hugh_jass
Thread
Copied from my previous reply in a thread about your scariest moments:
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/98zco/describe_the_scariest_moment_of_your_life/c0bv4up
Long post alert.
Ok, I won't get into the discussion about whether or not ghosts exist. Just wanted to share a story with you that occurred in my life in just one place and one night only!
Now, I am a numbers guy. I deal with them for a living, so the numbers add up or they do not. Black or white, as simple as that. I would like to think that most people who know me would refer to me as a down to earth guy, probably skeptical by nature. I believe in science and facts. But...
A very good friend of mine is about the most trustworthy, grounded individual I have ever met in life. Extremely practical and with an above average level of intelligence.
He had moved into a new apartment and we met for drinks shortly thereafter. At some point in our conversation he calmly states that he believes his new basement pad may be haunted! Of course I state WTF? He begins to tell me about the shenanigans going on in the bachelor suite!
Seems this one battery powered clock likes to have the hands move backwards rapidly, before always returning to the correct time. Even when the battery has been removed! Also seems that someone/thing likes to line his shoes up on top of one another - slippers on top of dress shoes on top of runners, and so forth. Now all of this occurs while he, and only him, is in the basement apartment. He said the shoe thing happens about twice a day, usually while he leaves the area for less than two minutes - he brings his shoes into the apartment right next to the living room. The apartment is always locked and the only way in is through his one and only door. No windows that any regular size kid could even fit through - basement remember.
So of course I think he is shitting me but he calmly states that it has been going on every day for about three weeks now and invites me over. He tells me it is so frequent that he has even given "it" a name - Gertie! He said the name just felt right. Continued on to say that he wasn’t afraid or worried in the least and felt he was in no danger as Gertie was probably just bored and yanking his chain! Bigger balls than I, I can assure you of that!
So a few weeks go by and we are at his new pad one evening to watch the hockey game. We had only been there for about 5 minutes and stone cold sober. I had pretty much forgotten about what he had told me previously until I saw a clock on the side table. So I asked him if this was "the" clock and he said yes. I then asked him to remind me about the happenings with the shoes and he asked me to hang on a minute - as he suddenly wasn't feeling well. He ran to the washroom, barely made it there and began to barf violently. It was so bad I went in to see if he was OK. I had to physically lead this massive man to his bed, where he passed out immediately. Remember, we were on our first beer and absolutely nothing else. I checked his breathing and forehead temperature and he just seemed to be in a very deep sleep.
Wow - ok. So what now? I remember considering calling an ambulance or taking him to the hospital, but he truly seemed fine now and was sleeping very solidly. I chalked it up to bad food (but we had both eaten the same thing earlier) and decided to hang around to make sure he was ok. I had planned to stay there for the night anyhow as my family was out of town for the weekend. So was the landlord who lived upstairs by himself.
So I watch the remainder of the hockey game, check on my bud a few times (he was still OUT of it) and sipped on a couple of beers. I have to admit that what had occurred freaked me out a little and I did eye the clock once or twice but saw nothing besides a perfectly functioning clock.
I guess I fell asleep watching TV but I awoke suddenly to a tremendous banging. I flew of the couch and immediately went to check on my friend. He was in deeper sleep than ever but the banging was coming towards the washroom area. It was an earth shattering, violent, rapid banging that was SO LOUD I figured it would surely get the attention of the folks in the next house.
I moved towards the washroom but was stopped by the sight of the furnace, which was in the walkway to the washroom. It was absolutely glowing hot, fireball red, the red that only something extremely intense can produce and the banging was coming directly coming from it. This wasn’t just a “the furnace doesn’t sound right” sound. I don’t think I have the vocabulary to properly explain how incredibly red and loud it was there at that moment. I thought for sure the entire house was going to explode any second.
I immediately ran back to my friends bedroom and began screaming at him to get the fuck up and began shaking him with a great amount of cruelty. We had to get out of there NOW! It probably took a minute or so until he finally partially awoke. I was screaming at the top of my lungs and banging him so hard his first words of course were “WTF”! As soon as he spoke the banging stopped immediately. IMMEDIATELY!
I tried explaining to him what had happened and took him to the furnace - but of course it looked like it almost always looked and was perfectly quiet, except for its normal operating sounds! I asked him if he was ok and he said he felt great now and asked me what happened to him earlier. I explained quickly, made sure he was ok and went the hell home. He was invited to come with me but insisted on staying. I left in a hurry.
We did discuss what had occurred several weeks later. He told me he felt Gertie got jealous that I was there, or upset that he had told me the stories. He lived for another two or three years in that apartment but I only went there rarely and certainly never attempted to spend another night. I fully expect you to rip this apart, and you are certainly welcomed to, but at least in this instance - consider this non-believer beyond spooked!
edited for clarity