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In 1995, I was visiting a friend and in the course of our conversation, I mentioned that I was producing a TV documentary on haunted institutions (ANOTHER WORLD - BBC TV) - at which point he leapt up and said he had photograph I might be interested in....
He wanted my opinion. He had taken a photograph of his wife and child whilest on holiday and when the print came back, he just expected to see in it his wife doing some ironing and his baby girl reflected in a mirror. He was also hoping to see himself, as he had pointed the camera at the wall mirror. However, he was using a flash and predictably the glare obscured most of him. What was not predictable and what shocked him and his wife was the apparent ghostly image standing beside his daughter....a white spectral figure in the mirror.
After half an hour of rummaging in various drawers and cupboards, my friend finally found the photograph and showed it to me....and I must admit - it was impressive....
A Christ-like man, reminiscent of the image found on the Turin Shroud, standing tall in a flowing Biblical-looking costume, beside the baby girl, who also looks rather strange.
I asked the obvious question "Did you see this apparent figure in the mirror when you took the picture?"
"Absolutely not. The first time I saw him or it was when the photos came back from the chemist."
"The image could have been caused by the flash on the mirror, an effect of the sudden reflecting light, but it is amazing that it has taken such a distinct form of a man, with long hair and a beard..."
"Reminds me of Jesus" his wife points out.
He found the photograph quite scarey, especially as the "apparition" was standing next to his little girl. The other thing he found disturbing was the appearance of his daughter's face.
"She looks like she's wearing some sort of African mask" he indicates on the photo.
"Yes I see" I replied, "I take it she wasn't when you snapped the picture?"
"No. She was just normal"
"What about face painting? You hadn't taken her to some Fair that day?" I queried...
"No" his wife replied emphatically.
"Well, again, it could be a side effect of the flash bouncing off the mirror - some unexpected chemical reacion in the film...but I admit it does look freaky. Have there ever been ghostly experiences in your family?"
"Why do you ask?" my friend replies, obviously surprised and worried.
"If you have inadvertantly taken a picture of a spook, there has to be a past connection. You took this picture when you were on holiday...so what we see in the photo is not your home...."
"That's right. It's a holiday chalet we were renting for a couple of weeks."
"Do you think the ghost is a resident of the holiday home? Did the place feel strange, haunted?" I asked
"No. Nothing. It just felt normal. If it wasn't for the photo, the thought of ghosts would never have come up..."
"So has there ever been other strange things...are you or your wife psychic? Have you seen ghosts or UFOs or whatever?"
"No. Never," he shakes his head but looks at his wife questioningly, "Except..."
"Except what?"
"Well, our little girl...When she was about two or three...A couple of years before this picture was taken...she started to talk and point at someone no one else could see. It use to really un-nerve us. She would stare at a particular spot, smile, giggle and chat away as if she was with an invisible friend. It was hapening more and more. We got really worried and thought our house was haunted and that she would be possessed. I mean, we'd seen films like The Exorcist, Poltergeist, Amityville Horror. I love films like that...except we don't want them to be real...and in our house. So we went our local priest and asked if he could visit and check to see if our little one was in danger...I mean possession, evil spirits and all that. I mean, I've also seen The Evil Dead - One and Two."
"So did the priest come?"
"Yeah. But he said we had nothing to worry about. He thought our little girl was definitely seeing something real and was communicating with it...."
"The priest said that?" I exclaimed amazed.
"Oh yes, he said he could feel a presence, an actual presence near my baby....but it was harmless, he said. It was good...
"That's right, benign. The priest seemed to think 'he', 'cause he said it was definitely a 'he', was some kind of guardian angel for my little girl...Anyway, he didn't want to do an exorcism, unless things started to go wrong...or dangerous or we found it too disturbing. But he strongly advised to leave things alone as he thought she would grow out of seeing and talking to it."
"So he didn't tell you he thought it was just an imaginery friend she was talking to?" "No. He convinced us she was in touch with something real but we had nothing to worry about. But he assured us that if it became a problem, we were to get back in touch..." "And did it become a problem?" "No. In fact, after a while she did as he predicted, stop staring and talking to an empty space." My next question dropped on my friend like a bombshell.... "Has it occurred to you that this is a photograph of the person or entity or thing your little girl was seeing and talking to? That this is a picture of the Guardian Angel the priest was suggesting?" My friend's face went pale.
"Oh shit, don't say that. No, the thought never crossed my mind. Oh shit, that's really scarey. God, I'd never thought of that. But you could be right. Damn, I wish you hadn't said that, though. Oh the thought of it makes me feel ill."
I was really surprised at my friend's reaction. To me, if the photo was genuine - i.e an authentic capture of a disembodied spirit/entity and not a hoax or trick of the light - and given his story, then it was an obvious conclusion. I looked at his wife. She didn't seem so freaked out by the suggestion.
My friend also looked at her, "Had you thought of that?"
She nodded slowly, "Yes, but I never wnted to say anything because I knew it would worry you."
"Too right"
I asked if I could borrow the photo, show it to some professional photographers etc, maybe even include in my TV programme. Without hesitation my friend said yes.
Everyone I have shown the photo to - photographers, film-makers, scientists - are all intrigued by the image, are doubtful that it is a hoax and all agree that the ghostly figure reminds them of Jesus Christ. A number of people had physical reactions on seeing the picture, in fact I thought one person was going to vomit or pass out, her response was so extreme.
I haven't come to any conclusions about the photo. I have an open mind to the possibility that my friend is cleverer and more devious than I imagine - he could have cooked the whole thing up, but to date he hasn't gained anything by doing so. Also I consider it possible it is an optical illusion caused by the mirror reflecting the flash-light. But I am also open to the idea that it is a photo-capture of a real ghost or spirit or disembodied entity which through a combination of mirror, flash-bulb and little girl (as possible channeller), has literally been brought to light.
I know of a hotel in Scotland which is reputed to be extremely haunted. The night porter told me he had on two occasions seen a young female ghost in the lobby, but that she was once seen reflected in a mirror by a guest whilest shaving. He turned to look behind him but of course there was no one there....
Have you had any ghostly or supernatural experiences you would like to tell me about? If so email me: jinghiz@msn.com
Copyright Nabil Shaban 1998
© 1997 jinghiz@msn.com
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