Threats from within our own houses or natural disasters can put us in danger at any time. This article’s stories tell of actual people who bravely faced situations that may have harmed them. Even though these experiences were extremely terrifying, they imparted important lessons about the value of cherishing life.

Story 1:
I had a two in the morning grocery shop run. The second man, who was standing next to the cashier, was maintaining eye contact. I quickly paid and walked out.
I heard footsteps on my walk home, and when I turned around, I saw it was that man. “Why so fast, miss?” he exclaimed. Even with my haste, he remained behind me. Abruptly, I heard someone scream. As I turned around, I was startled to see that the cashier was holding the man’s hand and making him stop. Fearing for his life, the man fled.
After making sure I was okay, the cashier revealed to me the terrifying news that this same guy had followed and robbed another women in the middle of the night. He knew he had to intervene as soon as he saw him in the store. After learning that valuable lesson, I never again ventured out alone at night, not even for a fast trip to the convenience store.

Story 2:
I spotted an alligator close when I was unwinding in a lake. About fifteen meters away, it lifted its head over the water without pursuing me. My heart began to race. Never in my life have I had a greater fear, but I was able to leave the water swiftly and covertly. © Reddit / Purrrple Pepper

Story 3:
Every night when Mom was a little girl, she could see what appeared to be a head silhouette peering through her bedroom window. The more days went by, the more terrified she became.
She plucked up the confidence to find out what it was one evening. She sprung up and ran across the room to turn on the light as fast as she could. The shadow abruptly moved and fled as soon as she saw the light, and it was never seen again.

Story 4:
As I was shooting a long exposure photo of Olympic National Park’s night sky, I heard movement to my right. When I turned my light toward the commotion once the photo was finished (priorities), I noticed two lit eyes staring back at me. I never stayed long enough to see what they were connected to. © Reddit/thehangryhippo

Story 5:

Image for illustrative purpose only.
On Craigslist, a free mini fridge was being given away. It was deep in dense forests and deserted when I arrived by car. A hand closed the drapes as I pulled up, adding to my already uneasy feeling. An arrow pointed to a sign that read, “Go around back.” I decided not to bother; I didn’t really need a secondhand tiny fridge. © Reddit/memeromemes

Story 6:
While hiking, I heard something LOUD from behind me and first thought it was a bear. When I turned back, I witnessed a huge tree toppling over onto the path. It truly frightened me since it was so strange. © Reddit/pajamamontana

Story 7:
One night in the cabin, I had my window open (with a wood box outside containing firewood), and at around three in the morning, a mountain lion was sitting there, staring at me through the screen from about two feet away, and screaming. You’ll wake up from that, I promise. It is known to those who have heard it. © Unidentified writer/Reddit

Story 8:
While camping on the Appalachian Trail, my friend and I heard a real pack of dogs howling and barking. They were drawing nearer. My friend and I, who were maybe eighteen at the time, were freaking out as they got closer.
It out that a farmer close by had misplaced one of his farm dogs and had let the others go out to assist in finding it. It made us frightened. © Unidentified writer/Reddit

Story 9:
It didn’t feel good to me when I observed this pair in a van just kind of lingering about at night when I was driving through the bank’s ATM lane alone. He jumped out of the van and proceeded to approach me as soon as I came up to the ATM. They were slowly pulling up behind me. I took out my ATM card and left without saying anything. © Reddit / StarfishSt***er

Story 10:
Once, I had a breathing problem so severe that I had trouble talking to the 911 operator. I only hoped that she understood me as I stood in my driveway, leaning against a tree, holding my wallet in my hand. I managed to hang on as long as I could until the sirens approached, at which point my vision turned completely dark. In the ICU, ten days later, I woke up. © Reddit / mpenxa

Story 11:
My automobile misjudged a bend on an oil-slick mountain road on a rainy, gloomy day, and flew over the guardrail. Luckily, the engine got stuck on a shattered tree stump, preventing me from falling off the cliff. © Reddit / WordAffectionate3251

Story 12:

Image for illustrative purpose only.
I felt something touch my foot when I opened my grandfather’s barn when I was around twelve. Instead of a baling wire, as I had assumed, it was a rattlesnake. It didn’t penetrate the leather to reach my foot; instead, it left venom around the top of my boot. © Reddit / Schmed_lap

Story 13:
A few years ago, when my coworker was making cupcakes for an event at work, I was walking her dog. Walking, taking in the weather, and savoring the sweets were all going quite well. It was getting close to dusk, but since I was an athletic man with a large dog living in a decent neighborhood, I wasn’t too worried.
But then I came to a path that went through a park and went for thirty meters, all of which were covered in trees, leaving the path completely dark. A streetlight on the other side of this section provided the only illumination. Alright, kind of creepy.
That’s when I saw someone approaching me on the path. A slow, lumbering shape approached me, resembling a zombie. It only took a few seconds to glance at that and quickly say, “Hell no!” before I retraced my steps and headed back to cupcakes and suburbia. © reddit/pass_the_zza_brah

Story 14:
There were only a few other campers when my family and I went camping in a distant location. My brother exited the tent when he was around five years old. He was moving like a sleepwalker. It’s a blessing we caught him before he succumbed to hypothermia, went completely missing, or tumbled down a hill. © Reddit/TraumaMama11

Story 15:

Image for illustrative purpose only.
While out late one night, my friend and I made the decision to stop at the grocery store on our way to her house so I could drop her off. I approached the door while she remained inside the car. The person who went in front of me shut the door on me, met my gaze, and simply shook his head “no” while keeping the door shut. I gave him a long look before turning my attention back to the car.
I informed her what had happened, and we hurriedly departed, never really knowing if he had plundered the property or not. © Reddit/Indigo333