"All of this area was a woods before the houses were built. I believe there was a battle here, or this lot or development was the site of a sudden death. The spirits may be trapped here and unable to move on, or maybe they just don’t want to move on."

Gray and black shadow-like figures move across the walls and ceilings at night, said Stella. They even appear during the day. Stella believes the shadows belong to the spirits that stare at her. However, when they are in their movement mode, their features cannot be seen clearly.

Stella said she understood why her dog, Maggie, would whine and put up such a fuss as the couple left each day for work.

"That poor dog used to stand at the front door and look out the window, begging me not to leave her alone," Stella recalled. "The spirits must have terrified that poor little thing all day long. It would take an hour for Maggie to calm down after we got home from work, the poor little thing. I think all her snarling and barking was her way of trying to protect me from them. But I didn’t realize it at the time."

A gold cross hangs around Stella’s neck. She explained that she put it on several years ago, on a night the spirits were pulling on her clothes while she was sleeping.

"I was so frightened," she said. "I found the cross in my dresser, tied it around my neck with a piece of thread and I’ve worn it ever since. That was my first good night’s sleep in several days at that time. Today, I have it on a gold chain, and I never take it off."

The religious symbol has been very reassuring when she’s had visits from the spirit Stella has named the "Evil Man." She first saw him approaching her from above when she awoke from a deep sleep. His face, in the form of a menacing scowl, came closer and closer. She found the ugly sneer scary and threatening.

"He’s been here two or three times," she said. "I could hear him breathing, feel his face on the side of mine. I closed my eyes, held my breath and tried no to turn or look at him, but I know he was there. His presence was definitely evil. He’s quite different from the others who have come close and even touched me, ever so lightly, on the top of my head."