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Babysitter is the fourth chapter of Tomie: Again.

Plot[]

A woman named Erita has been hired as an agency babysitter. The parents introduce her to their daughter "Marina", who is wrapped in a sheet so Erita can't see her. They warn Erita about a spate of arson attacks in the town and then lock her in the room with the baby. When Erita looks, she sees that "Marina" is a partially reformed Tomie: a head growing out from a heart. The parents leave after telling her that Marina loves the color red, and to hold her up to the window if she cries.

There is a fire outside the window, and as emergency sirens wail, Marina begins to scream. Erita does not take Marina to the window as the parents ordered her, fearing Marina will only be more upset. Marina is still screaming when the parents arrive home many hours later. They tell her that Marina loves fire and will scream if there is no fire and only stops when she is taken to the window. The parents then leave again.

Marina continues to scream all night and vomits when Erita tries to feed her. She only stops crying when Erita finally gives in and takes her to the window to watch the fire. Marina's parents do not return home, and the following morning Erita overhears neighbors saying that the couple were arrested for starting all the fires in the town. She panics that now the parents can't let her out of the room and she is stuck there. Marina begins to talk and says that her name is Tomie, not Marina.

Tomie grows faster and faster as the days go by, slowly driving Erita insane. Tomie one day wants to see something red, as she cannot see the fire anymore, and demands that Erita cut herself. However, Tomie isn't interested in the blood and instead tells Erita she wants to see something "red like burning fire." Erita can't withhold her frustration any more, and stabs into the main vein of Tomie's heart, recoiling as blood sprays everywhere. Erita, transfixed, says it's beautiful and Tomie agrees.

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