~Not Mine. Taken from the クリーピーパスタ wiki~

We've all had those times, late at night. Maybe you're a little tired, and あなた turned off your lamp to help あなた relax, so it's just あなた and the dull glow of the screen. あなた hear a little noise behind あなた and jump. あなた turn around, and there's a jet-black silhouette of a man in the corner. But as your eyes focus, あなた realize it's only just your curtain. Damn cat was playing with it again, got it all twisted up. The house was just settling, and your mind jumped to a dark place. Nothing to be afraid of, not really.

That's pareidolia. It happens to everybody at some point, so あなた shrug it off and go on with your day.

But what if あなた don't? Is there a tiny, slim chance that you're getting a peek behind the veil of reality, just for a スプリット, 分割 second? There on the edge of your awareness, where shapes become ambiguous and the rational part of your brain thinks it isn't worth the effort ... maybe that's where the monsters live. So あなた start paying a little もっと見る attention. Maybe you're the kind that's afraid of missing out on something, even if that something wants to shove thumbtacks under your eyelids.

Maybe that's just me.

The days go by, and you've always got one little corner of your mind focused on that fuzzy line where vision ends. Nothing noteworthy happens for the longest time, and あなた start telling yourself what a silly idea this was. Monsters? Please. Just when あなた start to lay the idea to rest for good, it happens again. A dark shape, something less than a man but もっと見る than an animal. Two coal-red eyes that ooze hunger. Still, it's only a vague impression of evil. あなた whip your head around, your ハート, 心 hammering at your ears. Just the damn lamp.

Maybe your brain is just 表示中 あなた what あなた expect to be there, あなた reason. After all, the mind plays tricks to keep reality in line with expectations. Still, you're really interested now. Whatever this is has your attention, and you've never been able to let a thing rest once it piques your curiosity.

あなた become even もっと見る vigilant. In the back of your mind, あなた take stock of your peripheral vision. あなた try to push out further, expanding your vision beyond that impossible-to-place boundary between sight and darkness. You're dedicated to this crazy task now. For nearly three weeks straight あなた probe, but to no avail. The curtain isn't drawing back any further. あなた see nothing out of the ordinary, so あなた give it a rest, once and for all. It's silly to think there's some hidden place between realities, that of billions and billions of people you're the first to notice. あなた always wanted to be special, didn't you?

So あなた go back to the humdrum of daily routine. Maybe あなた were just bored. And then one night, you're back at the computer 読書 about some political snafu in the Middle-East. You're not really into it, but あなた couldn't be bothered to find something better to do, not right before bed. The room is dark. It's just like that first night, あなた muse. The creature colored like テレビ static standing at your shoulder nods slowly and wait that's not right.

あなた jump sideways, twisting as あなた fall. Nothing there, but nothing in its place either. No lamp, no curtain, no poster, nothing but air in that empty 宇宙 where it stood. あなた stare for a good while, rubbing the nasty bump on your head. Finally, あなた step to the キッチン to grab an ice pack from the freezer. Troubled thoughts twist at your brain. Two is a coincidence; three is a trend. You're hooked now. Maybe your mom always told あなた to quit while あなた were ahead.

Maybe that's just me.

You're beginning to see the pattern. Nothing happens when you're really paying attention. When you're waking up, in that time before your brain clicks on, when the sun is just rising? Sure. When your guard is down and you're halfway to daydreaming? Definitely. In those gaps where your critical mind gets childlike, that's where the cracks start to show. And weren't there monsters in your closet when あなた were little, before あなた knew better?

You're at the office the 次 day, typing away at your computer. Your brain disengages, and あなた think back to the night before. It still has あなた spooked. A thought zigs by, and you're reminded of those nights laying in ベッド when あなた were just スマック between awareness and dreaming: あなた could watch your body relax and your breathing even out. Kind of like walking the edge of a razorblade. So, god help you, あなた start practicing. It's kind of like meditation. あなた spend some time every morning and night lounging in bed, drinking in that feeling of being on the edge of wakefulness. あなた can feel it like an intuition, and あなた start recalling that body memory in the office while you're filling out your busywork.

One fine morning, you're doing your practice and a gaunt, lanky creature with skin the palest white and black holes where its eyes should be strolls past the opening of your cubicle - just to your right, plain as day. あなた nearly repeat the stunt with the chair again, but あなた manage to land square on your feet this time. あなた peek your head around the cubicle wall, and see the back of your coworker Craig as he walks away. He slows to a halt, looks over his shoulder, and gives あなた a wink before continuing on his way. あなた and Craig aren't that friendly, and あなた think あなた see a smirk on his face. But he was too quick for あなた to get a good look.

It's just your imagination, right?

... right?