*By: Midnight Marty, Chronicler of the Supernatural*
(South Carolina Lowcountry) –Hidden beneath the Spanish moss and ancient oaks of South Carolina’s coastal Lowcountry lurks a creature so terrifying, it has haunted the nightmares of generations. She is the Boo Hag, a sinister spirit of Gullah legend, a being without skin who slips into homes by night to steal the very breath from her unsuspecting victims.
Unlike ordinary ghosts, the Boo Hag doesn’t seek merely to frighten. She is a predator, and her prey is the living. When the sun sets and darkness cloaks the land, she rises from the swamps and marshes, creeping silently toward her victims. Donning the skin of her last victim as a disguise, she moves unseen among us, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Some say you can feel her approach by the prickling sensation at the back of your neck or the slight drop in temperature before she pounces.
Her method is chilling: the Boo Hag straddles her sleeping victims, drawing out their breath in a slow, agonizing process. The hapless sleeper may wake, feeling suffocated, their chest tight with fear, but they cannot scream, cannot move. The Hag feeds on fear as much as on breath itself. If the victim struggles too much or wakes before dawn, she slips away through cracks in the walls or windows, fleeing back to the safety of the swamp.
The Boo Hag’s power lies in her ability to hide in plain sight. By day, she wears the skin of her victims, blending into society. But by night, she sheds her disguise, revealing her true form: a skinless, red figure, her muscles and sinew glistening in the moonlight. Her eyes burn with a cold, malevolent hunger. Locals claim that once you’ve seen the Boo Hag in her natural state, you are forever cursed to live in fear of her return.
For centuries, the people of the Lowcountry have shared stories of encounters with the Boo Hag. One such story tells of a man who awoke in the dead of night, unable to move as the air was sucked from his lungs. His wife had recently passed away under mysterious circumstances, and now he knew the horrible truth—she had become the Boo Hag! Her glowing eyes stared down at him, her breath icy against his face as she drained the life from his body. Only the rising sun saved him, sending the Boo Hag fleeing into the shadows.
How can one protect themselves from such a horrifying creature? Gullah folklore offers a few methods. A broom placed by the door or a strainer hung on the wall can confuse the Boo Hag, who is compelled to count the bristles or holes before entering. Red brick dust sprinkled along windowsills and doorways can also repel her. However, the most important rule is simple: never speak of your encounter! Acknowledging the Boo Hag’s presence gives her power, ensuring she’ll return the following night to finish the job.
Skeptics dismiss the Boo Hag as a mere folktale, a ghost story whispered to frighten children. But for those who have experienced the terror of waking in the dead of night, feeling the weight of something unseen pressing down on their chest, it is no mere legend—it is a living nightmare.
So, dear reader, if you find yourself drifting off to sleep in the eerie silence of a Lowcountry night, take heed. Ensure your doors are locked and your windows sealed tight. And if you wake with a sense of suffocation, as though something unseen is stealing the very breath from your body, do not open your eyes.
The Boo Hag may be watching, waiting to claim her next victim.
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