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Unusual Introduction To A Ghost

 

I have been spurred on to relate this experience by members of this site who have felt electric, static charges in the presence of the paranormal. I had always thought this to be highly unusual but taking their experiences into account, it seems not to be so unusual at all.

I lived in a mining town in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa, for two years, end 1985 to end 1987. This haunting occurred during the winter of 1987, the winter season being May to August in SA.

Before I continue, I would like to point out that after some rather terrifying haunting experiences which I had, predominantly as a child, I tried my utmost to block out anything that seemed even slightly "off". I succeeded rather successfully at this for a number of years and would ignore anything that did not seem normal. Unfortunately I do not believe that this can last forever, or let me speak for myself, as soon as my guard was down if "something" really wanted me to notice it, it made it impossible for me to ignore it.

Now back to this event. The introduction occurred in June/July 1987. Don't remember the date, don't keep a diary. Okay naughty me but remember I did not want anything to do with the paranormal!

This happened in the early hours of the morning round about 03:00 to 04:00. I was awoken by an electrical shock going through my body. My first reaction was that I had been hit by lightning, which was totally impossible because there is no way that a lightning bolt could have hit me in my bed. Firstly the bed was too far from the window, plus curtains, plus my husband sleeping on the window side of the bed. Also, in that area we experience summer storms and rain. It is exceptional for this to occur in winter and we certainly did not have a storm on that particular night. I woke my husband up, a difficult task as he is a night owl and when he comes to bed he sleeps like a log until I wake him up the following morning. He told me I had been dreaming and to go back to sleep. Just to mention, there was an electrical connection just behind my side of the bed.

Activity immediately escalated after this. The following night this entity sat next to me on my bed. I could tell that this was a rather heavy man by the weight I felt on the bed. A few nights after this I started hearing heavy footsteps walking down the passage towards my bedroom. I could feel his presence and it made me feel extremely uneasy. I was not terrified as he simply did not emanate that feeling. He would hang around for a while and my sense of his presence would slowly dissipate. I did not ever hear retreating footsteps back down the passage.

Now I never saw this entity, for whatever reason. Possibly because I was trying to distance myself from him and did not want to see him or for a reason of his own he did not want to show himself. However, things got worse from there on.

One night I was in my bathroom, seated on the throne. I had the bathroom light switched on. The next thing, the bathroom light was simply switched off. I shouted for my husband, accusing him of switching the light off. Needless to say he was elsewhere in the house and not even in the bedroom!

Another event was when I was having a bath. Now the curtain at the bathroom window was never closed as it opened onto an outdoor entertainment area at the back of the house and was not visible to passersby or neighbours. Nevertheless, it seems that this entity was annoyed by my brazen lack of personal morality and closed the curtain in a very purposeful manner - almost wrenching it closed! He, however, didn't seem to have any problem with intruding on a lady taking a bath LOL.

He attached himself to me at an alarming rate, even following me around during the day. I was aware of his presence at various times of the day or night, wherever I might have been in the house at the time. My husband never experienced any of this and if it had not been for the bathroom light and curtain incidents, he probably would not have believed me at all. In fact, I think he still entertained his doubts.

When this "guy" started messing with electrical appliances, such as switching the TV off while my kids were watching their programmes and turning off the stove when I was cooking, I decided enough was enough. He was becoming a pest and I tend to be quite a private person.

Strangely enough my mother (the one who does not believe in the supernatural) told me to immediately contact the Catholic priest in town and get him to bless the house. What a surprise! So it seems that she was not so unbelieving after all LOL!

Long story short. I was a practicing Catholic at the time and raised my children in the same religion. The priest came over the following Sunday after Mass and performed the ceremony. It was a little bit difficult to explain to the kids just why Father was there to bless the house, but they were very young at the time and just accepted it for what it was - a blessing of the house.

During this ceremony I believe the priest actually managed to cross this entity over to where it belonged. From then on I never once heard it or felt its presence. It has since occurred to me that this might be why it was hanging around me all the time. Perhaps it wanted to cross over but simply did not know how?

Will be glad to hear your opinions.

Regards, Melda

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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, Melda, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

Melda (10 stories) (1363 posts)
+6
4 years ago (2020-03-06)
Silverthane - Like you, I was also an avid YGS reader for a number of years before I joined.

I was raised Catholic and even attended Catholic schools, except for my last two high school years.

I was somewhat the odd one out in my family (second youngest of six). I was one of the unfortunates who was plagued by supernatural entities as far back as I can remember. The family verdict? Denise has bad nightmares. It even reached the stage where I pulled out my eyebrows at night because of plain, unabated terror.

To get to the point. Somehow as I got older my mother started to believe that all was not well and that perhaps I wasn't constantly telling her porkies.

Fast forward. When I was experiencing this haunting in my home I told my mother, who lived many miles away in the Cape. You could have blown me over with a feather when her remark was: Contact the Catholic priest immediately and tell him what is happening. He'll help you.

I did phone the priest immediately and the following Sunday after Mass he duly arrived. The ceremony took about half an hour and after that, my "follower" was gone.

Please bear in mind that this was not a demon, it was simply a lost soul. I do think that he latched onto me because for some or other reason, which only he would know, he believed that I would do something to help him cross over.

I have on a few occasions read on YGS that priests have refused to assist. I find that so difficult to believe because part of their duties is in fact to at least bless houses when requested to do so.

Nice hearing from you Silverthane.

Regards, Melda
Melda (10 stories) (1363 posts)
+4
4 years ago (2020-03-06)
Tweed - A lady-in-waiting, no. It definitely was not that type of neighbourhood and the suburb was reasonably new, middle to upper middle class. This was definitely a man (I could tell by the sound of his footsteps and the heaviness when he sat on my bed) and I can't pinpoint my reasoning but I believe he was black African. Just one of those "feelings". His skin colour didn't bother me but his behaviour did. He might have been a farm worker on the land before it was developed for housing. Who knows?

We lived in that town, and house, for two years and I was miserable there although it was a large, comfortable house.

The doppelganger. Well I was rather surprised by Socracy's version and obviously so was Manafon. I had also always considered this to be a neutral apparition, seemingly disinterested in its surroundings, not making physical contact with anybody and simply going its own way. I do of course stand to be corrected, I am by no means knowledgeable in the phenomenon. I simply feel that if anybody has proof to the contrary, share it and may we all wise up!

I'm impressed Tweed if you checked out a friend's home via OBE. Is that what you did? You say OBE reading. Are you prepared to share how you did that, the method etc? I'm intrigued.

The only mass which I've ever seen was a grey blob which seemed to have human proportions. In my little kid mind it was a ghost and I still believe that it was.

Thanks for your interest shown.

Regards, Melda
silverthane61 (4 stories) (344 posts)
+4
4 years ago (2020-03-05)
I couldn't help but read this one again - I have been a reader a long time before I actually joined YGS - because it reminded me of a similar instance to yours. My Parish priest told me that the church has specific prayers to either banish or help "lost souls" find their way to the next step of existence. Understandably this blew me away, because up until then, I did not believe the Catholic church to put any relevance into ghosts other than evil spirits. I am not an expert on Roman Catholic dogma and teachings, I can only go on what my priest told me. He stated he had used these prayers to help with specific "haunts" and that they had helped rid the homes of their ghostly presences.
Tweed (33 stories) (2475 posts)
+5
4 years ago (2020-03-05)
Hi Melda,

Could this have been the spirit of a servant or lady-in-waiting? Might explain following you around like a shadow, and the shower curtain. Would the history of the location be once the home/land of nobles and posh snobs alike?

As for the doppelgรคnger and mass discussion. My reading of doppelgรคngers have all had two things in common, scary as hell, and leading to absolutely nothing bad or good. They're kind of neutral to my understanding. All my reading has come from accounts on YGS.
Coloured blobs/mass I do know a bit about. I think it's energy buildup and the colour denotes the mood of the energy, and is a good indicator of the source. Eg, grumpy person/household dingy colour, happy person/household vibrant colour. Accounts on here have often mentioned people seeing a black mass around doorways. Typically the households in these experiences are chaotic or have been under stress, marred by depression. The doorway location for a mass suggests to me weakened boundaries, or a lack of respect felt, either real or imagined. Those dark masses around doorways are a dime a dozen on YGS.
I recently did an OBE reading for a friend's former coworker. Part of the confirmation was describing the home layout. While there I saw a pink mass above a bed. Not seen a pink mass above a bed before. Turned out the bedroom belonged to one of the teenager's in the house who had recently started dating. So not all blobby masses are bad news. In my opinion it's amassed emotional energy. Paranormal dust in a way.
Melda (10 stories) (1363 posts)
+4
4 years ago (2020-03-05)
lady-glow - I always love hearing from you.

I do actually believe that this spirit guy latched onto me because he sensed that I would do something about him. He started following me everywhere, switching off the oven or stove when I was cooking, turning off the TV, numerous things. I tried to ignore him but the more I did so, the worse he became. Never nasty but a pest in the extreme.

We meet some very strange entities in our lives. I missed Vic (in another post) when he left but I didn't even want to know the name of this particular "gentleman" and I was very happy to be shot of him!

Regards, Melda
lady-glow (16 stories) (3149 posts)
+5
4 years ago (2020-03-05)
Hi Melda.

I remember reading this story when it was published, though I didn't comment because, by that time, I had gotten this new smart phone and was still trying to figure how to use its tiny keyboard with my fat fingers.

The only thing I can say is that the ghost knew that you would sense him and could help him, though he didn't seem to care if you would welcome such a privilege.

I'm glad that he was able to leave this plane and that your house felt again like home.

It's never too late to say: thanks for sharing.
Melda (10 stories) (1363 posts)
+2
4 years ago (2020-03-05)
Socracy - I have no intention of trying to humiliate you. In fact, I might end up being the one suffering the humiliation!

The fact is, as this subject has been raised, I would like to receive comments on this very point in case. The mods are very capable of rapping me over the knuckles in short shrift and all will end there.

If nobody wishes to express opinions on this, then so be it.

Regards, Melda
Socracy5 (3 stories) (64 posts)
+1
4 years ago (2020-03-04)
Melda- Well, if you want to know the very evidence of my thesis then I will say I have gained this idea from some of my friends who are paranormal investigators, I occasionally attend on theirs to know and understand much about typical paranormal incidents which sometimes they provide with some practical examples.

I'm not trying to mislead anyone in anyway, but rather it was my attempt to understand things differently. These are not from my own imagination but are the possible explanation of my friend, who is right now investigating on this series of 'doppleganger and black magic'.

He has cited something similar to this case where he found the following which I have explained in my comment is the probable reason.

Well, I have tried to explain more so that it can be apprehensible to the readers. I have never intentionally tried confusions on anyone as that would do me no good.

I will also like to assure that I'm not someone to baffle over without knowledge and rather attempt not to speak in matters where I have limited knowledge on the subject matter, and this was a genuine attempt to help and not confuse.

I do have taken the words of manafon1 into consideration and will try to improve myself for the better. I even have tried to apologise sincerely for my deeds. I know you guys are not being antagonistic but highlighting a similar comment over and over kind of is uncomfortable for me.

I'm not blaming you in any sense and neither I'm angry on such a trivial matter. But would only like to conclude this argument with a proper apology on my part.
Hope you feel the same:)
Melda (10 stories) (1363 posts)
+3
4 years ago (2020-03-04)
Socracy - I have taken the question of the doppelganger to one of my own stories for the simple reason that I don't want to load Solveig's account with a subject which she might feel is totally unrelated to her experience.

Thank you for describing the attributes of a doppelganger to me but I am in fact fully aware of the phenomenon, as I believe are most of the members of YGS.

This is Solveig's account to which both you and I responded and I was not happy with your doppelganger response. I am only speaking for my myself.
Https://www.yourghoststories.com/real-ghost-story.php?story=27099#comment

Below is Nelly's account where Manafon queried your comment and I agree with him.
Https://www.yourghoststories.com/real-ghost-story.php?story=27085#comment.

I am not an aggressive person but I do believe that some of your comments are misleading. Not that you are intentionally being misleading but I believe that at times it is better to say less if one is not 100% au fait with the subject matter.

Please do not take this comment from me as being antagonistic but I do feel that some readers might see the doppelganger aspect as being rather out of context.

I don't know why you consider this as being an evil entity or as something which builds itself out of dark masses, taking on a human persona. This is totally alien to my understanding and if you have anything to back that up I would most interested to hear it.

Regards, Melda
Melda (10 stories) (1363 posts)
+4
7 years ago (2017-06-02)
Mack - No I don't think the priest could have told me who it was even if I'd asked! He simply accepted that I had to get rid of this annoying entity, although he wasn't malevolent at the time but who knows what he might have become! ๐Ÿ˜จ

On the other hand, the priest did a very good job (no matter what his suspicions might have been)! My belief is that this entity needed help to move on and as far as I know, that is exactly what happened.

Regards, Melda
Macknorton (5 stories) (646 posts)
+4
7 years ago (2017-06-01)
Interesting experience Melda - did the priest give you any indication of who this soul was or why he was there?
Isn't it weird how these spirits just decide to annoy people, seemingly at random?
Thanks for sharing and you ARE brave!
Regards
Mack
Macknorton (5 stories) (646 posts)
+3
7 years ago (2017-06-01)
That Shoebill call reminds me of the time I saw a pig, who only had 30 seconds to live, frantically writing its will on an old typewriter.
babygoatpuller (4 stories) (432 posts)
+5
7 years ago (2017-06-01)
Don't feel bad about not being able to post links Melda. I couldn't post one if my life depended on it! ๐Ÿ˜†

Thank you both so much for sharing this. I'd never heard of a Shoebill before this. It's now my new favorite bird!

I'm like you Tweed. Anything prehistoric can only be fascinating! ๐Ÿ˜Š
Tweed (33 stories) (2475 posts)
+5
7 years ago (2017-06-01)
Melda, after I've exhausted the interwebs I check out what's available at the library (you know, books with printed pages and all that). If I've still got questions (usually do) I ring wildlife places and ask if anyone's free to chat about whatever given topic I'm interested in. Experts are always willing to chat, and it's really worth it.
I couldn't find records of any shoebills here, to ask about their call. So I thought I'd try my luck with you, because you're from South Africa! ๐Ÿ˜Š So I'm really glad to have stirred your curiosity about this formidable bird!

If you love this bird, you might also find the cassowary interesting. Their crest receives very low frequency sounds, which is believed to be useful in hearing fruit drop in the forest from long distances. They also emit, among other shrill cries, a low bass-like warning call like 'HOOMFF'. Which is apparently disorientating at close range.
They're armed to the teeth, with one toe which is essentially a thin sharp blade, plus four black spines (two to each wing) about a meter or so long which it flexes outwards. The spines are used in fighting as well as cutting through scrub as it runs through the forest.
There's plenty a idiot on youtube trying their luck with a cassowary. It never ends well. Australians deserve a medal for stupidity. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Long live the dinosaur birds! ๐Ÿ˜†
Melda (10 stories) (1363 posts)
+4
7 years ago (2017-06-01)
Tweed - I'm in my element about this bird! I'm so pleased that you found that link! Yes, that is what I found when I searched google again for the Shoebill call.

Now all I want to do is visit a bird sanctuary and actually see one of these birds live. I think they are absolutely stunning ๐Ÿ˜Š

Thanks so much for interacting with me on that. I have briefly done some research on bird experts but didn't get very far. You know, sales of books, videos etc. Somewhere out there someone will give the information for free - just more searching!

Regards, Melda
Tweed (33 stories) (2475 posts)
+4
7 years ago (2017-06-01)
Melda whoah! I don't know if this is what you found, but youtube just turned up this:
Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__g6MitLAbM

I've seen/heard plenty of bill clattering, which you can hear in that recording. But I'd not heard the other pig/horse like sounds it makes underneath the clatter. I think this must be the sounds I've read about, awesome!

To copy and paste links there are two methods:
Select the link at the top of the browser
Then either:
Right click on your mouse/track pad and select 'copy' then right click on your mouse/trackpad and select 'paste'.
Or:
Highlight the link, press 'ctrl' and 'c ' together to copy, then 'ctrl' and 'v' together to paste.
๐Ÿ˜Š
Melda (10 stories) (1363 posts)
+2
7 years ago (2017-06-01)
Tweed - Sorry, I'm a bit stoopid about posting links. My kids laugh at me all the time!

I've just been back on google "Shoebill call". I don't know whether you have gone there. Listen to it, I find it very interesting. Perhaps that doesn't answer your question though! Let me know.

Regards, Melda
Tweed (33 stories) (2475 posts)
+2
7 years ago (2017-06-01)
Cool thanks! ๐Ÿ˜ Would love to hear what some of your local experts say!
How freaky cool are they?! They're like a weird sinister dodo dinosaur hybrid, mythical creature from folklore.

I think it's too cold for them to be in any zoos or wildlife parks here. Thank goodness for youtube footage!
Melda (10 stories) (1363 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-06-01)
Tweed - I had never heard of the Shoebill until you mentioned it!

I have googled it and to me it is an extremely handsome bird, although other sources say otherwise.

However I couldn't find a video which recorded it's call. You've got my curiosity going as well now and I'll do my best to find bird experts, which is where I'll be able to sort that one out for both of us! Give me some time.

Regards, Melda
Tweed (33 stories) (2475 posts)
+3
7 years ago (2017-06-01)
Hi Melda,

This isn't paranormal related, but as you're from South Africa I'm hoping you can quench my curiosity about a bird call.
I'm obsessed with odd animals, the more unusual the better. Particularly prehistoric looking ones. The shoebill is one which really fascinates me. I've read and watched just about all there is about them. But I've never found any recordings of their call. Only their 'bill clatter', but not the actual bird's call, which apparently sounds horse and cow-like. I know they're not native to your area but have you ever heard one on TV or in a Zoo? If so, could you put me out of my misery and describe what on earth they sound like? ๐Ÿ˜ฒ

I know it's an odd question. When curious I'm like a dog with a bone. ๐Ÿ˜†
Melda (10 stories) (1363 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-03-18)
Redwolf - Thanks for your comment.

Sometimes ghosts are like a bodily urge - cannot be ignored ๐Ÿ˜†

By the way I've read your stories and enjoyed them. I'll be on the lookout for your next one.

Regards, Melda
RedWolf (31 stories) (1292 posts)
+4
7 years ago (2017-03-17)
Melda

I enjoyed your story very much. I too tried to block out my gift for quite awhile and it just doesn't work. You had an electrical charge I got hit right between the eyes with a blinding headache. At the moment I am having a problem that I wrote a story about because I need help understanding why something is going on. I hope it gets published.

Regards
Red
Melda (10 stories) (1363 posts)
+2
7 years ago (2017-03-16)
BeagleMom - Thanks for your comment!

It was after the "electric shock" that all the activity took place, so that was definitely the beginning of it.

Believe me, I WAS out of the bath in a flash, the only problem being that I did not know where he was in the bathroom and I didn't want to see him under any circumstances.

Yes, well the priest did the job for me, fortunately, because I never spoke to my invisible guest at all, just pretended he wasn't there. That's probably why he upped the activity!

Regards, Melda
BeagleMom (3 stories) (84 posts)
+3
7 years ago (2017-03-16)
Melda,

Hello Again! Isn't it interesting that you equate the "lightening bolt" experience with the beginning of your haunt. It seems to me that you are quite intuitive and this may well have been an introduction of sorts.

You are a brave woman to have been able to remain in the bath after the curtain whisked itself shut! I would have been out of there in a flash!

Oh and I'm with you! Anything messing with my child would have, assuredly, riled me up! Glad the Priest was able to help you out!

I always enjoy your tales!
Thank You โค
Mother of Beagles
Melda (10 stories) (1363 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-03-11)
Fergie - Thanks for reading.

No, nothing out of the ordinary happened at that time as far as I can remember, certainly no violent deaths. I too think that he was a lost traveler looking for a way out.

I also like to think that the priest helped him to cross over to wherever he belonged, preferably a good place. There was nothing malevolent about him at all.

I got upset when he started messing with the kids when they were watching the TV. I didn't want them to realise that there was a ghost in the house! Having been through all that when I was a child, by hook or by crook I was not prepared to put them through it ๐Ÿ˜จ.

Regards, Melda
Fergie (40 stories) (1159 posts)
+4
7 years ago (2017-03-11)
Melda,it seems like your ghostie was trying his level best to get your attention. He seems like a lost 'traveler', and not at all harmful.

I am glad to hear that you were able to get rid of him so easily, with no repercussions. I wonder where the heck he come from? Guess you will never know (or do you have your suspicions?) Were their any violent deaths in your area just prior to your 'electrifying' experience?
Melda (10 stories) (1363 posts)
 
7 years ago (2017-03-11)
Argette - Thanks for your comment.

The area of the town where we lived was farmland prior to the development of the suburb and at that time the suburb was fairly new - perhaps 10 years old, I'm not sure exactly.

I do know that when we moved into the house the entity was not there. He made his appearance about 18 months later.

We no longer live in the town, moved to where we are now at the end of 1987, the year during which this incident took place.

Regards, Melda
Argette (guest)
+3
7 years ago (2017-03-10)
That entity sure wanted your attention, Melba.

I'm glad having a priest bless the house worked. Did you ever look into the history of the house or the land?

Thank you for sharing.

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