Your True Tales
September 2007 - Page 3
Glowing Ghosts
by Colin MacNeil
In November of 2005, my family moved to Holyoke, Mass. I was very happy with our new home, not only because it was a much nicer neighborhood, but because of the potential secrets our new house might hold. As it turned out, the strangest thing I found was actually another building about a block away. It was an old elementary school in close proximity to my house. Trees surround the whole building and a large field resides next to it. It is the E. N. White Elementary School, and it is the strangest place I have ever clapped eyes upon.
Things there started out rather simply; I could feel a strong energy there, but nothing else. In time, however, it became a much stronger presence. My first run-in was at the swing set at the school playground. My girlfriend and I had gone there to pass the time one lazy evening, soon after we had moved. While she went up ahead to pick flowers, I mounted the first swing I saw. After a few minutes by myself, I began to feel uneasy. I thought perhaps someone was behind me. However, as I cocked my head to look around, I felt a shove around my lower back and I fell forward. Now with a full chance to look behind me, I could clearly see that I had been alone the whole time. It was both curious and frightening. In the next few moments, my girlfriend came running back telling me she had suddenly become very concerned. I told her what had happened, and confirmed her feelings.
The second incident was perhaps the strangest thing that ever happened to me. It took place around this time of the year, in July to mid-August of 2006. My girlfriend, one of my bothers, and myself were passing though the school grounds on a walk at night. We stopped by the building and began to fool around and have fun. Soon we ran into the edge of the woods by the back of the school. We were stopped short by the appearance of what seemed to be a man dressed all in white. He was a couple of feet into the woods, with his back turned toward us. Assuming him to be up to no good at this time of night, we ran the other way. He seemed to take no notice of us as we fled.
Despite being spooked, we eventually decided to check back there and see if the man had gone. As we slowly approached, something interesting caught our attention. Toward the base of the trees at the edge of the woods was a spot brighter than anything around it. We naturally assumed it to be the man from before, as it was in roughly the same spot. However, as we waited, we found it odd that he made no noise. Furthermore, it did not move, save for a slow swaying in place. This just seemed too strange a behavior to find in most people, especially the sort who hang around in the middle of the night. I found myself beginning to doubt whether there was indeed anything there at all. There was, after all, no apparent shape to it. It was just bright.
Nevertheless, things got stranger. As we dared to approach closer, we saw that this was more than a shapeless blob. For it seemed to be taking the silhouette of a human's upper torso. With a featureless head and broad shoulders, it stayed in the bushes, seemingly staring at us. Well, we stared back. We waited with a curious tension to see if this thing would do anything to perhaps confirm or debunk whatever we thought it was. Was it a ghost? A trick of the light? Just another person as curious as us? I was too hesitant to approach any closer, but I also felt invited by whatever this was to stay.
As we waited, any theories about this thing being a trick of the light or just a person were thrown out of reason's window. For among the trees and shrubs, more lights had begun to appear. They began as just blobs, but assumed the same humanoid shape as the one before them in a matter of seconds. As more and more began to appear, my girlfriend began to worry. She told me that we should leave soon before too many appear. The last thing I wanted to do was leave. I sincerely wanted to stay with whatever was residing in those woods. Eventually, her persistence paid off, however, and we all turned to leave. Before we did, though, I turned around for one last look and waved goodbye. Not assuming a response would be given, I started to leave. My girlfriend then gasped and pointed in the direction of the first apparition. All three of us watched as a small glowing hand was slowly raised, and the apparition waved back. By the time we had left, at least seven of these things had appeared.
So what were they? Ghostly observers, playful spirits, or maybe something other-worldly. I have visited many times afterward, sitting for hours by myself, but nothing has yet to appear to me there again.
The last thing worth mentioning happened around the fall of 2006. Once again, I traveled with a small group to the grounds of the school in search for some recreational activity. We brought some play weapons to fight with and fooled around till we were exhausted. Eventually, day gave way to evening and we had still not finished our games. Something, however, was soon to interrupt us. As I sat along the sidelines to catch my breath, I noticed a small canine animal sitting in the road which leads to the back of the school. It was just sitting there, watching us play. I don't know why, but I suddenly decided to approach it. The animal kept its eyes on me but did not move. In fact, it made no sign that it even cared. Now I could see the animal a little more clearly though the failing light and it appeared to be something like a coyote. I stopped about a foot in front of it, and after awhile, it turned to leave, walking along the path. It then stopped a little ways ahead and seemed to invite me to follow it. I did and it lead me all the way to the back of the school. Just as it turned the corner, however, I suddenly became very afraid, and stopped dead in my tracks. Then, after a moments hesitation, I leapt forward and looked around the corner. I saw nothing. It was impossible. There was nowhere for it to run in such a short span of time. It simply vanished the second I took my eyes off of it.
Eventually, I made it back to the others. They didn't seem to notice my wandering off that much. I told my girlfriend about what happened, and she seemed to understand. She explained to me that it must have been the fox spirit. She mentioned seeing it quite a few times around the school. I was disappointed about missing it, but considering all the tales of the fox spirit's tricky nature, perhaps I came out well. It may have explained my last minute fear as someone protecting me.
All in all, I have never figured out what could he inhabiting the grounds of the E.N. White school. But, I have formulated my own guesses. It seems that no matter what I encounter there, it has an appreciation for the more playful things in life. There is an all-around childish feeling in that place, and it seems prudent for the spirits of children to reside by an elementary school which must be full of childish energy. Perhaps not everything there is of such a nature. I am told that fox spirits are very ancient and powerful. However, I will sometimes lie by the school and close my eyes, and the sound of children's voices will seem to echo in my ears. Yes, I think that whatever may be found there, none of it could be evil.
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