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. It’s no wonder, then, that so many ghost stories are told around the world.
Urban legends, real-life horror tales, and supernatural accounts also sound that much creepier when the nights start getting chillier. Shadows seem to hang around longer, and the wind’s whispers begin to sound a little eerie. But deep inside, isn’t there just the slightest flicker of unease?
Get ready to glance behind you as you read the following spooky stories. Who knows, something might just grab at you and pull you into the dark.
10 The Tailless Black Sow
Some believe that spirits return to roam the earth when midnight heralds the start of the new Celtic year on October 31. In Wales, Christian beliefs combined with older folklore to create Noson Galan Gaeaf, the night before the first day of winter, complete with spooky customs.
One of the most terrifying ghosts of Noson Galan Gaeaf was the Hwch Ddu Gwta, or tailless black sow. It roamed the land, gathering the souls of those who weren’t fast enough to get home. Villagers would even drape a pig skin over themselves and chase their neighbors home from the bonfire [1].
9 The Anngiaq
Greenland has its own terrifying stories. The Anngiaq is the spirit of a baby who was secretly killed by its mother. This spirit forever seeks the love and affection it will never experience.
An Anngiaq chases sailing relatives across the ocean, trying to drown them. The spirit uses a dog’s skull as a kayak and shoots at relatives with a bow and arrow. It can even crawl into the body of later-born siblings, killing them. To get rid of the spirit, the mother must confess her crime [2].
8 Eyes in the Sonian Forest
The Sonian Forest in Belgium turns eerie when the fog rolls in. Legend says that the spirits of eight murdered children, known as “The Eyes” or “Deogen,” haunt the forest.
Visitors have reported hearing children laughing, seeing shadowy figures, and encountering a hulking figure staring from the fog. Some find bloody palm prints on their car windows, and drivers sometimes swerve to avoid solid figures running in front of them [3].
7 Look at All the Grandmas
The scariest stories are often those that happen to you personally. Jeff, from Dayton, Ohio, experienced this firsthand while driving with his three-year-old son, Miles.
As they passed a cemetery, Miles pointed and said, “Look at all those people… There sure are a lot of grandmas.” Jeff saw no one, but Miles insisted the cemetery was full of people, all “paused” and looking down at the grass. Jeff quickly drove away, unnerved by his son’s inexplicable vision [4].
6 The Legend of Veliki Tabor
In Croatia, All Saint’s Day, or Dan svih svetih, celebrates loved ones who have passed. At Veliki Tabor Castle, a procession of skeletons is reportedly seen marching through the corridors on this day.
The castle is also haunted by Veronika, a peasant girl who fell in love with a married man. After his wife’s mysterious death, Veronika was accused of witchcraft and drowned in the castle harbor. Her desperate cries still echo within the walls where she was buried [5].
5 Huggin’ Molly
Huggin’ Molly is Abbeville’s spooky claim to fame. This ghostly figure wanders the streets, wearing a black skirt and a wide-brimmed hat. Some say she’s seven feet tall and the size of a cotton bale, chasing people to give them a suffocating hug and scream in their ear.
Legend says Molly lost a baby and coped with her grief by hugging local children. After her death, she continued this habit. Another story claims she was a professor who tried to protect her students at night. The only evidence she leaves behind is an intense ringing in the ears [6].
4 The Ghosts of the Aokigahara Forest
The Aokigahara Forest, at the base of Mount Fuji, is known as the Suicide Forest. Since the 1960s, many people have gone there to end their lives.
Those who die in the forest are believed to become Yurei, dangerous Japanese ghosts seeking revenge against those who harmed them in life. Not even a priest can always stop a Yurei. If their anger is too great, they become a curse, destroying anyone who ventures near [7].
3 When They Come Back
What happens when the veil between worlds completely breaks? A psychiatric nurse encountered this mystery when she met an elective mute in a mental health facility. This resident, a tall man, had disappeared from the army years earlier and was declared dead.
Ten years later, the nurse saw him at a hospital emergency room. He identified himself as Marion Duchene and said he had been dead for ten years. He was covered in dust and wearing the same clothes from the night he vanished. He couldn’t speak but grinned and paced. The nurse believes she interacted with a ghost who wasn’t ready to leave this life behind [8].
2 El Carruaje de la Muerte
In Guatemala, seeing a black chariot pulled by black horses with red eyes (el carruaje de la muerte) means someone is dying. The chariot seeks out a dying soul, and the driver, dressed in black, can cause someone to pass out just by looking at them.
If you hear a loud, rumbling chariot floating past you, run, or it may take your soul. Similarly, a young woman in black inside the church of San Sebastian offers a gold chain, but accepting it leads to insanity and a terrifying address—the General Cemetery [9].
1 The Erasmus Castle
The Erasmus Castle, a mansion in Erasmuskloof, Pretoria, South Africa, is surrounded by stories of terror. The ghost of a three-year-old girl named Enslin, who died in 1917, is said to haunt the house.
People have reported seeing her playing in the grass. Other stories include two Erasmus children with leprosy locked in a tower, and a Victorian Nightgown Lady staring from the windows. Visitors have also seen the apparition of a man sitting in an armchair, believed to be Jochemus Johannes Petrus Erasmus [10].
Visitors may encounter objects moving on their own or one of the many trapped spirits roaming the place since the South African War (Anglo-Boer War).
These ghostly tales offer a chilling glimpse into the unknown. Which story spooked you the most? Leave your comment below!
