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Beware Of Dog

 

This occurred sometime in late summer or early fall in 1998. I was a senior in high school, and my two best friends were sisters; one was a year older than me, Jane; the other, Kat, a year younger. Jane had gone off to college, leaving us two younger girls to make our own fun. We lived in a very rural community with not much going on. The three of us were "different" from the FFA kids or athletes at school; we preferred art, music, vintage clothes, and anything weird we could get our hands on. This included the Ouija board.

The summer before Jane had left for college, the three of us did a lot - a LOT - of experimenting with the Ouija board. We thought we knew what we were doing - being respectful, always say goodbye, etc - however, this could not be further from the truth. This story doesn't directly involve the board, but I've always wondered if it has something to do with what Kat & I experienced one night.

When you're young, have a driver's license and live in a small town, you often take drives for fun (at least in the 90's we did). Kat & I would take my car, a '96 Nissan, to local cemeteries & talk for hours on occasion. We'd just sit in the car, listen to music & chat like proper weirdos, hanging out at the cemetery. One evening, after dark, we decided to make the 10-mile drive to a neighboring town's cemetery. This town is very much like our own hometown, but maybe an eighth of the size, about 200 people. The cemetery sits up on a hill about a mile out of town - the first turn off the highway, through a residential area, and around a bend which takes you up the hill. As soon as we hit the city limits around the corner, I slammed on my brakes to avoid hitting a dog sitting right in the middle of my lane. It was an older dog, probably a blue heeler, with cloudy eyes & grey around the muzzle. He got up & stiffly wandered to the side of the road to get out of our way. Kat & I continued up the road to our destination, another few minutes by car. We'd never been to this cemetery before, so we weren't sure what to expect. I pulled into the gravel parking lot & we were unimpressed - no lights anywhere, we were too uncomfortable to get out of the car. We exchanged a quick dialog like, "This sucks, let's go home", and before I could put my car into reverse we heard the most blood-curdling, vicious, LOUD barking & growling IN the car. Two brief, but very distinct, barks & snarling... Coming from what sounded like the back seat.

The windows were up, the music was off, and in our horror & shock - that WTH moment - quickly turned around to see if somehow the dog from down the road had magically jumped into the car. There was nothing there. I peeled out of the parking lot & headed down the hill, expecting to see a dog just outside of the cemetery grounds. Nope.

As we made our way down the hill, sure enough, the same dog we encountered on the way up was in the middle of the road. Again, I slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting him, and he wandered to the side of the road. Looking in the rearview, he went back to the same spot, almost like he was guarding something... Perhaps the cemetery? I'm not sure. We rounded the bend back into town & back to the highway towards home. Kat & I had no explanation for the sound - just that it sounded exactly like a very angry dog in the back seat for 3 seconds, maybe only 2. Was it a warning to just get out of there? Was the dog in the road an apparition of the snarls & barks we heard? Did we unleash something with the board, and it was angry we were just hanging around in cemeteries?

Whatever it was, it scared the bejeezus out of us... We never returned to that cemetery.

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The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, Cups, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
 
6 years ago (2018-08-08)
Augusta - isn't it fascinating?! Wow, that is crazy about your handwriting... This kind of stuff just blows my mind.

"Perhaps science, metaphysics and the spiritual realm are far more closely bound together and dependent upon one another than popular science would ever dare confess:) " I couldn't agree more! ❤
AugustaM (7 stories) (996 posts)
 
6 years ago (2018-08-08)
Wow! What a fascinating article! We covered *some* of this in my psych classes in college but never went that far into what might be deemed the metaphysical side of things. But I think it makes a great deal of sense not only in explaining the savant phenomenon but also many similar experiences of the "average" individual. Why, for example, my hand writing is almost identical to my grandmother's who passed before I could write. Simple little things like that, which aren't nearly so flashy nor jaw-dropping as a miraculous savant but just as compelling in their on quotidian way.

I think a phenomenon like this may well have had a hand in your experience as you said - it makes sense! Perhaps if scientists find the courage to trace their research further into realms once deemed metaphysical, they may find very solid scientific evidence of precisely that. Perhaps science, metaphysics and the spiritual realm are far more closely bound together and dependent upon one another than popular science would ever dare confess:)
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-06)
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-06)
Lady-glow - hi! Yes, I think the comments are often more interesting than my stories! I love you guys for that. ❤

I have never recounted that story to anyone else, therefore I never asked the locals about the possible source of the dog. To my knowledge, neither did Kat. We didn't want the townsfolk thinking we were even weirder than they thought! 😉
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-06)
AugustaM, here we are again with history! 😜 It does seem interesting to me, considering what I may have experienced was tied to my heritage... There is a similar study I recently read about the ancestral lobe, and how we are able to easily hone certain traits our ancient relatives may have possessed. I'm not articulating that very well - I will try to find the article again & share it. Pretty interesting stuff.

Really! That is so cool! A couple of years ago, I got sucked into Ancestory.com and of course paid for the subscription. I was pretty proud of myself to find records of my great-great grandparents' immigration, and a distant relative who had something like 25 children (!). When I relayed this information to my mom, she said, "Well duh, Grammy found all that stuff years ago..." There are still stacks & stacks of her research in storage, which I have yet to go through 😘 That may be a winter project this year!

Thanks for sharing! You always have such great information to pass along! ❤
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-06)
Rex-T - Very interesting! I love blue heelers - I didn't know they were also known as Australian Cattle Dogs, but it makes sense as there are quite a few in my region... We are big on cattle ranches & farming. I like your theory! It is sad to think about, but it would sure make a lot of sense. Thank you for the insight!
lady-glow (16 stories) (3149 posts)
 
6 years ago (2018-08-05)
Hi Cups.

Quite interesting experience and thread of comments.

Though you never went back to that cemetery, have you talked to any of the locals about your experience? Perhaps someone knows something about the dog.

Thanks for sharing.
AugustaM (7 stories) (996 posts)
+4
6 years ago (2018-08-05)
Wow! It is always so fascinating to discover unknown portions of your own family history! The Scandinavian connection really is a very interesting wrinkle!

I know I have mentioned "American Gods" on this forum enough to sound like an idiotic broken record but, begging the group's indulgence, it really is relevant! Granted, it is just a novel but the premise that immigrant peoples bring their beliefs and religions with them whereever they settle - not only in their hearts and minds but inadvertently, perhaps, in a material sense (as material as the paranormal can be) - seems to make such profound sense the more I read of different individuals' experiences. Of course if, for example, a German immigrant in Pennsylvania well versed in the traditions and lore of the "old country" saw something unusual in the woods and claimed that it was a Kobold, one could just as easily say that, faced with the unknown, the individual's mind translated and categorized the experience according to their cultural script. However, when some one else -say an 8th generation New Yorker born and bred in NYC fed on naught but tails of the city streets- goes to those same Pennsylvania woods and has an experience, which when described sounds 100% like a Kobold - that isn't so easy to explain away. Or someone of more distant German descent completely disconnected from their cultural roots. As though once brought to a new place, those entities are free to evolve and exist in that area in perpetuity. And perhaps some ghost of them or at least some latent strand of connection gets passed on in the blood.

That's why I find the deep seated Scandinavian connection so interesting!

My grandmother too was a huge genealogical enthusiast before the days of the internet. She traced our family all the way back to Robert the Bruce. She passed when I was very young but I still have all her papers and I have sat my mother down to tell me absolutely everything she can remember and identify all the family pictures (back to the 1800s) as I feverishly scanned and recorded. The results were priceless. I encourage you to talk to whatever family members are still living and write down all you can:-)

BeautInside - I am so glad to hear of that new law! I hope it forces people to more responsible and allows the authorities to crack down on those who can't be persuaded. One of my neighbors works for PETA and whereas I can't necessarily agree with all of their policies, the things they do locally to help abused and abandoned pets and livestock are truly admirable.

And, gods yes, having a car IS freedom! Its why I have held onto my first car all these years... Its not *just* a car... Though its corny to quote from such a thing, Jack Sparrow's line in one of the P.O.T.C. Films sums it up best: "Wherever we want to go, we go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and hull and a deck and sails. That's what a ship needs. But what a ship is... What the Black Pearl really is... Is freedom."
Rex-T (5 stories) (288 posts)
+4
6 years ago (2018-08-05)
Cups,

An experience that does raise quite a few questions and ideas. What caught my attention was the blue heeler.

My friend had one called Max (named after Mad Max's dog) and he would chase us around the beach nipping at our heels (we figured that's where the name of blue heeler came from). He would also chase cars, barking and nipping at the tyres. This was why they were also known as Australian Cattle Dogs because they would round-up cattle, sheep, humans and cars. They were also very loyal.

The reason I bring this up is that cars and blue heelers don't mix (if you know what I mean) and I'm thinking that the old boy met his end at the spot where he now sits. It is possible that his master may have buried him in the cemetery and he has become a grim.

This is a sad thought as he should be running around with his buddies in a big open field.

A positive thought would be him getting a kick out of scaring people in their cars by barking/snarling in the back seat. 😁

Rex-T
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-04)
Jubeele, I have no idea about something subconscious, but I love the idea of the church grim. I do recall my Grammy telling me she & my great grandmother used to read tea leaves... So maybe something like that? I wish I would have recorded that woman's stories - she was really into genealogy before the internet, and knew everything about everyone. She even tracked down a distant Scandinavian cousin who came to visit once, & uncovered our original family name that was changed from Nelson to what it is now (because Nelson was so common, paychecks got mixed up). Amazing stuff! Again, I digress...
Jubeele (25 stories) (882 posts)
+3
6 years ago (2018-08-04)
Cups, I totally understand about cemeteries being soothing and peaceful. 😉 Now that dog following you was scary. And to hear it in the car? I'd have totally freaked out. I'm glad your friend was with you and you both got out of there safely.

I like Augusta's idea of the church grim trying to warn you. Learned something new again. 😊 The Scandinavian connection is interesting; maybe buried in your subconscious is a dormant memory that resonated with the experience... Not sure. Would someone on that side of the family have shared old tales and legends when you were very young?

Blue heelers are a great dog breed. They're also called the Australian cattle dog. 🐾
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-03)
Dee, isn't it so liberating when you can DRIVE?! Gas was so much cheaper back then, too...: (Thanks for reading, and for also making me feel more normal for enjoying the presence of headstones! 😜
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
+1
6 years ago (2018-08-03)
Augusta - I was just reading more on the church grim, and I am fascinated! I find it particularly interesting because my mother's side of the family are of Swedish decent... They immigrated to the states in the 1800's. I wonder if it's possible the dog WAS a church grim, and he showed himself to us because of my heritage. Huh. Fun thought to entertain if nothing else! Thank you for teaching me something!
CuriousDee (8 stories) (631 posts)
+2
6 years ago (2018-08-03)
Hi there Cups,

Wow, that is definitely a crazy encounter! Like you, I grew up in a rural area, and was ecstatic when I finally obtained my driver's license and car a short time after (if you could call an 82' Chevrolet Chevette a car... What a junker! 😜). Also like you and Melda, I've always loved to wander around older cemeteries. Although, I've never encountered anything strange, just a general feeling of uneasiness a few times.

It sounds like the dog was acting as a sort of 'guardian' of the cemetery. It makes me wonder why though? For what purpose? Endless possibilities.

Augusta,

Great information! I've never heard or read about the church grim. It does make sense in Cups experience. Fascinating 😊

Thanks for a great read and trip down memory lane ❤

Dee
Cups (7 stories) (159 posts)
+3
6 years ago (2018-08-03)
Thanks for reading & for the comments, everyone! AugustaM, WOW, I had no idea! I've never heard of church grim either. That seems to make sense to me in this situation.

BeautInside, I agree... It is heartbreaking & infuriating to imagine the poor thing was abandoned. I have no other explanation for the weird experience other than making the Ouija connection as we were using it quite often around that time. Just strange. I try to find a logical explanation for anything that happens out of the ordinary and this is one thing I can't explain. 20 years later, I'm still shaking my head.

Tweed, sorry for scaring you! 😆 Straight out of a horror film for sure... I was afraid it would sound cliche, but that's the way the cookie crumbles (and why cliches exist in the first place, I suppose). If Kat hadn't been there with me, I'd think I had imagined it!

Melda, I'm glad you don't think I'm a weirdo! 😜 I find cemeteries to be quite soothing & peaceful.
BeautInside (3 stories) (326 posts)
+4
6 years ago (2018-08-03)
AugustaM,

You are absolutely right. It'd less sad if the dog was a grim... For me this time of the year was the worst for that matter, there used to be hundreds of pets abandoned during summer holidays. Now they are protected by a new law 😊 if we see any pet being mistreated or abandoned we can call a number and the authorities will handle it because it is a crime punished by law!

Sorry for detracting from the case Cups! Even though I believe that the dog you encountered on the road to be abandoned, I think the barking you heard in the car might very well supernatural in nature, therefore a mystery to me. 😉
AugustaM (7 stories) (996 posts)
+3
6 years ago (2018-08-03)
I know what you mean BeautInside about the dogs (and other pets) being abandoned - some people just don't deserve animals...it's awful. That's why I rather hope this dog was a spirit there of his own accord... Just seems slightly less sad... Even though your theory is the more likely scenario.

If "he" was a grim, however, it makes sense to me that he would be there to see them out as well. It's the only way to make sure they had gone and a last chance to cast an "I told you so" look on the trespassers' retreat.

And from what little I read, Tweed, Black Shuck is cut from the same cloth;).
Melda (10 stories) (1363 posts)
+2
6 years ago (2018-08-03)
Cups - Although I've never been interested in ouija boards I must admit that I have always been hugely fascinated by cemeteries, from childhood up until today. I can spend quite a long time walking around the graves and wondering about the lives of the people buried there. My family always considered this to be a rather morbid trait but to me it's anything but morbid!

The dog in the road intrigues me. It's almost as though he positioned himself in the middle of the road to direct the flow of traffic to and from the cemetery. The barking and snarling in the car must have been terrifying. I get the feeling you were being warned to get out - and fast.

Then there he was to see you on your way again? Weird 😨

Regards, Melda
Tweed (33 stories) (2475 posts)
+2
6 years ago (2018-08-03)
Goodness me, Cups, thanks for scaring me lol!

I like Augusta's take on this, I'd not known about the church grim, that's completely new to me. Guess that's connected somehow to Black Shuck (protective ghost dog spirit)

The dog heading back to the road is super weird too. You guys experienced something straight out of a horror movie that night. Bloody hell!
BeautInside (3 stories) (326 posts)
+4
6 years ago (2018-08-03)
Hi Cups,

I can't see a connection between the ouija board and the barking and snarling you and your friend heard...

About the dog, well if that's a secluded area probably someone left him there to his own luck. This outrages me, but it happens a lot around here, specially in this season. And when it happens to a mature dog they tend to stay in a spot they were abandoned for some time, in hope their inhuman former owner comes to pick their up, it's heartbreaking! 😢

Now the barking and snarling you heard and appeared to come from inside the car, I think that's another thing... If you're sure there was no animal around than it remains a mistery to me. 😉

I am very eager to read other posters opinions. Thank you for sharing this interesting experience! ❤
AugustaM (7 stories) (996 posts)
+6
6 years ago (2018-08-03)
Ghost dogs and cemeteries traditionally have gone together like... Peas and carrots! The connection may have begun in the UK where it used to be a tradition to bury a black dog first in a new burial ground so it's spirit would return and look after the cemetery.
(https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_grim)

These unlucky hounds were known as the church grim. Granted these traditions evolved in the UK and Scandinavia but as immigrants bring their cultural memories and traditions with them, perhaps the grims migrated too. Dogs are our protectors in life and perhaps in death it is difficult for them to surrender that purpose.

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