"Life is stranger than fiction," people say. And sometimes, it really is true. Have you ever had an experience so weird you still can't explain it to this day? And what about stories from other people about folks who went through things so crazy they're still stuck in your head many years later?
Can't think of any? We're here to help, then! We've gathered the wildest stories people shared from a thread where one netizen asked: "What is the creepiest real-life story you know that still sends chills down your spine?"
Some people went for morbid stories from their personal lives, others shared wider-known terrifying stories that still give them nightmares. But which ones do you think are the scariest?
#21
My aunt woke up in the middle of the night and noticed the red led light on her tv was off. She rolled over in bed and saw the light turn back on. When she woke up the next morning her TV was gone along with a ton of other stuff.
23points
#22
Totally unexplainable and confusing to me to this day. I want to preface this by being very clear that I am not superstitious and I am not someone who is easily frightened and let's my mind play tricks on me.
15 years old, I was at my Dad's house visiting him for spring break. I was sleeping in my room and woke up to a sound that I can only describe as someone exhaling, very aggressively, and it started far away and got really close and loud. Its like, if someone threw an invisible ball at me and it was the sounds of someone exhaling really hard and when it hit me it was right in my ear very loud and blew my hair to the side.
Obviously it woke me up, and I looked across the room to see my window curtains blowing violently from the window being open. I thought to myself, "Oh s**t, I thought I closed that."
I hurried over to the window, as it was still blowing the curtains, and it was loud too. You could hear the wind whistling through the screen. Pushed the curtains aside to close it and all of a sudden everything went quite and still as I realized the window was already closed.
I sat there and stared at that window for probably 10 minutes trying to understand what tf just happened. Then I walked back over to my bed and laid there all night, literally until the sun came up, trying to figure out what could have caused that. Never was able to come up with anything.
15 years old, I was at my Dad's house visiting him for spring break. I was sleeping in my room and woke up to a sound that I can only describe as someone exhaling, very aggressively, and it started far away and got really close and loud. Its like, if someone threw an invisible ball at me and it was the sounds of someone exhaling really hard and when it hit me it was right in my ear very loud and blew my hair to the side.
Obviously it woke me up, and I looked across the room to see my window curtains blowing violently from the window being open. I thought to myself, "Oh s**t, I thought I closed that."
I hurried over to the window, as it was still blowing the curtains, and it was loud too. You could hear the wind whistling through the screen. Pushed the curtains aside to close it and all of a sudden everything went quite and still as I realized the window was already closed.
I sat there and stared at that window for probably 10 minutes trying to understand what tf just happened. Then I walked back over to my bed and laid there all night, literally until the sun came up, trying to figure out what could have caused that. Never was able to come up with anything.
22points
#23
The story of the divers who got sucked into the pipe and lived for 4 days in complete darkness and were unable to move. No one attempted a rescue. I believe it was in Russia. Mr. ballin did a video on it.
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20points
#24
I did not know this person, but many years ago a girl who was dating my aunt's grandson, got her glove stuck in a meat grinder at her job, in the deli of a grocery store. You can probably guess what happened to her.
20points
#25
This happened to me about 10 years ago. My best friend growing up, Steve, had died unexpectedly. We had grown apart but had recently started speaking after many years.
Steve hated, and I'm using the word hated here, technology. No computer, no cell phone. Nothing but a television with an antenna and a land line for good old Steve. I was away on business when I got word that he had died. Since he never married, and was pretty much a son of a b***h, and had been estranged from his family for about ten years (I saw his sister and brother yesterday), his body was undiscovered for a couple of weeks. That part haunts me to this day.
Shortly after returning home, I left again for on a trip for a course that was being given in Texas. Sitting in class my phone, on vibrate mode, buzzed. It was Steve. A cold flush swept over me. I was sitting in class so didn't answer. I called later that day, and as expected, there was no answer.
I'm retired now, but at the time I worked for a satellite telecommunications company. Part of my job was managing back office telecom equipment, so I understood call routing over SS7 networks, and routing tables. If the number was reassigned to someone else, they perhaps misdialed my number, or dialed in a redial code into his old POTS desk set. It creeped me out.
I don't believe in ghosts, or spirits, or any of that hokum, but the weirdness and randomness of that incident makes me think about rejigging some of my assumptions.
Steve hated, and I'm using the word hated here, technology. No computer, no cell phone. Nothing but a television with an antenna and a land line for good old Steve. I was away on business when I got word that he had died. Since he never married, and was pretty much a son of a b***h, and had been estranged from his family for about ten years (I saw his sister and brother yesterday), his body was undiscovered for a couple of weeks. That part haunts me to this day.
Shortly after returning home, I left again for on a trip for a course that was being given in Texas. Sitting in class my phone, on vibrate mode, buzzed. It was Steve. A cold flush swept over me. I was sitting in class so didn't answer. I called later that day, and as expected, there was no answer.
I'm retired now, but at the time I worked for a satellite telecommunications company. Part of my job was managing back office telecom equipment, so I understood call routing over SS7 networks, and routing tables. If the number was reassigned to someone else, they perhaps misdialed my number, or dialed in a redial code into his old POTS desk set. It creeped me out.
I don't believe in ghosts, or spirits, or any of that hokum, but the weirdness and randomness of that incident makes me think about rejigging some of my assumptions.
19points
#26
Ghost story time
Both my brothers, my mother, and step dad can attest to this experience we all shared as well.
When I was quite young, around the ages of 6-8 we lived in a very old and creepy 2 story house together with some of my step-dad's friends being roommates because the house was so large. The room I stayed in was on the left at the top of the stairs and had no door, with my brothers both staying in the room across from me. The stairwell itself had a door at the top and bottom that I would close on my way to bed every night because it made me feel a bit safer (anxious little kid). The previous owner of the house, our great uncle Earl, had committed s*****e in the house in my bedroom. Family never told me that until I was older, but it made everything make more sense when I found out he had hung himself above where I slept every night. Starting aound 10-11pm every night, without the door at the bottom of the stairwell opening, we would all hear loud footsteps slowly climb the stairs that wouldnt cease until about 4 in the morning. They would walk up to the top, into my room, and then restart at the bottom. It was absolutely f*****g terrifying and even typing this out evokes that same bone chilling horror that makes me want to tear up and feel like my gut has been punched. Every single night for years of my childhood I'd have heard these steps, my brothers did as well as momma and step dad, and my youngest would say that he'd see people in the house at night which was also f****d. We think he might have been extra sensitive to the spiritual stuff. Out of curiosity one night I opened the top door of the stair well and turned the light on to see who was coming up the stairs, and there was absolutely no one or anything in front of me, and the footsteps had stopped when the light came on. I bolted back into my room, hid under my covers just to hear them begin again at the bottom. It got to the point where my mom would yell "GO TO BED EARL" when he was feeling extra active and reliving his final moments over and over, and crazily enough they would stop when she yelled. As a family we all share this fear and fascination of ghosts and the afterlife having lived in such a place. The house was burned down in a controlled burn to make way for suburbs, and I went to the rubble and grabbed a couple scorched bricks as mementos. I will always and forever believe in ghosts now.
Both my brothers, my mother, and step dad can attest to this experience we all shared as well.
When I was quite young, around the ages of 6-8 we lived in a very old and creepy 2 story house together with some of my step-dad's friends being roommates because the house was so large. The room I stayed in was on the left at the top of the stairs and had no door, with my brothers both staying in the room across from me. The stairwell itself had a door at the top and bottom that I would close on my way to bed every night because it made me feel a bit safer (anxious little kid). The previous owner of the house, our great uncle Earl, had committed s*****e in the house in my bedroom. Family never told me that until I was older, but it made everything make more sense when I found out he had hung himself above where I slept every night. Starting aound 10-11pm every night, without the door at the bottom of the stairwell opening, we would all hear loud footsteps slowly climb the stairs that wouldnt cease until about 4 in the morning. They would walk up to the top, into my room, and then restart at the bottom. It was absolutely f*****g terrifying and even typing this out evokes that same bone chilling horror that makes me want to tear up and feel like my gut has been punched. Every single night for years of my childhood I'd have heard these steps, my brothers did as well as momma and step dad, and my youngest would say that he'd see people in the house at night which was also f****d. We think he might have been extra sensitive to the spiritual stuff. Out of curiosity one night I opened the top door of the stair well and turned the light on to see who was coming up the stairs, and there was absolutely no one or anything in front of me, and the footsteps had stopped when the light came on. I bolted back into my room, hid under my covers just to hear them begin again at the bottom. It got to the point where my mom would yell "GO TO BED EARL" when he was feeling extra active and reliving his final moments over and over, and crazily enough they would stop when she yelled. As a family we all share this fear and fascination of ghosts and the afterlife having lived in such a place. The house was burned down in a controlled burn to make way for suburbs, and I went to the rubble and grabbed a couple scorched bricks as mementos. I will always and forever believe in ghosts now.
17points
#27
Long-story-short... my babysitter k**ed her husband. We were neighbors, and my dad was good friends with her husband.
17points
#28
I worked with a dude who had a criminal record but that wasn’t unusual in and of itself at that job, and I am not generally judgmental about it.
He lived near me, a few blocks over, and I’d drive him home and he’d walk to his house. We worked late hours (midnights) and sometimes we’d be off around bar call 2-3a, notably when the dope dealers and other criminal types were out in front of the buildings hanging out. Whatever. They didn’t bother my white woman a*s…
One night he gets out of my car and tells the “doormen” outside my building that “she’s cool” and their demeanor shifted towards me, from neutral/indifferent to friendly.
I am on my break on night checking FB and see someone was shot to death a few blocks from me. Dude wasn’t at work. I just had a gut feeling. Sure enough, about a month later, they caught my coworker.
He came to work the night after, didn’t seem off, but claimed a new job and put in his notice, called the GM and quit after that shift. Not unusual in my job at the time, and my GM generally didn’t put up a fight so it didn’t seem strange.
He lived near me, a few blocks over, and I’d drive him home and he’d walk to his house. We worked late hours (midnights) and sometimes we’d be off around bar call 2-3a, notably when the dope dealers and other criminal types were out in front of the buildings hanging out. Whatever. They didn’t bother my white woman a*s…
One night he gets out of my car and tells the “doormen” outside my building that “she’s cool” and their demeanor shifted towards me, from neutral/indifferent to friendly.
I am on my break on night checking FB and see someone was shot to death a few blocks from me. Dude wasn’t at work. I just had a gut feeling. Sure enough, about a month later, they caught my coworker.
He came to work the night after, didn’t seem off, but claimed a new job and put in his notice, called the GM and quit after that shift. Not unusual in my job at the time, and my GM generally didn’t put up a fight so it didn’t seem strange.
17points
#29
I have to search up the details later but I read about a guy who survived his car crashing off a cliff. he was able to climb up the cliff back onto the road and call for help, but when help arrived, he immediately collapsed and was pronounced dead at the scene. it was discovered that his neck was barely hanging on from total decapitation and turning around was all it took to sever it completely. gives me chills that he thought he had survived miraculously for a moment.
17points
#30
I had a friend that went with his mom to stay at his grandma's house. It was old and spooky, but his mom didn't want to go alone so he went with her.
That night, he was sleeping on the couch, and heard someone walking down the hallway. He thought it was his mom going to the bathroom, so he closed his eyes so that his mom didn't see he was still awake.
But the footsteps got closer until they were right by couch. He kept his eyes shut tight to keep pretending he was asleep. He actually felt breath on his forehead, like his mom was going to give him a goodnight kiss, but then he felt his mom straighten up and walk away from the couch.
The next morning, he asked his mom why she had checked on him, but she told him she had been so freaked out by a bad vibe nearby, she had never left her room. He wonders what he would have seen if he had opened his eyes when whatever it was was bending over him.
A few months later, his grandma died, and they went back to the house to pack up the stuff. When it was daylight, the house was fine. But as soon as the sun went down, it got very eery very quickly. They both decided to stay in a motel rather than sleep in the house.
That night, he was sleeping on the couch, and heard someone walking down the hallway. He thought it was his mom going to the bathroom, so he closed his eyes so that his mom didn't see he was still awake.
But the footsteps got closer until they were right by couch. He kept his eyes shut tight to keep pretending he was asleep. He actually felt breath on his forehead, like his mom was going to give him a goodnight kiss, but then he felt his mom straighten up and walk away from the couch.
The next morning, he asked his mom why she had checked on him, but she told him she had been so freaked out by a bad vibe nearby, she had never left her room. He wonders what he would have seen if he had opened his eyes when whatever it was was bending over him.
A few months later, his grandma died, and they went back to the house to pack up the stuff. When it was daylight, the house was fine. But as soon as the sun went down, it got very eery very quickly. They both decided to stay in a motel rather than sleep in the house.
16points
#31
I believe my dead mother warned me and my grandma that my sister was sneaking out.
Me and my sister were sleeping at my grandparents house. Young sis, boy crazy over the wrong boy, decides to sneak out the house unbeknownst to anyone.
To this day I cannot explain this.
The smoke detector started going off. Like the house was smoking but the house was completely fine; but all the detectors were going off. I jumped up awake and swung my door open, but I didn’t see any fires or smoke or nothing. I walk down the hall to check on my sister, and I see that her bed is empty. I’m panicking, so I run to my grandma’s room and wake her up (she’s already awake because of the smoke detectors) and I’m telling her that I can’t find my sister, she isn’t in the house.
After a good ten minutes, young sis sneaks (barely) back in the house, and before me or my grandma could start cussing her out, the smoke detectors stopped going off. Just like that. Couldn’t explain how or why.
Later that night, after she gets her punishment and goes in her room, me and my grandma are talking about the events that happened. She tells me that my mom used to be a strict one when it came to fires. She had a childhood best friend who lost her home in a fire, so she was known as the family firefighter. Made sure we knew where the fire extinguisher was, checking the batteries in the detectors, memorizing our escape route plan (it’s still drilled in my memory). Maybe my mom was in the smoke detector? I dunno, but she was there that night.
Me and my sister were sleeping at my grandparents house. Young sis, boy crazy over the wrong boy, decides to sneak out the house unbeknownst to anyone.
To this day I cannot explain this.
The smoke detector started going off. Like the house was smoking but the house was completely fine; but all the detectors were going off. I jumped up awake and swung my door open, but I didn’t see any fires or smoke or nothing. I walk down the hall to check on my sister, and I see that her bed is empty. I’m panicking, so I run to my grandma’s room and wake her up (she’s already awake because of the smoke detectors) and I’m telling her that I can’t find my sister, she isn’t in the house.
After a good ten minutes, young sis sneaks (barely) back in the house, and before me or my grandma could start cussing her out, the smoke detectors stopped going off. Just like that. Couldn’t explain how or why.
Later that night, after she gets her punishment and goes in her room, me and my grandma are talking about the events that happened. She tells me that my mom used to be a strict one when it came to fires. She had a childhood best friend who lost her home in a fire, so she was known as the family firefighter. Made sure we knew where the fire extinguisher was, checking the batteries in the detectors, memorizing our escape route plan (it’s still drilled in my memory). Maybe my mom was in the smoke detector? I dunno, but she was there that night.
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16points
#32
One of my dad's friends had a little brother. They took a trip and the brother went missing, wasn't found for twenty years - when he was found, he was deceased, at the bottom of a well. My dad found out because immediately after the event he was called by the friend in a panic, asking if he could get a higher law enforcement involved or organise offical search parties, as my dad worked near that sorta stuff for awhile. He watched the slow descent of the man's family until the body was found. Had a long, deep philosophical talk with him that night.
What makes it scarier was how he ended up in the well - it was night when he went missing, and he was tipsy, so the poor guy walked straight in likely enough. Died on impact hopefully, I can't imagine being stuck at the bottom.
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What makes it scarier was how he ended up in the well - it was night when he went missing, and he was tipsy, so the poor guy walked straight in likely enough. Died on impact hopefully, I can't imagine being stuck at the bottom.
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14points
#33
Late 70’s living on small ranch south of San Antonio. Neighbor named Frank asked us for help with his new registered Brahman Bull he had just purchased. We helped him unload the bull , registered name was Cornelius into a holding pen so the cows could get acquainted with the new addition to the herd. The next day Frank asked us if we saw or heard anything unusual during the night. His new Bull Cornelius was dead. All of us went to his back pasture that was next to ours . Cornelius was on his side, no visible cause of death. No blood, only some superficial scratches on neck and hind quarters. Never knew anything in our area that could take down a Brahman Bull. Heard through my Dad that Frank claims to have seen a headless woman in that pasture. The rest of my time living there Frank never went into that pasture after dark. By the way, never saw or heard of Frank drinking. We never saw the woman, with or without a head. Frank made it a point to warn us. Sure creeped us out.
12points
#34
I was just getting over Covid (the OG version in August 2020, it d**n near k**ed me). I woke up in the middle of the night, and swore I saw someone standing next to my bed. I figured that it was a trick of the light, so I stood up to change perspective.
He was still there. I saw him SO CLEARLY. He had short hair, and was turned 3/4 of the way away from me. He was wearing a plaid shirt tucked into jeans. Of course, I start screaming and pull the cord on the ceiling fan.
As soon as the light came on he disappeared. I don’t know if it was a Covid hallucination or what, but I have never experienced anything that real before that wasn’t actually real.
I later told a neurologist about it because I was worried about possible brain damage and he just looked at me for a long time, then changed the subject.
I was living in a two hundred year old house at the time, so maybe I saw a ghost, who the hell knows, but it scared the C**P out of me.
He was still there. I saw him SO CLEARLY. He had short hair, and was turned 3/4 of the way away from me. He was wearing a plaid shirt tucked into jeans. Of course, I start screaming and pull the cord on the ceiling fan.
As soon as the light came on he disappeared. I don’t know if it was a Covid hallucination or what, but I have never experienced anything that real before that wasn’t actually real.
I later told a neurologist about it because I was worried about possible brain damage and he just looked at me for a long time, then changed the subject.
I was living in a two hundred year old house at the time, so maybe I saw a ghost, who the hell knows, but it scared the C**P out of me.
11points
#35
This one still creeps and haunts me to this day. So our school went on a picnic to a resort and it also had a waterpark so we played in it and when it was time to leave I went to the changing room but I just wasn't comfortable changing with hundreds of random wet kids so me and my friends decided to change somewhere else so we went to the boundary of the resort (there were small bushes trees etc and a boundary wall)
So I was casually changing and i heard someone whisper and laugh so I looked around,there was no one but just my friends then I looked beyond the wall and holy Christ I caught people stalking us... they were literally stalking school kids changing. I screamed loudly and told my friends at first they did not belive me and they threw stones across the wall started swearing etc until one of my friends saw them aswell and noticed that they were recording everything with their phone later a guard came and saw us and started swearing at us from a distance so we all ran away..
I still think about this incident sometimes and it always scares and confuses me why would someone record little children changing their clothes.
So I was casually changing and i heard someone whisper and laugh so I looked around,there was no one but just my friends then I looked beyond the wall and holy Christ I caught people stalking us... they were literally stalking school kids changing. I screamed loudly and told my friends at first they did not belive me and they threw stones across the wall started swearing etc until one of my friends saw them aswell and noticed that they were recording everything with their phone later a guard came and saw us and started swearing at us from a distance so we all ran away..
I still think about this incident sometimes and it always scares and confuses me why would someone record little children changing their clothes.
9points
