Have you ever felt the presence of evil?

[Petridish]

I mean, without having any rational reason to feel it? It could be a person or a place.

For me, a friend's father used to really radiate evil - much later, my friend confessed that he had been physically and emotionally abused by his father

I also knew a woman who had a senior job with the police. She was a friend of a friend and I had a bad feeling about her. She eventually got struck off and imprisoned for stealing huge amounts of money from a children's charity she was in charge of.

[patterkiller]

nonnaine

I walk a lot with my dogs around woodland and bridlepaths. I always feel safe even in places that I haven't been before. However there is an area of woodland quite close to where I live that I just feel awful in.

I don't often walk through but the times I have I have a horrible feeling of paranoia and adrenaline rush with the feeling that I shouldn't be there. The dogs seem unfazed which may point to my spidery sense being off.

[WizzardHat]

My old house in Cumbria. I was renting, and someone else had found it for me. part of the house was fine, part of it seemed to have something completely evil in it. Unfortunately that was the part containing the kitchen and bathroom! Even the cats seemed to pick up on it, one was so nervous he pulled out his fur. Though I should point out that we were there for years and nothing happened to any of us, although the elderly next door neighbour killed himself in a rather gruesome way.

[FuckYouBitchImWellClassy]

I can only remember it happening once. A family moved into a little close in which I was living. After a few days I met the mum who seemed nice but a bit strange and a while after I met the dad. He just radiated evil, I didn't want to be within ten feet of him. He would smile at me but something in his eyes stopped it being a real smile. A couple of years later I moved out but remained good friends with a man who lived there. Anyway fast forward 12 years and I found out that the evil man had been involved in a stabbing and during the reporting of it, it was revealed he had beaten an ex girlfriend so badly she was brain damaged and was only a short while out of prison when he moved to the close.

[Baconyum]

I've had this happen a few times. It's an MN crime but I believe there's more out there just we haven't explained it yet.

I've always been right when meeting someone knowing if I like them or not and if I don't at all I've been proven right sometimes decades later. The exception being sbxh! I blame hormones and booze for that!

This has included 'lovely' people I've met at work/school/hobbies. Who I really have no need not to like. They've then went on to betray friendships or relationships (not always in relation to me), commit crimes including fraud and embezzlement, be abusive (partners of friends one raped a friend the day after she dumped him. We'd known him 3 years everyone thought he was a gent and dead laid back). But its also included people who others haven't liked/trusted and they've had my back in awful circumstances even if I didn't know them too well previously.

The most shocking ones have made me wobble though. There was a sweet shop in my teen home town that was the only one open on Sundays and therefore popular with bored kids on a Sunday. A friend and I really didn't like the owner/server. Last year he was convicted of numerous incidents of molestation and child porn crimes. There may be something in a pp body language comment. The friend and I who didn't like him were ribbed for refusing to be alone with him, turned out we were both survivors but didn't know that of each other at the time so perhaps our instincts/body language skills on this kind of thing were more finely tuned.

I also recall seeing glimpses of John tanner and ian Huntley on the news before their victims were even confirmed dead let alone they were suspects and both times I felt a wave of nausea. A breakfast reporter at the time said she had met Ian Huntley prior to one of the community searches and also felt weird round him. She side stepped shaking his hand and was so relieved she hadnt been touched by him later.

The ones I can't explain though are places. I moved to one town and felt an overwhelming need to go a certain way in some woods. I'd never been there before and didn't know the place at all. I ended up at an old well. Got serious shivers that a child had been drowned there by somebody. This was pre-www so I became a tad obsessed and found through newspaper archives that a child had died there in the 20's but it was reported as an accident. Something about it bugged me. The child's mother was a widow and had remarried a man powerful locally who'd been feted for taking on another man's child. But the child died just after they had their first son together and I'm still convinced he the stepfather had a hand in it.

Another place was when we moved to where I lived as a teen. Nice enough newish houses but I struggled to settle and didn't like being in the house alone. Through a project at school discovered our estate was built on the towns old cemetery (yep just like sodding poltergeist!) But it had all been done correctly etc. But upon further investigation I discovered the 4 houses in my particular part of the estate was the part of the cemetery used for suicides and therefore had been exempt from consecration.

As a pp said purely on a practical level I believe in trusting your gut and think it's saved me at least twice.

[SugarPlumTree]

Not evil but an instinct that something is very wrong about friend's step DS . He radiates hatred towards her and any of her friends and thinking about him makes me go cold down the back of my neck when I think of him. She saud he has looked at her with pure hatred to the extent his sister saw and called him on it but in front of his Dad he is lovely to her, hugs etc.

I am genuinely worried he is going to hurt her badly when he is a teen, don't know why but just have a feeling . I asked her if anything important to her had gone missing and she said yes, something belonging to her Grandad, she'd turned the house upside down looking for it. Told her to check his room. She range a couple of weeks later to say he had it amd how did I know? I can't explain how I know but I have a strong physical reaction to him that I've never had before, hairs standing on end now thinking about him again, this is very very unlike me.

Found myself asking how he is with animals amd apparently he has been a bit dodgy towards the dog. I think he could do with some support but his Dad knows on one level something is off and it scares him to address it.

[Tram10]

There was a guy in our home town who worked with the public, I had this awful feeling about him, I remember mentioning it to a friend of mine, that for some reason I got the creeps around him, she told me he was known for beating up his wife and he gave everybody the creeps.

Years later, his first wife had left him and he had a second wife, one evening the 2nd wife went missing, eventually after about a week, the poor girl's body was found severely beaten.

He was arrested, denied he murdered here, although had previously been cautioned for beating her up more than once, at the court case, the first wife testified against him, and he was still fucking acquitted.

No one believes he did not do murder her, no one at all. He is now back in his job working with the public, got his wife's insurance payout and their home etc, he now has a 3rd wife and is so full of himself it is vomit inducing.

Anyway, just to say, he was giving off vibes all his life, yet 3 very beautiful and smart women married him, although the first one did eventually leave him and even moved abroad as she was so terrified of him, it beggars belief.

[bodenbiscuit]

Another predatory man one that I remember was when I was 19 and traveling home from university on the train. There was a man opposite me who was dressed like a city commuter on the other side of the train who kept staring at me and it made me feel really uncomfortable. After a while he got up and stood by me and said he needed to come and sit next to me because he didn't feel well and needed to be close to me. There was something about it that just wasn't like any other sleazy man trying to pick someone up. I felt in danger. I went to sit next to some other people and luckily they didn't get off until I needed to.

[LucozadeBreath]

My biological father. I'm convinced that he is not even human.

He has a black soul. I cut him completely out of my life when I was about 12. Got on with my life and I like to think I'm a decent person, with a rationally-thinking mind....but I saw him on the other side of the street when I visiting my hometown at 18, and I instantly started shaking and vomited on the pavement. Only a truly evil person can have that effect on someone.

[HellKitty]

My XH. He'd walk into a room and just suck the atmosphere out of it, so strange. Whenever he'd leave a room or the house for work the whole place just lifted instantly. I left him (came to my senses) and the DCs would stay with him occasionally. And my eldest mentioned how his dad would walk into the room and the atmosphere would change. I'd never mentioned it to them.

I think I was drunk when I married him! He was a classic sociopath and I got sucked in.

[Toooldtobearsed]

Patter, snap!

I walk my dogs everywhere, alone, and totally and utterly unafraid. I am always looking for new places to go and had spotted some woodland.

I have never before, and never since, felt such a strong desire to get the fuck out of there. It was an overwhelming feeling. I legged it and have never been back.

Put it all down to being me though, the dogs were totally unperturbed.

[Armi]

I walk my dog perfectly cheerfully in various isolated locations in daylight and in the dark. There's one place I've been taking her for nearly a decade and I love it, it's a lovely walk and on dark winter nights it's my first choice because it always feels safe even though it's quite a lonely spot. A few winters ago I was stomping around there in the dark and was passing a small copse when I got this terrible feeling of fear and horror. I know people always say they are not 'woo' but I really really am not inclined to believe in supernatural gubbins. I also have a strong objection to cliche, so it pains me to report that the hairs on my neck stood up. I was properly frightened although there were no noises from the copse or anything. Worst of all, my dog's hackles went up and she backed away growling (her usual MO is to launch herself at whatever is nearby to lick it to death). I am a fat lass but I ran back to my car.

These days I do wonder if it was one of those big panther-type cats that are supposedly to be found in quiet corners of the countryside. There have been sightings in my area so it's feasible one was taking its ease in one of the trees. I prefer to think my reaction was a primitive response to being chomped by a big cat rather than the simpleton reactions of a scaredy wuss.

[PlaysWellWithOthers]

Once when working as a psychiatric nurse. The only person I was ever afraid of and I worked in places where there were people who had done truly 'evil' things he would stand in the corner formed between 2 corridors and just watch people. Nobody wanted to be alone in a room with him, he just exuded a feeling of dread. He was always completely controlled, right up until the day he decided to very calmly kick one of the HCAs nearly to death. I have seen a lot of violence, but this man didn't even break a sweat. This isn't confirmation bias at all, I can categorically state that I never felt that way about even the most criminal of any of my clients, even the most awful people tend to have some sort of redeeming feature. This guy, not so much.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

Yes, the first time I laid eyes on Hameron the pig porker.

[ServingSuggestion]

Great thread.

The father of one of DH's friends has the most fucking evil aura. I've know him for ten years and always thought this about him; there's just something dark lurking within.

It has recently emerged that he beat his wife. His son is really struggling with life at the moment and has been for some time. I'm utterly convinced this is due to events in his childhood involving his dad. I have no evidence whatsoever, just the eeriest feeling. Horrible.

[MadisonMontgomery]

When I was a child I moved with my parents to a new house - it was a beautiful modern house, on a lovely street, nothing creepy about it at all. I hated it, it just felt evil - I was petrified to be left alone in it & I used to have horrendous nightmares about something watching me. After about a year we moved again. I never told my parents how I felt - my mum was very anti-woo & I didn't think she would take me seriously.

Last year my dad met up with the lady who lives next door to it, and she said no-one has lived in it for more than a year, it's always up for sale. I told him how much I had hated living there & how much it scared me & he admitted that both he & my mum had felt exactly the same, right down to the nightmares, and that was why we had moved again even though it had seemed out dream house.

[Thistledew]

I was in a sandwich shop choosing my lunch. I was intent on the menu board making my selection and was vaguely aware that two guys had joined the queue behind me. Just as I was making my mind up between the special cheese mix or ham salad, I heard a clear voice in my head saying "That man's a rapist". Very odd. I hadn't been paying any attention to the two men so I have no idea why I should suddenly think that.

Second one is the husband of a family member. I've always found him slightly domineering, but nothing too bad. But when we have hugged hello or goodbye, I have always felt really uncomfortable and been relieved as soon as he let go. Recently his stepdaughter has reported him to the police for groping her.

[worldgonecrazy]

I don't believe in "evil" as a separate entity which infects people. I do think that some people are evil. Usually accompanied by a severe personality disorder meaning they have no comprehension of other people as "human", rather objects to be played with and messed around with just for fun.

These people tend to give off slightly slimy vibes, I just avoid them.

[wheresthebeach]

When I was looking for a flat I went to one that sounded great. Perfect location, 2 beds, views of the river. Price doable. I was so excited to see it and was sure that I'd be putting in an offer.

I couldn't get out of there fast enough. It was just so so creepy. When the estate agent asked what I thought I just told him straight. Apologised for sounding like a nut...his response was - 'everyone's saying that'....

Still gives me the shivers to think about it.

[StillYummy]

I touched some necklaces in the thrift shop once. I got a really strong feeling that they were not to be mine. It was like a feeling of guilt and sickness when I touched them.

[bodenbiscuit]

This thread is bringing back memories. We went on a school trip to the Lake District when I was at senior school. We stayed in this big residential place which also had other school students staying there. I think about 30 of us went from my school. As soon as we arrived, people started having accidents and hurting themselves. Some of the girls developed sores all over their skin which we couldn't explain. The whole place had a strange kind of dark atmosphere, but one of the wings in particular where a few of my friends were staying was freezing cold and had a really horrible smell - you could feel the difference between there and the rest of the place. Also one of the girls had a seizure. She was epileptic but had not needed medicine for some years. I suppose it was possible though that she was tired from not sleeping or something. But I was very relieved to leave that place. When we got back the year above told us strange things had also happened to them when they went.

[NiNoKuni]

We once dropped into the Camelot Hotel in Tintagel for afternoon tea. It's a squat, red brick, presumably Victorian cake of a building and it's weird with a capital Woo. We'd walked from Boscastle and were in dire need of refreshment, having stupidly not taken any with us.

So we flopped into this place in search of food and drink. There is lots of 'art' around, big swirly abstract things, which would be OK if not for the glitter stickers mashed onto them. Then on the tables there are newspapers, until you look closer and see they're all about someone who 'could be Britain's greatest living artist'. Yes, Ted Stourton of the glitter sticker monstrosities is calling himself that and publishing vanity newspapers to the same effect.

The staff all look rather subdued and silent scuttling about, and there are no other customers. The place is really rather empty and forlorn. Rooms full of magnificent furniture, including a round table, stand unused and echoing. We order some drinks at the bar and start, ahem, 'critiquing' the art. Then this bloke suddenly stomps up and takes the canvas nearest to us off the wall. Ted apparently did not appreciate our criticism.

So we giggle and snigger a bit more, then get stuck into the scones. Another bloke sidles up to us and starts chatting. We'd quite like him to sod off and leave us to it, but then he asks us whether we'd like to come with him to The Light Box. Our stomachs drop. We break out into a light sweat. We all look at each other and wonder what this could be. Is it the dungeon where they throw amateur art critics? Are we due to be chopped up into little pieces and made into glitter stickers? We decline his offer and he stalks off muttering about how those cream scones will make us even fatter. So we finish our (crappy) scones and make to leave. Before we do, my mum goes up to the sad-eyed lady behind the bar and asks if everything's alright.

'Well,' she intones, 'I'm only here for some holiday work. But I really wish I'd googled this place first.'

We skidaddle before we're axe murdered by an angry glitter sticker artist and his mate in The Light Box, after briefly considering whether to grab the barmaid and liberate her from her dreadful fate (we decide against it, this being a free country and us being cowards). Relief floods us as we've clearly escaped a fate worse than death by the skin of our teeth and we breathe deeply of the sweet, sweet fresh Cornish air.

We did google it later. Turns out they're a bunch of scientologists with questionable Russian connections. The Light Box is where Ted and his mate put you in a room, play music at you and hard-sell said glitter art. But shit me, that was the creepiest thing I've ever been subjected to.

[99percentchocolate]

I went to school with a boy that I felt very uneasy about. From age 11 I just didn't like him and would get an awful feeling from him. He was friends with a couple of my friends but if he came near me I would have to walk away. I barely spoke to him at all in the whole five years we were at school together.
A couple of years later he was in the newspaper for posessing graphic abuse images of children. His defence claimed it was spur of the moment, would never happen again. I didn't believe it for a second. Luckily the judge saw through it and he was sent to prison.
A few months-one year later I saw a mutual friend and we started talking about people we had been to school with. MF mentioned this person and said he'd not heard from him in a while - he had just disappeared. When I filled him in about what had happened and where this man was he wasn't surprised. He said the last few times they had met this man had really disturbed my friend as he was hinting that he was planning to kidnap and rape a woman. Utterly terrifying.

[Dionysuss]

I was once walking the dog late at night with dh. We had a usual route, cutting through an alleyway into a car park.
As we got to the alley way it was like someone was screaming silently (iykwim) in my face not to go down there. I must have looked scared because dh agreed to go another longer way round.

It's probably completely unrelated, but the following week it was in the local paper there was a group going round unclipping dog leads and taking the dogs off owners.

That sudden feeling of terror is something I have never felt before or since.