orange flash & missing time

[mikec]

My Personal Experiences and Memories
from Mike C

Presently, I'm a 45 year old white guy, living out west. This story is an event that really bugs me, and I can't seem to ignore it's implications.

* * *

It was a pleasant and clear autumn night in Michigan, a medium sized suburb of Detroit named Southfield. I was 12 years old and in 8th grade, it was 1974. It was Friday night after the local high school football game, and I was walking home after the game ended. It was normal for me to walk the half-mile back to my house. I was with my friend (also named Mike), who was walking the same way. We were close to my home in a neighborhood of small suburban houses on a well lit but quiet street. The scene was completely normal and calm.

Suddenly there was a bold and jarring flash that took up most of the sky. It was a giant blur, and everything up above us was lit bright orange. It felt like someone just flipped a switch and the sky lit up, and then went back to normal. As soon as it happened, it was gone. It was completely silent. We were surprised and both responded with, "What just happened?"

There was nothing to see, since the event was over instantly, but there was something very unsettling about that moment. Was it a meteor? Why was it silent? I know that I saw something, but there's an odd skip in my memory.

The color seemed utterly bizarre and unnatural, it was a very bright and very saturated orange. To this day, whenever I see a campfire, and look at that the way the coals can glow as a warm radiant orange, I say to myself, "That's how the sky looked that night."

We continued to my house, I said goodbye and Mike walked home. I was excited to get home and watch a television show I really loved (KOLSHAK, The Night Stalker) that started at ten o'clock. I clearly remember making an effort to leave the football game in order to get home in plenty of time so I could watch this show. But when I walked in the door, my parents were angry that I was out so late. I was surprised because I had intended to be home at about 9:30, but instead it was well after 11 o'clock. It seemed odd, but I remember that I was actually more upset because I missed that cool TV show.

The next Monday a group of friends, including Mike, were all in the cafeteria at school, and I told everyone that we had seen a bizarre light on Friday night. Mike said, "Yeah, a UFO with lights and everything!" That shocked me. I hadn't seen anything with lights. Did he see something I didn't? Mike and I never mentioned that night again.

That was over 30 years ago, and I have no idea what has happened to my friend Mike. I've always had a memory of this event, but the orange light in the night sky, was one memory, and the missing time (maybe two hours?) was another. They seemed disjointed.

It wasn't until the mid-1990's that I realized that both memories were the same night. I was watching an interview with Chris Carter, creator of the X-Files, who talked about how he loved the same TV show (KOLSHAK, The Night Stalker) when he was a kid. When he mentioned that show - Instantly the memories resurfaced and slammed together with an almost electric jolt, like somebody just flipped a switch in my head.

That was 34 years ago, and I have been sort of freaked out lately, trying to make sense of the implications.

peace,
M!


--------

Note: I easily googled the TV show KOLCHAK (spelled without an 's') and it was only on for one season. So, this makes it the fall of 1974. Given that exact date, I would have been 12 years old, and I was in 7th grade.

 

[Graphimancer]

Fascinating, Mike. Thanks for sharing. Anything odd since then, like more missing time, or physical effects of any sort?

 

[mikec]

Reply to Graphimancer

Yes - Actually, a bunch of stuff. This is the most, well - textbook experience. I'll add more soon.

peace, M!

 

[mikec]

More memories...

Here is a follow up to the Orange Flash in a previous posting. THe event here took place before the orange flash story.

I was at my friend Kenny's house for a sleep over when I was about 11 years old and in 6th or 7th grade. It was around 1973. It was nighttime and we were in an upstairs room, and one of us pointed out the window and said, "What's that?"

We clearly saw something, a craft of some sort. It was shaped like a coffee can with a pencil sticking out of the top. It was larger in the sky than a full moon, and we watched it for about a minute. It was descending near the horizon at a very controlled and slow speed. It was spinning slowly as it moved lower, traveling at an odd angle, and then—it was gone! It didn’t shoot away, it simply vanished.

Accompanying the big "coffee can" was a tiny blinking light. It was easy to track this light in the night sky as it moved steadily toward the craft. It was when this little light "connected" to the big craft that it vanished. The little blinking light then flew off. This blinking light looked like nothing more than the running lights on a conventional aircraft.

We were really excited. We decided not to talk about it, but instead we ran downstairs and went to the kitchen table and drew it. We both drew the same thing. I remember Ken corrected me and pointed out that the edges of the "coffee can" were slightly beveled.

Kenny also didn't see the blinking light as it approached the "coffee can"—he only noticed it after the thing vanished, and the blinking light trailed off in the night sky.

I still have the drawing. (I'll try and attach it here)

This sighting left me with the very distinct impression that I was seeing something otherworldly. And ever since then, whenever I read accounts of UFO sightings, I think, "Well, I've seen one."

I have recently called Kenny on the phone. We haven't talked for maybe 30 years. He and I have been chatting on email now. He doesn't remember the sighting, but he says his mother remembers the night we both drew the craft at the kitchen table.

 

[mikec]

image from 1973

This is the drawing I did as an 11 or 12 year old at Kenny's kitchen table, with his very sweet Mom at the table too.

[NOTE: new text and image added NOV. 2008]

I've updated this post and added two new drawings. These seem to match (as best as I can remember) what I saw 35 years ago. I suspect you can figure out the one I drew when I was eleven.

 

[mikec]

another memory...

In January or February of 1993, I was living alone in a small house in rural Maine. I had just been through a miserable break-up with my fiancée and I was sad and emotional. It was a pretty much the lowest point of my life. I say this because I have dismissed this story and just written it off to my lousy emotional state.

The driveway of the house had one of those motion sensitive lights, and it was pretty common for the light to come on when a car drove by or a deer walked through the front yard. The bedroom window faced the driveway. And my bed was pushed up right against that window.

I was totally depressed at the time, and sleeping poorly, but I woke up that night because a very bright light was shining in through the window above the bed. I sat up, propping myself up on my elbow, and looked out the window. I saw five of those spindly gray aliens with the oversized heads and big black eyes walking toward the house. They were backlit by a singular round bright shape.

My response to this frightening image was to calmly lay my head down on the pillow and promptly fall back asleep.

The image of a bunch of creepy aliens right outside my window is pretty freakin' scary. Shouldn't I have jumped out of bed screaming in terror? I felt absolutely empty of emotion, like, "Oh yes, they're here, let's just shut everything down and black out."

Now, this event seems so strangely vivid, but at the same time I truly do NOT think it happened in “this” reality. That may sound hard to grasp, but it is the only way I can honestly describe the experience. And the entire thing lasted maybe 5 seconds.

Did it happen while sleeping, in a dream state? Maybe. I do not entirely “trust” this memory. My emotional state was really low, and maybe it was all some sort of stress induced nightmare.

= = = = =

[extra info added NOV. 2008]

I was asked recently if I was aware of the UFO (and abduction topic) in this chapter of my life. The answer is that I was awash in the subject, and I was reading a lot of books during the time of this event. That night, as I went to bed, I was reading Budd Hopkins' book INTRUDERS. I am quite certain it was on my bed during this event, and I should have probably drawn it in on the sketches (posted below).

To me, this fact adds ammunition to the possibility that this foggy memory was only a vivid dream.

 

[mikec]

This drawing represents the memory in the posting above.

Here's the story of this drawing.

For obvious reasons, that faint memory out my window bugged me. ANd, maybe about a year later (maybe more) I sketched out this drawing on a page with some other scribbles. I remember thinking, "Ewww, that's kinda creepy."

And, I promptly put the drawing away in a set of files.

Less than a year ago, I found it again. It had been 10 years since I had drawn it. It was just black ink lines on a piece of white paper. The room was dark and the drawing didn't capture that. So I scanned it and added some B&W tones.

The memory was of 5 spindly entities, I am sure of that, but the drawing shows only two.

M!

 

[Graphimancer]

Mike, I love how you work these out in pictures. I've got to get my drawings scanned in posted.

I am intrigued by your idea that this latter event may not have taken place in reality as we know it, but some concurrent reality. I've long felt, as have so many others, there is the consensus reality that we all see and experience, and then there is the much deeper and richer reality that works behind it. You know, the old "world behind the world" analogy, were what we see is the curtain, but the real show is behind the curtain. I doubt I've added anything to your thoughts on the nature of such an encounter/dream 'state'(?), but it certainly made me think.

Have you ever followed the comic writings of Grant Morrison, especially his magnus opus, "The Invisibles"? He has a lot to say about reality, and even a very different view of who and what the grays are. "The Invisibles" is loosely fictionalized, loosely autobiographical, but it's ideas are earth-shattering. Of course, it may be too far out: That's really up to you.

 

[Ally]

So they do actually look into windows. I have seen what seems like entities look into my bedroom window in an altered state too. I would never think about taking a picture of one though (ha ha). Stan R jab!

I like your picture and comment about drawing two entities. We might frighten them as well.

The other Mike C that I thought you might have been was older than you anyway.

 

[mikec]

So - - - I was pacing around my cabin, feeling restless and anxios.

I realized I NEEDED to finally draw up another picture, it' been bugging me, and I've avoided doing it.

Then, I decided NOT to do it and I checked this forum, and I saw the drawing made by Graphimancer on a thread titled: "Something From 07". He drew up a really unsettling image, everyone should read and view it.

And as soon as I saw it, I just KNEW that I needed to do my own drawing.

So, I sat at my desk and I finally drew this image.

It feels pretty close. I have to say I struggled over the little belt area, was that there? Was it a one piece suit? I have no idea, so I drew a little line near the belt area.

The previous drawing showed only two, and I clearly remember five entities, They were lined up but this drawing seems a little TOO tidy.

peace,
M!

 

[Graphimancer]

That's excellent! The fact that they are synchronized in standing and backlighted makes this seem even more eerie!

 

[mikec]

The back lighting is pretty much the way I remember it. It seemed to flood into the room

The 5 figures standing in perfect sync like they are drawn is a little TOO tidy. I don't think it was so perfect. And, I feel like I saw them walking. But I can't be sure.

 

[mikec]

This is something that feels funny to try and articulate. But the bright light in the yard looked, to me, just like a movie light, pointed at me, and my window.

I've drawn it to match my memory.

Now, here's where it gets weird. This matches a scene from the feature film COMMUNION, based on Whitley Streiber's book. That movie was not that great, and there was a lot that bothered me about the production and script. BUT, there was a scene where the actor Christopher Walken (playing Whitley) walks toward a bright light.

It is supposed to be an alien craft, but if you look carefully, you can see it's just a big movie light pointed at the camera.

When I saw this from my bed out the window, I literally saw that same kind of movie light, and I remember thinking, in those few seconds: "Oh, that's a simple way to create this special effect." I had a similar reaction when I saw the movie.

Where do I go with this?

Is this just proof that it was nothing more than a dream? Or, did "they" somehow create a screen memory? Am I using this "movie light" image to reenforce my own belief that nothing happened, and it was just a dream.

 

[mikec]

FUNNY DREAM
____________

Over the few months I’ve had a series of odd dreams. There is a sort of theme to these dreams, and I call them “reassuring” because they have this tone where I confront certain UFO issues, and they are somehow presented as simple and not at all scary. Not sure what to make of these.

So - I had another of my curious “reassuring” dreams while sleeping in a tent in the mountains of wyoming.

In this dream, I was visiting my older brother in his new house. He confided in me that he had something that he thought I would find interesting. Then, he took me to the garage and showed me what he had, it was a UFO! He explained he did some government work, and knew this guy, and he took it off his hands as a sort of favor. He implied it was some sort of secret government retrieval thing, ala Roswell. Anyway, it was funny how casual he was about it.

The UFO thing was a sort of saucer shape, with two side edges kind of disassembled, like it was removed in some attempt to take it apart. There was a tarp over part of it, and it was a little bigger than a van, easily fitting in a suburban garage.

Here’s the weird part. My brother explained that if I got too close it would distort my perceptions, and - well - alter my reality. So, I approached it and as I got closer there was a distinct warping of my psyche. And - what was bizarre - it seemed to match my memory or the events of 1993 in Maine, and the dream like fog I experienced. As I backed away, the feeling subsided.

My brother was totally cavalier about the whole thing. He said he’s used to it, but he can’t get inside the thing. He showed me how he puts a camera on a stick and puts it in the door, to see what's inside.

I recognize how funny this dream is, but at the same time - the warping of my perception felt so weirdly familiar.

 

[Ally]

Mike,
Are you able to articulate what warping of your perceptions feel, looks or sounds like? I have my idea but it might not mean the same thing to you.

 

[mikec]

Reply to Ally:

How can I describe the weird altered state? Was I just sorta sleepy? I can't rule that out.

Y'know how it feels to wake up on the couch late at night, and decide to go to bed. Those steps between the couch and bed "sorta" describe the mindset. And, it "sorta" describes just plain being sleepy. (and this seems to imply nothing happened, it was just a dream).

Hmmm - how to use words...

Weirdly quiet - sort of a pressurized fish bowl - the deepest part of my psyche is displaced, and moved to the forefront - maybe the normal thought chatter in my head is turned off - maybe - kinda - sorta...

I have another memory with this altered state of conciousness. Not sure if that even fits, but it feels similar.

 

[mikec]

A vivid dream with a message:
=======================

I spend a LOT of time camping in the mountains in the summer. And - If I can sleep under the stars, I'm happiest.

Occasionally, just as I lay down, if I'm inspired, I'll go thru a simple request. I'll ask, out-loud, "Okay universe, if you want to tell me anything that could help our troubled world, please let me know. I'm receptive."

And then I go to sleep.

I did this about a week ago, and here's what I got.

The dream I received was amazingly visual and wildly exaggerated. I was alone on an enormous metal roof, literally miles wide. The angle was shallow enough to walk around on, but still it plenty steep to be really scary. I walked up the roof to see a huge canvas tarp tied off with ropes. When I say huge, I mean it, again - literally MILES wide.

Behind the tarp was all the world armaments, tanks, bombers, aircraft carriers - all piled together in a massive jumble. Everything was crammed tightly inside this tarp. And the tarp was old, stained and rotten. The failing tarp was inadequately jury-rigged on the metal roof. This massive pile of weaponry looked so tenuous, it was obvious just a hair's breath away from failing and sliding down the roof.

I walked down to the edge of the roof, and the precipice was mind blowing.

I've spent a lot of time in places like Yosemite and Zion National Park, so I know what it's like to stand at the edge of a huge cliff. But the edge of this roof was altogether more expansive and awe-inspiring (and down-right scary).

I'll add that the world below was a vision of natural beauty, lush wet jungles and waterfalls.


Then I wake up.


Okay, I don't need a doctorate in comparative mythology to interpret that dream. The imagery was blatant and unconcealed.

But - I mean, is it news that the world is perched on a precipice with the threat of massive military disaster threatening to ruin the natural world?

It's not like I was given some secret knowledge. I already knew this, and (I hope) so does any thinking citizen of this planet.

I've had overtly weird experiences that point to some sort of UFO contact (see the postings on this thread). And, I truly feel that these vivd dreams are part of the same phenomenon. This is somehow intertwined.

And, it's kind of freaking me out. What am I supposed to DO with these not-so-subtle experiences?



Am I over analyzing this?

.

 

[Ally]

Well first first of all try not to be burdened by too much resposibility with regards to the "dream". You are only one person.

For whatever reason the phenomena likes to observe and at times manipulate our emotional responses to things.If this is a prophetic vision I don't think there is much you can do about it. IMO

This doesn't mean be apathetic and feel powerless about global issues but some things are just out of our hands.

It has been my experience/observation too that the encounter phenomena is closely related to or interacts with lucid dreaming. They sometinmes blur.

 

[mikec]

ongoing "reassuring" dreams
_________________________

I was in alaska in May of this year, working for an outdoor school. I just back from teaching a a long trip in the mountains. I was at the school's base camp, in a lovely area north of anchorage. I was sleeping in a tent, outside, in a secluded area.

I had two weirdly vivid dreams, two nights in a row. These are, what I can only call a sort of "reassuring" dream.


The first dream:
============

This was a full blow abduction dream. Interior of an alien craft, a cold table, telepathy, weird hybrids and people (yup, totally normal people) on the craft too. The exact details are extremely foggy, but the impression was an overwhelming sense of relief. There was NOTHING scary about this dream. The alien hybrids were small and unthreatening. The people on-board seemed to have a purpose and a job, and it was somehow for the collective good. And the little aliens seemed so normal and unthreatening. I literally thought to myself, "Why am I afraid of these dinky little things?"

And -The most vivid memory from this dream was the telepathy and how it sounded in my own head. It was EXTREMELY clear and free of any "static." I was impressed, I thought: "Wow, this is working super well, there's no need to worry about communicating, because it's SO clear."

The next morning I tried hard to remember what was told to me during the finely tuned telepathy, but I couldn't remember.

Now, lemme say, this was most definitely a dream. Not some foggy memory of anything real. But I woke up feeling relived and at peace.


And then the following night's dream:
=============================

This was filled with very moody and frightening images. Huge air-force jets chasing "things" in the sky, and people on the ground (myself included) watching helplessly. Eventually there was a terrifying nuclear explosion on the distant horizon, then bunches of them. I took shelter in a sort of children's puppet theater. And there was a reoccurring image of a boy "emerging" from a sort of jack-in-the-box stage prop, over and over.

How do I interoperate this? The overtly theatrical ending, literally on a stage makes me wonder. And the weird repeating emergence of a little boy out of an obvious stage prop.

Anyway - both dreams were dreams felt very different than "normal" dreams. They were extremely vivid, colorful, cinematic and weirdly 3D.


This weird imagery is probably nothing - I want to convince myself of this - these are JUST dreams. But it feels weirder than that.

 

[Ally]

A couple of weeks ago I have a sereies of dreams, in one night, that kept jumping from one scene to anohter in very bizzare acid like fashion. I have not taken acid but this is how I would imagine it. These dreams were very life like and lucid.

One scene I am in a Baskin Robins/convinient store restaurant ordering an omelette and eggs. It made sence in the dream. I go to pick it up at a counter and what is served to me is an ice cream cone with three cones and three scoops. On the ground behind the counter there is several large buckets of ice cream that turn into talking heads.

The next scene I am on a stool talking to a bunch of people having a good time when I decided to leave the store. I open the door back up to introduce myself. Instead of it being a store full of people it is a very small box with puppets just sitting there.

That scene was very eerie. Part of the reason this felt so eeirie was that the dream was sooo lucid that it felt like something this weird had actually just happended. Then the dream jumps to somewhere else.

These weird acid like dreams went on what felt like the entire night.

When you meantioned being on stage this reminded me of that weird night of dreams.