Morbid - Leonarda Cianciulli: The Soap-Maker of Correggio

Episode Date: October 23, 2023

Having lost several children to childhood illnesses, Leonarda Cianciulli was very protective of her surviving children and was willing to do anything to protect them. So, when the deeply superstitious Leonarda was warned by a fortune teller that all her children would die at a young age, the forty-six-year-old shopkeeper determined that the best way to keep her son alive was to offer human sacrifices in exchange for Giuseppe’s safety. Ove the course of a year, Leonarda murdered three local women and disposed of their bodies with caustic chemicals, using any remaining biological evidence in the creation of soaps, candles, cookies, and cakes, which she shared with others in her community.Thank you to the lovely David White, of Bring Me the Axe podcast, for research assistance :)ReferencesBaltimore Sun. 1946. "Rendered her friends to wax, she says." Baltimore Sun, April 28: 3.Eddy, Cheryl. 2015. The Superstitious Murderer Who Turned Her Victims Into Cake And Soap. June 23. https://gizmodo.com/the-superstitious-murderer-who-turned-her-victims-into-1713486930.Green, Ryan. 2019. The Curse: A Shocking True Story of Superstition, Human Sacrifice and Cannibalism. Unknown: Independent.Museo Criminologico. 2006. The Correggio soap-maker. September 12. http://www.museocriminologico.it/correggio_uk.htm.Ortiz, Genoveva. 2022. The Deadly Soap-Maker of Correggio: The True Story of Leonarda Cianciulli. unknown: True Crime Seven. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hey weirdos, I'm Ash. And I'm Elena. I'm Ghost Honey. And this is a special morbid. This is morbid 2001. 201. Because that's weird. It's weird and it is way more special to have the 201st episode.

Have Ghost Honey. Here he is. In the flesh. Not really, though. But almost. As fleshy as COVID. will allow. Yes. It's an absolute honor to be here virtually with you. It's an honor to have you. We're so excited that you accepted our invitation. We went out on like a whim. I was like he's not going to say yes.

And then here you are. So for those of you who. You've been manifesting. Yes. I was literally just going to say 2021 all about manifesting what we want. That's all it's about. Here we are. So for those of you who don't know ghost honey, first of all, what are you doing with your life? And second of all, Ghost Honey's real name is Tyler Gesa. So first and foremost, you're like a TikTok celebrity. So where did the name Ghost Honey come from? So Ghost Honey in part came from the fact that I didn't want people for my day job to find me on the internet.

I worked out of college, so I was like, I don't need, I don't want to be known. I don't need that. Very good reason. Yeah, so at first it was just my name. I was creating weird videos under Tyler Gesa. And then I was like, I got to create an identity. So at first, I was something that didn't sound as good. I think it was peach spook or something like that.

I love that. And I think I had like a thousand followers at the time. And I would go live and there would be like three or four of us only. Oh my God, Mom, I've made it. That sounds like us in the beginning, right? We were like, people are tuning in. There are three listeners. This is huge.

For people watching. Yes. And so I was like, can you help him come up with a better name? And so we kind of brainstormed and came up with Ghost Honey. I love it. I feel like it's very fitting, especially for like who you are and like your videos. Thank you. And it sounds a lot cooler than Tyler.

No offense to other Tyler's out there. It's hard to be like spooky and mysterious. And you're like, so be named Tyler. I feel that. Because my name is the most basic name ever. So I completely understand that. It's hard to be spooky and be named Ashley. And mine just gets constantly mispronounced.

Yeah, like we were just saying. I am always Alana forever and always. Even though there's an eye in there. I'm like, you know, go back to phonics. But okay, sure. Alana it is. It's gone to the point now when people find out my name is Tyler. They're like, oh, I didn't know you had a name.

You're like, yes, my given name is not ghost. Yeah, I said, right? Maybe it should have been. I don't know. I love that, though. I think it should have been. I really think so. You should legally change it.

I've considered it. I think it would be beautiful. I dreamt about it. Well, if you've dreamt about it, do it. Seriously. If you can dream it, you can be it. Well, you're obviously into all things like creepy and weird. That's why you're here today.

So do you want to like tell us a little bit about like what really got you into like the creepy weird world? Yes. Yes. I was I was really thinking about this because. When I was a child, I was terrified of everything. Same. Really? Yes.

That was probably my phone. Yeah, it might have been my mom. I couldn't even, like if my sisters were watching, do you remember that really cheesy show, haunting with like the ghost reenactments? Yes, yes, yes, yes. Did you ever watch that? Yeah, the best. Not very scary at all, but like I couldn't even be two rooms over when my sisters were watching it

because I would get, like, start sweating and get nervous. You could feel it from the other room. Yeah, I was like, there's like synths plane, and I'm really nervous. But something happened, I guess, when I was like, maybe 15 or 16 years old, it might have just been due to, like, the hundreds of ghost hunting shows that were on, like, the travel channel. And I think that's what kind of, like, first piqued my interest. And then I just kind of like fell in hard and fast and it became my life.

I love that. I feel like you always become the thing you fear the most. You do. Be that like you're, you know, your mother or what? Like you always become that thing. No, you do. But for you, it was a great thing. Yeah.

I was like terrified of ghosts and now I am ghost. You're like, I'm literally a ghost. You respect them. That's what it is. You can still be terrified. You just respect. Yeah. Because that's how I feel.

I'm terrified. I don't want to see one. Oh, I want to see a ghost. I mean, I have. Well, I'm like, I don't want to see one, but I also really want to see one. It's very conflicting. I used to see them in our house all the time, and I would tell you guys, and you'd be like, okay, go back to sleep.

And I'd be like, well, there's dead people here, so. Oh, my God. She used to scare the shit out of me. I scared her, but she used to scare me with, like, reality. Real stuff. Yeah. I was a scary child. I'd be like, there was Vikings on your computer last night.

Like, that's no lie. Real story. I literally woke up one night. People probably think I'm crazy, but I was like, there was ghost Vikings in this room, and they messed with your computer. And then the next day, guess whose computer was not working? Mine. Mine was not working.

Didn't you also see, am I remembering correctly, like a little, like 1900 schoolboy? Sure did. Do you want to hear that story again? I would absolutely love to. Woke up in the middle of the night. My mom and I were like staying at my grandparents' house, so Elena was there. We all shared this, like, massive room. It was awesome. It was horrific.

And my grandparents' house is like super haunted. It's like an old farmhouse like redone. So I woke up in the middle of the night and there was this little boy and he had like plaid pants on and that like little like scally cap. Like he looked so old-timey. I didn't realize it then, but I can still see him in my mind now. And he was reading my mom's book. And I like shook my mom awake. And I was like, mom like the little boy is reading your book. Like I guess I was offended. And she was like, go back to sleep. Like it's fine. Whatever. And she had put her book, like, on the dresser or something. And when she woke up the next day, it was wedged into the closet that I had said he was, like, leaning up against. So he was, like, physically holding the book.

Oh, hell, yeah. He was, he was into it. He was into that Daniel Steele novel. Wow. It was wild. It was wild. I feel like he's, like, my guardian angel, though, and I know that's, like, a little cry-cray to say. Yeah, we're here.

We're here. We're for it. We're weird. Yeah. Because I, like, wasn't scared of him. That's what shocked me the most because when you told me that, I was like, well, I'm scared of them. The next morning, I was like, I don't love that. I was like, there was no little boys in this room before you came in here.

So I needed some friends my own age. My favorite one is that you saw that lady who didn't have a body. She was just made of bones. I don't know if she was real or if that was like childhood trauma. So who knows? Maybe a little bit of boat. Yeah, a mixture. What a horrifying manifestation of child.

with drama. It's like, holy shit. Well, here I am. Wow. So that actually leads into my next question, because are you more into the paranormal side of things or more into true crime or like totally in the middle you could get down with both? I mean, I definitely have like a deep love and obsession and fascination with both.

But I feel like I probably lean a little bit more towards the paranormal because I just feel like it's easier for me to digest. I got that. Whereas like true crime can like fuck me up for a long time. Oh yeah. Yeah, that makes sense. I could totally see that. And I still love it.

And I still digest it daily. Same. Yeah. But like if you had to choose. Paranormal. Yeah. I see that. Is there like a specific area of the paranormal or like supernatural that you're really into?

I, I truly love it all. But I think. And it might be kind of boring, but my favorite is just like classic ghost stories. No, that's not boring. I feel like that's the best. Yeah, it's, you can't beat it. And when people like dig into the history to prove ghost stories, that's when I'm like, yes. Yeah, that's the best.

I love that. Yes. The proof. That's what I'm looking for. Like when all of a sudden they find like an old newspaper and it's like the name that was like carved into a wall somewhere and you're like, oh my God. Or like the old dean of a house where like all this crazy stuff is. And they're like, it was Darla's house. And the little kid's like, I know Darla.

And she's like, I know Darla. I murdered Darla. Then that's when true crime and paranormal just meet in the middle. Yeah, that's when we come in. Beautiful intersection. It's true, though, I feel like, even though, like, paranormal stuff is so hard to, like, wrap your brain around, it is way more, it's way easier to wrap your brain around than, like, somebody actively, like, murdering a child or, like, doing something,

you know what I mean? So I feel like it's, I get that. Because sometimes with true crime, you're like, I literally can't bring my brain to, like, just understand any part of this. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. There's stories that have, yeah. I think it's because. It's, like, hard for you to process.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. For sure. I think it's because, like, ghosts are supposed to be scary and humans are not really. Yeah. Like, we're technically, like, not supposed to be, like, that's scary. Look at that. I'm very deep.

That was so astute. I'm profound. I loved that. Yeah. Yeah, I felt that. I felt that right in here. Oh, you're welcome, guys. Because I was like, you're right.

People aren't supposed to be scary. But we're actually, we're scarier than ghosts for sure. Oh, yeah. Ghosts got that way. That's what my mom used to tell me all the time. Every time I was like scared of ghosts, my mom would always say, oh, honey, you should be scared of people. I love that. And now you're like, double the fear.

I was like, oh, what if I'm scared of both? Like, can I have both? You're like, mom, you just created double the nightmares. I do the same thing with my kids, though, because they haven't had like too much. many crazy ghost things yet. They're only five. I'm sorry. That's a lie and a half. Too many.

I didn't say the quality of the ones they have were any lessened. I was just going to say it is not the quantity with them. It's the quality of their ghost stories. It's quality. So they're five. They're going to be five next week. And they're twins. And they woke up one night, like, screaming, crying.

So I run in there. I'm like, what is going on? And it was we had their beds like next to the door at one point, like the door to their room. We have since moved them because we learned our lesson very quickly. Yeah. But they were freaking out. And they were like, I was like, what's going on? And they said the people keep coming in our room.

And they keep trying to cut up our bed sheets. And I was like, is that not the most terrifying thing you've heard? I was like, okay. And then I was like, because then I'm like, well, I want to know what this is about? So I'm like, what were they using? Like, were they using their hands? Or like, did they have something? And they were like, scissors.

They had big scissors. And I was like, okay. And I was like, do you, are they like, gone? Or are they like in here right now? And she was like, no, they're in the hallway. And she just points to the dark hallway. The empty abyss. And I was like, the one you have to walk back through.

Exactly. And so I was like, so they're there right now. And they were like, she was like, yeah, they're standing right there. And I was like, okay. I don't know why I thought this was, it worked. You're a badass for doing what you did. They were so upset. And they like wouldn't take.

I was like, well, you know, I think you were just dreaming. They were like, no, we were not dreaming. Mom. Like, no, this was real. I'm upset. I don't want to be here. And I was like, well, I have to fix this. So I went into the hallway and stood there in the dark hallway.

And I was like, are they here right now? And she was like, yep, they're right around you. And I was like, oh, no. Okay. And so I just like looked around and was like, hi, guys. Like, hello. Cool that you're here right now. But like, could you leave?

You're freaking them out. So this is our house. And I think you should like go because they're little and you're freaking them out. And then I was like, oh, look, they said that they're going to leave. So everything's fine. And they went back to sleep. We've never heard another thing about it. I would have burned the house down.

So I was like, maybe that worked. I don't know. It must have. It's got to be like parent bravery that just like shoots in all of a sudden that you're like, because I was pissed. I was like, how dare you? I was like, first of all, those are brand new sheets. How dare you?

come into my five-year-old's room and scare the shit out of them. That's not cool. With giant scissors. With giant scissors. I picture like. Yikes, what a visual. Right? And I, and I picture these like long, they didn't tell me this, but I just pictured these like

long shroud kind of thing. I picture like lawn clippers. Yes, like tree trimmer things. Yeah. Yes, yes, exactly. I was not a fan. So spooky. But yeah, that was the quality for sure.

Well, that really like set the scene for what we're going to talk about today because Tyler, have you. ever heard of the black-eyed children phenomenon. Is that how you say that phenomenon? Yeah, cool. That's something great. Cool. Yes.

I don't know a ton about like the origins or the history, but I've like fallen into like a Reddit hole of like firsthand experiences and stories from people that have said they've seen black eye children. There's been enough to know that I should be scared. Oh, yes. I fell into that hole this afternoon. I think it was probably like 1.30 on the couch, like pure daylight. And I was looking around to like, oh, shit, I have a balcony.

That girl had a balcony. Black-eyed children appeared on it. I'm not okay. No. Do you have a balcony? I am on a second floor apartment. Me too. So I mean, I don't have a balcony so much as I have like a catwalk that would be like

impossible to walk around if there was ever someone standing there. Not for the black-eyed children. So if someone does show up there, it's not good. Yeah. Because they shouldn't. That's how I feel. You need, like, a key to get into my apartment, and I'm like, well, hopefully they don't have one because. It's a black-eyed kid, so hopefully they did not make a copy of your key.

No, I hope not. Or, like, the little swipy thing that you have to beep-boop. Do you imagine if they were, like, up with technology like that, and they were just like, beep-peep and just got into your apartment and we're like, hey. Well, people think that they're, like, ghosties, but I think they're more, like, alien-eys. And, you know, I think aliens are like better at technology than we are, which stresses me out. See, I think they're more demon-y. Yeah.

Yeah, I think it's like a mixture of like ghosty, demon-y, alien-y children. What a casserole. A medley, if you know. It's a really dark casserole. Yeah, well, you did like the brunt of the research. I just got some creepy stories. So take it away. Well, what's interesting about this is we tried to cover this a long time ago.

Probably. I meant to tell that story. story. Yeah, like a year and a half ago, maybe. And we had all the research. We were like ready to go. We sat down. We started recording. And it kept shutting off every time we would start. Like we would get our introduction in. We would chit chat. And then we were like, all right, let's get down to business. And like I'm not saying like the, it wouldn't stop recording. Like we record into audacity or we used to. And audacity itself would just shut down. Like the window would completely close. The recording would not be there. Something was going down. Or like the wave recording.

would start to scramble, like, as we were talking about it. And we were just, and we, I think it was like, we did it for like five minutes. And then we were like, nope, not going to cover that. Like, we were like, we'll try to later. Yeah, we were like, we'll come back to this one. I think we literally were like, we won't ever do this again. And then you came into our lives and we were like, well, what else? I mean, that's like the perfect thing to talk to him about.

Safety in numbers as well. Exactly. Right. Now we have a third. We're like, let's curse him too. And then we're all on this together. Yes. So I think we'll just talk about what black-eyed children are, the first sighting of them.

We have a few stories. And I think Ash has one where I think it's like the only recorded one where they actually let the black-eyed kids into their home. And spoiler alerted, it didn't end well. Shit goes down. I think not recommended. Oh, and you know what? Before I get into this, my husband wanted me to tell you, which is this. This is hilarious.

He didn't know. He's like Ron Swanson, essentially. Like, he would be off the grid and, like, living in the woods somewhere. But he got into TikTok because Ash made us watch TikTok. Like we were both like, we're old. We're not watching TikTok. Like a good millennial. And then we were like... Same though also. Right. I was like, I'm too old for TikTok. Right. I was like, no. I was like, I won't watch them. I won't do them. I won't like them. No. For a while I was not about it. And then I was like, I can't resist. No, once you start, it's like, where have I been? Like, where was the world? without this. And so we were shocked. We were able to get him to watch any TikToks, like to download the app. We were like, whoa. And one night he comes, and it was right when Ash had like begun sending us videos, so we were like just getting the feel. One night he walks into the living room and

he was like, you need to watch this guy. And it was you. And he was like, oh, I love him. And now he'll literally send me your videos all the time. And he was like, will you tell him that I found him in our house like I will. It's an honor. Wow. Yeah, he loves you and I was and so do I know. Do you get like recognized now? Yeah. Like going places. It's very bizarre. Yeah, because I was living in Columbus, Ohio. And so it's like a really small tight-knit community. So when I was getting recognized, it was like, oh, well, it's probably just like a friend of a friend of the person I work with or something. But now that we're in LA and like walking on the street and stuff people will be like TikTok and you're like hello I'm like hi hi there just trying to live my life yeah bizarre very bizarre I know it must be crazy bizarre

yeah but yeah I had to throw that in because John would have killed me if I didn't like before we left tonight he was like tell him remember I can attest to that I will but going back to the black eyed children. Black-eyed children are, like we said, they're paranormal creatures, but we're not really sure what they are. No, I don't think we'll really ever know what they are. No. I lean more towards demon-y, but I think that's just because I think what, like, shoot really, like, puts me in that direction is we'll find out, like, what they're, what they commonly do, but I think it's like the black eyes always go with, like, malevolence and evil, and you always see demons and mythology having, like, the totally black pools in their eyes.

And then also the fact that they like ask to be let in or ask to be, you know, in your space and they need you and they get like angry if you don't say yes. Oh, they got real mad. So it's like I feel like that's very demony to me or like vampirey even. Very vampiry. Yeah. Like they need, because, you know, demons need your permission like be it through a Ouija board or a seance or just allowing them to enter your space. So I feel like, that's why I'm like, I'm a little demon in it. Or even the dark fairies.

They don't need your permission to enter, but I think you're not supposed to say thank you to them. Oh, yeah. Because then they feel like you owe them something. I saw that on TikTok, actually. I get most of my information. I also fall in deep into like fairy TikTok. Okay, good. I love fair.

TikTok. They're like, you can never let them know what your name. Yeah. I can't say what your name is. You have to say, like I go by Tyler, but not my name is, or something like that. Okay, I didn't know that. Don't listen to me. Something like that.

I'm not going to tell them anything. I was going to say. I'm not telling them anything. Wild. I'm keeping it close to the chest. Yeah. Get out of my house. That's all I'll say.

Yeah, I'm not dealing with the fay. Do leave. Not happening. Goodbye. Our Irish household was like, my mom was big into like fairies. She still is. So I have like a deep fear of fairies. But yeah, I'm thinking like you,

I mean, who knows? Maybe they have a little, a little fay in there. Maybe. You never know. I mean, they do get away quickly, so perhaps they can fly. That's very sprightly. Look at that. I think we might solve this history.

Yeah, I think we might put it together, guys. Here we go, guys. Well, they're typically, they are children, of course. There are sightings of black-eyed adults, which for some reason is the funniest thing I've ever, like a black-eyed adult. It just doesn't sound as spooky. I think kids are weird. It reminds me of like Comic-Con. Right?

I'm like, are you cosplay as a one? Exactly. Like a black-eyed adult. I'm like, hmm. See, but you know what's weird? So black-eyed children terrifying. Black-eyed adults, no, just Comic-Con. Black-eyed elderly people, which I found accounts of,

bring it way back up to another level of scary. Yeah. Yeah. But then also like, how are black-eyed, do black-eyed children have black-eyed parents? Yeah, you got a one. Black-eyed grandparents? They have tall slender parents. I know that.

Do they grow into black-eyed adults? Or do they just grow into regular adults? We got to know. Or is it one of those things? What are those aliens called? Are they like tall grace? Oh, yeah, grace. What if they're tall-grace when they grow up?

I don't know. This is really spooky. Okay, so get into it. I don't know. Where do they come? I'm getting sweaty. I'm getting scrammy up in here. So typically a black-eyed child is usually between the ages of like six and 16. So, you know, it's a good range.

But usually you'll know like a teenager or like a little toddler, which is like, whoa. Gross. I don't like it at all. They typically have really pale skin. They have totally black eyes, of course. It's the hallmark. And they're always like described as like pools of black.

Yeah. Almost like you could like reach in. You know what I mean? But don't. Don't reach in. I mean, don't reach into anyone's eye, I feel. No to self. That's a good.

Pro tip. Rule of thumb. Don't ever reach into someone's eye. It's never good. And they're usually seen doing things either like coming up to your house and knocking on the door and saying they need to be let in or asking to be let into your car sometimes people see them like panhandling or hitchhiking people have seen them in their windows oh no hate it no hate hate hate hate hate loat entirely yeah i

don't like that at all yeah um yeah that's not okay at all um and we do have an original telling of this like where the story originated and it's a guy who name Brian Bethel, who's a writer. His first encounter was in August of 1997. I think this is just the first documented encounter. There are ones that go back to like the 1950s, but obviously no one was jumping on Reddit in 1950 and being like, let me tell you my story. Why? I think it just wasn't as popular then. Oh, all right. Someone will tell us. I guess. Email. Tell us if Reddit was popular in 1950. Don't tell me anything about Reddit. Get out of my face with Reddit. Yeah, I haven't. I don't want anything to do is Reddit. I'm good. I use it to look up things and then I run away as fast as

you can. Goodbye. And I never enter my own name. Never, ever, ever. Yeah. His kind of follows the perfect, you know, what these tales usually go like the same kind of pattern that they all take. And these kids are, you know, usually you feel like compelled to talk to them at first. Like you can't walk away from them, but you also feel this weird feeling of dread and, like, threatening, even though they're not being outwardly threatening at first. And a lot of people say that they have that, like, really monotone voice. Hate it. And it reminds me of, like, in the strangers, when they knock on the door and they're like,

Is Tamara home? That's all I can think of. Drew just shit his pants, because I'll do that every now and then. I'll just, like, come around a corner and be like, is Tamara home? Just to be, like, an asshole. It's so gross. Like, that's all I think of. It's just them knocking on the door and being like, can I come in?

And it's just like emotionless and yucky. I want to watch that movie now. I do too. That's a great, great movie. Now, most of these like Bryans, since it originated in Texas, most of these are from the U.S., that seems to be where a lot of these are seen. A lot of the sightings come from the U.S. There are some in other countries, but they differ.

They're not, they don't follow the same path. So, who knows? Maybe we have like different black-eyed children here. I'm not really sure. They're not international. Yeah. Like they're all different. But I don't know.

Like Darwin's finches and they just acclimate to their environment over time. Oh, gosh. You figured it out. There it is. Guys, we were meant to have this discussion. We're breaking the code. We are. We're going to figure this out by the end of it.

We win an award. I think we should. Like, best investigative podcast of 2021. A Nobel Peace Prize for discovering the Orrower. Origins of Black-Eyed children. I mean, hello. I'll accept it. I sure will as well.

Picture us on stage together. Oh, I'm ready. Love it. So back to Brian. Yes. So Brian Bethel, he had, like I said, in August of 1997, he first posted the story to Google groups. It was like a board.

I don't know what that is, but I think it was like Reddit before Reddit question mark. Yeah, who knows? It seems self-explanatory, but whatever. I guess this board was. asking writers to send in like creepy paranormal stories. And they were mainly asking for real ones. They were like, don't give me fiction.

I want, I want you to tell me like your real stories. So Brian was like, do I have one? So this was a night in Alboline, Texas. I don't know if I said that right. I don't, whatever. But it seems right. But he left his apartment around 9.30 p.m. And he was going, because remember this is 1997.

So he's going to drop off. a check for his internet service. I'm sorry, what? Which is a thing that happened. I was one years old. Even just using a check at this point. I know. I barely know how to write one.

I think it's all kind of crazy. Why didn't he just Venmo them? Yeah, I'm saying, 1997, that was there, right? But yeah, so he goes to do this, and he's parked next to a movie theater. This movie theater is playing a very 1997 movie, Mortal Kombat. Love it. And so he's sitting there. under the marquee, he's writing his checkout, as one does with a check.

And as he's doing that, he's like zoned out on his check, and he hears a knock on his car door window. So he's like, hello, knock, knock, knock. And he looks up and he sees two boys. And he says they looked between, like one of them looked about 10. One of them looked like 14 years old. He said one of them was clearly taller than the other, was wearing a hooded sweatshirt with a gray checkered pattern. He had olive-colored skin, which is interesting because they're usually described as very pale. Nobody says they can't go to the beach.

That's very true. We went to the beach that day. We don't know. He also had curly brown, medium-length hair. The second boy had very pale skin with freckles, so he was me. He had pale orange hair. Uh-oh, he was me. Oh, wow.

Yeah. So, yeah, we have a little ginger, and we have like a little olive-skinned. dark-haired boy. And he's like, oh, hello. And he says, the smaller boy seemed really nervous and kept looking around, like, he didn't want to be there. And he was like, okay. And it was the taller boy that spoke to Brian. So he said, it seemed like they weren't going to ask him for money. He just got that sense from them. Yeah. So he rolled down the window and he's like, can I help you? And the taller boy said, you know, we just need to ask you something really quick. And Brian said, as soon as he opened his mouth and talked to him, he felt this, like, overwhelming feeling of dread.

And that's when you toss it into drive and eat yourself out of there. Goodbye. He said it legitimately chilled his blood when this kid talked. And he didn't say anything threatening or aggressive. But I was like, yeah, just put it into drive. Honestly, that's how I feel when anybody, like, approaches me at the supermarket. I'm like, oh, no, scared. That's how I feel when, like, a friend will approach me at the grocery store.

I'm like, oh, God, no. A high school acquaintance sees you at Target. I thought you were going to say, that's how I feel when I see a child. Honestly, that too. That's how I feel when I see a child, and I have three of them. Yeah, I feel like that about the ones that I'm not related to. Yeah, that's how I feel about every other child. He's like, oh, no, a child.

Oh, no, a child. Gross. I think that that's also the issue here is, like, when children come up to you in need of help, like your first instinct is to help. Like, who's going to just walk away from a, especially, like, like a six-year-old shows up at your door. By themselves. Yeah, I know.

Like, how are you just going to be like, you're probably a demon? I should shut the door. Sorry, bud. But, like, maybe we should. Not today. So he said, you know, he felt like he had to talk to them. They were kids. He didn't know what was going on.

So he said the taller boy was smiling. Nope. Yeah. No good. And he said he had crazy white teeth, like blinding. Good for him. Which might just be good dental hygiene. Crest white strips.

Might also be another worldly white. Okay. We don't know. We can't be sure. The taller boy said that they were going to see the movie, but they had left their money at home. And he said, can you give us a ride home to go get the money and then we can come back? Absolutely not. So he's like, yeah, I don't know.

And he said one of the first things that he was really concerned him when he asked this. He said he felt like the kid was too comfortable asking like a stranger for this. Yeah. Like the kid wasn't stammering, wasn't like shy. He was just like, hi, bring me home. Can he get in your car? Yeah, he was like, I don't know about this. So he was, and then he looked at the little boy or the younger boy, and he said the smaller boy was looking very confused, almost like guilty looking and like very obvious.

I don't like that. So he was like, yeah, I don't know. So Brian was like, no, I don't want to let you in my car. Like, I, you know, sorry, I can't help you. I have something to do. Well, the taller boy got real pissed. Like he immediately started being like, nope, you have to let us in. We are just two little boys, mister.

Let us in your car. Like, that's all we need. What are you doing that? You can't help two little boys. And I'd be like, fuck off. I'm literally doing anything else. I was literally just going to say, I'm doing everything else right now. I'm doing all the things that I am listening to Jammin 94-5.

Get out of my face. Also, you're 16. Like, you're not a little boy. Right. Exactly. Even creepier. to like refer to yourself as like, I'm just a little boy.

No, you. You're just little boys. I feel like gross. Now you are, you've lost your ride. You've lost all privileges to be in my face. Goodbye. Now, Brian felt the same way.

He was like, this is fucked up. And I don't like this. This kid is shady. He's not a child. I don't know why he's talking to me like that. But he said he felt weirdly compelled to like stay. He couldn't bring himself to leave. So he was like, you know what?

I'm going to do a little investigative journalism here. And he was like. interview time. What movie are you guys planning to see? In the tall boy was like, well, Mortal Kombat, of course. And he was like, okay, except that the marquee up there says that the last showing started an hour ago. And also one of you is six. You cannot see that. No, the other one is 10. 10 and 14. The other one is 10. You cannot see that. Yeah, I mean, but it started an hour ago. Yeah, you still can't. So already it's an hour into the movie and now you're asking me to drive you home to get money to buy a ticket to see what like three minutes of the end of the movie.

Really interested in the credits. Yeah, that doesn't make sense at all. So why not just ask for money? Exactly. That's the main thing. That would be the easier thing. Just do you have, I mean, in 1997, do you have $6? I don't know.

Yeah. I don't remember how much movies were then. But he said, then the kid, so he was like, yeah, no, no, I still can't drive you. So he got aggressive. Then when this happened, he like brought his tone down. and seemed like he was trying to like lull him into like security. I just got a full chill. Yeah, he was like, no.

And then he ended up telling Brian, we can't, you know, we can't come in the car unless you ask us to come in the car. So can you just tell us we can get in your car? No, especially not now. No. Like no. And so, but he said while this kid is saying this, while he's saying, we need your consent to get in this car, he said his hand, Brian's hand, was like going. to open the car door. Why?

And he said he did not want to, but he was feeling like he was. So he had to like pull his hand away. Yeah. And yeah. And he said, then he looked back up after doing that. And that's when he noticed that their eyes were completely black. Oh. And he said, now the little boy looked completely terrified.

Like all of a sudden had a terrified look on his face. But he was like, what the hell is like, what is happening right now? the taller boy got super pissed now, started pressing into the car, like trying to like push his way into the car. And he kept saying, you have to let us in. We won't hurt you. We don't have a gun. What the fuck? And he was like, oh.

I'm like, cool, you're 14. Bye. You shouldn't. I didn't think you had a gun. Yeah. That wasn't my main concern. Didn't even actually think of that yet. I'm like, well, now I'm scared you have a gun.

Like, you brought it up. The fuck. Like, what's that? I'm upset. It's like being like, hey, do you have $5? No. Oh, come on, I don't have a machete. I am a little boy and I don't have a gun.

I'm just a little boy. It's not like I have like an assault rifle. Calm down. It's not Mortal Kombat IRL. What? Oh, my God. So this is when Brian finally, you know, had enough. Got come too, brother.

Yeah. I would too. So he was like. Oh, my cat is just. staring me, like, stop it. Stop right now. Did you just wink at me? Cut that out. Her black cat is literally sitting in front of her, just staring at her. Okay, wait, side note too, because when we got Lux, my black cat, Drew hated him because, what was it? Like, when we got him, the night that we got him, he opened up his computer and the black-eyed children file was up.

But that was like a year ago. And then he was like, were you like just researching that again? And I was like, no, why? Like, what are you talking about? And he was like, it's the only thing up on my computer. And then, like, he mentioned it today. And I was like, is that why you didn't like want Lux? Like, he wanted to bring Lux back.

And then he was just staring at me. It sounds like Lux is trying to protect you. Maybe they were pulling it up, like, don't look at this anymore. See, I like that. And they're looking at you now, like, stop talking about this. Oh man, maybe that's what it is. Lux is like, I told you. I said it once.

Did you just see how intense he was staring at me? That was fucking terrifying. I was like, ooh. Normally he's just like, hey mom, meow. Lux, it's okay. Yeah, you're fine. Take him away. Take it away.

Have you. So, yeah, Brian had enough. He had enough. Same. Just like Lux had enough. He had enough. So he threw his car in reverse and he just peeled out of there. And he said, as he peeled away, he could hear that tall boy in a,

complete panic, like screaming, you have to let us in. We can't enter unless you let us in. But he just took off. I feel like, but why? And then he said when he looked back as he was driving away, they were gone. Because they can fly. So he also told this story on, there's this like spooky show called Monsters and Mysteries in America. And he said it really happened. Like he, he's like, I know it sounds crazy, but I swear to you it happened. And then there was an article in the Abilene or Abilene, you know, Texas, in an Abilene reporter newspaper that he was quoted as saying, until you've been on the receiving end of these terrible dark eyes, filled with hate and torn from the very depths of night and time, I'm not sure you can understand.

The people I've spoken with who have truly seen them understand completely. To which I say, Brian, write a novel, because that was a beautifully crafted sentence. I've never sounded that eloquent. Like, those terrible dark eyes filled with hate and torn from the very depths of night and time. Like, poetic, poetic, poetic. Bring me along with you. That was wonderful. Honestly, I want to close my curtains.

I'm freaked out. It was so good. And so I think now that we kind of have a feeling for what they are, I do have a story that's like a really scary story. Yes. I found a Kindle book, and it's called The Chilling True Terror of the Black Eyed Kids, a monster. compilation by Michael Vassie. You know him. You know him. You love him. Michael Vassie. Oh, yes. Yeah. So this is a story that he collected in that book. It says, I have my own experience of these black-eyed kids. It happened a few years ago. I've never been able to really think of

a rational reason for what happened. It just happened. I headed out to mow my lawn in the front of the ditch on my road. I have bushes and flowers neatly set up. To my bitter surprise, someone had gone by and stepped all over my roses. I was pretty upset. I get it. I was p-oed. I was past. It was a bad day. It was a shitty day. The next day, I saw two kids walking down my road. Keep in mind, my road has several houses, so we all know each other very well. These kids look to be about 14 or 15 years old. I've never seen these kids before in the neighborhood. I wanted to go outside and ask them if they messed with my roses, but I figured they're just kids, and I'd let it slide this time, I love that he was like the next day.

There's kids walking down the road and he's like, you did it, you little shits. I mean, he doesn't like kids. Like, wow. All right. Profiling. The kids stopped walking and just stood on the road right across from my house. That's a good hundred or so feet away. They just stood there.

I was looking out the window and they were just standing right there. I went to my room to go get my shoes and when I came out, they were gone. It was around 8 p.m. And it was starting to get dark out. My power went off and on a few times. That's never happened before. I have never lost power. Never in my life have I lost electricity.

So already I'm like, okay. But it's never happened before. He's never had it gone on and off. Maybe it's only gone off or it's only gone on. All right. You know. Oh, and he, sorry, they go further. We usually have very stable electricity.

I cannot stress how stable electricity. I feel like you're overcompensating. He's like, our electricity is the best electricity. He's like, we actually have never paid our electricity bill, so we actually just don't have it at all. So it's really stable. It really is. So around 8.20, I heard deep knocking at my front door. I went over to the door, turned on the porch light, and looked through the little hole on my door.

But it was just pitch black, even though the light was on. I didn't know why, but I was extremely terrified. I mean, I know why. Because they're high all that's up there. I started to put my hand on the handle and I asked who's there, which is like horror movie. Why'd you do that? Like, don't do that. Everyone just don't answer the door.

Yeah, just pretend you're not home. That's what we all do. You know I do not answer my door ever. I never answer my door. Like one time the frat boys upstairs were having a party and they knocked on the door to tell us and I was like, it's past 8 o'clock. You're not getting an answer. Yeah, no.

And then they knocked again and I was like, okay, well, who the fuck is it? So I opened. And I was like, oh, sorry, we don't open the door ever. And they were like, we're having a party. Bye. Cool. Never come to my door again. Don't.

Thank you. No, I don't like that. I don't answer my phone and I don't answer my door. I don't answer. Period. That's me. Well, he said, who's there? Some kid answered,

sorry to bother you, but we're lost and need to borrow your phone. Nope. He said, I have a spare cell phone you can borrow for a few minutes. I told them, let me go get it and I'll come outside with you. The kid just said, no, you let me in right now. And he started banging on my door. I'm not talking about just hitting it, but it was like something very big and wide was smashing against my door. I said, and also this is like, so this is like a very hostile situation for sure.

But the reaction here is like, whew, all right. So he said, this person said, you quit that right now. I got a gun and if you try anything, I will shoot you. Wow. I have something to say, but I'm going to keep it to myself, all right? I mean, sure. a little scary that a kid's potentially slamming like a tree branch against your door. Don't threaten to shoot a child.

But like, I don't know. Yeah. I feel like that escalated very quickly. Yeah. Like, I would just be like, I have a spray bottle in here. I'll spray you with it. I do. Yeah.

He did the full opposite of the black guy kid. I was just thinking that. I do have a gun. I'm a grown man and I do have a gun. A little scary. A little scary. I have mace on my keys. I'll mace you.

That's fine. I have a bottle opener. I have mace. I'll stab you in your black eyes. I will cry. I will scream and cry in the fetal position. So don't keep going. So yeah, he's like, I'm going to shoot you.

Well, the kid kept screaming, which is scary. That's an accurate response, though. Someone's going to shoot you. Yeah. But they kept saying, let me in now. You're making a mistake. Oh, oh. I'd be like, you're the one making a mistake because I'm about to shoot you.

They pretty womaned it. So it says I grabbed my gun and held it off to the side of my leg. I put my hand on the lock and unload. lock the door. This is where I made my mistake. I opened the door expecting either those kids or just one kid with a weapon or something. Why did you open the door if that's what you were expected? But these weren't little kids. Standing at my door were two people and both looked young, but their eyes gave them away. They were pitch black. I felt terrified again. I felt like putting my shotgun down, which I was like, whoa, I was picturing a handgun. Wow. And even a handgun,

And I was like, all right, they're kids, calm down. You know. But a shotgun. Damn. That's a lot. It is the strangers. It really is. It is.

I'm not sure why I felt that way. As I had the door open for these three or four seconds, the taller kids started to walk forward to come in. No. I kicked my door shut as hard as I could and I locked it. At this point, I heard them both crying and screaming in a strange, distorted, high-pitched way, followed by some banging on my door again. I went to check my back door just to make sure it was still.

locked. Thankfully, my back door was locked, and by the time I headed to the front door, they just stopped. Is my back door locked? I loaded my shotgun and opened the door, expecting these quote-unquote things, but they were gone. I heard some footsteps, and my neighbor was coming by. He heard some weird screams and came by to check on me. I stood there, probably looking like death, with a shotgun in my hand. I let him in and told him the entire event. He told me to call the cops, but I was positive they wouldn't believe me. I never called the cops. Wow. So that's just, I mean, there's a lot to unpack in that one. Yeah.

From top to bottom. He didn't call the cops because he threatened to shoot a pair of children. Yeah. Which, I guess. I may have lost my cool for a second. He's like, I may have become enraged. He's escalated quickly on my end. They sure did.

Wow. But you know what? I guess if demons are at your door, I mean, that's not going to help you. What are you going to do? Right. Shoot them, I guess. I don't know. Bring a Ouija board out there.

and try to send them back where they came from. It's what I would do. Hail Satan when all else fails. It's really creepy how they like, they need to come inside. It sounds like if they don't, something bad is going to happen. Well, that's the thing. I'm like, are you okay at home? Who's taking care of you?

Black-eyed kids. Are you already at holes? Do you have... Do you want to talk it out? Right. Like, through the door? Through the locked door. Do you want to talk about this?

You don't need to come in. Like, I can call someone for you. Yeah, CPS? It's a safe space. We can find a loving home. Right? Yeah. It's fine.

I don't think that's what they want, though. I think they just want to spread mass destruction. They do, because when they finally get in, they do just that. Yeah. Well, I only have one story of when they got in. Do you want me to start with that one? Oh, yeah. Or do you want me to start with the ones where they don't get in?

Maybe we should start with the not getting in and then end on the getting in. Okay. I like hammering that point to not let these kids in your house. I have a lot of stories. Okay. So these are all from the thought catalog. just to give you like a little place to go because I picked maybe four or so from there, but I think they have like 17 on the website.

So if you want to read more, go ahead to the thought catalog. So this one says, Ahem. I don't want to spit in my mouth. Sorry, that was gross. All right. So this person writes, this is so funny. It's not.

I had never heard of BEKs before my incident. So I come on here to post my story and the first story I see is about a BEK. Weird. Let me preface this by saying. saying, I'm no means a writer, just a domestic engineer. Okay, like, downplay that. Huh? I don't know.

Living in North Texas. So, I don't, they love Texas. Wow, they do. Everything's bigger in Texas, including the black-eyed kids, black eyes. Including diamonds. They said, also, I don't believe in the paranormal. That's rude. Why do you're here?

Yeah. All right, next. Yeah, like, bye. Ghost, demons, aliens, whatever. However, I did have an event happened to me this Halloween. Halloween, I have to admit, has me scratching my head. This is my first post on Reddit, and I'm sorry to say, I've never even heard about it until yesterday. Don't be sorry.

All right. I feel like already this person is like on my fucking nerves because I'm like, okay, we get it. You're so cool. I'm just a domestic engineer. I don't believe in the paranormal and I don't even know what Reddit is. What is the internet? I have things to do. I can't just post on Reddit except I'm doing it right now.

I also have a best friend. I told my best friend about my incident, and she is an avid reader. You're really rubbing it in that you have a really flaunting that best friend. I just, I have a bet they're not the best. I'm like, mine. Unlike you fellow Reddit people, I have a best friend. And I told my best friend about my incident, and she's an avid reader of no sleep. And she told me, if I didn't post it, she would.

So here I am. Anyway, hope you. She also said, and I hate her. Anyway, hope you like. No. Like, finish the sentence. I'm going to hate. So, it had been a slow trick-or-treat night in our neighborhood that evening, which is pretty odd in and of itself.

We usually have kids from different areas, quote, dropped off in ours and have a constant parade at our door. That night, I would say we had no more than eight or ten groups of kids come by the entire night. It was about 9.30, and my husband and I were sitting in our family room watching some of those ghost shows based on supposedly actual events. The worst. right now. Don't write like that. You suck. Don't do that. Like I said, I don't believe in that stuff. We get it. But I do like a good ghost story. No, you don't.

Now and then. And it was Halloween and all. You can't just pick Halloween to be a believer. No. You heard it here first. We hadn't had any activity at the door in over half an hour, and it was getting late. So we decided to turn the porch light off and let our dog Chloe come out of her crate. Also, if you were home, why was Chloe in her crate? I'm upset. Chloe. God damn you. I'm starting to think

that the black-eyed children had the right house. Seriously. Chloe, the like, what's good? They're like that, bache.

Chloe is an American bulldog and is very docile. Oh, we only put her in her crate because we're very, wait, we only put her in her crate because we were afraid she'd try to get out and play with all the kids.

Okay. We'll let her. All right, we'll get it. And I didn't want to have to chase her down the street. Okay, I'll accept it. We retract. our previous statement, okay? Retracted.

Also, we didn't want her to scare any of the kids because she can look a little intimidating to younger kids. So, I turned the outside light off and let Chloe out, and she followed me back to the couch and lay down at my feet. It was getting close to 10 p.m. when my husband decided he had had enough fun for the night and was going to go upstairs, take a shower, and get ready for bed. Lame. I just said that, not her.

He's like, all right. Enough with this fun and merriment of going upstairs. I'm going to shower this Halloween off of me and get to bed. Sick of your imagination. After all, it was Thursday, and he still had to get up really the next day. My teenage son was out with his friends at a local haunted house and wasn't expected back for another hour or so, so that left me alone on the couch with Chloe.

Now, just because I don't believe doesn't mean those shows don't freak me out of it. And being alone now, watching, I'd have to say I was kind of on edge, as it were. It wasn't long after I heard the upstairs water for the shower turn off. when there came a knock, knock, knock, at the front door. My initial reaction was, what the hell really? It's almost 10 o'clock, go home, me. But soon an uneasy feeling came over with me. Why knock?

Our doorbell glows in the dark, and without the porch light, it would be extra obvious to anybody there. I paused. I couldn't really ignore it. Our front door has a big, beveled glass panel, and anybody right at the door could see in enough to see someone was in the family room watching TV. We'll fix that mistake.

Yeah, I was going to say that's your mistake. No. It would be pretty rude for me to just sit there and not answer it. Knock, knock, knock again. You seem kind of okay with being pretty rude, though, so. Lean in. This poor woman had, like, the most terrifying experience, and we're like, fuck you. Like, you're the worst.

Midian feng feng shui. So this isn't a problem. Knock, knock, knock again from the door. I glanced down. at Chloe and she was gone. My gaze followed her usual path. What the fucking Chloe goes? I don't know. My gaze followed her usual path to the front door expecting her to be on her way there. She normally does. Nothing. She wasn't there. I stood up to look around the room better and found her crouching by the back door like she wanted out. However, she never asked to go out like that.

She always comes and licks my hand or puts her head on my knee. This was totally out of character for her and I have to say it heightened my anxiety. Chloe, crate, I said. She just turned back to look at me like, hell no lady, I ain't moving. Does the dog die.com? Oh my God. The dog does. I would have never picked that. Hell no.

I yelled up to my husband, but if he was already in the shower, I knew there was no chance of him hearing me. Knock, knock, knock. About that time, a car drove down our street and cast just enough light on the door where I could see the silhouettes of two small children through the glass. I initially felt relief. It was just some kids, probably a couple of my neighbors on their way back home, and wanted to stop by and show me their costume or something.

I headed to the door and looked back to make sure Chloe wasn't going to follow. What a great watchdog, I thought to myself as she just sat there. I give Chloe a break. I know, seriously. She had her in the crate all day. She's been through enough. She has. I turned on the porch light when I got to the door and sure enough, I could see through the glass that it was a couple of pretty small kids.

A little late for such young ones, I thought. And I began to wonder what kind of parents would let their kids run the streets that late at night. This is like an Amazon review. Run the streets. Like, it's Halloween. I only opened the door enough to where I could block Chloe's escape if she decided to grow some balls, which was only about two feet. This lady sucks. You're being such a dick about Chloe.

Why do you have Chloe? I'm like, shit. Chloe deserves better. She does. What struck me immediately as odd was that the kids weren't wearing any costumes. They were in their normal street clothes. Also, no customary trick or treat either. I began to feel very uneasy again.

It was a girl and a boy. The girl to my left was older. I'd say about 11 or 12. I could tell she was blonde, but I couldn't make out any distinct features, as our lights are from high above and on columns at the front of the porch. So most of the light was coming down, blah, blah, who cares? I had not opened the door wide enough for any light to come inside to hit them directly. The boy was younger, about a foot shorter, I'd say eight or nine, and look to have light brown hair. The girl very politely spoke up.

Ma'am, can we please come inside and use your phone to call our mom? As she spoke, something in the pit of my stomach was telling me something was wrong. What kid even that age doesn't have a cell phone of their own these days? I love how judgmental she is. It's a roller coaster for me. I'm like, you seem awesome now. I know, I love her. She doesn't even have the fear anymore.

No fear. Like the other people, she's just like annoyed. She's like, why don't you have a cell phone? Where's your track phone lady? Who are your stupid parents that let you out the slate? You have no costumes. You have no costumes on. You didn't say trick-or-tree.

You knocked on my fucking door. Why don't you have a goddamn cell phone? Do you see the doorbell? Yeah, I love it. I've flipped on that. My lighting is from overhead. It's so shitty. I'm starting to love her.

Yeah, let's see where it goes. Okay. I couldn't remember the last time I had I had anybody asked to use my home phone. Um, hon, don't you have a phone of your own that you can call your mom on? I asked. Wow. This was when things got really weird. Both kids looked at each other like they were going to say something to one another,

but neither ever spoke. They both turned back to me and said, and the girl said, ma'am, my cell phone battery doesn't have any charge left in it. Can we please come inside and call her mother? We're alone out here and my brother is scared. I have to admit the two competing feelings going on inside of me. The first, that of a mother's heart, wanted to keep these two small children and get them back to their mom.

The other, sinking fear in my gut that was keeping me, that was keeping the other feeling at bay. It was then I noticed that during the short conversation I'd already opened the door a extra few inches, which I was completely unaware of doing. That's kind of like Brian. I was going to say this happens in all of these. They feel like this weird like compulsion. Yeah.

Like they're hypnotized. Yeah. It's the black eyes. I feel like they have the little swirlies, but you can't see because they're black. There's some like telekinesis happening here. There's some freaky shit going down. So she says, a diamond. She says, honey, why don't you give me your mother's number and I can call her myself?

Another pause, and they again looked to. at one another. After a short moment, they turned back to speak to me and the girl said, ma'am, my little brother has to use your bathroom. Can we please come inside while you call our mom? No. And with the last statement, the little girl moved closer to the door, like she was just going to walk on in by me. As she did, she stepped into the light coming from inside the house, and I got my first real good look at her. And she looked like shit. Solid jet black eyes is all I could see. That motherly instinct was gone and replaced by terror. I don't think. think I've ever felt in my life. I could feel every hair on my arms in the back of my neck standing

at attention. I closed the door to just where my face was able to stick out, and the little girl stopped and again pleaded, please, ma'am, we're really scared and alone out here. We have to come inside. Please help us. Then, like on cue, both kids began to whimper and cry. That's when the fear took over and I shut and locked the door. I'll call your mom if you give me the number. I shouted through the door, but I'm not letting you in my house. All right, I'm on her side. I could still see them standing there on the porch just staring at me through the beveled glass pane. Part of me wanted to run upstairs to my husband, but the bigger part didn't want to lose track of where they were. That would have freaked me out even more to not know where they were.

After what seemed like forever, but probably only a couple seconds, I decided I would call my neighbor that lives across the street. As I made my way back to the side table by our couch to the phone, I glanced back of the door. Chloe was nowhere to be found. We later found her in the guest room under the bed. When I got to my phone and started to look for his contact info, it was only then that the kids stepped away from the door and began to walk to the street. As they did, I walked to the door to get a better look to see where they went, still not calling my neighbor.

If you get close enough to the glass, you can see outside enough to make people's shapes, but you can't see much detail. Of course, standing that close to the door would make it pretty obvious to anyone looking in. From the door, I could see that the kids were still standing under the street lamp nearest my house staring at me. As I lifted the phone to my ear after calling, only then. Only then.

Only then. Oh, that one hurt. Only then. Did the kids start walking down the street? I met my neighbor out under the lamp once he was out there. Why the fuck did you go outside after that? Don't move. But the kids were nowhere to be seen.

Like I said, I don't believe in any of this stuff. And I had never even heard about it. Honey, you do now. Yeah, you're a believer. Let's be real. You're a believer. I never heard about black-eyed kids before talking to my friend. What I really think, what I have to think, is these kids were out yanking people's chains on Halloween night.

But I will say this for them. They were good, really good at it. Scared the S out of me and my dog. And yes, she said the S. Scared the S out of me. And poor old Chloe. Wow. Then I have another short one and then just one really funny one.

And then we'll get to like the one where they let them in. Wow. I don't think those kids were yank in anyone's chains. No, definitely not. Imagine going through that and then being like, oh, I trick up the light. Right. Just being like, I have allergies. That's probably what happened. Like, they scared the S out of me.

Like, first of all, the whole time she's like, I don't believe in this stuff. Like, why are you telling me the story then? Serious. Right. Like, no. To waste my time. And call the police. Be like, hello, there's two abandoned children that are terrified on my doorstep.

I would just be like, come get them. Come collect to these youths. I don't know. It's so creepy. And also, just like, how do you go to sleep after that? I know. She's just like, all right, Klo, let's go upstairs. Come on, Klo, Klo, under the guest bed.

See ya. Poor Klo. I felt bad for her. This one is called, You Must Let Me In. No. It's really short. I mustn't. On March 17th, 2008, I had my one and only encounter with a black-eyed kid.

Before my experience, I had never heard, bleh. Before my experience, I had never heard of anything having to do with black-eyed kids. I was 12. Fuck that. Wow. I was sitting outside of the hair. hairdressers in an old Chevy pickup truck waiting for my mom to get her haircut. About 15 minutes had

passed and I saw some kid walking back and forth along the sidewalk in front of my parked car. At first, I thought I recognized him as one of my friends from school, so I banged on the front windshield until he looked my way. It was not anyone I knew. At this point, I was not scared at all, not yet. The boy walked over to my side of the car and just stares. I think to let me get a good look at his eyes, to freak me out. Let me tell you. If you have never, ever seen a black-eyed kid you have no idea what to imagine pupils black as the night sky the boy whispers you must let me in and then i locked the door's and ducked down into the space middle of the seats absolutely not incorrect so he ducks down beneath the seats five minutes later he was gone

I love this. When my mother got into the car, she told me a boy with black eyes had come into the hairdressers and insisted that my mother give him the keys to the car. She refused. Thank God she did.

I love this. She just told that story, like, so weird. Like, this kid with black eyes asked for my keys. Wicked weird, a demon came into the higher salon, asked me for my keys. I said no. Crazy story. It's hilarious.

Do you think he knocked on the salon door? Yeah. You have to miss me in. I need a full. I love it. Do you need a ball of it? I just need my money pieces done. Let me in.

Okay, this is my favorite. This is the last one before the scurra one. Before the warning. This one is called, no, you won't be calling anybody. Oh. And you'll know as soon as I say it why it's my favorite. And you'll probably remember it from last time. I think I do remember this one, but I don't remember what happens.

It's the best. I just remember the name. So the incident took. place about 13 years ago. I had just moved to a new city with my wife. We were in the, we were small town newlyweds from the Midwest. We moved across the country to one of the biggest cities in the southwest so I could attend graduate school. Being naive and new to city living, I habitually answered the door without a second thought. Never again after this. You learned. Yeah, you learn real quick in the city. The first thing that should have tipped me off to the peculiarity.

That's hard to say. I just decided to say it weird because I was going to mispronounce it of this situation was the fact that someone was knocking at six o'clock in the morning. The second thing that should have dawned on me is that this kid had to reach over a rather tall patio gate to get to unlatch it and let it open. The knock at the door was startling. My wife and I were getting ready for work, a pretty normal routine. The moment I opened the door, I was overtaken with an inexplicable sense of fear. To this day, I can picture him. Teenager. Average height, average build, knee length, black leather coat, short black hair and sunglasses. The sunglasses at 6 a.m. struck me as odd, and even more odd, he was eating an apple.

I want to know why that was even more odd than his sunglasses. He's like, who the fuck eats an apple in the morning? Like, that's disgusting. 6 a.m.? It's gross. And also, like, the sun does come up around 6 a.m. Like, he sounds like he's from the lost boys, and I'm into it. I know.

I'd be like, cool. Am I eating maggots cycle? Yeah, I'd be like, hey. What is up, buddy? What's up? Do you have a cave with a Jim Morrison poster in it? can we hang out in like an amazing bed yes let's get it let's get some chinese food after this do you bleed sparkly blood oh my god i hope do you shine in the sun so he was very polite you went twilight there oh i know

i know he reared off i needed to cover all bases so he was very polite and asked if he could come in and warm up i said no close the door and slid the security chain into place a moment later another knock I opened the now chain door, and before I could speak, he asked again if he could come in and warm up. No, I reply and attempted to close the door. Before the door could shut, he put his hand out, stopping the door on its hinges. He looked directly into my eyes, still wearing his sunglasses, and said, Can I at least get some ketchup for my apple? It's chaotic evil.

I'm crying. Also, I need you to make that a TikTok. Oh my gosh. Please make that a TikTok. Oh, man. Can I at least get some ketchup for my apple? The guy goes, you heathen? Give me some ketchup for this fucking apple.

Can you at least do me a solid? God. He could. Fuck that, I reply. I'll be a little confused. Get the hell out of here. My wife is calling the police. He takes a moment to let this information sink in.

Lowers his glasses, revealing eyes as black as obsidian. and says, no, you won't be calling anybody. At that moment, I forced the door closed, lock it and call out to my wife. She is scared shitless hiding in the bedroom, all jacked up on adrenaline. I ripped the curtains back to look out the window next to the door. He's gone. Absolutely no trace of him. I go onto the patio and check the gate.

It's still latched from the inside. That was fucked up, I think, to myself as I turn and enter the house. I notice a half-eaten apple lying on the ground. Sands ketchup. Everyone knows you put mustard on an apple. You monster. That is my favorite because... You are barbarian.

It's disgusting. Can I just get some ketchup for my apple? I love that he's like very... He's like, at least give me some ketchup for my apple. Like at the very least. I mean, they're both red, I guess. Give me a condiment for the Saffolar association. Wow.

It makes me wonder if, because when there's like two of them, it seems like in between talking, they always look at each other to like, confirm what they're going to say next. I feel like maybe they're out of touch with like the world and like, what do kids like, apples and ketchup? Yes. It does kind of seem that way. I think that's what it is.

I think they, because people will say, I had one story. It's just like not really worth reading, but they asked to use the telegraph, not the telephone. Oh, so there you go. So maybe it's true that when there's like more than one of them, they're able to like kind of get their story together. Yeah, they drive together. Yeah. But like if it's just one, they're like all thrown off.

Just give me some ketchup. Just give me the ketchup for the apple. Jeez. And he's like dressed like Kiefer Sutherland in Lost Boys. And he's like, this is what the kids are wearing, right? God, I fucking love Keith or Sutherland. The way I just said that name. I fucking love Keith or Sutherland, I just said.

I fucking love him. I love that dude. Anyways. Wow. All right. So this is when they got let in. So we'll end strong with a warning of this is what happens when you actually let them in. Tamara's not.

Not home, baby. Is Tamara home? No. One of the stories goes like this, and I got this from a website that I'll put in the show notes. In the snowy town, yeah, in the snowy town within the middle of nowhere of Vermont, that's where my little sister lives. An elderly couple, wowie-kazawi, heard the sound of three loud knocks on their door. They opened the door and saw two children, a boy and a girl. Parents will be here soon.

May we come in? No. That's what they said. No. The children did not make eye contact. and just stood there in the doorway. The elderly couple were hesitant, but after a while, they let the boy and girl inside. The kids settled on the couch while the wife made some hot cocoa and the husband asked

them questions that went unanswered. The wife returned and noticed that her cat was scared and angry with the children. May we please use the restroom? The wife looked at the kids and she finally saw them. The children's eyes were as black as a starless universe. She directed them to the bathroom. That was beautiful. I know, right?

She directed them to the bathroom and returned. to her husband who was covering his face with his hand. Did you see their eyes, the husband? Then showed her his hands full of blood from a nosebleed. Ooh. So that's weird. The power suddenly went out and the house turned as dark as the kid's eyes. The wife headed to the restroom and was confronted by the voice of a kids at the end of the hallway uttering,

our parents are here. The kids that extend. I just have full body chills. I know. I was like, no. Our parents are here. That was bone chilling. It gets weirder.

The kids then exited the house, leaving the door wide open. Do you live in a barn? That's rude as fuck. The wife then noticed that there were two men at the end of the driveway. The men were very tall and slender. The wife waved but did not receive the same friendly gesture. The two men and the children drove away together in one car. And they were wearing suits.

Yeah, they were wearing suits. I read that. And I think it was like a black, like almost like a limo. A black escalade. They fancy. A black Rolls-Royce, baby. The power then came back. on after a little it uh the power then came back on a little later after the kids left throughout

the next week weird things happened in the house three of the four cats went missing and the fourth had been found dead in a pool of its own blood which is really horrific and oh yeah they said it just like randomly hemorrhaged yeah um the husband continued to have nosebleeds and finally went to the doctor where he was diagnosed with a very aggressive skin cancer the end oh so don't let them in your Cats will die and you'll get skin cancer. I saw a little update too and she said that she's in the worst health she's ever been in and that she's having nosebleeds and it's dizzy all the time. So it's almost like there's like some kind of like, like, I want to say like radiation poisoning

or something. Yeah, like they have some ability. That's why they want to come in. Maybe it's like they're like energy vampires and they like suck all the good shit out of you. That's, I think that's it. But they have to get in your like space to do it. I don't like that. I feel like you are.

And I feel like the little kids work for the big people. Like they're not actually parents, but that's why they're panicking. Because, like, no, if we don't come inside, we're going to get in trouble. We're going to get in trouble. With the tall slender men in the seats. With the black-eyed adults. The tall gray. Because I bet the suits were gray.

I'm saying, hello. So yeah, don't let black-eyed children into your house. Don't do it. So if any, I hesitate to say if a child is in danger and comes to your home, don't want to it. Across the street. Just take a quick look and see if they have like obsidian and black eyes and if they do maybe

call someone. Dark as a universe without stars. Yeah. If you see a child, just say no. See a child, punch a child. Just point out and say, no. No, no. Like I like today. Like one of your kids does.

No, just always yells no at everything. I love it. So, yeah. So, Tyler, thank you so much for coming. This was seriously, like, huge. Yeah, this was... Thank you so much for happy me.

You both have been like a beautiful, spooky, star-filled light during quarantine for me. And I'm sure a lot of other people. That was wonderful. Yeah, so it's an honor to be here. Oh, my God, you've been the same for us. Yeah, seriously. And for my husband. For both of our households.

I'm just like, did you see this video yet? Did you see it? My favorite one is the one where you go, why are you holding my mother in the office? Where does that happen? in your brain. I need to be that funny. It all comes from like 3 a.m. talking to myself when my husband is asleep, so

it comes from a chaotic place. But I actually learned about morbid from my TikToks because I made a TikTok forever ago about how every time I was trying to, I was constantly arguing with my husband because he constantly wanted to

leave the windows open in our house. If we were sleeping, even if we were going, out to run errands. He was like, leave them open. I want fresh air. No. It's for dead people. Do you want me to be dead? I don't understand what you want for me. I've listened to too many true crime podcast and I had so many comments that said fresh air is for dead people. Oh my God, I love that. I got to dig into this. I got to know. I love that. Tick talk. Thank you weirdos of TikTok. Yeah. Ticktok. Who knew? Not me. Who knew? I didn't know. Not me. I just started making Tic talks and I'm like, this place is beautiful.

It is a beautiful belief. It's great, yeah. It truly is. Well, you're amazing. We love you. We love your guts. And literally, anytime you want to be on again, just text us. Yeah.

You have an open invitation to be on. Yes. And before we go, tell everybody where they can find you, where they can follow you, whatever you want to throw out there. You can find me pretty much on all corners of the internet under ghost honey. or my name Tyler Gaystad, G-A-C-A-I-C-A, but I exist everywhere. Everywhere. I'm all around you.

Yes. Well, this was amazing. Go follow Tyler. Go follow Ghost, Honey. You will not regret it. It will add to your life, so go do it. It will. Well, guys, we hope you keep listening, and we hope you keep it weird.

Yeah. Bye! Bye, everybody. Woo-hoo. Thank you.