I had been a police officer for 10 years patrolling the streets of Jeffersonville Indiana my routine had become second nature start the shift with a quick briefing at the station get updates on wanted suspects or recent crimes and then head out in my cruiser some nights it was quiet just a few traffic stops or the occasional noise comp complaint other nights it was like every call came all at once and I'd be running around until sunrise but I never imagined a night like the one I'm about to tell you before I became a cop I was convinced I'd make it in football I was a decent running back in high school and my coaches always said I had the Speed and the determination however after a torn ACL during my senior year my hopes for a scholarship died I eventually found my way into the police academy figuring I could use the discipline I'd honed on the field over the years I learned to love the job helping people and feeling like I was doing something good for my community but by 2016 after a decade on the force it started to wear on me that summer we got word about a string of robberies in the Clarksville area the suspect's name was Robert Harrington medium build dark hair known for driving a black sedan he'd been elusive for weeks always seeming to slip away just as backup arrived on the night in question I was in my cruiser near East 10th Street not far from Walnut Ridge Cemetery it was past midnight and the roads were nearly empty except for a stray car or two I remember noticing a black sedan moving slowly ahead of me as if the driver was unsure of where he was going the moment he spotted my police car though he hit the gas my instincts kicked in and I flipped on the lights he pulled over briefly so I parked behind him and approached on foot when I got to the window the driver was visibly tense I asked for his license and registration he hesitated before handing over his ID sure enough it read Robert Harrington my mind flashed back to the morning briefing this was the guy same name same description it didn't help that his hand was trembling on the steering wheel I calmly asked him to step out of the vehicle he refused at first muttering that I had the wrong person I didn't want to spook him but as soon as I reached for my radio to call for backup he floored the accelerator and took off I sprinted back to my cruiser adrenaline shooting through my veins and started the pursuit he led me down a dark side street away from the main roads I radioed in requesting backup and giving my location the street dead ended near Walnut Ridge Cemetery an old place with large iron gates and tall trees that cast strange Shadows even in the faint glow of the street lights Harrington's black car almost vanished in the darkness it was tough to keep track of him when I rounded the final Bend I expected to see his tail lights or the silhouette of his car but the road was completely empty I slowed to a crawl scanning left and right my palms sweaty on the steering wheel even with my Spotlight on I couldn't see any sign of movement finally I decided to stop hoping my backup would arrive soon I got out of my cruiser gun drawn and carefully approached the cemetery's gates the silence was unnerving no distant traffic no crickets nothing as I moved closer to the fence my heart pounded in my ears then out of the corner of my eye I saw headlights a black car for a second I thought it was Harrington doubling back I aimed my weapon and shouted for the driver to stop when the sedan came to a halt a terrified man and a woman stared back at me their faces lit by my flashlight they were just a couple returning from a late night dinner I asked if they'd seen another black car or anyone running around they looked at me like I was crazy they hadn't seen a thing apologizing for the scare I let them go I continued checking the area then noticed another black car partially hidden behind some overgrown bushes my pulse kicked up again I inched closer using my flashlight to peer through the windows the driver's seat was empty the door slightly ajar that's when I spotted movement inside the Cemetery grounds a shape someone dressed in dark clothing slipped between the headstones flashlight shaking a bit I passed through the Iron Gate trying to keep my footsteps quiet tombstones jutted out from the darkness and every step felt heavier than the last my radio crackled as dispatch confirmed backup was in route but still a few minutes away those minutes felt endless I swept my light behind each grave adrenaline surging every time I thought I saw movement suddenly I heard a distinct crunch of gravel behind a large Monument I spun and for a moment I froze three figures in Black clothing stood there each one staring at me they weren't ghosts or anything Supernatural they were real people and my gut told me they were armed my heart was pounding so hard that I almost thought I could hear it Echo then Robert Harrington appeared from behind them my mind raced four against one my backup was still out of sight one of them shouted at me to drop my weapon I didn't hesitate I set it on the ground and raised my hands they rushed me pinned my arms back and forced me onto my knees I could feel the cold damp Earth through my pants the smell of wet grass and ancient stone was overwhelming I remember them whispering to each other trying to decide what to do with me I tried to keep calm but I was terrified every second felt drawn out like I was living in slow motion a few minutes later I heard footsteps more of them this time from behind the line of graves I braced myself thinking more of their gang had arrived but then I Heard a Voice yell hands up police my backup had finally made it red and blue lights flashed across the tombstones and within seconds officers were all around the men scattered but it was too late they were tackled and disarmed one by one I was untied breathless and shaking as my fellow officers led the suspects to waiting squad cars they found evidence later that these guys had been using one of the old mausoleums for stashing stolen goods and there were even open Graves they used his hiding spots the entire thing felt surreal like a nightmare I couldn't wake from after that night I started questioning everything I'd seen my fair share of danger but something about being outnumbered alone in that dark Cemetery pushed me over the edge I realized how thin the line was between my routine and utter chaos a few weeks later I turned in my resignation I just couldn't see myself going back to those silent streets waiting for the next close call my name is Avery Hamilton and I was 17 when this happened I've lived in Bloomington Minnesota most of my life my parents have a small two-story home on a quiet street not too far from Jefferson High School where I'm a junior classes were in full swing and finals were just around the corner if you've ever been through a exam season you know how the stress can eat at you day and night at least that's how it felt for me it all started on a Thursday afternoon I came home from school feeling anxious because my History exam was the next day and I hadn't studied enough to make matters worse my parents were packing to leave for my cousin Kevin's wedding in Mano about an hour and a half south of us they'd be gone until Monday which meant I'd be on my own for the first time I helped my mom load suitcases into the trunk of our SUV then double checked that she hadn't forgotten anything she could tell I was uneasy she hugged me and said to call right away if anything felt wrong I nodded trying to look confident but deep inside my nerves were already frayed she and my Dad pulled out of the driveway at around 6:00 p. m. leaving the house strangely silent I walked back inside and locked the door usually I appreciate peace especially when I need to study but this time something about the empty house made me uneasy the absence of my parents' voices and the hum of their routine was unsettling every small noise seemed Amplified the faint ticking of the clock in the living room the hum of the refrigerator to take my mind off it I decided to watch some TV it helped but I still felt on edge after about an hour I grabbed my phone and texted my friend Melissa a classmate of mine we both had the same History exam coming up I asked if she could spend the night so we could study together she agreed saying she'd be over by 9:00 p.
m. when Melissa arrived the house felt a little more normal we spread our textbooks across the living room coffee table and started reviewing chapters around 10: p. m.
she said she needed to use the bathroom I told her to head upstairs to my room because there was an attached bathroom there it's usually cleaner and has fresh towels my mom insists on keeping it spotless not not even 2 minutes later Melissa came back downstairs looking pale she claimed she saw someone sitting in our backyard right in one of the chairs on the deck at first I thought maybe she was mistaking a shadow or something but she insisted she saw the outline of a person my heart pounded but I tried to stay calm we both went upstairs to my bedroom window to check I peered into the backyard scanning it carefully the overhead porch light was dim but I didn't see anyone the chair was empty and everything was still I suggested maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her she didn't push back too much but she seemed uneasy the rest of the night passed without incident Melissa eventually fell asleep in my room and by morning we laughed it off as nerves she went home later that day and I settled back into studying fast forward two nights later it was Saturday raining hard around 10: p. m. and Melissa couldn't come over because her dad was in the hospital for a minor procedure she had to stay home with her younger siblings so it was just me in the house again with the rain pounding against the windows and the wind rattling The Back Fence my nerves spiked I tried to focus on my notes but that uneasy feeling was creeping back in then I heard it a faint squeaking sound like someone shifting in a wooden chair on the deck I froze the sound came again this time more distinct slowly I crept upstairs flicking off lights so I wouldn't be seen from outside at my bedroom window I gently parted the curtains the porch light cast a dull glow over the backyard Illuminating just enough to see the silhouette of a man sitting in the same deck chair Melissa had mentioned my heart was pounding so hard I was afraid he might hear it at one point he turned his head toward my window I couldn't make out his face but the idea that he might be looking directly at me was terrifying I fumbled for my phone ready to call someone my parents the police anyone when I heard a sudden loud knock at the front door my stomach dropped part of me thought it might be him trying to lure me out by pretending to be someone else then I heard a muffled voice announcing police another voice followed this time I recognized it as my neighbor Mr Carlson she's lived next door for years and my mom had asked her to keep an eye on me while they were gone I cautiously went downstairs through the peephole I saw Mr Carlson and an officer standing on my porch I let them in practically shaking Mr Carlson explained that she'd been tidying up in her attic which has a small window that overlooks my backyard and she noticed a man sitting on my deck she said she immediately called the police but by the time the patrol car arrived he was gone they searched around the property and found no sign of him the officer was polite but told me to stay somewhere else for the night if I could with my parents gone Mr Carlson insisted I pack a bag and sleep at her place for the rest of the weekend I barely argued too rattled to think straight before I left I took a quick nervous look out the back door half expecting to see that shadowy figure again but all I saw was the empty chair wet with rain that night I lay awake in Mr Carlson's guest room still frightened my parents came back on Monday and I never spent another night alone until I left for college even though nothing physically happened to me the fear I felt was real before we dive into the next story if you're visiting our channel for the first time don't forget to hit the Subscribe button and turn on the Bell icon to stay updated with our upcoming scary stories your support means the world to us so please share these stories with your friends and family thanks I just wrapped up a brutal business meeting in Cleveland Ohio one of those high stakes negotiations where every word could cost you a contract the whole thing left me drained and tense like I hadn't slept in days rather than push all the way back to Indianapolis that night I decided to find a motel somewhere along the Route I booked a small roadside Place figuring I'd catch some rest and start fresh in the morning the motel was nothing special a low single story building with a flickering neon sign my room had the Basics a bed a TV a bathroom that smelled faintly of bleach still it felt like a relief I changed into a T-shirt and sweatpants trying to forget the stress of that meeting my phone buzzed with follow-up emails from my boss but I ignored them for once and tried to settle in at around 1:00 a.
m. I heard a muffled sound outside my door at first I thought it might be Rowdy guests or someone arguing but then the noise got clearer it was a woman's scream it was loud and frantic the kind of scream you associate with real fear I hesitated for a moment my heart pounding should I open the door or call the front desk before I could decide her screams turned into words she was yelling something about her husband being attacked that jolted me into action I cracked my door open to see a woman in a bathrobe tears streaming down her face she looked at me and pleaded for help rambling that a motel worker had attacked her husband and even killed him I froze the word killed rang in my ears I stepped into the hallway and asked where her husband was she pointed to her room a few doors down saying his body was there I was freaked out but I followed her half out of concern half out of shock when we reached her room I saw a man lying on the floor motionless I'm no doctor but he looked bad the police arrived not long after somebody else must have called or maybe the night manager they quickly ushered me out into the hallway while they EX examined the scene the woman kept crying saying a man who worked at the motel had tricked them into opening the door and then attacked her husband she claimed she recognized him from earlier in the day when she was checking in she said he'd been mopping the floors lurking around when an officer asked how this supposed worker got into a locked room she looked confused she mumbled something about him saying there was a problem with the room a missing part or a repair her husband opened the door and then the attacker lunged the story felt patchy like she was making it up on the spot the police asked the motel manager to round up all the employees for questioning a handful of people showed up housekeepers a maintenance guy the clerk but the woman insisted the attacker wasn't among them the manager calmly said these were all the staff on duty and nobody else I noticed the officers exchanged skeptical looks they decided to check the CCTV footage in the manager's office that's when the woman got really anxious she kept saying the attacker could be escaping right now that the police needed to start searching the grounds the cops ignored her and pulled up the security feed anyway I wasn't in the office so I didn't see what they found in real time but I heard about it afterward the footage showed the woman leaving her room earlier wearing some sort of mask and walking around the parking lot carefully almost like she was stalking someone then she went back into her room and a few minutes later she emerged screaming there was no sign of a mysterious employee no knocking at her door no one else going inside she got arrested on the spot for suspicion of murder apparently there were enough signs pointing to her involvement in her husband's death plus the contradictory story about a motel worker that didn't match the video the police cordoned off the area and I overheard them saying something about searching for a weapon in the room I didn't stick around to see what happened next I had zero desire to spend another moment in that Motel especially with cops and crime scene tape all around I packed my bag in a hurry checked out with the blur eyed Clerk and drove off into the night I didn't care that it was nearly 3:00 a. m.
it was safer than staying put now I can't piece together all the details was she planning this all along did something happen between them that escalated into violence and why create a story about a random Motel worker all I know is I barely slept for days after that my mind kept replaying the scene the woman's frantic screaming the lifeless body on the floor and the cops shaking their heads at the CCTV footage the motel was supposed to be a quick pit stop on my long drive back from a stressful meeting but it turned into a whole different kind of nightmare I never heard any followup in the news probably because I was too scared to even look for it part of me wonders if there was more to the story than the police let on either way I haven't stayed in a rundown roadside Motel since and I don't plan to my name is Jonathan Martin you may know me as a former offensive tackle from the Miami Dolphins back in the early 2010s it was always my dream to play in the NFL sadly a few jerk offs ruined that dream for me I got drafted by the Dolphins in April of 2012 and started training camp in July I was and still am a very shy and introverted person and I didn't expect to befriend everyone on the team right away I met every player on the team including the coaching staff and it was no problem at first the second week of training camp then came and that's when The Hazing had started the first hazing ritual I did was carrying veterans bags and paying for team dinners I didn't take offense to this as I had done this before when I was a freshman on the football team in high school and college I also knew that I wasn't the only one who had to go through this The Hazing would carry on within the next few weeks almost the whole team would make fun of me but three guys on the team would take the hazing to a further level their names were Mike John and Richie they would insult me by calling me names like big weirdo and soft because of my quiet personality and they would throw racial slurs at me but it was primarily from Richie I took this a little more personally than having to carry bags and pay for dinner this had hit home more I was a victim of racial abuse Growing Up So this wasn't the first time someone would call me slurs they would also mock my intelligence and say I wasn't cut for the NFL and I should be a scientist instead they would say these things because I went to college at Stanford I would initially try to laugh it off and would even play along at times as I wanted to fit in during the 10th week of training Richie left me a racist voicemail that said hey what's up you half piece of sh I saw you on Twitter you have been training for 10 weeks I'm going to kill you I'll slap your mother across the face this voicemail hit harder than an embryo's kick to a pregnant woman's stomach Richie was now targeting my family which he had never met before why was he doing this what is this dude's deal why just me was it because I was more quieter and introverted than all the others which made me stand out in a locker room that valued toughness and bravado a lot of other black people were on the team but none were a victim of racial abuse like me it was now early in the 2012 season and this is where the harassment got worse one time I was pressured to pay thousands of dollars for team events including a $15,000 Las Vegas trip trip that I didn't even attend this was not a standard rookie dinner but an excessive Financial demand that I felt forced to comply with other rookies would often cover some veteran expenses but the demands on me were more excessive and targeted this financial harassment became a pattern making me feel even more isolated at one point I was so mentally exhausted by the treatment I endured that I texted his parents saying I hate it here this atmosphere is like a prison my parents suggested that I should report this but I was too afraid to do so because I didn't want to be seen as weak in a hyper masculine NFL culture the Miami Dolphins organization is also known as a tough guy culture though I never spoke publicly in 2012 about all the bullying I suffered it took a very great toll on my mental health I wish I could tell you that it ends here but sadly it doesn't and the bullying continued throughout the 2013 NFL season in October of 2013 I had a breaking point one day I sat down at a table for lunch with Richie and my teammates but as soon as I sat down everyone stood up and left as a joke this was a prank that had been used on rookies before but for me it was the final straw I left the team's facility that day and never returned after leaving the team I checked into a mental facility to deal with the depression and anxiety I suffered from the past 2 years of being on that team I spoke with my parents and close confidants who encouraged me to tell my story I couldn't have agreed with them more it was just too much for me I spoke publicly about this and I after released a statement the NFL launched an investigation the reports all confirm that I have been subjected to persistent bullying and harassment by the Miami Dolphins but mostly from Richie after the investigation concluded Richie was suspended for the whole 2013 season and was later released by the team although the punishment against Richie did satisfy me my mental health remained the same in the 2014 NFL season I was now on the San Francisco 49ers I played 15 games that season but my confidence was at an all-time low I would always feel isolated and I would struggle with my mental health making it difficult to perform at a high level I retired from football in 2015 in my retirement statement I admitted that my NFL career's emotional and mental toll was overwhelming in 2016 2017 I was an advocate for mental health awareness and anti-bullying initiatives I was helping other people who had been suffering from bullying in May of 2024 I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with an MBA in finance and real estate I also am a co-founder of the narrow road Group which is a real estate platform after accomplishing these things I am now happier than I have ever been before although I might be loving my life right now I will always have Demons Inside Me from my NFL experience for those of you who are being bullied you need to speak up if you don't then the bullying will continue and it could lead to you doing very evil things in life you may feel alone but you are never alone and someone will always be there to help you this all happened not long after my roommate Javi and I moved into a cramped apartment in Queens one of those places that feels more like a walk-in closet than a home there were boxes everywhere the floor creaked like an old rocking chair whenever we shifted our weight and the living room window looked out onto an alley filled with garbage cans and broken pallets but hey it was ours the problem was the lighting our new shoe box had no overhead fixtures none at night the corners disappeared in Inky Blackness and the single floor lamp we inherited from a friend was so dim it barely illuminated the space around the couch I work night shifts at a copy shop which means I'm usually wide awake when the rest of the city's winding down if I wanted to read pay bills or even find my socks without fumbling I needed something bright that wouldn't cost half my paycheck given that minimum wage doesn't stretch far in New York I turn to the one place everyone goes when they're broke and desperate Craigslist I spent hours scrolling through listings for lamps most were ugly brass antiques or dented plastic monstrosities from the' 70s then I found it a Sleek modern lamp that looked like it came straight from a designer showroom the photo showed a smooth metal neck a subdued Golden Glow and a marble base that seemed solid enough to take a hit from a sledgehammer whoever owned it had paid real money once but the listing price was a mere 20 bucks the seller's username was just a random string of letters and numbers no ratings no biography nothing Javi glanced at the ad over my shoulder scratched his chin and shot me a look that screamed we might get murdered I Shrugged we'd both just paid rent and Desperation can make a bad idea look like a solid plan the Sellar insisted on meeting in Brooklyn near the Navy Yard it was a late afternoon in early spring when I drove over the sky tinged gray by the promise of rain my GPS took me past crumbling warehouses in Lots strewn with rusted scraps the air had a Tang of burned Rubber and something else maybe industrial chemicals or stale River waterer I didn't see a single soul on the streets except for a stray dog sniffing around a garbage bag as though hoping to find dinner a pack of crows flapped overhead call like they knew something I didn't finally I arrived at the address a decrepit brick building 3 stories tall with a faded sign that read Acme Tool and Die the letters were peeling off and the windows on the upper levels were cracked or boarded up honestly the place looked abandoned the front door led into a dimly lit Lobby I turned on the flashlight on my phone swallowing hard hello I called my voice echoing in The Emptiness I'm here for the lamp no answer for a moment I considered leaving $20 or not the whole setup screamed danger but then I heard footsteps on the stairs a figure in a gray hoodie materialized above me his face shadowed in the flickering overhead light he didn't smile he just nodded and jerked his head in the direction of a hallway as if to say follow me my heart hammered like it was trying to escape my chest but I followed my sneakers crunched on bits of broken glass that glittered under the phone's glare he led me to what looked like a Supply Closet filled with random junk and a metal shelving unit covered in Dusty boxes and there just as promised stood the lamp I remember feeling a wave of relief it was identical to the Craigslist photos Sleek modern Flawless the kind of lamp that usually costs a couple hundred bucks easy I pulled out my wallet forcing a laugh that sounded more nervous than casual are you sure 20's okay this lamp must be worth a lot more before I could finish I heard a harsh clang the world went sideways my mind blanked then I felt a sharp dizzying impact on my Temple and everything dissolved into blackness coming to was like swimming upward through thick Ink My Head throbbed and a nauseating wave of pain pulsed behind my eyes the floor beneath me felt rough and cold like unfinished concrete somewhere nearby two voices argued in hushed Urgent tones the wallet's empty check his phone that jolted me awake my phone my wallet gone I tried to stir but my limbs felt like they were made of lead before I could do anything there was a sudden commotion from outside the room NYPD hands where I can see him the voices near me erupted in curses then came a rush of footsteps Grunts and bodies slamming against walls a bright flashlight cut through the darkness landing on my face I squinted a cop knelt and her voice was surprisingly gentle as she told me you're okay we've got an ambulance on the way they took me to the hospital where I discovered that the men who'd attacked me were part of a robbery scam they used fake Craigslist ads to lure in buyers then stole whatever they could money credit cards phones sometimes they'd resell the goods sometimes they'd vanish entirely the police had been surveilling the area after getting a tip about similar incidents in Jersey the timing was sheer luck if the cops hadn't shown up who knows what might have happened an officer visited me while I was lying in a curtained off er bed an ice pack pressed to my temple he returned my wallet and phone explaining they been found on one of the suspects then he handed me a plastic evidence bag and inside it was the lamp we're holding on to it for a bit but once we clear it you can take it he said almost apologetically might as well get something out of this mess right a few days later bruised and bandaged I hobbled back into our Queen's apartment Javi predictably pounced on the lamp like a cat on a favorite toy dude we are keeping this it's practically a trophy he said turning it on to check the glow and free lighting best craigslist deal ever the lamp worked perfectly casting a warm comfortable light that made our dingy living room feel downright cozy I would have been thrilled if not for the nagging memory of the attack every time I looked at it I remembered the warehouse the hoodie guy the flash of pain this happened last summer my two friends Mark and Jason and I decided to do a three- night camping trip in a state park a few hours from where we live it wasn't one of those familyfriendly campgrounds with paved lots and bathrooms this was Deep Woods primitive sights no cell signal just a fire ring and whatever you brought with you the first night was exactly what you'd expect we got there late afternoon set up our tents gathered some firewood and just chilled typical camping stuff nothing weird the second day was more of the same we hiked fish a little explored around there was no one else out there at least as far as we could tell that was part of the appeal just us and miles of woods but that night something felt off we were sitting around the fire again not even late maybe 9:30 or 10 Mark was mid-sentence when Jason suddenly stopped him and said did you hear that we all went quiet at first I didn't hear anything then faintly there was this snapping sound like someone stepping on a bre Ranch not uncommon in the woods obviously but it didn't fit the Rhythm was wrong it wasn't like an animal scurrying around it was spaced out Step Paw step Mark tried to brush it off saying it was probably a deer but none of us bought it we sat there listening the fire cracked softly and that's when I noticed the woods were dead silent no crickets no wind nothing eventually we heard nothing else and we forced ourselves to laugh it off even though none of us felt like laughing we turned in not long after that now here's where it gets worse on the third night we couldn't shake the weird vibe it was like this low-grade tension all day we didn't talk about it but you could feel it that night we built the fire bigger like it would somehow keep whatever that was away around midnight I woke up at first I didn't know why I was just suddenly awake heart pounding I lay there listening trying to figure out what had pulled me out of sleep then I heard it crunch pause crunch footsteps not close but not far either just beyond where the Fire Light would have reached if it were still burning slow deliberate steps not the random rustle of an animal someone walking I stayed frozen holding my breath trying to convince myself it was nothing but it kept going a few steps then silence then more steps circling the tents I could hear Mark's breathing change in the tent next to mine he was awake too I wanted to whisper to say something but I was too scared to even move the steps got closer I thought about unzipping my tent to look out but the idea of someone or something standing there in the dark just outside made my chest tighten I had this image in my head of a face staring back at me inches away then the footsteps stopped I waited straining to hear anything but it was just dead silent again I don't know how long I lay there maybe an hour maybe more eventually exhaustion won and I must have drifted off when I woke up the sun was coming through the thin nylon of my tent for a few seconds I thought maybe I dreamed it but when I got out I saw Mark and Jason were already up both looking like they hadn't slept at all we didn't say much just packed up our stuff in record time as we were taking down the tents Jason stopped and pointed at the ground Footprints not ours they circled our tents clear as day deep impressions in the dirt Barefoot who the hell walks barefoot in the woods in the middle of the night we hiked back to the car without saying much none of us wanted to admit how freaked out we were I've been a security guard for about 5 years now it's not as exciting as people think no high-speed chases no epic confrontations mostly just long hours of walking empty hallways staring at security monitors and trying to keep me awake but there was this one night that I'll never forget I still think about it sometimes when I'm alone and it makes my skin crawl it was a Friday night shift at this midsized office building downtown you know the type glass entrance a couple of floors with cubicles some conference rooms break areas that sort of thing the company that leased the space was some tech startup most people cleared out by 6:00 p. m. but there was always the occasional workaholic burning the midnight oil that night it was quiet just me my you usual rounds and the faint hum of fluorescent lights around 11:30 p.
m.
