MANILA, Philippines – Scary stories aren’t just works of fiction anymore.

This Halloween season, Rappler crowdsourced anecdotes from netizens who’ve experienced scary things in their everyday lives.

Here are some of the spooky stories Rappler’s readers shared.

At school

Netizen Michael Angelo talked about how his students saw a ghost covered in blood behind him when he was teaching in class, complete with the sound of nails scratching against the chalkboard. He shared that they all prayed over the students who had their third eyes opened, and that the ghost was screaming throughout the prayer.

Several people talked about how they felt or caught a glimpse of a strange presence at their schools, thinking they were the only ones who could see or feel them. Their suspicions were later confirmed after realizing other people at school were sensing the same things.

A netizen shared a scary story that was far more realistic, and talked about how their high school had a teacher who was a pedophile.

“What’s scarier than a living, breathing monster?” Twitter user thatautumnday said.

Not happened to me. But it was in high school when i realized we had a pedo teacher. He was very subtle with it tho, and he left so idk if he was reprimanded. He might be lurking around corridors of another school…

—  (@thatautumnday) October 14, 2019

Alam ko moomoo story dapat pero what’s scarier than a living breathing monster?

—  (@thatautumnday) October 14, 2019

Of course, scary stories at school would be incomplete without the occasional jokes about being delayed and held back.

pumasok akong UP tapos hindi na ako makalabas!!!!! SPOOKY https://t.co/RUgqALarbS

— ‘ida (@idasiasoco) October 14, 2019

With a deceased loved one

Those who’ve been visited by deceased loved ones say their friends and family who’ve passed away show up in their dreams.

Jonadith Dargantes talked about how she missed her lolo (grandfather) and kept a photo of him in her phone, asking him to only visit her dreams.

“Duwag ako sa mga ganyan (I get easily scared by encounters like that),” she said.

Vin Elijah shared that while his mother visited him many times in his dreams, the last time she visited him was slightly different. He was the only person awake at his house at around 1 am when he smelled freshly brewed coffee with ginger, only for him to look around the house and find nothing.

“Coffee mixed with ginger was my mom’s favorite, and she’s the only one in our family who makes that kind of coffee. The aroma was so strong like there was really a freshly brewed coffee, but there is none,” he said.

Netizens also joked about how deceased loved ones make an effort to make their presence felt, but how living people who owe them money do not.

At home

Netizen JA Medina talked about how the noises he made from the things he did in the morning would repeat at night, even if he was the only one in his apartment.

Philip Jon Betita recalled the time he lived with his auntie in the Middle East, and he saw a figure of a man in a white shirt and jeans sitting down in a particular spot in the house.

“Nung kinuwento ko sa auntie ko, bigla siyang nagsabi na ‘Huwag kang magbiro’ with a worried look. Then she said na may nagpakamatay sa bahay palaging nakaupo dun sa spot at palaging nakaputing shirt at maong,” he said.

(When I told my auntie about it, she told me, “You shouldn’t joke around like that,” with a worried look. Then she said someone committed suicide at the house, and always sat in the same spot wearing a white shirt and jeans.)

Others made jokes about their responsibilities such as chores and unpaid bills, or their parents disciplining and criticizing them.

At work

Common horror stories at work involve hearing sounds or seeing supernatural beings even when they’re the only ones within the area or in the office.

Other netizens shared darker, more specific stories. Jerome M Reyes talked about how their office janitor is always the first to come in at around 6 am, but one day the janitor came in to see their boss in front of his computer. The janitor greeted their boss hello, only for him to not respond. A few hours later, it was confirmed their boss had died of a heart attack in the office.

Netizens also talked about spending their salaries too quickly, and catching their coworkers skipping work or cheating.

Spooky nung mga may jowa outside work na may jowa din sa workplace https://t.co/4mTUnwELma

— Elijah Estrada (@elijamuel) October 24, 2019

In public

As for sharing spooky stories that happened in public, netizens were quick to poke fun about the mundane “scary” things that happen to them in everyday life.

Netizens shared stories about taking public transportation, and forgetting to bring their earphones or sticking really close to another passenger with body odor.

Others talked about getting robbed, regardless of the time.

Lastly, netizens joked about current events and certain elected public officials.

What are some of the spooky things you’ve personally experienced? – Rappler.com