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The Knocking Ghost


This is something that happened 8 years ago. I haven't thought much about it, until recently that I read someone posting a question regarding a knocking ghost on

Anyway, I was living alone in a small studio in Falls Church, Virginia. I may have been living there for some months (probably weeks), when I started to notice some sort of noises coming from the ceiling in the middle of the night. That may not have been a problem, except that I was living on the 3rd floor, and above me was the roof. As for the noise, it was like some scratching, and even a knocking sound. I am not very good at locating sound, but I was pretty sure that it came from the studio corner, up in the wall toward the ceiling, just above my bed (and my head). It would just wake me up. I would turn up the lights to see where the sound was coming from, and it would temporarily stop. After I'd turn the lights off, it would resume after a while.

I tried to convince myself that it was some chipmunks, or other kind of animals making that noise... Although, what animal would be up in the middle of the night making that?

Other than that, I have never felt any kind of weird thing going on in that studio. However, I had never been very comfortable living there either. Probably I was also lonely and homesick (I was a foreign student working on a Master degree). I remember going to the bathroom at night, and walking directly to the toilet trying not to look at anything else (like the closet, the bathtub, and especially not to look at the bathroom mirror).

I remember the noise would come and go. One day I got pretty uncomfortable, and decided to get a pet for companion. I got a ferret from a pet store. A week later, some neighbour kids found some stray kittens, and I took a black one with me. I think since then, I stopped hearing the noises. I also felt more comfortable with the cat around me.

Anyway, would that be a spirit trying to call me? Did my black cat get rid of the spirit? Or anyone know of an animal that would make knocking sound on house roofs (or walls), in the middle of the night?

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Comments about this paranormal experience

The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, BlackKitty7, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

PandaBear (guest)
10 years ago (2011-08-07)
Sorry Ruffmin, for a moment, I would just like to ask why are you on this website if you are not a believer in ghosts or spirits? The title of this website is in actual fact called "Your GHOST Stories" I myself have had paranormal experiences and I do believe my house is haunted by GHOSTS. I was just wondering 😕 😕 😕
ruffmin (1 posts)
10 years ago (2010-12-30)
why do you call it a spirit do you mean a spirit of a human because when a human dies they do not roam the earth and the same for ghosts the only real thing is a demon and they may disguise them selves as people to get close to you.
Verleus (3 stories) (26 posts)
12 years ago (2009-03-13)
yep,it might be just an imagination, but one should never take anything for granted. I suggest you keep something religious or so... Jiust incase... And ya, as far as I know, black cats don't ward of spirits, on the contrary, they are said to signify a misfortune or haunting... But as far as I know, this is superstition... Neways thanks for the story! 😊
BlackKitty7 (1 stories) (7 posts)
12 years ago (2009-03-10)
Great to know! Thanks a lot for your comments! I wasn't very fond of the idea of having a ghost haunting me. But I just couldn't think of any animal that would be up and making noise in the middle of the night. The roof is really thin, therefore there is no room for animal to live in the space between the ceiling and the roof.

And also, I just lived there for around 13 months. So I didn't really had enough time to catch on the pattern of the sound... Although I think it didn't make noise during winter. I guess whatever it was, it wasn't fond of the cold either. 😆
hannie2 (1 stories) (9 posts)
12 years ago (2009-03-09)
it could be bats in the roofing, or something else. I'm not really sure if I would concider knocking exclusively related to spirit activity.
KimSouthO (27 stories) (1960 posts)
12 years ago (2009-03-09)
It may have been some type of bird, as you were on the third floor. SOme species of birds are nocturnal and would make those types of noises at night. That would also make sense as to why the noises stoppedwhen you got your pets, birds arenot very fond of these types of animals.

Thanks for sharing!

God Bless!
ko0te (guest)
12 years ago (2009-03-09)
Black cats are associated with circumstances and conditions in life or anything that happen to us (atleast we indians believe this fact). Its nice to hear that everything was OK after you bought a cat home! I think it was just a mere imagination/your own fear as you said you were living alone earlier. It happens to me as well, whenever I'm home alone, I hear strange noices... Even my breaths sounds scary then! 😭
Angel1 (guest)
12 years ago (2009-03-09)
Nice to know that you feel a relief of peace now ever since you got your cat and living alone can put that pressure as well.

I don't think it was a ghost though, could have just been a maintenance problem with the cieling or rodents.


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