Years ago Shiloh Greathouse told me a creepy story that happened to him while on tour in the 90’s. I liked it so much I thought I’d re-tell it for you guys – Danny Gonzalez
In 1991 I did a demo in Virginia with Rodney Mullen, Kareem Campbell, Chris Pastras and Jason Lee. This trip marked a moment in my life I’ll never forget – not because who was on it but because of what I encountered in the outskirts of Virginia.
At the demo, we met these two goth girls and their little brother. They invited us to their house afterwards and some how Jason Lee convinced me to go with him and Chris Pastras, even though I wanted to go DC with my friend Chris Hall. Maybe they thought we would get lucky, I don’t really know.
Piling up in the car we drove at least 45 miles away. These girls lived out in the middle of nowhere. The roads were dark but you could see farms and what looked like plantation homes. I personally didn’t like that we were driving so far away but what could I do? I was stuck along for the ride. Arriving, we drove up a long dirt driveway. There was hardly any grass around.
The house was big and worn – the old white paint wrinkled and chalky. Their little brother was amazed we were there and couldn’t wait to show us the mini ramp he had inside the house. Surprisingly, the ramp was really nice, but the thing that stuck out to me the most was this 1930’s rusted hay baler sitting in the corner. It didn’t make sense.
Tired from the demo, we didn’t think to bring our boards. Not being able to skate the girls asked us if we wanted to swim. I passed but went to go watch TV instead. It was pitch black, I couldn’t find the light switch but luckily the TV illuminated the room. I settled down, but several minutes went by before I felt a bit uneasy. I felt like I was being watched. Trying to ignore it I looked for the light switch again. That’s when I noticed in the corner of the room a large doll sitting in a rocking chair facing the TV.
”Maybe they though we’d get lucky, I don’t really know.”
This doll was really old, and it looked like it had real human hair stitched into the scalp. It was wearing a black dress with little black boots, the skin was aged and cracked. This doll was bothering me but I sat back down telling myself to chill out and just keep watching TV. What happened next I can’t explain.
When I turned back to look at the doll, her head had changed positions and was now facing me. Freaked out, I got off the couch and ran out of the house as quickly as I could.
Outside by the pool, everyone was having a good time as usual. Not sure of what I just saw, I wasn’t quite sure how to bring it up. Playing it cool I said, “Hey so, what’s up with that doll you have in your living room?” I don’t know if the girl saw the expression on my face but, after a moment passed she said calmly, “Why? Did you see it move?” I couldn’t believe it.
“We sometimes see that doll standing up on its own. Other times we’ve seen it in parts of the house it’s not supposed to be in.” They explained that the doll belonged to their great grandmother. She made it with her own hair. The girls went on to say there were around 56 ghosts living in the house and they knew them all by name. They talked to Henry the most, through their Ouiji board. The place was an old slave plantation and most of the ghosts were former slaves. Henry was a slave boy that was hung for attacking the plantation owner after killing his mother.
At that moment it all made sense to me. The pool used to be housing unit for the slaves that lived on that plantation and in the barn was where Henry was hung. I swear to god there was still an old tattered rope hanging from the top of it. Jason and Chris were really interested in the stories and they asked more about the board until the girls decided to show us.
Their room was pretty empty: Two mattresses on the floor, a chair in the corner and an old tape deck / radio. The only light they had was from candles. Cowering in the corner of the room I stood by the chair noticing all these different names written on the walls. I can only assume it was the names of the ghosts.
Using a shot glass, the two girls got on the Ouija board first. Communicating with Henry, they asked if he still had a crush on Mary, another spirit in the house. The glass moved to “Yes”. Jason, thinking it was bullshit got on the board to see if the shot glass was really moving. Jason asked, “Where are you Henry?” To his surprise the glass slowly started to move and spelled out the word chair, which was exactly where I was standing. I instantly walked to the other side of the room. Jason, realizing that the girl couldn’t have been moving the shot glass with only her pinky got off and let Chris have a try. By this time Henry was saying he had to go. He said he shouldn’t be talking to us anymore. The board kept repeating, “The bad one is coming, the bad one is coming.” A couple of times Chris asked who the bad one was but got no response. Moments later the shot glass started spelling random words. Finally spelling out one word: Satan. This never happened to them before. She said, “Well if you’re so powerful, then prove it.” Big fucking mistake.
”The bad one is coming, the bad one is coming…”
The tape deck in the room stopped. It just cut off. We were silent and before anyone could say anything, the girl blurted out, “Do something else if you’re all powerful!” At that moment all the candles in the room flickered and went out, leaving the room pitch black for a couple seconds before relighting.
Everyone was fucking freaked, even the girls now. I guess this thing was pissed cause the shot glass slowly moved across the floor past the Ouija Board leaving Chris and the girl stretched out trying to keep their hands on it.
At this point Chris wanted to let go of it but the girl yelled, “No! You can’t! We have to say good bye first!” Steadily watching the shot glass inch closer to my feet, I panicked. I Jumped over the shot glass and ran out of the house with Chis and Jason as fast as we could. Starting up the car, I swear we felt something trying to keep up with us as we left. Even till this day, I always wonder what happened to the two girls we left in the room.
Comments
Popular
-
A CHAT WITH LUDVIG HAKANSSON, THE OLDEST SOUL IN SKATEBOARDING
The man loves to read Nietzche, skates in some expensive vintage gear, and paints in his own neoclassical-meets-abstract-expressionist style.
-
HANGING OUT WITH ANDREW HUBERMAN, SKATEBOARDER TURNED NEUROSCIENTIST
Curious what it would be like to hang with this guy outside of a stuffy podcast studio? Us too.
-
GROWING UP, MOVING OUT, AND BREAKING BOARDS
A personal essay recounting a love affair with something we're all too familiar with.
-
INTRODUCING THE NEW JENKEM COLLECTION, JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Air fresheners, bumper stickers, a shirt with a gun on it and a bunch of other stuff.
-
HOW CHAD CARUSO SKATED ACROSS AMERICA
Chad did it the way most skateboarders would: independently and without much of a plan.
November 2, 2012 12:24 pm
i call bullshit.
November 2, 2012 12:33 pm
VA REPRESENT!!! GHOSTS ALL DAY FOOL
November 2, 2012 5:06 pm
nice one. sounds like a good ol fashion sk8 story.
November 2, 2012 5:37 pm
I actually heard about this many years ago.. shit is no joke.