The sound of a mysterious creak you can’t explain pulls you from bed. The windows rattle and the curtains blow ominously. Your room is dark and you can’t see your hands in front of you. You wonder, could that have been a ghost? Or was it just a floorboard and some wind?
When asked about their beliefs in the supernatural, people usually provide many opposing answers. Some may believe in witchcraft and communicating with ghosts, while others reject any type of paranormal activity at all. Makayla Marable, senior, said she believes in everything.
“I believe in ghosts, aliens [and] unicorns; all that kind of stuff,” Marable said. “I believe in ghosts, because, when people die, their spirit, it’s still here with us.”
Carter Holzhueter, freshman, said he holds more skepticism towards fantastical animals. But he did say he believes in some supernatural things.
“I believe in aliens,” Holzhueter said. “Maybe ghosts [as well]. Other than that, I don’t really know.”
Marable said she has full belief in the supernatural but hasn’t had any paranormal experiences yet. While Holzhueter said he is uncertain about the supernatural, he did have an encounter with the paranormal.
“I walked outside,” Holzhueter said. “I was about to get in my car, and a glowing orb flew in my face and away into the stars.”
Natalie Chen, sophomore, said she doesn’t believe in hauntings, evil ghosts or any kind of supernatural creatures. However, she said that she does believe in spirits.
“There’s not really evidence of supernatural things existing with malicious intent, but there’s always people [who] get feelings,” Chen said. “They say someone’s with them.”
She said she doesn’t believe in any other classic paranormal creatures, such as Bigfoot or cryptids, which she said are creatures from legends not proven to exist. When referring to photos people believe to be paranormal creatures, she said she doesn’t believe any of the images.
“Cryptids, the yeti, the abominable snowman,” Chen said. “All those photos [of supernatural creatures] are [really] just some guy hiking.”
Despite Marable, Holzhueter and Chen having varying degrees of belief in the paranormal, they all said they’re interested in haunted houses or scary stories. Marable said she went to a haunted house called the Lemp Mansion, where four members of a prominent St. Louis brewing family committed suicide. People who visit the mansion believe they’re now ghosts in the house
““I went to the Lemp Mansion before,” Marable said. Something was kicking a chair [to scare people]. I don’t know if that was on purpose or not.”
Holzhueter said he went to a haunted house as well. He said he went to the haunted house Six Flag has during Fright Fest. He also said he was interested in visiting a haunted road, also known as Rock Hollow Trail, in Wildwood, Missouri.
“I’ve been to the one [haunted house] at Six Flags, but there’s this road and it’s like a zombie road.” Holzhueter said. “That’d be pretty cool [to visit].”
Chen said she shared a similar interest in the paranormal when she was younger. She said that she would read different books about the supernatural, and followed different stories people told about the supernatural.
“As a kid, I used to read a lot of supernatural stuff, like dolls that would move, like the Raggedy Ann doll.” Chen said. “I would wonder back then, and those were the stories I heard of.”
