They say the veil between our world and the spirit realm is at its thinnest on Halloween. Others believe the veil is just about transparent every time the so-called witching hour arrives. When the veil becomes this thin, we can sense more of what happens on the other side, so to speak. We become more sensitive to unexplained changes in our immediate atmosphere and even to weirdness in weather patterns.
It is no wonder, then, that so many ghost stories are told around the world, especially when it’s dark, rainy, or cold outside. Urban legends, real-life horror tales, and supernatural accounts also sound that much creepier when the nights start getting chillier or when the first carved pumpkins start popping up on screened-in porches.
Shadows seem to hang around longer, and the wind’s whispers begin to sound just a little eerie. Even so, you may scoff at the paranormal superstitions, traditions, and ghost stories while you laugh out loud in derision. But deep inside, isn’t there just the slightest flicker of unease?
You may find yourself glancing behind you as you climb the stairs to your bedroom. Or you may sweep a foot underneath your bed before you jump in and pull the covers up to your chin. You may want to check that your feet are not hanging off the side of your chair or bed as you read the following spooky stories. Who knows, something might just grab at you and pull you into the dark.
Related: 10 Ghost Mines from Around the World
10 The Tailless Black Sow
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Some believe that October 31, when midnight heralds the start of the new Celtic year, is when long-departed spirits return to roam the earth once more. The old Celtic calendar divided a year into two halves: light and dark. Before Christianity was prevalent, folklore suggested that the first day of winter, which was also the first day of the dark half of the year, was when the abovementioned veil was at its very thinnest.
As Christian beliefs and festivals became commonplace in Wales, these earlier beliefs combined with them to create Noson Galan Gaeaf, which is the observance of the night before the first day of winter. Noson Galan Gaeaf came with its own spooky customs. Men would dress in sheep skins and masks and go to different houses, demanding gifts. Those who wanted to avoid these men (and wandering spirits) would light a bonfire (coelcerth).
However, when they left the fire to return home, they would be at the mercy of the lurking Hwch Ddu Gwta (tailless black sow). The tailless black sow was one of the most terrifying ghosts of Noson Galan Gaeaf. It roamed the land, gathering the souls of those who weren’t fast enough to get home. As if that was not horrifying enough, some of the villagers would scare their neighbors and their children by draping a pig skin over themselves and “arising” from behind the bonfire. They would then proceed to chase them all the way home.[1]
9 The Anngiaq
Greenland has its own terrifying stories to tell, and some of the spirits in these stories could not be bothered to wait for a thin veil moment. For instance, the Annqiaq is the spirit of a baby who was born in secret but then killed by its mother. When a baby turns into an Anngiaq after their death, they continue to search for and demand the love and affection they will never experience.
An Anngiaq is said to chase sailing relatives across the ocean as it tries to drown them by pulling them into the water. To stay above the water while on a chase, the spirit finds the skull or head of a dog, which it uses as a kayak. If the Anngiaq fails to pull their relatives into the sea, they shoot at them with a bow and arrow.
Even worse, it is believed that an Anngiaq can crawl into the body of their later-born siblings and kill them by causing them to bleed internally. If a family wants to rid themselves of the spirit, the woman who killed the baby must reveal what she has done.[2]
8 Eyes in the Sonian Forest
The Sonian Forest in Belgium is green and gorgeous in summer and bright and bronzy during the fall. Until the fog takes over. When you visit the forest during a misty or foggy night, you might encounter The Eyes. According to local legend, eight children were murdered, and their bodies were dumped in the forest many years ago. The bodies were set alight, and a group of nuns eventually discovered the gruesome scene.
Since then, rumors abound about The Eyes, or Deogen, which follows locals and tourists whenever they find themselves in the forest. Some have heard children laughing in the distance and shadowy figures darting through the heavy green fog.
Others have reported seeing a hulking figure staring at them from within the fog and bloody palm prints on their car windows. Several cars also allegedly leave the road when the drivers unexpectedly see solid figures running in front of them.[3]
7 Look at All the Grandmas
Ghost stories and urban legends are actually quite cool, especially because they are so far removed from reality. After all, who is going to chase you around while wearing a pig skin? Or when will you be hiking in a forest full of fog, trying to get away from prying eyes in the dark?
The scariest stories, the ones that get under your skin, are the ones that happen to you personally. Jeff, from Dayton, Ohio, understands that better than most, thanks to a chilling encounter on an ordinary day. Jeff was driving with his three-year-old son, Miles, in the backseat on a bright sunny day when they passed a flowery cemetery. Miles was having a great time singing to himself when he suddenly stopped and pointed a finger at the cemetery. While pointing, he said, “Look at all those people.”
Fully expecting to see a funeral procession, Jeff looked but saw no one. When he asked Miles what he meant, his son insisted that there were a lot of people in the cemetery. He also said, “There sure are a lot of grandmas.” Feeling creeped out, Jeff asked Miles what the grandmas were doing, and he replied that they were all standing in the cemetery, looking down at the grass.
Jeff really could not do anything other than put his foot down and get as far away from the cemetery as possible. It also did not help his frayed nerves when his son told him later on the same day that the people he saw weren’t alive, but they were all “paused.”[4]
6 The Legend of Veliki Tabor
After Halloween comes All Saint’s Day. In Croatia, this day is called Dan svih svetih, and it is a celebration of the lives of loved ones lost. And, since it is Croatia’s version of the Day of the Dead, the dead come back in full force. This is evident from the reports that a procession of skeletons has been seen marching through the Veliki Tabor Castle’s corridors on All Saint’s Day.
The castle is also home to other tragic ghosts, including one that used to be a peasant girl named Veronika. Veronika fell in love with a married man by the name of Fridrik many decades ago, and their affair ended in horror when Fridrik’s wife was found dead under strange circumstances.
The couple’s first instincts were to flee the scene, but Fridrik’s father caught up to them and threw his son into the darkest dungeon. He also accused Veronika of being a witch and had her drowned in the castle harbor. To this day, there are reports of Veronika’s desperate cries echoing throughout the castle from within the walls in which her body was buried.
Veliki Tabor is also not the only haunted castle in Croatia. Among others, the Prandau-Normann Castle had its very own resident ghost. When an imperial army colonel visited the place in the 1800s, the ghost of a young girl appeared to him and told him she had been murdered hundreds of years earlier. She also told him that her murderer threw her body between the city chapel and the ice cellar.
Moreover, she was not about to cross over anywhere until someone found her remains and buried them. The colonel related the story to the castle’s owner, who promptly ordered an excavation. The skeleton of a female was discovered in the very spot the ghost said it would be.
Some believe that the ghost (and skeleton) is that of Catherine, a heroine who defended the Valpovo fortress against the Turks in the 16th century. It is said that Catherine no longer haunts the castle because her remains have been buried.[5]
5 Huggin’ Molly
Huggin’ Molly is Abbeville’s spooky claim to fame. This ghostly figure has a very ’90s sort of vibe about her as she wanders Abbeville streets, sweeping her black skirt across the ground and holding on to her wide-brimmed hat. Some say that Huggin’ Molly is around seven feet tall and the size of a cotton bale. So, imagine a figure of this size chasing you down so she can give you a suffocating hug and then scream in your ear.
Of course, there is a creepy legend behind Molly’s appearance—she does not just exist to motivate kids to get home before dark (by screaming at them). Some say she targets children who refuse to go home while it is still light out. It is said that while she was alive, Molly lost a baby. To try and cope with her grief, she went around hugging local children. When she died, she continued this habit, much to the terror of children and adults alike.
Another legend says that Molly was a professor who tried to keep her students safe and off the streets at night. She still does this by hugging them, screaming in their ears, and leaving them terrified. And the only evidence she leaves behind is a distinct and intense ringing in the ears. It is also rumored that Molly favors cold, rainy nights when even the streetlights refuse to burn.
It was during such a black night that Mack Gregory walked home in 1920 after completing his grocery store deliveries. As he walked, he became increasingly uneasy and thought he could sense someone staring at him. When he turned around, he saw a huge figure dressed in black following him from a distance. Mack felt a sharp tug of fear as he started to walk faster. When he could not outpace the figure, he turned to confront it, only for the figure to slow down and hang back.
Instantly realizing Huggin’ Molly was stalking him, Mack ran home and did not look back until he had locked the front door behind him. Mack never did night deliveries again.[6]
4 The Ghosts of the Aokigahara Forest
Some scary stories do not need the preface of Halloween. It does not even need a creative intro. Some stories evolve from horrifying realities that no one who has not lived them can ever be prepared for. These realities are typically associated with a location, in this case, the Aokigahara Forest, aka the Suicide Forest. Aokigahara lies at the base of Mount Fuji and is known for having an 8-mile (12.8-km) trail that visitors can hike. The forest’s less creepy nickname is the Sea of Trees, named after the thick canopy the abundance of trees provide. If you hike there on a rainy day, the canopy is enough to keep the water at bay.
Aokigahara gained its Suicide Forest moniker during the 1960s. With Japan having one of the highest suicide rates in the world, people who wanted to end it all started going into the forest and hanging themselves (among other things). The Japanese government decided to stop sharing the number of suicides occurring in the forest in 2010 in an attempt to keep the inevitable rumors, urban legends, and ghost stories at bay. The forest’s trails and forbidden zones also keep tourists safe and away from the remains of the deceased.
Those who take their own lives in the forest are believed to become Yurei. A Yurei is Japan’s version of a ghost, and they are predominately female. However, Yurei do not have much in common with American ghosts. They are dangerous and out for revenge against anyone who harmed them while they were alive. Even worse, their intended victims can do nothing to stop them.
Yurei will only back off once their vengeance is exacted. In some instances, not even a Shinto or Buddhist priest can get rid of a Yurei. When a Yurei’s anger and desire for revenge becomes so overpowering, not even the death of their victim can appease them. In this case, they become a curse that will destroy anyone who dares venture close to them.
If you want to see a Yurei in action without risking your life and sanity in the Aokigahara forest, you can watch The Ring, The Grudge, or Silent Hill, which all feature this type of ghost.[7]
3 When They Come Back
What if that aforementioned veil completely breaks? Does it mean the dead can come back to life? Or does it become more of a “Walking Dead” deal? An unnamed psychiatric nurse will probably never know the solution to this puzzle. She worked in a residential mental health facility while still finding her feet in the medical sector. While there, she met a resident who was an elective mute.
He spoke normally for many years before abruptly stopping for no apparent medical reason. The resident was also very tall, around 7 feet 2.1 meters). He joined the army when he was 19, and before long, he had vanished without a trace. The military declared him AWOL before he was declared dead.
However, the nurse was to see the strange resident again. It took ten years for him to pitch up at a hospital emergency room where she was on duty. He looked at the receptionist and told her that his name was Marion Duchene and that he had been dead for ten years. He never spoke again after that.
The really weird thing is that Marion was covered in dust and wearing the same clothes he wore the night he went missing. He was eventually formally identified by his fingerprints because he had no ID. His social security number had not been used when he was missing. The nurse tried to talk to him, but Marion did nothing but pace up and down. He moved his mouth like he wanted to talk, but nothing came out. He would also throw his head back and open his mouth wide like he wanted to laugh out loud. Again, no sound came out.
During his time at the hospital, Marion received various treatments that did not make any difference. Even occupational therapy did not have an effect. Marion would just grin and pace. The nurse eventually resigned from her job, and the last thing she saw was Marion ‘laughing’ in the parking lot, with his head thrown back. To this day, the nurse suspects they had been interacting with a ghost who’d not been ready to leave this life behind.[8]
2 El Carruaje de la Muerte
Ghosts and apparitions come in all shapes and sizes in countries, cities, towns, villages, and townships around the world. When humans encounter or think they have encountered them, it makes them more conscious of their mortality. Perhaps this is why so many ghost stories are connected to death (beyond the obvious death of the person who became a ghost). A lot of ghosts and spirits and monsters bring death or curses.
For example, In Guatemala, seeing a black chariot pulled by black horses with red eyes (el carruaje de la muerte) means someone is dying. The chariot will charge down several streets until it finds the dying soul. The driver of the chariot, dressed in all black, can someone pass out by simply looking at them. So, if you hear a loud, rumbling chariot coming your way and it floats past you, you should run. If the chariot does not find a soul to take, it may take yours if you hang around it for too long.
The same goes for if you spot a young woman dressed in black inside the church of San Sebastian. Those who approach her are given a gold chain with a piece of paper attached to it containing the young woman’s address. If a person accepts the gold chain, they will immediately go insane when reading the address on the paper because it will lead them to the General Cemetery.[9]
1 The Erasmus Castle
A list like this would not be complete without the obligatory haunted house. Or, in this case, castle. Except it really is a house and not a castle. The Erasmus Castle is a huge mansion on a hill in Erasmuskloof, Pretoria, South Africa. It is a stunning landmark that was originally owned by George Dean Erasmus.
The house was built between 1892 and 1903, but by the turn of the 20th century, it was a mere shell of the imposing home it once was. In the 1960s, the Erasmus heirs planned to sell the land the house stands on to the local municipality. This never happened, and in 1975, Armscor bought the property to serve as its headquarters.
After the sale, the house was finally restored to its former glory. The old family cemetery was moved, and two farmhouses relocated closer to the mansion. Over the years, San artifacts were found in a cave on the property. Several turquoise beads dating to the ancient Phoenicia traders were also discovered. The property also has a fully preserved Voortrekker home.
But this all pales in comparison to the stories of terror that surround the place. It is said that the ghost of a three-year-old girl who died in 1917 haunts the house. Her name is Enslin, but her family called her Little Sunbeam, according to her gravestone. People have reported seeing her playing in the grass outside of the house.
Other ghost stories include the one about the two Erasmus children who were locked up in a tower inside the house. They had leprosy and had to be kept away from others. People who have visited the site via a ‘ghost bus tour’ have reportedly heard the children crying. They have also seen the so-called Victorian Nightgown Lady staring at them from various windows.
Those who have been inside the house have seen the apparition of a man sitting in an armchair. Some believe the ghost is that of Jochemus Johannes Petrus Erasmus, who once lived in the house with his wife and children.
If you ever find yourself in this part of the world (perhaps over Halloween) and you visit the Erasmus Castle, you may encounter objects moving on their own, like the red ball Little Sunbeam plays with. Or you may run into one of the many trapped spirits roaming the place since the South African War (Anglo-Boer War).[10]