I've always been good around critters. Vermin get me though. Did you grow up on a farm?
Yup, sure did. A 270-acre farm in Ohio.
I've always been good around critters. Vermin get me though. Did you grow up on a farm?
Jake, I had a sleep paralysis experience similar to what auzerais described, only it wasn't any recognizable person I knew. However, it was something with a will, lying on top of me, and trying to enter my body, as in, possess it. And I woke suddenly with this and could not move or even shout. I had to exert every ounce of my will to shake that thing off, whatever it was, and I had to try maybe six or seven times to push it off and shout.
When I finally did, shook it off and yelled at the top of my lungs, I was so enraged I jumped out of bed and stomped around my apartment for maybe 20 minutes shouting "No! You do not have the right to do that! Don't ever come near me again! This is my body! This is my life! You can just fuck off! No!"
Etc.
And subsequently, while I have had a few milder episodes, I have known what to do to stop it. And never had that sensation of something trying to occupy my body ever again. As well, now, when I recall that episode? I feel strong, and very much unafraid. I kind of enjoyed being the victor. This was in maybe 2006 or 7, that this happened, BTW.
So, it was scary at first but then, boy did it make me mad. See, that worked. So I have to recommend it. IMO we are just a little too cowed by our own unexplored minds.... or something.
It's too long a story for real detail, but from the time I was seven until I turned thirteen, my family was terrorized by people unknown. We lived on the edge of a tiny farm town, and I can't even describe some of teh things that happened. Faces suddenly pressing against our window, sometimes faces on fire. The grownups assumed it was really Halloween masks, or something similar, that were on fire. Eerie noises in the night. Chickens killed. An aunt who went out at night and had her dress ripped off, and suffered some serious bruising, before anyone could get there to help her.
We would see people standing off in the weeds, or in teh distance at night. My grandfather and a couple of my uncles chased one, and he jumped a seven foot fence and disappeared.
It was utterly, completely terrorizing. We called teh police many times, and they found plenty of evidence that stranger were out there, but never could catch anyone, or even trail them more than a few yards.
I can't tell you how afraid I was. Not scared me to death. One night I couldn't sleep because all night long I heard a distant, rhythmic tinging sound, like someone lightly tapping a huge propane tank with a hammer.
It took an hour to work up teh courage, but I finally looked out the window, and I saw a figure standing in the distance, right from where the sound seemed to be coming from.
Then, when I was almost thirteen, I decided I'd had enough. After hearing sounds, I slipped out my window one night, and took my bow with me. You have no idea how scared I was. Not long thereafter I saw a figure, down close to the chicken coop, and I shot at him.
He yelled, almost screamed, and took off.
Several months later, in January, our house caught fire in the middle of the night, and burned to the ground. We got out with nothing but what we were wearing.
No one ever found out who, what, or why those things were happening to us, but after that night when I went out with my bow, I never was scared again, let alone terrified.
I've had normal, rational fears since then, but I've never been afraid, if you understand what I mean. I think that night, facing up to what really was completely terrifying, at age twelve, taught me that I could stand up to anything.
Awesome story! I wish I could have lived somewhere on the edge of a town like that. I grew up in the ghetto in St. Louis. It was scary there, but for a different reason entirely. I would love to hear more, it sounds like there is a great book in there.
On a side note, if anyone is interested I wrote a short story somewhat about my experiences with my Shadow Person. I tweaked it a bit to make it a more interesting and the ending is essentially what happened. I credit my wife for saving me from those things. I posted the story in the Horror section of the SYW section. I would love it if you could all go read it and give me some critiques, Im pretty new to writing and need the help.
I've thought about turning this into a novel many times, but never have actually tried it. This is odd because I base a huge number of my stories on things I've done, things I've experienced, but never this.
I can't decide how to approach it. I should have enough distance by now, but each time I think about writing it, something stops me. Maybe it is time to try again. It's been several years since I last thought about it.
Good thread. Nothing super natural springing to mind, but a few years ago I was driving home from work on the motor when six police cars flew by and and speed signs changed to 20 mph and the messages said "on coming vehicle".
That was pretty terrifying.
Terror. Yes. I understand that.Never had a shadow person, Jake. But my ex was pretty terrifying.
When I was young I was tormented by a Shadow Person. I had sleep paralysis every few nights. I would wake up with a utter feeling of dread and not be able to move at all. I could scream but absolutely no sound would come out. And then there was a person in the doorway to my room who never looked like anything more than a shadow. It would stand there for a while and then charge the bed. It would attack me viciously and it would feel like it was tearing my skin off. Then I would be out, and when I woke up in the morning it would be like it was a horrible dream. Has anyone else ever experienced Shadow people? If so can you share your story.
I wrote a short story kind of about it but I am not allowed to post my work yet.
Jake,
I saw tons of shadow people but they never hurt me. In fact, I saw the "hat man" shadow person several times and I just looked it.Usually, I just accept they exist and then I look away. I show no fear nor terror because I will not allow negative emotions to enter my mind. In fact, I saw tons of creepy things but I will show no fear towards these beings. Usually, they just ignore me and just disappear into the background. Plus I never had sleep paralysis or nightmares because I never feared evil. Even as a little girl, I just accepted that the world is full of both good and evil. That why horror seems so natural to me
Funny how everyone here talks about nightmares, and not real-life terror. I guess because in real life, terror is often blunted by shock.