Campfire Legend: The Babysitter

After completing my review of Campfire Legend: The Hookman, it's time to dive into the next installment, Campfire Legend: The Babysitter.

The story follows Lisa, a student in need of a recommendation for med school, who takes on a babysitting job for a university dean. With just one letter from him, Lisa could secure her future. Her friend Kate drops her off at the dean’s house, expressing concern about the eerie atmosphere. Lisa brushes off Kate's warnings, determined to seize the opportunity. She reassures Kate that it'll be an easy gig, just watching TV while the kids sleep, although Kate warns her that some kids can be nightmares.

As Lisa approaches the house, she's startled by a barking dog, causing her to accidentally spill her purse. While trying to gather her belongings, she hears someone answer the door. Nervously, Lisa enters the house and announces herself as the babysitter. A woman greets her from behind, startling Lisa once again. The woman confirms Lisa's identity and remarks on her punctuality. Lisa apologizes, explaining her jumpy behavior, to which the woman empathizes, attributing it to the house's effect on people. She assures Lisa that the twins she'll be looking after are already in bed, hopefully not to be heard from until morning.

Unbeknownst to Lisa, someone was watching her from behind a monitor, suggesting the presence of a camera in the house. The twins' mother then informed Lisa about Libby's rare skin disease, ensuring she wouldn't be surprised when seeing her. Lisa acknowledged this information, and the woman provided a contact number before leaving with her husband.

Settling down in the living room to watch TV before reading her book, Lisa was taken aback when the twins appeared. Maggie, Libby’s sister, noticed Lisa's reaction and inquired about it, while Libby suggested Lisa was scared of her. Lisa reassured them it was just a momentary fright. When Maggie requested hot chocolate, Libby contradicted her, claiming they didn't want any, nor did they want a babysitter. Ordering Lisa to leave, Libby was met with Lisa's apology, reminding them they were stuck with her until morning and offering to make hot chocolate like their mother did. As Lisa prepared the hot chocolate in the kitchen, she was startled by a ringing phone. Upon answering, a man's voice on the line ominously commanded her to GET OUT.

The twins found amusement in Lisa's shock, laughing at her reaction. Lisa brushed it off as funny and gave them their hot chocolate, urging them to go to bed. However, Lisa still felt too wound up to study, so she decided to play a puzzle game until she heard a noise upstairs. It sounded like the twins were running around, and when Lisa investigated, they began throwing marbles down at her. She was forced to gather them up one by one and place them in a bowl.

Upon reaching the upstairs, Lisa discovered the twins had locked themselves in their room, with the key left in the lock. Determined to unlock the door, Lisa improvised using a nail and a newspaper to retrieve the key and successfully gained entry. However, she was shocked to find "GO AWAY" written on the mirror. Concerned, Lisa decided to remove the mirror to avoid any further bad luck.

After moving the mirror, Lisa entered the twins’ room and scolded them for their behavior towards their babysitters. She assured them she would clean up the mess and instructed them to be in bed within five minutes. Maggie then revealed that the mirror incident was the work of Nate, Libby’s imaginary friend who supposedly lived in the closet. Libby grew angry with Maggie for revealing Nate's involvement, but Lisa insisted that they both needed to go to bed soon, regardless of Nate's identity.

Lisa continued her tasks by locating the original placement of the mirror and rehanging it in the parent’s bedroom using a hammer and nail. She jokingly addressed the mirror, asking, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the raddest college student of them all?” Still focused on making a good impression on the Dean and his wife for the recommendation she needed.

Next on her list was cleaning up a broken expensive plate hanging on the wall, which she glued back together. Lisa believed it was crucial to maintain a positive impression on the family.

As she checked on the twins to ensure they were not causing any more trouble, she was startled by lizards running under her feet in their room. Maggie explained they were just playing with the lizards, and they usually didn't run away. Apologizing, Maggie mentioned that Nate, Libby’s imaginary friend, loved the lizards. Lisa agreed to capture them, reminding the girls it was their last chance to go to bed.

After successfully catching the lizards and placing them in a glass box, Lisa intended to inform the girls but found they had vanished. Threatening to call their parents, Lisa went to retrieve their mom’s phone number from sticky notes on the living room table. However, she was interrupted by the sound of footsteps and discovered muddy boot prints on the carpet, leading her to the library. Suddenly, the bookshelf closed shut, prompting Lisa to search for the house’s plans. With the passcode obtained, Lisa made sure the girls wouldn’t scare her again.

Lisa answered the ringing phone, only to be met with the same mysterious man's voice from earlier, warning her not to try to find them. Frustrated, Lisa scolded the girls, insisting their prank was no longer amusing and vowed to find them. However, all she received in response was a stern "DON’T TRY AND FIND THEM!" Lisa attempted to reassure herself, repeating, "it’s just the girls. It’s just the girls.."

Exploring the twins’ room, Lisa discovered an elevator and began searching for the key. Once found, she operated the elevator and descended into a strange part of the house. Despite calling out for the girls, there was no response. Unbeknownst to Lisa, someone was watching her through a monitor. Suddenly, she was struck on the head with a stick by an unseen assailant.

Regaining consciousness, Lisa found herself handcuffed to a chair. With a hairpin in her pocket, she managed to unlock the handcuffs and free herself. Confused and disoriented, she wondered if the girls were responsible for her predicament.

Venturing further, Lisa entered what appeared to be a surgery room, shrouded in darkness. Determined to shed some light, she improvised a solution. Upon illuminating the room, Lisa noticed a wall behind some wheelchairs that seemed decayed. She resolved to tear down the plaster and bricks, fashioning a makeshift drill to accomplish the task.

After punching through the bricks, Lisa discovered a passage leading to another bizarre area of the house, resembling a scientist's laboratory. Searching for an exit, she stumbled upon a locked door with a peculiar mechanism labeled "NO WAY OUT." The key to this door was trapped in a tube, next to a chessboard. Amidst the strange items, Lisa found a videotape marked 'Libby,' piquing her curiosity. Determined to uncover the truth, she set out to find a VCR.

Finally obtaining the door key, Lisa entered the Video Room, where she found a malfunctioning video recorder. Despite her efforts to fix it, she managed to watch the tape marked 'Libby,' which turned out to be the third in a series of five.

The video depicted a man conducting an experiment, referring to a serum named X86 and subjecting Libby to it, causing her distress. Lisa was shocked by the disturbing footage, prompting her to search for answers in a notebook she remembered. She found herself in the scientist's office, where she discovered a door with a turn wheel leading to a Holding Cell.

Inside the Holding Cell, Lisa retrieved the notebook but triggered an alarm, causing the door to lock and the ceiling to lower. Panicking, she desperately searched for the right key to open a lockbox, containing the second videotape and the key to unlock the door. Time was of the essence as Lisa raced against the impending danger to secure her escape.

Lisa hurried to the Video Room to watch the second tape, which turned out to be the first of five. It revealed footage of various locations within the house, including the main room, the twins’ bedroom, and the parents' room, before showing the girls playing until the entrance of the mysterious man into the twins’ room, sending shivers down Lisa's spine.

In her quest for the remaining tapes, Lisa ventured into the workshop, using a crowbar to force open the buckled door. She retrieved the third tape, which she promptly watched in the Video Room. Tape 2 of 5 depicted Dr. Nathan Haken conducting a test of Serum X92 on Libby, causing her to scream in pain.

Realizing she had found three tapes and needed two more, Lisa located them in a box in the Video Room. Without hesitation, she inserted the fourth tape into the player. This tape showcased Dr. Haken conducting an experiment on a monkey using Serum X79, resulting in the monkey's agonizing screams and Dr. Haken's frustration at his lack of success.

Shocked by Dr. Haken's apparent ability to revive the monkey, Lisa proceeded to explore another door in the Video Room, leading her to The Animal Testing Room. However, she found herself trapped once more, requiring her to solve a puzzle to access the Laboratory. Inside, she discovered the final tape under a table, concealed by a pink blanket.

Returning to the Video Room, Lisa watched the last tape, revealing Maggie chasing after Libby upstairs before witnessing Libby's fall, followed by Dr. Haken's ominous appearance, carrying Libby away. The chilling footage left Lisa with more questions than answers about the mysterious events unfolding in the house.

Lisa was stunned by the revelation that Dr. Haken hadn't killed Libby but had instead brought her back to life. However, witnessing Libby's deteriorating condition, Lisa was determined to put an end to the experiments. Returning to the Laboratory, she retrieved the serum intended for Libby, determined to intervene.

As she prepared to administer the serum, Lisa heard approaching footsteps and quickly hid. Dr. Haken's fury was palpable as he discovered Libby's missing last shot, vowing consequences if he caught whoever was responsible. Spotting Lisa with the serum, Dr. Haken demanded she hand it over, prompting Lisa to flee to the Food Storage area.

Using an electrical device, Lisa created a makeshift trap to prevent Dr. Haken from pursuing her. However, Dr. Haken attempted to outsmart her by luring her into a puddle of water near an electricity box. Yet, his plan backfired when he was electrocuted, allowing Lisa to escape.

Opening a ventilation shaft in the food locker, Lisa crawled through, hoping to find a way out. Her journey led her to a strange part of the house, where she unexpectedly encountered Libby. The encounter filled Lisa with a mix of relief and apprehension as she faced the next chapter of their unfolding ordeal.

As Lisa encountered Libby, she urged her to leave, fearing Dr. Haken's imminent arrival. In a desperate attempt to delay him, Lisa barricaded the door with a mop and rope. However, Libby unexpectedly untied the rope, allowing Dr. Haken to enter. Libby insisted on staying for her treatment, embracing Dr. Haken despite Lisa's protests.

As Dr. Haken demanded the syringe from Lisa, she defiantly threw it, shattering it to prevent its use. Fleeing from Dr. Haken's rage, Lisa rushed into a corridor leading to an elevator. She blocked one door with racks to impede Dr. Haken's pursuit and searched for a screwdriver to access the elevator panel.

As Dr. Haken attempted to force his way through, Lisa hid and, seizing an opportunity, pushed him to the ground. With Dr. Haken momentarily incapacitated, Lisa used his dropped key card to activate the elevator and bring it down, hoping to escape the nightmare unfolding around her.

As Lisa entered the elevator, Dr. Haken attempted to ensnare her foot with his hook, but she managed to evade him and escape. Returning to the twins’ room to rescue Maggie, Lisa reassured her that the danger posed by "Nate" was now over. However, her relief was short-lived when Maggie suddenly pushed her down.

When Lisa regained consciousness, she found herself bound to a surgery table, confronted by Maggie, who eerily insisted that Lisa needed to rest and claimed to have saved her. Holding a syringe resembling Libby's last serum, Maggie revealed a shocking truth—Lisa had the same rare skin condition as Libby.

The revelation left Lisa reeling with disbelief. Could it be possible that Maggie, a mere child, was the true mastermind behind the twisted events? Lisa's mind raced with questions, wondering where the game writer drew inspiration for Maggie's character.

Meanwhile, excerpts from Dr. Haken's journal shed light on the tragic backstory behind the events of Campfire Legend: The Hookman. Dr. Haken's profound love for his daughter was evident, yet his actions were deeply flawed. His cryptic reference to "that girl" likely referred to Maggie, leaving players questioning the true nature of her involvement.

Despite the unsettling revelations, Lisa grappled with the realization that Dr. Haken may have harbored a desire to protect her from Maggie's machinations. In the surreal world of the game, reality blurred with fiction, reminding players of the unsettling power of imagination.