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Evil Approaching

 

When I was first married (2007), my husband and I lived in a small 1-bed room flat on the ground floor. This place was not in the slightest bit haunted and we were very happy there. However I did have one strange experience while in bed one night.

It might help if I describe the layout of our little home. There was a large open-plan living room with a tiny kitchen, and a short corridor off that led directly to our bedroom with the bathroom also coming off this corridor. Our bedroom was the only carpeted room in the flat, with the rest being wood laminate.

The night wasn't anything special, but I awoke suddenly from my sleep for no apparent reason. I have no idea what the time was but it was still pitch dark outside. As I lay in the darkness, trying to get back to sleep despite being wide awake, I became aware that there was something in the living room. I instinctively knew that this wasn't a person, and an image formed in my minds eye of a black swirling fog moving about that main room - I could feel malevolence radiating from it.

Suddenly, it seemed to know that I was aware of it, and the mist developed into a tall reaper-like figure that turned to face the bedroom. With growing horror, I heard footsteps approaching the bedroom. The sound changed as it entered the little corridor (as you'd expect them to when moving from a very large room to a more confined space) and at that point a voice in my head clearly said "shut your eyes!" The order was given with such urgency that I complied just as the sound of footsteps moved from the wooden floor of the corridor to the carpeted bedroom - the sound of the footsteps changed just as you'd expect it to when moving from a hard surface to a soft one.

I was so terrified that I hardly dared to breathe and in my head, I could see an image of a very tall (around 7ft), black robed figure standing beside the bed looking around the room - it looked like the classic grim reaper but without the scythe or a wraith from Lord of the Rings. I slept with my head very close to the door, so you can imagine my terror that this thing was so close to me!

As suddenly and mysteriously as it arrived, the presence sort of faded away and I gradually felt safe enough to open my eyes again. My heart was pounding and there is no way that this was a dream - that evil presence was there, just inches from me.

I guess the main point for dispute is that I didn't actually see anything with my own eyes - it was all images in my head, apart from hearing those footsteps. The voice urging me to shut my eyes was probably just instinct working overtime. One odd thing was that I got the impression that if my eyes had been open, and I'd looked directly at the entity, something bad would have happened - it seemed to be looking around the room as if it couldn't see me with my eyes shut (I know that sounds really childish!).

I'm afraid the whole experience is basically pure gut instinct and mental images, but it unnerves me to this day so much that I thought I'd share it and see what others make of it.

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The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, Serenity, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

stormangel (3 stories) (55 posts)
 
13 years ago (2011-07-18)
I must admit I used to put these images people claimed to have down to pure imagination even though I had a few experiences as a small child, I could 'see' something (I now know it to be what's described as a shadow being) even though my eyes were tight shut. But now I know different. Voices and images that pop into your mind that come from out of the blue, not always obviously, but can come from an outside source, realm, dimension whatever you want to call it/them. I agree with the wandering spirit theory that 'darkness' said. There is so much we don't know, they could be around us all the time but we just are not affected by them 99% of the time except for in cases such as yours, sounds like a one off anyway. Scary too. I had the same kind of thing happen, wide awake though, laying on the sofa in the dark under a blanket, the door was stiff to open because of the carpet, I heard footsteps presumed it was my dad but knew something wasn't right, I heard the door being pushed open, the sofa wasn't facing the door so this happened behind me, and I swear... The most intense evil feeling permeated the atmosphere which grew thick, I had a distinct image of something human shaped, pure black,hateful, tried not to think about it to much in case 'it' sensed I was awake and came over to were I was laying. I dar'nt even breath, eyes were closed and I was utterly terrified. I could hear muffled weird breathing, I could hear my own heart beating and was scared it would hear that then I tried to scream, I didn't care I just wanted my dad to come running. I knew my dad would go crazy at me because they had just had a new baby and she was sleeping, but my voice would not work, I tried and again could not scream, my breathing was so shallow at this point. It seemed like an eternity when the door closed again, I waited until I felt better and the 'air' in the room was normal. I went to my dads bedroom, dad, step mum and baby all asleep, I woke mum and dad up asked if they had been up, both said no and I burst into tears. Wasn't very sympathetic thinking it was my imagination, next morning though he found long deep scratches all down the back door, don't know if that had anything to do with it but it made him think twice about my fright at least! It used to make me cry even thinking about it for years, it affected me that much! Know how you feel:L
serenitylopez (2 stories) (8 posts)
 
14 years ago (2011-03-21)
Haha just realized our usernames are both serenity... Your story is anything BUT lol!
serenitylopez (2 stories) (8 posts)
 
14 years ago (2011-03-21)
My gosh that was simply terrifying to read! I'm so glad you shut your eyes, who knows what could have happened! I hope you've not experienced this again!
eva900 (2 stories) (5 posts)
 
14 years ago (2011-02-17)
its so weird and scary that dark hooded figures pop in almost every single story, and whatever it is, its evil, you always get this horrible sensation and you know you should close your eyes and try go to sleep. Your really lucky it just happened to you that one time. 😕
Serenity (1 stories) (35 posts)
 
14 years ago (2011-02-16)
Darkness - I agree that this was just a 1-off. The flat wasn't haunted at all and it felt no different after the incident. I've moved home twice since that time and have never experienced anything like that since. I've been visited by spirits at other times (again more of a sense that they were there rather than seeing or hearing) and have not felt the sheer horror that I had with that one. I think it did move into my bedroom hoping to get a reaction out of me once it realised I was aware of it.

I also agree with Geminigoat that this was not a good entity and was definitely intelligent, but fortunately not one that planned to stick around. No idea why it came to my home in the first place, but glad it found nothing of interest! I guess because I shut my eyes and refused to play ball it moved on. Or maybe I was protected by a guide as Lynrinth suggested. No idea.
GeminiGoat (22 posts)
 
14 years ago (2011-02-16)
It sounds like you were visted by a demonic spirit. You felt it's dark presence, that's why you awoke suddenly. This is an intelligent being and probably knew you were aware of it but was unable to do anything more because you refused to look at it. Still, you made a mental connection and saw it take form in your living without your eyes. I wouldn't worry about it coming back, I often hear of people being scared out of their minds by these demons robed in nothing but black, at ramdom. I believe they do this to test people's fear and take pleasure in their horror.
DARKNESS (3 stories) (2022 posts)
 
14 years ago (2011-02-15)
There is also the possibility that this could have just been a wanderiing spirit this does happen in a lot of cases, it would make sense seeing that this was the only time you ever experienced something like this. Something else to think about, still would have been quite frightning though.

Thanks for sharing.

Dan
Zertz7 (guest)
 
14 years ago (2011-02-15)
Creepy, There are a lot more reports of hauntings here in the u.s. Most of them bogus, but yours sound legitimate. I have had several instinces of this myself. I thought something was crawling in through my window and I somehow knew that if I didn't look at it and stayed still id be fine
Serenity (1 stories) (35 posts)
 
14 years ago (2011-02-15)
Thanks for the comments. I wasn't sure about posting the story for ages, but I've been reading through the stories here for quite a while, and the tall dark hooded figure seems to pop up quite often.
dreamergal72 (6 stories) (793 posts)
-2
14 years ago (2011-02-15)
scsry I get the same thing in my own time call the my daddy's death and the hooded figure I live by myself that time I have to sleep under the cover.
HappySpirit (187 posts)
+3
14 years ago (2011-02-14)
Great story! Here's my theory about why you were guided to close the eyes. I believe that something within our brain is capable literally of producing light. The pineal gland (in the middle of the forehead) has been proven to contains light sensing cells, same as the retina, and I believe is made to sense and monitor this internal light. The light production increases in the spiritually developed or even when ordinary folks have a peak experience. Hence the term "enlightened." If sufficient light is produced it can emanate from the skull and be perceived by sensitive people (as a halo.) The light also comes out our eyes - not enough to see with the naked eye - but a dark spirit would be able to see it. Serenity, by opening your eyes and looking at the dark mass, it saw you. By closing your eyes you became invisible again, as the spirit could not perceive the rest of you. This may also be the reason for the common experience of feeling safe, as children, when we put our heads under the covers. It wasn't just that we couldn't see the spooks - they couldn't see us.
lynrinth (guest)
 
14 years ago (2011-02-14)
Now THAT is scary. I think it was you your spirit guide, or guardian angel, looking out for you. Just count your lucky stars yours takes an active role in your safety! After reading so many stories on here where bad things still to so many people, it's a wonder why more people don't listen to their intuition. Brrr! Hope I sleep good tonight!
redphx (4 stories) (827 posts)
 
14 years ago (2011-02-14)
This spooks me a little too. I wonder why your instinct told you to close your eyes. Maybe you would have been traumatized if you hadn't. I know what you mean by mental images and what not. I get those too. You seem to have a good instinct so if you say that this being couldn't find you unless you had your eyes open I will not be one to argue, though it would be first time I've heard of such a thing.

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