Quinn Noll's Blog, page 5

Spirit Chronicles: Part 2

Quinn Brings Home a Friend

If you read Part One of this series and are still here, it means one of two things; either you are ready to believe that, perhaps, there is something to this afterlife thing, or you are bored out of your mind and find me highly entertaining. I’ll take either one.

Like the main character in The Apostle’s Fury, I, too, neither understand nor can anticipate when something freakishly weird will occur. And apparently, since everywhere is fair game, I cannot control it. There have been ‘dry’ spells throughout my life, times where nothing happens for months and months and then, bam! Casper and his friends make their presence known and the next thing you know, I’m cowering in the corner (OK, not really, I don’t cower…but it can be quite chilling!)

I read once that sometimes it isn’t a location that is haunted, but the individual. Which explains a lot. Like how I can be at a friend’s house or on the beach or, yes, even in a cemetery, and feel or sense something there.

Watching, waiting, sizing me up.

The incident in the hotel with the old lady—see Spirit Chronicles Part One—has been the only time I have seen spirit that appeared as solid and real as you or I. The remaining incidences involve translucent beings or orbs, snippets of conversations or, and this is really spine-chilling, a whisper or two directly in my ear. You haven’t lived until you are halfway through an episode of ‘Dexter’, feel a puff of hot breath in your ear, and hear a kids voice whisper “I can’t find my bike.”

Believe me, I tore that house apart looking for his damned bike. There was no bike.

In short, I have never mistaken any ghostly encounter for a live person, except for the naked broad on the bed. And one or two boyfriends were iffy on the pulse thing, but that’s a whole other story. Still, solid or not, I am aware when a spirit drops in for a visit.

Case in point…the girl in the Jeep. My Jeep.

This occurred circa 2010. It was a time of innocence, a time of family, a time of sweet and calming silence…

—pause here for dramatic effect—

…and I hadn’t seen or heard from the other side in months which, honestly, wasn’t a bad thing. There comes a certain point where, after being constantly bombarded with disembodied voices or lights flickering or electronics turning themselves off and on, you get as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Constantly looking over my shoulder, jumping at every noise, hair pointing in all different directions like a lunatic—a madwoman trapped inside the body of an ordinary mom.

It wasn’t pretty.

So I was enjoying my hiatus from all things paranormal when my oldest and I decided to take the Jeep to the grocery store. Full disclosure here? My children have all inherited some degree of ‘extra’, whether it be seeing spirit, tiptoeing around ESP and clairvoyance, or exercising their empathic abilities and sobbing during a Charmin commercial (although I think we’ve all shed some tears regarding toilet paper during this pandemic!) Even my grandmother had some degree of “fey” I am told.

The family that creeps together, keeps together, am I right?

Anyway, my child (who has major gifts of her own) and I went to the store to stock up. Halfway through the beverage aisle (BOGO on Pepsi cola

Holiday Edition

Spooks, Specters and Superstitions of Christmas Yore

Snow drifts hiding the forces of darkness? Spiteful spirits on the loose, hunting for a soul to swipe? All this and more in this special holiday edition of Beyond the Veil.

Christmas Day, a day filled with wonder and good tidings and great joy. But is there is a darker, more mysterious side to the season of giving? Indeed, in days gone by and in countries all over the world, the Christmas season has harkened more than just those blessed herald angels. The magical season was thought to begin on December 21st (or sometimes, the 22nd), also known as the Winter Solstice. It was during this 12-24 hour period that people believed the fabric between the spirit realm and the living changed. This alteration allowed the boundaries in place, ones that separated the mortal world from the sphere of the dead, to became thin…thin enough to allow for the passage between worlds. This meant that during the Solstice, the odds were fairly decent that a malicious demon could slip through the veil and snatch up an unwary victim. For this reason, people would gather in large groups, attempting to even the odds, hoping against hope that some other unfortunate soul would be taken in their place. Someone older…heavier… slower.

Savage times.

But, I digress. Back to the magic of December 25th and the fascinating facts in this blog. Here is one for you…were you born on Christmas day? If so, don’t fret…it isn’t all bad. Sure, you probably spent your life lurking in the shadows of what may be the biggest Christian celebration of the year. And, instead of birthday cake and Disney-themed parties, you probably spent your day attending midnight mass or visiting a nursing home to sing Christmas carols and drink bad eggnog. No doubt, you felt the sting and shame of feeling like an afterthought, silently screaming as you received far more combination birthday/Christmas gifts than your siblings did.

Not to mention it’s pretty tough to stand out in a crowd when you share your day with the Son of God.

But, is there an upside? Of course! There are definitely some perks to being a Christmas baby if you look hard enough. For one, according to legend, you are more likely to see —and communicate— with spirit if you are born on Christmas Day. So, maybe you will be the hero of your family and finally find out where Aunt Agnes hid the money! Wouldn’t that be nice? As an added bonus, those born on the 25th enjoy more protection from evil spirits than the average Joe and cannot die by hanging or drowning!

Groovy.

Also—and this is soooo cool— a child born on Christmas is more likely to possess the ability to speak to animals (don’t test this theory, though— it is considered bad luck!)

All this birthday talk has got me thinking of candles. Ever wonder why we put those glowing tapers in the windows? Centuries ago, a lit candle displayed in a window was said to protect the household. But careful! A candle that extinguishes before dawn is considered bad karma. (I’m sensing a pattern here.)

Some interesting beliefs around the globe originated in the U.K. In Scotland, ornamental Christmas balls were worn around the neck to keep away pesky witches. It was thought that if a sorceress attacked a person who wore the ornament, the hag’s soul would be sucked into the ball, keeping it trapped for all time. (After learning this, I admit I checked all the ornaments on my tree, although I’m not sure what a trapped soul might look like.)

Scary stories were a big part of the holiday celebration long ago. (I know, I know…I never knew this one either.) Tales about ghosts, witches and warlocks were apparently huge while sitting around the hearth with a chalice of grog and some rabbit stew. Perhaps one of the creepiest of these stories centered around Krampus, the nefarious and dark character said to accompany St. Nick on his visits around the world. Krampus was a seedy fellow with matted hair, a snake-like tongue, and cloven hooves. People believed that, while the good little children received candy and gifts, the naughty little imps got a nasty beating from Krampus and a one-way ticket to the fiery pits of Hell.

Talk about your tough love.

But, alas, all is not dark and dreary! The Irish have given us a sprinkle of hope (because we are fabulous people) and tell us that the gates of heaven open at midnight on Christmas Eve. So, if you happen to keel over dead on the 24th, you get to go straight to heaven! (Meaning no hanging out in purgatory, waiting for St. Peter to punch your ticket to eternal bliss.) Now, that’s a legend I can get behind!

So, what’s left? A few suggestions to stay in fate’s good graces this holiday season:

It is bad luck to try and duck out of that mistletoe kiss (although if it’s coming from a sleezy neighbor or your creepy Uncle George, I’d risk it;)

Never gift your loved ones a pair of shoes (dang, I’ve done this more times than I can count!) as they may ‘walk out of your life’.

Open the door on Christmas morning and shout ‘Welcome Father Christmas!’ for everyone to hear. It not only lets out the evil spirits that may have gathered there but you’ll give those nosy neighbors something to talk about.

And there you have it! Your guide to enjoying a Christmas free of evil spirits, the Krampus demon, and witches. Now, go forth, spread cheer and know that, if you’re old and feeble, you are always welcome to gather with me on the Winter Solstice.

Spirit Chronicles: Part 1

She was Naked, I was Afraid

Dead people. Not exactly the life of the room, am I right? Seriously, they can be such duds. But every once in awhile, you get one who likes to mix it up, die life to the fullest, play with the living. In short, you have ghosts.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: she’s lost it, written too many paranormal scenes or delved too far into her characters lives. And, I’ll admit, some days that’s the reason for my madness. But I swear, God’s honest truth here…I’ve seen more than my share of dead people. And I’m not talking about crime scenes or death pronouncements or funerals. I’m talking about seeing, hearing, (sometimes even feeling) people who have left this earth days, weeks, years earlier.

Seeing them as clearly as I see the morning sun.

And, file this under ‘I can’t believe I actually have to put in this disclaimer’, but for all of you people in the back row who are jumping up and down, waving your hands madly, the answer is no, I haven’t seen Elvis. Besides, I’m pretty sure isn’t really dead, right?

In addition, I’m not the Long Island Medium or Tyler Henry or Sylvia Browne. I don’t have a crystal ball or secret landline to your loved ones, I don’t do channeling, and I have no clue what numbers will come up in the next Powerball drawing.

Phew, glad we straightened that all out.

So, what can I tell you? Well, I can tell you the truth—I’m not delusional (at least, I don’t think I am. But how would I know? Do delusional people accept the fact that they are delusional? Like, if I deluded myself into thinking I was, oh I don’t know, Nora Roberts, would I understand that it was, in fact, delusional thinking?). I can also tell you that I’m not a day drinker (well, mostly) or into the wacky tobacky. I’m just a simple writer, a lover of all things unexplained, who has witnessed full-body apparitions and heard the voices of my deceased loved ones. For reals.

What makes me so damn special, you ask? Why do I get to see cool stuff and you don’t? Beats the hell outta me.

In this, a four-part series of thoughts about life and death and the veil that separates them both, I will share with you my most intense experiences with full-body apparitions and other-worldly events that will leave you breathless (get it? Breathless? I kill myself