The kidnapping ghost

On "Monsters Among Us," a caller named Joe tells of moving to Georgia from California in the late 1990s. Soon after, he says his brother followed him to the Peach State and rented an old house built in the 1800s.

"It looked nice from the outside ... it did not feel good from the inside," Joe says during the podcast.

According to Joe, things seemed off from the moment he helped his brother move into the home. "I walked into the house and went, 'Oh, man.' The hair stood up on the back of my neck, and I just felt ill-at-ease, like this place isn't cool at all," he says.

Moments later, while carrying items into the bedroom, Joe says he heard whispering.

"A heated whispering, almost an argument, between two people that seemed to be hovering in the top of the ceiling area of the room," he adds.

Joe ran out of the room and asked his brother if he'd felt something off about the house, too. His brother had picked up on the vibe, but assured Joe that things would be alright.

"As long as you're good," Joe says he told his brother. "I'm not good, but I'm going to help you. I'm going home and I probably won't come back here."

And, sure enough, Joe's brother began experiencing unusual occurrences in the house.

The most alarming, however, was when Joe says his young niece was found wandering alone on a busy road with her hand up in the air.

Police and other agencies were called to investigate the incident and when asked, his brother's 4-year-old explained that she'd gone for a stroll with the "old lady that lives here."

"She just wanted to go for a walk, so we went for a walk."

Given that the front door was too heavy for a 4-year-old to open by herself, no one could understand how she was able to leave the house.

According to Joe, his niece said, "The old lady opened the door, then we petted the dog for a little bit, then went for a walk."

"She was so genuine and honest at 4 years old, that he couldn't call her liar," Joe says during the podcast.

Soon after, his brother moved and never returned.

In the small, quiet town of Ravenwood, there was a chilling tale that sent shivers down the spines of its residents. It was a story whispered in hushed tones, only daring to be shared around campfires or during late-night gatherings. The tale of the kidnapping ghost haunted the town, leaving behind a trail of fear and mystery.

Legend had it that, decades ago, a sinister figure roamed the streets of Ravenwood under the cloak of darkness. This malevolent spirit, known only as the Kidnapper, targeted unsuspecting children and spirited them away to an unknown realm. Parents lived in constant fear, warning their offspring to never wander the streets alone after sundown.

The first incident occurred on a foggy autumn night. Young Tommy, an adventurous boy with a mop of unruly hair, vanished without a trace. His disappearance sent shockwaves through the tight-knit community. Parents clutched their children closer, and whispers of the Kidnapper's curse echoed through the town square.

As the months passed, more children fell victim to the ghostly kidnapper. Each disappearance was accompanied by eerie tales of a phantom figure, dressed in tattered clothes, lurking in the shadows. Panic gripped Ravenwood as a palpable fear settled over the town.

The local authorities were baffled, unable to find any leads or explanations for the string of abductions. Desperation led them to consult the town's oldest resident, a wise woman named Agatha who was rumored to possess knowledge of the supernatural.

Agatha, with her gnarled hands and piercing gaze, spoke of a dark force that had awakened in Ravenwood. She explained that the ghostly kidnapper was a vengeful spirit, seeking retribution for a past injustice. According to her, the only way to appease the spirit was to uncover the truth behind its torment.

A group of brave residents decided to embark on a quest to unravel the mysteries of the kidnapping ghost. Armed with candles and a tattered map that hinted at an ancient burial ground, they set out into the night, determined to put an end to the town's nightmare.

As they ventured deeper into the woods, an otherworldly chill enveloped them. Strange whispers echoed through the trees, and shadows danced on the periphery of their vision. The group pressed on, their courage bolstered by a shared determination to save their children from the clutches of the malevolent spirit.

After hours of wandering, they stumbled upon a forgotten graveyard hidden deep in the heart of the forest. Moss-covered tombstones marked the resting places of those who had long been forgotten. At the center of the graveyard, a dilapidated mausoleum stood, its doors slightly ajar.

With trepidation, the group entered the mausoleum and discovered a hidden chamber beneath its stone floors. In the dim light of their flickering candles, they found a forgotten secret – the remains of a child, laid to rest with a sense of injustice lingering in the air.

As the group pieced together the story, it became apparent that the kidnapped children were victims of a grave injustice, and the kidnapping ghost sought to avenge their untimely deaths. The residents vowed to honor the lost souls and provide a proper resting place for them, hoping to pacify the vengeful spirit.

With the town united in a solemn ceremony, they laid the children to rest, offering prayers for forgiveness and closure. The kidnapping ghost, having witnessed the townspeople's remorse, gradually faded away, leaving Ravenwood in peace once more.

The tale of the kidnapping ghost became a cautionary legend, a reminder of the consequences of past sins. Though the town remained vigilant, the chilling whispers in the night ceased, and the spectral figure that haunted Ravenwood became nothing more than a distant memory.