Promptings from Valhalla - 5. Special Prompt 1 - Friday the Thirteenth

Special Prompt #1
Tag - Friday the 13th
It's Friday the 13th and you're having a movie night with all your friends. You're having a marathon of the Friday the 13th movies. You've just put the second one in when you get a creepy phone call and start hearing sounds from outside. What was said in the phone call and what sounds are you hearing and who, or what, is making them.

I flopped on the couch in a huff after turning on the TV. Instead of the Friday the Thirteenth movie marathon I had planned with my friends, I was forced to watch some crappy made-for-TV movie while I babysat my little cousins. Some relative I had never even heard of, let alone met, was getting married and my out-of-town relatives needed a babysitter. The girl that they had lined up bailed at the last minute, leaving me the only one available to watch two little kids I had never met before. I was introduced to them briefly before they were toddled off to bed. That was the only saving grace of the evening. I would get paid to sit on the couch, watch TV, and gorge on snack food.

I chewed my popcorn sullenly. How many teenage guys were stuck in on a Friday night babysitting instead of hanging out with their friends? If the taunting I had already received was any indication of what was to come, I thought I’d go hibernate for the rest of the school year.

My best friend Steve had come up with the idea of a horror movie marathon when we realized that the thirteenth fell on a Friday this month. The seventh Jason movie had just been released on video—to coincide with the date—and I couldn’t wait to pop it into the VCR. We invited several friends and planned on ordering enough pizza and wings to feed a small army. We also bought enough pop, cheez balls, Doritos, and chips and dip to feed a family for a month and a group of teenaged boys for a night.

I set the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table. It just wasn’t the same as La Hacienda’s cheese and pepperoni pizza and suicide wings. During a commercial break, I headed into the kitchen to scout out rest of the snacks that had been left for me. I had just opened the fridge when I heard a knock at the back door, right off the kitchen. I figured someone had forgotten something for the wedding and didn’t want to bother with their keys.

I looked out the window, but there was no one standing there. Figuring that they may have been impatient and gone to the front, I opened the door and stepped out onto the stoop. The driveway was well-lit and there wasn’t anyone there. I shrugged and went back inside, closing the door. I wondered if I had imagined the knock since it wasn’t repeated.

A short while later the phone rang. It was a welcome distraction from the boring movie I was watching. I walked into the kitchen and answered the phone. “Hello? MacArthur residence.”

A low, gravelly voice whispered, “I’m going to kill you.” Then the line went dead.

My eyes widened and I shakily replaced the receiver. What the fuck was that about? I returned to the couch and drew my knees up to my chest. It had to be my friends playing a joke on me. They knew where I was babysitting so decided to have a little fun at my expense. I sat up straighter. That had to be it. I wouldn’t put it past those assholes to do something that stupid.

I jumped when the phone rang again. I slowly approached the noisy machine, looking at it like it would jump off the table and attack me at any moment. I picked up the receiver and said hesitantly, “hello?” There was no response from whomever called. I pressed the button to disconnect the call, then dialed my boyfriend Brandon’s number.

Thankfully he was home, although his parents weren’t happy that I was calling so late. I told him what had happened and my suspicions about who I though the culprits were.

“Topher…I just came from Steve’s house. We all felt bad you had to babysit, but no one said anything about messing with you. They were just starting the third movie when I left. My parents wouldn’t let me stay over because we’re going to my brother’s game tomorrow.”

“Are you sure? You’re not pulling my leg, are you?”

“Do you want me to come over?” he lowered his voice. “Toph…if anything happened to you…”

“You don’t have to come over. I’m sure your parents would love that.” Brandon’s parents were very strict. They had no idea what the true nature of our relationship was. If they did, I doubt they’d ever let me see him again.

“I don’t care what they think. Your safety is more important.”

“That’s really sweet, but I’ll be fine.”

We chatted for about another half hour before Brandon’s parents insisted he get off the phone. The crappy movie I had been watching was now over, replaced by a different boring movie. Not that it mattered much what was on. I was terrified, even though I would never admit it to anyone. I wished I was still talking to Brandon. That had calmed me down some and gave me a sense of security in that if anything happened, he could hang up and call the police.

In retrospect, I suppose I probably should have called the police, but despite Brandon’s insistence that it wasn’t my friends, I still thought they were the most likely suspects. I didn’t want to get them in trouble, even if they did deserve it.

About halfway through the movie, I heard movement outside, followed by knocking on the front door. My hair stood on end as the movement intensified. There were noises at the door and the windows lining the living room I was seated in. I sat stock still, hugging my knees, paralyzed with fear.

I about pissed my pants when the phone rang yet again. Every step toward the ringing nightmare felt as though it were my last. I took a deep breath before picking up the offending object. “H…h…hello?”

I exhaled and closed my eyes in relief. It was my relatives, wanting to know if they minded if they stayed out later. I relayed an abbreviated version of the events of the evening, and they told me that they would leave immediately.

I was never so relieved to see anyone in my life. They paid me for the evening, and even threw in an extra twenty. They said that there had been reports of people targeting addresses listed in wedding and funeral announcements and that the phone call was probably someone scouting the house to see if anyone was home. That didn’t make me feel any safer, knowing that thieves were likely lurking around the house all night.

My friends denied any involvement, and from their reactions, I believed them. I never did figure out what exactly happened that night. I’m not sure I really want to know.

This is based on events that actually happened to me when I was a teenager.  I changed a few of the particulars, but the phone call, noises, and knocking are true accounts of what I experienced that night.  I was babysitting for a family that was in town for a wedding and were friends of one of our church members.  I don't think I've ever been more terrified in my life as I was that night.   Thanks for reading and please let me know how you liked it.  :)