The term ghost story in current times has become a catch-all, and understandably so, but there are things in the paranormal world that defy simple classification. For those with more than a passing interest in spectral subjects, there are somewhat definable categories, classical haunting, residual haunting, poltergeist-activity, etc. Sometimes however, there are others, one offers, for lack of a better term. These are seemingly random, and somewhat “nonsensical” occurrences. The following is such an encounter.
We were visiting our family cemetery, my father and I. This was a fairly regular thing, usually once every couple of weeks or so. On this particular occasion, I had decided to walk the ridge and do some none serious squirrel-hunting, none serious in that it was the middle of the day, and just more-or-less just a reason to take a short hike.
The entire trip, along the ridge, down to our grandpa’s old place would be maybe a mile, mile and a half.
About 15-20 minutes in, I was walking along the trail that ran along the ridge line, puffing away on my cigarette when I heard what I took for two children excitedly talking back and forth to each other, and what sounded like a pig snorting and grunting coming from down the hill to my right.
I thought perhaps some children were chasing a farm escapee, a pet or the like. I walked back on the trail a few yards thinking I would cut it off and head it back towards them. When I got back to where I had a clear view down that side of the hill there was nothing there. No sound, no bird sound, no movement, not even a leaf of a tree was moving. I stood there perplexed for several minutes, looking and listening, but there was nothing. Not knowing what to think, I chalked it up to “oh well” and started back on my original path.
I hadn’t taken a dozen steps when right behind me there was the sound of thundering footfalls, or that’s the best way I can describe it. It was so forceful I could feel the vibration of the ground move up through my legs, all the way up my spine. If anyone has ever been close to a galloping horse or large animal, that’s what it felt like. There was also a growling-bellowing sound, like one may expect from a really pissed off something. I spun around and fired my shotgun empty, expecting to be trampled by, I didn’t know what, but there was nothing there. I shot into thin air. I then turned and took off as if Satan himself were hot on my heels, reloading as I went.
After running till I just couldn’t anymore, I slowing walked along calming down bit by bit, and tried to rationalize what had just happened, but I could not then, nor can I now. I did get the distinct feeling that I had just been the victim of a not so funny (for me anyway) prank.
Appalachian Paranormal Experiences 