I Know You're Watching

I submitted a story a long time ago (2007) about something that happened to me the previous year. Well, I’m back with another story to tell. This happened to me when I was around 6-8 years old.

This happened in my old house. Our house was literally surrounded by fields. We had some neighbours, who we were close with. The house is pretty small, so small that my brother and I had to share a room for many years. Not really a bad thing. If I got scared, he was right there.

My bed was against the wall with the window. From my bed I could see the door. My brother’s bed was against the wall with the door. We could literally reach out and touch each others hand if we wanted to. Like I said, it’s small. Our parent’s room was on the other side of the stairs. They had no wall, no door. Pretty much no privacy. My dad built railings so that we wouldn’t fall down the stairs if we were playing in their room.

Anyway, I don’t know when this started happening. I just remember waking up in the middle of the night because something felt...off. It felt like I was being watched by someone. I rubbed my eyes and sat up a little bit, trying to gather my thoughts. I see the outline of my brother in his bed. That’s not what’s wrong. So I look at the doorway.

Standing in the doorway is the outline of a bigger man (broad shoulders, bigger frame, etc.) wearing a hat that has a wide brim. Kinda like a cowboy hat. I can see the outline of a beard but I can’t see any definitive features. His arms are crossed and he’s leaning casually in the doorway, just looking at me. I don’t feel any fear or any need to feel fear. It’s calm and familiar.

I yawn and shrug, thinking it’s my dad. I mumble a goodnight and go back to sleep. The next day I ask my dad if he was watching us last night (he liked to stop in the doorway to make sure we were okay if he came home late from work). He shook his head and said that he hadn’t been called out at all for work and that he’d slept through the night. I told him what I saw but, of course, he said I was probably dreaming.

I agreed and the day carried on.

A few days later, I wake up to the same thing. Same outline, same feeling of familiarity and calmness. I’m pretty much soothed back to sleep.

And again, a few days after that. And a few days after that. I think this happened for a few years but, again, I don’t really remember. I just know that it happened often.

I told this story to a friend when I went away to school. Without a moment’s hesitation, she told me "I think it might be your grandfather." I hadn’t told her that he was gone, nor did I tell her that this figure reminded me of an old photo of my grandfather that my mother has. I think he was just checking up on us kids, making sure everything was going like it should. I really wish I got to know him before he passed, he sounded like an incredible man.

I love you, Grandpa. So much. Thank you for watching over my brother and I.