News with Richard Bleil
Today has been a very interesting day. My friend is visiting, and she decided that she wanted to visit a local museum called the House of Shadows. If it sounds familiar, it’s probably because they do have a show about it (or had a show, I’m not sure which). The museum itself has over 3,000 items, each one with stories and claims of having attached spirits (haunted). They had items that were used in murders, dolls galore, clowns, and many other items.
Now, I’m not always the nicest person. When we arrived, it was just my friend and I in the museum. There are two floors in the building, and we were looking around the main floor. Another couple came in shortly before we proceeded down to the basement. Frankly, the creepiest stuff was down there, including gurneys used for cremations and embalming and things of that nature. There were signs on them all asking that you do not sit on them.
In the very back room of the basement was a doll, bound to a chair with a cross on it in its very own room. The story is that the doll isn’t a doll at all, but a kind of prison for demons (multiple, but I forget how many). They suggested that you ask the doll by name for permission before entering or exiting the room.
I don’t know how you feel about possession and evil spirits, but I have to admit, in the basement I did become sick to my stomach. My friend tells me that she had sensations in her leg as we were down there, and both of us recovered completely when we left the basement. But, if you know me at all, you know that I have a wicked sense of humor.
The other couple had come downstairs as we were reaching the point that we had had our fill. As the couple were looking in a cabinet, I said casually, “you’re not supposed to be sitting on that” as we passed one of the gurneys. The woman spun around, and looked several times at me, then the gurney, then back to me. I made the comment only once, very casually and matter-of-factly, and my friend and I just kept walking without breaking our stride.
I think I may have completely freaked that other person out.
It’s not the first time I pulled that gag. In a very old hotel in Rapid City, I was picking up a friend who was staying there for lunch. This hotel is reputed to be haunted, so I couldn’t resist. As we walked down the hallway, I paused at an empty antique-looking chair in the hallway, and asked, “where are your parents?” My friend looked at me, as I hesitated and said, “well, I’m sure they’ll be back soon.”
Now comes the truly creepy part. My friend, just a few minutes ago, told me about the first night that she stayed here in my very own house. The house is over a hundred years old, and, yes, I did do a “smudging” ceremony. The first night we had seafood delivered for supper. Now, my cat, Star, has taken an instant liking to my friend which I don’t blame her for, but it does make me question Star’s loyalty, and Star is not a little girl. She’s rather hefty, and has a history of sitting on the top of the back of chairs, at least while I am in them. As we ate, my friend felt her chair being tugged, three times, and thought Star was wanting some shrimp. Until she saw Star on the other side of the table.
Truly a fascinating and, honestly, creepy day. As I write this, my friend is reorganizing all of my occult decoration and items, but now I’m wondering if maybe I called a demon into my house. I kind of hope so. I won’t say that I believe in demons and ghosts, but I won’t discount them either. I have had a few creepy things happen while living here, and I have enough friends with stories of ghosts and paranormal activities. Believing in the possibility might seem odd for a scientist like me, but I’m smart enough to know that science doesn’t know everything, so I keep an open mind. Besides, it’s just fun to think that I might be sharing my house with a previous tenant. Maybe I should consult my new Ouija board and see what it’s take is on the spirits in my house.
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