the stairs, creak after creak. I count out 14 stairs and my legs are sore. I should really start working out, I am in terrible shape.
At the top of the stairs I walk out into another hallway. This building reminds me of an old castle, it’s like a maze. This hallway is almost identical to the one downstairs but everything looks cleaner. There is no dust, the walls are a bright white, the lights seem to shine brighter, everything seems more efficient.
I am so caught up in how nice the hallway is, that I almost don’t hear the scream. I look up, more alert than ever, and hear it again. A high-pitched scream of a little girl. It’s coming from my right. It could only be Ariana.
I start running down the long hallway to my right. I don’t think I’ve ever run faster.
The hallway comes to an end so I turn left. I hear another scream, but louder than before. I must be getting closer. I keep running and running, and I can almost make out words someone is saying. I know I’m getting close so I keep running through this maze, I need to get to the end of this.
“Shut up you brat, your stupid babysitter is never going to find you. She is locked in a room on the first floor. Now be quiet so I can go to sleep,” I hear someone yell.
I nervously duck around the corner not wanting whomever this person is to realize that I have escaped. After all, he thinks I am still locked up. I hear footsteps getting farther away from me and a door slam. I think I hear a door lock but I can’t be sure. I peek nervously around the corner. I don’t see anybody so I start creeping down the hallway.
I see a dark room on my left and walk into it. I reach around for the light switch, and grasp my hand on it. I slowly flicker on the lights and scream.





~~~~
I have never seen anything this terrifying. I see a pool of blood and almost puke. I’m really not good with blood. I try to push my fear behind me, for I need to save the kids.
Ariana is asleep with bruises on her face. Her knee has a huge gash, and blood is rushing out of it. Keegan looks pretty unharmed, but with a couple bruises here and there. Keegan's eyes slowly lift open.
"Kayla!" he cries out.
"Shh! I'm going to get you out of here," I whisper to Keegan. I walk across the room and see a towel. It looks gross, but it's going to have to work. I run over to the sleeping Ariana and wrap the towel around her knee. I tie the towel in a knot, praying it will stay there.
"What happened to you guys," I ask Keegan.
"He...kept hitting us because we were being too loud," Keegan starts to cry.
"It's okay, I just need you to follow me," I say.
I lift Ariana up onto my shoulders, carrying her like a fireman would. I tell Keegan that he has to be quiet as we start running towards the door. I hear a door start to creak as I run into the hallway. Ariana wakes up and asks me what's going on.
I tell her to be quiet and that everything will be okay. She puts her head down on my shoulder and closes her eyes. I turn around to see a door open and to see the kidnapper.
He starts running after us and I sprint down the hallway, hoping that Keegan can keep up with me. We turn down the stairwell, and run down the stairs. There's 14 stairs again. At the bottom of the stairs, we turn right and start running down the hallway. I hear the kidnapper’s steps behind me. He is getting closer. I can almost feel his breath on my neck.
I see a door about 100 feet forward, and sprint. I open the door and pull Keegan through it with me. I slam the door shut and pull on it so he will not reach me. He is stronger than me and the door starts to open. I'm pulling as hard as I can, not going to get this far and give up. Yet again, he is stronger than me. I really can't take it anymore. I let go of the door, and it swings back. The kidnapper falls on his back and lets out a yelp. I reach out and grab Keegan's hand. We turn around and run into the crowded streets of Chicago, never looking back.





~~~~
After running for about a mile, Ariana wakes up.
"Can I have something to eat please?” she yawns.
"Yes you may, and as matter of fact, I still have twenty dollars,”I smile at Ariana who gets off my shoulders and starts to walk.
We continue walking the streets of Chicago and try to catch a cab. Ariana has a craving for pizza, and we decided to take a cab to the nearest pizza place. I see a glimpse of a yellow car, and then realize its a cab. I stick out my hand and yell 'Taxi.'
The taxi slows down and we all step into it.
"Where to?" The driver turns around.
She has long, red hair and brown eyes.
"Um, do you know a pizza place nearby?" I ask her.
"I know just the place," she smiles and starts to drive.
She drives for five minutes or so, and stops at a pizza place. I can smell the cheesy pizza sizzling in the oven already.
"How much do I owe you?" I ask her.
"Don't worry about it, have a great meal," she looks at me and smiles.
Everyone thanks her as we walk out of the cab. We walk into the pizza place and I'm pretty sure you could hear our stomachs grumbling from a mile away. I open the door and bump into a lady.
"I'm sorry!" she exclaims immediately. Her eyes meet mine, and I see a girl who I owe everything to. I have abandoned her, and she didn't even deserve it, not once. Melissa.
"What are you doing here?" I ask her.
"Well, when you left me, I knew something was wrong. I didn't want you to get hurt. I starting driving towards Chicago, and I couldn't find you anywhere. I drove back to this pizza place, because I couldn't find you," Melissa says to me.
"I am so sorry I left you! I just got feelings that you were apart of this whole kidnapping thing," I say to her, hoping she will accept my apology.
"It's okay, really," she smiles.
Melissa comes with us to get pizza, she doesn't want to eat anything, because she already ate. We order a large pepperoni pizza and breadsticks. We sit down waiting for our pizza to finish cooking. When they bring the pizza, we stuff our faces. I have never been so full. The pizza really hits the spot.
Ariana had pizza sauce all over her face which just made us all laugh.
We finish our pizza and walk outside.
"So, are you guys heading home now?" Melissa asks.
"Not yet, we still need to find a way home," I say.
"Hop on in my car, I will take you there," Melissa winks.





~~~~
And so, Melissa drove us to the Johnson's home, where babysitting became much more fun than it was before. I've become so attached to these kids over the weekend. They seem like brother and sister to me. Whenever their parents get home, it's going to be hard for me to leave. I want to stay with them forever, and always protect them. I just want to make it up for the crappy babysitter I was before.
Ariana and Keegan like me too. I said that we should tell their parents what happened, but they considered not to. They told me that I wouldn't ever be able to babysit them again, and they wouldn't like that. It just makes me feel so great that two kids actually like me so much.
So now, I’m sitting behind the couch, trying to be as quiet as possible, so they will not find me. Hide and seek has never been so fun. I hear someone running down the stairs, pound after pound. I hear a kid shriek, Keegan probably found Ariana.
The voices are getting closer and closer and I look up to see the kids’ eyes on me. They have found me. Not the terrible, selfish, careless, kid-hating, bratty babysitter, they found the new me. They also helped me find the ‘new’ me. Looking up into Ariana’s blue eyes, I know that the new me is here to stay.