Babysitter Slaughter

You need the money to buy your prom dress, so you agreed to babysit the little twerp. Little Nathan Blake, ten years old, still can barely tie his shoes. You can put up with the little brat for a few hours on a Saturday night--even though you'd rather be out doing, well, anything else. But you just remember how fun prom night will be and force yourself to suck it up. "Can you make me popcorn?" He asks as you sit in front of the TV watching some lame horror movie. He seems obsessed with horror movies. He gave you a history of horror when you walked into the house. You roll your eyes. [["Sure, whatever."| popcorn]]

You groan loudly as you climb to your feet. But Nathan ignores you and watches as some lady get bitten by a vampire. You stalk into the kitchen. You turn on the stove and putter through the cabinets looking for the popcorn. As you wait for the kernels to pop, you stare out the window. The Blakes live in the middle of nowhere, so all you can see are trees and trees and--more trees. The day is dying in a wash of red light, and you can just barely see a strip of highway from the kitchen. This isolation just makes you want to scream. Your eyes wander around the kitchen, over dark wood cabinets and a case of fancy-shmancy china. You glance at the telephone that hangs like a beckoning hand from the ugly floral wallpaper. Will you [[call Keith and see what he's up to?| bae]] Or will you [[be a good babysitter and pay attention to the little brat?| no bae]]

It's not like Nathan is going anywhere. You go to the phone and pick up the receiver. You have Keith's number memorized. He has a cute butt, but sadly, he's not the one going to prom with you. He's just some guy you met at the roller rink the other night while you were buying your milkshake. "Hello, is Keith there?" you ask. "Yeah, what's up?" "Oh, um, we met at that house the other day, when we played with that haunted Ouija board with our friends--" "Oh, yeah, you're the blonde chick. You doing anything tonight?" "Just babysitting some little twerp. I'm out in the middle of nowhere. On Robin's Egg Street, you know? It's awful lonely out here." "Hey, why don't you put him to bed so I can come over? I'll keep you company." [["That sounds like a great idea, Keith."| still bae]] [["Um, I don't think that's a good idea."| still no bae]]

As you stand over the stove waiting for the popcorn to, well, pop, you think you see a shadow sifting through the trees. You frown and shift the lacy curtains out of the way. What was that? A bear or something? You wouldn't be surprised. This is backwoods nowhere. Sometimes, it just feels like the hills have eyes. Once the popcorn is done, you dump it into a big orange bowl with black cats on the side. You noticed earlier that the Blakes already have a few Halloween decorations up. Halloween is an interesting time of year. Already, quite a few teenagers from your high school have gone missing. It seemed to happen every Halloween. Scooping up a handful, you peer out the window one last time before going back into the living room. "Can I watch another movie?" Nathan asks. [["Yeah, do whatever you want."| sees news]] [["I don't want your parents blaming me for your nightmares."| no news]]

"When do you want me to be there?" He asks. "Come over in, like, half an hour." "See you soon, babe." As long as the Blakes don't find out, who cares if you have a little fun? "Alright, Nathan, time to go to bed. Or something." You say as you return from the kitchen. "But I don't want to!" "That TV is gonna melt your brain anyway." You grab the remote and turn the TV off. "Come on, go do, like, homework or something." "I'm gonna tell my mom!" "What, that I was being a responsible babysitter? Come on, go." Nathan shoots to his feet and runs down the hallway. You roll your eyes. You [[read a magazine while you wait for Keith to come.| waiting]]

"Aw, come on, baby, why not?" "Look, we could hang out after I'm done here." "Ugh, you're no fun." The popcorn starts rattling behind you. You glance over your shoulder. You frown. It looks like there's a shadow moving through the woods. But you blink and it's gone. "I gotta go, Keith. I'll talk to you later." "Whatever." You hang up and grab the popcorn. You dump it into a big blue bowl with white chickens on the side. Scooping up a handful, you peer out the window one last time before going back into the living room. "Can I watch another movie?" Nathan asks. [["Yeah, do whatever you want."| sees news]] [["I don't want your parents blaming me for your nightares."| no news]]

"Yay! You're the best babysitter ever." Nathan gives you a toothy grin. You roll your eyes. In the middle of the opening credits for the next movie--apparently it's a horror movie marathon--the screen cuts out with a loud snarl of static. BREAKING NEWS. "Aw, come on!" Nathan cries. The signal seems to be breaking up. You lean forward to try and hear what the newscaster is saying. "...escaped...Briarcliff Manor...very...-gerous." The TV screen goes black. That definitely didn't sound good. Gosh, this all seems creepier than the weird stuff that used to happen when you would sleep over at your friend's house on Elm Street. Thankfully, those nightmares had stopped--although your friend Tammy was found torn to shreds in her bedroom a few weeks ago. "Well, I guess that's no TV for you," you say. "I know you have homework to get done. Go work on that until the TV starts working again." "Okay," he huffs before storming off to his room. There's a loud thud from the kitchen. Maybe you should [[check to make sure the door is locked.| lock]] Or you might want to [[investigate that weird sound in the kitchen.| kitchen]]

"Aww, but--" Nathan begins. "No means no." You pick up the remote and turn off the TV. "Besides, your mom said you needed to get some reading done for school." Nathan crosses his noodle arms over his chest. He pouts at you. You raise an eyebrow, unimpressed. With a huff, he climbs to his feet and stomps to his room. "I'm gonna come check on you in half an hour. You better be reading!" You call after him. His bedroom door slams shut in response. The big grandfather clock in the living room chimes out the hour. Just a few more hours. You remember that Mrs. Blake had told you to lock up the house at 7 pm, exactly. Apparently they have new neighbors or something. [[But hey, it's probably not that big a deal. Just watch some TV for a while.| unlocked]] [[It would just take a second to get up and make sure the doors are all locked.| lock]]

It's the middle of nowhere. What could there possibly be to worry about out here? I mean, Mrs. Blake had told you about the insane asylum nearby and apparently they had some new neighbors that only came outside at night. Strange, but not altogether unheard of. You pick up the remote and try to turn the TV on. The screen stays dark, and your face is a pale white smear in the inky glass. You scowl. Suddenly, there's a thud from the kitchen. Hm, maybe you should [[investigate the weird sound in the kitchen.| kitchen]] Or you could [[check on Nathan.| nate's room]]

As you hurry to the front entryway, you notice a strange stillness has taken over the house. Like a child holding their breath at night because she thinks she sees a monster in the corner of her room. Do you want to [[lock the door and be done with it? It might be a good time to go check on Nathan| nate's room]] Or do you want to [[go outside and look around real quick?| outside]]

The kitchen is located in the back most corner of the house. A half-wall guards the majority of the kitchen from view, and as you rise off the couch, you can only see a sliver of cabinetry and part of the refrigerator. Your feet sink into the salmon carpet. You cross the room and step into the kitchen. The Blakes' cat, Mittens, sits on the kitchen counter. You scowl. The cat wiggles his tail smugly. Must have just been Mittens. But you notice that the basement door is open. A cold black void seeps over the threshold. Huh, you don't remember it being open before. Do you want to [[check downstairs and make sure everything is okay?| basement]] Or will you ignore it [[and maybe go lock that front door, just to be safe?| lock]]

Nate's bedroom is at the end of a short hallway. Family photographs line the brightly colored walls. Perfect smiles are preserved beneath the glass like pickles in a jar. But in your peripherals, the faces take on sinister shapes, almost...demonic. You shake yourself. It's just the loneliness that's getting the best of you. Nate's bedroom door looms in front of you. For some reason, it doesn't look real, like a door on a sitcom stage. Why is it so quiet? You feel like the star of a horror movie. "Nate?" [[Knock on the door.| silence]] [[Go in without knocking.| blood]]

"Nate?" You call down the steps. Maybe the brat is trying to pull a prank on you. But if he's down there, he's being silent as a lamb. "Nate, this isn't funny anymore." You take on a stern babysitter voice. Too bad you don't know any fancy dropkicks or something fun like that, or you'd kick his little butt for being such a brat. You're just a totally average girl with no special qualities, other than your ambiguous sexual history. You think you hear a sound from the heady darkness pooled at the bottoms of the steps. [[Go downstairs and find out what it is.| downstairs]] [[Go back upstairs and lock the basement door.| up stairs]]

As you step outside, a cold breeze nips at your bare arms. It's all so...quiet. The stretch of road remains empty. The sun has gone down and shadows fold over the front of the house, thick and dark as dusty velvet curtains. As you step off the porch and wander across the front yard, you notice a shape in the distance, towards the back corner of the Blakes' property. It looks like a shed. You pass a Halloween flag stuck into the front yard. There's a loud, metallic drilling sound. You flinch. What the hell was that? You are familiar with the sound of chainsaws. But that didn't sound like a chainsaw. [[Go outside and investigate the shed.| finds shed]] [[Get back in the damn house.| inside]]

Even though it goes against your instincts, you decide to push on and find out what's going on in the basement. The basement door slams behind you. You are plunged into darkness so thick and full that you can feel it rolling over your tongue. The lock snicks into place. You turn around and sprint back up the steps. [["Nate! Nate, this isn't funny anymore!"| loud]] [[Rattle the door knob.| quiet]]

You return to the kitchen and lock the basement door. Okay, this is all starting to get a little weird. It might be a good time to [[check on Nathan.| nate's room]] Or you could [[just go hang out in the living room.| living room]]

You never knew there was a shed on the Blakes' property. You hurry towards it. Even though your instincts demand that you go back into the house, you defy that impulse. Something tells you there is a clue to all of the sinister happenings in the Blakes' house in that shed. "Help!" you hear a small voice cry. Is that Nate? It's coming from the woods. [[Follow the shout and try to find Nate.| woods]] [[Check in the shed before you do anything. Maybe there's something in there that you could use as a weapon.| inside shed]]

You carefully close and lock the front door. Locks have always helped you in the past. It's just a couple more hours until you can leave. Maybe it would be a good idea to [[just hang out in the living room for a while, read a magazine or something.| living room]]

You knock tentatively on the door. Only silence answers you. You know Nathan has a cassette player. Maybe he has his headphones on. You become aware of a strange, buzzing metallic sound. It sounds like it's coming from outside the house. Will you [[barge into Nathan's room and make sure he's okay?| blood]] Or will you [[investigate that strange sound outside?| outside]]

Nate is your responsibility. You have to make sure he is okay. You push the bedroom door open. A scream rips out of your mouth as you take in the scene. There's blood everywhere. On the walls, on the bed, on the floor. The window gapes open, a bloody handprint on the window sill. It looks like buckets of blood have been painted everywhere, bright and red and gory. [[Climb out the window and try to find Nate!| out window]] [[Run back to the kitchen and call 911.| phone call]]

You hear loud footsteps outside the basement door. You freeze. Is there someone out there? [[Take a peak and find out.| face to face]] [[Stay where you are.| hidden]]

You rattle the door knob. Nothing happens. You press your ear to the door. It's probably that little brat. You cross your arms over your chest and wait. You aren't going to give him the satisfaction of freaking out and begging him to let you out. After a few minutes, you hear the lock disengage. You pounce into the kitchen, ready to grab him and give him an earful. But the kitchen is empty. Oh, but Nate wasn't going to get away with that. It might be time to [[pay the twerp a visit.| nate's room]]

You rush into the kitchen. The telephone has been ripped out of the wall. And your car keys are gone. You hear a power drill. [[Get out of the house and run into the woods. You need to get out of here.| woods]] [[Run up to the second level and see if you can find somewhere to hide.| second level]]

You squeeze through the window and your bare feet sink into dewy grass. The night sky breathes down on top of you. You notice a [[shed on the far back edge of the property.| finds shed]]

The trees look like skeletal hands grasping at the sky. You stumble over damp vegetation. Stones and twigs prick at your feet. There's a metallic screeching sound. Like a...power drill. A dark shadow passes between the trees in front of you. You dart behind a tree. [[Peek around the tree and see if the coast is clear.| peeping tom]] [[Don't. Move.| still]]

A rusty padlock holds the shed doors closed. You jiggle the lock. Pale white fingers reach through the gap in the door. You gasp and stumble back. A girl shimmers through the doors, an apparition in a bloody white dress. As she passes through the doors, the padlock drops to the grass. You used to see weird visions as a child, like all of the psychic kids in Stephen King novels. But it faded when you got older. You always chalked it up to your imagination. Well, you aren't getting paid enough for this. [[It's time to get out of here.| get to the car]] But you've come this far. [[Why not find out what's in the shed?| bodies]]

"What's so awful about this place? Other than the tacky decorations." Keith struts after you into the living room. "Where's the dweeb?" "I sent him to his room." "Good." You and Keith, uh, 'chat' on the couch for a while. But you're pulled out of your 'conversation' when you hear a tap at the window. You look up and think you see that woman in white again. You hear a thud from the kitchen. [["Keith, can you check outside? I think I saw someone wandering around earlier."| shack]] [["Keith, could you go look in the kitchen? I thought I heard something."| gone]]

"Are you serious? I came all this way for nothing--" "This isn't a good idea." You insist. "I'll call you later, okay? We can hang out another time." "I didn't come all this way for you to pull a prude act on me." He shocks you be reaching out and grabbing your arms. His fingers press into your skin, painfully. "Let me go!" You cry. He throws you backwards into the wall. "Hey!" Nathan suddenly appears in the entryway. "Don't be mean to my babysitter!" "Oh, jeez," Keith rolls his eyes. "Is this your little boyfriend?" [["Just leave, Keith." You snap.| get out]]

You recline on the couch to read a magazine. You are not sure what Nathan is up to, but he is probably just sulking in his bedroom. You hear a soft breath behind you. Your head jerks up and you catch a glimpse of a long white skirt vanishing around the corner into the kitchen. Must just be a figment of your imagination... You don't get much further in the magazine article before you hear a tapping sound on the window. You lift your head in time to see a large shadow pass in front of the living room window. Okay, not cool. [[You're calling the police| phone call]] Or [[you will go outside and investigate, possibly look for a weapon in that shed.| finds shed]]

You're waiting for Keith to show up. You hear a tap on the living room window. Your head shoots up. Silence. Another tap on the window. Is there someone outside? As you look up, you think you catch a glimpse of a young woman in a white dress passing in front of the window. Whoa. You push yourself off the couch and approach the window. The tip of your nose is only centimeters from the glass. You peer out at the dark yard. Yes, you see her! A young woman in white, walking into the woods, her pale limbs glowing against the shadows. Suddenly, a car pulls into the driveway. You draw away from the window to let Keith in. "Hey, baby." Keith walks in and kisses you on the mouth. You aren't sure if you like it. You take a step back. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. You can't get the image of that young woman in white out of your head. [["You need to leave, Keith."| bad]] [["I'm glad you're here, this place is creeping me out."| good]]

Your feet slap through damp grass. You run towards the house, your heart beating so fast it nearly cracks your collarbone in half. You glance over your shoulder towards the shed. A tall, slender man in a blue jumpsuit and terrible Halloween mask is stalking across the lawn towards you. You sprint around the side of the house and pound up the front steps. Just as you are about to sprint for the kitchen--and your car keys, left on the kitchen counter--an enormous figure emerges from around the corner. He is wearing the same mask and jumpsuit. Left with few other options, you [[run up the stairs to the second floor.| second level]]

It reeks of blood and decay. The stench feels like a dirty hand rubbing over your skin. You can make out large lumps draped over the walls. You fumble for a long chain dangling from the ceiling. Anemic light floods the shed. Half a dozen dead eyes stare at you from pale, young faces. They are naked and mutilated, dangling from hooks like a texas chainsaw massacre. Little more than pigs dragged to a slaughter. You notice that all of the dead girls have blonde hair. Like you. You fall back onto the ground. Your hand lands in a sticky puddle. You squeal and shoot to your feet. An axe gleams on the wall. [[Grab the axe.| axe]] [[Just run!| get to the car]] [[But wait, what about Nate? You heard him in the woods!| woods]]

You pick up the axe. You feel like a lone soldier going up against an army of darkness. As you run out of the shed, you see a lone masked figure emerging from the woods. He is striding towards the house, wielding a power drill in one hand. [["Hey!"| aggressive]] [[Remain silent. Stealth is on your side.| stealth (death ending)]]

You take a chance. Opening the door a tiny sliver, you peer into the kitchen. A hulking behemoth stands near the refrigerator. His shoulders are broad as mountains, and he wears a grimy blue jumpsuit. He grips a power drill in one hand. He squeezes the trigger experimentally as he cranes his head and scans the living room. Mittens jumps off the counter and struts up to the man. He turns and you see that he is wearing some awful, plastic Halloween mask. You saw it at the store the other day. He kneels and scratches the cat's head. You pull the door shut. Oh god, what do you do now? [[Hide in the basement.| down below]]

Why would you open the door? You can't let him know you are there. Instead, you remain frozen on the landing. You need to hide, and the only place to hide is to [[go down into the basement.| down below]]

You scramble up the stairs like a dog. Once you are on the second level, you run for the Blakes' master suite. You are almost completely certain they have a phone up here. But as soon as you pluck the phone out of the cradle, all you hear is a dial tone. The power drill screams behind you. You whip around. Three figures in identical blue jumpsuits and Halloween masks crowd the hallway. Each one carries a power drill. You notice a knife on the vanity. Since...since when did that get there? You reach out and grab the knife, stabbing it in front of you. [["Don't come any closer!"| mercy]] [["I'll kill you if you come any closer!"| phallic]]

You peer around the rough edge of the tree. Your fingers dig into the bark. You see a slender man striding towards the house. He clutches a power drill in one hand. Well, that's...interesting. What about Nathan? You heard someone cry out before. Is Nathan somewhere in the woods? [[You have to go and find Nathan.| hunt]] Are you really going to risk your own life for a little brat like him? [[Run while you still can! | nate's truth]]

You hold your breath as you lean against the tree. The raucous snarl of a power drill assualts your ears. You whip around. A petite figure stands behind you, wearing a blue jumpsuit and terrible plastic Halloween mask. He brandishes a power drill. You scream and shove the man away, before [[running deeper into the woods.| nate's truth]]

You sprint into the woods. For a time, you hear someone chasing after you. Your heart thunders in your chest. You reach a wide clearing that's steeped in so much darkness that it is like wading through a dark lake. You glance over your shoulder, but you can't detect anyone following you. As you dash through the clearing, you see a small shape behind a tree, watching you. It's Nathan! You run towards him, but he whips around and runs away from you. Will you [[follow him?| hunt]] Or are you [[better off saving your own skin?| save yourself]]

Your eyes skitter around the woods, searching for Nate's slight figure. You may not be the World's Best Babysitter, but by god, he's a little kid. And you refuse to let him die at the hands of these monsters. "Nate!" You whisper-shout. "Nathan!" His shaggy head pokes around the side of a tree. "Nate, come here!" You extend your arms. "We need to get out of here!" He stares at you. [["Nate, please, we need to go!"| helpful (ambiguous ending)]] [["Nate, I'm leaving, with or without you!"| abandon (ambiguous ending)]]

"She didn't follow the script," the shortest of the trio says. It sounds like a woman's voice. "She shouldn't have seen us all." The skinny man adds. "What do we want to do with her now?" "We still need to kill her." [[Defend yourself.| defense]] [[Cower.| die (death ending)]]

"She's using the knife as a phallic symbol. At least this part of the story is correct." "What are you talking about? What story?" You cry. They stalk towards you, brandishing their power drills. "You are a bad babysitter." The short figure remarks. It has a woman's voice. Why is it so familiar? "A terrible, bad babysitter. And you need to be punished." "I haven't done anything!" "Bad babysitter, bad babysitter..." They chant. You see a young woman in a white dress standing behind them. She waves to you. You are going to end up in that shed now. Now you know who those voices belong to. [["Mrs. Blake?!" You cry.| revelation (death ending)]]

The woman approaches you, lifting the power drill. You have never been the violent type. But you want to survive, don't you? You want to wear that sparkly pink prom dress, don't you? [[Don't you?| stab one]]

"Please, don't kill me." You plead. The knife slips from your fingers. "No, no, no, this is all wrong. She isn't using the knife. The phallic symbolism is missing." "Let's just kill her and put her with the others." "All wrong..." "We can find another one. There's enough blondes at the high school." They surround you. Their voices...you know where you have heard those voices before. But it's too late to survive. And you were going to look so hot in your prom dress. [[END?| true ending]]

You slowly make your way down the stairs. Your hands are out at your sides, fingers brushing over a concrete wall on one side, a rough hewn railing on the other. Your feet land on concrete. You fumble for a light switch. As light floods the basement, you squint. Your eyes adjust, and you find yourself looking at a shrine...dedicated to horror movies. There are numerous framed posters. Halloween. Friday the 13th. Suspiria. Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Hellraiser. A full size mannequin of Jason and Michael Myers crouch in the corner of the basement. Knives, hooks, and hammers hang from the wall, meticulously labeled by film and release date. A white board occupies the center of the room. [[You slowly walk towards it.| the plan]]

"You don't think Nathan got his love of horror movies from nowhere, did you?" Mrs. Blake says. "I don't understand..." "You are a necessary sacrifice," Mrs. Blake replies. "We don't want any bad babysitters in the world." The power drills sing. You swing the knife towards them. But it is too late. You are a bad babysitter, and now you are going to the shed. Such a pity. You looked so nice in your prom dress. And you were finally going to lose your virginity, too! [[END?| true ending]]

You lift the knife. She plunges the power drill towards you. You jump out of the way. [[And stab her.| stabe two]]

[[And you stab her again.| stab three]]

[[And again. And again.| stab four (arrested end)]]

The two men are laughing at you. You shakily remove the woman's mask. It's Mrs. Blake. You lift your head and look around the Blakes' bedroom. There are horror movie posters framed on the walls. "The story didn't go as planned. But it was better than expected." Mr. Blake says from behind his mask. Red and blue lights douse the side of the house. Men in blue uniforms surround you in a whirl of movement. "She killed her! She killed my mom!" You hear Nate cry from far away. "I was protecting myself!" You cry. "She's a murderer!" Nate cries. "Kids these days just watch too many horror movies." The police officer mutters as he snaps handcuffs around your wrists. [[END?| true ending]]

He stops in the middle of the lawn. He is a skinny man, not someone you would find intimidating in any other situation. If he wasn't, you know, clutching a power drill or wearing a creepy hockey mask like something from a horror movie. He turns. You lift the axe. He takes a small step back. [["Where's Nate?"| find out]] [["You're gonna let me leave, or you die."| threat (death ending)]]

You lift the axe and stalk after the man. You feel the wicked spirit of the night infecting you. You feel like you have stepped into a horror movie. Well, now you can be the monster. If he thought he could scare you, he has another thing coming. A power drill wails over your shoulder. You turn around in time to catch the tip of a drill in your eye. Another masked figure stands behind you. How many of them are there? Too bad you lost the ability to do math when your brain is scrambled like that. [[END?| true ending]]

Babysitter Archetype: Virgin, popular in school, preferably blonde -Someone can die if necessary (not preferred) -All weapons at Babysitter's disposal must be phallic in nature -Make more cornstarch blood for Nathan's room -Power drill? You back away from the board. Who are these people? The door swings open at the top of the stairs. You whip around. An enormous man in a Halloween mask lumbers down the stairs. He grips his power drill in one hand. Blood and violence radiate from his skin. His eyes are steeped in pools of darkness from the horrible mask. You scramble across the room, running into a table that holds even more horror movie memorabilia. A wooden box falls to the floor. [[Grab the box.| nonphallic]] [[Run for the weapons on the wall!| die (death ending 4)]]

Your clammy fingers clench around the wooden box. You lift it over your head as the huge man stalks towards you. You think you catch a glint of his eyes shimmering through his mask. "Put that down," he orders. Why is his voice so familiar? And it's oddly unthreatening for a man of his size and, uh, choice of attire. "Why?" You snap. "Because it's not a phallic symbol?" He stays silent. "I'm going against the script, right? What are you going to do about it?" You inch towards him. He doesn't move. [[Run for the stairs!| upstairs]]

You scramble for the collection of knives. But when you attempt to pull a knife off the wall, you discover that it's drilled into place. Pain rips through your lower back as the power drill pierces your spine. You slam to the floor, watching through hazy eyes as the power drill drifts towards your face. How will you be able to slow dance with your date at prom if your lower legs don't work? Well, you guess you don't have to worry about it now. [[END?| true ending]]

He doesn't try to stop you. You hold the wooden box in front of you. It seems to ward him off. You sprint up the stairs. The telephone has been ripped out of the wall. Guess you won't be able to call the police. And your car keys are gone. You sprint out of the house and head towards the woods. You can lose this psycho in the woods. "Help!" Someone calls from the trees. Oh god, is that Nate? You rush into the grasp of the trees. There's a metallic screeching sound. Like a...power drill. A dark shadow passes between the trees in front of you. You dart behind a tree. [[Peek around the tree and see if the coast is clear.| peeping tom]] [[Don't. Move.| still]]

Something is strange about this family. It doesn't seem like a good idea to follow that little brat. You ignore Nate and dash into the woods. Tree branches whack at your arms. Thick clouds like tangles of spiderwebs blot out the sky. Your toe snags over a grasping tree root. You shriek as you fall into the muck. "You weren't a very good babysitter." You lift your head. [["I don't know what you want from me!"| plea]] [[Stay silent. Try to sneak away.| sneak]]

"I wasn't expecting that." You turn around. Another masked figure lurks behind you, dressed identically to the other man. But it sounds like a woman hidden beneath that mask. "Do you care about Nathan?" She asks. [["Of course I do! He's a kid."| good answer]] [["He's my responsibility."| good answer]]

"What a terrible babysitter." A voice says behind you. You turn. Another masked figure stands behind you. But it sounds like a woman now. "You should have cared more about Nathan." She says. You know who's voice that is... "Go ahead, swing your axe, kill me." You are too shocked by what you have just realized. You feel the power drill pierce your spine. Why did you turn your back on the other masked madman, exactly? Well, that axe didn't do you much good in the end. [[END?| true ending]]

Keith rolls his eyes. "Don't call me again, bitch." "Don't talk to her that way!" Nathan cries. You grab the little twerp when he tries to run past you. A knife clatters to the floor. Your eyes widen. "Jesus Christ," Keith kneels down and picks up the knife. "Next time, use it like you mean it." "Good god, Keith, don't tell him that." You kneel and pick up the knife. "Go to your room, Nate. Jesus." Nathan pouts at your before storming back to his bedroom. Jeez, this kid had anger issues. Keith turns and leaves. [[Lock the door so that jackass knows he's not welcome.| lock 2]] [[Lock the door later. You need to have a talk with Nathan.| nate's room 2.0]]

You lock the door firmly after Keith leaves. That was a terrible idea. Don't you want to be a good babysitter? There's a small tap on the door as you turn to walk away. Ugh, is it Keith? "Keith, I'm serious, you need to leave." You call. Knock, knock. [[Peer through the peephole and make sure Keith is gone.| Tess]] [[Ignore it and go check on Nate. It's just Keith being an ass.| nate's room 2.0]]

"Hey, Nate?" You knock on his bedroom door. "Nate, I need to talk to you..." He refuses to answer. You stand and wait for a few moments, hoping the stupid kid will come to his senses. "Nate?" [[Barge in. It's your right as his babysitter.| bloody]] [[Leave him alone so he can sulk.| backstory]]

"Fine, whatever." Keith shakes his head and looks irritated with you. Still, at least he actually listens to you. You sit on the couch and wait. The house seems to be holding its breath. You glance at the clock on the wall. You fumble with the remote, but the TV remains dark. Oh, this house is such an Amityville horror! You stare at the ceiling. You thought inviting Keith over would be fun. You are getting huffy. Where did he go? [[Go outside and look for him.| locate shed]]

"Fine, whatever, babe." Keith rolls his eyes. You turn to keep watching TV. The TV cuts out. Although you ply the remote, the screen remains dark. Whatever. You notice a large collection of movies next to the VHS player. You climb to your feet and poke through the collection. All kinds of horror movies. You can't really picture the Blakes being big horror buffs, but Nate seemed really into horror movies too. Where the hell was Keith? Did he get lost on his way to the kitchen? You hear a power drill. Oh god, what the hell was Keith doing? There's a loud thud and a wet sound, like water spilling across the floor. "Keith?" You call. "What the heck are you doing?" The kitchen is located in the back most corner of the house. A half-wall guards the majority of the kitchen from view, and as you rise off the couch, you can only see a sliver of cabinetry and part of the refrigerator. Your feet sink into the salmon carpet. You cross the room and step into the kitchen. Keith's mutilated body is sprawled on the pink and white tiles. There is a giant hole in his throat, flaps of skin unfolded around his throat like a gory red flower. A power drill revs behind you. You turn and find an enormous man in a terrible Halloween mask climbing out of the basement. He clutches a power drill in one hand, the tip stained with blood. [[Run for the front door!| blocked]]

[[Is it really going to be that easy?| keys 2 (survive ending)]]

"What about Nathan?" You ask. "He's safe." The woman says. You stare at her for a moment. She extends her arm--and Nathan runs from the woods, tucking himself into her side. Both masked figures watch you kneel to grab the keys. Neither stops you as you run for your car. The tires squeal over the payment as you back out of the driveway. The headlights sweep over the trees clasping the edges of the highway. You take a moment to glance over your shoulder at the house receding behind you. When you turn your gaze back to the dashboard, you notice the gas meter. The needle dangles above E. Didn't you just fill up the tank before you left for the Blakes' house? Oh god, you hope you make it home before they change their mind. END [[Restart|start]]

"What a good babysitter." The woman lowers her power drill. You glance over your shoulder. The other man no longer seems to be approaching you in a threatening way. Still, you try to keep your eyes on both of them. Suddenly, metal keys hit the grass at your feet. [[Pick them up.| keys]]

"You were rude. And selfish. And you ignored me." Nate cries as he steps out of the woods. "You were a bad babysitter." "I didn't do anything wrong!" You scream. "I just wanted the money to buy a prom dress!" This should have been an easy night. Easy money. "Why didn't you try to save me?" He replies. [["You're a little brat! What do I owe you?"| brat (death ending)]] [["Look, I'm sorry, I don't babysit that often. I just wanted to pay for my prom dress."| honesty]]

Rocks scrape over your palms. You scuttle backwards, down low on your belly like a primitive beast. You just want to survive. Wet leaves cling to your cheeks. "Bad babysitter," someone says. "Bad babysitter," another voice adds. "Bad babysitter." You clench your fingers in the mud. [[Just keep sneaking away. It's not worth it.| car ride (ambiguous ending)]] [["What the hell is wrong with you people?"| anger (death ending)]]

"You little bitch!" A masked figure stalks out of the trees. Blood floods your mouth as a foot launches into your face. There is a loud snapping sound. Pain radiates through your cheeks and head. "How dare you say that about my son!" Her son? "You are a bad babysitter. The worst I have ever hired. You deserve to hang into that shed!" You try to climb to your hands and knees. Mrs. Blake twists her fingers into your hair and pushes your face down into the dirt. You can barely breathe. Darkness fringes your vision. A power drill revs up above you. Maybe you were a bad babysitter after all. [[END?| true ending]]

"You're...you're sorry?" He whispers. "Yes, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to be such a bitch, okay?" You sob. "I promise, I'll be a good babysitter from now on." Suddenly, Nate is standing over you. He reaches out his little hand. You stare up at him, and he is smiling with those awful crooked teeth that go everywhere which way. He is Halloween tee-shirt is spotless and clean. "I'll tell them that." [[Take his hand.| trust (ambiguous)]] [["What the hell is wrong with you people?"| anger (death ending)]]

You slide your fingers into his and climb to your feet. "Just keep going that way," he points into the dark maw of the trees. "And I'll tell them you went the other way. Okay?" You keep your eyes glued on Nate as you stumble in the direction he pointed. The shadows seem to slowly be digesting him, pulling him into darkness. "Thank, Miss Babysitter. I hope your prom dress is pretty." You run, and run, and run. Eventually, you reach the highway. You scramble up the steep shoulder of the road. Headlights veer around the corner and slash over your vision. You wave your arms desperately. The car pulls up the side of the road. "Please, you need to take me to the police station!" You tell the man inside. "Get in the car." He says. He is a very skinny man. You hope to god you didn't just jump from the arms of one serial killer into the arms of another. END [[Restart|start]]

Rage snaps up your throat. You are spewing vitriol. You've had enough of this insanity. "You little slut," a female voice says. You hear a power drill motoring behind you. You slowly turn to face three masked figures that emerge from the woods. "Blonde. Skinny. Likely a virgin. Selfish and stupid. You were the perfect lead actress in our little tale." "What the hell are you talking about?" You don't care about dying anymore. You just want to know why. "Tell me, dear, what's your favorite scary movie?" She asks sweetly. "Definitely not this one." [[END?| true ending]]

You bite your tongue. Even though anger burns the back of your mouth, you force yourself to remain silent. You manage to creep away from the declarations of bad babysitter. Once the voices are far, far away, you shoot to your feet. You run, and run, and run. Eventually, you reach the highway. You scramble up the steep shoulder of the road. Headlights veer around the corner and slash over your vision. You wave your arms desperately. The car pulls up the side of the road. "Please, you need to take me to the police station!" You tell the man inside. "Get in the car." He says. He is a very skinny man. You hope to god you didn't just jump from the arms of one serial killer into the arms of another. But you were the final girl. You're a virgin. Nothing bad ever happens to virgins in horror stories. END [[Restart|start]]

"They've made me help them," Nate whispers. "I don't know what to do..." "You can come with me, Nate!" You plead. You keep your hands outstretched. "Please, Nate. We need to get out of here." "O-okay." Nate throws himself into your arms. You clutch his trembling body for a moment. He gazes up at you with vacant dark eyes. "T-that way, we need to go t-that w-way." Nate tugs you along, and you hope he knows the layout of these woods well enough to get you to safety. Before long, you reach the highway. It is dark and still, not a car in sight. "I think town is that way," Nate points. "Alright, alright, we need to start walking." Nate clings to your hand as you begin the long walk towards town. Every once in a while, you think you hear the moan of a power drill. Yet every time you look over your shoulder, nothing but shadows swarm your vision. It's a twenty minute drive from town to the Blakes' house. You can make it. Right? END [[Restart|start]]

Nate doesn't move. "Fine! Stay here and die!" You turn to run. "Wait!" Nate calls. You ignore him. Power drills serenade you as you dash through the forest. The sun starts to cringe along the horizon. You can hear tires scrolling over pavement. Why can't you find the highway? You hope you can find the highway before they find you. END [[Restart|start]]

You peek through the peephole. The young woman wearing white stands on the porch. Her head is down, and you cannot see her face. As you watch, she turns and walks away. You notices red smears around the hem of her sundress. "Hey, wait!" You throw the door open. "Hey, do you need help?" But the girl is gone. You might want to go [[check on Nate now.| nate's room 2.0]]

Nate's bedroom is empty. The sheets are a little mussed, and the window gapes open like a screaming mouth. You shake your head. Did that little punk take off? Ugh. [[Go and look for him. He's your responsibility.| locate shed]] [[Let him sulk for a while. He'll come back.| backstory]]

You might as well go find him before he hurts himself. You head outside. The sun has drowned beneath the horizon, and Stygian gore splatters the horizon. "Come on, don't be rude." You wander around the side of the house and spot a shed in the far back corner of the house. And is there a...a girl peeking around the back of the shed? "Hello?" You call. The girl vanishes. "This isn't funny anymore." You rush towards the shed. The door is slightly open. [[Look inside the shed. Maybe he is hiding in there to try and prank you.| truth]] [[Find out who that girl in white is.| tess' story]]

You return to the living room. Nate will show himself eventually. As you plop down on the couch, you try to turn on the TV. The screen remains dark. The lights flicker overhead, blinking in and out for several seconds. You think you see someone standing next to the TV between flashes of light, but it might just be an optical illusion. Suddenly, the TV erupts to life with a snarl of static. You squeak and fall back against the couch. The static breaks apart and reveals the couch you are sitting on. Even down to the ugly pink pillows. But the young woman in the white dress is sitting on the couch instead of you. Her head is down. The TV goes dark again. You catch a flicker of white through the window. There is a loud thud from the kitchen. You nearly flinch out of your skin. [[Investigate the noise in the kitchen.| kitchen]] [[Follow the girl and find out what's going on.| it's tess]]

It reeks of blood and decay. The stench feels like a dirty hand rubbing over your skin. You can make out large lumps draped over the walls. You fumble for a long chain dangling from the ceiling. Anemic light floods the shed. Half a dozen dead eyes stare at you from young, dead faces. They are naked and mutilated, dangling from hooks like a texas chainsaw massacre. Little more than pigs dragged to a slaughter. You notice that all of the dead girls have blonde hair. Like you. Except one. Keith is in the far corner of the shed. But his head has exploded open, and it is little more than a pile of bone fragments, brain matter, and blood. You fall back onto the ground. Your hand lands in a sticky puddle. You squeal and shoot to your feet. [[Run into the woods. It's not worth going back into the house!| woods]] [[Get your keys from the house and drive the hell out of there.| car]]

"Hey, who's out there? Do you need help?" You make a circle around the shed. The girl in white has vanished again. Suddenly, you hear the shriek of a power drill. You frown and peer into the woods. You think you see a smear of white through the trees. A panel of light cuts across the grass. You turn around and see that the kitchen light has been turned on. But you had turned it off before. [[Try to find the girl in the white dress.| down the rabbit hole]] [[Go and see if Nate has returned to the house.| dead body]]

Your bare feet sift through the vegetation as you walk. Ugh, you can't believe that little brat is putting you through this right now. You see a dark figure pass between the trees. You think you hear a power drill. You glance over your shoulder. The young woman in white stands between two trees. Rivulets of blood stream over her arms and legs. She lifts her head. Bloody holes pockmark her face, and her nose and lips have been sheared away completely. Empty black eyes stare at you through matted strands of blonde hair. One pale arm slowly lifts. She points through the trees. [[Go the way she points.| ambig end]] [[Go the opposite direction.| back agan]]

Nate must be in the kitchen. You remember that his parents told you not to let him make anything by himself. You think of how quick he was to draw that knife and decide it might be a good idea to check on him. You are careful to lock the front door behind you. The kitchen is located in the back most corner of the house. A half-wall guards the majority of the kitchen from view, and as you rise off the couch, you can only see a sliver of cabinetry and part of the refrigerator. Your feet sink into the salmon carpet. You cross the room and step into the kitchen. Keith's mutilated body is sprawled on the pink and white tiles. A power drill revs behind you. You turn and find an enormous man in a terrible Halloween mask climbing out of the basement. He clutches a power drill in one hand, the tip stained with blood. [[Run for the front door!| blocked]]

You attempt to run for the front door. But you find that it is blocked by another figure in the same horrible mask. Only one way left to go. [[Upstairs.| second level]]

The sound of more power drills fills the air. You don't think it's a good idea to stay here anymore. The girl watches you as you run. And run, and run, and run. Eventually, you reach the highway. You scramble up the steep shoulder of the road. Headlights veer around the corner and slash over your vision. You wave your arms desperately. The car pulls up the side of the road. "Please, you need to take me back to town!" You tell the man inside. "Get in the car." He says. He is a very skinny man. You hope to god you didn't just jump from the arms of one serial killer into the arms of another. But you were the final girl. You're a virgin. Nothing bad ever happens to virgins in horror stories. END [[Restart|start]]

You dash the opposite direction. Why would you trust a demonic spirit? You don't make it very far before a lithe figure in a Halloween masks lunges out from behind the trees. He clutches a power drill in one hand. You notice that the tip is already blood, and large dark stains cover the front of his blue jumpsuit. You scream and shove the man away, before [[running deeper into the woods.| nate's truth]]

The hairs on your arms stand on end, sharp as needles piercing your skin. You step out onto the porch, your gaze sweeping over the front lawn. The young woman stands in the middle of the driveway. Blood streams over her arms, dripping from the tips of her fingers. "Do you need help?" You call. You cross your arms against the chill of the night. "Do you need me to call someone--?" She throws something in the grass. There is a glint of metal. It's your car keys. [[You need to leave. Nate is on his own.| flat tire ending]] [["Who are you?"| ask tess]]

You snatch the keys and run to your car. Protecting Nate isn't worth losing your life. Your fingers tremble violently as you shove the key in the ignition. Sweat dampens your temples. You throw the car into gear and [[tear out of the driveway.| wrong move]]

You sprint up the porch steps and discover your keys have been left on the welcome mat. When did that happen? Never mind, it's not important. You snatch them up and run to your car. Protecting Nate isn't worth losing your life. Your fingers tremble violently as you shove the key in the ignition. Sweat dampens your temples. You throw the car into gear and [[tear out of the driveway.| wrong move]]

The girl lifts her head. Bloody holes pock her skin in pulpy red craters. Crimson spits over her cheeks and jaw like a fountain. You stumble back. "My name is Tess Williams," she says. Blood spurts over her lips. "Tell my family what happened to me, and I'll make sure you survived." "W-what happened to you?" You stutter. "I was put in the shed." She turns her head. "Don't use those car keys. Use these. Take the Blakes' car." The keys just--appear in her hand. You grab them. Do you [[trust Tess?| safe end]] Or will you [[take your own car?| flat tire ending]]

You clutch the steering wheel as you drive. The Blakes' house disappears behind you. The headlights sweep over asphalt. Trees grasp at the edges of the road like desperate hands. A loud metallic sound rips into your ear drums. You look into the rearview mirror. A hulking shape fills the backseat. The car careens off the road. You blackout as the car wraps around a tree in a screech of metal. [[END?| true ending]]

For some reason, you trust Tess Williams. You imprint her name in your memory as you run for the Blakes' car. The tires squeal over the payment as you back out of the driveway. The headlights sweep over the trees clasping the edges of the highway. You take a moment to glance over your shoulder at the house receding behind you. An enormous figure in a terrible mask climbs out of the backseat of your car and watches you drive away. Tess Williams stands behind him. You blink and she vanishes. "Tell them what happened." You hear her voice in your head. When you turn your gaze back to the dashboard, you notice the gas meter. The needle dangles above E. Didn't you just fill up the tank before you left for the Blakes' house? Oh god, you hope you make it home so you can tell Tess Williams' family where their daughter went. END [[Restart|start]]

Claire shakes her head as she reads the newspaper article. It's an awful shame what happened to that babysitter. She was the most popular girl in the school. Reporters have descended on the high school since then. Claire didn't have much of a relationship with you. She knew you were pretty and blonde and had a lot of boyfriends. You were like the Drew Barrymore of the high school. Claire is the exact opposite. The killer wouldn't target her next. And Claire would certainly not become entangled in a gory plot to untangle who the killer is. That was absurd. The stuff of horror movies. END [[Restart|start]]