My Sister's Slumber Party

This happened about eight years ago, when I was 16. My sister, Jackie, was just turning 13 and was celebrating with a sleepover with her two best friends, Macy and Kenzie. I, being the big sister, decided to play pranks on them while they watched movies in the dark living room. After making ghost sounds around the corner and throwing little things at them from a hiding place, we all laughed and decided to tell ghost stories. After all, that’s what sleepovers are for!

We spent the next 30 minutes or so sitting on the floor in a circle, holding a flashlight to the bottom of our faces, and telling story after story. On Macy’s next turn, she asked if we knew about Bloody Mary. Jackie and Kenzie said no, but I, of course, knew about Bloody Mary. Macy explained the basics of the game, and I could tell Jackie and Kenzie were excited by the idea of trying it out, so I decided to freak them out just a little more first. I told them about the year I turned 13. I’d had a sleepover then, too, and we’d tried summoning Bloody Mary. In reality, nothing happened, and we all laughed about it, but I made up all kinds of ghoulish things just to freak them out. They didn’t really buy it, but they were ready to try it for themselves.

We all went into the bathroom. There were no windows, so it was very dark. I turned on the flashlight and stood it on end on the floor next to the sink. This way it didn’t shine into our eyes and gave us just enough light to be able to make out our faces in the mirror. Of course, they made call Bloody Mary while they stood behind me. I had planned on chanting “Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary,” and then faking like I was in a trance or something, but after I finished the chant, I just kind of stood there looking in the mirror.

No one moved or made a sound. Suddenly, I was sure I could see a shadow of a person standing behind my sister on my left. I could tell it wasn’t a shadow on the wall. I could just tell it was a solid form. As I looked at it, I could see—or thought I could, anyway—the shadow getting taller. I just watched it for what felt like 10 minutes, but was probably 10 seconds. Macy and Kenzie on my right were starting to get antsy and asked if I could see anything. I realized then that none of the girls saw the shadow. I asked Jackie “do you see that?” and she freaked out, turned on the bathroom light and we all ran out into the hall. They all said they didn’t see anything and accused me of just trying to scare them again, which I guess was fair.

I really don’t know what I saw that night. I do know it wasn’t a shadow of any of us. I’ve never seen it again, but ever since, I hate being in a bathroom—or any room with a mirror—with the lights out.