Informant: “I became very paranoid when it first started happening. My parents were on a work trip in another country for a month. This wasn’t the first time they did this, so I wasn’t worried about being home alone. It randomly happened one night when I was sitting on my bed in the dark. I felt something feel my back.”

Interviewer: Was this a one time occurrence?

Informant: “Every day for the rest of my time home alone, I felt the sensation again. Eventually, I started using my sunset lamp since I was afraid to be in the dark. With the sunset lamp, I realized that there was an unforeseen issue. I could see shadows. The first night I used it, I started to see a long figure, kinda like slenderman, and afterwards felt it again.” 

Interviewer: How did you react to this, it sounds scary.

Informant: “I tried to check the shadow, but it was only ever in the corner of my eye. When I tried to directly look at it, it disappeared, but it never really went away. Once my parents came back, I never felt the sensation again, but my paranoia has spiked to a maximum. They’ve gone on more trips, but my anxiety is at an all time high every time I’m home alone. I can’t help but think it’s going to happen again.”

Context: The informant lives in a suburban neighborhood, and has not previously experienced paranormal activity. The house that the informant resides in was built within the past 20 years. She has only told the interviewer this story.

My Thoughts: This is a supernatural memorate. The reference to slenderman shows that internet folklore shapes the way that people interpret unexplained experiences. The fact that the experiences stopped when her parents returned suggests a link between isolation and vulnerability. This theme is commonly seen where being alone creates conditions for encounters. Folklore can produce long term psychological effects, even after the events cease, as seen in this case. 

Their Thoughts: The informant believes that this was a supernatural experience, and it has taken a toll on her sense of security at home. However, she considers scientific explanations, such as light and shadow distortion or a psychological reason for feeling tactile sensations.