The White-Eyed Child

Content warning: This story contains themes of missing children and supernatural horror.

The town of Millfield was in chaos. Little Emily had gone missing in the dense forest that bordered the small community. Search parties were formed, and the entire town came together to comb through the woods, desperate to find the six-year-old girl.

Emily’s parents, Sarah and Michael, were beside themselves with worry. They had always warned their daughter about the dangers lurking in the forest, but she had wandered off during a family picnic, and now their worst fears had come true.

As the sun began to set on the third day of the search, Sarah and Michael refused to give up. They ventured deeper into the forest, their voices hoarse from calling out their daughter’s name.

Suddenly, Michael spotted something in the distance. “Sarah, look!” he exclaimed, pointing towards a small cave nestled between two ancient trees.

There, sitting at the entrance of the cave, was Emily. She was smiling, her little face illuminated by the fading light.

Sarah and Michael ran to their daughter, tears of relief streaming down their faces. “Emily, oh my god, we were so worried!” Sarah cried, wrapping her arms around the little girl.

But as they drew closer, something seemed off. Emily’s smile was too wide, too unnatural. And when they looked into her eyes, they realized with horror that they were completely white, devoid of any iris or pupil.

“Emily, sweetie, what happened to your eyes?” Michael asked, his voice trembling.

Emily’s smile never faltered as she spoke, her voice eerily calm. “The lady in the cave fixed them, Daddy. She said I don’t need to see the world anymore. I only need to see the truth.”

Sarah and Michael exchanged terrified glances. “What lady, Emily? Who are you talking about?” Sarah asked, her heart pounding in her chest.

Emily just continued to smile, her white eyes staring blankly ahead. “She’s waiting for you, Mommy and Daddy. She wants you to see the truth, too.”

Before Sarah and Michael could react, a figure emerged from the shadows of the cave. It was a woman, her skin pale and her eyes as white as Emily’s. She smiled, her teeth sharp and gleaming in the darkness.

“Welcome,” the woman said, her voice a haunting whisper. “I’ve been expecting you.”

Sarah and Michael clutched each other, their bodies frozen with fear. They watched in horror as Emily stood up and walked towards the woman, taking her hand.

“No, Emily, come back!” Sarah screamed, finally finding her voice.

But it was too late. The woman and Emily disappeared into the depths of the cave, their laughter echoing through the forest.

The search parties found Sarah and Michael the next morning, their eyes white and their faces twisted into unnatural smiles. They sat at the entrance of the cave, waiting for others to join them, to see the truth that lay within.

From that day on, the town of Millfield was never the same. More and more people ventured into the forest, lured by the promise of the white-eyed child and the woman in the cave.

And those who returned were never quite the same, their eyes forever changed, their smiles a little too wide, a little too knowing.