William: “Well, Okay. My first real experience was rather strange but spooky. My second experience was more spiritual then scary, but it’s the one that really made me want to know more about ghosts and stuff.”
Brenda: “Well why don’t you tell me about both experiences?”
William: “Okay. The first experience happened when I was about ten years old. I was at home and we had a bunch of people over celebrating my dad’s birthday. As the party was picking up, I decided to go to my room, as I was the only kid at the party and was feeling a little bored after helping my mother serve snacks to their guest. I have a dart board on one side of my bedroom that I always try to get a bull’s eye in before I go to sleep. I walked into the room and up to the dart board. I pulled the darts out and walked to the other side of my bed, which was placed eight feet away from the dart board. I was about to turn around to the board, when all of a sudden, all around me appeared what looked like ashes and sparks flying. They were flying around me body in a spiral fashion. I almost fainted with fear. I ran out of my room and said a prayer in the hallway before turning around and re-entering my bedroom, with my heart still beating hard. I picked up my phone to call my brother, who lived with his girl friend. I have always talked to him about anything and everything. It was 6:22 pm when this happened. I was not asleep so it couldn’t be a dream or nightmare. While talking to my brother, who first laughed at me when I told him why I was calling, they reappeared. This time only a few ashes and sparks. I paused to say a prayer again in my head, and they disappeared after a few moments. From then on I referred to these ashes as spirit lights. My brother figured I must be hallucinating. I had no other explanation so I assumed he was correct. To understand what I actually saw, imagine you are sitting around a bonfire and someone throws a log on it. The way the sparks look as they rise up from the fire is exactly what the ashes and sparks looked like in my room. And I had seen them a few more times since, once a few months later and twice a year later.”
Brenda: “Well, I wouldn’t say it was a hallucination, as it happened twice within a few minutes of each other and then again quite some time later. That is quite a vivid description six years later, so I would have to say you truly believe you saw something that night. What was the second thing that happened, that actually turned you into a hunter?”
William: “Well, it’s a little hard to talk about.” (Williams eyes were starting to tear up as he tried to remember the next incident). “You see, it was four weeks before my mother passed away. I was walking to my bedroom, and my mother was lying in her bed cuz she wasn’t feeling well. As she seen me walk by she called me into her room. I went to see what she wanted. She started talking to me about a beautiful picture on her wall. She was pointing to it and I followed her hand to a blank spot on the wall above her dresser mirror. Puzzled, I walked up to the wall and pointed to it and asked if this is where the picture was. She just looked at me with a smile and said no it’s that way more. I moved my hand over a few inches in the direction she pointed and instantly felt a chill in my arm. I asked her to describe the picture to me. She told me there was a clear blue sky, and a beautiful, large, white marble stair case; which had lilac coloured flowers going up on both the sides. At the top was a bright white cross with a beautiful bright light that shined from behind it.” William paused for a moment to clear his throat. “I told her it looked beautiful, and then I told her she should try to get some rest. I then went to my room and tried to understand what it meant. Why was she seeing this image?”
Most of the group had not heard this story, at least not in this detail. William was noticeably upset so Jessica put her arm around him and asked if he was ok? He just nodded to her. Brenda asked him if he wanted to stop for a minute, but William just told her he’d be fine. William continued his story, “A week later the exact thing happened again. I once again asked her to describe what the picture looked like. She described the exact same image. This time when I left the room, all I could think of was it must be a stairway to heaven. I prayed that it was just a coincidence and not a sign that she was going there, she’s just too young to die. I mentioned to my father and brother what happened and they both thought I was making more out of it then it was. She was basically healthy so how could she die? Well the exact same thing happened for the third time a week later. This time I was sure I was losing my mother. When I walked to my room I started to cry, praying that I was wrong and that everything would be fine. Well, one week later, my mom died in her sleep. After getting over the initial shock of losing my mom, I realized that I was given an opportunity that most people weren’t. Not wanting to take a chance that this was more than a coincidence, I was able to become closer than ever with my mother for a month before she died. My very last worlds to her were, “I love. I’ll see you tomorrow,” as I was heading out with my friends. My mother’s last words to me were “I love you too, I'll see you later, have a good night”. Later that night my mother died in her sleep.”
William paused for a moment to wipe the tears from his eyes, and as he did, he noticed all the girls and Jacob were drying their eyes. Even Miss Waters was wiping a tear off her face. Matthew just looked at him, in a serious voice saying “That must be really hard to talk about? I couldn’t imagine losing my mother, or my father.”
As he cleared his voice, William continued, “So anyway, after that I figured if there must be a heaven that my mom seen, then other things that we can’t prove must also be real. And on days when I was missing my mother the most, I would start trying to contact her. I tried everything I could think of but had no success. I started reading everything I could find on ghost and the supernatural. And the more I read, the more intrigued I became with the whole paranormal field. Today I figure the reason I haven’t seen her is because she is in heaven already.”
The room was completely silent. No one knew what to say, they just sat there looking at one another for a couple minutes. William, realizing the uneasy silence began to speak, “So that is how I got into ghost hunting. Who’s next?”
A sense of relief seemed to come over the group as they started to relax a bit more. Brenda took William aside for moment to make sure he was able to continue. She told him his story was one of the most beautiful and yet sad stories she’d ever heard. She took him over to her books on the paranormal and told him he was welcome to borrow any of them if he wished, at any time. He smiled at her and thanked her for her consideration. Brenda put her arm around William and the two head back to the group who were quietly discussing Williams’s story. Jessica looked at William and in a concerned voice asked, “Are you sure you’re alright to go on?”
William looked at the group: “The reason most of you haven’t heard that story, or at least that story in detail, is because I do not want sympathy from people. Yes, I lived through something that was both sad but yet wonderful at the same time, but life must go on.” And he said in that authoritive voice he had that he must have gotten from his father, sort of like a father telling a child to do something in a tone that means “do it now”.
The group understood exactly what he meant, it happened, it’s over, move forward. William looked at the group again, “So who’s going to go next?”
Matthew looked around: “Well I’ve got nothing to say, you all know I don’t believe any of this stuff because I have yet to see any proof.”
Brenda looked over at Matthew: “Perhaps you have seen proof but just didn’t except it? Like I said earlier, you need to keep a more open mind.”
Jessica spoke up: “Guess I’ll go next. My first experience was when I was ten years old. I was sound asleep in my bed, when I suddenly woke up at 1:32 am and noticed what looked like flashes of fog flying throughout my room. I was startled and scared; I felt my heart beating hard in my chest. I tried to close my eyes, say it was a dream, and reopened them. The flashes of fog were still there. I said “get out of my room”, but the flashes of fog stayed and started laughing. The laughter echoed throughout my room, and I froze with fear. I shut my eyes again and called on the cosmic forces that I read about in a book and asked them to protect me. When I reopened my eyes, the fog patches were gone. It was the most terrifying eleven minutes of my life.”
Brenda was listening quite intensely to Jessica’s story. She asked Jessica, “Did they ever return? Did you ever experience the fog patches again?”
Jessica thought for a second, then responded “Yes, actually. They reappeared one week later. But how did you know that?”
Brenda hesitated, “Because I had the exact same thing happen to me when I was younger. And when my fog patches appeared the second time, they made no sound.”
Jessica, rather excitedly said, “Mine neither. Is that just the weirdest coincidence or what?”
Matthew interrupted: “Wait a minute, both of you had the same thing happen? What are you related or something? That is just too weird of a coincidence.”
William calmly responded: “What’s so strange about two strangers having the same experience? With the billions of people on this planet, I’d bet there have been a lot of people who experienced the same things.”
Jessica was lost in thought thinking how strange it was that Miss Waters had the same experience, until she heard William’s explanation. She found it quite plausible. She then continued to talk: “I forgot to mention, I also have had a lot of psychic experiences. I’ve had visions of things that happened shortly after, and even some that I changed what I did in the vision to avoid an accident or unpleasant event happening to me or someone else. Like the time I was walking home from school and I saw myself crossing the street with some other kids. As we were crossing, a car turned around a corner that was obstructed by a tree and hit a couple of the kids. When we got to the same corner, I lifted my arms to stop the kids from crossing and they were just about to duck under my arms when a car came around the corner that was blocked by the tree. A few other things that happen are the fact that I’ve answered people before the actually speak to me, and I always trust my gut.”
Sarah was talking to Alexis when she stopped and looked at the group, “Alexis and I were there that day. We can definitely vouch for what Jessica is saying about the car that nobody saw when she stopped us from crossing the street.”
Brenda was astonished, “That is rather amazing. We’ll have to talk sometime about other psychic impressions you’ve had, and maybe work at strengthening some if you like? And you’ll need to explain more to me about these ‘cosmic forces’. I believe I’ve read about them a long time ago, but can’t remember where.”
Jessica felt special that Brenda was taking such a strong interest in her, “That would be great.”
Sarah spoke up: “Since we were just on the topic of fog, I might as well go next. One summer a couple years ago, my family was out at our cabin. As I was sleeping, I was awoken by the sound of footsteps. I rolled over and looked to the center point were the rooms met below the ladder to the attic, and I saw a green fog floating in the area I heard the footsteps. What made this really strange was the fact that I felt no fear of the fog. It was a luminous green, sort of like a glow in the dark toy or paint, but it moved slowly and never felt threatening. It actually felt peaceful, like it was just checking to make sure everything was alright. Is that strange or what?”
Brenda asked Sarah: “Whose cabin was it originally?”
Sarah quickly responded, “My grandparents. My grandfather built it when he was in his twenties with his own two hands. He bought the land cheap and cleared the trees and built the cabin before other people started building in the area. When he died, my dad and mom inherited it.”
Brenda had that “aha” look comes over her: “Perhaps it was you grandfathers spirit you seen. That would explain why it felt warm and comforting. He was just checking to make sure the place he loved was still being looked after. And he may also have been checking up on you to make sure you were doing alright?”
Sarah just smiled, as she thought how cool it is that she was visited one night by her grandfather.
Alexis decided to go next. “About a year ago, I was playing in my room when I became thirsty. I decide to go to the kitchen and grab a glass of juice. I put down my doll on my bed and turned to go into the hallway. Just as I walked out of my room, I saw a dark shadow go from the hallway to my parent’s room. I assumed it was my mother going into her room and I just saw her shadow, not her. I went towards the kitchen and as I turned the corner my mother asked me what I’d like? I was puzzled as she couldn’t be in two places at the same time. I asked for a glass of juice and as she was pouring it I asked if dad was home early from work? She responded, “No, why do you ask?” Not wanting to worry her, I just said “no reason” and went back to my room with my glass. I checked my parent’s room first and nobody was there. I was going room to room looking under the beds and in the closets but couldn’t find anyone throughout the whole area. I figured it must have been a shadow of a cloud that I saw but then I realized the curtains were all drawn. I didn’t see anything since then in my house, but I always wondered what or who it could have been.”
Samantha started to talk almost as soon as Alexis stopped: “I saw a strange thing in our hallway too. Difference is I didn’t actually see it. I know this is going to sound strange, but I was goofing around my dad’s office which was at the end of a hall. I heard a voice say “Take a picture.” I looked around and didn’t see anyone so I blew it off as my imagination. About thirty seconds later I once again heard “Take a picture.” I was a little confused, but not frightened as it was a very calm, relaxed voice. I looked at my dad’s desk and saw his digital camera. I picked it up and turned towards the hall and snapped a picture. When I looked at it on the preview screen it just looked like a picture of a hallway. I put the camera back and thought nothing more of it. About a week later my dad downloaded the pictures onto the house computer. As I was flipping through them I came across the picture of the hallway. I was rather surprised to see a light right in the middle of the hallway were the stairs meet it. There was absolutely nothing that could have made a reflection there, as the area is always kept completely clear of anything due to the narrowness of the hall. I still don’t know what the light in the photo is.”
William looked at Samantha: “Why haven’t you told us about this photo before? We do analysis of photos all the time. Why don’t you email it to me and we could look at it as a group.”
Brenda added: “I wouldn’t mind being emailed a copy of it as well. I have quite the collection of unusual photos.”
Samantha, feeling a little foolish that she hadn’t asked the group to evaluate the photo for her, looked at William and Miss Waters and just said “Sure, I’ll email it to both of you. But I will need to get your email address Miss Waters.”
Brenda smiled at Samantha: “No problem, and please call me Brenda.”
The group was having a problem with calling the substitute by her first name, as they were all brought up to show respect to their elders, and based on what they were told, calling an adult by their first name was disrespectful.
The group was discussing the different experiences with each other when suddenly Matthew mentioned, “Jacob hasn’t told his story yet.”
Jacob looked over at Matthew and in his shy timid voice said, “Thanks a lot bud. I was kinda hoping you’d forget about me and my story.”
Brenda was a bit concerned that Jacob really didn’t want to talk about his experience. She asked him in the tone that every mother has when trying to get a child to open up to them, “Why don’t you wish to share your story Jacob? There is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about.”
Jacob looked up at Brenda, “It’s not that, it’s just that what I saw, and continue to see from time to time, scares the crap out of me. I try to pretend that it never happened, I try not to even think about it.”
Jessica, in a concerned tone said to Jacob, “You’re among friends here. We want to help you if we can in any way. The only way we can do that, is to know what it is that is troubling you.”
Jacob looked down at his hands in his lap, “I guess you’re right. Okay, here goes. I have been waking in the middle of the night from a sound sleep to find an old man standing at different parts of my room. He usually starts by the door, but he moves towards the side of my bed. I get a real bad feeling when I see him, like he wishes to harm me. He definitely isn’t sending any warm fuzzy feelings towards me. I don’t mind telling you that every time I see him, my heart starts racing and it scares me half to death. I am scared that one day he may figure out a way to actually harm me. First time I saw him, he was just standing by the door.” Jacob closes his eyes to help himself remember what he sees in his room. He starts to shake with fear as he begins to picture the figure. “He is wearing a suit and an old style hat, like they did back in the fifties. He always looks the same. The suit is dark and his eyes are black. I can’t see them but I know he is staring right at me.”
William places his hand on Jacobs shoulder, saying “It’s alright Jacob, we’re all here and if this thing wants to get at you it needs to go through me first.”
Jacob’s trembling subsides as he cracks a little smile, and then continues with his story: “The old man gives me a sense that he wants me out of the room. He doesn’t say anything, but in my mind I get the thought that he wants me out. A couple times he started walking towards my bed and I hid my head under the covers, terrified of what he would do when he got to me. I would stay under the covers with my eyes shut until I fell back asleep. One night, as he was walking towards my bed, I was so terrified that I was literally frozen with fear. I couldn’t even move my hands to lift the blanket. I shut my eyes and I could sense him standing right beside my head. I kept my eyes closed hoping that I would be able to fall asleep like on other nights, but it seemed that I just couldn’t. I don’t know how long I laid there with my eyes shut, but it felt like an hour. I decided to open them to see if the old man was still there. When I did, he was gone and I was suddenly able to move my hands. This was one of many nights were I got up and went to sleep on the sofa. Whenever he appears the room has a sense of ‘death’ in the air. It is hard to breath, like the oxygen is sucked out of the room and the air feels heavy, like a fog or something. I haven’t seen him in a couple of days, but I figure he’s due to return as he usually does.”
Jacobs face was glistening from the sweat that appeared as he was telling his story. Brenda was very concerned that whatever he was experiencing was not healthy for his mind or body. She asked Jacob if he was religious. Jacob responded, “Yes, we are Christians, why?”
Brenda told Jacob, “I learned a long time ago that the best way to get rid of an unwanted spirit was to tell it to leave, and then say a prayer. Being Christian myself, I find that ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ works extremely well. I have friends of other religious beliefs and all agree that any main prayer from their religion helps rid a place of unwanted spirits, especially ones that make you feel like they are evil. If I’m not mistaken, William said a prayer when he was freaked out by the Spirit Lights he saw.”
William: “That’s right, I did. And I have to admit that it helped me pretty much instantly.”
Jacob, looking rather relieved, said to Brenda; “Then I definitely will try that. What sucks is I’ve suffered with the visits from this old man for quite some time now. It would have been nice to know this information from the start.”
Brenda mentioned to the group, “Whenever a malicious or unwanted spirit appears, just tell it to go, and say a prayer from whatever belief system you have. You may need to do it a couple times, but I have never heard of this not working.”
Matthew piped up in his usual smart mouthed way, “So what do you do if you don’t have a religion? What if you don’t believe in some divine power?”
Brenda looked at Matthew and calmly said, “Most people, when scared half to death will usually find religion real fast. And if you choose not to, then I guess you are on your own.”