STALKED BY THE 'GOON'
Location: Pennsylvania (a State Park) - Summer 1999 - 11:00pm
Hello Lon, I have frequently read your site and just recently the article a reader sent you about seeing a tall creature possibly with a helmet but stood higher than a stop sign stopped me in my tracks. I also had a similar encounter but mine didn't have a helmet on. After reading the story it just felt like it was the right time to share my experiences with you on this topic. I also have been made fun of when I tell the story but I feel you would be interested in it.
In 1999 I was working at a State Park in Pennsylvania and got to know the back areas of it pretty well; the areas most tourists do not get to see. Approximately one mile from the park on a long all-dirt road was a large clearing in the woods which was cleared for powerlines and gas well use. Once you got to that spot you would have to walk dover a long hill until you came to an old abandoned trail. If you followed this trial it would take you deep into the forest.
Once day I followed it and found that it led to an old dilapidated cabin (not on the park cabin records) and it looked like it hadn't been used for many decades. Even though it was daylight I still got this creepy feeling like I shouldn't be there and worse...that something was watching every move I made.
A few weeks later, while I was off-duty, two of my friends and myself were just out driving around enjoying the summer night and since I knew all the back roads I was taking them on kind of a tour (Note: none of these roads are off limits or secret so I wasn't breaking any rules). Other than that mysterious cabin the park hasn't any secrets. About 11:00 pm I came to that familiar clearing and I mention something about the old cabin. Being a brave soul I talked them into letting me show them the cabin, so I grabbed my flashlight and we took off down the hill and onto the path that led to the cabin.
I took the lead and we walked half way when all of a sudden my light flashed on something on the right side of the path. Almost immediately I stopped and said, "did you just see that" to which they responded ,"see what?" As I panned the light back to the right side of the road I said, "THAT!!" There standing by a tree was a creature only seen in sci-fi movies. It had a greyish olive color skin and very thin in it's extremedies. The calves and forearm muscles were very large as well was the chest. The face was the strangest thing since it had the typical alien grey head shape but there was no mouth. It had a nose that was long and thin but not longer than it's "chin". The eyes had a reddish gleam in the light but not the size of most reported aliens...very small even by human standard. I hate to make this reference for fear of questioning my sanity but my best description was like what the 'Goons' looked like in the Popeye cartoon. It leaning oddly against the tree, like if you were leaning on an arm chair by only one arm. To make another TV show reference but like the 'Fonz' would lean on the jukebox on 'Happy Days' (minus the legs being crossed).
Immediately everyone wanted to leave but as we turned my flashlight went out. My friends told me to quit messing with them and turn the light back on to which I informed them that I wasn't messing with them and to keep moving now that I was at the back of the group. I frantically continued to beat on my flashlight trying to get it to work again. As soon as it came back on I immediately swiveled back around to shine it behind us. The creature had moved up significantly and now was on the left side. We hurried to the clearing and once we got back up the hill and to the main dirt road things got worse. Out of woods we had just come through was this high pitched blood curdling screeching noise which, after it started, others started to 'answer' back from the other side of the clearing.
The fact that I was a Park Ranger, had been in the woods all my live and had my degree from Penn State in wildlife management means I've heard a lot of noises in the wild, but have never heard that sound before. I know it wasn't any kind of owl or bobcat, bear, bird, porcupine...you get the drift. Once I told my Dad about the encounter he told me it could been the Chupacabras (which I had never heard of before and as far as aliens go, never believed in it until recently).
Months went by without incident...other than not being able to shake that "I'm watching you" feeling. I was to the point of feeling like I was being stalked. One night I went to get something from my truck when I looked into the woods and saw those reddish glowing eyes staring at me in the shadows. I immediately ran into the house and grabbed my biggest knife (I;m not a gun guy) to which my Dad asked me what I was doing. I told him I was tired of feeling 'stalked' and was going to face this thing. He told me he was coming with me (but all along I knew he never truly believed me or my encounter). When we got outside he nonchalantly asked, "Ok, where did you see this thing?" and I pointed to the spot to which he directed his flashlight. Much to his disbelief there it was and as soon as the light hit it tore off deep into the woods. My Dad, an ex-Marine who served proudly during Vietnam, yelled at me to get back into the house with fear...FEAR in his voice.
To this day it still creeps me out telling this encounter and my hands shake even while typing while recalling it all. I am now in my 30's with a wife and kids but even now, when I go outside at night, I still feel watched to the point that when I get a real strong feeling my wife won't let me leave the house without her.
Just as a side note...for the first 5 years of our relationship she too would catch sight of this creature, but mostly as it was going into the shadows. As a further note if anyone is questioning it, there were no drugs or alcohol or any other substance involved during this or any other encounter I have had. Thank you for your time. Benjamin
Source: 'Phantoms and Monsters' reader
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Location: Killeen, Texas - Fall 1971 - night
Hi Lon...I am from Waterville, Maine. Back in the late summer, early Fall of 1971, I was newly married and living in Killeen, Texas with my husband who was in the army. We had a small duplex apartment in Killeen. One night he had duty and I was home alone in bed around 3 am in the morning. I woke up suddenly and saw a black figure standing at the bottom of my bed. It was 8 or 9 feet tall and had huge big black wings and red eyes. I closed my eyes and opened them again and it had moved closer to me on the right side of my bed...I couldn’t scream. It was as if I was frozen in fear. I covered my head in the blankets. I was so afraid!
About 5 mins. later I looked and it was gone. It gave me a horrible feeling and I prayed never to see it again. Shortly after this event I came back to Maine as I was way to frightened to ever stay alone at night when he had duty. I told my mom I had seen a huge black angel that night and she was glad I came home as that didn’t sound good. I had never heard of the Mothman but a few years later I came across an article and a drawing of one. Even before I read the article I said 'wow'...that is exactly what I saw in Texas. It didn’t have a noticeable neck and its face was like hooded, its wings tucked in on its side but you could tell they were very large. It was totally black except for the eyes were round, large and red. Lon...I still think of this thing with fear. Personally do you have any idea what it is? I'm 57 now and I am still searching for an answer.
P.S. - The apartment I lived in had a well in the entrance way that always gave me the creeps...a cistern I believe it is called. Just a flat rock covered it and it still had water in it. I couldn’t see the water but I heard the plop when I dropped a rock in it. This probably has nothing to do with any of this but felt I should tell you anyways.
Source: 'Phantoms and Monsters' reader
NOTE: This could have very well been a Mothman sighting if you're willing to believe that this creature is multidimensional (which I do). I have heard of spiritual entities described similarly as well though an apparition this distinct is quite rare...Lon
