I’m new to this subreddit and it looks like a lot of the stories are fiction and only exist to entertain, but this is true. It was one of those things where I still can’t explain what I had experienced, and never will be able to, but I know 100% what I saw and that it happened.
It was probably about 5 years ago when I was 13 or 14 and still living in my childhood house 50% of the time shortly after my parents got divorced. My dad lived in it for another 6 months or so after the divorce, while my mom was living with her parents.
My best friend who I’ve known since we were both 2 years old lived 2 houses up the road about 100 yards away. On this night roughly 5 years ago, I was hanging out at his house playing videogames or whatever. My dad texted me to come home, and although I don’t remember what time it was, it was dark as hell–yet light enough to see my surroundings a decent amount. I should probably add that I’ve never experimented with drugs and I was stone cold sober. While about halfway down to my house, I heard a basketball bouncing very closely behind me. It was super clear and that’s exactly what it was. It was just as if I would turn around to see someone within 5 yards of me dribbling a basketball. I expected it to be my friend trying to scare me or another one of the neighborhood kids doing random weird shit like usual. Well, when I turned around, there was nobody in sight. But the sound of the basketball bouncing didn’t. fucking. stop. I pissed my pants a little bit. The very clear sound of a basketball being dribbled no more than 5 yards away. I should’ve been able to take a couple of steps and touch the person or the basketball, but neither one was there. It was dark, yes. But I could see the ground and the surroundings directly where the sound was. And there was fucking nothing there. It gets worse.
I was frozen for a minute but eventually decided to quickly turn around and speed walk home, but the sound followed me. I kept turning around and looking because I was sure as fuck I that was going insane and somebody had to be right behind me doing it. But every time I glanced back it was just an empty road. Eventually, it stopped. Very shortly before I got to my driveway. Once again, I looked back and scanned my surroundings. Nothing. Nobody.
I don’t remember what I did next that night, but one thing I do remember is the feeling of how fucking glad I was to be in my house with the doors locked. I will forever be terrified of going outside at night no matter where I am or who I’m with. I remember telling my dad the story once but he just laughed it off. I’ve never told anyone else because why would they believe it.
I really don’t think about this occurrence often, but every time I do, I get chills throughout my entire body for minutes straight.