DURING the war I went to live for a time with some relatives in the
suburbs of a large city in the Midlands. One Sunday night, as I lay
awake longing for sleep which would not come, I was startled by a
strange noise close beside my bed, like the deep, heavy breathing of
a very large dog, but much louder than anything of the kind I had
ever heard before. Then I felt the weight of a very heavy hand or paw
across my right foot. The moments seemed like hours and I became
paralysed with terror and unable to move or make a sound. I think,
eventually, I became unconscious. In the morning I told a member of
the family of my horrible experience and asked her not to mention it,
as I did not wish to frighten the young people in the house.
After I had been away some months, I received a letter from the
relative to whom I had told this, saying that her sister had been
frightened by the same noise in this bedroom, and her husband had
declared there was someone in the room. They got up and searched the
room but found nothing.
Can anyone give a solution of these strange noises? I should be glad
to have it explained. Do I believe in ghosts? No! Not until I see
one, which I have no desire to do.