In 1986 I planned my first visit to England. I'd dreamt about it, read & researched it and boasted to my friends about it. Two years later, in September ‘98, I actually went. My exploration took me, eventually, to York (lovely place). The day I left York (Saturday), I felt rather strange. A sort of oppressing feeling.
I left early because the map (and directions) to the B&B didn't seem too clear. After a bit of touring around, and about an hour and a half, I found it. It was a large farmhouse. I talked to the proprietor and she told me a bit about the place. It was built in the 1940's and unusually large because it had 6 bedrooms. The only renovations that had been done to the house were in the room I was to sleep in.
Originally it had not been connected to the main house. The only entrance was from the kitchen below and I believe she referred to it as the Gent's room. I guess the male farm hands used to board there.
I decided to venture about and visited Rievaulx Abbey, then toured across the moor to Robin Hood's Bay (the end to the famous coast to coast walk). It wasn't until I was on the coast that the oppressing feeling abated. Another tour through the moors and dinner at a pub rounded the day off nicely. I decided to return to the B&B before nightfall (less stress finding it during daylight hours). My anxiety level wasn't as bad as before (perhaps I'd just gotten more used to it). I managed to stay up until 11pm.
About midnight I was awoken by the most terrible feeling. Although it was pitch black in the room I could "see" a strange cloud coming towards me (I didn't have my glasses on either!). The room may have been black but this was blacker. It enveloped me on the bed and I was paralyzed with fear. This is unusual for me - normally I'm quite calm in high stress situations (both by nature and from scuba training).
All I felt was a deep sadness - a dreadful loss - and the pain that accompanies such feelings. Needless to say, I was dumbfounded. I couldn't do anything. Panic was almost setting in when a voice inside me said "This isn't for you"..... "These aren't your feelings". As soon as I "heard" this I relaxed, and unexpectedly (considering what had just happened), I fell asleep.
At breakfast the following morning, I chatted with a couple that were also staying there. I asked where our hostess was and the man's wife replied that she'd gone to church. I noted nothing unusual about that being Sunday after all. But she continued to say that apparently last night was the anniversary of the death of one of our hostesses sons. "She usually doesn't go to church but this a was a special occasion". I hoped my facial expression wasn't giving away my surprise. I had NOT mentioned what occurred the night before. I considered waiting for the B&B owner to return but decided not to.
I regret not mentioning anything at the time (in fact I've even started a number of letters to her after I returned home) but at the time it was a subject I thought too personal (for her) to discuss.
Could this be a haunting in the making? It seems to have a number of "classic" symptoms - a tragedy, etc. I do find it unusual that this "haunting" was created by a living person. Although many questions remain unanswered, I find this a curious, first hand introduction to the paranormal. I do fully admit that I was (and still am) "open to" an experience like this. I even hoped that something unusual would happen on my trip. This I freely admit. I hope to have more interesting experiences when I move to the UK in 2001 (more likely 2003!).