You’re lying in bed, drifting off to sleep. As your eyes drift shut, you notice the darkness in the corner seems a little denser. When you look at it, there’s nothing to be seen. But look away, and out of the corner of your eye, you see the darkness takes on a human form . You look directly at it and it appears to be an blob of shadow on shadow. But every time your eyes flutter shut, a blurry human form steps closer. You’re unable to move, unable to breathe as an ebony hand with too-long fingers reaches for you.
The hand pulls back as you manage to twitch your head. The figure flees, melting through a wall. You’ve just had a brush with a shadow person.
There’s an ongoing argument in paranormal circles if shadow people are ghosts, demons, aliens, time travelers, interdimensional beings, jinn, or something else. Visually, they can be the wispiest of outlines of a human or animal form, or sharply defined to the point where details can be seen. They have been seen wearing cloaks, hoods, and hats. Red eyes have also been reported.
Skeptics point out that there are two possible causes. The most common ones are sleep paralysis and pareidolia, Shadow people have also been reported by methamphetamine addicts as hallucinations caused by sleep deprivation.
So when you see that dark form darting across your peripheral vision, what you decide it is? Your brain trying to make sense of random impulses? Or is it something peering out of the shadows, watching you?