Expert: Susan Rand - 12/29/2010

Question
I was wondering is there a line for this? I mean I want to put a pair of creepy children in a story I'm writing. it's horror based, and fictional. Now I want them to be young, but not ridiculous. Like the boy in Pet Sematary to me that was more ridiculous than scary he was just to young to be a threat. That's my question though if I put creepy kids in how young can I make them before it sounds less creepy and more stupid?

Answer
Hello Alex:

This is a highly subjective matter. What seems to you to be creepy (or not creepy), may appear totally different to someone else. The story is yours, so it is up to you to decide how old a child must be to actually present a threat. I don't know your story, so I can't advise you on that.

I wonder if  you have ever read "The Bad Seed," by William March? You can read about it here: http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Seed-William-March (be sure to read the reviews). This book is a classic; I believe it was the first, or among the first, to suggest that children might be malevolent. I don't remember how old the little girl, Rhoda Penmark, was in that story, but she was a serial killer. Here's an excerpt:

"Later that Summer, when Mrs. Penmark looked back and remembered, when she was caught up in despair so deep that she knew there was no way out, no solution whatever for the circumstances that encompassed her, it seemed to her that June seventh, the day of the Fern Grammar, School picnic, was the day of her last happiness, for never since then had she known contentment or felt peace."

Society's rejection of the possibility that a child might kill was considerably stronger in 1954, when the book was published, than it is now. Still, in skillful hands, a story about creepy kids can be a pleasurable read.

I hope this helps. If it does, a nice rating would be greatly appreciated. I am proud of my high scores over 1900 questions.

And good luck with your story!