I vaguely recalled this until recently, but after talking to my parents about my childhood I gave it some thought.

I remember waking up one night for no apparent reason. I hadn't had a nightmare or anything, I just woke up. I looked around my bedroom and saw this really tall bulky shape walking by my brother's bed. It stopped when it got to the door and it seemed to look over it's shoulder. I tried to call out but I couldn't. I heard my brother stirring and looked over at him, but when I looked back at the doorway the shape had gone.

I sat up in bed for a while trying to calm down and gather up the courage to go to the toilet. I turned to climb down the ladder (I was on the top bunk) and glanced over my pillow. I should have been able to see the door, but the shape was back and appeared to be standing right in front of the bed. The room was dark anyway, but this shape was so much darker than black, it scared the bejeezus out of me. I collapsed at the foot of the ladder and sat crying into my knee. My dad came in and told me that I had had a nightmare and put me back to bed. I fell asleep soon after and hadn't given it another thought until a few days ago.

I asked my dad about it and he remembered seeing the same thing walking across the landing and going down the stairs. He had followed it but as he hit the bottom step, it had vanished.

I have managed to contact two previous owners, but they didn't have any experiences like mine.

I put it down to being a nightmare, but two friends have spoken of something similar.
One saw a tall black shape following him down a country road. There were no tree's around and it was just before sunset. It disappeared after a few moments, but it has happened a few times. Each time, there was nowhere for someone to hide or retreat to.
The other told of feeling a strong hand pull the inside of their elbow and almost turn them round. Looking back, they said they saw a dark shadow-like apparition almost three feet away from them.

We have all noticed a really thick atmosphere and feeling very intimidated.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Sounds localised, I don't believe I've ever come across anything like this. Perhaps it would be too much of me to ask if I could have some more information about the locale?

The most similar set of circumstances I can think of is a localised haunting, wherein native ghosts seem to be cooperating, in more of a 'group haunt' of a specific area. It's a bit mysterious, and quite odd, but interesting to note that they all have similar attributes.

The way I see it is; You've a few possibilities of what you're looking at.

1. Paranormal spirit/ghost hauntings (group)
2. Planar shifting (i'm not sure of the term) IE, beings of another plane, stuck somewhere between this and that plane/dimension
3. Extraterrestrial (I suppose it's possible)
4. Terrestrial paranormal beings (long shot)


I don't really have any straight answers for you, but I have given you what I do have, and that's sadly not alot. I hope it helps. u2u with more questions, if you need to.

Well, I had originally thought it to be a spirit attached to the house, which is what made me contact some of the previous owners. When they said they had no knowledge of anything of the sort, I thought that maybe a spirit had attached itself to my family. I asked around in my extended family and the only person who came close was my grandmother. She just reported seeing black shapes out of the corners of her eyes. She had just lost her husband, so I put it down to that.

It just doesn't make sense that if this is the case, why do two of my friends report the same thing? This first happened in my parent's first house which is five miles away from my current house. In turn, my friends live half and two miles away. All in different locations. Yet, all in Leicester, England.

I don't know. Could it be something that is haunting me? My friend's experiences occurred after meeting me.
I have no experience with Ouijah Boards, I don't fel I know enough about them to even think about using one. I have too much respect for their power.

Is there any way for a spirit to attach itself and not know about it at the time?

It may just be a pack of Belgians. Seriously.

Back in the late BC, a group of Belgae emigrated to the island from the mainland, established a settlement in the area, and were henceforth known as the Corieltauvi.

The Corieltauvi were wiped out in the Roman invasion of England, less than 200 years after their arrival. Now, follow me here, but England has always had a very warlike history, and your area's role in the story is now coming to light.

When the Romans sesttled the area, they named the settlement Ratae Corieltavorum, after the Corieltauvi that they conquered.

Now, nobody knows much about them, other than that they were warlike, and there before the Romans were. What happened to the Corieltauvi? We may never know the full story. Anywho...

About 700 years later, in come the Danes. The Danes now control the area, and much of the eastern part of (what will become) Leicestershire County.

So far, a lot of death, strife, and anguish in your area, yes?

Fast forward another 200 years, and you're looking straight into the Norman conquest of England. Yet even more war!

I personally would have no problem assuming that one/a handful/all of the black shapes you see are the lost spirits of those who died in the area. It seems like a strong possibility to me.

Now that probably doesn't help you much, but that's all the historical information I really have about the area.

Also, the..um..Abbey there in the county is still in the park, in ruins, correct? perhaps they are interconnected?

I love history. It's like a jigsaw puzzle half done, and the dog has just gotten ahold of the box with all the pieces, and scattered them about the house. If we know where to look, we can certainly piece it back together.

I saw something very much like that when I was a child.....but it was in broad daylight.

Several of us were playing in the schoolyard while we were waiting for the bus, and we all must have seen it, because we all hid till it was gone. It was walking down the street at the end of the block, about 50 yards away. It was solid black, no hands, no feet, face hidden in a hat or hood....it seemed to glide rather than actually walk. ( the weather was still hot, maybe in September....It looked almost like some one in a witch costume, but I thought it was too early for someone to be dressed for Halloween!)

I recall being too afraid to breathe, for fear it would hear. The odd thing was we did not say anything to one another about it....not then or at any other time....I only remembered it years later, but even then the feeling of fear returned.

Even after I was much older, I usually avoided that street. But once when I was about 13, on my way to see a friend who had just moved into that part of town, I passed there on my bike....a huge black dog ran out, barking viciously!

Even though I have never had any fear of dogs, I was sure that one was about to bite me! I carefully manuevered my bike between me and the dog, till I got past. Though I was at my friend's house often after that, I never saw that dog again.

After I remembered the black figure.....I wondered if it and the black dog were connected.....and even now when I drive past that spot, I still have a weird feeling.

A lot more to think about... I haven't actually looked that deeply into the history of my home city. I guess I should have really. The Abbey is still there, sitting in the grounds, creatively called Abbey Park, lol. I've had a few...interesting experiences there, but none with these black figures. I do see a few figures near the Castle Gardens and in the Guild Hall. More seeing things that shouldn't be there, if you get my meaning. Do you live anywhere near Leicester? We have great ghost walks, as I'm told.

Also, I'm glad I'm not the only one to have come across them. Frayed1, can you tell me anymore about your experience? If you don't mind, I would like to hear more

You're the second person on ATS who i've come across that has this experience, and of course I aswell. Mine happened when I was younger, around 14,15 years old. I had been sleeping one night in bed and for no apparent reason awoke as if I had been awoken; and I sat up and stared at my door, and there stood this tall dark figure, I could not make out a definate shape, but I know it was some sort of humonoid being. It's as if the being wanted me to acknowledge it's prescence, and when I did, I just went back to sleep.

Luxifero.

Luxifero, thank you for the report of a similar experience. Did you not feel threatened or intimidated? I felt very small in it's presence.

Acekwak, thanks for the link. I had no idea there were more encounters. I have little time to look now, I'll check it out tomorrow.

Does anyone know if these things are sentient? Does anyone know why they are here?

yup ive seen them and have found websites where many other people have expriences with these shadow people some say they are demonic and have to do with satan. Personally i think that they are obeserving us and dont want to be seen. Some say they are shadows from another dimension that we can see but if this is so why do they react when we see them. Both times i have seen them they have never harmed me just looked alarmed that i had noticed them and vanished.

Originally posted by alexias

Also, I'm glad I'm not the only one to have come across them. Frayed1, can you tell me anymore about your experience? If you don't mind, I would like to hear more

Hi alexias,

There is more to tell about the 'area' where I saw that figure.....it may or may not have anything to do with, but ......here it is:

A few years after the incident with the black dog, I heard about a local medium. She would conduct seances, and had done some research on a local haunted site that was and still is a bit famous. The black figure that we had seen, was directly in front of her house. But at that time I did not make the connection!
Some of the teachers boarded at her house, and when I was in high school, I heard some of them tell of strange noises and occurances......she even came to the school and gave 'lectures' telling the story of the 'haunted mansion' she was researching, along with other 'ghostly' experiences she'd had. In all she was a sweet little lady.....I actually got to know her pretty well and after I got out of college, I did the illustrations for a book of poetry that she had written......still,during all of this, I did not recall my 'experience' with the black figure! ( Unfortunately, she had passed away by the time my memory of it had returned, so I never got a chance to ask her about it.)

After I moved to a neighboring town, and got married, my father-in-law told me another 'ghost story' about my home town. ... He would drive through there on his way home from visiting his wife-to-be, and just at the edge of town, when crossing a bridge .....something 'floated' out from under it, nearly causing him to run off the road. After seeing it the next time, he found another route home, so he could avoid crossing that bridge!

That bridge was on the very same street, only a block or so from the place I had seen the black figure....and it had been going in that direction! His description of what he saw, coupled with something I read about the same time, triggered my memory, and I suddenly recalled that day in the school yard!

Nothing a good flashlight wouldn't cure. Or a lamp. Or a lightswitch.

The funny thing is, if the light were on, there would be no black figure.

Hah not so as thats whats strange about these beings they show up in light and can send a room into darkness with their presence so them being just a simple shadow is ruled out right away

I think if you see it in the middle of the night, especially after you just suddenly wake up then it would be far more logical to assume that you are half dreaming and that you eyes are still adjusting. I don't understand the day time ones or the figures that come when its light, but i've woken up in the middle of the night and it looked like, where my computer was at, there was a portal on the wall and two of these really black figures, they dissappeared in about the same amout of time it would take me to see forms in a dark room after coming from a light one, not to mention I hadn't had time to wake properly and end my dream state of mind. I think you should only be worried about paranormal things that can't be explained, such as the day time figures. Not saying your wrong but the evidence is against you if you were under the same circumstances as I was earlier. Rule out strange possibilitys if it makes sense logically.

I have had an experience with one of these too. I was in college and decided to go visit my parents one weekend. They had converted my old bedroom into a home gym so I was going to bed in the guest bedroom down the hall. So I go to bed. The guest bedroom had a big window and only had a set of blinds to cover it (no curtains). Now the lady that lived next door had this security light - a street light sized monstrosity with this god-awfull yellow bulb in it. It was right by the guest bedroom window - shining right in my eyes. I was looking at this - my back sorta turned from the doorway but still able to see it out of the corner of my eye when I see this black figure come into the doorway (blacker than black - I don't know how to describe it) it was vaguely human but I couldn't see any details. I thought maybe it was my dad coming in to tell me good night - but it was bigger - it filled up the doorway (my dad's six-five) I remember thinking it's not my dad and thought maybe it was a burgler - so I was going to turn around and kick it's butt. Until I felt it climb onto the bed- I don't know how to describe the level of fear I was experiencing then - when it stepped on the bed - I could feel the weight go down to the box springs - they were creaking under the weight. I felt three more seperate compressions on the mattress - like it was four legged or on it's hands and knees - and the weight was so immense(sp?) ithought the bed would break - seriously I was holding onto the the side of the mattress with my right hand trying not to roll into the depression it was making. I actually had to hold on - and at this point I'm so scared I thought I'd lose my mind. You folks gotta understand - I have no fear of man or beast - anyone who knows me can attest. I come from a very "old school" Irish family and grew up slugging it out with my dad and cousins almost daily - this is what we do. But this thing scared me like I've never been scared before or since. It was like I was in hell and couldn't stand the fear any longer. I decided in a moment to roll over and swing for the fence - and hoped it wasn't my poor dad. And then the thing whispered like ahhhh - some kinda hiss or something right in my ear - couldn't feel the wind but I could feel the heat- and I went bear shirt. I whirled around - just in time to see the depression in the matress - I swear to God - the matress was flat in the middle of the depression - it popped up - like instantly whatever was there wasn't there. It felt like I had just plopped down on the bed from the mattress springing back. It was there and then it wasn't - just like that. I didn't go to sleep that night but sat there in the bed whispering curses and challenges to whatever it was. I never saw anything like it again.

That is an amazing experience hooligan13

yes amazing exprience but it just goes to show how powerful these beings are i would not want to get in a fight with one thats for sure.

Hi im FuM ive been a member of ats for about 2 years but i rarely post sry about that but ive had about 3 or 4 expiriences with these "black figures" it was a while ago about 5-6 years but as hooligan13 said i too was visited by these figures in the middle of the night it crept onto my bed i though it was my dad then i remembered that my dad didnt weight that much and the thing touch my should and its hand felt massive like about 2 pounds i felt really uncomftorable and scared as hell i was frozen in fear then it finally took its hand off and i heard a small hiss and i turned around and it was walking out my doorway of the room and just vanished i even got up to check if it was there checked everything and i turned all the lights in the house on and check the doors to see if the locks had been messed with and i couldnt find it anywhere after that i couldnt sleep so i stayed up all night in fear if it would return again another time i remembered seeing the figure was when i was obeing it just seem to follow me everywhere and it wouldnt leave me alone then i was trying to expirience flight for the first time and it just flew behind me and i was trying to loose it then i remember when i looked back it wasnt there and when i looked foward it was standing right in front of me then i awoke like with such force as if someone grabed you and i was just thinking it was a dream because after that day i couldnt do obe's anymore could it just be a astral guardian?


sry i forgot to mention i live in miami,florida so theres tons of people around to notice these figures but i hvnt heard anywhere near me of anyone seeing these figures

i just remembered another time i saw these figures it coulda been just a haunting but im not sure it was at this party a friend of mine was having and it lasted until about 1 am and at about midnight i dunno why but me and my other friend decided to run around the pool but i dunno why but i decided not to and he went by himself note its midnight and he was just running around when this figure comes running behind him and apears to grab on to his shoulders and not let go then when he finaly got near us the thing disapered and about 6 of us saw that "thing" grab him and when he got next to us he said he felt something very cold on his shoulder like freezing cold

[edit on 21-8-2005 by fum]

I really haven't seen one. What I have seen is shadow like rodents moving superfast along the floor. I have a black cat, and she is darker than most shadows, and this is what those rodent type things are. I have felt opressive fear.

The only way I know how to get rid of them and the fear if I'm not near a light switch is to say the name of Jesus, and praise God. The fear goes, and the shadows seem to turn normal. Not as dark as they use to be.

Has anyone else tried this, and what has happened?