Paranormal Investigation and the Like

Case #2 (dealing with crackheads) - Chicopee, Massachusetts

I had nightmares about this investigation, and I wasn't even allowed to go on it. But I heard the horror stories from the investigators that did have the rather unfortunate opportunity of going. No, it hadn't anything to do with ghosts, demonic entities, or inhuman spirits. These very scary stories had all to do with the psycho people living in that filthy little house. 

In the art (yes, art, but I'm saying that sarcastically) of paranormal investigation, there's bound to be that one case, or several, where some crazy people on extreme drugs think they live in the Amityville Horror house and have wild hallucinations and claim outrageous things. And there's always that one case, or several, where people make things up to get investigators to go to their house for whatever reason. Maybe it's October and they want to get a thrill (we generally refuse to investigate around the Halloween season for this very reason). Maybe they have misconceptions about what amateur investigators do, and they think we come with some film crew and that them and their house will be featured on television.

This case in Chicopee was a mixture of all of those. Hence, nightmare.

The claims they alleged were rare to hear, and the photographic piece of evidence they provided us with was frightening. The clients were a mother, father, and their young child, and they were apparently being haunted and hurt by a seemingly violent spirit. They claim to have been attacked on more than one occassion, and have heard disembodied voices giving harmful threats.

A picture had been given to us by the mom. It showed her in the bathroom leaning against the mirror with her eyes closed. The mirror image, however, shows her eyes are open. Very creepy indeed. There were natural explanations for this phenomenon, but we chose to give the picture the benefit of the doubt. (The natural explanation would be the rolling shutter of a camera. It can cause pictures to become distorted). 

Due to the disturbing nature of this case, only adults were allowed to go. It was a small location, so only four guys went. It was a third floor, tiny, hot, humid, unclean, and very uncomfortable apartment. An unmarried "couple" lived there with their son. They were not really a couple. They had decided to live together for the sake of their child. But in reality, they hated each other. If they had the chance to kill each other, they would without hesitation. During one of the EVP sessions, the mother had asked any spirits, very menacingly, if it would like to stab her "baby daddy". Just an example of how crazy these people were. 

Anyway, the investigators first got suspcious when the clients asked if they could tag along during the investigation. Clients do have the right to be with us (after all, it is their house and we are strangers), but it is very very rare they ask. This was actually the first time we have had this request. Clients are usually very trusting of us.  

The horrors began after entering the house. I can't talk from my own experience, because I wasn't there. But... it gives me the creeps just hearing others talk about. The disgusting odor, the filth on the walls, floor, and furniture, and the rotting food left out everywhere. Our leader Shawn noted that during the initial client interview, which was a whole week before the investigation, that there was a piece of pizza sitting on the counter. Upon their arrival for the investigation a week later, the father took that very piece of pizza and placed it in the refrigerator, probably to eat later....

After the investigation, my father joked that he burned his clothes. Really, I believe it. I would do just the same.

There were reports of shadow figures that would cross a certain doorway. We bought flour to put on the ground where the figure is said to walk, according to the clients. This is a well-known technique used by a lot of groups. If the flour ends up disturbed, but no one touched it all night, you might have yourself some evidence.

The four investigators were all outside on break at midnight. One of them forgot something inside the house, and went in to get it. Caught red-handed: the cleint was messing with the flour, putting a shoe print in it to trick us into thinking it was a ghost that ws responsible. We take fabrication of evidence very seriously, and it is something paranormal investigators need to watch out for. This caused more suspicion, and it was extremely obvious that these people were fakes, but the group decided to continue on with the investigation anyway, perhaps just to humor the clients. (Another useful thing to remember: When in doubt, get the hell out)

Then there was the frightening mirror picture that the client provided prior to the investigation. Shawn had been interviewing the father outside, while a group of three were inside investigating. Shawn asked him about the picture of the mirror and if he knew anything about it. The guy did actually know some very valuable information about it. He told Shawn that the woman made it on Photoshop. 

And that was it.

The investigators got their stuff, and left shortly after that. They could not put up with those people anymore. It was clear to everyone they were on some type of drug, clear that they were hiding drugs, clear that they were making everything up, and clear that they wanted to waste our time.