Hey there, thank you for joining us for this episode of 13. Before we get started, as always,

we want to thank our new patrons. Amy Jameson, Mary, Donnie, Kaylem, and Britt Volenvobber.

Thank you so much for your support. And welcome to the pod fam.

If you want to hear your name and audio, then you should check us out over on Patreon.

You'll also find ad-free episodes, exclusive merch, and monthly bonus stories.

Check it out at patreon.com slash 13Pod or click the link in the show notes. Today's story is what meets

in the dark and rain, written by Darren Todd, narrated by Nate DeFort. Are you ready? Sit back.

Turn down the lights. And now, on with the show.

Thank you. The storm began after my parents left for the evening.

This was a trial, they told me, to see if I could handle myself alone.

If anything went wrong, it'd be right back to the babysitters.

I'd turned 12 a few weeks earlier, after starting sixth grade at my new school.

Too old for babysitters.

The house still felt strange. The house still felt strange. The living room alone could have held our old place in the city.

Our tiny couch and chair sat in the middle of the huge room like

kid-sized versions of regular furniture. I never minded the sitter at our old place.

If I stayed out of trouble, she'd let me watch TV or play video games.

I could tell her I had no homework, and she'd believe me.

But my sitter for the last few weeks never let me do anything. She took control of the TV

and mom's laptop. She made me do all my homework, even checked it, and piled on more if I finished

early. She'd have people over and make me promise to keep it secret. But that night would begin my

freedom. I was fine with my folks going out all the time if that meant I could stay home and do my own

...