Boo!!!

 

What scares you? And I don't mean the taxman or the scale...I mean, what makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck? Do you like scary movies? 

When it comes to being terrified, for me it's all about what you can't see - what lurks in the shadows frightens the bejesus out of me, movies like: The Ring, Paranormal Activity or The Blair Witch Project to name a few. For the latter, I remember losing my mind when my hubby informed me he had to go to the bathroom during the movie, leaving me in the theatre with no one to grip/claw onto. I'm pretty sure I shouted, "If you love me, you'll stay and cross your legs!"

Equally scary for me are the films that touch on the unstable like The Shining(I didn't want twins after seeing this film), Psycho (Shadowy figures rocking in windows?No thanks!), The Omen (a ball bouncing down the stairs on its own), Silence of The Lambs (I'm pretty sure I never looked at a bottle of Chianti the same way again.)

I can't stomach slasher films, the same way I can't watch the surgery channel, there are some things I just don't ever need to see.

Have you ever been truly afraid? And I don't mean peeing your pants on a scary ride (which I almost did last week, fyi). 

My scariest moments seemed to happen while I was babysitting. 

One time, my parents and aunt/uncle went for dinner downtown, leaving me in charge of my brother. 

It should be worth noting that their house was situated on the back of a forested acre. 

My brother and I were shooting pool in the basement and noticed police officers shining spotlights on the front yard. 

My brother, who though younger, seemed to possess more street savvy, leaned in and said, "You know what that means don't you? Someone's hiding in our yard."

I killed the lights, armed us both with pool cues and we peeked out the window. The policemen left and shortly after we heard a light knocking on our front door. 

"Who's there?" I said in my most authoritatively adult voice I could muster. 

Silence.

Then another tap tap tap on the front door.

I think I leapt up the entire staircase in one, maybe two giant steps.

I called my grandparents to drive out, while my brother grabbed his bb gun and took open shots towards the front yard from his bedroom window. 

Another scary babysitting adventure happened in the light of day.

I was 12 and in charge of my brother and I from the time we finished school until my parents got home.

The phone rang and someone was playing a pre-recorded laugh repeatedly.

I hung up and they called back continuously.

(This was before the days of caller ID/Star 69).

I took the phone off the hook and left things for awhile.

As soon as I put the phone back on the hook, it rang and it was a man's voice saying, "I'm watching you."

Needless to say, my grandparents received another "save us right now" phone call from a very exasperated babysitter. I'm pretty sure I earned my minimum wage on both occasions.

Do you have any scary tales to share?