Chapter 1: The Rainy Night
The rain beat a steady, soothing rhythm against the roof of the small, cozy home where Kyla and Darwin Bennett had been living for just over six months. As newlyweds, they were still very much in the honeymoon phase, relishing every moment together. Their shared love for children had always been a common bond, leading them to frequent local orphanages to donate toys, clothes, and sometimes, just their time. This rainy evening was no different from many others they had enjoyed together, wrapped in the warmth of their home, with the gentle hum of a favorite movie playing in the background.
"Kyla, do you ever think about how many kids we might have?" Darwin asked, his eyes sparkling with a mixture of love and curiosity.
Kyla laughed softly, looking up from her knitting.
"Of course I do. I think about it all the time. Maybe three or four? And of course, we'll adopt too. You know how much I want to help those kids."
Darwin nodded, his heart swelling with love for his compassionate wife.
"Me too. We'll give them the best life we can."
Their moment was interrupted by a loud, unexpected knock at the door. Kyla and Darwin exchanged puzzled looks.
"Who could that be at this hour, in this weather?" Kyla wondered aloud as she stood up, setting her knitting aside.
"Maybe someone in trouble?" Darwin suggested, already moving towards the door. "Let's see who it is."
Kyla reached the door first and opened it cautiously. To her surprise, a group of children stood on the doorstep, drenched to the bone, shivering, and looking utterly forlorn. Their clothes clung to them, soaked through by the relentless downpour.
"Oh my goodness," Kyla exclaimed, her heart aching at the sight.
"Come in, come in, all of you."
Darwin, now beside her, widened the door, allowing the children to enter.
"Get out of that rain. We'll get you some towels and dry clothes."
The children filed in silently, their expressions solemn. There were five of them, ranging in age from what appeared to be about six to twelve years old. Kyla quickly counted three boys and two girls.
"Darwin, I'll get some towels," Kyla said, her voice filled with concern.
"And you see if we have any clothes that might fit them."
Darwin nodded and headed towards their bedroom while Kyla ushered the children into the living room.
"Sit by the fire and warm up," she said gently.
As she handed out towels, she couldn't help but notice the strange, almost unsettling calmness of the children. They were eerily quiet, their movements deliberate and slow. One of the girls, who seemed to be the eldest, looked up at Kyla with a blank expression.
"Thank you," the girl said softly. "My name is Heidi."
"Nice to meet you, Heidi. I'm Kyla, and that's my husband Darwin," she replied warmly. "What happened to you? Why are you out in this weather?"
Heidi’s eyes, dark and reflective, seemed to bore into Kyla’s soul. "We were on a field trip," she began, her voice monotone.
"Our bus crashed. We got out and walked until we found your house."
Kyla’s heart went out to them.
"Oh, you poor things. Were any of you hurt?"
Heidi shook her head slowly.
"No, we’re okay. Just cold and wet."
Darwin returned with a bundle of clothes, interrupting the conversation.
"Here, these should help," he said, handing out the dry clothes.
As the children began to change, Kyla and Darwin stepped aside, giving them some privacy.
"This is so strange," Darwin murmured to Kyla. "Where's the bus? Shouldn't there be an adult with them?"
Kyla nodded, her brow furrowing with worry. "We need to call the police and let them know what happened. But first, let’s get these kids fed and comfortable."
The children reappeared, now dressed in the Bennetts' oversized clothes, and took seats around the dining table where Kyla had begun setting out food. She had heated up some leftover soup and made sandwiches, a simple but warm meal.
"Here you go, dig in," Kyla said, placing bowls of soup in front of each child.
They ate in silence, their expressions still unreadable. Kyla and Darwin exchanged another worried glance but didn’t press the children for more information just yet.
"Do you remember where the bus crashed?" Darwin asked gently as he sat down with his own bowl of soup.
Heidi nodded slowly.
"It was a few miles back, near the old abandoned farm. The road was slippery from the rain. The driver lost control."
"We’ll call the police and let them know," Kyla said, trying to reassure the children.
"But for now, you’re safe here with us."
As the meal progressed, Kyla found herself drawn to the children's eyes. They seemed so dark, almost too dark. At first, she thought it was just the dim lighting, but even under the light of the kitchen, their eyes were pitch black, with no whites or pupils. She shook off the unease that crept up her spine, attributing it to the stormy night and the unusual situation.
Once the children had finished eating, Kyla and Darwin guided them to the living room, where a fire crackled warmly in the hearth. "You can stay in here for the night," Kyla said, setting out blankets and pillows on the couches.
The children nodded silently, and Kyla couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Their silence, their strange eyes, and their eerie calmness all seemed wrong somehow.
"I’ll make some hot chocolate," Darwin offered, trying to lighten the mood.
"Who wants some?"
The children raised their hands slowly, almost mechanically, and Darwin set to work in the kitchen. Kyla sat down beside Heidi, trying to offer some comfort.
"It must have been very scary," she said softly. "But you're safe now."
Heidi looked at her, those black eyes unblinking.
"Thank you," she repeated in the same monotone voice.
Kyla shivered, despite the warmth of the fire. "I’ll be right back," she said, standing up and joining Darwin in the kitchen.
"Darwin, have you noticed their eyes? They’re... they’re completely black."
Darwin glanced over at the children and nodded.
"Yeah, I saw that too. It's strange, but maybe it's just the lighting or something. We’ll figure it out in the morning."
Kyla nodded, though she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at her.
"I hope you’re right."
Once the hot chocolate was ready, they brought the mugs into the living room. The children accepted them silently, sipping the warm drinks with an almost robotic precision.
Kyla and Darwin sat on the couch, trying to relax, but the tension in the room was palpable. They exchanged worried glances, silently agreeing to keep watch over the children through the night.
"We should probably try to get some sleep," Kyla suggested softly.
"Tomorrow we'll call the police and get this sorted out."
Darwin nodded.
"Good idea. I'll set up the guest room for us. That way, we can keep an eye on them."
As they prepared for bed, Kyla couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of unease. The children's silence, their strange eyes, and the way they moved—it all seemed so wrong. She tried to shake off the feeling, reminding herself that they were just children in need of help.
But as she lay in bed, listening to the rain patter against the window, she couldn’t shake the sense that something sinister lurked just beneath the surface. Beside her, Darwin’s steady breathing offered a small measure of comfort, but sleep eluded her.
In the darkness, the memory of those black eyes haunted her, filling her with a dread she couldn’t quite explain. She turned over, trying to find a comfortable position, and finally closed her eyes, hoping that morning would bring answers and a return to normalcy.
Unbeknownst to Kyla and Darwin, the night would bring anything but. The storm outside was nothing compared to the storm of terror about to unfold within their cozy home. The black-eyed children were far from ordinary, and their presence heralded a nightmare that would change the Bennetts’ lives forever.