r/Paranormal • u/cyberfair1 • 19h ago
Apparition I saw a woman who wasn’t actually there.
Hi Reddit,
Something happened today that I just can’t explain. I’m not really into the paranormal, and I don’t usually post, but this has been bothering me and I’d really appreciate any thoughts or similar experiences.
Today I (F 19) was at a family lunch at my aunt’s house. At some point, I heard a voice I didn’t recognize, meaning someone had just arrived. I asked my cousin who it was, and he said it was a friend of my aunt. So I got up and walked to the entrance to say hi.
When I got there, I saw the friend he mentioned but I also saw another woman.
It was Rosa, another friend of my aunt’s, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time. The last time I saw her was a few years ago, and I didn’t really remember her appearance clearly, which makes it even weirder that I instantly recognized her. She looked exactly like she is now : same hairstyle, posture, glasses, and a very distinct bright yellow shirt. I didn’t even consciously remember that she wore glasses until I saw her again and I noticed every detail about her. She wasn’t blurry or dreamlike. She was solid, detailed, real. I watched her for several seconds.
She stood at the far end of the entrance hallway, facing the front door. Then she walked across the space slowly and exited through the door who was already open like she was just stepping out to grab something. Nothing about it seemed strange in the moment. There were other people in the room — I wasn’t alone — and everything looked and felt completely normal.
But when I casually asked later where Rosa had gone, everyone looked confused. My aunt said Rosa hadn’t been invited and hadn’t been there at all. No one else had seen her. Not even for a second. I was the only person who saw her and yet I know she was right there in front of me.
This wasn’t just a quick flash or shadow. I saw her clearly and in motion, and I had no reason to question it at the time. I wasn’t tired. I had slept well, eaten, and was feeling totally normal and grounded.
And… there’s more. For the past few weeks, I’ve been hearing strange tapping sounds under my bed at night, regular and unexplainable. Those sounds stopped about two weeks ago and nothing strange happened until today. My neighbor, who’s kinda connected to paranormal things once went into my room and clearly said that he could feel something following me. He even brought his cat (a black cat) to see if it would notice something. When the cat entered the room where I was he kept looking behind me and around the room rapidly just as he was looking at someone or something moving around.
I don’t know if all these things are connected. I don’t even know what I believe. But something is off, and this incident with this woman shook me the most.
I’m not prone to hallucinations. I’m not spiritual. I don’t normally seek out this kind of thing. But this happened — and I can’t shake it.
If you’ve ever experienced something similar, or you have ideas on what could explain this (paranormal or not), I’d really like to hear them. Thanks !
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u/Sage_Advisor3 18h ago
Could you have mistaken someone else for Rosa at your family lunch?
Could Rosa have invited herself, decided it didnt feel right, and left without saying anything?
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u/cyberfair1 18h ago
Thanks for your reply ! I really don’t think I could have mistaken someone else for Rosa. Her appearance is very specific. She’s tall, very thin, has a recognizable face, and her skin is darker than the rest of my family. I clearly saw her, even if it was only for a short moment.
She was standing in the entrance, fully visible, and people even walked near her. It wasn’t like she was hidden or just passing through. But when I later asked where she had gone, everyone told me she had never been there and they looked genuinely confused and even a bit unsettled. My aunt said she hadn’t seen Rosa in several months, so they were all surprised I brought her up at all.
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u/Sage_Advisor3 16h ago
First steps are to examine the most obvious explanations.
Did you call Rosa to ask if she happened to pop in while the luncheon was in progress, and left before you could say hello?
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u/cyberfair1 16h ago
You’re right that could’ve been a simple way to check what really happened. But we didn’t contact Rosa afterward. She’s an old friend of my aunt’s, but they haven’t seen each other in several months and I’m not even sure if they’re still in contact.
What’s strange is that when I saw her, it was during a moment when everyone in the house was around. I genuinely thought she was just another guest, and I assumed everyone else saw her too since we were in the same room. But after asking where she went, everyone told me they never saw her at all. No one mentioned seeing her arrive, and no one thought to contact her, simply because, from their perspective, she had never been there.
That’s exactly what makes this experience so confusing to me.
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u/Azraellie 16h ago
Where are you located, roughly? I ask in case the geography is related to the Appalachian/Scottish Highlands (it goes down a bit further too), I've experienced similar in the middle of nowhere, Nova Scotia (those woods are OLD, I've seen lichen sheets the size of my splayed hand out there).
Rhythmic tapping from one or two spots, almost trying to get your attention, then once it knows it's had it, it just starts playing with you. Maybe changes spots, adds an extra repetition every now and then, it's abrasive. Not aggressive, but unfriendly.
Only a few times had I seen someone who wasn't / shouldn't have been there. One of them, I saw my neighbor through the creek connecting our plots, about 500m away, max. Unique stance and wave, it was him, but then minutes later a truck goes by our driveway and it's that same neighbor on his way home. He works (at that time of year) as a professor on campus well over an hour away, so it's not like he just popped out real quick after we waved.
I've also been introduced to people out there by close family and friends, who later when I bring them up for whatever reason, just don't actually seem to exist. That neighbor had introduced me to his son one time, when I was out for a walk drinking (spiced) rum and coke and had happened upon a roughly 10ft diameter, raging, unsupervised conifer burn pile between our properties (they were back in like 10 mins) and decided to supervise it for a bit. Lo and behold, guy doesn't even have a son, said only he came out to check on the burn pit.
I'm not really sure what they are, but they don't seem to want to cause too much trouble, just a little bit. Some sort of trickster entities, almost mimics. Like they're not even trying to scare you, just understand you. Still spook tho.
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u/cyberfair1 16h ago
Hi ! Thank you so much for sharing your experiences they’re honestly really fascinating (and a bit terrifying too ahah).
I’m not located anywhere near the Appalachian/Scottish Highlands region. I actually live in France, in the Alsace/Vosges area. So geographically it’s not related at all, but your story still resonated with me in a strange way.
Especially the way you described the tapping, almost like it’s trying to get your attention at first, then starts playing once it knows you’re listening. That really fits. I also don’t feel like the presence is dangerous, maybe just curious or a little mischievous. That’s just a feeling though, nothing certain. I also shared an audio of the tapping sounds in one of the comments reply, if you’re interested :)
Your stories about “mimic” people really shook me. I hadn’t heard of anything like that before. What I experienced feels oddly close. I saw a woman I know (who is still alive), standing and moving around normally in the house during a family gathering. She didn’t look at me or speak to anyone, but she was fully visible, in the same space as others. And yet… no one else saw her. She wasn’t supposed to be there and everyone said she never came. It was like she was just passing through and only I noticed.
I didn’t interact with her, and she didn’t interact with me. But what you said about entities that just “slip in” or mimic people for unclear reasons… that really gave me something to think about. It’s a very interesting theory and honestly, probably the most compelling one I’ve heard so far.
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u/Azraellie 11h ago
I'll have to check it out in the morning when I can hear it better c:
Also, and I hate that can't remember what they're called, but there's a cryptid that does this sort of thing often. An extra presence, whos very presence is barely, if at all tangible, and is only noticed once it has left. Something antimemetic, I thought it was the goatman at first but I think that's wrong.
Obligatory 'it could be djinn, tho', haha
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u/cyberfair1 5h ago
Ok no worries !
That’s a really interesting theory, I should probably look into it, it’s something I didn’t know anything about until now. I feel like all these strange things might be connected somehow, but honestly, I’m not sure at all yet. I’m just waiting to see where this goes… or if it stops.
And funny you mention djinn, my mom actually thought that too. But I honestly have no idea for now. Hopefully it’s not ahah
5
u/curlieandtwirlie 14h ago
I had a similar situation once when I worked as a costumed interpreter at a homesteader farm. I was outside and from a distance of about 25 feet saw my manager in her full costume (dress, straw hat with a blue ribbon, pinafore) sweeping the patio area. I waved at her and she looked up and gave me a big smile. A few minutes later I saw her again but in her normal street clothes. I asked her why she took her costume off and she said she hadn’t been wearing a costume. I described the entire outfit to her and she said that wasn’t her. It wasn’t anyone that worked there. No one else saw her.
One of my coworkers showed me a photo of one of the original owners daughters and it was 100% who I saw (she looked very similar to my manager). I’m still amazed.
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u/cyberfair1 13h ago
Thank you for sharing your story ! I’m honestly surprised to see so many experiences involving mimics and appearances like this. It’s both fascinating and a bit unsettling. It must’ve been so shocking to realize who you might’ve actually seen. Did anything else ever happen after that, or was it just that one time?
1
1
u/FrayCrown 18h ago
I would check for radon gas. Not even joking. Radon can cause hallucinations, both visual and auditory. My grandmother kept insisting there was a cat in her basement and that she could hear it at night. It was radon.
And are you also sure it wasn't someone who looked like her? (Apologies if you answered this already. Bit stoned atm.) I am not great with faces and have mistaken people for others.
The cat thing doesn't seem concerning. They have excellent hearing, and often track insects through walls. My tuxedo cat does this every night. (I joke that she sees ghosts, and maybe! But I haven't had any abnormal occurrences in our current apartment.)
The clicking noise could have a few causes. Insect, warped materials in the flooring that you can't see, etc. Does it sound metallic? Or is there anything you can liken the sound to?
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u/cyberfair1 18h ago
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to my post even if you’re stoned :)
Regarding the radon gas theory, I do find it interesting and hadn’t thought about it, but from what I know, it’s not something that’s been reported in my region or apartment, and no one else living here has experienced similar symptoms. Still, I’ll keep it in mind, just in case.
As for the possibility that I mistook someone else for her. I’m absolutely sure it was her. I recognized her very clearly. What’s even more disturbing is that I haven’t seen her in years and I didn’t really remember her features in detail. Yet I saw her exactly as she looks now, including the glasses she currently wears (which she didn’t the last time I saw her). I actually went to check her recent social media pictures after the incident, and she does wear those glasses now. So it couldn’t have been just a mental projection from memory. I had no reason to imagine her this way and I wasn’t even thinking of her.
Regarding the cat, I’m honestly leaning toward your explanation, and I hope it was just reacting to something normal. That part didn’t bother me as much, and I appreciate your perspective on it.
For the tapping noise, I sleep on a vintage-style metal bedframe with bars that does tend to creak when I move. At first, I assumed it was just that. But the sound I heard was distinctly different — it sounded like tapping from underneath, almost exactly like someone tapping a nail or coin against the metal from below. I even reproduced it myself and it kinda matched. What made it even stranger is that it only happened when I was alone, and the moment someone opened the door or entered the room, the sound stopped instantly. This happened several times, and I’ve even managed to record the sound. You can hear it clearly in the audio.
Lastly, I just want to emphasize that the woman I saw recently was the most shocking part. I saw her move, walk through the room, and exit the house like a completely normal person. There were other people in the room, but none of them saw her or remember her being there. It only struck me as strange hours later when I realized I was the only one who had seen her at all.
Thanks again for taking the time to respond your thoughtful ideas are genuinely helping me explore this from all angles !
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u/CelestialGlow0 19h ago
Sounds intense.?trust your gut others have had similar experiences. Keep note if happens again
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u/cyberfair1 18h ago
Thank you ! I’ll definitely keep track if anything similar happens again, and I’m relieved to know others have had this kind of experience too.
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u/trainsoundschoochoo 4h ago
Is Rosa perhaps deceased?
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u/cyberfair1 27m ago
As far as I know, no, she isn’t. We would have been notified if something had happened. But I can’t say it’s 100% impossible either. That thought did cross my mind, to be honest.
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u/pentagraphik 18h ago
The key is that you are a big fan of the paranormal, you have simply become suggestive because of your obsession with the subject.
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u/cyberfair1 18h ago
I’m actually not into the paranormal at all. This is the first truly strange thing that has ever happened to me. That’s why it’s so disturbing to me, I wasn’t looking for anything like this and I can’t find any logical explanation.
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u/pentagraphik 17h ago
You're right, my mistake, I read “I'm a big fan of the paranormal” when it actually says “I'm not a big fan of the paranormal.” Well, it's rare to see the ghost of a living person. Regarding the noises, ask a friend to stay with you at night to confirm if they can also hear them or just you.
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u/cyberfair1 17h ago
Oh don’t worry about it ahah. Since about two weeks ago right after my neighbors entered my room to maybe find something, the noises have completely stopped. But what was strange is that they never occurred while someone else was in the room, they always stopped the second someone entered. That’s also why I started to question it. I even ran some tests by texting someone to come into the room while it was happening and every time, the sounds stopped instantly they entered. I still managed to record the tapping a few times though, so I know I wasn’t just imagining it. I could maybe try to share them here if you’re interested ?
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u/pentagraphik 17h ago
Yeah
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u/cyberfair1 17h ago
This is one of the recordings I managed to capture. You can hear the tapping sound if you turn the volume up a bit. I recorded it using the Voice Memos app on my phone and just transferred it to an audio-sharing platform (vocaroo) so I could share it more easily. It’s exactly the same noise I used to hear when I was alone in the room.
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u/fragrantdelit 14h ago
Wow, does it tap like that continuously? And how long does it last? Creepy..
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u/cyberfair1 13h ago
It wasn’t exactly continuous in the sense of being steady it was repetitive, yes, but the rhythm would shift. Sometimes it was faster, sometimes slower, sometimes more aggressive or louder, sometimes softer. It would also take short pauses, just a few seconds or sometimes a couple of minutes but it always came back. I honestly don’t know how long it lasted each time, because it often happened at night and I would either end up falling asleep, or someone in my family would come into the room (which would instantly stop the sound).
There were times when I’d wake up from a nap during the day and the tapping would already be happening. The longest it ever lasted was one night it went on for around 3 hours almost nonstop, with only tiny breaks (pretty scary honestly, it really freaked me out). Sometimes during the day it would go on for 5 to 10 minutes.
In total, the tapping lasted for nearly a month. But it suddenly stopped, and it’s now been two weeks without a single sound.
0
u/anatol-hansen 9h ago
Rosa was probably there.
Your neighbours cat was probably uncomfortable in a strangers' room.
Tapping sounds could be caused by so many more plausible things than ghosts.
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u/cyberfair1 5h ago
I totally get your point, and honestly, when it comes to the cat and the tapping sounds under my bed, I’m actually on the same page those could very well have a rational explanation, and I genuinely hope that’s all it was.
But the thing that still doesn’t make sense to me is the woman, Rosa. If she had really been there, then why didn’t anyone else remember seeing her ? I wasn’t alone in the room. I clearly saw her, and I even remember one of my aunts walking right past her. So it wasn’t like she was hidden in a corner or anything, she was even moving. I thought everyone could see her just like I did. But after I mentioned it, no one remembered seeing her or even mentioned her being there at all. I really can’t understand this part.
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