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What Is Lurking In The Dark


I have always been afraid of the dark since I was around 8 years old, (I am semi still afraid of the dark even now at 26 years old). When I would go get ready for bed, my mom was always in the kitchen which was right down the hall from my bedroom so I could see into part of the kitchen. My mom was usually in there until she was done washing the dishes anyway.

I was always told from a young age that I had to shut off my light in my room and there was nothing to be scared of so I kept my door wide open so I could see the light from the kitchen while my mom was in there. I was always fixated on staring down the hall, wondering when the light was going to be turned off and that was usually when I would freak out because everything was pitch black and I would grab my covers and put them over my head.

So after my mom turned the light off she went to bed and I immediately put the covers over my head since I was extremely afraid of the dark. I remember always feeling something in my room that got close to my covers like something was breathing on me and I would be unable to move. This would happen every night over the course of a few years, the same thing over and over. I couldn't tell my parents since they would probably laugh about it and tell me it was my imagination.

It wasn't until I reached my preteens that I started to shut my door when I was going to sleep but I now kept my lamp on as it made me feel safer and more secure. This presence was still lurking in my house yet I never felt it in my room anymore but I could hear it walking around my house when everyone was sleeping.

One night in particular that I remember I had to go to the bathroom and I kept telling myself nothing is there just open the door. Well, as soon as I got off my bed to walk to my door, I heard the breathing behind my door and tapping, this maybe lasted about a minute. As soon as I didn't hear it anymore I grabbed my doorknob to open the door and I took off like a jet into the bathroom and closed the door.

I went to the bathroom and washed my hands, then I went for the doorknob and put my ear to the door to see if I could hear anything. It was silent so I opened the door and briskly walked back to my bedroom. Now when I got to my room and turned around to close the door, I saw someone standing in my hallway. It was a man and he was wearing a jacket and a very old hat, I couldn't make out his face. I was frozen in fear as this thing was coming towards me. I quickly shut my door, locked it and jumped on top of my bed and stared at the door for the entire night.

That was the first and last time I have seen it in my parents' house. I am not sure what to make of this. All I know I was not imagining it.

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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, brighteyez, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will participate in the discussion and I need help with what I have experienced.

spiritwaiting (42 stories) (843 posts)
5 years ago (2016-02-17)
Your so very welcome 😊.In order to help myself fall asleep I too watch tv, or meditate. It helps. But complete silence and darkness I prefer. What could help you with your fear also, I forgot to add was Earplugs. They drown out the noise ie creaks bumps in the night etc. I did that for a while to until I was comfortable enough without them.
brighteyez (9 stories) (21 posts)
5 years ago (2016-02-17)
Thank you for your response spiritwaiting, I have been telling myself that there is nothing to be afraid of in the dark and now living with my fiance in our own house, I moved out of my parents house a few weeks ago and now I have my lights off but leave my tv on a timer so that when I fall asleep the tv will shut off on its own, also having my fiance next to me helps.

Peace887 - Thank you as well for your comment, now living in my own house with my fiance we are adjusting to the house even though its only been a few weeks now. I do feel like someone sometimes is watching me through our bedroom door, as we leave it open when we go to sleep, if anything comes of that I will gladly post another story with what is happening.

BloodEman thank you so much for following up with me and for the information I will definitely read up on it!
BloodEman (2 stories) (59 posts)
5 years ago (2016-02-10)
Hi, brighteyez

After I commented you, I just told my friend about your story and his suggestion was that the spirit was just a residual one and that it doesn't want to bother you. So I further asked about why he thinks that it is a good spirit just like I thought? And his answer was that he somehow feels it is a good entity. So I thought it won't be enough for tell you.

So I just read some articles in internet and found some information that would help you (maybe). I got them from two sites. But I cannot remember the name of one site but I remembered the other. So I visited that page again and copied the URL.


The above one is the URL I told you about. So I thought the information on this site could help you.

The information on the other site says that we could feel the presence of another energy and we have the ability to realize the nature of the spirit present near you. (if it is evil or kind)

I wish these information I've provided would help you. 😊
Peace887 (guest)
5 years ago (2016-02-10)
Challenging to decipher whether negative as it has not done anything telling yet. When you and your finance move to your new home hopefully that will be the end of this paranormal encounter but if not, let us know as it would be interesting to get an update on your experiences.
spiritwaiting (42 stories) (843 posts)
5 years ago (2016-02-06)
Brighteyez,I too was afraid of the dark until my late teen years. I will say because of that my mind did play tricks on me. But I eventually worked through that, knowing any entities could feed off my fear whether good or otherwise. Now I bravely face the dark and I also sleep in total darkness. Its great to let go of that! Now in regards to the spirit you saw I agree with sds it may have been a family member just checking in on you, and you happened to catch him
😆.Or it may have been a passing spirit just walking through.
brighteyez (9 stories) (21 posts)
5 years ago (2016-02-04)
Hi BloodEman,

Thank you for writing me back, unfortunately I do not remember the exact date only that it was on a saturday night and I was probably around the age of 9-10. The only person that I can recall that could possibly come through to me was my uncle that passed away when I was 5 years old.
Wafiki (1 stories) (1 posts)
5 years ago (2016-02-04)
I experience the same thing, I am an 18 year old about to go to college soon and I am as well semi-afraid of the dark. The light helps me too, but if you're a religious person pray for protection and a sense of security. If you're not religious (trying to keep everyone's perspectives in mind here), get a pet of some sort they're great company or as I am in Native American descent buy some sweet grass or any sage, in my culture those two things help against negativity. I hope I was of some help!
BloodEman (2 stories) (59 posts)
5 years ago (2016-02-03)
Hello Brighteyez! I read your story and I was attracted in the part where you were being followed...
However my conclusion is same as your mother's. Whoever it was, it wanted to show its presence... And if you still feel its presence, you could try calling some paranormal investigators so that you could know what it look likes and what it's looking for... However I agree with SDS, that the entity wasn't harmful but somehow I feel like it is a member of your family that has passed out...

Please respond...
And I request the exact day this thing happened (not for investigations, just to know)
brighteyez (9 stories) (21 posts)
5 years ago (2016-02-02)
Hi Dandk,

Thank you for your response, but no there was no intruder in my house as I live in a pretty safe neighborhood, he had no face that I could decipher from
DandK (10 stories) (338 posts)
5 years ago (2016-02-02)
Brighteyez, was the man like a shadow figure, or could you make out his face a little?

My first reaction is that maybe you had an actual intruder in your house. In our town, it happens a few times a year that you'll hear in the news about people that wake up to find strangers in their home. Once it was a drunk next door neighbor that went into the wrong house and got caught in the kitchen trying to get something to eat. A coworker of mine woke up to see a burglar at the foot of his bed. The burglar ran off, so it ended well.
brighteyez (9 stories) (21 posts)
5 years ago (2016-01-28)
Hi SDS, thank you for writing back. I do still live in that same house, I actually just purchased my first house with my fiance so I will be moving out soon. I remember bringing it up to my mom at a point to ask her if she ever heard or seen anything but she just told me there are things we cannot explain, even though she has never heard or seen anything like this. She just said that it was a spirit that chose you and made its presence known. I still feel a strange presence when I am there but nothing else has happened in my parents house since.
sds (14 stories) (1434 posts)
5 years ago (2016-01-28)
Hi brighteyez, please don't get scared. That is Rule No.1. If there is an negative entity, it will starve you off your energy and drain you. So be bold. Nothing in this or the other world would be able to shake a man, who is courageous. Nothing could possess you or harm you if you are able to face it with confidence. Please do keep this in mind and keep on repeating to yourself.

As far as your narrative is concerned, I would like to know if you are staying in the same house even now? If you do, I would like to know if you hear the footsteps or tapping on the door even now? It is always better if your discuss with your parents about your experiences. Who knows, perhaps they might share their own with you and if it is possible to share them with us, we can suggest you some methods.

But, I feel that whatever you have narrated and if there is a spirit or entity, it is not negative or harmful. With regard to the sighting of a man with a hat, it could be that your mind was playing games as you were apprehending that you would see something or someone or it could be a random paranormal sighting.

Please do respond. Be bold.

Regards and respects to you.



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