In a field so wrought with the paranormal there’s generally always a steady supply of information that appears too shocking and bizarre to consider anything more than a case of mistaken identity or the overactive imaginations of witnesses. But there is an element to some obscure cases of the paranormal that seems to lend credence to their stories. And if the fact that so many people are independently reporting such a strange and obscure entity isn’t enough to convince, it is definitely enough to warrant an investigation. Such is the case with the mysterious “stick men.”
A stick figure is something you draw on a piece of paper to represent a human. It is the most basic image that is generally universally recognizable. Though they are often referred to as men they are often considered male. But what if the stick figure you were seeing was not drawn on a piece of paper or a sign? What if the spindly long armed figure you observed was actually standing on a street corner or in a dark alley? And what if the figure took notice of the fact that it was being observed and began walking toward you? After retreating, what would you tell others?
Such is the case with several stories that have made the rounds in contemporary times throughout message boards, chat rooms, and emails. Unlike a typical urban legend, the tale hasn’t attached any central story to it, but rather seems to center around the phenomenon itself. Is this a case of mass mistaken identity? Or is there something strange walking around out there?
The figures are said to not make any sound, although occasionally they are associated with a dull humming ambient noise that follows them around and grows louder as the figures approach. They don’t have entirely spherical heads, but their most recognizable feature would have to be their impossibly thin bodies and arms. Their spindly limbs are generally jointed in the same places as human limbs, but occasionally they seem to wiggle or move as though made of rubber. Though they bear many characteristics in common with shadow people, the creatures seem to have entirely mysterious intentions. In my search for interactions between humans and stick men I couldn’t find any credible sources suggesting what their intentions are when interacting with people, although there was generally a strong feeling of vague malevolence around them.
So what could these figures be that are reported so often fading into the landscape as passersby occasionally notice them? Is it possible they are some form of manifestation of ghosts? And if these figures truly are more than a spooky story, what are they doing here? As is the case with so many paranormal stories, there is a theory about the subject suggesting that some of the figures are present far more than they are actually observed, but can only be seen under the right conditions. As the stories are still relatively new and uncommon, further reading on the subject is somewhat limited.
