In honor of Halloween, a thread for all things spooky

[Racetrackreject]

Let's hear it. I want your spooky stories, your favorite scary books, and the movies that made you leave your lights on.

What about scary pranks? Or things that scared you but turned out to be funny?

I once had a Halloween party at my parents, supposedly haunted, old farmhouse. The day before the party, my best friend and I stuffed a pair of coveralls and added a spooky mask, gloves, and work boots, to make it look like a Jason kind of straw man. Then, we took the guy and attached it to a tree at the edge of the hedge row to the road.
That night, we all watched several scary movies (Hellraiser series), then my friend started telling the story about how a body had been found not far from the farm. That part was true and the others had heard the story. We decided to drive out to where the body was found (we faked knowing the exact location). My dad owned his own company and had a large van to transport crews out to the jobs, and we used this van so that we could all be in one car. As we get close to where the "body" is, Jen and I are all kinds of excited, only to reach the spot and find the "body" gone. Now we were the ones freaked out!!
The next day, Jen and I drove back to where we hung the body and eventually found it on the ground, pulled back into the hedge. As we picked it up, it started moving and rats shot out of the neck. I didn't know we could scream that loud or run that fast! lol The joke was definitely on us.

And just as an FYI, if you have a Weatherbetta sheet on your horse, those shiny emblems glow really brightly at night, and if your horse is dark, it looks like a ball of light traveling across the pasture.

[Snork]

I was completely creeped out tonight. Like, completely, absolutely, totally creeped out and, to top it off, this is a true story.

I woke up in the middle of the night because a very soft voice called my name. Snork! Snork! Snork! It was almost inaudible but I know i heard it. Husband was fast asleep and, at any rate, when he calls me, its never a soft whisper.

So I put on a robe and trundled down to my girls room, just one door down from our bedroom, already thinking that this is eery. I could swear I heard someone call me but the house was quiet, the dogs didn't stir and my girls normally aren't shy about just calling my name out loud when they need me at night.

Not a mouse seemed to be stirring in the girls room either. Just as i was getting seriously unsettled, there it was again, ever so softly, from the bunk of one of my two little houseguests (I have a matching pair to my girls for a week and all four of them share a room): "snork? snork? Are you here? I pooped in my pants!"



True story.

[emmalou]

Pet Cemetery still scares the bejesus out of me. That kid!

I had an honest to goodness encounter a few years ago. I was sleeping in the HUGE master bedroom of my Dad's HUGE company house a few years ago, all by my little lonesome. In the middle of the night I jolted awake from a horribly vivid, realistic, awful dream, about my Daughter set at the house we were staying in. I can still see it clear as day in my mind. I lay there for a bit telling myself it was just a dream and to relax when I heard footsteps in the hall. I was listening to the footsteps wondering who was awake and moving around. Just as I realized there was no way I could hear footsteps in the hall in this huge room with a loud fan on, a light weight like a folded up blanket or a cat laid over my lower legs. It probably only lasted about 10 seconds before it disappeared but it seemed like forever. When the weight left, I bolted upright and my terror left me. I got up and checked every bedroom in the house and everyone was sound asleep.

I took it for a sign and took my daughter with me when I left the next day even though she was supposed to stay there another day. I didn't have strong feelings before that there was something else out there but I certainly do now.

When the same daughter was a toddler she used to stare at certain places in a room or toward the ceiling and carry on a conversation with the "gray haired Boppa with glasses". I thought it was weird but I didn't give it a whole lot of thought. It was just something quirky. Now I'm not so sure.

Snork - pooped pants from a kid not your own is certainly scary.

[Racetrackreject]

LOL! Omg Snork, I just snorted diet Dr Pepper out of my nose, but the burn is worth it for that story. I keep cracking up thinking "Snork, Snork, I pooped my pants".

That's spooky Emmalou! Once, at my parents' farmhouse, I was asleep in the bed and felt someone touch my shoulder, but when I turned no one was there. My mother had the same experience not long after. It was the weirdest thing, it felt like someone actually touched me on the shoulder.

My JRT used to stare into the middle of the dining room at my old house and bark, then he would wag his tail like he saw someone he knew. I used to joking say, "He sees dead people, but at least they seem friendly".

Pet Cemetery was a spooky one. Supernatural type stuff doesn't freak me out that much usually, but I will say that the first Candyman ooged me out more than it should have.

[emmalou]

Oh yes, Candyman was freaky. The Exorcist terrifies me probably because I went to Christian school until 9th grade and they hammered in to us that watching stuff like that will open a window to the Devil. Have you seen Quarantine? It's good but scary!

How old were you with the touching? My Mom tells this story of being an early teen laying on her parents' bed for a long time watching the rocking chair rock back and forth like someone was sitting in it.

[Racetrackreject]

Oh yes, Candyman was freaky. The Exorcist terrifies me probably because I went to Christian school until 9th grade and they hammered in to us that watching stuff like that will open a window to the Devil. Have you seen Quarantine? It's good but scary!

How old were you with the touching? My Mom tells this story of being an early teen laying on her parents' bed for a long time watching the rocking chair rock back and forth like someone was sitting in it.

I haven't seen Quarantine, but I love movies that have to do with viruses and things. #biologynerd I have to go look this one up.

I was most likely in high school or recently graduated, so in the 16-17 year old range when this happened. That house was supposed to be haunted and there were grown ups that grew up in the area that either would not come to the house at all, or would show up, but left before the sun went down. We never really had anything too strange happen, except the shoulder touching, and the toilet seat closing on it's own.
There was one time when myself and my 2 best friends were playing with a Ouija board . We heard a noise that sounded like someone coming in from the closed in back porch area, into the kitchen. The doors between the 2 rooms were these glass and wood bi-fold doors that made a distinct sound when opened and closed. We thought we heard it, then kind of laughed because we thought we were being paranoid, but then my mother showed up with her pistol to ask if we had just come in from the back porch.
The main stories about that house were that the old man who originally lived, and died, there would walk from the barn to the house and back at night. There was also a German prison camp down the road from the house, during the war, and it was said that the homeowner would hide escaped prisoners in the attic of the home. Supposedly there were some ghosts/spirits from that era as well.

True confession, rocking chairs kind of creep me out, but only the old time wooden ones. It's mostly because of their occassional need to rock on their own. lol

[emmalou]

Quarantine is about a human rabies outbreak. My son's football team does a drill where they run on all fours. It reminds me of the movie and creeps me out.

House sounds creepy. The house I'm living in now is the oldest one I've lived in and not one weird experience.

[texsuze]

A "funny" spooky. Back in the last century, when kids in our 'hood had free run of the streets for trick-or-treating, sans parents. A house at the end of our block had one of those mail slots built into the brick wall of the front porch, so mailman could lift the hinged lid and drop in the mail. We'd get to the house, usually in a mob, well after dark. Ring the doorbell. Wait for the front door to open but it wouldn't. Then, the hinge on the mail drop would squeak, the lid would s-l-o-w-l-y open and a real hand would emerge with a fist full of candy Every year it would be the same, but every year gave us the jitters of anticipation, and deciding who would be the first kid to stick their trick-or-treat sack under that hand to get some candy!

And to this day, I can't watch trailers or film clips of The Exorcist without covering my eyes first

[PhoenixRising]

I don't do scary movies. At all.
Not really a story, but many times I have woken up in the middle of the night convinced there was someone in my room... Or snakes in my bed, or giant spiders on the walls...
I believe it to be linked to a sleep disorder, but have never really talked to a doctor about it since it isn't frequent. It was terrifying as a child, I once thought I saw my mom in my room trying to give me medicine in the middle of the night (like she usually would if I was sick) Anther time I thought I heard and saw children playing at the foot of my bed. Yet another time, when a friend of mine was living with us I thought she walked in my room and stood in the corner.

[Chancellor]

Prior to being married to KounterKanter, I dated a man named Shawn. He was a sweet sweet man until he drank alcohol. Then all bets were off.
I broke up with him but we stayed friendly. I was at work one day and he called me. Interestingly, KounterKanter and I had had a big fight the night before and I wasn't sure we would last (we weren't married at that time).
Two days later, I got a phone call again at work. This time from a friend of mine who was a park ranger. She was calling to tell me that Shawn had shot and killed himself in a park (which was how they knew about it). I do believe that Shawn had called me at work that day to say goodbye.

To this day, every once in awhile, I smell cigarette smoke (Shawn used to smoke) that no one else can smell. And it is VERY strong. I think it is Shawn coming to "haunt" me....I put haunt in quotes because it definitely feels benevolent.

A week after KounterKanter and I moved in together, I had a very vivid dream of coming down the stairs to my living room and seeing Shawn sitting on the love seat and he said Hi!

[Racetrackreject]

I don't do scary movies. At all.
Not really a story, but many times I have woken up in the middle of the night convinced there was someone in my room... Or snakes in my bed, or giant spiders on the walls...
I believe it to be linked to a sleep disorder, but have never really talked to a doctor about it since it isn't frequent. It was terrifying as a child, I once thought I saw my mom in my room trying to give me medicine in the middle of the night (like she usually would if I was sick) Anther time I thought I heard and saw children playing at the foot of my bed. Yet another time, when a friend of mine was living with us I thought she walked in my room and stood in the corner.

Whatever this is, my father had it as well. He would have my mom up, in the middle of the night, chasing snakes in the bedroom. He would be asleep, but telling my mom that whatever he was after was in the closet or behind the dresser or something. Sometimes it would take my mom a while before she realized that dad was sleep, so she would be running all over, trying to find snakes or bugs or whatever he was dreaming was in the room.


Chancellor that is both sad and scary.

[PhoenixRising]

I don't do scary movies. At all.
Not really a story, but many times I have woken up in the middle of the night convinced there was someone in my room... Or snakes in my bed, or giant spiders on the walls...
I believe it to be linked to a sleep disorder, but have never really talked to a doctor about it since it isn't frequent. It was terrifying as a child, I once thought I saw my mom in my room trying to give me medicine in the middle of the night (like she usually would if I was sick) Anther time I thought I heard and saw children playing at the foot of my bed. Yet another time, when a friend of mine was living with us I thought she walked in my room and stood in the corner.

Whatever this is, my father had it as well. He would have my mom up, in the middle of the night, chasing snakes in the bedroom. He would be asleep, but telling my mom that whatever he was after was in the closet or behind the dresser or something. Sometimes it would take my mom a while before she realized that dad was sleep, so she would be running all over, trying to find snakes or bugs or whatever he was dreaming was in the room.


Chancellor that is both sad and scary.

Thankfully when this happens I usually snap out of it fast enough that I'm not completely out of bed by the time I snap to. But usually I wake up completely startled and see whatever it is for a minute or so until I wake up enough to realize that it isn't real and the image fades, but for that minute there is plenty of panic.

[emmalou]

That's scary! I've never really had nightmares. My bad dreams consist of either things falling on me and I'm trying to run away but it's like running under water OR driving down a steep hill and my brakes don't work.

The dream about my daughter is really the only horrifying, nightmarish type dream I've ever had.

I have a couple friends whose kids sleepwalk. Talk about creepy!

[PaulaO]

I don't believe in ghosts, like haunted houses, but I do believe that spirits of people and animals we have loved visit us. About 2 months ago I was in meditation after yoga and felt Bob touching me with his nose, as he did when he was scared or worried. He kept at it until I asked silently "what's up?" He told me over and over "do not get another horse, you will be hurt." I finally reassured him that I won't get a horse until he sends me one.

Fast forward to 3 weeks ago and I found a shareboard. Thought it was perfect, but it fell apart this weekend. I spent 4 days crying. Guess Bob was right.

[Koolkat]

The evening after we took our beloved GSD in to be PTS, I sat in the living room alone, feeling the emptiness of the house without her forever presence at my side/feet. As I sat there, the fireplace broom starting gently swinging on the utensil stand, a quiet summer evening with the broom swinging back and forth, back and forth.

Still miss that dog 15 years later. . . Occassionally, she still comes around.

[cb06]

True story. Mine.
I am not a ghost, paranormal, etc person. I don't do haunted houses or scary movies and think those paranormal shows are a bunch of bull.
Ghosty stuff is not at the front (or back) of my mind...ever.

Visiting a friend in Nebraska, staying in her recently purchased 1920's era tudor. Lovely old wood details. We were having a really nice visit...nothing even remotely 'ghost-like' was recently mentioned or on my mind, not consciously or unconsciously.

Laying on my side facing out into the guest room on her regular box spring bed, early morning/first light, wide awake....for the reason most people are wide awake early in the morning...I had to pee...but I would have to scurry out into the hallway and didn't want to wake anyone with the creaky wood floors and flushing. So, there I was wide awake weighing the pro and cons...to pee or hold it... (not even remotely spooky thoughts, obviously)...
..and 'something' sat on the far corner of the bed behind me... Bed moved and creaked and it wasn't me.
I froze (didn't move, eyes WIDE open)....started explaining it away..that was weird!, must have imagined that, gust of wind?, etc....and then they got up...Definitely didn't image that!
I jumped out of bed and ran into my friends room (no I didn't look).
Told her my story, we laughed (nervously), we re-created the 'event' with each of us laying down facing out and the other sitting on the bed behind them...yep, definitely that is what it was, unmistakable.

It is my one and only truly 'weird' story, I have no explanation, but will swear that it was real to my dying day....

[bailey]

My mom died unexpectedly of a brain aneurism when she was 63 (10 years ago). We were all shocked and grieving including my 13 year old son. About a month after she died, he went downstairs to the kitchen in the middle of the night to get a drink from the fridge, and happened to glance in the big picture window that looked out on the back deck. He saw my mom (grandma) and she waved and smiled. She 'told' him she would be around and would watch over him, not to be afraid. Then she was gone and he never saw her again....