Halloween! What are the words that come to your mind when you hear Halloween? Probably, ghouls, ghosts, and devils; after all this is what the festival is all about. In case the idea of dresses and costumes and sounds scary at the same time fun, then October 31 is the day for you.
Pumpkins to candy, everything about Halloween is a Treat. But, there can be a Trick too. For the Halloween Junkies, who wish to add more thrill to their festival, I have listed the scariest stories that would be “fun” to hear near a campfire, or inside a blanket with just a flashlight on.
So, are you ready to jump out of your skin?
- The Conjuring
Let’s begin with the famous one. If not watched, then you probably must have at least heard about “The Conjuring”. Released in 2013, the movie featured Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, and Ron Livingston and was successful in making our blood run cold.
However, do you have any idea that this supernatural horror thriller was inspired by a real story? Did your heart miss a beat? Mine did! The Perron family actually existed and unfortunately, ended up in a “haunted” house.
The Perrons claim that their residence in Rhode Island was home to various weird (read paranormal) occurrence. Sounds were coming out of nowhere, things moved randomly, oh and of course, there were GHOSTS. Like this wasn’t enough creepy, they would also experience “possession” occasionally.
While the house was not some mass murder location, a lot of children had died under suspicious or mysterious circumstances. These deaths were all in loop with a well-known name in the Satan world, Bathsheba Sherman.
2) The Tale of Jersey Devil
This particular horror story does not really involve a ghost; however, it has, for good reason, qualified as one of the scariest stories. The tales of a winged beast! G-Good L-Lord, my blood’s running cold.
But what, or who is this Jersey Devil? As per Weird NJ, this infamous creature is the thirteenth child of Mother Leeds, a resident of Pines. At that time, Leeds had no clue how would she be able to take care of another kid (after the 12 she already had, well quite naturally). Hence, exasperated, she raised her arms towards the heavens and announced, “This one should be a devil!”
With what came forth, it is easy to guess that her wish was fulfilled. A few minutes after being born, the healthy baby started growing claws, horns, and scary bat-like wings. According to the legend, the devil first killed his own mother followed by attacks on the onlookers, haunting the Pine Barrens.
Grab your tub of popcorn, there are more paranormal tales coming your way. Oh and watch your back, who knows someone might be following you.
3) The Haunting of Amityville
A lunatic murders his entire family and gives birth to another haunted tale. This one that began on November 13, 1974, is one of the infamous ghost stories, especially because it’s probably true. Mr. Ronald J. DeFeo Jr. killed his whole family in the AmityVille, New York.
But, it was not this homicide that marked this dormant town of Long Island on the map. It was the paranormal activities that followed in the house that started after 13 months when the Lutz family acquired it.
Obviously, the details of this haunting are not confirmed (just as most of the hauntings). However, the Lutz’s say that in their 28 days stay in the house they experienced many unexplainable and strange events, such as slime seeping out from walls, doors falling off their hinges, and that they had felt if not really seen ghosts.
Every day, George Lutz would wake up sharp a 3:15 in the morning, the exact hour when DeFeo murdered his family. After the reports of this haunting first came out, the Amityville house has been a part of various movies, documentaries, and books.
4) The Dakota’s Crying Lady
Counted amongst the noblest apartment houses throughout the world as per Curbed New York, the 1885 Builder’s Guide and Real Estate Record, The Dakota was nothing less than a modern marvel when it was constructed.
From the time of its opening, it has been a house for many renowned personalities including Lauren Bacall, Connie Chung, Rosemary Clooney, Maury Povich, and Peter Tchaikovsky. However, in 1973, after Yoko Ono and John Lennon moved into the house, The Dakota got a new name. Are you prepared to hear why? Because Mr. Lennon claimed of seeing the Ghost of a Crying Lady moving in the halls.
After Lennon passed away directly in the front of this house, Yoko Ono claimed of witnessing the ghost of Lennon playing his own piano.
5) The Henry Dixon’s Ghost
Have you ever heard of Tunnelton? If you read a lot of horror stories, you must have. Tunnelton is an unincorporated, small town in the rural Indiana that is famous for its community of ghost hunters. You ask why? That’s because it is where you’ll find Tunnelton Tunnel, or The Big Tunnel.
This tunnel is believed to be the home of many ghosts that still linger beneath as well as on the grounds. Amongst them, the most known tenant is a night watchman named Henry Dixon, whose body was found inside this haunted tunnel in 1908.
The murder of Dixon still remains a mystery, and the creepy part of the story is that a lot of residents have reported that they have seen the watchman patrolling with a lantern in his hand. Some even claim to be “chased” by him. I am never visiting Tunnelton for sure, will you?
6) The Bell Witch
Just as The Conjuring, that is still freaking us out, the tale of the Bell Witch has also inspired two movies, The Blair Witch Project and An American Haunting. Other than that, it has also been documented in various books and podcasts.
But, the question is who is this witch and where did she come from? According to the rumor (or probably truth, who knows), the first appearance of this witch was in early 1800s. This is when the Bell family (after whom this witch was named) shifted to Tennessee.
After they settled in their new house, the Bells started hearing weird sounds randomly, like chains rattling, dogs barking, and a lady whispering. This lady, then became famous as the Bell Witch.
Obviously, nobody actually knows who she really is, but according to the legend, she is a former neighbor, Kate Batts’ ghost. The family also claims that the witch was responsible for the untimely demise of John Bell, who was killed from poisoning.
7) The Devil’s Den
The summer of 1863 witnessed the death of many soldiers when thousands of them descended on Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It is believed that over 50,000 men were found dead, missing, or wounded.
The rumors say that some of the deceased infantrymen haunt the battleground to date, especially the Devil’s den. This rocky enclave is the place where 1,800 men took their last breath. A woman said that someone caught hold of her ankle at this place. Various other people claim that they have witnessed ghosts both in pictures as well as in person.
From ages, we have been hearing such creepy and scary stories. These were some of the best and possibly true scary stories to tell in the dark at the time of Halloween. So, trick or treat? What were these tales for you?
Happy Halloween!