A Spooky Story.....

[Meg888]

A friend of mine has a 22yr old daughter and a 2yr old grandaughter, who, until a few months ago lived with her. When her girls moved in to their little flat, they began hearing awful noises - similar to someone's (or several) footsteps running up the stairs. The 2yr old became very nervous and kept talking about the 'man at the top of the stairs', she would often wave to him, although 'he' made her seem anxious. Anyway, the noises continued for 3 months, terrifying the mother of the toddler witless. They had the flat blessed to no avail. A Medium was called in, this medium knew nothing of my friends family. Within minutes he was talking about a 'man, who died in the 80's and was only 30 something at the time of his death, leaving behind two children of the same gender, called John, he described the man's looks. My friend's Dad passed away in 1983, called John aged 32 leaving behind my friend & her sister then aged 13 & 14!!! There was a lot more said in terms of what type of man & father this John was, and it all fits with my friends Dad! The medium claimed the spirit in the house meant no harm to the girls, and he suggested (once he realised that it could possibly be my friends Dad) that he was merely watching over them, and making some attempt at entertaining the little one with his 'antics' on the stairs. My friend was devastated and gobsmacked, as she idolised her father and watched as her daughter became more and more terrified at the goings on in the house, whilst constantly trying not to frighten her toddler. She found it hard to believe her Dad would scare them in such a manner as he was a doting dad and truth be known, she never got over him dying. I know this sounds crazy, I'm quite the sceptic myself, and my friend even more so, she is not easily taken in by such things and is quite wise and I know she would not have given away so much info to the medium so that he could maybe second guess the situ. She has never encountered anything like this before, and does not find it comforting - to the point she's taken down the photos of her Dad. I wondered what other people's opinions are, and if they've experienced such a thing.

[naomi24]

Octavius, it isn't just the little girl. The woman heard 'footsteps running up the stairs' before the little girl said she saw the man. I also think they should move house.

[pixie373]

They have other flats around them, i suspect. Whether the stairs are inside or outside the flat, or both, isn't clear. The important thing is to tell them both to stop panicking and reassure the little girl that there's nothing there.

[naomi24]

pixie, it's not as simple as that when it's happening to you. I too think the noises are probably emanating from outside, or from creaking floorboards, or banging pipes, but until you find the source, even that can be pretty scary - and none of that would explain what the little girl is saying.

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

The very fact that she got the house blessed and then called a medium in, tells me that she's not a sceptic at all.
I'd have looked for a logical answer. There's almost bound to be one, not called in someone who reckons they can communicate with dead folk.

[pixie373]

The little girl is 2. She just needs reassurance from a calm adult.

[jim360]

True, but any young child's imagination can run wild. Who else saw dark shapes in their room at night, and feared the shadows? I know I did. Not sure I ever saw someone who wasn't there, but I wouldn't want to rule it out as I can't remember much of my early childhood. One way or another, this story isn't going to change the way I think about such things.

[naomi24]

Absolutely - I'm not disputing that.

[Octavius]

If the mum is constantly whittering on about strange noises and looking for a source, then the toddler is likely to invent a source - strts with a shadow, then it becomes human shaped, then its a man etc etc, and thus the cycle of mental torment begins to the point of fantasy and self fulfilment.

As said in the OP, its just a spooky 'story'.

[naomi24]

^^That was to Pixie.

[Octavius]

Touche jim

[Mosaic]

When I worked in an old Victorian museum, the portable humidity control machine would randomly make a noise that sounded exactly like someone running across the parquet flooring. Working alone late at night made that a spectacularly creepy experience first time I encountered it.
Another interesting aspect of this is that when i related it to a colleague, they became convinced that there was a 'cold spot' at the top of the stairs (well it was a draughty old place), then that dogs wouldn't go up the stairs (no dogs allowed...), and then that an old man had been 'sensed' there.
People are astoundingly suggestible.
However, if I were afraid in my house and my child said she'd seen someone, my first call would be to the police for advice and support. Not to a medium.

[naomi24]

We didn't call anyone to our house - we didn't tell people what was happening either - apart from house guests who after spending some time there, asked). I was very pleased to move out.

[Georgiesmum]

I dont find this spooky at all. I often hear foot steps on my stairs and there isnt anyone there. My hubby died five years ago. I believe he is simply looking after us., which is comforting.

[Peter Pedant]

About 50% of anglo saxons hear their dead relations.
at some time
Others keep up a running commentary.

I suppose if it is causing feat they are gonna have to move.

[ my friends dead mother helps me finds things so I quite like her popping in and out]

[Dee Sa]

I had a friend who moved into a 3 bed council house with her two girls in Claphan Common the garden backed onto the railway, the youngest used to say she could not get to sleep whilst "the lady in the grey cloak kept sitting on the end of her bed" they made enquiries and a lady who always wore grey had committed suicide in that very same room. They moved out immediately.

[Meg888]

Hi thanks everone for responses, and I'm sorry for my late response - I couldn't log on last night. In response to some of the replies; the stairs are on the inside ofthe flat, and when standing at a certain point of the stairs the whole of downstairs & up can be seen, providing doors are open - this is where the little girl believes she sees the 'man'. Can I just say, that this whole thing started with the noises which were investigated with no logical explanation. It was only after a few weeks living there the toddler started to talk about & wave to the 'man on the stairs'. My friend and her daughter have at no point discussed their fears or anything about this in front of the child, and the child has always been reassured there is nothing there and nothing to be afraid of. It was the childs Mum who initially became concerned re the noises, but when the toddler started on about the 'man', my friend decided to stay over with them a few nights to try and establish what was going on, she also heard the noise - these could occur at any time of the day or night. The medium did not take a payment, he apparently 'has a gift and is just starting out'. He was recommended by a friend of a friend so to speak. But the girls are adamant, he can know nothing of their history as the person who suggested him is not that well known to the family and knows little of them.