The Ghoulish Children (or Ghastly Children) are visions or spirits that haunt Tabitha Matthews after her time in the Caves. They are associated with the mysteries surrounding the Lighthouse.
Biography[]
Season 2[]
After Tabitha falls through the hole in her basement into the tunnels underneath the Town, Victor finds her, having been told to wait for her by the Boy in White, and tries to lead her to safety. As they continue deeper into the tunnels, they enter a large chamber with small, barred arches with stones stacked in a tower in the middle. A ball-like stone is rolled from one, knocking the stacked stones over. Tabitha examines one of the archways, and sees a vision of a Ghoulish Child, frightening her. Victor warns her that the Creatures are beginning to wake up, and they panic before heading down another tunnel.[1]
After she returns to Town, she sees two of the Ghoulish Children standing in front of her as she exits the Barn, startling her. Julie notices her mother’s reaction and becomes concerned, asking what is wrong. Tabitha tells her she’s fine, and briskly walks home. Later that day, Ethan plays with a wooden block puzzle he got from Tian-Chen, stacking them in a tower. Tabitha tells him that she knows he likes to view everything like a quest, but Ethan cuts her short and says he knows that things are dangerous and promises to be careful. Ethan completes the tower puzzle, and the shape is similar to the stacked rocks she saw in the caverns. Tabitha then sees two Ghoulish Children staring at her, and she ushers Ethan inside.[2]
Tabitha takes the block puzzle to the mouth of the caves and announces her presence. The Ghoulish Children emerge from the Forest, all saying “anghkooey” repeatedly. Tabitha tries to ask who they are but they surround her and begin touching her, overwhelming her. After they disappear, Jade arrives, and Tabitha asks if he saw them. Jade points out her nose is bleeding and asks what she means.[3]
After Julie, Marielle and Randall are possessed by the Musicbox Monster, Jade goes into the caves in the hopes that he will find answers that can help him save them. Jade arrives at the large, empty chamber. Suddenly, altars with the Ghoulish Children appear, surrounding him, as they all chant “anghkooey.” When Jade looks up, the roots on the roof of the tunnel have formed the symbol, with light from the sky shining through it. The visions then disappear, leaving him alone. Meanwhile, after Victor tells her that his mother went to the Lighthouse to "free the children," believing that it was the key to escaping the Township, Tabitha heads out to do the same in order to save her daughter.[4]
Season 3[]
At Henry’s house, Tabitha shows Henry missing persons reports of people trapped in the Township. Henry refuses to believe her, asking how she was the one person who escaped. Tabitha says she does not understand but Victor helped her, and is friends with her son and saved her daughter. As she talks about saving the children in the tower, Henry grows interested. Tabitha explains that she saw visions of Ghoulish Children, and maybe saving them would allow them to escape. This gets Henry's attention. Henry explains that Miranda began hearing voices of children calling out to her, asking to be saved from the tower. The only person he told was a detective who died 20 years prior After concluding that she is telling the truth, Henry explains that after an acid trip, Miranda started having visions. In the basement, Tabitha finds visions of the Ghoulish Children. Henry continues to explain that Miranda had visions of the Township, the Creatures, and that she had to find and free the children. Miranda believed she was chosen, like others before her who had all failed. Henry says Tabitha has been chosen, and asks how she escaped as Tabitha finds a painting of the Boy in White.[5]
While speaking with Ethan, Tabitha hears noises upstairs, and after Ethan says no one else is home, she goes to investigate. She is confronted by several Ghoulish Children chanting “anghkooey” as she tells them to leave. Ethan arrives as they disappear, hearing her cries. After explaining that it was the children, Ethan takes her outside.[6]
People Who Have Seen the Ghoulish Children[]
Gallery[]
