We live in Texas City and it's the site of a massive industrial accident that happened in 1947 that killed at least 576 people. The whole town was damaged and one ship's anchor was blown 1.5 miles and the other landed at the base of the Texas City Dike. That's about 4 blocks from my house. Many people were killed in offices, schools, neighborhoods in the entire town. Because of this, we've experienced what I think of as people passing through. My theory is that my house which is one of the few old ones remaining is familiar to them. They never seem to mean any harm. There was also the earliest Air Force base in the nation here and my house was right on the boundary line of where the base housing was. That might explain all of the energy that seems to still come through from time to time.
I fell off a ladder 12 years ago and fractured my pelvis and two vertebrae. When it really hurts, it helps to grab a comforter and sleep on the living room floor. It puts everything back into alignment, if that makes sense.
One night last winter I had slept on the floor but woke up right as our antique mantel clock was chiming 4am. I was lying on my side facing the TV and the bedrooms and hallway were to my back. I heard footsteps and assumed that my husband woke up and came to check on me. I was sleepy and felt him lift the comforter behind me and climb underneath the covers and spoon me. Well, I thought he was being sweet and slightly romantic to keep me company. I Love Lucy was on and I can tell you the episode - it was the one where Lucy meets Bill Holden. I'm quite sure that I was awake! I was looking at the clock the whole time.
After a few minutes of spooning I started thinking gosh, his arm is so heavy! And I'm so hot! He was really throwing off some heat even though the room was cold. A gradual dawning happened that I could hear snoring coming from the bedroom. My husband's distinctive snore and whistle. Who had their arm around me? I was too terrified to look.
The arm around me was getting heavier and heavier and I was panicking. In my mind, I decided to count to three and then jump and run for the bedroom. I counted it down and threw the comforter back and ran. I shook my husband awake and made him go and check the living room with me. There was no one there, But the comforter was rumpled as if someone had lain there and the pillows showed indents from myself and whoever (or whatever else) had been there.
I still sleep in the living room once in a while. But I always sleep very close to the coffee table, where no one could possibly lie down behind me. Before I go to sleep I say a little prayer that no one visits and I ask out loud "Please, I just want to sleep. Don't get too close or touch me". So far, so good. I know they mean no harm but we already hear a group of people at 3am and a ghost dog bumps our bed pretty frequently. I love my house. I just don't want to be scared to death in it.
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