This short story is based on the following image:

“Red hat down!”

“Scruffy and bloated!”

“Sleepy, ugly bruises on cheeks, blooming.”

That is how they describe me, warning the little mousies. As if I am criminal and they are the saints.

All I did was fluff their beds, cuddle their baby, and drink leftover milk, gorging on the cookies they had colored with sugar all night long.

But now I see my face on every newspaper and screen. It seems the public has an odd fascination with my infamy.

I didn’t mean to start a thing–I just thought I would leave a present or two (or three). You know, to make them smile when they awoke and found me missing cold. The stockings were for laughs, the tooting train was just an excuse while I lay in wait for the headlights to come back up the drive.

Unfortunately for me, I had to be the best babysitter ever.

This story was inspired by Flash! Friday flash fiction prompt.