Jump to content
Join the Unexplained Mysteries community today! It's free and setting up an account only takes a moment.
- Sign In or Create Account -

That Darn Shadow


Krater

Recommended Posts

As any regular reader knows, I am a hard skeptic and probably a bit of a jerk. So, why am I here? Well...
 
I was 13 years old. We lived in a two story house with nothing but two bedrooms on the upper level. At the top of the stairs to the second level was a small 5' x 5' landing with a light directly above and the bedroom doors on either side. The way it was situated, the foot of my bed was toward the bedroom door and I could look directly across to my sisters room. The stairway landing light was always on (as it was this evening) and both bedroom doors open.   
 
It was about 10pm and I had just gotten into bed not 30 seconds prior. I was on my back looking into the lighted landing, mentally going over the math homework I had just finished when it stepped into view, up the top two stairs and onto the landing directly under the light. It was the form of a man, probably about 6' tall, and blacker than black. It was not even black: it was the absence of light. It was not a shadow on the wall (no wall behind it, anyway), but rather a free standing, three dimensional figure. I was seeing it in profile. I was frozen in fear as it turned its head and torso to look at me. I squinted my eyes, hoping that they would appear shut from its point of view, but was too terrified to fully close them. It must have stared at me for 30-60 seconds before turning and walking into my sisters room, disappearing past the doorway. 
 
I lay there for what felt like an eternity, but was probably closer to an hour, never closing my eyes or even taking them off of the lighted landing and doorway across.
After this time, I finally gathered the courage to jump out of bed and bolt down the stairs to find my mother. I told her what I saw while crying my eyes out and was devastated when she tried to convince me that I had been dreaming. As I said, I had been in bed less than a minute and was not asleep, nor did I sleep that night. She made me go back to bed and I cowered under the blanket until the sun came up. It was the first time I stayed up all night.
 
What I saw was definitely real. It was aware of me and I felt greatly threatened by it. Almost an instinctive, primeval fear. I "knew" that I couldn't let it know that I saw it, which is why I instinctively squinted my eyes. 
What I saw had no hard features or details, but enough that I could tell it was human shaped and male (clear nose, but no hair or eyes; hands, but no fingers; human shape, but no earmarks of clothing). It's outline was somewhat fuzzy, not sharp. I had a good, long look at in direct light not 10' from me. It's edges were fuzzy, but looked folded in on itself...like a hole, but inside out. It's very hard to describe. What I saw was real. "They" are real and are independent, conscious beings. Why do they look human? I have no answers. It's by far my most vivid and terrifying memory.
 
I try not to think about it. I definitely don't talk about it. I'm still afraid that it will know I saw it, 30 years later. 
I hope I never see it again.
  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Since you didn't attach any anxiety or influence to it and it was long before the days of internet "mind programing". I would guess you met your first Earthbound looking for a attachment. That's why you instinctively knew not to stare at it and make the connection.

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is one of those things that once you have seen one, for yourself, there is no unseeing it and denying, unless you lie. 

Nor can it be proven to someone who hasn't even if you'd taken a picture. 

But, I have seen them and I believe your story about it, Krater. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Not A Rockstar said:

But, I have seen them and I believe your story about it, Krater. 

I do too. Krater has no reason to BS and I felt truthfulness. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

49 minutes ago, Not A Rockstar said:

This is one of those things that once you have seen one, for yourself, there is no unseeing it and denying, unless you lie. 

Very well said. 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Krater said:
 I am a hard skeptic and probably a bit of a jerk. 

So, why either of those??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, papageorge1 said:

So, why either of those??

Ha! Sometimes we're just born that way. My natural state is 100% *******, I have to work very hard to overcome it. 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, papageorge1 said:

So, why either of those??

Skeptic because after decades of watching, reading or listening to tales of the paranormal, I've found that a very small percent are believable. Most are obvious hoaxers, attention seekers or blatant con artists.
 
What's worse is that there are people that believe so blindly in anything that they encourage those that would stretch the truth or outright lie for attention.
 
These things discredit any experiences that may have a ring of truth to them and that really ticks me off.
 
Personally, I'm not looking to convince anyone of anything. This is just what happened. Take from it what you will. :)
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Krater said:
Skeptic because after decades of watching, reading or listening to tales of the paranormal, I've found that a very small percent are believable. Most are obvious hoaxers, attention seekers or blatant con artists.
 
What's worse is that there are people that believe so blindly in anything that they encourage those that would stretch the truth or outright lie for attention.
 
These things discredit any experiences that may have a ring of truth to them and that really ticks me off.
 
Personally, I'm not looking to convince anyone of anything. This is just what happened. Take from it what you will. :)

I guess our general view of human nature is just basically different. I think the overwhelming majority of experience-tellers are being honest with others.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On April 24, 2018 at 1:52 PM, papageorge1 said:

I guess our general view of human nature is just basically different. I think the overwhelming majority of experience-tellers are being honest with others.

I'll try to be more open minded if you try to be a bit more skeptical. ;)

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, Krater said:

I'll try to be more open minded if you try to be a bit more skeptical. ;)

I hope you mean that.

Although I do believe my skepticism has been underrated by the too cynical. In the vast majority of cases I say 'no one can know for sure' if you look. Even entertaining a possible paranormal explanation makes me a full-on supporter of the case being paranormal in the cynics' eyes. It is comical to me how some of these discussions on here progress.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.