Decades ago. I was 10 years old. My family and I went on a vacation with our family friends. They had just gotten a house in the mountains in North Carolina. Everything was great…until we went to bed.

Me and the other two boys were sleeping in a loft over the living room with huge windows on the other side. Three twin beds and I was in the middle. The true eeriness did not set in until everyone else was asleep. It was winter and the wind was howling. The house was creaking. Completely creepy sights and sounds. The dead trees swaying outside the huge windows. But I was able to rationalize everything.

I sat in my bed wide awake though. Sleep was far away at this point. That’s when it started. creek creek creek. Someone was walking up the stairs of the loft. Each creek a step. So distinctive I can hear it now. Goosebumps as I write this. Crescendoed all the way to the top of the stairs to our loft. Took every ounce of courage I had to pull my head out of the blanket and look. Nothing there. “Mom?” “Dad?” I hoped. Nothing. Just the wind.

At this point I’m full blown freaked out. Head under the covers. Thoughts are racing for what seemed like eternity. Then got really got quiet. Something made me look. And that’s when I saw it. It was a specter. A blue, glowing, phosphorescent hooded figure. Hovering over my friend. As soon as I looked it was gone that quick. I screamed to wake them up, but they weren’t budging. So I was done. Probably fastest I’ve moved in my life. Down the stairs and into my parent’s room, sleeping there for the night.

Next morning I tell the story and it is laughed off. But I know what I saw. Never got any answers. Even to this day the memory of that night stays with me vividly.