JAN'S TALES...Della Barnes - WWW.GUARDIANTALES.COM

San, this is a photo taken on December 12, 2004 at Oakgrove cemetery. There were 5 people in our group this day and we were all scattered about the cemetery in separate locations, so far apart in fact that we couldn't see one another or even hear each other calling out. I was on my own in the east side of the grounds walking towards an older and very large mausoleum that held probably close to a hundred in-wall crypts. Out of the peripheral vision of my left eye I spied an image following me at the side about 25 yards away. Of course when I looked there was nothing I could see with the naked eye; it obviously stopped so I couldn't make out it's movement, but I did take a photo in that direction. (Later investigation shown me nothing that could be identified as another entity at the time I took that particular photo.)

I resumed my gait towards the building and this time I caught the moving, gliding image even closer than before, and it seemed to be headed towards me this time and not along with me towards the direction of the building. Again, I halted and turned my head. Nothing but tombstones. I took another photo to investigate later, ( which nothing again appeared out of the ordinary). I spoke out loud to this presence that was now far from the space where I had seen it the first time, and rather closer to me this second time, about 10 yards away it seemed. It was also time to say an extra prayer for protection. Before I took another step I set up my camera to take another shot as I felt that in the next few steps that I would take, this spirit would be right next to me. From what I could make out in the peripheral view, it had no definite body shape, but was a medium grey colored, floating-robe type figure with a large frame, the edges or hem of the flowing gown waving about in the breeze and about a foot above the ground. It was slightly transparent, like seeing the outline of a white cloud behind a darker gray one, two clouds intermingling, tangled in a sort of milky moving substance. And it was a ample form, much taller then myself and seemed wider with the arms flowing about it's side.

I turned my head just a few inches back to the right to face my path and saw it immediately come in my direction, towards me from the left, out from behind a large monument. Without turning my head, I raised my camera slowly and shot a photo in it's direction which I felt was within one foot of myself at that time. Although it was a very brisk and chilly day, the wind around me at that moment was startling and reached into my bones with a trembling. It was if it had passed right through me and went out my right side, as I saw it's mass leaving me from the other side of my face. My chest felt frozen, my cheeks flushed, my throat stiff and paralyzed. The grayness of it's form hovered just briefly and then with an extreme swiftness it was sucked up into the air like a cosmic vacuum had grabbed it. A warmth filled me then, as I said a prayer of thanks and continued on my way.

Later at home, when pulling up the photos on the computer, the image you are about to see jumped out at me and I will be the first to say that, yes, it scared me. At first it appeared to be a close up shot of a golden eyeball, glaring out from a yellow-white fleshed eye-hole, the lid drooping down a bit, and a black cat iris in the center. But as I looked at it again, this time from a short distance away, (Yes, I did jump out of my seat on this photo.) it took on a form of a sinister face, with a large nose, bald headed , the face tilted to the left of the screen. What ever it was that was following me, this is what the camera caught. Whether it is an extreme close up of an eye or a face, I know it gives me the willies through and through. Just looking at the photo and remembering the event that just took place a week ago, I'm positive it will not be soon forgotten. It would be welcomed to hear what you or the readers thought or felt about this one for sure.

-Jan Thompson.