The imaginary 'friend'

Jacqueline from Oklahoma says that while her memories have faded over the years, she recalls having an imaginary friend when she was young.

Her grandparents, "Granny Junie" and "Pa Hank," lived in a small home with a quiet backyard. Jacqueline recalls visiting them as a child.

"I have very good memories of my Pa Hank," Jacqueline says on the podcast "Monsters Among Us."

"He would sit under the tree with me and tell me stories." The stories were often about his life and memories of prohibition, she says. "He was actually a very interesting character."

The only problem? Her grandfather died in 1981 — and Jacqueline was born in 1982.

"I don't think I ever realized that I was getting stories from a ghost," she says, adding that the rest of her family knew of his presence in the house. "My Granny Junie would never stay in the house on the anniversary of his death," she says. "He did die in the house."

Jacqueline also recalls hearing Pa Hank get up in the middle of the night when she was staying at the house. "It never occurred to me that these were memories of an entity," she said.

In hindsight, Jacqueline says that even though her childhood "imaginary friend" was actually her dead grandfather, it casts a different light because it was a relative and not a stranger.

"It never felt like ghosts, it felt like talking to my Pa Hank."

In the quiet town of Eldridge, nestled between dense forests and rolling hills, a mysterious occurrence unfolded one moonlit night. Eldridge was known for its tranquil atmosphere, but beneath the surface, a dark secret lurked, waiting to be unveiled.

Rumor had it that a haunted mansion stood at the outskirts of the town, hidden among the ancient trees. Its origins were shrouded in mystery, with whispers of a cursed family that had once called it home. Many claimed to have heard unsettling wails and seen eerie shadows dancing in the moonlight around the mansion.

One gloomy evening, a group of friends dared each other to venture into the haunted mansion and explore its secrets. Among them were Sarah, a skeptical yet adventurous soul, and Alex, the brave daredevil always seeking the thrill of the unknown. They were joined by Emily, a cautious but curious young woman, and Jake, the pragmatic realist who believed in nothing beyond the tangible.

The moon hung low in the sky as the group approached the mansion's creaking gate. A chilling breeze whispered through the trees, and the distant howl of a lone wolf sent shivers down their spines. The rusty gate squealed as it swung open, inviting them into the foreboding darkness beyond.

The mansion loomed before them, its silhouette against the moonlit sky resembling a creature ready to pounce. The air inside was thick with an otherworldly stillness as the group cautiously stepped through the entrance. The dim light from their flashlights barely illuminated the dusty corridors, revealing faded wallpaper peeling off the walls like the memories of a forgotten era.

As they explored room after room, a sinister presence seemed to linger in the air. Cold drafts brushed against their faces, and faint whispers echoed through the halls, sending shivers down their spines. Sarah, always the skeptic, dismissed it as their imaginations playing tricks, but even she couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched.

The group reached the mansion's grand ballroom, a once opulent space now draped in tattered curtains and adorned with cobwebs. In the center stood an antique piano, its keys untouched for decades. To their horror, the piano began to play a haunting melody on its own, as if a ghostly pianist had taken a seat.

Frozen in terror, the group stared at the piano, their breaths caught in their throats. Shadows danced across the walls, taking on grotesque forms that seemed to writhe in agony. Suddenly, the room plunged into darkness, and the air grew thick with an oppressive energy.

A disembodied voice echoed through the ballroom, recounting the tragic tale of the cursed family that once inhabited the mansion. It spoke of betrayal, revenge, and a malevolent force that bound their spirits to the decaying walls. As the story unfolded, the room seemed to come alive with ethereal apparitions, each replaying their final moments in a macabre dance.

In a panic, the group fled the mansion, their hearts pounding in their chests. As they stumbled out into the night, the mansion behind them seemed to vanish into thin air, leaving only the chilling memories of their encounter.

Eldridge returned to its quiet slumber, but the haunted mansion's story lingered, whispered among the townsfolk. Some dismissed it as a mere legend, while others swore they could still hear the distant echoes of the piano and the tormented souls that haunted the imaginary horrors of Eldridge.