When it comes to the realm of the paranormal, I’m far from the most well-educated person on Earth. Sure, I’ve heard plenty of ghost stories. I know the basics of ghost lore—to some degree, anyway. I know that ghosts aren’t corporeal beings, that they leave behind cold spots, and that they can move stuff. Also, they’re prone to responding to people knocking on walls. I have no idea why, but I think that’s funny.
I learned the basics of ghosts as a child, though, and I’ve since forgotten a lot of other things that would likely be useful when writing about them. I could go back and relearn them, but I’m lazy. Yes, that’s really my excuse. How professional of me.
In recent years, my interest in it has waned considerably. While I still enjoy a good ghost story, I feel like they’re largely the same. A house or some other location where stuff moves around and footsteps are heard when there’s only one person home. If you’re lucky, the person saw an apparition.
That level of sameness makes them a drag to cover. There’s only so much I can handle before I find the energy and love that I pour into writing turning into a sense of obligation. That, for me, is one of the worst feelings in the world because it leads to the driest and blandest write-ups possible. The last thing I want to do is post something that was an obligation and not something that I believe could be enjoyed by the folks who visit this blog.
Those reasons are why I seldom cover paranormal cases. While some can argue that UFO sightings are the same, I find UFOs to be a lot more interesting. Also, there’s a lot more fun to be had in the absurdity of cases about enormous UFOs being seen by one person. To paraphrase CinemaSins, “Nobody who watches the sky for a living saw this thing.”
That said, there are occasionally cases that pique my interest enough to where I need to make an exception. Today marks one of those occasions because it is, without a doubt, one of the most unsettling ghost stories I’ve read in a long time. I mentioned it in yesterday’s Decemystery entry, and I’m going to give it the attention it demands today. This, dear reader, is the disturbing tale of The Triangle Man!
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark
A quick preface: If you’re thinking of skipping this section because you read yesterday’s write-up, then don’t. I left out a lot of vital details. On the other hand, if you read the story for yourself yesterday, then do as you please. I’d appreciate it if you read my retelling of it, though!
With that out of the way, this story—like a great many that will be featured in Decemystery 2024—is from the archives of About under the name “Triangle Man.” It was submitted in March of 2009 by a woman named Corinne. Where she’s from isn’t said, but she spelled the word “color” without the U, so it isn’t Britain. Despite knowing that, I’m still marking this write-up with the “Unknown Location” tag. Better safe than sorry, right?
According to Corinne, she and her twin sister (who I will refer to as Dorothy) had a few experiences as children with a man they dubbed the “Triangle Man.” I don’t know how old Corinne was when she sent in her story, so I have no idea when this happened. I’m going to hazard a guess and say that a child didn’t write her report because it’s way too readable.
Getting back on track, Corinne said that the Triangle Man would enter her bedroom—which she shared with Dorothy—and scare them. Although this didn’t happen each night, Corinne stated that “it happened more than once” and that she and Dorothy “consciously remember that.”
Now, before we continue, I want to discuss the Triangle Man’s appearance. In Corinne’s article, she doesn’t do so until the end, but given my writing style, I don’t want you guys to have a blank slate for this thing until the tail end of this section.
According to Corinne, the Triangle Man “was not very tall.” She doesn’t estimate his height, which is incredibly frustrating since this could place him anywhere from a foot tall (30 centimeters) to 4 feet tall (121 centimeters). For the sake of having a mental image, I’ll guess that he is on the taller end. Well, “taller.”
Height aside, Corinne also said that the Triangle Man was “frail” and had “long, skinny arms and legs.” If I had to guess, the length of his arms means they extended down to his knees; I’m guessing this based on something Corinne notes later in her report. So, do yourself a favor and keep this in mind—it’s vital for the theories.
As for other details, the Triangle Man had a “slender face that was like an upside-down triangle.” I know that’s a real shock; the Triangle Man had a triangle face. In all seriousness, this is something I didn’t note yesterday. Unlike the Triangle Creature, this thing’s head was presumably round, but its face was triangular. That reminds me a lot of a barn owl.
Although everything about the Triangle Man has been small and thin so far, there’s one thing that breaks the norm: his eyes. According to Corinne, they were “big and dark.” Whether or not this means the eyes were black, like the typical depiction of a Grey alien, or if she wasn’t able to discern any coloration, I don’t know.
What I do know is that Corinne added that she’s come to “associate the color purple” with the Triangle Man. Although she doesn’t know why, since she can’t recall what color he was, she mused that he was “maybe purplish.” I find this pretty interesting since it’s common for childhood trauma to carry over into adulthood.
Anyway, now that we have a description to work with, let’s get back to the case. Corinne said that encounters with the Triangle Man never happened during the day. It was only at night. While Corinne and Dorothy were awake and playing or doing whatever it is twins do, the Triangle Man was asleep in Triangle Land. In all seriousness, I need you to remember this because it’s vital to one of the most plausible theories.
Anyway, when the Triangle Man did make his appearance, he would do so in a very unorthodox manner. Rather than entering through the bedroom door, he invited himself in through the wall. Corinne noted that when he did this, “the floor seemed to shift in a doward motion,” like she and Dorothy were sliding down toward him. Despite that, their beds never moved—and neither could they. In Corinne’s own words, it was “like we were paralyzed.”
Corinne went on to say that her bed was adjacent to Dorothy’s. However, neither of them could turn their heads to look at each other, only glancing out of the corner of their eyes. During this time, they’d look at each other in terror. Pro-tip for anyone out there: if a horrific abomination appears out of your bedroom wall during the night, don’t take your eyes off it. I’ve seen enough horror movies to know that’s a bad idea.
On a more ominous note, Corinne said that she recalled having a feeling when the Triangle Man would make an appearance and that nothing she or her sister could do would stop it. I wish that Corinne described this more because I’ve had a lot of feelings in my life, but I don’t know the one related to creepy things with upside-down triangle-shaped faces entering my bedroom through my bedroom wall.
After exiting the wall, the Triangle Man “would slowly walk up to the end of our beds.” Given there was a bit of room between the two (along with a “small dresser,” which I didn’t mention before), I have to imagine that he was standing at the end of this open gap. I mention this because, once more, it’s necessary for one of the theories, and it’s one that I’m really eager to discuss.
Moving on, Corinne said there were instances where the Triangle Man would approach her and stare at her. He would occasionally do the same to Dorothy. This, as far as I can tell, is all the Triangle Man did. I wish I could be more confident, but it’s here where Corinne’s story becomes a bit hard to follow.
You see, rather than elaborating on anything else regarding the Triangle Man (like if he would just stand and watch them or if they’d ever fall asleep when he was around), Corinne suddenly switched topics and delved into her and Dorothy’s shared fear of UFOs and extraterrestrials, and that neither recalled being abducted.
However, Corinne and Dorothy believe that their fear of aliens and their fancy spacecraft played a part in the Triangle Man. According to Corinne, the reason for this is “you really can’t have a fear of something for no reason; something has to generate that fear inside of you.” As such, she thinks that the memory of the Triangle Man was “that generator.”
If I’m to be honest, it took me a bit to understand what Corinne meant here. When she said that she and Dorothy had always been afraid of aliens, I figured she meant they had been since before the Triangle Man. However, after a bit of rereading, I think she meant that after the Triangle Man came around, the fear developed.
If this is what Corinne meant, I wish she’d specified how old she and Dorothy were. Naturally, one of the theories in this case is that the Triangle Man was an alien, and I think it would benefit greatly from knowing the girls’ age. If they were around five or six, I would raise an eyebrow at the idea of them developing a fear of aliens at such a young age. As it stands, I’m left scratching my head, wondering why these two didn’t tell their parents about this like most children would.
Corinne ends her report by saying that the Triangle Man “scared me and my sister.” She added that they “haven’t seen him again” since they were children, and they have no desire to either.
With that, Corinne’s story comes to an end. I don’t know about you, but I think this story is incredibly eerie. While I’m sure there are plenty of people who may think I’m overreacting to how scary it is, I can’t help it. The thought of something emerging from a wall in a place that I’d consider my sanctuary fills me with dread, much like the thought of someone staring at me from outside my window. The mere idea makes me paranoid, and I understand why this thing scared Corinne and Dorothy so much.
But, with the story now done, it’s time to jump into the theories. There are a fair number of them to go over, and most of them are viable. So, come along, let’s speculate to our heart’s content!
Theories
1. The imaginations of children
The imagination of a child is an amazing thing. They can turn the simplest toys into the most exciting and fantastical things ever. That was me with my Hot Wheels toys as a kid—at least, to my incredibly vague recollection.
However, every positive has its negative, and that’s no different here. Although a child’s imagination can lead them to have grandiose battles with their action figures or wondrous galas with dolls, it can also produce horrors beyond our comprehension. Why is that? Well, kids are easily scared.
That brings us to our inaugural theory: The Triangle Man was a product of Corinne and Dorothy’s imaginations.
How this happened isn’t something I’m certain about because there are a number of ways it could’ve occurred. All I’m confident in saying is that the Triangle Man himself was likely a mixture of their imaginations mixed with the shadows of various objects in their bedroom.
If I had to hazard a guess as to why they conjured him up, I have a few ideas. The first is simply that the aforementioned shadows got to them, and they thought there was someone in the bedroom. It’s simple and not the most illogical thing ever, especially if Corinne and Dorothy were very young.
Another possibility is that they could have seen something on television that scared them. Corinne mentioned they developed a fear of UFOs and aliens. It’s possible their mom, dad, or both were watching a program about them, and the image of an alien or barn owl was on the screen. The latter would easily explain things, given barn owls are a commonly named culprit in a lot of alien sightings. Heck, it’s the leading theory for the infamous Flatwoods Monster.
The third and final possibility that I’ll name is that they could have seen something during the day that triggered the fear. It could have been a barn owl in real life, it could have been a clown with odd makeup or some other innocuous thing that caused their imagination to run wild and create the Triangle Man. It’s not unheard of for something frightening to instill a sense of terror so strong that shadows or objects vaguely resembling whatever scared you make you panic.
All of this is, in my eyes, plausible. However, like any theory, it harbors some problems. The first of these is that Corinne and Dorothy both saw the Triangle Man. There are some possible explanations for this, like the two influencing each other’s memories, but I can’t say that’s the case because I don’t know how long ago this occurred.
Additionally, Corinne claimed that she and Dorothy were “paralyzed” when the Triangle Man was around. There’s no way something like that could have been caused by a child’s imagination. A faulty memory could have made them think they were paralyzed, but given how specific of a condition that is and the fact it happened more than once, I doubt that to be the case.
I should note that there is something else that can easily explain this issue, but it’ll lead to a major digression, and it’s its own theory. So, rather than going into it now, I’ll just save it for later. And no, I won’t spoil it because it’s a really fun one. Where’s the fun in spoiling fun?
Last but not least, the inconsistent nature of the Triangle Man’s visits is really bizarre. I wish she’d told us how long they went on for and what happened when he finally left during the night—if he ever did. I doubt a child’s imagination would conjure up something this horrific, only to stop for a period of time, then reconjure it.
I’m sure there’s more that I could discuss in terms of psychology, but I’m not a licensed psychologist, and I don’t want to sit here and discuss things for thousands of words. Ultimately, I would say that this is a very likely theory, but the flaws definitely leave me wishing that Corinne had provided a clearer timeline of events. If we had that, it would help us discern so much more. Oh well, that’s life. You can’t win ‘em all, right?
2. An alien
What is it about aliens entering bedrooms at night? If I didn’t know any better, I’d assume that every extraterrestrial was a part of some interstellar fraternity that performs panty raids. Seems like a pretty odd thing to do when you can traverse the galaxy—if not the entire universe. Maybe I just don’t get it, just like how I don’t get the appeal of college.
If you recall, I mentioned that I wanted you to remember the detail about the Triangle Man’s arms being really long. Really, I should’ve said that you should remember its overall appearance because all of that ties into the theory that it was an alien. I think the entire idea is pretty self-explanatory; it was a gaunt, bizarre-looking humanoid that could patch through solid matter.
Yes, that last part is a part of alien lore. While not some universally accepted thing, it’s worth noting that people who claim they were abducted by aliens sometimes say they painlessly pass through solid objects. This should be rather obvious because if they didn’t, aliens would have to rip off your roof to get you into their spaceship. I sincerely doubt that’s covered by your insurance.
As for its appearance, the general look of the Triangle Man aligns with most depictions of the Greys. You know, the emaciated grey humanoids with the giant eyes and heads so large, I could use them as a beach ball. Those guys are the best kind of alien; they freak me out.
Where things differ is the shape of the face. While there are some descriptions of Greys that have their heads and faces forming a more triangular shape, we were never given any information as to what the Triangle Man’s head looked like. If it, too, was shaped like a triangle, then I seriously doubt this was a Grey.
The height is also a bit off. Greys have been described as being either short (around 3 feet or 91 centimeters) or somewhere north of 8 feet (2.4 meters) tall. The general consensus, as far as I know, is that they’re pretty tall, but it’s possible there’s more than one type of Grey alien out there.
Also, needless to say, Triangle Man was purple—or purplish. While this was said with uncertainty by Corinne, that would just throw the entire notion of this being a Grey out the window. I mean, they’re called Greys because their skin is grey, not because their lowrider saucers have grey rims.
If this wasn’t some sort of deformed Grey, then I’ve never heard of an alien that looks like this—unless yesterday’s Triangle Creature was an extraterrestrial. If anyone reading this has, I would greatly appreciate a comment telling me. The closest I can think of are people who have mistaken barn owls for aliens, but I don’t think I’ve heard someone say the alien had a triangular head or face. Even the earlier-mentioned Flatwoods Monster had an Ace of Spades behind its head.
Also, one would think that the alien would be there to abduct them. After all, most visitations by aliens lead to an abduction. However, in this case, Corinne said she and Dorothy didn’t have any recollection of such a thing.
Of course, it’s possible their minds were wiped. This then begs the question as to why they remembered the alien being in their bedroom, but maybe the alien emperor sent the B-Team to do the abduction that day.
Nevertheless, I would be lying if I said that a part of me can’t outright dismiss this theory. As I’ve said many times, I’m an ardent believer in aliens. And let’s face it, if they’re coming here to examine, their reasons are far beyond our comprehension. It’s just that I don’t think this aligns with what I personally know about extraterrestrial encounters. As far as I know, our interstellar friends don’t just show up to stare at you in your bedroom. But, hey, maybe there’s another story like this out there, and it’s a thing. If it is, then I’m setting up booby traps in my bedroom.
3. An interdimensional being
Outside of my self-indulgent goal to include this theory in every Decemystery write-up this year, this theory has a unique aspect to it that I’ve never had the opportunity to discuss any other time it’s been brought up. That is the idea of an interdimensional being visiting the same place on multiple occasions.
Typically, the idea behind this theory is that our dimension, reality, or universe overlapped with another. In doing so, a being—or beings—from that place entered ours. It’s simple stuff that I’ve said several times in the past, so I won’t bore you with the same old song and dance.
However, there are some who theorize that these beings can visit our world of their own volition. For what reason is up for debate, but I like to think that they’re like us and merely wish to see what other universes are like. After all, I think it stands to reason that curiosity is an innate quality of intelligent life, so why should that be different in another universe?
If you ask me, there shouldn’t be. However, when that logic is applied to this story, I think it crumbles—thereby making this theory the weakest out of all of the possible explanations for the Triangle Man. Why? Well, if you’re a being capable of interdimensional travel, why would your ultimate goal be to instill fear and not learn? Unless you’re some malicious entity—which is technically possible, given there is no limit to alternate dimensions—that seems counterproductive.
The paralysis is also really odd. I know that some claim these beings harbor otherworldly powers like the Fae (which I talked about when I covered The Gargoyle in the Shrubs; they’re interdimensional beings who reside primarily in forests and like to cause mischief). However, this doesn’t sound like a Fae. They’re associated with nature, and this was in a bedroom. You know, in a house.
Now, maybe if Corinne and Dorothy were out camping, you could argue a Fae was tormenting them, but I’ve never heard of one periodically appearing in a bedroom just to have a staring contest.
The only way I think this could work is if the twins somehow, in some way, invoked the wrath of a Fae. However, my knowledge of them is so poor that I cannot even begin to speculate on how one could do such a thing. So, I concede that could be a viable possibility, but my lack of understanding hinders me from exploring it.
I digress, though. Needless to say, I don’t think there’s any weight to this theory. It’s overly reliant on things being technically possible rather than plausible. While I do believe there are alternate universes, I doubt that one of their denizens was responsible for this case. Alas, poor interdimensional being theory. I knew him well.
4. A poltergeist
To me, if this story were to fall under any category when it comes to the unknown, it would be the paranormal. In fact, a part of me is shocked that Corinne and Dorothy didn’t initially think that the Triangle Man was a ghost or demon. After all, he emerged from the wall; ghosts are known for passing through solid objects.
Coming in from its long journey down the River Styx, we have the idea that this was a poltergeist. I’ve been quite eager to discuss this because there’s a lot going for it and against it. It’s perhaps the most balanced theory out of the bunch.
In the way of what’s going for it, it’s commonly said that children are more susceptible to the paranormal and that ghosts (benevolent and malevolent) are more likely to interact with them. While Corinne didn’t share her age, she said she was a child when this happened. Maybe it’s because I’m prone to thinking in extremes, but my mind went to the two being in kindergarten—which would mean they were around five years old.
If this were the case, then my guess would be that this entity—which I assume was a poltergeist due to the terror it instilled in both girls—wanted to feed off the fear Corinne and Dorothy felt. Why? Honestly, I don’t know enough about poltergeists to say outside of their aggressive and noisy nature. Heck, their name translates to “noisy spirit.” While this entity wasn’t outwardly aggressive, I don’t associate a feeling of terror with your standard spirit.
Regardless of my lackluster understanding, the Triangle Man fits the basics of what I would expect from an entity like this. It was likely drawn to Corinne and Dorothy because they were easy prey; it scared them, fed off their fear, and went off to do something else. However, there are a few issues with this theory, and they do shake the ground upon which it stands. Oh, such dramatic wording from yours truly; I should be a playwright.
Anyway, the first issue is that Corinne never said anything else weird happened. If this were a poltergeist, there’s no way it would only act at night. While ghost stories traditionally have hauntings and activity occur at night, that isn’t the rule in the realm of the paranormal. Ghostly activity can happen at any point of the day. I think television shows like Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures have created this mindset that ghosts only come out to play when the sun’s not around to see them.
My point is that if this were a poltergeist, it surely would have done more than what it did. It would have moved, if not thrown, things, scratched someone, or otherwise done something to make its presence known beyond coming out of a wall to gawk at Corinne and Dorothy. While it’s possible that this wasn’t a poltergeist, and the twins were naturally terrified on principle, I think the feeling of paralysis would point to something evil and not something completely innocuous. But that’s just me; they were children, after all.
Additionally, I think the inconsistency in sightings is peculiar. While I know of some hauntings that have stopped for a bit before resuming, I can’t help but feel that this is off. After all, if it were a poltergeist, it wouldn’t take a vacation. Last I checked, that isn’t a part of their modus operandi.
That said, it’s possible Corinne and Dorothy’s parents had the house blessed after they saw the Triangle Man themselves. It’s not uncommon for blessings and exorcisms to not result in the permanent removal of a ghost on the first try.
Why this is, I’m not entirely sure. As I’ve said, I’m not well-versed in this stuff, and rituals are something that I refuse to touch because I’m legitimately paranoid about that kind of stuff. I just know that they can sometimes fail, and there are instances where the spirit becomes more aggressive as a result of the failure. Should Corinne and Dorothy’s parents have attempted a ritual or exorcism and it failed, I think it’s a miracle the Triangle Man didn’t become outwardly hostile toward the entire family.
Of course, that’s purely speculation. Though, with how possible it is, it makes me wish Corinne had told her parents about it prior to sending in her report and asked if they’d seen the Triangle Man at some point or experienced anything weird. That would have helped greatly in determining if this strangeness was relegated solely to her and Dorothy or if this being had it out for the entire family.
Despite those issues, this theory isn’t entirely implausible. Maybe it’s my biases showing through (given I believe in ghosts), but I could see this being some sort of spirit. If it wasn’t a poltergeist, then perhaps it was a disgruntled former resident who wasn’t happy that new people had moved in.
If that were the case, the only thing I’d wonder is why they opted for the triangular face. But, hey, maybe they wanted to try and scare them off a la Beetlejuice. I’m not a ghost; their reasoning is beyond my understanding. Personally, I’d guess that it held some level of importance to the person. Maybe it was a costume mask or something of that nature. Regardless, it’s a unique look that reminds me of why some ghost stories captured my attention as a child, and I relish that feeling like little else in life.
5. A hoax
More often than not, this theory is one that I toss aside. After all, what point is there in making up a story when you can’t see how many people you’ve fooled with it? That’s half the fun of weaving a believable alien or Fleshgait encounter. And for those who don’t know, Fleshgaits are shapeshifting humanoids that can take on the appearance of those they kill. Most of you know them by their incorrectly given name of “Skinwalkers,” the Navajo witches who can transform into animals through various means.
There are times when I say that a low-effort, or barebones, report is a sign that it wasn’t faked. After all, why put no effort into something when you want to fool people into believing that what you experienced was real? That doesn’t quite make sense to me. Unless you’re trying to prove that a group of people are as gullible as toddlers, most will read what you wrote and gloss over it without comment.
That said, Corinne’s report leaves a great deal of vital information that one would normally include to help back up their claims. When and where it occurred are noticeably absent. While this could have been done out of fear that the story would be traced back to her, I’d argue that Corinne not saying if she’d told anyone about these experiences throws a wrench in that argument.
Speaking of that, I find it odd how Corinne didn’t say if she told her parents about any of this. If she and Dorothy were children at the time, I find it hard to believe that a child wouldn’t go to their parents and say that there was something scary in their bedroom.
While not a universal rule, children are terrible at keeping their mouths shut, especially when they’re frightened. I would know this because I, too, was a child at one point, and I grew up with a sibling. While my memory is hazy, I do know my sister would tell my parents when I was acting like a buffoon. Ah, the joys of having a younger sibling.
Of course, it’s possible that Corinne forgot to mention these details. After all, human error is a thing, and if she were trying not to make the report as straightforward as possible, she might have figured no one cared about her age and location. I also doubt she had the foresight to predict that someone would write about her experience on a blog nearly twenty years later.
Personally, I don’t think this theory works for the same reason it doesn’t work with most stories from About. However, the threadbare detail does leave me scratching my head more than normal. It’s one thing when the eyewitness is an adult, but when you’re recounting something from your childhood, you have your parents or legal guardians to go to. While every parent on Earth isn’t a saint, it’s imperative that you at least address why you might’ve opted not to tell them about whatever it is that you saw.
Oh well, there’s no use in repeating myself, especially when I believe that’s become a problem as of late. So, rather than go in a circle, let’s move on to the next theory!
6. A nightmare
It’s been an exhausting day. You arrive home from work, school, or doing whatever it is you did all day. You shower, get into your pajamas, and head to bed. You’re wrapped under a cozy blanket. Once you’re asleep, you find yourself plagued by dreams that were vomited out of the gullet of Hell’s most wretched demons. By the time you wake up the next morning, you’re more exhausted than you were the previous night.
Nightmares are an awful thing. While they can provide inspiration to authors and painters who specialize in horror, I sincerely doubt the average person views them favorably. I know I don’t; I cannot stand them.
Despite that, they happen for a multitude of reasons. Stress, anxiety, scary movies, certain medications, and an array of other things can cause them. The first of those is the leading cause for me. I’m certain of it.
Anyway, our sixth theory is that the Triangle Man was nothing more than a lucid nightmare that Corinne had. That’s likely one of the very first things many would think of when they hear this story, and with good reason. Much of what Corinne said sounds like dream logic.
What’s dream logic? Well, it’s a term used to describe the absurd ways that events happen in dreams and the emotions that come with said events. For example, if you’re ever trying to reach a certain point in a dream but find yourself never getting anything closer and instead feel like you’re on a treadmill, that’s dream logic. Likewise, if you react to a situation in a manner that you never would in the waking world, that’s dream logic.
Of course, there’s more to it than that—and it’s possible that I got some details wrong or omitted a plethora of vital ones. Regardless, Psychology Today has an article on dream logic that I recommend reading if you find yourself interested in the idea behind it.
That type of logic applies to Corinne in a simple way. The paralysis is something that frequently happens in a lot of dreams—especially nightmares. In my experiences, nightmares often have me glued to one location or on a metaphorical conveyor belt of doom (see: I’m inevitably going to be found by whatever monster is chasing me in my nightmare).
If you have any trouble visualizing this, think about how a game like Five Nights at Freddy’s functions. You can’t move from the starting point. You’re stuck in one area for the entire game. There is no standing up. There is no hiding. Where you are is where you’ll be now and forever (or until you wake up).
Anyway, now that you have the basics of dream logic down, let’s discuss what might have caused it. That’s a bit trickier. Of course, there are the aforementioned causes, but it could’ve been a fever dream. That might explain why the Triangle Man appeared randomly and not frequently.
Alternatively, it could have been triggered by a horror movie. The first thing I thought of when I read that the Triangle Man appeared out of Corinne and Dorothy’s bedroom wall was a scene from Wes Craven’s 1984 masterpiece A Nightmare on Elm Street. During the scene, the film’s villain, Freddy Krueger, emerges through a wall above the film’s protagonist, Nancy Thompson. Below is an image from that scene.
However, there is a major problem with this theory—a rather obvious one at that. Dorothy also saw the Triangle Man.
Now, I’ve heard claims about sharing dreams with other people. It’s an odd phenomenon and one that I really should look at with a more serious eye than I did back in Decemystery 2020. God, I forgot how bad that year’s Decemystery was.
For those curious, though, some think that people’s dreams can be connected. How, exactly, isn’t entirely clear to me since it varies heavily. Some tie it to the simulation theory, while others say that dreams bring us to an astral plane or realm, and dreams occasionally get tethered together. I honestly think it’s a really cool concept, and a part of me hopes it’s real. It’d be fascinating if two strangers could meet through a dream.
With that in mind, you could argue that something similar happened here. After all, some claim that twins share deeper connections than other siblings. However, I’d argue that the idea of twins sharing the same nightmare more than once like this is pretty outlandish. I may be open-minded, but that’s a bridge too far.
Of course, it’s possible that both twins saw the scene and had nightmares afterward. They could’ve influenced each other’s memory of it by describing him in various ways until they came up with the image of what they now know as the Triangle Man.
That said, this requires them to have seen a snippet of A Nightmare on Elm Street. While the film may be a classic and considered one of the greatest works of horror in human history, there’s no way to discern if the film was even out when Corinne’s experiences occurred. For all we know, it happened in the 1960s or 1970s.
So, while I’d say that this theory is very possible, it also requires a fair bit to go in its favor—and that amount of favor isn’t that great, given we lack Corinne’s age, and A Nightmare on Elm Street was a mere 25 years old when she sent her report in. I say “mere” because 2009 was 15 years ago. Feeling old yet, dear reader? I am, too, so let’s move on to the next theory before I have a midlife crisis at the ripe old age of 28.
7. Sleep paralysis
I’ve been aching at the bone to talk about this theory. Ever since Corinne first mentioned feeling paralyzed when she saw the Triangle Man emerge from her bedroom wall, I wanted to discuss why the Triangle Man might have been a product of sleep paralysis.
For those who are unfamiliar with it, sleep paralysis occurs when the part of your brain that controls consciousness wakes up, but the part that controls motor functions is still asleep. In the simplest terms, you’re quite literally half asleep, and it sucks.
How do I know it sucks? I’m unfortunately very prone to getting it because I toss and turn a lot, and sleep paralysis is more common when you sleep on your back. I’m also a light sleeper, and it occurs when one’s rapid eye movement (REM) sleep cycle is disturbed. Because of this, I’ve had it countless times and have become well acquainted with it. I consider it to be a neighbor from Hell.
With that in mind, I can use my firsthand knowledge to back up some of this theory. I can also use it to explain why it has flaws. I’ll do my best to remain as unbiased as possible, but as you can likely tell, this is what I believe was behind Corinne’s terrifying encounters.
As for what works in its favor, the first and most obvious thing is that Corinne said she was paralyzed when she saw the Triangle Man, only being able to move her eyes. This is, unsurprisingly, what sleep paralysis is known for. You wake up, but you can’t move (not without trying to force it, but I doubt a child would know to attempt this) or speak. All you can do is move your eyes and breathe.
On top of that, sleep paralysis is known to produce hallucinations. Most know these hallucinations by their colloquial name of “sleep paralysis demons.” They’re products of REM, and they’re known to induce a sense of immense terror in those who see them.
I’ve seen a few of these hallucinations myself, including one that I thought ran its fingers through my hair. Amusingly, it was that action that woke me up. Thanks, sleep paralysis demon.
If I were to compare my experiences to Corinne’s, I’ve never seen a sleep paralysis demon manifest itself. I’ve seen a few of them move but never enter through a doorway, wall, or anything like that. However, I have heard and read stories of them doing that.
The reason for this ties back into REM. You see, REM is when dreaming takes place. Given that a part of your brain is awake while this cycle is ongoing, the sleep paralysis demons you’re seeing are essentially products of a disrupted dream cycle. In much simpler terms, it’s a literal waking nightmare.
Anyway, the thing working in this theory’s favor is the appearance of the Triangle Man. A lot of so-called “sleep paralysis demons” are described as darkly-colored beings that lack few, if any, distinguishing features. There are those who have been seen by numerous people, like the “Old Hag” (who’s described as an elderly witch-like being) and the “Hat Man” (who’s described as a man with a large, brimmed hat akin to a fedora).
There are other, much more enigmatic sleep paralysis demons, though. Some have said they’ve seen skeletons, corpse-like beings, and even the Grim Reaper. Personally, I’ve seen a group of alien-like beings that resembled children who were talking amongst each other before floating away, a female figure who was darker than shadow and dancing in a jittery motion, and something that resembled a Facehugger from the Alien franchise. It leaped onto my blanket before disappearing; it was one of the earliest sleep paralysis episodes I had, and I recall being more confused than scared.
If I were to speak from personal experience, the Triangle Man’s appearance is nothing that would stand out in the world of sleep paralysis. After all, it would be the product of a hallucination. It’s not a physical entity.
Additionally, the fact it never interacted with Corinne in any way—outside of staring at her—isn’t uncommon when it comes to these hallucinations. Can they? Yeah, I outright said that one “touched” me earlier. However, there is no universal rule when it comes to them. Odds are, the Triangle Man was what Corinne’s mind made up for whatever innocuous reason.
Another thing I will make a note of is that it sounded like Corinne and Dorothy both slept on their backs, given Corinne said that they looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes. As I said before, sleep paralysis is more common if you sleep on your back. If you, for some bizarre reason, yearn to experience it for yourself, there’s one way you can get it. Most of my episodes happen that way.
The last thing I’ll mention that points to this theory as the most likely explanation is that it would explain why Corinne didn’t state what happened when the Triangle Man left. It’s likely that she fell asleep while he was there. I can vouch for this being something that I sometimes do. If I’m too tired to fight the feeling, I mentally shrug and fall back to sleep.
That said, there is one major issue with this theory. Although it explains nearly everything, it doesn’t explain how Dorothy saw it.
While it’s technically possible that Dorothy also had sleep paralysis and saw the Triangle Man, the likelihood of them seeing the exact same thing strikes me as slim. However, like with the previous theory, you could argue that they influenced each other’s perception of what they saw. After all, if they were close to each other and didn’t bicker as many siblings do, I could see them talking about the scary monster they saw while playing with their toys.
Despite that one flaw, I think I’ve made my point very clear. Even if I am admittedly biased due to how much this sounded like a case of sleep paralysis, there are still numerous other reasons that I think that could have been the case, such as how it explains why the Triangle Man didn’t appear every night and why he eventually stopped showing up entirely.
In the case of the former, it’s self-explanatory. The girls didn’t have sleep paralysis. While yes, it’s odd that the two would have it at the same time, it’s possible one of them awoke the other by trying to scream for help, resulting in the other barely waking up and experiencing sleep paralysis themselves. Is that a stretch? Yeah. Do I think it’s still possible? Sure, weirder things have happened in this wonderful world of ours.
As for the latter, the Triangle Man might’ve stopped showing up because the girls haven’t suffered from sleep paralysis. It isn’t an illness; it’s something that can happen. It’s like dry skin. It just happens. I’ve had it happen a few times a month before having periods where I haven’t had it. Heck, those who have had it might not even know they had it because they immediately fell back to sleep.
Unsurprisingly, I believe that this theory has more going for it than any of the others. However, I firmly think that ignoring the leaps in logic makes it iffy. If we had more information from Corinne to go off of, it would help dispel any of those doubts (or potentially reinforce them). Alas, since we don’t, we have to make do with what we have. I’d say it was more than enough, but I digress. On to the meme theory, now!
8. The Triangle Creature’s evil twin
So, you’re a Triangular being? Okay. What kind of Triangular being are you?
My Take
You know, just to preface this, having typed everything out about sleep paralysis, I must say that I finally realized the fascination people have with the “Hat Man.” How peculiar that he is such a commonly seen entity during these encounters. I’ve never seen him, though, and I am grateful for that.
Suffice it to say, I think this was a case of sleep paralysis. I know that’s a real twist after I went over why it was the most likely possibility for over a thousand words, but the fact of the matter is that everything about it fits perfectly (in my eyes, anyway). While the other theories have their merits here and there, sleep paralysis has them all over the place.
Now, does that mean this was indisputably a case of it? No, absolutely not. The issues remain there, and honestly, I can’t rationalize them as much as I wish I could. It’s possible that if we had it, though, I could rationalize it, especially if this happened decades prior.
It’s also possible that Corinne and Dorothy never saw the Triangle Man at the same time, but their sleep paralysis episodes made them think the other was awake. After all, the human mind is great at playing tricks on itself. Never underestimate its ability to make you believe one thing when, in reality, it’s something else.
Now, if I had to pick a second theory, I would go with this having been a nightmare. It’s not unheard of to have recurring nightmares, and I don’t think it’s irrational to say that two children influenced each other with what they dreamt of. After all, children are great at making things out to be far scarier than they actually are.
But, hey, who knows? Maybe it was an alien. Maybe it was a hoax. We’ll never know unless Corinne inexplicably finds this post and reveals more information to us. If she does that, wonderful. If not, I’m content with that, too. In fact, I prefer it that way. After all, who doesn’t love a little mystery in their life?
Personally, I think most of us do. It offers a mixture of excitement, intrigue, and entertainment that can seldom be found elsewhere in this ever-mysterious place we call home.
Now, with that said, I want to ease off the fun and address something significantly more serious. While I’ve discussed plenty of topics that can be labeled as serious in the past, it’s rare for me to do it nowadays deliberately due to writing being more of an escape from the horrors of reality for me. Sure, there are cases I stumble across that blindside me (due to my lack of foresight), but they’re few and far between.
With this story, however, the serious aspect didn’t come into effect until I was thinking over the theories and pondering what, exactly, Corinne and Dorothy might have seen. It was then that a realization struck me, and I found myself scrambling to decide what to do about it. Namely, what if Corinne and Dorothy had been abused—be it physical or sexual in nature—and this whole thing was a repressed memory?
From what little I know, it’s not uncommon for abuse victims, especially those who suffered when they were children, to have their memories become warped. However, I didn’t feel comfortable speculating on such a thing when the story in question was not only on the weirder side but when Corinne herself never suggested such a thing.
The reason I’m making a note of this here is that I have this weird gut feeling that someone will likely wonder why that wasn’t in the theories section, especially when child abuse is at the forefront of a lot of awareness movements (which is something I’m thankful for since I’ve known my fair share of people who have suffered such abuse).
So, if you happened to be one of those people, that is why it wasn’t included. If you want my personal opinion on whether or not it’s likely, I lean toward it not being the case. I think that Corinne and Dorothy (or another adult) would’ve realized what was happening sooner rather than later.
But, yeah. That’s why I didn’t address it—and why I refrained from even bringing up how weird it would have been for aliens or an interdimensional being to repeatedly visit Corinne and Dorothy on multiple occasions. I knew if I did, it’d lead to some very uncomfortable possibilities. The last thing I desire is having to assume that such a thing happened when it might not have; I learned that lesson the hard way after last year’s story about Professor Oak Kidnapping a Child. I hope you guys understand.
Conclusion
For the fifth day in a row, a write-up has ballooned far past what I expected it to be. This year’s been full of many surprises, but this is among the most shocking to me. Never in my life would I have ever imagined that I would go from writing a few thousand words each article to dissecting things as much as I could because I believed the bigger picture was that important.
But here I am, doing just that. And you know what? I absolutely love it; it makes me feel like I’ve grown as a writer, even during my long periods of absence from doing it. It lets me know that even when inactive, I never stop absorbing information from what I read and hear. Life’s full of surprises, and the best ones are those you don’t realize. Oh, how philosophical of me; I really hope nobody read that and wretched at how cheesy it was.
Anyway, introspectiveness aside, I want to know what you guys think is the truth behind the oh-so-wonderfully named Triangle Man. Were Corinne and Dorothy’s minds playing tricks on them? Was it sleep paralysis? Or do you have your own theory as to what this thing was? Leave a comment and all that other stuff people say, and as always, stay happy, stay healthy, and thank you for reading!
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