Believing in ghosts – Part 43

Until relatively recently, I didn’t.

However, in the last couple of years, I’ve worked a lot in a Welsh "castle" which was the home of a famous opera singer in the 19th century. She built her own theatre there, which is still a working space today, with the original stage machinery, and backcloths. It’s a beautiful place. Bleak and lovely, and she loved it a great deal.

After she died in 1919, it became a TB hospital. Given that, a lot of people would have died sadly at a relatively young age.

Recently, it has been given over to variously an Opera School, a luxury hotel, and a call centre in what used to be the hospital morgue…

I’ve got to know the staff well over the last couple of years whilst working at the theatre, and they’re good, no-nonsense, can’t-fool-me Welsh stock, not given to flights of fancy, or believing in ghosts.

Except every last one of them believes in ghosts. All of them. Incidents that have convinced them are as follows:

1) The opera singer had a great sense of humour and was a reknowned practical joker. She still is. She’ll happily swing the kitchen doors back and forth when there’s no one near them, and won’t let people in the TV room (her favourite sitting room) when she chooses. She moves things around frequently.

2) She also appeared to one of the Jazz Musicians playing in the bar once asking him if he sang. When he said no, the little old lady in black said "Oh, what a pity", and disappeared in front of his eyes. He never believed in ghosts either before that.

3) When young singers are performing "her" roles in the theatre, a shadowy figure can be seen standing at the back of the auditorium where a box for important visitors used to be. It’s not possible for anyone to actually stand precisely where this figure is seen today. There is a good "feeling" in the theatre, which is impossible to put into words, as though someone is listening intently and willing you to do well.

4) During its days as a TB hospital, the theatre was used as a children’s playroom. Laughter and children’s voices can be heard coming from the theatre when it is empty. When the door is opened, no one is there. This happens frequently even when there are no children staying at the castle. I’ve experienced this one myself.

5) In what used to be the library, a man’s voice can often be heard shouting orders. The castle staff often hear orders being shouted to them only to find that no one’s asked them to do a thing! I’ve heard the shouting man too. Incidentally, the voice is heavily accented (not Welsh), and there are no non-UK workers there at present. It’s thought to be the opera singer’s second husband, a hot-headed Italian tenor with a short fuse.

6) The cats watch things all the time that no one else can see. I know cats DO this as a matter of course (it’s part of being a cat), but when they run up to thin air and rub their heads against it, purring, that’s a different matter. Either the cats are having a laugh at everyone else’s expense, or there’s someone they’re really pleased to see that WE can’t…

A UK ghost watch programme has been in to record the phenomena, but unfortunately the programme in question has been exposed largely as a fake, so nothing they found can be relied upon as any kind of evidence.

I suppose it’s just an old building with a lot of memories, both happy and sad, and was the much-loved home for some time of a woman with an extremely strong personality. I don’t think memories ever entirely disappear.

So…I believe in buildings having memories. Ghosts? I’m not so sure.

Novel excerpts: Supernatural – Part 11

“You two, you be married, right?” Mrs. Castivachea turned to Abigail and Hank after she unlocked the first door they came to.

“Yes, we’ve been happily married for six years.” Hank took his wife by the waist as Joyce smiled.

“Then you two can have this room. You there, Ms. Fitzpatrick, you, and Ms. Andrews and Ms . . . ah, my dear, I seem to have to learned your name.” Mrs. Castivachea pointed to Ms. Eleanor Fitzpatrick – the tour guide – Joyce Andrews, and the teenager.

“Kat.” The girl raised a rebellious eyebrow.

“Yes, Kat, you three shall share this next room. Follow me, please.” The group left Mr. and Mrs. Williams to there room, and came to another locked door down the hall. She then unlocked it, showed them the room, and took the boy and Jack outside to show the last room.

“Now, Mr. Keat, you and, oh, for heaven’s sake, I didn’t learn your name either!” Mrs. Castivachea threw up her arms in frustration.

“The names’ Spike.” The teen replied from under the hood of his jacket.

“Spike. You and Jack will share this room. Bathrooms are down the hall three doors and on your right. Dinner will be served in one hour, breakfast at seven. Have a wonderful evening.” And with that, Mrs. Castivachea left the room, presumably to tell the other what she had told them, and was gone.

“So, your name is Spike. What kinda bad-boy name is Spike?” Jack tried to make conversation.

“What kinda loser name is Jack?” Spike shot back, then sat down on the bed and pulled out some weed from his pocket.

“What are you doing with that?”

“I’m gonna put it in my shoes and use it for arch support.” As if on cue, Kat walked in, lighter in one hand and paper in the other.

“It’s 4:20 somewhere.” She smiled and joined Spike on the bed. Jack just shook his head and made a move for the door.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Kat coughed a puff of smoked out her mouth and nose as she sent a dirty look at Jack.

“I’m going to check out the mansion before it gets dark.” Jack explained as he opened the door and was leaving, he heard Spike start coughing.

“Does he actually think we care?”

Jack had wandered down the halls, sometimes turning left, sometimes turning right, hardly ever going straight. Finally, he admitted that he was lost, and actually looked at his surroundings, when he saw a door.

It was a simple glass doorway that lead out into the garden; there was still light out, and the sight had an appearance of blood. That’s when he saw her.

The young woman identified as both

The belief in fairies and other supernatural beings – Part 12

Do you believe in faeries, ghosts, or other supernatural entities? Many around the world do. To many people, faeries {the Little People} are as real to them as their own families are. Indeed, the history of faeries, { also known as ‘Fey’ or ‘Fay’, the word deriving from ‘Fays’ meaning Fates], has a long history, all around the world. But, most notably in the Celtic regions of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Indeed, the history of those countries is filled with stories of faerie folk stealing away human babies, and in their place, replacing the stolen child with a horribly-deformed faerie child of their own. Not all fairies in Western Society are depicted as small, innocent, winged child-like creatures. No, for indeed, there is always another side to the coin. Take for instance a strange incident which allegedly happened in Liverpool {UK}, in the year 1997. Make of the following story what you will, but, always keep your minds open to the possibility of other life forms that share this world with us. And so it begins:

Martha and Bill Stephens, for that is what I shall call them, were a typical married couple. After so many years of marriage they each had gotten into their own ways of living. For instance, Martha, who was sixty three at the time, and Bill sixty eight, were doing what they always did of an evening, they would watch TV. Only, Bill was not watching the television, he couldn’t stand the programmes that his wife veiwed, so he would sit and read his local paper instead. Martha, on the other hand, would have the remote control right by her side, changing channels at a whim, this infuriated Billy, but Martha would take no heed of him. She was used to his moaning, and had learned, over the years, to close her ears to his constant whining.

It was on such a night as I have described that something happened to Bill that would change his life forever. As usual he was sat in his chair, reading his newspaper. Martha, was, as usual, watching the TV, suddenly Bill, noticed the actors on the TV seemed to be talking strangely to one another. Their speech seemed slurred, and they also seemed to be moving in slow motion. At first Bill thought that there was something wrong with the satellite box, that it was somehow faulty. But, on gazing back down at his newspaper, Bill was alarmed to find that the words upon his paper were jumbled. He could not make head or tail of them. The letters, seemed to merge into one another. This alarmed Bill even

Believing in ghosts – Part 33

After rating an article here on Helium, I feel compelled to share my experiences with ghosts!

The term Ghost means that there is a shadow of something that was! Most Ghosts are perceived to haunt, and in logical terms, when one witnesses a Ghost, one is seeing a replay in time, of what that something was doing!

If we are to take this to another level and call these Ghosts, Spirits, then I can relay some true occurrences which confirms my belief in Spirits!

My Mother was a spiritualist! We lived in England! There is a lot of that there! I was skeptical and kept an open mind.

We had three cats. One day, my seventeen year old Siamese cat, Suki, died! This cat was wonderful! She always used to sit on my shoulder when I did my home work or when I watched television.

She also used to go outside into the garden. When ever she wanted to come back into the house, she would jump up and hang onto the door latch to try and get it open.

The day after she died, my Father, who never believed in the paranormal, was standing in the kitchen with my Mother and I. Suddenly, the door latch started to rattle and with that, there was that sound that Siamese cats make; A very deep meow. This lasted for a few minutes as my Father looked at my Mother and I with despairing eyes! This event, continued for several nights after! A similar thing occurred with the other cats when they died.

When I was about fifteen years old, my eighty five year old Grandmother died. I loved her tremendously! A few days after her death, I was sitting in a room in my parent’s house, in front of our piano. In that room were several items belonging to my Grandmother.

She had two or three Ginger jars that dated back to the turn of the nineteenth century. She used to keep her receipts in them. After clearing out her house, my Father had put these jars on the sill of our one and only bay window. Suddenly, as I tried to play the piano, I heard the lids of the Ginger jars rattling! I turned quickly around to look at them, and as I did, about three notes on the piano played, very slowly! I checked my sleeves to see if I had done it myself, but I could not see how that could have happened!

I have had many, many experiences in this field and I cannot turn a blind eye. I have seen enough proof and I believe in Ghosts and Spirits.

Thank you for inspiring my article!

Are paranormal and supernatural activities on the increase? – Part 13

I do a lot of writing and researching in the paranormal field as most like to call it. I have been to many places throughout the United States and Canada to do such research. I have found at least some truth to most of the legends that surround the “haunted places.” OK now I am going to tell you about some of my most memorable “supernatural” experiences. These are all true stories and I have witnessed them first hand.

I start with Ohio because that’s where I live now. In October of 2007 I traveled to Beaver Creek, Ohio where I visited the now ghost town of Spruceville. There are many sites there that are claimed to be haunted such as: Gretchen’s Lock, Hambleton Mill and the nearby bridge as well as another abandoned building. There is said to be a lot of deaths surrounding this town. The stories include the death of Gretchen Gill, the suicide of Esther Hale, and the death of a former FBI’s most wanted Pretty Boy Floyd. We first traveled to Gretchen’s lock. It is said that her ghost is only seen on the anniversary of her death but my experience says that that’s not completely true. In order to get to the lock you need to walk about a 1/2 mile along a trail located off a campsite near Spruceville Road. The entire trail is quite creepy and very deserted. We arrived around 4pm so that we would have some light to look around a bit. As night fall came upon us the area became deathly silent. At approximately 10:42 PM we heard what sounded like a moan coming from the south of us. There were only 5 of us and we were all huddled together and none of us had made a sound for at least 15 minutes prior to the moan. I cannot prove that it was the ghost of Gretchen but there was no one else around for miles. The next day we ventured to Hambleton Mill. It is said that a Quaker priest haunts this building and other say it is the ghost of Esther Hale. We were there from 1pm until 8pm and experienced no ghostly activity. I also shot several pictures with my digital camera and had nothing abnormal in the shots. At 8:15 pm we went to the nearby bridge that is also said to be haunted by Esther Hale. There were some odd sounds but nothing that would lead any of us to believe that she was there. Once again I took many photos and found nothing unusual. We went to the farm where Pretty Boy Floyd was shot and killed and found some pretty creepy things inside but he is buried in Oklahoma so I didn’t really expect to see or hear much. It was just a very old

Can you capture ghosts and spirits on camera? – Part 6

Yes you most certainly can capture a ghost on film or camera you just got to know what your looking for. most balls of light or orbs as they are more commonly known as, are sometimes only dust or the lights of reflections. you can capture real undoubtedly pieces of proof on camera though, take the Amittyville horror for one, they felt like they were being watched when they were coming downstairs so the camera man turned quickly and snapped a photo.

Later on when they developed the photo’s they saw a child’s ghost peeking around the doorway to the room where they had just left and started downstairs, upon questioning this picture they said that no children where in the house with them.

I have also captured real evidence of ghosts in my old home. When i was six i use to play with my best friend “Johnny” we played hide and seek and other child games. when my parents got into an argument he was there to comfort me and i confided in him… that is until the day i told my mother about my friend. she was watching t.v and i mentioned Johnny she told me i was too old to have an imaginary friend and i pleaded with her that Johnny was not imaginary. Determined to prove it to her i took her to my room which he was always in and i pointed to where he was but he wasn’t there which obviously made my mother prove her point better than mine. after she left he reappeared and i told him what had happened and asked where he went to. i told him my mother kept telling me he was fake and i asked him to prove he was real. big mistake for a six year old to do cause in all truth he scared the hell out of me when he nodded and made his eyes turn red. i flew into my mother’s arms sobbing and she told me we had to demand him out we stood at the doorway with it opened and my mother said that if he was going to scare her daughter he would have to leave.

I never really saw him again, the next week mom moved the fridge to clean behind it and found a whole bunch of cars and trucks… little boys toys. from then on she believed me that i had encountered a ghost. a few years after my mother and father caught glimpses of him once and a while peeking around the doorway and looking at them… harmless things really i sat down with a group of friends one afternoon with the Ouija board and asked about the little boy i gained knowledge that he was murdered long before we moved in that night my father took a picture of me and my mother one of me looking at the t.v and the second of me looking at him, in both my mother was on the phone looking at him and smiling. Upon developing the first picture with me looking at the t.v showed a regular picture, in the other there was a little boy standing behind my mother. to this day we can’t explain it and we try not it we have since moved from the trailer and i have also moved out of my parents house, My uncle now lives in the trailer and says he sometimes hears laughter coming from down the hall in my old bedroom.

I know what i saw and i know what my father captured that night so i say it is possible to capture real hard evidence of ghosts on a camera but sometimes orbs are only dust or reflections but they can also be ghosts so go out and find some for yourself!

Testimonies: Modern day supernatural experiences with Christianity – Part 1

Right after 9/11, everyone started questioning Christianity and the presence of God. I wondered myself. I used to attend church regularly, but just wasn’t satisfied with the church I was attending, so I quit.

An event happened to me in October, 2001 that pretty much changed my life forever. I was taking my oldest daughter for a visit to her dad’s house, when we saw smoke in the air above his street. As I turned down his block, we looked to see where the smoke was coming from. The house across the street was on fire. I threw the car up in park, screamed for someone to call 9-1-1, and preceded to run across the street. I reached for the door knob, but it was way too hot, so I ran to the first bedroom window I could find. I pounded on it until finally a child poked his head through the curtains. I asked if his mother was home, he nodded yes, I said “Tell her to get up, the house is on fire!” In a matter of seconds, his mother appeared at another window. I told her “Your house is on fire, you’ve got to get out!” She tried to open the window, but it was stuck. We broke it so they could get out. One by one, she handed me her three children, then it came her turn. She kept telling me “You can’t lift me, I’m too heavy.” I said “Come on, I’ll get you out.” She stepped out onto the window ledge, I lifted up my arms to her, she grabbed hold, and I helped her down. Unfortunately, the family dog didn’t make it out of the fire.

Later, that day when I came to pick up my daughter, the oldest boy ran over to my car and said “You’re the woman that saved us aren’t you?” I said “Yes. Is everyone all right?” He said “Mom cut her arm on the window you busted out and the dog died in the fire. Besides that,

we’re okay. Thank you for helping us.” I told him “You’re welcome.” His mother came over and thanked me as well. When we got home, my youngest daughter told my husband all about how her mother was a hero. My husband couldn’t believe it. I was still in kind of a haze over the whole ordeal.

A couple days later, I was laying down taking a nap, when I heard a voice say to me “Do you want to know how you were able to get that woman out?” I guess in my mind I said yes, because I could see the whole scene in my mind like it was a movie and I was watching it from afar. I was standing there watching and holding a man’s hand while I watched. I saw myself run over to the house, bang on the window, bust out the window, take out each child one by one. Then it came time to help the woman. When I reached up my arms to help the woman, I saw someone or something fly into my arms. Then I helped her down to the ground. I heard this voice “You see, you were not alone. I was right there with you, just waiting for the right time when I was needed to help you.” I started shaking, so I looked up to see the face that belonged to the face-it was Jesus! I burst out into tears and he hugged me. He said “You did great. I was testing you, and you passed. You saved them with a little help from me. You’re going to be all right, now.” I immediately sat up in bed and cried out “Thank you Jesus!” I was still shaking and crying when my husband got home from work. I explained what had happened. He told me I had had an epiphany, a supernatural experience. It has definitely changed my life forever.

I have found a fantastic church that I have been attending now for six years. Jesus has definitely changed me for the better. No telling what could have happened if I hadn’t helped that family. Don’t let anyone tell you that God doesn’t exist or that miracles don’t happen. They do happen.

Reflections: What would you ask a ghost? – Part 3

First of all, if I recovered from the heart attack I had after seeing a ghost, I believe my first question would be, “Are You a child of God’s, do you believe that Jesus is the son of God”, if it doesn’t answer or says “NO”, then I would know its an evil spirit and ask it to leave ..

If the ghost was a Child of God’s, I would have millions of questions to ask, like why did it appear to me, is it a deceased relative or friend. Is all my loved ones that have crossed over in Heaven, or is Heaven here on earth like lots of people think and my loved ones are right here with me in spirit, and thats why there’s no tears in Heaven, for all the one’s thats passed on are here and can see us so they can be Happy and at peace.

I would ask what the journey was like when they crossed over, is there really a tunnel with a bright light at the end. Does a loved one come to help them cross over. And why do some people have ghost experiences and others don’t.

And what is the difference between a ghost and a spirit, or they the same. I know there are good spirits and bad, and that some spirits have never lived in Human form, where other spirits have, so I would be really curious to know the answer to this question.

All of my questions would be dealing with death and the after life, I would like the ghost to explain Bible scriptures to me that are puzzling. Like, the dead no nothing, let the dead bury the dead. And if the dead stay in the grave until Jesus returns, and if thats so, like a lot of Preachers say, then why does the Bible talk about a brother going to Heaven and the other in Hades asking his brother for water to cool his burning tongue.

I could go on and on, but the ghost would have been long gone before I was finished with my questions, So I guess this is why a ghost hasn’t appeared before me, they know I can talk way too much on subjects I want to know about.

Novel excerpts: Supernatural – Part 16

Night Terror

I heard the gentle rapping of a tree brush against my bedroom window, awaking me from my sleep. I opened my eyes slowly to catch a glimpse of the time, but my eyes were too dim to make out the glowing red digital clock. I put my head back on the pillow and closed my eyes when suddenly I heard sounds of laughter from the den. All the house was dark as my bedroom door stood open.

“Hehehehehe….hehehehehehehe! ”

Terror gripped me as ice began to flow through my veins and my heart began to pump rapidly. I hoped to pull the cover over my head and return to sleep, but quickly remembered my wife laying by my side. I slowly swung my legs over the edge of the bed, rubbing my eyes, hoping for clearer vision, but none came. With my head still full of sleep, I felt groggy and intoxicated. I walked out the bedroom hoping against hope it was nothing, my mind playing tricks on me perhaps. I came to the top of the stairs and looked down into the main entry way. Everything was dark and hard to make out but there was definitely nobody there. I sighed and started to head back to the room when the thought entered my mind that I better make sure the front door was locked. I headed down the stairs, tightly grabbing the rail with my right hand.

“Hehehehe.HehehehHEHEHE!”

I froze. My flesh tightened and grew cold. The hairs on my skin became prickly. It was louder now but definitely outside. After what seemed like an eternity I proceeded down the stairs. The silence in the house was deafening, only interrupted with my soft steps on the wooded stairs. When I reached the bottom I looked behind me towards the kitchen but there was only faint moonlight reflecting in the nook. I came to the front door and put my fingers in between the blinds ever so slightly making a space to peer through. My eyes were still dim and my head heavy. I felt as if I had been drugged and my body was lagging behind my brain. Everything seemed normal. I looked to the bottom of the stairs outside leading up to my front door and saw nothing. I moved to the living room next to the entryway and peered through those blinds. I saw the dumpster with the faint glow of a lamp outside illuminating it. It was windy and trees were swaying back and forth but all was silent, eerily silent. I started to take my hand away from the blinds ready to turn back to bed, when I saw a shadow outside move swiftly around the dumpster. It was accompanied with a noisy swooshing

Novel excerpts: Supernatural – Part 21

The days following my Anna’s crash by the drunk driver were almost silent except for the call of dinner or getting up for school.i knew the next few weeks were going t be rough i could a week after i got back everyone wouldn’t stop coming up to me with flowers candles all it did was make me depressed even today i could here the sound of the police at two in the morning

“we have some bad news.” one of them said as he lifted hi cap and put it to his chest

“its about your daughter she was hit by a drunk driver” the other one said also putting his cap to his heart after hearing those words i went up stairs and screamed lock my door cried until i was starving as it turns out i was in my room for 2 days after words crying all the time after that i quit talking for a week with a blank face on all the time thinking about the police my sister even at here funeral i could cry i left my eyes blanked open out in space until one night i was looking at a photo album that my sister friend Becky put together for or family just as i peered into a picture i would get an Erie felling around me until i looked around to see a ghost like figure coming towards me then as i was forced to look at y my face couldn’t move i realized it was Anna she was back now she looked almost alive just a little transparent but couldn’t talk for a minute so i had to help her first words then she could Finlay speak clearly she was telling me how i shouldn’t go thought this then she told me god gave her a chance to do it over her last hour before impact then i woke up to the sound of my moms voice telling me to get ready for school

but mom its Sunday

no its Thursday honey know go get your sister up while i fold your cloths

what mom Anna died almost two weeks ago

now Erin get her up

as i walked into her room i thought about what happened last night and i was true as i leered over her just before i got here up she gasped for air for a second looking up at me she turned her head her ear had a scar were she got hit with the drunk driver so it was real i thought i was a dream when she could Finley think now she looked at me and i could tell with that stare we both knew what happened and that night she called off the party and stayed and lived!

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