Scary Stories For A Rainy Night - Ep. 165 - 100% DEAD

Summary

Scary Stories and Rain: Episode 165 - "100% DEAD"

In Episode 165 of Scary Stories and Rain titled "100% DEAD," host Emily, along with occasional contributions from James, delves into a series of chilling true-life encounters interwoven with the soothing sounds of ambient rain. This episode presents a tapestry of unsettling experiences ranging from creepy encounters at seemingly ordinary locations to inexplicable paranormal events. Below is a detailed summary capturing all the key points, discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode.

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1. The Gas Station Encounter

Timestamp: [00:41] – [10:20]

Emily begins the episode by recounting a harrowing experience from 2019 during a family outing to a Fourth of July fireworks show. After the event, while waiting at a gas station, Emily and her husband observe a man whose intense and unsettling gaze makes them uneasy.

• Key Events:

  • Initial Observation: The man at the gas station exhibits an unnervingly intense stare, making Emily feel uncomfortable ([00:41]).
  • Escalation: Upon her husband's return, the man's agitation increases, leading him to approach their car aggressively ([03:15]).
  • Confrontation: The husband attempts to reason with the man, who becomes increasingly insistent and threatening ([07:30]).
  • Resolution: The situation de-escalates when the husband threatens to call the police, causing the man to retreat ([09:45]).

• Notable Quote:

  "His gaze was incredibly intense and made me very uncomfortable. Like all women, I'm used to the usual gas station creep, but there was something about this man's glare that was deeply unsettling." — Emily ([02:15])

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2. Nighttime Newspaper Delivery Nightmares

Timestamp: [10:21] – [26:27]

Emily transitions to her experiences delivering newspapers in her early twenties, highlighting incidents that, while initially terrifying, became humorous in hindsight.

• Key Events:

  • Black Cat Incident: Mistaking a cat for a threatening presence, leading to a panic-induced reaction ([12:00]).
  • Deer Encounter: A sudden appearance of a deer beside her, which startled her to fear an attack ([15:00]).
  • Scarecrow Surprise: Believing a scarecrow to be a human figure due to poor lighting and darkness during a town's scarecrow competition ([20:00]).

• Notable Quote:

  "One of the most unnerving experiences was approaching what I thought was a human figure, only to realize it was a scarecrow." — Emily ([24:30])

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3. The Rest Stop Incident

Timestamp: [26:27] – [38:48]

Emily shares a disturbing encounter at a rest stop with her husband, where a man's persistent and aggressive behavior hints at potential threats like human trafficking.

• Key Events:

  • Initial Interaction: The man pleads for a ride, displaying increasingly aggressive behavior ([30:00]).
  • Escalation: Despite multiple refusals, the man grows angrier, leading to Emily's heightened fear of violence ([33:45]).
  • Resolution: The husband threatens to involve the police, causing the man to back off and return to his post ([35:20]).
  • Reflection: Emily reflects on the terror they felt and the potential dangers of the situation ([38:00]).

• Notable Quote:

  "I was terrified he was going to get violent because of how insistent and angry he was becoming." — Emily ([34:10])

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4. Hallucinations After the Renaissance Fair

Timestamp: [38:48] – [55:17]

Emily narrates a bizarre experience following her first visit to a Renaissance fair, which leads to severe hallucinations and physical distress, likely induced by unknowingly consumed hallucinogens.

• Key Events:

  • The Fair: Enjoying her first Renaissance fair, Emily indulges in beers and experiences exhaustion ([40:00]).
  • Hallucinogenic Effects: The next day, she experiences altered perceptions, such as shifting musical tones and seeing music on the freeway ([45:00]).
  • Crisis at Work: At her job, hallucinations intensify, leading her to seek help from her psychiatrist ([50:00]).
  • Conclusion: Emily realizes she was likely drugged, explaining the sudden and severe symptoms ([55:00]).

• Notable Quote:

  "I felt like I had taken a hallucinogenic drug. But the thing was, I didn't take anything." — Emily ([50:30])

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5. James' Supernatural Running Experience

Timestamp: [55:17] – [63:15]

James shares an unsettling experience during a night run where he encounters a mysterious jogger who seemingly disappears without a trace, leaving him questioning the existence of ghosts.

• Key Events:

  • The Encounter: During an early morning run, James sees a jogger who ignores his friendly gesture ([58:00]).
  • Disappearance: Upon turning back, the jogger has vanished despite the trail’s visibility and lighting ([60:30]).
  • Aftermath: James runs back home in fear and remains haunted by the incident, even revisiting the location with his daughter ([63:00]).

• Notable Quote:

  "Did I just say hi and wave at a ghost? Did I even believe in them in the first place?" — James ([60:00])

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6. Paranormal Activity in an Archaeology Building

Timestamp: [63:15] – [47:37]

Emily recounts a frightening night shift at an old university building where she experiences unnerving sounds and a profound sense of being watched.

• Key Events:

  • Initial Unease: While working in the basement, Emily feels lonely and decides to take a break ([64:00]).
  • Strange Sounds: Encounters metallic noises and a sensation of being watched, prompting her to flee ([66:00]).
  • Elevator Mystery: Notices an elevator window lit in an unused building area, deepening her fear ([68:30]).
  • Reflection: Emily seeks explanations, pondering psychological versus paranormal causes ([70:00]).

• Notable Quote:

  "I could have sworn that I was the only person on earth. It was like the whole world wasn't moving anymore." — Emily ([69:00])

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7. Late-Night Engineering at the Zoo

Timestamp: [47:37] – [55:17]

Emily describes a terrifying incident while working overnight at a zoo, where malfunctioning electrical systems unleash wild animals into the facility.

• Key Events:

  • Work Begins: Emily is part of a team constructing exhibit locking mechanisms at a local zoo ([50:00]).
  • Electrical Malfunction: An outage opens exhibit doors, allowing animals to roam free ([53:00]).
  • Animal Encounter: Faces off with aggressive monkeys in the kitchen area, fearing for her safety ([55:00]).
  • Aftermath: Authorities regain control, but the incident leaves Emily traumatized and socially mocked ([58:00]).

• Notable Quote:

  "When you're staring at a wild animal and they are looking right back at you, it is completely rational to fear for your safety." — Emily ([56:30])

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8. Ocean Walk and the Red Ball Phenomenon

Timestamp: [63:15] – [75:00]

Emily narrates a surreal experience during a beach vacation where she encounters a mysterious glowing red ball that emits blinding light and triggers vivid hallucinations.

• Key Events:

  • Nighttime Stroll: While taking a walk on a private ocean-front property, Emily discovers a glowing red ball in the sand ([70:00]).
  • Phenomenon: The ball emits intense flashes and affects the sky, leaving Emily disoriented and unconscious ([74:00]).
  • Recovery: Wakes up to her wife’s panic, struggling to explain the inexplicable event ([75:00]).
  • Aftermath: Emily is left questioning the reality of her experience, as her wife dismisses it as a dream ([78:00]).

• Notable Quote:

  "I saw all sorts of colors in the sky and a lot of red flashes that I could only describe as looking like heat lighting." — Emily ([74:30])

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9. Final Reflections and Conclusions

Timestamp: [75:00] – [End]

Emily wraps up the episode by reflecting on the nature of true scary stories and the fine line between reality and the supernatural. She emphasizes the importance of sharing these experiences to find solace and understanding, encouraging listeners to relate and seek explanations for their own encounters.

• Key Takeaways:

  • Reality of Fear: Terrifying experiences are not confined to fiction; they occur in everyday life ([80:00]).
  • Sharing for Healing: Discussing these stories can be therapeutic and help individuals process their fears ([82:00]).
  • Skepticism vs. Belief: Balancing skepticism with an open mind towards unexplained phenomena ([85:00]).

• Notable Quote:

  "Something that happens to me that I can't let go. Let me know what you experienced? Could it have been just a vivid dream that I passed out?" — Emily ([73:00])

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Conclusion

Episode 165 of Scary Stories and Rain weaves together a series of personal and spine-chilling narratives that explore the depths of human fear and the unknown. Through Emily’s vivid storytelling and James' insightful interjections, listeners are taken on a journey through real-life horrors that blur the lines between reality and the supernatural. The episode underscores the unpredictable nature of fear and the importance of sharing one's experiences to find understanding and comfort.

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Note: All timestamps correspond to the moments in the provided transcript and may not align perfectly with the actual podcast episode.

Transcript

[Emily]

Hey, welcome to Scary Stories and Rain. Before we begin, be sure to check out my brand new podcast, Scary Stories and Fire. If you would prefer the same great stories but with a super relaxing campfire background, the link is in the description. Also, if you haven't yet, I highly recommend you subscribe to this podcast. If you enjoy listening to Relax or Fall Asleep hundreds of hours of stories and rain for $2.99 a month. That will get you access to all episodes with zero ads. Consider subscribing and I hope you enjoy.

[James]

This episode.

[Emily]

In 2019, my husband and I were newly married with a one year old daughter. He had recently reconnected with his stepfather and he invited us to a fourth of July fireworks show with his family in a larger city near us. We had a great time reconnecting and enjoying the show from a distance so as to not upset our one year old and allow her the experience of seeing fireworks for the first time. It was a lot of fun and a good memory is one of our first family outings. However, what happened afterward still haunts my husband and I to this day. After finally exiting the traffic from the fireworks show, we headed to the nearest gas station. My husband went inside to prepay with cash as the price was 10 cents cheaper that way and my daughter and I waited inside the car. I always try to be aware of my surroundings, especially in places that I'm not familiar with, but it was hard not to notice the man standing out front of the gas station. He was leaning against the brick wall, struggling to sit still, eyes darting back and forth among the various customers at the pumps. When he noticed me in the car, basically alone, he immediately locked eyes with me and did not look away. His gaze was incredibly intense and made me very uncomfortable. Like all women, I'm used to the usual gas station creep who can't stop stop staring and might even make a weird remark or two. But there was something about this man's glare that was deeply unsettling. There was an emptiness behind his eyes and a primal element to his stare. I was very relieved when my husband returned to the car moments later. My relief did not last, however. The man became visibly agitated upon seeing my husband's return. His face became angry and his gaze shifted quickly back and forth between myself and my husband. He began getting antsy again and started pacing back and forth, never taking his eyes off of us. My husband noticed this too and began watching the man, trying to figure out what his deal was. The man then made a beeline for our car and my stomach dropped to my knees. Something was deeply wrong and I was terrified of what was about to happen. As he made his way over, my husband told me to lock the doors and I gladly obliged as I learned from talking to my husband. Later, when the man approached him at the pump, he recounted some sob story about his girlfriend abandoning him there and asked for a ride home. My husband said that the entire time he was telling his story, he was staring at me in the car while he already found this guy scary. He said he immediately understood the man's intentions and began trying to get him to leave. He told him that no, we were sorry but we could not give him a ride. We needed to get our daughter home and we weren't traveling anywhere near his direction. The man insisted, pleading his case with my husband. With each refusal he got angrier and angrier and while I couldn't hear the conversation inside the car, I noticed the change in his demeanor and I was terrified he was going to get violent. After several refusals, my husband pulled out his phone and told the man that if he didn't leave us alone, he was going to call the cops. The man gritted his teeth, gave me an angry glare, and walked back to his previous post at the front of the gas station. My husband quickly returned the nozzle to the pump, closed the tank, and jumped back in the car. As we sped off, I took one last glance behind me and the man was angrily watching us leave as he puffed on a cigarette in front of the station. When he got back in the car, my husband was pretty shaken up. As we drove away, he told me what the man had said and how unnerving it was that he would not take his eyes off of me while he was talking to him. He said he was terrified the man was going to try to force his way into the car because of how insistent and angry he was becoming. He was surprised and relieved that the man actually walked away. Needless to say, this was one of the most unsettling experiences we have ever had and I don't want to imagine what would have happened to my young family if this man hadn't given up when he in my early 20s, I used to deliver newspapers overnight twice a week, usually from around 12 to 6am it was one of the most enjoyable jobs I have ever had as an introvert, but being a young female traveling through the darkness and isolation of the late night made me a little paranoid. This led to some incidents that were terrifying in the moment but quickly became a laughable memory. The first scary experience I had was after having been on the job for over a month, I had become comfortable with my route and was able to do it mostly by memory at this point. In this instance, I was approaching a historical Victorian home with a wraparound porch. The walkway up to the porch was long, dark, and surrounded by thick plant life, and it was always a little creepy. This night I approached the porch as usual and tossed the paper toward the requested door. This door was at the end of a narrow, dark corridor, so I would stop at the beginning of the corridor and toss the paper. As I have terrible, terrible night vision and didn't want to trip on something and make a big scene, I went through with my usual routine of tossing the paper from a distance when suddenly a dark shape came flying at me from near the door. I screamed, turned on my heel, and ran to my car. Upon looking up as I opened my car door, I realized it was only a black cat and I had probably frightened him just as much as he had frightened me. The second incident occurred not long after the first. My route was split in half between the edge of town in ritzy suburban neighborhoods and isolated farms that took me down long dirt roads miles from civilization. One night I pulled up to a mailbox in front of an old farmhouse right on the edge of a large field. I grabbed a paper from my backseat and as I reached my arm out the window to place the paper in the box, I noticed the face of a creature right next to my arm, close enough that it could have easily moved forward a few feet and quickly made its way through my open window. I screamed as I struggled to process what I was seeing with my poor night vision. When I realized it was just a deer hanging out next to the paper box. I am not sure how I didn't spook him, but he was totally unbothered by either my presence or my scream. I laughed, hoped to God I didn't wake anyone, and finished out my night. The third and creepiest incident was the result of building paranoia over the course of months and occurred at the end of my time delivering papers. Since starting the route, I had noticed the same vehicle almost every night driving slowly through one of the nicest subdivisions on my route. Being a lone female at around 2 or 3am this was unnerving, but they were never close enough to think much of it. I kept my eyes on the vehicle with every visit, especially since I was there at varying times of night, but somehow always managed to see the same vehicle meandering through the neighborhood. One night in mid fall, probably early October, I approached a home whose paper box required me to get out of the car and walk across the road to deliver their paper. I grabbed the paper, placed my hand on the door handle and suddenly spotted something out of the corner of my eye. In the distance about 30 yards from the mailbox, there was a figure standing extremely still. The figure was facing my car as if they were watching me and not moving a muscle. The figure was dressed in all dark colored clothing except for a lighter colored shirt with stripes which made some kind of reflection reflective material akin to a construction vest. I immediately thought of the slow moving vehicle I always saw in this neighborhood.

[James]

Nope.

[Emily]

I locked my doors, took a deep breath and took a second look. My brain could not come up with a good reason why someone would be standing so still in the middle of the yard at such a late hour, nor rationalize what I might be seeing. I was ready to completely abandon the entire neighborhood for the night and come back with someone else after sunrise to finish my deliveries. I decided to turn my brights on and take one last look to confirm that I was really seeing what I thought I was seeing. I flipped the switch, looked up and found myself staring at a very well made scarecrow.

[James]

A scarecrow.

[Emily]

It was then I realized that it was indeed October and our town always had a scarecrow competition. I hope these homeowners won because it was very well put together and in the darkness I absolutely could not tell the difference between the scarecrow and an actual human being. I moved on to a better job shortly after the third incident accident. But I was left with a lot of interesting stories from the short time on my route. This happened years ago when I was 19. I'm now in my mid-20s. I still remember this very clearly because of how creeped out I was back then. I was living 600 miles away from my parents in a different state. Even though there was a distance, my mom and I still talked on the phone at least twice a week and we were still really close. So when we found out her cancer was back, I didn't think twice about dropping everything to drive down to see her. A plane ticket would be too expensive and I had a 10 year old Toyota that might have been a bit beat up but still got me from A to B cheaply and quietly. My parents weren't thrilled at the idea of me driving the 11 hours by myself, but my mind was made up so they offered me a deal. I would stop at a rest stop every two, three hours and stretch my legs and call them. And in exchange for this courtesy they would pay for my gas if I did not call within the three hour window, though they would assume that I had been in an accident and would call me repeatedly, interrupting the audiobook or podcast that they knew that I would have on. I accepted the deal and that's why I was at this particular rest stop at 2:45am this was actually one of the nicer stops. Well lit, multiple vending machines that did not have huge cages around them. The payphone was not broken and it looked clean. There were a couple cars there with people sleeping in them. I still had 15 minutes before I had to check in with my parents. I got out of my car and stretched and then almost jumped out of my skin when I heard a man's voice right behind me. Uh, miss, can I ask you for a favor? I turned around and he's leaning against my car. I have no idea how he got there so fast. I didn't see him when I parked, but there he was, uncomfortably close to me. He looked like he's in his 40s. He didn't look dirty or twitchy.

[James]

He was too close.

[Emily]

But his body language did not scream threatening. And even though I was 19 years old, barely over 5ft, and at that point in my life, 110 pounds soaking wet, and even though I had already binged a lot of true crime media and knew the dangers of a girl my age alone at night with an out of state license plate, my dumb son himself asked what he needed. He told me that he accidentally locked his keys and his phone in his truck and asked if he could borrow my phone real quick to call his friend. It will just take a second and it will really help him out. And I almost handed him my phone. I was reaching into my pocket to hand it to him with a Pollyanna, no problem. And then I actually looked at his face. Face. Like I said, this rest stop was surprisingly well lit. And this guy looked really normal except for his eyes. He had dead shark eyes. You know what I'm talking about. It's the Ted Bundy Dick Cheney actress in a Glade commercial who's trying to convince us that she's in love with some dumb guy who doesn't know how an air freshener works.

[James]

Eyes.

[Emily]

They're smiling, but the eyes are vacant and creepy and staring way too hard. I got that feeling, that run away feeling. I knew immediately not to hand this guy my only way to call for help. So I put on my best customer service smile and told him, oh, I'm sorry but I don't have A charger. And I need to save all my battery for the tracking app that my parents have on my phone. And I need the juice to call my parents, which I actually have to do right now, but good luck. And I turned and walked about 20ft away. And he does not leave. He was still just leaning against my car, watching me. And now I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to leave him alone with my car because he creeped me out and he had a serial killer face. So going to the bathroom is out. But I also wanted to get away from him, prove that I'm not going to help, and maybe he'll leave. I could technically get into the car, but I would have to get really close to him, unless I crawled over my passenger side seat. And he's not moving. So I did the first thing that came to mind. I called my dad. And my dad for the first time that night did not pick up the phone. When I heard his voicemail, I glanced back. The guy still had not moved. He's standing still, staring at me. So I faked a phone conversation with my dad. I angled my body so that the guy couldn't see that I had hung up the phone and loudly said that I should be home in about 30 minutes, when in reality, I was still at least four hours away. I mentioned exactly where I was and reassured the fake caller that this was a good rest stop with plenty of lighting and a couple of visible security cameras. The guy still had not moved, and I am running out of steam on this fake conversation. In the years since, I've thought of a lot of things I could have said while pretending to talk to my dad. But in that moment, I was beginning to seriously freak out and my mind went blank. So I hung up and did not know what to do. I had hoped the fake phone call would scare him off, but he was still leaning against my car. I stalled for another couple of minutes. I bought cookies from the vending machine. I walked around a little. At this point, he's been leaning against my car, staring at me for at least 10 minutes. I honestly debated waking up one of the men sleeping in their parked cars and asking for help. And just the thought of having to wake someone up to help me get into my own car annoyed me enough that I stopped stalling and headed right back to my car. I decided that unless he touched me, I'm just going to pretend that he's not there. He waited until I was unlocking my car door before he started talking to me again. He told me again that he really needs to use my phone. He's stranded here unless he can call his friend to bring the spare keys. He's not angry or begging. His voice sounds weirdly friendly. But he had been creepily watching me for way too long while blocking my exit, so I'm not falling for it. I almost pointed out the working payphone just in case I'm wrong about this and I was being rude to a guy who needs help. But then he leaned forward as I was getting in and I lost all nerve and slammed and locked the door as fast as possible. He didn't move until I started the car and put it in reverse. And then he finally stepped back and let me pull out. I didn't even have my seatbelt on. I was so focused on getting away from him. And then halfway out of the rest stop, my mom called me. My mom who would freak out if I didn't pick up and who was already sick and I needed to put on my seatbelt. I could still see him in my mirror. He was standing right next to where I was parked with his back to me. He was far enough away that I felt okay parking again to answer the phone, but I kept my engine running and I kept watching him. I don't want my mom to worry, so I told her everything is fine where I am, my ETA, etc. Now that I was in my locked car away from him, I was beginning to feel like I had overreacted. She scolds me about speeding and I tune her out because the guy is moving. Now, as my mom lectures me about road safety, I watch the guy cross to a truck, unlock the door and get in. The keys being locked. Locked in no longer seemed to be an issue for him. I watched the truck head back out to the freeway and drive out of sight. I had to pretend to be fine to not upset my mom. I didn't get back onto the road for another 20 minutes, and when I did, I did not speed. I did not want to see that truck. I found out years later that the closest city to that rest stop has a major problem with sex trafficking and that girls who look like they don't live nearby or maybe look like they are living out of their cars, tend to be targets. I don't know if that was what was happening or if he was trying to just scare me into handing over my phone. I went to a Renaissance fair for the first time in my life in 2017 at age 28. I was super excited to finally go and had a Few items I was going to look for. The day of the fair was very fun. Picking up beers to carry around to different booths booths and browsing things that can't be bought in any regular store. It was not too hot and I found a great kilt that I purchased. But something happened that day that turned the next two days into some of the worst of my life. By the time I went to bed that night, my head was swimming and my vision was mercurial. But that can easily be explained by heat. Heat, alcohol and exhaustion. The day after the fair was a Monday and I had to be at my still new job before 8am in downtown Dallas. Driving to work is when I started to feel that something was terribly wrong with me. I noticed this first by my reaction to music. If I started listening to a song, I had to finish it even if I didn't like it. The voices of the classic rock songs I know by heart had shifted up or down a half a step in timber. I also was starting to literally see the music laid out on the freeway in front of me. By the time I got to work, I was pretty freaked out. I felt like I had taken a hallucinogenic drug. But the thing was, I didn't take anything. I don't like the idea of taking taking anything because if anyone was going to have a bad trip, I knew that my neurotic and macabre brain would make it happen. I also have severe katsuratophobia. Mock me if you want, but everyone has a story behind their worst visceral fear. While I was sitting at my desk and talking to my boss, the chief operating officer, I saw dozens of Satans, quote unquote or cockroaches crawling around the walls and floors behind him. I also felt like I had to hold onto my desk to keep from falling over. My boss's voice was constantly changing decibels and I was just trying to keep it together for dear life. Trying to work that day was hell. At one point, I had to go up to the wellness room in our office meant for breastfeeding mothers, so I could lie on the floor in complete darkness and silence for an hour. While I drove home that evening, the bizarre reactions to music intensified. If the songs changed tempo suddenly, it freaked me out. If there were high and low notes, rapid fire in the song, I could barely breathe. I will never be able to listen to the Devil Went down to Georgia the same way again. That night I tried to enjoy this unwelcome trip by something solo, an NSFW with disastrous results One of the most physically painful nights of my life. The next morning I felt a little better but was not back to normal. Because I took no drugs, I was legitimately worried that I was having a psychotic break. I have an anxiety disorder and my mental health has struggled over the years. I ended up calling my psychiatrist's office to beg for an emergency phone session. While I described everything I had been experiencing, he listened patiently and said that I could have been slipped something at the fair but also could be experiencing a psychotic break. When I got to the NSFW disaster, he was completely shocked by what happened and said there was no way my brain did that to itself. The conclusion was that someone slipped me a cocktail of very powerful hallucinogens into one of my beers. To add insult to injury, I learned that the most powerful drugs like that also get out of your system the fastest. For that reason, I still don't know what some cruel person gave to me. For God only knows what reason, I held it together with my job and left with no lasting effects except the confusion and curiosity that I still have. Six years later.

[James]

I recently had an experience that many will not believe. Honestly, I'm not sure I actually do myself. My upbringing wasn't especially religious per se. We never attended church, but I'm sure if you asked my parents if we were a Christian family, they would say yes. It wasn't something I ever discussed with them, but I would be willing to wager their view was similar to mine. My feeling is that a person's connection to the spiritual is personal and individual, and I would guess my view on the supernatural would be the same. I would assume that you would have to believe in some form of afterlife to believe in ghosts or spirits. I'm not exactly positive of my view towards them, but I know what I just saw has made me question their existence in our world and how and why they may share it with us. The end of last week I went for a run on a paved trail that surrounds a local neighborhood. I believe at one point point the trail was part of a park in that area, but from what I've been told the city closed the park due to low attendance. I guess the trail continued to be maintained by the city for the use of residents of the neighborhood, but it proved to be a popular attraction for everyone because it was lit all night. This feature made it a somewhat safer.

[Emily]

Place for use after dark.

[James]

I myself had run on its side several nights that I was unable to sleep. The morning this happened it was about 4:30 and I had decided to knock out a few miles before dawn. Since it was the heart of summer, it would be sweltering by 9am and I have never ran well in the severe heat. Since it's less than a mile away from my house, I usually walk the track. Doing this also gives me an opportunity to walk warm up before I reach it. I made it there around 4:15 and after a few minutes of stretches set my watch Timer at exactly 4:20. My custom is to start off slow, so I completed my first mile in roughly nine or so minutes. As I began the second, I noticed a Fellow jogger some 60 yards ahead running toward me. This wasn't especially odd. On this trail, people are free to run either direction and they often do. Once the jogger got close, I could tell that it was a man, thin and of average height. I gradually began to increase my pace and was soon about to pass him. As I did so, I offered a friendly wave and hello. But rather than say hi and wave back, he continued on and appeared to ignore me. My initial reaction was to get huffy and mumble rude under my breath. He had to have seen and heard me. It was a quiet morning with no one around and we were under a very bright overhead street lamp. Rather than slow down, I continued to increase my pace to my usual one and quickly glanced back at the man. I'm not sure why I did, but something in the back of my mind told me to do it, so I did. When I glanced back, he was gone. This caught me by such surprise. I stopped in mid stride and stared at where he should have been. I have never been so befuddled in my life. There was nowhere he could have gone. We both should have been directly within. The light of the lamp and walls surrounded the back of the homes. There was only 2 or 3ft of grass between the wall and the edge of the track and even that area was well illuminated. This was about the time my confusion began to be replaced by fear and other questions started creeping in. Did I just say hi and wave at a ghost? Did I even believe in them in the first place? Goosebumps covered my body and I started to shiver. I wondered then if perhaps this was all a joke and my confidence started to rise again. I called out and asked if he was still there and chuckled. Alright, you can come out now. Despite the attempt at bravado, I knew this was not a prank. The little confidence I had regained in that moment quickly fizzled away and I was left alone, trembling in fear once more. This was about the time my brain told me to run away and I listened. I booked it out of there, going the opposite direction he was of course, and didn't stop until I made it back home. By the time I made it home, my husband was getting up for work. Although I considered telling him what had just happened, I didn't. I assumed he wouldn't believe me or he would just laugh at me. He isn't a mean or uncaring husband, but considering that we spend a considerable amount of our time joking around or pranking each other, I thought he would think I was tricking him. Now you know why I thought someone may have been pranking me. Unfortunately, in this case, no one was laughing. Now I wait until the sun rises before I go running. Hot or not, I never want to run into that guy again. I did return to the park track again a few days later, but with my 15 year old daughter in tow. The entire time I was there, I was constantly looking around. My daughter asked me if I was having a seizure. Even though it was funny, I couldn't laugh because I had my mind on that man. I still haven't told anyone else what I saw. You guys are the only people who know and I imagine you all don't believe me either. Even so, to those of you who have had similar experiences in your life, never forget, even if no one else believes you, there will always be at least one person who does. In the vast labyrinth of unsolved true crime cases, few have captured the public's imagination quite like the perplexing vanishing of doctors Sneha and Philip. A brilliant and ambitious young physician position, Dr. Phillips life came to an inexplicable halt on September 10, 2001, right before the tumultuous chaos of the 911 terrorist attacks in New York City. Her sudden disappearance, overshadowed by the devastating events of that fateful day, left law enforcement, friends and family grappling with the question, what happened to Sneha Ann Philip? Dr. Sneha Anne Philip was born on October 7, 1969 in India, and from an early age it was evident that she possessed an unwavering determination to succeed. She ventured to the United States to pursue her dream of becoming a medical professional, eventually graduating with honors from the Chicago College of Osteopathic medicine in in 1995. With her aspirations firmly rooted, she moved to the vibrant metropolis of New York City, where she completed her residency at the prestigious Cabrini Medical center in Manhattan on the morning of September 10, 2001. The world had no inkling of the darkness that was about to envelop it. Nor did anyone anticipate the inexplicable fate that awaited Dr. Sneha and Philip. She was seen leaving her Battery Park City apartment that morning, her energy and optimism a reflection of the city's bustling atmosphere. Like countless other New Yorkers, she was heading to work, preparing to fulfill her duties as a physician at the Cabrini Medical Center. Surveillance cameras captured footage of Dr. Phillip at a local grocery store near her apartment that day, making a routine purchase, providing the last glimpse of her before she vanished into thin air. However, as night descended upon the city, she failed to return home, setting into motion a series of events that would unravel an enigmatic puzzle. In the wake of the devastating 911 attacks, the search of Dr. Sneha and Phil Philip was inevitably overshadowed by the urgency of finding survivors and victims at ground zero. Amidst the rubble and destruction, the hunt for the missing physician was hampered, with her case receiving only fragmented attention. As the dust settled and the enormity of the tragedy sank in, investigators turned their focus to uncovering the truth behind Dr. Phillips disappearance. Early on, they considered the grim possibility that she had been tragically killed in the terrorist attacks. Her apartment's proximity to ground zero fueled this hypothesis, but it was soon challenged by emerging evidence. Piecing together fragments of her life, investigators unearthed a hidden side of Dr. Philip that few knew about. They discovered that she had struggled with alcohol related issues, and her past included a brush with law for shoplifting at the very grocery store that she was seen visiting on the day she vanished. This line of inquiry suggested that she might have wandered into obscurity, intentionally disappearing to escape her problems. However, just as investigators seemed to be settling on this theory, eyewitnesses began to emerge, offering possible sightings of Sneha Ann Philip after September 10, 2001. One individual claimed to have seen her in a Manhattan Hospital on September 11, 2001, while others testified to spotting her in different parts of the city in the days immediately following the attacks. These accounts injected fresh uncertainty into the case and reignited hope that she might still be alive. As the investigation progressed, it became increasingly apparent that the circumstances surrounding Dr. Phillips disappearance were far from straightforward. The trail grew colder with each passing day, leaving investigators with more questions than answers. The inexplicable disappearance of Dr. Sneha and Philip opened the floodgates of speculation and gave rise to a myriad of theories. One prevailing theory was that she met with a tragic end on September 11, and her remains were obliterated amidst the rubble of the collapsing World Trade center towers. This Idea, while tragic, offered a measure of closure to some, though it failed to explain the alleged sightings of her in the days that followed. Conversely, the theory of a voluntary disappearance gained traction. As in, investigators uncovered the complexities of Dr. Phillips personal struggles. Some postulated that the stress of her past legal troubles and potential relapse may have culminated in her deciding to reinvent herself in a new life far removed from the constraints of her previous existence. But even this theory left many unanswered questions, especially regarding the alleged sightings and the absence of any community communication from the missing doctor. As time passed, darker theories emerged, suggesting that Dr. Phillip might have fallen victim to human trafficking or abduction, explaining the lack of contact with her family and friends. These conjectures, while terrifying, lacked concrete evidence and only added to the complexity of the case. The disappearance of Dr. Sneha and Frank Philip remains an enigma wrapped in a puzzle, concealed by the shroud of time and tragedy.

[Emily]

As the years drift by, hope to.

[James]

Finding her alive diminishes. But the embers of determination to solve the case still flicker within the hearts of her family and friends. The mystery of Dr. Phillips disappearance serves as a haunting reminder of the frailty of human existence and the profound impact a single individual can have on the lives they leave behind. Until new evidence comes to light, the fate of Dr. Sneha and Philip will continue to remain an indelible stain on the canvas of true crime history. An enduring enigma that defies resolution. I've been lurking here from time to time, just hearing about other people's experiences and possible explanations to satisfy my horror addiction. Books, games, movies, real world, unexplained phenomena. I consume everything. But the possibility that something paranormal might happen in my life never occurred to me. I still don't know what to believe. Something happens to me that I can't let go. English is not my first language and this might get long, but please bear with me. I worked in an oldish university built in the early 20th century of Germany. The four story building is situated at some kind of hill, so most of it is above ground level. But we also have a huge basement with barely any light coming through the small windows, but some easy accessible exits. It's not possible to enter the building through it, though there are many ways to get from below to the ground floor. And there are some ways that I usually avoid once the sun is down. You see, I study archaeology and we have a huge collection of plaster casts of famous Roman and Greek artworks. And once it gets dark, like dark dark, it becomes unsettling and I feel watched pretty quickly. So I just avoid the rooms filled with plaster casts and everything is fine. So much for this setting anyway. So I worked one Saturday evening last summer in my office. Office which happens to be in the basement as well. At about 8pm I get a strange feeling of being lonely. So I leave my office and look around the building for anyone else to chat up and get a little break. I get up the stairs on my usual route. But there is nobody around. That's not too uncommon for that time of the day on a weekend. So I decide to walk around a bit in our library and then get back to work. Once I entered the library, I noticed growling thunder and the rooms light up by the lightning. After that it becomes dark. The clouds darken the building as if it's becoming night. That was unsettling. But I know myself.

[Emily]

I get creeped out by every little.

[James]

Thing because I watch so many horror movies. No big deal, I think to myself and go back to my office through one of the rooms with the plaster casts. I don't know why I changed my usual routine and went through one of those rooms. Once I'm downstairs, I noticed a weird sound. The storm is continuing with thunderbolts every few moments. But another very strange sound joins the scenery. It was a metallic sound. The first image that came to my mind was someone hitting a knife against a metal wall. It was raining. I didn't think much of it. It's an old building. Sounds happen. I continued to walk to my office. But then I noticed that the sound was coming closer to me. Still no big deal. Sound travels. I might become scared and start imagining things. Once I get back to my office, the feeling of being watched becomes unbearable. The sound comes closer and closer. It sounded like it was just around the corner. So I packed my things and ran off as fast as I could. I am about to die was the only thought that I had in that moment. And I had to get out. I never experienced that kind of feeling and it creeped me out more than anything else. The exit to the building is right next to my office. Once I am out, the feeling became even stranger. I looked at the building and noticed that the window of our elevator lit up. There was nobody there. There couldn't be anyone there. The building was closed. Only a few people had access and there was nobody there. Just a few moments ago I would have noticed if someone came in. Why use the elevator anyways? It's not an elevator for transportation for.

[Emily]

People, but for our plaster casts. Everybody just uses the stairs.

[James]

Especially the people That I know that have a key to the building. That's when I noticed that not only there wasn't anyone in the building that I knew of, but there was nobody outside either. I know it was raining. Why be outside with that kind of weather? But somehow I knew I was alone. Not alone by the building, but alone. Alone. I am not superstitious. I know when I am freaked out because of my psyche playing tricks on my mind. In that moment, I could have sworn that I was the only person on earth. It was like the whole world wasn't moving anymore. And there was a huge street by the building. Even that was empty. The feeling of being watched did not go away, however. But I wasn't as afraid anymore. Some friends wanted to hang out later that evening, so I was waiting for them to pick me up like we planned in the morning. The whole time I could barely move. And I could not take my eyes off that elevator. Once they arrived, I noticed that I must have stood there for about an hour. But what felt like only a few minutes. As I jumped into their car as quickly as I could, everything went back to normal. Suddenly there were cars on the road. Sounds. There was no sound except the thunder and the sound of the teardrops hitting the floor. Before everything was back to normal, I must have looked like I had seen death. My friends were really concerned. The next day I went back with a colleague of mine and we tried out every possibility to recreate the sound I heard. We hit different metal objects with other metal objects, but it wasn't possible to recreate. Everything sounded way deeper than that sound I heard and more natural.

[Emily]

I asked all the other people working.

[James]

In that building who had had the.

[Emily]

Key to the elevator or who could.

[James]

Have been there the night before. But no, nobody was there except for me. They have no reason to lie. Some of them are even my teachers. To this day, all of this does not make sense. I know myself. I have never felt that kind of fear before. That basic instinct of you need to get out now. So I wanted to ask if any of you has some kind of explanation, be it either a psychological or paranormal one, let me know. As I said, the building is very old. It has seen World War II. It has seen many depressed students. I wish I could make sense out of this situation because it felt so, so wrong and different than anything else I've ever experienced. And believe me, I am a huge wuss. So I'm imagining things quite often. And I get the bad feeling that this wasn't just one of my creepy little fantasies.

[Emily]

Let me first preface this by saying that terrible things don't just happen in the movies, but in fact they do happen in everyday normal life. Most people are lucky enough to go through life without any major encounters. I had an experience that I would like to share to see what people think. Was I rational in my choices? Did I overreact? What would you have done? I think hearing responses will be therapeutic and perhaps help me get past the events of this story. Last year I attended college at a major university on the southeastern coast of the United States. I loved it so much, mainly because I didn't have to deal with snow or the cold weather. I basically had hot or warm weather every day, which was a huge change from the climate I grew up in. On this particular spring break from school, I decided to go home and visit my parents back in Maine. I decided that I was going to try to drive the over 20 hour drive straight through, perhaps stopping for brief naps or food along the way. At first this seemed like an awesome idea. I could get there relatively quickly and spend most of the time at home rather than traveling. I spent most of the drive listening to music and catching up on some of my favorite podcasts. Unfortunately, the trip would take a terrible turn in Pennsylvania. I was driving through Pennsylvania shortly after midnight and well, my eyes started to get a little heavy and I was having a lot of trouble focusing on the road. And anybody who has driven through Pennsylvania knows that it's a hard drive. Even when you have complete focus, it's always foggy and very mountainous with many twists and turns. I decided that at the next rest area I would pull over and at least rest my eyes for an hour or two just to be safe. Well, I never made it to the rest area. I dozed off for a second and I lost control of my small car and went right off the side of the road, through a guardrail and down to a small drop off. Miraculously, I wasn't injured too badly, but my car was destroyed and I was completely surrounded by trees, not sure how to get back up and onto the highway. Of course it was pitch black outside and the trees consumed the entire area, blocking out most or pretty much all of any natural light. I tried to remain calm calm and ignore the terrible pain I was experiencing to try and call and get some help. One problem, I could not find my phone. It was in my cup holder, but after the crash it was so dark I couldn't find it anywhere inside or outside of my car. I didn't think I was injured badly as previously mentioned, but I wanted to use the flashlight on my phone to make sure I didn't have any major cuts or anything. I then decided my best course of action at this point would be to see if it was possible to climb back up the slight decline that my car had fallen off of. It seemed impossible in my condition and with the limited visibility. It just wasn't a height I could reach at the moment. And truth be told, I was lucky that I was not injured further after my car dropped down this thing. Thankfully, the guardrail slowed my car down enough. Realizing that climbing, driving or calling anybody was not an option, I began to yell and scream for help. But as you can imagine, it did nothing. There was no one around. I slouched to the side of my car and finally started to feel real emotion. I was scared and quite cold. And now the real fear finally started to make my eyes fill up with tears. I had no survival skills. What was I going to do until morning? Just sit in a ball in the fetal position? I decided that walking through the wooded area until I can find an area to climb where maybe there was a slight hill instead of the drop off where my car was. Of course, not now. In hindsight, my best bet would have probably been to just stay put because somebody in the morning would have noticed the accident and phoned it in. Maybe even someone passing by in the night and noticing the damage at the side of the road. As I grabbed some items from my car, I heard a noise. It sounded like the rustling of tree branches and footsteps. Wait, footsteps. I hid on the other side of my car, paralyzed in fear. What kind of animals did they have in Pennsylvania? My first thought was a bear or something like that. Is that how it was going to end? Mauled by a bear? However, what actually presented itself in front of me was even more shocking. It was three men coming out of the trees. I couldn't make too much out, but all three of them had huge beards, looked like their clothes were completely dirty, and were carrying some kind of hunting rifles. I wasn't sure if I should yell for help or try to stay hidden from these men. For some crazy reason, my instincts were telling me to stay hidden, which seems like the exact opposite thing you should do in this situation. One of the men, who looked like the tallest of the three, yelled out in a raspy, rugged voice. Has anyone out there? They didn't have any flashlights or anything, so I decided to quietly sneak around to the other side of my car and make a run for it into the woods. As I slowly and very quietly made my way around the car. I was wrestling with the idea in my head that these people probably just wanted to help me and I was probably putting myself in more danger by running into these woods. But the demeanor and possibility of getting shot was a chance that I did not want to take. I was about 5ft cleared from the car when I started to sprint. And of course, in no time at all, I brought noise and attention to myself. The same man as before caught a glimpse of me as I ran into the woods and screamed, hey, get back here. I swear I heard the loud boom of a gunshot. I didn't hear it hit a tree or anything. I just remember hearing a loud boom. I don't know what else it could have been. I was terrified. I heard them following me from what seemed like several directions. I heard one of them yelling something about private property or restricted land or something of that nature. I just kept running and running for about an hour until I finally saw faint light shining through the trees. It was a road that looked like it led to a small town or at least a few stores with lights. I walked into the gas station feeling and looking bloody, battered and bruised. The worker inside looked baffled and disgusted. I told him to please call the police. The police showed up in no time and my parents were notified they were going to drive down and pick me up as soon as they could.

[James]

The police insisted I go to the.

[Emily]

Local hospital so my injuries could be assessed. When talking to the police, I told them everything about the three guys that came to the scene and chased me with weapons into the woods. The police said they would locate my car and take a look to see if they could find anything or anyone. My car was empty. Everything had been stolen out of it. Even some of the interior car parts had been removed. Nothing else really came from this incident. I didn't have any major injuries and my insurance took care of the car. I now live back home with my parents and attend school locally. I try not to drive at night if I don't have to. I guess I have a phobia or something. Now I am thankful to be alive and well, but still have anxiety and terrible thoughts pertaining to that night. Approximately two years ago, I was working as an engineer for a relatively new company in my area. I hadn't been out of school very long, but I was excited that my degree at least seemed to be paying off. So far, the company I worked for had a large local client client base and one of our new contracts was developing and designing a new set of exhibits for our local zoo. On paper, it seemed like a fairly simple job, but one that I found to be quite unique. Coming out of school, I didn't ever think I'd be working for or at a zoo on a job. I always envisioned larger, more commercial properties. For this job, we were going to have to work overnight so that the construction didn't upset the animals during the day when the zoo was filled with guests, we worked for about two weeks or so with no issues. We did have to make a few adjustments to our original plans or design, but it wasn't anything the construction team couldn't handle. Every night around 3am we would head to a local diner for a lunch break and some needed food. But on this specific night, I decided to stay back and work on one of the more complex locking mechanisms for one of the newly constructed exhibits. I remember finishing up about 45 minutes later and noticed the crew had not arrived back yet. I started cleaning up my area when I suddenly heard a noise, almost sounding like someone bumping into a workstation, like a scrape against the floor. I just figured it was one of my crew finally getting back from their longer than normal break and continued picking up my tools and scrap supplies. No more than 30 seconds later, I started to hear more noises. This time it sounded like banging on the side of a door. Slightly annoyed, I made my way to the door to make sure it wasn't a staff member, or worse, someone who should not be on the property. I opened the door and saw nobody. Nothing was there. I made my way through the door over to the cafeteria where chairs were out of place and several tables had been flipped over. At this point, I thought maybe a group of teenagers had snuck into the property as it was well known to the public that our company was working overnight construction at the zoo. I yelled out and asked, who's there? To no response. At this point, I began to get angry because any damage that occurred on my watch would be my responsibility and I knew my team would be careful to not disrespect our client and leave a mess like this. As I proceeded through the cafeteria, I started to hear little shuffles coming from the kitchen area behind the counter. I was about 10ft from the counter when my heart felt like it literally stopped beating in my chest. What I saw made me freeze in fear. It almost felt like I could not move, like I was stuck in a dream. Standing in front of me was four monkeys or apes. From what I remember. I counted at least four and they seemed to be exploring the kitchen area. My yelling must have alerted them because one or two of them were staring at me. I tried to slowly and calmly make my way back toward the door. The animals weren't enormous, but they were a good size and I had no idea if they were violent or docile. When I was just a couple feet from the door, the monkeys started howling and screaming like crazy. They were screeching and started banging on the walls. I turned and ran as fast as I could into the main office. To my horror, at least two of the apes had followed me and were now banging on the door that I had just shut behind myself. The sound of their cries and wailing was so unsettling, I actually was starting to fear for my safety. From the office, I called my co workers and told them what happened and to stay at a safe distance upon their return. And I also called zoo management the authorities so they could handle what seemed to be wild animals loose at the zoo. After only about 10 minutes, the proper authorities showed up to take care of the situation. At that point, the monkeys were no longer in my line of vision, so I'm not sure how they captured them and got them back to their exhibit. After an investigation into the matter, it turns out that some of the work that was being done at the zoo caused an electrical malfunction which allowed a few doors to come open at some of the exhibits. Every time this story gets brought up, someone says that the lion exhibit was left open and I am lucky it didn't escape and try to eat me alive. I also get made fun of because of my terror and reaction to the event made the staff think that I was being chased by 1,000 people pound gorillas, when in reality it was a much smaller species. As much as people like to joke about the situation, it was a truly horrifying experience. I know that this is not your typical scary story, but when you're staring at a wild animal and they are looking right back at you, it is completely rational to fear for your safety or even your life. Spring break has always been one of my favorite times of the year. As a child I used to vacation to the ocean or sometimes even Disney World. And now as an adult, my wife and I go on vacations together. Together around the time the children are out of school for spring break. For me, there is no better place than the ocean at night. The way the moonlight glows on the waves of the water and the sound of the waves crashing always gives me peace of mind. Well, this particular year, my wife and I saved up a little extra money and rented a private house right on the ocean. It was absolutely amazing. Amazing. Drinking my coffee on the ocean every morning and enjoying an alcoholic beverage every night as the moon rose was truly amazing. One day I passed out on the beach for a couple of hours, only to awaken with horrible nightmares. They were strange and the only thing I remember is darkness and screaming. A lot of screaming. My wife asked me if I was okay and I said yeah, just a.

[James]

Little bit shook up.

[Emily]

That night, my wife went to bed fairly early, but I could not sleep. Not sure if it was the long nap I had taken earlier in the day or the horrible nightmares that woke me from said nap. Either way, I wanted to clear my head, so I decided to go for a walk on the beach. As I kept walking on the desolate beach, I approached something that appeared to be glowing in the sand. I started to approach quickly, but with a little bit of caution. It was some sort of glowing red ball. It's kind of hard to describe, but I will do the best I can. It didn't look like cheap plastic. It literally was a glowing red ball of light that didn't seem to have any actual shape. I stared rather intently until it flashed so bright that it knocked me down into the sand.

[James]

The ball flew up into the air.

[Emily]

And shot itself out into the ocean. And as it reached the horizon, there.

[James]

Was a huge blast of light.

[Emily]

Within seconds, the sky looked as if it was storming, but there was no rain. I saw all sorts of colors in the sky and a lot of red flashes that I could only describe as looking like heat lighting. But these flashes were lighting up the entire sky as I watched all the intense flashes of light. Before I knew it, I blacked out completely. The next thing I remember is my wife waking me up the next morning in a frantic panic because she didn't know where I was. I tried explaining to her what I had witnessed, but she said I was just dreaming and was upset with me that I wandered off last night, accusing me of getting drunk and passing out. But it's important to note that I don't get drunk and I would never just wander off and not come back. Something I can't explain happened that night. Can someone let me know what I experienced? Could it have been just a vivid dream that I passed out? Has anyone else experienced something similar? Either way, I know that I don't have the same affinity for oceans and vacations as I did before this occurrence.