As The Raven Dreams Podcast - Reddit Scary Stories & Creepy Encounters (Vol. 29) - Late Night Nightmare

Starting point is 00:00:00 It's never too early to plan your summer story in Europe with WestJet, from rolling countryside to cobblestone streets. Begin your next chapter. Book your seat at westjet.com or call your travel agent. WestJet, where your story takes off. This is a bit long. Sorry. It also doesn't really directly involve a person, at least not one that I can identify.

Starting point is 00:00:33 So if it doesn't belong here, I'm open to suggestions on where to post it. So, I live in a different country from my family, and because of COVID, they were all in their respective homes over Christmas. As a result, opening gifts took all day because everyone is in a different house, in a different time zone. It's fine, but opening gifts does go on all day some years. So, this day, I finally get to open my last gift at about 90s. p.m. My time. I was online with my sister who was seven hours behind me, and then I realized I had one gift left that had no name on the tag. It had come from Amazon weeks earlier and was in one of their gift bags. My sister assured me it wasn't from her, so I opened it with her on the line.

Starting point is 00:01:31 It was a set of knives. I had this set on my wish list, so it was a nice surprise. but I still had no idea who it came from. As I was hanging up with my sister, my other sister started FaceTiming her, so I asked her to check whether she had sent the gift, but we'd missed it in the chaos. My other sister has four kids, so it's bedlam when we all open gifts together at their house.

Starting point is 00:02:00 Sister B confirms to Sister A that no, she didn't send them. So that's both sisters confirming that they didn't. not send the gift. I believe both of them. No questions asked. I know that my brother is at my parents' house, so I message him to double check that neither he nor my parents sent them, and it was missed in our earlier conversations. He confirms that it definitely wasn't either of them. This basically leaves my significant other, a friend here in the UK, and a friend in Canada. because of COVID, we all agreed to have a gift-free Christmas this year. There's really only these three left, as no one else knows about my Amazon wish list.

Starting point is 00:02:44 As in, you would have to search for it if you weren't one of those who subscribed to it, if you follow. Significant other says no, he didn't order them, but confesses that he did buy me a small gift and that we'll swap once he finishes isolating from visiting his family. friend in the UK says that it wasn't her, even though that's exactly the kind of prank she'd pull, seeing as were true crime junkies, but she's pissed that she didn't think of it herself. She would, without question, tell me if it was her, if she knew I was concerned, though, and categorically promised that she did not do it. My friend in Canada says it was not her because she didn't know about my wish list, and then asked me for the link.

Starting point is 00:03:29 She actually went in and then did buy some bits from it for me after Christmas. So I turn back to the gift. I check when it was sent. First week of December. I ask Amazon if they can tell me who sent it so I can thank them, and as protected under data protection laws, they can't tell me who sent them. I recheck the tag and realize that it's been overwritten. This is the bit that is a little creepy slash sinister.

Starting point is 00:03:59 the default Amazon gift card greeting is the quite jovial, Enjoy Your Gift. The tag had been overwritten to in all caps, not so jolly, Enjoy your gift, which is slightly more menacing, considering this is a knife block and a set of five kitchen knives. So, basically, I got a set of knives with a slightly, but definitely menacing message from someone who must know me.

Starting point is 00:04:27 It can't be an accident. It would take going into my wish list, selecting the gift, ticking for gift wrap, changing the text, reviewing the order, placing the order, and then paying. There's no way this was accidental. So, the only person I can think of is a person with whom I was friends with for over a decade. She's become quite anti-vax and is very abrasive, and I called her on it. And she didn't take it too well. We effectively ended our friendship about,

Starting point is 00:04:59 about a week before the knives were sent. She knew I had the wish list. Money isn't a huge issue to her, so spending $40 for a knife block wouldn't be problematic. I don't want to ask her, as the last two times we spoke, she tried to get me to argue with her for two days, and I have no interest in rekindling that fire. So, I just wanted to get a little feedback, really.

Starting point is 00:05:25 I know it's not family, or the earlier three friends. they aren't the kind to hold on to a joke if they know it's disturbing me a bit. This other ex-friend, well, it would seem odd to pay good money for something that I clearly wanted but then not take the credit. But then, I guess, she has the out that if I ask whether she sent them, she can always say, oh, I mustn't have filled out the gift card, even though it's clearly been overwritten. It's entirely possible that she moseyed onto my wish list, as she's bought from it before and has access. That she picked the knives as a sort of, You'll need more knives all your old ones are in my back type of idea. If it is her, it's not got a nice meaning behind it, is what I'm saying.

Starting point is 00:06:17 It's not like this is a fluffy cushion or some slippers. It's an anonymously sent knife block, with a slightly menacing gift tag, and I'm finding it kind of creepy? Any thoughts? I live in Northern California. And where I live, there are quite a few ranches and grazing areas in the hills around town. Though I'm no more than five minutes walk away from downtown, I'm technically out of the city limits.

Starting point is 00:06:56 We have plenty of backroads that are full of blackberry bushes, even an abandoned house, but that isn't the creepy part. One day, I had just finished my schoolwork and decided to take my dog for a walk on the back roads. It's a usually scenic place, with rolling yellow hills, a few trees, and cattle, though this day was a relatively thick fog, so I really couldn't see more than 40 feet ahead. I walked up to the steep road and then down. again. Cars passing me by like normal, people even waving. Until I came to where a small pond was usually full during the summer, right on the side of the road, though it was nearly dry, and I couldn't

Starting point is 00:07:44 see across the water to the other side. There is a gate next to it that leads to the property, and parked in front, was a truck. Now, when I walk, I usually talk to myself or my dog, or even look at my phone a bit. But I expect myself to be alone, and that I won't sound crazy for talking to myself. As I'm passing the pond, I hear an almost human voice indistinctly, possibly female, and I stop for a second.

Starting point is 00:08:18 I don't really hear anything else, so I assumed I just imagined it and kept walking. But a minute after that, I decided that I should probably turn around as I would have to get to work soon, and start again in the opposite direction. When I hear another noise across the pond, it's almost a grunt, as if someone was lifting something heavy, just finishing exercising, or was extremely cold. This time, I cry out, hello?

Starting point is 00:08:51 Kind of inquisitively, and the noise goes silent. I could hear this noise clear as day, and I spoke. purposefully loud, so I know that they heard me. We keep walking, and I hear it again. Now, though, it sounds like a man's voice. And I call out, Hello? Anyone there?

Starting point is 00:09:13 And in response, I get sort of an acknowledgement. Eug. And then I go, Are you all right? And then the same sort of grunting again. My dog and I continue to walk. and as we approach and round the truck, I see him. Walking around, near stumbling, and almost over-gimatically rubbing his hands on his arms like he's shivering, there's a man.

Starting point is 00:09:44 Most likely late-20s, staggering into view with a sweatshirt, jeans, and a short beard. Glad to see him and that he was okay. I just say, hi there. and sort of weighs his arm and continues to grunt and shiver. Chokingly, I say, What did you do? Fall in? With a small chuckle.

Starting point is 00:10:08 And he responded with the only words that I had heard him say. It's really cold. But not clearly. Just kind of garbled. Now, this community is not totally small, but we are a fairly welcoming and prone to small talk. people walk by my house on these roads all the time, and they're wonderful people. And I figured that maybe he was a rancher checking on a calf, or fixing something across the pond,

Starting point is 00:10:37 but even so, he still would have said something when I had called out. It wasn't terribly freezing either. I was wearing a sweater and pants, and I was fine. After that, I kind of half respond. Yeah. and I turned my back to keep walking. Continuing his shiver, he walks towards the gate. He either vaults the gate or locks it.

Starting point is 00:11:06 He opens his truck door and drives the other way. I understand that people sometimes are just having a bad day and don't want to talk, or have other things on their mind, but this guy was weird. And any other day, I know another rancher would have at least said hi. I still wonder what he was doing across the pond and what I couldn't see. This happened 15 years ago, when I had just come home from college on winter break. Home, this time, it was not the house that I grew up in. My parents had just moved closer to our small city, so it just didn't feel the same to be in a different space.

Starting point is 00:12:01 Maybe that's what triggered my worry. and my family I'm always the one thinking of worst-case scenarios generally distrustful and mostly seeming like the annoying worrywart call it what you will but it's also the gift of fear am I right

Starting point is 00:12:21 one cold night my parents had gone to bed upstairs and the dog had followed suit I thought I'd watch TV in the living room for a bit before going to sleep and settled in on the couch. The living room was in the front of the house, and with the recent move, the shutters and the window weren't there at the time,

Starting point is 00:12:43 only see-through curtains that weren't really drawn. I noted this, but was used to our rural settings when the only ones who could see were the neighbors that we knew so well. I was watching the TV for about half an hour. When the screen cuts out, it just goes snowy, This was back in the days when you watched whatever your local channels brought you. I looked up from whatever it was I was doing, texting maybe with the flip phone,

Starting point is 00:13:13 and at first thinking, well, that sucks, but something felt off. I tried the remote, but no other channels worked, and so I was sitting there thinking about what I should do instead. when my cat jumps onto the window sill and starts wailing. What the hell? This may seem innocuous, but anyone who knew my cat knew that this was not par for the course. He was pacing and wailing at the window. A feeling of dread washed through me and I was frozen. That feeling of dread is so fiercely visceral.

Starting point is 00:13:55 What the hell was going on? and what was out there. I tried to settle myself down in this unfamiliar dark house and felt a bit better because what are the chances? But then, there it was. I swear on all I have that this cold waft of air blew through and that I heard the side door. I didn't realize that door was there at the time.

Starting point is 00:14:21 I heard a door on the side of the house and felt cold air. I became unfrozen and I bolted. I run upstairs to wake my parents and slumbering dog, and I frantically tell them that someone is trying to get in the house. They, I think, were annoyed. I'm a warrior, remember? Still, they get up and they think to try to placate me by looking around the house. They go check all the rooms, including the basement,

Starting point is 00:14:52 while I'm scared and exasperated. They're sleepily roaming about in dark rooms, unarmed when God knows who has probably made it inside already. Well, they didn't find anything. They verbally patted me on the head and said good night, and I felt foolish. That is, until the next morning.

Starting point is 00:15:14 I don't know what prompted my parents to call the police, but they showed up, and they asked me how I knew someone was out there. Well, hold up what? I start answering. Well, the cat was meowing, lot on the window sill and my voice trailed off, waiting for the reaction I usually get, which I got.

Starting point is 00:15:36 The cop smirks. A cat, huh? Okay, get on with it. He goes on to say that someone cut the cable wires in the side of the house. That either the someone thought they were disabling some alarm, or they saw me sitting watching TV and wanted to mess with me. Muddy grounds give us the ability to see the fresh change. tracks right up to it.

Starting point is 00:15:59 It didn't look like it had been fooled with, but I know what I heard, whatever it was. I knew it, I said to my parents. The triumphant feeling was short-lived when I started to mole. What I was so sure about had been true. True, I did know someone was out there. I also knew I would always check that side door and take some cues from the cats just to be safe. First of all, English is not my first language, and I'm on mobile, so pardon me for all the weird vocabulary usage and potential grammar mistakes. This happened around three years ago when I was doing my exchange study in Europe.

Starting point is 00:16:53 My school was located in a nice, safe country, with beautiful nature, so I often took one day trip by train to different cities. then came home late at night. Those times were memorable. I enjoyed life to the fullest, and I learned a lot. But just one incident made it quite creepy and scary whenever I look back. It was a beautiful March day. I just finished my trip and was sitting in the train station's waiting room. Due to an unexpected storm, the train was delayed for almost an hour,

Starting point is 00:17:30 and it was already 9 p.m., so I was feeling pretty annoyed. I took out my favorite book to kill the time, as my phone was low on battery, and all the chargers were occupied by the people stuck there just like me. I had finished around four to five pages until a man came by and sat opposite of me. Then he asked, What are you reading? I glanced at him. He looked nice and tidy enough.

Starting point is 00:17:59 and he seemed tired. I thought he was just trying to pass the time as well by making small talk, so I showed him the book. He proceeded to say that it was also his favorite book, and made some compliments to me. I know this sounds stupid, but I was naive and young, and I felt kind of proud getting compliments. They were okay, it wasn't really harassment,

Starting point is 00:18:24 so I talked with him a little more. I made a mistake of telling him the same, that I lived in. Otherwise, just some random exchanges about the weather. Then, he suddenly asks, Do you live alone? Do you have someone waiting for you? At that time, I did live alone.

Starting point is 00:18:46 My roommate had left for a trip, most of my friends had finished the exchange and gone home. I had no relatives or family there. I was about to tell him the truth, but something inside stopped me right. there. That was a stormy night, and by the time I arrived home, it would be after one in the morning. Since it's a small city, most stores would have been closed. If something happened to me, nobody would have known until it was too late. The man looked at me and grinned. I suddenly

Starting point is 00:19:21 felt so scared and wanted to run away, but all I could do was sit there frozen. By sheer luck, I remembered that I had a picture I took with my roommate's boyfriend. He was a guard at a bar. By that time, he was wearing a security uniform. He also was the same race as me. I reached for my phone and showed the man that picture. Yeah, my brother's there, and I just feel so bad he has to wait. I saw something like irritation and anger in the man's eyes.

Starting point is 00:19:55 It gave me a quick, is that so? and excuse himself to go out and get Starbucks. Every Starbucks store near that station, it was already closed. I knew that for sure. I sat there feeling scared and vulnerable until I cut on the train. I kept looking back every time and I did not dare to sleep, even though I was very tired. When I got to my station, I got into McDonald's and waited 30 minutes for the night bus home,

Starting point is 00:20:25 even though my house was just 10 minutes walk. from the train station. Until now, I'm not sure what that man's intentions were. Some people I've told the story to called me being over-traumatic. Some said I was right to be cautious. Anyway, it still feels creepy remembering that man when he grinned at me, and I'm glad that I trusted my instincts. This event occurred about a year ago.

Starting point is 00:21:04 After completing a night shift at my job, I decide to head over to a nearby gas station slash corner store to get myself a late-night snack. Because the night shift at my job as a waiter kept me busy, I built up an appetite for junk food at two in the morning. With that in mind, I hit into this corner store to search for all that unhealthy yet delicious snack food. Since the sodas and beer are located in the back, I'm over there deciding what to get. Coca-Cola or monster. While I'm trying to decide, I hear the sliding doors open up, and a very tall, sketchy-looking guy enters the store.

Starting point is 00:21:48 How did I know he was sketchy? Well, I saw his head looking around the room as if to see if anyone else was around. I'm short, so he didn't see me see him. Anyways, I had a bad feeling about this, so I hid behind a counter while the gun continued to turn his head in every direction. Eventually, I hear him ask the woman, Uh, hey, you hear all alone? The way he said it was enough to send shivers down my spine.

Starting point is 00:22:22 Uh, no, she isn't alone. I came out of hiding with all the snacks in hand. I eyed the man with caution since I'm a little wary. He could have a knife or a gun, so I'm constantly eyeing his hands. abdomen and trying to see if he has a concealed weapon. An annoyed by this, the man takes his leave by literally stomping his way out. Just in case he came back.

Starting point is 00:22:48 I stayed for about an hour to chat with the worker to help her calm down. We called the cops, and they came to take our statements. A sole car stayed behind just in case. With that out of the way, I began to walk home. On my walk towards my house, I hear the sound of the house. I hear the sound of footsteps right behind me. It didn't take me long to realize that I was being followed. Most people would pick up the pace or confront the person,

Starting point is 00:23:16 but I took my time walking since I've taken martial arts. I've been taught to stay calm even during dire times. Besides, I can only act in case my life is being threatened by the assailant. The footsteps behind me are growing near, as I hear the person picking up the pace. Knowing my life will be in danger, I quickly spin around to come face to face with the same guy who was at the corner store.

Starting point is 00:23:43 Well, this guy practically lunged at me, so I sidestepped and nearly stumbled on to the floor. Now that I had a reason to act, I spun around with the bag that contained a Coke can, with enough force and momentum. I hit the guy across the face with it. I didn't waste time to hit him again. That last shot is what knocked the guy out after being hit across the face with a very hard and heavy object.

Starting point is 00:24:13 Without hesitation, I quickly run back to the safety of my home, locking myself in with a few weapons underneath my pillow. Next day, I go back to the same spot that I fought against the guy and there's no one around. Since that night, I've always made sure to leave the house with some sort of weapon. I was at one point addicted to Xanax. I'm currently getting clean, and this happened about four months ago. I couldn't find a good dealer. I was asking a few friends through certain messaging boards, anyone who could get me to it. One guy pulled through.

Starting point is 00:25:24 He told me to meet him down at this little gas station downtown. Now, my city isn't big. It's decently sized, but it's a town that no one really cares about. I walked down to the gas station, dollar bills in my pocket, just looking for the guy. When I saw him, my blood ran cold. This dude was terrifying. He was about 6'3, abnormally skinny, probably the heavy drug use, and his eyes were just sunken in. Yes, I realized that it was unsafe to go out during COVID, but at the time, I really didn't.

Starting point is 00:26:05 didn't care. Now me, I am around 5-5 with a chubby build. I have no muscle. If I needed to fight someone off, I would be unable. So I ask this guy if he has a mask that he can put on before I come near him. He obliges, and put on his mask. Once I finally drew closer, this dude smelled of absolute death on him. I almost gagged. We walked just out of view of the the store owner into the darkness. He hands me my pills. I hand him the money. This dude grabs my wrists, hard.

Starting point is 00:26:44 And for a very skinny guy, I wasn't expecting that much force. My city is having a big problem with drugs. A lot of people are either hardcore donors, or just full-blown drug addicts. I couldn't tell if he had taken something prior to meeting me, but the vibe was off from the beginning. You should come to my place. I simply declined, and I told him that I had to go home. His hands were like ice, to be honest. They were freezing.

Starting point is 00:27:15 I just wanted to go home. Once he got a little too close for comfort, I pulled away. He looked mildly disappointed, but this man was in his late 20s, and I'm still a teenager. I was very uncomfortable. He looked me up and down one last time and told me to get home. safe. I didn't like the way that he said it. Something about it was off. As I walked away, he asked if I lived close and if I wanted him to walk me home. Obviously, I said no. He told me for a bit until a cop drove by and that's when he split off. The cops here don't care

Starting point is 00:27:58 if you're out at night, as long as you aren't stumbling around or disturbing anyone, you're free to walk around. He split off. He split off. and I never saw him again. I never hit him up for drugs either. I used for a bit after that, but other than that, I'm clean. All I have to say is, if your reliable dealer isn't available, I wouldn't meet some sketchy guy to get your fix. This could have ended much worse, and I'm lucky.

Starting point is 00:28:29 Some others aren't. I believe I was between the ages of eight and eleven when they were. this happened. Anyways, I was in party city with my aunt, and we were walking around. And, well, me being me, I decided to go my own way into the candy section, until suddenly I bumped into this old, sketchy-looking man between the ages of 45 and 50. And he says, Hello there, do you want some money for your school lunch? All you have to do is come with me. to go give my granddaughter this balloon, she's right across this store. And before I could even say anything, he got a hold of my hand and started dragging me closer

Starting point is 00:29:26 to the entrance of Party City. And then, fortunately, my aunt was looking for me and saw what the man was trying to do. He immediately let go of me and walked out of the store in a hurry. My aunt, of course, started yelling at me for walking. looking out of her sight. Anyways, I'm 15 years old now, almost 16, and to this day, I don't know what other intentions he had with me, but it still gives me the creeps. So that was almost half an hour of creepy encounter stories, and I hope that you enjoyed

Starting point is 00:30:17 them because damn did I enjoy reading them. All these stories should be looked at with a stare of entertainment, sure, but also with a sense of maybe I should be a little more careful in my everyday life. If any person out there comes into contact with a weirdo that tries to lead you out of a store

Starting point is 00:30:35 or try to talk to you about things you're not comfortable with, don't let them get the upper hand. Find someone else around you if you're with someone. If you're not, try to talk to someone else. Just, yeah, be safe, is my whole point. And, you know, if you enjoyed this

Starting point is 00:30:53 and want more content like this, please do, subscribe to the channel. You can also hit that thumbs up button to make me aware how much you like the video and, you know, follow me on like

Starting point is 00:31:05 Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and stuff or support through Patreon, coffee, or channel memberships. All of it optional, all of it free, except for the supporting part. I don't know why I said free. All of it optional, all of it greatly appreciated and the parts that aren't free are the monetary support,

Starting point is 00:31:21 coffee, Patreon, channel memberships. But Patreon's and Members get early access to videos, I guess, is what I was going for. I don't know. Anyway, I'm done. I hope you all have a beautiful day, and I hope I'll see you on the next video. But until then, sleep well. Lazzang sur-gely, puissance-moined,

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As The Raven Dreams Podcast - Reddit Scary Stories & Creepy Encounters (Vol. 29) - Late Night Nightmare

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