Not everyone needs to watch horror movies or read horror novels to get scared—they’ve all experienced their own spine-tingling experiences. While some of these weird events have obvious explanations, others may make you rethink your sense of reality. One thing is certain: the true stories we’ve gathered today will linger in your mind long after you’ve read them.
Story 1
I got up at 3 a.m. to fetch some water. My son called out from his room, “Mom, can you turn off the light?” I didn’t think twice and turned it off. As I went back into bed, it hit me… my son was not at home; he had gone camping. I dashed to his room and froze when I realized it was empty.
I was positive I heard my son’s voice—or at least someone speaking to me in a sleepy tone. When I told my husband, he laughed and said it was probably just in my imagination, but I swear the voice was real. That moment still worries me out.
Story 2
My boyfriend informed me that as a child, he would hear whispers and discussions in one of the rooms at night. He entered the room out of curiosity, and someone tapped him on the back so hard that he passed out. When he awoke, there was a gigantic mark on his back, resembling a scratch from large paws, which is still visible today. It is creepy. © ruri7218 / Reddit
Story 3
When I was approximately 8 or 9, I attended a sleepover at a friend’s house. My friend lived in a ranch-style home with a pool in the backyard and a large terrace around it. The living area spanned the length of the pool and had sliding glass doors that opened onto the patio. We were in there watching movies and hanging out till his parents informed us that it was late and time to go to bed.
As we were leaving the room, my friend leaned over to turn out the lights, and as the reflections from the sliding glass doors disappeared, we spotted a man standing on the patio across the pool, just staring at us.
We freaked out, yelled, and raced to his parents. However, by the time they returned to the living room to check, the man was disappeared. I’m not sure how long he stood there observing us, but I had nightmares about it for a long time after. © xxMrAdamsxx / Reddit
Story 4
One summer night in high school, I fell asleep with my window open. At around 3 a.m., I overheard someone repeatedly honking their car horn. At this moment, I wasn’t entirely awake or aware of where the sound was coming from. Then I heard a woman scream, “Somebody, please help me!”
This prompted me jump out of bed and rush to my mother’s room to inform her that we needed to call 911. My mom called to report the occurrence. After a few minutes, we saw the cops approach. They checked around with flashlights for a few minutes but couldn’t find anyone in their car, so they left.
The next day, we asked our neighbors whether they had heard or seen anything, and no one had. It still creeps me out to this day. © No_Director2816 / Reddit
Story 5
I was on the Tube in London when I noticed a guy seated directly across from me wearing an interesting, multicolored t-shirt. So I spent the entire voyage staring at him and his clothing, as you do on the Tube.
I got off at my station, while the t-shirt guy remained on the train. On my way up the escalator to street level, the same guy passed me on the other escalator heading down from the street.
There was no way he could have been there; I had left him on the train. It really terrified me out. © Abervilla / Reddit
Story 6
When I was a kid, I recall lying on my bedroom floor with the door wide open as my parents watched TV in the living room at 1 a.m. Suddenly, I’d try to get up to use the restroom, and my mind would almost imagine me doing it.
It wasn’t until the fifth time that I realized I’d never gotten up. I was locked on the floor, unable to move, talk, or call my parents. I felt as if something had stolen the soul from my body, and I was pinned down. I didn’t start crying until my dad came in and put me in my bed. © Stockwaa / Reddit
Story 7
Many years ago, an abandoned old home stood at the far end of a plant nursery. Others had told us that they planned to party there. So, one night, a friend, his girlfriend, and I grabbed some snacks and made our way over, led only by the moonlight. We located the old house behind some tall trees and approached it.
As we came closer, I heard one frog croaking. As we approached, more frogs began to make noise. A few feet more, the sound of thousands of frogs drowned out all other noises, as if warning us not to approach the blackened glass dwelling. We followed the frog’s suggestion and returned home with our snacks, where it was safe. © Buck-osogrande-5150 / Reddit
Story 8
I had a dream in which my husband and I had three children. It was sweet and happy until they slowly vanished, Thanos-style. I recall waking up and feeling “off.”
The following week, we discovered I was pregnant with triplets. One of them miscarried, the second became unexpectedly unviable, and the third had to be removed because it was much small and posed a risk to my life.
It was the creepiest sensation I’ve ever had. © prznmike / Reddit
Story 9
There was a girl who was madly in love with me, but I didn’t want to be with her. I didn’t think about her after school, but one summer when I returned home, I discovered she had moved to my family’s building, to the apartment across from ours (my building has two flats on each floor).
I had never informed her where I lived before now. I decided to be pleasant and talk to her family, greet the neighbors, and so on, and I learned from her mother that the girl had proposed they move there. Now, I’m not sure if it was planned or by chance, but let’s just say we live in a big metropolis, so the chances of that being a coincidence were slim. © Kenhamef / Reddit
Story 10
When I was sixteen, I chose to skip school and remain at home to play video games. I set up my PlayStation and prepared some hot pockets, and just as I was getting comfy, I heard footsteps entering my room. I looked outside and noticed my parents weren’t home yet, but I was still frightened of being caught. I froze in position, with nowhere to hide.
Suddenly, the door flew open, and I heard a bloodcurdling scream resound throughout the home. I must have sat scared in that room for half an hour before venturing outdoors and waiting for my parents to return home. I tried to describe what occurred to my pals later, but they assumed I was making up an internet-inspired story. © IAmTheRules / Reddit
Story 11
When I was about seven years old, I resided in a house whose former owner had ᴅɪᴇᴅ. My parents were unconcerned about it because they did not believe in the paranormal and expected nothing to happen.
My room was the coldest in the house, and one night I awoke to see a pale, slender man peering at me from the end of the bed. I didn’t scream; I was so surprised that I must have passed out, since the next thing I remember it was morning. I never told my parents for fear of appearing crazy. But I recall his face quite vividly. © Informal_Mushroom115 / Reddit
Story 12
When I was a kid in the early 2000s, my sister and I had a DVD-only TV in our room. On sometimes, the TV would display a black terminal screen and begin typing words to us. It would basically curse us out while also revealing that we were two girls. We thought it was funny and crazy, so we would phone our parents and say, “Look what the TV is doing!”
As adults, my sister and I are utterly frightened out by the TV’s ability to do that. We still don’t know who or what caused this phenomena. © neogirl22 / Reddit
