Long brown fingers...

AARRRGH

Not sure if this is paranormal but...

This really happened to me. It wasn't a dream and I didn't have an overactive imagination... Also, I'm quote the sceptic.

When I was 6 years old I was in bed. My brother was sleeping in the bed with me (as kids do sometimes.) I woke up in the middle of the night. I was facing the wall. My brother was behind me on the outside part of the bed (the side where you get out of the bed.)

Across my white sheet, about 1 foot in front of me was a large brown finger coming up from under my bed. It was scratching my pillow very slowly in a repitive manner. It was not a shadow. I could clearly see the brown finger coming up from under my bed. It was longer than a normal human finger. It has the same shape and bone structure as a human finger. It was simply longer. And brown.

It was just scratching the sheet over and over.

I remember being utterly terrified. I pushed my brother back as far as possible without him falling out of the bed. I remember just staring at it wondering wtf is this and there is nothing I can do (I did not want to risk screaming or risk getting out of the bed.)

I remember I decided I was going to force myself to sleep and hope it goes away.

When I work up in the morning it was gone. I have never seen it since.

...

A few years later I read in a book about long brown fingers scratching in an attic in France.

Has anyone ever heard anything like this before? This really did happen: not my imagination or a dream. And I don't normally believe any of this kind of stuff...

Anyone?

[edit] ugh, thinking about it now is giving me the creeps. it has better not reappear tonight cause of this post!! [/edit]

stormkeeper

This is somewhat related, but I remember long ago - when I was about your age actually - that I saw a monster under my bed. I recall it looking like Oscar the Grouch as well, which is the funny thing. even funnier was that I didn't have much of an imagination then (part of my "Learning Disability"), plus I don't have dreams that vividly, so I was convinced it was real. Granted, it's not the same experience, but at least you aren't alone in having freaky stuff happen, right?

And, like you, I still haven't been able to explain my thing either... that said, I've had quite a few strange experiences as a child... was always afraid of mentioning them, in case I was branded a freak. One of them made me look for a book from the library about ESP, and the like (was a Usborne book) and I recall someone being concerned about me getting that book, though this was a long time ago...

Still, it makes you realise that people back then weren't as open to "freaky sh*t" happening up to around 10-15 years ago, compared to all the paranormal groups popping up in Ireland in the past year or two - two of which I have had some form of involvement in, but either way, it's interesting to note the changes of things back then, compared to now...


Still though, it makes you wander what that brown finger thing actually was... and better yet, how many people have experienced it, yet were afraid to come forward?

AARRRGH

Yes, I think in life a lot of people have to keep things to themselves, for fear of being labeled a freak/scolded. Sad really...

The brown fingers was the only weird thing that happened to me. Otherwise my life has been weirdness free! I get quite nervous when I think about them - I had a very **** nights sleep last night because I made the above post before bed. And I'm still nervous now.

And this is 20 years later!!! Not a dream...

Zillah

dublindude wrote:

This really did happen: not my imagination or a dream.

I don't doubt your word, but its kinda redundant saying that. People who halucinate always say they thought it was real.

The fact that you went back to sleep makes me think it was some sort of dream.

Don't be mistaken, dreams are a lot more complicated than you might think. People can have all sorts of wierd awake/half awake/ dream things.

Also, you were six. Which was obviously many years ago. Memory is not reliable, especially of something that happened in the middle of the night to a scared child.

Im sorry but I'd be very suprised if this wasn't just a scared, confused child, who has in essence passed on a faulty memory to you.

But the usual caveat; I dont know.

stormkeeper

dublindude wrote:

Yes, I think in life a lot of people have to keep things to themselves, for fear of being labeled a freak/scolded. Sad really...

Yeah...

The brown fingers was the only weird thing that happened to me. Otherwise my life has been weirdness free! I get quite nervous when I think about them - I had a very **** nights sleep last night because I made the above post before bed. And I'm still nervous now.

Erk... it sucks when you recount some things that genuinely scare you and to this day they haunt you. That's the problem... it stays with you because you can't turn to anyone about it. I've had two more wierd experences I seem to remember pretty well at the moment, so there must be substance to all three if I remember them that vividly.

And this is 20 years later!!! Not a dream...

Yeah, I have the same issue, only they all seemed to happen before I was 12... Eh, I dunno. I've been told multiple times that I'm "gifted", and I have to wonder if any of the experiences tie into this...

Perhaps one day, we can find the meaning to our experiences...

Le Rack

When I was a kid, I used to be convinced there were witches or somethingunder my bed, and I used to alway sleep on my side in the fetal position cuz I used to firmly believe that they were poking and prodding my back with their long pointy fingers, and i fI lay on my back they would be able to stretch their hands around the edge of the bed and grab me. I still get freaked out thinking about it.

Kernel

Le Rack wrote:

When I was a kid, I used to be convinced there were witches or somethingunder my bed, and I used to alway sleep on my side in the fetal position cuz I used to firmly believe that they were poking and prodding my back with their long pointy fingers, and i fI lay on my back they would be able to stretch their hands around the edge of the bed and grab me. I still get freaked out thinking about it.

But there were no witches under you bed Le Rack... maybe post in Paganism and see if it's an accepted practice!

stormkeeper

Well, I know witches don't go under beds, but in them... well, it depends on whether or not you pick one up in the nightclub or such :P

AARRRGH

Ahhh no I just read this again as I'm about to go to bed!!!!!

LOL

Laguna

Yeah it sounds freakly alright, you could have been in a semi-lucid state at the time you saw it though, which is a time when you can imagine tings that seem entirely real...

Brown fingers.. hmmmm... just what is this monster doing when no one is looking?

very strange indeed , what makes this even more weird for me is that i actually know someone that had a similar experience many years ago at the age of 10 and to this day it still scares this person.

AARRRGH

hellboy99 wrote:

very strange indeed , what makes this even more weird for me is that i actually know someone that had a similar experience many years ago at the age of 10 and to this day it still scares this person.

Really?? How similar? Where did they grow up?

HomunQlus

Back to the brown fingers:

I'd say it was a dream, generated into your reality by the sub-conscience (is that spelled right?). By night, when the human brain is working on processing the data its got during the day, it's in a certain state, that's different from the normal day, when you have to work, or go to school.

If you wake up sometime in the night, the brain is still working on things that happened, while also have to do its job to make your senses work, like hearing, seeing, feeling etc. Sometimes, this mixes up, and you see weird things. Also in this state, the sub-conscience has a better access to your brain and can send messages, which manifest themselves in things you see, that are completely real to you.

What I'm saying is, that the brain is far more complicated than we know, it's capable to simulate a lot of things.

In India, so I have read, they have a technique which makes it possible to see what you wish for completely real, and they do that while they're awake during the day.

So you see, it might have been a dream, it might have been real.

I am into paranormal things a lot. Can you post a link to that book you read with the fingers in France? I'd be interested in reading that as I have never heard of this phenomenon before.

Le Rack

Kernel wrote:

But there were no witches under you bed Le Rack... maybe post in Paganism and see if it's an accepted practice!

g'way!

Ziycon

When i was bout 4 -5 i was was awake in my room and my dad was there putting me to bed, he was closing the curtains and to this day i could swear blind that i saw a ape like creature looking in the window like king long size of an ape, my dad was in the room and he never looked out the window, i've been asking him about this for years now and to this day he said that he never heard or saw anything but i swear i did!

Sapien

In what year were you 6 years old, dublindude?

Kernel

Sapien wrote:

In what year were you 6 years old, dublindude?

Did you summon these fingers and not perform a banishing ritual Sapien???? :v: :v: :v:

Zillah

How I delight in your mockery

Witchie

Totally empathaise DublinDude. Had a rather weird experience when was about 12 myself. Went to bed reading the Bible (as I always did then) and had just closed it to settle down to sleep when out of the wall opposite my bed some blue orb type lights came towards me. I dont remember much except that I was being moved towards the light.

Some time later I knocked on my parents bedroom door and they told me to come in. I told them had a bad dream and slept on their floor.

Two weeks later my mum had the house blessed and brought me to chat with a priest.

I could never shake the feeling that something really strange happened that nite and had loads of nitemares, nose bleeds, panic attacks etc after that for many years. It was never really discussed at home.

Years later I came home from college one day and mum was in her room doing some laundry so I turned on the tv and Oprah was on talkin bout Alien abduction. I got cold shivers down my spine and everything that was being described was ringing in my head with familiarity. I went down to my mum and asked her what had happened the nite of the lights. she said I had come into her room with a "blue glow" around me and had frightened the life outta her.

Dad arrived home at that moment so went to kitchen and asked him the same question. He said I had come in with "blue sparks" coming off me.

I was intrigued and started a journey of discovery. I contacted people who knew about Aliens etc and it looked like had experienced an abduction but the only way to find out was thro regression. I went to get regression done but twice when went under and started to describe what was happening, i would start to panic and it would bring on an asthma attack and had to be brought out.

I left it for years but then went to get regression again and this time was able to describe things in detail. Am not goin into it here but suffice to say it was like a Hollywood movie! I had never been able to watch movies or programs with Aliens in them (bar ALF!) so couldnt have been in my mind.

I have never gotten to the bottom of this but I now prefer to think that it was my Angels coming to me rather than Aliens.

AARRRGH

Witchie are you serious?? That's an amazing story! The fact your parents saw the blue glow/sparks is fascinating.

I'd love to hear what happened to you someday!

Sapien wrote:

In what year were you 6 years old, dublindude?

Around 1984. I'm 27 now.

HomunQlus wrote:

Can you post a link to that book you read with the fingers in France?

The book was one of those Osbourne kids books. It was the one about the paranormal! Not exactly National Geographic I know, but I doubt they just made the stories up.

iceman_2001_ie

I don't know if this is relevant, but I'll throw my two cents in anyway.

Before I go on, I'll give a bit of background - I'm an engineer, with a scientific mind, generally quite sceptical about most things, but have certain "irrational" beliefs. I am a believing, practising Christian for example. I DO believe that there are many things today that are considered super-natural, but that will be explained rationally and scientifically in future years.

My point is, I believe Children, by virtue of their wonderful innocence, are more open to "supernatural" phenomenon and experiences. Adults and those approaching adulthood are conditioned to think certain ways, and disregard and ignore things that are in opposition to their view of the world.

What you experienced with the "brown fingers" may have happened exactly as you said it, and may happen to adults every night of the year. But because they are not as open to the experience as Children, they immediately disregard it as a dream or an other psychological event.

In my own experience, I firmly remember as a child (about 5 or 6)seeing a face in the curtains in my room, every night for those years. It had eyes and the mouth used to say things - always silently tho, mouthing the words if you know what I mean. The face was ALWAYS in the same place, top left hand corner of the right curtain. I used to get out of bed and open to curtain to see if there was anybody there but there never was. I remember asking a baby sitter (a cousin) to come down and have a look for me - I pointed out exactly where it was, and I remember her covering the face with the head of a wooden spoon.

I still live at home with my parents (house prices, convienience to work etc etc etc) and still have the same room, with the same red velvet curtains. I haven't seen the face in nearly 20 years.

Witchie

dublindude wrote:

Witchie are you serious?? That's an amazing story! The fact your parents saw the blue glow/sparks is fascinating.

I'd love to hear what happened to you someday!

Yeah am serious. My parents never discussed it really yet their stories corroborated (sp?) a few years later and was still fresh in their minds. Thats what makes me realise it wasnt just my mind playing tricks etc.

Have been told it was many things including ball lightening, being annointed by the Holy Spirit, Ghosts or Aliens.

For years I thought Aliens and to b honest have scared quite a few boyfriends outta my life when have revealed that side of me.

Stuck in life as a freak because of that experience but am glad to see that Ireland is begining to accept freaks like me!

stormkeeper

Witchie wrote:

Stuck in life as a freak because of that experience but am glad to see that Ireland is begining to accept freaks like me!

It took long enough for it to happen!

Zillah

iceman_2001_ie wrote:

My point is, I believe Children, by virtue of their wonderful innocence, are more open to "supernatural" phenomenon and experiences.

Young children also have under developed reasoning capacity, not to mention extra ordinary imaginations and an inbuilt terror in the absence of their parents.

dublindude

dublindude wrote:

Really?? How similar? Where did they grow up?

well apartently a hand came up from the bottom of the bed and grab this persons foot and tried to pull the person out of the bed. all this person saw was a strange hand with very long fingures. needless to say this person never slept in the room again. person grew up in monaghan.

Sapien

Zillah wrote:

How I delight in your mockery

Now I alight in your rockery.

TerrorFirmer

Isn't it funny how the simpliest things are the most terrifying things of all? For example a brown finger repetitively scratching a bed is a fairly bland image but yet chills to the bone.

I remember when I was younger I had what I think was a dream - I live upstairs, in a converted attic, and the door to the attic is beside my bed. I woke up during the middle of the night because the door was slightly shaking. I didn't move, but I sort of lay down in the bed, hoping as you do that it's just something to do with the wind or such, because up there, it was fairly common for the wind to run through the place and slightly rattle doors. But eventually it stopped itself. I was just relaxing when the door just creaked open. For a second there was nothing, then a kind of a dry scrapy sound, then a rustly paper sound, and then the sound of something going across my floor. Have you ever heard a dogs nails on wood? It sounded like that, like something brittle walking across my floor. There was nothing else after that and I didn't dare turn on my light or even turn in the bed. I eventually fell asleep, and when I woke up the door to my attic was indeed open. I couldn't find any evidence whatsoever to show that it was anything other then a dream based on mild half-sleep reality but it still freaks me out.

I know people are quick to say it was probably a rat or something, but if that were the case I'd have found it or whatever it may have been in my room the next morning. Never found anything.

It's just one of those things that I can't say what exactly happened. I remember thinking, oh yeah, I was definately 100% awake, but its easy to look back with tinted eyes and slightly exaggerate things without intending to. I like to think it was a mixture of some reality combined with a half-asleep mind. I think this can be likened to Dublindudes case.

Still though. If it was a dream, I've certainly never had one like it before, ever...

Kernel

MobileInfantry wrote:

Isn't it funny how the simpliest things are the most terrifying things of all? For example a brown finger repetitively scratching a bed is a fairly bland image but yet chills to the bone.

bland? where do you live, Amityville? If I saw 'long brown fingers' reaching up on my bed, I might think of it as something a little more serious than bland. Admittedly, most people are posting about when they were children.

Either way, since when did the 'paranorma'l define all our silly childhood dreams??? Is anyone in this forum apart from the half dozen regulars actually even interested in the paranormal????!? How many of us have even read a book on the subject, again apart from the regular serious posters???

Zillah

Kernel wrote:

bland? where do you live, Amityville? If I saw 'long brown fingers' reaching up on my bed, I might think of it as something a little more serious than bland.

I think the word "inocuous" better grasps the sentiment. It wasn't a severed head, or a fang filled mouth, or a bloodied hand; it was a brown finger.

Is anyone in this forum apart from the half dozen regulars actually even interested in the paranormal????!? How many of us have even read a book on the subject, again apart from the regular serious posters???

Rofl

Witchie

Paranormal is my life to a certain extent. I do my angel cards, I practise as a witch and do meditation classes etc. So its not just the regular posters....

Wow Hellboy, Monaghan is a hive of paranormal/alien activity. The Leslies have written books and made dvds of ufos etc and the castle is very haunted so its not surprising. Apparently there was alot of alien activity in the Monaghan area during the early 80's so if this is around your time that may be a way of explaining your story.

Sapien

Witchie wrote:

Wow Hellboy, Monaghan is a hive of paranormal/alien activity. The Leslies have written books and made dvds of ufos etc and the castle is very haunted so its not surprising. Apparently there was alot of alien activity in the Monaghan area during the early 80's so if this is around your time that may be a way of explaining your story.

Why draw such a strict distinction between "alien" phenomena, and hauntings? Are all of these things not alien in some sense? Could UFOs not be described as a kind of haunting? Do we claim to know so much about these things that we can assert that one category is caused by the actions of entities from other planets (which is what I assume you and most people mean by the term, alien) and the other by spirits?

Surely that fact that we observe a cluster of both of these sorts of things - things that float in the sky and things that go bump in the night, in the same area suggests that, at least in this case, they are related in kind and cause. Or is it a strange coincidence? Or do we believe that beings from other planets are sensitive to the supernatural and ghostly? Or do we believe that the supernatural, as opposed to the extraterrestrial, can manifest, on occasion, in the night sky in splendid technicolour? Or do we believe that people from Monaghan are gullible, mendacious or simply prone to hyperbole and fond of attention?

Perhaps, until such time as we have ascertained anything with certainty, we might regulate discussion of such phenomena under a less presumptuous nomenclature - the unexplained or the paranormal.

kernel wrote:

Is anyone in this forum apart from the half dozen regulars actually even interested in the paranormal????!? How many of us have even read a book on the subject, again apart from the regular serious posters???

Apart from the regular posters?

Witchie

Sapien wrote:

Why draw such a strict distinction between "alien" phenomena, and hauntings? Are all of these things not alien in some sense? Could UFOs not be described as a kind of haunting? Do we claim to know so much about these things that we can assert that one category is caused by the actions of entities from other planets (which is what I assume you and most people mean by the term, alien) and the other by spirits?

Surely that fact that we observe a cluster of both of these sorts of things - things that float in the sky and things that go bump in the night, in the same area suggests that, at least in this case, they are related in kind and cause. Or is it a strange coincidence? Or do we believe that beings from other planets are sensitive to the supernatural and ghostly? Or do we believe that the supernatural, as opposed to the extraterrestrial, can manifest, on occasion, in the night sky in splendid technicolour? Or do we believe that people from Monaghan are gullible, mendacious or simply prone to hyperbole and fond of attention?

Perhaps, until such time as we have ascertained anything with certainty, we might regulate discussion of such phenomena under a less presumptuous nomenclature - the unexplained or the paranormal.


Apart from the regular posters?

Firstly I didnt state that they are different...I dont know if they are related or not, just saying that there is alot of this type activity in that area. As for Monaghan people being gullible or liars etc I feel that sweeping generalisations like that are not only incredibly immature but extremely insulting. My comment about Monaghan being a hive is based on many conversations I have had with people during my 32 years including some people involved in the making of the said dvd on UFO's. I did not say that Monaghan is the only place with such stories, as that would be laughable, I was just trying to let Hellboy know that he is not alone with a strange experience in Monaghan.

Jeez this is hard work for a Monday!

Zillah

Sapien wrote:

Why draw such a strict distinction between "alien" phenomena, and hauntings? Are all of these things not alien in some sense? Could UFOs not be described as a kind of haunting? Do we claim to know so much about these things that we can assert that one category is caused by the actions of entities from other planets (which is what I assume you and most people mean by the term, alien) and the other by spirits?

A suscinct observation.

Apart from the regular posters?

You're just bitter because none of the regular posters like you.

Sapien

Witchie wrote:

As for Monaghan people being gullible or liars etc I feel that sweeping generalisations like that are not only incredibly immature but extremely insulting.

I agree - such a statement would be terribly immature and offensive.

Zillah wrote:

You're just bitter because none of the regular posters like you.

That is patently untrue. It is clear that I am well liked. And I am in no way bitter, you gnathonic, pusillanimous carbuncle.:)

stormkeeper

Based on what I've seen, Offaly is pretty active too. Charleville Castle is situated on leylines, and I think Kinnity and Leap may be as well. Charleville was also said to be built on an ancient monastic site. Essex County in England is pretty active too from what I've seen. Walton Hall Farm in Stanford-le-Hope (where I investigated last weekend) is pretty active... the entire place made me feel very light-headed, which only happens when I'm around a lot of energy. As a result, I was more clueless and clumsy than I usually was... it was insane!

Anyhow, I'll leave it at that for now, and save my experiences for another thread to be discussed someday...

Zillah

Kennett wrote:

Charleville Castle is situated on leylines, and I think Kinnity and Leap may be as well.

I fidn such a statement puzzling. What are you basing this on? What equipment do you measure such things on?

stormkeeper

Zillah wrote:

I fidn such a statement puzzling. What are you basing this on? What equipment do you measure such things on?

It's a reasonably well-known fact (I think) that Charleville castle is built on top of leylines. I found that out after the 3rd or 4th investigation. I kinda forgot to mention it, seeing as I was running around organising everything, lol.

Either way, Offaly seems to be a very active county, considering Charleville, Leap and Kinnity all have alleged paranormal activity, hence I'm taking an educated guess of sorts.

Zillah

Kennett wrote:

It's a reasonably well-known fact

Excuse me...? Fact?

You must be confusing the traditional "scientifically provable piece of knowledge" with the often misused "magic stuff backed up by nothing other than concensus" versions of the word "fact".

EDIT: To elaborate, we'd need to first establish the existence and nature of a ley line before we can start talking about their presence or relevance.

Witchie

Witchie wrote:

Wow Hellboy, Monaghan is a hive of paranormal/alien activity. The Leslies have written books and made dvds of ufos etc and the castle is very haunted so its not surprising. Apparently there was alot of alien activity in the Monaghan area during the early 80's so if this is around your time that may be a way of explaining your story.

this happened in the 50's, as for the Leslies writing and filming on ghosts, ufos's etc... thats only a money making thing as they are near broke and thats common knownledge in Monaghan. If John himself has seen stuff no one would believe him, they would just put it down to him coming home from another disco or party .
with that aside there did seem to be alot of ufo reports in monaghan in the mid ninety's, myself even seeing 3 in the space of 4 weeks ( to this day still unexplained ). i would love to know thou what happened my friend, was it paranormal, alien or some sort of dream state

iceman_2001_ie

Zillah wrote:

Young children also have under developed reasoning capacity, not to mention extra ordinary imaginations and an inbuilt terror in the absence of their parents.

You are absolutely right.
I am not discounting these blindingly obvious facts.

But I believe that sometimes children experience things that are not apparent to adults.

The challange is to differentiate between the instances of extraordinary imaginations and those instances where something else is happening.

stormkeeper

Zillah wrote:

Excuse me...? Fact?

You must be confusing the traditional "scientifically provable piece of knowledge" with the often misused "magic stuff backed up by nothing other than concensus" versions of the word "fact".

EDIT: To elaborate, we'd need to first establish the existence and nature of a ley line before we can start talking about their presence or relevance.

As far as I recall, I got the information from Bonie or Dudley... I'm very much inclined to take what they say with relative seriousness.

Zillah

iceman_2001_ie wrote:

The challange is to differentiate between the instances of extraordinary imaginations and those instances where something else is happening.

But surely you see how such a situation is practically untenable for someone like myself?

Kennett wrote:

As far as I recall, I got the information from Bonie or Dudley... I'm very much inclined to take what they say with relative seriousness.

But surely you see how such a situation is practically untenable for someone like myself?

stormkeeper

Zillah wrote:

But surely you see how such a situation is practically untenable for someone like myself?

Eh?


PS: University PC keyboards suck!

Zillah

Yes they do.

As for "eh" I take it you'd like me to elaborate?

I do not believe that ley lines are a thing. I could grab a map and draw all sorts of lines between all sorts of things and they would be just as valid as whoever did it first. In my opinion such arbitrary lines hold no significance. And its down right irresponsible of someone who calls themselves a paranormal investigator to indulge in such unfounded presumptions.