AUTHOR’S NOTE:
In 1990s, stories began to circulate online telling of children, or perhaps creatures resembling children, usually boys, thought girls are not unheard of, six to sixteen years of age, though reports vary, with completely black eyes, including the sclera and iris. Their modus operandi usually involves approaching people’s homes or cars, asking to be let inside for various reasons, very insistently. This is usually accompanied by a sense of terror and the urge to let them in. The following story is based on this phenomenon.
#
Vera was in a deep sleep when a slow, constant knocking sound pulled her from her unconsciousness. Rising up in bed, it took her a moment to realize what was happening.
Is that the door?
She looked at the clock by her bed and saw it was past midnight, 12:25, to be exact. Huh? \ Her mind was still in a state of semi-consciousness, just awake enough to register what was going on. She decided to try to ignore it, she was probably just hearing things, and laid back down. But the knocking just kept on, and on, getting more and more persistent. Whoever it was they were not going to go away so Vera got out of bed, pulling a soft pink robe over her pajamas, smoothing out pale blonde hair. If she was going to do this, she was going to at least try to look somewhat together.
#
Vera walked down the stairs to the front door, and opened it, to her surprise finding two children peering out from behind the glass screen door.
There was one boy and one girl, they both looked to be about twelve or thirteen, with pale skin, thought the girl’s cheeks were generously sprinkled with freckles, and dark hair, thought the boy’s hair was more brown, and the girl’s more of a bluish black. Their clothes would’ve been in style in the 1980s-the boy was wearing a gray skater hoodie would a blue and black checkered shirt peaking out underneath. and the girl was wearing one of those blue blazers that were popular with the prep scene back then-but at the same time they looked brand new. Like they just bought them.
Her mind still a bit hazy, Vera managed to process the sight in a few seconds, however, she was still confused. What were two kids doing out here at midnight? She was about to voice that question to them when a literal chill suddenly ran down her back as she was inexplicably filled with dread. Something was wrong. She didn’t know what, but something was just wrong.
I should shut the door. Vera thought, before trying to think rationally, I can’t do that. They’re just kids. They’re just…
That was when the boy spoke up. “Ma’am. We’ve had a bit of a mishap and need to use your phone. May we come in?”
Vera was surprised by the boy’s adult-like words. Kids didn’t talk like that. What tween boy used the word ‘mishap’? Why were these kids out there in the middle of the night? Where were their parents? “I’ll go get my cell phone and you can use that, okay?” She spoke.
“No,” The boy said, more forcefully, “We need to come in. Come on. Please.”
Vera backed away, the dread increasing. Meeting her eyes, she saw it. Their eyes. They were black. Completely black, not just the irises, but the part where white should be, with no shine in them at all. Almost like a shark’s.
That was when she also saw her hand going towards the screen door’s handle.
Quickly pulling her hand back, she used it to grab the heavy wooden door and slammed it shut. As she franticly turned the lock, she could hear the boy on the other side. “Come on, miss, we’re not going to hurt you. Just let us in. Come on.”
Even though the boy’s voice was clam, even, there was something in it that just seemed threatening. That if she let them in, they would most certainly hurt her. Rob her. Kill her. Something worst.
“Come on, lady. We’re only be a few minutes.”
That was when Vera’s hand slowly moved towards the lock.
“No!” She shouted aloud, stopping herself again and running back to her bedroom, but the children kept pounding on the door, the boy calling out, “Hey, come back! Let us in!”
The girl started in now, “Please let us in!” A desperate, female voice called out, “Let us in!”
Vera shut the door of her bedroom, falling to the floor, curling up and hugging her knees, her back against the door as the children’s voices became more insistent, more forceful, more threatening. “Go away,” She begged, closing her eyes and drawing her arms closer around her body, “Please go away.”
The terror in her body kept crashing down in new waves, but so did the urge, to go back out there, go to the door, open it, tell them it was alright, they could come in and use the phone.
What was this spell they had over her.
Vera put her hands over her ears, but she could still hear them. The pounding was getting louder. So was the yelling.
You can’t open the door. She silently told herself as tears clouded her vision. If you open that door, you’re dead.
That was when the pounding on the door finally stopped.
It took Vera a moment to realize that it had stopped. Slowly she removed her hands from her ears. Were they gone? What if they got in somehow?
Hugging her knees again, Vera held her breath, waiting for the worst.
#
Vera stayed that way the rest of the night, afraid to move. Afraid to go back to sleep. Afraid to do anything. It wasn’t until she could make out the first pinkish beams of sun through the window, that she dared to slowly stand, fear and hope gripping her heart all at once. Had she actually survived the night? Where they actually gone?
She started with one slow, trembling step, her limbs tingling from staying in an awkward position all night, her mind frazzled from terror and sleep deprivation. After a moment she took the next step. After what felt like forever, she made it to the window and tentively pulled the gauzy blue curtain back. No unearthly black-eyed children. The sun was out, people were starting to move, come out of their homes. Birds were chirping. It was like it never even happened.
But, it did happen, didn’t it?
Just then a boy came riding up the street on a bike, heading towards her house. Oh, crap! She thought, flinching back from the window. They’re back!
But the boy just threw a rolled-up newspaper in the drive and road away. It was just the paperboy. Vera thought, Pull yourself together, Vera. It was only-the-paperboy. You’re just being silly now. She started laughing hysterically until her laugher became sobbing.