The Neighbors

The real estate market and the number of foreclosures on mortgages are higher than ever before in history. Unfortunately, this has not spared the Nebraska area.

Our next door neighbor, Mrs. McKenzie, became very aged and was placed in an assisted living facility about 5 years ago. She had a beautiful large dog that resembled a lion, in features, but was the sweetest animal ever. His name was Frank. Frank went to live with Mrs. McKenzie's son when she moved. He passed on about a month after being separated from her. Her family states he died of a broken heart, not being able to stand being separated from her.

The house stood vacant for about two years. We visited Mrs. McKenzie a few times, and had her to our home for dinner on a couple of occasions. Her physical and mental well being appeared to be declining fairly rapidly. There came a point where she was transferred to a skilled nursing facility, and did not know who any one was when visited. The only thing she talked of regularly was Frank, her beloved pet and companion.

The Sunday before our new neighbors moved into the house, we received a call that Mrs. McKenzie had passed away. We attended the visitation on Monday night, just as the last of the moving boxes were being taken into the house by the new neighbors.

I baked a batch of brownies about a week later and took them over to the neighbors to introduce myself. There was a husband, wife, 16 year old, 14 year old and 4 year old in the family. All were very kind.

A few days later, the husband, Mark, came and knocked on our door. After we invited him in he asked if we knew if anyone had died in the house. We advised him not that we were aware of, however our house had been built in 1920, so we assumed the house was probably about the same age.

I asked why he was inquiring. He told us that several times the family had encountered strange noises and items being moved. He wasn't too concerned about those occurrences though, as with families with kids, sometimes these things happen. He was however concerned about the dog barking.

Apparently, every morning around 6:00 AM he would hear a dog barking near the rear of the house. He could not tell at first if the noise was from inside the house or out side. He set his alarm one morning and had his wife listen inside while he waited out side. She heard the barking, he did not. There was no dog in the house.

We told him about Mrs. McKenzie and Frank. This seemed to ease his mind, thinking that Mrs. McKenzie and Frank may be at the home to watch over them before crossing over, insuring that they cared for the home.

Well, unfortunately, the family lost the home to the banks a month or so back. We did not know they were leaving until the moving truck arrived. They then briefly told us they were victims of the economy and the bank now owned the house.

A couple of days after the family left, I left my house at 7:00 AM to go to work. The only thing dividing the houses is a single car drive way and about 12 feet of yard. My truck is parked in the drive way.

I had the keen sense that I was being watched as I walked to my truck. I looked behind me and in front of me. No one there. I then heard a dog's high pitched whimper, the type a dog let's out when craving attention. But very low, almost as if in a distance.

I glanced around a little longer. I then heard the neighboring house's (that was now vacant!) front door slam! I looked over and the house was as it had been 10 seconds earlier when I had looked that way, vacant and dark.

I assumed I was imagining things and opened my truck door. As I placed my brief case in the back seat, I heard the dog again. I looked up and there was a woman with medium length dark hair, about five feet two inches tall, holding the leash of a large animal that looked like a wolf. They were standing on the enclosed front porch of the vacant house staring in my direction. I blinked twice and they were gone!

I was a bit shaken to say the least, so I quickly got in to my truck and locked the doors. I was saying my prayers and asking for protection from anything evil, when I looked up to the second story window of the vacant home. There was another woman and man in the window!

The woman was about 60 years old with graying hair, standing about six feet tall. The man standing next to her appeared to be in his late twenties or early thirties. He had shoulder length blond hair and broad shoulders. He appeared even taller than the six foot woman I was seeing in the side picture window.

I stared for what felt like an eternity, as they intently stared back at me. Then they vanished. There was no wavering, no fading... Just there one minute and gone the next.

I have never seen these individuals (including the dog) before. The stare I received from them was almost menacing and left every fiber of my nerves on edge.

This happened about three weeks ago. Although I have not seen these individuals again, and have not heard anything more from the house, some how I know they (or someone or something else) are there and are watching. They are not emitting the most positive of energy, and it feels like more is being hidden, than is being revealed.