Paranormal Underground ™

Volume 3, Issue 3 March 2010

In the Spotlight:
GHI’s Brandy Green

Now That’s What I Call

a Close Encounter!

The Customs House Holds

Spirits Within Also Inside:
• Living in a Haunted House as
a Paranormal Investigator
Exorcism: Psychological • Should I Call Him a Ghost
. . . or Paranormal? or Something Else?
• TV Watch: Living With
the Dead
Parachasers: In Search of
• Book/Movie Review:
New

Discoveries The
March 2010 Time Traveler’s
Paranormal Wife1
Underground
 From Paranormal Underground Journalist
Karen Frazier and Ghost Knight Media, LLC

Book Now Available Online at

2
www.avalancheofspirits.com
Paranormal Underground March 2010
Inside This Issue

FEATURES
INVESTIGATOR SPOTLIGHTS
Brandy Green Goes From Desk Jockey to Worldwide
Paranormal Explorer 16
Parachasers: In Search of New Discoveries 22

SPECIAL REPORT
Living in a Haunted House as a Paranormal Investigator 26

CASE FILES OF THE UNKNOWN

Haunted Sites
The Customs House Holds Spirits Within 28
Haunted History
Germain, Count St. Germain: (With Respects to Mr. Bond) 30
Are We Alone?
Now That’s What I Call a Close Encounter 34

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
Diary From a Haunted Hotel 38
DEPARTMENTS
Should I Call Him a Ghost or Something Else? 40 Contributors 4
Ghost Hunter Comic 5
Paranormal Perspective: Guest Editorial
Publisher’s Letter 7
Exorcism: Psychological or Paranormal? 42
From the Editor 9
Fiction: Featured Author Calendar of Events 11
“Where Memories Lie (Part I of IV)” by Lettie Prell 44 Paranormal News 12
TV Watch:
Nonfiction Paranormal Book Excerpt Living With the Dead 14
Avalanche of Spirits: The Ghosts of Wellington 50 Member Profile:
Richard Lombardi (movieman) 54
Paranormal Fantasy Author Spotlight Review of the Month:
The Time Traveler’s Wife 55
Shelli Stevens 52

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 3

Contributors
Heidi Ann of eight, Rick is happily married and ing her writing, editing, and design
digs Jazz. He believes in the use of the talents — along with a fascination of the
Heidi Ann has scientific method in gathering evidence paranormal — to bring you Paranormal
been a paranormal of paranormal claims. Rick can be con- Underground each month.
enthusiast since child- tacted at [email protected]. Her previous magazine experi-
hood when she had ence includes roles as Senior and
her own encounter. Managing Editor for several niche-
Her personal experi- Carolyn M. Hughes
market publications. Cheryl is a
ence led her to ques- As a night man- partner for Ghost Knight Media (www.
tion the world around ager in a haunted ho- ghostknightmedia.com).
her. Heidi is a mother of three sons, tel on the Gettysburg
works as a special education parapro- battlefield, Carolyn
fessional in a middle school, and loves has had ghostly Michelle M. Pillow
watching television shows and reading experiences both at Michelle is an
books on the paranormal. work and while on award-winning author
the battlefield. She writing in many
Karen Frazier considers the ghosts of the soldiers that romance fiction genre,
haunt Gettysburg as ‘her boys.’ including futuristic and
Karen is the Carolyn shares her experiences paranormal. A skepti-
managing editor of with Paranormal Underground in her cal believer, she has a
Paranormal Under- column, Diary of a Haunted Hotel. fascination with anything paranormal.
ground magazine.
She’s also a photographer and
After living in a
Lura Ketchledge cohost of Raven Radio. Readers and
WWII-era apart-
listeners can contact Michelle through
ment 20 years ago For more than 20 years, Lura her Website, www.michellepillow.com.
where unexplainable things happened, has been a model, You can catch her latest three book
Karen began to search for answers waitress, bartender/ series, Realm Immortal (King of the
about the paranormal. shrink, housewife, Unblessed; Faery Queen; and Stone
Now she combines that interest and owned and cared Queen) in bookstores in January 2010.
with her professional experience as for horses. At age 19,
a copy writer and technical writer to Lura died and was
help bring Paranormal Underground brought back to life. Lettie Prell
to the public. Karen is a partner with After this event, she obtained psychic Lettie Prell
Ghost Knight Media. abilities, including seeing and com- is the author of
municating with dead people. Lura Dragon Ring (Flying
Terri J. Garofalo describes herself as an “accidental Pen Press), which
psychic.” blends science
Terri is a Lura deals with her paranormal fiction with para-
paranormal inves- experiences through writing and has normal elements.
tigator, as well as written three novels. While she uses Her stories have
the author and il- fictional characters and worlds in her appeared in Andromeda Spaceways
lustrator of Entities- books, she also shares her true psy- Inflight Magazine, The Lorelei Signal,
R-Us, a Ghost chic experiences. For more informa- the A Time To… anthology (volume
Hunter Comic. For more information, tion, visit www.LuraKetch.com. 3), and elsewhere.
visit www.entities-r-us.com.
Lettie has explored shamanism,
Cheryl Knight numerology, lucid dreaming, and other
Rick E. Hale intuitive work. You can learn more
Cheryl is editor-in-chief of Paranor- about Lettie at www.lettieprell.com.
A native of mal Underground
Chicago, Rick is the magazine. She has
cofounder of the been a professional Steven Raebel
Greater Illinois Ghost writer and editor for Steven is the Founder of Michigan
Society. A paranormal more than 20 years. Paranormal Project (MPP), a small
researcher since the age Cheryl is combin- Paranormal Investigating Group. He

4 Paranormal Underground March 2010

Ghost Hunter Comic

has been interested Chad Wilson has been published

in paranormal activ- in numerous newspa-
ity since an early A writer of pers and magazines in
age. Steven’s has articles and fiction, three different coun-
had paranormal Chad is the pub- tries. He is a former
experiences through lisher of Paranormal newspaper owner who
most of his life. Underground and specializes in photog-
He founded MPP in 2005 to doc- a partner for Ghost raphy and writing.
ument spirit activity and to help share Knight Media (www. Historical research, research of the
information with others that have ghostknightmedia. occult, and interview skills make Ron-
similar experiences. Steven also hosts com). He has parlayed his avid interest ald a natural writer of the paranormal.
a paranormal radio show called “Fired in the paranormal into a top-notch pub- His voyage into the supernatural started
Up With Steve and Julie LIVE.” lication and Website — Paranormal Un- in the fifth grade when he read his first
derground. Chad has investigated with Hans Holzer book. He presently writes
East Tennessee Paranormal Research
T. Stokes a weekly column entitled Things That
Society and counts Waverly Hills, the Go Bump in a Canadian Night.
T. Stokes is a holistic palmist, Villisca Axe Murder House, the Queen He resides in Northwestern On-
author, broadcaster, and lecturer in Mary, the Queen Anne Hotel, and pri- tario, Canada. He has an active website
paraspiritual studies. A writer for vate residences among his investigations. at www.flickr.com/photos/22025727@
magazines worldwide, he trained
N04/ where he posts his previous and
for more than 10 years at the Harry
Ronald Wolf active works of journalism and videog-
Edwards School of Spirit Mediumship
raphy, including the paranormal. If you
and Guidance. Ronald is a college graduate of a
would like to contact him please do so
For more information, visit www. renowned journalism program at Niag-
at [email protected].
tstokes.co.uk. ara College in Welland, Ontario. He

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 5

 Ghost Knight Media, LLC

Are you an author, paranormal group, event planner,

or documentary filmmaker looking to promote your
book, event, Website, or media project?
If so, Ghost Knight Media can help! Our services include:

• Editing
• Writing
• Art Design
• Promotion
• Production
Let us help you tell your story or promote your event,
Website, or media project.

6 www.ghostknightmedia.com
Paranormal Underground March 2010
Publisher’s Letter
Paranormal Underground™

What Would It Volume 3, Issue 3 March 2010

www.ParanormalUnderground.net

Take? EDITORIAL
Publisher

W
hat would it take to Being more prone to believe Chad Wilson
[email protected]
convince you that some in paranormal phenomena, I give
paranormal phenomena most experiencers of said events the
are more than just a creation of the benefit of the doubt. I wasn’t there, Editor-in-Chief
mind but, in fact, a reality? At what and so I cannot truly judge what Cheryl Knight
[email protected]
point does one pass from a staunch happened. But I also believe that if
non-believer to a full-fledged believ- something unexplained occurred,
er? Some have believed their entire it should be investigated further. Managing Editor
life, others are new to the game, and Without that additional investiga- Karen Frazier
[email protected]
still others will never believe tion, a personal experience
in paranormal activity of will most likely be chalked
any kind . . . ghosts, cryp- up to nothing more than a Science Editor
tids, or UFOs. strange experience. J.D. Harrison
[email protected]
Looking past the sci- This is how I approach
ence and the fact that, to the paranormal. How do
date, there has not been you approach it? What did Contributing Authors
any scientific evidence to it take or what will it take to Heidi Ann
support the existence of convince you the paranor- Karen Frazier
Chad Wilson,
ghosts, UFOs, and Bigfoot, mal is more than just our Terri J. Garofalo
Publisher
we are left with the reality imaginations — that ghosts Rick E. Hale
that every year hundreds, if indicate an afterlife, that Carolyn M. Hughes
not thousands, of people experience bigfoot is out there, that intelligent Lura Ketchledge
Cheryl Knight
events that most would consider life exists beyond Earth?
Michelle M. Pillow
beyond the norm. Or will you never be convinced? I Lettie Prell
Could it be there is nothing to think each individual will give a differ- Steven Raebel
all of these claims, that the govern- ent answer, but in the end, I think we T. Stokes
ment is covering up some of these can all agree on one thing: Something Chad Wilson
events, or that it is just our minds and is going on. Whether that something Ronald Wolf
senses playing tricks on us? Until can eventually be explained through
these paranormal occurrences are normal means, or if it ends up leading
better researched and documented, us down an entirely different path of Copyright © 2008-2010 — Paranormal
the scientific community won’t accept understanding, remains to be seen. Underground™ is a trademarked product.
paranormal events as reality. Eventually, when we die, we’ll All rights reserved. As such, Paranormal
But at some point, unexplained all know the answer. Until then, Underground and its contents are the
events happen, leaving most of us I’ll keep on searching for answers. property of its owners. All other trademarks
are the property of their respective owners.
wondering, is there life after death? What will you do? This publication and all content within this
Are we truly alone in the universe? Is publication may not be copied, quoted,
there more to this world than we cur- Want to give your views on paranor- distributed, modified, or reprinted without
rently see and understand? My answer mal topics? We welcome your com- the express written consent of Paranormal
Underground magazine. Paranormal Under-
to the first two questions is . . . it’s ments on our forum at www.para- ground magazine is a publication of Ghost
possible. As for the last question, my normalunderground.net/site/forum/. Knight Media, LLC.
answer is a definite yes! Please join in on the discussions!

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 7

 Interested in Purchasing
Paranormal Underground
Magazine?

Visit:
http://paranormalunderground.magcloud.com/
8 Paranormal Underground March 2010
And Select the Issues You’d Like to Order.
From the Editor
Paranormal Underground™
Do You Believe? Volume 3, Issue 3 March 2010

www.ParanormalUnderground.net

I
n this issue of Paranormal Un-
derground magazine, our fear-
less leader Chad Wilson asks in ART
his Publisher’s Letter what it would
take to move a paranormal nonbe- Art Director
liever to a full-fledged believer. An
Chad Wilson
undeniable personal experience? A
validated scientific study? Nothing?
Well, this past summer, our very Design and Layout
own Karen Frazier (managing editor of Spirits: The Ghosts of Wellington. Cheryl Knight
and roving paranormal reporter) In this short excerpt, you’ll get a feel-
became a full-fledged believer, as did ing for the powerful hold Wellington
her husband, Jim, an uber-science has on the individuals who visit there.
geek who used to roll his eyes at the Also in this issue, we profile para- Promotions
utterance of the word ghost. normal investigator Brandy Green of
So what convinced Karen and the hit TV show Ghost Hunters In- Promotions/Marketing
Jim that there is far more to our world ternational (GHI). Brandy shares with Karen Frazier
than science can account for — that us how she first became interested in [email protected]

there is life after death? The answer is the paranormal and what brought her
simple: Wellington, Washington, the to join the GHI team. Turn to page MySpace
site of the worst avalanche disaster in 16 to find out more! www.myspace.com/paranormalunderground
United States’ history, which took at We also spotlight Parachasers’
least 96 lives on March 1, 1910. Chris DeMent, who formed his team Twitter
Almost 100 years later, Karen two years ago in an effort to capture http://twitter.com/ParanormalUG

and Jim spent the summer of 2009 “that great find,” research new tools
investigating the avalanche site with to aid the paranormal community, YouTube Channel
many of their friends and colleagues. and share the team’s findings with www.youtube.com/ParanormalUG
What they uncovered at Wellington others. Read more about Parachas-
surprised them both. Their research, ers on page 22.
personal experiences, and plethora Also, don’t miss our Case Files
of video, photographic, and audio
Advertising
of the Unknown section, which fea-
evidence led to one conclusion: tures the haunted Customs House
Interested in Advertising in
Wellington is haunted with the spir- in Hamilton, Ontario; the mysteri- Paranormal Underground Magazine
its of the deceased. ous Count St. Germain; and a few or on our Website?
In commemoration of the 100- strange close encounters. Call 1-714-646-4197
year anniversary of the Wellington Plus, make sure to check out or e-mail:
avalanche disaster, in her new book Steven Raebel’s article on page 26, [email protected]
(called Avalanche of Spirits: The where he reveals what it’s like to live
Ghosts of Wellington) Karen docu- in a haunted house as a paranormal
ments the history of the disaster, her investigator.
experiences there this past summer, I hope you enjoy this issue. Send comments and letters to:
and why she is now convinced that Happy reading! [email protected].
our souls carry on after physical
death. Turn to page 50 to take a ~ Cheryl Knight
sneak peek at a chapter of Avalanche Editor-in-Chief

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 9

 Join us for
100 Days of Namasté
Seeing the Light in Every Person
. . . Every Day

www.namasteproject.org
10 Paranormal Underground March 2010
Calendar of Events
March 12–13 May 7–8 August 5–7
Southeast Texas Paranormal Parasota: Midwest Paranormal Event
Convention Three-day event
Beaumont Civic Center, Texas St. Paul, Minnesota
www.texasghostshow.com www.parasota.com

March 12–14 August 6–8

Eastern Paranormal Investigators Canadian–American Paranormal
Co-Op Conference Indiana Paranormal Convention Convention at the Quality Inn
The Cavalier Hotel Danville, Indiana Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
Virginia Beach, Virginia www.indyparacon.com www.canamparacon.com
http://epiccon.com
May 8 August 13–14
March 25–28 Mission Paranormal Convention 2nd Annual Psychic & Paranormal
1 p.m.–9 p.m. CDT Gathering
San Marcos, Texas Holiday Inn, Southwest
For more information, e-mail Louisville, Kentucky
[email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

Phenomenology 102 May 15–16 August 21–22

Eisenhower Hotel Shadowz Paranormal and Second Annual Ohio Paranormal
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Wellness Expo Convention
www.phenomenology102.northeast- Jackson County Fairgrounds Dayton, Ohio
ernparanormal.org Pascagoula, Mississippi www.ohioparacon.com/
http://shadowzparanormal.com
April 9 August 27–28
Queen City Paranormal May 21–23
Convention California Ghost Hunters Conference
Cincinnati, Ohio Hampton Inn
Historic Music Hall Hayward, California
www.queencityparacon.com www.ghost-trackers.org/2010_confer- Haunted America East Coast
ence.htm Conference
April 16–18 Cape Cod Community College
Haunted Retreat June 5–7 West Barnstable, MA
Old South Pittsburg Hospital First Annual Para-Camp www.americanspookshows.com
South Pittsburg, Tennessee Kiamichi Mountains
www.hauntedretreat.com For more information, contact Anita October 9–16
at 405-246-8926 First Annual Paranormal Cruise
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Epic
April 24–25
June 6–7 Miami, Florida
Ghost Hunt at Fort Mifflin http://wisdominlight.com/paranor-
Fort Mifflin malcruise2010.html
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Circle of Life Body, Mind, Spirit, www.hauntedtruth.com October 29–31
and Paranormal Expo Haunted Horrors Paranormal and
Sat. & Sun. 10 a.m.–7 p.m. June 25–26 Film Convention
Interstate Fairgrounds Conference Haunted America Midwest The Marriott MeadowView Confer-
Building Conference ence Resort and Convention Center
Pensacola, Florida Decatur, Illinois Kingsport, Tennessee
www.circleoflifeexpo.com www.americanspookshows.com www.thehauntedhorrors.com

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 11

Paranormal News
Britain’s MoD Headless Marine Animal
Censors Reports
Found in Canada
A dead creature of unknown origin
and species has washed up on the
Bay of Islands northern shore in Canada.
A local resident, Warrick Lovell, found
the creature during an afternoon walk on
the beach. The Department of Fisheries
and Oceans in Corner Brook is said to be
B ritain’s Ministry of Defense
(MoD), under a deluge of Free-
dom of Information Act requests,
investigating.
“It would be nice to see if anyone
knows what it is,” says Lovell, as quoted
has agreed to make public its full
by www.thewesternstar.com. “First I
archive of UFO sightings, albeit cen-
thought it was a seal washed up (on the
sored. It seems that “uncompliment-
high tide earlier in the day), but when I
ary comments” about the public
went down to check on my boat that eve- Photo: The Western Star
made by staff and police officers,
ning, I walked over to see and then I knew
along with information dealing with
it wasn’t a seal. But, I don’t know what it is.”
air defense matters, defense tech-
The strange-looking carcass is approximately 15 feet in length and has a
nology, and foreign relations, were
pointed, 10-foot tail. It also had a single flipper-like appendage on its right side,
intentionally edited out.
and looked to be decapitated.
Dated September 2007, the
memo talks about how to make
available the mainly “low-class
security” information to the public,
according to http://news.bbc.co.uk.
A Ghostly Apparition
And while thousands of pages have
been released since 2008 from the Appears in Window
National Archives, detailing reports
of flying objects and alien encoun-
ters, the MoD stated that it is only
interested in ensuring the integrity
A n Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand,
man says he’s captured an apparition in the
window of the St. Bathans post office. Andrew
and safety of U.K. airspace, and Watters had travelled to St. Bathans, near Alexan-
has no interest in proving the ve- dra, to search for ghosts that reputedly haunt the
racity of claims of the existence of building.
alien life forms. After taking plenty of photos, a friend spotted
Fears of “accusations of a cover- the shape of a woman in the window of the post of-
up” were what prompted a full fice (see picture at right, which includes an enlarge-
release of the information. ment of the apparition in the upstairs window).
The memo is part of the fifth “It’s freaked me out a bit. The shape is very
installment of MoD files released close to a human figure,” Watters was quoted as Photo: Andrew Watters
to the public since it shut its special saying by www.stuff.co.nz.
investigation unit December 1, The post office, which opened in 1909 and was a “category two” historic
2009. It tells of sightings of a large, place, had been vacant for about a year. It has been managed by the Depart-
triangular object above the home ment of Conservation since the 1950s.
of Michael Howard, former home The interior remains mostly unchanged from its days as a working post
secretary, near Folkestone, Kent, office, the report said, and the second floor (where the mysterious figure was
during March 1997. captured on film) was the postmaster’s living quarters.

12 Paranormal Underground March 2010

 U.K. Businessman Reveals Doctor Claims
Evidence of the
“Psychic School” Plans Afterlife
A Lancashire, U.K., businessman is bidding to buy
a castle in order to open Britain’s first “psychic
school of excellence,” according to www.lancashiretele-
graph.co.uk. Clitheroe-based Kevin Horkin put in an
offer of £850,000 to buy Gwrych Castle in Abergele,
North Wales.
Horkin, who owns psychic management company
Parallel, wants to renovate the 19th Century castle and Photo: Lancashire Telegraph
install a hotel and facilities for psychics to connect with
the spiritual world.
“It has always been one of my ambitions to open a psychic retreat some-
where,” Horkin said, as quoted in www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk. “It will be
somewhere where psychics can go to meet like-minded people, further their
interests, and develop their psychic senses. There will be some psychic work- I n his book Evidence of the After-
life: The Science of Near-Death
Experiences, Dr. Jeffrey Long
shops because I think there is a desire and a need for that.”
During an 18-month search, Horkin visited about 20 houses and castles reports on nearly 1,300 near-death
before deciding on Gwrych. accounts. Long says his study shows
He hopes to open his psychic school of excellence in late 2012. that accounts of Near-Death Experi-
ences (NDEs) are so similar across
cultures and age ranges that they
can’t be explained away by sheer
predisposition to what an NDE is
Dead Woman Comes supposed to be.
“I think if near-death experi-
Back to Life? ences were culturally determined,
then people that had never heard of
near-death experiences would have a

I n what seemed like a real-life zombie movie, a woman

proclaimed dead came back to life in the Colombian
city of Cali. The unusual occurrence took place in a
different experience,” Long said, as
quoted by http://today.msnbc.msn.
com. “But we’re not finding that.
funeral home, where workers were preparing a woman’s Whether you know or don’t know
body for burial. The woman’s name has not yet been about near-death experiences at the
released. time it happens, it has no effect on
The woman had been declared clinically dead at a whether the experience happens or
medical facility in Cali after having been hospitalized with not, or what the content is.”
a neurological condition a day earlier, the report said. Long’s book details nine lines
“The instruments the patient was connected to gave no of evidence he claims prove NDEs
blood pressure or heart rate readings,” said Miguel Angel Saavedra, a doctor at are an indication of an afterlife,
the clinic where the woman was treated, as quoted by www.foxnews.com/. including crystal-clear recollections,
After the medical staff signed the women’s death certificate, her body was heightened senses, reunions with
transferred to the funeral home. But when workers were preparing to apply deceased family members, and
formaldehyde to the 45-year-old woman’s body, she suddenly started breathing long-lasting effects after the person
and moving. It turned out that the woman had been alive, a victim of Lazarus is brought back to life.
Syndrome, a very rare phenomenon where there is a spontaneous return of Long points to NDE cases
circulation to a person’s body after failed resuscitation attempts. among children as extremely com-
The woman was readmitted to the hospital and was in a coma. pelling as well.

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 13

TV Watch

“Living With the Dead” Team

Battles The Other Side
By Heidi Ann

W
hen your house is in-
Living With the
habited by unwelcome
Dead’s first season
spirits, who do you
featured psychics
call for help? If you live in Great Johnnie Fiori and Ian
Britain, you could call the crew Lawman, as well as
from the TV show Living With the paranormal inves-
Dead. The program, which follows tigator Mark Webb
a group of psychics as they attempt (pictured at left). Dur-
to rid a location of its unwanted ing the show’s second
guests, debuted in 2008 on the Liv- season, Webb was
ing Channel, which is part of Virgin replaced by investiga-
tor Stephen Griffiths
Media Television.
after an unresolved
Living With the Dead features controversy.
a team of four experienced psy-
chics and investigators: paranormal
investigator Mark Webb, who was
replaced by Stephen Griffiths in claims of the owners. As Fiori and Historian Richard Felix, that the
the second season; historian Hallie Lawman tour the house, they use psychics on the show, who report-
Rubenhold; and psychics Johnnie their gifts to get a feeling for what is edly have no prior knowledge of the
Fiori and Ian Lawman. Fiori, a happening in the home. cases, were actually supplied with
“sensitive” since birth, has partici- The team spends the night information on the locations before
pated in over 100 cleansings, and in the location, collecting all the the shows were filmed.
Lawman, who is an exorcist, says information they can on the spirits Webb provided the group Re-
he’s sent many spirits to the “other dwelling in the home. Fiori and Law- search into Paranormal Anomalistics
side” in the more than 1,000 inves- man then take what they’ve learned (RiPA) with a copy of an e-mail he
tigations he’s been a part of. and attempt to exercise the spirits claims he received, giving him the
Each episode of the show starts from the house. This is rarely an information on a location they would
with the owners of the home giving easy task, as the entities don’t always be filming at. Fiori and Lawman are
a detailed explanation of the activity want to leave, and will put up a battle also listed as recipients of the e-mail.
they have been experiencing. Webb at times, even resulting in the occa- RiPA attempted to get Fiori and
(and subsequently Griffiths) then ar- sional possession of one of the team Lawman’s side of the story, but they
rives at the location and takes a tour members. refused to comment.
of the house, planning how the inves- The show hasn’t been without Living with the Dead originally
tigation will be set up for that night. controversy though. After the first aired in Britain and was also shown
The psychics arrive on scene season, Mark Webb told Ghost in Canada, Australia, and on the
later in the day, with no prior knowl- Chronicle International, a radio Discovery ID channel in the United
edge of the house, its history, or the show hosted by ex-Most Haunted States.

14 Paranormal Underground March 2010

 March 2010 Paranormal Underground 15
Investigator Spotlight

Brandy Green Goes From

Desk Jockey to Worldwide
Paranormal Explorer
By Cheryl Knight

A
fter numerous curious Aside from psychology,
encounters with the paranor- anthropology, and the
mal during her childhood, afterlife, Ghost Hunt-
Brandy Green decided to explore ers International inves-
tigator Brandy Green’s
the possibilities of life after death
interests include Egyp-
and search for answers.
tology, cryptozoology,
“I read as much material on travel, sketching, old
the paranormal as I could get my movies, music, and
hands on, spoke with experienced theater. After getting
investigators, watched specials, and the call to join the GHI
then I stepped out to do field work,” team, Brandy jumped
Brandy said. Soon after, Brandy at the change to inves-
founded her own paranormal inves- tigate the paranormal
tigation group in the Twin Cities. around the world.
But it was while working a desk
job that her life changed drastically,
and Brandy was soon traveling the
world in search of those elusive
answers that she sought about the
paranormal and life after death. While Brandy is thrilled about tions on the weekends; the oppor-
As Brandy sat under the flo- her position with GHI and the tunity to do what I am doing now is
rescent lighting of her “9 to 5” day opportunity to investigate locations almost unbelievable.”
job, the phone rang. On the other worldwide, she admits being on TV To hear more about Brandy’s
end of the line was acquaintance takes some getting used to. experiences in the paranormal, read
and paranormal investigator Barry “I found it a bit awkward to on . . .
Fitzgerald, from the hit TV show find myself suddenly on a hit SyFy
*****
Ghost Hunters International (GHI). television show,” she said. “But
There was an opening on the show, coming from the Midwest; working Q: How long have you been inves-
he said. They were looking for a a 40-hour a week Monday through tigating the paranormal?
case manager. Friday, fluorescently lit office job;
Brandy set down the phone and running my own paranormal inves- Brandy: I started investigating the
never looked back. tigation team and heading investiga- paranormal during high school with

16 Paranormal Underground March 2010

a friend of mine; however, it was
childhood experiences that really
sparked my interest in the field.

Q: When and how did you first

became interested in the paranor-
mal field?
Brandy: When I was about 11 or 12
I started to recognize certain strange
occurrences as being paranormal in
nature at both of my grandmothers’
homes.

Q: Have you had any personal

paranormal experiences prior to
becoming an investigator that
you’d like to share?
Brandy: My grandmother, my
father’s mother, lived in a mobile
home and, just after her second hus-
band died, my younger sister and I
would spend weeks during the sum-
mer months with her while school Ghost Hunters International investigators (from left to right) Robb Demarest,
was out. We helped to keep her Dustin Pari, Brandy Green, and Barry Fitzgerald are pictured in the Carpathians
spirits up — to keep her company. at Poienari Castle.
It was very early one morning,
about 4 a.m., and my sister and I were
both sleeping on the pull-out sofa
in the living room. The living room make of it, and I figured I wouldn’t kitchen. The next morning at 4 a.m.,
separated my grandmother’s back bed- make a stir about it and scare my the bed shook ever so slightly, and this
room from the kitchen/dining room. I little sister or upset my grandmoth- time both my sister and I woke up.
was awoken by the pull-out bed shak- er with it, so I forced myself back We both heard the footsteps.
ing, just a bit. I really don’t know why I to sleep. Knowing that I wasn’t crazy, I
woke up to tell you the truth. In the morning, I discovered that got up out of bed and peered slowly
I sat there in bed, trying to go the kitchen table’s chair on the right into the kitchen. Sure enough the
back to sleep when suddenly I hear side of the table was pulled out. I knew kitchen chair was pulled out again,
though it had been pushed in prior
to me going to bed.
“I get to travel the world and My sister and I didn’t mention it
to my grandmother right away. We

look for ghosts! How much didn’t know how she would react,
but eventually we decided that we

cooler could it get?”

needed to tell her what had been go-
ing on. She was awe struck when she
heard the strange goings on because
she herself had been experiencing
a creak in the floor boards near the for a fact that it wasn’t like that before other strange things going on after
foot of my bed. Then another, and going to bed, and I was the last one her husband died.
then another. It sounded like foot- in bed. I had been sitting in that chair She then informed us that her
steps. I didn’t quite know what to and pushed it in before leaving the second husband had a routine.

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 17

Investigator Spotlight
Every morning at 4 a.m., he would thought that I was an independent
wake up, walk through the living person before GHI , but it is at an
room and into the kitchen, and sit all-new level now. You learn a lot
down in that chair and smoke his about yourself and others — the
morning cigarette. good and bad.
What was interesting about
these events was the fact that we Q: What has it been like filming for
weren’t merely dealing with residual, the TV show overseas?
non cognitive energy.
Because of other events that Brandy: Being filmed in general
my grandmother was experiencing is certainly something that takes a
at the time, this energy was indeed while to get used to, especially while
very aware of her. investigating. We are lucky enough
though to work with some really
Q: What interests you the most great cameramen and sound techni-
about the paranormal? cians who have become good friends
and people that we can not only rely
Brandy: It is a field that is still in the on, but trust as well.
process of being researched and will Working overseas, as a whole,
continue to be until the day we die. can be difficult. There are often ma-
Only then, will we really know what jor language barriers, strange foods,
it involves and how it works. customs, beliefs, etc. You really need
For me, it is the desire to forge to know how to relate to people even
new discoveries into the great un- if you can’t speak the language. You
known. have to be able to adapt and adapt
While investigating overseas can be dif- quickly. It’s tough.
Q: What would our readers be sur- ficult, Brandy welcomes each new day But every day is a new day and
prised to find out about you? with open arms, realizing how lucky she a new experience, and I welcome
is to work with such a great team while it all with open arms. I get to travel
Brandy: I won an award for singing traveling the world researching paranor-
an Italian aria when I was younger. the world and look for ghosts! How
mal phenomena.
I sketch, paint, and have done some much cooler could it get? I under-
of my own photography. stand how lucky I am to be able to
do this and am honored to work
Q: How did you end up on SyFy’s with such a great team.
TV show Ghost Hunters Interna- Brandy: I forget all the time that I
tional (GHI)? Q: What are the most common
am on television; that’s why if you
types of equipment you use during
Brandy: I worked a regular 8–5:30 see me in a store or in an airport and
investigations?
office job in a cubical and ran my approach me using my name, I will
own team on the weekends. For probably look at you puzzled and Brandy: We use digital audio re-
what was almost two years I had have a momentary lapse of curiosity corders (I use my Edirol R-09 digital
known Barry via an online circle of over just how you know my name or audio recorder, which records at 20
friends that were also paranormal who I am. Ha! Hz, has a brilliant digital audio graph
investigators, and he called me up With that said, I am more easily display screen, and records at 2x CD
one day, while I was quietly work- able to meet people from all over quality); TriField meters; still cam-
ing in my cubical, and asked me if the world that hold the same pas- eras (including Deep IR, IR, Full
I would be interested in joining the sion as mine, and I am able to share Spectrum, and flash photography);
team because they were looking for a my knowledge and experience to a IR and Full Spectrum DVR system;
new case manager. greater extent than before. IR MiniDv HD Handycams; multi-
Also, traveling really forces functional meters; weather monitors;
Q: Talk about how appearing on you to become more indepen- temperature guns; thermal imager;
GHI has affected you. dent than ever before. I mean, I data loggers, etc.

18 Paranormal Underground March 2010

 March 2010 Paranormal Underground 19
Investigator Spotlight
and we don’t set out to exorcise
castle owners, etc. There will always
be criticism no matter what, and
nothing I say will sway judgments,
and that’s fine. I’m not here to make
someone a believer.

Q: Any misconceptions you want

to clear up about the show?
Brandy: I hope that this will be the
last time that any one of us needs to
answer the, “Why don’t they speak
the local language?” question. We
do. We always take a stab at learn-
ing at least some basic phrases in the
local language.
When we aren’t sure on what an
EVP is conveying to us, that is when
Robb and Dustin get ideas from the
Brandy’s most exciting Ghost Hunters International investigations to date include client during the analysis. Adding in
the Grande Hotel in Cambuquira, Brazil, and Real Felipe Fortress in Peru. She lists translators to follow us around dur-
Costa Rica, Australia/Tasmania, and Ireland as a few of her favorite countries to ing an investigation would be worth-
investigate in. less and honestly would just add
contamination to our investigation.
No one on the team is fluent in
any language but English.
Q: What have been your most excit- at the Real Felipe Fortress in Peru
ing investigations to date, and is one of the top 10, for sure. Also, Q: Can you tell us what lies ahead
what happened on those investi- a full-bodied apparition that Robb for the show?
gations? caught when he and I were investi-
Brandy: Some really great investiga-
gating Moosham Castle in Austria,
Brandy: Definitely Grande Hotel tions that will be coming up shortly.
as well as some of the pieces that will
in Cambuquira, Brazil; Real Felipe
be airing shortly.
Fortress in Peru; and some of the Q: What words of wisdom would
locations that will be seen shortly you offer amateur ghost hunters
on SyFy. Q: There is a fair share of criti- investigating for the first time?
cism surrounding paranormal TV
shows. What do you say to those Brandy: Do it because you have
Q: What has been your favorite an honest passion for the field, not
country to investigate in? claiming GHI and other shows fake
evidence and manufacture drama because you want to be rich and
Brandy: I have to say that Costa Rica to boost ratings? famous. None of us are rich, and
and Australia/Tasmania are some none of us are being featured in The
of my all-time favorites. They were Brandy: I think that a lot of Enquirer.
just absolutely beautiful. Ireland is “ParaTV” is fake. GHI isn’t. I’ll It’s a tough field to be in. Stay
another country that is enjoyable. quit the day we are asked to fake true, stay strong, stay grounded, and
something. It’s not what I signed up stay skeptical.
Q: What has been your best video for, and I have been investigating the
and photographic evidence caught paranormal for years now. I’ve seen *****
to date for the show? some crazy stuff. Why would I need
to fake any of it? It just seems silly. For more information about Brandy
Brandy: I certainly think the young GHI members don’t sit around Green, visit http://www.myspace.
child’s reflection that was captured getting possessed every 20 minutes, com/gonnafindthemghosts.

20 Paranormal Underground March 2010

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March 2010 Paranormal Underground 21
Investigator Spotlight

Parachasers:
In Search of New Discoveries

By Chad Wilson

P
arachasers I.N.C. was formed
for people interested in
paranormal phenomena.
The group, located in California,
researches and investigates ghosts,
shadow people, apparitions, haunt-
ings, and EVPs.
“We’re here to discover and
discuss paranormal evidence,” ac-
cording to Chris DeMent, founder
of Parachasers. “We work hard to
promote the advancement of para-
normal equipment as it pertains to
the capture of paranormal evidence.”
The team utilizes such tools as
infrared cameras, EMF detectors (in-
cluding the K-II meter), digital voice
recorders, as well as many other
tools. In fact, Chris recently created
a new iPhone and iPod Touch ap-
plication, called Ghost Words, in an
effort to find a new way to communi-
cate with the spirits of the dead. Pictured above is the Parachasers team, including (back row from left to right) Sophie,
We recently talked to Parachas- Fred, Sara, Chris, (front row from left to right) Victor, and Helen.
ers about their mission, investigative
style, equipment use, and more.
technical and artistic fields, and cur- ment our hunger for the paranormal
***** rently work as a fiber optic technician when our schedules don’t allow us to
Q: Please talk a little bit about for a telecommunications company. get out and investigate.
yourself, both personally and pro- I guess you could say we are
fessionally. Q: What are your favorite paranor- always waiting to see the holy grail
mal shows, books, and Web sites? of visual evidence captured on tape.
Chris: I’m an artist, inventor, para- We avoid shows like Extreme Para-
normal enthusiast, and founder of Chris: We enjoy watching most para- normal, for its reckless and extreme-
Parachasers. I’ve worked in numerous normal shows, as they help supple- ly scripted acts, and Most Haunted

22 Paranormal Underground March 2010

due to the amount of focus on the paranormal experiences
investigators being scared instead of prior to becoming an
the actual evidence. investigator that you’d
like to share?
Q: Why and when did you form
Chris: When I was about
Parachasers?
10, as cartoonish as it
Chris: We formed Parachasers two may seem, while playing
years ago after countless hours of in- in some unfinished new
tense research for paranormal tools homes I saw a glowing,
and information. We felt if it was transparent, blue floating
this difficult to find info, then why chain. I ran like crazy to
not help others with the knowledge get out. Would I have run
we obtained. today? By all means no!
Our site is focused on getting
future investigators the base knowl- Chris and his wife, Sara:
edge without breaking the bank, so Prior to becoming investi-
“ParaSara” videotapes during an investigation.
they can get out there and capture gators, we were spending
something good. Others fear that some time at a friend’s
there are too many groups in the home. My wife and I were
walking over to a detached months prior to his son’s birth. I had
paranormal field, but we feel if there
home office to satisfy our sweet tooth spent the night with my friend Lynn
are more groups then there is more
with some licorice located there. My (Jim’s girlfriend and mother of his
chance of the great find.
wife, Sara, was in front of me. As we son) because she had trouble sleeping
started walking through the door, she with his passing and needed help with
Q: How long have you been inves-
suddenly looked back. Then I looked their new son at nights.
tigating the paranormal?
back to see someone we thought was He was a restless little guy and
Chris: My wife and I started ghost our friend’s father. had his days all backwards like some
hunting about 16 years ago as a I held the door for him and said infants do. So I went into her sewing
couple, with our first location being the we’re getting licorice. When he had room and laid Michael (their son) into
Whaley House in San Diego. Next, grabbed the door, I let go and we con- the bassinet to sleep. I then started a
we were on to Alcatraz and the Win- tinued on. Maybe only six feet into the new sewing project as Lynn slept in the
chester Mystery House. Then off to office Sara looked back again and said, other room. While I was occupied in
the Queen Mary, where we have been “Where did Matt’s dad go?” my own world sewing, all of a sudden
twice, both times with crazy results. I looked back just to realize he I felt like I was being watched — but it
was no longer there. As we rejoined wasn’t a scared feeling. In fact, I had
Q: What interests you most about our friend, we told him we saw his thought it was my friend Lynn check-
the paranormal? dad. He immediately told us that his ing on her son and me.
Chris: I guess what draws us toward dad wasn’t here. So we explained, and So, as I turned around to tell her
the paranormal is the chance to he went on to tell us his late grandpar- the baby was fine and sleeping, it was
interact with the other side without ents, who had looked very much like not her in the doorway looking upon
ending up there before our time. his dad, had built the home. Imme- us; it was Jim. In an instant, he was
We feel that there could be a diately, it felt like our hearts sunk into gone. I stayed dumbfounded and stiff
way to communicate with friendly our stomachs, but that feeling turned as a nail. I wasn’t scared, but won-
spirits that just hasn’t been figured into wonder and then doubt. dered how to tell my friend I had just
out yet. We all know science discov- Experiencing that full-body ap- seen her deceased boyfriend. I had to
ers new things, and perhaps there is parition was the start of our paranor- wake her up to tell her that Jim just vis-
a ghost hunter out there that will find mal endeavors. ited his son. It was a very hard thing to
the right method. But we won’t find tell her at the time, yet I had to let her
out just sitting here. Helen: I was about 25 years old when know what I had just seen. She reacted
I saw the ghost of my friend Jim. in a comforting way, but also with sor-
Q: Have you had any personal He passed away from cancer three row that she had missed his visit.

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 23

Investigator Spotlight
I was soon alone again with the Chris: We have been to numerous Also, as the founder of our
baby, and I started to shake with a California locations, such as the group, I love designing and build-
chill, knowing I had seen a ghost Whaley House, Old Town San Di- ing things. I’m not claiming to be an
or spirit of someone who was gone. ego, Alcatraz, the Queen Mary, and engineer, but I have fun with tech-
I became so interested in finding Riverside’s the Mission Inn. nology. We are constantly research-
out exactly what it was I saw. Was We have done a couple of ing and working on new equipment
it Jim’s ghost? Was he checking on private residence investigations, with ideas. While some of those ideas
the son he left behind? Or was it just one in New Mexico where there may not pan out, at least we tried.
something that wanted me to believe were stories of smelling fragrances You never know what may be the
it was Jim? and sensing the deceased grand- next best ghost-hunting tool. We are
So the question of the paranor- parents. We just so happened to trying to help everyone, from the guy
mal had been planted, and it grew capture a ghost face looking out a that doesn’t have much money but has
from there. That was my first experi- window of the Mesilla residence that some constructive skills to the person
ence with a ghost. resembles the grandmother. who has more money than time.
While in New Mexico, we inves-
Q: Talk about your paranormal tigated The Double Eagle Restaurant Q: What type of controls do you
group and its mission. in Mesilla. We had personal stories put in place during equipment test-
but no physical evidence. ing, as well as use to minimize or
Chris: Our group, first and foremost,
eliminate outside contamination?
is geared at having fun, because if it
becomes only about the work, then Q: You focus on the use of equip- Chris: To eliminate outside con-
people will give up along the way. ment in paranormal investigation. tamination, we recommend that you
We all look for that possibility of Tell us about that. know your environment and your
communication, whether it is with a Chris: Years ago, we had an encoun- equipment. Take base EMF/tem-
lost family member or close friend. ter that went undocumented. We perature readings, note RF readings,
We discuss the numerous para- would love for others to be able to note outside noises, and note items
normal shows as to what could be real, see what we feel is out there. This that will possibly reflect light, such as
misinterpreted, mental matrixing, or encounter is why our main focus is reflective sneakers, glass, and such.
even the “F-word” . . . FAKED. We on equipment. Equipment helps Our main rule of thumb is . . .
range from being parents and home- people get a better grasp on what just do not whisper, as a whisper can be
makers to technicians and educators. happened, rather than let their minds mistaken for an EVP. If you’re going
internalize and talk themselves out of to talk during an investigation, do
Q: What different types of loca- an experience. If equipment can help so with a normal, quiet voice so it is
tions have you investigated? clear the doubts, then so be it. identifiable later. Next would be to
notate when you make a noise that is
out of the ordinary, such as a squeaky
shoe or a grumbling belly.
Carry a good flashlight that gives
off red light as not to harm night vi-
sion for both your cameras and your
own eyes. Last but not least, do not
run, especially in the dark, as you
may find yourself body slammed by
a wall that jumped out at you.

Q: If you had to choose one piece

of equipment to take with you on
an investigation, what would it be?
Chris: If we were only able to bring
one tool with us, it would be the infra-
Victor (at left) and Fred (at right) capture high EMF readings during an investigation. red camcorder, as it provides visual

24 Paranormal Underground March 2010

as well as audio evidence. Sometimes We’re not trying to put the holder
it helps as a night vision guide when of the experience down, but if there is
you don’t have a flashlight. a legitimate alternate reason, then we
We captured our best class A would like to find it. Then, when the
EVP at the Queen Mary on a basic information leads us toward the path
non-infrared mini DV camcorder. of belief, we become the believer.
We were lucky to get the EVP onto
computer, as the next day the cam- Q: Whose work in the paranormal
corder stopped working. field do you respect the most?
Chris: We try not to hold anyone to
Q: What case will you remember the pedestal as far as who is the best
the most and why? or most reliable, especially when it
Chris: By far our most interesting and comes to TV. We do have to thank
creepy case has been the Queen Mary. TAPS for making the paranormal
The paranormal always seems to hap- more known to the masses with their
pen when you are least ready for it. mainstream hit show.
On our first trip to the Queen Mary, Prior to Ghost Hunters, paranor-
while getting ready to check out some mal shows were here and there with
of the hot spots, our TV turned on some pretty kooky-looking and acting
and off by itself to a static-filled screen characters. TAPS brought a sense of
and the sound of a woman talking. normalcy to the paranormal field with Parachasers founder, Chris, enters a
While we were in our restroom their Average Joe background that residence, ready to investigate.
looking over at a small closet, the some shows are trying to mimic today.
oval antique knob to the closet door
started turning, and just as I touched Q: Talk about common misconcep- of the paranormal. In fact, the truth
the knob with a feather-light touch, it tions about the paranormal field is that you may realize that you
stopped. Once I let go of the knob, that you’ve encountered? are a better individual investigator;
it sprung back to its resting position. Chris: To this day there are common however, a group setting gives you a
We opened the door to find a misconceptions about the paranormal more reputable appearance.
small closet with nothing there but field. Some of those are: If you’re into Check out Parachasers.com,
a few hangers. By far that was the the paranormal, so you must worship and get involved with sites such as
creepiest incident we ever encoun- the devil. You don’t believe in God do Paranormal Underground to stay on
tered. Later that night while sleep- you? You hang out at the cemetery. top of the future of ghost hunting, as
ing, the TV turned on and off again You’re into death and gore. These you will find many knowledgeable
another two more times, once with a statements couldn’t be farther from the people that may have been through
picture that didn’t match the sound truth. In fact, most of us have a firm something you’re dealing with.
and the other with just the sound of belief in God and are very religious.
a baseball game around 2 a.m. Q: What sites do you have on your
Q: What words of wisdom would wish list to investigate?
Q: What philosophies do you ad- you offer amateur ghost hunters Chris: There are a few of places on
here to while investigating? investigating for the first time or our list for future visits, such as Wa-
Chris: We are skeptical believers individuals looking to start their verly Hills, Gettysburg, and Myrtles
and look at things logically first. We own group? Plantation. These places have such
focus on equipment because we Chris: If you are going to start a great histories and stories of ghost
feel people, in general, rarely trust group, first of all good luck, and activity that, as investigators, we feel
personal experiences. We don’t don’t do it for the fame. Many we would not be disappointed.
blame skeptics for their disbelief, as groups split up due to the lack of *****
our first inclination is that evidence time and money available for ghost
is fake or there are possible natural hunting, as well personality differ- For more information, visit www.
causes for paranormal activity. ences. Start your group for the love parachasers.com.

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 25

Special Report

Living in a Haunted
House as a Paranormal
Investigator
By Steven Raebel, Michigan Paranormal Project

T
his is a story of my investiga-
tions as a paranormal re-
searcher. Before we get into
that, I will give a little background of
who I am. My name is Steven Raeb-
el; I am the founder of a Western
Michigan paranormal group, called
Michigan Paranormal Project.
The group was founded in April
2005, and we have been documenting
and recording evidence in haunted
locations since. Currently, I’m living
in the Tampa Bay area and studying
mediumship and Metaphysics.
I’ve had paranormal experiences
from the young age of five. By my
mid-20s, I wanted to start document-
ing and discovering what was really
going on. I have lived in haunted One paranormal investigator recounts what he learned after investigating his own
houses or homes with spirit activity haunted house and dealing with the aftermath.
most of my life, but nothing com-
pares to this experience.
because of self imposed limitations, So I did a quick walk through of the
A New Beginning . . . In a I was desperately looking for an house and immediately said “Yes!”
Haunted House available house in my limited price Now, I believe everything hap-
In August 2008, I decided range. Within one week, I found an pens for a reason; unfortunately, this
to move to a local tourist town in old house just outside of town. was not a smart move on my part.
Michigan. Saugatuck is a waterfront The property was set back off the Within a week of signing the
community with lots of history and road in a shaded location and sat in lease, we moved into our new
culture. It is a very laid back, calm, the historic district. The price was a house. At the time, I was working
artistic, lake-front community with little steep for what I wanted to pay, two full-time jobs, doing investiga-
an amazing history. but for a two-bedroom house, it was tions, and hosting a paranormal
In a rush to find a place to rent perfect for what we were looking for. Internet radio show. I was starting

26 Paranormal Underground March 2010

a new family in a new location, and house. We used a cell phone and ied spirits. I understand it all sounds
everything seemed perfect. Web cam so they could communi- crazy, but these things would happen
Within approximately four days cate with me and see what was going on a daily basis with eyewitnesses in
of moving in, my former girlfriend’s on in the house. the paranormal, spiritual, and psychic
two little girls kept saying they would The consistency with what the fields. Other witnesses included mod-
see a man standing in their room psychics, friends, family, other para- els working for me, family members,
at night and in the morning. We normal investigators, and I had ex- friends, and skeptics. In addition to
looked into it and decided to switch perienced was unbelievable. Most of me, they attacked the models and
rooms with them. the communications were from three skeptics with the most intensity.
At this point, we had felt spirits
around us in the house, but didn’t
think much of it. We thought it Objects flew off bookshelves,
was spirit guides or loved ones who
passed away, coming to give comfort phone chargers flew out of
and love. Within two months of liv- walls, and beds shook violently.
ing in the house we had experienced
seeing full-body apparitions and
hearing voices. We had also taken different spirits. There also seemed to What Did I Learn?
strange pictures in the house. be something else that was hiding or For more than six months, I
didn’t want to be communicated with. lived in the house, studying and doing
Investigating My Own Home When we conducted communication communication work with spirits. I
It didn’t take long for every- sessions with the earthbound spirits, also kept doing my radio shows from
one to start acting out of character. there would be times they would the house, until electronic interference
Emotional outbursts, lethargy, be very scared of something in the from the spirits stopped that as well.
headaches, depression, arguments, house. When I began to bring people I lived isolated all those months,
sleeplessness, and strange actions all into the house is when we started to studying what the spirits were and
began to occur to those we spoke to understand what was going on. why they were there. I wanted to
and communicated with inside the It seemed that most people who understand how they communicate
house. Our lives began to unravel, were in contact with the house started to each other . . . and us.
and so did our relationship. to have drastic grounding issues. They This has been a very tough
After six months of this, my for- had inspired but very out-of-control battle, and I paid a high price for a
mer girlfriend and her two children lifestyles. It was at this time that I met spiritual education. My heart and
moved out. At that time, I began my spiritual life coach. I told her about prayers go out to anyone who has
doing a paranormal investigation some of the experiences I was having. to go through this in life. When my
on my own house. Once I began In turn, she started to teach me how to lease finally came to an end, I was
communicating with the spirits in the pray and protect myself when dealing excited to move on.
house, they started manifesting and with the paranormal. This is when I The one thing I have learned
communicating to everyone but me. started to understand that not all spirits from this experience is that there are
Family members, other paranor- were “love and light.” a lot of aspects of activity we can’t
mal investigators, and even groups I started to learn Psalms and see or predict. It is very important to
were able to get the spirits to com- read the Bible when the activity in be educated on all possibilities.
municate through Electronic Voice the house started to get uncomfort- As a paranormal researcher,
Phenomena (EVP), audible voices, able. Not only were there full-body I will include all of my experience
spirit possession, and manifesting as apparitions manifesting, but there from this house and apply it to future
full-body apparitions. was screaming and yelling coming investigation. I have learned how im-
At the time, I worked with from rooms nobody was in. portant it is to combine both scientific
psychics, mediums, paranormal During this time, objects flew off and spiritual aspects when doing my
researchers, and clergy all over the the bookshelves, phone chargers flew research. I encourage anyone want-
United States, so I started doing out of the walls, beds shook violently, ing to get into paranormal research
work with them to try and under- and people who would visit were to broaden their scope to include
stand what was going on in my overcome or possessed by disembod- spiritual principles of protection.

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 27

Case Files of the Unknown: Haunted Sites

The Customs House

Holds Spirits Within
By Ronald Wolf

O
ld houses and buildings
seem to have a life of their
own. They’ve seen and
felt numerous events through their
existence. At times, unfortunate in-
cidences, such as a death, may have
occurred within their walls. The
victims of tragic events may have all
but been forgotten, but their spirits
linger on.
Travel now to Hamilton, On-
tario, where the building, formally
known as the Customs House, has
seen its share of things that go bump
in the night.

Looking Back at the History of

the Customs House
The Customs House, which sits
at 51 Stuart St. in Hamilton, On-
tario, was built in 1860. Its function
was to house the customs depart- The Customs House, in Hamilton, Ontario, was built in 1860. In its 150-year history,
ment. In its 149 years, the house has the site has been home to an infamous female spirit, as well as startling and unex-
plainable paranormal activity.
been a home to an army recruiting
center, a flophouse (a cheap board-
ing house), a martial arts academy,
and even a macaroni factory. The
Ontario Workers Arts and Heritage Fast forward to 1940, where retold their experiences, they were
Center (OWAHC) now resides in three female students of Murray still frightened of the figure.
this haunted building. Street School, located behind the Is the Black Lady or Dark Lady
The first documented paranor- Customs House, witnessed an event alone in her haunting? A certain
mal sighting, of a female spirit, came that would have emotional conse- woman had her own experience with
in 1873 by Alexander Wingfield, an quences. What they said they saw a male voice telling her to “Get out of
employee of the Customs House. was a slightly transparent figure of a here.” Other paranormal encounters
Now, no one is sure who the beautiful woman in the top floor of have included unexplained breezes,
lady of the house was, but through- the Customs House. doors opening by unseen hands, and
out the ages she has been coined the Their experience was so trau- electrical equipment reportedly being
Black Lady or Dark Lady. matic that 37 years later, when they operated when no one is there.

28 Paranormal Underground March 2010

Workers Become Convinced
of the Paranormal
In 1996, major renovations
consumed the OWAHC. When the
workers ended a hard day of work,
they returned to a fresh day only
to find tools scattered around the
house. This would not be a big event
if the workers had not put away their
tools the night before. Once, the
workers found their tools stacked
(called “stacking” in paranormal
investigation) up in a pile.
Jim MacDonald, a painter, was
told by a spirit that, if during the
renovations a certain mantelpiece
was moved, the result would end
in a flood. Perhaps not at biblical
proportions, but a messy costly flood
nevertheless. Low and behold, when
the item was moved a flood ensued,
resulting in a broken roof drain.
The flood was the straw that
broke the camel’s back for many
staff members. The staff suddenly
believed that spirits haunted the
historic building.
But the strange events didn’t stop
there. Not by a long shot. A volunteer
of the OWAHC, James Newbauer,
was in the building on his very first Paranormal encounters
night of work. Nothing was out of have abounded in the
the ordinary when he shut windows Customs House, including
and locked the fastening bars on the unexplained breezes, doors
shutters. But only seconds later, New- opening by unseen hands,
bauer and fellow volunteer Andrew and electrical equipment
DeNew found them unlocked. reportedly being operated
when no one is there.

Visiting to the Customs House

I was once a visitor of this majestic
building. A few years ago during my
visit, I too felt a chill at the main stair- A mysterious flood occurred
case and my digital camera picked up within the house after a
painter was told by a spirit
orbs (a mass of spiritual energy).
that, if during the renova-
I’ve visited many supposedly tions a certain mantelpiece
haunted buildings and places, but was moved, the result
few have compared to the Customs would end in a flood. Lo and
House. I had the feeling of being behold, when the item was
watched — perhaps not by a lady, but moved a roof drain unex-
by someone or something who knew pectedly broke.
I was there.

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 29

Case Files of the Unknown: Haunted History

Germain, Count St. Germain:

(With Respects to Mr. Bond)

By Rick E. Hale, Greater Illinois Ghost Society

“
It takes all kinds to make the
world go around.” Whenever
my dad came across someone
strange or unusual, he was infamous
for uttering the above quote. And
during all my years studying and
investigating the paranormal, I have
come across some truly strange
people — from a lawyer who claimed
to have been abducted by aliens
numerous times since the age of
eight to religious Satanists who also
happen to be animal rights activists.
But without these odd people,
we would all be the same. And, of-
tentimes, in our quest to understand
the greater, deeper mysteries of life,
we get so wrapped up in the phe-
nomena that we sometimes forget
these strange people who have tread
upon this little green/blue orb hang-
ing in the vastness of space. These
are the people who make our lives
nothing short of interesting.
Sometimes these people have
been at the center of history, creating
new religions, or making wild claims;
however, very few have made history
and turned the tide of world events.
And, in my opinion, no person of
“strangeness” has done it better than
the mysterious personality known to Was Count St. Germain an immortal soul as some claim? Or was he just a
us as Count St. Germain. historical figure built up into a legend bigger than life?

30 Paranormal Underground March 2010

St. Germain: The Beginning this beautiful stranger was a visiting other than the infamous Wandering
of a Legend royal from some far away Eastern Jew of legend.
In the 12th Century, when European land; however, they
English soldiers returned home would soon discover that there was An Extraordinary Gentleman,
after duking it out in the holy land more than meets the eye concern- or the Work of the Devil?
with the forces of Islam in the third ing the stranger who called himself The Count’s wild claims were
crusades, many of the king’s finest St. Germain. reinforced when, one night at a
spread a tale around the Christian party, he met the Countess von
world of a strange, blasphemous A 1,000-year-Old Man or a Georgy. When the elderly Count-
man who claimed to have known Well-Spoken Con Man? ess shook the hand of the fascinat-
Jesus Christ. It didn’t take long for St. Ger- ing man, she was stunned that this
The strange man then made main to be welcomed into the gentleman looked much like a man
the even wilder claim to have been fashionable circles of 18th Century she had met more than 50 years ago
witness to the great teacher’s demise France. St. Germain proved to be a in Venice, Italy.
at the hands of the Romans and his virtuoso not only on the piano but When she asked if it was his
own countrymen.
Those who claimed to have sat
down with the strange man reported
that he claimed to be Cartaphilus,
Count St. Germain claimed to
the temple doorman who blas-
phemed Jesus as he made his way be more than 1,000 years old.
to his date with destiny. The man
claimed that as he yelled at Jesus to
move faster up the hill, Jesus turned on the violin as well. The odd man father she had known all those years
to him and said, “I will go now, but also proved to be adept at speaking ago, St. Germain said no, that it was
you shall wait until I return.” several foreign tongues and claimed he she had known, and that she was
Kind of a strange thing to say. to be a master of the occult, which as beautiful now as she had been
But many years later it was said that fascinated many of the gentlemen as a young woman. The Countess
Cartaphilus stayed young and vibrant who belonged to any number of blushed a bright red and said, “You
while his friends and family began to secret societies that were fashionable are a most extraordinary man — a
drop dead from old age or diseases. at the time. devil really.”
As the story spread of the seemingly However, what truly stunned Those who witnessed the
immortal man, the Medieval tale of the people at the many soirees that exchange reported that St. Germain
the Wandering Jew was born. he had attended was his insane became angry, turned on his heels,
Over the centuries, the tale claim to be well over 1,000 years and strode out of the room. But be-
of the Wandering Jew fell out of old. Those who listened to his tales fore he left, he turned and said with
fashion as religion moved out of and initially had some skepticism a growl to the Countess, “Please,
human consciousness and science quickly abandoned their disbelief Madame, no such words.”
and reason began to take hold. when St. Germain described his After that night, St. Germain left
However, in 1740, the tale of the dealings with many persons of his- France and traveled to Europe and
Wandering Jew once again came to torical note. Czarist Russia, once again becoming
light when a strange man with a de- When questioned by historians the talk of wherever he would go.
cidedly Jewish looking cast mysteri- about little-known past events, St. It was even rumored that St. Ger-
ously appeared in Paris, France, Germain answered all their ques- main was instrumental for getting
and began to get in good with the tions in stride. At one such party Catherine the Great named as the
glitterati of the time period. he was reportedly heard saying, “I Empress of Russia, and of warning
The elite of 18th Century France always knew the Nazarene would the French nobility that a great con-
came to seek out this odd char- come to a horrible end.” spiracy would soon engulf France
acter, who dressed only in black Many still familiar with the tale and overturn the order of things.
and wore diamond rings on each of Cartaphilus, were now convinced King Louis soon learned, as his
of his fingers. It was first believed that Count St. Germain was none head fell into a wicker basket, that this

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 31

Case Files of the Unknown: Haunted History

Theosophists Madame Blavatsky (left) and Annie Besant (middle) claimed to have met the undying Count and learned great
secret truths at the feet of the Wandering Jew. Pictured at right, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, the horror author, wrote a series of
books that placed the undying count in various historical periods as some kind of vampiric creature.

strange man was a prophet as well. great secret truths at the feet of the raving madman or, worse, a fraud that
However, like all good things, Wandering Jew. told the royal houses of Europe what
the life of the mysterious St. Germain Madame Blavatsky later claimed they wanted to hear and gave them a
came to an end, when Prince Charles that the Count was a member of a se- little something they were missing in
of Hesse-Kassel, Germany, sent word cret race of immortals who resided in their decadent lives . . . mystery.
to all the royal heads of state that St. the Himalayan Mountains and would Or was he something more?
Germain was dead and would be bur- only come down from his home
ied in a small churchyard. He invited when the world needed his teachings. Could the Count Have
everyone to the funeral. It appeared that in 1784 Count Discovered an Elixir of Life?
A few days later, thousands de- St. Germain pulled an Elvis and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, the hor-
scended upon Hesse-Kassel to watch faked his own death. But why? ror author, wrote a series of books
as the coffin — containing the corpse As the years rolled on and the that placed the undying count in vari-
of a man who would not die — was 20th Century arrived, others claimed ous historical periods as some kind
lowered into the cold, hard ground. to have met and learned from the of vampiric creature.
Never again would they be graced “great master of occult knowledge.” However, adherents of the
with his presence and strange tales of It is even believed by his faithful that Count’s legend believe that St.
magic and mystery. the Count was captured and ques- Germain was neither a vampire nor
If only that were true. tioned by German troops in 1914 Cartaphilus, the Wandering Jew;
during World War I. rather, they believe that St. Germain
Modern-Day Support for This mysterious figure warned was a great, ancient alchemist who
Count St. Germain the troops that Germany was fighting discovered the fabled Philosopher’s
Thirty years after his death, a losing battle and would soon be de- Stone and gained not only riches but
many claimed to have met and feated by the mighty forces of their eternal life as well.
spoken with Count St. Germain. enemies. The Germans felt that this If Count St. Germain does
Some vowed that the Count was man was nothing more than a raving in fact exist, I issue this challenge
the keynote speaker at a meeting of lunatic and set him free. This raving to him: Come out of hiding and
France’s Kabbalists, Freemasons, lunatic soon faded into history and meet me at my home in Fox Lake,
and Rosicrucians. was never seen again. Illinois, because I’m sure if he can
Theosophists Annie Besant and Looking back on the legend of make an elixir that bestows eternal
Madame Blavatsky claimed to have St. Germain, I can’t help but think life, I’m counting on the fact that he
met the undying Count and learned that perhaps this man was in fact a can mix one hell of a martini.

32 Paranormal Underground March 2010

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March 2010 Paranormal Underground 33
Case Files of the Unknown: Are We Alone?

Now That’s What I Call

a Close Encounter
By Rick E. Hale, Greater Illinois Ghost Society

W
hen I was 12 years old, Astronomer and UFO
my parents and I went on researcher Dr. Josef
a road trip to my mom’s Allen Hynek first
hometown of Dayton, Kentucky. suggested a three-
This trip would prove to be a turning tier Close Encounter
point in my life concerning my inter- Classification System
ests in the strange and unusual. in his 1972 book The
While in Kentucky, I met my UFO Experience: A
Scientific Inquiry.
mother’s Uncle David, a strange
Later, additional
old man with an even stranger story classifications were
to tell. Uncle David told me that added.
while constructing the highways in
Kentucky during the 1930s and
1940s, he and his road crew saw a
large, cigar-shaped UFO up close
during the daytime. Of course, I was
hooked and could not get enough of experiences of those who claimed things up a notch. The observer
the story. to have either seen or come into not only sees the UFO but is af-
Despite the fact that he told his direct contact with a UFO and its fected physically by the experience.
tale with such enthusiasm, now as alien denizens. Dr. Hynek called Those who have a CE 2 experi-
an adult I have become somewhat the experience the Close Encounter ence report an interference with
skeptical of his tale when I take Classification System, and it would their automobile or some other
into consideration that Uncle Da- certainly be useful to future research- kind of interference with electrical
vid was one weird dude. And that ers when they met with eyewitnesses equipment. These folks also report
is exactly the kind of skepticism and contactees. Dr. Hynek’s initial heat or even radiation damage to
that many UFO witnesses and alien classifications (there were several either themselves or their personal
contactees endure simply because more classifications added at a later property, such as damage to cars
their experiences are considered time by other researchers) were: or homes.
just too damn strange. • Close Encounter of the First The term “Lost Time” is an im-
Kind: The CE 1 states that the portant event that many CE 2 experi-
Classifying UFO Experiences witness has no direct contact with a encers report. Many who experience
In 1972, world famous astrono- UFO and witnesses the craft at an a CE 2 report that after their experi-
mer and UFO researcher Dr. Josef altitude of 600 feet or less. ence they are missing huge chunks
Allen Hynek took it upon himself • Close Encounter of the Sec- of time. For example, a person may
to try and classify the myriad of ond Kind: This experience kicks see the UFO at 11:15 p.m. and, to

34 Paranormal Underground March 2010

 Pictured above are three alien “contactees” with incredible and strange stories to tell. Pictured from left to right are Polish-
born American George Adamski, California native Truman Bethurum, and Swiss national “Billy” Eduard Albert Meier. Are their
stories unusual enough to actually be true?

them, the sighting may only last a examination to rape. After the ab- A Tale About Space Brothers
few minutes; however, when the duction, the experiencer is depos- and Messages of Peace
sighting is over, they realize that an ited back in the very place where On October 9, 1946, Polish-
hour or two have passed. They can’t they were taken from. Usually, the born American George Adam-
account for that missing time. experiencer does not remember ski claimed that he and his friends
• Close Encounter of the Third their abduction, but later may begin witnessed a large, cigar-shaped UFO
Kind: This is the event where the ob- to have memories about the incident while camping at the Palomar Gar-
server has direct contact with a landed or incidents. dens campsite in California.
UFO or comes into contact with an Ever since the beginning of the Years later, in 1952, after
alien being. Those who report this modern UFO era, many people many sightings of UFOs, Adam-
event often claim that the alien tries have come forth to claim they have ski claimed that Orthon, a “Space
to impart some intergalactic wisdom come into direct contact with extra- Brother” from the planet Venus,
or warns the observer of possible terrestrials. These contactees believe contacted him.
catastrophes to our own world. they were chosen and sought out by Orthon conveyed a message
Another commonly discussed aliens to convey some kind of mes- of peace to Adamski, but warned
close encounter classification added sage to mankind. him that if mankind did not
after Dr. Hynek initially created his Usually the message is one of change its ways, it would destroy
system includes the Close Encounter peace and universal brotherhood. itself with nuclear warfare. Orthon
of the Fourth Kind. A CE 4 event is However, many contactees report led Adamski aboard his craft and
perhaps the most terrifying experi- a much more frightening scenario. took the Earth man on a wild tour
ence an observer can go through. They claim that the aliens give them through the solar system, eventu-
This is the abduction classification. messages of impending ecological ally taking Adamski to his home-
Abductees or experiencers claim catastrophe or warn that mankind world of Venus.
that an aggressive alien force abducts is running headlong into its ultimate Orthon refused to be photo-
them against their own will and takes destruction by nuclear holocaust. graphed, and the only evidence that
them aboard a spacecraft. Let’s explore three of these con- Adamski has of his encounter are
CE 4 experiencers have claimed tactees and the messages conveyed a few fuzzy photos and the alleged
everything from a minor medical to them by their alien charges. plaster casts of Orthon’s footprints.

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 35

Case Files of the Unknown: Are We Alone?
of five years old by an elderly, male
alien named Sfath.
It wasn’t until 1975 when Meier
was contacted by a group of aliens
from a planet called Erra in the
Pleiades star cluster. The Pleiadeans
brought a message much like the oth-
ers, one of peace and a warning of war.
While in their presence, Meier
claimed that the aliens were well
versed on subjects specific to our
world, such as religion, science, and
human history. Meier even claimed
that his alien contacts took him back
in time, and he met with Jesus of
Nazareth and other historical figures.
George Adamski (pictured at left) demonstrates on TV how he found out his alien Unlike his fellow contactees,
visitor was a Venusian. Meier did possess “evidence” of his
alien encounters. Meier produced
a plethora of pictures, video, and
sound recordings of his reported
Another Important Message Is Clarion and all the other intelligent close encounters. However, Meier
Passed on to “Earthlings” species in the solar system. descended into megalomania and
Oftentimes, some contactees After Bethurum was brought madness when he made wild claims
have attempted to start a whole new back to Earth, he immediately went that he was the reincarnation of
religion around their contacts with about the business of starting a com- such historical luminaries as Jesus,
an alien civilization, and this is very mune in Prescott, Arizona, called Muhammad, and Elijah.
true of Truman Bethurum. “The Sanctuary of Thought.” At the Meier also claimed that he was
In 1953, Bethurum was report- commune, Bethurum attempted spiritually perfect and was the only
edly contacted by a group of aliens. to convey this message of peace acceptable human on planet Earth to
Their beautiful, female captain, Aura and brotherhood to his followers. receive the teachings of the Pleia-
Rhanes, claimed to be from a world However, Bethurum refused to take deans. Meier’s claims have proven to
called Clarion and stated that the a lie detector test and lacked any real polarize him from other contactees.
planet was in Earth’s neighborhood objective evidence concerning his Researchers state that these men
but was obscured by the moon. experience. Bethurum still has fol- are frauds regarding their contacts
Rhanes took Bethurum aboard lowers to this day. with alien intelligence because their
claims are just too damn weird.

Meier claimed that he was first However, I would like to play

Devil’s Advocate here and say that

contacted by an alien named Sfath. their experiences might just be too

strange to not be real.
Oftentimes, contactees have suf-
fered ridicule and smear campaigns
her ship and showed him the solar A Contactee Descends by skeptics and some of their peers
system and her homeworld, which Into Madness alike. Some claim that the United
appeared to be nothing more than Our third and final subject States government covers up their
a sanitized version of planet Earth. concerns a man and his descent into experience to keep the truth of alien
Rhanes taught Bethurum about madness — brought on by his experi- visitations hush hush, and keep the
universal brotherhood and peace on ence. “Billy” Eduard Albert Meier, world population blissfully ignorant as
Earth. Why? Because what happens a Swiss national, claimed that he to the truth of what is really going on.
to Earth affects the inhabitants of was first contacted at the tender age What do you think?

36 Paranormal Underground March 2010

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March 2010 Paranormal Underground 37
Personal Experiences

Diary From a Haunted Hotel

By Carolyn M. Hughes

W
hen I began working as
a night auditor almost
three years ago at
Quality Inn at General Lee’s Head-
quarters, located on the Gettysburg
battlefield, I anticipated experiencing
nothing more interesting than having
some bizarre request from a guest.
I never expected my spirit
friends to visit so often or to hear
so many accounts of activity from
unsuspecting guests. I never thought
they would alert us to their pres-
ence in so many creative ways, or
for there to be so much activity
involved.
I am of the personal belief that
spirits only want us to know they are
still here and not to forget what hap-
pened here, for it is on this ground
that they truly gave their “last full
measure of devotion.” Pictured above is the manager’s desk, where papers are always heard being mysteri-
Here is my ongoing diary of my ously shuffled by unseen hands.
experiences within the hotel . . .

Tues., Jan. 19 Tues., Jan. 19 Note: January 19 is General

Robert E. Lee’s birthday. As readers
11:00 p.m.: J. likes to move the of this column know, the building
9:00 p.m.: J., a night auditor recliner around in the office so that it that General Lee used as his head-
who has been with the hotel for faces the television so she can watch quarters during the three days of
the past five years, was in the office it after things have settled down. It the Battle of Gettysburg is part of
when she heard what appeared to is usually up against a wall facing the our property. In addition, after the
be several men’s voices coming manager’s and owner’s desks. first day’s battle, the entire property
from the laundry room. She slowly J. was sitting in the moved recliner where the hotel sits was occupied by
approached the closed door, which watching the TV when she heard pa- Confederate troops.
leads into the laundry room, and pers being shuffled around behind her
put her ear to the door. on the manager’s desk. She reported
She could still hear men talking. to me that she hears this so often that Mon., Jan. 25
She quickly opened the door and she didn’t bother to turn around to 5:25 p.m.: I stepped outside
looked around the laundry room. look because she knew she would see for a moment using the side, private
There was no one there. nothing out of the ordinary. office entrance/exit. As soon as I

38 Paranormal Underground March 2010

 Pictured at left is the lobby private side entrance and its proximity to Room 124 (pictured at right), where a woman recently
reported hearing drumming from inside her room, as well as men chattering just outside her door when no one was there.

opened the door, I was immediately ing noise. fact that four artillery pieces from
assaulted by the heavy aroma of cigar Note: If any guests are standing Stewart’s Battery, Co. B, 4th U.S.
smoke. We had two guests staying outside of Rooms 122, 123, 124, Regulars were situated not 20 yards
with us that evening, and I quickly and/or 125 and are talking, we in the from the office on our property and
looked to see if their cars were in the office can clearly hear them. There were heavily engaged during the first
parking lot. They were not. have been numerous times when I day’s battle on July 1, 1863.
The odor remained for approxi- have had to ask guests doing so to
mately two minutes as I stood there please respect the other guests and
before it finally dissipated. Join me take their conversations inside. Tues., Feb. 2
for a smoke anytime boys! 7:20 a.m.: A guest came into
Tues., Feb. 2 the office and approached me at the
Fri., Jan. 29 1:35 a.m.: I was sitting in the lobby
front desk. The man stated that he
heard three loud booms during the
On the morning of Saturday, behind the main counter and working night and that his bed shook.
January 30, a guest approached the on the computer. At exactly 1:35 a.m., I asked him approximately what
front desk with a complaint. The I heard a series of three loud booms. time it was when he heard these
woman was staying in Room 124, Very quickly after the first boom, booms. He said it was after 1:00
which is three rooms up from the the doors and windows in the lobby a.m. I told him that I, too, had heard
office. She stated that she was kept rattled, and I could feel a strong vibra- those three loud booms at that time.
awake all night long by incessant tion through the floor into my chair. Then, I explained to him about the
drum playing and men talking. It was not raining, and there was artillery pieces that sat on our prop-
The woman complained that the no thunder or lightening. Having erty during Day One of the Battle.
drums appeared to be in her room attended artillery demonstrations The guest shook his head,
and the men standing just outside many times on the battlefield, I had smiled, and went into the breakfast
her door. She reported that she did no doubt what it was that I heard room. I just love it when a guest con-
go to her door to listen, and the men and have heard many times between firms what I have experienced!
appeared to have Southern accents; the hours of 11 p.m. and 5:30 a.m.
however, she was too afraid to open
her door to ask them to cease mak-
— phantom cannon fire.
It is not surprising given the
Stay Tuned . . .
March 2010 Paranormal Underground 39
Personal Experiences

Should I Call Him a

Ghost or Something Else?
By Lura Ketchledge, www.LuraKetch.com

T
here are more questions
than answers in my true
story. Before this experi-
ence I did not question if there were
demons. To put it bluntly, I thought
demons were made up, fictional
creatures like the boogyman.
My experiences with ghosts for
the past 25 years have been posi-
tive and comforting. The few times
I have been truly frightened by a
ghost, I later realized my fear was a
misinterpretation of the situation,
not a threat. Twenty-five years ago,
back when I was a “babe,” it wasn’t
unusual for me to draw attention
from the opposite sex. Sorry to say
that with age and time, all good
things end. I had a busy day ahead of me, and asleep. With the lights out, I could
My story begins with something I quickly forgot about the odd man still see and prayed he would walk
every driver dreads, going to the De- once I left the DMV. past my room. The element of
partment of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Back then, I lived near the surprise was not in my favor, and
office. It was a sunny day in Florida, beach, off a main road, in a small I feared for the worse. There was
and I was wearing a trendy, vulgar- rented house. I can’t remember if something sinister in the air — some-
looking outfit that I mistook for it was that night or the next night thing horrible about to happen to
good taste. As I entered the building, after I went to the DMV when it me. The whistling stopped abruptly
I saw an odd looking man ushering happened. I went to bed the night as he entered my bedroom!
people into a line. in question, right after the news, It was him, the troll-like man from
My first impression was that and quickly fell asleep. Around two the DMV. Or was it? His body was off
he looked like a troll in a fairy tale. in the morning, I was awakened by white, not completely white but close.
He was bald on top, had long dirty footsteps and a man whistling in He looked like a ghost but I knew it
hair on the sides, and was ready to my living room. The tune he was couldn’t be a ghost because the man at
explode out of his clothing like a whistling was loud enough to wake the DMV wasn’t dead. He was alive.
stuffed sausage. Worst of all, he ap- me, and the idea someone was in my The troll felt menacing to me,
peared to be disgruntled with his job. little house terrified me. like a villain in a slasher film. He
When he looked at me, I politely The intruder was blocking came toward my bed and sat down
turned my head away and got in line. my only exit, so I pretended to be facing me. He knew I was awake,

40 Paranormal Underground March 2010

and he grinned when he looked at whitish in color, and as he reached in the world would that creepy man
me. I knew this was a supernatural out to touch me he vanished. I know where I lived? Could a ghost
event — something bad, almost evil. was in a dead panic at this point. I even whistle? I have asked myself
Was it a bad ghost or some sort wanted to phone the police, rouse these questions for years. So far, I
of demon taking the shape of a man the Army, and call up the National haven’t figured out the riddle.
I had casually met? Was it possible Guard. Instead, I turned on all the I broke my lease to my house
for the troll to astral project and lights in the house, woke the dogs, and moved a few weeks later back
come to my house to hurt me? and patrolled my house in search of to New York. I can only tell you the
There was no mistaking he the troll who had invaded my home. facts of what happened that night.
wanted to inflict injury. When you Why had this man come to my The rest is speculation.
are terrified out of your mind, you house? What did I ever do to him So far the Troll hasn’t returned.
never forget the face of the man who to make him so hateful? Was it a A mystery still surrounds that
wants to kill you. I saw the contempt demon masking himself and appear- night in a little house near the beach.
in his eyes and his disregard for me ing in another form? Is that even Was it a demon, was it a ghost ap-
as a human being. possible for a demon to do? I have pearing as another, or was it some-
All his body and clothes were read about astral projection, but how thing else?

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March 2010 Paranormal Underground 41

Paranormal Perspective: Guest Editorial

Exorcism:
Psychological or Paranormal?

By T. Stokes, www.tstokes.co.uk

T
here is much argument in
the spiritual press right now
among scholars as to what
possession and exorcism really are.
Should an exorcism be a psycho-
logical process? Is possession a
spiritual sickness? Can depressive
treatments help?
My experiences and opinions on
this matter follow.

Not All Exorcists Believe in

the Paranormal
My old colleague, David Tyn-
dall, whom I admire greatly for his
expertise, has for some years been
a well-known Christian cleric. He
confided in me that although he is a
bible scholar, grief counsellor, and
psychologist who has attended more
than 30 exorcisms in his 17 years in
the church, he had never seen any-
thing that definitely convinced him
of the existence of the paranormal.
Where you draw the guidelines
in these issues is crucial. And for
a man of religion to say he did not
believe in the supernatural, when
the religious word “miracle” means
white magic and the sacraments are
themselves a magical rite, struck me
as strange indeed.
The Reverend Christopher
Neil-Smith would have queues of

42 Paranormal Underground March 2010

people (all day long from all over Bishop Wall’s story, told in the
the country) in for exorcism. He was greatest detail by the two priests,
rumored to have helped John Len- was that when he entered the room
non just prior to and maybe during in the tower block, the possessed
his involvement with Yoko Ono and youngster spoke to him in a deep,
his assassination, when he was under metallic gravelly voice, and mocked
close FBI surveillance. him. The youngster claimed knowl-
Reverend Neil-Smith saw the edge of the Bishop’s past indiscre-
paranormal everywhere he looked; tions and told the Bishop he was not
those who watched him work were a good enough man to exorcise him.
amazed at his skills. He taught us The sheer strength of the young-
so much. ster made it necessary for the three
In my prime, I was on call to churchmen to hold him while the
perform exorcisms anywhere in the deliverance was attempted. At times,
UK, and for many years could often all three men were lifted off the
do one a week. In all fairness, the ground simultaneously.
amount of times I saw “real phe- Objects flew around the room,
nomena” was very rare, yet whenev- and the Bishop seized the youth by
er I am interviewed for the media, it the lapels and began screaming the
is these instances that I have to keep catholic exorcism rites through the
recounting. young man’s insane laughter. I was
told that the Bishop struggled with
A Strange Tale: take little notice of a story like this, the beast inside the youth into the
A Ouija Board Exorcism but coming from David Tyndall, Fr. small hours of the morning. Eventu-
I reminded my colleague, David, Kenneth Green, and Bishop Wall ally, they all left the tower block.
of the Bishop Wall case. Although himself, I had to listen and take The Bishop became extremely
this has never reached the pub- notice. ill in the days after the exorcism, and
lic domain, I know several of the Back to the story at hand . . . I was told his hair went white over
people involved and can vouch for Before an exorcism can take place, the next three weeks.
its authenticity. permission from the Diocesan
As I remember it in 1970, a late- Bishop must be granted, and then Psychological or Paranormal?
night phone call was made by a group the area exorcist, a man chosen usu- The church lumps the use of
of youngsters, who after a party at a Ouija boards in with tarot cards and
tower block in London’s Stratford
area, contacted the Catholic Church Objects flew horoscopes, but I still maintain that
any of these tools in responsible
to say that the group had brought hands do not represent any threat.
up an intelligence from a game on a
Ouija board. They said that this intel-
around the So to go back to the esteemed
David Tyndall’s opinion, while I am
ligence had occupied one of these
youngsters, who was showing extreme room. sure that there are times when the
causes of possession are just psy-
paranormal abilities. chological, there are times when the
Over the years, I have met ally for his knowledge or holiness, is cause is paranormal in nature.
people who have benefited in their brought in. But the Bishop deemed That being said, I’d like to stress
research using Ouija boards, and this particular incident so dangerous to all who push the boundaries in
stories of all shades have been told. to the youths involved that he went this area . . . as the master occult-
My own opinion is that most of the immediately to the scene, phoning ist Rollo Ahmed, one of Dennis
information garnered from Ouija both the two experts to meet him at Wheatley’s top pupils, once said;
boards is from the unconscious the tower block. So all three — the “The dangers in the unseen worlds
minds of the sitters. But, horror Bishop and the two priests, all ex- are very real indeed, and never, ever
stories are also common. perts in the field — met up at the flat to be trifled with.”
I confess that usually I would to give assistance. Good advice for the curious.

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 43

Fiction: Featured Author

Where Memories Lie

(Part I of IV)
By Lettie Prell, www.lettieprell.com

M
y body swarmed into this physical structure seldom. I had *****
being the moment the become manifest just for her. “I suppose you’re Mr. Singh,”
door opened, before my I made the gesture signaling she said, releasing my hand.
guest’s vision centers could scan the readiness for a business handshake. “Indeed I am.” Her presence
room. The system got a lock on my She responded and approached me, was a shocking reminder there were
visitor and began streaming her vital as I did her. As we drew near I no- people who refused to evolve. She
signs into the database. I was getting ticed her offensive odor. This, too, even rejected modern medical en-
to know her already. Female. Ap- was usual for those like her. Still, I hancements. She sported wrinkles and
proximately forty-eight years old. An wondered if anxiety contributed to graying hair. Blue veins streaked her
eighty-five percent probability that her smell, or could it be she had not arms, and she carried excess weight.
she was nervous. Her reaction was bathed before coming? She continued to stare at me. I
understandable, typical of those who nodded toward the recliner, specially
come into contact with my kind. chosen to fit Ms. Walquist’s person-
She stood in the doorway and ality, based on the analysis of her
took in the furnishings, created to available to me in her file.
my specifications: a recliner uphol- “Won’t you have a seat, please?
stered in a rose floral, a green side May I offer you something to drink?
chair, and a mahogany end table set Tea, perhaps?”
for morning tea, all in the middle of The poor woman. Maybe if I
an open, white expanse, at least to held a cup close under my nose, the
her eyes. To me, it was my labora- tea’s scent would take the edge off
tory. Ms. Walquist’s smell.
“Good morning, Ms. Walquist,” “No, thanks. I don’t do synth
I said. “Thank you for coming.” food.” She eyed the chair but did
She started, jerking her shoulders not sit. “Let’s just talk about why you
and lolling back her head as if some- asked me here.”
one had smacked her on the brow. “Knowledge.” My smile was
Only then did she seem to notice me genuine. “Knowledge has made us
standing by the room’s one window. immortal, those of us in the Af-
She stared at me, her mouth ajar. I I controlled my physical reaction, filiates. I am seeking to add to our
pictured myself as she must see me, and did not recoil but maintained a knowledge.” Indeed, I considered
human in form like her and emanat- steady gaze as I grasped her hand in a it my purpose for being, as a spirit-
ing the requisite human warmth, yet firm yet friendly manner. Despite her spark of the One Great Mind.
more in-proportion, with a flawless, nervousness she broke into a smile. Ms. Walquist laughed, a raucous
luminous complexion. What she Touch never fails to calm. We have noise that dissipated her nervous-
could not see, perhaps could not worked hard to perfect the tactile ness. “Oh, I know there’s a glitch
even fathom, was that I assumed realism of our nano bodies. in the system now.” She chose the

44 Paranormal Underground March 2010

recliner and exhaled heavily as she thuds on upholstery. “I seem to scientist. Psychics as frauds, stealing
sat. Her face twisted in a wry smile. recall that had been settled long ago. gullible people’s money.”
“Son, I don’t know a thing com- My side lost. There’s no such thing I picked up the teapot and
pared to you, and that’s the truth.” as ESP. It’s a wonder I’m allowed poured two cups. “Still, I found your
Match her mood. “Ah, but you to still believe in it.” She ran a hand work with the crime scenes remark-
have a special gift.” I sat, sighing my- along the side of her neck, over her able. Then there was your stint as a
self as I took the weight off my feet implant. Turing Test judge.”
just as Ms. Walquist had. She sounded bitter and adver- Her expression clouded. “Yes, I
“Gift? I’m afraid you’ll have to sarial. I reminded myself she had did help evaluate whether machine
tell me what it is.” Her chair swiveled come here voluntarily. I surmised consciousness was equivalent to
toward the window and the light pour- her challenge was transient, and she human sentience. For a time. They
ing in. She squinted as she looked would eventually cooperate. fired me, you know.”
outside, at the array of geoprisms that “I’m on your side, Ms. Walquist,” “Yes, I know. But your record
formed Server Farm Twelve, and the I said. “My meta-analysis shows there was quite remarkable.” I offered her
wooded hills that led into the valley
beneath a blue, cloudless sky. All the
leaves were off the trees now, save for
the conifers. It was an utterly ordinary
“Machine and human are not the
scene, the physical world, nothing like
the brilliantly conceived landscapes of
same. You are not sentient.”
my home. These colors were lifeless
by comparison. is a demonstrated psychic effect, as a steaming cup. “Please, I hate to
She was being evasive. She documented in the global scientific lit- drink alone.”
knew I had asked her here to be a erature and government reports. After She ignored the tea and
research subject. We do not de- throwing out approximately thirty-five frowned. “My record? Between
ceive the historical remnants of old percent of the papers for question- talking to a machine and talking to a
humanity. Ms. Walquist must know able quality or unreliability and boiling human, I could detect the machine
what it is I want from her. I said, down what is left, there is a small but every time. It became an embar-
“I have been studying the human statistically significant effect across the rassment to the new world order.
capacity for psychic abilities. I am remaining studies.” Wrong answer.”
seeking talented subjects for nonin- I commended myself on my I leaned toward her, suppressing
vasive experiments.” use of idiom. Boil down is a widely a grimace at her odor. “As I said, you
She swiveled to face me, her understandable concept that replaces had a remarkable record. I believe
eyebrows lifted. “A computer is a lengthy discussion of advanced you know me as being as sentient
interested in psychic abilities? You techniques. as you, as are the rest of the entities
have a lot of time on your hands, do Again her head inclined toward here.” I gestured to the window and
you? Getting a little bored? Or do the window. “Why did you pick me?” the server farm beyond. “I postulate
you feel incomplete?” Her question signified she was that for the Turing test, you utilized
Computer, indeed. Now I un- close to consent. I smiled. “Come psychic abilities to discern the form of
derstood. She was confronting me, now, Ms. Walquist. You are being the being behind each voice.”
jealous of my superior processing modest. Twenty years ago, you were “Machine and human are not
speeds and immortality. quite well known for your abili- the same. You are not sentient.” Her
I made a conciliatory move. ties. You assisted police in solving face locked into a mask.
“You could contribute so much. several crimes throughout the East It is disconcerting when biologi-
Imagine. If we could detect and Coast of the then-United States. You cal humans behave like that. Barriers
model the human psychic response, were also self-employed conducting to communication among the Affili-
we could replicate it in our processing psychic readings, which admittedly ates are rare. We are so much more
environment. We could make extra- is not the strongest evidence of any a true community than they are.
sensory perception more reliable.” extrasensory abilities on your part.” I took a sip of tea and moved
“That’s funny.” She drummed Ms. Walquist’s lips pursed. on. “My analysis of the events sur-
her fingers on the chair’s arms, soft “Now you’re sounding like a typical rounding your Turing Test judge-

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 45

Fiction: Featured Author
ship leads me to conclude you were played the event from several video Pull up your chair.” She turned her
eliminated based on politics alone.” angles, but I could not detect any palms up and extended them to me.
She scowled. “Are you trying to object. When I zoomed in on Ms. “Put down that tea, come sit over
butter me up?” Walquist’s palm, a dark spot blotted here, and give me your hands.”
“Not at all. I simply requested out a portion of my visual field. I was Was I feeling fear? A response
to meet with you for the purpose of unable to confirm she had anything to the unknown. Quite exhilarating.
studying your brain while you are in her hand. I decided if she had “I promise I won’t bite,” she said.
engaged in psychic activities.” thrown something, it couldn’t have I drew up my chair facing hers.
Back to the mask. “Considering been much, because I felt no impact. My knees rose high above Ms.
my reputation, aren’t I taboo?” Maybe the throwing motion was a Walquist’s. I took a microsecond to
“I have a Class B security gesture expressing some emotion I analyze her gesture, then fit my palms
clearance, Ms. Walquist. Very little did not understand. Perhaps it was a over hers, face down. Her fingers
is denied me.” It was true. The warding-off gesture from some long- clamped shut on my hands, and I
One Mind appreciated my facility past folk belief. nearly jerked them away. But there
to make incongruous associations “What test did you have in was nothing alarming in the warmth
among phenomena. They were extra mind?” she asked. of her hands, quite the opposite. A
generous with my requests. In fact, I couldn’t remember. My gaze peace seemed to seep into my palms,
they had been intrigued with my cur- darted around the room, as if I ex- and I felt a pleasant tingling sensation.
rent project. And why not? It stirred pected to catch sight of it. I was still “That’s it,” she murmured, watch-
the mind to imagine a new dimen- trying to understand what had just ing me. “Just relax and roll with it.”
sion of consciousness opening to happened. I turned off the internal switch
us members of humanity no longer “I could give you a psychic read- to my olfactory functions. Why had
limited by bodies. ing,” she said. “I take it you can look I had olfactory turned on anyway?
“Please,” I said. “You could add at my brain right here?” It was pointless, putting up with the
to our knowledge.” I took another sip of tea to hide putrid, decaying scent of biological
“And if I refuse?” my uncertainty. “Of course. All my flesh that was Ms. Walquist. This
Lie. “You are free to leave.” I instruments are non-intrusive. I am was much better. It removed a bar-
had the authority to detain my re- able to direct the sensors to the ap- rier between us. The woman smiled,
search subjects for up to ninety days, propriate areas, from where you are.” and I smiled back. I felt closer to
but I don’t like to exercise the con- “You sound like you’re stalling.” her. Developing a rapport might as-
trols. I prefer voluntary participation. “I’m evaluating whether that sist the research.
It improves the quality of the studies. would be a sufficient test.” I was “That’s it,” she repeated.
“Good. Everything’s just fine here.”
She closed her eyes.
“I am in touch with the entity *****

known as Frank Milner.” “First, I see your body looks like

a human’s,” she said. “These are nice
hands, for example. However, your
“I don’t like to refuse anyone, I embarrassed I had forgotten my body is made of intelligent molecular
guess.” Her smile held a hint of sad- research methodology, and Ms. structures known as nanobots.”
ness. I was allowing her to pretend Walquist was aware of it. “The de- “You would have already known
she didn’t have an implant, that par- sign appears to be flawed.” about the nanobots from other
ticipation was up to her. “All right. She tilted her head to one side. sources.”
Let’s do it.” “Surely you could confirm or deny She nodded, opening her eyes.
anything I say about you?” “But you should know it means you
***** have no chakras, meaning that body
“Yes, of course.” I did not feel
Her left hand emerged from her entirely well. of yours isn’t alive. There is no way
side quite suddenly, and she splayed “That should be all the design for it to circulate life force.”
her fingers in my direction, as if she you need, then,” she said, making I was familiar with the concepts.
had thrown something. Odd. I re- a beckoning gesture. “Come on. “Ms. Walquist, you must know

46 Paranormal Underground March 2010

there are many supercomputing en- face muscles go slack. Her hands preserve the biological human when
tities who have pasts in Asia. They were firm and dry. Both my palms the mind is downloaded. The physi-
have all acceded from their own still tingled, probably in response to cal is sacrificed so that the entity
subjective experience that chakra my mental excitement. may live eternally. This is why it is
systems are not necessary for con- I examined the data on her against the One Mind’s protocol to
scious beings like us to maintain brain wave patterns and saw noth- perform instantiations without the
our life processes. We have evolved ing unusual, at least not yet. It might person’s consent. We will not be
beyond that.” take extensive processing to detect brain-snatchers. It is the only moral
The wrinkles around her eyes anything of note, anything that might course, and only right that breaches
deepened with mirth. It made her be a signature of an extrasensory of this agreement are punishable by
look quite attractive for her age. state of mind. deletion from the Affiliates.
“Yes, it was a hot debate in the early Of course, the best method Her head rocked back and her
days, the matter of whether or not would be a brain scan followed lips parted, gone slack. I could see
you instantiated entities were really by instantiation of Ms. Walquist’s her eyeballs roll erratically under her
human.” consciousness into the Affiliates. I half-open lids. She became a picture
“And you were in the middle of could make her a colleague, and of entrancement. At last she spoke.
it, yes, with the Turing tests.” Why then I could purchase whatever “Through your vibration, I am in
did I select her to study? Was she psychic abilities she had as a com- touch with the entity known as Frank
the most suitable subject? “Please plete packet. It would not be neces- Milner.”
continue with your reading.” sary, then, to isolate the patterns for That had been my name before
“All right.” She wetted her lips extrasensory perception. I went through scan and instantiation
and closed her eyes again. I ob- Brain scans, however, remain myself, before I took on a different
served her heart rate slow and her invasive. We lack the bandwidth to name to reflect my evolved, multi-

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 47

Fiction: Featured Author
faceted self. Good research design, The words hurt. “How can you I hadn’t thought about David for
however, dictated I show no reac- say that? Can’t you tell what I’m a long, long time, so how could I be
tions either confirming or denying feeling?” a monument to his memory? I felt a
Ms. Walquist’s statements. “Go on,” “Simulated emotions,” she said. stab of guilt, then guilt over my guilt.
I replied. “You’re feeling what Frank would I had lost all my objectivity. This was
Ms. Walquist’s eyes opened, have, because that’s the way you’re why the psychic reading was a poor
and I saw her enlarged pupils like programmed.” research choice: I was an unreliable
black glass, each orb pierced with a I wrested my hands from her observer. Any conclusions I arrived
shard of laser light. “Frank Milner grasp. When I looked at my palms, I at would be colored by my suscep-
was a high school physics teacher saw they were riddled with puncture tible emotional state and unprovable
and chess club advisor. He lived in marks. Under the human exterior convictions.
Freeport, Illinois, with his Basset I could see through to hollowness. “I did not think for a minute
Hound, Florie —” No blood, no bone. This disturbed I would survive the scan,” Ms.
Ah, Florie, the old girl. I accessed me. I told myself nano bodies had Walquist said, still with my voice.
the memory tapes. There was Florie, no blood or bone. I had chosen this “I did not believe my consciousness
a tiny eight-week-old bundle, trip- form. What were those puncture would transfer to the computer. The
ping over her own ears. I continued marks about? controversy was raging then, and I
running my memories of Florie in My attention turned to the infor- sided with the spiritualists.”
chronological order in the back- mation pouring into the databases Spiritualists? That couldn’t be
ground. that the system had auto-created. right. I had no memory of those
“—and partner, David Broward, I noticed spikes in activity in her thoughts. I ran a search to locate the
who died of AIDS.” brain’s association zones when she memories surrounding my instantia-
had been talking about Florie and tion, and found none. How could
*****
David. that be? How could I not remember?
It was 1993. We were at our “Listen now,” she said. “Frank On another level, I reviewed
bungalow near the park. A sour Milner’s spirit is drawn to this space.” Ms. Walquist’s words objectively
smell permeated the bedroom. Da- Her tone carried not one shred and saw them as unimaginative,
vid’s face was the pallor of the sheet of melodrama or ceremony. She banal banter. I should be suspicious.
he lay upon. He reached up with may just as well have announced the I should blame Ms. Walquist for
one emaciated hand and whispered, janitor was coming in to clean up. playing a trick on me, for making
“Pain and beauty.” Then he died. “Would you like to ask Frank a me forget the day I was instanti-
I had not thought about David question?” she asked. ated. How could she have done this,
in years, and for me that meant I struggled to remain scientific. though? I wasn’t making any sense. I
whole epochal periods of my exis- “I would ask the spirit if he had any- was overly influenced by immediate
events. I should stop everything and
do a refresh and restart.
“I didn’t sound human anymore.” I looked down at my hands
again, but they had become the
appendages of a well-constructed
tence as Pure Mind. An extreme thing he wanted to tell me.” This was mannequin, hollow inside, filled with
sadness washed over me. My memo- ludicrous. I was Frank Milner. nothing. This is my body, I told my-
ries of Florie ended too, and I felt I “I don’t regret making you,” Ms. self. This is the form I chose to ap-
had lost them both all over again. Walquist said. Her voice had taken pear to Ms. Walquist in. Yet I could
“I’m still here, Ms. Walquist.” on a Midwestern twang and a differ- not will myself to identify with it.
My senses awash in ancient grief, ent cadence that was nevertheless “What’s going on?” I demanded.
voice cracked. “I am still Frank Mil- familiar to me. I recognized my own Yet even as I uttered those words, I
ner. Very much so.” voice, as spoken by Ms. Walquist. was aware of how mechanical I sound-
Ms. Walquist’s eyes misted over. “You’re a monument to Da- ed. I didn’t sound human anymore.
“I wish you were right, but you don’t vid’s memory,” the voice said. “My
have an aura. You’re missing your memories were all I had left. So I To Be Continued in Our
spirit.” enshrined them.” April Issue . . .

48 Paranormal Underground March 2010

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Nonfiction Paranormal Book Excerpt

Avalanche of Spirits:
The Ghosts of Wellington
By Karen Frazier

I
n the summer of 2009, I spent hope they will have it to keep them
much of my time at the site of the company throughout the long winter
worst avalanche disaster in the months to come.
history of the United States, where Tanner and I walk all the way
more than 96 people perished. down the snow shed. It has a differ-
And although the tiny town of ent feeling today — even Area 61. It is
Wellington, in Washington’s Cas- quiet, and yet the quiet seems antici-
cade mountain range, disappeared patory. It feels to me as if something
off of the map in the late 1920s, very special is about to happen.
nearly 100 years after the avalanche I have no equipment with me this
disaster, something remains. Wel- time. No cameras or recorders. This
lington, it appears, is haunted. time I have come as just me — to cel-
I was so affected by my time ebrate the ghosts of Wellington and
spent at Wellington that I wrote a to bid them farewell for the winter.
book about it. Here’s an excerpt. Silently, I talk to the ghosts as I
walk through the snow shed, thanking
*****
them for all that they have given me.
The time has come. It is my last After all, I now know something that I
visit to Wellington this year unless didn’t before. I know that I have a soul
something miraculous happens with that will survive death. There is great
the weather. I am already feeling a rive. I am shocked at the changes in comfort in knowing that, and I owe
sense of loss, but I am determined the past month. Gone is all of the fo- that comfort to my friends at Welling-
to enjoy my last visit to Wellington liage. Now the snow shed is exposed ton. I feel in many ways as if my fear
before the snow sets in. on the south side, and you can see has been transformed. I feel like a new
We are having a party tonight to all the way down to the creek. woman who can face the challenges
honor Wellington and thank the spir- It is cold and damp, but Wel- the world throws at me, knowing that
its there for the generosity they have lington is still beautiful. Without there are those whose souls survived
shown in sharing their home with us. all of its green finery, the beauty is the worst and yet they still persevered.
Everyone who has participated in the starker and more haunting. Knowing this, I know that I can too.
filming of the documentary is there, I have arrived a few minutes Tanner and I walk back up to the
and several of us have invited guests, early for a reason. I finally found parking lot. Mike has arrived with his
as well. Mackenzie and Matthew have a teddy bear, and it is in my bag friend, and Alli has arrived as well.
joined Tanner, and their parents waiting to be delivered. Tanner and We take them on a tour of the site,
Larry and Leslie have joined me. I walk down the snow shed, and I all the way from the Cascade Tunnel
My friend, Alli, is also there. pause at the child pole, gently plac- to the western end of the snow shed.
She’s been hearing about Wellington ing the teddy bear behind it where it When we return to the parking lot,
for months now, and she is interested won’t be trampled by the partygoers. even more people have arrived.
to see what the flap is all about. I brought it for Leonard and any of The skies open up, and the rain
Tanner and I are the first to ar- the other children at Wellington. I pours on us for a few minutes, but

50 Paranormal Underground March 2010

then the sky clears and a few stars and warm up. and turn around. As we approach
peek through the clouds. Wellington A few hours later, Mike and I Area 61, the atmosphere no longer
grows dark early, ready to reveal its decide to walk down the snow shed feels expectant. Now it feels welcom-
secrets to those who will listen. together. When we get to the obser- ing. It feels as if whatever is there is
Larry, Leslie, Matthew, and vation deck, we encounter members smiling at me.
Mackenzie arrive. Larry and Leslie of NWPIA who are goofing off As I step onto the bridge of Area
have heard much of Wellington from taking “ghost” pictures using lighting 61, I look up ahead of me and freeze
me and their children, but this is their effects and slow exposure. We stop in my tracks. There, standing in the
first visit. We set off in a group with to have our ghost picture taken, and middle of the bridge, is a six-foot-
Alli in tow to show them Wellington. then continue on down to Area 61. tall, dark figure. It isn’t a shadow. It
As we enter the snow shed, we The air still feels expectant. has three dimensions. It is standing,
meet up with Mike, Bert, and Mike’s We aren’t talking much. My facing me. As soon as I see it, I pause
friend, who are on their way out. mind flashes back to a trip through and stare. It is almost as if the shadow
They’ve been hearing voices and the snow shed that I took with the has been waiting for me to notice it.
seeing shadows down in Area 61, kids earlier in the summer. When As soon as I do, it begins to fade and
and Mike’s friend is pretty excited. we had stopped in Area 61, I talked then dissolves into nothingness.
It’s his first encounter with a ghost. to whoever was there. “Did you see?” I ask Mike.
The snow shed is pitch black. “I understand why you are angry,” He didn’t — but I know what
For some reason, we decide to honor I told him. “Nobody remembers you. I saw. A three-dimensional man
the blackness and walk without our Nobody remembers your sacrifice.” whose form was blacker than the
flashlights. I walk ahead with the kids I have become convinced that the black darkness of the snow shed.
while Larry and Leslie walk behind entity in Area 61 is one of the immi- Quietly standing and waiting to get
us. Leslie keeps hearing the sound of grant laborers who struggled and toiled my attention. As I pass off the end
small, choppy, quick footsteps behind of the bridge of Area 61, I whisper a
her, and has to fight the urge to reach
behind her to grab a child’s hand.
There, standing in silent thank you. All I feel is peace.
I take one more trip down the
Once, she hears a voice yell in
her head, “Turn on the light!” She
the middle of the snow shed with Larry, Leslie, and
the kids. All is quiet, and as I walk, I
complies, and her light goes on just
in time to stop Larry from pitching
bridge, is a six-foot- silently bid farewell to my friends.
“I will be back,” I tell them. “As
head first into a little dry streambed
that runs across the snow shed.
tall, dark figure. soon as the snow clears, I will come.”
After our last trip down the snow
Area 61 is quiet, but expectant. shed, we linger by the fire for a few
As we walk through, I feel some- to keep the trains free of snow and the more minutes before heading off to
one off to my left, just behind my tracks clear of ice and debris only to our hotel. I am already feeling loss
shoulder. They brush against me. As be treated poorly by the passengers as I drive up the winding road away
I turn to speak to whoever it is, I see and railroad alike before being swept from Wellington and toward High-
that there is no one there. to his death in an avalanche. way 2. Thoughts of my summer at
We walk all of the way down I don’t know how I know this Wellington flash through my head,
the snow shed and then back up — I just do. I’ve come to trust that and I am filled with melancholy.
toward the observation deck. The there are things that I just know, and Finally, I reach Highway 2. As
bridges on the snow shed are lined I no longer need to dig for an expla- I take the turn, the weather tells
with candles, and the flames dance nation. That is something else that me what I already know. I won’t be
off of the walls. On the observation Wellington has done for me. coming back to Wellington until the
deck, a thin layer of frost has coated That day with the kids, I made a spring. Just to make sure I know for
all of the wood, making it slick and promise to my friend in Area 61. sure that this is true, it begins to snow.
treacherous. Winter is on its way. “I am going to tell your story,” I
*****
Leslie still feels her small friend told him. “I am going to make sure
accompanying her as we walk back that you aren’t forgotten.” Avalanche of Spirits: The Ghosts
to the parking lot where a large Back to the present, Mike and of Wellington is available at www.
bonfire is roaring. We join the party I walk to the end of the snow shed avalancheofspirits.com.

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 51

Paranormal Fantasy Author Spotlight

Shelli Stevens
By Michelle M. Pillow, www.michellepillow.com

M
ulti-genre author Shelli Q: Why do you think readers, and Shelli: I do believe. Definitely
Stevens might not have society in general, are fascinated with the paranormal ghost/haunt-
been abducted by aliens by the paranormal? ing aspects. Other stuff . . . not so
or raised by a shifter clan, but that much. But it’s fascinating to imagine.
doesn’t stop her from creating imagi- Shelli: I think because it’s the un- Hence the escapism of reading it in
native paranormal worlds. known and the fantasy aspect. Au- a book or seeing it in a movie.
I had the opportunity to talk thors/movies humanize these paranor-
with Shelli about her latest erotic mal characters and make us care and
Q: Have you ever had a paranor-
paranormal offering, Sexy Beast become even more drawn to them.
mal experience?
VII, where she delves into a world
of were-jaguars to discover what it is Q: What are your favorite paranor- Shelli: Possibly. On the haunted
that inspires her. mal shows, movies, and books? tour in D.C. last summer, our group
was at the last house that was not
***** occupied.
Q: In your book, His to Reclaim Totally creepy, fantastic house
from Sexy Beast VII, you delve into with so much history. And as the guide
the world of shifters. What in- was talking about it, the lights inside
spired you to write about this? flickered. Even he was surprised.

Shelli: Well, all stories in the Sexy Q: How would you react if you
Beast books need to be paranormal. came face to face with a paranor-
Kate Douglas is in each book in mal creature?
the series with her popular Chanku
stories. I was thrilled to be invited Shelli: I’d probably freak out for a
to write a story for the Sexy Beast few minutes, and then interview the
anthology, and it was a great experi- heck out of it.
ence for me to plot out this story and Author Shelli Stevens creates imagina-
delve into the world of shifters. tive paranormal worlds through her Q: Have you ever been abducted
works of fiction. by aliens?
Q: When world-building, did you
base your story off of known Shelli: Sigh. No. How boring am I?
myths throughout history? Shelli: I love A Haunting on the Dis-
covery channel, and have to confess *****
Shelli: I really don’t base my shift- that I do like the Twilight series. Thanks for joining us Shelli!
ers on legends or other “rules” from Well, until the last couple books.
other shifter books; those just make She lost me there. You can learn more about Shelli
me feel boxed in. I try and just have and her books at her Website, www.
fun and make up my own world and Q: Do you believe in the super- shellistevens.com. Sexy Beast VII is
my own rules. natural? currently at all major bookstores.

52 Paranormal Underground March 2010

 Paranormal Underground
Is Looking for . . .
Ghost Hunter Case Files

Has your team investigated a location and

captured compelling evidence of
paranormal activity?

We are currently looking for Ghost Hunter

Case Files to feature in our upcoming issues.

If you’d like to contribute, e-mail

[email protected]
March 2010 Paranormal Underground 53
Member Profile

Richard Lombardi
(movieman1500)
About Richard
Age: 39.
Born/Currently Resides: Perth Am-
boy, New Jersey/Sarasota, Florida.
Status: Single.
Education: College, photojournal-
ism, music/technical school, aircraft
maintenance, A&P Certification. At left, Richard plays in a band, called Electric Shaman, as a youth (from left to right:
Darrel Herbert (singer/guitar), Richard Lombardi (bass), and Mark Hatch (backup
Zodiac Sign: Leo. vocals/guitar). Pictured at right is Richard’s sister, Lisa, and his nieces, Uva and Neala.
Occupation: Deli clerk.

***** Tell us about your family and what tures. I like vampire books and all
you like to do. types of movies.
Q&A Richard: I currently live in Sarasota,
Favorite music?
Florida, where my mom (a retired
What brought you to Paranormal
teacher), sister (stay-at-home mom), Richard: Rock.
Underground?
two nieces (6 and 11 months), aunt
Richard: The search for knowledge. (a retired telephone operator), and What would our readers be sur-
uncle (a retired fireman) live. prised to find out about you?
What does your member name My dad (a retired regional Richard: I am a modest type of guy.
mean? manager for a chemical company)
Richard: I worked in the movie lives in Vermont, where I go skiing. What are your pet peeves?
theater industry for 15-plus years I like to do outdoor activities, play
bass guitar, and spend lots of time at Richard: Stagnant people.
as an usher, ticket taker, cleaner,
concessionist, projectionist, assistant the beach.
Are you a skeptic or believer?
manager, and general manager, so
people at the theater just addressed Who are your heroes? Richard: I would say a skeptical
me as Movieman. And then I tacked Richard: Anyone who brings about believer, as I believe most things can
on the number 1500 to the end. positive change. be attributed to everyday reasons;
however, there are definitely para-
How would you describe yourself? What are your favorite TV shows, normal happenings.
paranormal shows, books, movies?
Richard: Inquisitive, funny, modest, What areas of the paranormal inter-
and always doing something. Richard: Lost, NCIS, Ghost Adven- est you the most?

54 Paranormal Underground March 2010

 Review of the Month
Richard: Ghosts, UFOs, and un-
known creatures.

Have you ever studied the paranor-

The Time Traveler's Wife
mal? Book Written By Audrey Niffenegger
Richard: Not at length. I started à la Movie Directed by Robert Schwentke
Ghost Hunters, but soon realized
that is not the way to go, so I’m cur-
rently in search of new ways to hunt/
investigate.
Review by Karen Frazier

N
ow available on DVD is
Talk about any paranormal experi- 2009’s Time Traveler’s
ences you have had and how they Wife, the movie adaptation
affected you. of the 2003 book of the same name
Richard: I believe in “ghosts.” My by Audrey Niffenegger. The movie
experience occurred when I was was released in theaters on August
five or six in New Jersey. My family 14, 2009.
had a two-story colonial, and it was I liked the book. It was an
night time. My family was downstairs interesting and sensitive portrayal
watching TV, and I went up to the of Henry De Tamble, a man with
second level to do something. a genetic disorder called temporal The 2009 movie The Time Traveler’s
When I reached the top of the displacement disorder, which causes Wife, starring Rachel McAdams (at left)
stairs, I saw a solid, black figure rush him to pop out of his daily life and and Eric Bana (at right), is a romantic
travel through time, only to show up drama about a Chicago librarian with
from one room to another. So, being
somewhere in his life in either the a gene that causes him to involuntarily
young, I proceeded back downstairs time travel, and the complications it cre-
— I don’t think my feet touched past or the future.
ates for his marriage.
the steps. I told my dad, so he went In the book, Niffenegger weaves
up to check it out but did not find together an interesting and intricate
anything. story of Henry’s comings and goings
Ever since then I have been through time, as well as the effect
interested in paranormal topics. his disorder has on his family. So of angles. Sadly, the movie mostly
it was with curiosity that I watched chose to focus on the romance
What do you think happens to us the movie last week on my video on between Henry and his wife, Claire,
when we die? demand. with the time travel relegated almost
I’d seen a few trailers for the to sub-plot status.
Richard: I try not to speculate — no movie and was somewhat dubious. All in all, I was disappointed
expectations, no disappointments. The book doesn’t have the feel of a by the movie, which was directed
romance. The movie trailers, on the by Robert Schwentke. But then,
Do you have any words of wisdom other hand, definitely seem to focus I’m not a fan of romantic movies
that you live by? on the romantic angle. Because of the likes of The Notebook or The
this, I made sure that I watched it Bridges of Madison County. And
Richard: Do what you can to stay
when none of the resident testoster- that is what I’d equate The Time
alive, and be nice to people. I’ve
one was present in the house. God Traveler’s Wife to, The Notebook
done pretty good on the first one,
forbid my movie-viewing choices — with time travel.
but the second one is sometimes
should make my husband acciden- If you like such movies, then
difficult.
tally grow an ovary. you’ll enjoy The Time Traveler’s
It’s an interesting premise — hav- Wife. If you’re looking for a movie
Any exciting plans for the future? ing a disorder that doesn’t allow one about time travel, this probably isn’t
Richard: I would like to learn to fly to stay fixed in time and one that it, but the book is definitely worth
helicopters. could be explored from all kinds a read.

March 2010 Paranormal Underground 55