Scary Stories, Rituals, and Urban Legends

They always say dont go into the light

You hear people tell stories about near death experiences. Sometimes they'll say their life flashed before their eyes. Or that they saw and angel or something like that. Most of the time though, someone says something about a great light. An overwhelming warmth that makes you feel comfortable. Almost at peace.

What's that iconic saying you always hear people say? "Stay away from the light!" "Don't head towards the light!" Like if you get to close you'll never come back. Everyone seems to think this mystical tunnel, or hallway, or whatever you seem to find yourself on; is some personal choice for you to decide whether you want to live or not.

It's not.

Us humans are very narcissistic. We think we have so much choice in what happens to us. Like our decisions have that much weight in the grand scheme of things. You get hit by a bus and it's in your hands whether you live or die? That's ridiculous. It depends on how bad it was and the ability of the medical team that decides if you live.

The decision you're making is important, but not for the reasons you think. When you're in that place you're deciding where you would like to be for the rest of eternity. You go into the light, towards the warmth and comfort. You drift away into a peaceful existence. Maybe there's a god, I don't know. But whatever is at that end isn't deciding this for you. You have to decide for yourself. But from what I've experienced myself, please; go into the light.

I was stabbed walking down the street one night. It was some average street in the seedy part of my city. Minding my own business and all of a sudden it feels like someone punched me in the back. Then I lost my breath and my strength started leaving my body. I tried to speak and I couldn't find the words, I tried to walk and my legs wouldn't work. I tried to breathe and I realized I was drowning in my own blood. Slowly filling my lungs.

Then. Everything slowly faded out.

I'm not sure why I was stabbed, maybe I had an enemy I never resolved issues with, maybe some psycho killer just met his next victim; most likely I was just someone getting mugged for their wallet. None of that really matters I guess.

Eventually I gained some semblance of consciousness and found myself lying on an empty street. This wasn't the same street that I had last remembered being on and I was covered in blood. A little shook; I get up and survey my surroundings. I'm in the middle of the road under a lone street light, the thing looks like it's about to die. Steadily flickering in and out. I look around and realize I cannot see anything past the edges of the street. Endless darkness that is completely impenetrable. Confused, I look up the street, in the distance I see another lamp. This one is shining brightly, but all in all it looks like another street light. I look the other way and there are no street lights. I can see a ways down there, but eventually it too, fades into an impenetrable dark.

Obviously I start heading towards the light. I mean, who wants to walk into the dark when there's a path that you can actually see? As I start walking in that direction I feel the warmth. It's drawing me like a moth to a bug lamp. It gets more intense the closer I get. Almost to strong to deny taking one more step.

But then I start to think. "I was stabbed. I woke up in a strange place and nothing really makes much sense here. I must be dead."

I freeze. "If I keep going I'm never going to be able to return to the real world. I need to get away from the light!"

So I turn around and I start running towards the darkness. I pass the blinking light I found myself under and slow down to a walk. I had avoided becoming trapped so now I just needed to head in the opposite direction until I wake up in my body.

Anyone who has experienced this, have they ever told you about the cold? When you go the other way, you can feel it. An emptiness that starts to creep into your bones. But you're so determined to head in that direction because eventually you'll wake up, right? Wrong.

I'm walking for awhile and I start to hear something. It sounded like a wounded animal at first, but eventually I could make it out as a small child crying in the distance. "Why would there be children in this awful place?" I wonder to myself as I keep going. The crying keeps getting louder and then I hear screaming. Blood curdling cries of agony.

"PLEASE, JESUS MY LORD AND SAVIOR; DELIVER ME FROM THIS PLACE!" "MOMMY DADDY, HELP ME!!" "I NEVER FUCKING DESERVED THIS!!!" "WHY?!?! WHAT HAVE I DONE??"

Voices of men, women, and children. All begging to escape from some unspeakable terror..

I start to panic and I turn back. I run as fast as I can, desperate to be in the warm embrace of the light. "I don't care if I'm dead, I don't want to end up like them!" I silently scream to myself. Heading the way I came, the light all the way at the other end doesn't seem as bright. In fact, it had started to blink itself.

"Please don't let it be too late! please, DON'T LET IT BE TOO LATE!!!"

All of a sudden, I'm gasping for air in a hospital bed surrounded by my loved ones and a surgical team.

"Oh my god! Atomrameau, we thought you'd never wake up!" My Mom cries as she holds me tightly.

When they found me I had lost a liter of blood and I wasn't breathing. I spent nine hours in surgery and had two blood transfusions, but eventually I pulled through.

If you find yourself in a hallway. A tunnel. Or on some dark city street.

Please. Head towards the light.

Before it's too late.

XOXO Jade