On August 22nd I met up with the East Central Indiana Paranormal Investigators in Muncie, Indiana. Why? BECAUSE I WAS INVITED TO GO GHOST HUNTING WITH THEM!
If you couldn’t tell from the all caps, I was so very excited. A fan of the Sy-Fy show Ghost Hunters since its beginning, participating in an actual investigation has been a dream of mine. Ghosts fascinate me. I want to see one, hear one… to experience something, anything paranormal. Just once in my life. Once. Is that too much to ask?
Maybe.
On meeting the team, I tried to be cool, but who am I kidding. I am not cool, but they seemed to like me anyway.
We drove to Hartford City, Indiana in Blackford County. The closer we got the more excited I got. Would I see something… hear something… feel something? I wanted to so much, but there are no guarantees. This is called ghost hunting, not ghost watching. My chances of experiencing a paranormal event were low on my first trip, but I had hope. We arrived at the Ervin, Campbell, and Smith buildings in the historic Hartford City Courthouse Square District. The team had investigated there before. They had captured evidence there. Cue my inner flailing.
The building was old and awesome! It is undergoing renovation, so there are old doors and windows piled in rooms and halls. Walls were missing, ripped to bare studs. The floors creaked and the scent of history mingled with the layers of dust. I loved it!
As I was gawking at all the great molding and fabulous spaces, I reminded myself to stop, to listen, to feel the air. Don’t miss anything. Keep my eyes open, but no creepy feelings.
You know in the show Ghost Hunters when they bring in all the equipment and set it up? I helped carry in stuff! I watched as they decided where to put cameras, set up tripods, run cords, and finally set camera angles. They had all the gadgets. Recorders. EMF (electromagnetic field) readers. A video camera. I won’t pretend to know all the techie stuff… I don’t.
I nearly cried out in joy when I saw it all set up.
Then one group went out to investigate while the other stayed to watch the cameras. I took a video camera and traveled through the halls to the big room at the back. And we sat in the dark. We watched. We listened. Not wanting to make a sound, I tried not to move, to breathe, to swallow. Any sounds made by the living had to be ‘marked’ on the recordings so they wouldn’t later be confused for a ghostly presence. When the team listened to the recordings, they might here a “that was me” or “that was a car” or “that was people outside”, which means… no ghosts. I held in a cheer when they started to conduct an EVP (electronic voice phenomenon) session.
And nothing happened. No sounds. No strange movement. No hair standing up on the back of my neck.
No problem. We had time. I had time.
I went out to a different room. Windows let in light from the street lamps, making it easier to see. Again, I sat… not moving. Listening.
Nothing.
However, a bit of excitement occurred at base camp as a bat flew through the halls. He dive-bombed us, very cool!
I watched the cameras next, but it was becoming difficult to stay awake. Quiet surrounded us. So they called it a night and we packed up.
Was I disappointed? Sure. But being able to be there, to experience the night thrilled me! And maybe I get to do it again… maybe. For the search doesn’t end. The need to know what happens after we die never fades. And if I never experience anything paranormal, you better believe that, after I die, I’ll be back to haunt all of you.
All pics taken by me!
seebrianwrite
That sounds like so much fun!
Kathy Palm
seebrianwriteSo fun! Eeeeek!
Judith Post
Love the pictures. I love old houses. Arches and woodwork thrill me more than ghosts, though:) This was right up your alley!
Kathy Palm
Judith PostI wanted to take all the molding! It was gorgeous. But I would rather see a ghost.
Amy Giuffrida
Your pictures are fantastic! Even though you didn’t see any ghosts, it was a great experience. I hope you get the chance to go again!
Kathy Palm
Amy GiuffridaChances are good! I shall keep everyone posted. 🙂