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The Beach House

 

My grandmother owns a beach house in Lincoln City, Oregon. My family has been staying there for vacation since I was born. It has always been my favourite place to go in the world. The house is very small and old. It was built sometime in the 50's and has undergone many repairs in the past. I personally helped with some of the repairs over the years and the place has seen my blood and sweat. My brothers and I love going to the house but I have always loved it the most. Admittedly it is a little creepy but I have been going there for so many years it's like a second home for me. While some people have gotten hurt in the house nobody's ever died in there.

There used to be an old man living next door to the house. He was very friendly and always kind to me and my brothers. The man would get up early every morning to scour the beach for agates, shells, anything he could find. Whenever we stayed at our house he would come to visit us and show us the treasures he had found. One time a few years ago we drove down to the beach house for a weekend. I was with my parents and two brothers. We arrived pretty late at night. After we unpacked our gear everyone went straight to bed. We were all pretty exhausted. That night I couldn't sleep very well for some reason. I kept nodding off then getting awakened suddenly with very intense nightmares. I was having those types of dreams where I'm in a normal place and nothing weird is happening then something flies at my face and when I try to dodge it or react I jolt awake. This particular night I kept falling asleep and reliving the same nightmare. In this dream I was walking in the parking lot outside my office where I work. It was really late at night and I was heading to my car. This parking lot has street lamps but for some reason in the dream they were off. Every time I got to my car I could hear someone running up behind me. I try to spin around but I can barely move. When I finally manage to turn around there is someone right there, running full speed at me. Just as they slam into me I wake up with a start.

I don't know if you have ever had these types of dreams but you could imagine they are very unsettling. Usually when I have this type of dream it is hard for me to go back to sleep right away for fear that it might happen again. That night I was in the old beach house it happened twice before I was afraid to go back to sleep. The feeling I had was frustrating; I was tired but unable to sleep. What happened next I might logically attribute to what is known as hypnagogia or hypnagogic hallucination. This is a condition that takes place during the point in which you are just slipping into sleep, a stage known as the "presomnal" stage or "phantasmata." During presomnia it is not unusual for anthypnic sensations to occur, ranging from but not limited to sleep paralysis, visual, or auditory hallucinations. People have claimed to experience the sound of voices, doors or windows slamming, even music. Some have heard hissing or buzzing sounds that don't seem to be in the room but in their ears themselves. These can be quite scary and are often accompanied by a rush of adrenaline. Because of this initial diagnosis I am not sure if I should attribute what happened to me as paranormal. I have once before experienced sleep paralysis and it was a bit frightening. I remember trying to move unsuccessfully and finally breaking free to the sound of a phantom door slamming somewhere in my house. This time was entirely different.

The beach house has an upstairs area with a loft that leads into a big bedroom. This upstairs room is separated from the loft by a wall and a heavy wooden door. The room itself has a yellowish-green shag carpet and an ancient queen-sized bed. Otherwise the room is almost empty. There is an old chair and bookshelf in one corner and the big bed has a "nightstand," which is actually a metal folding TV table. I usually sleep in the big bed upstairs while my brothers sleep downstairs in the master bedroom. My parents sleep in their RV in the driveway because the old beds are too uncomfortable for them. This particular trip was no exception. I was alone upstairs. There isn't any clock in the upstairs room so I am not sure what time this took place. I know that it was really late because we got to the house after midnight. After I had my two wake-up nightmares I decided to lie in bed for awhile and listen to the sounds of the ocean.

Our house is a block from the beach so you can hear the sounds of distant waves crashing at all times. The sounds of the sea started to calm my nerves after awhile. I was getting comfortable and my eyelids were getting heavy. I kept thinking about those startling dreams I had had a little while ago but I convinced myself there wouldn't be another encore. Right as my eyelids dropped the house's furnace switched on with a click and I could hear air rushing through the vent underneath the bed. I had heard these noises a hundred times in the past so it wasn't scary, but it made me open my eyes. I suddenly came to the realization that I was unable to move. I tried to turn my head towards the door of the room but I was stuck on my back looking up at the ceiling. I tried to lift one of my arms to no avail. To my horror, the sound of the air vent was getting louder and louder. The noise of the rushing air became almost deafening. It reverberated and echoed inside my head until I felt like panicking. I started to hear other noises in the din. It sounded like someone downstairs kicked the door open and ran inside. I could hear raised voices and arguing between loud male voices in the entryway. It then sounded like a fight was taking place, complete with furniture crashing around and glass breaking. There were several loud slams on the walls and floors in the midst of the deafening air sounds. The "struggle" took place in a matter of ten or fifteen seconds, then it was over. However the air sound continued, so loud it was hurting my head and ears. At this point it sounded like loudly hissing air mixed with the low growl of some huge idling machine. It was almost like a guitar amp feeding back and on the verge of the sharp stab of a treble spike. I was terrified that I couldn't move and tried again to struggle out of my paralysis. I could hear myself grunting and trying to yell but it was muffled and weak. I tried to rationalize that I was sleeping and having another dream but I was quite aware of what was going on. I stopped struggling and listened again, as I heard a new noise. I heard footsteps on the stairs. Someone was coming up.

I tried to turn my head to look at the door but couldn't, so I listened. The footsteps stopped outside the door on the loft. The rushing air noise suddenly died down and dwindled to a stop. The door knob, which is made from black metal and very old, began squeaking as it was being turned. The door to the room opened slowly with a loud creak. I am not sure why but I was finally able to fight my way out of paralysis and turn my head. The door had been opened, but nobody was there. The loft was empty. I could suddenly move again so I got out of bed and shakily walked out of the room onto the landing. I was trembling. I almost fell over just walking across the room. I had to put my hand on the wall as I lost my balance. The air felt thick and heavy, and there was a faint metallic taste in my mouth. My breathing was laboured and difficult. I was positive the downstairs floor of the house would be a shambles. I was prepared to see the door broken open and the house ransacked but when I looked over the landing to the floor downstairs nothing was out of place. The front door was closed and the lights were all off. I could see a pile of duffel bags and a laundry basket full of linens, next to several pairs of our shoes. I was not completely convinced I imagined all of this so I tried to go downstairs. My legs still weren't cooperating well so I almost fell down the stairs. My foot slipped out from under me and I slid loudly down three or four steps. I grabbed the railing and righted myself. When I finally made it downstairs I went into the bathroom and splashed some cold water on my face. When I looked in the mirror I looked ghostly pale. I thought I might be delusional. I walked out of the bathroom and into the living room of the house. I collapsed onto the couch and fell asleep.

The next morning I awoke to a knock on the door. I sat up with a start, wondering what time it was. It was bright outside. The room was filled with morning light. The smell of coffee wafted from the kitchen. I got up and started towards the door but my older brother was already up. He was just getting to the front door as I walked out of the living room. It was one of the neighbours, a man in his forties. I walked up beside my brother to see what was going on. The man said that he just talked to the police. Apparently he had not talked to the old man next door in a week. This was unusual so he went to the old man's house that morning to see if he was okay. The front door unlocked, he found the old man, dead in his kitchen. He had been dead for a week. The neighbour called the police and then started to inform the neighbourhood. As he was telling the story to my brother I could tell he was having difficulty going on. His voice was shaking and he had to stop several times. My brother and I stood there and listened, saying nothing in return. The neighbour said the old man had already begun to decompose, and smelled awful. When he finished the story he started sniffling and began to cry. My brother reached out and hugged the man. We invited him in for coffee but he said he had other neighbours to talk to, and then he left.

Later over breakfast my family was talking about the bizarre story. My dad was in disbelief that the old man was dead. My brothers and I remembered him fondly and were mostly silent over the meal. I kept replaying what had happened the night before in my head and was hesitant to tell my family. I wasn't even sure what had happened. I don't know if the old man being dead had anything to do with what I heard or experienced but for some reason I felt compelled not to tell anyone in my family.

A few days later back home I was reading the Oregonian and found the old man's picture. Lincoln City police found no signs of a struggle but the cause of death was unknown. They haven't ruled out homicide but as of now it's a cold case.

Questions or comments would be greatly appreciated.

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Comments about this paranormal experience

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, mrdeagle, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will participate in the discussion and I need help with what I have experienced.

mrdeagle (6 stories) (69 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-12-06)
Emma2008: It sounds like you have experienced something similar to what I had going on at the Beach House. You are probably right when you say that the old man's death was unrelated. It was still a pretty freaky coincidence. I have only experienced SP twice, including the time I wrote about in this story. Thanks for the comments.
TTraveler: Thanks so much for the helping hand. I appreciate that a lot. Luckily for me I don't have any SP going on these days. I have only had it twice. 😁
TTraveller (1 stories) (5 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-12-06)
:) It wasn't too scary anymore after I got used to it. If you continue to experience SP and they are causing you too much distress, do let me know. I have found a few ways to lighten them and sometimes avoid them altogether.
Emma2008 (4 stories) (110 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-12-04)
I suffer from sleep paralysis too. Luckily for me, my encounters with it usually don't get too complex. As soon as it begins, I start fighting it off and I usually come out if within a minute or so. The worst it ever got was hearing buzzing/voices and feeling like a presence hovering over me. I've never seen anything, thank goodness! I don't think your encounter and what happened to the old man are related. However, I believe that because you were in a new place (although you have been there before) your body/mind was a little disoriented, triggering a sleep paralysis encounter.
mrdeagle (6 stories) (69 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-12-02)
TTraveller: Thanks for the comment. It's really scary that you would see shadow people when experiencing SP. I luckily saw nothing while in my trance but the noises were chilling enough. The only thing I saw was the door of the room opening. 😨
TTraveller (1 stories) (5 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-12-02)
Hmmm... Your experience sounds familiar to mine, but mine happened several times (although not frequently) and none were linked to any deaths. They would happen randomly (basically anywhere I was sleeping), and I would be in a similar state like you described, hearing those "environmental" noises. Sometimes I would hear voices talking or encounter shadow people instead. If I struggled I would end up exhausted like you described too. My gut feel is that your neighbor's death did not directly cause your experience, but the energy might have contributed partly to the various conditions that resulted in your experience. However its only my speculation and may not be accurate. I am not sure if what I explained made any sense, and I am sorry if it doesn't. 😕
mrdeagle (6 stories) (69 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-11-30)
I'm glad to hear you are rid of the dude, for now. Hope he stays away. Just be safe... I'm looking forward to your new stories! 😁
Ibelieveinghosts (6 stories) (63 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-11-30)
Yeah, I'm ok, thanks for asking! The stalker is from another website & he found my account on here because I was foolish enough to use the same screen name on several websites. I deleted all of the accounts where I was using my "Grinch" screen name. This nutcase started some crap with me on another website & wouldn't leave me alone. I told him I was going to the police & that seems to have stopped the harassment. Let's hope so! 😠
mrdeagle (6 stories) (69 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-11-29)
Grinch you're back! I was in disbelief when your account suddenly vanished. I am happy to see you're still alive! 😁
A stalker, you say? Are you all right? That is crazy. I am glad you're reposting your old stories. I am looking forward to your new ones. The submission page will probably be available tomorrow. Take care, and I'll be addressing you as your new screenname from now on. Hope the weirdo doesn't mess with you anymore. Tell me if he does! 😉
Ibelieveinghosts (6 stories) (63 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-11-28)
Hey, it's me! (Grinch!) Had to delete my other account on here due to an online stalker but I'm backkkk! I'll be reposting my 2 stories ASAP along with several others. Right now, the site won't let me submit anything, though. I really enjoyed your story, Mrdeagle, as always! 😊
mrdeagle (6 stories) (69 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-11-27)
torabla: You pose a good idea. It wasn't long after that Old Man passed that a young couple moved in in their place. I am tempted to go and talk to the new residents about the conditions under which they purchased the property. They moved into the house maybe six or seven years ago yet they have never talked to my family when we come to stay in our house. They just sort of keep to themselves. Thanks for reading and commenting. 😁
torabla (1 stories) (9 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-11-27)
Hello, it sounds to me that your neighbor's spirit might have come to you to show you what happened to him. His death might not have been an accident. All the noise you heard that night was meant for you to hear so you could help solve his mystery. Maybe he had an argument that went wrong and caused him his death and would like for someone to know the truth in order for him to rest in piece. If he was elderly who knows if someone would be fighting over his money or his property one never knows. I just feel that you being his neighbors for so long his spirit was there that night to let you know what happened to him. I loved the story thank you...
mrdeagle (6 stories) (69 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-11-27)
I meant to say, "Perhaps some research about the property IN question is at hand..."
mrdeagle (6 stories) (69 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-11-27)
JamesRobiscoe: Perhaps some research about the property is question is at hand... I am going to try to find anything I can about the Beach House and the Old Man's house, and hopefully I can find some interesting information. I have long tried to convince myself that what I experienced was nothing short of synapses firing inside my head but there is something about it that sways me otherwise. It is strange that I would experience a waking dream with such vivid imagery and auditory hallucination so close to the body of a neighbor. It is not something I had experienced before, nor have I again since. What creeps me out the most is that the door to the upstairs room opened while I experienced this strange phenomena. While the house didn't get demolished or anything like that, the door certainly opened by itself. That is strange. I really appreciate your comment. Thank you for the insight. I will keep an open mind when (if) I return to the Living Enrichment Center. Hopefully I will have something new to share with the site.
JamesRobiscoe (419 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-11-26)
MrDeagle - It appears your experiences are sharpening your alertness and abilities to step into the dimensions connecting "there" with "here." Jazzeyjay suggests the neighbor's death may have awakened an old conflict, and it may have been one in which he himself was involved. Based on the theory we can walk into the light only when we no longer harbor negative emotion (the light being a place so purely harmonious, no disharmony can co-exist), you may have witnessed him reliving/resolving an old conflict, perhaps with the late neighbor and a former owner or tenant of Gram's cottage.
Whether or not this conjecture holds merit, the question remains: Why did you experience it? Regardless of whether it was an "actual" or imaginary (its particulars tilting the case towards the former), it happened to you for a particular reason. Perhaps that reason is no more than to show you another fullness in dimensions beyond. Maybe to prepare you for another visit to your abandoned labs with your brother who's eager to go?
Please, protect yourself with auras of invincible light and ask for any spirit guides you might fancy to believe in. Powers are always given with responsibilities, to yourself as well as to others.
~ James
mrdeagle (6 stories) (69 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-11-24)
jazzeyjay: Thank you for the insight. It is hard to be sure if I just experienced a severe case of SP or if something paranormal was involved. I do know it is an incredible coincidence that there was a dead body no more than a hundred feet away from me when I had that experience. Either way it creeps me out. From what I know about the old man is that his wife died thirty or so years ago and he never remarried. He lived alone in the house as long as I have been around and he seemed very happy by himself. I never met anyone else in his family. He might have had kids but he never talked about them. Now that I think about it more it seems he was a lonely old man that died alone. It's really sad, no? 😢

KirkoBezerko: Thanks for the links. I have done quite a bit of research on SP and know that all of the things I have experienced are within the realm of possibility. Cases run from mild to severe and, while I have only experienced this twice in my life, I know mine was quite intense. It is possible for your body to prematurely enter REM when you are just transitioning to sleep, fooling your body into releasing paralyzing endorphins that keep you from physically engaging in the activities within your dreams. Again I am not sure if this was a genuine case of paranormal contact, but it does seem quite strange that I would experience sensations so intense when someone died so close by and so recently. 😕
KirkoBezerko (guest)
 
15 years ago (2009-11-24)
Hey, once again, what you had is a sleep disorder called "Sleep paralysis, I myself have had it and as far as I no it's fairly common. Have a read here:
Http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=9806
And here:
Http://www.wikihow.com/Cope-with-Sleep-Paralysis
jazzeyjay (3 stories) (215 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-11-24)
mrdeagle: Thank you for your story. My heart goes out to your neighbor. Did he have any family? Sometimes when a person dies, their death can open the door, awaken and trigger something that may have happened in the house or on the property years ago. Something tragic may have happened in the housed or on the property years ago and your neighbors death caused it to awaken. Things can lay dormant for years until some tragedy takes place and opens the door to it. You may or may not even experience anything else at that house again, but you did say that it has always felt creepy. Take care.

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