Urban legends have been around for centuries. They are embedded in our culture and have even been turned into cheesy teen horror flicks. But is there any truth to the matter?

The following stories are accounts based on true events, myth, legend or folklore that has been told for generations.

According to www.urbanlegends.com:

1. Appears mysteriously and spreads spontaneously in varying forms;

2. Contains elements of humor or horror (the horror often "punishes" someone who flouts society's conventions);

3. Makes good storytelling and does not have to be false, although most are. Urban legends often have a basis in fact; but it's their life after the fact that gives them particular interest.

RAZORS IN HALLOWEEN CANDY

In 2000, James Joseph Smith was charged with one count of adulterating a substance with intent to cause death, harm or illness after it was determined he'd put needles in Snickers bars and had been handing them out to children on Halloween. A 14-year-old boy was pricked by a needle hidden in a bar he'd bitten into, but no one required medical attention.

1982 was the year that things began to get out of hand. The "crazed madman tampering with kids' Halloween treats," was an established bogeyman for at least the prior fifteen years.

But it was in the aftermath of the 1982 Tylenol murders that there was a sudden spate of Halloween tamperings, the likes of which have never been seen either before or since. In that same brief moment in time, there were various random non-Halloween poisonings of both foodstuffs and medicines. It's as if the murder of those seven unfortunate people opened a forbidden door and others are free to experiment with playing God, to dispense either life or death as the whim strikes them.

THE BODY

Two students had driven to an isolated country road to make out. Afterward, the car wouldn't start. The girlfriend got spooked, so the boyfriend said he would walk for help, but suggested she first get down on the floor of the car in the back and put a blanket over her so no one looking in would see her. He also told her not to look, or get out of the car, no matter what she heard, until he returned. Then he walked off, leaving her hidden.

Hours went by and he didn't return. Some time later, there was a strange "tap-tap-tap" sound on top of the car. "Tap-tap-tap." Despite her growing panic, she didn't get out and remained huddled there, all night long, listening to the irregular tapping sounds.

Finally, the day grew light outside and she heard someone walking up to the car. A man's voice called out, "Is anyone in there?" It was the local sheriff. She peeked out and he told her to get out of the car and walk down the road to the waiting sheriff's car.

"Whatever you do, don't look back!" he said as she walked.

As she approached the sheriff's car, she she decided to look back at the last minute ÷ and saw her boyfriend's head impaled on the CB antenna, dripping blood onto the car.

THE MED STUDENT

A group of medical students were bored one day, so they tried to think of ways to liven things up. Eventually, one had the idea of "borrowing" a human foot from the dissecting laboratory and putting it in his girlfriend's bed as a joke. She was also a medical student staying at the same residence hall. The students obtained a human foot, went up to the girl's room and put it in her bed. They thought it would be fun to hear her reactions, so they hid around the corner and waited for her to come home.

The student who had the key realized that he had left it in the door. But before he could remove it, the girl came back and, not thinking, unlocked the door with the key that was in the lock, took it in with her and locked the door to her room on the other side.

A few moments later, they heard her screaming and crying out. They ran to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. They shouted to her that it was all right, but she continued screaming hysterically. They decided to break down the door, but, it took them a while, and they were relieved when the screaming subsided. Finally, when they broke in and turned on the lights, they were horrified at what they found.

The girl was sitting in the corner of the room with a glazed expression on her face, eating the human foot.

Source: www.snopes.com