Granddaughter reports two black figures at a friend's house
A caller the host identifies as [quote withheld] says her adopted 10-year-old granddaughter went to a friend's house for a sleepover. The next morning the girl called, demanding to be picked up. She later described two black figures in that house, something breathing in her ear, being pulled by the ankle, and a presence behind the shower curtain. The grandmother says she herself saw nothing. She telephoned the friend, who “completely fell apart,” and the girl stayed frightened for months. The story ends with the girl sleeping beside the grandmother's bed and a change of shower curtain.
This clip comes from the source recording. AI chose where it starts and ends, so it may start or end a little early or late. The word-for-word transcript is not published. You can hear the source recording on the Internet Archive (file “Ghost to Ghost 2013.mp3”, starting at 2:24:33). Is this you, or someone you know? Ask for a correction or removal.
The story as told
The caller, introduced by the host as “marty in california,” says she adopted three grandchildren. Her 10-year-old granddaughter went to a friend's house to spend the night, having been there [quote withheld] The girl rang the next morning, reportedly not a child who gets excited, insisting the grandmother [quote withheld] The grandmother drove over and picked her up, and at first the girl said nothing was wrong. That evening the girl asked to speak to her alone. Then, according to the caller, she [quote withheld] She said there were [quote withheld] that were “real bad.” The granddaughter described something [quote withheld] while she slept, then being [quote withheld] and held “by my ankle.” She also described seeing something [quote withheld] and running out without drying off. The girl also said it was [quote withheld] the household having “a little baby.” The grandmother made her a bed next to her own. The next morning she called her friend, had the granddaughter repeat the story, and the friend “completely fell apart.” Driving the friend (and her baby) home, the grandmother reports, the girl began kicking the seat and screaming that [quote withheld] of a “two-story” house. Asked whether she saw anything, the grandmother says [quote withheld] The girl, she says, was [quote withheld] slept beside her bed, and [quote withheld]
Reported events, in order
- 0:10
The granddaughter goes to a friend's house for a sleepover, having been there before.
- 0:52
The girl calls the next morning, insisting the grandmother come and get her immediately.
- 1:07
The grandmother collects her. The girl at first says nothing is wrong.
- 1:45
That evening the girl asks to speak alone and breaks down crying and shaking.
- 1:53
She says there are two black figures in the friend's house that are “real bad.”
- 2:04
She describes something breathing in her ear as she slept.
- 2:11
She says something pulled her across the carpet by the ankle.
- 2:23
She reports something on the other side of the shower curtain and says she ran out without drying off.
- 2:37
She says the figures were [quote withheld]
- 2:43
The grandmother makes the girl a bed next to her own.
- 3:04
The friend comes over, the girl repeats the story, and the friend “completely fell apart.”
- 4:08
Driving the friend home, the girl screams that [quote withheld]
- 4:24
The grandmother says she saw nothing herself.
- 4:38
The girl is hysterical for days and takes months to sleep in her own room again.
Claims
Each claim is labeled as something the person telling the story noticed (observation), what they made of it (interpretation), something others told them (hearsay), or something the host said (host statement).
- observation· 1:53
The granddaughter said there were two black figures in the friend's house.
- observation· 1:57
The girl said the figures were “real bad.”
- observation· 2:04
The girl said something was breathing in her ear while she slept.
- observation· 2:11
The girl said something pulled her across the carpet by the ankle.
- observation· 2:23
The girl said something was on the other side of the shower curtain.
- observation· 2:37
The girl said the figures were [quote withheld]
- observation· 3:04
The girl reportedly repeated the story to the friend: [quote withheld]
- observation· 4:08
In the car the girl screamed that [quote withheld]
- observation· 4:24
The grandmother says she herself saw nothing.
- interpretation· 3:51
The grandmother advises the friend not to keep the baby from the figures in case it makes “whatever it is” angry.
- host statement· 5:11
The host suggests the behavior might be interpreted as play.
Scores, with reasons
An AI model gave these scores using a fixed set of scoring rules (scoring-v1). They are editorial judgments and rough guides, not the odds that anything paranormal happened. How scoring works.
This is a close-family secondhand story (a grandmother reporting the child) with concrete detail and a coherent sequence. But the caller saw nothing herself, and easy ordinary explanations (a child's sleep experience, fear, anticipation) fit much of it. Capped at 60 as secondhand.
Evidence for and against
- Concrete details: a 10-year-old granddaughter, a friend's house, a next-morning phone call.
- A coherent sequence of reported events with specific sensations (breathing, ankle, shower curtain).
- The caller makes clear that she herself saw nothing.
- All perceptions come through a child and are reported secondhand.
- The caller repeatedly defers to the girl's story rather than describing anything herself.
- No detail that could be checked is offered beyond the general location.
- Who is speaking around [quote withheld] is uncertain (both lines).
- No date or year is stated for the events.
- 1:53
- 4:24
What the model inferred (not said on air): Scored as a clear but secondhand family story with moderate specificity. Alternative explanations fit readily, which lowers believability as what the caller says.
The story rests entirely on the caller's report of the child's statements. No physical evidence, documentation, or second witness on air is offered.
Evidence for and against
- Specific claimed content (two black figures, ankle, shower curtain, bathroom window).
- No photograph, recording, or record is mentioned.
- The only person who perceived anything is a child who does not speak on air.
- The grandmother saw nothing.
- No verifiable names, dates, or addresses are given.
- 4:24
- 3:04
What the model inferred (not said on air): Testimony resting on word alone, with no checkable support, so it is scored in the bottom range.
The story centers on a frightened child, intrusion into a bedroom and bathroom, physical contact (pulled by the ankle), a claimed “real bad” presence, and fear lasting months.
Evidence for and against
- The child [quote withheld]
- Physical contact: pulled across the carpet by the ankle.
- A long aftermath: [quote withheld] a see-through shower curtain, months to return to her own room.
- The figures are also described as “playing” with the baby rather than harming anyone.
- The caller's own fear is described, but the story ends without a final confrontation.
- Much of the effect depends on the child's reactions as reported secondhand.
- 3:04
- 4:44
What the model inferred (not said on air): Escalation, a frightened child, and a months-long aftermath raise the score. The “playing” detail lowers it slightly.
Familiar elements (black figures, a child witness, bedroom, bathroom) are combined with the distinctive claim that the figures were [quote withheld]
Evidence for and against
- An unusual detail: figures “playing” with a household baby.
- A combination of a child witness and physical pulling.
- Two black figures and a child witness are stock ghost-story elements.
- The originality score compared with the rest of the archive is provisional, with few stories to compare.
- 2:37
What the model inferred (not said on air): A familiar frame plus one distinctive detail places it near the middle of the originality scale.
Scoring confidence 0.70 · analysis confidence 0.72 · checked against outside sources: no · evidence available: The caller's secondhand story of the granddaughter's account; No physical evidence or documentation presented. The originality score blends the model's score (55) with how rare the story's details are across the archive. This method is still provisional.
Ordinary explanations to consider
These are possibilities only. None is a finding about what happened.
- A child's experience during sleep (a nightmare, dream imagery while falling asleep, or a sleep-paralysis-type sensation) could account for the breathing in the ear and being pulled by the ankle while in bed. · The girl described these sensations as happening [quote withheld] and involving being [quote withheld] and held “by my ankle.”
- The shower-curtain and bathroom-window perceptions could reflect a child's heightened fear and expectation in an unfamiliar house, rather than a figure outside her mind. · The girl reported [quote withheld] and later [quote withheld] with the grandmother confirming [quote withheld]
- The car episode may reflect the girl's anticipation and the charged atmosphere after the earlier story and the friend's distress. · The girl began [quote withheld] and screaming immediately after the friend got out of the car with her baby.
What stands out
The distinctive element is the girl's report that the figures were “playing with” the household's baby rather than threatening it, combined with her prolonged fear and the grandmother's practical response of buying a see-through shower curtain.
Related stories
Matched by shared recurring details, categories, and wording.