The Odd Family's Book of Bedtime Stories

The Statue

The Carmichaels were an odd family. Few people would babysit for them. Katrina didn't mind, so she was usually the one they'd call. Katrina loved Michael and Helena. They were both well-behaved children, though they were often as weird as their parents.

Mrs. Charmichael collected wind chimes. That wasn't unusual. It was that she had them hung all across the kitchen ceiling. There were over fifty the last time Katrina had counted. Mr. Charmichael was a decorative plate enthusiast. He had plates of all sizes covering several walls in the home. There were even NASCAR commemorative plates- even though he didn't like NASCAR. Katrina's mother called them "quirky". All Katrina knew was that 'quirky' paid well.

She had only just sat down to relax when Helena began to cry. Katrina sat her homework aside and hurried upstairs to check on her. All Helena would say was that she did not want to go to bed yet. The small girl kept staring into the distance at her dolls and sniffling. There were so many dolls it was hard to keep track of them. Several were even life-sized and had frightened Katrina on more than one occasion. Helena seemed to watch one particularly scary looking clown.

It was unusual for the Carmichael children to behave this way, but Katrina managed to get her calmed down. She did not mention the clown because she always tried to avoid behaving as though the Carmichaels- or their belongings- were odd or strange in any way.

She hadn't gotten very far on her assignment when she heard Helena crying again. Quickly, Katrina made her way back upstairs to the little girls' room. This time she would only be soothed if someone slept with her. So Katrina asked Michael if he wanted to stay with his sister and keep her safe. Ever the dutiful big brother, Michael agreed. Soon, Katrina had them both tucked in and was back to work on her assignments.

This time when Katrina was interrupted, both children were crying. Michael seemed just as afraid of the large clown as Katrina was. He stared at it, his small hands trembling.

"Okay." Katrina said, giving in. She gestured with her hand. Enough was enough. "You two come with me. Let's call your parents and see what to do." Katrina avoided looking at the clown as she passed, not wanting to admit that it creeped her out as well. As expected, the Carmichaels answered the phone immediately.

"It's the kids." Katrina said, turning away from where they sat at the table. She didn't want them to hear her. "They're having trouble getting to sleep...I think they're afraid."

"Afraid?" Mr. Carmichael replied. "Afraid of what?"

"I think it's the clown doll in Helena's room." Katrina whispered, her hand over the mouthpiece.

"Clown?" Mr. Charmichael asked. "What clown?" Katrina could hear Mrs. Charmichael speaking in the background. "Helena doesn't have a clown. What does it look like?"

"It looks like a clown." Katrina replied, "surely one of you has seen it. It looks old, and it's just a bit shorter than I am. It's almost like... like a clown statue! It's got blue paint on its eyes and red around its mouth with a big red nose!"

At her hip, Michael tugged on Katrina's shirt, and she looked down at him.

"That's not sissy's clown." He told her, shaking his head. "We don't know where it came from."

"Katrina," Mr. Carmichael drew the babysitter's attention back to the phone, "Katrina, I want you to get the kids and get out of the house. Go next door and call the police."

"The police?" Katrina whispered. She stood a little straighter and listened carefully.

"The police." Mr. Carmichael repeated, "we don't have a clown."