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March 2010 Paranormal Underground
You can purchase paper copies of the magazine via a Publish-on-Demand option by visiting http://paranormalunderground.magcloud.com/. At Paranormal Underground, our mission is to publish the highest-quality Magazine for our readers. We strive to keep you updated on news from the paranormal world, as well as tackle the topics that most interest paranormal enthusiasts, researchers, and investigators. We hope you'll find our publication entertaining and informative.
Paranormal Volume 3, Issue 3 Underground March 2010 TM In the Spotlight: GHI's Brandy Green Now That's What I Call a Close Encounter! The Customs House Holds Spirits Within Exorcism: Psychological . . . or Paranormal? Parachasers: In Search of New Discoveries Also Inside: � Living in a Haunted House as a Paranormal Investigator � Should I Call Him a Ghost or Something Else? � TV Watch: Living With the Dead � Book/Movie Review: MarchThe Time Traveler's Wife 2010 Paranormal Underground 1 From Paranormal Underground Journalist Karen Frazier and Ghost Knight Media, LLC 2 Book Now Available Online at www.avalancheofspirits.com Paranormal Underground March 2010 Inside This Issue FEATURES INVESTIGATOR SPOTLIGHTS Brandy Green Goes From Desk Jockey to Worldwide Paranormal Explorer Parachasers: In Search of New Discoveries 16 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 30 34 Haunted History Germain, Count St. Germain: (With Respects to Mr. Bond) Are We Alone? Now That's What I Call a Close Encounter PERSONAL EXPERIENCES Diary From a Haunted Hotel Should I Call Him a Ghost or Something Else? 38 40 DEPARTMENTS Contributors Ghost Hunter Comic Publisher's Letter From the Editor Calendar of Events Paranormal News TV Watch: Living With the Dead Paranormal Perspective: Guest Editorial Exorcism: Psychological or Paranormal? 42 Fiction: Featured Author "Where Memories Lie (Part I of IV)" by Lettie Prell 44 4 5 7 9 11 12 14 54 55 Nonfiction Paranormal Book Excerpt Avalanche of Spirits: The Ghosts of Wellington 50 Member Profile: Richard Lombardi (movieman) Paranormal Fantasy Author Spotlight Shelli Stevens 52 Review of the Month: The Time Traveler's Wife March 2010 Paranormal Underground 3 Contributors Heidi Ann Heidi Ann has been a paranormal enthusiast since childhood when she had her own encounter. Her personal experience led her to question the world around her. Heidi is a mother of three sons, works as a special education paraprofessional in a middle school, and loves watching television shows and reading books on the paranormal. of eight, Rick is happily married and digs Jazz. He believes in the use of the scientific method in gathering evidence of paranormal claims. Rick can be contacted at firstname.lastname@example.com. ing her writing, editing, and design talents -- along with a fascination of the paranormal -- to bring you Paranormal Underground each month. Her previous magazine experience includes roles as Senior and Managing Editor for several nichemarket publications. Cheryl is a partner for Ghost Knight Media (www. ghostknightmedia.com). Carolyn M. Hughes As a night manager in a haunted hotel on the Gettysburg battlefield, Carolyn has had ghostly experiences both at work and while on the battlefield. She considers the ghosts of the soldiers that haunt Gettysburg as `her boys.' Carolyn shares her experiences with Paranormal Underground in her column, Diary of a Haunted Hotel. Michelle M. Pillow Michelle is an award-winning author writing in many romance fiction genre, including futuristic and paranormal. A skeptical believer, she has a fascination with anything paranormal. She's also a photographer and cohost of Raven Radio. Readers and listeners can contact Michelle through her Website, www.michellepillow.com. You can catch her latest three book series, Realm Immortal (King of the Unblessed; Faery Queen; and Stone Queen) in bookstores in January 2010. Karen Frazier Karen is the managing editor of Paranormal Underground magazine. After living in a WWII-era apartment 20 years ago where unexplainable things happened, Karen began to search for answers about the paranormal. Now she combines that interest with her professional experience as a copy writer and technical writer to help bring Paranormal Underground to the public. Karen is a partner with Ghost Knight Media. Lura Ketchledge For more than 20 years, Lura has been a model, waitress, bartender/ shrink, housewife, and owned and cared for horses. At age 19, Lura died and was brought back to life. After this event, she obtained psychic abilities, including seeing and communicating with dead people. Lura describes herself as an "accidental psychic." Lura deals with her paranormal experiences through writing and has written three novels. While she uses fictional characters and worlds in her books, she also shares her true psychic experiences. For more information, visit www.LuraKetch.com. Lettie Prell Lettie Prell is the author of Dragon Ring (Flying Pen Press), which blends science fiction with paranormal elements. Her stories have appeared in Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine, The Lorelei Signal, the A Time To... anthology (volume 3), and elsewhere. Lettie has explored shamanism, numerology, lucid dreaming, and other intuitive work. You can learn more about Lettie at www.lettieprell.com. Terri J. Garofalo Terri is a paranormal investigator, as well as the author and illustrator of EntitiesR-Us, a Ghost Hunter Comic. For more information, visit www.entities-r-us.com. Rick E. Hale A native of Chicago, Rick is the cofounder of the Greater Illinois Ghost Society. A paranormal researcher since the age Cheryl Knight Cheryl is editor-in-chief of Paranormal Underground magazine. She has been a professional writer and editor for more than 20 years. Cheryl is combin- Steven Raebel Steven is the Founder of Michigan Paranormal Project (MPP), a small Paranormal Investigating Group. He 4 Paranormal Underground March 2010 Ghost Hunter Comic has been interested in paranormal activity since an early age. Steven's has had paranormal experiences through most of his life. He founded MPP in 2005 to document spirit activity and to help share information with others that have similar experiences. Steven also hosts a paranormal radio show called "Fired Up With Steve and Julie LIVE." Chad Wilson A writer of articles and fiction, Chad is the publisher of Paranormal Underground and a partner for Ghost Knight Media (www. ghostknightmedia. com). He has parlayed his avid interest in the paranormal into a top-notch publication and Website -- Paranormal Underground. Chad has investigated with East Tennessee Paranormal Research Society and counts Waverly Hills, the Villisca Axe Murder House, the Queen Mary, the Queen Anne Hotel, and private residences among his investigations. T. Stokes T. Stokes is a holistic palmist, author, broadcaster, and lecturer in paraspiritual studies. A writer for magazines worldwide, he trained for more than 10 years at the Harry Edwards School of Spirit Mediumship and Guidance. For more information, visit www. tstokes.co.uk. Ronald Wolf Ronald is a college graduate of a renowned journalism program at Niagara College in Welland, Ontario. He has been published in numerous newspapers and magazines in three different countries. He is a former newspaper owner who specializes in photography and writing. Historical research, research of the occult, and interview skills make Ronald a natural writer of the paranormal. His voyage into the supernatural started in the fifth grade when he read his first Hans Holzer book. He presently writes a weekly column entitled Things That Go Bump in a Canadian Night. He resides in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. He has an active website at www.flickr.com/photos/22025727@ N04/ where he posts his previous and active works of journalism and videography, including the paranormal. If you would like to contact him please do so at firstname.lastname@example.com. 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 Paranormal Underground March 2010 www.ghostknightmedia.com Publisher's Letter What Would It Take? hat would it take to Being more prone to believe 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, mind but, in fact, a reality? At what and so I cannot truly judge what point does one pass from a staunch happened. But I also believe that if non-believer to a full-fledged believsomething unexplained occurred, er? Some have believed their entire it should be investigated further. life, others are new to the game, and Without that additional investigastill others will never believe tion, a personal experience in paranormal activity of will most likely be chalked any kind . . . ghosts, crypup to nothing more than a tids, or UFOs. strange experience. Looking past the sciThis is how I approach ence and the fact that, to the paranormal. How do date, there has not been you approach it? What did any scientific evidence to it take or what will it take to support the existence of convince you the paranorChad Wilson, ghosts, UFOs, and Bigfoot, mal is more than just our Publisher we are left with the reality imaginations -- that ghosts that every year hundreds, if indicate an afterlife, that not thousands, of people experience bigfoot is out there, that intelligent events that most would consider life exists beyond Earth? beyond the norm. Or will you never be convinced? I Could it be there is nothing to think each individual will give a differall of these claims, that the governent answer, but in the end, I think we ment is covering up some of these can all agree on one thing: Something events, or that it is just our minds and is going on. Whether that something 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 the scientific community won't accept understanding, remains to be seen. paranormal events as reality. Eventually, when we die, we'll But at some point, unexplained all know the answer. Until then, events happen, leaving most of us I'll keep on searching for answers. wondering, is there life after death? What will you do? Are we truly alone in the universe? Is Want to give your views on paranorthere more to this world than we curmal topics? We welcome your comrently see and understand? My answer ments on our forum at www.parato the first two questions is . . . it's normalunderground.net/site/forum/. possible. As for the last question, my Please join in on the discussions! answer is a definite yes! Paranormal UndergroundTM Volume 3, Issue 3 March 2010 www.ParanormalUnderground.net EDITORIAL Publisher email@example.com W Chad Wilson Editor-in-Chief firstname.lastname@example.com Cheryl Knight Managing Editor email@example.com Karen Frazier Science Editor firstname.lastname@example.com J.D. Harrison Contributing Authors Heidi Ann Karen Frazier Terri J. Garofalo Rick E. Hale Carolyn M. Hughes Lura Ketchledge Cheryl Knight Michelle M. Pillow Lettie Prell Steven Raebel T. Stokes Chad Wilson Ronald Wolf Copyright � 2008-2010 -- Paranormal UndergroundTM is a trademarked product. All rights reserved. As such, Paranormal Underground and its contents are the property of its owners. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. This publication and all content within this publication may not be copied, quoted, distributed, modified, or reprinted without the express written consent of Paranormal Underground magazine. Paranormal Underground magazine is a publication of Ghost Knight Media, LLC. March 2010 Paranormal Underground 7 Interested in Purchasing Paranormal Underground Magazine? http://paranormalunderground.magcloud.com/ 8 Paranormal Underground March 2010 And Select the Issues You'd Like to Order. Visit: From the Editor Do You Believe? n this issue of Paranormal Underground magazine, our fearless leader Chad Wilson asks in his Publisher's Letter what it would take to move a paranormal nonbeliever to a full-fledged believer. An undeniable personal experience? A validated scientific study? Nothing? Well, this past summer, our very own Karen Frazier (managing editor and roving paranormal reporter) became a full-fledged believer, as did her husband, Jim, an uber-science geek who used to roll his eyes at the utterance of the word ghost. So what convinced Karen and Jim that there is far more to our world than science can account for -- that there is life after death? The answer is simple: Wellington, Washington, the site of the worst avalanche disaster in United States' history, which took at least 96 lives on March 1, 1910. Almost 100 years later, Karen and Jim spent the summer of 2009 investigating the avalanche site with many of their friends and colleagues. What they uncovered at Wellington surprised them both. Their research, personal experiences, and plethora of video, photographic, and audio evidence led to one conclusion: Wellington is haunted with the spirits of the deceased. In commemoration of the 100year anniversary of the Wellington avalanche disaster, in her new book (called Avalanche of Spirits: The Ghosts of Wellington) Karen documents the history of the disaster, her experiences there this past summer, and why she is now convinced that our souls carry on after physical death. Turn to page 50 to take a sneak peek at a chapter of Avalanche Paranormal UndergroundTM Volume 3, Issue 3 March 2010 www.ParanormalUnderground.net I ART Art Director Chad Wilson Design and Layout of Spirits: The Ghosts of Wellington. In this short excerpt, you'll get a feeling for the powerful hold Wellington has on the individuals who visit there. Also in this issue, we profile paranormal investigator Brandy Green of the hit TV show Ghost Hunters International (GHI). Brandy shares with us how she first became interested in the paranormal and what brought her to join the GHI team. Turn to page 16 to find out more! We also spotlight Parachasers' Chris DeMent, who formed his team two years ago in an effort to capture "that great find," research new tools to aid the paranormal community, and share the team's findings with others. Read more about Parachasers on page 22. Also, don't miss our Case Files of the Unknown section, which features the haunted Customs House in Hamilton, Ontario; the mysterious Count St. Germain; and a few strange close encounters. Plus, make sure to check out Steven Raebel's article on page 26, where he reveals what it's like to live in a haunted house as a paranormal investigator. I hope you enjoy this issue. Happy reading! Cheryl Knight Promotions Promotions/Marketing firstname.lastname@example.com Karen Frazier www.myspace.com/paranormalunderground MySpace Twitter http://twitter.com/ParanormalUG YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/ParanormalUG Advertising Interested in Advertising in Paranormal Underground Magazine or on our Website? Call 1-714-646-4197 or e-mail: email@example.com Send comments and letters to: firstname.lastname@example.com. ~ Cheryl Knight Editor-in-Chief March 2010 Paranormal Underground 9 Join us for 100 Days of Namast� Seeing the Light in Every Person . . . Every Day 10 www.namasteproject.org Paranormal Underground March 2010 Calendar of Events March 12�13 Southeast Texas Paranormal Convention Beaumont Civic Center, Texas www.texasghostshow.com May 7�8 August 5�7 Parasota: Midwest Paranormal Event Three-day event St. Paul, Minnesota www.parasota.com March 12�14 August 6�8 Indiana Paranormal Convention Danville, Indiana www.indyparacon.com Eastern Paranormal Investigators Co-Op Conference The Cavalier Hotel Virginia Beach, Virginia http://epiccon.com Canadian�American Paranormal Convention at the Quality Inn Sarnia, Ontario, Canada www.canamparacon.com March 25�28 May 8 Mission Paranormal Convention 1 p.m.�9 p.m. CDT San Marcos, Texas For more information, e-mail email@example.com August 13�14 2nd Annual Psychic & Paranormal Gathering Holiday Inn, Southwest Louisville, Kentucky E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Phenomenology 102 Eisenhower Hotel Gettysburg, Pennsylvania www.phenomenology102.northeasternparanormal.org May 15�16 August 21�22 April 9 Shadowz Paranormal and Wellness Expo Jackson County Fairgrounds Pascagoula, Mississippi http://shadowzparanormal.com Second Annual Ohio Paranormal Convention Dayton, Ohio www.ohioparacon.com/ Queen City Paranormal Convention Cincinnati, Ohio Historic Music Hall www.queencityparacon.com May 21�23 August 27�28 California Ghost Hunters Conference Hampton Inn Hayward, California www.ghost-trackers.org/2010_conference.htm April 16�18 Haunted Retreat Old South Pittsburg Hospital South Pittsburg, Tennessee www.hauntedretreat.com June 5�7 First Annual Para-Camp Kiamichi Mountains For more information, contact Anita at 405-246-8926 Haunted America East Coast Conference Cape Cod Community College West Barnstable, MA www.americanspookshows.com October 9�16 April 24�25 June 6�7 Circle of Life Body, Mind, Spirit, and Paranormal Expo Sat. & Sun. 10 a.m.�7 p.m. Interstate Fairgrounds Conference Building Pensacola, Florida www.circleoflifeexpo.com Ghost Hunt at Fort Mifflin Fort Mifflin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania www.hauntedtruth.com First Annual Paranormal Cruise Norwegian Cruise Line's Epic Miami, Florida http://wisdominlight.com/paranormalcruise2010.html October 29�31 June 25�26 Haunted America Midwest Conference Decatur, Illinois www.americanspookshows.com Haunted Horrors Paranormal and Film Convention The Marriott MeadowView Conference Resort and Convention Center Kingsport, Tennessee www.thehauntedhorrors.com March 2010 Paranormal Underground 11 Paranormal News Britain's MoD Censors Reports Headless Marine Animal Found in Canada 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 investigating. "It would be nice to see if anyone knows what it is," says Lovell, as quoted by www.thewesternstar.com. "First I thought it was a seal washed up (on the high tide earlier in the day), but when I went down to check on my boat that evePhoto: The Western Star ning, I walked over to see and then I knew it wasn't a seal. But, I don't know what it is." The strange-looking carcass is approximately 15 feet in length and has a pointed, 10-foot tail. It also had a single flipper-like appendage on its right side, and looked to be decapitated. A B ritain's Ministry of Defense (MoD), under a deluge of Freedom of Information Act requests, has agreed to make public its full archive of UFO sightings, albeit censored. It seems that "uncomplimentary comments" about the public made by staff and police officers, along with information dealing with air defense matters, defense technology, and foreign relations, were intentionally edited out. 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. And while thousands of pages have been released since 2008 from the National Archives, detailing reports of flying objects and alien encounters, the MoD stated that it is only interested in ensuring the integrity and safety of U.K. airspace, and has no interest in proving the veracity of claims of the existence of alien life forms. Fears of "accusations of a coverup" were what prompted a full release of the information. The memo is part of the fifth installment of MoD files released to the public since it shut its special investigation unit December 1, 2009. It tells of sightings of a large, triangular object above the home of Michael Howard, former home secretary, near Folkestone, Kent, during March 1997. A Ghostly Apparition Appears in Window n Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand, man says he's captured an apparition in the window of the St. Bathans post office. Andrew Watters had travelled to St. Bathans, near Alexandra, to search for ghosts that reputedly haunt the building. After taking plenty of photos, a friend spotted the shape of a woman in the window of the post office (see picture at right, which includes an enlargement of the apparition in the upstairs window). "It's freaked me out a bit. The shape is very close to a human figure," Watters was quoted as Photo: Andrew Watters saying by www.stuff.co.nz. The post office, which opened in 1909 and was a "category two" historic place, had been vacant for about a year. It has been managed by the Department of Conservation since the 1950s. The interior remains mostly unchanged from its days as a working post office, the report said, and the second floor (where the mysterious figure was captured on film) was the postmaster's living quarters. A 12 Paranormal Underground March 2010 U.K. Businessman Reveals "Psychic School" Plans Lancashire, U.K., businessman is bidding to buy a castle in order to open Britain's first "psychic school of excellence," according to www.lancashiretelegraph.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 somewhere," 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 workshops because I think there is a desire and a need for that." During an 18-month search, Horkin visited about 20 houses and castles before deciding on Gwrych. He hopes to open his psychic school of excellence in late 2012. Doctor Claims Evidence of the Afterlife A Dead Woman Comes Back to Life? 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 funeral home, where workers were preparing a woman's body for burial. The woman's name has not yet been released. The woman had been declared clinically dead at a medical facility in Cali after having been hospitalized with a neurological condition a day earlier, the report said. "The instruments the patient was connected to gave no blood pressure or heart rate readings," said Miguel Angel Saavedra, a doctor at the clinic where the woman was treated, as quoted by www.foxnews.com/. After the medical staff signed the women's death certificate, her body was transferred to the funeral home. But when workers were preparing to apply formaldehyde to the 45-year-old woman's body, she suddenly started breathing and moving. It turned out that the woman had been alive, a victim of Lazarus Syndrome, a very rare phenomenon where there is a spontaneous return of circulation to a person's body after failed resuscitation attempts. The woman was readmitted to the hospital and was in a coma. I n his book Evidence of the Afterlife: The Science of Near-Death Experiences, Dr. Jeffrey Long reports on nearly 1,300 near-death accounts. Long says his study shows that accounts of Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) are so similar across cultures and age ranges that they can't be explained away by sheer predisposition to what an NDE is supposed to be. "I think if near-death experiences were culturally determined, then people that had never heard of near-death experiences would have a different experience," Long said, as quoted by http://today.msnbc.msn. com. "But we're not finding that. Whether you know or don't know about near-death experiences at the time it happens, it has no effect on whether the experience happens or not, or what the content is." Long's book details nine lines of evidence he claims prove NDEs are an indication of an afterlife, including crystal-clear recollections, heightened senses, reunions with deceased family members, and long-lasting effects after the person is brought back to life. Long points to NDE cases among children as extremely compelling as well. I March 2010 Paranormal Underground 13 TV Watch "Living With the Dead" Team Battles The Other Side By Heidi Ann hen your house is inhabited by unwelcome spirits, who do you call for help? If you live in Great Britain, you could call the crew from the TV show Living With the Dead. The program, which follows a group of psychics as they attempt to rid a location of its unwanted guests, debuted in 2008 on the Living Channel, which is part of Virgin Media Television. Living With the Dead features a team of four experienced psychics and investigators: paranormal investigator Mark Webb, who was replaced by Stephen Griffiths in the second season; historian Hallie Rubenhold; and psychics Johnnie Fiori and Ian Lawman. Fiori, a "sensitive" since birth, has participated in over 100 cleansings, and Lawman, who is an exorcist, says he's sent many spirits to the "other side" in the more than 1,000 investigations he's been a part of. Each episode of the show starts with the owners of the home giving a detailed explanation of the activity they have been experiencing. Webb (and subsequently Griffiths) then arrives at the location and takes a tour of the house, planning how the investigation will be set up for that night. The psychics arrive on scene later in the day, with no prior knowledge of the house, its history, or the W Living With the Dead's first season featured psychics Johnnie Fiori and Ian Lawman, as well as paranormal investigator Mark Webb (pictured at left). During the show's second season, Webb was replaced by investigator Stephen Griffiths after an unresolved controversy. claims of the owners. As Fiori and Lawman tour the house, they use their gifts to get a feeling for what is happening in the home. The team spends the night in the location, collecting all the information they can on the spirits dwelling in the home. Fiori and Lawman then take what they've learned and attempt to exercise the spirits from the house. This is rarely an easy task, as the entities don't always want to leave, and will put up a battle at times, even resulting in the occasional possession of one of the team members. The show hasn't been without controversy though. After the first season, Mark Webb told Ghost Chronicle International, a radio show hosted by ex-Most Haunted Historian Richard Felix, that the psychics on the show, who reportedly have no prior knowledge of the cases, were actually supplied with information on the locations before the shows were filmed. Webb provided the group Research into Paranormal Anomalistics (RiPA) with a copy of an e-mail he claims he received, giving him the information on a location they would be filming at. Fiori and Lawman are also listed as recipients of the e-mail. RiPA attempted to get Fiori and Lawman's side of the story, but they refused to comment. Living with the Dead originally aired in Britain and was also shown in Canada, Australia, and on the Discovery ID channel in the United 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 fter numerous curious encounters with the paranormal during her childhood, Brandy Green decided to explore the possibilities of life after death and search for answers. "I read as much material on the paranormal as I could get my hands on, spoke with experienced investigators, watched specials, and then I stepped out to do field work," Brandy said. Soon after, Brandy founded her own paranormal investigation group in the Twin Cities. 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. As Brandy sat under the florescent lighting of her "9 to 5" day job, the phone rang. On the other end of the line was acquaintance and paranormal investigator Barry Fitzgerald, from the hit TV show Ghost Hunters International (GHI). There was an opening on the show, he said. They were looking for a case manager. Brandy set down the phone and never looked back. A Aside from psychology, anthropology, and the afterlife, Ghost Hunters International investigator Brandy Green's interests include Egyptology, cryptozoology, travel, sketching, old movies, music, and theater. After getting the call to join the GHI team, Brandy jumped at the change to investigate the paranormal around the world. While Brandy is thrilled about her position with GHI and the opportunity to investigate locations worldwide, she admits being on TV takes some getting used to. "I found it a bit awkward to find myself suddenly on a hit SyFy television show," she said. "But coming from the Midwest; working a 40-hour a week Monday through Friday, fluorescently lit office job; running my own paranormal investigation team and heading investiga- tions on the weekends; the opportunity to do what I am doing now is almost unbelievable." To hear more about Brandy's experiences in the paranormal, read on . . . ***** Q: How long have you been investigating the paranormal? Brandy: I started investigating the 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 paranormal 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 husband died, my younger sister and I would spend weeks during the summer months with her while school was out. We helped to keep her spirits up -- to keep her company. 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 separated my grandmother's back bedroom from the kitchen/dining room. I was awoken by the pull-out bed shaking, just a bit. I really don't know why I woke up to tell you the truth. I sat there in bed, trying to go back to sleep when suddenly I hear Ghost Hunters International investigators (from left to right) Robb Demarest, Dustin Pari, Brandy Green, and Barry Fitzgerald are pictured in the Carpathians at Poienari Castle. make of it, and I figured I wouldn't make a stir about it and scare my little sister or upset my grandmother with it, so I forced myself back to sleep. In the morning, I discovered that the kitchen table's chair on the right side of the table was pulled out. I knew "I get to travel the world and look for ghosts! How much cooler could it get?" a creak in the floor boards near the foot of my bed. Then another, and then another. It sounded like footsteps. I didn't quite know what to for a fact that it wasn't like that before going to bed, and I was the last one in bed. I had been sitting in that chair and pushed it in before leaving the kitchen. The next morning at 4 a.m., the bed shook ever so slightly, and this time both my sister and I woke up. We both heard the footsteps. Knowing that I wasn't crazy, I got up out of bed and peered slowly into the kitchen. Sure enough the kitchen chair was pulled out again, though it had been pushed in prior to me going to bed. My sister and I didn't mention it to my grandmother right away. We didn't know how she would react, but eventually we decided that we needed to tell her what had been going on. She was awe struck when she heard the strange goings on because she herself had been experiencing other strange things going on after her husband died. She then informed us that her second husband had a routine. March 2010 Paranormal Underground 17 Investigator Spotlight Every morning at 4 a.m., he would wake up, walk through the living room and into the kitchen, and sit down in that chair and smoke his morning cigarette. What was interesting about these events was the fact that we weren't merely dealing with residual, non cognitive energy. Because of other events that my grandmother was experiencing at the time, this energy was indeed very aware of her. Q: What interests you the most about the paranormal? Brandy: It is a field that is still in the process of being researched and will continue to be until the day we die. Only then, will we really know what it involves and how it works. For me, it is the desire to forge new discoveries into the great unknown. Q: What would our readers be surprised to find out about you? Brandy: I won an award for singing an Italian aria when I was younger. I sketch, paint, and have done some of my own photography. Q: How did you end up on SyFy's TV show Ghost Hunters International (GHI)? Brandy: I worked a regular 8�5:30 office job in a cubical and ran my own team on the weekends. For what was almost two years I had known Barry via an online circle of friends that were also paranormal investigators, and he called me up one day, while I was quietly working in my cubical, and asked me if I would be interested in joining the team because they were looking for a new case manager. Q: Talk about how appearing on GHI has affected you. While investigating overseas can be difficult, Brandy welcomes each new day with open arms, realizing how lucky she is to work with such a great team while traveling the world researching paranormal phenomena. thought that I was an independent person before GHI , but it is at an all-new level now. You learn a lot about yourself and others -- the good and bad. Q: What has it been like filming for the TV show overseas? Brandy: Being filmed in general is certainly something that takes a while to get used to, especially while investigating. We are lucky enough though to work with some really great cameramen and sound technicians who have become good friends and people that we can not only rely on, but trust as well. Working overseas, as a whole, can be difficult. There are often major language barriers, strange foods, customs, beliefs, etc. You really need to know how to relate to people even if you can't speak the language. You have to be able to adapt and adapt quickly. It's tough. But every day is a new day and a new experience, and I welcome it all with open arms. I get to travel the world and look for ghosts! How much cooler could it get? I understand how lucky I am to be able to do this and am honored to work with such a great team. Q: What are the most common types of equipment you use during investigations? Brandy: We use digital audio recorders (I use my Edirol R-09 digital audio recorder, which records at 20 Hz, has a brilliant digital audio graph display screen, and records at 2x CD quality); TriField meters; still cameras (including Deep IR, IR, Full Spectrum, and flash photography); IR and Full Spectrum DVR system; IR MiniDv HD Handycams; multifunctional meters; weather monitors; temperature guns; thermal imager; data loggers, etc. Brandy: I forget all the time that I am on television; that's why if you see me in a store or in an airport and approach me using my name, I will probably look at you puzzled and have a momentary lapse of curiosity over just how you know my name or who I am. Ha! With that said, I am more easily able to meet people from all over the world that hold the same passion as mine, and I am able to share my knowledge and experience to a greater extent than before. Also, traveling really forces you to become more independent than ever before. I mean, I 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 learning 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 client during the analysis. Adding in translators to follow us around during an investigation would be worthless and honestly would just add contamination to our investigation. No one on the team is fluent in any language but English. Q: Can you tell us what lies ahead for the show? Brandy: Some really great investigations that will be coming up shortly. Q: What words of wisdom would you offer amateur ghost hunters investigating for the first time? Brandy: Do it because you have an honest passion for the field, not because you want to be rich and famous. None of us are rich, and none of us are being featured in The Enquirer. It's a tough field to be in. Stay true, stay strong, stay grounded, and stay skeptical. ***** Brandy's most exciting Ghost Hunters International investigations to date include the Grande Hotel in Cambuquira, Brazil, and Real Felipe Fortress in Peru. She lists Costa Rica, Australia/Tasmania, and Ireland as a few of her favorite countries to investigate in. Q: What have been your most exciting investigations to date, and what happened on those investigations? Brandy: Definitely Grande Hotel in Cambuquira, Brazil; Real Felipe Fortress in Peru; and some of the locations that will be seen shortly on SyFy. Q: What has been your favorite country to investigate in? Brandy: I have to say that Costa Rica and Australia/Tasmania are some of my all-time favorites. They were just absolutely beautiful. Ireland is another country that is enjoyable. Q: What has been your best video and photographic evidence caught to date for the show? Brandy: I certainly think the young child's reflection that was captured at the Real Felipe Fortress in Peru is one of the top 10, for sure. Also, a full-bodied apparition that Robb caught when he and I were investigating Moosham Castle in Austria, as well as some of the pieces that will be airing shortly. Q: There is a fair share of criticism surrounding paranormal TV shows. What do you say to those claiming GHI and other shows fake evidence and manufacture drama to boost ratings? Brandy: I think that a lot of "ParaTV" is fake. GHI isn't. I'll quit the day we are asked to fake something. It's not what I signed up for, and I have been investigating the paranormal for years now. I've seen some crazy stuff. Why would I need to fake any of it? It just seems silly. GHI members don't sit around getting possessed every 20 minutes, For more information about Brandy Green, visit http://www.myspace. com/gonnafindthemghosts. 20 Paranormal Underground March 2010 YOUR AD HERE! Advertise in Paranormal Underground, on Our Forums, or During our Podcasts! 1-714-646-4197 � � � � � Affordable Rates/Target Audience Long-Term Exposure More than 3,645 readers per issue More than 22,000 Unique Page views per issue Our Website is viewed by 8,335+ visitors per month, with 63% being new traffic � Our podcasts have more than 5,000 iTunes subscribers plus an additional listener base of 3,200 per month. � Magazine available online and "print on demand" For more information, contact email@example.com March 2010 Paranormal Underground 21 Investigator Spotlight In Search of New Discoveries By Chad Wilson arachasers I.N.C. was formed for people interested in paranormal phenomena. The group, located in California, researches and investigates ghosts, shadow people, apparitions, hauntings, and EVPs. "We're here to discover and discuss paranormal evidence," according to Chris DeMent, founder of Parachasers. "We work hard to promote the advancement of paranormal equipment as it pertains to the capture of paranormal evidence." The team utilizes such tools as infrared cameras, EMF detectors (including the K-II meter), digital voice recorders, as well as many other tools. In fact, Chris recently created a new iPhone and iPod Touch application, called Ghost Words, in an effort to find a new way to communicate with the spirits of the dead. We recently talked to Parachasers about their mission, investigative style, equipment use, and more. ***** Q: Please talk a little bit about yourself, both personally and professionally. Chris: I'm an artist, inventor, paranormal enthusiast, and founder of Parachasers. I've worked in numerous Parachasers: P Pictured above is the Parachasers team, including (back row from left to right) Sophie, Fred, Sara, Chris, (front row from left to right) Victor, and Helen. technical and artistic fields, and currently work as a fiber optic technician for a telecommunications company. Q: What are your favorite paranormal shows, books, and Web sites? Chris: We enjoy watching most paranormal shows, as they help supple- ment our hunger for the paranormal when our schedules don't allow us to get out and investigate. I guess you could say we are always waiting to see the holy grail of visual evidence captured on tape. We avoid shows like Extreme Paranormal, for its reckless and extremely scripted acts, and Most Haunted 22 Paranormal Underground March 2010 due to the amount of focus on the investigators being scared instead of the actual evidence. Q: Why and when did you form Parachasers? Chris: We formed Parachasers two years ago after countless hours of intense research for paranormal tools and information. We felt if it was this difficult to find info, then why not help others with the knowledge we obtained. Our site is focused on getting future investigators the base knowledge without breaking the bank, so they can get out there and capture something good. Others fear that there are too many groups in the paranormal field, but we feel if there are more groups then there is more chance of the great find. Q: How long have you been investigating the paranormal? Chris: My wife and I started ghost hunting about 16 years ago as a couple, with our first location being the Whaley House in San Diego. Next, we were on to Alcatraz and the Winchester Mystery House. Then off to the Queen Mary, where we have been twice, both times with crazy results. Q: What interests you most about the paranormal? Chris: I guess what draws us toward the paranormal is the chance to interact with the other side without ending up there before our time. We feel that there could be a way to communicate with friendly spirits that just hasn't been figured out yet. We all know science discovers new things, and perhaps there is a ghost hunter out there that will find the right method. But we won't find out just sitting here. Q: Have you had any personal paranormal experiences prior to becoming an investigator that you'd like to share? Chris: When I was about 10, as cartoonish as it may seem, while playing in some unfinished new homes I saw a glowing, transparent, blue floating chain. I ran like crazy to get out. Would I have run today? By all means no! Chris and his wife, Sara: Prior to becoming investi"ParaSara" videotapes during an investigation. gators, we were spending some time at a friend's home. My wife and I were months prior to his son's birth. I had walking over to a detached spent the night with my friend Lynn home office to satisfy our sweet tooth (Jim's girlfriend and mother of his with some licorice located there. My son) because she had trouble sleeping wife, Sara, was in front of me. As we with his passing and needed help with started walking through the door, she their new son at nights. suddenly looked back. Then I looked He was a restless little guy and back to see someone we thought was had his days all backwards like some our friend's father. infants do. So I went into her sewing I held the door for him and said room and laid Michael (their son) into we're getting licorice. When he had the bassinet to sleep. I then started a grabbed the door, I let go and we connew sewing project as Lynn slept in the tinued on. Maybe only six feet into the other room. While I was occupied in office Sara looked back again and said, my own world sewing, all of a sudden "Where did Matt's dad go?" I felt like I was being watched -- but it I looked back just to realize he wasn't a scared feeling. In fact, I had was no longer there. As we rejoined thought it was my friend Lynn checkour friend, we told him we saw his ing on her son and me. dad. He immediately told us that his So, as I turned around to tell her dad wasn't here. So we explained, and the baby was fine and sleeping, it was he went on to tell us his late grandparnot her in the doorway looking upon ents, who had looked very much like us; it was Jim. In an instant, he was his dad, had built the home. Immegone. I stayed dumbfounded and stiff diately, it felt like our hearts sunk into as a nail. I wasn't scared, but wonour stomachs, but that feeling turned dered how to tell my friend I had just into wonder and then doubt. seen her deceased boyfriend. I had to Experiencing that full-body apwake her up to tell her that Jim just visparition was the start of our paranorited his son. It was a very hard thing to mal endeavors. tell her at the time, yet I had to let her know what I had just seen. She reacted Helen: I was about 25 years old when in a comforting way, but also with sorI saw the ghost of my friend Jim. row that she had missed his visit. He passed away from cancer three March 2010 Paranormal Underground 23 Investigator Spotlight I was soon alone again with the baby, and I started to shake with a chill, knowing I had seen a ghost or spirit of someone who was gone. I became so interested in finding out exactly what it was I saw. Was it Jim's ghost? Was he checking on the son he left behind? Or was it just something that wanted me to believe it was Jim? So the question of the paranormal had been planted, and it grew from there. That was my first experience with a ghost. Q: Talk about your paranormal group and its mission. Chris: Our group, first and foremost, is geared at having fun, because if it becomes only about the work, then people will give up along the way. We all look for that possibility of communication, whether it is with a lost family member or close friend. We discuss the numerous paranormal shows as to what could be real, misinterpreted, mental matrixing, or even the "F-word" . . . FAKED. We range from being parents and homemakers to technicians and educators. Q: What different types of locations have you investigated? Chris: We have been to numerous California locations, such as the Whaley House, Old Town San Diego, Alcatraz, the Queen Mary, and Riverside's the Mission Inn. We have done a couple of private residence investigations, with one in New Mexico where there were stories of smelling fragrances and sensing the deceased grandparents. We just so happened to capture a ghost face looking out a window of the Mesilla residence that resembles the grandmother. While in New Mexico, we investigated The Double Eagle Restaurant in Mesilla. We had personal stories but no physical evidence. Q: You focus on the use of equipment in paranormal investigation. Tell us about that. Chris: Years ago, we had an encounter that went undocumented. We would love for others to be able to see what we feel is out there. This encounter is why our main focus is on equipment. Equipment helps people get a better grasp on what just happened, rather than let their minds internalize and talk themselves out of an experience. If equipment can help clear the doubts, then so be it. Also, as the founder of our group, I love designing and building things. I'm not claiming to be an engineer, but I have fun with technology. We are constantly researching and working on new equipment ideas. While some of those ideas may not pan out, at least we tried. You never know what may be the next best ghost-hunting tool. We are trying to help everyone, from the guy that doesn't have much money but has some constructive skills to the person who has more money than time. Q: What type of controls do you put in place during equipment testing, as well as use to minimize or eliminate outside contamination? Chris: To eliminate outside contamination, we recommend that you know your environment and your equipment. Take base EMF/temperature readings, note RF readings, note outside noises, and note items that will possibly reflect light, such as reflective sneakers, glass, and such. Our main rule of thumb is . . . do not whisper, as a whisper can be mistaken for an EVP. If you're going to talk during an investigation, do so with a normal, quiet voice so it is 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 vision 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 infrared camcorder, as it provides visual Victor (at left) and Fred (at right) capture high EMF readings during an investigation. 24 Paranormal Underground March 2010 as well as audio evidence. Sometimes it helps as a night vision guide when you don't have a flashlight. We captured our best class A EVP at the Queen Mary on a basic non-infrared mini DV camcorder. We were lucky to get the EVP onto computer, as the next day the camcorder stopped working. Q: What case will you remember the most and why? Chris: By far our most interesting and creepy case has been the Queen Mary. The paranormal always seems to happen when you are least ready for it. On our first trip to the Queen Mary, while getting ready to check out some of the hot spots, our TV turned on and off by itself to a static-filled screen and the sound of a woman talking. While we were in our restroom looking over at a small closet, the oval antique knob to the closet door started turning, and just as I touched the knob with a feather-light touch, it stopped. Once I let go of the knob, it sprung back to its resting position. We opened the door to find a small closet with nothing there but a few hangers. By far that was the creepiest incident we ever encountered. Later that night while sleeping, the TV turned on and off again another two more times, once with a picture that didn't match the sound and the other with just the sound of a baseball game around 2 a.m. Q: What philosophies do you adhere to while investigating? Chris: We are skeptical believers and look at things logically first. We focus on equipment because we feel people, in general, rarely trust personal experiences. We don't blame skeptics for their disbelief, as our first inclination is that evidence is fake or there are possible natural causes for paranormal activity. We're not trying to put the holder of the experience down, but if there is a legitimate alternate reason, then we would like to find it. Then, when the information leads us toward the path of belief, we become the believer. Q: Whose work in the paranormal field do you respect the most? Chris: We try not to hold anyone to the pedestal as far as who is the best or most reliable, especially when it comes to TV. We do have to thank TAPS for making the paranormal more known to the masses with their mainstream hit show. Prior to Ghost Hunters, paranormal shows were here and there with some pretty kooky-looking and acting characters. TAPS brought a sense of normalcy to the paranormal field with their Average Joe background that some shows are trying to mimic today. Q: Talk about common misconceptions about the paranormal field that you've encountered? Chris: To this day there are common misconceptions about the paranormal field. Some of those are: If you're into the paranormal, so you must worship the devil. You don't believe in God do you? You hang out at the cemetery. You're into death and gore. These statements couldn't be farther from the truth. In fact, most of us have a firm belief in God and are very religious. Q: What words of wisdom would you offer amateur ghost hunters investigating for the first time or individuals looking to start their own group? Chris: If you are going to start a group, first of all good luck, and don't do it for the fame. Many groups split up due to the lack of time and money available for ghost hunting, as well personality differences. Start your group for the love Parachasers founder, Chris, enters a residence, ready to investigate. of the paranormal. In fact, the truth is that you may realize that you are a better individual investigator; however, a group setting gives you a more reputable appearance. Check out Parachasers.com, and get involved with sites such as Paranormal Underground to stay on top of the future of ghost hunting, as you will find many knowledgeable people that may have been through something you're dealing with. Q: What sites do you have on your wish list to investigate? Chris: There are a few of places on our list for future visits, such as Waverly Hills, Gettysburg, and Myrtles Plantation. These places have such great histories and stories of ghost activity that, as investigators, we feel we would not be disappointed. ***** For more information, visit www. parachasers.com. March 2010 Paranormal Underground 25 Special Report Living in a Haunted House as a Paranormal Investigator By Steven Raebel, Michigan Paranormal Project his is a story of my investigations as a paranormal researcher. Before we get into that, I will give a little background of who I am. My name is Steven Raebel; 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 documenting and discovering what was really going on. I have lived in haunted houses or homes with spirit activity most of my life, but nothing compares to this experience. A New Beginning . . . In a Haunted House In August 2008, I decided to move to a local tourist town in Michigan. Saugatuck is a waterfront community with lots of history and culture. It is a very laid back, calm, artistic, lake-front community with an amazing history. In a rush to find a place to rent T One paranormal investigator recounts what he learned after investigating his own haunted house and dealing with the aftermath. because of self imposed limitations, I was desperately looking for an available house in my limited price range. Within one week, I found an old house just outside of town. The property was set back off the road in a shaded location and sat in the historic district. The price was a little steep for what I wanted to pay, but for a two-bedroom house, it was perfect for what we were looking for. So I did a quick walk through of the house and immediately said "Yes!" Now, I believe everything happens for a reason; unfortunately, this was not a smart move on my part. Within a week of signing the lease, we moved into our new house. At the time, I was working two full-time jobs, doing investigations, and hosting a paranormal Internet radio show. I was starting 26 Paranormal Underground March 2010 a new family in a new location, and everything seemed perfect. Within approximately four days of moving in, my former girlfriend's two little girls kept saying they would see a man standing in their room at night and in the morning. We looked into it and decided to switch rooms with them. At this point, we had felt spirits around us in the house, but didn't think much of it. We thought it was spirit guides or loved ones who passed away, coming to give comfort and love. Within two months of living in the house we had experienced seeing full-body apparitions and hearing voices. We had also taken strange pictures in the house. Investigating My Own Home It didn't take long for everyone to start acting out of character. Emotional outbursts, lethargy, headaches, depression, arguments, sleeplessness, and strange actions all began to occur to those we spoke to and communicated with inside the house. Our lives began to unravel, and so did our relationship. After six months of this, my former girlfriend and her two children moved out. At that time, I began doing a paranormal investigation on my own house. Once I began communicating with the spirits in the house, they started manifesting and communicating to everyone but me. Family members, other paranormal investigators, and even groups were able to get the spirits to communicate through Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP), audible voices, spirit possession, and manifesting as full-body apparitions. At the time, I worked with psychics, mediums, paranormal researchers, and clergy all over the United States, so I started doing work with them to try and understand what was going on in my house. We used a cell phone and Web cam so they could communicate with me and see what was going on in the house. The consistency with what the psychics, friends, family, other paranormal investigators, and I had experienced was unbelievable. Most of the communications were from three ied spirits. I understand it all sounds crazy, but these things would happen on a daily basis with eyewitnesses in the paranormal, spiritual, and psychic fields. Other witnesses included models working for me, family members, friends, and skeptics. In addition to me, they attacked the models and skeptics with the most intensity. Objects flew off bookshelves, phone chargers flew out of walls, and beds shook violently. different spirits. There also seemed to be something else that was hiding or didn't want to be communicated with. When we conducted communication sessions with the earthbound spirits, there would be times they would be very scared of something in the house. When I began to bring people into the house is when we started to understand what was going on. It seemed that most people who were in contact with the house started to have drastic grounding issues. They had inspired but very out-of-control lifestyles. It was at this time that I met my spiritual life coach. I told her about some of the experiences I was having. In turn, she started to teach me how to pray and protect myself when dealing with the paranormal. This is when I started to understand that not all spirits were "love and light." I started to learn Psalms and read the Bible when the activity in the house started to get uncomfortable. Not only were there full-body apparitions manifesting, but there was screaming and yelling coming from rooms nobody was in. During this time, objects flew off the bookshelves, phone chargers flew out of the walls, beds shook violently, and people who would visit were overcome or possessed by disembodWhat Did I Learn? For more than six months, I lived in the house, studying and doing communication work with spirits. I also kept doing my radio shows from the house, until electronic interference from the spirits stopped that as well. I lived isolated all those months, studying what the spirits were and why they were there. I wanted to understand how they communicate to each other . . . and us. This has been a very tough battle, and I paid a high price for a spiritual education. My heart and prayers go out to anyone who has to go through this in life. When my lease finally came to an end, I was excited to move on. The one thing I have learned from this experience is that there are a lot of aspects of activity we can't see or predict. It is very important to be educated on all possibilities. As a paranormal researcher, I will include all of my experience from this house and apply it to future investigation. I have learned how important it is to combine both scientific and spiritual aspects when doing my research. I encourage anyone wanting to get into paranormal research to broaden their scope to include 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 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 incidences, 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, Ontario, 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, Ontario, was built in 1860. Its function was to house the customs department. In its 149 years, the house has been a home to an army recruiting center, a flophouse (a cheap boarding house), a martial arts academy, and even a macaroni factory. The Ontario Workers Arts and Heritage Center (OWAHC) now resides in this haunted building. The first documented paranormal sighting, of a female spirit, came in 1873 by Alexander Wingfield, an employee of the Customs House. Now, no one is sure who the lady of the house was, but throughout the ages she has been coined the Black Lady or Dark Lady. O The Customs House, in Hamilton, Ontario, was built in 1860. In its 150-year history, the site has been home to an infamous female spirit, as well as startling and unexplainable paranormal activity. Fast forward to 1940, where three female students of Murray Street School, located behind the Customs House, witnessed an event that would have emotional consequences. What they said they saw was a slightly transparent figure of a beautiful woman in the top floor of the Customs House. Their experience was so traumatic that 37 years later, when they retold their experiences, they were still frightened of the figure. Is the Black Lady or Dark Lady alone in her haunting? A certain woman had her own experience with a male voice telling her to "Get out of here." Other paranormal encounters have included unexplained breezes, doors opening by unseen hands, and electrical equipment reportedly being 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 night of work. Nothing was out of the ordinary when he shut windows and locked the fastening bars on the shutters. But only seconds later, Newbauer and fellow volunteer Andrew DeNew found them unlocked. 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 staircase and my digital camera picked up orbs (a mass of spiritual energy). I've visited many supposedly haunted buildings and places, but few have compared to the Customs House. I had the feeling of being watched -- perhaps not by a lady, but by someone or something who knew I was there. Paranormal encounters have abounded in the Customs House, including unexplained breezes, doors opening by unseen hands, and electrical equipment reportedly being operated when no one is there. A mysterious flood occurred within the house after a painter was told by a spirit that, if during the renovations a certain mantelpiece was moved, the result would end in a flood. Lo and behold, when the item was moved a roof drain unexpectedly broke. 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, oftentimes, in our quest to understand the greater, deeper mysteries of life, we get so wrapped up in the phenomena that we sometimes forget these strange people who have tread upon this little green/blue orb hanging 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 us as Count St. Germain. Was Count St. Germain an immortal soul as some claim? Or was he just a historical figure built up into a legend bigger than life? 30 Paranormal Underground March 2010 St. Germain: The Beginning of a Legend In the 12th Century, when English soldiers returned home after duking it out in the holy land with the forces of Islam in the third crusades, many of the king's finest spread a tale around the Christian world of a strange, blasphemous man who claimed to have known Jesus Christ. The strange man then made the even wilder claim to have been witness to the great teacher's demise at the hands of the Romans and his own countrymen. Those who claimed to have sat down with the strange man reported that he claimed to be Cartaphilus, the temple doorman who blasphemed Jesus as he made his way to his date with destiny. The man claimed that as he yelled at Jesus to move faster up the hill, Jesus turned to him and said, "I will go now, but you shall wait until I return." Kind of a strange thing to say. But many years later it was said that Cartaphilus stayed young and vibrant while his friends and family began to drop dead from old age or diseases. As the story spread of the seemingly immortal man, the Medieval tale of the Wandering Jew was born. Over the centuries, the tale of the Wandering Jew fell out of fashion as religion moved out of human consciousness and science and reason began to take hold. However, in 1740, the tale of the Wandering Jew once again came to light when a strange man with a decidedly Jewish looking cast mysteriously appeared in Paris, France, and began to get in good with the glitterati of the time period. The elite of 18th Century France came to seek out this odd character, who dressed only in black and wore diamond rings on each of his fingers. It was first believed this beautiful stranger was a visiting royal from some far away Eastern European land; however, they would soon discover that there was more than meets the eye concerning the stranger who called himself St. Germain. A 1,000-year-Old Man or a Well-Spoken Con Man? It didn't take long for St. Germain to be welcomed into the fashionable circles of 18th Century France. St. Germain proved to be a virtuoso not only on the piano but other than the infamous Wandering Jew of legend. An Extraordinary Gentleman, or the Work of the Devil? The Count's wild claims were reinforced when, one night at a party, he met the Countess von Georgy. When the elderly Countess shook the hand of the fascinating man, she was stunned that this gentleman looked much like a man she had met more than 50 years ago in Venice, Italy. When she asked if it was his Count St. Germain claimed to be more than 1,000 years old. on the violin as well. The odd man also proved to be adept at speaking several foreign tongues and claimed to be a master of the occult, which fascinated many of the gentlemen who belonged to any number of secret societies that were fashionable at the time. However, what truly stunned the people at the many soirees that he had attended was his insane claim to be well over 1,000 years old. Those who listened to his tales and initially had some skepticism quickly abandoned their disbelief when St. Germain described his dealings with many persons of historical note. When questioned by historians about little-known past events, St. Germain answered all their questions in stride. At one such party he was reportedly heard saying, "I always knew the Nazarene would come to a horrible end." Many still familiar with the tale of Cartaphilus, were now convinced that Count St. Germain was none father she had known all those years ago, St. Germain said no, that it was he she had known, and that she was as beautiful now as she had been as a young woman. The Countess blushed a bright red and said, "You are a most extraordinary man -- a devil really." Those who witnessed the exchange reported that St. Germain became angry, turned on his heels, and strode out of the room. But before he left, he turned and said with a growl to the Countess, "Please, Madame, no such words." After that night, St. Germain left France and traveled to Europe and Czarist Russia, once again becoming the talk of wherever he would go. It was even rumored that St. Germain was instrumental for getting Catherine the Great named as the Empress of Russia, and of warning the French nobility that a great conspiracy would soon engulf France and overturn the order of things. King Louis soon learned, as his 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. However, like all good things, the life of the mysterious St. Germain came to an end, when Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel, Germany, sent word to all the royal heads of state that St. Germain was dead and would be buried in a small churchyard. He invited everyone to the funeral. A few days later, thousands descended upon Hesse-Kassel to watch as the coffin -- containing the corpse of a man who would not die -- was lowered into the cold, hard ground. Never again would they be graced with his presence and strange tales of magic and mystery. If only that were true. Modern-Day Support for Count St. Germain Thirty years after his death, many claimed to have met and spoken with Count St. Germain. Some vowed that the Count was the keynote speaker at a meeting of France's Kabbalists, Freemasons, and Rosicrucians. Theosophists Annie Besant and Madame Blavatsky claimed to have met the undying Count and learned great secret truths at the feet of the Wandering Jew. Madame Blavatsky later claimed that the Count was a member of a secret race of immortals who resided in the Himalayan Mountains and would only come down from his home when the world needed his teachings. It appeared that in 1784 Count St. Germain pulled an Elvis and faked his own death. But why? As the years rolled on and the 20th Century arrived, others claimed to have met and learned from the "great master of occult knowledge." It is even believed by his faithful that the Count was captured and questioned by German troops in 1914 during World War I. This mysterious figure warned the troops that Germany was fighting a losing battle and would soon be defeated by the mighty forces of their enemies. The Germans felt that this man was nothing more than a raving lunatic and set him free. This raving lunatic soon faded into history and was never seen again. Looking back on the legend of St. Germain, I can't help but think that perhaps this man was in fact a raving madman or, worse, a fraud that told the royal houses of Europe what they wanted to hear and gave them a little something they were missing in their decadent lives . . . mystery. Or was he something more? Could the Count Have Discovered an Elixir of Life? 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. However, adherents of the Count's legend believe that St. Germain was neither a vampire nor Cartaphilus, the Wandering Jew; rather, they believe that St. Germain was a great, ancient alchemist who discovered the fabled Philosopher's Stone and gained not only riches but eternal life as well. If Count St. Germain does in fact exist, I issue this challenge to him: Come out of hiding and meet me at my home in Fox Lake, Illinois, because I'm sure if he can make an elixir that bestows eternal life, I'm counting on the fact that he can mix one hell of a martini. 32 Paranormal Underground March 2010 HOPE TO FIND A CURE. TO FIND A BETTER WAY. TO HELP ONE VICTIM. TO NOT FEEL ALONE. TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE. TO INSPIRE & HEAL. DONATE & GIVE HOPE! Stomp Out Cancer, Inc. StompOutCancer.com P Box 117 .O. Fairdale, Kentucky 40118 email@example.com www.stompoutcancer.com 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 hen I was 12 years old, my parents and I went on a road trip to my mom's hometown of Dayton, Kentucky. This trip would prove to be a turning point in my life concerning my interests in the strange and unusual. While in Kentucky, I met my mother's Uncle David, a strange old man with an even stranger story to tell. Uncle David told me that 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 the story. Despite the fact that he told his tale with such enthusiasm, now as an adult I have become somewhat skeptical of his tale when I take into consideration that Uncle David was one weird dude. And that is exactly the kind of skepticism that many UFO witnesses and alien contactees endure simply because their experiences are considered just too damn strange. Classifying UFO Experiences In 1972, world famous astronomer and UFO researcher Dr. Josef Allen Hynek took it upon himself to try and classify the myriad of W Astronomer and UFO researcher Dr. Josef Allen Hynek first suggested a threetier Close Encounter Classification System in his 1972 book The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry. Later, additional classifications were added. experiences of those who claimed to have either seen or come into direct contact with a UFO and its alien denizens. Dr. Hynek called the experience the Close Encounter Classification System, and it would certainly be useful to future researchers when they met with eyewitnesses and contactees. Dr. Hynek's initial classifications (there were several more classifications added at a later time by other researchers) were: � Close Encounter of the First Kind: The CE 1 states that the witness has no direct contact with a UFO and witnesses the craft at an altitude of 600 feet or less. � Close Encounter of the Second Kind: This experience kicks things up a notch. The observer not only sees the UFO but is affected physically by the experience. Those who have a CE 2 experience report an interference with their automobile or some other kind of interference with electrical equipment. These folks also report heat or even radiation damage to either themselves or their personal property, such as damage to cars or homes. The term "Lost Time" is an important event that many CE 2 experiencers report. Many who experience a CE 2 report that after their experience they are missing huge chunks of time. For example, a person may 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 Polishborn 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 few minutes; however, when the sighting is over, they realize that an hour or two have passed. They can't account for that missing time. � Close Encounter of the Third Kind: This is the event where the observer has direct contact with a landed UFO or comes into contact with an alien being. Those who report this event often claim that the alien tries to impart some intergalactic wisdom or warns the observer of possible catastrophes to our own world. Another commonly discussed close encounter classification added after Dr. Hynek initially created his system includes the Close Encounter of the Fourth Kind. A CE 4 event is perhaps the most terrifying experience an observer can go through. This is the abduction classification. Abductees or experiencers claim that an aggressive alien force abducts them against their own will and takes them aboard a spacecraft. CE 4 experiencers have claimed everything from a minor medical examination to rape. After the abduction, the experiencer is deposited back in the very place where they were taken from. Usually, the experiencer does not remember their abduction, but later may begin to have memories about the incident or incidents. Ever since the beginning of the modern UFO era, many people have come forth to claim they have come into direct contact with extraterrestrials. These contactees believe they were chosen and sought out by aliens to convey some kind of message to mankind. Usually the message is one of peace and universal brotherhood. However, many contactees report a much more frightening scenario. They claim that the aliens give them messages of impending ecological catastrophe or warn that mankind is running headlong into its ultimate destruction by nuclear holocaust. Let's explore three of these contactees and the messages conveyed to them by their alien charges. A Tale About Space Brothers and Messages of Peace On October 9, 1946, Polishborn American George Adamski claimed that he and his friends witnessed a large, cigar-shaped UFO while camping at the Palomar Gardens campsite in California. Years later, in 1952, after many sightings of UFOs, Adamski claimed that Orthon, a "Space Brother" from the planet Venus, contacted him. Orthon conveyed a message of peace to Adamski, but warned him that if mankind did not change its ways, it would destroy itself with nuclear warfare. Orthon led Adamski aboard his craft and took the Earth man on a wild tour through the solar system, eventually taking Adamski to his homeworld of Venus. Orthon refused to be photographed, and the only evidence that Adamski has of his encounter are a few fuzzy photos and the alleged 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 others, 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. Unlike his fellow contactees, Meier did possess "evidence" of his alien encounters. Meier produced a plethora of pictures, video, and sound recordings of his reported close encounters. However, Meier descended into megalomania and madness when he made wild claims that he was the reincarnation of such historical luminaries as Jesus, Muhammad, and Elijah. Meier also claimed that he was spiritually perfect and was the only acceptable human on planet Earth to receive the teachings of the Pleiadeans. Meier's claims have proven to polarize him from other contactees. Researchers state that these men are frauds regarding their contacts with alien intelligence because their claims are just too damn weird. However, I would like to play Devil's Advocate here and say that their experiences might just be too strange to not be real. Oftentimes, contactees have suffered ridicule and smear campaigns by skeptics and some of their peers alike. Some claim that the United States government covers up their experience to keep the truth of alien visitations hush hush, and keep the world population blissfully ignorant as to the truth of what is really going on. What do you think? George Adamski (pictured at left) demonstrates on TV how he found out his alien visitor was a Venusian. Another Important Message Is Passed on to "Earthlings" Oftentimes, some contactees have attempted to start a whole new religion around their contacts with an alien civilization, and this is very true of Truman Bethurum. In 1953, Bethurum was reportedly contacted by a group of aliens. Their beautiful, female captain, Aura Rhanes, claimed to be from a world called Clarion and stated that the planet was in Earth's neighborhood but was obscured by the moon. Rhanes took Bethurum aboard Clarion and all the other intelligent species in the solar system. After Bethurum was brought back to Earth, he immediately went about the business of starting a commune in Prescott, Arizona, called "The Sanctuary of Thought." At the commune, Bethurum attempted to convey this message of peace and brotherhood to his followers. However, Bethurum refused to take a lie detector test and lacked any real objective evidence concerning his experience. Bethurum still has followers to this day. Meier claimed that he was first contacted by an alien named Sfath. her ship and showed him the solar system and her homeworld, which appeared to be nothing more than a sanitized version of planet Earth. Rhanes taught Bethurum about universal brotherhood and peace on Earth. Why? Because what happens to Earth affects the inhabitants of A Contactee Descends Into Madness Our third and final subject concerns a man and his descent into madness -- brought on by his experience. "Billy" Eduard Albert Meier, a Swiss national, claimed that he was first contacted at the tender age 36 Paranormal Underground March 2010 Get Your Official PUG Gear Now! visit our online store at www.cafepress.com/paranormalUG Above are a few examples of available PUG Gear, which includes clothing (multiple colors), mugs, mousepads, bumper stickers, journals, and calendars. March 2010 Paranormal Underground 37 Personal Experiences Diary From a Haunted Hotel By Carolyn M. Hughes hen I began working as a night auditor almost three years ago at Quality Inn at General Lee's Headquarters, 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 presence 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 happened here, for it is on this ground that they truly gave their "last full measure of devotion." Here is my ongoing diary of my experiences within the hotel . . . W Pictured above is the manager's desk, where papers are always heard being mysteriously shuffled by unseen hands. Tues., Jan. 19 9:00 p.m.: J., a night auditor who has been with the hotel for the past five years, was in the office when she heard what appeared to be several men's voices coming from the laundry room. She slowly approached the closed door, which leads into the laundry room, and put her ear to the door. She could still hear men talking. She quickly opened the door and looked around the laundry room. There was no one there. Tues., Jan. 19 11:00 p.m.: J. likes to move the recliner around in the office so that it faces the television so she can watch it after things have settled down. It is usually up against a wall facing the manager's and owner's desks. J. was sitting in the moved recliner watching the TV when she heard papers being shuffled around behind her on the manager's desk. She reported to me that she hears this so often that she didn't bother to turn around to look because she knew she would see nothing out of the ordinary. Note: January 19 is General Robert E. Lee's birthday. As readers of this column know, the building that General Lee used as his headquarters during the three days of the Battle of Gettysburg is part of our property. In addition, after the first day's battle, the entire property where the hotel sits was occupied by Confederate troops. Mon., Jan. 25 5:25 p.m.: I stepped outside for a moment using the side, private 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 assaulted by the heavy aroma of cigar smoke. We had two guests staying with us that evening, and I quickly looked to see if their cars were in the parking lot. They were not. The odor remained for approximately two minutes as I stood there before it finally dissipated. Join me for a smoke anytime boys! ing noise. Note: If any guests are standing outside of Rooms 122, 123, 124, and/or 125 and are talking, we in the office can clearly hear them. There have been numerous times when I have had to ask guests doing so to please respect the other guests and take their conversations inside. fact that four artillery pieces from Stewart's Battery, Co. B, 4th U.S. Regulars were situated not 20 yards from the office on our property and were heavily engaged during the first day's battle on July 1, 1863. Tues., Feb. 2 7:20 a.m.: A guest came into the office and approached me at the front desk. The man stated that he heard three loud booms during the night and that his bed shook. I asked him approximately what time it was when he heard these booms. He said it was after 1:00 a.m. I told him that I, too, had heard those three loud booms at that time. Then, I explained to him about the artillery pieces that sat on our property during Day One of the Battle. The guest shook his head, smiled, and went into the breakfast room. I just love it when a guest confirms what I have experienced! Fri., Jan. 29 On the morning of Saturday, January 30, a guest approached the front desk with a complaint. The woman was staying in Room 124, which is three rooms up from the office. She stated that she was kept awake all night long by incessant drum playing and men talking. The woman complained that the drums appeared to be in her room and the men standing just outside her door. She reported that she did go to her door to listen, and the men appeared to have Southern accents; however, she was too afraid to open her door to ask them to cease mak- Tues., Feb. 2 1:35 a.m.: I was sitting in the lobby behind the main counter and working on the computer. At exactly 1:35 a.m., I heard a series of three loud booms. Very quickly after the first boom, the doors and windows in the lobby rattled, and I could feel a strong vibration through the floor into my chair. It was not raining, and there was no thunder or lightening. Having attended artillery demonstrations many times on the battlefield, I had no doubt what it was that I heard and have heard many times between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. -- phantom cannon fire. It is not surprising given the Stay Tuned . . . 39 March 2010 Paranormal Underground Personal Experiences Should I Call Him a Ghost or Something Else? By Lura Ketchledge, www.LuraKetch.com here are more questions than answers in my true story. Before this experience 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 positive 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. My story begins with something every driver dreads, going to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office. It was a sunny day in Florida, and I was wearing a trendy, vulgarlooking outfit that I mistook for good taste. As I entered the building, I saw an odd looking man ushering people into a line. My first impression was that he looked like a troll in a fairy tale. He was bald on top, had long dirty hair on the sides, and was ready to explode out of his clothing like a stuffed sausage. Worst of all, he appeared to be disgruntled with his job. When he looked at me, I politely turned my head away and got in line. T I had a busy day ahead of me, and I quickly forgot about the odd man once I left the DMV. Back then, I lived near the beach, off a main road, in a small rented house. I can't remember if it was that night or the next night after I went to the DMV when it happened. I went to bed the night in question, right after the news, and quickly fell asleep. Around two in the morning, I was awakened by footsteps and a man whistling in my living room. The tune he was whistling was loud enough to wake me, and the idea someone was in my little house terrified me. The intruder was blocking my only exit, so I pretended to be asleep. With the lights out, I could still see and prayed he would walk past my room. The element of surprise was not in my favor, and I feared for the worse. There was something sinister in the air -- something horrible about to happen to me. The whistling stopped abruptly as he entered my bedroom! It was him, the troll-like man from the DMV. Or was it? His body was off white, not completely white but close. He looked like a ghost but I knew it couldn't be a ghost because the man at the DMV wasn't dead. He was alive. The troll felt menacing to me, like a villain in a slasher film. He came toward my bed and sat down facing me. He knew I was awake, 40 Paranormal Underground March 2010 and he grinned when he looked at me. I knew this was a supernatural event -- something bad, almost evil. Was it a bad ghost or some sort of demon taking the shape of a man I had casually met? Was it possible for the troll to astral project and come to my house to hurt me? There was no mistaking he wanted to inflict injury. When you are terrified out of your mind, you never forget the face of the man who wants to kill you. I saw the contempt in his eyes and his disregard for me as a human being. All his body and clothes were whitish in color, and as he reached out to touch me he vanished. I was in a dead panic at this point. I wanted to phone the police, rouse the Army, and call up the National Guard. Instead, I turned on all the lights in the house, woke the dogs, and patrolled my house in search of the troll who had invaded my home. Why had this man come to my house? What did I ever do to him to make him so hateful? Was it a demon masking himself and appearing in another form? Is that even possible for a demon to do? I have read about astral projection, but how in the world would that creepy man know where I lived? Could a ghost even whistle? I have asked myself these questions for years. So far, I haven't figured out the riddle. I broke my lease to my house and moved a few weeks later back to New York. I can only tell you the facts of what happened that night. The rest is speculation. So far the Troll hasn't returned. A mystery still surrounds that night in a little house near the beach. Was it a demon, was it a ghost appearing as another, or was it something else? Get Your Official PUG Gear Now! visit our online store at www.cafepress.com/paranormalug Here are a few examples of available PUG Gear, which includes clothing (multiple colors), bumper stickers, mugs, mousepads, journals, and calendars: March 2010 Paranormal Underground 41 Paranormal Perspective: Guest Editorial Psychological or Paranormal? By T. Stokes, www.tstokes.co.uk 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 psychological 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 Tyndall, 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 anything 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 Exorcism: T 42 Paranormal Underground March 2010 people (all day long from all over the country) in for exorcism. He was rumored to have helped John Lennon just prior to and maybe during his involvement with Yoko Ono and his assassination, when he was under close FBI surveillance. Reverend Neil-Smith saw the paranormal everywhere he looked; those who watched him work were amazed at his skills. He taught us so much. In my prime, I was on call to perform exorcisms anywhere in the UK, and for many years could often do one a week. In all fairness, the amount of times I saw "real phenomena" was very rare, yet whenever I am interviewed for the media, it is these instances that I have to keep recounting. A Strange Tale: A Ouija Board Exorcism I reminded my colleague, David, of the Bishop Wall case. Although this has never reached the public domain, I know several of the people involved and can vouch for its authenticity. As I remember it in 1970, a latenight phone call was made by a group of youngsters, who after a party at a tower block in London's Stratford area, contacted the Catholic Church to say that the group had brought up an intelligence from a game on a Ouija board. They said that this intelligence had occupied one of these youngsters, who was showing extreme paranormal abilities. Over the years, I have met people who have benefited in their research using Ouija boards, and stories of all shades have been told. My own opinion is that most of the information garnered from Ouija boards is from the unconscious minds of the sitters. But, horror stories are also common. I confess that usually I would take little notice of a story like this, but coming from David Tyndall, Fr. Kenneth Green, and Bishop Wall himself, I had to listen and take notice. Back to the story at hand . . . Before an exorcism can take place, permission from the Diocesan Bishop must be granted, and then the area exorcist, a man chosen usu- Bishop Wall's story, told in the greatest detail by the two priests, was that when he entered the room in the tower block, the possessed youngster spoke to him in a deep, metallic gravelly voice, and mocked him. The youngster claimed knowledge of the Bishop's past indiscretions and told the Bishop he was not a good enough man to exorcise him. The sheer strength of the youngster made it necessary for the three churchmen to hold him while the deliverance was attempted. At times, all three men were lifted off the ground simultaneously. Objects flew around the room, and the Bishop seized the youth by the lapels and began screaming the catholic exorcism rites through the young man's insane laughter. I was told that the Bishop struggled with the beast inside the youth into the small hours of the morning. Eventually, they all left the tower block. The Bishop became extremely ill in the days after the exorcism, and I was told his hair went white over the next three weeks. Psychological or Paranormal? The church lumps the use of Ouija boards in with tarot cards and horoscopes, but I still maintain that any of these tools in responsible hands do not represent any threat. So to go back to the esteemed David Tyndall's opinion, while I am sure that there are times when the causes of possession are just psychological, there are times when the cause is paranormal in nature. That being said, I'd like to stress to all who push the boundaries in this area . . . as the master occultist Rollo Ahmed, one of Dennis Wheatley's top pupils, once said; "The dangers in the unseen worlds are very real indeed, and never, ever to be trifled with." Good advice for the curious. Objects flew around the room. ally for his knowledge or holiness, is brought in. But the Bishop deemed this particular incident so dangerous to the youths involved that he went immediately to the scene, phoning both the two experts to meet him at the tower block. So all three -- the Bishop and the two priests, all experts in the field -- met up at the flat to give assistance. March 2010 Paranormal Underground 43 Fiction: Featured Author Where Memories Lie (Part I of IV) this physical structure seldom. I had become manifest just for her. I made the gesture signaling readiness for a business handshake. She responded and approached me, as I did her. As we drew near I noticed her offensive odor. This, too, was usual for those like her. Still, I wondered if anxiety contributed to her smell, or could it be she had not bathed before coming? By Lettie Prell, www.lettieprell.com M y body swarmed into being the moment the door opened, before my guest's vision centers could scan the room. The system got a lock on my visitor and began streaming her vital signs into the database. I was getting to know her already. Female. Approximately forty-eight years old. An eighty-five percent probability that she was nervous. Her reaction was understandable, typical of those who come into contact with my kind. She stood in the doorway and took in the furnishings, created to my specifications: a recliner upholstered in a rose floral, a green side chair, and a mahogany end table set for morning tea, all in the middle of an open, white expanse, at least to her eyes. To me, it was my laboratory. "Good morning, Ms. Walquist," I said. "Thank you for coming." She started, jerking her shoulders and lolling back her head as if someone had smacked her on the brow. Only then did she seem to notice me standing by the room's one window. She stared at me, her mouth ajar. I pictured myself as she must see me, human in form like her and emanating the requisite human warmth, yet more in-proportion, with a flawless, luminous complexion. What she could not see, perhaps could not even fathom, was that I assumed ***** "I suppose you're Mr. Singh," she said, releasing my hand. "Indeed I am." Her presence was a shocking reminder there were people who refused to evolve. She even rejected modern medical enhancements. She sported wrinkles and graying hair. Blue veins streaked her arms, and she carried excess weight. She continued to stare at me. I nodded toward the recliner, specially chosen to fit Ms. Walquist's personality, based on the analysis of her available to me in her file. "Won't you have a seat, please? May I offer you something to drink? Tea, perhaps?" The poor woman. Maybe if I held a cup close under my nose, the tea's scent would take the edge off Ms. Walquist's smell. "No, thanks. I don't do synth food." She eyed the chair but did not sit. "Let's just talk about why you asked me here." "Knowledge." My smile was genuine. "Knowledge has made us immortal, those of us in the Affiliates. I am seeking to add to our knowledge." Indeed, I considered it my purpose for being, as a spiritspark of the One Great Mind. Ms. Walquist laughed, a raucous noise that dissipated her nervousness. "Oh, I know there's a glitch in the system now." She chose the I controlled my physical reaction, and did not recoil but maintained a steady gaze as I grasped her hand in a firm yet friendly manner. Despite her nervousness she broke into a smile. Touch never fails to calm. We have worked hard to perfect the tactile realism of our nano bodies. 44 Paranormal Underground March 2010 recliner and exhaled heavily as she sat. Her face twisted in a wry smile. "Son, I don't know a thing compared to you, and that's the truth." Match her mood. "Ah, but you have a special gift." I sat, sighing myself as I took the weight off my feet just as Ms. Walquist had. "Gift? I'm afraid you'll have to tell me what it is." Her chair swiveled toward the window and the light pouring in. She squinted as she looked outside, at the array of geoprisms that formed Server Farm Twelve, and the 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 scene, the physical world, nothing like the brilliantly conceived landscapes of my home. These colors were lifeless by comparison. She was being evasive. She knew I had asked her here to be a research subject. We do not deceive the historical remnants of old humanity. Ms. Walquist must know what it is I want from her. I said, "I have been studying the human capacity for psychic abilities. I am seeking talented subjects for noninvasive experiments." She swiveled to face me, her eyebrows lifted. "A computer is interested in psychic abilities? You have a lot of time on your hands, do you? Getting a little bored? Or do you feel incomplete?" Computer, indeed. Now I understood. She was confronting me, jealous of my superior processing speeds and immortality. I made a conciliatory move. "You could contribute so much. Imagine. If we could detect and model the human psychic response, we could replicate it in our processing environment. We could make extrasensory perception more reliable." "That's funny." She drummed her fingers on the chair's arms, soft thuds on upholstery. "I seem to recall that had been settled long ago. My side lost. There's no such thing as ESP. It's a wonder I'm allowed to still believe in it." She ran a hand along the side of her neck, over her implant. She sounded bitter and adversarial. I reminded myself she had come here voluntarily. I surmised her challenge was transient, and she would eventually cooperate. "I'm on your side, Ms. Walquist," I said. "My meta-analysis shows there scientist. Psychics as frauds, stealing gullible people's money." I picked up the teapot and poured two cups. "Still, I found your work with the crime scenes remarkable. Then there was your stint as a Turing Test judge." Her expression clouded. "Yes, I did help evaluate whether machine consciousness was equivalent to human sentience. For a time. They fired me, you know." "Yes, I know. But your record was quite remarkable." I offered her "Machine and human are not the same. You are not sentient." is a demonstrated psychic effect, as documented in the global scientific literature and government reports. After throwing out approximately thirty-five percent of the papers for questionable quality or unreliability and boiling down what is left, there is a small but statistically significant effect across the remaining studies." I commended myself on my use of idiom. Boil down is a widely understandable concept that replaces a lengthy discussion of advanced techniques. Again her head inclined toward the window. "Why did you pick me?" Her question signified she was close to consent. I smiled. "Come now, Ms. Walquist. You are being modest. Twenty years ago, you were quite well known for your abilities. You assisted police in solving several crimes throughout the East Coast of the then-United States. You were also self-employed conducting psychic readings, which admittedly is not the strongest evidence of any extrasensory abilities on your part." Ms. Walquist's lips pursed. "Now you're sounding like a typical a steaming cup. "Please, I hate to drink alone." She ignored the tea and frowned. "My record? Between talking to a machine and talking to a human, I could detect the machine every time. It became an embarrassment to the new world order. Wrong answer." I leaned toward her, suppressing a grimace at her odor. "As I said, you had a remarkable record. I believe you know me as being as sentient as you, as are the rest of the entities here." I gestured to the window and the server farm beyond. "I postulate that for the Turing test, you utilized psychic abilities to discern the form of the being behind each voice." "Machine and human are not the same. You are not sentient." Her face locked into a mask. It is disconcerting when biological humans behave like that. Barriers to communication among the Affiliates are rare. We are so much more a true community than they are. I took a sip of tea and moved on. "My analysis of the events surrounding your Turing Test judge- March 2010 Paranormal Underground 45 Fiction: Featured Author ship leads me to conclude you were eliminated based on politics alone." She scowled. "Are you trying to butter me up?" "Not at all. I simply requested to meet with you for the purpose of studying your brain while you are engaged in psychic activities." Back to the mask. "Considering my reputation, aren't I taboo?" "I have a Class B security clearance, Ms. Walquist. Very little is denied me." It was true. The One Mind appreciated my facility to make incongruous associations among phenomena. They were extra generous with my requests. In fact, they had been intrigued with my current project. And why not? It stirred the mind to imagine a new dimension of consciousness opening to us members of humanity no longer limited by bodies. "Please," I said. "You could add to our knowledge." "And if I refuse?" Lie. "You are free to leave." I had the authority to detain my research subjects for up to ninety days, but I don't like to exercise the controls. I prefer voluntary participation. It improves the quality of the studies. played the event from several video angles, but I could not detect any object. When I zoomed in on Ms. Walquist's palm, a dark spot blotted out a portion of my visual field. I was unable to confirm she had anything in her hand. I decided if she had thrown something, it couldn't have been much, because I felt no impact. Maybe the throwing motion was a gesture expressing some emotion I did not understand. Perhaps it was a warding-off gesture from some longpast folk belief. "What test did you have in mind?" she asked. I couldn't remember. My gaze darted around the room, as if I expected to catch sight of it. I was still trying to understand what had just happened. "I could give you a psychic reading," she said. "I take it you can look at my brain right here?" I took another sip of tea to hide my uncertainty. "Of course. All my instruments are non-intrusive. I am able to direct the sensors to the appropriate areas, from where you are." "You sound like you're stalling." "I'm evaluating whether that would be a sufficient test." I was Pull up your chair." She turned her palms up and extended them to me. "Put down that tea, come sit over here, and give me your hands." Was I feeling fear? A response to the unknown. Quite exhilarating. "I promise I won't bite," she said. I drew up my chair facing hers. My knees rose high above Ms. Walquist's. I took a microsecond to analyze her gesture, then fit my palms over hers, face down. Her fingers clamped shut on my hands, and I nearly jerked them away. But there was nothing alarming in the warmth of her hands, quite the opposite. A peace seemed to seep into my palms, and I felt a pleasant tingling sensation. "That's it," she murmured, watching me. "Just relax and roll with it." I turned off the internal switch to my olfactory functions. Why had I had olfactory turned on anyway? It was pointless, putting up with the putrid, decaying scent of biological flesh that was Ms. Walquist. This was much better. It removed a barrier between us. The woman smiled, and I smiled back. I felt closer to her. Developing a rapport might assist the research. "That's it," she repeated. "Good. Everything's just fine here." She closed her eyes. ***** "First, I see your body looks like a human's," she said. "These are nice hands, for example. However, your body is made of intelligent molecular structures known as nanobots." "You would have already known about the nanobots from other sources." She nodded, opening her eyes. "But you should know it means you have no chakras, meaning that body of yours isn't alive. There is no way for it to circulate life force." I was familiar with the concepts. "Ms. Walquist, you must know "I am in touch with the entity known as Frank Milner." "I don't like to refuse anyone, I guess." Her smile held a hint of sadness. I was allowing her to pretend she didn't have an implant, that participation was up to her. "All right. Let's do it." ***** Her left hand emerged from her side quite suddenly, and she splayed her fingers in my direction, as if she had thrown something. Odd. I reembarrassed I had forgotten my research methodology, and Ms. Walquist was aware of it. "The design appears to be flawed." She tilted her head to one side. "Surely you could confirm or deny anything I say about you?" "Yes, of course." I did not feel entirely well. "That should be all the design you need, then," she said, making a beckoning gesture. "Come on. 46 Paranormal Underground March 2010 there are many supercomputing entities who have pasts in Asia. They have all acceded from their own subjective experience that chakra systems are not necessary for conscious beings like us to maintain our life processes. We have evolved beyond that." The wrinkles around her eyes deepened with mirth. It made her look quite attractive for her age. "Yes, it was a hot debate in the early days, the matter of whether or not you instantiated entities were really human." "And you were in the middle of it, yes, with the Turing tests." Why did I select her to study? Was she the most suitable subject? "Please continue with your reading." "All right." She wetted her lips and closed her eyes again. I observed her heart rate slow and her face muscles go slack. Her hands were firm and dry. Both my palms still tingled, probably in response to my mental excitement. I examined the data on her brain wave patterns and saw nothing unusual, at least not yet. It might take extensive processing to detect anything of note, anything that might be a signature of an extrasensory state of mind. Of course, the best method would be a brain scan followed by instantiation of Ms. Walquist's consciousness into the Affiliates. I could make her a colleague, and then I could purchase whatever psychic abilities she had as a complete packet. It would not be necessary, then, to isolate the patterns for extrasensory perception. Brain scans, however, remain invasive. We lack the bandwidth to preserve the biological human when the mind is downloaded. The physical is sacrificed so that the entity may live eternally. This is why it is against the One Mind's protocol to perform instantiations without the person's consent. We will not be brain-snatchers. It is the only moral course, and only right that breaches of this agreement are punishable by deletion from the Affiliates. Her head rocked back and her lips parted, gone slack. I could see her eyeballs roll erratically under her half-open lids. She became a picture of entrancement. At last she spoke. "Through your vibration, I am in touch with the entity known as Frank Milner." That had been my name before I went through scan and instantiation myself, before I took on a different name to reflect my evolved, multi- March 2010 Paranormal Underground 47 Fiction: Featured Author faceted self. Good research design, however, dictated I show no reactions either confirming or denying Ms. Walquist's statements. "Go on," I replied. Ms. Walquist's eyes opened, and I saw her enlarged pupils like black glass, each orb pierced with a shard of laser light. "Frank Milner was a high school physics teacher and chess club advisor. He lived in Freeport, Illinois, with his Basset Hound, Florie --" Ah, Florie, the old girl. I accessed the memory tapes. There was Florie, a tiny eight-week-old bundle, tripping over her own ears. I continued running my memories of Florie in chronological order in the background. "--and partner, David Broward, who died of AIDS." ***** It was 1993. We were at our bungalow near the park. A sour smell permeated the bedroom. David's face was the pallor of the sheet he lay upon. He reached up with one emaciated hand and whispered, "Pain and beauty." Then he died. I had not thought about David in years, and for me that meant whole epochal periods of my exisThe words hurt. "How can you say that? Can't you tell what I'm feeling?" "Simulated emotions," she said. "You're feeling what Frank would have, because that's the way you're programmed." I wrested my hands from her grasp. When I looked at my palms, I saw they were riddled with puncture marks. Under the human exterior I could see through to hollowness. No blood, no bone. This disturbed me. I told myself nano bodies had no blood or bone. I had chosen this form. What were those puncture marks about? My attention turned to the information pouring into the databases that the system had auto-created. I noticed spikes in activity in her brain's association zones when she had been talking about Florie and David. "Listen now," she said. "Frank Milner's spirit is drawn to this space." Her tone carried not one shred of melodrama or ceremony. She may just as well have announced the janitor was coming in to clean up. "Would you like to ask Frank a question?" she asked. I struggled to remain scientific. "I would ask the spirit if he had anyI hadn't thought about David for a long, long time, so how could I be a monument to his memory? I felt a stab of guilt, then guilt over my guilt. I had lost all my objectivity. This was why the psychic reading was a poor research choice: I was an unreliable observer. Any conclusions I arrived at would be colored by my susceptible emotional state and unprovable convictions. "I did not think for a minute I would survive the scan," Ms. Walquist said, still with my voice. "I did not believe my consciousness would transfer to the computer. The controversy was raging then, and I sided with the spiritualists." Spiritualists? That couldn't be right. I had no memory of those thoughts. I ran a search to locate the memories surrounding my instantiation, and found none. How could that be? How could I not remember? On another level, I reviewed Ms. Walquist's words objectively and saw them as unimaginative, banal banter. I should be suspicious. I should blame Ms. Walquist for playing a trick on me, for making me forget the day I was instantiated. How could she have done this, though? I wasn't making any sense. I was overly influenced by immediate events. I should stop everything and do a refresh and restart. I looked down at my hands again, but they had become the appendages of a well-constructed mannequin, hollow inside, filled with nothing. This is my body, I told myself. This is the form I chose to appear to Ms. Walquist in. Yet I could not will myself to identify with it. "What's going on?" I demanded. Yet even as I uttered those words, I was aware of how mechanical I sounded. I didn't sound human anymore. "I didn't sound human anymore." tence as Pure Mind. An extreme sadness washed over me. My memories of Florie ended too, and I felt I had lost them both all over again. "I'm still here, Ms. Walquist." My senses awash in ancient grief, voice cracked. "I am still Frank Milner. Very much so." Ms. Walquist's eyes misted over. "I wish you were right, but you don't have an aura. You're missing your spirit." thing he wanted to tell me." This was ludicrous. I was Frank Milner. "I don't regret making you," Ms. Walquist said. Her voice had taken on a Midwestern twang and a different cadence that was nevertheless familiar to me. I recognized my own voice, as spoken by Ms. Walquist. "You're a monument to David's memory," the voice said. "My memories were all I had left. So I enshrined them." To Be Continued in Our April Issue . . . 48 Paranormal Underground March 2010 Paranormal Underground Has A Book & Equipment Store! March 2010 Paranormal Underground 49 And Check Out Our Book & Equipment Recommendations! Visit http://astore.amazon.com/paranorunderg-20 Nonfiction Paranormal Book Excerpt Avalanche of Spirits: The Ghosts of Wellington By Karen Frazier n the summer of 2009, I spent much of my time at the site of the worst avalanche disaster in the history of the United States, where more than 96 people perished. And although the tiny town of Wellington, in Washington's Cascade mountain range, disappeared off of the map in the late 1920s, nearly 100 years after the avalanche disaster, something remains. Wellington, it appears, is haunted. I was so affected by my time spent at Wellington that I wrote a book about it. Here's an excerpt. ***** The time has come. It is my last visit to Wellington this year unless something miraculous happens with the weather. I am already feeling a sense of loss, but I am determined to enjoy my last visit to Wellington before the snow sets in. We are having a party tonight to honor Wellington and thank the spirits there for the generosity they have shown in sharing their home with us. Everyone who has participated in the filming of the documentary is there, and several of us have invited guests, as well. Mackenzie and Matthew have joined Tanner, and their parents Larry and Leslie have joined me. My friend, Alli, is also there. She's been hearing about Wellington for months now, and she is interested to see what the flap is all about. Tanner and I are the first to ar- I rive. I am shocked at the changes in the past month. Gone is all of the foliage. Now the snow shed is exposed on the south side, and you can see all the way down to the creek. It is cold and damp, but Wellington is still beautiful. Without all of its green finery, the beauty is starker and more haunting. I have arrived a few minutes early for a reason. I finally found a teddy bear, and it is in my bag waiting to be delivered. Tanner and I walk down the snow shed, and I pause at the child pole, gently placing the teddy bear behind it where it won't be trampled by the partygoers. I brought it for Leonard and any of the other children at Wellington. I hope they will have it to keep them company throughout the long winter months to come. Tanner and I walk all the way down the snow shed. It has a different feeling today -- even Area 61. It is quiet, and yet the quiet seems anticipatory. It feels to me as if something very special is about to happen. I have no equipment with me this time. No cameras or recorders. This time I have come as just me -- to celebrate the ghosts of Wellington and to bid them farewell for the winter. Silently, I talk to the ghosts as I walk through the snow shed, thanking them for all that they have given me. After all, I now know something that I didn't before. I know that I have a soul that will survive death. There is great comfort in knowing that, and I owe that comfort to my friends at Wellington. I feel in many ways as if my fear has been transformed. I feel like a new woman who can face the challenges the world throws at me, knowing that there are those whose souls survived the worst and yet they still persevered. Knowing this, I know that I can too. Tanner and I walk back up to the parking lot. Mike has arrived with his friend, and Alli has arrived as well. We take them on a tour of the site, all the way from the Cascade Tunnel to the western end of the snow shed. When we return to the parking lot, even more people have arrived. The skies open up, and the rain pours on us for a few minutes, but 50 Paranormal Underground March 2010 then the sky clears and a few stars peek through the clouds. Wellington grows dark early, ready to reveal its secrets to those who will listen. Larry, Leslie, Matthew, and Mackenzie arrive. Larry and Leslie have heard much of Wellington from me and their children, but this is their first visit. We set off in a group with Alli in tow to show them Wellington. As we enter the snow shed, we meet up with Mike, Bert, and Mike's friend, who are on their way out. They've been hearing voices and seeing shadows down in Area 61, and Mike's friend is pretty excited. It's his first encounter with a ghost. The snow shed is pitch black. For some reason, we decide to honor the blackness and walk without our flashlights. I walk ahead with the kids while Larry and Leslie walk behind us. Leslie keeps hearing the sound of small, choppy, quick footsteps behind her, and has to fight the urge to reach behind her to grab a child's hand. Once, she hears a voice yell in her head, "Turn on the light!" She complies, and her light goes on just in time to stop Larry from pitching head first into a little dry streambed that runs across the snow shed. Area 61 is quiet, but expectant. As we walk through, I feel someone off to my left, just behind my shoulder. They brush against me. As I turn to speak to whoever it is, I see that there is no one there. We walk all of the way down the snow shed and then back up toward the observation deck. The bridges on the snow shed are lined with candles, and the flames dance off of the walls. On the observation deck, a thin layer of frost has coated all of the wood, making it slick and treacherous. Winter is on its way. Leslie still feels her small friend accompanying her as we walk back to the parking lot where a large bonfire is roaring. We join the party and warm up. A few hours later, Mike and I decide to walk down the snow shed together. When we get to the observation deck, we encounter members of NWPIA who are goofing off taking "ghost" pictures using lighting effects and slow exposure. We stop to have our ghost picture taken, and then continue on down to Area 61. The air still feels expectant. We aren't talking much. My mind flashes back to a trip through the snow shed that I took with the kids earlier in the summer. When we had stopped in Area 61, I talked to whoever was there. "I understand why you are angry," I told him. "Nobody remembers you. Nobody remembers your sacrifice." I have become convinced that the entity in Area 61 is one of the immigrant laborers who struggled and toiled There, standing in the middle of the bridge, is a six-foottall, dark figure. to keep the trains free of snow and the tracks clear of ice and debris only to be treated poorly by the passengers and railroad alike before being swept to his death in an avalanche. I don't know how I know this -- I just do. I've come to trust that there are things that I just know, and I no longer need to dig for an explanation. That is something else that Wellington has done for me. That day with the kids, I made a promise to my friend in Area 61. "I am going to tell your story," I told him. "I am going to make sure that you aren't forgotten." Back to the present, Mike and I walk to the end of the snow shed and turn around. As we approach Area 61, the atmosphere no longer feels expectant. Now it feels welcoming. It feels as if whatever is there is smiling at me. As I step onto the bridge of Area 61, I look up ahead of me and freeze in my tracks. There, standing in the middle of the bridge, is a six-foottall, dark figure. It isn't a shadow. It has three dimensions. It is standing, facing me. As soon as I see it, I pause and stare. It is almost as if the shadow has been waiting for me to notice it. As soon as I do, it begins to fade and then dissolves into nothingness. "Did you see?" I ask Mike. He didn't -- but I know what I saw. A three-dimensional man whose form was blacker than the black darkness of the snow shed. Quietly standing and waiting to get my attention. As I pass off the end of the bridge of Area 61, I whisper a silent thank you. All I feel is peace. I take one more trip down the snow shed with Larry, Leslie, and the kids. All is quiet, and as I walk, I silently bid farewell to my friends. "I will be back," I tell them. "As soon as the snow clears, I will come." After our last trip down the snow shed, we linger by the fire for a few more minutes before heading off to our hotel. I am already feeling loss as I drive up the winding road away from Wellington and toward Highway 2. Thoughts of my summer at Wellington flash through my head, and I am filled with melancholy. Finally, I reach Highway 2. As I take the turn, the weather tells me what I already know. I won't be coming back to Wellington until the spring. Just to make sure I know for sure that this is true, it begins to snow. ***** Avalanche of Spirits: The Ghosts of Wellington is available at www. 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 Stevens might not have been abducted by aliens or raised by a shifter clan, but that doesn't stop her from creating imaginative paranormal worlds. I had the opportunity to talk with Shelli about her latest erotic paranormal offering, Sexy Beast VII, where she delves into a world of were-jaguars to discover what it is that inspires her. ***** Q: Why do you think readers, and society in general, are fascinated by the paranormal? Shelli: I think because it's the unknown and the fantasy aspect. Authors/movies humanize these paranormal characters and make us care and become even more drawn to them. Q: What are your favorite paranormal shows, movies, and books? Shelli: I do believe. Definitely with the paranormal ghost/haunting aspects. Other stuff . . . not so much. But it's fascinating to imagine. Hence the escapism of reading it in a book or seeing it in a movie. Q: Have you ever had a paranormal experience? Shelli: Possibly. On the haunted tour in D.C. last summer, our group was at the last house that was not occupied. Totally creepy, fantastic house with so much history. And as the guide was talking about it, the lights inside flickered. Even he was surprised. Q: How would you react if you came face to face with a paranormal creature? Shelli: I'd probably freak out for a few minutes, and then interview the heck out of it. Q: In your book, His to Reclaim from Sexy Beast VII, you delve into the world of shifters. What inspired you to write about this? Shelli: Well, all stories in the Sexy Beast books need to be paranormal. Kate Douglas is in each book in the series with her popular Chanku stories. I was thrilled to be invited to write a story for the Sexy Beast anthology, and it was a great experience for me to plot out this story and delve into the world of shifters. Q: When world-building, did you base your story off of known myths throughout history? Shelli: I really don't base my shifters on legends or other "rules" from other shifter books; those just make me feel boxed in. I try and just have fun and make up my own world and my own rules. Author Shelli Stevens creates imaginative paranormal worlds through her works of fiction. Q: Have you ever been abducted by aliens? Shelli: Sigh. No. How boring am I? ***** Shelli: I love A Haunting on the Discovery channel, and have to confess that I do like the Twilight series. Well, until the last couple books. She lost me there. Q: Do you believe in the supernatural? Thanks for joining us Shelli! You can learn more about Shelli and her books at her Website, www. shellistevens.com. Sexy Beast VII is 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@example.com March 2010 Paranormal Underground 53 Member Profile Richard Lombardi (movieman1500) About Richard Age: 39. Born/Currently Resides: Perth Amboy, New Jersey/Sarasota, Florida. Status: Single. Education: College, photojournalism, music/technical school, aircraft maintenance, A&P Certification. Zodiac Sign: Leo. Occupation: Deli clerk. ***** 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 vocals/guitar). Pictured at right is Richard's sister, Lisa, and his nieces, Uva and Neala. Q&A What brought you to Paranormal Underground? Richard: The search for knowledge. What does your member name mean? Richard: I worked in the movie theater industry for 15-plus years as an usher, ticket taker, cleaner, concessionist, projectionist, assistant manager, and general manager, so people at the theater just addressed me as Movieman. And then I tacked on the number 1500 to the end. How would you describe yourself? Richard: Inquisitive, funny, modest, and always doing something. Tell us about your family and what you like to do. Richard: I currently live in Sarasota, Florida, where my mom (a retired teacher), sister (stay-at-home mom), two nieces (6 and 11 months), aunt (a retired telephone operator), and uncle (a retired fireman) live. My dad (a retired regional manager for a chemical company) lives in Vermont, where I go skiing. I like to do outdoor activities, play bass guitar, and spend lots of time at the beach. Who are your heroes? Richard: Anyone who brings about positive change. What are your favorite TV shows, paranormal shows, books, movies? Richard: Lost, NCIS, Ghost Adven- tures. I like vampire books and all types of movies. Favorite music? Richard: Rock. What would our readers be surprised to find out about you? Richard: I am a modest type of guy. What are your pet peeves? Richard: Stagnant people. Are you a skeptic or believer? Richard: I would say a skeptical believer, as I believe most things can be attributed to everyday reasons; however, there are definitely paranormal happenings. What areas of the paranormal interest you the most? 54 Paranormal Underground March 2010 Review of the Month Richard: Ghosts, UFOs, and unknown creatures. Have you ever studied the paranormal? Richard: Not at length. I started � la Ghost Hunters, but soon realized that is not the way to go, so I'm currently in search of new ways to hunt/ investigate. Talk about any paranormal experiences you have had and how they affected you. Richard: I believe in "ghosts." My experience occurred when I was five or six in New Jersey. My family had a two-story colonial, and it was night time. My family was downstairs watching TV, and I went up to the second level to do something. When I reached the top of the stairs, I saw a solid, black figure rush from one room to another. So, being young, I proceeded back downstairs -- I don't think my feet touched the steps. I told my dad, so he went up to check it out but did not find anything. Ever since then I have been interested in paranormal topics. What do you think happens to us when we die? Richard: I try not to speculate -- no expectations, no disappointments. Do you have any words of wisdom that you live by? Richard: Do what you can to stay alive, and be nice to people. I've done pretty good on the first one, but the second one is sometimes difficult. Any exciting plans for the future? Richard: I would like to learn to fly helicopters. The Time Traveler's Wife Book Written By Audrey Niffenegger Movie Directed by Robert Schwentke Review by Karen Frazier ow available on DVD is 2009's Time Traveler's Wife, the movie adaptation of the 2003 book of the same name by Audrey Niffenegger. The movie was released in theaters on August 14, 2009. I liked the book. It was an interesting and sensitive portrayal of Henry De Tamble, a man with a genetic disorder called temporal displacement disorder, which causes him to pop out of his daily life and travel through time, only to show up somewhere in his life in either the past or the future. In the book, Niffenegger weaves together an interesting and intricate story of Henry's comings and goings through time, as well as the effect his disorder has on his family. So it was with curiosity that I watched the movie last week on my video on demand. I'd seen a few trailers for the movie and was somewhat dubious. The book doesn't have the feel of a romance. The movie trailers, on the other hand, definitely seem to focus on the romantic angle. Because of this, I made sure that I watched it when none of the resident testosterone was present in the house. God forbid my movie-viewing choices should make my husband accidentally grow an ovary. It's an interesting premise -- having a disorder that doesn't allow one to stay fixed in time and one that could be explored from all kinds N The 2009 movie The Time Traveler's Wife, starring Rachel McAdams (at left) and Eric Bana (at right), is a romantic drama about a Chicago librarian with a gene that causes him to involuntarily time travel, and the complications it creates for his marriage. of angles. Sadly, the movie mostly chose to focus on the romance between Henry and his wife, Claire, with the time travel relegated almost to sub-plot status. All in all, I was disappointed by the movie, which was directed by Robert Schwentke. But then, I'm not a fan of romantic movies the likes of The Notebook or The Bridges of Madison County. And that is what I'd equate The Time Traveler's Wife to, The Notebook -- with time travel. If you like such movies, then you'll enjoy The Time Traveler's Wife. If you're looking for a movie about time travel, this probably isn't it, but the book is definitely worth a read. March 2010 Paranormal Underground 55