How many people can actually state with certainty they have had a ghostly encounter?
Probably a lot.
How many historical researchers can state with certainty they encountered a ghost during their research?
Probably the latter list would be a very short one.
Every time I look at this photo I’m reminded of my ghost encounter at this one particular spot in an abandoned hospital. Slight chills still go through my body as I reflect on the incident.
The ghost held no malice. At least I hope not – I did not stick around long enough to find out after its presence became known.
My impression – it was only curious about my activities. It had probably waited there in the darkened spaces of those long hallways, examine rooms and patient rooms for the opportunity to reach out long after the hospital stopped being used.
Truth be told I think it was more inquisitive about my red camera. As soon as I aimed my camera towards this room and started photographing it is when it made its presence known. In mere seconds I felt a cold breath on my neck. And then came a slight pressure on my right shoulder as if the ghost was resting its chin there to look through the digital display of my camera.
I knew then I was not alone. However, this did not scare me.
What scared me the most during this encounter was when it decided to move around my side to the front of my face and literally look me in the eye. I felt its presence within a mere inch of my right cheek and eye. I stopped breathing. I immediately looked at the empty space in front of me as I lowered my flashlight. I turned as fast as could and hightailed it out this portion of the hospital. Leaving behind the ghost I so aptly call “The Research Ghost.”
The encounter will forever remain with me. And this image is my definite reminder that ghosts do exist in this plane with us in various forms.
Note: This experience resulted out of my research on the Hunt murders. My friend, Ginny was with me when we got the opportunity to visit the former Littlefield Hospital. She too had her own experience. The hospital visit is detailed in the book I’ve written on the Hunt murders.
Photograph – © Christena Stephens Photography
Forgotten Winds 