New set of skills acquired the very special kind - paranormal detection
Actually, I wouldn’t know it if a ghost walked up and speak to me.
When I was around 5 years old, I remember seeing my father walk past the guest room, heading towards a dead end.
I was puzzled because there was nowhere for him to go. There’s nobody there when I looked.
I told the family friend staying in that guest room about it, but he dismissed it, saying he hadn’t seen anyone. Perhaps he knew what it was but didn’t want to scare a child.
I See Dead People
Photo by Erik Müller on Unsplash
When we moved to our previous house, my partner’s mother insisted on bringing her religious artifacts and practices into our home doing more harm than good.
That very night, I saw a man walking out of our bedroom. At the same time, my cat stared intently in the same direction. My partner was sleeping like a log.
That’s definitely not human. The house was too small, so there was no way it could have been an intruder.
The place felt suffocating, as if there were invisible presences. As he went to work, I was often alone in that place, but I never felt truly alone.
That woman can get away with anything, including those about the objects she brought into our home and the unseen entities she invited in.
After I smashed that damned altar, I also smashed the urn on the floor in a fit of frustration. There was nothing civil or polite about it. I simply smashed it.
I was tired of being gaslighted, of being told that nothing was wrong with everything else, but everything was wrong with me. I knew I’m not wrong.
After that, the unsettling atmosphere began to dissipate. While I couldn’t confirm the exact source of the disturbances at the time, I now believe I know who was responsible.
Those actions were not pure or well-intentioned, and they persisted despite knowing the potential harm they could cause. I can only taste malice in all that.
That Haunted House
There was this old house, where I often caught glimpses of movement out of the corner of my eye. I dismissed it as the blinds moving in the wind from the ceiling fan.
It wasn’t until after we moved out that I learned the truth.
My mother saw children walking around the house at night, and neighbors, who had been hesitant to mention it earlier, confirmed that they often heard children’s voices and unusual activity. The local market vendors were well aware of the house’s reputation as a haunted house.
My father’s discovery of Chinese talismans hidden under the roof confirmed it.
That’s how I learned that whatever I catches from the corner of my eyes is something that is actually there.
Feast For the Dead
We used to live in a beautiful, newly renovated landed property, where we wanted to set up two home offices but were totally derailed when his mother transformed the space into this chaotic and unsettling environment.
She filled the house with her belongings and conducted strange rituals, such as setting up a table with ten place settings to invite unseen entities for a feast right inside our house.
The Chinese tradition for the Hungry Ghost Festival involves performing rituals away from one’s home, even far from the front gate, to avoid attracting unwanted spirits into the home. Yet, she chooses to do the opposite.
The energy in the house was off. Friends who visited would take obvious detours to avoid certain spots, seeing some presence there. Soon, no one wanted to come inside.
It’s Standing Behind Me
This is the same place where I often caught glimpses of movement out of the corner of my eye. When I turned around, there was nothing there. I’ve also experienced moments of intense fear, where I would freeze in place.
At the time, I was deeply engrossed in my business, pouring all my energy into it. I didn’t have time for distractions like ghost stories or supernatural beliefs. I was focused on business books and courses, and my mind was preoccupied with work.
Some people might attribute these experiences to stress or overthinking, but I’ve ruled out those possibilities. The strange occurrences were too specific and too frequent to be dismissed as mere imagination.
Sometimes, my dogs (Kimchi is not in the picture yet, she wasn’t even born yet) would behave strangely, staring at a spot behind me as if there was someone there.
It was as if they could sense a presence that I couldn’t see.
The feeling was eerie, like something from a horror movie, where you know something is behind you but hesitate to turn around. I’d often find myself contemplating whether I should turn or not, unsure of what I might encounter.
Photo by Catalin Pop on Unsplash
The Dark Figures
The atmosphere in the house was undeniably strange since day one. She had been consumed by her business and hadn’t spared much thought for the strange sensation, but the palpable strangeness was hard to overlook.
At times, she would catch movements from the corner of her eye, but she dismissed them as the wind rustling the blinds. It occurred so frequently that it became difficult to disregard.
The dogs would frequently gaze into empty space, occasionally fixating on the area behind her. It was as if there were something invisible, a presence that was real yet intangible. Most of the time there’ll be a dark figure hovering around her.
Like They Wanted to Drag Me to Hell
Enraged and muttering foul language, she walked upstairs to confront him. As she made her way up, an unseen force suddenly yanked her down the staircase. She struggled to stand up, but the relentless pull dragged her further down the staircase.
She laid there for a long time too terrified to move.
She wasn’t hallucinating; the hovering figure was undeniably real. Her friends had indeed witnessed something, and the spiritual practitioners hadn’t been lying. There was unquestionably a presence in the house.
Those bruises on her legs took quite a long time to heal.
Excerpts from The Haunting of The Unholy Elders
The Ghost Child
Some people, like my mother, seem to have a third eye for these things, but not me.
My mother once saw a child my age standing next to the altar area while I was asleep. During this time, food offerings, such as the crispy skin of roasted pork, would mysteriously disappear.
They blamed me, but now I doubt it was me, considering there was another child in that house.
The Urban Legend- Milk Ghost ( Hantu Susu)
My fear of the supernatural stems more from stories and books than personal experiences. It’s a normal fear, nothing obsessive.
I’m one of those people who is both drawn to and repulsed by the horror genre. I love a good scare, but I also get easily spooked.
In primary school, I could get so engrossed in the Fear Street Saga, only to suddenly abandon the series when it became too frightening.
I often left my school bag outside my house after school, as I attended afternoon classes and would return home at dusk. I had a silly fear that the ghosts from the books inside my bag might somehow escape and enter the house.
I had to be quick and cautious. At that time, there was this urban legend about a woman carrying a baby, going door-to-door asking for milk. This coincided with the time school finishes, so I had to rushed home.
Our family didn’t have the luxury of leaving lights on or using timers back then. I’d open the door slightly, avoiding looking inside, and quickly reach for the light switch, dashed inside and slammed the door shut.
I missed out on a lot of homework, mostly due to my slow learning pace and the fact that I often left my school bag outside.
Perhaps that could be my version of the ‘dog ate my homework’ excuse or my own personal Home Alone movie.
The Visions
I sometimes had these unusual experiences where, out of the blue, I had a vision of a figure in the same room. It was someone was squatting by the toilet, sniffing it, and another was standing by the window curtain, exuding a disturbing presence.
These experiences often occur in places known to be haunted.
The Unwelcomed Cold Touch
I went to a hill resort for a holiday. It’s slightly colder than the lower ground here but I had this unusual cold like feverish cold. I bundled up in a thick jacket for dinner, only to find myself sweating profusely.
Back in my room, I felt the inexplicable chill again. There was noise from the room above, where someone was dragging furniture around all night, that really pissed me off.
Later, I discovered that we were staying on the top floor, no other room above ours and that the hotel was in the list of one of the most haunted places in Malaysia.
The Sinister Coldness
Out of the blue, that icy cold presence engulfed me again. Like I’m shut and nailed in alive in an ice coffin.
The house felt ice-cold all the time. She constantly wore thick clothes, even though the temperature inside was 30 degrees Celsius and she didn’t have a fever. Even after extensive tests and bloodwork, the doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with her.
Self-care became increasingly difficult for her. When she finally managed to make it into the bathroom for shower, the water was icy cold no matter how she tried to adjust it. Oddly enough, the water heater seemed to be functioning perfectly, emitting billows of steam from the boiling water. Fortunately, she was alert enough to realize that, preventing herself from getting scalded.
Excerpts from The Haunting of the Unholy Elders
I felt this icy presence right after this person came to the house.
Why was I even felt surprised it happened? Maybe because I still have doubts on my own instinct, and I’m just so naive. Evil can be so persistent.
They are related after all. For what I know, they have been dabbling with dark stuff for at least 2 generations. It could be more than that.
That thing he tried to do to my space knowing it’s supposed to be my altar. My crucifix was there on the wall, a declaration of my faith. It sure felt like he was trying to desecrate it.
It did not harm me, just making me really angry. But his presence is making me uncomfortable and sick each time.
I felt compelled to purify the place with holy water and prayers to deal with evil spirits after he left.
Almost like the thermostat has been corrected. I’m surrounded by warmth once again like how it should. Not having to wear thick fleece wear for winter in the middle of all year-round summer.
Excerpts from I Thought My Time Has Come
I’d Nonchalantly Fall Asleep, Most of The Time
These experiences may have been helpful in recognizing paranormal activities. But I have yet to develop the heightened awareness like those depicted in movies.
I can only conclude a supernatural occurrence after careful analysis and deduction based on past experiences. It could take years for me to reach that conclusion.
I often don’t notice these occurrences until later, often dismissing them as mere imagination or tiredness.
Like the time I saw a dark figure hovering over me at night in a hotel, I screamed in fright. My roommate turned on the light, and I realized it wasn’t just a dream.
I quickly fell back asleep, but I felt sorry for my roommate who was still shaken by the experience.
There was another time when I was getting ready for bed in a hotel. I felt a strange sensation on my legs but dismissed it as tiredness from the day’s activities.
Then, I felt movement on the bed, as if someone was sitting at the edge. I muttered Just let me sleep and drifted off to sleep.
©Britt H.
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Hello, I'm Britt, the person behind the writings you'll find here.
While I can't promise a constant stream of exclusive content, I can promise to consolidate my often scattered, writing portfolio right here on BMC. Think of this as the dedicated home for all my work. Please note, this process might take time, depending on my daily condition.
For me, writing isn't just my craft; it's my sole way of working. As someone navigating multiple chronic illnesses with frequent medical treatments at various hospitals and clinics, my routine often leaves me with little energy or capacity for much else.
As an autistic individual with a severe anxiety disorder, holding a conventional job is almost an impossible feat—a sad reality that is a stark contrast to how I used to be able to function. These days, even an unexpected phone call can throw me into disarray, let alone stepping out the door.
Despite these immense challenges, they have, unexpectedly, opened new doors. In a way, being chronically ill has been a blessing in disguise, granting me the space and courage to pursue writing.
You could say I'm an unknown and perpetually poor writer (not everyone can be J.K. Rowling!).
I juggle inconsistent odd remote jobs alongside the limited income my writing generates on different platforms.
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✍️Previously published: 29th October 2024 | Part of my consolidated writing portfolio.