A college-aged man is at home in South Carolina during spring break. While mowing a woman's lawn he is accosted by 2 black eyed kids who scare and threaten him, demanding to be allowed into the house.
The following account was recently forwarded to me:
"This happened to me a few months ago. I'm a freshman in college here in South Carolina. When my spring break started, instead of going some crazy beach during the Covid-19 scare, I spent my week off at home. Because winter ended so early, I found myself mowing lawns about a month earlier than usual.
I drove to an elderly woman's house to mow. I had mowed for her for 4 years now. I used to live down the street from her, but I had since moved away. I kept the job because mowing is great money for little work. She had been diagnosed with cancer, and has not been doing well (in and out of the hospital) so I knew how to let myself in the garage through the back to open the garage door.
I did a once over around the outside of the house, picking up sticks and lifting downspouts. I even threw a nerf football back into the neighbors yard. I went back into the front yard, it was just a beautiful day outside.
I had lived here for my whole childhood, so I stood out in the driveway, taking it all in. There was a couple in their backyard, and a few people walking, and everything else was so peaceful and quiet. Because of Covid-19, very few people were out and about. A perfect afternoon, I didn't think anything like this would happen.
I saw my old next door neighbors outside, and being the socially awkward person that I am, I wanted to avoid conversation plus adhering to 'social distancing.' I put my face mask on and then started the mower, popped my headphones in and pushed it into the backyard. It was a big backyard, with three trees, two gardens, and an oddly shaped bench that was extremely hard to maneuver around. I was at least used to these things having dealt with them for years, and I was just getting into my groove when I saw a kid out of the corner of my eye.
He was just standing in the backyard, I don't know how long he had been there, or how he had even made his way without me seeing him. I jumped, as I was not used to ever being disturbed while mowed. I pulled my headphones out, and he just looks at me from across the yard. He looked pretty normal from where I was standing, it seemed a little hot to be wearing jeans and a sweatshirt but I didn't think anything of it. He was a male, looked to be about 13 years old, but I'm horrible with guessing ages. I looked at him for a couple seconds before I realized he isn't going to say anything this far away, so I reluctantly turned off the mower.
My senses were already working overtime, (besides the ringing in my ears) when the kid asks,"Can you help us?" Us...? I think to myself, "There's more than one?"
I get the butterflies in my stomach because my keys, my wallet, and my cellphone were left out in the garage (I wanted to reduce my pocket weight). I hurried to the front and there was a second boy there, younger than the first by a few years. He didn't move his feet, and just kept his eyes on me. I honestly didn't care about how they were standing or looking. I made a beeline for my valuables and I made sure nothing was taken.
I turned around with everything sorted out in my pockets, and I almost jumped again. They had closed in on me, and were looking up at me. That's when I saw that they had those damn black eyes. I felt so small, so mortal. Those eyes. That's all it took for me to realize I wasn't as in charge as I thought I was.
"Can you help us?" The older boy asks, "We're thirsty and our dad wants to know where we are." My head is just spinning, I've read the stories before. I know what they're up to. But I can't hide. It isn't my house.
"There's a water fountain just across the street." I already know what they're going to say. "Just please let us inside, we've been outside all day and we are very thirsty. You need to let us in." I said "No."
I was trying so hard not to look at them in the eyes. I knew I shouldn't, but I wanted to learn more. I wanted to describe them, so I just caught a glimpse of the little ones. Pitch black, unblinking.
I immediately thought I could hear his voice in my head, even though I had never heard it. It was almost as if I was arguing with myself. I was fighting the voice as I was slowly taking steps back in the garage. The kids didn't move forward, they didn't say anything else. They just stared, and I kept walking, a foot at a time. Finally, I was close enough to hit the button to close the garage door. I could still see their feet, unmoving as the door slowly closed down completely, forcing me into darkness.
For about three seconds I was relieved that I escaped. Then I realized I'm trapped. I can't get in to the main part of the lady's house, and I can't go back out the front. The only option is to leave through the back door that is always left unlocked, the one I came in through. I quickly check for what I came with, when I realize that my keys, which I clearly remember stuffing into my pocket earlier, are now in the palm of my hand. It dawns on me that I can't even remember it, but I almost gave them my keys.
This is too much for me to handle, and the darkness of the garage isn't helping, so I open the door and the sunlight washes over me. I felt so happy. It left me unprepared for what happened next. I closed the door and turned the corner to make my way to the front, and the oldest was alone, blocking my path. He screamed at me, "I asked nicely. Let us in!"
I spun around and bolted into the backyard, I didn't look back to see if I was being chased. I ran past the tree, past the mower I had left out, and I knew that the little one would be ready to meet me around the corner. Sure enough, he was there, and this side yard was more narrow than the first. I put on a burst of speed, and I knocked the kid down. I was about to feel bad, until he tried to bite my hand as I pushed him. The little f*cker tried to bite me. I ran for a few more strides, so close to my car parked on the street, when I stopped.
There was no traffic. Nobody had called my name. There was no reason for me to stop. Except I did. The little boy was crying. I had never heard somebody cry like that. It was crystal clear, like it was coming from my headphones. I turned around and he was sitting up, sobbing. I wanted to walk back and help him, apologize. I wanted to open the garage and find a way in the house to let him use the phone. I wanted to do everything in my power to help him.
"Let us in. We need the house." He said through tears. Almost brainwashed a second time, by an 8 year old. I couldn't believe it. I shook it off one last time, and ran into my car. I locked the doors, and I didn't look back until I was onto a different street. I had hand sanitizer in the car and spread that crap all over myself! I didn't know if those two kids were infected or what.
I called the lady's house to tell her I hadn't finished, and I could be back tomorrow. Thankfully she must not have been home. At least, she didn't answer." GH
