The Scariest Fortean Thing Ever To Happen To You

[IbisNibs]

I once got a phone call out of the blue one afternoon. There was absolutely nothing odd about the ring or anything about getting a phone call at that time, but I was struck by a sense of dread and a vision of ghosts and graveyards in a faux eerie almost parody green. I figured, based on the vision and premonition, it was either a ghost calling me, or my intuition telling me that the phone call would place me in danger. I elected not to answer it. Does that count? Probably not. Really I was probably being paranoid, but security experts tell us to listen to our instincts, so I did.

Did you ever learn who called you or what the call was about?

 

[Souleater]

The kitty posts remind me of a scare though it was non-Fortean. We had moved an old house to our property and were living in a garden shed while we got the house up to city code. We were with our two cats and two pups. Not too bad. We'd actually moved a full-sized fridge into the shed. Made a loft level place to sleep. Perhaps it was more cramped for our cats than we realized.
I opened that fridge one evening to see our cat Jeremy looking up rather casually from a veg bin. My blood runs cold every time I think we might have smothered him in a closed fridge.

Hi been a while since i read the old paper fortean times magazine, just an interesting fact your post reminded me of, if you put a siamese cat in the fridge it will turn completely black (the same colour as its muzzle, feet, tail end etc..) not that i condone putting cats in fridges, it returns to its original colour when it warms back up, a bit like those 'global hypercolour t-shirts you could get in the '90 s (because everyone needed to see when you were hot and sweaty lol) on another note, we had a cat when i was very young, it would sit by my baby brothers cot and stand guard, coming and meowing to tell my mum when he was crying, not really fortean but interesting.

 

[michael59]

Just a small disclaimer, folks. Do not try that experiment at home. Cats do not belong inside a refrigerator.

 

[charliebrown]

Not famous earthquake fault called the New Madrid Fault near Memphis, Tennessee produced the biggest earthquake in U.S. history in 1811.

It was so strong, it made the Mississippi River run backwards.

In the 1960’s I was visiting my mom in Memphis and we had a earth tremor.

The vibration threw me out of the bed without any warning.

I was stunned

If this fault ever goes big, it would destroy the middle of the U.S.

 

[Lb8535]

Just a small disclaimer, folks. Do not try that experiment at home. Cats do not belong inside a refrigerator.

Well, a co-worker reported that he opened the fridge and found the cat asleep in the guacamole.

 

[IbisNibs]

Proves a point—what cat likes guacamole? Especially when it's properly spicy! (The guac, not the cat.)
Oxygen deprivation, obviously . . .

 

[blessmycottonsocks]

Cats do not belong inside a refrigerator.

Or as Mammy Two-Shoes puts it:



Thomas! You is a naughty cat an if ah catch you in dat ice box again ahs a gonna tan yo hide!

 

[MorningAngel]

Proves a point—what cat likes guacamole? Especially when it's properly spicy! (The guac, not the cat.)
Oxygen deprivation, obviously . . .

Our cat loved avocado.

 

[BlackPeter]

Our cat loved avocado.

We also had a cat (long gone now sadly) who loved avocado!

 

[michael59]

So did I.

 

[IamSundog]

I have a current cat that loves avacado.

 

[Naughty_Felid]

I have a current cat that loves avacado.

Have you thought of raisin it a different way?

 

[CALGACUS03]

I commiserate with your situation Calgacus03. I wonder if your bed was copping a random vibration from nearby machinery travelling thru some sort of rock substrate under a foundation stump beneath your bed? Did it ever happen again? It sounds like a recipe for desertion anxiety.

Sorry AlchoPwn, I've only just come across your reply to my post.

No, there was/is no type of subterranean travelling (or tunnelling) in that part of the world (a small north-east coastal town) and the house in question was a four-square, sandstone built, detached affair, probably dating from about 1870 or so. So no foundation stumps (I shouldn't think).

There was coal mining at one time in the area, but that was several miles away on the other side of the river, and stopped during WWII.

I've tried to think of a rational explanation for it over the years, but have come up empty. It never happened again, and I continued to sleep in that bed and bedroom until I was about twelve or thirteen (by which point I'd pretty much outgrown the bed), I then got a proper bed in another room at the back of the house.

I haven't asked my cousin whether he remembers it, once lockdown is over and I see him, I'll see if he does and whether he'll be amenable to providing his recollection of that night. He normally has a pretty good memory for events from our childhood.

As for "desertion anxiety" no, I don't think it led to that. As I recall (and it was many years ago) during most of the occurrence I was frustrated (by M. denying that he was doing it when I knew that he must be (because I wasn't)). Puzzlement (when I realised that neither he nor I were doing it), and only fright (when M. bolted) and I realised I was on my own.

 

[IamSundog]

Have you thought of raisin it a different way?

Your coat, sir.

 

[IbisNibs]

 

[Marsha Klein]

I've worked in security for the past few years and I do love the night shift. A few years ago I worked for a company who monitored an abandoned care home on the far outskirts of Dumfries. This alarm regularly activated as the building was pretty much falling to bits. The windows were boarded up and steel shutters covered the front entrance. Even during the day there was very little natural light.. what little there could have been was diminished by the tall trees that surrounded the building. I've known big, burly security guards who refused to attend alarm calls there during the day let alone at night. So, you get the picture, pitch dark, abandoned care home in the middle of nowhere, just me and my torch. On one of the first call-outs I decided to go full Scooby Doo (more Velma than Daphne) and have a look around. I found myself in what had been a laundry room, now empty except for the large, wooden, overhead pulley. All well and good except that in this windowless room the heavy pulley was lazily swinging back and forth, back and forth. It wasn't even one of those, "Hang on, did I see something move" times, oh no, this pulley was most definitely swinging, never speeding up nor slowing down. I was more surprised than scared. All of my spooky tales have happened when I wasn't expecting them. I ended up saying, "Eh....... ok,. I'll be off then and leave you to it." Thereafter, any time I had to attend alarms at that site I would just shout, "It's only me, Marsha". I definitely preferred whatever was lurking in that building to whatever roams Heathhall business park on the site of the former RAF Dumfries. That place really was creepy!

 

[Who me]

Morning Marsha we all need to know about the business park now so spill the beans my friend.

 

[Ghost In The Machine]

I've worked in security for the past few years and I do love the night shift. A few years ago I worked for a company who monitored an abandoned care home on the far outskirts of Dumfries. This alarm regularly activated as the building was pretty much falling to bits. The windows were boarded up and steel shutters covered the front entrance. Even during the day there was very little natural light.. what little there could have been was diminished by the tall trees that surrounded the building. I've known big, burly security guards who refused to attend alarm calls there during the day let alone at night. So, you get the picture, pitch dark, abandoned care home in the middle of nowhere, just me and my torch. On one of the first call-outs I decided to go full Scooby Doo (more Velma than Daphne) and have a look around. I found myself in what had been a laundry room, now empty except for the large, wooden, overhead pulley. All well and good except that in this windowless room the heavy pulley was lazily swinging back and forth, back and forth. It wasn't even one of those, "Hang on, did I see something move" times, oh no, this pulley was most definitely swinging, never speeding up nor slowing down. I was more surprised than scared. All of my spooky tales have happened when I wasn't expecting them. I ended up saying, "Eh....... ok,. I'll be off then and leave you to it." Thereafter, any time I had to attend alarms at that site I would just shout, "It's only me, Marsha". I definitely preferred whatever was lurking in that building to whatever roams Heathhall business park on the site of the former RAF Dumfries. That place really was creepy!

I'm in the middle of nowhere, Yorkshire, and a large care home almost opposite my house was closed down recently. Sometimes walk dog past the back of it and it still has some security lights on so we noticed a fair bit of the stuff inside is still there (they closed it down suddenly, mid-pandemic). Until the trees in front grew bigger, we could always see the entire frontage at night, from our house and we'd see them wheeling out the dead uns. Neighbour worked there years and told me it has a mini morgue. I guess they all have that room, somewhere? I think it would be the scariest type of building to have to do a sweep of, at any time, let alone night as you say. There's something really godforsaken about the sight of abandoned hospital beds...

 

[escargot]

I've worked in security for the past few years and I do love the night shift. A few years ago I worked for a company who monitored an abandoned care home on the far outskirts of Dumfries. This alarm regularly activated as the building was pretty much falling to bits. The windows were boarded up and steel shutters covered the front entrance. Even during the day there was very little natural light.. what little there could have been was diminished by the tall trees that surrounded the building. I've known big, burly security guards who refused to attend alarm calls there during the day let alone at night. So, you get the picture, pitch dark, abandoned care home in the middle of nowhere, just me and my torch. On one of the first call-outs I decided to go full Scooby Doo (more Velma than Daphne) and have a look around. I found myself in what had been a laundry room, now empty except for the large, wooden, overhead pulley. All well and good except that in this windowless room the heavy pulley was lazily swinging back and forth, back and forth. It wasn't even one of those, "Hang on, did I see something move" times, oh no, this pulley was most definitely swinging, never speeding up nor slowing down. I was more surprised than scared. All of my spooky tales have happened when I wasn't expecting them. I ended up saying, "Eh....... ok,. I'll be off then and leave you to it." Thereafter, any time I had to attend alarms at that site I would just shout, "It's only me, Marsha". I definitely preferred whatever was lurking in that building to whatever roams Heathhall business park on the site of the former RAF Dumfries. That place really was creepy!

I'm in the middle of nowhere, Yorkshire, and a large care home almost opposite my house was closed down recently. Sometimes walk dog past the back of it and it still has some security lights on so we noticed a fair bit of the stuff inside is still there (they closed it down suddenly, mid-pandemic). Until the trees in front grew bigger, we could always see the entire frontage at night, from our house and we'd see them wheeling out the dead uns. Neighbour worked there years and told me it has a mini morgue. I guess they all have that room, somewhere? I think it would be the scariest type of building to have to do a sweep of, at any time, let alone night as you say. There's something really godforsaken about the sight of abandoned hospital beds...

Escette (youngest Snailet) worked doors/security for a while.
Her favourite security posting was a closed care home where there was little to except wander around being haunted.

 

[Marsha Klein]

Morning Marsha we all need to know about the business park now so spill the beans my friend.

Heathhall business park is situated on the site of the former RAF Dumfries. During the last war many test flights left never to return. There were multiple crashes and, if I remember correctly, a mid air collision during a training flight over the Lake District. These days there are still a few of the old Blister style hangars. It was one of the regular sites which I had to attend as it had several data points. The main site I patrolled was the Crichton, a former psychiatric complex and I had no problems getting out of my van and walking around. Any time I found a building insecure I would go for a bit of an explore. Don't get me wrong, my most paranormal experience happened on that site but I still had no problems being there alone in the middle of the night. Nothing happened as such at Heathhall but it was just so creepy. It could be clearest of nights everywhere else but there was a prevailing mist there. There was that old Fortean standard, the feeling of being watched, I was always convinced that one day I would round a corner only to be met by a phantom airman. It never happened but I could never shake that feeling. I was so creeped out by the place that I learned how to hit the data points by hanging out the van window! Technically it's not in the middle of nowhere but it feels so utterly desolate. I once mentioned the creepy feeling to a colleague, a tough, no-nonsense sort and he admitted he never got out of the van at this site either and for the exact same reasons

 

[Coastaljames]

It was pretty scary when I saw how much Fortean Times costs these days!

 

[Dick Turpin]

I'm in the middle of nowhere, Yorkshire, and a large care home almost opposite my house was closed down recently. Sometimes walk dog past the back of it and it still has some security lights on so we noticed a fair bit of the stuff inside is still there (they closed it down suddenly, mid-pandemic). Until the trees in front grew bigger, we could always see the entire frontage at night, from our house and we'd see them wheeling out the dead uns. Neighbour worked there years and told me it has a mini morgue. I guess they all have that room, somewhere? I think it would be the scariest type of building to have to do a sweep of, at any time, let alone night as you say. There's something really godforsaken about the sight of abandoned hospital beds...

Before we sold up and moved away to the sticks, we lived in a flat which was directly behind the old Queen Elizabeth children’s hospital, in Bethnal green.

The hospital closed in the mid 1990’s, but the building remained intact until just a few years ago, before being redeveloped into flats.

Our bedroom window looked directly into the old hospital, and from it we could see directly into one of the old wards.

For security reasons the lights were on 24/7, and we could see posters of Micky mouse and Donald duck etc. which hadn’t been taken down from the walls.

Bloody creepy, looking into that ward from our bedroom window each night, but strangely fascinating at the same time, if you know what I mean.

 

[Ghost In The Machine]

Escette (youngest Snailet) worked doors/security for a while.
Her favourite security posting was a closed care home where there was little to except wander around being haunted.

Hello, Snail! Lovely to see you back.

You know, Escette is brave because I think I'd be more scared in an abandoned care home, alone at night, than in the spookiest looking churchyard!

 

[catseye]

I used to live directly ajacent to our little village churchyard. Now I live two houses down on the other side. I walk past most nights with the dog and it's the least scary place in the world. I wonder if this is possibly because it's on the very very top of the hill and therefore fully illuminated by the moon, stars etc, with no mysterious shadows. It's basically the pimple on the top of the bald head.

The tiny copse of about an acre half way down the hill, on the other hand, gives me the spooks like nowhere else, but I assume that is because of all the shadows and the impossibility of seeing more than a couple of yards in on a dark night.

 

[Dick Turpin]

I used to live directly ajacent to our little village churchyard. Now I live two houses down on the other side. I walk past most nights with the dog and it's the least scary place in the world. I wonder if this is possibly because it's on the very very top of the hill and therefore fully illuminated by the moon, stars etc, with no mysterious shadows. It's basically the pimple on the top of the bald head.

The tiny copse of about an acre half way down the hill, on the other hand, gives me the spooks like nowhere else, but I assume that is because of all the shadows and the impossibility of seeing more than a couple of yards in on a dark night.

Exactly catseye.

The garage block to this house is approx. 150 yards away from the house itself, and whenever I’m coming home from somewhere after dark, I park up and then walk the 150 yards through a slightly wooded area in complete darkness.

It’s easy to understand that before the invention of electric street lighting, battery operated torch’s etc. how people’s imaginations ran amok in the colder months of the year.

Once I was convinced I was being watched in the wooded area by a very tall man, it was only when a neighbour turned into the garage area and shone his headlights into the wood, that I could see it just another tree

 

[Coastaljames]

...it was only when a neighbour turned into the garage area and shone his headlights into the wood, that I could see it just another tree...

Which is exactly what it wanted you to think...

 

[Red Steel]

Do you mind my asking what cemetery? Is it in the city or the suburbs?

Sorry for the delay...

In Wayne/Inkster, Michigan, across from the old Eloise complex.

I've been off Fort for awhile.