RICHMOND COUNTY – So that noise in the attic can’t be explained away, the chilly area in the back bedroom comes and goes for no apparent reason, the dog often barks at nothing, and you always feel as though you’re being watched when no one is there?
You’ve heard some stories and tales about some “interesting” events that occurred there a century ago, and always feel a certain “eeriness” around and about, but you’re just not sure?
Who are you going to call?
No, not them – that was just a movie; you need the “real” Ghost Busters: Pee Dee Region Paranormal.
From right here in Richmond County and comprised of an eclectic combination of talent, initiative, experience, and faith, Pee Dee Region Paranormal simply seeks to find evidence of the “manifestations” that, at least hypothetically, may exist all around us.
“We don’t judge and we don’t guess,” says Stephanie Barnes, the team’s historian and case manager. “We investigate and report our findings, then let others decide what they want to believe.”
And “believe” is indeed the operative term for this type of work. Without an open mind, one may find it a bit difficult to comprehend why fully-grown adults would spend countless hours in cold, dark, and often damp conditions, in search of that which otherwise remains invisible and undetectable to most of us.
“Our equipment is our eyes and ears,” says Brian Horton, who, along with Robert Humphries, co-founded the group. “If we can’t record it in some way, then it can’t be recorded.”
Indeed, a review of their extensive inventory of electronic accoutrements and technological paraphernalia would cause the CIA to be envious.
The PDRP team (Barnes, Horton, Humphries, Rick Horton, Scott Tomestic, Jenny Marshall and Andy and TJ Mcinville), working at a steady, focused, and methodical pace, took a full hour to set everything up in the appropriate locations and proper angles.
“Yeah, it takes a lot of prep time, but once we are set and ready to go, if anything is there, we’ll detect it,” Horton explained.
And detect it they do! On one recent occasion during an outing at an abandoned opera house (which has the reputation of being “haunted”), a significant number of “sightings” were recorded. While a still photograph of what appeared to be a ghostly female figure standing on the stairs leading up to the balcony was uncanny in and of itself, the primary event of the evening was a cyber recording of a moving figure up on the stage.
Upon the appearance of the apparition, the investigators immediately engaged in their work as if it were just another day (or night, as the case may be) at the “office.” Minimal communication was required as each individual group member quickly but purposefully moved into action.
“We each have a different job to do,” Barnes said. “It takes a lot of work to properly record from different angles and ensure that we don’t miss anything.”
The final product was an elongated visual recording of what appeared to be the silhouette of a young boy “dancing” across the stage of the old opera house. To the naked eye, there was nothing on the stage, but the visual “spectragraph” picked up electromagnetic emissions in the shape of a human, intermittently hesitating, stopping, and then again moving in a semi-rhythmic motion.
But Pee Dee Region Paranormal didn’t just stop there. A team member climbed onto the stage, moving slowly but steadily in the direction of where the “entity” seemed to be standing. Both the “ghost” and the live person appeared simultaneously and together on the screen, only to have the spirit disappear after a few seconds of being approached.
Evidence of detection was not limited to visual modes – snippets of auditory responses to verbal questions were recorded as well. Although the three hours of investigatory effort passed with only a few such “discernible noises” being heard, how many times does a ghost have to tell you his or her name – in this case, Spence, Ashley, and Daisy – before you become a believer?
Further, Marshall has experienced personal powers of ESP (Extra-Sensory Perception) and clairvoyance. She is still learning the true extent of her abilities, but she was able to sense the presence of the “girl on the stairs” (which is what led to the photograph of the spot revealing the ghostly figure just as she had described).
Pee Dee Region Paranormal operates as an independent investigatory body and receives no funding from any source other than the members themselves. Of course, donations to the cause are greatly appreciated, and most homeowners who seek evidence of what they believe to be spirits dwelling in their houses are happy to pay for the totally objective services of the Group.
So if anyone has had inexplicable experiences that may be attributable to the presence of “other worldly spirits,” Pee Dee Region Paranormal can be reached at 910-894-2021, or viewed at www.PeeDeeRegionParanormal.com.
