by At the risk of sounding a little flaky, I am going to stray from the usual format of my blog and relate something that recently happened to me while on a story assignment.
Last week, The SyFy show “Ghost Hunters” aired an episode dedicated to Alton’s reputedly haunted Milton School, and I was covering it for the paper.
To give a little history, my first time inside the school was a couple of years ago, when I rode along on a local haunted trolley tour for an article I was writing on the group. Finding the warning that some people get sick inside the school somewhat hokey, I didn’t take it the least bit seriously.
After about a half hour in the school, I suddenly began to feel really sick and lightheaded. It came on very quickly, and reminded me of how a previous bout with food poisoning felt. As it got progressively worse, I finally told the tour group I had to get out of the school. Thinking I must have eaten something that made me sick, I was dreading the trolley ride back to my car, as well as my drive home, because I was feeling more miserable by the second.
Long story short, by the time I got back to my car, the sick feeling was completely gone.
While I had little doubt my experience had nothing to do with the supernatural, I nonetheless promised myself I would not go into that school again.
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. I was working on the story for the “Ghost Hunters” episode, and we needed a photo from inside the school to go with the article. None of the Telegraph staff photographers were available, so I decided I just needed to suck it up and go take the photos myself.
Once I stepped inside the building, it did not take long for that sick feeling to come back again. Deciding it must be psychosomatic, I finished my assignment and got the heck out of dodge.
That night, I was awakened by an excruciating pain in my right knee, like someone was literally ripping the tendons apart from the 
inside. The next day, a golfball-to-baseball sized lump appeared on the back of my knee, which then turned into one of the nastiest bruises I have ever had. I was unnerved enough to know that I had not injured myself in any way to get that bruise, and was even more uneasy when people began telling me it looked to them like a human bite mark. (I am posting a photo of the mark the day after it appeared.)
Why do I get violently ill inside the school, and where did the bruise come from? I don’t have a satisfactory answer to either question. As a skeptic when it comes to the supernatural, it actually is bugging me a little that I have no logical explanation.
One thing I do know. I still love horror movies, and am still fascinated with the supernatural and the unexplained, but I will NEVER step foot inside the Milton School again
Just saying BOO, at least shortages don’t haunt you or do they ? MARK
So is the skeptic a believer now? That’s so creepy! I’ve never been. I went on the Troy Taylor tour but you don’t go near Milton. We’re contemplating an Antoinette tour here soon so your story has got me a little freaked out 😉
thats crazy i liced near that school it was creepy then this just gives one more reason to stay the hell away from it
Your experience was really amazing. I remember that you seemed to have no manifestations while we were in the school (except the sick feeling). Many people who go on our tours also think it’s hokey when they hear the “Ghosts 101” talk and are told to “draw the LIght” as protection. I’m glad you’re skeptical; too many people want to instantly believe that everything is due to spirits. I agree with you about this, there doesn’t seem to be any logical explanation.
You said that last time! That bite looks hideous…you should really get it checked out. Ghosts carry more diseases than cockroaches.
I think it’s a hicky. Some ghost has been sucking on the back of your leg. wierd.
Lets face it Fred, you are not welcome at Milton School! Take the hint and stay away.
What a wonderful experience for you! The lesson is pretty simple. There ARE things that are not easily explained. There ARE things that we have no understanding of at all.Is it possible that rocks talk to each other? Is it possible that there is some form of life living within a sun? Is it possible that there are indeed alternate realities coexisting with our own? Is it possible that time is only an illusion or the distance between two points is not determined by space at all? I have always said that a coin is a good analogy of life and death. The head never sees the tail yet they are indeed connected and part of a greater whole.We as humans presume so much. We constantly seek to label, explain and justify. It is our nature. If one is able to step outside of this box, remove the blinders, everything becomes possible and the labels and explanations are not as important as they always seemed to be. Personally I love the mystery and the adventure that life offers and more importantly the simple experience of it all.I could be wrong here, but I am very sure I am right for me.
Fred, that is really amazing…you probably are more psychic than you realize…If you continue to get anymore marks on yourself..burn some sage in your home. Also, it is Ok and powerful to state out loud for the spirits to leave you alone…It has worked well when I have been in haunted places in the past. They usually obey….