Phantom Traveler

[Sarah]

Killer's Ghost
By Secret

I grew up in a very urban working class part of Philadelphia called Port Richmond. Mostly brick row houses, with narrow European-style streets. A fairly old part of the city.

When I was very young I experienced waking nightmares -- bizarre green and bluish neon colored hag faces floating near my bed, with mocking smiles on their faces. Once I even saw one staring down at me through a basement window -- I was definitely awake with lights on that time -- visiting my mother as she laundered in the basement. She saw nothing -- and the position of the window made a prank next to impossible.

As time went by there were weird loud banging’s on the wall -- my father attributed them to normal physical settling of the building or heater knockings, which seemed logical enough.

I often sensed disturbing presences in the house, and occasionally things like keys would disappear inexplicably, maddeningly, for hours, then turn up again atop dressers or in other highly visible places where I'd already searched. These things happened often when I was home alone (and virtually trapped because I didn't want to leave without my keys!)

In retrospect, I don't believe my brothers or parents experienced any of this, other than the banging noises.

By the age of fourteen I was a committed night person, always the last to bed. One June night, with no school the next day, I stayed up late and was downstairs around midnight watching The Tonight Show.

During a commercial break I hurried into the kitchen and filled a large glass with juice, which I deposited on top of my mother's opened ironing board (with five boys and no maid, she often left it up and ready) before dashing upstairs for a pee.

Returning, I was halfway down the stairs when I saw the juice glass tumble over quite sharply, as if knocked by an invisible hand. I paused for half-a-heartbeat, then rationalized that the fabric cover of the ironing board had probably absorbed moisture or coolness or something and had expanded -- somehow upending the heavy glass.

I hurried down to clean up the spill.

That done, I noticed my pet dog Killer (no joke -- he was part pit bull, which was not quite the notorious breed in the late 60s that it is today -- but he had all the traits) showing interest toward the kitchen.

Figuring he too needed a pee, I walked into the kitchen and opened the back door for him. Expecting him to hurry out like he normally would, I was surprised to hear him growling instead.

When I turned to look, he was hunched in the doorway from the living room, his hackles raised in his fiercest display, his teeth bared like a wolf's. But what rattled me the most were his eyes. They were yellow and shiny with fear -- and were riveted on the spot right next to me. He was growling at empty air! And growling as if he were challenging Satan himself!

Like a flash I ran past him but he passed me on the staircase going up. At the top of the stairs we both paused, caught our breath, looked at each other and then downstairs.

Now the spilled juice glass seemed a bit more significant.

After gathering my courage I ran downstairs and locked up. Thank God we had lights that I could shut off from upstairs, or I would undoubtedly have gotten in trouble for leaving them on all night.

I was in bed early for me that night, and Killer slept at my feet.

I've had several ghostly experiences in my life since then, in various places, including impossible-to-explain cigar smoke in a tiny apartment where an old man had spent his final years and the unmistakable crying of a cat in a house where a dead cat once lived, but the unseen visitor I shared with Killer that night was without a doubt the scariest. (I've grown braver since then, as well.)

Years later my youngest brother, the last of five to remain at home, killed himself in the same house, and my parents moved shortly afterward.

I often wonder if anything strange is happening there now. I also wonder about the history of the house... and if the oppressive presences I'd felt as a child may have contributed to my brother's premature demise. His death came without warning, and he was truly the cream of our family, on a major scholarship to U of P.

Believe it or not, the above story is true and unembellished. You can make of it what you may.
_________________
- You've been snived by Serenity’s evil-eh sister

[Crystena]

I love this story. It's really good. And dogs can sense entities that we cannot. So your dog more than likely saw a spirit. And it sounds like the spirit was trying to contact you by knocking your juice over. Especially seeing as how you were upstairs in the bathroom for at least 3-5 minutes and the entity could have easily knocked your glass over while you were gone, leaving you wondering what happened upon your return... however it waited until it knew you would see it. And examine it, and wonder what happened. I doubt it intended to hurt you, if it did, it would have done more than knocked your cup down. Did the glass break, or just spill? Thats important too. The glass just spilling would signify a nonviolent apparation, whereas the glass breaking as well, could be considered either good or manevolent.

Also, I am very sorry to hear about your brother. =(
_________________
-Crystena

[Sarah]

Opps. I forgot to mention that this one wasn't written by me. A Host at AOL let me have that story a bit back. It was about her life.
_________________
- You've been snived by Serenity’s evil-eh sister

[Wodahs]

That was a very interesting read, thanks for sharing it Sarah. Twas really sad about her brother though. =(

I also believe that animals can sense things we cannot (such as spirits), and if the dog was on edge I'm thinking it wasn't a good spirit...
_________________

Pink Imoen, not actually pink.
- You've been snived by Serenity's and Sarah's sister.

[Sarah]

Yeah I know. That was sad.

It's always been quite funny how animals can pick up on things and humans can't.

Iwent to a fortune teller once and the only thing she got right was that I was in a car accident. I've been in several as everyone else that drives has. So I never bought into humans talking with spirits. Tho I could be wrong. But there's a lot of proof I've seen on TV showing how these people muck with your mind more than anything else.
_________________
- You've been snived by Serenity’s evil-eh sister

[Wodahs]

Hmm, I think most people like that are scam artists, but maybe not all.
_________________

Pink Imoen, not actually pink.
- You've been snived by Serenity's and Sarah's sister.

[Sarah]

Maybe those who don't do it for money or to get on TV might be able to I'd guess. I've never in my life see anything that I would call a spirit. Tho I have heard my named called when no one else was around.
_________________
- You've been snived by Serenity’s evil-eh sister

[Wodahs]

That is a very good point. Neither have I... I think. Although when I was younger I used to see things a lot of the time, but that was probably nothing and it never happens anymore. That's freaky hearing your name when no one is there...
_________________

Pink Imoen, not actually pink.
- You've been snived by Serenity's and Sarah's sister.

[Sarah]

It might have been 'cos a younger mind is more open than when ya get older. It really scares me when I hear my name called like that. I run and hide under the covers like a kid when it happens. I should be use to it 'cos it's happened so much in my life. Even in different areas of the country.
_________________
- You've been snived by Serenity’s evil-eh sister

[Wodahs]

That might explain it. That is just so strange, but it would freak me out too.
_________________

Pink Imoen, not actually pink.
- You've been snived by Serenity's and Sarah's sister.