Welcome to Freaky Friday. Our paranormal topic today is Black-Eyed Kids.
This urban legend, phenomena—whatever you want to call it—is new to me. The information I have so far is pretty basic.
This story didn’t interest me much when I first encountered it. The report I read mentioned aliens, and I don’t do aliens. Without reading much more, I closed that window and kept trolling for paranormal topics.
That night, though, I had a vivid nightmare about these black-eyed kids trying to gain access to my home. It really scared me. The next day, I buckled down and researched the story.
The following is what I found.
1998: Brian Bethel
Brian Bethel’s account is the most well-known in the black-eyed kids story. It goes like this:
Brian Bethel worked near a movie theater. One night, after working late, Brian was sitting in his car writing out a check. A tap on his window interrupted him.
Standing next to Brian’s car were two young men, 10-14 in age. The kids were dressed in normal, nondescript contemporary clothing. In short, they looked like regular teenagers.
Though he had a gut feeling something wasn’t right, Brian rolled down his window and asked the kids what they wanted. The kids said they’d forgotten their money to see the movie. They wanted to know if Brian would give them a ride home so they could, ostensibly, get the money.
The way the kid spoke was off. It was quiet, calm, and articulate. There was none of the usual stuttering, stammering, or breaking up sentences that young people usually do.
As Brian tried to comprehend the unexplained fear he felt, he noted that the movie—which was the last showing of the evening—had already been playing for an hour. These kids didn’t need to go home to get money. Or, if they did, it wasn’t to see that particular movie.
Brian began to feel terrified. His flight or fight response kicked in. Despite that, he noticed that his hand was creeping toward the door—as though on its own volition—to disengage the lock.
As most of us do when confronted with denying another person’s request, Brian stuttered and stammered. It was then that he noticed the kids’ eyes. They were black, completely so, without pupils or irises. Brian couldn’t keep his expression neutral.
Upon seeing Brian’s horrified expression, the kids became insistent, even angry. They said they couldn’t get in Brian’s car unless he granted them access. Finally, Brian sped away from the scene. When he looked in his rearview mirror, the kids were gone.
Common Themes
I mentioned that Brian Bethel’s account is the most well-known. Some people believe it is the oldest account of encounters with black-eyed kids. This is not true.
David Weatherly, a long-time paranormal researcher, has written a book on the black-eyed kids phenomenon. He reports encounters with black-eyed kids that go back to 1950.
[If you’re interested in reading David’s book, look in my sources for a link to purchase.]
All reports of black-eyed kids share certain similarities. As I talk about these, I’ll refer to black-eyed kids as “BEKs” and their potential victims as “mark(s).”
It is interesting to note that reports of being harrassed by BEKs come from people of all walks of life and all ages. There have been reports from military personnel, businesspeople, and teenagers–and everything in between. It seeems nobody is safe from BEKs.
Physical Characteristics of BEKs:
- The black “shark” eyes which have no pupil or iris
- Ages: preteen or teen, perhaps 10-14.
- Dressed either in nondescript, contemporary clothes or in very old-fashioned, ill-fitting clothes
- Skin having an odd “plastic” look. Some reports of olive-skinned BEKs exist, others are white.
- Appear and disappear very quickly. They also show up in places where it doesn’t make sense for them to be. For example, one woman who lived on a 3rd floor apartment had a BEK show up on her balcony, knocking on her patio door. There was no way for the kid to get up there other than to have scaled the building.
What BEKs Do:
- They attempt to isolate themselves and their mark from the rest of the world. For example, they want to get in the mark’s car or come inside the mark’s house.
- They employ the ruse of being a child in need. “I need to get to my mother” or “I need to call my mother.”
- They communicate in a monotone voice. They are articulate and confident, but will not answer direct questions. They just repeat their request, getting more agitated with each refusal.
- They use a form of mind control on their marks.
How it feels
Marks from all walks of life report similar feelings during an encounter with BEKs.
- Fear
- That they are in the presence of evil
- Flight or fight
- Unhappiness
- Hunted
- Dread
- Despair
- Not in control. Marks believed the BEKs were using a form of mind control. One mark who had previously been hypnotized to help her quit smoking reported that talking to the BEKs felt like being hypnotized. Many marks said they had a hard time refusing the BEKs requests.
Many encounters with BEKs end with the mark wanting to do something spiritual or religious in hopes of cleansing themselves of the BEK.
What are they?
The following is a short list of speculation on what BEKs–if they exist–might be. If you’re interested in reading deeper explanations for any of these, please peruse my sources.
- Alien-hybrids
- Djinn
- Ghosts
- Demons
- Changelings
- Vampires — BEKs share elements with vampire mythology: the need to invited into their victims home/car, the ability to hypnotize, the feeding off some aspect of victim.
- Omens — many marks have reported having bizarre bad luck after an encounter with BEKs.
What Do BEKs Want?
Nobody knows. The following are some speculations:
- To feed on our fear
- To take away our life force
- To learn how to interact in the human world without raising alarm (this one goes with the theory that BEKs are aliens or demons from another planet or dimension)
What happens if you let them in?
David Weatherly’s book has a chapter about a family who let a BEK into their vehicle. In the interview I watched (which is below in my sources), Mr. Weatherly did not say what went on during the family’s encounter with the BEK. He talked mostly about the aftermath.
Very quickly after letting the BEK into their vehicle, the family had a car crash. Their young son, who sat closest to the BEK, became very ill. His symptoms were unidentifiable, having characteristics of many illnesses.
Other Strange Stuff Connected with BEKs
People who bought David Weatherly’s book have complained of technological weirdness while trying to read. One woman was interrupted by her smoke alarm going off and the timer on her stove dinging.
On a personal note, the very idea of a black-eyed kid trying to talk its way into my home pinged my subconscious enough for me to have a very vivid nightmare about it. And I mean I woke up on the verge of screaming.
I guess I’ll end this with a warning. If you’re reading late at night and hear something rapping on your door or your window, maybe it’s best not to check. If a kid asks you for a ride or to come in your house and use your phone, look at their eyes before you grant their request. Listen to your gut. That primitive part of your brain knows when danger is afoot.
If you enjoyed this article, you might enjoy my fiction. Please take a moment to check it out either on my Fiction or on my Amazon Author Page. I write both horror and paranormal mystery fiction. The topics I research for this blog serve as my inspiration.
Sources:
Black-Eyed Kids: Just an Urban Legend?
Black-eyed Kids: Insidious Threat or Myth in the Making?
Black-Eyed Kids: Brian Bethel’s Story
Condundrum, Episode #43: David Weatherly on Black-Eyed Kids (Interview)
Purchase David Weatherly’s book [Note: I've not read Mr. Weatherly's book and, thus, cannot recommend it. I would consider reading it in Kindle version, but I have too many print books to buy more.]
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Patricia Yager Delagrange said:
I’ve never heard of BEK’s and found this most interesting. I think I’ve seen versions of BEK’s in some scary movies, but never read the actual term black-eyed-kids. Sounds creepy.
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Catie Rhodes said:
Patti, this is one of the few topics I’ve written about that actually freaked me out and made me paranoid. It got into some primal part of my brain. I’d be curious to unravel the psychology behind my reaction to it.
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Patricia Yager Delagrange said:
Yeah, nightmares really interest me–always have…
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livrancourt said:
I’m okay right now while I’m reading this and watching the sun rise, but I bet I sleep with the light on tonight!
Creepy!!
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Catie Rhodes said:
It really is creepy, isn’t it? I hope you sleep well tonight.
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Shannon Esposito said:
Thanks, Catie…as much as I watch and read about the paranormal, I’ve never heard of BEK’s. I’ll have to put this on my research list. It sounds like an urban legend, but if the idea is creepy enough to give you nightmares about them, they’re real in that sense at least.
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Catie Rhodes said:
I had never heard of them either, Shannon. And when I first started looking at this, I thought it was an alien scare–which I don’t find interesting. I think this urban legend plays with our core beliefs: 1) We are taught to help children and the elderly because they often can’t help themselves. 2) We are taught not to let ourselves be alone with strangers. Granting a BEK’s request to come inside our house or our car–where we’ll be alone with them–goes against that teaching and calls up all the bad stuff that can happen. And that’s really all urban legends do: they play on our greatest fears and challenge our most deeply held beliefs. And, sometimes, there is just plain old scary stuff out there waiting for us.
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twbrown said:
I have no idea where you come up with these, but you make my Friday morning cup of coffee so much better.
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Catie Rhodes said:
I am glad you enjoy these, Todd. Sometimes it takes some trolling around to find a suitable Friday topic. When a reader lets me know they enjoy the topics, it really makes my day.
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febe moss said:
Holy crap! This the scariest thing I’ve ever read. There’s one part of me that reaaally wants to research this and another part that wants nothing to do with it.
Also, after reading this, my new co worker who’s been having issues with our HR department, came up to me and told me it turns out she has an IT problem instead of an HR problem. and to quote the IT guy, “There is something really weird with your file.” He kept telling her the coding was all mixed it and he’d never seen anything like it. Really odd timing.
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Catie Rhodes said:
Oooh, how creepy on the IT issue! See there? The BEKs are out to get you. This is an interesting topic to research because most of what you’ll find is discussions on message boards and blog posts like mine. David Weatherly’s book was the only formal documentation I was able to find.
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Greg Carrico (@GregoryCarrico) said:
Oh, this is one of your creepier posts, Catie. I’ve never heard of the BEKs, but I’ll be keeping my (blue) eyes open for them! They sound like some of the kids I used to hang out with in 7th grade
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Catie Rhodes said:
Glad you enjoyed this, Greg. I really enjoyed researching it and writing it. And, yes, do keep your eyes open.
This is a weird topic for me because I have a fair number of kids who ring my doorbell. Usually, it’s to ask some asinine question–which is unbelievably frustrating and another blog topic all together. I usually answer the door because it’s possible the kids need in my backyard to retrieve a lost ball or maybe even look for a pet. This topic has made me question opening the door to them.
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S.K. Epperson said:
Great post! Creepy as hell. I’ve read several first person stories about people who have encountered them in (of all places) a Wal-Mart. ???
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Catie Rhodes said:
How cool that you’ve heard of this. You are my Knowledge of the Weird champion today. I can totally see something like this happening at Wal-Mart. We are more isolated in public than we think we are.
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S.K. Epperson said:
I’ll have to go back and look, but off the top of my head I want to say one of the Wal-Marts was in Missouri. So if any of you live in Missouri…
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Catie Rhodes said:
There you go! Wal-Mart in Missouri is to be avoided at any cost. LOL
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Kitt Crescendo said:
Laughing as I suddenly had a sudden image of every Walmart in MO instantly empty (a la cartoons) because which one could be the haunting grounds of the BEK was never specified. General managers everywhere scratching their heads and wondering what happened giving birth to another myth of the disappearing customers.
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amyshojai said:
Yikes–first I’ve heard of BEKs and now I’m really intrigued and creeped out. Great post!
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Catie Rhodes said:
Glad you enjoyed the post. Isn’t it fun to learn about something new?
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Emma said:
Okay, I just got chills reading about them showing up on that woman’s balcony on her 3rd floor apartment.
This is very creepy. I hadn’t heard of them before. This is probably the freakiest and scariest post of yours I’ve read.
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Catie Rhodes said:
This is a compliment! I alway go for scary and/or creepy. But knowing I sort of achieved it is awesome.
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Kitt Crescendo said:
I’m gonna check if Sam and Dean Winchester ever encountered them, Emma.
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Stacy Green said:
I’ve never heard of these, and they are very creepy. My first thought was demons, but then why just the kids? The third floor balcony story is definitely the worst. I seldom hear about a supernatural thing I wouldn’t love to hunt, but I think I’d run from these guys.
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Catie Rhodes said:
Well, if they are demons, couldn’t they take any form. And aren’t children more likely to be trusted without question than other age groups? So, if the demons wanted a way to isolate themselves with select humans, wouldn’t kids be a great way to do it? (In theory, of course)
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borntolie said:
Very cool post Catie. Can’t say I’ve had any experience with straight up black eyed children, just haunted eyed. Lots of potential ideas here. I’ve been kicking around a lot of alternate vampire ideas lately (something less Brad Pitt/sparkly) and I think you’ve given me a perfect starting point. Thanks!
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Catie Rhodes said:
It is a great story idea, isn’t it? I hope this leads to a breakthrough on your story. Let me know how it goes.
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alandhopewell said:
This is a new one on me, although I’ve encountered elements of it (strange atmosphere or feeling, compulsion, sense of evil, “odd” eyes).
I’ll weigh in on the demonic, and my advice is the same Fred sanford gave Lamont….
“STAY AWAY FROM THEM, SON!”
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Catie Rhodes said:
Good advice, Alan. What spooks me about this story (and I didn’t really emphasize this in the blog post) is that many people who have encountered the black-eyed kids said they didn’t notice the black eyes at first. These people claimed they sort of had to look away from the kids and look back to notice the black eyes. Creepy, huh?
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alandhopewell said:
Face-to-face encounters with ghosts are sorta like that….they look solid, often, but there’s something strange about the eyes( a flat, almost dead look), and a sense of something being not quite right, that you can’t put your finger on-until they vanish.
After Googling “Black-eyed kids”, and looking at the pictures, I realized I have seen them, but I don’t recall where.
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Catie Rhodes said:
Oooh…if you ever remember, tell me.
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alandhopewell said:
I’m still not sure of a lot of the details, but I think this was about the mid-70′s. I was at a carnival or street fair, I remember it was night, and there were lots of people.
I was walking through the crowd, just looking around, as one will do, when my gaze passed over a face looking at me from a few feet away; I actually did a double-take, because the impression I got was of long hair (boy or girl, I dunno) pale face, and eyes that looked like two holes filled with oil, staring at me from about eight feet away.
When I turned back, it was gone, lost in the crowd….?
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Catie Rhodes said:
Oooh, shivers. Good thing they didn’t approach you.
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Jenny Hansen said:
You are just the Goddess of Spooky…
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Catie Rhodes said:
Why thank you. What a nice thing to hear on a busy Friday.
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Jenny Hansen said:
I just call ‘em like I see ‘em.
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susielindau said:
I’ve never heard of them but I bet they are aliens…..OOoooooOOOOOOOoooO!
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Catie Rhodes said:
LOL. They might be. In fact, if they exist, I suspect that is the most likely–albeit boring–explanation. Yes, I think aliens are boring…because everybody knows they invaded years ago.
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susielindau said:
Really? Write about them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Julie Glover said:
Interesting reports, Catie. Here’s what I wonder about some of these paranomal stories: In our day of cell phones being cameras and recorders, will some of these stories be laid to rest without photographic or audio evidence while others are confirmed? It’s just so much easier now to think that someone could take a phone out of their pocket and snap a pic of a black-eyed kid or whatever else. I’m curious what you think.
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Catie Rhodes said:
I think two things:
1. If something like this actually happened, I think I would be too scared and upset to think of snapping a picture.
2. Many people who have seen the black-eyed kids claim that once they escaped the situation and turned to look back (like Lot’s wife), the BEKs were gone. So does that mean it was some sort of hallucination? Aliens who can disappear? I dunno.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
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Julie Glover said:
Now I’m pondering even more. *scratches head*
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alandhopewell said:
There’s a type of paraslysis that strikes people who encounter ghosts; perhaps something similar is at work here.
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Candy Lynn Fite (@Candilynnfite) said:
Oh my. Have to say, of all the paranormal stuff I get my hands into, this has not been one of them! Hope there haven’t been any sightings in TX. I have to say, this is one creepy story. It reminds me a bit of the 1980′s movie, The Children. Although I can’t recall their eye color, but their fingernails were black, and they were zombish, killing adults. Anyone recall the film?
I watched a bit of the video. I got a bit freaked, so I quite watching it. It’s nearing dusk and my husband is working a double tonight. *O*
Enjoyed it!
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Catie Rhodes said:
Here’s an account from Katy, Texas: http://paranormal.about.com/od/demonsandexorcism/a/tales_11_09_06t.htm
Sorry, but I had to do it. LOL
I don’t remember the film you’re talking about. It sounds pretty creepy, though.
This is a creepy, creepy story. It definitely has elements that appeal to some subconscious core of fear in me. I can’t believe how frightening these stories were to me. Usually when I’m writing this stuff, I’m sort of giggling. This one really disturbed me, though.
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alandhopewell said:
There were similarities….
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Catie Rhodes said:
No way. That’s creepy. I don’t want to see that movie.
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Rhonda Hopkins said:
Okay, this one really creeped me out. Not sure why exactly – I’ve seen and read worse, but still…I’ve got the heebie jeebies. I’ve never heard of the BEKs before. Haven’t decided if I’m going to look them up or not. Great post, Catie!
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Catie Rhodes said:
It creeped me out, too. I think it must scare us on some subconscious level. Perhaps it goes against things we commonly believe. Or maybe it appeals to some deep, undefinable fear. Either way, I was fascinated by the power of this story.
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Louise Behiel said:
this is creepy stuff, Catie. yikes. But I read every word. I don’t usually find aliens frightening but this is weird.
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Catie Rhodes said:
It is weird. I don’t usually enjoy reading about aliens. They aren’t scary to me…or even very interesting. But, as you say, this is very weird.
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Donna Coe-Velleman said:
I haven’t ever heard of them. They seem creepy but I’m having a hard time believing in them. Sorry.
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Catie Rhodes said:
I don’t know that I believe in them either. In fact, I am pretty sure I don’t. But I do know that the concept stuck in my subconscious enough to give me nightmares.
No need to apologize. I’m not trying to convince anybody of anything in these blog posts. I just write about stuff that captures my interest.
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Rich said:
Thank you for your “BEK” story Catie!
It was good creepy fun! I thought maybe I had had an encounter with some of them once, but they turned out to be Jehovah’s Witnesses..(-: Thanks for all you do!
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Catie Rhodes said:
You made me laugh out loud. And it was probably mean of me. Thanks for the moment of levity.
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Barbara McDowell said:
Great, Catie. Not only did it creep me out to read about these little kids begging for help, but it perked my interest to start Googling them. Yeah. Most stuff doesn’t get to me–those creatures do.
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Kitt Crescendo said:
Huh…I’d never heard of black eyed kids before. Hubby is the big one on spooky in this house..so I’m gonna ask him. If not, maybe you’ve finally given me ammo to spook him out a smidge.
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Catie Rhodes said:
I’d be curious to know if he had heard of it. I have only had a brief intro to this urban legend. It is fairly unforgettable because it has such an eerie ring to it.
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Kitt Crescendo said:
Checked with the hubs. He’d never heard of it till I read your post. We then checked the demons/monsters that have been featured on Supernatural. The closest were the demons, but their eyes blink back and forth from normal to black. Either way…creepy. Now I’ll be staring everyone in the eye…LOL!