Embracing the Spirits: True Stories of My Encounters With the Other Side by Barbara Parks (bill gates best books TXT) 📕

Since Lizzie was a music student, she had free reign of the

soundproof music room. She and her fellow music students

were permitted to use it at their discretion, as a quiet alternative to the usually bustling dormitories. The girls decided that it was the ideal location to hold their séance, especially since it was located directly across from the graveyard.

They gathered on a quiet weekday afternoon, giggling ner-

vously as they seated themselves around the Ouija board.

Since Lizzie was pretty much the ringleader, her friends

urged her to begin. She cleared her throat.

“Who is my father?” she asked nervously.

Being adopted, it was something Lizzie had often won-

dered about.

Without hesitation, the glass abruptly made its way to NO.

New Norcia 223

“Ask again!” urged her friends, scarcely able to believe what

they’d just witnessed.

They moved the glass back to the middle, and Lizzie

addressed the board for a second time; this time a little more loudly.

“Who is my father?”

The glass shot to NO once again.

“Tell me who my father is!” said Lizzie.

There was a momentary pause and then all hell broke loose.

The soundproofing began shooting off the walls, panel after

panel falling into the centre of the room.

The terrified girls scrambled over each other in a frantic

bid to escape. They were screaming as they made their way

into the daylight, attracting the attentions of everyone within earshot. It was obvious something was very wrong.

Unable to articulate what had just happened, the girls indi-

cated towards the music room. The nuns rushed in to find the

debris of the soundproofing littering the floor, in the middle of which sat the discarded Ouija board. They were of course

furious.

Once the nuns composed themselves, the girls were rep-

rimanded for their foolish behaviour and reminded that their

actions were akin to summoning evil. The nuns were scandal-

ized, not to mention frightened on the girls’ behalf. The girls’

punishment was yet to be decided, but there was no doubt it’s

severity would reflect on the seriousness of their transgres-

sion.

The punishments were however the least of the girls’ con-

cerns, they were too focused on their terror. And as darkness

fell it intensified.

224New Norcia

St Gertrude’s sleeping cubicles ran off a long, narrow hall-

way; with each bed screened off by a flimsy floral curtain.

Despite being just a few feet away from each other, the girls

felt isolated and alone. Lizzie decided to sneak into her friend’s cubicle and seek refuge in the spare bed.

The nun on duty bid them all goodnight, perhaps lingering

a little longer than usual to ensure they had all settled down.

But soon after she left, the ghosts fired up once again.

It began with an unearthly wind whistling down the cor-

ridor, despite the fact that the windows and doors were shut.

The curtains began to flail frenetically at the opening of each cubicle and the girls began to scream. Then almost as if

orchestrated for maximum impact, the curtains all whipped

open in a deft and synchronized motion. It was more than the

girls could stand.

The nun rushed in to a scene of unbridled chaos. It was

impossible to calm the girls down.

“Get dressed now,” she ordered. “We’re going to the Mon-

astery!”

The entire population of Saint Gertrude’s was marched

up to the Monastery; a terrifying ten minute walk through

pitch darkness which skirted the town’s graveyard. Once there, Lizzie and her cohorts were taken to Confession, so that they

could show contrition for their folly in summoning up the

dead. It was thought that if the girls showed their remorse and sought forgiveness, the restless souls would once again be at

rest.

Thankfully that is what seems to have happened, as Liz

tells me there were no further disturbances at Saint Ger-

trude’s. The experience has now faded into a distant memory.

But sometimes, as when Liz came across my photo, the mem-

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ory bubbles up and intensifies, until the terror comes rushing back.

There is no doubt that New Norcia has its ghosts, but

whether I captured one on film remains to be seen. I’ve been

told that I need to experience New Norcia after nightfall, as its numerous ghostly presences are particularly active at night. If and when I do, I will be sure to steer clear of Ouija boards. It seems that at least one of new Norcia’s resident ghosts has a particular dislike for them and I would hate to rile them up.

But then again, wouldn’t it make interesting reading for a follow up chapter? Perhaps I need to give it some thought …

chapter twenty-six

E l l i o t t

So many of the spirits I have connected with have come to

me through my podiatry practice. Likewise some of the

most amazing stories of spirit contact have sprung from my

patients’ mouths. It sometimes seems as though my clinic is

an endless source of ghost stories; whether they be my clients’

experiences or my own.

Melanie was one such patient, who came with a slew of

stories about her experiences with the other side. The word

around town was that she was quite a character as well as

being a gifted medium; she was the sort of person people

gravitated to. Our mutual friend Angie had relayed some inter-

esting accounts about Melanie’s spiritual gifts, so I’d been

looking forward to meeting her and comparing notes.

Perhaps fortuitously, Melanie’s son Elliot was having recur-

ring problems with an ingrown toenail. As such it was just a

matter of time before they came knocking on my door. As

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228Elliot

I set to work on Elliot’s toe, I broached the subject of our

mutual interest.

“I believe you and I have a lot in common,” I said.

“Yes we do. “she smiled. “All three of us!” Melanie looked

towards her son, and placed her hand gently on his arm.

“You see them too, don’t you darling?” Eleven-year-old Elliot

squirmed slightly in his chair, nodding at me with an expres-

sion of barely masked fear. “He doesn’t like it though, do you mate? Sometimes I have ask them to go away …”

“It’s usually the same one,” said Elliot. “It’s the same ghost that Scott saw in the shed.”

Melanie told me