Happy Halloween

So this story didn't happen on Halloween but aside from being a parent, this is the scariest thing that has ever happened to me.

As a young teenager I held a job that many teenagers hold.  Babysitter.  I mainly babysat Saturday mornings, but sometimes I was required on weeknights.  

There was a boy and a girl.  The boy always went to bed without a problem.  He was used to routine and he stuck to it.  The girl on the other hand was a princess.  She didn't like going to sleep in her own room at night,  and she was afraid of the dark.  So the routine with her became letting her fall asleep on the couch and then carry her into her bed.   Not long after this began, I learned she was a sleep talker.  Fun at first, but it lost it's flare so I soon learned that when she started talking it was time to put her in bed.

One night, I was watching cable tv (a luxury at that time) and the girl was drifting asleep on the couch.  The lights were off and I became entranced in what ever show was on at 9:00pm at night.  The girl began to talk so I set the remote down and got up and walked over to her.  As I got a couple feet away, I noticed her eyes were wide open and they were set on me.

"Oh, you're awake.  Do you need a drink?"

Blank stare, and no answer.

"Hey, what did you say?" I prodded to no avail.

I felt something was off so I took a step closer and leaned in and said her name.

At the sound of her name she instantly sat straight up and her eyes were fixed on mine.
Her face glowed in the reflection of the television.  Her hair was disheveled and frizzy.  She didn't blink. Not once.

My heart began to race as I said "Hello!  Ash!  Are you awake!??!"  And she kept staring.  Then she began to mumble.

"What!?" I spat out in a whisper.

She repeated her mumble.

"Ashton!  Wake up!"

And she laid back down.  Still staring at me.  Not blinking.

She finally closed her eyes and turned her head.

She had a tv in her room so I left her on the couch and watched tv in there until her mom got home.