Something Visited My School

[Owen Strand]

About two years ago, I was in sixth grade. The first year of middle school. It was a private school with only six other kids in my class, so for the most part it was pretty boring. Every day at 12:30, the middle school, joined by fifth grade, would walk down to the partly underground cafeteria for lunch. I didn't talk much, so I was more aware of my surroundings. It paid off, because one day (a cloudy day) we were eating lunch when suddenly, the lights flickered. This was a fairly rare occurrence, but nobody thought much of it. However, no more than a half second after the light flicker, I swear to God, I saw a shadowy figure move past the stain-glass windows. The windows in the cafeteria were close to the ceiling and from the outside they were close to the ground. There's a really big field in between the nearest sidewalk, so it wasn't someone just taking a walk.

I'm pretty sure I'm the only there who saw this happen, as I've never heard anyone else talk about it. I mentioned it to my friends right after I saw it, but they didn't seem to believe me. I've attached a diagram to this post. To anyone reading this, please try to help me understand this story, because now I'm really interested.

- Owen Strand

 

Edited August 17, 2018 by Owen Strand
Updated the diagram

[DebDandelion]

Hello Owen and welcome. 

Since you are new here I am just going to give you an overview.

Here you will find two /three major lanes (so to speak). A) logical approach filled with data and scientific explanation... b ) paranormal, all weird and wonderful ,possible and plausible explanations and c) die heart convicted posters (to their way of thought, not willing to budge).

Since you have posted here (at UM) you have to be able to read and understand where each one comes from when they post possibilities (cause u asked for help).

So, that said, for me, I believe that the lights flickering might have influenced momentarily the perception of the surroundings. (Always first logical approach for me).

But I don't put the paranormal completely aside. It is possible you did see something. 

That doesn't help much does it? 

Hopefully other posters will be able to give more insight. 

Enjoy

[moonman]

I don't understand how it couldn't be someone walking by the window, since it sounds like it was just someone walking by the window while on the school grounds. Is the school surrounded by hot lava or something?

Edited August 17, 2018 by moonman

[Piney]

30 minutes ago, Owen Strand said:

I saw a shadowy figure move past the stain-glass windows.

There are many explanations some natural, some unnatural. Without being there, nobody can really say what you saw.

[XenoFish]

1 hour ago, Owen Strand said:

I saw a shadowy figure move past the stain-glass windows. The windows in the cafeteria were close to the ceiling and from the outside they were close to the ground. There's a really big field in between the nearest sidewalk, so it wasn't someone just taking a walk.

Could've been. Might have been a janitor or staff making rounds in order to see if everyone who was supposed to be at lunch was. 

[freetoroam]

1 hour ago, Owen Strand said:

(a cloudy day) we were eating lunch when suddenly, the lights flickered

There could have been a dry thunderstorm  close by or in the distance, hence clouds but no rain where you were. 

Even one lightning  could flicker the lights.

1 hour ago, Owen Strand said:

I saw a shadowy figure move past the stain-glass windows.

Sorry, do you mean on the other side of the window.....or a shadow on your side of the window?

If on the other, well , it could be absolutely anybody, especially as there were many walking around. 

So someone went for a walk or as mentioned a member of staff.

1 hour ago, Owen Strand said:

Every day at 12:30, the middle school, joined by fifth grade, would walk down to the partly underground cafeteria for lunch

 

Edited August 17, 2018 by freetoroam

[Owen Strand]

2 hours ago, moonman said:

I don't understand how it couldn't be someone walking by the window, since it sounds like it was just someone walking by the window while on the school grounds. Is the school surrounded by hot lava or something?

There's absolutely no reason someone would be walking there.

[Owen Strand]

1 hour ago, XenoFish said:

Could've been. Might have been a janitor or staff making rounds in order to see if everyone who was supposed to be at lunch was. 

The janitors came at night. And, there were only about 20 kids in the middles school and they made us line up very slowly and walk in single file. The teachers also sat at a lunch table right by us so they could be watching us the whole time.

[moonman]

4 minutes ago, Owen Strand said:

There's absolutely no reason someone would be walking there.

How do you know? Are you in charge of every person in the area? No, you aren't.

Edited August 17, 2018 by moonman

[XenoFish]

2 minutes ago, Owen Strand said:

The janitors came at night. And, there were only about 20 kids in the middles school and they made us line up very slowly and walk in single file. The teachers also sat at a lunch table right by us so they could be watching us the whole time.

So the answer you want is for it to be paranormal.

[Owen Strand]

59 minutes ago, freetoroam said:

There could have been a dry thunderstorm  close by or in the distance, hence clouds but no rain where you were. 

Even one lightning  could flicker the lights.

Sorry, do you mean on the other side of the window.....or a shadow on your side of the window?

If on the other, well , it could be absolutely anybody, especially as there were many walking around. 

So someone went for a walk or as mentioned a member of staff.

 

It was on the other side of the window. And in my diagram I showed that the window was in a corner of a field, right next to a fence, so the odds of someone walking there were slim to none.

There were only two types of staff members: teachers, and kitchen assistants. It was lunchtime, so no kitchen assistants would be outside. And all the teachers would be in their classrooms.

[Owen Strand]

1 minute ago, XenoFish said:

So the answer you want is for it to be paranormal.

I can't explain it any other way. I know the school, and nobody would be walking there.

[XenoFish]

1 minute ago, Owen Strand said:

I can't explain it any other way. I know the school, and nobody would be walking there.

You're also recounting a two year old memory and memories change whenever we remember something. For all we know it was a bird that cast the shadow on the window.

[moonman]

Again - you have no idea who may or may not be walking out there. Frankly, I think it's pretty silly that you would assume to know the intentions of every human around you within miles.

Edited August 17, 2018 by moonman

[SecretSanta]

Large bird flying by? Animal walking by? 

[Owen Strand]

3 minutes ago, moonman said:

How do you know? Are you in charge of every person in the area? No, you aren't.

It was a small school. Less than a hundred students and only about ten teachers. There were no staff members during the day, the nearest sidewalk was far away from the window, and it was in the corner of a field, right next to a fence. I know the school, no one would be there.

[Owen Strand]

Just now, SecretSanta said:

Large bird flying by? Animal walking by? 

It was touching the ground. It was about 5-6 feet tall. It's Massachusetts, so we don't get animals like that.

[Owen Strand]

1 minute ago, moonman said:

Again - you have no idea who may or may not be walking out there. 

They didn't let random civilians walk in that area. And of all the staff members that were there during the day, no one would be there. No one.

[moonman]

3 minutes ago, Owen Strand said:

It was a small school. Less than a hundred students and only about ten teachers. There were no staff members during the day, the nearest sidewalk was far away from the window, and it was in the corner of a field, right next to a fence. I know the school, no one would be there.

Doesn't matter. You don't know everything about everyone. Could be a guy from the city fixing stuff, could be a bum, could be a parent, could be ANYBODY. You're just a kid sitting in a lunchroom, nobody has to check in with you about where they walk.

Edited August 17, 2018 by moonman

[Owen Strand]

4 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

You're also recounting a two year old memory and memories change whenever we remember something. For all we know it was a bird that cast the shadow on the window.

I've never had a weird encounter like that. You don't forget something like that. And it wasn't a bird, it was reaching the ground.

[SecretSanta]

3 minutes ago, Owen Strand said:

It was touching the ground. It was about 5-6 feet tall. It's Massachusetts, so we don't get animals like that.

Um...moose and bear.

Anyhow, shadows can be stretched and skewed. I once saw a spider the size of a softball, got ready to take a picture and it flew up to a branch. Yep, the spider was actually a sparrow but the shadows made it look like a huge spider. 

[XenoFish]

1 minute ago, Owen Strand said:

I've never had a weird encounter like that. You don't forget something like that. And it wasn't a bird, it was reaching the ground.

You also never remember it 100% right either. The only answer you want to hear is that it's paranormal. Which honestly makes this whole discussion pointless. Too many of us have already given you potential explanations. You apparently do not want to hear it. 

[Owen Strand]

Just now, SecretSanta said:

Um...moose and bear.

Anyhow, shadows can be stretched and skewed. I once saw a spider the size of a softball, got ready to take a picture and it flew up to a branch. Yep, the spider was actually a sparrow but the shadows made it look like a huge spider. 

1. It was in a city

2. It was a window, so it was really a shadow. It just looked like one since it was stain-glass.

[Owen Strand]

2 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

You also never remember it 100% right either. The only answer you want to hear is that it's paranormal. Which honestly makes this whole discussion pointless. Too many of us have already given you potential explanations. You apparently do not want to hear it. 

I don't want to hear that it's paranormal. That would terrify me. But I know the school, I've been there for six years, so it's easy to refute explanations.

[moonman]

Except it isn't.