February 20, 2009

Dark, Smoky Wisps

Rate this encounter:[an error occurred while processing this directive] [Name Withheld Upon Request] - Troy, New York - November 2008

My boyfriend and I were sitting on the edge of my bed talking. It was after 5 or so in the afternoon, so it was already semi-dark outside. I had my light on and we were both awake, coherent, and talking, which is how I am aware that what I witnessed was indeed real, and it sure helped that another sane-minded adult saw it as well, although I don't know what it is! Out of thin air, literally, it appeared like two black wisps of smoke were descending from the ceiling in a slow, swirling movement.

In a silly effort to lighten the situation, my boyfriend stood up, reached, and pointed his finger to touch it, claiming it was only a spider web. One of "them" floated toward the wall, then disappeared, and we were like, "Whooooooa!"

I stood on the bed to get a closer look at what the second one might be, hoping for a spider web, and it quickly raced back toward the ceiling, fading away into it. Disturbing as it was, while attempting to rationalize the situation, we thought it may have been spirits of some sort, since it absolutely had to be something paranormal. It was creepy and weird, so we went as far as to visiting a "spiritual" store at one of our local malls. The owner of the store (who referred to herself as a "teacher") had us purchase a turquoise-looking stone (for protection, supposedly) and a fistful of sage branches that she bundled and tied in a strange fashion. We were instructed to burn it and walk clockwise through the apartment from the front- to the back-door.

Every now and then, during any hour of the day, we've both been noticing people-sized shadows moving throughout rooms that aren't there once we go to check. We live in a large, very old home that has been divided into several apartments, and most of our block consists of the same older, mostly well-kept, Victorian-type houses that have been divided exactly like our building. Could these have been ghosts?