Scary Stories For A Rainy Night - Ep. 184 - The Sea Is Red - Scary Stories and Rain

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hey, welcome to Scary Stories and Rain.
I really hope you enjoyed this episode.
And don't forget you can subscribe to this podcast for
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Only 299 a month, no more ads. I have all the info you need in

(00:21):
the description to this episode.And one last thing, thank you so
much for being here. I really hope you enjoy.
A couple of weeks ago I noticed a smell around mine and my
neighbor's property. I had noticed their dog had been
gone for a while, so I thought the dog had died and thought

(00:43):
nothing of it really. A few more days go by, the smell
is getting worse and worse. On the day I found him, I was
outside chopping up tree branches from the past few
storms while my wife and son were playing in the backyard.
The smell at this point had gotten so strong my whole
backyard smelled. You could even smell it when you

(01:06):
got in the car in our driveway. My 2 year old son was even
making faces of disgust. A friend of mine comes over and
started looking for where the smell was coming from.
He follows it to my neighbor's yard but the smell is so strong
he almost throws up, doesn't seeanything and just gives up his

(01:27):
search. My wife at this point is
debating on calling the police. I tell her to hold off because
what if it's just their dog? I tell her I'm going to hop the
fence to see if I can come across it.
I was going to go offer to bury it for my neighbors as they are
elderly and maybe they just couldn't take care of it

(01:47):
properly. So I hopped the fence.
This isn't the first time I've smelled death, but this is the
worst smell I have ever smelled.I take one step and that's all I
needed. Behind their shed was the corpse
of a fully grown man, slumped over, Gray skin, Gray eyes

(02:11):
staring back at me. He was wearing a red flannel
shirt tucked into his blue jeansand work shoes.
Flies coming out of his mouth, his nose and his ears.
My guess is he had been there for about a week in a muggy
Georgia heat. I had AT shirt over my face to
protect me from the smell, but being that close, I did almost

(02:34):
throw up. I ran back to the fence, jumped
it quickly, ran to my house and told my wife to call the police.
At first I didn't believe my eyes.
I told myself there's no way that I actually just found a
body. So while my wife made the call,
I went back out to the border ofthe property and shouted out for

(02:56):
him, but I got no response. About 45 minutes later an
officer shows up and I explainedwhat I saw.
The officer seems to not believeme, I wouldn't either.
That is until he walks back there himself.
I follow along to show him but before I even get back to the

(03:17):
fence I hear him say yeah that'sa body and he calls it in.
Two sheriff's cars, 3 crime scene trucks, an investigator
with his car, a coroner van, allshow up within the next 10
minutes. I go and give my statement to
the investigator and that was that.

(03:39):
I talked to my neighbors about everything as well.
They noticed the smell but assumed it was a cat or
something. They also explained that they
were on vacation for a week, which is when the dog hopped the
fence and ran away. They had no idea who this person
was or how they got there. Aside from the police, I was the
only one who saw the body up close.

(04:02):
The image is stuck in my head and plagues my dreams.
I can't look in my backyard without thinking about him.
It's been a couple weeks now andwe still smell him randomly
sometimes. I work with bleach for a living
and even at work I smell him. The cops told me that he was a
John Doe and an OD. It's nice to know my neighbors

(04:27):
aren't murderers, but I don't know how to move on.
My wife and I are talking about moving early next year, but I
honestly feel this is something that will stick with me for the
rest of my days. I'd like to preface this story

(04:55):
by acknowledging that the truthfulness or reliability of
asylum or escaped mental patients stories tends to be
questionable. The reason why I'm skeptical of
those stories is that large scale closures of asylums began
in 1967 through the 1980s and were completely decommissioned

(05:16):
by 2015. So I raised my eyebrow whenever
someone talks about spooky asylum stories that happened
within the last two decades or so.
Still, I will be sharing my story as factually as my memory
allows and refrain from exaggerating any aspect.

(05:37):
I often visited my grandparents home in Traverse City in
northern Michigan during the summers with my parents.
Traverse City is a beautiful place, produces 75% of the
world's cherries, and was home to the Traverse City Regional
Psychiatric Hospital, which operated from 1885 to 1989.

(05:58):
Since the United States federal government officially deemed the
hospital worthy of preservation for its historical significance,
the buildings on the hospital grounds were guarded by
patrolling security guards. The Traverse City Psychiatric
Hospital was massive, including 70 or 80 buildings of various
sizes. Some buildings have now been

(06:19):
converted into restaurants, giftshops, tourism traps, cafes,
etcetera, but many remain empty and abandoned.
Underneath the hospital is a sprawling brick tunnel system,
which the hospital staff used tosafely transport the patients
from building to building in thefrigid winter temperatures.

(06:42):
I'm sure there were instances where the patients underwent
cruel treatments or were subjected to the care of
horrible doctors, but the Traverse City Psych Hospital had
a great reputation. Many teenagers, including myself
at the time, were unashamedly fascinated with the hospital and

(07:02):
its history. As a result, we would often
break into abandoned buildings through unbarred windows or
doors with pickable padlocks. While there were a few cases
where teens would get caught andcharged with breaking and
entering, as long as we were stealthy, stuck to our safe
entrances, and paid attention tothe guards patrol patterns, we

(07:23):
could go in and out without worry.
I am not advocating for or trying to justify my criminal
act of B&E, but breaking into the old hospital was almost a
rite of passage for the TraverseCity teens.
The hospital's interior was terrifying.
There was old stained and brokenequipment and furniture,

(07:45):
crumbling floors and walls, vandalism, strange old building
noises, and complete and utter darkness in the tunnels,
basements and lower floors. Using flashlights was too risky
with the guards patrolling, so we often navigated the hospital
by memory and our dimly lit phone screens.

(08:07):
As you can imagine, our frightened youthful imaginations
ran wild with horror stories, which is pretty ironic
considering we made-up most of those stories.
Unfortunately, during my last trip inside, I encountered
something that terrified me to the point I swore off ever
returning. The story takes place around

(08:29):
10:00 PM. The moonlight was dim and most
patrol guards left for the day clad in black.
My friend Jason and I entered through the same window we
always used and followed our regular path to one of the tall
jutting Spires to sit by the windows that overlooked the
entire city. There was only one thing

(08:50):
different about this venture from the others.
A new, faint and unexplainable smoky odor.
Not smoky like fire, but something more akin to incense.
The smell was so faint we almostthought we were imagining it,
but it grew stronger as we got closer to our destination.

(09:12):
Rather than taking the stairs that led up to the Spire, we
followed the smell down to a different hallway until we
reached a room with a deep red glow emanating from the doorway.
Rather than doing the smart thing by leaving immediately, we
couldn't resist the urge to walkcloser and investigate.
When we finally reached the room, I audibly gasped and felt

(09:35):
Jason grip my wrist so hard his nails left marks on my skin.
We found a large ring of red votive candles and burning
incense circling a drawing of a pentagram with a sigil of
Baphomet. In the center of the drawing was
a dead, bloody bird surrounded by black feathers.

(09:58):
Bear in mind that I was raised devoutly Catholic, so seeing
this image filled me with a sense of fear stronger and more
paralyzing than any ghost sighting ever could.
Later on that night, Jason told me.
I immediately started mumbling prayers, but I personally don't
remember doing that. I wouldn't be too terribly

(10:20):
surprised though. While the duration felt
infinite, I'm not sure how long we stared at the occult scene
before hearing a man's low and ominous voice behind us saying
welcome friends. I promise you that there was
absolutely nothing friendly about the way that guy greeted

(10:42):
us. Jason and I screamed bloody
murder, whipped around, and saw two nicely dressed but frazzled
looking adult men smiling at us.The man in front of me held
something in his hand, and whileI can't say for sure what it
was, I remember thinking that itwas a knife at the time.

(11:03):
Which wouldn't be too crazy of aguess considering they recently
sacrificed a bird, or what looked like a real bird.
Jason and I sprinted past the two and I felt someone's fingers
grab the back of my shirt. Thankfully, the occultist tanned
didn't have a solid hold on me because I ducked and managed to

(11:25):
escape his grip. The men shouted for us to stop
running, which we obviously didn't.
We heard their footsteps chasingafter us for a little while, but
thankfully Jason and I had broken into the hospital so many
times that running through the unlit rooms, hallways and
tunnels was no challenge. When we finally reached and

(11:49):
vaulted through our escape window, the occultists were
nowhere to be seen or heard. We kept running through the
hospital grounds until we reached Jason's car with no
concern for the patrol guards. We would have rather gotten
caught by the guards than the occultists.
I puked twice in the parking lot, whether the cause was fear,

(12:12):
sprinting non-stop for a mile and 1/2, or a combination of
both. I'm not sure what would have
happened if the occultists caught us, but I know for sure
they weren't going to crack opena beer and sing Kumbaya by the
candlelight. I'm not familiar with cultic
practices or satanic rituals, soI'm not sure what the men were

(12:35):
trying to do or if they were summoning something.
Jason and I never returned to the hospital during that summer
or any of the following summers.While we aren't close now that
we're adults, I know that horrifying experience will keep
us cemented in each other's memories until we die.

(13:09):
There is a small town not far from me that has a nice little
downtown area with a few blocks of shops and restaurants.
I love coming to this area on myown since it has some different
kinds of boutiques and restaurants where I would shop,
grab some lunch or a drink by myself, and just enjoy my own
company. The area does not seem sketchy
to me, but I always hear my Italian grandma's voice in the

(13:32):
back of my head saying you be careful walking alone.
She brings this up almost every time I see her and I don't
dismiss it but I am cautious when I go places, especially
when I'm alone. Once I found out there was a
little hole in the wall hair salon on Main Street I made it a
point to go there as my go to hair place.

(13:54):
The salon was trendy with an antique vibe.
It was a narrow old looking hallway with a section to the
left of four to five hair stations and then further down
was the register counter near a back door to a parking lot area.
My appointment was one of their last times available and the
girls that worked in the salon seemed very new and took their

(14:16):
time with every process. I don't mind them being careful
with what they were doing, but they seemed to always have to
walk away for a period of time from the chair to go get
something from the storage room which was down some stairs and
that was a big meeting place to talk together.
While I was sitting in the salonI could hear a little commotion

(14:37):
going on outside along the street, like there was someone
making a case to ask for money from people walking by.
There was something unsettling about this since every now and
then I would hear a loud Yip or bark noise that seems to be
getting closer to the open door of the salon to the Main Street.
I kept staring at the doorway and the window of the salon as I

(15:00):
waited for my girl to come back.The people that walked by seems
to have such puzzled horrified looks on their faces and almost
broke their necks to turn back around to stare at something
behind them again. Which?
Was out of sight. I would hear the odd Yip noise
every now and then, but it seemed like it tapered off as
the Main Street started to clearout.

(15:22):
I brought it to the stylist's attention when they returned by
asking what do they think was going on out there.
They seemed to brush it off withan uneasy giggle.
Oh it's fine. Probably just Frito with a
giggle and a glance at her otherCo workers.
I usually would not feel anxious, but it was visibly
getting darker out and the Main Street was starting to clear

(15:45):
out. I had a walk back to my car a
while later. I was feeling good, about ready
to leave the salon. I tipped my stylist and she told
me she would meet me at the backregister to pay for my service.
I got up, walked down the short hallway and quickly made a turn
to run to the bathroom before I had to pay my bill and go home.

(16:07):
As I came out of the nook from the restrooms, I turned to my
left to call out to my stylist that I was ready to check out.
But when I walked out into the hallway, I was met with someone
dressed in raggedy brown and black clothes.
Standing in the hallway where I had to leave through the person
stopped in their tracks. The person had a pungent urine

(16:30):
smell and not only were they raggedy, but they were wearing
something over their head that looked like a mask or a
headpiece. The person standing in the hall
was wearing a full on botched taxidermied head and neck piece
of a wolf or coyote with wild glass eyes and a snarling

(16:50):
smiling mouth which looked like it was plastered onto some paper
mache helmet which this person was wearing for God knows what
reason. We both stopped in our tracks
when we saw each other, but the man in the wolf head started to
slowly inch towards me in the back door.
I have no idea what this man's intentions were, but my heart

(17:13):
sank when I saw him walk closer to me and the door.
My instincts kicked in and I just ran for the back door.
Ran through the parking lot as fast as I could until I found a
restaurant that was open. I felt like I was in a dream or
a video game. Everything was in slow motion.
I thought any second that the man would jump out and grab me,

(17:36):
but I just ran. Panic attacks are real.
I felt like I could faint for about 15 to 20 minutes.
After reaching the restaurant, Irequested an Uber back to my
parked car and I noticed the hair salon didn't even call me
to ask where I was to pay my bill.
I called and left a message saying I would mail them a

(17:56):
check. Just an answering machine picked
up. I try not to let this experience
deter me from coming back to this little town on my own.
My Italian grandma's voice is louder in my head and it did
take me a few months to come back.
But I will never be around alonein this town again after the sun

(18:19):
starts to go down. When I was 15, I stayed with my
dad in Ohio for the summer. At the time, he was living in a

(18:39):
finished basement apartment in the home of my much older
sister, his daughter from a previous marriage.
My sister Mel has a daughter close to my age named Caitlin,
who was 14 at the time. A week or two into my stay,
Caitlin and I were left home to watch her younger sisters Danny
and Jamie, while Mel went into work her night shift at the bar.

(19:03):
My dad normally went out to the bar himself for a few hours a
night to catch the game and hangout with his friends, and this
night was no different. We spent a few hours watching TV
with the younger girls after dinner and finally sent them up
to bed around 10:00. Caitlin and I were enjoying
having the living room to ourselves and listening to the
Eminem CD that she had become pretty obsessed with over the

(19:26):
last few weeks. Around 10:30 we were heating up
something to eat when we heard aknock at the front door.
For some context, my sister lived a few miles outside of a
really small rural town a good 30 minutes from the city.
Her house was located on the side of an old low traffic Hwy.
where the homes have large spaces and small patches of

(19:49):
woods in between. Still close enough together that
you could see your neighbors, but probably wouldn't cross
paths with them the way you might in a regular suburban
neighborhood. The road was dark with no St.
lights, so any light outside came exclusively from porch
lights and nearby windows this time of night.
Caitlin looked at me, clearly surprised to hear the door at

(20:12):
all, let alone this late at night.
They didn't really know anyone nearby, and everyone that lived
there always used the back door that led into the driveway
instead of the front that openeddirectly into the yard.
The knock came again. A little harder and more
insistent. What if it was the cops or

(20:32):
something? I was the oldest, so I
straightened up a little, sayingI'll get it in the most
confident voice I could manage. Caitlin followed me to the door,
trailing a little behind. I hesitated for a moment before
turning the deadbolt, then cautiously turned the handle to
open the big wooden door wide enough to peer through the gap

(20:54):
and through the screen door on the other side.
Hey, I'm trying to get a hold ofmy friend to come pick me up,
but my phone died. It's really hot out here, could
I maybe trouble you for some water or something?
Asked the boy standing on my sister's porch.
He was about 18 or 19 from the look of him.
He had a tall but slender build and shaggy light blonde hair

(21:17):
that hung into light blue eyes alittle as he talked.
He was wearing a black T-shirt and jeans and had clearly been
sweating a bit from the July heat that still hung heavy long
after the sun had gone down. I paused, glancing behind me at
Caitlin. She nodded and headed back to
the kitchen to grab a glass of water for the guy while I stayed

(21:40):
at the door. My anxiety about this guy was
slowly fading, but enough held out that I decided to stay in my
current position instead of opening the door anymore.
So where are you coming from? I asked, making small talk as I
listened to the sounds of Caitlin running the tap in the
next room. The boy jabbed a thumb behind

(22:02):
him down the highway leading to a town as he explained that way.
My friend is supposed to pick meup, but I decided to just start
walking that direction until he comes along.
I nodded, feeling Caitlin's presence come back behind me as
she approached with a glass of water for the stranger.
She flipped the latch on the screen door and held the water

(22:23):
out, this time leaving the screen door unlatched as it
slowly creaked closed behind herretreating hand.
The boy took the glass and gulped the water down quickly
wiping his mouth off on his arm.As he took the cup down from his
mouth, I noticed his face was covered in acne scars.

(22:43):
Do you think I could use your phone?
He asked next, offering a sheepish smile.
Sure. Caitlin piped up before I could
answer. I'll go get it.
Can I just come in? The boy asked.
Something nagged at me as I watched him shuffle a few inches
closer to the screen door and start to pull it back.

(23:06):
Instinctively, I slid my right foot up next to the bottom edge
of the front door where I was still holding it partially
closed. I leaned back to allow the door
to obscure my face from the boysas I looked at Caitlin, shaking
my head as I whispered. I don't think we should let him
in. She gave me an annoyed look, as
though not understanding why I took issue with allowing a

(23:28):
teenage boy inside. It was exciting and new and I
was clearly ruining the only interesting thing to happen to
us so far. I raised my eyebrows in a silent
plea and she turned back to the door to address the boy.
We can't let you in, sorry. She said, genuinely meaning it.

(23:49):
Why not? Are your parents home or
something? The boy asked.
He didn't sound like the thoughtmade him nervous, and the itchy
feeling that I'd begun to creep through my body grew more
persistent. Yeah, my dad is downstairs, I
said. A little too quickly.
I saw a spark hit his eyes as soon as the words left my mouth.

(24:14):
He recognized the anxiety in my voice, and I watched the shift
in his expression as he saw through my lie.
I'll be quick. He insisted.
I really need to get a hold of my friend to find out where he
is. He should have been here by now.
He went on, giving the highway acursory glance as though he was

(24:34):
looking out for his friend's car.
I saw him linger on the empty driveway as his eyes came back
around to us. But what if he misses you while
you're inside? I asked, trying to keep my tone
cheerful and conversational. I wedged my foot a little harder
into the door as I spoke. Seriously.

(24:54):
My dad will kill us if we let you in.
A slow smile began to spread across his scarred face.
The boy took a slow step forward, silently closing the
gap between the screen door and the crack that I've left open.
We were now only a few inches apart, the threshold of the door
the only thing left between us. I slid my free arm behind the

(25:18):
door, gripping the opposite sideof the door frame to brace
myself against it. I cursed myself for not sliding
the chain lock across the door before opening it.
If I did it now, it might upset him, I thought.
He stared me down for a second, the smile never leaving his
face. He turned to Caitlin, softening

(25:38):
his tone as he said. Please, I'll be super quick.
The sound of a door opening behind Caitlin and I made us
both jump. My dad came through the back
door with a puff of his last bitof cigarette smoke trailing in
behind him. What are you girls doing?
He asked roughly. I snapped my head back to the

(26:01):
boy at the door with wide eyes. It's my dad.
I whispered. Hang on a second.
I took advantage of his surpriseto quickly shut the door in his
face. Dad, there's a guy at the door,
he wants to come in and use the phone.
I told him. He's a teenager, grandpa, like
our age. I think I know him from school.

(26:22):
Caitlin added. My dad's expression darkened as
he walked to the door and openedit halfway to confront the boy.
What seems to be the problem? My dad asked the stranger.
I saw the boy shift uncomfortably as he told my dad
the situation about his friend picking him up.
Oh, you better get out. There, so he doesn't miss you,

(26:43):
my dad replied. They were just giving me water,
man. Relax the boy.
Challenged. It's hot out here, you know I'm
going to give you 5 seconds to get off my porch before I call
the cops, my dad growled a sudden.
Anger. Apparent in his voice as he
snatched the water glass back from the boy at the door.

(27:03):
Caitlin and I looked. At each other, confused, he
sounded. Really.
Mad all of a sudden we both. Began to.
Get nervous thinking we'd be in trouble for opening the door I.
Watched through a. Gap between my dad's body in the
door frame as the boy composed himself, gave him a.
Menacing. Smile and slowly backed off the
porch, disappearing. As he.

(27:24):
Walked back out into the dark yard toward the road.
Without another word. My dad slammed the door shut and
chain locked it, whirling aroundto face us.
What is the? Matter with you 2.
Why would you open the? Door to a stranger like that
when no. One's.
Home How stupid can. You be.

(27:46):
He yelled angrily. Grandpa, what's the big deal?
I told you I know him from school.
Why would you yell at him like that, Caitlin?
Whined. My dad sighed and sat down at
the table. He looked back.
And forth. Between us as he gathered
himself, calming his voice back down to a normal level while he
shakily explained. Girls.

(28:08):
He began. I'd.
Be willing to. Bet you money that there was
never any friend coming to get that guy.
There's a. Place that.
Ways down the road where bad people go, it's like a mental
health place, but for criminals.He was probably.
From there, why would you assume?
That Caitlin. Asked.
Clearly upset at the insinuation, I told you I know

(28:31):
him from school. Maybe you do, my dad.
Replied. But there was something.
Off about that kid, he. Softened his.
Voice as he went on. Didn't you notice he wasn't
wearing any shoes? He had hospital socks on.

(29:04):
This happened around six years ago when I was 15.
We were living. In a small.
Town in the mountains of Northern California where my mom
grew up and where her family still lives today.
My younger cousins, I'll call them Drew and Robbie for the
sake of their privacy. We're spending the day with us
and my mom decided to take us tosee the Nut Job 2 in theaters.

(29:26):
Drew. And I being.
Several years older than Robbie weren't totally crazy about
seeing a kids movie, but the buttered popcorn was enough to
keep us happy. The movie ended around
dinnertime and my mom offered toget fast food since we were
already in town and my aunt was due to pick up my cousins an
hour later. Robbie asked to go to.
Burger King, which wasn't my favorite the food.

(29:49):
Was all right. But I've always gotten an
uncomfortable vibe from that place, the part.
Of town where? The restaurant was located was
full of sketchy strip malls thatborder the freeway and it wasn't
unusual to find all kinds of colorful characters walking the
streets late in the day also. That.
Particular Burger King, the onlyone in our entire town, seems to

(30:10):
be a magnet for strange activity.
I. Remember watching?
A drunken fistfight on the sidewalk in front of the
restaurant one night when I was about 6 So.
After everyone. Else in the car reluctantly
agreed to go to Burger King off we.
Went. When we arrived a few minutes
later, my mom was preparing to turn into the drive through when

(30:30):
a man heading in our direction crossed the sidewalk in front of
the driveway looking. Back.
There wasn't anything about thisguy that seemed unusual or set
off any alarm bells. He was.
Average. Height, but a little on the
heavy side he had. Dark Curly.
Hair covered by a baseball cap and was wearing a tight fitting
white T-shirt and dark jeans or sweatpants.

(30:54):
Naturally, my mom stopped the car and waited for him to cross
the street. When he made it.
Safely to the other side and my mom began to pull in.
The man suddenly stopped dead inhis tracks.
As we made the sharp. Turn into the small parking lot.
This guy turned his whole body around to face us and kept his
eyes fixed on my side of the car.

(31:16):
The most unnerving part about it?
The part. That I.
Can still see so vividly in my mind was his.
Eyes. They were wide.
Open. Unnaturally open.
I swear it looks like something from the torture scene and A
Clockwork Orange look it. Up and you'll see.
What I mean I have. Never seen.

(31:38):
A person open their eyes so widein my entire life.
And like. Watching a car wreck, I couldn't
manage to look away. I.
Couldn't tell if he. Was looking at me or my cousins
in the back seat but at that. Point I.
Was too creeped out to care. Luckily, I wasn't the only one
who noticed my mom. Didn't.

(31:58):
Seem especially bothered and said something to the effect of
relax. Dude.
I'm not going to run you over aswe passed by him.
My cousin. Drew, on the other hand, leaned
over the back seat to catch another glimpse of the man.
Did you see his? Eyes.
He asked Robbie also. Curious tried to turn around and

(32:19):
stand up in his booster seat to see the man again.
My mom seemed unbothered, but Drew and I were so put off by
this guy that we couldn't let itgo.
The two of us turned around to look out the back window one
more time and check if the man was still watching us.
Sure enough, he was still standing in the same spot and

(32:39):
staring at our car with his enormous eyes.
I don't think he even. Blinked the whole time.
At this point my fight or flightmode was starting to kick in and
I wanted nothing more than to get out of there.
But. Then the man.
Did something that sent my heartrocketing up into my throat.
He started walking toward us. Very slowly.

(33:04):
Still. Staring.
Dead at us I. Really think he made.
A beeline for our car because the sidewalk on that side of the
restaurant curved around behind a small real estate building
that was hidden behind Cypress trees.
And I remember. Seeing this guy very clearly
coming straight for us, I jerkedmy mom's arm and started
pointing frantically out the back window.

(33:26):
Mom, that guy's following us. My mom turned.
Around in disbelief, and I can only assume that seeing the man
and Drew's worried expression finally made her realize what
was going on. All right, screw this.
My mother said that she took thecar out of park and followed the
drive through around the backside of the building where
the pickup windows were. I felt.

(33:49):
Myself. Begin to relax a bit and I was
incredibly thankful to be leaving the creepy man in the
dust. Or so I thought.
We turned the corner and to my absolute horror, the.
Old beat up. Blue pickup truck was stopped at
the window in front of us the drive.
Through lane. Wasn't wide enough for two cars

(34:09):
to pass through, so we were forced to sit there and wait
until the truck either moved or the man suddenly reappeared from
behind the blind corner less than 20 feet away.
My mom flipped the door locks and unbuckled her seat belt,
then began digging around in herpurse.
I knew what she was looking for.She and I had recently.

(34:31):
Bought cans of pepper spray at my father's insistence in case
of an emergency, I began. To dig.
Around for mine, but his luck would have it it wasn't there.
My family and I were big hikers and at a minimum I knew we
usually kept a pocket knife in the glove compartments.
I pulled open the drawer. But it wasn't there it.

(34:53):
Finally dawned. On me that the only thing that
could stop this man from gettingto us, if that.
Was his intention. Was a glass.
Window now this wasn't. My proudest moment but I kind of
started having a freak out. Anyone who has ever felt truly
scared or endangered knows the feeling of adrenaline rushing

(35:14):
through their veins. Sometimes that fear gets the
better of you and you can't stopthe emotions from spilling out
as I. Looked between.
The blue truck still parked in front of us in the back window
of the car. I just remember saying softly,
I'm so scared. It wasn't panicked or tearful.

(35:35):
It was just like. My.
Mouth said the first thing my brain was thinking my.
Mother whipped. Around and very angrily told me.
Lily, stop it. You're scaring.
Robbie, I'll. Admit that.
Looking back, I was angry at herfor saying that.
I know she wanted me to keep a cool head, which is what you
should do in situations like this, but it felt.

(35:56):
Like she was. Telling me I wasn't allowed to
feel scared. Besides I.
Wasn't the only one losing control of myself, Drew.
Reached. Over unbuckled Robbie's seat
belt, pulled him to. His.
Chest and held on to him tightlyto protect him.
That should have been more. Fear inducing than what I said,
but Robbie actually seemed more curious than scared I was.

(36:19):
Glad that he. Was young enough to not know
exactly what was happening. All in all, he.
Handled it better than us teenagers it.
Honestly felt. Like hours just waiting for that
stupid truck in front of us to move.
I. Started getting.
Really angry, even though I knewit wasn't the driver's fault,
but it. Was a horrible.
Time for the people inside the restaurant to be moving so

(36:42):
slowly. Just then, my worst fear was
realized. The man appeared from around the
side of the building. I felt completely.
Hopeless and I was expecting himto run over and start trying to
break into the car at any second, but that didn't happen.
That was when I noticed he wasn't staring at us anymore.

(37:05):
He was just. Shuffling.
Very slowly along the sidewalk looking.
Straight. Ahead, as the four of us watched
him go in tense silence, I. Started to feel.
Confused. Why wasn't he staring?
At us anymore. Just minutes before, he was
giving us the most unsettling look I've ever seen on a human

(37:26):
face, and it looked like he was coming straight for us.
What? Changed, I was starting to
think. That I had gone crazy?
What if I was wrong? After all?
What? If the whole thing.
Was just one big misunderstanding on my part.
But as the man. Climbed the hill to the right of
the car, Drew suddenly said. Aunt Janet.

(37:51):
He's talking to himself. Sure enough as I looked.
Closer, I could see the man's lips moving as he stared fixedly
into the distance. With the car windows.
Closed. I couldn't hear what he was
saying. Frankly, I didn't.
Care I just. Wanted to get.
Out of there. When the truck in front.

(38:11):
Of us finally pulled forward, mymom hit the gas and drove out of
there as quickly as possible. The Four.
Of us. Breathed a sigh of relief as we
settled back into our seats and headed to a different restaurant
across town. As you can imagine, the weird
encounter was the only thing we could talk about for the rest of
the night. When my aunt arrived to pick up

(38:32):
my cousins, we told her the story.
I was surprised. But also grateful that she
wasn't upset. Instead, she suggested that the
guy was probably on something orhad some type of mental
disability. Her explanation?
Seemed likely enough and after about a week I passed.
Off the. Incident as just that, Just

(38:53):
another unhinged tweaker ruiningour once safe, amicable small
town I. Had mostly put.
The issue to the back of my minduntil a few weeks later when my
mom brought it up again. One afternoon as we were talking
in the living room, she started telling me that she read an
article online about a woman andher family who were possibly

(39:14):
followed. By traffickers in Oakland.
I don't remember the whole story, but to summarize, the
woman, her husband and their infant daughter were leaving a
football game in Oakland when a man started following them.
The woman noticed that the man was talking to himself and she
saw that he was wearing an earpiece.

(39:36):
As they got to the. Car Her husband went to confront
the man while she and her child got safely inside and locked the
doors. A car that had.
Been idling nearby suddenly. Pulled.
Up the man hopped inside, and ittore away the.
Article warned. That human traffickers will
sometimes select vulnerable targets, like women going places

(39:59):
with their children, and communicate with a waiting
vehicle nearby through an earpiece.
Once in position, the men in thecar will jump out and snatch the
woman or child or both. And they will likely.
Never be seen again. My mom suggested.
That maybe the man was wearing an earpiece and by the way he

(40:20):
was looking at us, following thecar and talking to himself, he.
Could have been talking. To someone in a car waiting
nearby. After all, he.
Was wearing a baseball cap and his hair covered his ears.
There was no way to. Tell if he was wearing one.
Now, I never heard of any instances of human trafficking

(40:42):
in my hometown, so I brushed it off as a wild theory.
But the mere suggestion was enough to keep the memory of the
incident from leaving my mind. To this day I still.
Have no idea what the man's trueintentions were.
I only. Remember the?
Gut wrenching feeling I got to when he stared at us with those
unnaturally large eyes. Was the guy just another addict?

(41:05):
Was he in fact? Secretly communicating with
someone waiting nearby was he? Just angry.
Because he thought we were goingto hit him with our car.
I. Just can't seem.
To explain it, no matter how hard I try and I know that I'll
never get an answer. However, if the man.
Was truly following us. I shudder.

(41:26):
To think. About what could have happened
if we had stopped at the menu board or had gotten out of the
car and gone into the restaurant.
Either way, the incident has taught me to always be aware of
my surroundings, trust my instincts, try to keep calm when
I feel in danger, and never go anywhere alone without my pocket

(41:48):
knife and pepper spray. In America, every 40 seconds a
child goes missing or has been abducted, the.

(42:10):
FB is. National Crime Information
Center. The NCIC reports that around
400,000 children go missing eachyear and on the International
Center for Unidentified and Missing Persons, Doe Network,
you can scroll through their missing people index.
Millions of people have never been found and millions more

(42:31):
bodies remain unidentified there.
Is 1 missing? Girl that people are still
searching for today. Her case?
Is still. Unsolved and but for a few
strange coincidences, she is likely to have been forgotten
along with so many others. However, with this.
Case It seems that the young girl might have been trying to

(42:52):
escape and could even have been freed if her plead had been
recognized for what they were. This is the story.
Of Anthonette's Quedido and whathappened to her Anthonette's
Christine Quedido was born Christmas Day in 1976 to Penny
Quedido and Anthony Montoya in Gallup, NM Anthonette's parents

(43:16):
got divorced when she was still a child and she, along with two
sisters, Senaida and Wendy, wentto live with their mother Penny
anthonettes was described by those who knew her as being very
smart, studious and that. She.
Acted older than her age, she was said.
To have a. Caring Heart and wanted to help
others who may need help, including caring for two younger

(43:40):
sisters. Anthonettes.
Was a charming child with brown hair and brown eyes and the
nickname squirrel, however. The settled.
Family life she and her sisters enjoyed was suddenly shattered
on the evening of April 5th, 1986.
That night A. Babysitter had been hired to
look after her girls while theirmom went with her friends to a

(44:03):
bar. Antonette's mother.
Returned around midnight and sent the babysitter home.
Penny then sent two of the girlsto bed but chose to.
Stay up herself, chatting with her.
Oldest daughter until 3:00 AM, then the Quedido family went to
bed for the night. At 7:00 AM the.
Following morning, Penny went towake the girls up to get ready

(44:26):
to attend Bible school, but something was wrong.
Antoinette was not in her bed. Penny searched the entire house
and could not find Antoinette. Penny started to head outside to
see if her daughter was out or at a neighbor's house.
She noticed something. Strange.
However, Penny noticed the frontdoor was not locked and the

(44:50):
screen door was also unlocked. The.
Door to the que. Adido Home had a screen door
that had to be opened if someonewanted to knock on the front
door. Penny was a bit.
Confused because she. Knew.
She locked both doors that night, but headed outside to
search for her missing girl, The.
Whole neighborhood. Then joined the search for

(45:11):
Antoinette, but she was just. Gone.
This was when Penny called the police to report her missing
daughter. Unfortunately.
The police said that she hadn't been missing long enough to
warrant a police report. And.
Penny needed to wait long enoughto confirm that she was truly
missing. Senaida mentioned that someone

(45:31):
knocked on their door and Antonette had gone to see who it
was. That was the last.
She knew of Antonette's whereabouts, the.
Police considered. The case an abduction and called
the FBI to help them search. Antonette's mom.
Was given 2 polygraph tests and is reported to have failed the
second test taken by the FBI. Statistically.

(45:55):
Children are often abducted by someone they know and trust,
yet. After.
Questioning the whole family, none knew any information that
would help find Antonette A. Neighbor told.
Police she saw a brown truck outside their home around 6:30
AM. But it was typical for many
people to come out of the Que Adidos home and they didn't

(46:16):
think anything of it with no. Evidence.
To go on, and despite the best efforts of law enforcement and
the neighbors, the case went cold.
That was until one year after she went missing a call.
Came. Through to 911 the. 911.
Operator heard a young girl's voice on the phone which said I

(46:38):
am Anthonette Cadido and I'm in Albuquerque.
The 911 operator asked where shewas in Albuquerque, but the
voice never got to answer. A man was heard in the
background asking who said you could use.
The phone and. Terrified screaming was heard
before the line abruptly disconnected.

(47:01):
The 42nd long call was too shortfor police to trace it, but
Penny insisted it was her. Daughter.
'S voice because she said. She.
Could recognize the screams and how she pronounced her last
name, however. The girl.
On the phone said she was in Albuquerque, but she.
Couldn't have. Been if she.
Had dialed. 911 in Albuquerque. She would have been connected to

(47:24):
the 911 operator in Albuquerque,not the operator in Gallup.
Was it a hoax or was it a clue? Did Anthonette believe she was
in Albuquerque when in reality she had been nearby this whole
time? Again the case.
Went cold until 1991, six years after Antoinette had gone

(47:46):
missing. Then, in Carson City, NV, an
unkempt couple and a teenage girl stopped to eat at a
restaurant, the. Waitress said that.
The girl kept pushing her fork off the table when the waitress
was near and would squeeze the waitress's hand every time she
put the fork back. The.
Waitress found a. Napkin under the girl's plate

(48:08):
with help me and call police written on it, but by the time
the napkin was found, the girl. Was gone.
When? The waitress was.
Questioned, she noted that the girl resembled Antoinette.
Could this be the second? Time Antoinette had tried to
escape her captors. Terrifyingly.

(48:30):
They would have held her againsther will for years by this
point, and after this last contact she was never heard from
again. However, the clues.
Were mounting five years after Antoinette's went missing, her
sister Wendy said she knew something about the night her
sister was taken. Wendy now. 10 years old told

(48:53):
police. There was.
A knock on the door and Antoinette's followed by Wendy
went to the door to see who was there.
Wendy said that Antoinette askedwho's.
There, and that she heard. Someone outside say Uncle Joe.
She saw Antoinette. Open the door only to be
snatched by two men. She.

(49:14):
Told police that. Antoinette was carried into a
brown van with the girl kicking and screaming.
It had been a brown. Van that the neighbor had seen
outside the house on the night of the kidnapping When?
Asked why. She went back to bed after that
and did not tell the police at the beginning.
Wendy. Told the.
Officers that she was scared andthat she would get in trouble if

(49:36):
she said anything. Wendy thought that the police or
her mom would not believe her because she was a little kid.
The girls did have an uncle named Joe who was questioned,
but he had an alibi and a witness who was with him the
whole night it was. Certain.
That he did not take Antoinette.Antoinette wouldn't have opened

(49:58):
the door or answered unless it was someone she knew or thought
she knew. The.
Abductors may have known enough about the family to know that
there was a real Uncle Joe Asidefrom the two strange attempts to
make contact, there was nothing to go on.
In the years since Anthonette's disappearance, however, there

(50:18):
have been many theories as to what happened to her one.
Such. Theory is that a member of her
own family abducted Antoinette her.
Mother and sister. Said that she would never open
the door unless it was someone she trusted.
All family. Members were questioned but were
ruled out by the police and the FBI.

(50:38):
It is. Also possible.
That Penny knew more about that night than she said the.
Failed. Polygraph is always mentioned
the. Police and people.
Familiar with the case, stronglybelieve that penny.
Knew. What happened to her daughter?
Penny K Adido. Died in 1999, however, and
whatever she knew was taken withher to the grave.

(51:02):
Perhaps Wendy lied when she was 10 years old.
Many web sleuths believe that ifWendy saw her sister get
kidnapped, she would not have. Gone.
Back to bed, A5. Year old.
Child would have said something,not hide it.
If Antoinette were carried from the house screaming and
fighting, her sisters, or at least her mother would have

(51:23):
woken up the. Police based.
Their investigation on what Wendy said after she came
forward. It is also.
Possible that a stranger abducted Antoinette, plucking
her out of the night. Joe is a common.
Name and when a child asks who is there saying uncle would make
her? Open.

(51:43):
The door. People believe the.
Kidnappers made-up a name on thespot, not knowing the girls had
an Uncle Joe the. Chance that a.
Kidnapper would use a name that Antoinette recognized is
unlikely. Finally, there is the theory
that Antonette was taken becausesomeone in the Que Adido family
was in the drug trade. It was believed that she was

(52:06):
either killed as a threat to thefamily or she was sold to
someone who bought the girl for trafficking.
However, there is. No proof that anyone in the Que
Adido family was involved in thedrug trade.
Antonette's story. Is known by millions thanks to
her story being featured in an episode of the show Unsolved

(52:27):
Mysteries in 1992 the FBI has, however, closed her case because
she. Was likely.
Dead. The Gallup Police Department has
left the case open and active, but investigators must be left
to rule what? Could have happened.
If those two strange attempts tocontact authorities.

(52:48):
Had been acted. Upon.
This event happened. In early 2022, my boyfriend.
And I had. Gone out of town for a weekend

(53:09):
to attend a Comic Con about 5 hours away.
I was very excited as I was planning on attending my first
meet and greet as well as just being out of town and just
exploring a city that we've never been to before.
The excitement, however, would soon turn sour.
After the five hour. Drive and a bit of exploring.
We were dead tired. We thought it best to go.

(53:30):
And check into our hotel, we hada.
Lot of things. To carry in as we didn't want to
leave our purchases in the car to tempt a thief, so we had.
To take 2. Trips from the car to our room
once we got checked in and was given the room number and key,
we started on the journey to find our room we.
Ended up being. Assigned to a room at the other
side of the building. Walking.

(53:52):
Down the hall. To drop the first load of things
off in our room, we passed a room very close to ours that
smelled horrible. We had looked at each other with
disgusted looks on our faces. It nearly smelled.
Like something had died, but we thought.
Nothing. More of it until we went into
our room, dropped our things offand came back out to go back

(54:13):
outside again. This room.
Was fairly close to ours, only about four doors down, so we
didn't have to go very far before we started to hear
screaming. The voice sounded young, like a
kid. At first we thought.
It was just maybe an unruly kid throwing a fit.
But then we began. To understand the words being

(54:34):
shrieked. Get away from me.
OK, this amped. Up the worry scale quite a bit.
It could still. Be a.
Kid throwing a fit, right? Then the.
Blood curdling scream the. Terrible.
Awful scream that still sends chills through my body to this
day. The scream that.

(54:56):
Stopped both of us in our tracks, right outside of their
door. We looked.
At each other. Terror gripping us.
After hearing so many horror stories about trafficking, I
automatically thought the worst.At that moment.
We didn't quite know what to do.Knock on the door and risk
getting hurt? Call the police or just.

(55:16):
Alert the front desk. My.
Boyfriend. Automatically cut down the first
idea. There was no way he would put me
in danger like that or let me put myself in that scenario we
had. Also left.
Our phones in our room. Stupid move, I know, but we were
just going to the car and comingright back, so we were stuck
with the third option, alerting.The front.

(55:39):
Desk Now normally I have bad anxiety and can barely talk to
strangers, but I went straight to the front desk manager while
my boyfriend got the rest of ourthings from the car I.
Let her know. Everything we noticed,
everything we. Heard.
And how concerned we were, she asked what room number this was

(55:59):
when I. Told her the.
Number. She seems to hesitate.
I could. Tell she was.
About to say something that was going to further my unease.
I was right. She told me that it was.
The same people that had been staying there for quite a while,
almost a month, they claimed it was because their house was
being repaired or something to that effect, but there.

(56:21):
Were obviously doubts about this.
She also said that. No housekeeping had been in
there to clean because they werealways in there and had the do
not disturb sign up not wanting anyone to go inside.
What's? More disturbing?
Is that I was not the only one to come to the hotel staff with
complaints and concerns about these patrons.

(56:42):
There have been complaints aboutthe smells coming from the room,
as well as what other patrons had described as children.
Throwing. Fits or being unruly.
Now she was having. Second thoughts on these
reports? At.
This point my. Boyfriend had re entered the
lobby with the rest of our things and was eager to get back
to our room. I went with him.

(57:05):
But not before asking the manager what we should do.
She could. Not give me an.
Answer, but promised that she would do a welfare check on the
room. I was in no.
Way comforted by this and when we got back to our respective
room, I began to. Cry.
With overwhelming dread, that child could just be throwing a
tantrum, of course. But.

(57:27):
What if it was much? Worse than that, what if the.
Child was actually being hurt and I wasn't.
Doing anything to help them my. Boyfriend saw.
That this was bothering me and suggested that we go ahead and
call the police if it would makeme feel better.
I was torn. I wanted to but I didn't know if
I had the right to do that as I was not on my own property

(57:50):
leave. It to me.
The resident overthink her to think of hotel policies at a
time like that. As I was debating.
With myself, we suddenly heard sirens coming down the road and
they seemed to stop right in front of the hotel.
We waited for a. Time thinking that they had just
passed the hotel before my. Boyfriend.

(58:10):
Went to the lobby to ask about calling the police.
While he was gone. I rang my mom and told her what
was going on. I didn't want to be alone, and I
knew that she would call me down.
After a few minutes of talking with her, my boyfriend came back
to the room, an astonished look on his face.
I put the phone. Down, but kept the call going so

(58:33):
my mom could hear what was goingon.
He explained that as soon as he asked the front desk manager
about calling the police, she informed.
Him. That the cops have indeed
stopped at the hotel concerning the very same room.
I reckoned that my concern LED her to call the police herself.
They. Went to the room.
And knocked on the door, announcing themselves and

(58:56):
requesting to be let in. That's.
When the mother. Of the two children, yes, there
was another child mixed up in this mess, and infants to top it
all off. Tried to make.
A break for it and evade capture, completely abandoning
the kids. They.
Immediately. Caught and arrested her along

(59:16):
with her partner. They also took the.
Children somewhere safe and out of harm's way.
How? All of this.
Happened without us hearing a peep.
I will never know all. I knew in that.
Moment was sweet relief knowing that the children were safe it.
Turns out that the. Town we were in was inundated
with child trafficking cases at the time.

(59:37):
Unbeknownst to us, we. Were just there.
For a Comic Con, who would have guessed we would also influence
a trafficking bust as well? I began cleaning houses after I

(01:00:02):
had my first son he was a year old and I decided I would like
to have a job where I could not only get some good exercise but
bring in a little extra cash to help my husband out my.
First job I. Got was for a family not too far
from my house. They had two.
Younger. Daughters aged 4:00 and 7:00 and
they kept a pretty clean home, really.

(01:00:24):
Nice. Family very good at
communicating they were. Always quick.
To let me know when and if they needed me to cancel or not.
I never had an issue with not knowing what I was going into
whenever I showed up. I always let myself.
In with the door code whether they were.
Home. Or not, and as soon as I would
walk in, I would get right. To work.

(01:00:47):
Now the wife of the. Homeowner was a very neat woman,
she really just hired me becauseshe needed a little extra help
due to a demanding job. But anytime I came, the house
was. Already.
Pre cleaned for me meaning the dishes were done, the kitchen
was wiped down, clothes were picked up she made.
Sure, her. Girls clean their room, so it

(01:01:08):
was easier for me to vacuum and dust the house.
Was never. In a state of disgustingness or
uncleanliness, well. The other day.
I showed up at my usual time on my usual day, letting myself
into the house, and it was the complete opposite sight from
what I had been seeing for the past year and a half.

(01:01:29):
There were. Clothes.
Strewn about everywhere. I'm not just talking about in
the bedrooms where you would expect them, but all over the
living room, all over the hallways there were.
Toys. All about and yes, that's
expected with kids, but at the same.
Time. They were in the most bizarre
places, like by the dishwasher under the parents work desks.

(01:01:52):
There was also a big pile of toys on the top of the master
bed. Two of the biggest red flags I
saw though were plates of food. Cut up food and.
Tea in a kettle getting moldy onthe counter.
There were. Fruit and.
House flies everywhere, so clearly this food had been
getting moldy for a while, but I.

(01:02:12):
Figured maybe. They had left in a hurry or
something. I had a.
Feeling that. They might have been out of town
because usually one or both werehome for the most part when I
came, but what kind of made me confused was that both of their
cars were in the garage. At the same time.
Though they could have gotten anUber or a ride from a friend if

(01:02:32):
they were going somewhere, so I brushed that off.
I. Began my.
Cleaning, Scrubbing out the dishes which I have never had to
do before on this job, Getting rid.
Of all. The moldy food taking the.
Trash. Out.
So it was out of the house, vacuuming as many spider webs
and flies as I could because they seemed to be everywhere.

(01:02:54):
I. Cleaned up all the.
Clothes. I put them in their respective
rooms and hampers if their hampers weren't already full.
But then. I headed to.
One of their bathrooms. And this is where I was even
more in shock. There were flies everywhere.
A majority of them were dead, but some of them were still
flying around the bathroom. There were dead flies, dead

(01:03:17):
fruit flies, some mosquitoes as well.
I checked the window. It.
Wasn't even. Open.
There were no openings the. Bathroom was.
Sealed the door had. Been.
Closed when I got there so I went along with my cleaning.
Feeling very unnerved at this point but figuring if I'm there

(01:03:38):
I might as well just continue. Trying not to allow myself to
think this was a crime scene or something.
My imagination will occasionallyget ahead of me at times, I
proceeded. To.
Vacuum up all the fly carcasses.I cleaned off all the counters,
the bathtub, the toilet, the surrounding area and tried to

(01:03:59):
vacuum up as much as I could. Usually at the end.
Of all my cleanings, I would text the homeowner and let them
know that I was done and he would follow that up with a
thank you and would send my payments through Venmo.
But when? I was finished.
I felt really uncomfortable so I.
Called him to ask if they were maybe out of town.
Or if you know something happened, God forbid.

(01:04:22):
And if there was anything I could do to help because.
Clearly, the state of their house was not typical.
But nobody answered the phone. I.
Called his wife. But she didn't answer either, so
I. Just sent him a.
Text message saying I'm all. Done.
See you in another two weeks. I haven't gotten.

(01:04:42):
Paid or gotten a reply in three days, which is not.
Like. Them at all?
So I'm at this point. Now where I don't know what to
do. Should I report this?
To the police, should I? Ask them to give.
A welfare check or something because I'm so confused.
I really hope. Nothing bad happened to them.

(01:05:17):
Back in 2011, one of my cousins from Guatemala had a horrific
car accident. Doctors told her.
Parents to prepare for a funeral, but.
Be it a. Miracle or my cousin's fighting
spirit? She lived elated.
I booked a flight to visit her. My uncle lives in.
This private community he purchased 2 pieces of land and

(01:05:40):
built houses during that. Time.
The housing development in that area wasn't prominent, so
neighbors were spread out about.65.
Yards behind his main house, there's a forested area that is
untouched. One evening my.
Family and I were jumping from topic to topic.
Having a great. Time now that my cousin was back

(01:06:01):
home I'm. Not sure who.
Brought it up, but we started discussing about the paranormal.
During that time. I was always skeptical about
ghosts, spirits, etcetera meanwhile.
My. Family was the opposite.
They started to talk. About their experiences
throughout the years. More recently, they believed

(01:06:21):
they were seeing my grandpa who had passed away.
They would see shadows. Peeking around corners one day,
my uncle looked towards the staircase and saw a shadow
outlining what looked to be a man with a hat.
My grandfather always wore his hats even if he was at home 1.
Of the nights I. Slept in my cousin's room.

(01:06:43):
I heard what? Sounded.
Like a dog walking around the room I brought.
It up in the. Morning.
And apparently that's something that has happened to my cousin
as well, my uncle. 'S other.
House was also pretty active with unexplained things for.
Example. His back door was banging so
aggressively it broke the glass.Mind you, he has.

(01:07:04):
Walls that are about 12 feet tall with barbed wire.
There was. No one.
There. Continuing from our.
Conversations That same evening,my uncle took me for a stroll
around the neighborhood. He would point.
To different. Houses and tell me what that
particular neighbor's paranormalexperiences were.
Apparently the land they lived on was active with the

(01:07:26):
paranormal. The Sun.
Had. Already set and the only light
source we had were from sporadiclight posts, which was.
Sufficient. Enough to see.
As we're nearing. Back to his main house,
something caught my attention. About 55 yards behind his house
is another neighbor. They had two dogs that were

(01:07:47):
barking from the rooftop. And yes, you heard that right.
It's common in Guatemala to havedogs on their flat rooftops.
Anyway. There was someone or something
in front of their house next to a light post.
Normally it wouldn't be a big deal.
Dogs. Barking.
At someone or noise, it's in their nature.

(01:08:07):
But there was. Something.
Off. At first glance.
I thought it was possibly an older lady because it seemed
like her back was rounded and she was wearing what looked
almost like a cloak. It's uncommon to.
See an older woman by herself inthe evenings.
So I pointed it out to my uncle.He.
Glanced over. And instantly got goosebumps and

(01:08:29):
told me that's. Not a person.
That's a spirit. And with that, he.
Went inside his house. Curious and still.
Being a skeptic, I lingered outside studying this person or
thing or whatever it was. Even though it was right.
Next to the light post I could. Not make.

(01:08:50):
Out any details? It was just this bulky black
entity. Then it started.
To move very slightly to its left it.
Wasn't one. Swift motion.
Almost. Like.
Gliding. Then it started to.
Turn almost translucent. I rubbed my eyes.
Thinking maybe I stared for too long and was causing irritation,

(01:09:14):
I. Focused my.
Gaze back at this thing and it was still translucent it.
Started moving. Again, in that slow, gliding
rhythm. Suddenly this thing.
Turned back into a solid black shape and took.
Quick. Long, abnormal strides towards
the forest. With that.
I immediately went inside the house and told my family what I

(01:09:37):
had seen. I've always been.
More logical and analytical to anything considered paranormal.
I guess it's an easier approach,as accepting something that
can't be explained is terrifyingto me, but I just can't say
exactly what this was because I've.
Never. Seen anything like it?

(01:09:57):
I have heard many. Stories about skinwalkers and
kind of juggled with that idea. The weird.
Thing is. That I almost feel attached to
whatever I saw. I don't want to sound crazy but
it's like I can always feel it at a distance.
It's. Strange.
To describe. But it feels like it's.
Energy still lingers around me. I've.

(01:10:20):
Had many more. Strange encounters that probably
deserve their own separate stories.
This is the first. Time I have posted a story
anywhere. Finally, after more than a
decade later, I'm open to getting input on what I saw that
evening to hopefully put my mindat ease.

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Scary Stories For A Rainy Night - Ep. 184 - The Sea Is Red

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Scary Stories For A Rainy Night - Ep. 184 - The Sea Is Red