Based on a True Story...

Emma sat alone in a dark living room, watching whatever B-list horror flick was on tonight. She had just put the little monster she was babysitting off to bed. Now all that was left to do was wait until his parents returned home. Emma recalled that they said they would be home by eleven. Her phone said it was a little after nine. Two hours left before it's time for her to go. Well worth the $60 she was getting out of this.

The room had darkened. One the light from the television screen flashed on as Emma gazed at it. The film was nothing interesting. A corny slasher film about a babysitter being stalked by a masked serial killer. Emma's eyes started to drone out the more she grew bored waiting.

Suddenly, Emma jumped when she heard a noise. THUMP! THUMP! The noise didn't originate from the movie. It sounded like it was came from the stairs. Once more it repeated. THUMP! THUMP! Something marched down to the living room. A silhouette of a small person formed in front of Emma's eyes.

"Cody!" an annoyed Emma said. "You're supposed to be in bed right now."

"I can't right now," the little boy groaned, rubbing his tired eyes. "He won't leave me alone."

"Who won't?" Emma asked more concernedly.

"The voice outside my room," Cody explained.

At first, Emma didn't believe him. She knew better that six-year olds have a habit of making things up, especially when it was something they did not understand.

"It's okay," she then heard a whisper coming from stairs, which made her heart race hastily. "We can all have fun together."

#fiction #horror #suspense #babysitter #basedontruestory #harryhorrors #shortstory

A hissing startled Sam awake. They looked up through the Willow branches and into the star studded sky. Slowly Sam sat up on the old quilt. There was no moon in sight now. Nor any sign of the Sun. Odd. It should be up by now. But Sam is not interesting in that now, the hissing has grown louder and deafening. Sam covers their ears and closes their eyes. The Willow branches touch Sam. They can't feel them. The Willow intwines itself with Sam; burrowing into the flesh. Sam screams. Then whimpers as the hissing dies down. Sam looks at the branches coming from their skin. Watches as the blood pools, staining the old quilt an unnatural raspberry red. The stars are coolly watching from the heavens. They offer no help or guidance. The breeze moves the Willow's branches and they rustle and hiss. Sam winces from their movement. Willows are know for their insects. They are drawn to Sam's flesh and blood like moths to the flame. Sam can only watch as they lay immobilized from the Willow's branches. Carefully a spider weaves it's new web. Beetles make their way down the branches and into Sam. It's not long before Sam starts twitching from the insects movements.

The sun never came for Sam again.

Sam was found on the anniversary. They dug up the quilt, and inside resided a strange sight. The roots of the Willow had grown through the body. Bugs had feasted on the corpse. A burrowing spider had made home in a socket. The Willow seemed to take Sam into itself as rumor has it. They say that if you listen closely on windy nights, the Willow will sound like someone screaming bloody murder.

#horror #plantgrowth #insects