Tag Archives: ghost

Summer Camp Spooky Story: The Police Chief’s Daughter

Age: 19

I interviewed my informant, HP, on a story she heard from a peer at summer camp. In the interview below, she shared the story and her personal thoughts on the matter. Q refers to me, the interviewer, and A refers to HP, our interviewee/informant. The Q&A is a direct transcript, which is why some of the sentence structure is very casual. Below is my personal reflection on the ghost story.

Q: Where did you source your ghost story from? 

A: I heard this from summer camp, and it was from a girl, and we were camping, and she shared it was the setting in which she told a story, like, kind of spooky, or, yeah, it was dark, and we were on this island, and we were in, like, our camps, we were in our tents and everything, and the wind was like, blowing a lot, and we were just about to go to sleep, and then we decided to share some stories 

Q: That’s really interesting because, like, that’s an exact reflection of what we talk about in ghost stories, which is how you get your ghost stories, not through written stories, usually, but through your peer groups. And I think that like summer camp in the United States, like summer camps in our youth are like the best example of that right now.

A: Yeah, I think most of the stories I have are from summer camp especially.

Q: Have you heard many over the years?

A: Or Yeah, I would say some of them often get repeated, but yeah, I would say most of the ghost stories I hear are from friends.

Q: Okay, so can you tell us the ghost story that your friend told? 

A: So it’s a story about this girl, and her name is Grace, and she lives in an apartment in New York City, and she is just with her dad. You know, he’s a single dad. She lost her mom when she was very young, and her father is the chief of police for NYPD. So they are watching the news.

A: They’re just watching their like weekly night show, just some father daughter bonding time. And then on the news, it comes on and it says, “serial killer let loose from the prison. Like everybody, take cover, be alert, be aware.” So her father immediately jumps up, and he starts suiting up, getting ready and everything. And you know, Grace is kind of used to this. This is just usual as the daughter of the chief of police, and then the father, you know, he looks very seriously at Grace, you know, it’s almost as if something is out of the ordinary. And he says, “Grace, lock the doors, deadbolt everything. Don’t answer any knocking, I will be able to open the door myself. You go to bed. Don’t answer. Do not answer.” So then she’s like, “okay, dad, like, stay safe. I love you,” everything. And he goes out into the streets to, you know, catch the serial killer and protect the citizens. So, you know, she’s a little freaked out, and she just says, “Okay, I just need to go to bed. Just not think about this. It’ll all be okay, whatever.” So she’s going to sleep, and you know she’s getting in her slumber. And then she has a dream, and her mother, and she, it’s her mother, and, you know, they’re playing like they did when they were younger. And then all of a sudden it gets serious, and she says, she says, “Don’t open that door.” And then there’s a faint knocking sound, and it just, Grace is a little bit freaked out. She’s like, “Mom, what are you saying”? And then they go back to playing, and then all of a sudden she gets very serious, and she’s like, almost yells at her, and she’s like, “do not open that door.” And then the knocking gets louder and louder, and then Grace, you know, she’s still sleeping, she’s still having this dream. And then it’s, it’s like the mother screaming and pleading at her, saying, “You can’t open that door. You must not open that door. It’s so dangerous.” And then immediately, you know, Grace gets up and she’s all freaked out. She’s, you know, heart is racing and everything. And then the knocking is so loud. It’s, you know, going through the entire apartment. She’s like, this must be my dad. Like, I know he said that he would get in and whatever, but I don’t know. So then she goes checks with people, and she’s like, “Oh, my God, it’s my dad. What is he doing out there?” And then she goes to open the door, but it’s just his head there, and then there’s a note, and it’s saying “you’ll be next.”

Q:  So I have a question. So do you think that, like, obviously, sometimes people see, you know, like their loved ones, their dead ones, in their sleep. But do you think that because the mother was talking to her about something that was happening in real life, in her dream, her mom was talking to her about the serial killer and everything going on. Do you think that there’s a chance that the appearance of the mother in her dreams wasn’t just a dream, but rather like a ghost, apparition, like a communication with the ghost? 

A: Yeah, I think maybe it could be. I think people think, like, you know, all ghosts are bad, but like, maybe the mother was kind of like a guardian.

Q: Like an ancestral ghost. Okay. And where with the whole like father thing, like, just his head? Do you think that, you know, likely the whole head appearing like, that’s all just a dream, like, the entire story, at least the part after she goes to sleep to, like, when she sees the note? Do you think that could just all be the girl Grace dreaming?

A: Yeah, I think so. I mean, it could be fake. You know, it’s kind of hard to imagine that, like, a serial killer could, like, put up the Chief of Police’s head on the door. Like, I don’t know if that could be hard to believe. And like people in the apartment could see it, so maybe it is a dream, right?

Q: Do you think of apparitions, like that, as ghosts? Say, the head was just not real, but like a visual or something? Do you think that could be like a ghost in a way?

A: I guess it could be, there’s just, it’s very hard to tell. I think, maybe the entire story could have been a dream, and it’s like how the mother appeared. It’s like the father appeared in the form of, like, just a head, right?

Q: And do you personally believe this is a ghost story?

A: I don’t know. It could be real. I mean, it’s, it’s not totally out of the question. I think it could be a real ghost story.

Q: Do you, like, believe in ghosts?

A: I mean sometimes there are certain circumstances that, maybe make me, double guess what I believe in but I think for the most part, I don’t really believe in ghosts. 

Q: Okay, and with this story specifically, do you know if it’s derived from any specific folklore, or how close in proximity was this story to your friend at summer camp, if you know? Is it like, derived from, like any old told story, from folklore,

A: I don’t know. I feel like it’s kind of like a modern-ish story, because, you know, there’s elements of the TV and the big city and all that, but maybe it could have been derived just like, you know, different variation, and it’s kind of evolved. But, yeah, I can’t really say what the exact culture is.

Q: That makes sense. And, I find it interesting because like you mentioned it is more recent, [and] the whole word of mouth thing would lead you to believe that it’s not a story that has touched that many people. Do you remember, what were the reactions from other campers when she told this story? Did people think it was real? Or do people get frightened by this kind of ghost story? Or believe it in any way?

A: I think that a lot of, like, I personally, was also freaked out by it, I think everyone else that was intently hearing this. They were like, “Oh my gosh, I have chills.” And, you know, this is really creepy, and, I mean, I remember, the storyteller did a better job of me, you know, like, would mimic, the knocking sounds and stuff. So I’m also much more theatrical than what I just gave but I think, you know, people are definitely freaked out and a little bit more nosy, maybe there’s a serial killer on the island. 

Q: This is my last question. But also in keeping the tradition of orally told ghost stories, and passing them, like, how at camp you share them with a lot of people? Is this the kind of thing that in the future you would tell others, and pass down the ghost story? 

A: I think somewhat recently, it was kind of a similar thing, like I was doing a camping tripSC Outfitters, and we were just sharing ghost stories. And I shared this one just because it’s so creepy. But, yeah, I think it is very important to share it and make sure other people are sharing it and just keep that tradition alive.

Personal Reflection: Personally, I don’t really believe in the part where the father’s head was just hanging there and left by the serial killer with a note, not because of any ghost-belief reasons, but just because it sounds like the sort of thing that would happen only really in fiction. As for the part about the mother visiting her, I find it very hard to decipher between what’s just in the psyche and what’s a ghost apparition in this story. Because the girl was sleeping, I feel like it would be easiest to say it was just an incredibly realistic dream. However, because of the dialogue with the mother, and the fact that she could really hear her, I start to lean towards thinking that maybe this was a friendly ancestral ghost visitation, intended to protect Grace. As a whole, I don’t really believe in this entire story, but I think it’s really cool that it’s been spread between peer groups.

Unexplained Events in Two Houses

Age: 19

Age: 19

Context:

This story was told to me by my roommate(PR) during a casual conversation in our living room while we were talking about ghost stories and unexplained experiences. The conversation was informal, and the informant shared these stories as personal experiences from their childhood and family life. The conversation began after I mentioned taking this GESM class and how I was interested in Ghost Stories.

The Story:

PR: “Basically, when I was in elementary school, we had just moved into this new house, and there was this period of time where really weird stuff started happening. Like, during the summer, we would walk into a room and see a glass of water flipped completely upside down, but the water would still be inside it. There wouldn’t be any water spilled anywhere, which made no sense.

PR: One time it happened on my brother’s desk. There was a glass flipped onto papers, and the ink from the papers soaked into the desk and ruined it. We had to get rid of it because it was permanently stained.

PR: This went on for a while, and then a few months later, we found out that the previous owner of the house had just died before we moved in. That’s when it started feeling a lot creepier.

PR: Also, my mom would hear footsteps at night, like someone walking up and down the hallway. Sometimes she would hear what sounded like us outside her door, and she’d be like, ‘Guys, just come in, don’t stand there.’ But then she’d open the door, and no one would be there.”

PR: “And then there’s my aunt’s house. That place was just… off. It was always super cold, especially in the basement, and I hated being there. I would just stay in my cousin’s room because the rest of the house felt weird.

PR: One morning before school, my cousin and I were alone in the house. We were in the basement and started hearing this creaking sound, like a door opening and closing. We went upstairs to check, but nothing was happening.

PR: Then we went back downstairs, and it started again. So we went back up and checked every door. When we got to one of the bedrooms, the door was literally creaking open and shut by itself, the same sound we heard.

PR: There was no one else in the house. And the dog started barking up the stairs like something was there. It was actually really scary.”

Informant’s Thoughts

PR: “I still don’t really know how to explain what happened, because none of it made sense at the time. Like, the water glasses thing especially. I wouldn’t say I 100% believe it was a ghost, but finding out that the previous owner had died definitely made it feel a lot creepier.”

PR: The stuff at my aunt’s house felt different though. That place just always had a weird vibe, even before anything actually happened. The door creaking by itself and the dog reacting made it feel way more real in the moment. It wasn’t just one thing, it was like everything together that made it scary. I still think about it sometimes because I can’t really come up with an explanation for it.”

Analysis:

This entry reflects common themes found in ghost stories, including unexplained physical disturbances, auditory phenomena, and an overall sense of unease tied to specific locations. The first part of the story includes a classic haunted house motif, where strange events, such as objects moving in impossible ways and unexplained footsteps, are later connected to the death of a previous occupant. This connection reinforces the idea of spirits lingering in places where they once lived. The second part of the story focuses more on atmosphere and perception. The informant describes a persistent feeling of discomfort in their aunt’s house even before any specific event occurred. This aligns with a common feature in folklore where environments themselves are described as “feeling haunted.” The creaking door and the reaction of the dog add to the tension, as animals are often believed to sense supernatural presences. Overall, the story demonstrates how personal experiences, environmental cues, and cultural beliefs about ghosts combine to create meaningful and memorable narratives. Even without clear evidence, the informant interprets these events through a supernatural lens, which is a key characteristic of folklore storytelling.

Dual spirit possession. Huh?

Age: 15
Performance Date: 04/17/2026

Context: 

I am an international student in the US. When I went back to India for my winter break, I took a trip to Rajasthan – the western part of the country – with my family. One night, my cousins and I decided to talk about our experiences with ghosts at 2 am. We turned the lights off, sat in a circle, and turned on our touches. One cousin of mine, let’s call her T for the story, volunteered to share her frightening experiences of being possessed by a spirit(S).

The Story:

One day, T was coming back home from school when she unknowingly stepped on a piece of lime on the road. Eatery items in India tend to have an association with black magic, where the magician uses food, i.e., items like sweets, lime, or fruits and leaves them on the roads or distributes them in temples, taking advantage of the naive nature of people as they unknowingly eat the possessed food item, considering it a gift of god.

However, in her case, T stepped on one instead of eating it. Coming back home, she was normal. But it didn’t take long for her to be abnormal. She started liking to sit in the dark, would randomly laugh, and would look at the right side of her bed, and would cry for no reason. 

As the days passed, no one in her family really noticed what was happening. One day, she was having lunch when she randomly picked up her lunch plate and took it out of the house. She walked towards the spot where she stepped on the lime. By then, her mom was out of the kitchen and realized that T was not there. Her mom, in search of her, came out of the house and shouted out loud. “Hey T, what are you doing?” This sharp sound broke her trance, but made her mom realize that something was not right with her. 

After a few days of repeated unusual things that T did, it made her mom certain that her daughter was possessed. She fortunately knew a priest, who previously had experience dealing with necromancy. When the priest paid a visit to their house, he gave a piece of paper with spiritual chants written on it, and asked T to read it for a week and then mix that piece of paper in a glass of water and drink it at the end of the week. T also mentioned that after mixing that paper, the glass of water would turn orange. Before that priest left the house, he told T, “Be strong, someone is fighting for you as long as you let them”.

Days passed, and the priest paid weekly visits. Even though the hallucinations were declining, they weren’t completely gone. Suddenly, one day, T stopped sleeping in her room, saying that the right side of the bed feels inclined, and I feel there is a gush of wind hitting my face whenever I toss towards that side.

After a couple of days, she began waking up in places she didn’t remember going to, and her mother started staying awake at night. One evening, T quietly started walking towards the balcony. As T walked closer to the edge of the balcony, her body refused to move, as if two magnets with the same polarity were kept head-on. It felt like something was pulling her forward and holding her back at the same time. That night, when the priest returned, he explained that  “There are two spirits. One is trying to take her. The other is trying to protect her.”

Over the next few days, the rituals became more intense. T read more chants and the priest performed cleansing prayers in the house. And the weird behavior slowly began to fade away. One fine day, it was the end of the week, when T began mixing the piece of paper in water, ready to drink, but it did not turn orange. After that day, everything stopped.

Their Thoughts: 

T says that it was a horrifying experience for her. She also believes that this made her more spiritual. Not only this, she initially was a bit reluctant to share this story with others, but now she has mustered the courage to talk about it among her peers, and feels “it is just cool, thankfully I have no spirit now”.

My Thoughts: When T began narrating the story, I initially was a bit skeptical about whether the story was true or not. Over the course of the trip, I spoke to her mom to ask if something like this really happened, and to my surprise, it really did. More so, it was scary for me too, as I used to hear legends about people being possessed by back magic, but I never believed them. This time, when it happened to T, I now feel black magic exists, and I try to be vigilant of my surroundings when walking on the road or when eating food given by people.

The Knock on the Window

One day, a girl named AM moved into a new hometown called Wasco, CA, with her family. It was the early months of 2016, and AM was about 9 years old at the time they moved. Her family did not have any previous connection to this town, so they were unaware of the stories that were talked about among the residents. This house was slightly small for this family, making AM and some of her siblings share a room. The first night in this house, AM and her siblings heard some knocking on the window. They believed it was just the house making noise, ignoring the knocking as it continued. This knocking then continued for months, making it a normal occurrence to hear in the house. One night, AM stayed alone in her room due to her siblings staying the night at a family member’s house. This night, as every other night, she heard the knocking noise on the window. Finally, after being annoyed by the noise for the night, AM went to check her window. As she opened the window up, AM saw a figure almost jump out from the window and run away. This sight filled AM with fear, and eventually caused her to tell her family. In response, the family called a priest to enter the house and preform an exorcism on the house. The following nights, AM never heard the knocking on her window again.

AM truly believes she came into contact with a spirit. Although she was slightly younger when she encountered this spirit, she holds strong on the idea that it was real. AM also believes that the spirit wasn’t necessarily an evil spirit since there was no indication it wanted to harm her. She felt more irritated by the presence than fearful.

This spirit did not seem like it was harmful in any type of way. This spirit looked as if it was maybe just trapped inside the residence and wanted a way out. Personally, I believe the story could be true, but since AM was very young, there is much skepticism. Also, AM was alone at the time, but the priest being a part of the story changes the narrative extremely. Since the knocking stopped after the priest performed the exorcism, there is an extremely large chance there may have been a spirit within the residence.

Ghost or Elf On The Shelf?

Age: 21

This story takes place in a childhood home in San Antonio, Texas, on an early Saturday morning in December. PR was elementary school–aged at the time and asleep in his bed. Suddenly, a knock on the door pulled him out of a deep sleep (not enough to fully wake him, though) so he ignored it and drifted back to sleep.

Then he heard it again: another knock, this time accompanied by a low voice telling him to get up, something like, “Hey, PR, wake up.” Assuming it was his dad, who followed a strict morning routine, PR figured that a knock so early on a Saturday must mean something important. So he put on his slippers and bathrobe and headed downstairs.

Confused, he looked for his dad but couldn’t find him anywhere. A family friend from Spain had been staying with them and was already awake due to the time difference. PR asked if he had seen or heard his dad, but the friend replied, “No, he hasn’t been here.”

Still puzzled, PR went back upstairs to check his parents’ bedroom…only to find both of them fast asleep, completely out. Despite the unexplained knock, he returned to his room. Since it was the Christmas season and his family had an Elf on the Shelf that supposedly moved around every night, he blamed it on the elf.

“As a kid, I immediately thought, ‘Oh, it was the Elf on the Shelf. He was playing a prank on me.’ That made perfect sense to me then.”

Years later, however, PR looked back on the experience and had a realization: “Wait…that wasn’t the elf.” It suddenly struck him how strange the whole event really was. It felt almost ghostly. He tried to rationalize it, but pointed out that neither his dad nor the family friend were the type to knock and then rush back to bed. They were both very routine-oriented.

It left him wondering whether it had been something paranormal or simply a half-dreaming state. PR considers himself a rational thinker and believes there must be a logical explanation. He suggests it could have been a groggy hallucination, though he isn’t entirely sure. Regardless, it felt very real, very strange, and has stayed with him ever since.

He also noted that there was no known history of haunting in the house. It was relatively new, built in the late 1980s or early 1990s, and only one other family had lived there before, who they didn’t know. His parents once mentioned that a young daughter had previously occupied his room, but aside from that, nothing else unusual or paranormal ever occurred in the house.

Although PR believes it’s unlikely that his dad or the guest could have knocked, it’s still possible. Another explanation could be that a combination of ordinary noises woke him, and his half-asleep brain filled in the sound of his father’s voice. It may have been a mix of both.

The story reflects common elements found in ghost narratives, particularly the motif of poltergeist activity. A “noisy ghost” associated with domestic spaces. It also involves a child, which is significant, as children are often portrayed as more sensitive or connected to the spirit world. Additionally, the timing is notable: the December holiday season, when routines are disrupted, traditions are heightened, and households feel different than usual. Early Saturday morning, a time typically reserved for uninterrupted rest, adds to the sense of disorientation.

All of these factors could have placed PR in an unusual mental state, where strange occurrences felt more believable, or where his mind was more likely to interpret ambiguous stimuli as something extraordinary.