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Not What I Thought

By Steve Smith

My first cemetery investigation took place on a mid-winter’s afternoon and evening. Our team, Arizona Paranormal Investigations, met in the long shadows of a fast dying day. Our team went over the rules, discussed the team plan, then quickly drove to a long-abandoned pioneer cemetery in the high Arizona desert.

We had about an hour to transverse the sprawling grounds before dark. This was both for the team to become acquainted with the terrain, and, so it was explained, the spirits to become accustomed to us.

It sounded a little strange to think of the departed in such concrete terms. I believed in ghosts, as long as they were somewhere else. Now I was with people who thought of ghosts as present, and even capable of interactive response. Before the end of the investigation, I did, too.

I simply didn’t know what to expect, but imagined there really wouldn’t be much evidence for ghosts, and what evidence there was, would probably be inconclusive. Likewise, after watching my share of haunted house movies, I was…well, a little apprehensive. I was, however most curious, and curiosity has always been one of my greatest weaknesses. You have no need to know the others.

I love children, and it was very sad to see the graves of the little ones. Even though they may have died a century ago, there was a time when their eyes sparkled and they laughed and cried as children do today, and as they have since the beginning of our race. I said a prayer for them, and sent thoughts of peace. I visualized them awash in God’s love. I didn’t know what else to do.

By this time, it was dark and the investigation began. I would guess the temperature was in the high 40’s or low 50’s. It wasn’t long until I saw a most remarkable sight.

One of the more experienced investigators, we will call her Joan, who was 100 yards or so away, began to walk toward our group. Joan commented that she felt someone was walking near her. A team leader, who had been using a directional, digital thermometer pointed it to her side and the readings plummeted to the low 20’s.

What’s more, as Joan continued to walk toward us, the area of low temperature remained beside her, step for step. When our photographs were developed, one picture captured the reading of the thermometer. It showed 24°.

During the investigation, I felt a sense of calm and a gentle presence. I forgot both my skepticism and my nervousness. I believe I could have stayed the night, alone and without fear. That was until I remembered the tire tracks and beer bottles nearby.

There was one more surprise in store for me. When I downloaded my digital photos into the computer and began to examine them, I found two anomalies. One photo, shot in ambient light, showed a streak of light that appears similar to photos taken by many other investigators. The other, also taken in ambient light, showed a tiny, dim and yellow orb. It hovered above the gravestone of one of the children.

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