Creepy Children

[Sparks]

A creepy little story for ya'll. I wanted to write about this sooner but I needed a few... days of sleep to feel up to it.


I had a real rough night sleeping last week. A certain incident earlier in the week had left me spooked, and I was barely getting three hours of sleep a night - near death experiences do that.

Just when I felt comfortable enough to try and get some Z's around 4 or 5 AM, I heard a weird set of childlike voices near my window.

"There she is."

"She looks tired."

"Let's help her sleep a long time."

I rather quickly was sitting up on my couch, a rather sizable K-frame revolver in my hand and trained on... three children.

They were two boys and a girl, no older than maybe 10. They were skinny and gaunt looking, their skin rather grey in the fading moonlight. They had dark, disheveled hair and... ugh, their eyes. They were like empty black pools of petrol.

"Please let us on." One said, his voice having an odd... melodic quality to it, like a tune you couldn't get out of your head.

"So we can kill you." said the girl with a disturbing cheer.

"You can sure as hell try." I growled, pulling back the hammer on my .44.

They all just collectively laughed in return, the shadows along the window bars and and ledge beginning to... swirl and dance around them.

"Oh, but we are sure as hell," The other boy smiled as he reached forward. In disbelief, I watched as several tendrils of inky, almost smoke black shadows began to pry open the metal guard over my windows.

And that's when I started shooting.

[Hannah]

There have been a few sightings of these lately.

I'm still sorting some things out in my head, but maybe I can explain why.

Hannah

[Sparks]

I am not used to .44 caliber bullets not, at the very least, seriously wounding something or putting a giant hole in them.

As I fired, I watched those shadows surrounding the kids suddenly flicker in front of them, briefly obscuring their dead little faces. The next thing I realize, there's a giant hole in my drywall - somehow, my shot was deflected.

I fired several more times, ignoring the kick and loud report as I growled. Two of the kids just smirked as the bullets went plinging off of those shadows. The third one waved his arms, those shadowy tendrils beginning to bend the metal guards over my window with a creak.

I felt my hands become warm before a fwoosh of flame lit up my apartment, a focused spray of fire hitting the window. I didn't want to burn down my apartment - or my building, for that matter - but these kids were kind of pissing me off.

"Oooooh, look sister," the male sneers gleefully. "She wants to play. *Hard.*" one of the children commented - the flames bending around him harmlessly.

"She won't after we're done with her."The girl bending the bars smirked at me as she continued bending my window guard. As she did, the smaller boy reached out, shadowy ribbons whipping about himself before flinging themselves at me wildly.

I felt very, very cold as a strong force hit me square on, everything very black as darkness whipped around me. The next thing I realized, I was laying on the ground, freezing and feeling like something punched me really hard - about as hard as Mingus did back some months ago, even though that kid looked like he barely got through puberty.

This wasn't turning out well.

"This really is easy." laughed the boy who just floored me, another mess of shadowy ribbons flying at me.

There was the splintering of laminated wood as the dark blast struck where I had been laying, the bitter cold radiating from the dent in the floor three feet away as I rolled to my feet, grabbing my gun...

...and running for my kitchen, heading for my back door.

"Goodie! She's going to make it interesting for us!" giggled the girl from behind me, as I heard the guards over my windows give way with a loud snap followed by the clattering of wrought iron.

"But it will be dawn soon." warned one of her friends/brothers as I flung open the window open to my back door, the night chilly in the pre-dawn.

"Plenty of time." the girl responded as I began clattering down the rusty stairs of my fire escape.

I wasn't sure why they were after me, and I wasn't sure why dawn mattered. Still, I checked my watch - almost 5 AM.

Couldn't burn 'em, shouldn't shoot 'em. This was going to be close.

[Sparks]

I want to say I was running because I had some awesome plan to turn the tables. It was more like I was scared for my life and not sure how I was going to beat them. When handguns and fire don't work...well, I don't' exactly have a lot more going for me.

Assuming it wasn't a trick, it seemed likely they were working on a timetable - for whatever reason, they had to take care of me before dawn. Were they vampires? Night demons? Hell if I know.

As angry as I was, I had enough sense to know I needed to think of something.

I know the alleys of my neighborhood pretty well, which is good as there re are lot of turns and weird T-intersections about. I took them in a seemingly random basis hoping to throw off a pursuit. I wasn't confident in my ability to lose them though - if they were fast enough, I was going to have problems.

My side was aching - I had some bruising along my ribs, and I still felt freezing cold after getting struck by those shadows - not just chilly, but my body stung like ice cold razorblades had cut me open.

Did I mention I friggin' hate cold?

I had made my way about six blocks off before I paused to catch my breath, my lungs burning - god I needed to quit smoking. On the horizon, I could see the dawn beginning to peek over the horizon, but it was still real dark. I figure if I could find a church or some warehouse area, I could hide from the weird kids until dawn, and then make my way back.

That's when I heard the buzzing noise and childish giggling.

I looked back towards the street I just turned off of - there were those goddamn kids, smiling at me as shadows danced around them. How the hell they caught up or even found me, I don't know. Either way, fat load of good running seemed to do me.

As I watched, the darkness moving around them slowly began to shrink, as a large swarm of scary stinging, biting, and buzzing insects seemed to leap straight from the shadows. I could make out glowing red eyes from each of the sizable insects as they made a scampering beeline towards me.

Did I mention I also hate goddamn bugs?

That was of course my cue to friggin' run again. Death by swarm of insects is not how I wanted to go out - probably wise, as the walls and ground of the alley behind me were simply covered in chitinous, glowy eyed vermin as they proceeded to chase after me.

As luck would have it, my next turn was a wrong one - I hit a chain link fence separating me from the parking lot of a small supermarket. Quickly, I tried to scale the fence, even as I heard the buzzing fury behind me.

I felt a large insect land on me just as I reached the top of the fence. I managed to swat him off as I fell on the other side, but unlike with me, the cloud had no trouble just swarming through the links, moving to quickly surround me - they were methodically taking their time to try and keep me from escaping rather than just hit me. Bastards.

I was real... panicky, shall we say, as the swarm sat there, the children on the other side of the fence watching me with creepy smiles as I laid there. Just as the swarm moved to jump on me, and I felt pinpricks of pointy little limbs touching my clothes, I freaked out and raised my hands, desperately calling up what my instincts told me I needed - fire.

My eyes took a brief moment to adjust as a gout of bright yellow flame erupted from my hands. As this happened, I remember this loud and high pitched screeching as the cloud of pests quickly ignited, the unnatural beetles, wasps, horseflies, and the like burning to ashes nearly instantly as they touched me. The ones that hadn't gotten within touching distance quickly backed off, rippling away like a stone in a (bug infested) pond.

I heard all three children gasp as their insects burned, flinching along with the swarm. Not sure what to make of it, but damn sure I didn't want a fight in the open like this.

Not wasting an opportunity, launched more fire, burning myself a little hole. As the arthropod Red Sea parted for me, I made a bolt for the market through the noxious smoke, galloping as fast as my legs could carry me.

[Sparks]

Due to a certain raging bitch of a storm known as Sandy, it might be a bit before I finish this. Still, while I have power still...

I ended up throwing myself through the window of the market market - stupid, I know, but the door didn't look like a viable option, what with the security grate. I took a few cuts and my shoulder was aching as I stood up, glancing behind me to see the swarm of insects approaching outside.

Conjuring fire feels... well, it's real hard to explain. I've heard it described differently by different folks. One guy I know described it as pure confidence in a thousand degree flame. Another girl I know described it as comforting warmth - that it would keep her nice and toasty, and everything would be okay. As for me, I think of it as a rush. I was always a bit of a thrill junkie though.

That time though? It just felt like revenge.

The insects attempted to swarm through the window en masse, hoping there would be enough of them getting by my little flamethrower trick even as smoke and burning wasps began to cloud my view of outside.

I felt a sting in my hand as a lucky bug managed to pinch me before being burnt to a crisp. I ignored it briefly to get an idea of how I was doing - the tide of bugs had been briefly stifled, but not stopped as they began to swarm along each side of the window. This window-frame stand wasn't going to fly. I just couldn't bring up enough fire - not without completely exhausting myself.

I ran down one of the aisles, checking my hand briefly - though I was bleeding, it looked more like a bite than a sting. Important since I didn't want to die of unholy bug venom melting my brains. For once I needed those, after all.

Bodegas are not exactly renowned for their selection of goods, but this one had exactly what I needed in baking goods. As the swarm of insects began to scamper down the aisle towards me, pinchers clamping and stingers primed, I began to fling my secret weapon at them straight off of the shelves.

Bags of flour struck the floor with a thud, squishing a few of the demonic bugs as a cloud of chalky white dust filled the aisle. I continued to throw the four, trying not to inhale too much as I began to back away.

Obscured by the cloud, I could hear the black eyed children giggling.

"Stop trying to hide, silly. Our friends are going to find you. Why fight it?" teased the girl, the presumed ringleader of the pack.

"Hiding? I'm right here!" I shouted, kneeling down behind an open-top cooler of pizza rolls before snapping my fingers and focusing a bit of myself into a small act of creation = before covering my ears and face, of course.

Against the steel shelves, i saw the glare of a brief spark somewhere within hat cloud of flour. Half a second later, the entire aisle erupted in a bright, fiery explosion.

God. Damn. That was satisfying.

My nose and eyes stung with the caustic smoke of burned insects as I could hear the small screams of still dying insects. Sitting up and coughing, I peered through the still flaming contrails of dust and insects as I could see those three children, the flames having stopped about half a foot from them in a half-sphere, flickering shadows still guarding them. That said, they were groaning and shuddering in pain like an invisible force was beating them with a switch.

Those insects were a part of them, apparently. And they were dead.

"We're... agh.. going to enjoy killing you for that!"shouted one of the boys, a hint of anger in his voice - finally.

"Promises promises." I taunted, before heading for the back room exit.

I was going to owe the owner of this place so many apologies when this was over. I just hoped he didn't have CCTV set up. That would have been real hard to explain.

[Sparks]

Sorry I've been real slow about finishing this. My neighborhood took a hit from Sandy, and I've been helping my neighbors. My apartment got a bit wet, but overall the damage could have been a lot worse. I've also been doing some charity shows to try and raise some help for people who are much worse off than we were. As always, if you can, please give. Thanks!

Back to our story at hand, we last left our intrepid badass musician, bartender, and wayward spark running full tilt out of the back of a bodega littered with dead bugs and angry, scary black eyed children who, despite being able to stop fire and shrug off shots from a .44 magnum, didn't like having their scary cloud of insects torched. While that raised even more questions (added to the list of 'Why were they going after me?', 'What in the hell are they?', and 'Are they afraid of sunlight?', I really was more concerned with surviving.

I made a dash east, towards one of the older neighborhoods with somewhat shorter buildings. I figured if I get lost there all the time, so would they - and in theory, I just needed to loose them until sunrise.

Which leaves it just my luck that I hit a dead end, huh.

I turned around. I saw the girl standing there, smiling all innocently. Where her brothers were, I wasn't sure - yet. The shadows, though weak, were still twirling about her in a way that reminded me of a hunting cat stalking downed prey.

I wasn't inclined to be prey. I aimed my pistol and fired twice.

The first shot deflected into the brick wall next to her - but only after it struck her aura with the sound of shattering glass.

The second one struck her square in the chest, sending her hitting the ground with a scream of pain, a bit of thick sludge staining the ground.

I dropped my now empty pistol, readying myself just as something grabbed my arm to the left of me. It was one of her brothers, and his hands were deathly friggin' cold. Despite being a bean-pole, his grip was rather strong - possibly stronger than me were he trying.

As I pointed my other hand in his face, I showed him why grabbing a pyro was a very large mistake.

The air was filled with the scent of burning bile as he screamed, his grasp on my arm even tighter as he nonetheless flailed. As he held on, I felt my other arm wrenched behind me as his 'brother' grabbed my other arm, the two of them holding me in place.

As I attempted to wrench myself free, the girl I just got scrambled slowly to her feet, glaring at me as she pointed her arms at me.

"Go... to... sleep!"she hissed, shadows lurching from her fingertips.

Suddenly, I couldn't breathe. More importantly, it felt like someone was trying to jam a bowling ball down my throat.

I could tell the other two were chiding me, taunting me with juvenile barbs as I choked. Even as I felt my arms growing heavy, I continued to struggle, trying to think of something that might get me out of this.

Things get... blurry after what was probably only 20 seconds, but felt like eternity. I remember struggling as the little black eyed girl was using her shadows to try and kill me, even as my vision and hearing were beginning to dim. I remember being somewhere between panic and anger, struggling to find something that would keep things from ending there. I remember really wanting to get revenge on these little bastards.

I think, as I felt the warmth of flames around me, and heard quickly rising screams of pain from both sides of me, that anger won out.

I was on my knees gasping for breath as my senses slowly returned, the air smelling like overcooked rancid pork as I felt the quiet roar of flames all around me. I glanced towards both sides of me - the kids were gone. Seeing movement in the corner of my eye, I saw the last of the three limbering off, their clothes and flesh still smoking. Behind them, I could make out the first rays of the dawn peeking out from over the park.

I think I wo... well, I survived, anyway.

I got myself home and had a friend treat the injuries I had - I was a bit of a mess, but obviously I made it.

Some lingering issues though: I still don't know what those little bastards were, or why they were after me.

[Hannah]

Hi Sparks,

I remember these guys from while Clarity and I were being held by Khavik. They helped grab us and bring us to Khavik.

I also remember a few of them coming back pretty roughed up. Glad you kicked their asses, the little blighters deserved it, and much more, believe me.

They only seem like children, they are something else though, well one of them was a child, young guy, human, apparently he was trying to become a part of the club, that's what they wanted Clarity for. She was going to help him change over.

As for what they wanted with you, I'm not sure. A lot of what happened to me during that time may or may not have been real. I was asked a lot of questions by Khavik, I don't believe I mentioned you though. The Creeps didn't seem to be following orders so much as working with him. So they may have been working entirely independent of him for this or not.

Sorry if this doesn't help, if I can remember anything else I'll let you know.

Hannah

[Sparks]

My only regret is that I didn't have more bullets to shoot the little bastards with.

[Hannah]

I would have preferred you did too. Would have made Clarity and I's escape a much less closely run thing.

Hannah

[Nemesis]

I think we'll see them again.

Which is good, because I'd dearly like to go one on one with a Black Eyed Child.

[Hannah]

You and me both, sister.

Hannah

[Cybermancer]

Before Khavik died, he used a number of different dupes as both minions and allies. One group in particular really should have known better to than to mess with one such as him. They have learned, the hard way, their error.

The lesson would have been much harsher had my allies not stayed my hand and advised (surprisingly given their past with these misanthropes) that I show some mercy.

Since I know they read this board, I will take the time to say a couple things. Consider these warnings an additional show of mercy.

I know who and what you are. I was able to get you where you lived. You're naive if you think I can't do it again if required, regardless of whatever precautions you are doubtless attempting to put into place.

You've gotten my attention and that of my allies. Your antics have also gotten you noticed by others who would have otherwise been your allies. If you are smart and wise, you will stop drawing so much attention to yourselves. You will walk away and never again give me cause to consider you.

And before you start thinking that you are better aware of my resources than before, consider that I am no longer contending with either Khaviks, his resources or the situation down south. Nor have you seen everything I have at my disposal.

You certainly haven't seen what I am and will be working on.

What you have seen is how far I'm willing to go to protect my family.

As for these so called Black Eyed Children... we know about them now too.

[Grace]

This is all very interesting. But having said that, even if someone does run into a child or teen with black eyes, they should verify that they are indeed unfriendly before engaging.

You just never know.

[Gotham Witch]

Though I think home-invasion counts as grounds for opening fire, Darcy makes a very good point.

Also, while I don't like to toss about "warnings", I'd also like to add to what Cybermancer said - I'm back in New York, and this is my town. Mess with people I care about at your own risk.

[Nemesis]

They can be wounded and they can be killed.

They are also resistant (but not immune) to magic. If a spell can be resisted, you can count on them doing so. However they are still vulnerable to damaging magic effects. Spells that can't be resisted also work normally. Likewise they cannot block magic that isn't targetted directly at them. So creating a barrier will still impede their progress.

As we encounter them more, I expect we'll learn more about their limitations and how they can be effectively engaged.

[freerunner92]

Sharp things like knives, teeth and claws work well too.

[Sparks]

Well, after awhile, bullets and fire worked fine. Seemed to be a trick of wearing down their... I don't know, auras? Shields? Will? Something like that.

I haven't had any further run-ins with those little bastards, at least.

[Ken]

Reminds me of the Black Eyed Children I read about on the internet, but the encounters vary.

Think they could be related?

What do you think they are?

What, if any, is their relationship to the Slenderman?

[Gotham Witch]

I admit I'm not familiar with the Slenderman, so I can't speak for the relationship (if any). However, it's likely that these were indeed Black Eyed Children.

Apparently rumors that they had to be invited into houses might not be true?