A Kapre in an Old Condominium in Manila

I'm renting an old condo unit in Manila near our school. The age of the building is evident with its peeled off paints on the walls. Rent is cheap so it was convenient for me, and there are security guards on post as well.
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One night, I stayed out late with a couple of my friends and went home at around 4 AM. During that time, the elevator was already turned off (as per management rules) so I had to take the stairs to my unit on the fifth floor.

​I was on the second floor and was about to reach the third floor when I realized I was back on the second floor again. I didn't think about it much because maybe I was just tired and sleepy at that time. But the same thing happened a week after in just about the same hour. Although this time, I noticed I went from the third floor and directly to the fourth floor (skipping the third floor).

Then, another creepy thing happened. My room is adjacent to an unoccupied unit so I can see that unit from my window. One night, at 12 AM, I saw the lights in the other unit turned on. I knew that there weren't any occupants there, but I didn't pay much attention to it, thinking it was just a glitch or something. However, I avoided looking out of the window in that direction, afraid that maybe someone or something might look back at me.

Read also: Multo or Aswang?

Studying at night (credit:Matt Kuhns)

The most frightening that happened to me in this unit was one night at exactly 3 AM. I was studying at this time when I heard someone crying outside. I just ignored it thinking that it's just my imagination, but the cry grew louder. I mustered my courage and peek at the peephole on my door. ​

​To my surprise, the lights were out. I hurried to the phone and called security in the lobby to check the lights on the fifth floor. I was shocked to hear the guard telling me that the lights are on as per the CCTV. I said it can't be on because I'm looking at it now, it is off. So another security guard went up to check. I put down the phone and continued my study.

After a few minutes, the security called. He said the lights are on and the other security guard is currently there checking the lights and nothing is wrong. Hearing this, I hurriedly looked at the door peephole and saw that the light was still off! How can this be? I told the guard on the phone that it is still off and I'm looking at it from my door's peephole now.

The guard told me to stay there and another guard on duty will come to my room and check. After a few minutes, he told me to open the door because the guard sent to me was already there outside my unit and knocking. I froze in fear at that time. I don't hear any knocking!

It was at this moment when I realized it was too quiet in my room. Normally, I would still hear the sounds of vehicles from outside.  I don't know what to do. Should I open the door? It seems that the guard is not even joking.

I decided not to open the door and went to my table to continue my study. That's when I realized something is really wrong. When I looked at my book, it was not the book I was studying! I am 100% sure I'm not reading Calculus at that time! Then I suddenly hear movements in the empty room adjacent to mine.

​It seems like people were having a party because I hear glasses tinkling, footsteps, and the sound of the television. However, I couldn't hear any voices. Even though I was curious, I didn't manage to look out of my window.

A few seconds later, I felt nauseous. I saw the room distorted as if it was turned into a bubble, inflating and deflating before my eyes. I couldn't move. I can't scream nor make a sound. I was very scared. Then I smelled a hint of tobacco in the air.

​The idea of the kapre quickly popped to my head. I didn't know why I suddenly thought of that, but my grandmother used to tell me about it. So that was why I usually smell cigar in the fire exit whenever I go there to throw garbage. I haven't seen any tenants smoking there as far as I know.

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Credit:RenzZero

With this bit of information about the hellish thing that is happening, I gathered my strength and managed to turn my shirt inside out! That's when the weird things stopped. I remembered what my grandmother told me, when you get lost in the forest, wear your shirt inside out so you can find your way back. I didn't know why I did it that night, but it sure worked!

Story shared by padre_salvi in Reddit.com (​21 Sep 2015)