1940
1940, it was the era of World War 2. I was a pilot and had been in action in squadron 78 in the RAF for about 3 years. I flew mostly Spitfires and I fought in Dunkirk. But something went wrong with my plane on an evening in France in […]
strange
Confessions of a Forester
I work for the US Forest Service. A lot of interesting to fairly abnormal happenings have occurred during my 20+ years of service with FS. Reading the experiences of others on this and other sites about their experience in forestry work makes me want to share my own experiences. Let
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Which One Was The Real Thing?
I heaved a sigh of relief after closing the hallway door and glanced down at the skittish little furry friend at my feet. My dog, Chip, practically latched himself to my ankles as he followed behind me, quickly tapping his paws against the hardwood floor in excitement. He was a
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Go Ahead, Scare Me
Christopher rubbed his eyes. He was tired. What started out as a passion too quickly had turned into a job. He loved scary stories and the adrenaline rush from the thrill of being scared. That’s what prompted him to start his podcast. It took off like wild fire and he
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Sometimes I like to listen to 911 calls
So there’s this database in my hometown of local 911 calls. I like to listen to them every so often. Usually when I’m working or doing chores or whatever. They kind of satiate my morbid curiosity of what goes on around this shit town. Most times they’re just ridiculous complaints
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Paradisal Sequence
“Did you see that?” “Hmm?” “There’s an animal in the lake,” I took off my sunglasses and sat up, looking at where she pointed at to see small ripples breaking the water’s calm surface. “What did it look like?” I asked Rosalba. “It looked like a crocodile’s head,” “It must
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My Mother thinks She’s Dead
My Mother has been acting strange lately after coming home from meeting her friends. She’s no longer been her bright cheery self. She sits in her chair crouched in a fetal position with deep sadness carved into her face. If she’s ever walking, she’s pacing slowly and shifting her weight
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The Taxidermist’s Son
In my youth, I found myself fascinated by my father’s line of work. I would jump up when I saw him arrive home with his bag, and sprint to him with boyish excitement, begging and bargaining for the right to watch him. He never said yes, of course, because no
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The Whool
EYE-WITNESS REPORT TRANSCRIPT RUSTIC FARMS, NEW HAMPSHIRE DISCOVERY SITE WITNESS: RICHARD A. FABIAN I had always wanted to hike; like really hike. None of these trails or pathways. Those are too linear. When I was little, my dad took me through a forest, and it was the most exhilarating hike
The Unopenable Wooden Box
It seemed like just an ordinary box. The wood was old and weathered, the fastenings were heavy brass, and the lid was inlaid with an ornate silver symbol. My father willed it to me after the state executed him for murder. He left no explanation or instructions, only the small,
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It Came From Above
He could feel his stomach almost twist as the aircraft started its long ascent into the sky. He was already holding onto his seat, yet now he couldn’t help but tighten his grip even more. How long had it been since he’d last been on a plane? A good fifteen
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I Woke Up During Surgery
“Alright, let’s get this started. Incision time, 9:45,” a manly voice said loudly, jolting me awake. I felt groggy, and my eyes were kept shut by tape covering my eyelids. I tried to call out for help, but quickly realised I couldn’t form any words, nor move a single muscle.
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Patient Files
This week, I was supposed to digitize all of Dr. Marnen’s patient files. I was feeling good about my progress when I saw it. A second filing cabinet, hiding behind the shelves, that I’d never noticed before. Sighing with fatigue, I yanked open the first drawer. I plucked out a
The Pocket Watch
When I was a child there was nothing to eat. I was the eldest of five, so it was my job to make sure that I always let my brothers and sisters eat before me. War was inching inward from the coast, and as it marched closer, our food grew
A Peculiar Kind of Madness
I’d always known that my great-grandma was an orphan, but in late October of last year, she decided to tell me the truth about what happened to her family. We were visiting her for her birthday. It was a tradition in our household; a road trip we knew in the
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When Science Found God
I’ve never much cared for religion. I mean, it’s interesting and all; the old parables and philosophic insights from people two millenniums removed from the present. I particularly enjoy the books of the Apocrypha, and the Bible’s magnum opus of Revelation, if for nothing else than the interesting stories. Even
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I Picked the Wrong Profession
Jobs come and go. That’s part of the beauty of living in America – you can change jobs freely if you aren’t happy. It’s a luxury not everyone in the world has. For years and years, my life was consumed by business – retail, specifically. It wasn’t my plan…I sort
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My Soul is in a Paper Lantern
Do you know what it’s like to live without a soul? Because I do. It’s like watching a romantic movie that’s so perfect you find yourself falling in love with the character. Then the lights come on, and you suddenly remember that person doesn’t exist. And even if they did,
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Bone Dust
I must warn you now that every detail included in this account is not of my own invention – though I wish from the bottom of my heart that it was exactly that, an invention – and that none of it is at all pleasant to read, so if you
I Don’t Think My Friend Ran Away
I’d been depressed for a long time, mostly since my dad died. All his friends called him a hero; he was a cop and he sacrificed himself to save the lives of 23 people being held by an active shooter. I was 9 when that happened, I remember it like
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Let Me Take Your Picture
Guys, I need help. I’m posting this from my car parked at a truck stop just outside Keiser, Arkansas. My parents own a cabin in rural Tennessee. Since they’re getting older, we’ve been splitting the responsibility of caring for the property. I go down there by myself a few times
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If Glass Could Scream
“Purgatory on Earth” read the flyer as it flapped unevenly in the wind, poorly stapled against the wooden post of a power line. It was an interesting title, not exactly the alluring intro phrase most religious recruitment ads used. For what I knew of Purgatory, it wasn’t exactly a place
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My Neighbor’s Dog Has a Zipper
At first, I didn’t think anything of it. My neighbor would stop to chat with me, leash in hand, and I would catch glimpses of the metal slider dangling from its belly. I assumed it was wearing a piece of pet clothing, or that perhaps it was the byproduct of
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The World’s Oldest Tree Is Trying to Communicate
“Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t real.” “How do you know?” “Because you can feel them when they’re close,” I said. “The goosebumps on your skin even though it’s not cold. The way the air tastes, and the dry lump in your throat. That’s
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