The House of Spirits

It was nearly eight years ago when we started looking for a house to buy. He and I decided to look at the local listings separately and whatever house we both liked with our separate searches, we would go and look at them.

Oddly, with he and I both separately looking (did not know each other’s choice), we were drawn to the same exact house. Was this particular location, with a house not even twenty years old at the time, calling out to us? Maybe, but whatever it was, we knew we had to check it out.

The land, being barely an acre, was covered by lots of big trees. This 1200 square foot house sat off the road a bit. With its four white columns in the front, the one story brick structure had a certain comforting charm about it. Huge windows that allow in all the beautiful sunshine….. Love!!

We scheduled a viewing appointment with the realtor, who ended up becoming a very dear friend…. actually, more like a family member now. (Southern charm and etiquette have their ways of bringing people closer together.)

The day was a Monday, just after Thanksgiving, when we drove out to the house. As we were nearing the property, barely entering the driveway, we began to feel an energy coming from this place. It was so inviting, which made us want to see it even more. There was a “presence” we couldn’t explain. Our younger son was with us, and he was just as eager as we were.

As we approached the house, the realtor standing there with his warm smile, welcomed us inside. Like I mentioned, the house is barely 1200 square feet so it didn’t take long to view it. The open floorplan has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The stained glass lighting fixtures in the kitchen made me squeal like a little girl because I immediately fell in love with them. That made the guys laugh at me. I told them it was a “girl thing”. Lol

The location is right outside city limits, yet close enough to everywhere and only nine miles from the beach! It’s quiet and the neighbors are awesome.

After purchasing the home, we had to do several things… paint the interior, fill in places in the sheetrock where previous residents had hung photos and other decorations on the walls… those types of things. As we did these, we could feel the presence of something otherworldly, like being observed. And occasionally, hearing and seeing things. Like one time, I was walking into the master bathroom and to my right, just in my ear (and I was home alone), I heard a male’s voice faintly say, “Hey”. I turned my head and couldn’t find anyone. Other times, shadows seen out of the corners of our eyes. A strong female presence has been felt many times, an older lady who seems to be the observer, in my opinion. And a few times recently, I have seen a man wearing a light blue checkered shirt also observing me.

However as crazy as all this sounds, nothing malevolent has ever been felt. We have paranormal investigative equipment and have conducted some sessions to communicate. Our findings have proven conclusive. We feel that our home is a transient spot for spirits to come and go. I believe our dog has even picked up on things as well because he has made certain gestures that have validated our belief. And being a psychic and Empath, I can’t discount what I “feel” and “know”.

Here are some photos of our home.

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Imaginary Friends…. Make believe or something ghostly? 🤔

Excellent topic for discussion….. Imaginary friends … So many children have them…. Mindless playing with tea parties, outdoor games or just pretending to sing in front of an audience. Children letting their imaginations run wild with their sweet innocence.

And then here’s another theory …. Perhaps one that can be the premise to something other worldly.

Often, the plot of a horror film…. the subject evolves around a lonely child who may seek the attention from a playmate. The parents discount it as something lighthearted until time passes and either the child’s behavior starts to turn dark, or something sinister literally happens, which leads to ungodly acts that are blamed on the misunderstood child. And as the young one proclaims innocence, he or she is wrongfully accused and then a whole world of problems arise… Yes, we’ve all seen films like these, read about stories online or in the papers… Heard about kids in school…. etc…. etc…. The list goes on and on….

So…. Do you believe that a child’s imaginary friend could actually be a ghost, or something evil with cruel intentions waiting to happen?

Hmmm….. Ponderism… 🤔

“The Change”

“POW!”

The loud sound of gunfire exploded just feet away from my head causing my eyes to pop wide open. Panic stricken, I immediately jumped to my feet.

“Ma’am, are you ok?” The rifle toting man frantically asked.

“Huh? What?!” I spat the words out as my heart raced with fear. “What the hell’s goin’ on?”

“You were being attacked.” He continued while oddly looking my body over as if he was checking for something.

I shrugged him off with a harsh, scowled expression. “Get off me!”

“Hey, I was only tryin’ to help!” He abruptly growled back.

“Huh?” The confusion was still running rampant through my brain, but then a brief second of clarity began to occur. The night was pitch black, so black that even the moonlight couldn’t be seen through the thick cover of trees. I honestly couldn’t even see me waving my own hand in front of my eyes.

Then suddenly, my estranged hero started snapping his fingers in a rude attempt to get my attention. “Hey!” He exclaimed.

“What?” I shouted back.

“Look around you!” He yelled while shining his flashlight throughout the woods like a deranged lunatic.

“What the hell are you…….” My voice trailed off with a weakened tone as I started to see what he was referring to.

In my stunned state I had become paralyzed with fear. For what I had seen before me, in the flashed glimpses of his light, was the vanishing of ravenous creatures scurrying away. Their bellowed groans diminished into the air along with the foul stench that wreaked of rotting flesh from their bones.

I freaked, “What are those??!!”

“Calm down.” The hunter said.

“How can you tell me to calm down?” The tears welled my eyes and rushed down my cheeks like a busted dam had given way.

“Take a breath. Are you all right?” He added.

“I dunno, I guess so.” I began to feel my body, checking to make sure that everything was still intact. However, I did feel some soreness, maybe bruising in my lower back on the right side, but I wasn’t about to tell him about it. There was absolutely no way I was going to let some creeper lift up my shirt, even if it was to help me. His rough, unkempt appearance made me feel uncomfortable enough as it was. So, I casually lowered the bottom of my shirt and pretended that everything was ok.

“What’s a girl like you doing out here?” He asked, twitching around towards every little sound amongst the trees. His trigger happy self was armed and ready to fire again.

With a shameful tone I answered, “I’m homeless.”

“Homeless?” His annoying questions continued as he finally took notice of my make-shift campsite not far behind me.

“Yeah, had it out with my folks. Haven’t seen them in months. I guess with all the sleepless nights I’ve been having, that I finally passed out hard enough and didn’t even realize I was being attacked. Or maybe it was the drunk induced coma…. who knows? Or better yet…. who cares?” I spewed the words out with pure sarcasm. The harsh taste of last night’s whiskey still lingered on my lips.

“Ya know, you’re pretty nosy for an old man.” I snapped.

“Whatever, I gotcha. None of my business.” He backed off with his hands waving in the air.

Then, it was my turn to quiz him like he did me. “What’s your story? Why ya out here in the middle of the night carrying around a gun? Who goes huntin’ this late?”

“I’m a hunter.” He boastfully replied.

“Well, duh… I can see that.” I scoffed.

“Uh huh…..” He paused, looking around, guarded as if waiting for those vile creatures to return. “Those damned things. Whatever the hell they are. I hunt them.”

“Zombies?” The word blurted from my lips before I had a chance to even rationally think about what I was about to say. Suddenly, I felt a wave of embarrassment sweep over me because I knew that mentioning anything so bizarre was completely and totally insane.

“Yeah, somethin’ like that.” He quickly answered, still looking around, paranoid with every twitching sound. His trigger happy finger on his gun continued to be ready and waiting upon command.

“Wait! No way!! Zombies don’t exist.” I joked, but then was quickly reminded of the sharp pain in my back as it throbbed like that of a nagging toothache. And then, a disturbing thought popped into my head. One so horrifying that I wouldn’t dare speak about it to the hunter. The nightmarish possibility that what if when I was being attacked, I was actually bitten by one of those gruesome things? It was at that moment that I discovered the intensity of the wound on my back. As discreet as I was trying to be, the hunter took notice of my sudden behavior.

“Somethin’ wrong?” He glared.

“Nah, I’m good. Just an itch.” Quickly I brushed it off.

“Uh huh… don’t be such a lady and let me take a look then.” The old man stepped towards me, shining his flashlight at my waistline.

“I sure as hell ain’t no lady, and I swear if you take one step closer, I’m gonna take you out at the knee. Trust me, old man, I know how to take care of myself.” Moving three to four steps back, I stiffened up, ready for my defense.

“Ok, whatever. I don’t give a damn anyway.” He said as he backed away. And as he stepped back, a stick snapped under his foot. Somehow he lost his balance and fell to the ground. When he did, he caught himself, but while landing he scraped his hand, exposing the raw flesh just beneath the skin’s surface.

“Son of a…..” He mumbled.

Then, all of a sudden, I caught the sweet scent of something. It was something I had never smelled before, something sweet like nectar. I raised my head, sniffing the air around me trying to catch wind of it again. But the higher my nose got, the more faint the desirable smell became. Confused, I began to look around for its origin. My mood was changing and the feeling of emptiness started to take over in my stomach. Hunger was beginning to consume me at an exceedingly rapid pace. My stomach growled with a pain that was so intense that it needed immediate satisfaction. It was growling extremely uncontrollably and the need of fulfillment was urgent. My senses were sharpening, my vision and hearing, and my movements twitched. Something was happening, something terrifying!

“Hey, you all right?” The fallen hunter asked. He looked up at me with a puzzled look on his face, well aware of my odd behavior.

“Yeah, I feel just fine.” A malicious grin slowly formed across my face. As I spoke those words, I began to feel a nefarious sense engulf me. It permeated from the spot on my back and grew stronger as it coursed through my veins. Was it happening? Did those creatures pierce my skin with their razor-like teeth? I felt as if I was changing into one of them. The sense of being predator was exhilarating and the sudden urge to hunt was dire. I needed to feed.

And that was when it hit me. I looked down at the injured man on the ground. His scraped hand was bleeding….. ahhhh…. the sweet smell of nectar!

Our eyes locked and we both knew of the imminent danger that he was in. Obviously, his mounted years of being an experienced hunter paid off because he knew with whom he was dealing. The fierce change had been rapid for me. I had just been born into this ravenous world where rage devoured my soul and hunger had taken over. My nostrils flared and my heart raced, pulsating with every beat. I was ready to pounce him and tear him flesh from bone.

“Now, Miss…. ya ain’t gotta do this….” The rough man pleaded. He tried scurrying back while reaching for the long handled blade that was tucked away in his boot, but wasn’t quick enough for my unbridled advance.

In an instant, I was straddling on top of him, pinning his arms down with my legs. He struggled as hard as he could, even spat in my face and called me some “not so kind”names, but he still couldn’t break free. I suppose that with this new change of mine, came an insurmountable strength that I would have to get use to. Whatever it was, I liked it!

“Now, now, now…. I thought you were big, bad and tough.” I playfully teased, leaning in just inches from his face, so close that our breath intertwined. Anger filled his eyes as he gritted his teeth. Tension thickened between us as the heavy moment in time felt like an eternity. I was waiting for the right moment, almost like toying with my prey. It felt so good, almost orgasmic. Then, without warning, the bastard head butted me, busting my nose. The blood automatically started to flow down into my mouth.

“Mmmmm……” I licked it from my top lip. Tasting my own nectar caused the rage to intensify as it surged throughout my entire body. I reared back and bellowed out a wicked howl, then glared into the frightened eyes of my weakened victim. Terror covered him like a fear filled blanket. His lips trembled and his eyes welled while he cried out, “NOOOO!!!!”

I quickly lunged into him with razor-sharp teeth, piercing the warm, soft flesh of his neck like a hot knife cutting into butter. His blood flowed so sweetly into my mouth like the finest glass of merlot. From there, I began to nibble, then taking full bites to satisfy my insatiable hunger. I could feel his dying body convulse between my legs as I devoured him down to the last fiber of his being.

Finally, the hunter had become the hunted…..

 

 

 

 

CSParkerJewelry on Etsy! https://www.etsy.com/shop/CSParkerJewelry  (Handmade Jewelry. Natural Stones. Glass Beads.)

Get a copy of my novel, The Spirit Within on Amazon!

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Twitter: @sheilarparker.

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Facebook: Sheila Renee Parker – Author

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Instagram: @sheilareneeparker

~ Art by Sheila Renee Parker available at: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/sheilarenee-parker.html

~ Sheila Renee Parker on YouTube: Sheila Renee Parker

 

 

 

 

Hellhounds: Such Naughty Lil’ Pooches

Popularly known as “The Bearers of Death”. These mangled, black furred, dog-like beasts have existed in legends for centuries. They’re reported to be supernatural in nature and possess ghostly characteristics with a foul odor. They’re also known to terrorize their victims with their gnarling sharp teeth and razor claws. They have red glowing eyes, super strength and speed, and may even have a fiery appearance with hellish abilities.

According to European folklore, many have claimed that if a person stares into a hellhound’s eyes three or more times, or hear its terrifying howl, it could be an omen or possibly the cause of that individual’s death.

These naughty little pooches’ purpose? Often, to protect the entrances to the realms of those who have passed on, like burial grounds and cemeteries. The nefarious beasts may be responsible for other ghastly duties like protecting unearthly treasure and/or hunting the souls of the lost.

The tale of these ferocious creatures is well-known throughout Great Britain. The Isle of Man has their own version referred to as “Moddey Dhoo. Wales has their’s known as “Gwyllgi”. The “Cadejo”, according to Central American folklore, is a large black canine that haunts those who walk late into the night on country roads.

As stated earlier, hellhounds are referred to as “The Bearers of Death”. These creatures were given this title because it was alleged that they were created by ancient demons to serve as heralds of death. Sightings have been documented all throughout history, including locations within the United States: Louisiana, Kentucky, Connecticut, Hawaii, Ohio and then even abroad in Vilseck, Germany. The hellhound known as “Black Shuck” roams the Norfolk, Essex and Suffolk coastline of England. It has been seen lurking around graveyards, dark forests and crossroads. According to Catalan myth, their version of the foreboding beast is referred to as “Dip”: The Devil’s emissary who sucks its victim’s blood.

Just a few years ago the London-Based archaeology group, DigVentures discovered the skeleton of a gigantic dog from a shallow grave less than two feet deep in the ruins of Leiston Abbey, Suffolk. According to the archaeologists, they stated that the dog’s height was more than seven feet on its rear legs and weighed around 200 pounds. The DigVentures team believes that the skeletal remains likely date back to medieval times. It is possible that the canine was a rather large hunting dog and perhaps possibly the initial spark that created the legend of “Black Shuck”.

So, makes one wonder doesn’t it? Do nefarious creatures like the demonic hellhound really exist? Or are they the product of superstitious minds who possess wild imaginations?

A little something to think about while sitting alone in a slightly dimmed room on a dark and stormy night. And don’t worry if you hear slight scratching on the window beside you. It’s probably just the wind blowing a tree limb that’s causing the noise, or…. maybe it’s not….. perhaps it’s a hellhound trying to claw its way in……… 😉 ***HOWLS!!!***

 

 

 

 

 

CSParkerJewelry on Etsy! https://www.etsy.com/shop/CSParkerJewelry  (Handmade Jewelry. Natural Stones. Glass Beads.)

Get a copy of my novel, The Spirit Within on Amazon!

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Twitter: @sheilarparker.

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Facebook: Sheila Renee Parker – Author

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Instagram: @sheilareneeparker

~ Art by Sheila Renee Parker available at: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/sheilarenee-parker.html

~ Sheila Renee Parker on YouTube: Sheila Renee Parker

 

 

 

 

Midnight Madness

As stealthily as the wind may blow,
I writhe upon my midnight glow.
As I crawl upon my weary prey,
starting early without delay.
Spying on it with surprise,
see the terror in its eyes.
As approaching the frightened one,
there’s no struggle, the fight is won.

 

 

(A poem by Sheila Renee Parker.)

 

Happy Tuesday and a fab week to you all! Hope you enjoyed reading my quaint little poem, Midnight Madness. It was one that I wrote many moons ago (almost as far back as the times of the dinosaurs) when I was in high school. I wrote a lot of poetry back then. Instead of listening to the teacher at the front of the class, I would be looking out the window with poetic rhythms collaborating in my head. I couldn’t help it… the rush of verse flowed through my veins like a vessel on an uncharted mission. Loved the creative adrenaline. Actually, I still do…. ’tis the reason why I’m sharing with you! 😉

~ Much love & light!!!

 

 

 

 

Get a copy of my novel, The Spirit Within on Amazon!

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Twitter: @sheilarparker.

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Facebook: Sheila Renee Parker – Author

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Instagram: @sheilareneeparker

~ Art by Sheila Renee Parker available at: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/sheilarenee-parker.html

~ Sheila Renee Parker on YouTube: Sheila Renee Parker

 

 

 

 

The Black Heart

On a bed of roses she lies

as the vampire drains her, she dies.

Drinking her blood, drop by drop,

tasting her crimson as her heart stops.

He feels the essence of her very soul

leave her body while she turns cold.

Then, the embodiment of Death comes to take her over.

The vampire has become her final lover.

The Grim Reaper reaches for her hand

to take her away to Purgatory’s land.

She looks up into his dark, hollowed eyes

then looks back at the vampire to say her goodbyes.

He returns her gaze as she drifts away,

longing for just one more moment for her to stay.

But her time has come for her at last.

It will no longer be present, the time will be past

as the reaper takes her away,

alone the vampire must stay.

 

 

(“The Black Heart” ~ Poem by Sheila Renee Parker)

 

 

 

 

Get a copy of my novel, The Spirit Within on Amazon!

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Twitter: @sheilarparker.

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Facebook: Sheila Renee Parker – Author

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Instagram: @sheilareneeparker

~ Art by Sheila Renee Parker available at: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/sheilarenee-parker.html

~ Sheila Renee Parker on YouTube: Sheila Renee Parker

~ Sheila Renee Parker, “co-co-host” on The Calling @ https://www.thecallingradioshow.com/

and tune into us LIVE on The Calling every Wednesday night at 7 p.m. CST – 8 p.m. CST and join in the free chatroom at www.para-x.com!

 

 

 

 

“The Portal”

“The Portal” ~ by Sheila Renee Parker

 

One, two….. the Demon’s waiting for you.

Three, four….. inside the Ouija Board.

Five, six…. to play his evil tricks.

Seven, eight….. away from Heaven’s gate.

Nine, ten…. don’t let the bastard win. .

 

 

 

 

Ouija Boards, or any kind of spirit boards for that matter, are something that many of you know that I am strongly against. I wish that toy companies wouldn’t market and distribute them as mere play things. Misinformed people so often think that there’s nothing to it, that it’s “all just a game”. Oh, how wrong they are……

 

Here’s a poem that I wrote based on my own experience with the nefarious Ouija. It’s been a while since I shared it with you, hope you enjoy reading it! And please, if any of you have had any kind of experience with spirit boards, don’t be afraid to share. Would love to hear about it!

 

 

 

 

“A Board Known As The Ouija” ~ by Sheila Renee Parker

The night was calm, dark and still. To this day, I remember it extremely well. However, many a year ago, it was a Saturday, a horror story of bold. Two other girls and I, together we were three, collected around a board known as the Ouija. Slowly, we placed our fingertips upon a small piece of wood called the planchette, dreading impending moments of regret, with fears of memories we wouldn’t forget.

With bated breath we deeply inhaled, then proceeded to ask things in great detail. For with the hereafter we wanted to converse, in a series of questions that were unrehearsed, like “is there anyone here?” and “how did you die?”. Then seconds later we got a reply. As scary as it was we were told “yes”. One simple word that made us become speechless. For we weren’t the ones who had replied, it was quite obvious by the fear in our eyes.

We continued with questions of more and we were answered with terror galore. With whom we had reached from the other side, was trying to come through with nothing to hide. Their answers were clear and their actions then too, for they were knocking over candles in the adjoining room. A room unoccupied with only a dim glow except for the entity’s unwanted show. Their presence was felt with heavy intent and we three girls were starting to resent unleashing this darkness that wasn’t fervent.

We stopped that night all due to fright and quickly put the board away locked up and tight. Our hearts raced without skipping a beat from what we had just witnessed that made the facts concrete. And even though it’s been so many years since that night with the swelling of tears, never again in front of me has there ever been another board known as the Ouija.

 

(A poem by Sheila Renee Parker inspired by one of her actual                                                                         paranormal experiences.)

 

 

 

 

Get a copy of my novel, The Spirit Within on Amazon!

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Twitter: @sheilarparker.

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Facebook: Sheila Renee Parker – Author

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Instagram: @sheilareneeparker

~ Art by Sheila Renee Parker available at: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/sheilarenee-parker.html

~ Sheila Renee Parker on YouTube: Sheila Renee Parker

~ Sheila Renee Parker, “co-co-host” on The Calling @ https://www.thecallingradioshow.com/

and tune into us LIVE on The Calling every Wednesday night at 7 p.m. CST – 8 p.m. CST and join in the free chatroom at www.para-x.com!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Spooky Random Fact: #19”

“Spooky Random Fact: #19”

Automatic writing….. hmmmm…..

What is this mysterious form of writing and why are some so enraptured by it while others find it insidious? The practice of automatic writing (a.k.a. psychography) is a supernatural ability used by many individuals to communicate with spirits.

Often a person will sit in a trance-like state with a small chalkboard and a piece of chalk. While channeling, the individual allows the spirit to communicate through them. The person will transcribe the spirit’s message onto the chalkboard. This can also be done with the use of pen and paper. The individual, through which the spirit is communicating, claims to have no control over what’s being written, claiming that the spirit is in total control.

The mere thought of doing such an act frightens many people because of the idea of spirits entering (even if it’s for a brief period of time) a person’s body. They fear the possibility of a spiritual attachment. The use of a Ouija Board has also been considered a form of automatic writing.

A well-known case of automatic writing comes from the nineteenth century. New York Supreme Court Judge, John Worth Edmonds didn’t express any interest in automatic writing until after the passing of his wife. Even though Judge Edmonds put his career on the line, that didn’t stop him from pursuing communication with the spiritual world. Along with the help from his spiritualist friends, the judge claimed to have communicated with both historic figures….. Read more at Automatic Writing

 

 

 

 

Get a copy of my novel, The Spirit Within on Amazon!

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Twitter: @sheilarparker.

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Facebook: Sheila Renee Parker – Author

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Instagram: @sheilareneeparker

~ Art by Sheila Renee Parker available at: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/sheilarenee-parker.html

~ Sheila Renee Parker on YouTube: Sheila Renee Parker

 

 

 

“The Haunted Swamp”

Ahhhh…. The Haunted Swamp. Nefarious place or a peaceful location? I guess that’s up to the individual and their experience.

Recently, my husband and I checked out a place called Bear Creek Swamp located in Prattville, Alabama. It was nearly a three hour drive that we took early in the morning to attend our son’s football game that was scheduled to occur later that night. The reason why we left so early was because my husband and I had already researched the city of Prattville, which was founded by industrialist and architect, Daniel Pratt in 1839. We love historical places so we took the opportunity to look around!

Upon our research, we looked for areas known for paranormal activity. That’s when my husband stumbled across some online articles about Bear Creek Swamp, also referred to as “The Haunted Swamp”. What he shared with me were some pretty interesting things. We read about ghostly sightings of Confederate soldiers, Creek Indians, early settlers, and even an apparition of a woman desperately in search of her lost child that will lash out at anyone who repeats three times, “We have your baby!”

People have even made reports of seeing floating orbs and phantom car lights that chased them down the road, that’s if their vehicles didn’t stall without plausible explanation. Yep, some say that their cars have actually “died” and wouldn’t start back up while encountering the freakishly paranormal activity of The Haunted Swamp.

Also, sightings of none other…. the big, hairy beast himself, Bigfoot! His echoing howls have been heard by various people claiming the validity of this creature. Oh, and we dare not leave out the elusive, legendary Chupacabra whose sightings have been reported as well.

And as if all that wasn’t enough to make one want to become a nail biter, there’s the Creepy Doll Graveyard where 21 porcelain dolls were found on top of bamboo stakes back in November, 2014. Who or what was behind this macabre creation? Who knows? The origin of such a morbid finding has never been discovered, or revealed.

Now, in finding Bear Creek Swamp, it seemed like it took my husband and me forever before we finally found it. Of course, we used our GPS and it sent us to a bridge that crossed over Bear Creek on Alabama State Route 14. We knew that wasn’t the exact location mentioned in the articles. Keep in mind, we weren’t able to find any road signs about Bear Creek Swamp, but did that stop us from our search? No way! We were determined to see what all the hype was about with The Haunted Swamp!

We traveled down a couple of paved roads that were near the bridge, but quickly knew that we were still in the wrong spots. My husband and I were just about to give up when we passed a dirt, gravelly looking road. He said,  “Hmmm…. wonder if that was the road?” Getting tired of driving around I asked him, “Wanna go back to see?” He was like, “No, uh huh… let’s just keep going.” But when he said that, I could tell that he really did want to go back to see if that old road was the correct one. “What would you do if you were me?” I asked him. “Go back.” He said without any hesitation.

That’s when I found the nearest place to turn our car around. I’m glad we did because once we turned down the old road, we were in awe of our surroundings! We weren’t even a mile away from Alabama State Route 14 when we noticed the swamp that was on both sides of the road. It was lush and green with a beautiful serenity about it! It was a road that appeared not traveled much and had very few residences on it. The entire time we were on the road, not once did we encounter another vehicle. It was absolutely quiet there. The only sound we heard was from a small, man-made drainage culvert. Trees were all over the place, moss was abound and I couldn’t resist taking some of the beautiful moss home. (The next day I put the moss into a crystal bowl and added some tiny, white wire lights to create a stunning coffee table centerpiece. One word…. “Gorgeous!”).

While going down the road we did stop and get out of our car a couple of times. Did we experience anything ghostly or otherworldly? Did we see our beloved Bigfoot and/or  Chupacabra? Nope! Didn’t see anything, hear anything, nor smell anything of the sort. (Smell? Why would I say that?? Because Bigfoot has always been known to have a foul odor about him. Poor guy…. you’d think that with all the water around there that he would take a bath every once in a while. 😉 )

Everything that we researched basically had supernatural activity at night. We didn’t stay there until nightfall because the main reason why we were in Prattville was to attend our son’s football game, which was far more important to us. So, that’s why we visited Bear Creek Swamp during the day.

What we did experience at The Haunted Swamp was tranquility and beauty. It was like stepping back into another time as we made our way down the unpaved road. No sounds of the hustle and bustle of a nearby city, no streetlights and buildings. Only vibrant green scenery and tall trees surrounded us. The occasional breeze that blew off the water was cool to our skin, taking away the humid, August day’s heat.

I was raised as a country girl, so I found myself extremely comfortable there. It made me reminisce the times when I was growing up on the old road that I did with my best friend. Together, she and I were always finding our way down hidden trails that passersby often forgot about.

My husband found himself reminiscing as well. He loved the place, too. We will happily go back at the next given chance!

 

 

 

 

Get a copy of my novel, The Spirit Within on Amazon!

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Twitter: @sheilarparker.

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Facebook: Sheila Renee Parker – Author

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Instagram: @sheilareneeparker

~ Art by Sheila Renee Parker available at: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/sheilarenee-parker.html

~ Sheila Renee Parker on YouTube: Sheila Renee Parker

 

 

 

My artwork titled, “The Haunted Swamp”.

The Haunted Forest 3

(“The Haunted Swamp” ~ Digital artwork by Sheila Renee Parker. Prints available at Fine Art America!)

 

 

(The coffee table centerpiece that I created using the moss from “The Haunted Swamp”.)

 

 

Spirits Are Everywhere!

Yep, that’s right! I firmly believe that.

Ever get a feeling that you’re being watched? It doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad or terrifying feeling, just one when you know that you’re alone, but still…. you look over your shoulder because you swear that someone is there watching you? We all get that feeling. I know that I do, my whole life. And no, I am not crazy. lol.  But I’ve always felt the presences of things. Ghosts, spirits, entities… whatever you want to call them, they are there. It’s not paranoia either. Trust me, I’m not paranoid about anything.

Ever since I can remember I’ve seen shadow people, been touched by spirits, heard and witnessed things, been visited by deceased loved ones in dreams, smelled odors and fragrances without any plausible explanation…. and so on, and so forth…. (not to mention how my “Angel Radio” is always on, but that’s another topic totally not related to ghosts, etc. My ability of angelic communication is on a different level all together for me.)

When I was a teenager, the house I lived in, I swear the presence of my deceased grandmother was felt on several occasions, and not just by me, but by others as well. Did that mean that our house was haunted? Definitely not! I never considered that, not for even a single moment.

A few years ago my husband and I, along with our younger son, lived in an apartment. My husband told me that he once saw a purple orb-like light there in one of the rooms. While living there I actually felt light touches, like a small child’s hand softly press against my arm. Did that mean that we feared that our apartment was haunted? No way!

And nearly four years ago we began the search to buy a home. Here’s the uncanny part…. my husband and I both looked at a listing of different homes, separately without looking at them together. We did this because we wanted to see if we were drawn to the same place without the influence of the other while looking. After we both made our choice, we showed each other which house we liked. Wanna know what? We both were drawn to the same exact house! The house was nearly twenty years old, had previous residents who obviously didn’t take proper care of the house and needed desperate painting in all the rooms throughout the brick home. It sat on almost a whole acre of land with lots of trees around it.

We decided to call our friend who’s a realtor so we could go look at the property located on the edge of town. As soon as we neared the address, right before pulling into the driveway, we started getting this intense feeling. It’s kind of hard to explain, but it was one where we literally felt like we were home, like it was speaking to us. I know that sounds insane, but it’s the truth. My husband and I felt so drawn to this house that we knew that we had to get it no matter what. It was a HUD home and a complete ass pain to get regardless of the fact that we were approved for the home’s mortgage. (Advice: if you are interested in purchasing a foreclosed home, be prepared to go through lots of red tape, just sayin’.) 

Anyway, four months later we finally got the keys to our home and immediately started on the renovating. One day while my son and I were gone to school and work, my husband decided to take the day off so he could do some painting on the inside. When I got home he told me that he could feel a presence watching him from a corner in one of the rooms he was in. I then told him that I felt a presence there as well, an older female one. Also, I heard a male’s voice quietly say “Hey”  in my right ear when I was all by myself on the other side of the house. And since then, we continue to feel their presences, but nothing malevolent. We believe they’re simply observing us. Why? Who knows. Maybe because they’re curious… perhaps bored…. but whatever the reason is… we coexist. My husband and I respect the spirits.

Recently, my husband bought some paranormal investigative equipment so we can start conducting our own paranormal investigations. (Ever since we got back from visiting The Bellaire House, my husband has been pumped about wanting to start investigating the paranormal even more, which has me even more excited as well!!) So with that being said, with the new equipment, he and I decided to attempt communication with the spirits that we have felt in our home. We were given the names of Isabella and Bryce. Isabella is the presence of the older lady that we felt. She feels warm and caring and Bryce seems like “he’s just hanging out”. Nothing bad at all.

What equipment did we use while communicating with our spirits? A Spirit Box SB 11, 2 KII EMF Meters and a flashlight (for flashlight responses, which is actually my favorite technique, as simple as it is.)

Do we think our home is haunted? No, we don’t! Again, nothing malevolent has ever happened in our home. And as far as the spirits go, no one has ever died in the house. So, where did the spirits come from? Excellent question! But my point is this, for as long as the beautiful Earth has existed, and for as many people who have died since the beginning of time….. not all of them have crossed over to the “Great Beyond”. So, where are their spirits? I believe here…. all around us. Meaning that spirits are everywhere!!

Keep in mind, I am an empath. I would have very easily picked up on negative entities if any lurked around our home. I believe in using sage to help keep the property cleansed and I practice white magic. Also, I call upon my guides and angels for white light protection because I am extremely protective of my family. Like I always say, positive vibes only!

Protect. Project. & Promote all that is good and good will always come back to you!

 

 

 

 

Get a copy of my novel, The Spirit Within on Amazon!

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Twitter: @sheilarparker.

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Facebook: Sheila Renee Parker – Author

~ Sheila Renee Parker on Instagram: @sheilareneeparker

~ Art by Sheila Renee Parker available at: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/sheilarenee-parker.html

~ Sheila Renee Parker on YouTube: Sheila Renee Parker