As The Raven Dreams Podcast - 3 True Scary Urban Exploration Stories

Starting point is 00:00:00 Just a really quick warning here. Today's video has some sensitive subjects and sensitive things in the stories. So if you're not into that, viewer discretion is advised. Also, if you have a story you want to send my way, please do so at astherravendreams.com or check the links down below. And thank you. Back in the late 2000s, me and my then-boyfriend Omar were taking an impromptu road trip. We just wanted to get away, so we just set off heading east in whatever direction we were pulled,

Starting point is 00:00:45 and stopped at places that we were drawn to. We didn't have a lot of money, so we slept in our car a lot, which was fine, as it gave us more time to look around at places to go. However, our idea of places to go also included urban exploring. It was fun enough finding places local. to explore, but even better went out of state. Places you've never been to or heard of and just going in blind. We were driving through Mississippi at the time when our car started having issues and

Starting point is 00:01:24 overheating. Thankfully, we were near an exit, so we got off the freeway, and with our hazards on, slowly drove in to the closest parking lot of a sonic and turned the car off. We had to figure out what was going wrong with our car, and most likely without moving it, so we got directions to a nearby gas station and started walking. I was so incredibly thankful that it was September, so it wasn't very hot. On our way there, we noticed what looked like this big old house with a fenced-in yard, until we started looking at it more.

Starting point is 00:02:10 It was actually an old church that looked like it had been closed or abandoned for a while. At that moment, we could read each other's minds. We knew we were going to be staying in this little town for the night. We got to the gas station, where they thankfully sold antifreeze and started our walk back. On our way, we looked around, to see if there was anyone watching.

Starting point is 00:02:38 We checked for no trespassing signs and looked for the best ways in. However, the best way in would turn out to be the front gate that did not have a lock or a sign on it. Once we got back to our car, we poured in the antifreeze, and thankfully, that seemed to help. We decided to eat while we were there

Starting point is 00:03:02 and then left to find a good place to leave the car, while we went exploring. Turns out, there was a small motel not far off from the church, so we agreed to park it there. It was already evening when we first pulled in to Sonic, so we didn't have to wait much longer until it got dark. Once we were good and didn't see anyone loitering around the motel, I emptied my purse so that all I had on me was my power.

Starting point is 00:03:35 pepper spray and flashlight. And we left. As we walked to the church, we opened the gate and quickly ran up to the door to get in as fast as possible. The door looked like someone did a poor attempt at boarding it up, but missed one whole side of the frame

Starting point is 00:03:55 as we could slip through and inside easily. Once in, I immediately noticed how creepy the main hall was. There was spray paint on the walls that said, Welcome. It looked like someone had taken the boards that covered the windows and made a sign that again said something like, She welcomes all here.

Starting point is 00:04:21 Weird. But probably people that snuck in trying to make a church creepier than they are. We walked over to the right that had a couple of rooms. It looked like it was for children based on the deckers. decorations and bright colored paint, that was peeling from the walls. The first room seemed to have a really old TV in it, but the actual center of it was busted out. There were a few toys in a small chest in the back, as well as a little cubby shelf with different names on it. Don't get me wrong, I love doing this, but seeing places like this with a name attached to it, it gives me a weird feeling.

Starting point is 00:05:05 It makes it more real, or brings it back to life, in a sense. I proceeded down to the next room, which was when things started getting weird. The room had been stripped. The cubbies and shelves on the wall had all been ripped out. The light fixtures and wiring seemed completely gone. The carpet had started being ripped up where it could be, leaving the bare wooden flooring underneath.

Starting point is 00:05:35 But the creepy part was in the middle of the room. There was a pile of toys, or rather things. More specifically, it looked like anything with a face. Dolls, cars with faces, VHS tapes with faces on them, the clock with literal hands in it and eyes, all anything that you could think of. However, it was all red. It looked like someone had poured buckets of red paint on this stuff and just left it.

Starting point is 00:06:13 I thought that, once again, it was just someone trying to be creepy, so I left. As Omar and I started walking to check out the other side, we could smell something that was like an incense or a candle. Going further in the hallway, though, we couldn't smell it, and we didn't smell it, and we didn't. definitely couldn't smell it on the other side either. Curious to know what it was, we decided to go to the only other place left, which appeared to be the main chapel area. We slowly creaked the doors open,

Starting point is 00:06:49 and we went in cautiously. This is where we became a little more on alert. At the altar, we could see what looked like lit candles. Omar was hesitant to continue at first, worried that someone could be in here, but it wasn't that big, and I couldn't see anyone from where I was, so we agreed to walk further in together. As we did, I started to notice weird symbols on the walls, and they appeared to be written in that red paint, just like the room that we first saw.

Starting point is 00:07:25 Omar then pointed at the pews that also had the symbols all over them. I was starting to get some really weird vibes from this point. place at this point, I had never seen these symbols before. I was far from being well-versed in different religions, but these seemed more cryptic. However, the altar is where I waved the flag. From the entrance, I could see the candles, but couldn't really make out anything else up there. Once we approached it, there was a pew that was up there but still facing the same way. I was startled at first because there was a tarp over it, and it looked like someone was under it. Omar softly kicked the pew to see if whatever was under there would budge.

Starting point is 00:08:14 When nothing happened, he slowly pulled the tarp back. I almost got sick. It looked like a pig that had been dead for a very long time, which explained why we couldn't really smell anything. The podium, though, had a disturbing framed picture on it, It was a naked woman that looked like she had a long cut from her neck to her belly button. She looked like she was sitting on one of these pews, legs straight down and crossed at the ankles.

Starting point is 00:08:44 Her arms stretched out across the back rest. However, she was alive and smiling. The podium also had what we were smelling. It was an incense that was almost out. And the candles that we saw were those fake battery ones. At this point, we were on edge. This meant that someone had to have been here and recently. Omar didn't want to stick around anymore, and I certainly didn't want to get to know anyone that did this, so we bounced.

Starting point is 00:09:22 We quickly and as quietly as we could went right back out the front door. Omar had me go out the door first, and when I turned back to hold the board, word opened some, I noticed he was looking to the left. I told him to come on when he finally walked out and pushed me toward the gate. Once we got out, we took off to our car, and when I thought we were just going to chill for a bit, he actually drove off. He said he would feel more comfortable if we got away from there. He didn't talk much while he was driving, so I did a lot of the talking, trying to make him.

Starting point is 00:10:03 jokes about what we saw to enlighten the mood. I think we went a few more exits before we ended up at another hotel. After we slept that night and headed off the next morning, it was at that time that he finally told me what was wrong. He thought he had heard a noise when we were leaving, and when he looked over he saw a man in a dark blue parka-looking thing, holding a huge knife and just watching us leave.

Starting point is 00:10:31 He wasn't comfortable staying there in case they came looking for us, so that's why we left. He hadn't said anything to me because he didn't want me to worry. I was okay with that, too. I felt bad that he had to carry that on his own, but I am thankful that he was watching out for us. We still like to do this, and it hasn't really stopped us, but if we see something even remotely off, it's not worth the risk, so we leave. Thankfully, we haven't run into any more pigs since.

Starting point is 00:11:22 Back in the 90s, my friend, Brent, and I would go exploring old buildings that were abandoned or condemned for fun. We didn't have cell phones at the time, and most that we had was his car. So trespassing and sneaking out alcohol was the most excitement that we could really have. We lived in Topeka, Kansas at the time, and if you're from there,

Starting point is 00:11:51 you know there's a small area to have fun in and another that's just boring. Or maybe that was just us since we lived on the boring side. Either way, this was our idea of, fun. With empty houses or buildings to explore, we had plenty of new places to choose from.

Starting point is 00:12:13 One place in particular that we had been wanting to check out was the Topeka State Hospital. It had been closed for a while, and with all the rumors of previous patients haunting the place, we desperately wanted to check it out. We also

Starting point is 00:12:29 had never explored in a place so big, so we had to try and figure out the best way to get in and when to do it. We drove by it a couple of times to see if there was any type of security around it, and to see if there was anything immediate that would hinder us. When we were convinced that it was going to be an easy inn, all we had to do was find a time to do it.

Starting point is 00:12:56 So, to not have our parents asking questions about what we were doing, we told them that we would be staying at each other's house, and then we had the night without any suspicion. Friday night. Brent said he was leaving to come over to my place, and I told my parents that he was coming to pick me up, and we were off. We each had a backpack with what our parents thought were our clothes, toothbrush, and deodorant,

Starting point is 00:13:26 when in reality, it had our flashlights, a few supplies we brought like a pocket knife just in case, and a few snacks to eat while we went. waited. We learned over time that the fewer things we brought the better, especially if we needed to get out quickly and ditch our bags. We parked several feet up from the building to try to make it not look so suspicious, and we sat in the car and ate. We thought we would kind of scope the place out to see if anything came by and get any last-minute jitters out of us. After about half an hour, we decided it was time to go, before we chickened out.

Starting point is 00:14:10 We approached the building, and, not to our surprise, the front door was completely locked and boarded up. So we walked around the side, seeing if there was any other way in when Brent noticed a window that had been broken out and half-azardly boarded up with a no trespassing sign attached to it. Now, the boards weren't the best, so it was pretty easy to pry off with just our hands and the little hammer that we had with us. So Brent went in first, and then he helped me in, and that was the start of a very long night.

Starting point is 00:14:50 Once in, we turned on our flashlight. We put on our backpacks, and we started to look around. Immediately, the smell hit me. It was very musty, like what a... damp old room would smell like. The paint or wallpaper was eerily peeling on the walls, but the oddest part for me was how still the air was. I motioned to Brent to stop for a second,

Starting point is 00:15:21 just to try and listen, and the only thing you could hear was our slight breaths. You couldn't even hear the sounds of bugs outside. It was just one of those moments that was hard to explain, However, we didn't want to waste a lot of time and we started moving on. We looked through the rooms where the doors were already open and saw much of what you would expect. Bare shelves, broken bed frames, and chairs. The restroom stalls were all broken and some of the toilets just busted.

Starting point is 00:15:58 There was also a lot of graffiti everywhere too, so we obviously weren't the only ones that had been here. As we looked around and just took in what all we were seeing, we heard what sounded like someone walking slowly above us. A little scared, but also not ready to leave, we decided to go up to the second floor and check it out. The stairs were not something I would want to walk on more than once, but the railing seemed sturdy enough.

Starting point is 00:16:34 We made our way up there to see more of the same. Creepy dark hallways, spray-painted doors and walls, and those yellow file folders scattered all over the ground. While here, we again heard more footsteps, but nothing else with it. We were just about to head up to the third floor when Brent turned around to look down the hall again that we were just at. nothing there again.

Starting point is 00:17:04 We got this far without anyone showing up, so we wanted to get all the way to the top. We climbed the stairs to the third floor, where we were greeted with a door slamming this time. I think Brent was a little fed up at this point, with us both not being phased by ghost stories, or at least not willing to admit it. So he shouted out,

Starting point is 00:17:28 we're not here to harm anyone or anything. After wincing at hearing him unexpectedly calling out, we waited in silence, but heard nothing, not even the footsteps. We both let out a quiet laugh and just continued on. Looking around the rooms, I saw some really old clothes that looked like they had been disintegrating over time, just sitting in the corner of a room.

Starting point is 00:17:58 In the same room, I started smelling sulfur. It was almost like there were fireworks going off right in front of me. I walked out of the room quickly and across to where Brent was, who claimed he didn't smell anything at first. I brought him over to the other room where he could then smell it. As we started leaving the room, though, the door to the room he was in slowly closed. As I mentioned earlier, there was no airflow in the place, and it was super still. So, there was no way a draft blew this door shut.

Starting point is 00:18:39 We stared at the door for several minutes when we started hearing the footsteps again, but they seemed to be quicker than before, and getting louder. We walked over by the stairs slowly and just waited. That's when I felt a really cold breeze, brush my back, and I very clearly heard the word, out, whispered in my ear. I was done. I took off down the stairs. Brent followed right behind me, and when I got to the bottom, I leaped out the window that

Starting point is 00:19:12 we came through, and then I waited as Brent crouched down to do the same. As he was doing this, it sounded like someone was running towards us. Hailed at Brent to hurry up when he nearly dived at the window to get out. We quickly took off to his car, not caring if anyone saw us and just sat in the car. We stared at the place for several more minutes to just calm down. After a while, we both asked each other if we heard the voice, and that's why we both started running. So, at least I know I wasn't the only one. As mentioned, I didn't really believe in the paranormal.

Starting point is 00:19:55 But after that experience and reading more about what took place there, I can definitely believe that former patients are sadly trapped in there. Brent and I still remember this, but we've not told a single person about it, and we've kept this as a personal experience that we will never forget. As a child, I did a lot of things that I shouldn't have. I skipped school, smoked, drank, argued with my parents, and snuck out. I know what I did was wrong, and I don't really have a reason for it either. I know now that my parents did their best, though, and I understand that now, but at the time,

Starting point is 00:20:58 I thought I knew what was best for me. Whenever I had fights with my parents, I would just leave. Sometimes I would end up at my friend's house, in a parking lot, on a bench for a while, or even just sitting at the corner to calm down. But my favorite places to go were abandoned places. We had a lot of places that were abandoned, condemned, and left behind. Usually my friends and I would find a place to call our own and smoke there and just hang out for several hours. This would turn up to be my plans one night after a fight with my dad.

Starting point is 00:21:45 I got pissed off and stormed off to my room. I grabbed my skateboard with my little backpack, threw in some clothes, my flashlight, my wallet, and a few other things to... ditch for a few days. It was summer at the time, so I figured I would be out for a few days and come back home. I slipped out the back door and was on my way. I tried calling a few of my friends, and I said they were busy and couldn't get out due to other family plans.

Starting point is 00:22:22 One of my friends welcomed me over, but said it would be a few hours before they got home, so I was on my own for a few. I started riding around, thinking I could at least head in the direction of my friends, and just enjoy the cooler evening breeze. En route, I decided to take a back road that basically went behind some apartments and out to the other side. While back there, I remembered one of the complexes nearby had caught fire, and I decided to look for it.

Starting point is 00:23:02 As it turns out, I was actually off on the name and found the property a few blocks over. It was obviously evacuated and had boards on the window, but it was still standing. So I decided why not check it out and kill some time while I was at it. I was around 16 or 17 at the time, and was a petite. girl, so I could easily fit in to small places.

Starting point is 00:23:33 But that also means I wasn't very strong, and couldn't break down boards, windows, or doors. So I had to find a more discreet way to get in. Turns out, there was an emergency exit with stairs going down the side of the building, which still seemed to be intact, so I left my... My skateboard at the bottom, climbed up the stairs to the door, and with there being a no trespassing sign on the door, I just opened it and went in. When I entered, I could immediately smell the remnants of the fire. The smoky smell, burnt wood, and old building falling apart. There were several doors going down the hall.

Starting point is 00:24:24 Some of the doors were opened, some of them appeared to be left. locked or jammed. Walking around the open rooms, you could tell where the fire was the worst. And seeing some of the items that people left behind or couldn't take, it was kind of sad. Old clothes, pictures, children's toys. I guess it almost worked on me, thinking back to my stuff and my family and things that I would have hated to lose to. I continued to walk through what I could until I got to the center stairs.

Starting point is 00:25:02 I started walking down them, and when I swung around to go down the second set, I noticed a figure standing at the bottom of the stairs, and it scared the hell out of me, making me scream. When the person didn't even budge, it scared me even more, so I just slowly backed up when he was. he said,

Starting point is 00:25:27 Wait. His voice alone was unsettling. It sounded like the guy from Slingblade was losing his voice. Not a good story as it is, so sounding like that guy didn't make me any more comfortable. I stopped with one foot on the stairs on the other side of the railing and looked at him. I waited for him to say something when he finally asked. What are you doing on my property? I told him I was sorry and made up a story about how my friend used to live here,

Starting point is 00:26:05 and that she lost something, and I thought I would look since I was in the area. He saw right through my lies, and he called me out on it, too. I didn't know what else to do other than apologize and said that I didn't mean to disrupt him or disrespect his property, and that I would leave right then. However, he stopped me again and said, I'll make a deal with you. If you do me a favor, I'll let you go, and I won't call the cops on you for breaking in.

Starting point is 00:26:42 A little curious and dumb, I asked him what the favor was. He let out a chuckle, and slowly started unzzymed. flipping his pants. I flipped out. I quickly ran back up the stairs as this guy ran after me. I got to the door and, as I was leaving, he managed to yank me back in by my backpack. At this point, this guy was in my face, smiling and said,

Starting point is 00:27:12 So should I call the cops? I don't know what got over me, but I said something along the lines of, well my friends are right outside with cameras so if you'd like them to record what you're asking a minor to do be my guest right as he started loosening his grip my knee went straight up and he went straight down I ran out the door quickly down the stairs grabbed my skateboard and ran down the street there was a 24-hour fitness center a little further down so I went in and asked to sit in their lobby while I waited on a friend. They finally picked me up and I told them what had happened. They were impressed at how I was able to get away, but I was still freaking out inside.

Starting point is 00:28:06 I didn't tell anyone where I was, not my parents, nor my friend that was picking me up. If I wasn't so lucky, who knows what may have happened to me. From then on, I don't explore on my own, and I'm more aware of how much I take with me in those places as well. Travelite, pay attention to your surroundings, and always tell someone where you're going to be at all times. So that was a collection of three urban exploration, or as the cool kids out there call it, Urbex. That's right. those were three

Starting point is 00:28:58 Urbex stories I'm a cool kid I'm 30 but I'm a cool kid let me have this please don't let me feel like I'm an age anyway I hope you all enjoyed this collection of urban exploration stories

Starting point is 00:29:12 and if you did could you please hit that like button and then also leave me a comment letting me know what your favorite word that starts with the letter R is I don't know Um

Starting point is 00:29:27 Rectangle Is rectangle a cool kid word Anyways If you're new to the channel Please do subscribe And hit that bell icon And don't let what I just did Like deter you from the channel

Starting point is 00:29:42 My outros are insanity incarnate Okay, I just let it go I do one take typically I just throw the words out there And whatever happens is what happens And people that have been around for a while Know how I do this I just talk

Starting point is 00:29:55 and whenever I talk, bad things happen because I just get off track and it doesn't make any sense. And if you really want to support the channel, you can hit that join button down below or go to patreon.com slash as the Raven Dreams where for a dollar a month, you can get early access to all my content. For a little bit more over on Patreon, you can get things like my posters, which are designed by me and are super cool. I like them. I have one myself. And I didn't have to join Patreon to do it because I designed it. That's the benefit of being me, I guess. I get to design posters for myself that I paid for. Anyways, yeah.

Starting point is 00:30:36 This has gone on too long. I'm going to head out, guys. Y'all have a fantastic night and a beautiful weekend. I will see you tomorrow on the next video, but until then. Sleep well.

As The Raven Dreams Podcast - 3 True Scary Urban Exploration Stories

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