A Halloween Story

October is one of my favorite months just because you can really feel the change in the air that tells you that fall has finally decided to arrive even though it officially came late September. In California, fall never really starts until the days have become shorter and it's safe to keep a blanket on the bed at nights. Although, having dogs in your bed is just as good if not better than a blanket. Now that the nights have been consistently chilly, I welcome Morpheus' body wedged between me and the open window of our bedroom. He's like a warm pillow I can just hug until I get too hot. It's absolutely lovely!

But Halloween is what most people think about when we're in the month of October. It's supposed to be the most terrifying time of the year, and who doesn't like a good fright every now and then. I enjoy a scary movie as long as nothing happens to the dog, if there is one. I'm not talking about blood and gore scary. That's just special effects and no story line. I'm talking about suspense and mystery like "The Sixth Sense" or "The Others." Those movies gave me the willies.

I do have my own creepy story that really happened when Ripley and I were living in Reseda years ago. It was at night, and I was on the phone with my best friend Sadhna in my bedroom. As we were talking, the other line beeped, since I had call waiting. My sister Jennifer was on the other line. She told me that she had just spoken to our dad. My dad had wanted her to open her bible to a certain page and keep it open. I don't recall which page it was supposed to be but having the bible open to this particular page would apparently ward off any evil spirits. After having spoken to Jennifer, my dad told her to "tell your sisters."

"Are you serious?" I asked skeptically after listening to my sister.

"Yes, that's what Dad said," Jennifer replied.

"Why would I want to do that? There's nothing going on here," I said.

Being the eldest sister, Jennifer gave an exasperated sigh and said, "Arlene, just do it, okay?"

"Fine," I said with resignation. I figured that there was no harm in opening up a bible and leaving it like that. I told Jennifer that I was on the other line with Sadhna so I had to go.

"Hey Sadhna. Sorry, that was Jennifer," I said.

I recounted what Jennifer had told me as I walked to grab the bible that my dad had bamboozled me into getting. I opened the bible to the page I was told and left it open on the foot of my bed. Ripley was curled up near the head of the bed undisturbed as Sadhna and I continued our conversation.

About ten minutes later, Ripley got up suddenly and started barking. I didn't pay much attention until she continued barking. When I looked at Ripley, I noticed that she was barking at something near the edge of the bed. Her head was tilted upwards and her attention was focused.

"What is she barking at?" Sadhna asked finally.

"I have no idea, but she's looking at something," I replied. I continued to watch Ripley who would not stop barking.

A couple more minutes lapsed before I said, "Ripley, that's enough. You're okay," in hope of trying to soothe her. But she was relentless, and I was beginning to feel uncomfortable because it wasn't Ripley's normal behavior. Something was there and it seemed to be taunting Ripley.

Feeling distracted and unable to listen fully to Sadhna, I asked, "Can I call you later? There's something going on. Ripley's never acted like this before."

"Sure, of course. Call me when you can," Sadhna said.

After I hung up the phone, I asked Ripley, "What's going on?"

Ripley never took her eyes away from whatever it was that captured her attention. She was at the edge of the bed very near the area where I had placed the open bible. When I gave my attention to the area of her focus, I felt that there was something present even though I couldn't see anything.

For those of you who don't know me personally, I am very sensitive to energy. Ever since I was very young, I was able to feel the presence of beings that other people in my family could not feel nor see. There were many times when I was younger that I could actually see them, but now that I am older, I can only see them if I have my eyes closed. Otherwise, I can only feel them. It's bizarre and I don't understand the reason for it.

Because I wanted to see Ripley's instigator, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes briefly. Immediately, I saw what Ripley was barking at. It was a formless figure that was familiar to me. It was familiar in the sense that I had seen its form before. If you can imagine a very tall shadow with no distinct arms or legs as if the figure were wearing a hooded robe, then that was the shape standing at the foot of my bed observing Ripley and seeming to be fascinated by her. Because I felt that this entity was just standing there, I firmly told it to go away. But it would not budge. So, I tried once more in the most forceful yet composed tone I could muster. Still no reaction. It remained stubbornly immovable.

"Get out of here," I finally shouted. "You're scaring my dog." Not to mention frightening me, I thought.

I felt my heart racing and my breathing slightly rapid. I waited for a few seconds to see what would happen as I slowed down the effects of the adrenaline that had rushed through me as I yelled, and allowed my bronchioles that were still reverberating to settle.

To my relief, Ripley stopped barking and finally gave her attention to me. I knew that the entity was gone because I could no longer feel it. I picked up Ripley and told her that everything was okay. I looked over to my alarm clock which told me it was after eleven. Time for bed. Even though my breathing had normalized, I still felt a little shaken. I took the open bible, closed it firmly and set it back on the bookcase near my bed. It was too much of a coincidence that something came to my bedroom soon after opening it.

After I changed into my pajamas, I turned the light off near my bed and curled up under the comforter with Ripley. In less than a minute, I felt Ripley's body tense up. Before I could say anything, she got out from the comforter, off the bed and ran towards the doorway. My bedroom door was open exposing the hallway that led to the living room. Ripley was angry as her barking began again.

Oh crap, I thought. It came back and was hovering at the doorway. I sensed its presence again. Ripley's incessant barking made me feel angry as well. My anger was directed towards the entity that wouldn't leave my apartment. I sat up and turned the lights on.

"I want you out!" I roared towards my bedroom door. "Get the hell out! And leave my dog alone!" I trembled as the words came out of my mouth. I was livid. It's amazing the courage you can summon for the sake of your dog.

Once again, after a few seconds, Ripley stopped barking. So, I called her to come back to bed which she did obediently. As soon as she reached the bed, she immediately went under the comforter and snuggled next to me. I just held her securely which helped me calm down. I closed my eyes to see if there was anything at the doorway. Whatever it was was dissipating but still lingering. There was just a thin shadow. So, I visualized white light enveloping Ripley and I as I was taught to do for protection. Whether it worked or not, who knows. The only thing that mattered was the comfort I felt from the visualization. After ignoring the urge to go to the bathroom (I did not want to collide with the wisp of a silhouette that was still at my doorway), Ripley and I finally fell asleep without further disturbance.

What happened that night in my Reseda apartment had never happened again. But then, I never opened my bible to that particular page to ensure that unwanted entities stayed away. When my dad found out about what had occurred, he wanted to have my apartment blessed, which didn't happen. Instead, my dad got a priest he knew to bless me over the phone a couple of days later. I think the blessing was more for my dad's assurance than my own because I knew nothing else would happen to me as long as I kept my bible shut.

After that incident, I did ask myself these questions: did I invite the entity to come into my bedroom because I opened up the bible? Perhaps, some words in that particular page of the bible were enticing to spirits? Or was the entity already there and was provoked to reveal itself by opening the bible? I believe it must have been summoned by opening the bible, otherwise, I would have felt it sooner. And, Ripley would have definitely sensed it as well. She's like a cat in that regards. Witches have cats because of their ability to detect spirits, and therefore can be alerted.

Even though Ripley and I had never had another visitor from the non-physical realm again in that Reseda apartment, it certainly wasn't the last time I saw those shapeless entities. Regardless, they are harmless, unless you surrender your power to them, meaning you allow your imagination or fear to get the better of you. Whether they are evil or not is questionable. I still have yet to understand and accept with satisfaction the reason spirits lurk amongst us physical beings. What is their purpose? The last sinister entity I encountered was many years ago when I was in school for Chinese Medicine. The entity actually laughed in my ear when I was in a vulnerable state (I had needles in me since I was getting an acupuncture treatment at the school's clinic). I was petrified because I knew as soon as I felt it enter the treatment room that it was not friendly. But that's another story and no dog was included in that one.

Love, love your dog. If you don't have one, then adopt or save one. Then, on the ghoulish night of Halloween, pay close attention to your dogs. You may have a dog like Ripley who is catlike and able to perceive spirits or ghosts roaming about. If your dog starts barking with focused attention at an empty space, you better believe that something is present. Dogs hear, smell and sense so much better than we do. We are NOT alone. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

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