Short but Strange: Real Ghost Stories That Make You Wonder

Get ready to explore a collection of short but powerful ghost stories—quick reads that leave a lasting impression. These strange encounters aren’t just spine-tingling; they offer a glimpse into something that may lie just beyond what we call reality.

For thousands of years, ghost stories have shaped beliefs across cultures, hinting at the existence of an afterlife and the presence of unseen forces. Nearly everyone knows someone with a ghost story—whether whispered late at night or passed down through generations.

Are these stories real accounts or imaginative folklore? That’s for you to decide. Each one is unique and mysterious, offering potential clues about what might await us beyond this life. When shared across different places and times, these tales begin to form patterns—threads that could reveal something much deeper than fear alone.

Late Father’s Ghost Presence

Ghost story about a late father making his presence known to his son over the years…

from David J. Liverpool, Sydney, Australia

We have had many things happen here over the years, especially upstairs, where my father died in 1974.

In December of 2000, My first child Chelsea was born. When she came home from the hospital, our back, screen door constantly opened and closed for two weeks. Finally, when I saw the handle move, I freaked out telling my dad, “If you can’t knock first, piss off!” meaning to go away. Mum said he must have taken it to heart and it never happened again.

My father came to see his first grandchild. He still comes and goes with his antics as I know it’s him. But, this time I am puzzled: the orb went from the box of ashes to my chest then, up to the ceiling (which is the floor for upstairs where he died). When mum was in the hospital for two weeks, the place was empty; yet I constantly heard banging and moving about. I would go up there and tell him where she was, and the noise stopped for months.

Photo: (Recently) my daughter was playing with her camera and found an orb image on the ashes of my pet dog, Patch.

I know he is here as I feel him. One day at the sink, I had this cold chill and gasped for breath. The only thought that kept repeating was “one week,” over and over. Four days later, mum nearly died with an extremely high blood sugar level. While in the hospital, the noises upstairs began as I had explained.

As a young boy at the dining table (after my dad has passed), my butter knife went missing. As I stood up to get another one, it was perfectly placed, horizontally, in the curtains directly behind my head. Also I was awakened to see my wardrobe door open — this happening the same year. I was never scared, just alarmed as I always knew it was my dad.

Pulsating Plasma Light

Ghost or spirit visitation is witnessed as pulsating balls of plasma light!

by Cyukech (Spirit story: Orbs at Camp)

Pulsating Plasma Light Spirit Story “I was at camp, and the generator went out. I was writing and praying at the time to someone who recently passed away for insight.

As I began writing, the power went out. I then saw five balls of plasma, pulsating light at different distances coming slowly towards me.”

Perception of the Orbs

“It was a very peaceful kind of experience. I felt the presence of five individuals.

The kids said that it was ‘Faith,’ their sister, who just passed away, and our two pets Madeline and Bobo, and possibly two others.”

Rest Home Ghost Story

by Dallas Ellis of Durham, North Carolina

This is not a lie!

My dad, brother, cousin, mom and I went into this old, burnt-down rest home across from our house. We went in at about 10:00 at night, using flash lights and walked through the rooms and looked around. We had gone in every room and as we were about to enter the stairs to the basement, my mom and little brother heard a piece of glass crunch like someone or something was walking through a room. My mom said something, and told us to be quiet for one minute…as we did, some more glass crunched and we all started running.

We will never again go inside, nor will we ever know what it was; but it was a memory we will never forget.

George Ghost Story

by Travis Hartman

Our family has a ghost in our grandmother’s current house. She has been living in this house for forty years and experienced George (as we named him) the first year. I personally have not seen him yet, but I have been told many stories about him and he has woken me up in the middle of the night. He is a child and for whatever reason, he doesn’t try to scare us.

George pulls pranks. He turns fans and lights on while people are sleeping and when asked to stop he will stop for a while.

He has visited my brother more than anyone. The first time he visited my brother was when my brother was eight. He turned the fan on and pointed it toward my brother (I should mention that my brother is 30 now, so I wasn’t even born yet). It was in the middle of winter and between the cold weather, the house’s poor insulation, the fan, and the chill you get when there is an entity present, my brother could see his breath. After he got up to turn the fan off, he turned around and there stood a figure that he could see, even though it was almost pitch black – about six inches from him.

Most of our family had lived in that house and experienced George and has grown to accept him. You could even say my brother is friends with him.

Cigar Smoke Ghost Story

by Amy

My name is Amy. Once I was standing in my dining room and I felt really cold and could smell cigar smoke. I asked my mum to come over where I was at, and smell it…so she did. It was only in that one spot and then it disappeared.

Then I went to my Nan’s the next day, and to my surprise I found out that the day I smelled the smoke and felt the cold spot was my Great Uncle Billy’s birthday. It was the 2nd of October, and my Great Uncle Billy was the only man in the family to smoke cigars. So what do you think of that?

Old Man Ghost Story

by Bowling Boy

Once at my uncle’s house, my dad woke up early and went to get a drink. As he looked into the fridge for a drink, he felt something behind him. As he turned (thinking it was me since I awoke early), he was about to speak; but saw the ghost of the nice old man who lived there before us. He was scared, and ran through the ghost, and back to bed.

There has been many people who saw this ghost, and have been scared. He presents no negative energies, and is nice. I have been scared sleeping over there, and do not intend to do so much more.

Pool & Barn Ghosts Story

by C. Lucas

Last week (it was Monday – I have an easy-set pool) I got in it. I swam for about 5-10 minutes. I went under water, and came up…I saw a little kid standing on the ladder to get in the pool. I don’t know if my eyes were playing tricks on me, or what; but it was so freaky!

When it was gone, I jumped out of the pool and headed for the house. Yesterday, I got in it again. When I looked at the window on my house, a figure was standing in the window. I thought it was a shadow, so I didn’t bother with it. I went under water and when I went to come up, it felt like something grabbed my ankle — then let loose. My mom was out there with me, and she said, “Did you see that? Something grabbed your ankle and held you. Did you see anything? Are you hurt?” She kept saying I told her, “I’m fine and okay.”

I REALLY think my house is haunted. In the war it use to be the doctor’s place to help people in the war. People died in it so that pretty much ties up everything. My sisters and my mom went to the barn, and on the hay lofts they saw a guy hanging and staring at them. They then got the hell out of there! When they told me, I didn’t believe them. So is my house haunted or not? You pick.