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A Drink (Or Other Casual Encounter) With The Devil

Thanks PM for the assist, I knew I read it somewhere before...
:lol:
 
Re: All these purported sightings remind me of what happened

rubick~ said:
There is an old abandoned cottage in a feild near where I grew up on the shores of Strangford Lough, which was baffingly referred to as 'the Fort'. At first glance the most startling thing is that fact that some bright spark has thrown red paint over the walls, looking like blood and causing children in their early teens to run like the clappers when one "thought I saw something".

From the many eventful days spent round at the Fort, the one that has stuck in my mind is that one day, during a game of 'Commandos' (Rambo: First Blood was de rigeur at the time) my cousin decided to hide in the attic of the cottage. It took some time for the others to get round to finding him, but when they did he was in a complete state of panic. He bolted out of the Fort, tears streaming down his face.

When asked what the matter was, he wouldnt say exactly, just became all defensive and went home. My cousin was never one to be put off by something trivial. It emerged after a few years that he had been just about to get down out of the loft, when he was dragged back up by the hair. He has still never spoken about *what* exactly pulled him up, but in his more drunken moments he will let slip that he "knows where he is going".

It struck me from reading this thread that there are some similarites with other accounts of this nature (or super-nature).
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But why woudl a child see the Devil? All children are innocent surely. An adult I can believe but surely a child...?
 
witchflame said:
Incidentally, every christian festival is nicked from ancient pagan and other faiths cos they just couldnt be arsed to think up their own. Easter, Christmas, harvest festival etc.... Idle chuffs!
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I think it was more in the hope of destroying existing traditions rather than out of laziness. Similarily, early Christian churches were often built at the sites of pagan worship. The message being given was that Christianity was a replacement for the old religion - not merely an alternative to it.

indigochild said:
But why woudl a child see the Devil? All children are innocent surely. An adult I can believe but surely a child...?
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I'd suggest that it wasn't actually the Christian Devil in all his Satanic glory - any more than it was really Herne the Hunter. Just some kind of anomalous entity which we try to fit into our existing structures of belief.
 
Re: All these purported sightings remind me of what happened

indigochild said:
rubick~ said:
When asked what the matter was, he wouldnt say exactly, just became all defensive and went home. My cousin was never one to be put off by something trivial. It emerged after a few years that he had been just about to get down out of the loft, when he was dragged back up by the hair. He has still never spoken about *what* exactly pulled him up, but in his more drunken moments he will let slip that he "knows where he is going".
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But why woudl a child see the Devil? All children are innocent surely. An adult I can believe but surely a child...?
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Rubick did imply that his cousin was in his teens, and most teenagers are definitely not innocent.

I suggest that it wasn't the Devil, just some creepy old tramp who thought he could get a bit of privacy by scaring the shit out of any kids who ventured into his hiding place. I feel really sorry for Rubick's cousin, who's probably been scarred for life by this (probably non-supernatural) experience.
 
At the House of Binns , near Linlithgow , there is a tradition that the devil played a game of cards and shared a few whiskies with one of the old owners. The devil lost the game and in a rage threw the card table out of the window and it landed in a deep pond . This legend was famous locally for a few hundred years , until about 20 years ago some workmen had to drain the pond whilst carrying out repairs. At the bottom they found a card table.
 
Anonymous said:
A Drink With the Devil
http://www.forteantimes.com/happened/cedardevil.shtml
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This link is long dead. Here's the text of the story, salvaged from the Wayback Machine:

https://web.archive.org/web/20050308050035/http://forteantimes.com:80/happened/cedardevil.shtml

(No - the archived version doesn't specify which issue of FT contained this item.)


The Devil at Cedar Tavern

It was the fall of 1981 and I had just moved to New York City to attend college. A group of five classmates and I went to the Cedar Tavern, a famous local bar/restaurant, which, in the past, had been frequented by the likes of Jackson Pollack, William de Kooning, Allen Ginsburg, Bob Dylan--a real hot spot for the creative avant garde of the 50's & 60's.

We took a big table near the front and had just gotten our drinks when I noticed a tall, unusual looking man standing at the bar, staring intently at me. He had dark features and a very self-assured bearing. As I looked at him, I distinctly "heard" a man's voice in my head saying over and over, "You know who I am..." and as I heard this voice the man began to transform in front my my eyes. His fingers, which were clutching a whiskey glass, grew until they encircled the glass twice. The features of his face elongated and his nose, chin, ears and eyebrows became very exaggerated. His slight smile became a lurid, leering sneer. He truly seemed to be transforming into a demon in front of my eyes! I blinked serval times and wiped my eyes, sure that this little scene would disappear, but it didn't. He just keep de-evolving into something not human, and no one at the bar was paying any notice. I tried desperately to get one of my classmates on either side of me to look at what was happening, but everyone seemed absorbed in the table's conversation and by the time I looked up again, the man had vanished entirely.

I have since begun to collect other people's stories of meeting "the Devil" in New York City--I'm just glad to know I'm not the only one this has happened to!
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I read a tale once of German Soldiers (paratroopers) on Monte Cassino before the battle that killed so many on both sides. They swore that they had seen "the Devil" laughing on the slopes of the mountain in the moonlight.

Would love to know where I read it, maybe a poster on here can help?
 
I once met someone who told me he was the devil. I wasn't altogether surprised, as he had written 666 on his forehead, with a marker pen.

I said 'Oh what! Beelzebub himself?'

He looked at me, puzzled. 'No,' he replied in a Welsh accent. 'The devil, like in the Iron Maiden song.'

I nodded sagely, and he asked me if I wanted a game of pool. I did. He beat me. Tricky character, that devil.

That is a true story that took place on a NHS psych ward. It was a good one. It had a pool table.
 
Newt said:
I once met someone who told me he was the devil. I wasn't altogether surprised, as he had written 666 on his forehead, with a marker pen.

I said 'Oh what! Beelzebub himself?'

He looked at me, puzzled. 'No,' he replied in a Welsh accent. 'The devil, like in the Iron Maiden song.'

I nodded sagely, and he asked me if I wanted a game of pool. I did. He beat me. Tricky character, that devil.

That is a true story that took place on a NHS psych ward. It was a good one. It had a pool table.
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Had he written 666 on his forehead the wrong way round because he'd forgotten how mirrors work? .. kudos to him for beating you at pool ..
 
Actually, he must have known how mirrors worked, cos it was correct.

He was a damn good pool player. Unlike me.

ETA, and a nice friendly guy. I liked him.
 
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I think the devil lives in Chester.

It would have been 1983 or 4, I was visiting a friend there and we were walking on the walls. And this creepy man (so long ago I can't recall a thing about how he looked, but I seem to recall he was in his 20s or early 30s) came up to us, looked right at us and said "I've stolen your souls!" and walked off laughing... Junkie, we assumed. But - you never know.

But no. Devils like angels are too christian a construct to get behind.

My grandad once swore he saw a devil in an alleyway in Leeds. But I think he was coming back from the pub.
 
Bedtime stories podcast earlier this month (S05E22) had an episode titled “There is Something in the Desert” and the encounters some servicemen experienced makes you wonder whether Old Nick really does walk the earth
 
Nick Smith said:
I read a tale once of German Soldiers (paratroopers) on Monte Cassino before the battle that killed so many on both sides. They swore that they had seen "the Devil" laughing on the slopes of the mountain in the moonlight.

Would love to know where I read it, maybe a poster on here can help?
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did anyone get anywhere finding this? Rather like the Angels or the Bowmen only in reverse!
 
The “There is Something in the Desert” podcast (thanks for posting the link to that, Tempest63!) has some pretty apocryphal sounding stories, so the first hand reports would be really cool to read through, especially with a map and some knowledge of the meteorological conditions. I hope someday the military will declassify encounters with unusual phenomenon, thought while the service people's names and reputations would have to be protected. The official reports must make a fabulously rich data source, and it would be fascinating to analyze such data for patterns in conditions under which these weird encounters took place. "Paranormal" doesn't cover all the weirdness though. The description of the giant sounded to me like someone with gigantism who'd been shunned and was trying to survive in socially isolated conditions. The detail regarding how bad the helocopter pilots found the smell of the body just reminded me of riding public transit with homeless people who are mentally ill and have no easy access to bathing facilities. Poor souls!
 
I have a story which I have been waiting for the right thread,to tell. It makes me uneasy telling it. Im not sure if this is the right thread, but it involves a possible encounters with a demon.
 
You're entitled to start your own thread to relate your first hand story, Lizard King! Maybe it will be a relief to share it here -- at any rate, it will be appreciated by the rest of us!
 
Ok I won't wait for further prompting!It's a bit Stephen Kingish.
I have to muddy some of the details an s we know forums can be a small world.{relatives etc}
The story starts back in the late 70s early 80s when I was of Primary school age. There had been 3 suicides of young men in an area, my family used to visit on holiday.If I remember correctly, one man gassed himself, one hung himself and one walked into a busy roadway and shot himself.All young men, all in short space of time{not sure weeks or months, but same year)There is of course a known phenomena of copy cat suicides.It was a story which had little publicity and it was a rural area.But a story which always stayed in my memory.
Over the years I had heard more details of the young man who hanged himself but nothing of the other two young men.The story of the young man who hanged himself appeared straight forward. He was a schizophrenic who became unwell and killed himself.
This was a story which was acceptable and believable. However fast forward over the years and I was in a cafe in the village, as an adult I was discussing the story with a friend when the waitress {June}serving us,must have overheard and looked very uncomfortable. I had got to know the waitress over the years and knew her quite well. She was a no nonsense type women who could be described as having a hard life. The cafe was quiet and she asked if she could join us. She sat down and very warily began her story. I'll refer to the young man as Derek.

She told me that Derek and her husband had been best friends which led to her getting to know Derek really well. She was very certain from the outset that Derek had never been given the diagnosis of schizophrenia and was not depressed.She stated that like a lot of young men at that time had dabbled in drugs{pot and LSD}.The weeks leading up to his death he had become very agitated and withdrawn.When June asked him if he was okay he said he felt he was being followed by something. When June asked what he meant he went quiet. Days later June Her husband and Derek went swimming in the local lake. {Summertime heat} June was sitting on the shore as her husband and Derek swam and larked about. Suddenly Derek splashed about frantically and came bounding out the water exclaiming something had grabbed him an tried to pull him under. June stated he was almost hysterical and caused her and her husband a great deal of concern. When they got back to June's home the couple tried to calm Derek. When he eventually calmed down .he told them that the week before he had been walking near the lake and he felt he was being followed. He looked at them both sincerely and told them he had seen what he believed was a dark entity following him. fleeting behind trees. He told them he threw stones at it and ran. He was apparently terrified when reporting this.
A week later he hanged himself. Apparently he had been reported missing and a search had been launched. A Policeman found him hanging in a barn. The Policeman took sick leave and told a colleague, that if there was ever such thing as a Devil it was in that man the day he died. Is this a story of a psychotic episode or something else?June had me convinced it wasn't so straight forward.
 
Lizard King said:
Ok I won't wait for further prompting!It's a bit Stephen Kingish.
I have to muddy some of the details an s we know forums can be a small world.{relatives etc}
The story starts back in the late 70s early 80s when I was of Primary school age. There had been 3 suicides of young men in an area, my family used to visit on holiday.If I remember correctly, one man gassed himself, one hung himself and one walked into a busy roadway and shot himself.All young men, all in short space of time{not sure weeks or months, but same year)There is of course a known phenomena of copy cat suicides.It was a story which had little publicity and it was a rural area.But a story which always stayed in my memory.
Over the years I had heard more details of the young man who hanged himself but nothing of the other two young men.The story of the young man who hanged himself appeared straight forward. He was a schizophrenic who became unwell and killed himself.
This was a story which was acceptable and believable. However fast forward over the years and I was in a cafe in the village, as an adult I was discussing the story with a friend when the waitress {June}serving us,must have overheard and looked very uncomfortable. I had got to know the waitress over the years and knew her quite well. She was a no nonsense type women who could be described as having a hard life. The cafe was quiet and she asked if she could join us. She sat down and very warily began her story. I'll refer to the young man as Derek.

She told me that Derek and her husband had been best friends which led to her getting to know Derek really well. She was very certain from the outset that Derek had never been given the diagnosis of schizophrenia and was not depressed.She stated that like a lot of young men at that time had dabbled in drugs{pot and LSD}.The weeks leading up to his death he had become very agitated and withdrawn.When June asked him if he was okay he said he felt he was being followed by something. When June asked what he meant he went quiet. Days later June Her husband and Derek went swimming in the local lake. {Summertime heat} June was sitting on the shore as her husband and Derek swam and larked about. Suddenly Derek splashed about frantically and came bounding out the water exclaiming something had grabbed him an tried to pull him under. June stated he was almost hysterical and caused her and her husband a great deal of concern. When they got back to June's home the couple tried to calm Derek. When he eventually calmed down .he told them that the week before he had been walking near the lake and he felt he was being followed. He looked at them both sincerely and told them he had seen what he believed was a dark entity following him. fleeting behind trees. He told them he threw stones at it and ran. He was apparently terrified when reporting this.
A week later he hanged himself. Apparently he had been reported missing and a search had been launched. A Policeman found him hanging in a barn. The Policeman took sick leave and told a colleague, that if there was ever such thing as a Devil it was in that man the day he died. Is this a story of a psychotic episode or something else?June had me convinced it wasn't so straight forward.
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Sorry to hear about those people Lizard King, we had a very similar thing happen last year where I live and I was 'connected' to all three although I wouldn't go as far as to say close .. either drugs or alcohol or both were a factor in their lifestyles .. I may have already mentioned another chap in this thread, Christian Nash who was registered on this site and also lived near me who sadly died after his car went off a road into a tree on his way back from Rendlesham Forest. Christian was convinced (as are others still including Brenda Butler) that actual demons are in those woods and would speak to me at length about it. I'd tried to talk him out of going there alone anymore because of this as had Brenda, he'd show me photos of suggested demons and felt one had once travelled back with him to his flat, showing me a picture he'd taken in his back yard of a 'shape' sitting in one of his lawn chairs.

His surviving brother contacted me not longer via pm here to chat with me about his loss and obviously I won't be sharing that chat here out of respect. I assume Christian's brother found my comments here about Christian by googling his brother's name so please let's not speculate in this thread about why Christian died. Again, R.I.P. Christian X
 
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Swifty said:
Sorry to hear about those people Lizard King, we had a very similar thing happen last year where I live and I was 'connected' to all three although I wouldn't go as far as to say close .. either drugs or alcohol or both were a factor in their lifestyles .. I may have already mentioned another chap in this thread, Christian Nash who was registered on this site and also lived near me who sadly died after his car went off a road into a tree on his way back from Rendlesham Forest. Christian was convinced (as are others still including Brenda Butler) that actual demons are in those woods and would speak to me at length about it. I'd tried to talk him out of going there alone anymore because of this as had Brenda, he'd show me photos of suggested demons and felt one had once travelled back with him to his flat, showing me a picture he'd taken in his back yard of a 'shape' sitting in one of his lawn chairs.

His surviving brother contacted me not longer via pm here to chat with me about his loss and obviously I won't be sharing that chat here out of respect. I assume Christian's brother found my comments here about Christian by googling his brother's name so please let's not speculate in this thread about why Christian died. Again, R.I.P. Christian X
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Thanks Swifty and I'm sorry to hear that also. This story has other bits and pieces linked to that area of woods and lake. I won't name the area for fear of upsetting anyone. Another story linked to the woods involved two local guys hitching after a night at the pub.{early eighties) One of the guys was the local tough guy allegedly. I'll call them David and John. David was the tough guy. They set off to hitch, walking the road as they did so. The road side with the woods on. They became aware of noises in the woods what sounded as if someone was walking in them. David full of beer and convinced some local boys may have been following them for a scrap, shouted into the woods and challenged who it may be. The woods were pitch black as it was after 11 at night, possibly later. No one showed themselves so David ventured in. John waited not so bravely at the roadside. Next he heard David shouting for help, so he reluctantly ran in and said it looked like David was snagged on something and was trying to free himself. It was dark and John couldn't see what David was caught on. "Help me John something is pulling me" as soon as John grabbed David's hand he came free. They legged it out of there running down the road. Still no cars in sight.John said David was terrified and he had never seen his tough pal that way before, which shit him up even more.They kept running but heard no further noises. Unbelievably the first car to come along was a Police car. They flagged it down, Gabbling way to the Police and obviosly had been drinking, the Police thought it all nonsense. So they drove off and left the to walk. They never did get a lift and had to walk the nine miles home, terrified. Nothing more happened. This story was told to me by John who as far as I know, dont know the story of Derek in the last post.

There is another two incidents at that same stretch of woods involving a car and motorbike crash, that happened 20 odd years later which is also freaky but I wont post.
 
One explanation of 'creepy woods and unexplained crashes' is deer.

We have a LOT of deer around here. On the way up the lane to my house is a small copse, about 100 trees, and there have been two crashes on that corner (car into hedge/ditch) and one of my daughters has hit two deer in separate incidents in different cars.

Unfortunately deer run out of gateways, from between trees, across the road in front of a car and then off again, leaving no trace. The driver who has swerved to avoid this (quite frankly bloody enormous) 'thing' hits a tree or gate or post. If the crash is fatal, then nobody knows why they swerved, it's inexplicable.

Deer also can make the most incredible crashing about sounds in woodland. It's unnerving as hell in the dark, especially when they can also make no sound at all and just emerge in front of you.

Upshot is deer are bastards.
 
catseye said:
One explanation of 'creepy woods and unexplained crashes' is deer.

We have a LOT of deer around here. On the way up the lane to my house is a small copse, about 100 trees, and there have been two crashes on that corner (car into hedge/ditch) and one of my daughters has hit two deer in separate incidents in different cars.

Unfortunately deer run out of gateways, from between trees, across the road in front of a car and then off again, leaving no trace. The driver who has swerved to avoid this (quite frankly bloody enormous) 'thing' hits a tree or gate or post. If the crash is fatal, then nobody knows why they swerved, it's inexplicable.

Deer also can make the most incredible crashing about sounds in woodland. It's unnerving as hell in the dark, especially when they can also make no sound at all and just emerge in front of you.

Upshot is deer are bastards.
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Call it revenge for all the times we've killed and eaten them.
 
Mythopoeika said:
Call it revenge for all the times we've killed and eaten them.
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Not enough!

“The UK's deer population is believed to be at its highest level for 1,000 years, with some two million deer in our countryside and semi-urban areas.

There are thought to be some two million red, roe, fallow, sika, muntjac and Chinese water deer in Britain’s countryside and semi-urban areas, the highest level for 1,000 years.

Numbers may have doubled since 1999...”

https://www.countryfile.com/wildlife/deer-culling-in-britain-facts-and-statistics/

maximus otter
 
catseye said:
One explanation of 'creepy woods and unexplained crashes' is deer.
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Reminds me of how my old dear (haha) believes 'unexplained' crashes happen. It's bees and wasps. They fly into the car and buzz around distracting the driver who naturally hits a tree at speed. The stripy culprit then leaves unharmed.

I thought this a bit silly as drivers are generally not prone to panic at the sight of insects. If they are, they can just keep the windows closed.

However, a few years ago there was a TV drama based on this premise - a disastrous crash caused by insect-distraction - so maybe Mother was right after all.
 
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