Dead End Job

Sarah's first night working as a direct care aid was far from ordinary. Assigned to watch over Martha, a 65-year-old woman with a developmental disability, Sarah felt unprepared for the bizarre events that unfolded. Colleen, Martha's daughter, had mentioned Martha's occasional nighttime confusion, but nothing could have prepared Sarah for the full picture.

The initial hours were quiet. After Colleen left for her night shift, Sarah settled into the living room, the silence broken only by the hum of the television. The first disruption came from upstairs. Investigating the sound of footsteps, Sarah called out to Martha, who didn't respond. The footsteps retreated, and Sarah dismissed it as a bathroom visit.

Back in the living room, Sarah grabbed a sandwich from the fridge. As she returned, she froze. Standing in the doorway, bathed in the moonlight filtering through shattered glass, was Martha. Sarah's heart hammered in her chest. After calming Martha and reminding her of Colleen's hiring, Sarah managed to coax her back upstairs. Hoping to induce sleep, Sarah offered melatonin, a strategy that seemed successful.

Exhaustion gnawed at Sarah. Deciding to take a short nap, she settled into the spare bedroom Colleen had mentioned. But sleep was elusive. A persistent banging sound from downstairs jolted her awake. Creeping down the stairs, Sarah's heart lurched at the sight in the kitchen. Martha's silhouette flickered in the darkness, repeatedly opening and slamming the oven door. Fear clawed at Sarah's throat. Her attempts to calm Martha were met with a blank stare and a chilling return trip upstairs.

Sleep, when it finally came, was fraught with anxiety. Sarah awoke to another sound - the closet door creaking open. A dark figure emerged, and Sarah's terror peaked when she saw Martha holding a large kitchen knife. The situation had transformed from caregiving to a fight for survival.

Screaming for Martha to drop the knife, Sarah scrambled away. Adrenaline fueled her escape downstairs, where she grabbed her shoes and bolted outside. Ignoring protocol, she called Colleen instead of the police, hoping to avoid escalating the situation. Colleen's initial disbelief turned to concern when she found the knife by Martha's bed. Sarah, determined to protect herself, left out the detail about sleeping in the spare room. Despite the ordeal, Colleen even offered her the room for future nights, an offer Sarah politely declined.

That night marked the end of Sarah's time with Martha. It was the most unsettling experience of her nine years as a care aid. The memory of the knife-wielding Martha and the unsettling atmosphere of the house served as a constant reminder of the night that went terribly wrong.

The story then skips to Sarah's first day as a plumber's apprentice. Dispatched to a seemingly abandoned house for a leaky pipe call, Sarah felt a wave of unease from the very beginning. The unnaturally cheerful homeowner, the lack of furniture, and the strategic positioning of his body all sent shivers down her spine. When she discovered the water valve was mysteriously upstairs, her intuition screamed something was wrong.

The sound of multiple footsteps descending the stairs confirmed her suspicions. Trusting her gut, Sarah grabbed her tools and made a hasty retreat. Later, she learned the house was vacant and the call was a prank. But the encounter left a lasting impression, solidifying her resolve to prioritize her safety in any situation.

The story concludes with Sarah's brief stint at Domino's. A late-night delivery to a rundown house in the outskirts of town sent shivers down her spine. The manager's casual dismissal of her concerns about a shadowy figure watching from the window did little to ease her anxiety. When a disheveled man emerged from the house, only to disappear after claiming to get money, the situation escalated further.

The sound of approaching footsteps, not from the expected direction, sent a jolt of terror through them. Then came the manager's scream. Fear turned into frantic escape as they piled back into the car and sped away. The manager later revealed he'd stumbled upon a group gathered around a makeshift fire, laughing at a terrified baby deer.

That night marked the end of Sarah's delivery driving career. The unnerving encounter with what could have been a cult solidified her decision. She, along with the new trainee, quit immediately. The manager followed suit a month later. They had unwittingly stumbled into a dangerous situation, and their quick thinking ensured their escape.