13- Dowsing Session #2: Unnamed Orphan Boy, and His Friend, Jack
Hello and Welcome, my ghost story lovers! This is Beyond the Veil Paranormal Tales, and I'm your host, Becca. You can also find us in blog form, at http://BeyondTheVeilParanormalTales.com, if you'd like me to read it to you instead.
Join me here as I sit beneath the summer sky, my hard strawberry lemonade in hand, as the sun goes down, and twilight is upon us. The heat of the day dissipates and the warm wind blows through the leaves on the trees, as the moon lingers on the horizon, rising in the darkening sky, waiting for her moment to truly shine... Hang out with me here, and listen in, as I tell some real people's spooky stories, retold using their own words.
Some of these spooky stories may contain adult language. Listeners, be advised.
If you are new to the blog and podcast, while you should generally be able to pop in and enjoy any individual episode on its own, I do explain some things that make me different as I go along here. So, you might want to pop back to Episode 1, and start there, but as always, follow your heart.
Names of the affected parties and some personal details may be changed, to protect the privacy of the storyteller. But, you have my word: All stories told here are real, to the best of my knowledge.
So! Go grab yourself a cool crisp drink, and settle on in with me, as we take a peek at the world that lies... Beyond the Veil.
Tonight is Episode 13: Dowsing Session #2: Unnamed Orphan Boy, and His Friend, Jack
I settled in at the card table in my basement, one December afternoon, for a dowsing session. I arranged the table, making sure my phone’s* camera had a decent view of me and my hands, from its spot on the table. (*Did you hear that knock?)
That sorted, I lit a purple candle, and a stick of cedar incense. It burned slowly in its holder, the smoke curling in spirals as it wafted in my direction. I settled in at the folding table, hit Record on my phone's video camera, and hit Record on the audio recorder for good measure. I took a cleansing breath, picked up my copper dowsing rods, centering myself, then mentally called out to my guides to join me and help with the session, as might be needed.
I took a deep breath and began aloud, “Alright, so I’m here doing Dowsing Session #2, and I've rearranged the order of some of the questions in the interview list , so it may be a little different from the last time.” I looked up, speaking to the ceiling, “So whoever is next in line, from upstairs, come on down, it's your turn.”
The Dowsing rods swayed a bit, and I felt someone connecting, but it was not a strong connection.
I nodded, figuring the connection might get better as the entity worked with the rods, and I began, “Alright, so, basics of the rods. We cross, or make an X to say yes. Can you do that for me? Can you make an X?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Okay, open it.. uncross, and make them go straight for in-between questions...”
The rods uncrossed and pointed straight ahead.
I nodded again, “And then if you want to say no, we make them open wide,” I paused, adding, “Open, open, open,” and the rods shifted wider and wider as I repeated the word a few more times. I smiled, “Alright, and then back to straight again... reset... uncross and back to home.”
The rods finally pointed straight ahead again.
I nodded once, “Alright, so that's our 'reset'. Kinda feels a little on the weak side... Maybe younger, or smaller, or,” I shook my head. “Just, weaker somehow... Okay.”
I closed my eyes. “So, do I know you? Do I already know you? Remember, X is for yes, and open is for no. Do I know who you are? It's okay if I don't. We could be meeting for the first time, that's alright.”
The rods shifted around as I spoke, then opened wide.
I nodded, “So, can I confirm, this is our first meeting? We have not spoken before?”
The rods crossed, then hesitated as they reset, the spirit getting the hang of the rods.
I nodded, smiling warmly, “Alright, thank you. And... let's see. So, do you know me? I don't know you, but do you know who I am? Do you know me?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Okay... Do you know me... Let's see. So, we want to know, how do you know me... Do you know me through somebody else? Or... like, by reputation?”
The rods held steady until the word reputation, then they crossed.
I smiled knowingly, “You've heard of me? Did somebody send you to me?”
The rods shifted around, then crossed at the very ends of the rods. Kinda/yes, sort-of.
I nodded slowly, “Well, okay, so, not, not sent. They did not send you..” I closed my eyes, and tried again, “They... suggested you come talk to me?” My brow furrowed as I listened. “More like that?”
The rods shifted, thinking.
I squinted, “Not like, 'You have to go.' More like, 'Hey maybe you should go, go see her...'”
The rods crossed.
I smiled, “Okay, got it. So, let's see... May I ask your name? Is that something you're okay with sharing? You can say yes or no.”
The rods opened wide.
I tipped my head to the side, “No? You don't want to tell us your name? Is that right? You would rather not say your name? Is that correct?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “You don't want to tell us? Okay. Can you tell us if you are... a man?”
The rods held steady, pointing forward.
I tried again, “Can you tell us if you are a woman?”
The rods shifted, but didn't move into an answer position.
I squinted, “Are you... a child?” *
(*Another tap)
The rods swung
I nodded, “Are you young? A little kid?”
The rods swung, and crossed.
I nodded, “Okay. Are you a boy?”
The rods hesitated, then crossed, but barely.
I squinted, “So... Can you confirm for me that you're a boy? A boy, not a girl?”
The rods crossed.
So, feeling that hesitation, being the parent of a transgender kid who has friends all over the LGBTQ+ and non-binary spectrums, I decided to clarify my position as an ally, just in case being different in some way led to the hesitation in that answer.
I said gently, “So, you can be a boy, or a girl, or neither, or both! Any of them is okay. You won't get picked on at my house. It's all okay with us. So, with that in mind, are you still comfortable saying you're a boy? Is that right?”
The rods crossed deeply that time.
I nodded, glad to clarify, “Yes? Okay, thank you. May I ask how old you are? Do you know how old you are?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Okay, so, for age, can you cross when we get to the right answer? Or the right number? So first, are you... under 10 years old?”
The rods hesitated.
I asked again, rephrasing slightly, “Are you younger than 10?”
The rods shifted around, and felt unsure.
I nodded, “We're going to go with probably. Okay. So, are you... 2?”
The rods swung in place.
After a pause, I continued, “Are you 3?”
The rods swung, bigger, but didn't cross.
I kept going, “Are you... 4?”
The swinging rods crossed suddenly, once I hit the right number.
I smiled, “You're four years old?”
The rods crossed deeper.
I nodded and asked softly, “Okay. So, can you confirm for me, that you are a 4 year old boy? Make the X if that's a yes? Are you a 4 year old boy?” I shifted my tone into the one I use for younger kids.
The rods crossed.
I smiled warmly, nodding, “Okay, hi! Nice to meet you! And you are sure I've not talked to you before?” I shook my head, and asked, “I didn't see a picture of you?”
The rods crossed.
I clarified, “This is our first time that we have talked?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Okay. Do you... Do you know where you live?”
The rods opened wide.
I shook my head, “You don't know where you live? Okay. That's alright! Sometimes it gets confusing, doesn't it?” I nodded. “Okay.. Do you know where you are from? Where your family is from?”
The rods hesitated, then opened wide.
I squinted and shook my head, “You don't really even know what that means, do you?”
The rods shifted to reset, then opened wide again.
I nodded, and continued, “Okay. Do you know if you were born at your house? Born at home?”
The rods crossed, small.
I nodded, “Okay... Do you know who was there at all?”
The rods opened wide.
I shook my head, “You don't know? Okay, that's alright! Okay, so you're a little kid... do you have a job? Are you a little boy with a job?”
The rods crossed.
I tipped my head to the side,* (*Another tap) “Yes, you have a job? Is your job to... be a little boy? To play?”
The rods opened wide.
I shook my head, “You don't get to play?”
The rods opened wider.
My brow furrowed and I shook my head, “I'm sorry, that's not very much fun. Do you have to... clean?” I envisioned chimneys and sooty little faces, then scrubbing thick wooden floors with buckets and big brushes.
The rods crossed.
I nodded slowly, “Okay... do you have to... do you work with a needle? Needles and threads?”
The rods opened wide.
I shook my head, “No? So, mostly you just clean? You clean for your job?”
The rods pointed forward.
I paused for a moment, reading over the freshly reorganized list of questions to ask during a ghost interview. I found my place, and continued, “Hmm. Let's see here... Do you know who your parents are?”
The rods opened wide.
I asked softly, “Do you know who your mom is?”
The rods opened wide.
I took a breath, and continued, “Kay... Do you know who your dad is? Your father?”
The rods hesitated, then opened wide.
I shook my head, “No? Do you live... in a place with other children? Who also are like you, and maybe don't have a mom or a dad?”
The rods hesitated, then crossed.
I asked again, to clarify, “You live in a home?” The final word was said with heavy emphasis, clearly meaning a children's home, or an orphanage. I wasn't sure what word was used in his time there. These types of homes have taken many many forms over the years, after all.
The rods crossed.
I nodded simply, and asked, “Do you know the name of the person... who runs the home?” I waited for a response, but none came. I tried again, “Who's in charge of you? What grown-up is in charge of you? Do you know?”
The rods pointed off to the right, and I squinted at the area in my unfinished basement, looking for anything out of the ordinary... But I saw nothing. But the rods kept moving to the right, until they hit me in the shoulder.
I chuckled, “Are you trying to tell me that I'm in charge of you?”
The rods spun forward and crossed again, quickly.
I grinned and chuckled, “Do you know what grown-up was in charge of you, in the home with the children?”
The rods opened wide.
I shook my head, “No? Okay. Do you have... any other... brothers or sisters?” I closed my eyes, listening.
The rods shifted in my hands, and slowly crossed, and held there, as I sat there, eyes still closed.
My brow furrowed, “Getting... sister... Do you have a sister?”
The rods hesitated, and I heard “sisterS”, heavy on the 's'.
I repeated the word aloud, “SisterS? More than one?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded slowly, understanding the feeling of responsibility I'd been feeling off him. It was a lot of responsibility for such a young person, but now I understood it. “And you're the big brother, huh?”
The rods hesitated, then crossed.
I nodded, and continued, “Kay. Are your sisters.... in the home with you? With the other children? Are your sisters there too?”
The rods crossed, but not deeply.
I squinted harder, trying to follow the slight hesitation. “Or... did they go there with you?” I sensed that there was something more that complicated the answer.
The rods crossed.
I nodded deeply, “Ohhhhhh, I see, okay...” I sensed they arrived together, but the sisters left later. I asked, “Did your sisters... find a home?”
The rods crossed, weakly, and I felt sadness off of him, and defeat.
I softened my tone even further, and asked, “Both of them? They found a home?”
The rods crossed deeper.
I was suddenly flooded with emotions, from the boy, and it came with a flash of memory: Horror at watching his sisters, who he was meant to protect, leaving with a new family... The older sister reaching out for her big brother, and he for her, the baby squalling in the woman's arms...
Tears well up in my eyes as full understanding dawned. They didn't want him. Brow furrowed, a tear spilling out, I asked softly, “But not you?”
The rods crossed small, defeated.
I sighed, and felt him reliving this event that had happened so very long ago. He was stuck in that horrible moment. Poor kid. I tried to comfort him, “No, I know... it's okay, buddy, it's alright...”
I turned to the camera, and said, “He's crying, he's very upset. They got taken to a new family, and they went together.”
The rods crossed as I spoke, and held in the “yes” position as I continued.
I turned my attention back to him, “But you got left... And they didn't want you, 'cause they didn't.” I got the feeling they didn't want a boy, or a kid that old, or both... I sat, nodding, tears spilling out as I understood the gravity of the moment for this boy. “I know... I'm sorry....”
The rods crossed as I tried to compose myself.
I asked, “Do you know where your sisters are now?” I looked up, trying to prevent the tears in my eyes from spilling over again.
The rods opened wide.
I took a shaky breath, and said, “I'm sorry that you lost them. That's very sad that they left you like that, and that you didn't get to go. I'm very sorry.”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, and tried brightening my tone to lighten the mood a bit, if I could, “Okay... So you clean. Do you go to school too? A lot of children have to clean, but do you also go to school?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Okay... So going to school... Are you learning your letters? Your alphabet?” I began singing the alphabet song, up to the letter G. I stopped there and asked, “Do you know that song?”
The rods crossed, and held steady.
I continued singing the children’s song, and the rods continued holding steady, at ‘Yes.’ When I got to “R” in the song, the rods began pulsing in yes, to the rhythm of the song. At the end of the song, the rods pointed forward again. I grinned and asked, “Do you like that song?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, adding, “It's also the same song as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. I noticed that and thought that was very strange. This is the same song!”
The rods held steady.
I demonstrated, singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. As I got to the phrase, “Up above the world so high,” the rods began to swing to the rhythm of the song, again. I paused at “Like a diamond in the sky,” and asked, “Do you hear how it's the same song?”
The rods crossed, deeply.
I smiled and nodded, “Yeah, it's weird, huh? It's kinda different. It's very strange! Alright.... so let's see here. You go to school. Do you go to school at your... your home?”
The rods held steady, pointing straight ahead.
I continued, softly, “Or do you go to the school with the other children too?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “You go to the other school? Okay. Well, that's kinda cool, you get to go and see the other kids, and... yeah. Did you ever have any pets at your house? At your children's home? Did you ever have any animals? Any dogs or cats?”
The rods swung a bit, then opened wide.
I shook my head, “No? Do they take you to church?”
The rods crossed deeply and went parallel.
I nodded deeply, “Oh, yes. Do you like to go to church?”
The rods hesitated.
I lowered my voice and said secretively, “It's okay if you don't.”
The rods opened wide.
I asked, “You don't like to go? That's fine.” I dropped my voice to a whisper and said, “I didn't like to go either!” I returned to my typical voice, again, “So... you go to church, but only because they make you?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Okay. So, is it a church with a priest?”
The rods pointed forward.
I clarified, “With the black clothes, and a white collar?”
The rods opened wide.
I shook my head, “No? Not a priest? With... a pastor? Like a Christian church with a pastor? Or a Minister?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Okay. Yeah, that sounds about right. But you wouldn't go if you had a choice? You'd stay home, huh?”
The rods crossed.
I chuckled, nodding, “Kay. Do you have anything that you like to do for fun? Do you play any games?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, saying, “Yes,” Then trailed off and closed my eyes for a moment. I took a breath, then said, “I'm seeing... Jacks. Do you like... the game with the bouncy ball and the pieces of metal? Jacks?”
The rods crossed.
I squinted, now seeing a little brown bag that held one large marble, and a handful of smaller ones. They looked old, both the bag and the marbles themselves. I asked, “Did you have a bag of marbles?”
The rods pointed toward each other but didn't quite cross.
I squinted, “Did somebody else have marbles you liked? You liked to look at them?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Ah, I see. Okay. I was seeing marbles, but... okay. Do you and your friends have... a club?”
The rods pointed vaguely away from each other. But it also wasn't a full no.
I squinted and tipped my head to the side, sighing, “You're not sure what that means? Okay. That's alright... Okay... so... Do you have any friends? Any close friends? Good buddies?
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Yeah? Are they with you?”
The rods crossed deeply.
I smiled, “Oh, they are! That's good. It's nice to have friends. Do you know what their names are? Or, I suppose, would you be willing to share their names?”
The rods crossed deeply.
I smiled brightly, “Oh! Okay! Kinda surprising since you didn't want to tell me your name, but…”
Rods opened wide, and my brow furrowed.
He doesn’t want to share his name.
I closed my eyes, hearing, “Jack,” in my mind, in an ageless whisper.
“Jack,” I thought back, and opened my eyes as the rods crossed.
I asked, “Are you crossing because I was thinking, ‘Jack’?”
The rods opened and crossed again.
I nodded, and asked, “Was I hearing the name Jack because it was a friend and not a game? Or is it both? Both a friend, and a game?”
The rods crossed.
I clarified, “Both?”
The rods crossed again.
I nodded, “Okay. At first I wasn't sure if I was just being confused. So, is Jack here?”
The rods crossed and went parallel.
I smiled and said cheerfully, “Hello Jack!” I turned my attention back to the nameless boy, and asked, “Is Jack... older than you are?”
The rods hesitated, then opened wide.
I squinted, “So Jack is not older... is Jack... the same age as you? About your age? In your grade?”
The rods opened wide.
I squinted again, “No? Is Jack... younger than you are?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Okay. You're like the big brother, aren't you? Just like the big brother again.”
The rods crossed, but the energy had shifted.
I turned to the camera and said, “They're getting resistance... It's almost like there are two…” I trailed off and said to the spirit boys, in my mom voice, “Okay, so we are still talking with our first friend here. And Jack may answer through him, but it is the other child's turn. It is not Jack's turn. Jack is just... here... with him.” I paused and waited for the energy shift to go back to the way it was earlier, and when it did, I nodded, “Okay. Thank you.”
The rods held steady, but I heard muttering and scuffling in the background, between the boys, at that.
I raised my voice a bit at that and said again, “We're not fighting about it. Do you need your turn to be done?” I raised my eyebrows and looked sternly over to where the first boy had said his friend stood, and gave the corner a Mom look. They settled down after a moment. I nodded once, “Kay.” I returned my attention to the first boy, and asked, “So do you like to go anywhere? Or do you get to visit anywhere?”
The rods swung a little, then crossed.
I closed my eyes tight, trying to understand what I was hearing and feeling. “It's like, 'Town,'” I scoffed, and shook my head, laughing, “'We don't get vacations.'...” I nodded, understanding. Those kids probably didn’t get much down time. I switched gears, “Um... Do you know where the people from the home buy your things? Buy your clothes? Buy your food?”
The rods crossed, and an image of town and the words,“the store,” popped into my mind. I saw brick streets, in a quiet midwestern town, and a small strip with one store in it, and maybe one bar or saloon.
I squinted, “Just 'at the store'? 'In town.' Okay. And is the school... in town?”
The rods swung.
I nodded, “How do you get there? To the school?”
The rods swung, then crossed small.
I repeated what I heard in my mind, “'Walk.'” I nodded, and asked, “Okay... So they do let you out? And you get to go places? You're not stuck there, like a sanitorium? You're not stuck?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Okay. Do you have anything that belongs to you that you really are attached to? That you just really just love your thing? Do you have anything like that? That you just love?”
The rods crossed.
I tipped my head to the side, “Yeah? Is that the... the Jacks that you showed me earlier?” I looked to the camera, and said, “They looked dingy, and old.”
The rods crossed, slowly.
I turned my attention back to the spirit boy, “To you, I don't think that they do, though. I think to you, you see them as being new, like they were when you had them.”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Mmhmm. You're remembering them, as they were. Um... are you attached to the place where you lived?”
The rods swung wide, and hit my outer shoulders.
My eyebrows raised at that, “No, woah, okay, big no. So you did not like the place that you lived. Did not like your home?”
The rods crossed, deeply.
I nodded, “Yes, big yes. Okay. So you didn't like it there. So... are you attached to a person?”
The rods crossed deeply and touched me on my shoulder.
I grinned and chuckled, “Am I the person...?”
The rods crossed.
I squinted at him again, remembering a previous encounter with a young boy his age. I saw him in a photo, and a few other children who were trapped. He and some of the children followed me after I offered them help. Some of them moved on and others chose to stay, when I went to cross them over. I wondered if he was one of those children, ready to try again. So, I asked him softly, “Did you come to me from a picture?”
The rods crossed.
I squinted, “But I didn't talk to you back then? I was talking to someone else?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, understanding. He was one of those kids, “Because I was talking to Anthony, wasn't I?” That was the little boy who was central to the photo. That photo had been taken at an old abandoned school, that had once been a childrens’ home.
The rods crossed and held there for a moment.
I nodded, “Okay. Did you come to me because I helped you guys? I helped you away from that place?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, and squinted, “Okay. Did you not know where to go?”
The rods hesitated, not answering.
I rephrased, “Do you know where to go?”
The rods opened wide.
I nodded, “Okay. Do you feel lost, then? You don't feel like you have your place anymore? You're lost?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded sadly, “Okay. Are you tired?”
The rods swung.
I tried again, “Are you cold?”
The rods swung.
I shook my head, “Numb? Numb means you don't feel anything.”
The rods pointed forward.
I rephrased the question, “Do you... do you feel anything at all?”
The rods swung, and barely crossed.
I asked softly, “Are you... hungry? Do you want to eat anything?”
The rods opened wide, and swung around, to touch my shoulders.
I shook my head, “No... Are you... sad?”
The rods stayed still, pointing forward.
I sighed, “Scared?”
The rods crossed.
I asked again, to clarify, “Scared?”
The rods crossed deeper, until they were parallel.
I nodded, “Okay. You're safe here. I can keep you safe. It's okay,” I took a deep breath, and asked, “Are you confused?”
The rods crossed until parallel.
I nodded, “Very confused, yes, I understand, it's very confusing. I'm sorry that you're confused, and that you feel lost…”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, and asked, “Do you feel like you're stuck here? Like you're... trapped?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Kay. So... When we're feeling very upset like that, sometimes we want to... pitch a fit, or lash out, or kick and scream and be angry…”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Do you feel like that sometimes?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Okay. Have you... hurt anybody, doing anything like that?”
The rods opened wide.
I nodded, “No? No? That's good! I'm just checking to see, because sometimes we get angry and we hurt somebody... and sometimes it's not on purpose…”
The rods crossed, small.
I nodded, and said, “And sometimes it is on purpose, and we're doing a very bad thing.”
The rods crossed deeply.
I nodded, “Yes... You know about that, don't you?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, and asked, “Do you... have dreams?”
The rods hesitated.
I squinted, “Or do you have nightmares?”
The rods crossed, deeply.
I nodded, understanding, “Ooh, nightmares. Okay. When you're having your nightmares... are you dreaming... you die? Something bad happens to you and then you die?”
The rods crossed, until parallel.
I nodded, and asked, “How are your memories? Are they clear?”
The rods remained still.
I squinted and rephrased, “Do you remember things very well?”
The rods opened wide, quickly, and felt suggestive of a quick shrug. Like, the kind a little kid would use in response to an adult’s question.
I nodded, “Well, I mean, you're four, so... how much can you really remember? So there's that... but... Do you have any memories that you want to share with me?”
(On the audio recorder, a shifting sound moved, from right to left on the recording. It was a “shift, thump, thump, thump.” No animals were in the space while I was recording. Also, I don't appear to hear it, or acknowledge it at all, on either the audio or video recordings.)
The rods crossed deeply.
I closed my eyes, brow furrowed, saying what I sensed, “There's a person that worked at the... at the home.”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, getting a bad feeling about this person, “Kay... Did they... Did they hit you?”
The rods pointed toward each other but didn't cross. I got the impression of “reasonable” spankings, for the time.
My head bobbed back and forth as I debated if it was really reasonable or if it was just acceptable for its time. Either way, the spirit boy didn’t seem too upset by it, so I moved on, with a nod, “A little but not like that, kay. Did they... poison you?”
The rods pointed toward each other, but hesitated.
I rephrased, “Did they... give you something yucky to eat? Something that hurt your tummy?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded sadly, “Were you very sick?”
The rods hesitated.
I clarified, “Like... right away sick?”
The rods hesitated.
I squinted, “Or were you sick for... a long time?”
The rods hesitated.
I tried something different, and asked, “Do you know? Do you remember?”
The rods opened wide.
I shook my head, “No? Okay. So somebody hurt you by putting something yucky in your food?”
The rods crossed.
I tipped my head to the side, “Is that what you wanted to tell me?”
The rods crossed, but I got the feeling it was more than that.
I nodded seriously, “You're not the only one…”
The rods pointed in the direction they had pointed earlier, when indicating where his friend was standing.
I squinted, thinking, and asked, “Is that the friend that's with you?” I squeezed my eyes closed, trying to remember the spirit boy's name from earlier.
The rods swung for a moment, then crossed.
I asked, “Jack?”
The rods crossed.
Brow furrowed, I asked, “Did Jack eat something yucky too?”
The rods hesitated, and I got the feeling that the circumstances surrounding Jack’s death were different than the first boy’s.
I asked, “Is Jack from... from the home with you?”
The rods crossed.
I asked softly, “Did something different happen to Jack?”
The rods hesitated.
I shook my head, “Jack didn't eat yucky food... Jack.. something else…”. I squinted, listening, repeating what I was picking up, ”'Push, fall'”
The rods swung, and started to close in a yes.
I closed my eyes, and an image began to form in my mind. I started describing what I could see, “Stairs?”
The rods crossed deeply.
I kept my eyes closed, the image solidifying. Clarifying. “Stairwell... I'm seeing, like, a curved stairwell, with those, like, stone steps, and railings…”
The rods held steady in the parallel cross, for a big yes.
I squinted, eyes still closed, “The railings are dark…”
The rods uncrossed, waiting as I talked.
I shook my head, eyes still squeezed closed, “Either dark wood or maybe cast iron, I'm not sure, but... 'Push, steps, fall,' for Jack. Jack was hurt?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded sadly, “Okay. I'm sorry that happened to you, Jack. So... Little boy, who won't tell me your name... Do you know what… year it is?” As I ask, I know how fruitless an effort it will be, asking these next few questions of a four year old, but we try anyway.
The rods held steady, in the forward position.
I shook my head, “I doubt you have a concept of what year it is. Do you know who is in charge?”
The rods swung.
I shook my head, “No... okay. Do you know where you are?”
The rods moved around, then pointed off to my right.
My eyes narrowed as I looked around in the area, but I didn’t see anything. I asked, “Are you standing beside me?”
The rods moved slowly, first pointing forward, and then crossing.
I squinted and asked, “Do you know where we are? Do you know…” I paused in speaking, hearing the word, 'house,’ in my mind. I nodded, saying, “It's my house, isn't it?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded deeply, “Yes. You're at my house. What can you see here?”
The rods crossed deeply, and I listened.
I vaguely heard, 'candle'. I nodded, and repeated the word.
The rods crossed.
I nodded, hearing, 'lady,’ and repeating it aloud, “Lady. That would be me, yep.” After a long moment, I switched gears, nodding slowly, thinking aloud, “Okay. So, let's see... So, you're not alone, you've got your friend here with you…” I trailed off.
The rods crossed.
I nodded and continued, “Are there other people here too?”
(A tapping sound could be heard in the background. I didn’t acknowledge it, so it’s hard to know if I heard it or not, in the moment. I ignore that noise a lot, around here.)
The rods hesitated, then opened wide, spinning around to hit my shoulders.
I listened, repeating what I heard, “'All around'...” I nodded, “Yes. There's... pretty much always.” I shrugged, assuming the boy was referring to my entourage of guides and the dead, that is always with me.
The rods crossed.
I listened, repeating the word I heard. “'Others', yep, mmhmm,” I chuckled.
The rods crossed.
I squinted at the room, and asked, “Do... I talk strange?”
The rods crossed.
I sat up taller, put on a pompous expression, and asked primly, “I do not speak properly?”
The rods remained crossed.
I continued on, maintaining the proper voice, “No, I do not.”
The rods opened.
I scoffed, glancing at my clothing for the morning, commenting in my typical voice, “And, I'm in pajamas. I dress kind of strange, don't I?”
The rods crossed, shallowly.
I nodded, “Mmhmm. So, I dress strange and I talk strange because I think I might be from... a different... time... than you are. I think you've been around for quite a long time, and you've been... stuck in an in-between place... Have you thought about the part…” I thought, and rephrased, “Have you considered that you might be a ghost? Or a spirit?”
The rods held steady, in the forward position, for a moment, and started to cross.
I squinted and continued gingerly, “That you... might be deceased, or dead…”
The rods crossed deeply, then opened again.
I nodded slowly, “And that the part of you that I'm talking to is a piece of you that's still here, after your body has gone?”
The rods crossed.
I raised my eyebrows, and nodded, “Yes? You understand that? Because I believe that that's the case. I believe that you are a ghost, or a spirit.”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Because the game that you showed me that you like to play? And the kind of home that you're talking about, that you lived... are things that aren't around very much. They're not around that way anymore. We don't really have those kinds of things anymore.”
I hesitated at explaining more about the closure of these types of facilities. Would this boy be happy to learn these places were found to be abusive hellholes and they were closed as a result? Or… would he be happy that no other children would be harmed by the improper care of these facilities? Or would he be upset that he wasn’t one of the lucky ones? I wasn’t sure I wanted to find out.
The rods pointed forward, swinging, listening.
I shook those thoughts away, and continued explaining why I thought he had been dead for a long time. I said softly, “Not many people play Jacks now.”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Mmhmm. And not many children have jobs.”
The rods crossed.
I squinted, still wanting clarity on that, “Was that like, your chores?”
The rods pointed toward each other, but stopped just short of crossing.
I tipped my head to the side, still squinting, “The thing that I'm talking about as being a job? You would call it a chore?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded deeply, “Okay. And that's... yeah. It's chores. And nobody likes chores, but chores is different from a child having, like, a job.”
The rods crossed, then opened, quickly.
I continued, “And you're young enough, I can't talk to you about what year it might have been, because you don't understand that stuff, right?”
The rods crossed deeply.
I sensed confusion, and worry about the confusion. It felt like a kid being in trouble for not understanding something. That kind of feeling. I nodded, understanding, “Yeah, okay. Okay. So... Now that we know that you know you're a spirit... do you have anything cool that you can do? Can you fly?”
The rods crossed deeply.
I grinned, “You like to fly around? Is that pretty fun? Okay- Can you go through the walls? At my house?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Mmhmm.” After a moment, I squinted, asking, “What about old buildings? Can you go through the walls at an old building? One that's older... one that looks like ones you remember?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Yes? You can walk through the walls even at those buildings?” I nodded, “Okay. Can you climb on the walls? Like a monkey?” I grinned.
The rods swung, thinking, pointing toward each other.
I continued, “Or be on the ceiling? Because if you can fly around, I bet you can do that too.”
The rods crossed deeply.
I grinned, “Yeah? Like... sticky fingers, huh?”
The rods opened wide.
I squinted and said, “I'd say ‘like Spiderman,’ but you don't know who that is, do you?
The rods opened wide.
I nodded, “No? Okay.” I hesitated, and decided to explain, “He's a Superhero. He helps people,” I shook my head, deciding there’s too much that wouldn’t make sense, beyond that, and switched gears, “Anyway, I'll explain later. Can you... can you be invisible?”
The rods opened wide and touched my shoulders.
I heard and repeated, “'Not on purpose'.” I nodded, “Okay. So, I can't see you right now. I don't see you here…” I looked around, to check again, trying to keep my eyes relaxed and my mind open.
The rods pointed toward each other but stopped before crossing.
I narrowed my eyes, trying to understand, “But, can you make yourself appear to people that can't see you normally?”
The rods pulsed, barely crossing, opening and closing on a small yes.
I heard and repeated, “'sometimes.” I squinted, asking, “Is it hard to do?”
The rods crossed deeply.
I nodded, “Yes, oh, yes. Okay. Do you know how to do it?”
The rods opened wide.
I shook my head, “No? It just happens sometimes?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Okay. Do you know how you got to my house?”
The rods pointed forward, then opened wide.
I squinted, “You just... were here? You thought about me and you were here?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded slowly, “Okay. It's something I'm curious about. I don't know... if it's something that we understand at all, so I'm trying to figure it out. So, anything new about it would be helpful. But, you know, you're just a kid, so that's cool,” I smiled, reassuringly. Even the few answers he’d provided so far were interesting.
I squinted, “Do you like any of that stuff?” I realized that was vague, and clarified, “Is it kind of cool that you can fly?”
The rods crossed deeply.
I smiled, nodding, “Yeah? Yeah. That seems like a pretty cool thing. I would like to fly, I think. Is there anything that you don't like about being a ghost?”
The rods opened wide and touched my shoulders.
I shook my head, grinning, “No? Is it fun?”
The rods crossed, small.
I nodded, “It's kinda fun? Okay. Do you miss anything about being alive?”
The rods crossed small.
I started spitballing, “Do you miss... eating food? Yummy desserts?”
The rods held steady, pointing forward.
I narrowed my eyes, asking, “Do you remember eating food?”
The rods opened wide.
I nodded, “Yeah, it's been so long that you don't even remember eating food. So that kinda tells me something. It's been a long time. Do you miss any people?”
The rods crossed.
I heard and repeated, “'Sisters,’” and immediately asked, “Your sisters?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded. I bet he does miss them. I pressed on, “Have you visited your home? Your group home? Your children's home? Since passing…”
The rods crossed.
I hoped it is a visiting situation and he isn’t trapped there, but asked, “Do you... do you stay there?”
The rods crossed small, then opened right away.
I heard and repeated, “'Not anymore'.” Relief flooded me, though I don’t know why I wondered if he was trapped, if he was in my basement speaking to me. In any case, I nodded, and continued, “Okay. Have you tried to visit your sisters?”
The rods crossed, barely, then opened, and pointed around.
It felt like looking around, searching, but aimlessly, and there was a hopeless... aftertaste, almost. It was an interesting sensation, feeling that, but I thought I understood. I asked softly, “You couldn't find them?”
The rods opened wide.
I heard and repeated, “'Charlotte... Mary.’” I squinted and asked, “Charlotte and Mary? Are those their names? Your sister's names?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded and tried to connect more. I closed my eyes, listening, trying to understand. I said what came to me, as it came, “Charlotte's the baby... So Mary's just... So Mary's 2 and Charlotte's the baby, at least when you were 4... or when they left... Were you 4 when they left?”
The rods held steady, pointing forward.
I sighed, “Alright.” I got the feeling he either didn’t remember or didn’t want to talk about it. I shifted gears, “So, do you know any other spirits besides Jack?”
The rods opened wide.
I asked, “It's just you and Jack? You guys are buds... you don't need anybody else, yeah, you're big and tough, aren't ya?”
The rods suddenly swung from open wide to crossing.
I nodded deeply, “Yeah, you're big strong boys. Okay. Have you guys ever scared anyone?”
The rods pointed forward.
I pressed on, mischievously, “Been sneaky and scared them on purpose, now that you know you're a spirit?”
The rods crossed.
I grinned, “Yeah? Were you trying to be spooky and go, “boo!”?”
The rods crossed small.
I bobbed my head left to right, weighing the answer, “Mmm… Kinda.” I asked softly, “Did you try to hurt them?”
The rods held steady, not seeming to want to respond.
I felt a wave of guilt, and worry over the guilt. My eyes narrowed, but I had a suspicion that it was perhaps justified. I saw a flash of a long sterile hallway, and a man at the end of it, standing there alone. I asked gently, “Did you try to hurt the bad person at the children's home?”
The rods crossed deeply.
I nodded softly, “Yeah, okay. I thought you might have. The one who hurt you?”
The rods crossed.
My brow furrowed, and I felt both boys were still with me. I glanced between the two of them, in my mind’s eye. They stood there sheepishly, in their plain grey clothes, hats held before them in both hands, faces downcast, eyes glued to the floor. I asked softly, “Is it the same person who hurt both of you?”
The rods pulsed on a small yes.
I closed my eyes, listening, and heard, “'They all did.'”
The rods crossed.
I nodded. Yes, the people were all mean, but that doesn’t answer my question. I tried again, asking, “Is the one who put the yucky stuff in the food the same one who pushed Jack?”
The rods crossed deeply and touched my shoulders.
I nodded, thankful to have an answer. I suspected so, but wanted to be sure. That might be what connected the boys to each other, in death. That, and the home itself. I continued, “Yes. Do you know what his name was? Because it was a boy, wasn't it? It was a man? A man who worked there?”
The rods crossed small.
I listened, but wasn’t quite sure what I was hearing. I closed my eyes and listened harder, saying “I’m getting, like, a J name.” I started listing the names, and as I continued on, the rods began to swing, listening, waiting. “John, Joe, Josh, Joseph, James…”
The rods crossed at the name James.
I repeated the name for confirmation, “James?”
The rods stayed crossed for a moment, then opened again.
My brow furrowed, and I asked softly, “Was the bad man's name James? Is that the right name?”
The rods pointed forward and swung.
I felt an argument between the boys. It was like a scuffling shoving sort of sensation, and I heard muttering. I repeated what I heard, as it came, “‘Shut up, don't talk about it, no.'”
The left rod pointed forward and the right rod spun around to hit me on the shoulder.
I felt each boy had one of the rods, and they were fighting for control. Instead of telling them to play nicely, I did what I could to dissolve the argument, “Okay. We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. It's okay.”
I took a deep breath, and thought about the conversation so far, trying to find my path forward from there, “Kay, so... Let's see here... Did James hurt other children too?”
The rods pointed forward.
I asked, “Do you know?”
The rods opened a little.
I nodded, “You don't know? Okay, that's fair. If you don't know, you don't know.”
The rods reset, waiting.
I asked softly, “Do you know where your body is?”
The rods pointed forward.
I asked, “Did they bury you?”
The rods crossed.
I tried again, “Did they burn your body?”
The rods pointed forward.
I was beginning to wonder if they didn’t want to say, or didn’t know. I asked again, “Did they bury you? Put you in the ground?
The rods hesitated, but didn’t reply.
I squinted and said, “If you don't know, that's okay. Do you know? Do you know where it is?”
The rods opened wide.
I nodded, switching gears again, “Alright. Did it take you a while to figure out that you were dead?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Okay. So, did you choose to stay here? Do you remember it being a decision you made, where you had a choice to go, or to stay, and you decided to be here? Do you remember that?”
The rods opened wide.
I shook my head, “No? Okay. Did you want to get him back? Get James?”
The rods crossed.
I clarified, “You wanted to get him? Because he hurt you?”
The rods held in the crossed position, then opened again.
I nodded, “Okay. Are you looking for something?”
The rods opened wide.
I nodded and tried again, “Okay. Are you looking for someone?”
The rods crossed.
I asked softly, “Charlotte and Mary?”
The rods crossed deeper.
I asked, “They're the only ones?” I sighed and tried to be gentle as I explained it might not be possible to find them now. “It's been a very long time. I don't even know if they're still here... I don't know how long ago you were here. It may have been so long ago that they have grown up and had their own families and have passed on too.”
The rods swung, and nearly crossed.
I sighed, “It's been a very long time, Sweetie.”
The rods opened wide.
I shook my head and closed my eyes, “I know it doesn't feel like it. It's just been a minute, just been a day, just been…” I trailed off and took a deep shuddering breath before continuing, “But, I gotta tell you, Dude, it's Two Thousand and Ninteen, and I'm pretty sure that you're from, like, the 1800's or early 1900's or something... I think you're like, pre-automobile, or early automobile. Like, horses, dirt roads, and your home was out on the hills…”
The rods crossed.
I continued describing what I saw, “And there was a forest, and they probably buried you in the forest somewhere, and you don't know where that is. And maybe not even a marked grave…”
I trailed off, seeing a patch of the woodland, off away from the red brick building that sat atop the hill. That patch was rife with spirits, lost, wandering, wondering what had happened to them. They’d just been discarded there. This boy was one of those children. My heart broke a little as the picture of his life solidified in my mind.
The rods crossed.
I took a shaky breath and continued, “But, yeah. So I know you're looking for your sisters, but, Honey, they don't need you to look after them anymore.” I shook my head.
The rods pointed forward, swinging slightly.
I sighed, and asked, “Is there anything that I can help you with?”
The rods crossed.
I listened, and heard the word, “'Go.'” I got the feeling of being ready to leave, and thought I understood. I clarified, “Do you want me to help you with going to the other side? Where you can move on? To the next phase?”
The rods crossed.
I continued, “Where maybe you can grow up this time. Would you like that? Have a chance to grow up and,” I paused.
The rods crossed
I smiled, “And try again? With different results this time,” I nodded decidedly.
The rods crossed.
I smiled softly, “Okay.... Has it been nice to talk?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Nice to talk to somebody. It's been a very long time, hasn't it?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, and asked, “Are you okay with me telling other people your story? Because I'm a storyteller. Is it okay if I tell other people about you?”
The rods crossed.
I continued, “And what happened to you?”
The rods crossed deeper.
I continued, “And I don't know your name so they won't know who you are. But, you'll be a boy from the children's home.”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, “Okay.” I glanced at the list of questions that sat on the table before me, largely ignored on this pass. One question stood out, so I asked, “Are you tired of being a spirit?”
The rods hesitated but crossed a bit.
I nodded, “It's fun, but you can only do so much?”
The rods crossed deeper, then opened again.
I nodded, “Yeah? Have you tried moving on, on your own? Have you tried finding your way?”
The rods held steady
I heard and repeated, “'Scared. Get lost.'” I nodded, understanding, “You don't want to get lost?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded deeply at that, “Yeah, I understand. Okay. That's alright. I won't get you lost. You're okay. Is there... someone stopping you from being able to go?”
The rods held steady, pointing forward.
I shook my head, dismissing the unsure feeling, “You would know. If someone was stopping you, you would know.”
The rods opened wide.
I squinted and clarified, “No one is stopping you? Okay.”
The rods swung, in the forward position.
I took a deep breath, and asked, “Are you ready? Are you ready to go? Is your business here finished?”
The rods crossed.
I nodded, and added, “Okay, and Jack, you can go too, if you would like.” I took a deep cleansing breath, closed my eyes, and visualized a great open expanse in my mind.
The rods shifted around.
I placed the expanse around the boys, in my mind’s eye, and explained, “We're going to the space... with the crossing…” The expanse surrounded us, leading all the way up to a riverbank in the darkness.
Inky black water flowed in that stream, and on the far riverbank was light and life, green grass swaying in a gentle breeze, birds tittering in the trees, children running and laughing, playing tag, on the far bank. I took a moment to soak up that place of peace, then breathed, “We're on the dark side of the riverbank. Over there, do you see it?”
On the video, the rods shifted in my hands. The left one went limp, and the right one pointed to the area where I could see the translucent rainbow bridge. The one used by the spirits, to cross over.
I nodded, eyes still closed, “It's the rainbow. The bridge. It's a rainbow you can walk on,” I smiled warmly, trying to put the nervous child at ease, “That's pretty cool. Pretty neat.”
The rods crossed.
I smiled and nodded, “Mmhmm. You just have to go across that bridge to the other side,” I nodded in the right direction.
The rods held in the crossed position.
I smiled, eyes still closed, “I see other children, on the other side of the river. They're waving to you.” It was true. The game of tag had paused, and the children saw the little boys on my side of the river. Jack, the younger boy had stepped over to the bridge, and the older boy hung back, by me. He still hesitated. Why might he feel the need to stay, after all this time?
The rods crossed deeper.
I thought I understood. I said softly, “It's okay. And if your sisters are still here, you'll be able to help them from over there,” I nodded toward the other riverbank.
The rods opened and pointed toward the bridge I saw in my mind's eye.
I nodded, “You'll be able to find them. You'll know more than you know now. You'll understand, then.” I smiled warmly as he approached the bridge at last. I called out to his retreating form, “Thank you for talking with me.”
The rods crossed.
I added, “And for letting me share your story.”
The rods held steady, in the crossed position.
My projection in the vision smiled warmly as he stepped up to the bridge, and he looked over his shoulder at me, “Bye!” My projection waved at him. He waved back, turned toward the bridge, and let go of the dowsing rods.
The rods uncrossed, slightly swinging with gravity.
I smiled warmly at the camera, “He's like, running across, happy,” I saw his face, full of joy, as he excitedly talked with the children on the other side of the riverbank. I smiled deeper, “Just... super happy.”
I smiled as I closed up shop for the dowsing rods, that day. The incense had burned itself down and out, in the hour the session took. The purple candle flickered and burned out, leaving almost no wax behind. I put my dowsing rods away, and returned the phone tripod to its rightful place, grabbed a travel mug of coffee, and headed upstairs to my computer, to transcribe the session and notate it while it was still fresh in my mind.
That poor little boy, whose name I never did get, led such a hard life in his short few years. His parents died, or could no longer care for that boy and his sisters. Either way, they ended up in the care of those who did not love them, before the sisters were whisked away to their new life with new parents, leaving him behind, a shell of a boy, lost, without his life’s purpose. He would have recovered from that, I’m certain, if he’d been given the time to do so. But, alas, he did not have that chance.
I also wondered if he truly was poisoned, as he seemed to feel he was, or if it was all a terrible misunderstanding. I wondered if, perhaps, he had a serious allergy that was undiagnosed, and he died after eating something in the home. If that is the case, it wasn’t actually malicious... But I do have to take the boy at his word. He felt he had been hurt on purpose. Maybe someone put rat poison in his food. Who knows. In any case, he died far too young.
Those old homes and asylums were rife with awful people who harmed those under their care, and it’s a good thing they were closed down as their abuses came to light, given enough time. But how many more spirits are out there, wandering, wanting a way out, but not knowing how to leave this place? How many more like the Unnamed boy, and his friend Jack? Too many.
Perhaps this is why I was meant to do what I do. I feel so badly for these children, for these lost souls, who are trapped and wandering here. I want to hear their stories. I want to help them move on, and be at peace. This is my calling, and why I am being followed around by all these spirits. I’m here to help them on.
I guess I should make a standing date with the dead, and do this dowsing session stuff a little more regularly than I have been, of late. There seem to be a lot of them, after all, and their stories are ready to be told. So, I guess I hope you’re ready to hear them, because more will be coming! How often I actually manage to do it, of course, time will tell!
Thank you all so much for joining me, for tonight’s peek into the beyond! Do you have a paranormal story of your own to share? Perhaps you’ve done a ghost hunt in one of these children’s homes, orphanages, or asylums, and have some stories from your adventures? They can be sweet, or scary, odd, or unexplained. Any stories will do! I’d truly love to hear all about your weird experiences! Send me your stories, and I'll read them here!
Send your stories to: BeyondTheVeilParanormalTales@gmail.com . Or, email me to schedule a social distance interview, if you prefer! All stories will be anonymous, as always, for your protection.
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I think that about wraps it up for tonight! You hang out under those stars a bit longer, and soak up the moonlight, while it lasts. When you head in for the night, if you’re brave, leave the lights off, and see what your night vision tells you about your house, in the darkness…
But if you see odd shadows there, try not to be too hasty in judging them to be negative things. It could just be a lost little boy, looking for someone to help him find his way home…
Until next time, this has been Beyond the Veil Paranormal Tales, with Becca! Sleep tight...