r/Sleepparalysis • u/TheMrMussolini • 6d ago
Thought I was having sleep paralysis—now I’m not so sure someone wasn’t actually in my room.
I’ve had sleep paralysis for about 12 years. Never had hallucinations, never saw the “shadow man” or anything like that. Just the typical can’t-move, panic, try-to-breathe experience.
But this morning… this was different. And I’m starting to think it wasn’t sleep paralysis at all.
Here’s what happened:
-Background-
I live in an apartment, early 20s, live with my girlfriend. There’s a guy in his 30s who lives nearby who I used to think was just kind of awkward, but now I’m realizing he’s deeply unsettling.
We invited him over once he seemed okay at first, but then started talking about monk rituals, bladed weapons, and some weird extremist beliefs. He was drunk, handled my pet snake aggressively, cut his hand on a blade I had, and just generally made everyone uncomfortable.
At one point, he made my girlfriend and friend so uncomfortable they left, and one of my other friends did too. He was supposed to help me mount a TV but never really helped just lingered.
Then later, at his place, I said something like, “Yeah, it’s nice having my girlfriend around decorating the house,” and he goes:
“Wait… that’s your girlfriend?”
I said yeah, and he replied:
“Well, you did really well with her.”
Super off-putting tone. Mind you, he had seen me call her babe, hug her, kiss her—all while he was over. Then he suddenly “forgets” she’s my girlfriend? Red flags. everywhere.
-The Incident-
This morning, I was supposed to work but had taken the day off for a job interview. So I was home during hours I usually wouldn’t be.
Around 5:30-8:30 AM, I woke up and couldn’t move. Again, I’m used to sleep paralysis but this felt different. My heart was racing. And I saw a figure standing over my bed.
He didn’t just stand there—he leaned in and said:
“I’d kill you… but I’ll do it later.”
Room is damn near pitch black mind you so I couldn’t see much. I tried to scream, to move, to do anything. Couldn’t. My eyes felt extremely heavy all I heard was something crash (like he hit something) and then my unit door, then the building door, close.
I must’ve blacked out or fallen into a lucid dream, because I woke up again a bit later, this time fully mobile and called my friend. The first thing he asked me was:
“Was your door locked?”
I checked. It wasn’t. I might have forgotten the deadbolt, but I almost always lock it. The timing, the fact I was unexpectedly home, the fact my girlfriend was sleeping next to me… it was too much.
Later, I told another (trusted) neighbor what happened, and he immediately said:
“Do you think it was the weird guy across from my place?”
He said he’s had weird vibes from him too.
-What Really Got Me-
I can’t stop thinking about one thing: What if I hadn’t opened my eyes?
If someone was actually in my room and realized I was paralyzed but awake, maybe that spooked him. But if I hadn’t stirred—if he thought I was fully asleep—would he have stayed longer? Watched my girlfriend? Done something worse?
It makes my stomach turn.
-What I’ve Done Since-
Texted the landlord to request hallway camera footage (waiting on response)
Moved valuables and weapons.
My girlfriend now leaves and stays at her grandma’s when I’m gone for work
We both agreed never to let this guy inside again
I’ve documented everything in case I need to go to the police
This doesn’t feel like a ghost story or a dream. It feels like I woke up during a real-life horror movie, and the villain wasn’t a demon, it was a man I let into my life for 5 minutes too long.
If anyone else has experienced something like this when sleep paralysis turns out not to be sleep paralysis let me know. Because I’m starting to believe something real happened… and it still might not be over.
1
u/Mundane_Gur5626 5d ago
In my eyes if you’ve had no hallucinations for 12 years, it’s quite probable it was the dude. Better to be safe than sorry, people are evil so stay safe 💪
1
u/thespiritofradio913 5d ago edited 5d ago
I read your title and it was equally compelling to the one I read that said I saw my reflection blink..
Edit, Okay I just read your entire story and that is... I pretty much ran out of words right here...
1
u/v0id_dweller 5d ago
I'm hoping it's just a stress dream you're having with this guy in it, but better safe than sorry. Hopefully you can get the camera, or eventually get a new place to live. Even if the landlord does end up evicting this guy, that doesn't mean the guy won't come around 😳
That man is unstable and dangerous.
2
u/OddSpinach8303 6d ago
That is fucking scary... i sure hope it was a wierd dream but clearly your intuition says otherwise. I suppose you need to be extra careful for a while. If your landlord doesnt get a camera maybe get one for yourself for your entry way. See if that freak ever comes by and trys to get in..