Possible vocalization heard in Marion, Illinois witnessed in Williamson County, Illinois

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In 1977 my family and I were visiting my grandmother in Marion, IL (Williamson County) for the Holidays during what was called "the blizzard of '77". This being my first experience of heavy snow I was amazed at how hushed and insulated it felt outside and was pleased when the forecast called for more snow since I was fascinated by the intense quiet. As a 10yr old boy, I warrented my own bedroom in the front of her small house with my parents staying the back bedroom and my grandmother in the middle room. Several hours after going to sleep (2am-ish?) I was awakened by the most blood curdling scream that I could (and still can) imagine. In thinking critically about what I heard the most shocking aspect was it's volume and duration. Waking in the middle of the night to such a scream produced a sense of "nightmare" and confusion, but I was distinctly aware of direction/location of the source, which was outside the window to which my bed abutted (and not under the house). I was petrified...