Ghostly Stories: The Time I Went to Mississippi and Locked Eyes with a Spirit

It was October 2018 when I traveled to visit a friend near Philadelphia, Mississippi. It’s a small-town area with rural farms, clay dirt roads, and lots of cornfields. We made the most of the season by doing all the festivities we planned: the fair in Jackson, frequent drives into town for shopping, and a visit to the pumpkin patch at Country Pumpkins in Caledonia, which is now permanently closed, much to my chagrin.

However, a little magic found me on those drives into town. We always passed an old white Victorian house, resting quietly on the side of a curved road. Ivy climbed up the center of it, and despite its age, it was absolutely beautiful. The attic was huge, and you could see straight into it from your car. If you know me, you know I have a weakness for Victorian architecture.

After the visit, it was time for my family and I to pack up and head back to the East Coast of Florida. On the way to the interstate, we would have to pass by the old Victorian one last time. I was excited to bid it farewell until next time. However, as we approached it, I felt a bit different in my gut. That’s when things got a little interesting.

As I looked up into the large attic from the passenger seat, it felt like time slowed. There was a glowing light from an old lamp. In the center was a woman, staring out the window to the lawn below. She wore old-fashioned clothing, and for just a moment, her eyes locked with mine. It felt like an eternity and as if I weren't even in a car anymore. I was overcome with chills, like I had slipped into a trance. When the moment passed and we drove on, I felt the spell break.

It was all I thought about on our way home. Did it happen? Did I hallucinate? Did I get enough sleep last night? All the questions were at the front of mind, but none could explain what had happened to me. Once I returned home, I asked my friend about the house. Always the skeptic who still searches for magical signs of the paranormal, I thought maybe someone had put up a Halloween decoration. But she told me that in all the years she had lived there, that house had never decorated for Halloween.

The mystery of it all still haunts me to this day. Maybe the veil between worlds had thinned, and I caught a glimpse of the afterlife, or maybe someone finally decided to get festive and scare the bejesus out of an out-of-towner. Either way, that’s the beauty of autumn. It’s full of magic—and sometimes a little fear.

Tell me about a spirit you encountered, I'd love to hear from you!