Sometimes, when you've experienced something harrowing, your brain just won't let you forget it, no matter how many years go by. These people have to live with their messed-up childhood memories every day.
1. It’s All A Lie
Growing up, my family life was a bit unusual. I shared a bedroom with my dad, each of us in our own beds, while my mom's room was situated on the far side of our home. Even as a kid, it was clear that things weren't normal. Dad would be absent on weekends and often stay out late on weekdays. The full extent of what was happening came to light much later.
When I was 13, I stumbled upon a text on my dad's mobile sent to an unknown number. The message expressed his desire to celebrate Christmas with his "true" family. At that moment, I just wanted to have fun and play Snake on his phone. It wasn't until I was an adult, having a family and a life of my own, that I learned about my dad's infidelity.
He had been having an affair with the same woman throughout his 18-year marriage with my mom, and I discovered that I had a half-sister my age. I'm pretty certain that the text message was to that woman, but I never felt the need to confront or question it.
2. Can’t Make It Home
I think I must have been about eight years old, returning from a school-run camping trip that had lasted an entire week. Our trip back to the school was painfully slow due to heavy traffic. The whole time, I badly needed to use the restroom—picture an eight-year-old's desperate attempts to hold it in as our bus finally rolled into the school parking lot.
When we finally arrived, the teacher insisted we get off the bus in an orderly fashion. But given the urgency of the situation, I wasn't about to wait my turn. The moment the bus doors opened, I made a run for it. I heard my parents and teachers calling my name, and the laughter of my classmates ringing in my ears.
It didn't matter—all I could think about was the urgent need pressing in my stomach. I still remember charging towards the bathroom door, the relief I felt thinking I'd made it in time. Boy, was I wrong. I threw all my momentum against the door, hoping it would swing open. Instead, I collided with it, causing a sharp, sudden pain.
Somehow, the school locked their bathroom doors after school hours. As the pain brought me to my knees, nature took its course. Somebody tried to help me up only to drop me right away. Needless to say, that didn't help me at all.
3. Lesson Learned
Once upon a time in high school, I had a friend whose parents were pretty much missing in action during his younger years. We used to jokingly tell each other how envious we were that he had complete freedom: sleepovers any night of the week, no curfews. As we grew closer, I started visiting his house, which was quite a mess.
The pantry only had microwaveable meals or long-lasting snack foods. Disturbingly, they had kept a turtle tank in the kitchen, right between the sink and the stove. The sink was forever full of dirty dishes, and trash was scattered around.
My friend loved spending time at our houses whenever permission was granted, but I had to put a full-stop on his visits due to his poor cleaning habits. Things reached a breaking point when he carelessly left bread crumbs all over my sofa. My mother was livid: "He should be more responsible. What in the world would his parents say?"
I replied, "Mom, I seriously doubt they'd say much". I took the time to explain the state of his house to her. She was taken aback and instantly obliged to let him sleepover whenever he needed it. However, there was a condition—I had to ensure he learned to clean up after himself and had nutritious meals.
4. Like Mother, Like Son
My mother struggled with problems related to anger management. I remember when she was upset, she’d tackle her irritation in an extreme manner—banging her head hard against the wall. I deemed this behavior as a normal reaction to frustration until I gave it a shot. Turns out, it was really painful...who would've guessed?
So, I quit copying her. However, I often found myself hitting walls with such force that I could potentially fracture a bone or make an actual hole in the wall.
5. Getting Through It
I have a strong, unpleasant memory from my childhood that centers around my uncle dealing with substance withdrawal. My uncle was always the lively, boisterous, fun-loving kind. I remember this particular incident when I was about 10 years old.
We were returning home one day and found him sitting outside our house. He requested to stay over for the night, but mom had work the following day, so she declined. I stayed outside with him for a bit, just hanging around. Then, things took a dark turn.
It became clear that he wasn't feeling well, as he started dry heaving. It was a frightening sight, seeing him like that. I remember asking him if I should call for medical assistance, but he reassured me, saying he'd be alright. Unfortunately, his condition was far worse than he let on.
He later passed due to liver failure, a devastating consequence of neglecting his need for medical attention.
6. Bad Priorities
When I was about four years old, we had a family BBQ at our house and a few relatives came over. Everyone was bustling around preparing food and setting things up, keeping themselves busy. I was too young to help so I started feeling quite bored and also a bit peckish.
To keep my hunger at bay until the BBQ was ready, my mom warmed up a corn dog for me in the microwave. In my boredom, I began to walk along the edge of our swimming pool. I should mention that our pool was out of order for a while and had a few feet of water at the bottom swarming with algae and tadpoles.
As you can probably guess, I ended up slipping and falling into the pool. As I was falling, all I could think about was saving my corn dog. So, I held it up high and landed face-down in the water. I just froze in panic, not knowing how to react. With one arm up in the air holding the corn dog, I started to drown.
My eldest sister heard me fall and ran outside. On seeing me in the water, she screamed, "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Let me change into my swimsuit!" and ran back inside. Luckily, my brother reacted faster. He jumped into the pool with his clothes on and rescued me. The corn dog? It stayed perfectly dry throughout.
My sister rushed out in a black one-piece swimsuit a minute later, ready for a rescue that had already happened.
7. Sad And Loved
When I was about six years old, I always helped my grandma up the stairs whenever we paid a visit to her place. She took pleasure in holding my hand as we navigated the staircase. Upon reaching her room, she would consistently praise my shirts, showing curiosity about the designs and asking, "Can you tell me what's on your shirt today?"
I would excitedly reply, "Oh, that's Winnie the Pooh," or whichever character was printed on my shirt at that time. She would then share related stories or discuss the character that I'd mentioned. However, when I turned 16, she unveiled a heartbreaking reality—she had been living with blindness for years.
Her requests for me to take her by the hand while climbing the stairs and inquiries about my shirt's design were navigational and informative techniques due to her vision loss. For some reason, this revelation left me with a bittersweet feeling of sadness and unconditional affection.
Despite her inability to see, she never let it become a concern for me, always maintaining an effort to compliment my attire. Her life concluded while I was still rather young, yet the recollections of our shared moments have remained firmly embedded in my memory.
8. It Wasn’t A Dream
When I look back at my time in fifth grade, I can't help but remember how I always felt like I was living in a dream. It was a constant notion in the back of my mind that often led to me testing that very reality. This peculiar behavior didn't go unnoticed—my teachers frequently reached out to my folks, their astonishment evident when they learned about my habits.
Odd ones, for sure, like never swallowing my own saliva for reasons that even I can't piece together. Another example was when one of my classmates shared snacks. I discarded mine right away, consumed by an irrational fear that it was laced with poison. My nerves were always on edge too, causing me to incessantly twirl and twist my hair.
Looking back, I realize I was a pretty nervous kid during that period of my life. Wouldn't be surprised if my teacher thought I was a little off my rocker.
9. A Family Secret
When I was around 10 years old, I visited a friend's house to play video games on his PS2. The afternoon was enjoyable, filled with fun and virtual adventures. At some point, his mother, who was previously in the basement, made her way upstairs to check if we wanted something to eat.
As I expressed my gratitude, turning around to respond with a "Yes, please," I suddenly noticed the visible black eye she sported. Immediately, I turned to my friend, curious and concerned, to ask about his mother's face. His response, however, stunned me, and it was a chilling secret he whispered: "I can't say".
At that age, my only response was a stunned, "Oh, okay," and we simply carried on with our gaming session. It didn't fully dawn on me what had transpired until I was almost twice that age—at 19.
10. I Can Still Picture It
When I was only about five or six years old, I resided in a building that had eight apartments. One day, my father asked me to climb through the bathroom window of a certain apartment, dash through the rooms, and unlock the front door from inside. I was reluctant to do it, fearing that I'd get into trouble if I was spotted by the elderly woman who lived there.
Despite my concern, I climbed through the window and made my way toward the front door. Upon reaching the living room, I encountered a chilling scene—the old lady was reclining in her armchair, her eyes wide open and staring directly at me. It gave me a real fright.
I was deeply unnerved, but my primary thought was that I had been caught red-handed invading her home. Regardless, I quickly unlocked the front door and scurried past my parents and the onlooking neighbors, rushing all the way home. Not long after, an ambulance pulled up.
At that tender age, I didn't fully understand what was happening. It was only when I reached my teenage years that I truly understood—the old lady had passed. It seems she had been gone for several days. Her absence had sparked concern among the other residents in the building, which led to them sending me into her apartment to check on her.
Despite more than three decades having passed since then, that eerie image is still vivid in my memory.
11. Cherish The Moments
When I was a child, my parents were separated. I used to spend certain days with my dad and the rest with my mom, given they lived quite close to each other. However, there were times when I was reluctant to stay at my dad's house.
As a child, I admit I was naive and didn't really appreciate the time I spent at my dad's quite as much as the time spent at my mom's. She had more entertainment options, so naturally, I gravitated towards her place. On one occasion, I absolutely refused to stay at my dad's.
I turned the situation into quite the spectacle, throwing a two-hour-long tantrum, insisting that I wanted to go home. My dad's reaction surprised me. While I brushed it off at the time, he had tears in his eyes. He wasn't a particularly emotional person and was good-hearted but seldom demonstrated much emotion or was overly merry.
Hence, in retrospect, his reaction was really a distressing sign. Eventually, he took me back home late that night. It was my mom who ended up scolding me, not him. But after that ordeal, the matter was never brought up again. Unfortunately, my dad passed in 2017, roughly two years after this incident.
As my memory rewinds to moments like these, when I disliked visiting his house, I am filled with regret. I wish I had valued the fleeting moments spent with a person whose time with me was unfathomably limited.
12. Framed For It
One of the toughest incidents I can recall is when I was falsely accused of something I never did. The act in question was really terrible. A kid hurled a stone at a lady passing by our school and told the Headmaster that it was me who did it. Because of that, I ended up getting suspended.
The only reason the Headmaster believed this kid over me was because a few weeks before, I had thrown a stone at a car passing by.
Zapylaiev Kostiantyn, Shutterstock
13. Never Again
When I was around 10 years old, my father promised to get me some candy. Even though we still had quite a journey to go, he made a quick stop at a shop. He informed me that the candy was in a bag in the back of the car. However, he mentioned that he would only give it to me once we reached home as he was currently driving.
I reassured him saying, "No worries, I can grab it myself". Strangely enough, his reaction was completely unanticipated. He smacked me and shouted, instructing me to wait until we were home. This instance of him hitting me was unprecedented and never happened again.
However, what confounded me more was the pure shock and sorrow painted on his face after he slapped me. My father had a history of drinking and unfortunately, he passed before I reached 18. It made sense to me only when I grew older—he had purchased a liquor bottle and had forgotten to bag it separately.
The promise of candy turned out to be a lie.
14. Far From Normal
My father battled an unusual form of cancer that impacted the bones of his face and jaw. When I was just a five-year-old, doctors had to remove a tumor as big as a softball from his cheek. His cheekbone, lower jaw, nerves, lymph nodes, you name it, were all taken out.
He made it through, but we didn't know then that the worst part was yet to come. The skin graft done by the surgeon was far from satisfactory, and the distance between the stitches was much too wide. A few weeks following his initial surgery, the wound became infected.
One afternoon, as my mom and I were returning home from school, it was odd to see my dad back home so early. He was exiting his car as we arrived. The stitches on his face were beginning to tear, but he tried to mask it from us as he quickly dashed into the house.
That incident was merely one in a string of dreadful events my dad had to endure during his illness. As a child, repeated exposure to such awful scenes eventually become normal to me. It wasn't until I was much older that I recognized how devastating it was to grow up with a parent physically deformed due to illness.
Witnessing his stitches rip open on his face was far from a typical childhood experience.
15. Close Call
When I was around the age of five, I recall being on a shopping trip with my mom. Out of nowhere, a man clasped my hand and we started to exit the store. I initially didn't recognize that this man wasn't my mom, but as soon as I didn't recognize his face, I began to resist. Suddenly, I lost all strength and went limp.
He glanced down at me and said something along the lines of, "Let's go Tommy, your mom's been frantically searching for you". My mom heroically appeared out of nowhere and he quickly tried to apologize. He argued that he mistook me for his nephew, and he promptly exited.
In hindsight, he was probably attempting to whisk me off to his van or something just as suspect. I vividly remember the entire store coming to a halt and everyone's eyes were fixed on us, probably shocked at what was happening. Afterwards, the cashier gave me a toy for free.
I suspect he did this as a kind gesture to brighten up my day after such a scary situation, even though I didn't fully comprehend what had just transpired at that age.
16. Not Today, Fools
Back when I was learning to drive, my dad would often come along for the ride. One day, there was a local football game that everyone else in my family went to, but I decided to stay home for some reason. When driving back home to my reasonably large neighborhood, we noticed a nondescript white van parked on the roadside.
As we passed, it started up and trailed us all the way home, until we reached the dead-end where our house was. Since my dad had driven his truck to the football game, there were no cars left in our driveway. I found myself alone at home when the white van suspiciously pulled into my driveway.
Feeling a sense of danger, I quickly ran to my dad's closet, fetched his 16-gauge piece, loaded it with two shells, and stepped out onto my porch, aiming it at the van. Faced with this, the white van hastily reversed out of my driveway and sped away.
This was an uncanny experience, and it left me sitting nervously on the porch for a good half hour before I mustered the courage to go back inside and call it a night.
17. It Could've Been Me
When I was in high school, I used to work at an ice cream shop. During the cold winter nights, it was just the manager and me in the store. We were located in a pretty nice neighborhood, and right behind our store, there was a large park that turned eerie once the sun set.
One particular night, the manager and I were preparing to close up shop. As routine dictated, we needed to dispose of the trash. However, since my manager was busy counting money, it was up to me to brave the cold and venture outside with the trash bags. When I set foot in the parking lot, I quickly realized it was a big mistake.
Standing next to our dumpster, there was a man. His attire included casual sweats, but what struck me was the intense look of hatred on his face. It was a sight I won't forget. In panic, I quickly ran back inside, secured all the doors and began washing some dishes while contemplating when to attempt dumping the trash again.
Shortly after, I walked into the store's main area, a spacious room surrounded by windows. To my horror, the man was standing right there, peering in through a window. His reaction upon seeing me again sent chills down my spine—it was a grin that expressed the worst combination of sheer evil and ecstatic joy.
His eyes emitted a malicious glow I can't even begin to describe. Without wasting a second, I ran into the back room where my manager was and both of us hid there for what seemed like an eternity, waiting for the authorities to arrive.
Even though the man had disappeared by the time the officers arrived, he was caught weeks later for a heinous deed. He had taken a girl's life. What really unsettled me was that the victim bore a striking resemblance to me in stature and hair color.
18. Rusted Away
Back when I was 12, my pals and I took a detour away from the usual streets on our bikes. We adventured on an ancient dirt road snaking through a woodland area that was seldom visited. With a surge of daring, I veered off the beaten path to navigate deeper into the woods.
Not too far in, roughly 50 feet, I lost my bearings. My wheels started to tilt towards a running stream at the foot of a sharp decline. And then, in an instant, I found myself sliding down the hill and stopping abruptly against a collection of hefty boulders nested at the bottom.
Shaken but unhurt, I could make out my friends' distant calls. Guided by their voices, I set off back in the direction of the road. Along the way, I stumbled upon a relic of the past—an aged, rusted-out car abandoned in the middle of the woods.
Now, as someone who held a deep fascination for collecting license plates, discovering such deserted vehicles wasn't too unusual, so my interest was instantly piqued. The sight that welcomed me when I reached the car, however, sent chills racing down my spine.
A chilling scene reminiscent of a Raiders of the Lost Ark moment stared back at me—I found a skeleton, clothed in tatters, occupying the front seat, with bones placed haphazardly around it. I let out a terrified scream and darted away as fast as my legs could carry me.
After sharing my horrifying discovery with my parents, the authorities were alerted. Their subsequent investigation unveiled the eerie truth—the man in the car was reported missing in a snowstorm back in the late 50s, and no one had heard from him since then.
I ended up being introduced to his widow and his children and even received a recognition from the town. The whole experience, freaky as it was, etched itself onto my memory, never to be forgotten.
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19. Under My Skin
In a roundabout way, the most unsettling moment for me was when I had to stay beside my mom's lifeless form until the paramedics came to confirm her departure. Obviously, it was a distressing sight itself, as her body had started to stiffen and the attempts to revive her seemed utterly pointless, but that's not what truly disturbs me.
The haunting part for me is this: occasionally when my arms are chilly, I'll rub them and the sensation on my skin is eerily similar to how her body felt. Suddenly, I'll be thrown back to that moment without any forewarning or pattern. It becomes particularly distressing when winter comes around.
Pexels
20. The Moment I Snapped
About a year ago, when I was in the fifth-grade, I had an unforgettable experience on the school bus ride home. I happened to be seated a couple of spots forward of an eighth-grader, who was a stranger to me. We'd never even exchanged a word previously. Nonetheless, he began yelling harsh insults in my direction.
This went on for around 15 minutes, during which he also crumpled up papers inscribed with nasty phrases like "End yourself," and "Screw off," and tossed them towards me. This unsolicited bullying continued for an additional 10 minutes, and I finally responded, "Launch one more paper ball at me. Wait for what happens next".
As if challenging my threat, he hurled another paper ball my way. It was as if a fuse had blown in my brain, filling me with seething rage. I reached into my bookbag, fetched out my Pokémon Card Tin, and went up to him. I then repeatedly struck the right side of his head with it.
Blood splattered on my face and the seat as it streamed down his face. The sight of my tin, now riddled with dents, made it all surreal. The student I had confronted was screaming in pain, while the entire bus sat in stunned silence, trying to process what had just happened.
Fast forward two months, I finally discovered that the eighth-grader's name was Cody—and the unfortunate consequence of my rage was that he had lost his memory of the previous 18 months.
21. Game, Set, Match
When I was just 15, I participated in a tennis tournament during a scorcher of a summer. I found myself on the court alongside a player who was probably in his 40s. As he prepared his serve, he suddenly fell onto the tough court flooring.
Seeing his collapse, I hurried over and began to administer CPR, taking turns with his companion until the paramedics arrived about a quarter of an hour later—although to me, it felt like ages. Despite their best efforts including defibrillation and injections, the EMTs were unable to save the man.
They declared him gone right there amidst the tennis courts. They transported his body away, and I tried to finish my ongoing game. However, my hands wouldn't stop trembling, so I had to quit the game prematurely. I found solace under the shade of a tree nearby, and got lost in thought.
Eventually, the player's companion tracked me down to express his gratitude. He told me stories about his friend, his life, his family. Oddly enough, I found comfort in his words. That day was a stark reminder of how fragile life can be, and how swiftly fortunes can shift.
22. Parisian Tragedy
Setting off on my four-month vacation, the first stop was Paris. I set up camp in a friend's pad who was out of town for another couple of days. Going solo, I decided to venture to the renowned Eiffel Tower with a map in my hand and enthusiasm in my heart. Taking the scenic route, it took me about two hours to finally reach my destination.
Once there, I indulged in the usual tourist activities, snapping pictures like there was no tomorrow. A familiar sight for any Paris-veteran is the massive Palais de Chaillot, notably visible from the Eiffel Tower. Besides housing a theater and several museums, the building also offers an excellent view of the Tower.
Now, this ledge, despite a long drop to marble floors, seems to be an irresistible photo point for many visitors. After satisfied with my photo session and sight-seeing, I descended the front steps, when I noticed a girl standing perilously atop the wall. Something about it felt wrong, so instinctively, I captured her image.
A moment later, my worst fears were confirmed as I saw her plummeting towards the ground. An eerie silence engulfed the area, her fall was eerily silent as if time itself had come to a standstill. Before I could fully comprehend the horror I was witnessing, I quickly diverted my attention, but the dreadful thud of her body hitting the ground echoes in my mind to this day.
I was probably the only one to witness the whole event from up close. Another family near the steps and I were left in utter shock, not knowing what to do next. Language barriers complicated things as I couldn't converse in French and was unaware of the emergency helpline number. Seeing the girl unresponsive broke my heart.
Her horrified friends were swift to descend the stairs and panicked at the sight of their fallen friend. I helplessly watched as a fire truck came to her aid with a stretcher on board. The girl was still unconscious, and they cautiously didn't move her. I stuck around for about half an hour as paramedics arrived but there was still no rescue operation.
The frightful incident remains a mystery to me, knowing she fell from quite a height, critical injuries could definitely be a possibility, let alone the risk of neurological damage. That is not how any holiday should start or end and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone.
23. Bad Timing
One day, my neighbor didn't show up to fetch his child from school. I was aware he was home, but despite my continuous doorbell rings, there was no sign of him. Concerned that he might be in trouble, I decided to enter his house. What I discovered left me stunned.
He was on his basement floor, without clothes on—I could instantly tell he was breathing but something was terribly wrong, judging by his inability to speak or even move. Later, I learned he endured a brain aneurysm, and the reason for his lack of clothes was because he'd been...engaged in personal activities.
24. Almost Too Far
When I was just 10 years old, times were tough at home. My father was out of work, and we were having pretty serious money problems for several months. There was this one kid at school who made fun of me and called me a loser for some minor thing I can't even recall now.
He had the audacity to tell me to get some better clothes because, according to him, I was dressed like a homeless person. His words really got to me. So, after school, I mustered up my courage and marched up to him while he was just sitting on his fancy bike. Then, I let out all my pent-up frustration right on one side of his head with a full-blown punch.
The next thing I saw was blood tricking from his nose and his left eye turning an alarming red. He let out a shocked scream, ''Oh my God, I can't see!'' In that moment, I felt sick to the core, like I was some terrifying monster. I just wanted to vanish right there on the spot. Thankfully, he recovered after a few minutes of panic.
25. Foul Play
Back when I was in the first grade, an unfortunate incident led to the loss of my friend's life just beyond our school, in the forest close by. About a week or so following the tragic event, my friends and I, not making the safest decisions, continued to venture into those same woods.
One day, we stumbled upon the blade left behind from the incident, a chilling sight as it was still stained with blood. One of the boys decided to take it back to the school, in hindsight, a risky move since we could have inadvertently tampered with crucial evidence.
Thankfully, it was a straightforward case and the perpetrator had already been caught, otherwise, our heedless actions could have complicated matters with the investigation.
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26. Flipping Out
When I was 16, I watched as a body was retrieved from the creek bordering my parents' estate. The man had trespassed, and while in an tipsy state, he’d had a mishap with his truck. When the authorities were notified of his infringement, he chose to take off.
Unfortunately, he didn't successfully navigate the bend leading to the bridge, which caused his truck to flip into the creek. The consequences were devastating: The impact led to a fatal neck injury. A group of men attempted a rescue, but the sticky, wet mud held him in a vice-like grip.
When the EMTs and authorities arrived, they managed to extricate him. However, by then his body was swollen and pale. They put him on a rescue sled to transport him up the embankment. That sight is forever etched in my memory.
27. A Golden End
I spent my childhood pretty close to San Francisco, and for my fifth birthday, all I wanted was to take my very first stroll across the Golden Gate Bridge. When we were around halfway across, a man scaled the safety rail and took a leap down.
I was just a kid back then, so I didn't quite grasp what happened, but I do have a really vivid memory of that day—everything from where our car was parked, to my outfit, to the day's weather, is etched into my mind. My granny subsequently discovered the wallet he had intentionally left behind for it to be found.
She immediately handed it over to the officials. Oddly enough, it still held traces of warmth from his pocket.
Wikimedia.Commons
28. A Grave Thought
Back in my younger years, I often experienced incredibly vivid visual hallucinations. Some were quite ordinary—shining spheres, levitating hands. But the single most eerie vision I ever encountered was a glimpse of my own lifeless body, dressed identically to me, lying motionless on the ground.
This chilling image is etched permanently into my mind, and it continues to haunt my dreams, even now.
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29. In The Wrong Hands
About five years ago, after my uncle had a few drinks, he shared a story with me that I haven't heard again since. When he was just a boy, about seven or eight years old, a friend from his neighborhood found his father's pistol and, not understanding its real danger, brought it out to play in the street.
As kids sometimes do, this young friend pointed it at my uncle, light-heartedly ordering him to "Freeze!" My uncle laughed and raised his hands in pretend surrender but turned away as his friend unexpectedly pulled the trigger. What happened next, my uncle couldn't recall. He kept that event to himself after that day, and my young mind didn't need to comprehend it.
30. Going In A Different Direction
During the 70s, my buddies and I decided to schedule a weekend camping adventure. On our journey, we happened to give a lift to a hitchhiker who sought to reach Kernville—a simple encounter we thought nothing of. However, when we finally made it to our destination, my girlfriend stumbled upon a shocking find.
Tucked away within her belongings was a cryptic message from the hitchhiker that read, “I could have made all of you vanish permanently". Needless to say, sleep seemed impossible that night.
31. Distant Relative
I once encountered an individual who had spent time touring Australia with a handful of acquaintances. Like many others, they had chosen to travel via hitchhiking. He shared a story that has remained with me ever since.
In their travels, they found themselves around the vicinity of an extended relative of his friend, an uncle with whom they were largely unacquainted but had managed to obtain his contact number. They reached out to him and, much to their delight, the uncle opened up his home for them to crash at, fitting perfectly into their hitchhiking scheme.
The uncle fetched them, driving them through the outback to his secluded country dwelling. Alluding to his cheerful and affable nature, he appeared to be a regular bloke, and they had no qualms about spending a few days there.
During the nightly preparations, they discovered an oddly plentiful stash of sleeping bags and bedrolls in his closet—a detail which they brushed off casually then but today, it's now seen as a red flag.
They opted to lay out their makeshift bedrolls on the floor and comfortably spent a handful of days there before the uncle dropped them off at the bus station, from where they resumed their journey. Astonishingly, a year after their encounter, this seemingly friendly uncle was apprehended by the authorities.
It emerged that he had been luring unsuspecting hitchhikers, mainly young backpackers like themselves, only to meet fatal ends. The storyteller firmly believes they had slept in a bag that once belonged to one of the uncle's unfortunate victims.
32. Lost Backpack
My cousin and I were on a wilderness adventure, wandering around the woods near our homes. The terrain got a little tough when we scaled a steep hill and when we looked down, we could see an array of large craters at the very foot of the hill. Peering into one, something unusual caught our eye—there was a backpack nestled in the pit.
We attempted to get to it, but the hill was just too steep and slick to safely descend, so we decided to come back later equipped with a rope. The following day, a chilling news story aired about a backpack found in the same woods. It contained the remains of a young girl.
It was discovered when a man's dog grew stubborn and insistent, barking relentlessly and fixating on the crater where the backpack was located. After seeing that news report, my cousin and I made a pact to refrain from further explorations in those woods.
33. Let Us In
In university, I shared a house with three other girls. They all left for spring break earlier than me, so I was left alone in the house. My first night by myself, there was a loud banging on my front door in the early hours of morning. Shortly after, I heard further knocking on my back door.
A man's voice called out, "I'm an officer. Open the door!" but I didn't believe him. Overcome with fear, I stayed put in my room. The sound of bodies thudding against both doors escalated, accompanied by a chilling voice saying "Little girl, open the door. We are aware you're alone".
In a state of panic, I dialed 9-1-1 without a second thought. Thank heavens I did. As the sound of approaching sirens filled the air, I saw officers chasing off four boys from our school's hockey team. They were pinned down on the lawn face first. Following this unnerving incident, I ended up filing restraining orders against each one of them.
34. All In Your Head
During my time in the healthcare field, I encountered a patient suffering from a sinus infection. He decided to discontinue his antibiotic course after a few days, as he began to feel healthier. However, his condition drastically deteriorated overnight, leading him to the Emergency Department.
The medics identified that he was exhibiting stroke-related symptoms. A shocking discovery was made—the sinus infection had ascended to his cranial area. The area was crammed with pus to the extent that it was constricting his brain. Survival after the imminent surgery was deemed unlikely.
His family was counseled to brace for the worst. Remarkably, the patient managed to pull through. However, he wasn't out of the woods yet. His recuperation was far from smooth. He required three additional operations to remove all of the pus, and he spent nearly two months in a hospital bed.
So here's a piece of advice—always complete your full prescription of antibiotics!
35. Graveyard Grandparents
One day, my sister and I were having fun in our yard when an old couple passed by. Our yard has this unique feature—an old cemetery from the 1800s at the back, which piques the interest of many tourists. This is because the house was built in that era, and the graveyard mainly consists of children who tragically fell ill and passed.
This old couple started bothering my sister, wanting to know her name. Hearing this got us pretty frightened, and we bolted inside to tell our mother about the odd incident. However, things got scarier the next week. I heard a news report about a similar old couple who approached a young girl and caused her harm.
As I listened, I realized it was the same couple we had encountered in our yard. The mere memory of that day still gives me the creeps.
36. Pause For Effect
Back when I was a kid, my mom used to oversee the apartment we resided in. Right on the eve of Halloween, she spun a spooky tale about a horrifying accident involving a mother and her two little boys who previously lived in the empty apartment above ours.
She claimed that if one strained their ears, they might catch faint traces of their haunting footsteps in the hallway. In that exact moment, we were startled by the noise of running upstairs. Witnessing my mom's face distorted by sheer fear left a lasting impression.
She promptly contacted the local patrol officer and a maintenance worker on-duty to investigate the apartment. To our surprise, they discovered a homeless mother, who had managed to enter through an unlocked window, along with her two kids.
After that eerie incident, my mom severed her tradition of sharing ghost stories.
37. Warning Signs
About a year ago, my former partner and I were enjoying a grand road trip across Canada. As dusk approached during one of our drives, we concluded it was time to find a hotel and call it a day.
Along the way, we encountered a young woman and a stationary car in the middle of the road—quite a puzzling sight, considering this was a remote area and we hadn't passed any other vehicles for a long while.
Our initial instinct was to stop, primarily to ascertain whether the woman required assistance. However, as my ex began to lower his window to chat with her, I abruptly hit the accelerator. The reason?
Out of the corner of my eye, I had spotted three men emerging from bushes on the other side of the road, each wielding a baseball bat. I can't say for certain what the woman's role was, but I have a troubling suspicion that she was meant to draw us into a dangerously sinister situation.
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38. Shed Some Light
For a year, I shared a home with four roomies that boasted a sizable backyard featuring motion sensor lights, a garage, and a seldom-used tool shed. Two of my roomies believed in the supernatural—ghosts and spirits. So, when our yard's lights spontaneously activated, I chalked it up to wildlife, but they were convinced a specter was afoot.
One roommate even claimed she observed a ghostly male figure peeping in our window one evening. While she found it chilling, I dismissed it as silly. However, just a few evenings later, my skepticism changed. Looking out, I was certain there was a man lingering by the metal mesh door opening onto our back porch.
Crying out, I hurried my roommates to scrutinize the situation. However, by the time we ventured out, our mysterious ghost (or prowler) had vanished. Now, skip ahead a few months. Having relocated back to my homeland, I had a video call with a former roommate.
Surprisingly, she revealed that our 'ghost' was in fact a homeless man who had been secretly inhabiting our tool shed for an unknown duration. The realization was eerily unsettling, to say the least.
39. What’s Out There
When I was just eight years old, we were obligated to take swimming classes at school. My mom would work late shifts, which meant I needed to stay in after-school care and often wouldn't get home until it was already dark outside.
On one particular day, upon our arrival home, my mom asked me to retrieve my swimsuit and towel and let them hang dry on the clothesline outside. This would ensure they would be dry and ready to be used the following day.
Feeling quite proud and grown up, I ventured outside to complete my task. However, the sense of confidence quickly dissipated as I entered our backyard. Out of nowhere, a man hopped over our gate, charging at me at full speed.
I let out a scream, hurried back inside and instinctively locked the back door. Fortunately, he took off and never attempted such a thing again, but the incident left a lasting impact on me. I needed to sleep with the light on until I was 16 years old and to this day, I ask my husband to step outside for me when it's dark.
40. Hang Up
Once, my mom and I pulled over to help a crashed car on the highway. The minute we exited our vehicle, my mom dialed the authorities while my curiosity led me to the scene of the crash. Up close, I noticed a man bullying a woman who, presumably, was his wife. Considering his imposing size and my teenage stature, I attempted to coax my mom over.
Engrossed in her call, it was just me left to deal with the duo. In no time, it became apparent the man had been drinking and was itching for conflict. I concluded that our only escape plan was to play it cool, before swiftly getting in our car and speeding off.
As soon as I caught my mom's attention, I planned to inform her of the situation but, until then, it was just me and the two crash victims. The guy requested my help in moving the car. In return, I gave him a dumbfounded look and explained it was a task for ten men, far beyond the capabilities of just the two of us.
At this point, his wife exploded, shouting about filming his awful behaviour and reckless driving and having sent the clip to his sister. This revelation seemed to push him over the edge. In a fit of rage, he threw me to the ground, swiped mom's phone, and shoved her down the embankment.
Panicked but defiant, I warned him I had a blade and wouldn’t hesitate to use it if he dared to lay a finger on my mom again. This assertion took his focus from her and on me. Meanwhile, mom quietly slipped back into our car and, at the opportune moment, I sprinted towards safety.
As I made my escape, a speeding car almost collided with me. Still, I managed to reach our car, where my mom was cranking up the engine. We sped off to the local station, and the aggressive man was taken in a few hours later on two counts: for hurting his wife, and for being aggressive with a law enforcement officer.
Now, we stick to dialing emergency services when we witness accidents.
41. How Kind
So, here's a tale about my buddy. One day she met this pleasant-seeming girl while out and about. After having a few drinks with her, she blacked out only to regain consciousness in an Uber. In a panic, she confessed to the driver that she had no idea where she was.
The driver reported a woman had escorted her to his vehicle, intending to ensure her "friend made it home safely". Suspecting something was seriously amiss, she urged the driver to halt the vehicle. He was a stand-up guy and trusted her immediately. He stopped and phoned the authorities to come and delve into the peculiar incident.
Upon hearing the account, the officers mentioned an eerie familiarity with the address given to the Uber driver by this unknown woman. The address was evidently linked to some sort of dark scheme. The modus operandi involved a girl spiking a drink, ensuring the targeted girl ended up in a cab, and then directing them to this specific residence.
It chillingly appeared that once delivered to this house, nobody had ever seen those girls again—until my friend raised the alarm.
42. Freak Incident
When my buddy got home from work, he realized his wife was missing. Considering she might have taken the dogs for their usual stroll, he followed their usual path. Suddenly, he was taken aback by the sight of flashing blue lights. An officer barred his way, informing him he couldn't proceed. But my friend had an unsettling feeling.
Peering beyond the officer, he spotted a woman lying in a pool of blood on the pavement. His heart sank when he recognized the woman as his wife. The story unfolds that she was out for her customary neighborhood walk when she encountered a man who, shockingly and without reason, lunged at her.
The man, fresh out of a mental institution, had crossed paths with her by sheer coincidence. Tragically, her injuries were so severe that she didn't survive in the hospital. This is, without a doubt, the most terrifying tale I've ever heard due to its senselessness. A man abruptly snuffed out her life without any cause.
43. Young And Oblivious
When I was just a small boy of five, Sundays were special because my father would take me to the local park. Afterwards, our outings sometimes extended to a lady's house in the area. Here, they would plonk me down in front of a television and play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and then off they'd go upstairs.
Now, with the wisdom of age, the heart-breaking reality is clear to me. As a child, I simply didn't comprehend that they were engaged in an affair. As time passed, my mother decided to part ways with my father. Every so often, I reflect on my youthful innocence and how completely unaware I was.
44. Behind Closed Doors
In the cellar of my buddy's house, I was hanging out with him, his sister, and their father. Out of nowhere and for a reason that escapes me, his dad committed an utterly reprehensible act. He seized my friend and his sister by their throats, hoisted them off the ground and slammed them into the wall.
I was at a complete loss for how to react. Once he released them, I thought it might be best if I headed home. I can't recall if I even divulged this incident to my parents when I arrived back at our house.
45. Silver Linings
When I was about five or six years old, I remember my mother often not wanting to leave her bed, always saying she felt sick. Eventually, my stepfather took her to a hospital, and she ended up staying there for almost a month. I thought it was the coolest thing that her hospital allowed her to do arts and crafts all day.
I even told her once that I wished I could go to the hospital just so I could draw all day too. She took a moment to speak to me seriously one day, hoping that I would never get as sick as she was. But she also reassured me that if ever I did get that sick, it wouldn't be a bad thing to seek help, even if that meant being away from home for a bit.
It wasn't until I reached my early teens, around 12 or 13 years old, refusing to get out of bed myself, that I finally understood. The reality was hard to accept—the hospital she had stayed at was for mental health. However, because of my mother, I've learned never to feel embarrassed about seeking therapy when things get tough or even just to keep a balanced mindset.
46. The Harmful Aftermath
The most painful memory I have is when my mom smeared hair gel on my sunburned back. At that time, I believed it was a common practice and that it was for my recovery. But later on, I came to understand her unsettling intention—she was actually hurting me intentionally.
This gel formed a heavy layer across my back and each move I made would tug at my skin, leading to excruciating pain.
47. Rock Bottom
My father lost his job, which put us in a tough financial spot for about a year. Despite the hardships, he used to rise at dawn to prepare breakfast for us before school. Additionally, he took care of the household chores and did part-time work to ensure we weren't aware of the financial strain we were under.
Here's the interesting part—he often said he couldn't secure stable employment because he was too "overqualified". Now that I'm older, I have some suspicions about that claim.
48. The Darndest Thing
My most regrettable recollection is a discussion I had with my grandmother about a miscarriage she experienced after her final pregnancy. At that time, I was just a young nine-year-old.
Insensitively, I suggested that it might have been a blessing in disguise as my mom, aunt, and uncle were all handfuls growing up, and raising another child like them could have been a challenge for her. Her reaction was of great anger and my young mind couldn't quite grasp what was happening.
I was oblivious to the severity of my remark back then.
49. Finding His Way
When I was a youngster, I found myself interacting in an online chat room with another user who claimed to be of the same age. This person said they were either 13 or 14 years old—I can't remember correctly. They shared their phone number with me, adding that if their voice seemed unusually deep, it was merely because they had a mature voice for their age.
During our chat, they attempted to know where I lived. Despite knowing my address well, something prevented me from revealing it, so I kept it to myself. I assured them I would phone them in a bit, then logged off. I picked up our home telephone to dial the number they had given me.
As I called, something went wrong—I'm unsure as to whether I entered the number incorrectly, but the voice that greeted me was bizarre. An automated message asked me to accept some charges for the call. I knew very well that if any charges were incurred on the home line, I would be in big trouble, causing me to terminate the call swiftly.
After that experience, I vowed never to dial a number provided by someone I met online. Several years later, I looked back and understood that this individual had likely been trying to target a young, innocent child.
50. A Bad Sleep
One terrible memory I have is discovering my mom in the throes of a sleep-induced anxiety attack. I suspect she was suffering from a particularly horrific nightmare. Her eyes were wide, filled with tears, but she didn't stir when I tried to wake her, her breaths coming in shaky gasps. My brother eventually entered the room, and she finally awoke.
In light of her recent spinal surgery—she was only two days post-hospital discharge—we decided to rush her back to the hospital. The reality of her medical situation was shocking. It turned out that her previous surgery had been bungled, and the implanted device hadn't been properly sterilized.
As a result, she contracted an extremely serious form of meningitis. Had we waited till morning, as she initially wanted when she woke up, she would have almost certainly not survived.
51. Forever Scarred
When I was around 10 or 11, I attended a children's church camp with kids from different congregations. I had a crush on this girl I had met at previous camps. The fact that she was the daughter of the camp nurse, who came from a prominent family within our religious denomination, didn't matter to me—I just liked her.
Despite my feelings, she didn't show much interest in me. Now, thinking about what happened next, it's clear that it was quite an unfortunate event. Somehow, the camp organized a "contest" where you were supposed to write a love note to your crush. The prize? A "date" with the person you wrote about.
A friendly chaperone helped me with my letter, which ended up being read out loud to all 400 campers. Surprisingly, I won. Honestly, I can't recall if any other letters were shared. They led me up to the stage with the girl. When we sat down, she moved as far away from me as she could, which I didn't blame her for.
What really hurt me, though, was what came next... I was super thrilled about the whole thing. I even tried to look my best. But that's when things really took a turn for the worse. My "buddies" decided to accompany me to the dining hall. They showed up in homemade security outfits and armed with water guns.
They gave me a shirt to wear—a shirt inscribed with something humiliating. I felt my anxiety building as we walked over. I arrived to a romantically-lit table. The girl just looked unimpressed as everyone watched us. I sat down and tried to talk to her.
Right at that moment, my so-called "friends" hosed me down with their water guns. The whole room burst into laughter. I felt so humiliated that I rushed back to my bunk and cried my eyes out. In hindsight, it felt like a planned setup to shame me for expressing my feelings for a girl.
Now that I'm a dad, I would be livid if that happened to my child. Needless to say, I eventually distanced myself from religion mainly because of this incident.
52. Yes, That Actually Happened
When my sister and I were young, around four or five years old and eight or nine, respectively, we were playing outside of our home. Suddenly, a motorcyclist wearing a hood parked right in front of our driveway and sat there for a while without making any obvious moves.
To our utter shock, he unexpectedly pulled out a piece and pointed it directly at us. I quickly scampered to the nearest hiding spot, but my sister remained in the yard, continuing to jump rope, not wanting to show the slightest sign of fear. I was terrified for her. To our relief, the motorcyclist eventually drove away.
Interestingly, both my sister and I forgot about this incident for several years, to the point where we started to believe it was just a figment of our imaginations or a shared dream. However, during a conversation years later, I mentioned this supposed dream to my sister. To my astonishment, she remembered it too.
This wasn't a dream after all, it was a real event.
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53. Just Need The Proof
It's strange and bit unsettling to me, even now, because I firmly believe it happened, but no one else in my family does. As a toddler, I recall playing catch with my ailing grandma, tossing back and forth an adorable teddy bear. Being a small child, my hand-eye coordination let me down, and so my throws fell short, and hers too—my strength wasn't fully developed yet.
Though I was starting to learn to walk, it was a bit of a struggle. Every so often, when I'd throw the toy wildly off course, I'd clumsily attempt to retrieve it, rather unsuccessfully. But my grandmother, bless her, always picked the toy up for us. Keep in mind that she passed when I was just a few months old, and everyone in my family brazenly denies that this moment ever occurred.
Their argument is that even if I somehow retained a memory from such a tender age, it's simply impossible. They state that when I was learning to walk, my grandma was too frail to walk herself. But here's the eerie part.
I have this vivid memory of my aunt taking our snapshot while we were engrossed in our game, using her old-fashioned film camera. However, the photo seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Years had passed without me visiting my birthplace, but eventually, I touched base there again when I was 11.
On this trip, while flipping through old photo albums, there it was—the memory encapsulated in print. The photograph of my grandmother and me on the living room floor, the same teddy bear featured, staring curiously at the camera, her holding out the bear as if about to toss it. But my aunt, and everyone else I've asked, stubbornly denies taking that photo.
Quite unaware of the camera, we were caught off guard and it shows. The picture had slipped from my mind, possibly the reason why I forgot to grab it before leaving. I wish I had though. In the snapshot, I look barely a year old, and it's clear I couldn't walk yet. So it isn't surprising that my grandmother wouldn't allow me to try.
54. It Never Happened
My brother somehow ended up with his head lodged in the intricate designs of a hotel railing, either made of wood or metal. During the subsequent chaos, I sneakily slipped away to an enchanting location that was brimming with a table loaded with cookies and candy galore.
As I gorged myself on the sweets available, a rather irritated grown-up caught me in the act, scolded me and abruptly carried me out. Back then, I was just a three or four-year-old. Now that I'm a bit more grown-up, I believe I've pieced together the puzzle of what that magical location was.
I suspect I accidentally stumbled upon a wedding or bar mitzvah dessert table whilst the efforts to free my brother from the railing were underway. To me, it was a fantastic adventure, but my folks vehemently deny such an incident ever took place.
55. The Happiest Place On Earth
Here's the most chaotic recollection from my past, and it took place in Disney World. I remember being in a queue to get some tickets and something on the ground grabbed my attention. When I finally managed to tear my eyes from it and look around, to my utter surprise, my family was nowhere in sight.
Thinking it best, I decided to backtrack and search for them. In the end, a kind employee from the park came to my rescue. Utilizing the park's loudspeaker system, he was able to get in touch with my missing folks.
56. Stuck In The Reeds
About six years ago, I was having a fun time playing football in a neighborhood park. Suddenly, the ball went off track and ended up in a nearby pond. One of my buddies bravely ventured into the water to retrieve it, but he got caught up in the surrounding reeds. Oddly, he didn't respond to our calls.
When he remained silent for too long, we went to check on him and were horrified to find out he had tragically drowned...and we were powerless to help. For about a fortnight after this incident, the ball ominously floated on the pond's surface. I crossed this park each day on my way to school, and spotting that ball on the water was an eerily haunting sight.
57. How To Save A Life
During this past summer, I was employed as a babysitter. The children under my care and I would regularly visit Bethesda Pool, quite a few times each week. One particular day, the eldest girl brought something to my attention at the shallow end of the pool. It turned out to be a ghastly sight.
What she'd noticed was a young boy, roughly six years old, curled up at the bottom of the pool. As I plunged my hand into the water to retrieve him, his body was utterly lifeless in my arms and he lacked any signs of breathing. I took him to the poolside where several lifeguards were stationed.
It was shocking to find that they had failed to notice the boy at the bottom of the pool. There was no obstruction to their view, yet they hadn't detected my cries for help until I was at the edge of the pool, hoisting him onto the concrete.
I immediately performed CPR and alerted the medical emergency services. Despite the grave situation, I kept a calm demeanor for the sake of the girls in my charge, though I couldn’t shake off the dreadful feeling that the boy hadn't survived.
However, when the authorities arrived later, they informed me that the boy regained consciousness. This story thankfully had a joyous ending, yet the sight of that boy folded up at the bottom of the pool and the sensation of his lifeless body in my arms still haunts me for some reason.
58. Dinner Table Trouble
I happened upon a lady living in the former apartment complex I was assigned to. She was trapped, dramatically secured by her dining table for two full days after she suffered a stroke. Amazingly, she had collapsed on it during her health crisis.
As the maintenance team was working hard to free her while we anxiously anticipated the arrival of the paramedics, she kept assuring everyone in a high-pitched, breathless voice, "Really, I don't mean to inconvenience you... I'm okay, really, really..."
I needed to step outside for a moment, so I took a break for lunch. Overwhelmed, I ended up crying it out in my car.
59. Sudden Freefall
Back in our high school days, my buddies and I had a habit of sneaking onto the school roof late at night. Once, my best friend and I decided to bring along two girls that we had a thing for, to share our thrilling secret spot. After hanging out together for a bit, each one of us decided to go off with our crushes for some one-on-one time on the roof.
I noticed the ideal spot for us to sit and chat, or so I thought. Turns out it was a skylight and not the sturdy perch I assumed it to be. My friend later narrated the following events as the most frightening moments of his life. After I had been missing for some time, he came searching for me.
When he saw the broken skylight, he put two and two together—we fell through. He called out for us until he finally heard me weakly respond, "Help, I can't move". The authorities and medics were immediately alerted. But he heard no response from my date.
Two days later, I woke up in the hospital, concussed, a few bones fractured, and with slight internal bleeding. Tragically, my date didn't survive the fall—she was pronounced gone on arrival.
60. No Justice
Several weeks back, a terrifying incident unfolded right outside my window. A woman was ambushed by someone with a blade. The echo of her terrified screams and shaky breaths is something I'll never forget, sounds that filled the air as I hurried outside to alert the authorities.
Despite doing what I thought was best, dialing 9-1-1, I can't help but feel guilty for not having done more. But my anger is also fueled further. As the officers conducted their interviews, a young girl admitted to also hearing the loud cries for help. However, she chose to remain silent and didn't think to dial for help.
I've been wrestling with how someone could simply ignore such a distressing situation. Is there a level of apathy so deep that you wouldn't at least make a phone call? I honestly hope she now feels the weight of her inactions. The unfortunate victim deserved better.
As of now, the woman is no longer with us, and the perpeterator is still at large, roaming free out there.
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61. A No-Win Situation
In Grenada, I initially had a hard time finding a place that would accommodate myself and my dog. The first house I stayed in was more like a lively zoo—overrun with lizards, enormous roaches, an unfriendly bat, and a venomous centipede that somehow found its way onto my bed. I tried everything to fix it, but nothing worked.
So, when the chance arose to move into a two-bedroom, dog-friendly apartment near the university, I was thrilled. One evening, after stocking up on $150 worth of groceries and climbing into bed, I was jolted awake by a terrifying, bone-chilling scream.
Because my apartment was snugly nestled in the landscape, the horrible noise echoed more than once, making it even scarier. I sat up, heart pounding. The horrifying sounds kept coming. Try as I might, I couldn't accurately describe them—they were like nothing I had ever heard before, like unspeakable torment.
Suddenly, I realized the screams were coming from the landlord's apartment above mine, and there was no way to escape without scaling the steep hill our apartment complex sat atop. Given the late hour and dangerous terrain, leaving the apartment seemed near impossible.
Panic welled up in me as the haunting screams continued, only broken up by resonant thuds resembling someone being hurled against a wall. I felt stuck—the owner was a large man and had protective dogs that would surely block my path, so I dialled university security for help.
I guided the security officer to my dark and unmarked street with enough instructions to get him to a nearby marina. As I flicked my porch lights on and off, my anxiety turned to relief when I saw headlights making their way toward me on the dirt road.
The arrival of the security officer didn't bring much reprieve though. He tried reaching the landlord's front door, but was thwarted by the landlord's dogs. The woman's cries and the dogs' barks filled the eerie night as he quickly dialed for support. We repeated the porch light signal and he updated the officers on the situation.
I stayed ground-floor, determined to stay out of sight of my landlord. The officers tried shouting over the cacophony of screams and dog barks but with little success. Then, silence. The screaming ceased, and the dogs settled. The front door opened upstairs, and I saw the officer conferring briefly with the security guard before returning to me.
"He said his wife just discovered her mom passed. That's why she was upset," the officer explained. I asked if they had made visual contact with the woman, to which they replied: "He said she's too emotional to be seen". Both the officer and I felt something was off.
The desperate cries, the unsettling sounds from upstairs, and now her sudden silence—it didn't add up. Keeping his voice steady, the officer promised they'd monitor the property overnight. Then he leaned in and whispered urgently, "Get away from here. He now knows [it's you]. The local officers can't intervene".
I flagged down a taxi and asked the driver to park at a safe distance. With the help of both the security guard and the cab driver, I quickly packed my belongings. I let them split my groceries and sought shelter in a hotel. Once the airport opened, I booked the first flight home.
62. Hanging By A Thread
Once upon a time, I spotted a young girl perched on the precarious side of a road divider while my family and I crossed a bridge. A group engaged in conversation below added an air of normalcy to the scene. Initially, I shrugged it off, curious as to how she'd maneuver back to the safer side.
I could relate, having a similar fond memory of staging mini daredevil acts on low school railings. Therefore, I just concluded she was just having some harmless fun in a more adventurous adult-like manner while bantering with friends. Yet, the seriousness of the scene soon dawned on me. However, as an adult, the final outcome was a blur.
Various rallies have been held advocating for higher safety barriers on the bridge to lessen the frequency of such risky occurrences, but regrettably, no corrective action has been implemented.
63. Flight Fright
On a trip to India, our flight made a stop in Germany. I was only 14 at the time, sitting beside an elderly man who, I presumed, was fast asleep throughout the journey. Since he was somewhat leaning on me after landing, I tried to rouse him, but he didn't respond.
Being an unaccompanied minor, I waited for the flight attendant who was assigned to look after me. On arriving, she noticed the old man, checked his pulse, and immediately made an announcement for everyone to remain seated. Paramedics arrived shortly and confirmed that he had passed.
How long he had been in that state, I couldn't fathom. Seeing a body up close was a first for me, and it was unexpectedly startling. I had imagined there would be a bad smell or some noise leading up to it, based on my assumptions.
Even now, I often wonder if I could've done something if I'd noticed something was off sooner—at the very least, prevented his head from lulling over. Having him lean against my shoulder for eight hours was surreal. Given that I'd also dozed off during the flight, there's a possibility I might have used his head as a makeshift pillow.
It's a chilling thought, but, as they say, such is life.
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64. Upfront
When I was just a little kid, around seven years old, my folks were having a tough time. They chose to go their separate ways for a bit, largely because my mom was in the midst of a wild partying stage.
My mom got to keep me, which at that time I didn't really mind because I wasn't too fond of my dad (though, to be honest, we're best buddies now and my parents are back together). You see, my mom was just too young when she and my dad first hooked up.
One night, my mom decided to hit the town with her friends, leaving me at home with my older sister, who was only about twelve. We lived in a pretty scary neighborhood, in an apartment complex that was quite run-down and full of unsavory types.
I was playing Warlock on my Sega Genesis when I was distracted by some shouting coming from outside. We had these big glass doors that led onto a shared porch area. Curious, we got up to peer through the window and caught sight of an officer chatting with some guy.
Suddenly, this guy pulls out a small bag of something and quickly swallows whatever was inside. The officer, unsurprisingly, didn't take kindly to this. He swiftly drew his baton, smacking the guy across the face. The guy crumpled to the ground, but the officer wasn't done.
He kept hitting him, his head slamming into the concrete. After a while the offcier stopped, and radioed for medical help. It was clear that the guy was done for after swallowing whatever was in the bag. The next day, my sister got a few minutes of local TV fame as she tried to explain what we had witnessed. But no one believed our story.
Despite the still-visible blood splatters on the concrete, the officer maintained that the guy had choked after swallowing the contents of the bag. That experience left an indelible mark on me and why I'm always skeptical of officers unless I know them personally.
65. The Unimaginable
When I was a child, I visited London with my dad. One night, we were making our way to a subway station to head home. During this walk, I noticed a young girl, probably only about nine or ten years old. It was clear she had just experienced something terrible—her face and hands were covered in scrapes, bruises, and fresh wounds.
The girl, who was petite with brown, cropped hair, was dressed in a green tracksuit and pajamas. While my dad seemed oblivious to her presence, our eyes met as he led me onwards. That brief encounter is etched into my memory. Despite having witnessed car accidents and other horrors, it’s that sight that remains the most poignant.
66. The Demon Bird
So, here's what happened on a day I returned home from school earlier than usual, and nobody else was around.
We just had puppies in the house. My mom breeds King Charles spaniels, you see. But what I stumbled upon, was hands down, the most dreadful sight I've ever come across. We also had this parrot, who was a complete nuisance. Mainly because he was incredibly territorial and, well, he decided to clash with the tiny pups.
I'll spare you of the gruesome details. But by the end of it all, out of the previous five pups, only two survived. Unfortunately though, even they had to be euthanized eventually. But the smell, oh the smell. It was god-awful and something that I'll never be able to shake off.
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67. Flash Warning
When I was thirteen, my pals and I were just doing our thing around town. We hit the park first thing in the morning, where we spotted this guy, probably in his forties. He had a hood on, a full beard, and a can in his grasp. Suddenly, he got up and began walking in our direction, and naturally, we bolted.
Later, as we were taking a quick route through the library parking area on our way to McDonald's, there he was again. He was standing by some shrubberies, his gaze fixed directly on us. Unexpectedly, a couple of my friends, both girls, started to dance—they hadn't spotted him; I was the only one who had.
I alerted my best friend Walter about the situation and we tried to hustle everyone along. Walter glanced back to check on the rest of our group and that's when he saw him—right behind us, his pants unzipped. We took off running as quickly as we could. After that incident, we didn't see him anymore.
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68. Out Of Mind
Back when I was in elementary school, around six or seven years old, I was standing in line, waiting for the school bus to pull up. A classmate of mine was casually tossing a ball up and down, simply enjoying herself. But in a freak accident, she failed to catch the ball and ran after it. What transpired next was truly haunting.
The oncoming school bus, in an unfortunate turn of events, hit her. All of this occurred merely 10 feet away from where I was. The bus driver, in utter shock, crawled under the bus to offer whatever comfort they could, holding the girl's hand until the emergency medical team arrived.
What was truly disturbing is how late the school authorities responded—no teachers came over to shield us from this horrific scene until a replacement bus arrived to ferry us home. As to what happened to the driver, I have no clue, but I shudder to even imagine what they must have felt.
69. Gas Station Situation
While returning from our spring break vacation in Key West, Florida, my friends and I took a pit stop for fuel in North Miami around 2 in the morning. Remember, we were quite dazed and confused at that moment. Our vehicle pulled into this rather uninviting gas station off the highway.
Some of us headed for the restroom at the side of the building while others went inside to stock up. Inside the store, the atmosphere was unsettling. The silent stares of the shoppers gave an eerie feel. Not a soul uttered a word. The silence was so profound; one could hear a pin drop.
I decided to hand over my cash to a friend standing in line to purchase and decided to step outside because the ambiance felt too uncanny. The moment I exited, a woman screamed at the top of her lungs nearby. A gigantic, shirtless man was ruthlessly hurting her, reaching into her car.
Eventually, she managed to shift her car into drive and began to speed away. The aggressor clung onto her vehicle, being dragged down the road for approximately 50 yards. He ended up ripping the door from the car, after which she raced off leaving the man behind.
We stood speechless as we watched this imposing, blood-spattered man strut back towards the gas station, hauling a car door on his shoulder. We immediately scrambled into our truck and fled the place. Soon after, we were overtaken by an onslaught of 15 squad cars rushing in the direction of the gas station.
Our truck remained silent for the next hour or so as we each were trying to make sense of the nightmarish situation we had witnessed.
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70. Blood On Their Hands
I recall being among the pioneering class at UC Merced, a university built from scratch in a remote location. The campus was only reachable via two, two-lane highways. Such roads stretched straight out into the horizon without any streetlights to guide.
One evening, returning to campus with friends after a late-night fast food run, we spotted another car in the distance approaching us, headlights glaring. As we drew closer, the oncoming car adjusted its headlights to the normal setting. The space between us shrank progressively as our cars approached each other.
With just about 10 feet separating us, and both cars moving at around 50 mph, I discerned a shadowy figure looming directly ahead of the other car. Suddenly, a sickening crunch resonated. The event transpired so rapidly that shock immobilized us all. I hit the brakes and pulled over, only to discover the shattering truth.
The approaching vehicle, carrying fellow college students, had tragically struck a pedestrian wandering the pitch-black highway.
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71. Slowly Decaying
A few years back, I found myself having quite the uneventful day at work. Given my job at an airport, one of my tasks involves patrolling the parking area to ensure all is as it should be. It's not a rare sight to see cars haphazardly parked or left untouched for weeks on end.
On this particular day, I came across a PT Cruiser that was parked a bit oddly. Glancing inside, it was obvious the car was in a state of disarray. However, something peculiar stood out to me—a sight of what looked like lengthy hair peeking out from under a blanket in the car.
Initially, I mistook it for a dog, but later discovered that it was an elderly woman who, tragically, had ended her own life. It turned out she'd been in the car for around four months, with only her hair, nails, and traces of skin preserved. We quickly called in the authorities, but given the company I worked for, I was assigned to stay on-site and watch as they removed her body.
That sight was distressing, to say the least.
72. Wet And Wild
Back when my mom was just a kid, she often went out for a swim with her buddies. During one such trips, a dreadful incident occurred. Her mate got caught in a swirling vortex at the base of a drainage lake. To her horror, she could do nothing but watch it unfold. His body wasn't found for several days.
Consequently, I never picked up the skill of swimming.
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73. Incognito Infiltration
When I was the head of the student government in my college, there was a guy who was always ready to take on tasks. So, I gave him quite a bit of work. He struck me as charismatic and stylish, always delivering good results. When he mentioned he owned a start-up fashion business, I even bought a couple of items from his site.
However, the next year, reading an article with his picture was a shocker. Things weren't as they appeared to be. Apparently, he'd been taking extra classes to stay registered in the college, despite being expelled from his formal courses for a terrible reason. He had hurt women on campus.
His wealthy professor father managed to keep it all hushed up each time he did it.
74. No Strings Attached
A colleague of mine had a frightening incident concerning his father and newborn child in the nursery. Shockingly, upon entering the room, they discovered the baby had somehow managed to entangle its neck in the cord of the blinds and started to choke. The infant's face had already turned blue, and its veins were alarmingly prominent.
In a state of panic, grandpa instantaneously dialed for immediate assistance. Fortunately, the Emergency Medical Services responded promptly, bringing the child back to a normal breathing state. However, as a mother, I find it hard to conceive of a more terrifying situation.
75. Personal Emergency
There was a tragic car crash. The initial officer to arrive saw that the victim was a daughter of an emergency responder. This dispatcher was the very one who had been passing on crash details to emergency crews. This happened in a time before mobile phones, leaving the officer with no easy means to convey the dreadful news.
He was left bearing the terrible message alone.
76. Going Somewhere?
When I was about nine years old, I found myself at the nearby school, just a stone's throw away from where I lived, spending a normal summer day playing. My friend and I watched as some neighborhood boys engaged in a game of street hockey. Suddenly, I heard someone call my name, announcing that a man was looking for me in the parking lot.
A close-by building partially blocked my view of the parking lot, but I could still make out an outdated 70s van parked there, which hadn't been there earlier. I began to approach it when unexpectedly, the mother of one of the other children showed up. She was looking for her son, saw me, and greeted me with the usual "hi".
She casually asked where I was headed, and when I explained, she quickly took hold of my hand and started to briskly walk away with me. Astonishingly, the van immediately revved its engine and just like that, it was gone in a flash. With me in tow, she accompanied me straight back home.
Following that day, my parents ensured I didn’t leave our yard unaccompanied for the remainder of the summer. I was utterly bewildered and upset, unable to grasp why I was suddenly being put under a curfew. It wasn't until many years later that the realization dawned on me.
I was possibly targeted by some unknown dodgy character, for reasons I dare not even speculate.
77. Anybody There?
One time, I spoke to a lady who related a terrifying story about an ordeal from her childhood. When she was ten years old, she had difficulty falling asleep. She believed that the boogeyman, a mythical monster, lurked in her wardrobe, watching her every time she tried to drift off.
Each evening, fear would pull her out of bed and down the stairs into her parents' safe arms. She'd share her fears with them, only to have her father assure her that the boogeyman didn't exist, before asking her to retreat to her room. This same routine happened for several nights, leaving the father frustrated with the repetitive fear-filled nights.
Finally, the father decided to end these troubled nights by marching her back to her room, flooding it with light and boldly declared, "Let's prove once and for all, there's no Boogeyman". He reached out to swing open the closet door, but something from within resisted.
Sensing danger, he quickly sent the girl out of the room, and with more strength, he forced the closet door open. To his horror, he discovered a man hiding inside. Evidently, this man had been intruding their home each night to stand inside the young girl's closet and silently observe her.
78. Better Not Squashed
My mom came across an accident scene where two large semi-trucks had apparently collided. It appeared to be a regular truck accident, with both drivers strolling around the area, seemingly unharmed. Emergency personnel were everywhere, managing the situation. Thus, my mom didn't pay too much attention to it, until the real story unfolded.
As per the news reports, the accident didn't just involve the two semis she saw, but a third vehicle was also caught in the middle. Tragically, that vehicle was a car, squashed between the two mammoth trucks. Shockingly, the driver of this caught in-between car was one of my brother's teachers.
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79. A Big Part Of Life
Back in her college days in the late '70s, my mom met this guy called Bob during her first semester. They were lab partners and Bob was quite charming and good-looking in my mom’s eyes. While she was a bit too shy to make a move, she liked him enough to say yes should he ask her out.
Unfortunately, Bob never did and they remained just friends. However, things started to get strange after a while. Even though they were studying for different degrees, my mom noticed Bob always seemed to be waiting for her; whether it was outside her other sessions, at the library, the student lounge, or even where her father would pick her up and drop her off.
This went on all the way till spring semester. Baffled yet not overly concerned, she asked Bob how he managed to know her schedule. His response was surprisingly straightforward: “I asked for your timetable from the registrar’s office!” My mom was so unsettled by this that she complained to the secretary who had handed over the information.
The secretary brushed it off assuming they were a couple. Although disturbed, my mom was leaving soon for an exchange program and decided to let it slide, thinking Bob would probably move on by the time she returned for her final year. Upon her return for the final year...Bob was nowhere to be found.
My mom was relieved, thinking she had finally slipped from his radar. But the ordeal was far from concluded. During one of my mom's graduate classes, a man donning a naval uniform knocked on my grandmother's door. My grandmother, who was a former Navy nurse herself, invited him in.
The man began to express his condolences for something my mother supposedly lost, leaving my grandmother completely confused. Before she could inquire more, he continued: “Well, ma’am, I just came back from overseas and recently heard about the sad passing of my old buddy Bob. He often spoke of his love for his fiancée, your daughter, and I desired to meet her myself".
But my grandmother clarified that her daughter doesn’t have a boyfriend, much less a fiancé. It wasn’t long until they worked out that Bob had fabricated the entire engagement story. The realization that Bob had taken things this far was unbelievably creepy.
80. Barely Making It
A few years back, I used to live in a bustling city where I didn't know a soul. I remember a guy I was dating came to stay with me for a bit, and when it was time for him to leave, I walked him to his train. Once he'd gone, I headed back to my place via the streetcar at around 2 PM.
The weather was bright and sunny, and I was in a rather friendly mood. I landed at the streetcar stop and sat down beside a man who initiated a casual greeting. I reciprocated his hello, but something felt amiss. Pushing the sense of unease aside, I continued to enjoy my day.
Soon enough, the streetcar arrived, and both of us got on. Given the crowd, we found ourselves seated a bit too close for comfort. As my stop drew near, I stood up to leave, and so did he. I could feel his warm breath draping over me from behind and even caught his reflection deliberately scanning my legs in the metro window pane.
I was instantly unnerved. The doors opened, and we both stepped out. Swiftly, I maneuvered towards the end of the platform, conscious of the possibility of him trailing behind me. The platform had a couple of exits, so I improvised a random change in my course to get to another one. Oddly, he modified his path similarly.
I tried this trick a couple more times and, to my horror, every single time, he seemed to mimic my movements. Soon, the man managed to close the gap between us and started closing in on me. My back against a wall, he flashed a disarming smile and attempted small talk. My fear intensified dramatically with every passing second.
It seemed like everyone else was obliviously going about their lives without noticing the situation. Glancing around for the last resort escape route, I spotted a staircase at the corner of my eye. Seizing the moment, I dashed towards it without any prelude.
The surprise maneuver seemed to have stunned him, buying me a few precious seconds before he resumed his pursuit. As if by divine design, I found a train boarding and darted onto it just as the doors were about to close, leaving him stranded on the platform.
Such unnerving encounters of men tracking me on the streets or back to my apartment have since instilled a sense of paranoia when I am outdoors alone.
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81. You’re Coming With Me
My friend returned home after her first date. Both of them had a bit to drink and were slightly tipsy. She went inside to freshen up, and when she returned to her room, her date was in the process of taking off his shoes. Suddenly, he straightened up, took a firm hold of her and forcefully led her out of the room.
She resisted, but he muffled her protests and forced her outside. He maintained a strong grip on her as he escorted her out of the apartment building. At last, he released her. Confused, she asked what on earth was wrong with him. His response was chilling—he revealed he had noticed a man hiding beneath her bed.
82. Baked Even
In my hometown, there's a substantial bread factory. There was one particular day, many years back when their bread oven malfunctioned, and the maintenance team was called in for repairs. The crew showed up 24 hours after the oven was shut off, and even then, the heat within was still intense.
Regardless of their reservations about using the oven, the company insisted they press on, with the rationale that any further delay would mean a greater financial loss. With a sense of duty, the maintenance workers began their repair work. They removed the baskets filled with uncooked bread from the conveyor belt, mounted it, and activated the machinery.
Upon doing so, they quickly realized that the situation was more dangerous than they had predicted. The oven was not just hot—it was extremely and alarmingly hot. Initially, their instinct was to flee, but the number of baskets on the conveyor belt hindered their escape route. Quite dreadfully, they were trapped.
The only available course of action was to stay on the moving belt, enduring the rigorous journey through the oven. This turned into an agonizing and horrific ordeal, with the extreme heat slowly 'baking' them. The external team aiding with the maintenance could do nothing apart from listening to the distressing screams coming from inside.
Then, an eerie silence enveloped the area. Eventually, a charred body emerged from the oven's far side. Miraculously, the second man survived the ordeal, but his injuries were too severe, and he only lived for a few fleeting moments.
83. Like Riding A Bike
When I was just a toddler, my mom and I lived in an inexpensive, single-wide trailer in a somewhat troubled trailer park. Often, I'd spend the night at my aunt's place because my mom worked the night shifts. One day, she picked me up from my aunt's around 7 AM and we headed back to our place. Right away, I got this unsettling feeling and didn't want to go inside our home.
I tried to convince my mom to let me ride my bike outside, but all she wanted after her long night shift was to catch some sleep. We went in, she laid down to rest, and I stayed up, watching TV. As any typical toddler would do, I kept pestering my mom about going outside to ride my bike. But she asked me to go play in my room instead.
Something about that didn't sit right with me. I pleaded with her to let me stay in her room because I'd got this creepy feeling that there was someone in my closet who might harm me. Being too tired, my mom rose from the bed to show me there was nothing to be scared of. We walked into my room and that's when we saw my closet door open.
It got jammed midway but the sight was clear—a man was inside. He was a fugitive who'd been skipping his bail, kept an eye on our movements, and used to infiltrate our trailer when my mom was away at work. Without wasting a single moment, we dashed out of our home, hopped into our car and sought safety at the nearest station.
Sadly, the intruder managed to get away before the authorities could reach our place.
84. Little Help Here
Once, when I was around 16, I joined a friend on a trip to a laundromat. This wasn't my usual spot since it was close to my friend's place. I was only there to chill with her. As we made our entrance, there stood an elderly man by his car, gazing around. My friend bypassed him without pause.
However, he managed to draw me in when he asked, "Could you help me find my lost phone? I've accidentally dropped it here and I seem unable to locate it". Unnerved, I peered into his car and spotted another guy eyeballing me. The way he studied me remains etched in my mind even now.
Frightened, I swiftly turned my gaze away and followed my friend inside. After stepping indoors, she told me that these men had a notorious reputation in the neighborhood of luring young women into their car using tricks like these. What followed in their vehicle is best left unsaid.
Reflecting on the incident made me feel a wave of anxiety. I realized my youthful naivety and ignorance might've put me in trouble if I had given in to help him, failing to spot the second man in the car.
85. Seen Some Stuff
Once my buddies and I were hanging out and reminiscing, asking things like, "hey, remember...?" This particular time, we recalled a guy we used to share a free period with at school. He was a good guy. Curious, we Googled him, and to our surprise, a few appellate court decisions popped up among the first search results.
Intrigued, we decided to dig a little deeper into his story. Our former classmate had served in Afghanistan. Apparently, his experiences there had deeply affected him. According to court records, he saw things that terribly scarred him. After returning home, he was diagnosed with PTSD and delusional schizophrenia.
Bizarrely, he believed he was on a divine mission to injure his mother, seemingly to save her from demons and secure her place in heaven. He had attempted to carry out his mission multiple times but thankfully was unsuccessful. On a whim, we decided to look up his social media pages.
All we found were post after post of frantic, disjointed rambling about demons. It was heart-wrenching to discover what had become of him, but at the same time, it was terrifying to consider how a person could appear "normal" and then, due to a series of unfortunate circumstances, descend into madness in just a few short years.
86. A Step Back
I had a stepfather whom I adored when I was ten years old. He was enjoyable company and we bonded over movie rentals and spent quality time together. However, everything took a swerve when he was unfaithful to my mother, who was pregnant at the time.
After their separation, he turned angry and issued threats to her which she didn't consider alarming initially. However, it escalated on a horrifying night when he exploded violently. He stealthily hid in our apartment while I was safe with my grandmother.
Unaware of the unsettling surprise awaiting her, my mother returned home only to be ambushed by him. Tragically, neither she nor her unborn child made it past that dreadful night. At his trial, he coldly stated that I would have received the same treatment had I been there.
In the light of these revelations, I discovered more disturbing deeds of his that I had missed as a child. It's been 17 years since I last had any interaction with him.
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87. Just Close Your Eyes
When I was just around five years old, I recall waking up to the unfamiliar and troubling sounds of boisterous voices, along with an unusual radiance of bright white lights enveloping our home. As it so happened, a band of individuals had just carried out a heist and had decided to use our peaceful home as their hideout, keeping my parents captive in the process.
88. Listen To Your Elders
My mother-in-law was a very engaging and hip lady. She held a special relationship with my wife, and our son unfortunately could only bond with her for four months before she passed. Eventually, we moved into a vintage 1930s craftsman house when our son turned three.
One evening, as I was bathing him, he seemed to concentrate on something over my shoulder. Suddenly, he popped a question: Why did Grandma use a strange name for Mommy? I was puzzled and clarified his question, assuming he was talking about my mother.
But he specified, “Why does Grandma call Mommy [distinctive nickname]?” I was taken aback. That pet name was uniquely between my wife and her mother, a name we never used around our son, one that my wife's mother gave her since she was an infant. Intrigued, I asked him where he had gotten that name.
He replied, "the farmer told me". I questioned who this farmer was, and my son simply explained that he was a friend. When I shared this incident with my wife, she was emotionally overwhelmed. We were both amazed, understanding there was no explanation for him knowing that special name, but felt helpless about what to do next.
The following weekend, I was home while my wife was at work, and our son was playing in his room next to my home office. Suddenly, I heard him carrying on a conversation through the adjoining wall, responding with words like “yes,” “no,” “I don’t know that,” followed by giggles.
Feeling a bit uneasy, I decided to check on him and asked him about his activity. He simply stated that he was playing. When I enquired who he was playing with, he informed me about the farmer. Asked about the whereabouts of his friend, he said he had left when I walked in. What the...!?
My wife returned home and I filled her in about the strange occurrence. Both of us were left perplexed. We were unsure how to handle this situation but agreed if it persisted, we would address it. Just a few nights later, in the middle of the night, we woke up to our son saying, "Grandma says you and I can't be friends anymore".
Concerned, we checked on him and found him sitting upright in his bed. When asked if he was alright, he answered, “yeah, Grandma says I shouldn’t play with the Farmer anymore". We never heard about the farmer again. He's now 13 and doesn't remember any of this, but the memories are still vivid for us.
89. Something’s Down There
Back in college, I shared a sorority house with 20 other girls. Our place was really old and in quite a poor state. Our basement was littered with stuff left behind by past occupants who had forgotten to take it with them when they moved out.
Because there were so many of us living in the same house, we hardly noticed when things would move or disappear; we'd just figure it was one of us who'd moved it, taken it, or eaten it. Then one day, something bizarre happened.
One of the girls was down in the basement doing laundry when she spotted a bed tucked away amidst the heaps of discarded junk. What really spooked her was the sight of a man in that hidden corner.
He quickly tried to assure her that he was there because he was dating one of the sorority sisters and that she knew about his presence. But the girl wasn't convinced. She immediately reached out to the campus security and they began probing the situation.
They later informed us that the man had apparently been living in the basement, hiding amongst our junk, for who knows how long. They figured he was accessing the basement through the outside door. After this episode, he never returned to our sorority house, thankfully. But I don't believe campus security ever apprehended him.
So, who knows where he might be residing these days?
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90. Just Mom’s Friend
When I was 10, I moved to live with my dad in a completely new place where I didn't know anybody at all. But being the social butterfly that I was, I quickly started to make friends with the neighborhood kids. One of these new friends was a 12-year-old girl, and before long, we ended up becoming part of the same friend group.
One ordinary day, I was at her house when suddenly, we heard someone knocking on the door. Since her mother had a unique way of knocking, my friend naturally thought it was her and opened the door without any second thoughts.
At that time, I wasn’t technically supposed to be at her house, so I decided to slip out quietly through a window and headed back home. It was only later that I realized the sort of danger I had unknowingly dodged.
As it turned out, the woman who knocked on the door wasn't my friend's mom after all. Her real mother worked at a mental health facility where a patient had recently been discharged. Terrifyingly, it was this released patient who had been at the door.
Luckily, my friend's younger brother was able to escape and go for help. But my poor friend was not as fortunate. It appeared as though the woman had suffered a mental breakdown and she caused an unimaginable harm to the young girl.
91. Parental Guidance
When I was only 12 years old, it was hard for me to digest overhearing my parents arguing from the adjacent room. They were having a heated conversation about my father's browsing history being filled with inappropriate websites. This argument then snowballed into a full-blown dispute over their diminishing personal life.
92. Man In The Window
One night, I was shaken awake from a frightful dream and decided to seek comfort by sleeping next to my mom and dad. To get to their room, the path led past the front entrance where there was a large window adjacent to the door. I still remember the chilling view I saw—a pair of men attempting to force their way in.
Upon noticing me, they tapped on the window, indicating for me to undo the lock. My mother dismissed it as a figment of my dream, but to this very day, the unsettling vision of those men outside our window remains as vivid as any other memory from my childhood. This incident happened more than four decades ago.
93. Everything Changes In An Instant
This event occurred six years ago, a week after my birthday when we thought it'd be fun to have a belated birthday party. Considering my folks were caught up with their jobs on the day of my birthday, it had to be postponed. I requested a handful of my pals to join, but one friend's dad informed mine that his arrival might be delayed.
The party was supposed to be from 7:00 pm to 12:00 am. Unfortunately, he never got there. On our way home after the party, we discussed the awesome time we had. However, the pleasant chat was interrupted when another car swerved into our lane and we crashed. I lost consciousness immediately.
When I came to, I was in a hospital bed feeling anxious, but the doctor running tests on me comforted me, assuring me I was going to be alright. After a series of questions and mini examinations that lasted around 20 to 30 minutes, I finally asked the daunting question, "Sir, where are my parents?"
His response after a long pause still echoes in my mind to this day, "I'm incredibly sorry but... your parents didn't survive the crash". I was told that my dad passed instantly during the collision while my mom passed soon after reaching the hospital. I was stunned. I wanted to cry but I was consumed with anger.
The driver who uncontrollably came into our lane was responsible, I thought. I found out that the negligent driver was my friend's dad—truly a classic specimen of an entitled parent. Reportedly, he was tipsy at the time of the accident and was presently chained to his hospital bed.
A nurse later informed me that the man demanded assistance for himself before his son (who was also in the car) could be attended to, even though his son was in a critical condition and on life support. He eventually served time behind bars—whether he's out or not, I don't know, but he better steer clear of me if he is.
Currently, I'm residing in a foster home with a loving family who really treats me like one of their own. However, as long as I breathe, I'll always remember my real parents, and my best friend, and I'll never pardon that man for the pain he's caused.
94. The Widowed
About two years ago, my mom entered into a second marriage, following my dad's passing when I was just twelve. It all happened so quickly; they met, started a relationship, and wed within three months. I didn't know a lot about the guy, but my mom seemed content. Eager for her happiness, I chose to remain supportive.
She moved in with him in a remote area of Virginia and encouraged me and my fiancé to spend a weekend there and meet her new husband. Her new home was situated in a lovely, secluded landscape surrounded by sprawling, picturesque hills. It was quite idyllic, but getting to know her new husband had me on the edge.
Trying to stay positive, I focused on making the most of our visit. However, as the day unfolded, a sense of unease began to hover over me. Although the environment was quite homely, I couldn't shake off this feeling. I reasoned it was probably due to my struggling to come to terms with my mom's remarriage.
One evening, while my fiancé and I were showering together, he suddenly asked, "What happened to your back?" Bewildered, I looked at the reflection in the mirror and noticed a large bruise. I was confounded as to how it got there and this unnerved me thoroughly.
Waking up the following morning, an emotional breakdown took hold of me and I started crying uncontrollably. Deep down, I felt the urge to leave. Though my fiancé tried to reassure me that my anxiety was merely because of seeing my mom with someone new, I had to depart. Sensing an impending panic attack, I managed to persuade him to leave.
Upon hitting the road, I felt immensely relieved but at the same time embarrassed about departing abruptly. I was worried whether my mom's husband would feel offended. As we drove in silence, my fiancé broached the subject of my back bruise.
I remember clearly that it appeared as though a hand with spread fingers had pressed against my back. And to be certain, nobody touched my back previously to trigger such a bruise.
Fast forward to three weeks later, my mom came to visit. She was insistent upon my returning to her new home. Frustrated after failing to divert the conversation several times, I decided to spill the beans about my eerie experience. As soon as I started speaking, her face turned ghostly pale.
She confessed to feeling similarly unsettled in the house and wanted to relocate as soon as possible. The most shocking revelation was about her husband's ex-wife who had taken her own life inside the same house.
95. Ronald McSecrets
One night when I was just a kid, my dad woke me up around 2 in the morning and declared, "Get ready, we're going to McDonald's". I was completely baffled and kept questioning the reason for this sudden adventure, but all he would say was something like, "Just because" or "It's fun".
Meanwhile, the rest of my family—my two brothers, sister, and mom—stayed asleep undisturbed at home, not part of our little excursion. Unfortunately, the play area was shut, so we simply spent roughly an hour eating before heading back. Up until now, I am clueless about why my dad urgently needed me out of the house.
He insists he has no memory of that night, but it was such a bizarre experience that I've held onto the toy I got from that night's Happy Meal to validate my recollection—it's my only fragment of evidence for that peculiarly eerie night. My dad (astonishingly enough) whisked me away to McDonald’s at 2 am for reasons still unknown.
I've wondered if it could have been that my sister had an accident in bed and they didn't want me teasing her. Or perhaps they discovered something like rats in my room? Could they have been concerned that I would lose sleep if I knew about the rats, and needed some time to clear them out?
In any case, it was an incredibly odd night—one that my dad denies even happened or refuses to provide any clarification, making me even more suspicious. Honestly, I’m 23 now. If he merely admitted, "Yes, your sister had an accident and we didn't want you to find out," I'd be perfectly calm and understand their reasoning.
But he stubbornly denies that it ever happened at all. I just want to know the truth. WHAT REALLY HAPPENED.
96. Calling All Angels
Following the wreckage of my vehicle, I was approached by a man bearing burn marks on his face and hands. Approaching my window, he inquired about my well-being before settling himself into my car's passenger seat. "It's crucial for you to understand that everything in life happens for a purpose," he mentioned.
I responded, "I'm aware". In the blink of an eye, I found myself conversing with the other vehicle's driver and law enforcement, with no trace of the man. His existence was a puzzle, unseen by any others in the vicinity.
97. A Sweet Treat Before It Ends
Back when I was a young kindergartener, my dad made it a regular habit to drop by, check me out of school, and treat me to ice cream. That's one of my fondest memories. Looking back, I realize my dad knew his life was coming to an end—he passed when I was just six. But he used to do these special little things often.
Even though I lost him so early, I don't feel like I missed out on much, considering those special moments. Now, at the age of 35, I still treasure them.
98. Don’t Look Down
During a class discussion, our teacher asked about our weekends. Surprisingly, the most introverted girl in class began to share her story, but she soon became overwhelmed with emotion. She told us that, over the weekend, she went on a mountain trip with her mother.
During their drive, they decided to take a break and stretch their legs. As they looked over the edge of the cliff, they were met with a horrific sight—an overturned car at the bottom, surrounded by the lifeless bodies of a family.
99. Sudden Loss
My first sleepover with my best friend took place when we were in the first grade. The night was full of fun and games, a mark of a promising start. However, the next morning was unexpectedly different. Everyone in the house was behaving strangely, almost aloof.
To my surprise, they contacted my mom, requesting her to pick me up urgently. I was oblivious to the happenings, but I later came to know about the unfortunate event. His dad suffered an aneurysm that night and didn't make it.
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