Strange Pictures and a Creepy Night in Texas

[auramyst]

In February 2003 a friend and I were exploring the back country roads in Western Texas. I was not familiar with the area (I lived about an hour away and had only recently been stationed at the base), but Jerry had grown up there and knew the history of several abandoned buildings. We had cameras and planned on spending a beautiful evening in fun conversation, exploring, and enjoying the gorgeous night sky.

After a few hours of exploring an abandoned schoolhouse and other structures, he took me to a place he said had a special connection for him. In the early 1980's a friend of his was killed. The story goes that the father killed his family and then himself. The house that the family owned was now a rental and Jerry said it was currently empty.

We headed out that way, parked, walked around the yard and snapped a few pictures. The place was creepy- but any place in the pitch black countryside would have been creepy after hearing a story like that. We were both feeling jumpy, nervous, and 'watched'. We couldn't shake the feeling that someone was there watching and waiting. We decided to leave.

About five seconds down the road, the back tire blew on my Ford Explorer. We were shocked at the 'coincidence' of a flat tire forcing us to stay there longer. We had to pull over well within site of the creepy house.

We started the process of changing the tire. Mind you, this was West Texas and as flat as the Kansas prairies. Anyway, after the truck was jacked up, we both heard a deep growling sound. We nervously looked back at the house, scanned the fields around us and the road ahead. Nothing moved and the sound faded away. We turned back to the truck trying to hurry the tire changing along. All of the sudden, something big and black which I can

only describe as a big black blanket (I know how stupid that sounds but it's the best description) sailed over our heads. We both ducked fully expecting something to drop on us.

At that exact same time, the truck slowly rolled forward, off the jack and continued down the road for another 20 yards (wobbly tire and all).

We approached the truck slowly, not sure what to expect, but it just sat there. Carefully, we jacked it up again, changed the tire as quickly as humanly possible, and started lowering the jack when the sound started again. A deep, rumbling, growly sound that slowly grew louder and abruptly stopped.

We quickly opened the doors to jump in when another big, black, shadow, blanket thing sailed over our heads. We ducked instinctively- again expecting something to drop on us. Nothing did and we jumped in the truck and sped out of there.

The black shadow blanket thing was not bats, or birds, or any other winged creature. It literally looked like something blotted out the stars for a few seconds. The growling started low and built up like it was going into a full roar before it stopped. It sounded the same both times, but the first time it faded away and the second time it suddenly stopped.

Anyway, Jerry moved to Florida not long after that and I never did explore those back roads again. My friend Lorrie and I explored all sorts of other forgotten and abondoned places, but I'll post those stories later.

I would like to share these two pictures with you. I took one right after the other. They were taken in the side yard of that house. The night was cold, dry, and clear. What makes them interesting is the wispy shape and the red line near the left side of the pictures. These details are clearer in picture MVC-022F.

The pictures have not been altered, I don't do photoshop, and I'm not going to waste anyone's time with trickery. The pictures were taken on an old digital camera.

I'm interested in any and all opinions of the story, the photos (and if anyone knows what that weird big black thing could have been).

Edited March 5, 2013 by auramyst

[Gummug]

I would not want to explore those back roads again either, at least not at night and/or alone!

[scowl]

I like the second photo. It looks like Yoda holding a light saber!

[auramyst]

I like the second photo. It looks like Yoda holding a light saber!

I thought the same thing when I saw it too.

I would think the red line was coming from something in the yard, but it's not very clear in the first photo. Now I wish I would have taken several photos, but the place was so darn creephy. I really felt like someone was watching us the whole time- and I hadn't felt like that all night. I can say that there wasn't anything in the yard (that we could see), but it was pitch black out and the only light we got was from a small flashlight and the flash from the camera.

[HollyDolly]

Well I looked at the photos.I didn't see too much in the first one except these little points of light here and there. However;the same can't be said for the second one.

In the second one I see what people refer to as orbs.In the first tree it appears as if this little ball of energy is moving.There are also similar little orbs of energy and they appear bright. Also I see a red bar of light at an angle.If you look closer;to me anyways it appears that there is a transparent figure wearing a robe with a hood like a monk.The red bar appears to be carried or held by the monk like figure.Look at your photo very carefully and you will see what I mean.

This spirit could have made the growling noise. It maybe was the black robe or blanket like thing you saw that soared over you two.

The fact there was a murder there of your poor friend's friend is suspicious to me.I wonder if the area had any sort of reputation of being haunted or if there was any reports of the tenants seeing or hearing things. What base was this near? Fort Bliss is out by El Paso,and there's one up by San Angelo I think.I know this didn't happen around any of the San Antonio bases as we have driven the area around here for over 40 years;way back when my dad was stationed at Kelly AFB in the 1950s.

It might be possible too it was the ghost of an old woman as in Mexico;Spain Germany;etc. many widows dress in black for the rest of their lives.

Whatever it was was trying to scare you away from the area.If it truly wanted to harm you it could have.

Now there were missionaries in Texas. You had the Franciscans who wear mainly brown robes;though they can also be grey as well.They still serve the missions here in San Antonio which they founded;and many of the missions out west too. The Benedictines wear mainly black habits.But as far as I know they didn't have any missions in the early days of Texas out west.You did later on have the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate a french order of priests who did travel out west preaching.Most priests in the old days wore a black cassock or robe however it didn't have a hood.Monks though do have a hood.The Cauphin monks a branch of the Franciscans gave their name to capuccino coffee and to the capuchin monkey.

If your friend was still living in the area you could contact the local historical society or the county tax office to maybe find out something on the history of the area that might give a clue to what was going on and might explain what you all saw.

[auramyst]

Well I looked at the photos.I didn't see too much in the first one except these little points of light here and there. However;the same can't be said for the second one.

In the second one I see what people refer to as orbs.In the first tree it appears as if this little ball of energy is moving.There are also similar little orbs of energy and they appear bright. Also I see a red bar of light at an angle.If you look closer;to me anyways it appears that there is a transparent figure wearing a robe with a hood like a monk.The red bar appears to be carried or held by the monk like figure.Look at your photo very carefully and you will see what I mean.

This spirit could have made the growling noise. It maybe was the black robe or blanket like thing you saw that soared over you two.

The fact there was a murder there of your poor friend's friend is suspicious to me.I wonder if the area had any sort of reputation of being haunted or if there was any reports of the tenants seeing or hearing things. What base was this near? Fort Bliss is out by El Paso,and there's one up by San Angelo I think.I know this didn't happen around any of the San Antonio bases as we have driven the area around here for over 40 years;way back when my dad was stationed at Kelly AFB in the 1950s.

It might be possible too it was the ghost of an old woman as in Mexico;Spain Germany;etc. many widows dress in black for the rest of their lives.

Whatever it was was trying to scare you away from the area.If it truly wanted to harm you it could have.

Now there were missionaries in Texas. You had the Franciscans who wear mainly brown robes;though they can also be grey as well.They still serve the missions here in San Antonio which they founded;and many of the missions out west too. The Benedictines wear mainly black habits.But as far as I know they didn't have any missions in the early days of Texas out west.You did later on have the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate a french order of priests who did travel out west preaching.Most priests in the old days wore a black cassock or robe however it didn't have a hood.Monks though do have a hood.The Cauphin monks a branch of the Franciscans gave their name to capuccino coffee and to the capuchin monkey.

If your friend was still living in the area you could contact the local historical society or the county tax office to maybe find out something on the history of the area that might give a clue to what was going on and might explain what you all saw.

Thank you for the information!

This happened in Parmer County Texas. We were North of Friona and Bovina. I was stationed at Cannon AFB in Clovis, New Mexico in 2002. The Texas state line is 10 miles from there. (I have since moved to Illinois.) I did try to do historical research on the area and ended up learning a lot about George Hassell who murdered his family in 1926. I've got copies of the original newspaper articles from the Clovis News Journal. This mass murder happened in Farwell, Texas. We visited the family's grave a few times. Anyway, Farwell is too far from where we were that night. And I was not able to learn much more about the area that we were in.

My friend, Lorrie, and I continued to explore New Mexico, and I have several strange happenings from those journeys, but we didn't focus as much on the Texas area.

Jerry moved later in 2003 and I have since lost touch with him. I agree that I should have asked him more questions while I had the chance.

Maybe somone on this forum is familiar with the area?

Just a side note: I was stationed at Lackland AFB from 1988 through 1995. We were living out in Pipe Creek near Lake Medina. Beautiful hill country area! We still have lots of friends in the San Antonio area and enjoy visiting when we can.

[sards]

See nothing in the first. See an image at the base of the tree to the right

[HollyDolly]

Thanls for the information.I once had a book about ghosts in that part of Texas and the Hassell case might have been mentioned in it.Haven't been out by Pipe Creek and that since 1996 the year my late father died. You're right it is beautiful out there.

[auramyst]

It might be possible too it was the ghost of an old woman as in Mexico;Spain Germany;etc. many widows dress in black for the rest of their lives.

Whatever it was was trying to scare you away from the area.If it truly wanted to harm you it could have.

Now there were missionaries in Texas. You had the Franciscans who wear mainly brown robes;though they can also be grey as well.They still serve the missions here in San Antonio which they founded;and many of the missions out west too. The Benedictines wear mainly black habits.But as far as I know they didn't have any missions in the early days of Texas out west.You did later on have the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate a french order of priests who did travel out west preaching.Most priests in the old days wore a black cassock or robe however it didn't have a hood.Monks though do have a hood.The Cauphin monks a branch of the Franciscans gave their name to capuccino coffee and to the capuchin monkey.

If your friend was still living in the area you could contact the local historical society or the county tax office to maybe find out something on the history of the area that might give a clue to what was going on and might explain what you all saw.

I'm intrigued by the idea of monks in the area. I know monks date back hundreds of years in New Mexico, especially near Santa Fe, I don't know how far East from there they were located. Or maybe there were missions all along the region. I'll see what I can find out.

[pallidin]

If not photoshopped as you say, nice pics!

[auramyst]

If not photoshopped as you say, nice pics!

Thank you

(and I promise they're not photoshopped)

[K_Bonita]

The second pic I kinda see a white translucent figure to the left. Could be me just seeing things though. But nice pics overall seems like there is something there for sure! Im not expert though,just my opinion.

[coolguy]

Cool pictures.something weird going on in them woods

[*Frank*]

The red thing looks like the kind of lens flare created when a camera's flash is built too close to the lens. The orbs... dare I say... smudges on the lens reflecting the flash?

Edited March 7, 2013 by *Frank*

[krypter3]

Jeepers Creepers, where'd you get those Peepers O_____O

Edited March 7, 2013 by krypter3

[Moon Gazer]

Strange! The red "lightsabre" seems to be there in the first pic, but much brighter and visable in the second. Would have been fab to get a third pic to see if even more showed up!

Anyway I really have no idea what it could be. Your story sounds genuine to me (doesn't happen a lot anymore on these boards lol). I hope you have some luck finding out. I had some strange experiences in the past so I know how it feels to wonder about things and hope for some answers one day.

[JesseCuster]

The red thing looks like the kind of lens flare created when a camera's flash is built too close to the lens. The orbs... dare I say... smudges on the lens reflecting the flash?

In order for something on the lens to reflect the flash would mean a camera designed with the flash *inside* the lens.

How else could something on the lens be illuminated by and reflect the camera flash? Camera flash can only reflect things outside the camera in order for the reflection to then bounce back into the lens.

[auramyst]

The red thing looks like the kind of lens flare created when a camera's flash is built too close to the lens. The orbs... dare I say... smudges on the lens reflecting the flash?

I'm not concerned about the orbs... they could be insects, dust, or whatever. It's too hard to tell what orbs are when they're in a picture.

I don't thinks a lens flare. I found some more photos taken with that same camera on or around that same evening.

These photos taken with that same camera around the same time do not show the same red flare.

Edited March 7, 2013 by auramyst

[*Frank*]

In order for something on the lens to reflect the flash would mean a camera designed with the flash *inside* the lens.

How else could something on the lens be illuminated by and reflect the camera flash? Camera flash can only reflect things outside the camera in order for the reflection to then bounce back into the lens.

True. I meant it could be highlighted by the flash being reflected back. The problem with old cameras where the flash is too close to the lens is that the light reflects back directly into the lens and not at an angle, causing all sorts of flares and caustics.

[DarkGaia]

I OBJECT YOUR HONOR! OOPS! wrong thing. Anyway, I live in texas, and there pretty much is a lot of hauntings. So... meaningful to visit... well yeah, I just around the goat man bridge do-hickey...

[Simbi Laveau]

*shudders*

[starchild1976]

I see what might be orbs in the second picture. As for the sailing or flying black figure I have suspect you came into contact with spirits.

[Redefining Success]

I see what might be orbs in the second picture. As for the sailing or flying black figure I have suspect you came into contact with spirits.

Really? is it now considered a figure when it was origionally a "blanket"? Has the OP remembered seeing legs, arms and a head?

Apart from the pics which ive not looked at, id like to have a stab at part of the story, surely the truck rolling off is purely a coincidental act of stupidity. As for growling noises, when a vehicle is jacked up, the suspension alters and settles into a unnatiral position, the flexing of rubber and settling of springs can produce a noise which would be thought to be growling, with the wheel arch / well acting like a directional speaker.

I think we can all learn some thing from this, next time any one goes ghost hunting / watching / exploring, put your cars hand brake on, its there for a reason and not to hang your gun off.

Edited March 10, 2013 by Redefining Success

[Rafterman]

Really? is it now considered a figure when it was origionally a "blanket"? Has the OP remembered seeing legs, arms and a head?

Apart from the pics which ive not looked at, id like to have a stab at part of the story, surely the truck rolling off is purely a coincidental act of stupidity. As for growling noises, when a vehicle is jacked up, the suspension alters and settles into a unnatiral position, the flexing of rubber and settling of springs can produce a noise which would be thought to be growling, with the wheel arch / well acting like a directional speaker.

I think we can all learn some thing from this, next time any one goes ghost hunting / watching / exploring, put your cars hand brake on, its there for a reason and not to hang your gun off.

Agreed. There's also a reason they tell you to block the tires on a 4x4 when you use your jack - did you guys do this?

As for the "blanket" and noises. Did you ever think it could have been a big owl or some other creature? Ever hear a heron squawk at night? It will literally make you p*** your pants.

Think about it for a minute. The whole premise of the evening was go check out spooky stuff. You guys had worked yourselves into a ghost frenzy and everything that was happening with the truck just reinforced your paranoia.

[SSilhouette]

I read something once about a sorcerer who had four "allies". One of them was an object described as a "black door" that flew overhead. Other accounts involving this sorcerer described big black objects flying overhead alternately described as "kites" "large birds" etc..