by Kevin Guest
As Mary typed up new guidelines for Dr. Anderson’s classes, a man in his early fifties, with dark hair, a full beard, standing about five foot nine, skinny, and with stained yellow teeth, approached her.
The stench of cigarettes announced his presence before he could speak. Mary gracefully reached into her purse and retrieved a bottle of perfume. She sprayed the pleasant liquid in front of her nose. Afterwards she looked at him. “May I help you?”
He handed her a yellow envelope. She opened in and read the judgment. She then sealed the envelope and smiled at him. “Congratulations, Dr. Fletcher; it seems you’re the chosen psychologist to assist Dr. Anderson.”
He smiled, “Thank you, ma’am.”
Mary stood, “Let me see if he’s available.”
Anderson was sitting in his office, studying the ghostly image from the Halloween edition, looking for any imperfections or signs of trickery. He was as nervous about the project as he was excited.
Mary hit the call button on the intercom. “Dr. Anderson, Dr. Fletcher is here to see you.”
The sudden voice startled him and he dropped his magnifying glass. It shattered as it hit the floor. He sighed and then hit the call button, “Let him in.”
Mary motioned to Fletcher as he straightened his suit.
Anderson stood as Fletcher walked through the door. “Dr. Fletcher, it is good to meet you!”
“Likewise, Dr. Anderson, I have looked forward to this moment since I first heard of it.”
“Yes, well, please come in. Would you like a cup of coffee?”
Fletcher put his hand up as he sat down. “No, I am fine, thank you.”
Anderson smiled at Mary. She nodded and closed the door as he picked up his manuscript. He tapped on it with his finger. “Texas Hauntings, by Dr. Jonathon Anderson. I am finishing my life’s work. With one more haunting, I will have definitively proved the existence of ghosts and the afterlife.”
Fletcher nodded. “That’s an amazing achievement.” He scooted forward in his chair, nervously eyeing the manuscript. “I hope my contributions will be fruitful. The chance to assist a colleague in a project that will define his life is an honor unto itself.”
“Indeed.” Anderson held the manuscript firmly in his hands as he sat down. He stared at it as he talked. “You know, sometimes it seems that they call to me, the houses, as if finding them is not a random occurrence.”
Fletcher did not quite understand. “How do the residents react when you arrive?”
Anderson laughed, “They often fall over backwards for me. Many times, they are at their wits’ end, having all of their finances tied to the property. In addition, they are suffering extreme embarrassment, afraid if they go public, they will be ridiculed. A haunting is not just about objects that move or unexplained electrical and environmental phenomena, it’s about the people who dwell within the house. Many times, the psychic energy of the resident is exacerbating the situation, or creating it altogether.”
“So do you solve their problem, or is it just documentation?”
Anderson smiled. “From my end, it’s pure research. In one instance, an owners of a rather large mansion in east Dallas did not want the haunting solved. In my manuscript I refer to this house as ‘A Classic Haunting.’ They rather enjoyed the thrill of living in a spiritually active place. However, the norm is paranoia. After the investigation, I usually contact the Catholic Church or another group on behalf of the owners. I supply them with my research and then move on.”
Fletcher was intrigued. “Have you seen many haunted houses?”
Again Anderson laughed. This discussion was a massage to his ego. “Well, yes and no. I have not actually been in contact with a spirit directly. But I have seen unexplained phenomena that baffle science.” Anderson folded his hands on his desk, excited to talk to someone on his own level. “I once saw water, dripping from the floor to the ceiling. It was a most remarkable thing. Another time, I saw a pen move itself across a table, jump from that table to the floor, and roll under a couch. Now, that might seem normal, but it took the pen almost ten hours to make the full journey.
“I don’t actually believe that you can be contacted in a physical way by these phenomena. It’s not like the movies. I am not entirely sure that whatever is causing the events is done by an intelligent being. My research is not about solving hauntings, but documenting them in a scientific way. I believe we, as an intelligent species, are still new to this planet, and though we feel we have attained superior knowledge, we are actually in our infancy about its mechanics. ”
“So this is more about busting the myth of ghosts rather than discovering them.”
“It’s a good method to use. By doing the research in a scientific manner, I hope that my findings can be rationalized. I believe if I go into a house looking for evidence of an unexplained intelligence, I will find it simply because I am looking for it. My mind will fill in the gaps. Therefore, for me to be convinced of paranormal activity, it has to come as I seek to disprove it.”
Fletcher had chills running up and down his spine. “Do you think we will see such unexplained phenomena at the location you have chosen?”
“Oh yes, and much more. I have made sure to keep the location an absolute secret, so as not to skew the data in any way.”
Fletcher smiled. “Well, it sounds like a dream. I cannot wait to get started!”
Anderson stood and showed him to the door. “First week in March, 9 a.m. - Monday morning - outside this building. I will check with you before then, but that’s when we make history!”
As Fletcher walked out the door, Anderson grabbed his arm. “Now remember, you’re under contract not to discuss this with anyone, not even family.”
Fletcher looked at him. “My family is up north, so I guarantee you, that will not be an issue.”
~Amy~