An Unsettling Visit

A few years ago I experienced an isolated strange occurrence in the middle of the night. I will preface the telling of this event by stating that I don't normally have nightmares, night terrors, or trouble sleeping. I have lived in my house for 19 years with nothing overtly scary or paranormal happening before or after this occurrence. We were not the first owners of the house but it was built in the 1980's and nothing (to my knowledge) horrible occurred in it.

I don't remember the exact time of year this happened, but I do remember that it was a warm season, possibly spring or summer, when I awoke suddenly from a deep sleep and felt an extreme sense of fear. I don't scare easily but this was an absolutely terrifying feeling. I remember scanning the room for a source of the fear and not seeing anything. There was no stranger, no child, nothing. When I looked towards the area of my room that contained a small hallway that led to the closet and the bathroom area, I felt more afraid. The source of my fear was very definitely coming from that area. It was almost palpable.

I also realized that it was freezing cold in my room. I remember thinking that it should not have been that cold. It was spring or summer and it only feels that cold when it is winter. We also keep our thermostat on 72 and it was definitely colder than that. I know that I was awake because even though I was scared, I was rational enough to try to figure out what was happening. My husband was asleep next to me and my dog was curled up at my feet and asleep. I was able to move, so I know it wasn't sleep paralysis.

As I lay there trying to decide what to do, my dog raised his head, looked at the bathroom/hallway/closet area, and let out the deepest, slowest, most ominous growl I have ever heard issue from him. He has not done that before or after, we've had him for 7 years now. I had not moved my position in the bed to indicate that I was awake, only my eyeballs (haha). Sort of like a deer being spotted by a predator, I intentionally kept very still until I could locate the threat.

After a few moments my dog lay his head back down and I hid under the covers saying the Lord's Prayer until I fell back asleep. I am religious but not devoutly so, and don't normally resort to frequent bouts of praying.

I still have not figured out what happened, but my dog validated that there was something there. I've had no more experiences. The extreme fear, the unsettling cold, and my dog's reaction suggest something unnatural. Or could the dog detect my fear and that was what caused him to growl? What then would explain the cold temperature? I do recall the coldness fading before I fell back asleep.

I hope to never experience it again, whatever it was. I do know that it was not friendly. To this day, I ALWAYS turn on the light in the hallway area before passing through it.