An Interesting Evening

I would like to relate to you a strange series of events that occurred to me last Saturday morning at approximately 4:00 am. Let me preface this by stating that the home I live in, and have lived in for the past 16 years, is almost 150 years old. Every member of my immediate family and a few visitors to my home have had paranormal experiences in it. I was a skeptic before moving here and for a long while I denied that what my wife and children were experiencing was anything paranormal. Then I had a few experiences of my own that changed my way of looking at things. I have to say that even though some of the experiences result in jump-scares, none of us has ever felt threatened or negative about any of the experiences (with one exception that I won’t go into here). Lastly, a couple of years ago while we were doing some renovations in the house, my wife had a particularly trying day with doors opening and slamming shut, etc.. She screamed at whatever was doing this and the activity has all but completely abated since that time. In fact the only experiences I’ve had since then are when my wife is not home (she works the evening shift at a local hospital).

Having said all of that, let me get to what occurred last weekend. I was sleeping in my bedroom on the first floor of my house. I was having an unmemorable dream when suddenly the dream completely shifted, without segue, into me lying on my side and someone or something creeping up beside me. As I was sleeping I was laying on my side as well and just as the thing in the dream was about to touch me I felt something touch my back in the non-dream world. It did not feel like a hand but a small object of some sort. It was not a painful jab, but a soft touch with something that felt rounded. I immediately woke up, spun around to see nothing there. My room is quite dark and having just awakened my eyes were not really focusing all that well. What I did see looked like a dim, white light that seemed smudged or out of focus. It moved from my right to my left for about a foot and then dissipated. I chalked it up to my old eyes just playing tricks on me.

I got up and went to the bathroom which is immediately beside my bedroom. Outside of the bathroom is window with an air conditioner in it. I’d just installed the window unit that day because it had been hot here in Massachusetts. It was on when I went into the bathroom. When I came out it was off. I thought it must be on a thermostat setting and went back into my bedroom. Just as I closed my door, the unit kicked on again. I opened the door to check. It was on. Thinking no more of it I went back to bed.

I’m not a good sleeper and when woken during the night it can take me some time to get back to sleep. As I was in the bed I was nearing the cusp of sleeping when I heard a bang. I thought to myself that it was just the heating system kicking in. Then I realized that I’d turned all the thermostats off earlier that day. I perked up and waited to see if there were more bangs and sure enough another came within a few minutes. It seemed to be coming from the bedroom directly above mine which serves as a guest room at this time.

So I got up and went up the backstairs to investigate. I don’t turn any lights on because I know the house very well and once I get full light in my eyes I know that I’ll be awake for another hour or two. So I enter the living room area on the second floor and the door to the room where I thought the banging was coming from stood ajar by about 8 inches. Just as I approached it, it slammed shut in my face, banging loudly. I immediately pushed the door open to find out what the heck was going on. As I looked in the room I could see the drapes blowing in the wind from the open windows. So I closed the door tight and headed back downstairs.

Being in my 50’s, I thought it might be a good idea to empty the bladder one more time before trying to get more sleep. I opened the bathroom door and walked toward the john when something hairy brushed against my leg. I jumped and nearly screamed. It took me only a moment to realize that it was my stupid dog. She must’ve got trapped in the bathroom when I went earlier. I shooed her out and did my business.

After, I went back to bed again and did some breathing exercises to try to relax. I couldn’t relax and I just couldn’t get rid of the sense that there was someone in the room with me. I actually said out loud something like, “Whoever the hell is in here with me, you’re not welcome. Get out.” Just as I did that and then went to lay back down I heard an audible exhale coming from near ground level (I have an old 4 poster bed that sits quite high off of the ground). I leapt from bed and searched the floor. Nothing. So I looked under the bed and there’s my stupid dog again. She must’ve snuck in after I kicked her out of the bathroom.

Anyway, for every odd thing that I experienced there is a completely rational explanation. I really don’t think there was a single paranormal thing about any of it. However, I couldn’t get back to sleep. The conjunction of this odd series of events left me with a disquieting feeling that someone or something was trying to screw with me or communicate with me. It’s been more than 3 days now and I still can’t kick the feeling.

Anyway, I thought my farcical episodes might give ATS a little respite from the endless political drum beating. Cheers.

a reply to: TobyFlenderson

(I have an old 4 poster bed that sits quite high off of the ground)

Anyone with a bed like that is asking for it.

Half your problems willl go away as soon as you throw a lowering kit on it...

😜

a reply to: TobyFlenderson

A much appreciated respite at that! Thank God, someone posted a worthwhile story that didn’t involve American politics!

Old houses come with noises for sure. That feeling you get could be diet or exercise, but when mixed with the poking and the misty apparition, you might actually have something. Ask your wife if she’s sensed anything, and what she does to make it stay away so well. Seen/sensed anything since?

Thanks much for this entry.