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The original was posted on /r/nosleep by /u/Kosmic_Scribe on 2024-10-29 18:41:06+00:00.

I had been thinking about picking up a part-time job for a while now. The semester was over and I got a bunch of free time on my hands. Might as well make a bit of cash in the meantime. And so my search on Linkedin began. I was looking for something simple and stress-free. Preferably something I could do with minimal effort whilst staring at my phone to pass the time. I spent hours browsing through the sea of options. The majority of what I found were graphic design commissions, tutoring, and waiting tables, which I either lacked the skills for or just found unappealing. Just when I was about to give up, I stumbled onto a post, requesting for a babysitter. The post was vague, only including an address and a phone number. Typically, I would have just scrolled past this post and not given it a second thought. But I immediately noticed that the address was conveniently close to where I live. I decided to at least find out more. The call was answered before the first ring could finish.

“For the last time, I don’t want to answer your stupid surveys!”

I could hear in the background a chaotic symphony of the TV, the sound of a vacuum, and a child crying. 

“Um…I’m calling about the babysitting job?”

I feared for what I might be getting myself into. I had no prior experience taking care of children and it sounded like I was throwing myself into the deep end of the pool with this one.

“Oh? OH! Yes, the babysitting job. Yes, thank god. It’s been a nightmare trying to find one. Look. I’m running late and I’ve got about a hundred errands I need to get to. If you can get here in half an hour and look after my kids for three to four hours, five max, I’ll pay you whatever you want.”

A part of me felt bad for how desperate this man sounded. The other part of me was worried about the shitstorm I might have to weather for the next five hours. The other other part of me kept replaying the words “I’ll pay you whatever you want” in my head. 

“I’ll see you in twenty minutes.”

Fifteen minutes later I found myself in front of apartment 4H. The entire complex seemed old. Likely built in the '80s. Yet the red wallpaper, mahogany accents, and soft carpeting gave it the feel of a luxurious hotel. I could hear the same chaotic storm I had previously heard on the phone brewing inside. I felt hesitant but I already came all this way. I raised my hand up to knock, only for the door to fly open as I did.

“Oh. Hello. You’re the babysitter, right?”

The man didn’t look like how I pictured him at all. He wore a clean navy-colored suit and had a tall, muscular build. He was mostly well put together besides his deep sunken eye bags, messy curly hair, and unevenly shaved stubble. Despite it all, he was actually quite handsome.

“Yep. That’s me,” I confirmed.

“You’re a fast one. Caught me by surprise,” he chuckled. “Please, come in.”

I walked into the small apartment and followed him into the living room. There, I witnessed two small boys, who both looked to be about seven or eight, fighting over a small green figure of a toy soldier. The entire living room was littered with hundreds of these soldiers and tanks scattered haphazardly across the carpeted floor. I almost didn’t notice the little girl in a black dress on the couch. She sat motionless staring at the TV. MasterChef was playing. Junior.

“Hey guys. Settle down please,” the man ordered sternly.

The three children stopped their antics and simultaneously jerked their heads around to stare at me.

“Daddy is gonna be gone for a little while, alright? This nice lady here is…”

“Emily.”

“Emily is gonna look after you guys. While I’m gone she’s in charge. So be on your best behavior. I don’t want a repeat of last time.”

The children collectively gave a silent enthusiastic nod.

“Good.”

The man then turned to me.

“Emily, meet con…” the man caught himself mid-sentence.

“Silly me. I meant to say, meet Zelos, the one in the white shirt, and Martius, the one in red. They’re twins. And Limos, the girl.”

Strange names I thought. The three children waved their little hands at me as their names were called. I awkwardly waved back.

“Perfect. Bathroom is the door on the left,” he said as he gestured towards the connecting hallway with four doors. One on the left, two on the right, and one at the end of the hall. “And you can help yourself to anything in the fridge. Make yourself at home. Just…don’t go into the room at the end of the hall. That’s off limits.”

“Yeah, no problem,” I assured him.

“You might hear something inside and—"

A buzzing noise interrupted him as he frantically fished around his pocket, pulling out a phone.

“Shi-oot. I really need to get going.”

He took his wallet out and without taking his eyes off of his phone, handed me a thick wad of cash.

“Here. Order some takeout with this if they get peckish.”

Before I could think of asking questions the man disappeared out the door. I could respect an exhausted single father trying to make it through the day but he seemed awfully irresponsible leaving me, a stranger, with his kids.

I turned back to see the three children, staring at me with blank expressions.

“Looks like I’m outnumbered, guys,” I joked, trying to break the ice.

They remained silent. The girl, Limos, lost quickly interest and turned her attention back to the TV. The boys craned their necks upwards, studying me. Somehow, I felt as if they were looking down on me.

“So… how’s the battle going fellas?” I asked, attempting again to rid the awkward tension.

“Would you like to play?” Martius asked.

“NO!” Zelos began to protest.

“Father said she was in charge.”

Zelos glared at Martius, furious for even suggesting the idea that someone join their campaign. I thought it best that I remained neutral. After all, I was trying to take the next few hours as easy as possible.

“No it’s alright. Thanks though. You guys carry on.”

I stood straight, furrowed my brows, and gave them a salute, doing my best impression of a soldier.

“Very well,” said Martius, as he saluted back.

I joined Limos on the couch, who upon a closer look, appeared thin and skinny. It was to the point where I was genuinely concerned that she had some kind of illness. Perhaps anorexia.

The small girl piped up with a soft quiet voice. “Can we eat? I’m hungry.”

“Of course we can sweetheart,” I told her, trying my best to show how concerned I was for her. Pizza ought to do some good.

We waited for the delivery to arrive. During that time the boys played on their battlefield and Limos lazed on the couch next to me. Her only presence being that of sharp breaths.

I found it rather cute that the boys weren’t smashing the tanks together and throwing toy soldiers at each other like I expected children their age would do. They looked as if they were competent generals of the great apartment war, and had to send their loyal men to die on no-man’s carpet. They paced around the battlefield, stroking their chin, careful not to step on any of the small soldiers.

I looked over at the little girl sitting next to me. She stared wide-eyed at the TV, mesmerized by the food.

Although pizza would be arriving soon, I thought I might as well rummage around in the fridge and cupboard for some snacks. I got up from the couch which alerted Zelos.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he questioned.

“Just gonna see if you guys have any snacks.”

“They’re not for you, stranger. You think you can just come here and take what you want?”

I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t conduct myself with the maturity of my age. But something about this disrespectful little brat got on my nerves.

“I recall your dad saying I was in charge and to ‘help myself’ to whatever I please,” I mocked, putting on a posh accent, mimicking that of royalty.

“Bitch.”

I was appalled to hear such a young boy be so vulgar and rude. I wanted to discipline him. I wanted to let him know that he was to respect me. That he should listen to what I say and learn to quickly apologize. In hindsight, this didn’t feel like me at all. I came here to make a quick buck. Why did I care so much about enduring insults from children? At that moment, I very much did care.

I straightened my posture to look as imposing as possible and stomped my foot down as hard as I could, just to try and make him flinch. As I did, I felt a sharp sting of pain shoot up my leg. I fell back onto the couch and lifted my foot onto my knees to inspect what had caused the pain. It was a toy soldier’s bayonet. The soldier’s arm was half torn off, only attached to the torso by a thin strip of green plastic. I slowly pulled the sharp plastic piece out of my foot, leaving a small stain of blood on my socks.

“Shit,” I blurted aloud.

I looked up to see Zelos and Martius staring at me. Zelos, as expected, looked livid that I had broken his toy. Martius on the other hand, looked at the broken soldier that now laid on the carpet. The tip of its bayonet now covered in a dark tint of red. He had a mournful look on his face.

“Guys…I’m so sorry,” I apologized, the anger I had felt quickly fading away. “I’ll buy you a new one I promise.”

“THAT WASN’T HOW IT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO!” Zelos exploded.

“Zelos please. I’ll replace it for you the next time I come over, okay?”

“He can’t be replaced,” said Martius, as he got on his knees and gingerly picked up the soldier.

He brought it to a small jar that rested on the coffee table. The jar was half filled with green plastic soldier part…

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