21. The elderly begged us to get rid of invisible presences

I worked night shift as a palliative care RN in a very big, very old nursing home. It’s important to note that this home and the religious organization that ran it are currently part of the royal inquiry into the institutional response to the abuse of children. The nurses that had worked there for 30+ years used to delight in telling younger staff that when it was used as a children’s home they used to bury children that died in the rose garden. This old rose garden was apparently under a newer wing of the home.

At least 4 times in my 2 years of working there we would have elderly, close to death patients wake, totally lucid in the dead of night and ask us “please tell the little girl to get out of my room” or “please get that little boy out of the corner, he’s looking at me”.

Being in this huge, dark, old, creepy building that had a very awful history and then that happening? Fuck that, I would never do my rounds alone when it happened, it was terrifying! It made my blood run cold and I’d get a friend to work with me the rest of the night.

I was not the only person this happened to, either. It was a regular occurrence.

22. I vanished in front of everyone’s eyes

One Halloween a couple of groups from the neighborhood got into an egg fight. None of us hated each other just in different clicks. As the opposing forces started to march forward we took off running to retreat to a safer distance.

As I we entered the woods I quickly bolted behind a tree and everyone from the opposing side passed me by. Or at least I thought. Apparently Bill got caught by a branch and was trying to free himself. I got from behind the tree to give him a hand since he was having a hard time. Right as I got to him he looked up and our eyes locked. He had a true look of horror in his eyes. I asked him if he needed some help and he muttered very lowly, “yeah… sure” So we got him loose and I ran off to re-join the fight.

Next day in school someone walked up and said “Is what Bill said true?” Being a smartass “Yup” and walked off. Then it happened a second time, then a third and fourth. I responded “yup” each time. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I was curious as to what they were talking about but I just played along since everyone asked it the same way. As if they are finding out that ghosts really do exist.

So at lunch I see Bill walk up and say “Hey Bill, I have a question”. He mutters lowly “yeah, what?” I respond “why is everyone asking me if what you said its true”.

He said, “Okay it was the weirdest thing. You. Weren’t. There. Next thing I know you are standing in front of me. You just appeared out of thin air. I know there must be an explanation but dude, you were not there. I know your weren’t”

I laughed and told him I was behind the tree and saw that he was stuck just just stepped out to help. He puts his hand on my shoulder and breathes a sigh of relief. He said “Jesus Christ, I was scared to death. I’ve been telling the story to see if anyone else had this happen with you”

For a while I could disappear and appear randomly.

23. A voice over the radio told me to leave

We have an old mercury grand Marquis that my dad had wanted to buy for years. The owner would never sell it, even though it was just left sitting there. After he died, his daughter sold it to us for pretty cheap, because she knew how bad my dad wanted it. So, one day I had drove it to my friend’s house on a rainy day to play some smash bros. I left at 10 that night, and it had stopped raining, and I had to drive my friend home. So, this car’s radio didn’t work, and it would only be static if it was on. Well, I turned down my friends road, and when I turned, I heard someone say get out. I know it wasn’t my friend, because he was talking to me. So, we continued conversation and I got to his house about 5 minutes later. When we got there, I asked him if him if he heard something weird when we turned onto the road. He said he heard the exact same thing I did, and I was freaked the fuck out. This sounds like such a made up story, but I really wish it was. Safe to say I haven’t driven that car since.