F.13.22 - I witnessed the end of the world. I saw it—with my own two eyes. I could feel everything stop: the world had stopped spinning, the sun had stopped rotating, the wind had stopped moving—everything stopped. I looked out the window, and I saw the sky. Oh, it was beautiful, but it was terrifying. It was a washed-out gray, the clouds had turned black, and it started to rain. The rain was acidic—I was inside the house, so I didn't feel it—but I saw and heard everyone screaming in pain. Their flesh effortlessly melted off their bones, erasing their existence. There was this outline of a person in the center of the sky and they were just looking down as it all happened.. I was so scared, I wanted to go out and help, but what could I do? I stood there and watched as everyone died until the rain stopped and everything started again. I went outside, and nothing had changed—but how? I saw it. I saw them all die, I saw the rain, the sky! I witnessed the end of the world. What does this mean? What do I do? When will it happen again? Can I stop it? I don't know. I just know that I have seen something nobody else has. I now carry the burden of knowing without the power to stop it.

10:30 “If you are real, show me a sign. I don’t believe you are. If you are up there, do what you must to change my mind.” 11:30… I can’t sleep. I can’t think. 12:30… I have school tomorrow. 1:30… Something is wrong. 2:30… I watch the clock. 3:30… it’s bright red glow. 4:30…. It’s all I know. 5:30… It watches me. 6:30… It pulls me close. 6:59… my skin is burning. 6:60… I start to worry. 6:61… my heart is heavy. 6:62… my mind is splitting. 6:63… I think I’m sinking. 6:64… I’m hardly breathing. 6:65… my soul is broken. 6:66… the clock is frozen. It’s then I notice, the yellow eyes, within the closet. It stares at me. I feel each second, shifting to eternity. Our eyes were locked. For years on end. His wicked gaze, it ate my skin. I looked away, and saw a day. Sword in hand. I charged ahead, Wings above land. To the undead. Angels at my back. Leading them to war. The armies of hell collided with my shining sword. I awoke. Was it a dream? It couldn’t be. It was too real. He didn’t show Himself. He just made Hell reveal. (A poetic form of an actual journal entry of mine. True story. I was 15. It wasn’t a dream. I’ve only shared this with two people. Now I guess it’s time to share it with everyone else. I watched that clock. I watched those eyes. I felt the weight of eternity. It’s indescribable. I stared into those yellow eyes for lifetimes - trapped in them. Sitting up in my bed. I prayed a dangerous prayer. And it was answered. To say I was afraid would be a gross understatement. There were other happenings - I won’t go into them. It was… a very long ‘night’. After that, I didn’t end up believing in God for another 6 years. Talk about stubborn! This is something that haunts me in several ways. Anyway, sleep well, friends! Don’t let that clock get out of time. It’s terrible!)

11-11 My parents left this morning. I am alone. I hope they find food. I think i’m started to hallucinate. Im seeing things. I’m so lonely. But they should be back soon. I hope. 11-13 I forgot to write yesterday because I think I’m going a tiny itty little bitty bit crazy. I keep seeing things. My eyes are stinging. Like when i get migraines. Yesterday someone was talking to me. They wanted to see me. They wanted to see me. Goodnight. 11-14 I met the love of my life today. He’s so handsome. He keeps talking to me but I can’t see him. Hehe he’s so sneaky. So sneaky. He says he’s coming to stay with me, these lonely days. So lonely. I don’t know what he looks like. But his face is so pretty. 11-15 He’s almost here! I got the tent ready for our visitor. He’s so handsome. I haven’t seen him yet. He still visits me in my dreams. He’s in my dreams. In my dreams. He should be here tomorrow. I wish mom and dad were back. To approve our marriage. Married at thirteen! I’m so lucky. He’s only fourteen. I can’t wait. Can’t wait. I must wait. All good things come in the end. I think that’s how it goes. I feel funny. I think i’m going to sneeze. Bless me. 11-16 I hope he brings food. My stomach is yelling at me. Wait. I hear him now. His voice is faint but so smooth. Like honey. He says he’s coming with special food. He’s singing. Huh. I don’t know this song. I’m singing alone anyway. I like this song. I think it goes like this: (sounds like Ring around the Rosie) ♭ Beautiful girl eyes of brown Hair the color of sun Silently walking from town to town Wanting to see my girl Can’t wait to see her we’ll have some fun I hope I can make her be like me We can live and never die She’ll be like me when I am done Never lonely and never cry ♭ 11-17 He arrived this morning. He is very tall. So tall. He glows. He’s also transparent. hehe. And he glows. He told me to go to sleep. I want to be like him. Like him. Like him. Like him. I will sleep now. Sleep now. Sleep now. Goodbye.

Here I sit, rocking gently. On my porch this summers day. Across the way, I see a blur. My eyes do fail me at my age. I rub them gently, look again. Eyes focus yards away. A man stands tall, he’s not of here. His eyes dark, for such bright midday. My time is here, I’ve lived a while. My book prepared me for this fate. But even after 99 years… I still had so much left to say. I’d like to thank the trees For I napped amongst their shade. Sing to the birds, one last song. To repay them for their serenades. I’d dance for the rain, on my way out. To wash my sins away. For the Angel of Death is here for me. And for the first time in 99 years I am unafraid.

That car pile-up did not happen by accident. She must have swept through every car windscreen and screeched through every living being in her way, just to get to me. My head ricocheted backwards as the taxi driver slammed on the brakes. And as my head rebounded forwards, she came to a screeching halt just an inch from my nose. I stared in horror into the eyes of a being consumed by an anger so ferocious that I could feel it exuding from her very being. “You tricked me!” she snarled. The ripped tendrils of her dress billowed behind her in gusts of wind that weren’t there. Not in this realm, anyway. I inched myself to the right, trying to move away from her icy and oppressing presence. But she simply followed my movement, baring her teeth, utter hatred in her eyes.  “No, Cassandra, I didn’t realise! The hedge witch told me she could help!” “Help, you say?” she said, her raspy voice chilling my very bones. The pale blue spectre gave a short, bitter chuckle.  “Help in the form of a Witches’ Circle, set on trapping me in a Thorne Keepers box?”  she hissed. “That kind of help?” I shook my head, my eyes wide, my nose numbing from the closeness of her presence.  “I didn’t know, Cassandra, really I didn’t! They tricked me too! I thought they'd got you so I was going to see Herod, to see if he could free you somehow. Ask the taxi driver. He’ll tell you I was on my way there!” I knew fully well that wasn’t going to happen. Because the taxi driver was sitting in the seat in front, veins turned to ice, and frozen forever more, just like the other drivers and passengers in the cars piled up before me.  Petrified, I believe, is the term. Petrified to death. Oh, I was going to see Herod alright. But not to help set her free. I was going because a little birdie told me he was blessed with the rare talent of Cloak-Casting. If Herod could cast his Shrouding Spell over me, then Cassandra would never find me again. Even if she were ten feet away from me, she would still not be able to detect where I was. She wouldn’t even recognize me if someone pointed me out in front of her and screamed my name. It came at a price, of course. But it was a price I was willing to pay. And anyway, that was all irrelevant.  Because at that point, I was in the grip of Cassandra’s gaze. And I was slowly… slowly… freezing to death. It's not something I wish to experience ever again, let me tell you. I made it out, of course. Otherwise I wouldn't be writing this. And I made it to Herod eventually. Cassandra seeks me to this day. But she'll never find me. But for me, it's kind of a case of, 'out of the frying pan and into the fire'. Because the debt I must repay to Herod is eternal. And it will consume every day of my life from now on. But at least I'm alive. At least I'm alive.

If you’re reading this right now, you might want to brace yourself, because what you’re about to read about is highly regarded as strange and paranormal. Please don’t judge me, please don’t hate me after you read this. It all started when I was walking home, alone, at night. I had just gotten out of the senior prom and was a little head-over-heels still, with my dress all messy and my hair falling out of its bun. The skies were thundering and a figure appeared in front of me. I couldn’t see its face but it was very, very pale. For a moment I thought I was just exhausted and delirious and I needed to go to sleep, but then it started to stalk me. All. The. Way. Home. I ran the rest of the way, scared to death, clanking loudly in my too-small heels. Right now I’m writing this as I’m hidden in my closet, lights off, barely breathing, still smelly from a mixture of spilled fruit punch to boy’s body spray rubbing off on me to my own smeared makeup and worn-off deodorant. I’m scared, so if you’re reading, please help me! ‘Oh Margaret!’ I freeze. How does it know my name? It sounds like my dad… but he’s not home. He’s… dead, he died in a car accident years ago… I peek out the door to see if he’s there and… ‘Hello. How nice to finally see you again.’ It’s my dead dad’s face staring right back at me. (Also the title of this is one of my favorite Carrie Underwood, so be sure to check that out if you’re a fan of country music! 😁🎵)

Dear Diary, It happened again. I’m not sure how to explain it this time because it all happened so fast. Usually when I see them they’re sitting in a different area of the house. This time they were in the attic and they instantly disappeared immediately upon making eye contact with me. It’s so unusual because I’m certain they know Ive been living here too. I’m not certain but I feel like this must have been the first time they’ve actually seen me. How odd? Maybe that’s why they ran away so fast. It was their first time ever seeing a real ghost like me. I hope I didn’t scare them. I hope they don’t move like the others. Until next time

I put my blanket over my head As the fluttering shook the window Too frightened to even breath When I finally saw this shadow Was it a ghost or a ghoul? My frozen mind couldn't tell All was dark around me I was already under a spell It wide-opened the window A frosty wind invaded me I was sure I was going to die Whatever this creature could be. Two ruby-red eyes glowed As it approached my frail body The sharp pain on my neck As my life vanished slowly I got up the following day Believing it was just a dream But when I saw the tiny punctures My whole body burst in a scream.

dear diary, i’ve seen many things happening recently but i don’t know if it’s actually there.. cabinets had started to randomly open and close. i’m hearing voices whispering in my ear.. i don’t know if i’m slowly losing my mind or if there is actually something following me.. these medications don’t seem to be working right.

Dear Diary, It started with a toy that was really a playboy cursed by a witch and then a teapot that appeared to predict death but was really a nasty little fairy that got a kick out of tormenting humans. But it really started way before. I hated the nine to five, wearing kitten heels, and sitting in meetings. When I was going to Kiara’s wedding and saw this little storefront it was like I don’t know coming home, falling in love, and finding a twenty in the sofa cushions. When the company I worked for was bought I cashed in my stock and jumped to buy that little store, cat and all. I’m happy really I’m happy but some thing is missing. The shop is a dream. I mean the bathroom sink is always stopped up, and the windows are drafty af, and don’t get me started on taxes but I still a dream. There something about these objects, the people behind the paranormal. I love unraveling their mysteries and helping them find their happiness. I want to keep doing this dear diary. I’m drawn to objects and they appear drawn to me. So am I crazy? Jaime says yes. Jaime would definitely say I’m coco for cocoa puffs but this is me. And speaking of Jaime what’s his deal? Speak of the devil I see him now crossing the street with a pissed off mannequin. It’s on.