Five FFF’s so far! I’m enjoying these, so we’re going to keep on going. The challenge to come up with something new, something that’s completely outside my usual WIPs is fun.
So last week there was a picture prompt I wrote for. There’s no story to go back and read since it’s being published on another site in October. A link to that fill follow as soon as it publishes.
This week, it’s back to The Storymatic and there were interesting cards pulled. Will pulled the orange and I did the gold.
Come back next Friday to see where these cards lead.
[h3]September 26 Story[/h3]
It took some time to come up with the story this week, but once I had the idea it just flowed out on to the paper. The inspiration comes somewhere between the movies Adventures in Babysitting (hence the title) and Radio Flyer.
Misadventures in Babysitting by Jeff Adams
This was an epic mistake. What was I thinking?
No thirteen year old wants a babysitter. And who knew a eight year old could be such a handful. I said I’d take care of Lucas while the ‘rents were out. I didn’t want the hassle of a new babysitter.
Nina was awesome. Nina was hot.
I didn’t want to break in a new sitter. Nina’d let me hang out, be in my room, whatever I wanted as long as I made my bedtime. A new sitter though, who knows. Could be awful.
Dad said I could handle it. Dad’s good like that.
Mom was tougher. She asked a million questions about what I’d do in different situations. I guess I did okay. They left right after they fed us.
But, Lucas. My God. He wants something every five minutes.
Can I have some juice? Sure, just go get it.
Can I go play in the sandbox? It’s after dark, so no. And why is he asking when he knows it’s no?
Do I have to take a bath? Well, maybe not. If you stop asking so many questions.
All I wanted to do was have a quiet Friday night. Watch some TV. Play some games. I expected him to do the same. Is he always like this when we’ve got a sitter? Or is he just messing with big brother? Or is it one big test from mom and dad to see if I can do this.
“Teddyyyyyyyyyyyy!” Lucas screamed. It sounded like it was outside. In the backyard.
Did he go outside?
“Where are you?” I shouted back from my position on the couch, the Xbox controller grasped tightly in my hands. I was beating Manny and I wasn’t about to get up.
“Teddddyyyyy! Help!”
I’m going to kill him if he’s outside.
Another of Lucas’ shrieks sounded. If he kept that up I’d have neighbors to deal with, which would be worse than sitters.
I hit the pause button, which by the rules Manny and I played by meant I’d just lost.
Going through the kitchen, I saw Lucas pressed up against the backdoor, looking like he was squirming.
“What are you doing?” I said, opening the door, causing him to fall backwards into the kitchen.
“Owwwww,” he wailed, as the tears kicked in. “Teddy, keep it out?”
“What? Keep what out?”
I looked up just as a small, hissing raccoon ran right over Lucas and into the house.
Crap. Crap. Crap.
There were no questions asked about what I’d do if an animal came into the house.
“Lucas, shhhh,” I said as the raccoon shot into the living room. “It’s gonna be okay.” I don’t know why I told him that. I didn’t believe it. I was gonna be in big trouble. “Go play in your sandbox, okay?”
The dog whimpered from the living room, followed by growls. And hissing. Raccoons hiss?
“Get ‘em Rex,” I shouted into the living room. Rex responded with a bark.
“Come on Lucas, go play while I take care of this.”
“You told me not to go outside,” he said, as crashing sounds came form the living room. Something glass was broken for sure.
“But you did go outside, so now I’m telling you to go back outside.”
“I don’t want to,” he said, whimpering. He was trying hard not to cry, which I appreciated.
“You need to.” I tried to be soothing, but the noises from the living room were not helping. Rex and the raccoon seemed to be doing nothing but breaking stuff.
“But I don’t need my truck any more.” He stood up and crossed his arms across his chest in an attempt to stand his ground.
I spun him around and gently pushed him out the door.
“Just wait here,” I said. I turned on the outside lights and closed and locked the door so he’d stay out while I dealt with the other problem.
“Nooooooo,” he screamed. “Teddy don’t leave me out here.”
“Calm down, geez.” I was harsh. My patience was gone.
He cried. Loud.
I ran into the living room, ignoring Teddy. He’d be fine.
What was happening in the living room was not fine.
Rex and the raccoon chased each other, trying to bit each other as they growled. The couch and one of the chairs were scratched up. The magazines and books from the coffee table were everywhere. Somehow the Xbox controller was across the room, cracked.
Lucas’ wailing mixed with the phone ringing making even more noise.
I charged into the mess and tried to jump the raccoon, which Rex had backed into the corner next to the desk. I dove for the animal. He was quick, scratching me as it ran out of my reach. It got past Rex, too.
Rex continued to chase the furry thing around. Rex was definitely chasing it more than it was chasing Rex. They didn’t seem to care where they were going, or if they ran into anything. The room looked like a tornado was in progress.
If Rex and I could get it back to the kitchen, maybe we could get it out the door. Or maybe I could bash it with something.
I charged at the raccoon from one side, as Rex was coming from the other. It bolted for the kitchen. Perfect. Rex ran after it. I made for the oven where mom kept the heavy skillet when she wasn’t using it. I opened the over door and grabbed it. The weight would definitely knock this thing out.
I crept up behind Rex, who had it cornered again, this time up against some cabinets.
“Easy, Rex, just keep him there.”
Rex wagged his tail, as if he understood. The raccoon lashed out with his front paws, but wasn’t close enough to Rex to scatch him like it had me.
I reared bak with the skillet, ready to hit the critter. Rex held his ground as I stepped carefully past him.
The raccoon looked at me and looked at Rex and bolted straight into the oven.
Rex went for the oven and pushed the door up with his snout. The raccoon was trapped.
Perfect.
I flipped the latch marked “lock” so there was no way it could get out. Dad would know what to do.
The phone was still ringing. Whoever it was just kept calling back rather than letting it go to voice mail. I grabbed the phone as I went to the door to let Lucas in.
“Hello?” I said as I opened the backdoor.
“Why would you do that!?!” Lucas screamed as he stomped past me, headed to the living room.
“Hi, Teddy, it’s Mr. Garber next door. Is everything alright over there, sounded like someone was crying.”
“Sorry, Mr. Garber. It’s just Lucas, he…”
“Is he okay?”
“Oh yes. He’s fine.” As I said this, I could hear Lucas sniffling. Meanwhile the raccoon was making more ruckus in the oven. “He didn’t like that I wanted him to get ready up for bed. It’s my first time watching him and he’s making sure it’s not easy for me.”
“Well, okay then.” Mr. Garber sounded skeptical, but he bought it. “What time are your parents back?”
“Around 10.”
“Not too long then. If you need anything, you just call, okay?”
“Will do, Mr. Garber.”
“Bye, now.”
Success.
The raccoon was getting noisy. I banged on the oven door as I headed to Lucas’ room. I must have scared it because it did quiet down.
“Lucas, man, are you okay?” He was lying on his bed, pillow over his head. “It’s over. He can’t scare you anymore. He’s trapped and dad will take care of it when he gets home.”
“You locked me out!” He uncovered his head long enough to scream at me. “Just get out. I hate you.”
“Lucas, it was for your own good.”
“Get out!”
Something smelled funny. Just as I noticed it, Rex started howling.
“What now?” I said to no one in particular.
I noticed the grey smoke as I entered the living room. I walked quickly into the kitchen and saw it billowing out of the vents on the oven. It didn’t smell like fire. It smelled… well, like the worst thing ever.
I took a deep breath and threw the lock on the door and saw the raccoon, sorta blackened. It wasn’t moving.
What did I do? I just locked it in the oven.
Lucas laughed from the kitchen doorway.
I ended up laughing with him. It was funny. Sort of. I couldn’t even decide if I was going to get in trouble.
“What did you do?”
“I have no idea,” I said.
“Get your shorts and a t-shirt on,” I said. “We’re going to hang out on the porch until mom and dad get home.”
Rex sniffed around the oven door, like he couldn’t decide if he wanted at the steaming caracas or not.
“Come on, Rex, you too,” I said, grabbing his collar so he’d follow us.
We all spilled onto the screened porch on the front of the house to wait for whatever other weirdness the night wold bring. Only two hours until the ‘rents got home.
Hopefully they’ll say I made the right choices.
This was an epic mistake. What was I thinking?
No thirteen year old wants a babysitter. And who knew a eight year old could be such a handful. I said I’d take care of Lucas while the ‘rents were out. I didn’t want the hassle of a new babysitter.
Nina was awesome. Nina was hot.
I didn’t want to break in a new sitter. Nina’d let me hang out, be in my room, whatever I wanted as long as I made my bedtime. A new sitter though, who knows. Could be awful.
Dad said I could handle it. Dad’s good like that.
Mom was tougher. She asked a million questions about what I’d do in different situations. I guess I did okay. They left right after they fed us.
But, Lucas. My God. He wants something every five minutes.
Can I have some juice? Sure, just go get it.
Can I go play in the sandbox? It’s after dark, so no. And why is he asking when he knows it’s no?
Do I have to take a bath? Well, maybe not. If you stop asking so many questions.
All I wanted to do was have a quiet Friday night. Watch some TV. Play some games. I expected him to do the same. Is he always like this when we’ve got a sitter? Or is he just messing with big brother? Or is it one big test from mom and dad to see if I can do this.
“Teddyyyyyyyyyyyy!” Lucas screamed. It sounded like it was outside. In the backyard.
Did he go outside?
“Where are you?” I shouted back from my position on the couch, the Xbox controller grasped tightly in my hands. I was beating Manny and I wasn’t about to get up.
“Teddddyyyyy! Help!”
I’m going to kill him if he’s outside.
Another of Lucas’ shrieks sounded. If he kept that up I’d have neighbors to deal with, which would be worse than sitters.
I hit the pause button, which by the rules Manny and I played by meant I’d just lost.
Going through the kitchen, I saw Lucas pressed up against the backdoor, looking like he was squirming.
“What are you doing?” I said, opening the door, causing him to fall backwards into the kitchen.
“Owwwww,” he wailed, as the tears kicked in. “Teddy, keep it out?”
“What? Keep what out?”
I looked up just as a small, hissing raccoon ran right over Lucas and into the house.
Crap. Crap. Crap.
There were no questions asked about what I’d do if an animal came into the house.
“Lucas, shhhh,” I said as the raccoon shot into the living room. “It’s gonna be okay.” I don’t know why I told him that. I didn’t believe it. I was gonna be in big trouble. “Go play in your sandbox, okay?”
The dog whimpered from the living room, followed by growls. And hissing. Raccoons hiss?
“Get ‘em Rex,” I shouted into the living room. Rex responded with a bark.
“Come on Lucas, go play while I take care of this.”
“You told me not to go outside,” he said, as crashing sounds came form the living room. Something glass was broken for sure.
“But you did go outside, so now I’m telling you to go back outside.”
“I don’t want to,” he said, whimpering. He was trying hard not to cry, which I appreciated.
“You need to.” I tried to be soothing, but the noises from the living room were not helping. Rex and the raccoon seemed to be doing nothing but breaking stuff.
“But I don’t need my truck any more.” He stood up and crossed his arms across his chest in an attempt to stand his ground.
I spun him around and gently pushed him out the door.
“Just wait here,” I said. I turned on the outside lights and closed and locked the door so he’d stay out while I dealt with the other problem.
“Nooooooo,” he screamed. “Teddy don’t leave me out here.”
“Calm down, geez.” I was harsh. My patience was gone.
He cried. Loud.
I ran into the living room, ignoring Teddy. He’d be fine.
What was happening in the living room was not fine.
Rex and the raccoon chased each other, trying to bit each other as they growled. The couch and one of the chairs were scratched up. The magazines and books from the coffee table were everywhere. Somehow the Xbox controller was across the room, cracked.
Lucas’ wailing mixed with the phone ringing making even more noise.
I charged into the mess and tried to jump the raccoon, which Rex had backed into the corner next to the desk. I dove for the animal. He was quick, scratching me as it ran out of my reach. It got past Rex, too.
Rex continued to chase the furry thing around. Rex was definitely chasing it more than it was chasing Rex. They didn’t seem to care where they were going, or if they ran into anything. The room looked like a tornado was in progress.
If Rex and I could get it back to the kitchen, maybe we could get it out the door. Or maybe I could bash it with something.
I charged at the raccoon from one side, as Rex was coming from the other. It bolted for the kitchen. Perfect. Rex ran after it. I made for the oven where mom kept the heavy skillet when she wasn’t using it. I opened the over door and grabbed it. The weight would definitely knock this thing out.
I crept up behind Rex, who had it cornered again, this time up against some cabinets.
“Easy, Rex, just keep him there.”
Rex wagged his tail, as if he understood. The raccoon lashed out with his front paws, but wasn’t close enough to Rex to scatch him like it had me.
I reared bak with the skillet, ready to hit the critter. Rex held his ground as I stepped carefully past him.
The raccoon looked at me and looked at Rex and bolted straight into the oven.
Rex went for the oven and pushed the door up with his snout. The raccoon was trapped.
Perfect.
I flipped the latch marked “lock” so there was no way it could get out. Dad would know what to do.
The phone was still ringing. Whoever it was just kept calling back rather than letting it go to voice mail. I grabbed the phone as I went to the door to let Lucas in.
“Hello?” I said as I opened the backdoor.
“Why would you do that!?!” Lucas screamed as he stomped past me, headed to the living room.
“Hi, Teddy, it’s Mr. Garber next door. Is everything alright over there, sounded like someone was crying.”
“Sorry, Mr. Garber. It’s just Lucas, he…”
“Is he okay?”
“Oh yes. He’s fine.” As I said this, I could hear Lucas sniffling. Meanwhile the raccoon was making more ruckus in the oven. “He didn’t like that I wanted him to get ready up for bed. It’s my first time watching him and he’s making sure it’s not easy for me.”
“Well, okay then.” Mr. Garber sounded skeptical, but he bought it. “What time are your parents back?”
“Around 10.”
“Not too long then. If you need anything, you just call, okay?”
“Will do, Mr. Garber.”
“Bye, now.”
Success.
The raccoon was getting noisy. I banged on the oven door as I headed to Lucas’ room. I must have scared it because it did quiet down.
“Lucas, man, are you okay?” He was lying on his bed, pillow over his head. “It’s over. He can’t scare you anymore. He’s trapped and dad will take care of it when he gets home.”
“You locked me out!” He uncovered his head long enough to scream at me. “Just get out. I hate you.”
“Lucas, it was for your own good.”
“Get out!”
Something smelled funny. Just as I noticed it, Rex started howling.
“What now?” I said to no one in particular.
I noticed the grey smoke as I entered the living room. I walked quickly into the kitchen and saw it billowing out of the vents on the oven. It didn’t smell like fire. It smelled… well, like the worst thing ever.
I took a deep breath and threw the lock on the door and saw the raccoon, sorta blackened. It wasn’t moving.
What did I do? I just locked it in the oven.
Lucas laughed from the kitchen doorway.
I ended up laughing with him. It was funny. Sort of. I couldn’t even decide if I was going to get in trouble.
“What did you do?”
“I have no idea,” I said.
“Get your shorts and a t-shirt on,” I said. “We’re going to hang out on the porch until mom and dad get home.”
Rex sniffed around the oven door, like he couldn’t decide if he wanted at the steaming caracas or not.
“Come on, Rex, you too,” I said, grabbing his collar so he’d follow us.
We all spilled onto the screened porch on the front of the house to wait for whatever other weirdness the night wold bring. Only two hours until the ‘rents got home.
Hopefully they’ll say I made the right choices.
