Summer Wonder

This is not so much a tale of terror as a tale of wonder. I must have been about eleven or twelve years of age. It was a warm Illinois summer night, at a time when large paper banners announcing air conditioning, depicted in blue icicles letters, beckoned shoppers into the arctic A&P. Central air conditioning had not yet become a household amenity, so by necessity, my bedroom windows were fully opened with only screens to act as warden to what the night might have to offer.

Having been asleep for an undetermined length of time, I awoke. The warmth of the room made it difficult to once again drift into sleep effortlessly. After tossing and turning for what seemed an endless period of time, I admitted to myself that no matter what the hour, I was wide-awake. The open windows seemed to be inviting oasis' in the darkness of my tepid, breathless room, and I went to the north facing window, seeking a breeze I knew would not be there to cool me.

I was mesmerized by what I saw. About three feet out onto the lawn were about twenty to thirty "balls" of light. They appeared to be about four to five inches in diameter, glowed very brightly (white in the center and slightly yellow around the outside), and seem to be vaporous. I went to the west-facing window and encountered the same view. I continued to watch, as the lights bounced effortlessly from place to place, never drifting from the small areas they had chosen directly across from my windows. I'm not sure how long I watched, in retrospect it must have been quite a long time. I don't remember feeling afraid… I just felt awe and wonder. I asked myself numerous times if I was truly awake and answered the question positively every time. I pinched my arm more than once, just to be sure. I have only shared this story with two people in all of these years, but I think of that night quite often. I don't know what it was, but it was real. Thinking of it makes gives me a sensation of peacefulness and warmth, and of course, the wonder that was there that night so long ago still exists.

Mommyzuma (5/9/98)

Although these ‘balls’ of light are much larger than those discussed in the Fairie Fire story, it might be worth it for the interested reader to compare the two accounts. Especially interesting is how these lights are able to either elicit a sense of wonder (as stated in this account), or a sense of fear and foreboding (as in Fairie Fire).

If you have any comments or similar stories to share, PLEASEdo so by sending mail to my email address: schorr@cems.umn.edu OR by clicking on the spinning skull icon on my home page! THANK YOU!