My ‘Ghost’ Story

During this time of year, a lot of us will sit around and share our "ghost' stories. The age old tradition of trying to freak each other out will not be lost before this year's Halloween. Let's share our scary stories and get ready for a fright. 

There is rarely a shortage of tales that may be tall but are definitely terrifying. It seems everyone I meet has, at the very least, one ghoulish account of something going bump in the night. So, let's all pretend we are sitting around the campfire trying to scare each other with our best scary story.

I am, personally, not a believer in those "of another world". But, I love to hear and re-tell narratives of horror. Through the years I have heard some woppers of wailing spirits. Anything sinister, menacing, spooky, or eerie is a joy to let raise the hair on my arms and bring the goosebumps. Yet, none of them seem real to me.

Even my own tale of terror seems to have a reasonable explanation. But, let's see what you think.

I lived out in the country not too long ago with a large pasture behind my house. I took my dog on long walks in this pasture everyday. I had spent time on this land since a young age, so I never thought of it every being a scary place. Then, one day I had an experience that gave the woods of that pasture a bit of a darker and gloomy look.

Walking through the woods heading back to my house from my dog and my long walk, I noticed that my dog had fallen behind me on the path. I took a quick look behind me to check on him. Mid-look around, I saw something out of place. In that split second's glance, I saw what looked like a dead body lying on the ground.

This figure was all white and of no particular sex, but most definitely human. It appeared to be someone that had drowned. Their skin almost completely translucent. This let all of the veins show through, almost as if they were casting a blue glow under the pale skin. I did not see a face, but I was sure in that moment it was looking right at me.

I could think of nothing else to do but stand my ground and give this another look. I took my time to slowly turn my head again in the direction of this "thing" to make sure I saw what I thought I saw. At that very second, my dog frightens me as he runs right past me. But, this was the slap in the face to bring me back to reality. When I gazed at the spot where the body would have been laying, I saw nothing but a fallen tree.

I took a deep breath, continued to walk towards home, and told myself, "You need to get some more sleep."

That is the thing about this "ghost" story, I have always been able to find a rational reason behind what I have seen. Being tired or overly caffeinated. Being stressed and having my mind in a million places at once. Maybe, too many scary movies. The thing that gets me is that I can't forget what I saw. At least, not for forever.

See, it was not too long after the body in the woods left my mind.  continued on with life not thinking about the bloated and terrifying figure. Soon, it just never crossed my mind at all. Until one night, it returned.

I was going through a stressful time trying to care for a sick father, searching for a new car after mine had been totaled, and finding time for school and work. All of this is what I blame my next encounter with "bloaty" on.

I rushed home late one night to pick up something for my father who was, once again, in the hospital. I sat in the darken driveway speaking with my brother-in-law on the phone about the up coming car buying trip when I looked to my right to see the same white body lying in my yard.

Living out in the country, you have very little light once the sun goes down. Sometimes, this can make the most innocent of things has a ghoulish look to them. But, I was sure of what I was casting my eyes upon. It was the same dead body I had seen in the woods. My first thought was, "How did it make it all the way here?"

I hung up the phone with my brother-in-law because I had no more words and wasn't listening to him any more. All I could think about was, "Is this real?"

There in the darkness it began to crawl towards my house. It would lift one of its emaciated arms dramatically, slap it to the ground, and pull with great struggle up the hill of the yard. With every pull closer to the house, the porch light gave way to see more of this figure.

It was just like before. So white it was see through, a bloated belly as if it had drowned, and a face that did not seem like a real face. There was something missing, something not right.

I sat in horror watching this thing slowly climb closer to my home and to me in the driveway. I called a friend to ask for help. She lived the closest to me than anyone else and I needed help. I left her a voicemail saying, "I have gone crazy. I am seeing that thing again at the house. I am freaking out." She let me know the next day that my voice mail to her sounded like, "KESSSHHHHH BUURRRR, help. KUUUURSHHH. Freaking out. HHHUUURSSSHHHK. *click*"

Obviously, I was on my own. I decided I would just sit and make myself watch this thing crawl because eventually my sane mind would chime in and tell me to calm down. Then, "bloaty" stopped. We both sat perfectly still for at least half a minute before it turned every so steadily to look in my direction.

That was it, nope, I was out of there. I grabbed the keys, threw the door open, and ran into my house as fast as I could. I didn't top running until I reached the back of the house. Paused. Then, after a few labored breaths, turned around to see if "bloaty" had made it inside with me. Of course it didn't.

I gathered what I needed for the hospital and more calmly, got ready to leave the house again. It wasn't until I got closer to the door, that I decided again not to take my chances. I would make a run for it again. I dashed to the car, where I had left the door wide open, and flew down the driveway again.

I did not see the "bloaty" thing ever again. And, I am sure I only saw it because of all that was going on at that time. I was temporarily insane from stress and lack of sleep. But, what if it was real? Could it be?

No, it couldn't. Could it?

Do you have a scary story? Have you had an experience with what you were sure was a ghost?

Let us know. I want to add more stories to my collection. It is the Halloween thing to do.