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The Library Jumper

 

In 1968, I was enrolled in a large college in central Florida when they first opened (Unfortunately I can't say which open due to legal issues). There I studied electrical mechanics. If I wasn't in the provided "state of the art" labs of the time, I was in the library reviewing new scholarly publications and scientific theories. I was dedicated to discover something great.

During my time the library caught on fire which shook my world. I had to find elsewhere to study. After about two months the library reopened just before finals. It was at this time I did what I said I was going to do. I discovered something great but it wasn't exactly what I intended to find.

It all happened one night only a few weeks before graduation when I was finishing my defense for my thesis that I encountered something unworldly. I was sitting in my usual space on the third floor when I felt someone watching me from the bookshelves. Each time I would look up but find no one in the direction I thought. After a while I said enough was enough and went into one of the private study rooms to make sure I had silence.

There I locked the door and even closed the blinds to be undisturbed. But that was not the case. At first I would hear knocking on the walls. I just ignored them because I thought they were some first years getting restless with finals. Then the lights in the room turned off. This wouldn't be a big deal since Florida has a lot of severe storms and many a times the electricity would go out. The only difference this time is that I could see that the rest of the library was well lit. I stood up to notify a librarian but I felt like someone pushed me down back into my chair. I sat there frightened and then heard a faint whisper say "Leave." You can imagine I was out of there faster than I would be to come to the library.

I must admit I didn't really believe any of this, being a scientific guy, but it wasn't until I found a article in our school's archive that I was drove to being a believer.

The article read:

March 31, 1971. A few months before the first 3 year program graduating class would walk across the stage a chain of fires broke out around campuses. The fires were speculated to originate around the green spaces of the campus but quickly engulfed nearby buildings. One of these buildings was the campus's first building, the library. Scarring the pitch black skies with the untamable brilliance of the fire, the entire campus stood in amazement wondering what could have occurred.

It wasn't until a few hours later, when the smoke was cleared, that the investigators found any evidence of foul play. There near the fountain amongst the rumble was a body. At first the investigators suspected it to only be an unlucky passerby that was struck by the collapsing structure but further evidence proved that the individual was indeed at the site of the fire as well with several burns on their body to the point that they were unrecognizable any longer. Due to the inconclusive nature of the incident, the case of the mysterious library jumper has been left unexplained. Though some students and faculty believe that the Jumper's ghost haunts the library.

It was good that I was graduating because I never stepped foot in the library again. But ever since that day I must admit that I have been interested in the supernatural. If anyone else has any further stories about the same ghost please let me know.

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Comments about this paranormal experience

The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, The_Ghost_Master, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

Mimi81 (203 posts)
 
8 years ago (2015-10-27)
ZZSGranny, I've never watched the show and now I'll definitely not be watching it. 🤔
zzsgranny (18 stories) (3329 posts) mod
+1
8 years ago (2015-10-27)
Mimi: Or maybe they did. Have you ever seen the show? I stopped watching it because it just seems so blankie worthy. 😆 😆
valkricry (48 stories) (3257 posts) mod
+1
8 years ago (2015-10-27)
Rachelvaknin,
Your last 9 posts have been identical. Please stop spamming. It makes you look very unprofessional. Also you might try READING the stories and comments. You obviously do not.
Mimi81 (203 posts)
+2
8 years ago (2015-10-27)
Well, it's obvious someone didn't read the comments that went with this story.
Rachelvaknin (9 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2015-10-27)
HEllo,

My name is Rachel, I work for Raw TV. We are currently working on Series 5 of Paranormal Witness. Your story sounds really interesting and I would love to speak to you regarding your experience. In case you haven't seen the series, Paranormal Witness is a drama-documentary where the story is told from the perspective of multiple eyewitnesses - in their own words. It is now one of the highest rating shows on Syfy. For more information please check out syfy's website: http://www.syfy.com/paranormalwitness/

If interested, please email me at: rachel. Vaknin [at] raw.co.uk

Thanks,

Rachel
WillowWaly (2 stories) (97 posts)
 
8 years ago (2015-10-22)
One of the school newspapers I found from the era mentions the library, talking about an art exhibit being held there. There is no mention of fire damage or repairs or rebuilding, even though that issue came out just 6 weeks after the forest fire.
WhiteWolf (4 stories) (147 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2015-10-22)
valkricry
Don't get a head ache my father is a hospital construction manager and my brother has his Masters Degree in Mechanical Enigineering. Both tell me it would be impossible to rebuild that library in 2 months and it would take almost 2 months just to clean up the debris and at least another 6 months at the earliest to rebuild.
Whitewolf
rookdygin (24 stories) (4458 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2015-10-21)
That should read Swiss MILK Chocolate... Durn auto correct...

Respectfully,

Rook
rookdygin (24 stories) (4458 posts)
 
8 years ago (2015-10-21)
Val,

Yuppers, Puff has a stash of good Dark Chocolate aboard the Miss Demeaner (at least 84% cacao) as well as some imported Swiss Mike Chocolate.

Respectfully,

Rook
valkricry (48 stories) (3257 posts) mod
+2
8 years ago (2015-10-21)
I'm really struggling to digest this.
OK 3 year college. I get that (I went to an accelerated college, meaning you do 4 years in 2) so I can make that work. But a building turned to 'rumble' completely resurrected in 2 months? That trips me up.
Also like WillowWaly said,"...the fact that a body was found in the 'rumble' (rubble) of the burned building was NOT widespread news on campus at the time, but something the OP had to find out via searching school archives...?" I mean seriously? I find it hard to fathom that a burnt (possible suicide) wasn't just big news on campus, but at least local papers as well.
Rook, you have any chocolate on the bus? My head hurts, and chocolate always makes me feel better.
WillowWaly (2 stories) (97 posts)
 
8 years ago (2015-10-21)
On the *other* other hand...lol

Five seconds on Google told me the school's name. A few more seconds and I found contemporary accounts of a fire in late March 1971 -- a brush fire possibly caused by arson. The article noted that the fire came 'within yards' of the library. No mention of the library burning. Nor of a body. Hmmmmmmmm.
Mimi81 (203 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2015-10-21)
WillowWaly, that's an excellent point. I hadn't thought of that.
WillowWaly (2 stories) (97 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2015-10-21)
Mimi, I wondered about that too. Maybe by 'legal' issues (again, giving OP the benefit of the doubt for the time being) s/he meant the rules of this site? I withheld the name of a college and dorm from a story of mine, and a mod confirmed that that was preferable.
Mimi81 (203 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2015-10-21)
I don't understand what legal issue would prevent Ghost Master from identifying the college.
WillowWaly (2 stories) (97 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2015-10-21)
So the fact that a body was found in the 'rumble' (rubble) of the burned building was NOT widespread news on campus at the time, but something the OP had to find out via searching school archives...? That's hard to imagine, especially if the body was not identified. Why was the discovery of a body considered 'foul play' instead of an accident? Why was the body considered a 'jumper'?

That said, I can give the OP the benefit of the doubt as far as dates. S/he specifically said s/he was attending a 3 year program (believable since it's a technical field and not a liberal arts/B.A. Degree program), which makes studying in the rebuilt library just before finals/graduation fit just fine with the timeline. A person who attended school for 3 years starting in fall of 1968 would graduate in spring of '71.

As far as the OP's info showing him/her as a young adult, it's possible the OP registered for this site using a different birth date. This isn't uncommon on forums where people prefer to stay anonymous, much like using a secondary/non-identifying email, etc.
rookdygin (24 stories) (4458 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2015-10-21)
Oh I have questions...

The O/P started school in 1968... They was working on their Final Thesis when this 'experience' occured HOWEVER they did not... Well let's use the O/P's own words...

"...but it wasn't until I found a article in our school's archive that I was drove to being a believer.

The article read:

March 31, 1971. A few months before the first 3 year program graduating class would walk across the stage a chain of fires broke out around campuses."

If the O/P started attending classes in 1968 as part of a 4 year program then they would have graduated in 1972, which means the FIRE would have occured WHILE they were attending classes... Heck they even mention a fire 'taking' the library becasue for two months they had to study somewhere else...

Is it possible the O/P did not know the 'details' of the fire and the 'death' beforehand? It is possible, however unlikly. More intresting is the 'archive' description of the libaray fire...

"...One of these buildings was the campus's first building, the library. Scarring the pitch black skies with the untamable brilliance of the fire, the entire campus stood in amazement wondering what could have occurred.

It wasn't until a few hours later, when the smoke was cleared, that the investigators found any evidence of foul play. There near the fountain amongst the rumble was a body. At first the investigators suspected it to only be an unlucky passerby that was struck by the collapsing structure..."

A two month turn around on repairing, rebuilding a COLAPSED STRUCTURE? All I can say to that is WOW...

Even better is the point that the O/P was getting ready to leave the room when the 'spirit' shoved them into a chair only to tell them to 'Leave'.

Marshmallows anyone?

Respectfully,

Rook
Miracles51031 (39 stories) (4999 posts) mod
 
8 years ago (2015-10-21)
Wish-Not - thank you 😆 I started to return this one but figured what the hey. Somebody is going to question what I questioned and I'd like an answer LOL

As for the young adult category, I'm 50 and I'm considered middle-aged. I'm pretty certain this person would either be the same or a different category, but not young adult 😉
Wish-Not (16 stories) (534 posts)
+2
8 years ago (2015-10-21)
(the author is a young adult)
"In 1968, I was enrolled in a large..."
"article in school's archive... March 31, 1971

These dates are confusing me. I'm guessing it's the "1968" part.

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