You’ll recall from the first part of Joe’s story, which appeared in the December 25th issue, where he shared what he experienced one night on Shanks Downes Road on his way home from work. You’ll remember that Joe set the phone aside, and didn’t think about them again until he sat down to remove old contacts and download photos to his computer. When he and his wife downloaded the photos, they made a startling discovery. Once they saw the series of photos enlarged on the computer screen, they noticed details that had escaped their notice on the tiny flip phone screen.
In the rear view mirror, in addition to the bright light that appeared to be coming from above the truck’s cab and the movement of a charm hanging from the rear-view mirror, the two noticed movement behind the cab where Joe sat. In the first shot, they noticed a shape that filled in a small portion at the top of the mirror. As Joe continued pressing the shutter with one hand while shielding his eyes from the intense light with his other, each frame showed the unidentified shapes reflection taking up a larger portion of the mirror. That looming shape appeared, to the couple, to be a face that came into more clarity as the image series progressed. In addition to what appeared in the center of the mirror, the enlarged images also depict what looked to the couple like a cylindrical, tube-shape entering the left side of the photo frame. In successive frames, the figure changes shape, filling more of the mirror that reflected the event unfolding behind the cab of Joe’s truck.
As we spoke, Joe’s wife visibly shuddered and admitted to being “creeped out” by the images, which appear to depict at least two figures approaching Joe’s vehicle amidst an unnaturally bright light source. While Joe remembered taking the initial photos that depicted bright lights above the field, he noted that he wasn’t afraid. “I didn’t feel it/they wanted to hurt me.” But he had trouble remembering some of the other photos he found on his camera roll.
Looking closer at the dates the photos were taken gave Joe another shock, as he realized that several unexplained photos on his phone that he assumed were taken on the same date had actually taken place over multiple days. “In my mind, it all happened then and there,” he explained. But a look at the time stamps shows that these experiences happened a number of distinctly different times. “It’s the uncertainty that’s unsettling,” he explained. Over time, he’s had “weird dreams” and notes the urge to get up and write them down, though the mix of odd letters and numbers doesn’t make sense to him.
“I’d just like to know all the facts,” he added. Joe admitted that every so often, he sits at his desk and studies the photos to try and jog his memory and possible provide some sort of explanation. He hasn’t come any closer to explaining it, and “had to back away from it for a while,” he noted. “If I keep dwelling on it, it encompasses me,” he admitted.
The couple has also noticed strange lights near their home, which lead them to believe the visitors seem to have some sort of attachment to Joe. The experiences seem to occur around the time Joe takes out his photos to try and gain some clarity. He likens the visits to an experience with a stray dog. He explained, “When you first see it, you might be scared. But as you see it more often, you may feed it and you get used to each other, and then it’s not so scary.” His wife quickly added, “I don’t see it that way.”
They’ve woken to discover their home alarm system has been unarmed on at least two distinct occasions. They experienced what they consider a break-in in late fall, where someone had opened a ground floor window. They noticed small prints and a ‘mud-like” substance on the exterior of the house and on the windowpane, though the sticky substance didn’t match the type of soil that surrounds their home. Joe noted that the ‘visitor’ appeared to have moved items on the table below the window, presumably to make space to climb in the house. He explained that nothing was taken, even though money was sitting in plain sight on his desk. The window was left open, with the blinds blowing, alerting him that someone has been there that evening.
Joe wonders how many people have seen or experiences what he has. His hope is that they can come forward to share what they’ve seen, and maybe help solve this mystery. He added, “Next time you’re outside at night,” look up. You may be surprised by what you see.”
To share your experience, email: ufo@weeklyvillager.com.
