As Zaina opened the floral curtains, the sun beamed through the windows, letting in enough light to wake her newborn baby. After feeding and burping him, she crept passed several boxes to get down to the kitchen, going straight for the coffee maker she unpacked last night. Minutes later, the air is thick with the scent of coffee. Zaina didn’t even bother to add cream or sugar. _I don’t ever want to move again, _she thought as she took a sip from her mug. She closes her eyes and takes a deep sigh of satisfaction. A loud thump followed by the sound of Ezekiel’s tiny cries from upstairs caused her to reach for the baby monitor sitting gracefully on the counter. As the monitor blares into life, a blurry figure stands over Ezekiel and then disappears. The crying stopped.

“Honey!” Zaina yelled. “Are you with Zeke right now?”

She doesn’t receive an answer.

“ARE YOU WITH THE BABY?” She anxiously screamed.

At the sound of a rumble and the wrestling of boxes from around the corner Zaina let out a sigh of relief. Austin peered into the kitchen. His eyes were low and his hair was mangled as if he had just hopped out of bed. Shrugging the incident as simply a camera issue, she hugged her husband and handed him a mug of lukewarm coffee. It’s been one busy week. The couple made a huge move from Atlanta to a small town in Georgia called Pine Hollow, while seven months pregnant. It wasn’t an easy pregnancy either. The stress of the move caused the baby’s eviction to be earlier than expected, leading to living in the NICU for weeks. At one point the baby had stopped breathing but eventually, he made it. It has only been a couple days since they were able to bring him home and they till have yet to unpack.

“You asked me something?” Austin asked after he chugged the coffee.

“I heard Zeke cry and thought I saw you in the the baby monitor.”

They both exchanged puzzled looks, and without saying anything they both knew someone else was up there. Running up the stairs, and tripping over boxes, they made it to the nursery to see a black, smoky apparition hovering over the crib. It had this dark glow surrounding its human-like form. It had no obvious face but the couple sensed it was evil. Austin grabbed the baby and they both ran down stairs. It didn’t walk or run after them. It only appeared in the hallway and stood there motionless. As Zaina ran out the front door, Austin stopped in his tracks, staring back at the figure glaring from the top of the staircase.

“Come on, let's get out of here,” Zaina pleaded. 

“I don’t think—”

Before Austin could finish his sentence the doors slammed shut locking Zaina out and separating her from her husband and son. Neither one could get the door to budge open. Austin yelled out for her to get help; however, the keys to the car were in the house. Zaina ran down the street hoping a neighbor would hear her cries and assist. After knocking on about five different houses, a couple finally answered the door.

“Are you okay, miss?” The husband asked, raising an eyebrow at the strange woman.

“I... we... uh,” she stuttered, trying to catch her breath. “My husband and I moved in a couple days and we just had a baby. I seen something strange on the baby monitor and it was a black—"

“A black figure was standing over the baby, correct?” The wife interjected. “We know.”

Zaina’s eyes widened as the woman spoke. _I’m not crazy... or maybe I am and they are too, _she thought. This could not be real. The couple invited her in and the house was a mess. Toys and clothes were everywhere. Two twin boys, no older than three, were running around naked, holding their dirty diapers in their tiny hands. Suddenly, the air turned black and the figure appeared grabbing both boys and putting diapers on them in one motion. It disappeared in a tornado-like smoke, along with the boys. A loud crash and tiny laughter appeared upstairs. Zaina, wide-eyed and distraught, backed up slowly towards the door.

“I— I gotta go...”

“Wait!” The wife grabbed Zaina’s arm. “It’s not what you think. Please sit.”

Zaina froze.

“Okay, standing works too, I guess,” mumbled the husband.

“That demon... whatever that was was JUST at my house,” stammered Zaina as she pointed at the eerie figure as it appeared again, this time picking up the toys. “My husband got trapped with my baby in the house after we tried to leave with Zeke.”

The wife took a deep sigh. “I’m Cecilia, and this is my husband, Noah. That ‘thing’ is the Babysitter. It won’t harm your baby. It’s not necessarily evil. Everyone in this town has probably encountered it.” Zaina just stared blankly at her as she spoke.

“It comes with a cost,” she continued. “Nothing in life is free, unfortunately, and even though none of us asked for this, we have to pay up.”

“Uh, what happens if you don’t pay up?” Zaina asked, a puzzled look washed over her face.

The couple looked at each other, returning their gaze to Zaina. It was the husband who spoke. 

“As far as we know, payment is not optional.”

Zaina’s head spun. “You’re telling me this… thing just exists? In our homes? Taking care of children? And we’re supposed to…just accept it?”

Cecilia nodded solemnly. “It started decades ago. The first families here reported strange occurrences—children being lulled to sleep, rooms tidied overnight, meals prepared without anyone lifting a finger. At first, people thought it was a blessing, a guardian angel, maybe even a local legend came to life.”

Noah interrupted, his voice barely above a whisper. “Then people started disappearing. Anyone who refused the Babysitter’s… arrangement.”

Zaina’s stomach churned. “What kind of arrangement?”

Cecilia hesitated. “It varies. Sometimes it asks for something small, like a family heirloom or a cherished possession. Other times… it’s more personal. Memories. Dreams. Parts of yourself.”

Zaina’s heart dropped. “But why? What does it want?”

Cecilia shrugged helplessly. “No one knows. It’s not like it explains itself. It just… does. And the cost is always different.”

Suddenly, a loud crash came from upstairs, followed by the unmistakable giggle of the twins. The Babysitter had returned, carrying the boys in its smoky arms. Zaina stumbled back as it deposited them gently on the couch, ruffled their hair, and disappeared in a wisp of shadow.

“That’s what it does,” Cecilia said softly. “It takes, but it also gives. You have to decide what you’re willing to sacrifice.”

Zaina’s mind raced. Her baby was in that house, with that thing. What would it ask of her? Could she bargain with it, or was the cost already set?

“I have to get back,” Zaina said, her voice trembling. She turned and bolted out the door, ignoring Noah’s shout to wait. Her feet pounded against the pavement as she ran toward her house, fear and determination propelling her forward.

When she reached her home, the front door creaked open as if it had been waiting for her. The air inside was heavy, charged with an unnatural stillness.

“Zeke? Austin?” she called, her voice quivering.

No response.

She crept through the house, her eyes darting from shadow to shadow. In the nursery, the crib was empty, the blankets neatly folded. Her heart sank. Then she heard it—a low, guttural whisper coming from the living room.

She followed the sound, her pulse racing. There, in the center of the room, stood the Babysitter. It held Zeke in its smoky arms, cradling him with surprising tenderness. Austin was nowhere to be seen.

“What do you want?” Zaina demanded, her voice shaking but firm. “What’s the cost?”

The figure turned its featureless face toward her, and for a moment, the air seemed to hum with an unspoken answer. Then, in a voice that resonated deep within her bones, it spoke:

**“You.”**

****

Zaina’s breath caught in her throat. “What… what do you mean, me?” she stammered.

The Babysitter’s form shimmered, shifting like smoke caught in a breeze. Its voice came again, low and resonant. “Your life.”

“No!” Zaina shouted, stepping closer, her fists clenched. “You can’t just take me! I didn’t agree to this. I didn’t ask for you to be here!”

The figure tilted its head as if considering her protest. “You moved here. You brought the child. You invited me.”

Zaina’s mind raced. She thought back to their first night in the house after graduating from the NICU. She’d whispered a desperate prayer while holding Zeke, begging for help to be a good mother, to keep him safe. Was this thing some twisted answer to that plea?

“There has to be another way,” she pleaded, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Please. Don’t do this.”

The Babysitter hovered silently for a long moment, as if weighing her desperation. Then it spoke again, its tone colder, final. “One must pay. It is law.”

Zaina’s knees buckled, and she sank to the floor. She couldn’t leave Zeke. He’d already been through so much—born early, struggling in the NICU, and now this. But Austin… where was Austin? He was supposed to protect their family, to stand by her. She clung to the hope that he might still be somewhere in the house, waiting for his chance to fight back.

“Take me,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “But only if you let my husband and son go. No harm comes to them. Ever.”

The Babysitter loomed closer, it's dark glow intensifying. It extended an inky tendril toward her face, brushing her cheek. “Your sacrifice will bind them to safety. Do you consent?”

Zaina closed her eyes, trembling. “Yes.”

The room erupted in shadow, a swirling storm of darkness and cold. For a moment, she felt weightless, as though her body was being unraveled. Then, just as suddenly, it stopped.

When she opened her eyes, she was in the nursery. The air was still, the house eerily quiet. She stumbled to the crib and found Zeke lying peacefully, his tiny chest rising and falling with each breath. Relief flooded her, but it was short-lived.

“Austin?” she called out, her voice cracking.

No response.

She searched the house frantically, but he was nowhere to be found. Panic set in as she realized the truth: the Babysitter had taken him instead.

A note lay on the kitchen counter, written in smoky black letters:

**_A father’s love can pay as well. He chose to give himself.

_**

Zaina sank to the floor, clutching the note. Tears streamed down her face as the weight of what had happened settled over her. Austin had saved her and Zeke, sacrificing himself in her place.

But the Babysitter wasn’t gone. She could feel its presence lingering, a shadow in the corner of her vision, always watching.

From that day on, Zaina knew her family would never truly be free. The Babysitter had claimed its price, but its gaze would remain on her son. And she vowed to do whatever it took to keep him safe—even if it meant facing the shadows again.

———

Zaina didn’t sleep that night. Every creak of the floorboards, every rustle of wind through the house set her on edge. She sat by Zeke’s crib, clutching the note in her trembling hands. Morning light crept through the windows, but it brought no comfort. She knew she couldn’t face this alone.

She bundled Zeke in a blanket, strapped him into his stroller, and headed straight to Cecilia and Noah’s house. Her knock was frantic, and it wasn’t long before Cecilia opened the door, her face pale with concern.

“Zaina, are you okay?”

“No,” Zaina snapped, pushing past her into the chaotic house. “I need answers. Now.”

Noah appeared in the doorway, holding a cup of coffee. He frowned when he saw Zaina’s wild eyes and shaking hands. “What happened?”

“What happened?” Zaina spat, her voice trembling with fury and fear. “The Babysitter confronted me, demanded my life, and when I agreed, my husband gave himself up instead. I don’t even know where he is! It left me a note like this was some kind of twisted transaction. I need to know what you lost—what this thing took from you.”

Cecilia and Noah exchanged a somber glance. After a moment, Cecilia gestured to the couch. “You should sit down.”

“No!” Zaina yelled. “Just tell me.”

Cecilia sighed, sitting down herself. Her voice was soft, almost reluctant. “When our twins were born, they were… sick. We didn’t know if they’d make it through their first month. One night, in desperation, I whispered a prayer. I begged for something to save them. And the Babysitter came.”

“It took care of the boys,” Noah added. “Helped them recover. But the price…” He trailed off, his jaw tightening.

Cecilia reached for his hand, her voice breaking. “It took away my ability to have more children. I didn’t know that was the cost until months later, when we started trying for another.” She looked at Zaina with tear-filled eyes. “It always takes something. Something it knows will hurt.”

Zaina swallowed hard, her throat tight. “That’s not all, is it?”

Noah shifted uncomfortably, avoiding her gaze. Cecilia hesitated before continuing. “Noah… lost his memories of his childhood. It didn’t ask for them; it just took. He can’t remember his parents, his siblings, or anything before he turned eighteen.”

“It’s like they were erased,” Noah muttered, his voice low and bitter. “I only know them through photographs and stories Cecilia’s pieced together for me.”

Zaina stared at them, her stomach churning. “So it doesn’t just take what it asks for?”

Cecilia shook her head. “It doesn’t always. But sometimes… it does. And you never know what it’ll choose.”

Tears welled in Zaina’s eyes. “My husband is gone. It took him instead of me. Is there any way to get him back?”

Noah’s expression turned grim. “No one who’s been taken has ever returned. I’m sorry, Zaina. The Babysitter doesn’t bargain twice.”

Zaina’s knees buckled, and she collapsed into a chair, clutching her face as sobs wracked her body. Cecilia knelt beside her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“I know it’s hard,” Cecilia said softly. “But you still have your son. You have to protect him now. Whatever the Babysitter does, whatever it takes… it always ensures the children are safe.”

Zaina looked up, her tear-streaked face hardened with resolve. “Safe isn’t enough. I need to end this. For Zeke. For Austin. For everyone in this town.”

Cecilia and Noah exchanged worried glances.

“End it?” Noah said, his voice incredulous. “No one’s ever been able to stop it. What makes you think you can?”

“I don’t know,” Zaina said, standing and wiping her eyes. “But I’m going to try. It’s taken enough from us all. It’s time it paid our price.”

The room fell silent, Cecilia and Noah staring at Zaina as if she’d just declared war on the sun.

“You can’t fight it,” Cecilia whispered, anxiously looking around. “It’s not human, Zaina. It’s not even something we understand. What could you possibly do?”

“I don’t know yet,” Zaina admitted, her voice trembling with both fear and determination. “But I can’t just sit here and let it control our lives. It took my husband, and I won’t let it take anything else.”

Noah frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. “People have tried to fight back before. They’ve tried moving away, destroying the houses, even burning the thing when it appears. It always comes back. Stronger.”

“Then I’ll find another way,” Zaina said, her voice hardening. “There has to be something it wants. Some reason it’s tied to this town.”

Cecilia hesitated, then stood and walked to a small desk near the corner of the room. She opened a drawer and pulled out a worn leather journal, its cover cracked with age. She handed it to Zaina.

“What’s this?”

“It belonged to the first family who encountered the Babysitter. We found it in the attic when we moved in the house,” Cecilia explained. “They lived here in the 1920s. The journal talks about their experiences and what they learned about… it.”

Zaina took the journal, her fingers trembling. “Does it say how to stop it?”

Cecilia shook her head. “No. But it talks about where it came from. There’s a section about an old well in the woods behind the neighborhood. The family thought it might be the source of its power.”

Noah cut in, his voice sharp. “But no one’s gone near that well in years. The last person who did… disappeared.”

Zaina clenched her jaw. “Then that’s where I’ll start.”

“Zaina,” Cecilia said urgently, grabbing her arm. “You have a baby to think about. If you go after this thing and fail, who’s going to take care of Zeke?”

Zaina hesitated, the weight of her decision pressing down on her. But then she thought of Austin, of the life they’d dreamed of building together, of the smoky figure cradling her son. Her resolve returned.

“I’ll find someone to watch him,” Zaina said firmly. “But I can’t sit here and do nothing. If there’s even a chance to stop this, I have to try.”

Cecilia sighed but nodded reluctantly. “Fine. But be careful. If the Babysitter knows what you’re doing…”

“I’m sure it already knows,” Zaina said grimly, clutching the journal. “And I don’t care.”

————

Zaina left Cecelia and Noah’s house with the worn journal clutched tightly in her hands. The sun was starting to set, but she couldn’t shake the urgency to learn more. She had to understand what this Babysitter was and why it seemed tied to her family—and this town.

Zaina dropped Zeke off with Mrs. Hollis, the elderly neighbor who had agreed to watch him. Mrs. Hollis, for the most part kept to herself and Zaina knew very little about her past. What she did know, though, was that Mrs. Hollis had lost her own child many years ago—long before the Babysitter had the chance to come into her life. That loss had been heavy enough to carry, and Zaina often wondered if that was why Mrs. Hollis had agreed to help. Perhaps her own pain had made her more empathetic, more willing to protect others.

Zaina drove straight to the closest university, the University of Georgia, about thirty minutes away. The sprawling campus felt foreign and overwhelming as she parked near the library, the imposing building glowing under the streetlights.

Inside, the air was thick with the smell of old books and faint traces of coffee. Students milled around, their voices hushed as they studied. Zaina approached the reference desk, where a middle-aged librarian with wire-rimmed glasses and a sharp gaze greeted her.

“Hi,” Zaina began, hesitating slightly. “My name is Zaina and I’m… looking for information on local legends or… supernatural occurrences around the town of Pine Hollow.”

The librarian froze mid-turn, her hand hovering over a stack of returned books. Her brows furrowed, and her expression shifted from polite curiosity to something guarded, almost wary. “I’m Erin and I, uh, grew up there actually,” she said cautiously, setting the books down with deliberate care. “What exactly are you looking for?”

Zaina hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. The Babysitter wasn’t the kind of topic you could bring up without risking skepticism—or worse, outright dismissal. “I’ve just… heard some strange things about the area,” she said, choosing her words carefully. “There’s this story about a… presence. Something people call the Babysitter. I was wondering if you’ve come across anything about it in your research.”

The librarian’s face darkened, her lips pressing into a thin line. She looked around the library, her sharp eyes scanning for anyone nearby before leaning in closer. “The Babysitter,” she said in a low voice, as if the name itself carried weight. “Where did you hear about that?”

“I moved to Pine Hollow recently,” Zaina explained, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s not just a story, is it? It… came to my house. It’s taken something from my family.”

For a moment, the librarian didn’t respond. Her fingers tapped anxiously against the desk, and Zaina could see a flicker of unease in her eyes, like someone forced to confront a ghost from their past. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders sagging under the weight of whatever she was about to say. “I’ve heard of it,” she admitted. “More than I’d like to, if I’m being honest. But it’s not something people around here like to talk about.”

“Why not?” Zaina pressed.

“Because once you start talking about it, it feels like you’re inviting it in,” the librarian said grimly. “And if it’s already been to your home, then you’re in deeper than most.” She paused, studying Zaina with a mixture of sympathy and apprehension. “I can help you, but you need to understand something. The Babysitter doesn’t just show up for no reason. It’s drawn to something—pain, fear, desperation. If you’re not ready to face whatever that is, no amount of research is going to save you.”

Zaina swallowed hard, her determination outweighing her fear. “I have to try. It has my family. I can’t just walk away.”

The librarian nodded slowly, her hesitation giving way to a reluctant sense of duty. She gestured for Zaina to follow her deeper into the library, where the air grew cooler and the shadows darker. “Come with me,” she said, pointing to a small table. “There’s something you need to see.”

She disappeared into the rows of bookshelves and returned with a thick, dusty book titled _Legends of Georgia: Hauntings and Myths._ Flipping through its pages, she stopped at a section labeled “The Watcher of Pine Hollow.”

“Here,” the librarian said, sliding the book across the table.

Zaina’s heart raced as she read:

_“The Watcher of Pine Hollow, known locally as ‘The Babysitter,’ is a spectral figure said to protect children in times of danger. However, its protection comes at a cost, often taking something from the family—be it memories, loved ones, or their very freedom. Its origins are tied to the Pine Hollow Well, where, according to local lore, a grieving mother made a pact in the late 1800s to save her dying child. The child survived, but the mother disappeared, and the Babysitter was born. Since then, it has haunted the area, bound to the well and drawn to desperation.”_

__

Zaina felt a chill run down her spine. “It’s tied to the well,” she murmured.

The librarian nodded as Zaina continued reading.  “_The well is mentioned in several stories. It’s said to be a gateway, though no one knows to where. Some think it’s Hell; others believe it’s another dimension. Either way, it’s dangerous.”_

__

“Has anyone ever… stopped it?” Zaina asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The librarian hesitated. “There are accounts of people trying to sever ties to their families. Most failed. The few who succeeded…” She trailed off, flipping to another page. “Here. One woman in the 1950s managed to end her connection to the Babysitter by performing a ritual at the well. It involved returning something the Babysitter had taken and refusing to give it power through fear or guilt.”

Zaina’s eyes darted over the page. The ritual required three things: the presence of the well, an offering from the family that made the original pact, and a willingness to face one’s deepest truths.

She swallowed hard. “What happens if the ritual fails?”

The librarian’s face darkened. “It doesn’t just take. It consumes.”

“Have you ever encountered it?”

The librarian paused, her lips pressing into a thin line. She glanced around the nearly empty library before leaning forward, lowering her voice.

“I was hoping you wouldn’t ask that,” she said, her tone guarded.

Zaina frowned. “You have, haven’t you?”

The librarian nodded slowly. “Yes, I’ve encountered it. Not recently, thank God, but enough to know what you’re dealing with is very real—and very dangerous.”

Zaina leaned against the counter, her hands gripping its edge. “What happened?”

Erin took a deep breath, her fingers fidgeting with the corner of her book. “It was about ten years ago. My sister had just given birth to her first baby. She was struggling—her husband left her, postpartum depression, financial issues, you name it. One night, she called me, terrified. She said she saw something standing over her baby’s crib—a figure, dark and shapeless. She was convinced it was protecting her baby but… something felt off.”

Zaina’s chest tightened. “The Babysitter.”

Erin nodded. “Exactly. At first, we thought she was hallucinating. She was so sleep-deprived. But then I saw it too. I went to check on my niece, and there it was, just… standing there. It didn’t move. It didn’t speak. It just watched. And when I tried to pick up the baby, it blocked me.”

“What did you do?” Zaina asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I panicked,” Erin admitted. “We tried to leave the house, but the doors wouldn’t open. My sister started begging it to leave, but it just stood there, like it was waiting for something. The next day, my sister woke up and couldn’t remember anything about her pregnancy or her baby. She didn’t even recognize her own daughter.”

Zaina’s eyes widened. “It took her memories?”

Erin nodded, her expression pained. “Yes. I ended up moving, raising my niece because my sister couldn’t connect with her anymore. The Babysitter didn’t come back, but the damage was done. It always takes something.”

Zaina’s stomach churned. “Do you know if anyone’s ever undone it? Reversed what it took?”

Erin hesitated. “I’ve read about people trying. Some succeed, but it’s rare. And it’s not easy. You have to confront it directly, challenge its claim over you, and refuse to give it power through fear. But there’s always a risk. If you fail…” She trailed off, shaking her head.

“It consumes you,” Zaina finished, recalling the words from the legend.

Erin met her gaze. “Yes. If you’re planning to face it, be sure you’re ready. It feeds on desperation and fear. You have to be stronger than it. And you have to mean it when you say you’re taking back what’s yours.”

Zaina straightened, determination hardening in her eyes. “I don’t have a choice. It has my family in its grip. I have to stop it.”

Erin studied her for a long moment before nodding. “Then I wish you luck. And… take this.” She slid a small, leather-bound notebook across the counter.

“What is it?” Zaina asked, picking it up.

“My notes,” Erin said. “From everything I’ve researched over the years. Maybe it’ll help you. And if you need more, come back.”

Zaina clutched the notebook tightly. “Thank you, Erin. I won’t forget this.”

Armed with the journal, the book, and her growing determination, Zaina spent hours in the library, combing through every piece of information she could find. By the time she left, it was past midnight, and the campus was eerily quiet.

Back at home, she spread out her findings on the dining table. The journal’s cryptic entries, the book’s detailed accounts, and even notes Erin had scribbled from her memories all pointed to one undeniable truth: the Babysitter was bound to the well, and it fed on fear and desperation.

If she wanted to free her family, she needed to confront it at the source.

The next morning, Zaina called Cecelia and Noah, sharing what she had learned. To her surprise, they were willing to help.

“You’re really going to the well?” Noah asked over the phone, his tone both incredulous and admiring.

“I have to,” Zaina said. “I can’t let it keep controlling us.”

“We’ll meet you there,” Cecelia said firmly.

Zaina hesitated. “Are you sure? This could be dangerous.”

Cecelia’s voice softened. “We’ve lived with this thing our whole lives. If there’s even a chance to stop it, we’re in.”

———

That evening, the three of them stood at the edge of the woods, flashlights cutting through the growing darkness. The path to the well was overgrown and treacherous, but Zaina felt a strange sense of calm as they walked. She wasn’t alone.

When they reached the clearing, the well stood before them, just as the journal and books had described. The air was thick, almost suffocating, and the shadows seemed to move of their own accord.

“This is it,” Noah said, his voice barely audible.

Zaina stepped forward, clutching the journal in one hand and a small locket—a keepsake of her own mother—in the other. She didn’t know if the locket would work as an offering, but it was the most meaningful thing she had.

As she approached the well, the air grew colder, and the Babysitter appeared, its form more solid than ever.

“You cannot break the bond,” it said, its voice echoing in the stillness.

Zaina took a deep breath, holding the locket tightly. “Watch me.”

Zaina stood at the edge of the well, her heartbeat pounding like a drum. The Babysitter loomed before her, its featureless form flickering between solid and shadow. Its presence was suffocating, but she didn’t waver. She had come too far to falter now.

Cecelia and Noah stood behind her, their flashlights barely cutting through the oppressive darkness. Cecelia whispered, “We’re with you. Whatever happens, you’re not alone.”

Zaina nodded but kept her eyes fixed on the Babysitter. The journal had been clear: to sever the bond completely and undo everything the Babysitter had taken, Zaina had to confront her deepest truths and offer a part of herself willingly—not out of fear or desperation, but out of strength.

**The Ritual**

Zaina opened the journal to the page she had marked earlier. The instructions were cryptic, written by a desperate mother decades ago:

“_Return what was taken. Confront the shadow within. Refuse its power.”_

__

She took a deep breath and began.

**Step One: The Offering******

****

Zaina held up a locket, its small, heart-shaped frame catching the faint glow of her flashlight.  The locket was old, its edges worn from years of use, but its intricate design still shimmered in the dim light. Inside was a faded photograph of a woman with soft eyes and a gentle smile—her mother. It had always been more than just a piece of jewelry to Zaina. It was a symbol of her mother’s love, her strength, and the bond they had even in her absence. Now, it felt like the last connection to a past that had been violently torn away.

“I found this in my mother’s belongings after she died,” Zaina said, her voice trembling as she traced her fingers over the locket. “It’s all I have left of her, and it’s the only thing that’s kept me grounded. The Babysitter took more than I realized, and I don’t even know if it knows what it’s doing. But it’s taken something from my family—my son—and I can’t let that stand.”

“This is for you,” she said, her voice steady despite the anxiety clawing at her chest. “Not as a bribe, but as a symbol of my strength. I don’t need to hold onto the past to protect my son’s future.”

The Babysitter paused, its flickering form stilling for a moment. The locket floated from her hand and hovered over the well before vanishing into the shadows.

A low, guttural sound echoed from the well, as though the Babysitter were considering her gesture.

**Step Two: Confronting the Shadow******

****

Zaina closed her eyes and focused inward. The journal had warned her that this part would be the hardest. She needed to face the guilt, fear, and desperation that had summoned the Babysitter in the first place.

Suddenly, the world around her shifted. She was no longer in the woods but standing in her old apartment in Atlanta again. The memories weren’t just flickers in her mind; they were alive. She could see the half-packed boxes stacked haphazardly against the walls, each one a reminder of the looming move they weren’t ready for. Her swollen belly ached as she stood by the kitchen counter, her hands trembling over a stack of unpaid bills. Austin paced back and forth in the narrow hallway, his voice tight with frustration as he spoke to the landlord about the deposit they wouldn’t get back. Tension hung in the air like a storm cloud, thick with worry and exhaustion. She felt the weight of it all again—the fear of uprooting their lives, the dread of bringing a baby into chaos, and the crushing guilt of feeling like she wasn’t ready to be a mother. It was a moment frozen in time, one that had unknowingly set the stage for everything that came after.

The vision flashed to the night they came home from the NICU and saw herself holding a tiny Zeke, sobbing uncontrollably as Austin tried to comfort her.

“I can’t do this,” her past self whispered, the words dripping with despair. “What if I fail? What if something happens to him? I don’t have the help of the nurses anymore. Please, someone—anyone—help me.”

Zaina watched as the shadows in the room darkened, the Babysitter materializing for the first time, drawn by her desperation.

“This was my fault,” Zaina murmured. “I let my fear call you here.”

Her past self turned to her, eyes filled with tears. “You did what you thought you had to. You’re only human.”

Zaina’s breath caught. She realized then that she had been carrying the weight of that moment for too long, blaming herself for Austin’s disappearance and the Babysitter’s hold on their lives.

“I forgive myself,” Zaina said aloud, the words feeling foreign but powerful. “I forgive myself for being scared, for being desperate, for not being perfect. I forgive myself because I love my son, and that love is stronger than my fear.”

The vision faded, and Zaina was back at the well. The Babysitter recoiled, its form flickering violently as though her words had struck it.

**Step Three: Refusing Its Power******

****

The Babysitter’s voice boomed, a mix of rage and desperation. “You called me. You needed me. You cannot undo what has been done!”

Zaina took a step forward, her voice unwavering. “I needed you once, but not anymore. You have no power over me, or my family, or this town. I’m taking back what you’ve stolen.”

The shadows surged toward her, cold and suffocating. But Zaina stood firm, focusing on her love for Zeke, her memories of Austin, and the strength she had found within herself.

“You don’t get to take anything else from me,” she said, her voice ringing through the clearing. “Not now. Not ever.”

A brilliant light burst from the well, blinding her momentarily. The Babysitter let out a deafening wail as its form disintegrated, the shadows swirling into the light before disappearing entirely.

**Undoing the Damage**

As the light faded, the clearing grew still. The air felt lighter, as though a weight had been lifted.

Cecelia and Noah rushed to Zaina’s side. “Did it work?” Cecelia asked, her voice trembling.

Before Zaina could answer, the sound of rustling leaves through the silence. She turned and saw Austin stepping out of the woods.

“Austin!” Zaina ran to him, tears streaming down her face. She threw her arms around him, her heart bursting with relief.

“What happened?” Austin asked, his voice thick with confusion. “I remember… shadows, and then nothing. Where is Zeke?!”

“It’s over,” Zaina whispered. “He is safe. The Babysitter is gone.”

As they embraced, Zaina felt a sense of peace she hadn’t known in months.

———

The next day, Zaina and Austin, along with Cecelia and Noah, returned to Mrs. Hollis’s house to retrieve their kids and share the news with the town. The couple looked lighter, as though a burden had been lifted from their shoulders.

“We don’t feel its presence anymore,” Noah said. “You really did it.”

Zaina smiled. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

As she drove home, Zaina glanced at Zeke in the rearview mirror, his tiny face peaceful in sleep. For the first time since moving to Pine Hollow, she felt truly free.

The Babysitter was gone, its hold on her family and the town broken. And though the scars of its presence would remain, Zaina knew she had the strength to move forward—stronger, wiser, and unafraid.