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Meadow Lane Apartments

Spring Valley, New York

Cryptid Sighting

1977

In cryptozoology and sometimes in cryptobotany, both associated with pseudoscience, a cryptid (from the Greek, krypto, and meaning "hide") is an animal or plant whose existence has been suggested but has not been discovered or documented by the scientific community. The most common creatures that are affiliated with this category are Bigfoot, the Lock Ness Monster, the Abominable Snowman, the Moth man, Chupacabra, and Mermaids.

I lived at Meadow Lane Apartments in Spring Valley, New York when I was seven years old. Of course, like all other kids in the neighborhood, I would ride my bike around all over the complex. I would pretend I was riding a horse, carrying around a sword and a shield. In my mind, I was battling dragons and monsters.

I would wander around the wooded area behind the dumpster with my friends. One time, I noticed these peculiar branches in the shape of a pig's foot. They kept appearing everywhere I looked. It was a foreshadowing of what I was about to see.

I remember it was a full moon that night. A lot of paranormal activity happens during this time as well as two days before a full moon and two days after. Also, there is an increase in activity during lunar eclipses, solar eclipses, and meteor showers.

One evening, after dinner, I was getting ready to take a bag of trash to the community dumpster. I gathered up the bag and threw it on the back of my bike. It started getting dark so I peddled faster.

As I approached the dumpster; I heard a noise in the bushes. It sounded like a snort or a grunt. I could hear the branches creaking and the leaves crunching. It sounded like something was moving closer towards me.

I got scared and I didn't want to see what it was, so I threw the trash in the dumpster, jumped on my bike and started peddling as fast as I could.

I heard a loud bang behind me, it sounded like something hit the dumpster. I did not want to turn around but my curiosity got the best of me. I stopped to get a closer look. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. There on the lid of the dumpster stood a small pig like creature. It was walking slowly from one end to the other. At this point, it was completely dark but I could see a silhouette illuminated by the rays of the moon.

I was nervous but I wanted to get a better look so I went a little closer. I was horrified at what I saw. It was hideous. It was a figure about three or four feet high. It looked like its upper body was a pig and its lower body was a goat. Actually, the head looked more like a wild boar. It was all hairy, and it had a short snout, long, sharp bottom teeth and pointy ears. It had sharp talons and hoofed feet. It was standing upright pacing back and forth. It stopped for a split second; it slowly turned its head and looked directly at me. It sent shivers down my spine.

I remembered, the kids in the neighborhood had been talking about seeing some kind of little monster around the dumpster and the nearby woods. I didn't believe then until I finally saw this creature with my own eyes. I couldn't believe what I was seeing; it was straight out of a horror movie. I gasped and was too afraid to move.

Finally, what seemed like forever, I got enough courage to get back on my bike and ride away. I was peddling faster and faster and I kept turning my head looking back to see if it was still there. It was. When I got to the corner to make a right turn, I noticed it has disappeared. I remember telling some of my friends the next day. Some had said they had seen it too.

I waited about a week until I had to go back to the Dumpster. I was afraid that I might see it again, but I was also curious to know if it was still there or did it live in the wooded area behind the dumpster.

I kept looking for it weeks after I had first seen it, but I never saw it again. I knew this was something that would stay in my mind forever. I would remember this creature for the rest of my life. I didn't recall this shocking experience until I was in my mid-twenties.