You know how you see a news headline and never in your mind think it could take place in your own hometown? Well, a few days ago as I was scrolling through Twitter, a headline caught my eye. It was a warning about clowns in residential neighborhoods and for children not to be left alone outside after dark.
At first, I thought it was a joke. But that thought was quickly diminished when I saw the source of the headline: CNN. So, I clicked on the link, wondering where this occurrence could possibly be taking place. I never would have thought the attached article would bring up a place so close to my hometown: Greenville, South Carolina. And in the following days I never would have thought I would see more articles, only this time taking place in my exact hometown: Spartanburg, South Carolina.
For those of you who don't know, there are warnings going up all over the place. Warnings that there have been sightings of clowns in neighborhoods, backyards, woods, and right on front porches. Some of which have been trying to lure kids into the woods, supposedly bribing them with money, or using LED lights to get their attention at night.
Some people say it's all a hoax created by a group of kids to get attention. But with the similarities of the stories and the backgrounds of the children who have no ties and connections to each other, as well as adults becoming involved in the sightings, it's almost hard to believe that these kids are just making up a story. It doesn't add up.
Most people are scared of clowns naturally, and now those worst fears are being brought to life. Signs like these are appearing in neighborhoods:
According to the Greenville Police, there have been six reported sightings of these clowns. I don't know about you, but that's scary to think about. Maybe they're just a group of teenagers trying to scare the public, but eventually it gets to the point where enough is enough. In one interview I saw the other night, a woman admitted to having a concealed permit and said she wasn't afraid to use it if she felt her safety or the safety of her children were being threatened.
If it started out as a joke, it's not funny. It's something that seems straight out of a Stephen King novel. While Police have not been able to confirm seeing the clowns first hand themselves, I know that if I were a parent living there right now I wouldn't be taking any chances either.
And it's not even Halloween yet.
