I’m not crazy. I just occasionally see and hear things that don’t exist.

Before someone calls the psych ward, let me explain how this works. I see faces in nearly everything I look at and I hear voices all the time, especially in my sleep. At first I thought they were just nightmares or dreams, but then they became more realistic and I would wake up wondering who touched me or spoken my name.

It started when I was ten. My mom would call my name, and like any other kid I ignored her, but eventually the call became louder and louder. Out of pure irritation, I finally responded, but each time my mom replied with, “I didn’t call your name.” It’s weirder now. On several occasions I have seen figures that looked like people I know, but when I move to walk towards them, they disappear.

When I moved into my house four years ago, I started to see shapes and figures when I closed my eyes to sleep. It never bothered me because it helped me drift into a deeper sleep. Then one day, after seeing a trailer for the movie It, Pennywise appeared when I closed my eyes to sleep.

I could see him as clearly as anyone who watched the movie. I saw his red hair and creepy smile, and terror overtook my body. I stayed awake half the night with the lights on because nothing made sense, it felt like he was right there watching over my body. After that, anything I saw or anything my mind wanted me to see appeared whenever I slept.

It’s not always scary things. Sometimes my mind creates places in my head; not dreams necessarily, but different realities. Realities that seemed so intense that I would wake up confused as to where I was or who I was with.

To this day, voices and figures come back, especially when I’m mad or sad or just bored. They come when they want to and I listen to what they say. But I don’t talk to them. I mean I don’t even know if they exist.

So yeah, maybe I do see dead people. And by the way, your grandma says hi.