The Church in the Woods

This took place in South Carolina, between Anderson and Greenville. It was in the middle of the 1970's. My first husband was from SC. So when ever he got his vacation, from General Motors every summer, we went for two weeks to Sc. I looked forward to this time each year. As SC is such a beautiful state, that I loved to go to and tour.

While we are driving down I-75 some place in TN I tell my husband that "Something is going to happen this time, with our visit we won't forget". He said "What?". I said it again. He asked me what it would be? I told him "I don't know, but something". The closer I got to SC that year the more I felt something would happen we would not forget. We were in the Mountains of the Smokies and I said again to my husband. "Something is going to happen, I feel it won't be good". Now my husband tells me not to be a jinx and be quiet. (I think I was freaking him out).

We are in the Mountains, I heard a rumble noise and the road is vibrating. I am frighten. My husband says to me "What is that?" I said an "Earthquake". He tells me it's not that. I look up the Mountain see something coming down it, I can't see what it is. "Step on the gas I said fast". We went past the area that we heard the noise at, and I turned around and a big rock, or boulder came smashing to the ground. I almost thought we would go off the side of, the Mountain when it hit the ground. We did not look back again, fearing more may come down. We went as fast as we could, to get out of that area.

My husband looks at me. "How did you know that was going to happen?". I said what? He says it again. I told him "I didn't know that was going to happen". He tells me I said something that we would remember. I told him "It was not that I felt". So he tells me to be quiet. (Freaking him out again, I think).

We made it to Sc and go to his Moms house. We stay and recuperate for a few days. His Mom tells us we just missed some bad weather that went through that area. I said good. After a few days we go sight seeing. In a bi-lo store I hear someone talking about a Church in the woods. So I asked them where it was, they told me the directions, and then warned me not to go there. I asked why? They just told me to stay away. Well if they told me to stay away I am thinking, why did they tell me how to get there?

We finally find the little road to the woods, to where this Church is suppose to be at. We have to get out and hike through the woods, can't see it from the road. I lean up against a tree to take my shoe off, thought I had a rock in it. My husband tells me to move slowly off the tree, don't make a sound he said. I did as he said, when I was a bit away from the tree I ask why? He tells me I had my hand close to a black widow spider.

Finally we see the Church. I said "Hey there is the Church do you see it honey?" First of all he said no. Then we walked a bit more and he said he sees some of the Church. Where is the rest of the Church he ask me? I look at him. What you mean? It's all there, let's go to it. He stands back. I said then I will. I started to walk towards that Church, and I can hear screaming and shouting. I am thinking someone is holding some kind of worship in there. My hubby tells me he hears the shouting too. His hair on his arms are standing up he tells me.

I just said it's cooler in the woods then out of them. I went to the Church door. The door was hanging on hinges, when I looked into the door, I see where the roof was not on the Church and the floor is gone, only rafters. Some of the walls where there. I hear people screaming for help, I see people hanging onto the rafters, just dangling there. My heart is in over drive. Yet I couldn't move. I can hear my husband saying "Lets get out of here". I can hear him moving away from me. I can't move. I can see many people. Yet it's in the woods, it's darker in the woods how can this be. My mind is spinning with so many thoughts. It was like the lights were on in the Church, or a bright light coming from some place.

Finally I am able to move backwards, from the Church. My heart still racing and so were my feet. I stepped into a hole and fell down. I got up and ran for all I could. I called my husband, in which I can't see no more and I am lost in the woods. I can't think where I was, what were the marks we used to find our way, out of the woods. My legs were itching and on fire they felt like. I didn't know why but thought it was all the branches and stuff scrapping on my legs.

I don't really know how I found my way out of the woods I was never in before. I got out, my husband is in the car, with the doors locked. I am banging on the doors, he let's me in. We drove to his Mom's house, she told me I needed a doctor. I guess I was in shock. I had stepped into a mound of fire ants when I was running.

For a few days I just don't remember what happen. We told his Mom about the Church. She said she would never go into the woods where that Church was, too many people died in that Church. She said from a tornado that came through, tore the roof off, and the floor went down and people were hanging on the rafters and calling for help. I said "I seen that". She told me I couldn't, as it happen a few days before we arrived to her house. She told me that the Church was full of people, at a service when the tornado came through.

I never been back to that Church. It may have fallen to the ground by now. I always wanted to check it out again. But have not been to SC, now for about ten years.

After that I wondered on the way home, was I seeing the dead people or the ones that were alive, waiting to be taken out of there. I was told by my Mom in law some were saved many were not.