From: name withheld by request
To: shadowpeopleorg@comcast.net
Sent: Wednesday, May 4, 2016 3:28:16 PM
Subject: Story Submission

Regretfully, I did not think to write down my experiences until now, about two and a half-three years later. I do not remember every detail exactly, however will offer as great and accurate detail as possible.

My first experience with a shadow person was before I had ever heard of such a thing. I awake from sleep, already sitting up in bed, with my brother looking around the foot of my bed and in my closet, claiming I was pointing in that direction and saying “Something was there.” I was frantic and had a huge feeling of something; I don’t know how to describe other than as a powerful feeling of dread. I remember a being standing at the foot of my bed; just standing there looking at me. He was tall, dark figure. The best way to describe him is how you would imagine a human to look in the dark and wearing a hood. It did not have facial features, but somehow I knew it was a male and though he didn’t have eyes, I could sense he was observing me. He had shoulders and a body that looked similar to a human, only taller and larger. I never saw his legs, just the torso. He was not like a smoky figure, he was very, very dark; darker than the darkness in my room, and though I knew to initially describe him as a shadow (even before I knew that shadow people were a theory) he still seemed solid, like he would have mass if I were to touch him, though I never physically felt him). So, my brother looks around, tells me everything is fine and I go back to sleep. The odd part is that I did not remember any of this taking place.

A couple of days later, my brother asks me if I remember it happening, and at first my response was, “What are you talking about?” After a minute or so, I recalled the situation happening and, literally, every detail came clearly back to me. How was I able to remember it so clearly now, even though I had no recollection of it happening during the past two days?

After describing to him everything in detail, he asks if I have heard of shadow people which I had not. I promptly look them up on the internet and peoples’ descriptions were exactly like mine. The same physical appearance, the same negative emotions associated, everything. I was shocked. Now, I have always been fascinated by the supernatural. I remain skeptical but also open to the idea of ghosts or other dimensional beings and what not, and I enjoy hearing stories of such. Thus, after this event and researching them online, I realized that the possibility of me having experienced a shadow person is entirely likely, or possibly I was just dreaming (as I have been known to sleep walk and talk in the past, maybe this was just something similar), or maybe I am just crazy and seeing people and am on the path to becoming a full blown schizophrenic. Who knows.

So, about a month goes by and luckily nothing like that happens. Then, one night I “wake up.” I put wake up in quotations because I am so confused as to whether or not I was sleeping. The odd thing is that I remember everything, and I felt awake, almost like I was semi-conscious, so let’s refer to “waking up” as me becoming fully conscious. So, I “wake up” with my back against the wall and my knees to my chest, seemingly trying to get as far away as possible from this figure. It was the worst feeling I have ever experienced. It was a fear and panic deeper than I have ever felt, and I knew there was an extremely evil presence in the room. I remember (in my semi-conscious state) seeing a shadow figure reaching his hand out towards me at the foot of my bed. While I knew it was at the foot of my bed, he and his hand seemed to be right in front of my face at the same time. I remember scrambling up to get away, and as I am “waking up” I am screaming and screaming; not yelling, screaming. Again, my brother comes running in and looks around, but there is nothing there. I am so scared that I am shaking. My brother leaves the room, and at this point I am wide awake with the light on, and I am bawling my eyes out because I am terrified, confused, and frustrated because I have no idea what is happening. Like the time before, I don’t remember the shadow person coming or going, he is just there then he is just gone.

At this point I am at a complete loss as to what is going on. After my first experience with the shadow person, I was very skeptical and highly considered the fact that I might have just been having a nightmare that was very life-like. However, I am so shaken up this second time because I know for a fact that it was all real. Regardless of whether it was a shadow person in real life, or whether it was me literally losing my mind and starting to see things that are not there, I know for a fact that it was not a dream, it was actually happening. I am terrified because there is either a terribly evil presence returning to me, or I am bat shit crazy and in the midst of a break down. Either way, I’d call it a lose-lose situation.

I feel it is important to note that as far as I know my house is not haunted. My parents are the original owners of the house, built in 1996, then for about six years rented it out to various families. The only other paranormal experience I have had is at my Grandparent’s house where we lived for about two years in Pleasanton, California. While I am skeptical of supernatural, I am certain that that place is haunted by a spirit, although maybe not an evil one. Also, my brother and I are the only ones to have ever heard or experienced anything out of the ordinary there (we are twins).

Anyhow, months go by and I am sleeping with a light on every night, and feeling like a damned crazy person. I told my parents about it all, and my dad leaves a bible open in my room every night, as he feels they may have been demons.

I am still skeptical; could they be demons-yes. Could they be shadow people-yes. Could they be some sort of evil spirit- yes. Could I just be clinically insane- yes. The only thing I know for certain is that it was an evil presence. Since these past two incidents, I have not seen any shadow people. I have occasionally awakened during the night to a feeling of panic and will run out of my room down the hall, then again “wake up” (become fully conscious) standing in another part of my house or my parents room, realizing that the panic is probably just after effects of the previous two experiences and that I should just go to bed.

For the past year now I have had no such experiences, and have slept through the night without anxiety. I now even sleep with my door closed (before I was too scared to as I felt it would hinder my quick escape). I realize how crazy I sound (especially after that last sentence), and I realize that it could all just nightmares; I am at a point now where I am not too scared