21 Scariest Things That Have Woken People Up

17.

Had someone firing off a gun pretty much right outside my bedroom window. I was living in a duplex in a rather shady part of town, and one night I awoke to gunshots, about five or six of them, right outside my bedroom window. I was toying with the idea as to whether or not to move into my grandmother’s house on the other side of the state. My parents bought it for her, and she had passed away in it. My biggest concern was the commute to and from work. I told my parents I’d think about it. That night, I’d punctuate each gunshot with “I’m moving to west Georgia. I’m moving to west Georgia. I’m moving to west Georgia. I’M MOTHERFUCKING MOVING TO GODDAMN WEST GEORGIA!” Called my parents the next day and said, “Yup. I’m moving. I’ll start hauling shit this weekend.”

18.

I was at work one evening (firefighter sleep in the station) we had run a call that day where a gentlemen late 60’s was in his living room performing a ritual and his neighbors were worried he was suicidal. Anyway he says we will have visitors that night. We take him in for a psych eval at the hospital. 3 am we have a knock on our door. No one there we head back to bed, around 4:30 another louder knock. We get up no one is there, come morning time there was a note on our bay door that said “you were visited and watched.” Pretty chilling. I got the note back at the station actually off duty now but can provide proof if anyone wants.

19.

I was asleep in bed in my room by myself with the door locked when I heard a sharp “hey!” in my ear. Then a second time. “Hey!” It was a male voice, there were two other women at home that night, no men in the house. For a second I was too afraid to sit up, like, I was too afraid to move. But then I scrambled for my light switch, terrified. The room was empty. But, I think, maybe they aren’t IN my room, maybe they’re in the hall. So I get up the nerve and go look, but the house is empty and the alarm is still set. There is, however, a smell in the hall. Something weird. I followed it to the kitchen and discovered that the gas on the stove had been left on.

20.

Cats fighting in the alley behind my house; sounded like babies screaming and waking up to it with no context was terrifying.

21.

I got a phone call in the middle of the night from a number I didn’t recognize. On the static-y line was a woman yelling frantically in a language I couldn’t identify because I was practically asleep. I was shook so the next morning I called back but the number was disconnected.

Written by Alex Cogen

Alex is a New Yorker currently living in Austin. She loves cats, grass, and latex but unfortunately is allergic to all 3. She makes mom and dad jokes more than she cares to admit (jk she'll admit it loud and proud). She isn't as funny as she thinks she is. She is the founder of thelazygurl.com.