Terror in Tennessee

My neighborhood consists of one street ending in a cul de sac. My home borders the edge of a heavily wooded area. This wooded area holds no fear for me whatsoever. I walk around and enjoy the seclusion and beautiful scenery.

Maybe about a year ago, at 4:00 AM, I was leaving for work with my briefcase, laptop and lunch, concentrating on not dropping anything. This is routine stuff here, and I've been doing it forever. Once I went outside, standing on the tall wrap-around porch, looking down on the flight of stairs that takes me to the driveway, I feel someone staring at me. It was the strongest most palatable sensation of it's kind I have ever had. Stopped dead in my tracks; I knew I was being watched. For no reason, my head turned towards the edge of the woods where obviously gut instinct was leading me. Hovering at the edge of the woods was a bright white formation tinged at its outer edges in blue; it was about four feet tall, maybe a foot wide. It illuminated the trees around it, the ground before it. It was not a perfect sphere, not a perfect shape of any kind, but a tall blob. I was terrified. Utterly frozen now, and scared out of my wits, it began to become thicker, coalescing into a form. It seemed to be collecting How long this lasted, I don't know, I was filled with dread and terror. My perception was that it was unnatural and conscious. All I know is this, it was taking a more human-like shape and it was not friendly. Finally, something broke free within me, and literally screaming like a madwoman, I ran down those stairs, into my car and out of the driveway, forcing myself not to look in its direction.

Why I didn't turn and run into the house with the door just at my back is beyond me! That is some strong (and stupid) work ethic.. to have run out into the night with that thing out there when I should have just gotten safely inside and woke up my husband! I wish someone else could have seen that thing. It was not gas, headlights, a prank....it was unnatural and it wanted me to see it.

Nothing of that nature has happened since. After it happened, I'd even watch the woods as I left the house, wondering if it was out there. I was kind of ticked off at myself for being such a chicken. Time passed and it was something I really didn't think about. That has changed in the last few days. I am suddenly afraid as I walk out the door and refuse to look in the direction I saw the apparition. I get this gut-wrenching feeling. I do not know if it is just paranoia, which is possible, or since I really stopped thinking about it at all, and now suddenly I'm afraid, is this is some kind of warning? What really is terrible about the whole thing is what if it was not a negative force/entity/whatever and that was just my own fears and ignorance that caused my reaction? I don't know if I could stop myself from screaming and running away, even if I wanted to. If it were positive and loving and all that stuff, you would think I would be bathed in a feeling of peace when it appears, but I felt quite the opposite feeling.

Submitted February, 2005
Edited by Brendan Keenan