Name: Michael Todd
Location: Arkansas
Date: July 13. 2013
I have been a paranormal researcher and investigator for approximately 18 years. Throughout this time frame, I’ve seen, heard, and experienced incidents, and unexplained phenomenon many times. I’ve been scratched, bruised, had my hair pulled and spent 5 hours in an ER due to an encounter with a malicious spirit. However, on a warm Saturday evening in July of 2013, I encountered a situation which to this day has left me ‘looking’ behind me whenever I get up late at night.
My group and I had an opportunity to investigate a closed retirement home called Green Hurst. I can’t disclose the locations address as it now a children’s shelter. After receiving the green light from the owner, I wanted to see the building to get a feel for it and figure out where cameras would be best used and so on. I decided to explore on my own then set-up the investigation for the following weekend. The building is a ‘boxed’ type location with the main halls running east and west. The building has an additional set of halls on the east end, running north and south. It sits in a perfectly normal neighborhood in a small town in Arkansas.
When I pulled into the parking lot it was pushing twilight. I hoisted up my equipment bag and headed to the front entrance. A warm wind had picked up and the flag pole’s chain was rattling crazily. I went inside and locked the door behind me. The front lobby was dusty and papers were strewn everywhere. A couple of couches, a table with a folding chair sat in a nearby corner and a cold drink machine rested quietly by the front desk. I looked down the closest hall. It was dark, empty; with no sounds or movement. I turned, set my bag on a couch and pulled out my Sony camera and small flashlight. The east hall door was shut and I was surprised to see the doors were ‘chained shut’. It made me think of the Zombie show where the local sheriff was sternly warned by a sign: ‘Don’t open. Dead Inside’. I should not have thought such a thing but with a brief moment of hesitation, I went to the door and tried the chain. To my surprise, the chain came off easily and the right door opened with only a minimum of creaking. I was greeted with a long, pitch black hall. heading east. The hall was full of stuff: televisions, folding chairs, bed frames and laundry baskets full of linen and towels. I made my way toward a nurses station. I found myself at a ‘T’ junction with the halls now heading north and south. I looked into a few rooms on the south hall. I witnessed nothing unusual except for a mouse which scurried around a door frame and disappeared. I snapped off several pictures and made my way further down the south hall. I pushed a 20 inch TV on a rolling stand against the wall and snapped off another picture. The halls were silent, dark, yet for some reason, I started having the sensation of being ‘watched’. I should mention It wasn’t just being ‘watched’ but of being ‘studied.’ I have to admit, I have experienced the being watched sensation many times. This time, however, I felt an alarm which I have never experienced before. I’ve been to many dark locations such as Waverly Hills in Kentucky and Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, but never felt like I had, ‘hands’ perched over my head feeling into my mind. I shook it off and backed out of a room I was studying. I decided to go retrieve a night vision camcorder from my bag. I started back and reached the ‘T’ junction. As I made my turn, I froze in my tracks. I listened carefully as an odd sound caught my ear. I tried to dismiss it and kept moving. I only made a few steps when the sound occurred again. There was no denying it. Someone was breathing heavy and snoring in one of the rooms on the north end.
The owner had mentioned that the activity in the building was strange at times and the late night nurses always felt a fear when they passed a certain room. That room was Number #52. And as I shined my light up the hall, I saw the room just on the right side of the hall. Someone was snoring in the room. I truly hoped a homeless person had broken in and was sleeping off their day. The closer I got the louder the noise became. I cautiously peeked into the room and stepped inside. The breathing sounds quit the moment I crossed the threshold. Silence ruled as I turned on my camera’s video. The room held a bed, a shelf full of old newspapers and linen waiting to be picked up. Nothing else. I suddenly felt a wave of depression, mental anguish and deep confusion wash over me as I looked about the room. I pointed my camera toward the bed and asked: “Is anyone here?” Silence like a tomb was all I received in answer. Even more sudden: ‘flight or fight’ came over me and I backed out of the door. I could not shake a doom feeling and I decided it would be best to leave and try again with help next weekend. I was frankly upset with myself as I ordinarily march on at investigations sites. But. This was wrong. I made only a few steps when another sound reached my ears. I heard what sounded like springs grinding as someone was rising up out of a bed. This was followed by footsteps coming to the door. I shined my light toward #52 almost expecting a grinning corpse to be looking out the door at me. I could almost see it grinning with glee. I did not wait but bolted toward the lobby doors. It was now twilight and the lobby was in deep shadow. I grabbed up my bag, barely taking time to zip it and made for the front door. Again, I was froze in my tracks as I heard snoring and deep breathing behind me. I turned and could make out a shadow in the far corner. As calm as I could, I invoked the name of the Deity and forbid this spirit to follow me, bother me and to remain in this place. It seemed for a while the dark spirit was not listening but finally the noise ceased and it was gone. I locked the door and left. I told my teammates what had happened and Room #52 was investigated fully the following weekend. Nothing was captured except some EVPs in the other rooms. The owner checked the locations records but found no unusual deaths or other problems concerning that particular room. I have encountered many frightening situations including being attack at location in Muldrow, Oklahoma by an entity. But this true story is the one which has haunted me personally ever since 2013. I do get the odd sensation even at my own home of being watched on occasion but whomever or whatever the entity was in Room #52, it did it’s job very well by scaring the crap out of me. Thanks for letting me share this story.