10 Real-Life Mysteries that Blur the Line Between Fact and Fantasy

Some real-life stories are so bizarre, they sound made up. And sometimes, reality outdoes even the wildest fiction. In this article, we’ve gathered 10 extraordinary tales—some explained, others still shrouded in mystery. Each one challenges our understanding of what’s possible and reminds us just how bizarre the real world can be.

• A few days before my son’s birth, an old man stood at my door and handed me a wooden box. He said, “Open it after the delivery!” The birth went smoothly, but soon after, I saw a strange detail on the baby’s wrist—a small, intricate spiral intertwined with jagged lines, like an ancient symbol. The doctor assured me it was just a harmless birthmark. When I got home, I rushed to open the box. I froze in shock—Inside was a yellowed piece of paper. Drawn in ink on it was the exact same mark as the one on my son’s wrist. A chill ran through me. How could that stranger have known?
  

• One evening when camping, my brother caught a fish that we decided to keep alive in the cooler for some reason. Well, the next morning we ran out to see the fish and it had grown like 5 inches! We were so excited and didn’t know how the fish grew that much overnight! Last year we brought it up and my dad said that he had got up that morning and seen the fish being taken by a raccoon and that he spent the next hour or so frantically fishing for another one. He said he caught the new fish (the first one he was able to catch) just a few minutes before we got up. I had never questioned that the fish had grown that much as I grew up, but after hearing what really happened, I did feel like we probably should have wondered about that more. © MorningStar_16 / Reddit

• My girlfriend at the time (late 90’s) had her grandfather pass away. I was on the other side of the country and never met her grandparents. I was walking and talking with a friend when I stopped and knew something was wrong, but not exactly what. He even saw the look on my face and asked me what was wrong. A conversation later and I stated the time her grandfather passed.
  © 1hero_no_cape / Reddit

• I never met my father-in-law because he passed away when my wife was only 10. She says he used to play “Brown Eyed Girl” and dance in the kitchen with her when she was little. The song means a lot to her and her mom. When my first daughter was born, that was the song that came on the radio the first time my mother-in-law met the baby. For our second daughter, it played on the hospital speakers right after she was born. © Unknown Author / Reddit

• I had this thing where I would intermittently lose my sight. It started so gradually, I wasn’t really aware of it; I would just see a whole lot of stars for a little while every now and then. It eventually got worse, and it wasn’t until it was happening around every 5 minutes and lasting around half a minute that I realized I was going blind for those moments. It turns out I had a brain tumor that went undiagnosed for 16 years. I often think about what might have happened if I had realized the signs in my life for what they were instead of just thinking it was all normal. © deasphodel / Reddit

• My mom had me picking potatoes one day. It was a hugely arduous task. I filled one basket, went to fill the other, and found it already filled. It was just me; my sister was feeding animals, and my mom and dad were at work. © jessdb19 / Reddit

• When I was 14, my parents were having renovations done to our house. The construction company ran over schedule, so they put us up in a hotel for a few weeks. One night, the five of us (myself, my parents, and two siblings) went down to the hotel’s pool and stayed until it closed at 9 pm. We then went to the elevator, and us kids argued over who got to push the button to the fourth floor, where our room was. Next thing we knew, the elevator doors opened on the seventh floor, and nearly half an hour had passed since we entered the elevator. © SilentGatesofSleep / Reddit

• I had to go see a counselor a lot as a kid, but I had no clue why at the time. I didn’t make the connection until I was older, but I was receiving counseling because I was suffering from PTSD caused by a deadly car crash I was involved in when I was around 4–5 years old. © Venome456 / Reddit

• I saw my doppelgänger while driving in a parking lot. We passed each other going super-slow and made eye contact. We both started laughing and then continued. My wife was sitting in the passenger seat and saw him as well. It was super weird, and fun for whatever reason. We still talk about it 10 years later. I regret not stopping and finding the guy to take a photo together. © stephen1547 / Reddit

• One evening, I was getting out of a Rotterdam subway to go to my apartment nearby when I saw an old friend—one I hadn’t seen in person for a few years—heading into the subway. I called out his name, he turned, waved, and made this “Call me” gesture; then the doors closed, and the subway rode off. 30 seconds later, my phone rang. It was my friend, who told me he had just seen me get into the (normal) train he used to get home from the bar. Apparently, I had grinned, waved, gestured “Call me!”, the doors shut, and the train drove off. I lived in Rotterdam. He lived in Enschede. That’s just over 200 km apart. © I_Am_Anjelen / Reddit

Job interviews don’t always go according to plan—some go off without a hitch, while others take wild, hilarious, or downright shocking detours. In this link, we’re sharing 10 true stories of interviews that took unexpected turns you won’t soon forget.