Clarissa Johal: Are You in the Mood for a Ghost Story?

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Are You in the Mood for a Ghost Story?


Are you in the mood for a ghost story? I am. I’ve often wondered why people like to be scared by ghost stories. Perhaps it’s the thrill of the unknown. That little sound in the corner of a dark bedroom that causes the hair on the back of your neck to stand up. The flicker of something in the corner of your eye. A whisper of air on the back of your neck. It takes you out of the day-to-day and pushes you into the...what if?

So, I may be opening myself up here for ridicule, but I thought I’d share some photos I took several years ago. At the time, I belonged to a photographer’s site wherein the challenge was to post a photo a day. That particular day, I decided to visit a local cemetery and take some photos of the memorials there. One in particular stood out for me, The House of Memory. The memorial was dedicated to North Carolina soldiers from the Revolutionary and Civil wars. The cemetery was filled with “Unknown" soldiers, actually, and wandering the grounds made me quite sad. My father is a MIA from Vietnam and it hit home, I guess. Anyways, I decided to take several photos of The House of Memory and came home with these. They are completely SOOC (straight out of the camera).

In the second photo, note the white blob in the center doorway at the top. It changes shape in each frame and I didn’t see it when I was taking these photos. I posted all four on the photographer site and nobody could come up with an explanation.
Lighting? Nope, it was clouded over that day. Lens? Nope, all of my other photos turned out fine. I have no explanation. I'll let you come to your own conclusions.

15 comments:

Rita Monette, Writer said...

Interesting, Clarissa. Is there something in the first photo too?

Unknown said...

Cool photos. So sorry about your father. Feeling sad is completely justified. Maybe a spirit felt a connection and came out to say hi...

Anonymous said...

A member of my local writing group has a short e-book, Haunted Grounds, of similar phenomena on the Gettysburg battle field.

She included directions to the sites, her (and her late husband's) experiences with batteries going dead at certain places, etc. and it's sold reasonably well.

Patricia said...

Oooh, I like these photos. I see that whitish glob and am intrigued as to what it could be.

Clarissa Johal, Author said...

Rita, you mean the Unknown soldier one? No, not that I can see! If you mean the first in the House of Memory shots, I don't see anything in the first photo, just the others. Maybe, Sara. Thanks :) Interesting, KM, there's so much energy around places like that, I'm not surprised. I was intrigued (and perplexed) too Patricia. Thank you for stopping by, everyone!

Sharon Ledwith said...

I caught the specter right away after the first shot! Then, that familiar tingle ran through my body! I'm reading The Graveyard Book now, so this post is well-timed. I think. Love your ghost stories! I am truly sorry about your father. He'd be very proud of your accomplishments!

Clarissa Johal, Author said...

Thanks, Sharon :) And The Graveyard Book, one of my favorites, as you know!!

Joanna Fay said...

Lovely post, Clarissa,and the 'white blob' is intriguing. I have friends who photograph orbs (moving balls of light, considered to be spirit beings)...one of them has published a book containing hundreds of photos of orbs and other phenomena. It's all at the touch of our fingers, so to speak. xx

Heather R. Holden said...

As a fan of ghostly phenomenon, I'm completely fascinated by these photos!

Kadee McDonald said...

Great pictures, Clarissa. It's so amazing that cameras can sometimes capture what our eyes can't see.

BTW, using my other pen name, Vala Kaye, I released a YA novella last year titled "Ghost Writer," about a girl who talks to a Civil War-era ghost via an internet chat room. It was fun writing about ghosts, but I have to admit that being alone at midnight writing about them was often a little scary!

Clarissa Johal, Author said...

Thanks, Joanna! It is a random capture of the camera. They are interesting, Heather. LOL, Kadee, I don't find this sort of thing scary, it is what it is. I've been asked if I've been back to try and capture the same phenomenon, but I do think things like this are random. I guess I haven't the need to chase it around with my camera, haha

James Garcia Jr said...

Hi, Clarissa. Very cool! Of course it's cool for me because I'm far away and had nothing to do with the photos. It might be slightly less cool and way more creepy for you, huh?
I love a good ghost story, but hate to get too close to them for fear they might try and follow me home. I like the ghosts in my stories, but I don't want them in my house.

-Jimmy

Clarissa Johal, Author said...

Not really, James. This sort of stuff doesn't really creep me out. Thanks for stopping by :)

Sloane Taylor said...

I'm going with ghost because I'm a believer in supernatural. Wonderful pictures, Clarrissa.

Clarissa Johal, Author said...

Thanks, Sloane :)