Thursday, March 03, 2005
"Children of the Night" Take Over Town
Faremount. During the day, the playgrounds are empty, the school's full. But when darkness falls on the quaint town of Faremount, "The Children of the Night" decend upon it's streets.
There has been a growing number of children walking the streets aimlessly at night. Whether due to parents working at night or just a lack of child care in the night hours, the number has been growing.
One parent stated, "Well, I don't really work. But I'll be damned if I'm going to let some snot nose keep me from two for one specials at the bar!"
Another states, "My kids are 8 and 10 and if they can't take care of themselves now, then what the hell?"
One mother, seen pushing her baby in a stroller at 2 am in the middle of winter said, "Hey, I need smokes!"
There has been a growing number of children under the age of 12 left at home alone to fend for themselves in which the majority of the parents state that they did at least lock the door so the kids couldn't get out.
In an effort to edify this phenomena, the area children have dubbed themselves the "Children of the Night". Dividing themselves into clans, and sticking to certain territories based on the bars their parents or parent may inhabit. There has also been a caste system that they have set up in order to survive. Using the children that can cook, providing a meal for all clans.
There has been the occasional outbreak of violence, as reported on 1st and Park streets, where a child was reportedly chucking rocks at windsheilds of passing motorists.
"It's not like we're having a 'Lord of the Flies' community happening here." stated city council member Jim Webber, "The children are learning how to survive in the real world, which is something a good parent needs to teach their children."
The Faremount Youth Committee, a group of area children doing well in school that try to provide something for children to do positively, met with the head of the Dewey Street clan to try and join factions to make this an orderly and safe event for all. None of the Faremount Youth Committee members were seen or heard from again.
There has been a growing number of children walking the streets aimlessly at night. Whether due to parents working at night or just a lack of child care in the night hours, the number has been growing.
One parent stated, "Well, I don't really work. But I'll be damned if I'm going to let some snot nose keep me from two for one specials at the bar!"
Another states, "My kids are 8 and 10 and if they can't take care of themselves now, then what the hell?"
One mother, seen pushing her baby in a stroller at 2 am in the middle of winter said, "Hey, I need smokes!"
There has been a growing number of children under the age of 12 left at home alone to fend for themselves in which the majority of the parents state that they did at least lock the door so the kids couldn't get out.
In an effort to edify this phenomena, the area children have dubbed themselves the "Children of the Night". Dividing themselves into clans, and sticking to certain territories based on the bars their parents or parent may inhabit. There has also been a caste system that they have set up in order to survive. Using the children that can cook, providing a meal for all clans.
There has been the occasional outbreak of violence, as reported on 1st and Park streets, where a child was reportedly chucking rocks at windsheilds of passing motorists.
"It's not like we're having a 'Lord of the Flies' community happening here." stated city council member Jim Webber, "The children are learning how to survive in the real world, which is something a good parent needs to teach their children."
The Faremount Youth Committee, a group of area children doing well in school that try to provide something for children to do positively, met with the head of the Dewey Street clan to try and join factions to make this an orderly and safe event for all. None of the Faremount Youth Committee members were seen or heard from again.
