Knock.
Balin flinched in surprise. Who'd visit him at this ungodly hour?
When the knock came again he decided he could not ignore it. He put down the tongs and headed toward the door of his forge.
The visitor was a clearly human girl. He was slightly proud he could tell she was human on sight. She was wearing a black dress and cloak. Her long hair fell past her shoulders in dark waves. She was maybe…fourteen?
"Hello sir," she said. "I've traveled a long way. Can I perhaps step inside and rest for a moment? I won't stay long."
Balin felt a sense of unease, as if some ghoul was blowing air on his neck. There were other forges, why would she pick this one? And…there was something vaguely disturbing about the young woman. She seemed very confident, for one asking at night to stay in someone's home.
Still, he felt he should grant her request. I mean, why shouldn't he? Any nerves were just old age and the late hour.
It was only a timely coincidence that saved his life.
Just as Balin was about to agree, he noticed her eyes.
They were pure black, with no difference between sclera, iris, or pupil.
Balin had heard stories, stories of malevolent spirits who usually took the form of children with black eyes. It was certain death to invite one into your home.
Oh Aule, he thought. How can I be sure she isn't a Black-Eyed Child?
I can't without letting her in, he decided. And Balin had not survived this long by being stupid.
He smiled at the girl. "My sincere apologies, but I can't at the moment."
Her eyes narrowed, then she brightened again. "Are you certain I couldn't have a little glass of water? I'm quite parched."
Balin considered. That was probably safe.
As he was about to get one, she said, "I'm sorry, but I can't enter unless you say I can."
Balin froze. That was in the legends; they couldn't enter unless you said they could. Oh Aule, what was he to do? That young woman wanted to kill him. She would if she got the chance, to. And-didn't the legend say you couldn't help them, either?
He turned back to the Black-Eyed Child. He smiled as best as he could, under the circumstances. The little chills of unease had progressed to full-on bone-chilling fear. Balin had fought battles, but he couldn't kill the supernatural. "I'm sorry, I can't give you that either."
She growled. Her black eyes were as cold as ice. "Hmm, smarter then most. Or you pay more attention to stories." The Black-Eyed Child, unable to do more, left in a huff.
Ariel closed the story on her computer and started getting ready for bed. She loved scary stories, spending a lot of her time on Creepypasta Wiki and the horror genre section of . Her boyfriend chided her for it, but he didn't mind. Not when Ariel loved horror movies so much.
Just as she was heading toward her bedroom…
Knock.
She turned, and screamed. In her house was a girl. The girl had pure black eyes.
The Black-Eyed Child smiled. "Aww…scared?"
A/N: Creepypasta Wiki does exist. Black-Eyed Children, while a good story do not.
Still, might want to not let strange kids into your house, huh?