Ashley Massis Class's tale of her daughter's monster "fears led to a startling discovery that reminds us never to dismiss a child's “vivid imagination” too quickly. The saga, shared by Ashley on TikTok under her handle @classashley, began innocuously enough with her eldest child began insisting there were monsters in her room.

We love the lore of East Tennessee, even the creepiest stories. From a soul stealer, to a river dweller, to a bloodthirsty witch, make a quick exploration of these three horrifying legends said to lurk in the Smoky Mountains —and be careful not to take a wrong turn! Are these stories merely folktales, or is an ancient evil haunting the Smokies?

The following written confession was submitted via email: …maybe we were all just being paranoid, but we all got a similar feeling that we were being watched. After about five minutes of walking through the dense woodland, one of my friends said that he had seen movement in the distance. He pointed forward, and to all our shock, there in plain sight, we laid eyes on the strangest, most obscure creature we had ever seen…

The following written confession was originally shared by Thought Catalog: This happened maybe 2 years ago. It was Fourth of July night, my fiancé and I had gone out with some friends to a small country town for their fireworks show. On the way back home, we were driving down country roads. It was dark and a little creepy being surrounded by cornfields…

The following written confession was submitted via email: Just listening to your recent reloaded episode about the rake and it got me thinking about a less than fun time in a large abandoned house in the middle of the Woods. Back in 2008-2009 when I was a senior in hs/freshman in college I heard about an abandoned mansion said to be a brothel from back in the day. Either way I found it with some friends set back off a dirt road on a hill back on the trees….

The following written confession was submitted via email: My Great Great Uncle was a Thomas Lipton Schooner Captain . . . Back then Plymouth Sound (UK) which is a natural harbour that can hold fleets of ships and British Navy was basically queued and full so he had to anchor for 24 hours at the River Yealm. And told his crew he would walk back via Connor's Cove through Wembury and see his family 24hrs early….

The following written confession was submitted via email: When I was 3 or 4 I was sleeping in the back bedroom of my grandmas trailer on the Oneida Rez in Wisconsin. I was in a toddler sized bed at the foot of my moms bed. I woke up and this little “devil” was sitting on my stomach just staring and smiling at me, his smile was like the Cheshire cats, really big that went up to his eyes. He was holding something….

The following written confession was shared via Reddit by CaliforniaSun19: My friend drove for a few years a while back. He told me he was driving a rig very late at night in Utah. Driving on a lesser used two lane highway. He said he remembers feeling very alert that night. So he noticed what appeared to be a figure manifesting up ahead on the dark road. Told me it wasn't on the road but just next to it. He then comes to a stop and grabs his heavy duty flashlight and points it at the figure….

The following written confession was shared via Reddit: It first happened when I was 4 years old. I had a very strange dream where I saw a very tall (around 6'5) creature. Its skin was pinkish brown, it had bulging eyes, a red round nose and triangular teeth in its wide mouth. The creature was smiling, and its smile reminds me of what people now call 'the uncanny valley', both sadistic and happy….

Happy Halloween Eve! The Friday before every Halloween is officially National Frankenstein Friday. On the last Friday of October, this creepy national day recognizes the horrifying but misunderstood Frankenstein monster, the troubled Dr. Victor Frankenstein, and the author of it all, Mary Shelley. For this month’s extended Creature Feature Friday, here are 10 facts and details about the enduring horror tale of Frankenstein!

The following written confession was submitted via email: This happened almost like 12 years ago I was 10 I believe and my brother was 7, it was a Saturday and my parents had gone to the grocery store so it was just me and him and some of my uncles were outside . I was just in my room when he starts screaming….

It’s the holiday edition of Creature Feature Friday, featuring the merry and bright KRAMPUS! Hailing from Germanic and Austrian folklore, Krampus is a half-man, half-goat demon with a penchant for punishment. While St. Nick brings the gifts to good girls and boys, Krampus brings the pain and damnation to the naughty ones. Who wouldn’t want that guy at their holiday party?!

It seems like there’s a special day for everything, and November 20 is no different - it’s National Absurdity Day! This odd calendar event is a day when weirdness takes over and high strangeness is celebrated in all its absurd glory. And what could be more absurd than a mountain whale that eats tourists? Or a giant moose that trips over its own lips? In observance of National Absurdity Day, we’re taking a look at 9 accounts of the most absurd cryptid legends we’ve ever heard!