Call Me CryBaby

12 | Dead To Me

It had been so long since the last time I babysit. The last time was last month, when I babysat the Brooklyn kids. They were so sweet. Yesterday Mrs. Polly, our neighbor asked me if I could babysit her baby, Emma tonight. Of course I said yes.

I sat on the couch looking outside the window. Baby Emma was peacefully asleep. I could see the back of my house so clearly from here. It was past midnight, so all the lights were down at my house.

I was about to fall asleep when the light on the first floor of my house went on. Tom's room. I was bored out of my mind so I pulled out my telescope I bought this morning. I knew I would be bored at some point but I wouldn't be able to sleep so I had an idea to spy on my neighbors. Strangely, I ended up spying my own house.

Through my telescope, I saw Tom getting out of the house while holding a dusty old box. He went on our backyard and went behind our big tree. I couldn't quite see what he was doing there, because the tree was blocking my view. I waited for about ten whole minutes but he never step out from behind that tree. Did he fall asleep behind that tree? Or did he got inside the house while I wasn't looking?

But then he stepped out without the box on his hands. Did he leave it there? What was inside that box anyways? My curiosity was over the line. So since baby Emma was sleeping tight, and her parents won't come home till tomorrow morning, a small walk to my own backyard won't hurt right?

I went outside with my telescope on my hand, so that I could keep an eye on Emma just in case if she gets awaken.
I made sure that all the lights in the house were out. Then I walked cautiously behind the big tree. Our backyard was pretty large. And that tree was the biggest, tallest and oldest tree there. I hadn't really hang out on the backyard, I was just not an outside type of person.

The tree was so wild, it had so many hanging tangled roots covering the tree. So I wasn't able to see the entire stem. It was so large that a few people could hide inside it without getting caught. Out of curiosity, I walked inside the hanging roots. It was really dark, so I pulled out my flashlight and turned it on. I looked everywhere on the ground but the box wasn't there. So I followed my stupid instincts. It told me to look on the walls of the stem, hoping to find some kind of hole to put stuffs on. Just like in horror movies. What can I say, I was a hardcore horror freak.

I was about to give up when I touched something strange. I shined it with my flash light then I saw what it was. It was a.. knob. A door knob on a tree? Seriously? I stupidly tried to open it, hoping there could be a secret passageway. Tom and aunt Helen never brought up anything about this. It must be their private property. When the door didn't budge, I realized something was missing.

The key.

"Hello? Someone there?!"
Shit, Tom's here.
I started to sweat. Even though I practically lived here, that didn't give me the rights to snoop in to their private property. I'm screwed. Tom walked closer and closer. Carefully I sneaked away from the tree. Then I sprinted to the end of the yard. I looked back and saw Tom holding his baseball bat. He turned to my direction but luckily I was already hidden behind the bushes. He murmured something before walking back inside the house and turning all the lights off.

Phew, that was close.
• • •

"So..?" Nate asked. Nate and I were hanging on the park. I called him to meet me here because I couldn't sleep last night. My mind was too jumbled after I found the passageway on that tree. My curiosity was slowly killing me and I knew I needed to spill the the beans to someone to make me feel slightly better. "So.. I know that I'm not supposed to tell you this cause this is kinda personal.. but I just can't help myself." I sighed. Nate held my hand and said, "Okay.. I'm really nervous now. Is is a bad news?" He stared at me, waiting for my reply. "I don't know.. But I have this strange feeling in my chest that this is somehow related to.. me." I looked away to the pond beside us. "Okay.. what is it Hayles?" He turned my head to his direction slowly.
"Um.. Last night I was babysitting my neighbor who lives right behind my house. So I could see the back of my house clearly. Then I saw Tom got out and onto the backyard while holding some kind of old dusty box. He went behind a tree and he didn't come out for ten whole minutes. When he came out from the tree, the box wasn't on his grip anymore. I couldn't see where he went, or what was behind the tree. So I went there by my own. And I- I.." I was doubtful to tell him. Cause who would ever believe that there was a passageway on a tree? It would just make me sound stupid.

Oh forget that, im not going back by my own. "I saw a passageway on that tree." I finally said. He was silent for a few seconds. "And I was- um.. wondering if you can-" I started nervously.
"Yes, Hayles, of course I'll go with you. I'll be glad to, anything for you." He cut me off while smiling nervously.
"Wow we're like some kind of partner in crime now." I laughed to get rid of the tension in the air, he laughed along.
"When should we start investigating, sir?" I said playfully.
"Now. Now is the time for action." We grinned, even though we knew something bad would happen.
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A/N: Sorry for my long break, but hey I'm back with another chapter just for ya! ;)

The reason why I took some time off, is because I've been writing on my new novel. It's about a typical new girl in town, but slowly it becomes not-so-typical. Murders, terror, a bit romance that will 100% make your heart melts, and teen dramas that will make you cry.
It's inspired by the Tv show RiverDale, but I twist it into a story based on my current life, but wayy darker & mysterious.

I will update Call me CryBaby every Friday. But I will update my new story every Saturday.

Aaaa I can't wait!
Love u guys always, P.L.