I really don’t hate a lot of things, but having to babysit is not one of those things; especially when I have to do so on my first free Saturday night in a month. I mean, as much as love to watch a child play with their ridiculous amount of toys for what feels like forever, I can think of a few things I would rather do. But, as a favor for my parents, I promised that I would babysit for their close friend’s 5 year old daughter, Amanda.

I got in my car reluctantly, started the engine, and let out a big groan that sounded similar to that of the car engine starting up. The Andersons (my parent’s friends) only lived about 5 minutes away, so before I could even think of a last minute excuse of why I could no longer babysit for them, I arrived at their house. I parked at the end of the driveway and got out of my car as I let out a huge, groggy yawn.

I trudged up the driveway and sidewalk until I reached the front door. I gave a light knock, took a step or two back and waited for the door to open. After a few moments of the post-knocking silence, I could hear what sounded like the heels of a woman’s shoes gradually getting louder and louder. Within seconds, the door swung open and Mrs. Anderson greeted me with a smiling, glowing face.

“Hi Mrs. Anderson! How are you?” After months of babysitting, I had mastered my high pitched voice and cheesy smile when I greeted the parents.

“I’m great, thank you again for babysitting tonight. Mr. Anderson and I really appreciate it.”

Yeah, you’re welcome. I could be seeing a movie right now with my friends. I thought to myself. “Oh no it’s no problem, I am happy I can help.” I gave a second response, this time out loud.

“Well, come on in.” She motioned for me to come in.

I stepped in and looked up to see Mrs. Anderson already headed for the kitchen. I quickly and carelessly wiped my shoes on the rug and scurried after her. “Mr. Anderson is already in the car so I really need to leave right away, we are already late and with traffic it’s going to be even worse trying to make it there on time. Amanda is downstairs playing with toys so you can head down there, and if you want to come upstairs at anytime that is fine as well.” I could hardly keep up with her and she raced around the kitchen, throwing random items into her purse and putting on her earrings. “We should be home no later than 11 o’clock. Any emergency numbers are written on a piece of paper that is on the counter.” Already half way out of the door, she yelled back “Thanks again Amy!” And just like that, the door closed behind her and I stood alone in the kitchen.


“Bye?” I said to the empty kitchen.


I examined my surroundings, checked the fridge and pantry, and after a few minutes of serious consideration of leaving, I finally decided that I should probably go downstairs and maybe do what I should supposed to.


I dragged myself to the stairs of the basement and started down. “Amanda?” I called down.


“Yup.” She replied as quite as a mouse.


I turned the corner once I got downstairs to see a tornado of a what seemed like a million Barbie dolls laying across the floor, as well as an abundance of stuffed animals and Polly Pocket dolls.

No kid needs this ridiculous amount of toys I thought to myself. I never had this many toys, ever.

“Wow, you sure have a lot of toys to play with.” I said with a slight edge, annoyed that
I would have to sit her and watch her play with them for hours on end.

Maybe 20 minutes had gone by of me sitting on the couch as Amanda danced around the room changing the doll she played with every 15 seconds when I decided that I couldn’t take it anymore. “Let’s go upstairs and watch a movie or the T.V. You can have some ice cream if you want!” Ice cream bribery: works every time.

“Okay!” She replied. She dropped her doll carelessly and ran up the steps without hesitation.

I followed her up the stairs to find that she had already gotten the ice cream out of the freezer. I doubt Mrs. Anderson would want her to have ice cream at 9:30 at night…but, I did agree to give her some in exchange for the stoppage of her doll-playing. I got out a bowl and gave her a single scoop of ice cream, and we both walked into the family room where I started to search for a movie to put on.

I yawned, picked the first random DVD I touched and put it into the DVD player. I threw myself onto the couch opposite of Amanda and begin to watch the previews of the movie. I yawned yet again, and got into a more comfortable position on my side.

Just an hour and a half more, you can do this Amy. I thought to myself.
The previews came to an end, and I could feel my eyelids slowly becoming heavier and heavier.

No, you have to stay awake. The Andersons would be furious of they came home to find you awake.

I widened my eyes and shook my head to try and keep myself awake. I laid my head back down, only within seconds to feel that pre-sleep haziness. Once again, it felt as thought my eyelids weighed a hundred pounds.

I slowly opened my eyes, yawned and lethargically lifted my heavy head up off the couch. I must have fallen asleep I thought.

I FELL ASLEEP!?
I must have jumped 15 feet in the air from off the couch. I quickly scanned the family room and to my complete shock and horror, no longer saw Amanda sitting on the couch. I whipped my phone out of my pocket to check the time.

10:49. I felt my stomach drop. The Andersons said they would be home no later than 11 o’clock!

“Amanda!” I shouted to the empty room. I waited for a response that didn’t come. “Amanda where are you!” I yelled back to the stationary furniture. Nothing. I started sprinting throughout the house. I checked the basement first, assuming that she had gone to play with her dolls. Running down the stairs and quickly scanning the room, I found only the dolls scattered in the same place Amanda had thrown them on the floor an hour ago. I ran back up the stairs, heart and head both pounding.

This is not happening.

I ran through the rest of the main floor and upstairs yelling Amanda’s name only to find no trace of her. I pulled my phone out of my pocket once again to check how much time remained until I would have to come up with some not only miraculous but also believable excuse as to why the Anderson’s daughter could not be found at the moment.

10:54…oh man.

No you can’t give up, keep looking. She has got to be around here somewhere. I reassured myself.

I ran into the kitchen to brainstorm where else I may find her. Starting to panic even more, I began to contemplate calling someone for help. 911? My parents? Someone, anyone! I ran to the phone stationed on the kitchen counter under the windows that looked out to the backyard.
By now my forehead, sweating profusely, pounded with a headache; not to mention my hands could not stop shaking. I struggled to start dialing with my shaking hands when suddenly something caught my attention just out of the corner of my eye.

I cupped my hands over my eyes and pressed my face up to the window that looked out into almost complete darkness. I waited for my eyes to adjust, and once they did, I noticed something…something moving on the swing set a couple hundred feet away.

Dropping the phone on the counter and sprinting to the porch-door, I hoped to God that I would find Amanda on that swing set.

As I rapidly approached the swing set, a silhouette of a little girl became more and more distinct.

“Amanda!” I yelled with what little strength and energy I had left in me.

“Hi!” a little voiced squeaked back at me.

I swear, a huge semi-truck had just gotten lifted off my shoulders. I sighed a huge breath of relief.

“What are you doing out here? It’s pitch black out!” I said almost completely out of breath.

“I wanted to play with my Barbie in the sandbox!” Amanda replied in an innocent yet matter-of-fact voice.

I wanted to interrogate her a bit more but I grabbed my phone out of my pocket to check the time. 10:57. We had three minutes until her parents came home, I didn’t have any time to spare for more questions.

“Okay well let’s go inside and you can play with them there! And we can watch the movie!”

This must have sounded like a good plan to her because she began skipping back to the house with no objections. I followed after her with a slight jog until we both stood safely inside.

Heart still pounding and head still sweating, I walked over to the couch to where Amanda sat happily with her Barbie, I heard the laundry room door open.

“Hello?” I recognized Mrs. Anderson’s over-enthusiastic voice.

No way. Did I actually just get away with this? I thought in disbelief. “In here!” I yelled back.

Mr. and Mrs. Anderson walked into the family room looking rather tired. “Right on time!” I said jokingly and semi-nervously after checking the non-existent watch on my wrist.

“Of course! Did you girls have fun? Anything interesting happen?” Mrs. Anderson asked in a joking manner.

“Oh um, nope! It was fine. She was fine. Yeah it was fine!” I tripped over my words one after the other.

I received a slightly strange look from Mr. and Mrs. Anderson but disregarded it and got up off the couch. “Well, I’m really tired and I have to get up for work in the morning so I should probably get going!”

“Oh of course, thank you again for babysitting, we really appreciated it.” Mr. Anderson said.

“Oh yeah sure, anytime.” I responded with a shaking voice and little enthusiasm. I didn’t exactly want to deal with another almost-disaster again. I walked to the front door with Mrs. Anderson behind me.

“Well, tell your parents we say hello.”

“Will do, nice to see you Mrs. Anderson.”

I put my shoes on, opened the front door and soon heard it close behind me once I had walked a couple steps away.

I definitely will take a movie with my friends over babysitting from now on, no doubt about it.