November 2nd or Day of the Dead
I was a child at the time but I don't recall how old I was exactly. We had gathered at my grandmother's apartment to pay our respects. Well I was there to play but the adults meant business. There may have been a ceremony held but I've witnessed so many that I can't remember.
I was running around with some other kids (Their identities are a bit fuzzy) causing some major raucous. We were running in and out of the apartment, leaping from the stairs, yelling to our hearts content, laughing without a care in the world. Keep in mind these are all things you refrain from doing on that day (According to what my family believes).
I remember running back inside for the last time and my grandmother saying to me, "Kenny! Today is a day you MUST show respect. You're going to anger the dead and cause them to show themselves to you!" I was a kid... What did I know, right? It was in one ear and out the other.
I ran back out into the hallway with my entourage and ran up the stairs, held onto the railing and jumped down. That's when I noticed an elderly woman in a wheelchair! There was a woman with her, either behind her or beside her (I can't remember where she stood exactly), she didn't move a muscle and didn't look at us, she just kept her head down.
The woman in the wheelchair just sat there staring at me and suddenly it was as if it were just us in the hallway. I was completely focused on her. She was pale, chalk white, with white hair and faded pupils. No teeth if I recall correctly. What she did next sent me into a panic, she began to peel the skin off her face (I kid you not!) and let it fall beside her. My eyes crawled to the other woman but there was no reaction from her. She continued to stare at the floor. There was no meat or tissue where the skin had been but these brown spots.
I snapped out of the trance and ran inside the apartment followed by the rest of the pack. I must have been talking at 80 mph. I described what I saw and my aunt (The youngest of five kids and a scaredy cat) dismissed it, as did my mom but my grandma had this look on her face that said I know you saw her and I told you so. (Sometimes I think she had a very strong gift).
Wasting no time I grabbed my mom by the hand and pulled her out into the hallway. To my surprise everyone tagged along except for my grandma. The two women were gone. I ran downstairs thinking I'd catch them easing their way down but there was no one going down the stairs. I ran outside immediately and looked down the street. No luck either. The others went upstairs but no elderly woman, wheelchair, or companion in sight. I went back upstairs defeated.
I spent the rest of the night curled up next to my mom. To this day I show my respects for the day of the dead.
Here are some things that baffle me still:
- My grandmother lived on the third floor; the two women appeared in the landing between the second and third floor. There was no way to go downstairs and vanish in less than a minute. That's roughly how long it took to run in and come back out.
- No one was coming up the stairs as I passed by to go up to the landing between the third and fourth floor.
- They appeared as solid as you or I. They looked like they were alive so I wasn't scared until the skin came off. I thought it was some sort of trick but my grandma assured me it wasn't.
- I spent my childhood in that building and I never saw that woman ever again and I don't want to.
- I knew all the tenants in the building and they knew me. They knew my family and my family knew them. My grandma raised her kids there.
- My grandma swore no one used a wheelchair at the time.
Anyone have any ideas? I've never heard of ghosts materializing as flesh and bones. Sadly my grandmother has passed so I can't get any real answers. If anyone knew, it was her.
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