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What Lies Beneath

 

When my child began in a new soccer club a couple years ago, we practiced & played at a new field, Braly Park in Paulding Co., Georgia. The route from our house in the exurbs of Atlanta takes us through a location that's seen multiple historic events, which led me to revisit a terrible news event from my high school years (1977) as well as something I discovered last evening that has me wondering if I had a paranormal experience or if I'm just imagining.

On the way to soccer, we pass New Hope Church, just one of the many Civil War battlefields & skirmish sites that mark the area around the northwest ATL suburbs & exurbs. New Hope was a heavily wooded area where 16, 000 Union troops engaged 4,000 Confederates on May 25, 1864. Just over 2000 men died there, with the Union losing 1,665 of them. It was a rebel victory that day in spite of the Yankee's huge advantage in numbers.

Presently, there is a Civil War-era cemetery across from the church with gas stations, drug store & a typical Publix (grocery store) strip shopping center very nearby. The church is standing and operational, very pretty, but despite my awareness of the battle in NAME, I never realized I was passing through the actual battle site on my way to soccer practice until I'd been doing it for many months. About that time, my daughter got her learner's license, so I was able to sit in the passenger seat. That meant when she stopped at the traffic light by the cemetery I now had time to study it a bit. It was and is quite foreboding to me. The thought of walking around in it is not positive... However I did take some pictures out the car window, and the very first time got some obvious orbs. The feeling that this location carries a lot of spiritual energy has grown stronger for me with time, but I can't put my finger on why.

Initially, my interest was completely on the battle site. One day I was researching what happened there online and hit on a HUGE discovery: New Hope is ALSO where a terrible and historic passenger jet crash happened back in 1977 -- a tragedy I remembered vividly from my high school days! Almost exactly in the same place, just north of the cemetery & church, a Southern Airways dc-9 that had come through a terrible storm lost both engines and tried to land on the then-rural two lane road. Seventy two people were killed! How could I be driving there 3-4 days a week and not have known! But then, the information seemed to validate the strangeness of the area.

Then last fall, Sept. 11, sitting at a soccer game, I kept thinking about the crash for some strange reason. I was compelled to look it up on my phone, which I never do while watching the games. I Googled the crash and the first story that came up said... The wreckage of the plane was eventually taken to the local dump... Which was now -- 40 years later -- filled in & converted to a SOCCER PARK! Our park! The plane's fuselage was under our playing fields!

That was a surprise.

So last week, while waiting for practice, I walked around the perimeter of the park for a little exercise the way I have in the past and kept thinking about that plane or what was left of it. I took some video of a particularly intriguing pathway. The sun was going down. I also accidentally pushed the video button while walking, but never realized until last evening when I sat down to review. I'm pretty sure there are no visual signs of spirits in any of the images, but I spent a lot of time looking last night. Two things sort of freaked me out. First, on the short video where I'm walking and didn't realize I hit "video start" you can hear sounds but my hand is over the camera. There comes a point that sounds a lot like an airplane getting VERY loud with voices, which then stops & goes back to normal sounds. I KNOW that was NOT among the sounds I heard while walking. I could hear the soccer sounds softly in the distance but up close noises were the frogs in a drainage ditch and one or two cars driving by in the parking lot (that sound NOTHING like airplane sounds). Listening last night with my earphones in, the loud sounds gave me chills on my entire body when I realized what they might be.

In the second short clip, there is a visual of a path, nothing unusual. Soccer sounds as I pan my phone around. But then there is a woman's whisper, quite close, saying, "It's this way, THIS way." As if she knew I was wondering about the location of what lies beneath.

I've just listened to it another 20 times and it's unmistakable. It's not my first EVP...

My questions to you all: do you think an I-phone can pick up the sounds of a plane that crashed 40 years ago if I was perhaps walking above where it was buried? I tried to be careful and noted all the sounds around me as I recorded. Almost positive there weren't any airplane sounds though, it was a very quiet evening. Also, can a spirit know what you are thinking? Why was she saying, "This way..."? I'm 100 percent certain no live person was there whispering to me.

Quick note: I've submitted some stories under the name Mrs. Ramsay previously. Computer changes caused me to have to choose a new name and rejoin the site. Will appreciate your thoughts.

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

Pelatiah (4 stories) (75 posts)
 
1 year ago (2023-05-28)
Tweed, always love what you have to say here, thanks for the kind words and affirmation!

Hope everyone is having a nice, long weekend!
Tweed (36 stories) (2529 posts)
 
1 year ago (2023-05-28)
Pelatiah, Far out and Wow, what an experience!

Lost Voyage summed up what I was thinking when I read this. I believe people literally walk into a paranormal 'perfect storm' sometimes. The date being Sept 11 could be part of the messages, as in there are similarities to Sept 11 2001 and this in April 1977. I don't know what those similarities would be, perhaps it's merely 'plane disaster'. I tend to think messages from the other side are far more literal and direct than we realise. It's that our physical world day to day responsibilities make these messages seem cryptic. Also if all paranormal experiences were cut and dried we wouldn't gain any wisdom from the journey of working them out, and working them out can be a very beautiful process.

It's great reading the comments here from folks in the know about planes. (I'm totally clueless there!) I hate sounding like a conspiracy theorist but in recent decades, particularly with the internet, stories about coverups with financial incentives are a dime a dozen. Many turn into the basis of movies/shows these days.

Once a journalist always a journalist. You probably give off an energy signature that's compatible with this type of past event. Like a lock and a key. You and the location probably unlocked each other on that day. Perfect storm. It wouldn't surprise me if you had a connection to at least one of the people involved.

You asked if an iPhone can pick up sounds from the past. I don't know, but I suspect here it's a case of when there's a will there's a way. Something about that day, you were meant to receive these messages.
Can a spirit know what you are thinking? Yes, I believe that. Though, not all spirits and not all the time. My theory is if a spirit tries hard enough or someone is naturally a strong sender, or if there's a preexisting psychic link like with loved ones for example, or a familiar location.
My guess is the woman whispering 'this way, THIS way' was a sentient spirit, not an echo from the past, as the other sounds seem to be. If she was a sentient spirit she may have assumed you could see/hear her because she likely knew you were receiving 'something' pertaining to the event in that moment.

As for people hearing things in EVPs and others not. Well, sometimes I think people don't want to have their beliefs challenged so their mind won't 'go there'. There's this dude in England called Derren Brown. He's an illusionist, I like him. But he's what I like to think of as an 'evangelist atheist'. He's a good guy and a great entertainer. His heart is in the right place. But he doesn't half want to convert everyone to believe in nothing but the physical world. He had a hard time with the church growing up. Many years ago Derren did a documentary about all things esoteric. He followed some spiritual people around, documenting what they did and politely disagreeing with what they believed was happening. One of the people in his documentary was a paranormal investigator. This guy had a big library of EVPs, videos and photos. He was showing Derren his best and most blatant EVP's etc in his collection. The voices in these EVP's were SO OBVIOUS. I mean REALLY obvious. But Derren said he couldn't hear them. So the guy would play another equally clear as day EVP. Derren couldn't hear it. Then the guy showed him some spirits on film. Also incredibly obvious, but Derren said he couldn't see anything. This was the first time I'd seen EVPs in action so I was really impressed and equally dumbfounded that Derren couldn't hear a thing.

That was ten years ago or more. I've since seen this psychology play out with family members and have concluded that once the mind is made up about the concept of existence, it's incredibly hard to change. We're emotional beings. Derren having bad experiences with the church may have a subconscious armour around these kinds of subjects. I suspect it's this way with many 'evangelist atheists/non believers'.

(You linked this in one of your recent comments to me and I've been waiting for when I had more time to read and comment!)
Maelstrom (23 posts)
 
2 years ago (2023-04-16)
Pelatiah

Yes, down here in LA. Between lower MS and Pensacola, there are plenty of haunts. And New Orleans isn't that far to do a tour. Out of the 2 forts guarding the bay, only one allows ghost tours/hunting. The other does not allow. Which doesn't mean that I cannot take pictures, carry a recorder in my pocket, or carry a small compass that I can hide in my hand. NAS Pens is closed to the public, due to the pandemic. The museum is opened to the public on rare occasions. My son and I were lucky enough to tour last year after a graduation held there. In my riding around, I see places and make mental notes on where I want to investigate. I did check out the USS Alabama, but nothing occurred.
Pelatiah (4 stories) (75 posts)
+3
2 years ago (2023-04-14)
Maelstrom,
Oh shoot, you meant Mobile, AL?!
Sorry, it didn't register with me.

Lots of history in Mobile as well as Pensacola down the road. I toured the officers quarters on the Naval Air Station for a Christmas tour, but much of the talk on the tour was of how the quarters were haunted. Back then, 1988, I wasn't too into paranormal anything. Wish I had paid more attention! Family members literally told members of the tour about the ghosts in their homes. I was more interested in the time with their Christmas decor. Silly me.
Pelatiah (4 stories) (75 posts)
+2
2 years ago (2023-04-14)
Maelstrom,
My daughter blew out her knee last October so has not been playing spring soccer, which means I haven't been back to the park since just before my initial post here. I just realized today the timing of this was almost as if I was supposed to "discover" this, but then not have a reason to go back!

So you are no longer in the area?
Maelstrom (23 posts)
+3
2 years ago (2023-04-13)
I visited the cemetery after reading about Civil War soldier's spirits being seen there. I wondered around the suspected area and then across the street around near the church where the remains of the trenches are. I will have to look through the pictures again, but nothing really occurred. I found out about the plane crash later on and read the history. I didn't see where they mentioned that the plane's remains were buried nearby. If I had known, I would have stopped and walked the area. A missed opportunity for sure. I moved to Mobile 16 months ago, so no chance of checking the soccer field area out.
Pelatiah (4 stories) (75 posts)
+2
2 years ago (2022-12-31)
Hi Lost Voyage, always enjoy your comments also. This time, I got chills reading your thoughts.

I realize that when I took my daughters to NYC in June of 2001 & the entire tour bus (double decker) stopped so most of them could go up into the WTC to Windows on the World, I told my kids with barely a thought that they're "terrorist targets & we're not going up." I was a 38 year old mom at that time & we were there for a daughter's dance thing. On 9-11 I was not surprised. But it seems sort of narcissistic to think my intuition or whatever is different. I like to think I'm observant & also have a wealth of trivia knowledge from being a former journalist.

(On that same trip in 2001 I took a photo of the stage at Radio City Music Hall &there's a huge orb right up there with the dancers!)

But also, that day last Sept. At the soccer game when I Googled & found the location of the wreckage... At the time seemed wild to me. I had done lots of reading by that time... Never saw that until we were probably sitting right on top of it. I'll update you all with anything related. Thank you all so much for your thoughts.
The_Lost_Voyage_11 (8 stories) (256 posts)
+4
2 years ago (2022-12-31)
Hello Pelatiah, fascinating experience, thank you for sharing it.

I have a few thoughts, but to answer one of your questions, yes I believe a phone recording, even an iphone can pick up sounds and events not on the normal spectrum of sound and sight we're familiar with.

Something or someone is trying to get your attention regarding the crash. I don't believe you hitting the record button was an accident, anymore than the intrusive thoughts that occured to you during the soccer game that directed you toward the crash were yours. Those thoughts from what you described seemed to have another source. Then there was the woman's voice seeming to direct you.

I would venture a guess that you seem to have a telepathic bond with at least one of the victims of the crash, as freaky as it sounds, the entangled way you seem to being led towards some truth.

I am in agreement that there is some lack in the investigation, how could engines fail after taking in that much water, and both of them? I'm not an expert in aviation tech but those engines have to be exposed to water constantly being at different altitudes. Unless they landed in a lake and the engines were submerged, I can't imagine they would be literally drowned in water?

Most of the time these investigations are quick and not very thorough. I believe the companies want to limit their liability, and if a scapegoat or a vague explanation can be found, they're likely to be substituted for the truth, money has a way of talking. I have a feeling the truth of what really happened in that crash has been covered up.

The sounds you heard on the recording, I won't go into the specifics of why and how you heard the engines as they had already failed (supposedly, again we don't really know how it all went down) But when a significantly emotional event happens, such as the civil war battles and even a huge tragedy such as the aircraft crash, I believe it ripples across the timeline, so to speak, both past and present.

People had premonition dreams before 9/11 as well as the Titanic sinking. These occurred before the actual events. Many others still see battles taking place on civil war battlefields and assume they are seeing a residual effect. However what if they are actually seeing the battle being played out across the timeline? There was a measured spike in the magnetic field on the earth measured during the 9/11 event.

I believe that the significant emotional outpouring and the effect on the magnetic field on the area can create a rift of sorts where we can peer through the veil of 'time' as we perceive it, if that makes sense, I can certainly elaborate. We're not really seeing ghosts at that point. Those people in their final moments before the crash were most likely terrified and so many of them together!

The area was already soaked in tragedy with the events of the civil war a century before the crash. Like attracts like and perhaps the energy vortex left behind from those battles almost guaranteed the crash that happened in that area. It certainly would explain why some haunted houses seem to have multiple tragedies (murder/suicides, etc) over the years.

Hopefully this sheds some light on your experience without going too far down the rabbit hole. I do believe something or someone is trying to direct you to the truth of what happened on that day so long ago. Perhaps they won't feel vindicated or able to move on from this plane of existence until it's resolved?

One other note on what you mentioned about the person hearing nothing in an EVP that you clearly know was there. Not everyone hears the same thing in EVP's or sees the same thing in photos taken of ghosts etc. Some of it is their level of belief, some of it I think is how the spirit/entity chooses to show itself. I've come to understand they can show themselves either through sight or sound to specific people while ignoring others. There have been people in the same room when a ghost manifests (in stories on this site alone) where the people involved don't see or feel or hear the same thing. That's what makes witness corroboration difficult with the supernatural. If they show themselves to whom they want in a physical (so to speak) encounter, why couldn't they do it on a medium such as a recording or a photo? Food for thought!

Good luck and thanks again for sharing!
Pelatiah (4 stories) (75 posts)
+2
2 years ago (2022-12-30)
Hi MK1,
My brother lives & works in Huntsville, love your area.
I went back this evening & re-listened to the video recording over & over. It's possible that it could be a heavy equipment sound, but I'd pick jet engine cycling over the bulldozer type noise if given a choice. There are some unintelligible voices & also a kind of electronic sound I can't describe as the volume reaches its peak. I have heard the electronic sound before somewhere. Then something I'd somehow missed... As the plane sound stops, I take my finger off the camera lense, stop walking & take video of the area I stop at. And it gets quiet, just like I remember on the walk. Not sure why I stopped there. A coincidence? Was I subconsciously trying to listen? The whole thing is weird. Your theory is good though... Thanks for the thoughts & Happy New Year!
MK1 (2 stories) (28 posts)
+3
2 years ago (2022-12-30)
Hi, [at] Pelatiah...

Your story is chilling.

I am somewhat familiar with the details of that plane crash detailed in your account. That particular flight had its final stopover in Huntsville, Alabama (my hometown) before it continued on the routine flight to Atlanta, that was anything but routine.

I was 10 years of age when it happened, and some members of our city were actually among the passengers killed on the fateful flight, so I remember vivid details of the news coverage of the event, both through news film and still photos.

A glance back at photos of the crash scene depict several heavy backhoes, dump trucks and the like, no doubt carting away some of the wreckage after being examined by the NTSB and local authorities to determine the cause of the crash.

I wonder if the airplane sounds you were hearing (despite your beloved late husband's line of work and familiarity with the sound of certain aircraft) were those of the heavy machinery transporting the pieces of the fuselage down into the landfill site, no doubt with some spirits attached to that plane along with it?

Just as I feel that spirits can attach themselves to pieces of furniture, dolls, paintings, etc., I can't help thinking that at least a few of the unfortunate 63 people who died on that flight may have not moved on to the next world, and remain attached to that airplane, buried beneath a placid city park?

Do you feel that what you heard might be from the heavy machinery that transported the wreckage, and the woman a passenger whose soul remains with the twisted aluminum that remained?

Thank you for sharing that story. It is absolutely fascinating. Be well.
Pelatiah (4 stories) (75 posts)
+2
2 years ago (2022-12-28)
Hi Rajine,
It seems like the gates sort of opened for me after my mom died in 2013, though I'd been noting things for 20 years prior (since husband died in 1993).

Fortunately, I've not had the scary experiences some people here have had. But then, when I wake up at night I refuse to look around, just sort of look down or close my eyes (yes, all the way to the bathroom before). I also remember being afraid to look into the heavy woods when I was a kid, especially at Ft. Benning, GA (same as Lalee commented once). Also remember when I was very little having loud talking in my head sometimes at night, as though a tv set was on. I would visualize the horizontal line (like we used to have on the old televisions) and pretend to turn the tv OFF to make it quiet. Is that strange or what?
Rajine (14 stories) (889 posts)
+2
2 years ago (2022-12-25)
Hi Pelatiah

I feel that you are sensitive to the spirit world and that could be a reason why you encountered this incident.
Pelatiah (4 stories) (75 posts)
+4
2 years ago (2022-12-23)
Biblio,
I always appreciate your thoughtful observations & agree with you about the engine noise! (my late husband was a naval aviator). The recording does sound like the engines are surging (cycling?) higher & then lower, and it gets super loud -- I almost forgot while listening that in reality I was walking in a park that appeared quiet except for some distant "kids playing" noises. But perhaps going through the storm, this is what the engines sounded like before going out... I read that the NTSB said it was actually a torrential rain that got into the engines & was previously thought that these particular dc-9 jet engines could withstand all that water. After this crash, that was all changed along with procedures for storms.

I have considered whether what I'm hearing is ambient sound that for some reason I never noticed while walking. Having lived around airfields all my life (dad also an Army helicopter pilot) I tend to look up when something flies over, but again, all seemed quiet except for two cars that passed me. I will go back & make sure I hear specifically the two vehicles AS WELL AS the other noises.

My EVP attempts are more spontaneous than true ghost hunters, who plan for the quiet & also ask questions. I think I'm chicken when it comes to this... But I suppose I can try again next time I'm there. The woman's whisper was not scary. I'll let ya'll know if anything else happens & thank you for helping me think of ways to understand. That IS what I'm doing here -- trying to understand the things I've seen & heard.
Bibliothecarius (9 stories) (1091 posts)
+4
2 years ago (2022-12-22)
Greetings, Pelatiah.

In answer to one of your questions, I believe that, to some extent, spirits are able to hear thoughts. There are many narratives on this site in which spirits react to deliberate, focused thoughts (e.g.: prayer) even when the person involved finds himself/herself incapable of physical speech. Potentially, this could account for the EVP responding to your focused intent upon locating the fuselage of the plane. I'd recommend revisiting the path you had taken and trying to capture further EVPs by asking questions (aloud or silently). The spirit may appreciate your concern.

One point is nagging at me, though. If the DC-9 lost both of its engines in a storm, why would your recording include the sound of the plane's engines? After flameout, each engine shouldn't be making any noise. This makes me wonder if the FAA investigation was not completely transparent in their findings. However, if one engine had been functioning, there wouldn't have been any need to make the emergency landing on a rural roadway. Additionally, once the pilots had committed to landing the plane in the emergency, they probably wouldn't have been still trying to restart the engines as they focused their attention on maintaining a stable descent path. If anyone has a more detailed knowledge of airplanes than I, answers to these questions would be appreciated.

Best,
Biblio.
Pelatiah (4 stories) (75 posts)
+4
2 years ago (2022-12-20)
Rajine, I suppose what hit me the most when I was listening at home & thought I heard the plane engine getting very loud, was that this could be the "residual" sounds that so many paranormal experts talk about.

I sort of believe that these sounds are all around us, as are spirits & maybe it's atmospheric or maybe coincidence when our awareness collides. Sometimes I think maybe I just want to believe & it's my imagination, but I'm a person really grounded in reality & haven't gone looking for it but have stumbled upon it over many years.
Rajine (14 stories) (889 posts)
+5
2 years ago (2022-12-20)
Hi Pelatiah

This is a very strange and interesting incident that you experienced, the voice of the woman you heard could have been one of the victims I suppose, but what's strange is hearing the airplane, spirits communicate, not machinery, as far as I know.
RCRuskin (9 stories) (847 posts)
+4
2 years ago (2022-12-20)
[at] Valkricry, thank you for the article.

[at] Pelatiah, I have listened to many EVPs, including one from my coworker who claimed her apartment was haunted. Sometimes I can hear what is claimed, sometimes I don't. In the case of my coworker, she asked the specter "what do you want?" She heard "solace"; I heard "souls". So maybe one of us was mishearing. Given the history of the place with numerous murders and suicides, I am inclined to think my interpretation was the correct one, but I also never investigated it personally. There are some entities I never want to encounter in the first place.
Pelatiah (4 stories) (75 posts)
+3
2 years ago (2022-12-19)
Val, I spoke with the author of that article yesterday before sitting down to write my post. He was very gracious, and said he'd been unable to determine where on the acreage the fuselage was buried. I was frank with him & told him about the evp (but not the sounds of the plane on my video). The last time I shared an audio recording of an evp at a battlefield, a few years back, the historian told me he could not hear anything. It was quite embarassing when it was clear as a bell to me. (I also posted the story called "Them Soldiers Is dead"). If one is a skeptic, I think they can't hear maybe. Or maybe they will hear initially, but then their brain chooses not to retain (?) or, it's just silly to some.

Pretty sure I'll keep making inquiries though. It's a big site, with multiple soccer fields, a playground & outbuildings, just next door to the county animal shelter. It's a pretty happy place, with lots of smiling children, families & activity, but when all are gone it has a lonely & isolated feel. Glad for the happy hours & hope the spirits can somehow feel them. Not sure how it works, AT ALL.
valkricry (49 stories) (3286 posts) mod
+4
2 years ago (2022-12-19)
Here's an article that pertains to this account: https://ashevilleoralhistoryproject.com/2013/08/27/dry-tomb/
RCRuskin (9 stories) (847 posts)
+5
2 years ago (2022-12-19)
Can an iPhone pick up sounds in the environment? I think they can. Sounds that are 40 plus years ago? Well, I have a hypothesis that suggests they probably can but I'm not entirely convinced.

Would be interesting to go to the historical society to ask for maps of where the wreckage was buried relative to where things are now.

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