Two girls die following ‘Ghost Train’ “game”

While this story is several months old, I am posting it because I believe that all people need to be aware of the dangers that come with games such as the one these teens died from. We cannot say that it’s only teens that would be stupid enough to do this. Adults have done some pretty lame things. If you or anyone you know has ever considered trying this game, please reconsider. No one’s life is worth testing the validity of a ghostly legend.

Five teens inside a Jeep were playing a game, based on ghost legends, when they parked on railroad tracks just after midnight Tuesday morning.

“They were playing a stupid game called ‘Ghost Train,’ and the object is to get scared, kind of like telling stories on Halloween,” said Butler County Coroner Jim Akers. “The game was to park on the tracks, let the windows fog up inside and let your mind play tricks on you.”

But the game took a deadly turn when a real Amtrak train approached and the driver couldn’t restart her vehicle, Akers said. Three of the teens got out safely, but two girls in a panic couldn’t unbuckle their seatbelts in time. The Jeep’s owner returned to the car and helped unbuckle her friends, just as the train smashed into the vehicle, Akers said.

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A Little Bit of Tom Foolery

There is a rumor that the character “Tom Fool” from William Shakespeare’s play King Lear is based on a real fool named Thomas Skelton, who had a sadistic sense of humor. The saying “Tom Foolery” allegedly comes from Skelton’s knack to send travelers he didn’t like to their deaths in the quicksands of the River Esk.

Thomas Skelton was the last court jester of Muncaster Castle. Though he isn’t the only spirit to haunt the castle, much of the paranormal activity at Muncaster Castle is attributed to him because of his nefarious sense of humor in life. One story in particular is sinister enough to cause shivers to run down your spine.

What Will You Sacrifice for Gold?

In the southern part of the country of Sri Lanka lies an unusual waterfall: Bopath Ella Falls. The fall itself is in the shape of a bo tree and is the most comprehensively studied fall in Sri Lanka. In addition to the studies of the area surrounding the fall, including the flora and fauna, the area is steeped in folklore.

One such story tells how a youth from Colombo made a pilgrimage here, and on losing his way was helped and sheltered by a local village girl.

A love developed between the two and she became pregnant before his departure. He left, promising to return but never did. Overcome with grief, she took her own life by plunging into the fall. Villagers say that her ghost (which appears as a floating blue light) haunts the fall.

Another local belief is that a treasure trove lies somewhere within the fall and that one thousand human sacrifices are needed to retrieve it.

My only question is… do all of the sacrifices need to be made one right after the other or can they be made over time? 😉

Ghosts of Ireland: A Requiem That Would Not Be Denied

The Requiem, or the mass for the dead is taken very seriously by both priests and laypeople in the Catholic Church. It is strongly believed by many that a soul cannot rest unless the last prayers and verses for the deceased have been bestowed. This brings to mind a folk tale from Ireland that has been passed on through generations of time.

Let it be noted that this is merely a legend. Facts are not available to support this–it is simply a tale that has survived for many years through word of mouth.

A young, devout Catholic girl named Mary O’Malley had stopped by the Church one evening on her way home from work. It was the eve of St. John,

The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado

One of the most chilling books I ever read when I first became interested in horror novels was “The Shining”. The premise of a large hotel, abandoned by everyone for the winter except a caretaker and his family set the stage for the insanity and murder that followed. Many years later, I discovered that the author, Stephen King, had stayed at a hotel right before they were about to close for renovations. The hotel was nearly empty, and King’s imagination was fueled to write the tale of terror.

The lodging in question was the Stanley Hotel, overlooking the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.