14 People Recalled Creepy Childhood Memories That Still Haunt Them to This Day

Childhood is the happiest time for most people, filled with many warm memories. However, for some, those early years held dark secrets that are difficult and painful to recall.

• When I was 5, I have a distinct memory of my mom and I waiting in line at a fast-food restaurant. I remember getting to the front, then my mom just quickly taking me and leaving. I whined and complained that we didn’t get the food.
  Years later, my mom finally told me the disturbing reality. She explained that when we got to the front of the line, the cashier said, “Those men over there are robbing us. Take your child and leave now.” So my mom did exactly that and never told me what happened. © EghYewSeaQue / Reddit
• I was helping my sister and her family move into a new home. As I was stacking boxes in the garage, an old rotary phone rang. Many of the appliances in the house seemed ancient. I answered it and was greeted by an old lady asking for her daughter Angela. I told her that there was no one here named Angela, that there were new residents in the house.
  I told my sister about the call, but she refused to believe me; the phone was old and disconnected. I picked up the phone again, but there was no dial tone. © Cringebot / Reddit
• My parents gave my younger siblings’ dog to a shelter without telling them and then pretended that it had gotten lost, letting them put up signs and go looking for it. I was beyond furious, and it was one of the reasons I moved out as soon as I could earn enough money to do it.
  The fact that my stepmother did my half-sister’s homework for her didn’t help. © na***onmygoat / Reddit

• When I was eight, I overheard my nanny say during a phone call, “These aren’t my children, just my paycheck.” I remember feeling awful because I thought of her like family. © nosleepy / Reddit
• When I was around the age of 5 or 6, I remember my dad talking on the phone, thinking it was my mom because he was saying sweet things during his conversation. He passed the phone to me, and thinking it was my mom, I answered by saying, “Hi Mom.” It wasn’t her. I later found out that my dad had numerous mistresses even before my mom passed away 5 years ago.
  It still haunts me because to this day, my dad thinks I don’t remember what happened that day, and I still don’t fully trust him since then. © Unknown author / Reddit
• I went to the bathroom in a department store. I sat down on the toilet and suddenly had a weird feeling. I bent down to look through a hole in the divider wall and I saw an eyeball staring back. © Unknown author / Reddit
• My dad asked, “Why is she so ugly?”
  I was 8. I went to the mirror and cried. It was the first time I ever realized that I could actually look at myself with judgment. It never stopped. © odd_neighbour / Reddit

• I used to sleep in a room right next to my parent’s room, and the air conditioning vent was directly connected to their room. I could constantly hear them discussing how when I came into their life, I completely ruined it. Almost every night for about 5 years, the subject was about me and how horrible I was.
  They don’t know about this, and they still say “I love you” to my face. © Bruser75 / Reddit
• I was 10. A new family moved into our neighborhood. I became friends with their daughter, and she always told me that their house was haunted. One day, I was playing in the yard with her when a disheveled-looking man came running out their front door, followed by her parents. The man proceeded to run into the woods. It turned out that the man was living in their attic and kept it locked from the inside, but my friend’s dad finally pried it open. Since then, I have been carefully checking every house I have ever lived in. © Unknown author / Reddit
• I overheard my stepdad tell my mum, “It’s either me or the kids.” A week later, my sister and I were put into a children’s home.
  I have never forgiven my mum, and I haven’t seen or spoken to her for nearly 35 years. © sarahsgrove / Reddit

• My aunt is less than 10 years older than me. I believe she was in high school, and I was in like 1st or second grade. We were at an outdoor event, and all of a sudden, an ambulance pulled up.
  I was hanging with my parents, wondering what was going on, and the next thing I know, my aunt runs up to us freaking out. Her boyfriend has a seizure. By the time we get there, he’s on the stretcher, trying to get words out, and I still picture the look on his face. © happydayz395 / Reddit
• I found my parents’ couples therapy notes in the car, which said my dad didn’t think I was his. © grrrrrrrrrravy / Reddit
• When I was 14, my mother decided that she had enough of the whole mothering thing. She dropped me off at my aunt’s house without telling my aunt. I think the plan was to drop me off and be out of state before anyone knew. Unfortunately for her, my aunt had been outside at the time.
  During the screaming match that followed, I learned that I was meant to be a trap for my father.
  © RissaTheWaitress / Reddit
• When I was 6, my mother used to secretly take me to this dark and creepy house. They had big red velvet sofas. I remember waking up multiple times in the arms of a big, bearded man.
  Years later, my world shattered when I realized that she was taking me to my grandparents’ house. This man was my grandfather, who passed away shortly after. My dad had banned my mom from seeing her parents, so she would do it in secret. I wish my grandpa were here now so that I could hug him back.

Here’s another collection of stories from people who have chilling memories from their childhood.