Decemystery (2019) 31: Shadow People

A drawing of the Hatman.

As 2019 comes to a close, I wanted to end things off on a very high note. While Project Blue Beam was a heck of a story, I knew of one that was bigger, better, and significantly less maddening. In the place of that madness though is horror—a lot of horror. So, for the final day of the year—and of the decade—let’s discuss the story of Shadow People.

Decemystery (2019) 30: Project Blue Beam

Welcome to the new age.

The fifth and final Conspiracy Iceberg story for the year, I’ve mentioned this particular one quite a few times before. It’s ranked at Tier 2 and is something I’ve wanted to cover for a very long time too—close to three years to be exact. It is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most maddening things I’ve ever read. It’s time we finally discuss the most confounding conspiracy I’ve ever heard of: Project Blue Beam.

Decemystery (2019) 29: Ningen

Just keep swimming.

It’s time yet again to take a dive into the ocean. This time, we’re headed far south to the Antarctic Ocean. A frigid place that houses many interesting creatures, our focus today is a cryptid known as the Ningen. This creature also appears on the Conspiracy Iceberg, but we’ll focus on the conspiracy elements (which includes supposed visits from the Men in Black and government cover-ups) another day. For now, let’s look at the cryptid aspects.

Decemystery (2019) 28: Annabelle

Annabelle as displayed in the Warren's museum.

Dolls are interesting. Beloved by children as toys, adults as collectables, and residential living places for the deceased, they have no age limit. They can be played with from ages newborn to 500-year-old dead men.

As for me personally, they creep me out. Their unblinking stare that bores into my soul, coupled with their perpetual smile, reminds me of a clown made of plastic. The only difference is that one thankfully won’t come to life and kill me a la John Wayne Gacy.

Or at least, that’s what I tell myself. Being a huge fan of the paranormal, I’m well aware of the reputation that dolls have for attracting ghosts—both benevolent and malevolent—to inhabit them.

I’m sure you’ve seen the videos on YouTube or on social media. Whether it be from a baby monitor or from a parent randomly recording their child playing. Somewhere, there’s a doll that suddenly turns its head or shifts around. There’s no visible strung or sign of another person. The child doesn’t move in a way that could cause the doll to move in the manner that it did. Rather, it seems like the doll came to life in a way that one would expect to see out of the Blumhouse version of Toy Story.

Why dolls are prone to being the toy of choice for spirits is a mystery in of itself. Perhaps next December, I’ll cover this. For now, my personal favorite theory is that the human-like appearance of dolls human-like appearance attracts ghosts to use them as a vessel to take up residence in. Helping matters is children are significantly more prone to come into contact with ghosts. Why this is is yet again another mystery entirely, so let’s get back on track.

As stated before: dolls can attract spirits that are both benevolent and malevolent. Today’s mystery is a case of the latter. She’s one of the most infamous haunted objects in the world. Odds are, you’ve heard of her name. Whether it be in passing, on television, in a YouTube video, or in a book.

That name is Annabelle.

Decemystery (2019) 27: Con Rit

A rendition of the Con Rit

A quick preface: this story was a request from a friend of mine. So, thank you dear friend. I’ve also renamed the blog to Limitless Possibilities as I don’t want to appear as though I’m the only one who’ll be writing on this blog. Anyways, let’s get on with the show. 

Centipedes and millipedes belong to the Myriapod family. They’re undeniably some of the creepiest creatures on Earth. Dozens upon dozens of legs all working in unison. Odd and/or dark coloration. Prone to invading your home space.

All things considered: they’re not what I’d call the most welcome house guests. There are some benefits to have the most common of these creatures—the house centipede—inside your home however. They prey upon insects and even spiders. So if you’re arachnophobic, but don’t mind the creepy crawly with dozens of legs, it’d be highly beneficial to have one or so.

Luckily for us as a species, there’s no centipede that can eat us…

Or can they?

Today, we’ll be looking at a possible giant centipede. Known as the Con Rit, this beast is said to inhabit the coast of Vietnam. So let’s dive into the waters once more and see if we can find ourselves the truth to this nightmarish creature.

Decemystery (2019) 26: Is Lord of the Rings Based on a True Story?

Uh...

Wow.

Decemystery (2019) Bonus Entry: Telepathic Football

A sketch of the peculiar creature.

Merry Christmas! Or Happy Christmas? Merry Holidays? I forget what the kids these days are saying. Ah well, y’know what today is. It’s Christmas Day—at least for me it is. Enough with the semantics though, we’ve got a mystery to begin! So let’s not waste any more time and dive into the Telepathic Football.

Decemystery (2019) 25: Qupqugiaq

A rendition of the Qupqugiaq

I think I spent more time trying to figure out how to pronounce this thing's name than I did researching the actual cryptid. Apparently, Qupqugiaq is actually pronounced “Kokogiak”, but I’m still forever going to call it “Legs McGee.” I digress, let’s see if the story behind this thing is more or less confounding than its name.

Decemystery (2019) 24: Gary Sudbrink's Phone Calls

I can't find a photo of Gary Sudbrink. So here's a Man in Black.

Information on this case is as scarce as can be. Despite it being something that one would think UFO researchers would latch onto like there’s no tomorrow, there aren’t many videos available on YouTube related to this story. As such, most of what I’ve grabbed is from a few Reddit posts. So without further ado: this is the story of Gary Sudbrink’s Phone Calls.

Decemystery (2019) 23: The Ririe Carjackers

An artist's depiction of the aliens (source: Monster-Man-08 on DeviantArt)

This is without a doubt one of the most bizarre and surreal extraterrestrial stories I’ve ever read in my 23 years on this planet. So naturally, I must share it with you all. This is the story of the Ririe Carjackers.

Decemystery (2019) 22: The Creature Under the Bridge

A YouTube thumbnail of the creature.

Bridges seem to have a strange ability to attract the weirdest things. Prior to the Silver Bridge collapse in West Virginia, there were claims that the infamous Mothman was seen near it. Even nowadays, people claim to see the legendary winged cryptid perched atop bridges, though I don’t believe there have been any other bridge-related catastrophes linked to it (there have been plenty of others to make up for that though).

For today’s story, which was yet another suggestion from a friend of mine, we’re headed to Ukraine to discuss what’s commonly referred to as the Creature Under the Bridge. It’s a story that somehow managed to slip under my radar initially when I was picking out stories. It’s also quite recent compared to many other stories we’ve discussed. Anyways, without further ado, let’s begin.

Decemystery (2019) 21: The Missing Roanoke Colony

A drawing of a ship sailing to the undersized colony.

A very quick preface: this entry won’t cover the full history of the Roanoke Colonies due to time constraints. Sorry!

This was a suggestion from a friend of mine. Thank you, dear friend.

This story is legendary in the realm of American history and with good reason. It’s one of the earliest historical mysteries—if not the earliest. Known as the Lost Roanoke Colony, this story has baffled people for centuries. Let’s see if we can lay it to rest finally.

Decemystery (2019) 20: Dennis Hale

A photo of Dennis Hale holding a photograph of when he was saved after stranded out in Lake Huron for 38 hours.

Time for the second maritime mystery. Today, we discuss a ship that sank on Lake Huron. All aboard died—save for one man, who was saved thanks to a visit from what some claim was an angel. This is the story of Dennis Hale.

Decemystery (2019) 19: Huallepen

A sketch of the Huallepen

Today’s story was meant to be on the Mantis Man, but it became very apparent to me that the level of writing that would be involved in writing about it wouldn’t be feasible the time frame I had. As such, I’ve delayed it for the foreseeable (likely until sometime late next year as I’ve planned out 2020 in a way that’ll allow me to keep a nice, if rigorous, work ethic). In its place, I picked out a story that’s equally as peculiar and will take us out of the United States and down to Chile. So let’s discuss the Huallepen.

Decemystery (2019) 18: The Patterson-Gimlin Massacre

Frame 352 of the Patterson-Gimlin Footage.

It’s time once again to return to the Conspiracy Iceberg. Today, we’re headed to Tier 2 for the Patterson-Gimlin Massacre.

The Patterson-Gimlin Footage—or PGF—is one of, if not the most, iconic pieces of evidence in support of the existence of Bigfoot ever. While you may not know it by name, odds are you’ve seen Frame 352 (which you can see above). The film supposedly shows what's claimed to be a female Bigfoot—nicknamed Patty—walking. She turns her head to look at the camera (likely because the horse Roger Patterson was riding got spooked) before making her way into the forest.

This is, at least, the most commonly accepted theory from those who believe the footage to be authentic in nature. Those who believe it to be fraudulent believe the creature seen is a man in a costume. There is, however, a much more sinister theory that exists; one that proposes that Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin, along with several other men, were behind a massacre of a Bigfoot family. That’s where today’s story comes into play. So let’s dive in.

Decemystery (2019) 17: The Phantom Fleet of the Great Lakes

A creepy ship. I don't know the artist though, so I'm unsure as to who to credit.

Last year, we covered a few maritime mysteries. This year, we'll be covering two more. To start, we’re headed to the Great Lakes to search for some ghost ships. This is the story of the Phantom Fleet.

Decemystery (2019) 16: The Abduction of Alan Godfrey

What the text in the photo says.

Alien abductions are a topic I've wanted to talk about for over a year now. They are a very weird phenomenon and provide a very strange mystery to investigate, let alone write about. Although I believe in extraterrestrial life, the concept of alien abductions is something I've always scoffed at. Not because the concept itself is ludicrous—far from it. Humans abduct other humans for sick, twisted reasons. It stands to reason that aliens would do the same for their own reasons.

However, the concept of aliens traveling light years to probe someones rectum, play with their eyes, or extract their semen is really bizarre. Not helping matters is the idea that aliens would subject someone to think, then show people where they're from (in the case of Betty and Barney Hill) or share information about a rogue planet (in the case of Nancy Lieder, who brought to us the news of Nibiru).

But my personal biased aside, there are cases that make me pause and reconsider my extreme skepticism towards the concept. One of these would be the abduction of Travis Walton. His co-workers saw him get abducted and reported about it. They were suspected of murder until Walton reappeared five days later and confirmed their story. He later wrote a book that was adapted into a film known as Fire in the Sky. Perhaps we'll talk about that story next year though. Today's story isn't quite as fantastical, but it's one that's left gobsmacked.

Given that my father's a law enforcement officer, I wanted a story of a police officer who was abducted by aliens. To my surprise, this isn't something that's exactly rare. Aliens evidently have a fascination for men in uniform as there have been a fair number of incidents were lawmen have been whisked away by a fire in the sky of their own.

Of all the stories I looked over, one stood out among the rest. It’s a story of a British constable who lost a testicle in a fight and was told he'd never have a child again. That is, until he was abducted by aliens.

This is the story of Alan Godfrey.

Decemystery (2019) 15: Black-Eyed Children

An artist's drawing of a Black Eyed Child.

I believe this was on the list for last year's Decemystery, but I scrapped it for something else. Better late than never; this is the story of the Black-Eyed Children.

Decemystery (2019) 14: The Montauk Monster

One of the only known photographs of the monster.

After the morbid, bleak story from yesterday, I think it’s time we cover something much more fun in nature. As such, today’s story is one that I recall having made the local news when it was first reported on. The Montauk Monster is a creature that’s less a mystery nowadays and more of a phenomenon that was a brief  flash in the dark. Nonetheless, there are still some aspects to it that are quite vague in nature. So without ado: let’s dig in.

Decemystery (2019) 13: Snuff Films (SFW Version)

Life is cheap.

Today’s entry is special. There are two versions of it: one that contains extreme levels of horrible detail and one that’s much less grisly since I don’t want to alienate those who want to follow this blog series religiously.

This diversification of the blog is easy to explain: today’s entry is on Snuff Films. If you aren’t familiar with them, then boy oh boy are you in for a trip. If you’re reading this particular intro, odds are you’re doing it in passing or you’re looking for something less nightmarish and hard-to-stomach. So let’s get to it! Or you can scroll down for the NSFL version.

Decemystery (2019) 13: Snuff Films (NSFL Version)

Life is cheap.

A serious warning: this entry contains graphic discussion of murder, torture, animal abuse, and child rape. Reader discretion is highly advised.

Today’s entry is special. There are two versions of it: one that contains extreme levels of horrible detail and one that’s much less grisly since I don’t want to alienate those who want to follow this blog series religiously.

This diversification of the blog is easy to explain: today’s entry is on Snuff Films. If you aren’t familiar with them, then boy oh boy are you in for a trip. If you’re reading this particular intro, odds are you’re doing it in passing or you’re feeling gutsy. It’s the NSFL version and it’s the one with all of the fun, brutal, hard-to-stomach details. So let’s get to it! Or you can scroll up for the SFW version.

Decemystery (2019) 12: The Ghost Mammoth

Hug the mammoth.

Initially, I found this mystery to be extremely silly, hence why I picked it. Though the more I think about it as I begin to write this entry, the less silly it becomes. A very popular type of ghost story comes into the form of hellhounds, which are said to be demons that take the form of dogs with pitch black fur. Then there are reports of dogs that are outright ghosts—typically said to be spiritual guardians. There are, however, “Door Dogs”, which are said to be omens of one's imminent demise. On a more absurd note, I  recall hearing a story of two kids that encountered the ghosts of velociraptors.

So in theory, the idea of a Ghost Mammoth isn't too outlandish. Though it's still something I can't help but snicker at. The thought of a giant wooly mammoth ghost stomping around a dimly lit road is rather funny. Ah well, let's see what this mammoth sized tale has to offer us.

Decemystery (2019) 11: Roberto Ferreira Nobrega

Time Warp joke goes here.

Time travel. She’s a fickle thing. The basis for many stories, this concept has been utilized to great effect (Back to the Future) and to disastrous results (2005’s A Sound of Thunder). The reality of time travel has been debated heavily for decades. Whether or not you believe it is entirely up to you, though one thing is for certain: the Internet has an immense fascination with it.

Throughout its existence, there have been a plethora of individuals who have claimed to be time travelers. The legendary John Titor comes to mind, who I briefly discussed when I went over the Conspiracy Iceberg. Today’s entry involves a time traveler whose claims are more recent, which wasn’t as wide spread in their coverage, This is the story of Roberto Ferreira Nobrega.

Decemystery (2019) 10: Cameraheads

A camera for a head. A Camerahead.

This story was originally set to be covered this past Wednesday, then this past Saturday. However, due to me being a bit on the lazy side, I opted to push it back a fair bit. Luckily, I’ve finally gotten to it!

Let’s go back to the Conspiracy Iceberg and head down to Tier 6. There are quite a few stories in this tier that I would like to one day go over. However, rather than mull over that, let’s get straight to the fun. Today’s pick is Cameraheads.

Decemystery (2019) 9: The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel

A photo of Anneliese.

Let’s take a trip back in time and go across the Atlantic Ocean to West Germany. Specifically: Leiblfing, Bavaria. It’s here that we’ll meet a young woman by the name of Anneliese Michel. Described by her classmates as “withdrawn and very religious.”

Anneliese —who was in her early 20s at the time of this story taking place (22–23 to be exact)—was a woman that at first place may not have seemed to be anyone special. However, her life, and her story, has become known as the real life Exorcist. A young woman believed to be possessed by a demon, or even Satan himself, is something that’s likely to attract the attention of many people. Even decades after the fact as Anneliese’s story became the basis for the 2005 Scott Derrickson film The Exorcism of Emily Rose.

Let’s set aside the publicity factor for a moment though. Exorcism’s are something that are highly controversial. There’s debate, both among those who are religious and those who aren’t, as to whether or not they actually work. Anneliese’s story is arguably the most recognizable as a result of this as she ended up dying during her exorcism. To some, she truly was possessed by a demon and it took her life in a final fit of rage. In the eyes of others, she was merely a mentally ill girl who died as a result of callous religious practises.

Today, we will attempt to discover the truth. Let’s dive in.

Decemystery (2019) 8: Robert William Fisher

Fisher with his wife and two children.

The image of a well-to-do, happy family is one that I believe most look up to as the definition of happiness. However, behind closed doors, that image can change into something much different. Today’s story is one of those instances.

The name Robert William Fisher is probably unfamiliar to most reading this, unless they grew up in Arizona in the early 2000s or religiously followed national news. Nowadays, his name may be familiar to those who follow true crime. For those who don’t, he’s been on the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list for nearly two decades—eighteen to be exact. He’s been on the run for nineteen.

This isn’t without good reason. Fisher’s actions that led to him ending up on that list are easily some of the most cruel I’ve ever read; his motivations being as selfish as can be. The man is, in my eyes, pure evil. So today, we’ll be taking a look at a different kind of mystery. I’ve not had the type of variety I would’ve liked so far this month (largely thanks to me falling a bit behind on writing). Let’s go on the hunt for Robert Fisher and discover who exactly this man is—or perhaps was.

Decemystery (2019) 7: The Goatman

Say Cheese and Bleat

Amazingly, I had a fair bit of difficulty picking out a mystery to cover today. The original one I wanted to cover ended up being a bit too conclusive for my tastes and I wanted to have something that was a bit more… indecisive. As such, I’ve gone with the Goatman. On its surface, the Goatman is something that most would agree is nothing more than a fable that’s stood the test of time—and with very good reason. The idea of a half man, half goat creature is laughable at best and just flat out ridiculous at worst. So why cover it?

Well, the Goatman is one of those entities that has its roots planted in the same ground as the Wendigo and the Skinwalker. If you’ve ever listened to any sort of scary story YouTube channel, odds are you’ve heard of those two. The Goatman has, at times, fallen into the same category where it’s seemingly interchangeable with them. A shapeshifting beast of legend that hungers for human flesh and lurks within the woods, waiting for unsuspecting prey.

So is this creature real? Let’s find out the truth.

Decemystery (2019) 6: The Bermuda Beast

Ia, Ia, Shub-Niggurath! Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young!

The Bermuda Triangle with a reputation that exceeds its name. Known to some as the Devil's Triangle, this hypothetical location has been blamed for numerous missing aircrafts, ships, and peculiarities—ranging from mysterious lights in the sky to bizarre compass readings. These date back to when Christopher Columbus was waiting through the triangle in October of 1492. Columbus claimed that his crew saw strange lights in the sky that darted around, while the man himself said he had unusual compass readings.

Theories surrounding the Triangle are as plentiful as its body count. These include aliens abducting the aircrafts and ships, Atlantian technology causing aircrafts and ships to crash, wormholes, the Triangle being a portal to another dimension or universe, otherworldly beings destroying or stealing them, and blackholes.

Officially, the explanation to the Bermuda Triangle's bizarre behavior is that it's in a spot that causes unusual magnetic field behavior. I'm likely butchering that explanation, but I'm extremely bad when it comes to how Earth's magnetic field operates. Regardless, this theory has been scoffed at by those who believe there is more to the Triangle than we like to believe.

While I have full the full intention of one day covering the entirety of the Bermuda Triangle in a documentary style write-up, where I'll cover the mammoth legend front and back, inside and out, I want to focus on one theory today. It's called the Bermuda Beast and it's something that reads more like something straight out of the 2019 film “Godzilla: King of the Monsters”.

Described as being four times the size of the Eiffel Tower—which would make it a staggering fifty one times the size of a Blue Whale at over 4,000 feet long—the Bermuda Beast is said to be capable of leaping out of the water to snap entire planes from the sky and devouring them and everyone inside in a single, this colossal monstrosity would be the largest creature to have ever inhabited Earth by a country mile. It would be four times the size of the largest tsunami ever recorded. Ride the wave, dude.

However, is there any evidence to support such a leviathan? Let's find out.

Decemystery (2019) 5: Giant Jellyfish

Don't touch the tentacles.

Jellyfish are some of the most peculiar creatures on the planet. With no brain to speak of (save for Box Jellyfish, which do have a brain), they float around to the ocean’s current. The largest one on the planet, stretching at a whopping 120 feet long, is the Lion’s Mane Jellyfish. However, what if there was a larger one? Well, as luck would have it, sightings of such creatures exist. So today, let’s take a gander at the reports of Giant Jellyfish.

Decemystery (2019) 4: Krampus

Krampus.

I was given the choice between this legend and The Rake. I can't fathom why I'd not pick the latter given the basis for the Rake is one that could be considered realistic. It is, after all, something that's a lot more true to life than Santa Claus.

Or is it?

The worldwide toy delivering fat man who we as children send letters to in the hopes of getting the shiniest new truck, doll, and remaster/port of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is one that we grow out of. There's no denying that. However, Santa has an opposite who dies more than give naughty kids coal.

Named Krampus, this ghoulish being is the kindness of monster one would expect to see accompanying a death metal band when on tour. Luckily, he doesn't exist. Entry over, right?

Not quite. YouTube has to make life difficult for me. See, if you go ahead and search for “Krampus real life”, you're greeted by some who claim to have really seen or encountered Santa's opposite. I guess the saying is true: a sucker is born every minute.

Decemystery (2019) 3: Ulster County John Doe (1988)

The man in question.

This story is one that I only recently discovered. On the surface, there’s nothing too special about it. After all, there are thousands of John and Jane Doe’s waiting to be identified. What makes this story special—in my eyes at least—is the photo that was found in this particular individuals possession. A seemingly happy man holding a young child. Ever since I saw the photo, I’ve been wondering to myself: who is the Ulster County John Doe?