At times, real life can feel like something out of a scary movie. The people in these stories experienced moments so bizarre, unsettling, or unbelievable, they could hardly accept they were real. From strange noises in the dark to inexplicable sights, these 14 true stories will make you reconsider turning off the lights.

Story 1

I woke up at 2 a.m. to drink water. The TV was on. I heard my daughter asking, “Daddy, can you get me a blanket?” Half-asleep, I took one and tossed it on the couch. As I returned to bed, it hit me… my daughter was at a sleepover.

I ran back and froze when I saw the couch empty. Then, all of a sudden, I heard a loud voice coming from the TV, confirming it was indeed on. I rushed to the bedroom and woke my wife to tell her what had just happened. She reminded me that our daughter was definitely at a sleepover—and then mentioned she’d forgotten to turn off the TV.

That’s when it all made sense. I’d been so groggy that I mistook a line from the movie playing on the TV for my daughter’s voice. The whole thing had just been my sleepy brain mixing things up, but the memory of that night still gives me chills.

Story 2

I was 6 and remember playing in my room and my grandpa walks in and talks to me for a few minutes. After a bit he gets up and tells me to “be a good girl for mom,” kisses me on the forehead, and walks out. Mom comes in about 5 mins later hysterical and told me my grandpa had died overnight, and we had to leave to go be with the family two states over where he lived. © shayluhhh / Reddit

Story 3

When I was still living at my parents’ house, there was a small sign with my name on it glued to my bedroom door. It had been hanging there for several years. The night before I was going to move to my own place, the sign fell from the door by itself. It was in the middle of the night, so nobody touched it or the door or anything. © Veezerick / Reddit

Story 4

one night, when our parents were out, I was sleeping, and I heard a music box. It was pretty scary, so my sister and I cuddled up in my room. The music didn’t stop until about five in the morning, and that’s when we went out to check what it was.
We found an old music box in the garbage bin, but it looked very old. For the next few nights, it kept playing. I went down to take the batteries out, but, and I kid you not, there were no batteries in the box. © PurpleSkinTag / Reddit

Story 5

When I was a kid, I came home from school, and no one was home, which was normal. Pretty much immediately as I stepped in, the radio started loudly blasting from the speakers we had. It startled me, so I screamed and ran outside.
After I got back in, it had stopped. How did it start and stop on its own? I still think about it to this day. © mikemikebungee / Reddit

Story 6

Story 7

I was visiting my grandfather’s grave for the first time, and as I approached it, a golden retriever appeared out of nowhere. He sat with me as I sat next to the grave, his head resting on my knee. As I was leaving, I turned around, and the dog had disappeared.
Rationally speaking, I know that it was just a dog, not connected to my grandfather at all, but part of me still likes to think that he came to say goodbye to me that day. © objetdel / Reddit

Story 8

I was probably around 10 years old. My parents didn’t like me playing my DS all day, so I would sneak it at night. One night, I was playing Pokémon when, all of a sudden, I heard a man’s voice in my head telling me to go to sleep.
I instantly turned off the game and fell asleep within seconds. I thought it was my dad, but I never heard or saw the door open, and he never mentioned it to me. It creeped me out for a while. © seanproctor / Reddit

Story 9

My boyfriend told me that when he was a kid, he used to hear whispers and have conversations in one of the rooms at night. Intrigued, he entered the room out of curiosity, and someone tapped him on the back so hard that he fell unconscious. When he woke up, there was a big mark on his back, resembling a scratch from large paws, and it’s still there today. It’s really creepy. © ruri7218 / Reddit

Story 10

My ex-girlfriend and I were talking in our bedroom, which was connected to a bathroom. The sink was right in front of the foot of the bed. While we were talking, the faucet turned itself on one night. I’m a plumber by trade, and I know that doesn’t just happen. © InMemoryofJekPorkins / Reddit

Story 11

A coworker of mine was doing prep in the morning in a completely empty building. He went to the bathroom, and while in there, he clearly heard the sound of the door just outside the restroom that leads to our patio opening and closing. Since no one was supposed to be in the restaurant (we’re only open for dinner service), he bolted out, but no one was there.
He checked the security cameras and saw himself walking into the bathroom. Then the screens turned to white fuzz for a few minutes before clicking back on as he ran out. I saw the footage—that actually happened. Very eerie. © Humblepoptart / Reddit

Story 12

Story 13

My roommate found a strange key in their car. They hadn’t driven anyone around, the car was locked, the windows were rolled up, and a key that went to nothing we owned was sitting perfectly in the middle of the passenger seat. © Ryukotaicho / Reddit

Story 14

When I was in 2nd grade, I started feeling really hungry and unwell one day during class. I toughed it out until lunchtime, but on the walk to the cafeteria, my sight changed so that I could only see in black and white. As soon as I started eating, my normal vision returned.
The nurse sent me home later with a fever, but I have never been able to understand how it was even possible to temporarily go colorblind. My family doesn’t believe me to this day. © bennettr08 / Reddit