Black Eyed Children

The history of mankind is riddled with the weird and the wonderful; bizarre people, strange places and odd events. For centuries, we’ve told each other fantastic stories around campfires and in darkened rooms. Tales of ghosts, UFOs, and conspiracies, but are these stories exactly that: Stories? There’s only one way to find out! Join me as I dive down the rabbit hole and into… the Unexplained Files.
 
This week: Black Eyed Children

WTF?
 
Los Angeles, California. 1995. A young singer known to her friends as ‘Fergie’ meets a rapper by the name of Will. I. Am…
 
Wait... That can’t be right...
 
*checks notes*
 
Ffs. Let me start again. OK this is it...
 
Abilene, Texas. 1996. Brian Bethel, an internet blogger and journalist, sits in his car, writing the cheque he’s about to drop into the night-slot of his internet service provider, when suddenly there’s a sharp rap at his window. He’s writing a cheque by the light of a nearby cinema, so, preparing himself for the worst, he looks up and is relieved to see two boys aged between 9-12.
 
He winds his window down, readying himself for a sob-story requiring him to hand over pocket change, when he was overcome with incomprehensible fear. The kids seemed normal enough, but something about them was off. The boy who knocked is olive-skinned, while his fair-skinned, redhead friend loiters in the background. The olive-skinned boy asks to be taken to his house. They want to see the Mortal Kombat movie, but as well as shitty taste in films, the boys are apparently forgetful, as they’ve left their money at home.
 
It all seemed plausible enough at the time, though the longer the conversation went on, the more Bethel was gripped by his seemingly irrational fear. Looking for excuses not to let these kids into his car, he glanced up at the cinema and realised that the last showing of the film had already started, and there was no time to drive the boys back home then return to the cinema.
 
While Bethel was calculating distances and times, the olive-skinned boy was continuously trying to convince him to let them into his car. It won’t take long… we’re just kids… it’s not like we have a gun…
 
That’s when Bethel looked back at the kid. And wishes he hadn’t...
 
You’re Kidding, Right?
 
His irrational fear was now all too rational. Both boys stared at him with eyes of soulless, inky blackness. The ground seemed to fall away beneath him and fear clutched at his stomach. It was around this point he made every excuse he could think of to get the fuck out of there, all the while apologising to the Satan spawn peering at him.
 
With a staggering ability to make things worse, the kid banged on the window, screaming “Let us in! We can’t come in unless you tell us it’s okay!”

According to Bethel, as he screeched from the parking lot, he glanced in his rear-view mirror. The boys had gone. There was no time for them to run anywhere.
 
And so began the tale of the Black Eyed Kids. Subsequent stories include similar details. Two kids, remote locations, deep, overwhelming fear, the kids insisting on being let in. There are slight variations. Sometimes there’s a Black Eyed Adult. Sometimes they’re wearing old fashioned clothes or gowns. But since Bethel’s story in the 1990s, there has been an internet explosion of stories.
 
Hold Your Horses!
 
So what exactly is going on here? Theories abound. From demons to vampires to kids fucking around with spooky-looking contact lenses.
 
Rather than my waffling, I’ll leave you in the hands of someone posting online with the handle “Adele”.
 
    “I was sitting in my bedroom reading a book, when at about 11:00 p.m. I heard a knocking… a slow, constant one. I got up out of bed to see what it was. I looked out of the window and to my surprise saw two children. I opened the window and asked them what they wanted at this time of night. They replied by saying simply, ‘Let us in’. I said no and asked what for. ‘We want to use your bathroom’.
 
    “I was quite shocked that children of about 10 years-old wanted to use a stranger’s bathroom at this time of night. I told them no, closed the window, but looked at them through the glass. I glanced at their eyes… and I have never ever seen eyes like them. They were black, completely black. I got the feeling of evil and unhappiness. It surrounded me. It was horrible.”
 
Make Your Mind Up Time.
 
I think the most unsettling thing about Adele’s story is its simplicity. Stories online tend to have embellishments and a flair for the dramatic. This one seemed quite understated. So do I think it’s vampires? Demons? Human-alien hybrids?
 
Sadly, none of the above. With one source story and many springing up after, this one bears all the hallmarks of an urban legend. I may be wrong, of course. All stories have to start somewhere. But I remained unconvinced. Having said that…
 
If two kids show up on a rainy night asking to be let in out of the cold, I’ll gladly tell them to fuck themselves.
 
RATING: 1=Bollocks 2=Not convinced 3=Possibly… 4=Compelling stuff 5=Holyshittheskyisfalling
 
What do you think? Have you had a run in with Black Eyed Kids? Comment below!

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