Weird Things That Did/Still Scare Me

I, like many people, have a strange imagination. That imagination, although great in some areas, can do some crazy things to my brain. As a kid I would make up the strangest things and believe in even stranger things. Like octopuses living in Arizona lakes or pianos being played by puppets in the night. To this day these things still pop up in my head and give me a pretty good scare, so I decided to make a little list (in no particular order) of those things that use to/ still scare me.

Pool Vacuums

Something about how these things move under water just gives me the heebie jeebies. They never had a set course and would turn on a dime when you got next to them...for some reason. It's like they wanted to eat me.

Open Water

This applies to any open body of water. The ocean is the worst, but I haven't had too many experiences with it. The lake was a common place in my childhood and I would never let my feet stand still in the water for too long. I KNEW there had to be some octopus or giant squid at the bottom of Saguaro Lake because I always felt this slimy hand grab me when I went knee boarding. Oh, and I got really good at that knee boarding stuff because I knew if I fell off, I would get pulled under.

All of E.T.

This movie made absolutely NO SENSE to me as a kid and I think that's what scared me the most. Why did Elliot leave E.T. in his room? He's an ALIEN! What the heck would E.T. do with a telephone? Is everyone around Elliot that stupid that dressing E.T. up would distract them from seeing that he's hideous and looks nothing like a person...or a doll. Why is everyone afraid of the people in white suits? Seriously though. And that scene when Elliot, plant and E.T. start dying will never leave my brain. Dead E.T. is nightmare E.T.

Temple Guards

These fellers were on a great show called Legends of the Hidden Temple. It was a fantasy of mine that I would get picked to go on this show and finally make it all the way to the end of the obstacle course. BUT!! There were these temple guard guys that would randomly jump out at you in the course and if they caught you, your run ended. What made them scary was that they had these creepy masks that made them look lifeless, which would result in poop stains on my underwear.

Tiki Masks

Speaking of masks, my grandma had a mask very similar to the one in this picture that my uncle would wear to scare the little ones. I was one of those little ones and I was definitely scared of it. I would try to play it off like it was just a mask, but it held this weird poop stain/lifeless fear just like the temple guards had. This picture doesn't do the creepiness justice either. Imagine some eyes moving in those two holes at the top and you've got a sleepless night ahead of you.

Basements/Going up Stairs at Night

I think Home Alone ruined my idea of basements. Now there were a lot of kids that I knew that thought basements were a little freaky, so it's not uncommon...but I still hate them. The worst thing about them though is going up the stairs to the main floor. Running up them was the only way I wasn't going to get snatched by someone lurking in the shadows.

Dense Forests at Dusk

Right before the sun decides to go to sleep, something awakens within the forest...my imagination. It really just goes nuts in forests at this time of day. I don't know what it is, but I start seeing some crazy stuff. It must be the shadows or the sudden lack of light that messes with my logical side. Also, the slightest crunch of a leaf will send me into a coma.

Water Levels in Video Games 

Pinnacle Rock Eels from The Legend of Zelda: Majoras Mask

Clanker from Banjo Kazooie

Eel from Super Mario 64

When these levels came up, I skipped them and handed the controller over to a brother. I couldn't take it! It goes along with my fear of open water. I just hate not knowing what's going on in the water and not being able to move as fast. I feel trapped, hindered, caught by some force that I have no control over. Oh, and it doesn't help that water animals creep me out too. THOSE EYES!!!

Mannequins

Since I mentioned eyes, mannequin eyes have to be the creepiest. Actually, mannequins in general are the worst. Whoever decided that making something that looks almost human was a heck of a psycho. Fred on I Am Legend only made it worse...

Slappy from Goosebumps: Night of the Living Dummy

So this guy kind of goes along with my fear of mannequins. Things that look like people, but are far from looking like any person I know of, is nightmare heaven. The uncanny valley can be a crapper... I've always tried to make Slappy some sort of joke in my head, but it never works. You could never get rid of him in the movies either! It's horrible. His voice, his eyes (I have a thing for strange eyes), the way he moves...it's already giving me Goosebumps.

and finally

Taking a Shower in an Empty House...at Night

I think we can all agree that this applies to everyone...not just grown men like me.

*This will be a growing list as time goes on and as I start remembering old scares.