Sleep Paralysis

Last night (Nov 7th, 2009) I think I've had my first case of true sleep paralysis (night hag)... If I'm lucky. But before I go into this, let me state that I have recently moved into a new place (a trailer) in another city so I no longer have to deal with any of the paranormal stuff that had been going on in my old apt building (please read my other stories for more background).

Being who I am and how many haunted places I seem to find, both my hubby and myself cleansed the place before we moved in. I wasn't worried too much about spirits, but rather lingering negative emotions/energy as the previous tenants left the location under bad conditions. I wanted this place to be a new start, in more ways than one.

So far nothing major "strange" has occurred - almost everything has come with an explanation, the howling, whispering noises - the new fridge (100% new and still makes weird noises). The loud thumps - expansion of the metal siding and roofing with temperature changes (I call them the Elephants on the Roof). But a few things are starting to show up, mostly dark shadow things that fly past your vision. At first I thought they were water-bugs (evil vile giant roaches) that got inside, but I can't find the bugs and my hubby has also reported seeing them. Once, I swore I "felt" someone in the trailer with me, but I played it off as the curtains or hearing people outside.

Then last night happened. Before now I haven't ever gone through an experience such as this - I've talked to people in my sleep, knew I was dreaming and couldn't wake up, stuff like that. But last night still has me startled. I don't sleep well to start with; any little noise wakes me up. Last night I had trouble shutting down to sleep, but finally got there shortly after 12:30am. Sometime around 2:45, I heard my hubby mumbling in his sleep. He does suffer from the inability to awaken himself from his dreams and over the years I've learned to listen for his tell-tale noises of him trying to wake up. I woke him up, he used the restroom (which is built-on to the backside of the bedroom) and returned to bed.

Within minutes he was snoring, but now I was awake. I sat up on the bed, shoving the pillows behind me and in the light of the alarm clock, sat there and petted my cat (who always sleeps on my feet). Then I laid back and listened to the sound of the clock ticking away (different clock - old timey metal bell type). 20 minutes passed and I couldn't sleep, I wasn't tired, but I refused to get up - work was less than 3 hours away and I wanted nap time. I pulled the blankets up around my neck, laid back and suddenly I "felt" something standing outside the bedroom doorway (we removed the door and replaced it with a curtain). My eyes slammed shut and I felt as if a lead blanket had been laid across my whole person. I couldn't move a muscle, speak or open my eyes. I went straight into panic mode.

Then I felt a "shape" of something move into the room and crawl up on the bed, right across my husband. I was going ballistic - I have read enough stories on Night Hags - aka Sleep Paralysis to know what was happening, but that didn't help fix anything. I struggled to wiggle my toes, silently screaming at myself to MOVE while this dark shape crawled on the bed. I started to feel (I think) my toe to wiggle just as the shape got up in my face and I was floored by the feeling of sheer terror that I felt. I struggled to open my eyes, finally getting a sliver of a glimpse of a dark shape looming over me. Then I felt my arms rise up and thrash at it, finally getting something to come out of my mouth (a scream).

Then my eyes popped open and nothing was there. Hubby was still snoring, kitty was curled up asleep, and I was listening to the sound of my heart thumping in my chest. I woke up the hubby who turned on the bathroom lights as I explained what happened. Part of me wanted to believe it was sleep paralysis; part was too shocked to know what to think. He feel back to sleep shortly after, but I didn't drift off until close to 4am.

I have never gone through anything remotely similar to this in my life, I have had what I thought was sleep paralysis before but never suffered to this extent. I mean, when I managed to get my eyes open a little, I saw a black shape of a head looming over me - I couldn't see the light of the alarm clock at all and I was still sitting up even with it. I don't know if it was a 1 in a million occurrence or if something perhaps may have happened, but now I can understand the fear and terror some of you explain during this type of event. All I can hope for is that I NEVER have to go through that again and that there was nothing behind it.