I've had several experiences myself and sleep paralysis is factual. I was six years old when the first feeling of being watched started to come over me. I would tell my mother about it and she would just tell me to stop watching scary movies or that I had an over-active imagination. As the days and nights passed, each paranormal experience started to become worse.
In July we would keep the heater on in the house due to the bitter cold we felt daily. Things would be out of place, and just walking up to the house brought a sensation I don't think I can put into the correct terms. I used to think of myself as a good kid...and that I would be safe in my own house if nowhere else. The feeling of security that my family gave me was reassuring until it happened.
I couldn't sleep one night... I just laid in bed and said my prayers. Then this sensation of being watched came over me again and I could feel my body going stiff. I shuddered a bit and threw the covers over my head. I started to feel myself whimpering and I tried to hold back any sounds hoping that whatever was watching me wouldn't hear me or notice me. After a few moments, I tried to yell to my mother but couldn't seem to get my vocal cords to work.
I thought I would jump up out of my bed and run to my mom who was just down the hall. When I uncovered my head, what I saw scared me beyond anything else I have experienced in my life to date. Hovering over me and reaching towards me was this shadowy figure which I can only describe as something no one should ever witness. The penetrating eyes, the slick flesh, and the smell...it smelled like burnt ashes. The smell reminds me now of what a dirty used ashtray would smell like.
As I saw this figure, I became overcome with panic and fear and screamed for my mother. Within an instant, I could hear sounds of thumping down the hallway and I could see lights starting to come on. The figure turned towards my doorway, then stared back at me for a second. Its hand was mere inches from my chest when it turned, fled into my closet and the door slammed so hard it almost came unhinged. My mother witnessed its retreat into my closet and she screamed as well when she entered my room.
We immediately tried to get a prayer chain and have the house cleansed, but our pastor told us that we should never stay in this house again. He had a fear in his eyes I would never believe a pastor to have. We left to my grandmother's house that same night. We moved our stuff out one week later after pastors tried to cleanse it and warned us about it. I cannot account for what they told us, but they too said they could feel a "presence" if you will and a feeling that something very uninviting was in our house and it was not leaving. That is just one incident......there have been many others.
I believe in God, I believe in Jesus. I do believe they have a huge part in our lives but if one has such strong belief as I do...then why the many paranormal incidents? Why do they not leave when told to do so in God's name? Is there some higher purpose behind their visitations? I don't think that they were actually trying to hurt me, but they definitely wanted something from me or to do something with me. This question and other questions plague my mind.
