Medium or Naw pt 2

Welcome to the second installment of my probably short series “Medium or Naw?” Where I beg to question are these limited experiences I'm, uh experiencing show that I am a Medium who is able to sense past energies or spirits? Or is it something else that can be explained. Probably the latter, however that is for you the reader to decide for yourself; for quite frankly I don't have a clue.

So for those of you who have neglected to read the first installment “Medium or Naw Pt 1,” um, stop reading right now and go read that first!

For those who don't feel like doing that here is a small recap…

During the summer of 2020 (yeah that 2020) my girlfriend Arikka and I were house hunting. We found a cute older looking house that had hobbit doors.

In short, while exploring every part of it, I felt something. Once in one of the upstairs closets, and in the creepy basement area. I can only describe it as such: for no reason was I looking for a spirit, energy, or anything. The feeling just, as Forrest Gump could say “jumped up and bit me.” Upon opening the closet I felt an instant rush of goosebumps and shivers, as my stomach freefalled into oblivion.

Most strongly I got that feeling of being watched and that I was not alone in that closet, (maybe that's how Rkelly felt in that music video series.) Okay, that may go over some of your heads; so I've attached a link to the music video so you might get this sick reference I just laid down.

But anyways, in another area of the basement I had the same thing, a feeling of not being alone, and most importantly not being wanted.

This time around it's all quite similar, something jumps up and bites me. I get the feels, all of that. Though the main difference is, this time I saw something.

I will explain obviously, just come back in time with me again to the Summer of 2020…

Ironically after our own house hunting extravaganza, Arikka's parents had just finished their own hunt, which was successful. They ended up getting a very nice, HUGE, ranch style house in an affluent area of Battle Creek, MI.

Behind their house is a small lake, with a trail around it which is perfect to do laps around, or take in some of the nature in the middle of the city.

We had walked that before, and so this time we had decided to take a walk around the neighborhood instead. Who doesn't like creeping on the Jones to see how nice their house is?

We were greeted by a cloudless, classically humid Michigan summer day. Paired with a glaring sun, which despite this it wasn't unbearably hot, just enough to work up some sweat.

I elected to get even more sweat, by rucking on our walk, eh gross lower back sweat to be specific. Now for those who aren't familiar, rucking is basically wearing a backpack and cramming it with sand, or just weight of any kind.

Its origins are from the military, and has many health benefits. Benefits such as the obvious raised heart rate with your more challenging work out, better posture, and the look of a dude struggling to walk in some fashion. Though, those who know, know; and not to toot my own horn I can ruck several miles with a 45 pound weight strapped to my back. Fun!

Anyways, this isn't an ad for rucking, this is to set the stage for our walk, and maybe lend some sort of credence to a theory of what happened.

The walk proceeded uneventfully, well aside from Arikka slipping on a root from a tree at one point. The day was pleasant, something I was eager to enjoy. At the end of the day a few days of summer is what the whole year's all about.

By chance we walked by a friend of Arikkas parents house as they were working on their motorcycle outside. Naturally the old folks wanted to catch up and chat some. So we were welcomed into a quaint house filled with plant babies, and glasses of cool lemonade.

The number of plants inside and out was impressive, which brought me a little envy due to the fact that my green thumb is more like a black thumb. To make that clear I kill plants. Like a serial killer, though I am trying.

After maybe a half hour and some change we bid farewell to our hosts and departed to continue the journey back to Arikkas parents. All in all it was maybe another 10 minutes of walking time.

This juncture we went up a slight hill I recall, and on the way down there was a house that Arikkas mom loved. I cannot remember if it was before this house or after, I just know how my focus was absorbed suddenly. I couldn't take my eyes off the wretched tree, its main branch perfectly arched as if created by Roman architects.

Now don't judge me but my first thought was thinking that it was a perfect hangman's tree as morbid as it was true. I thought of this, mixed with scenes from Game of Thrones, and the Witcher video game. In the game there was a spot where there was a tree full of dead men hanging.

As we approached the tree I continued my stare down with it, so much so I lingered to the back of our walking line. I will try my best to describe what happened next, it's difficult because it was like everything happened at once to me.

Upon passing underneath the tree it was as if I crossed some boundary or a trip wire of some kind. As soon as I was below the hangman's branch all the hairs on my body stood up with goosebumps, and a deathly ice cold wave shot down my spine.

All this was in contradiction of the warm summer day and created the awkward feeling of coldness mixing with sweat that had pooled at my lower back.

So while this is all going on at once, I had a sort of vision; which is very difficult to explain. It wasn't so much that I could see it, as I could feel it even. It makes me cringe to describe it this way but for lack of a better word it was as though I was seeing it through my mind's eye.

I could see, or sense someone hanging from that perfect hangman's branch. I could hear the body swaying in the breeze forcing the branch to creak. The ropes groaned in protest at its dark task. I could see myself trailing behind the group as I passed beneath the tree as if I were an observer watching several paces behind.

Then, as soon as the feeling or vision came it instantly went away after I stepped no more than a foot past the tree. I remember how I paused for a moment and stared around myself in confusion. Then similar to my last experience I verbally uttered out “woah.”

I continued for a few steps, looking back over my shoulder at the tree.

The tree sat idly by, its bark tainted by many summers much like the one we were in. I wondered then what else that tree had seen apart from the many summers and winters.

Although Arikka was a few feet ahead of me she overheard my “woah,” and asked what happened.

I told her at that point I would tell her later, especially since I myself had no clue what the fuck took place.

So we continued our walk home, though I have a relationship with her parents to where we all get along very well and I am comfortable to speak freely with them. So I told them.

Her dad was quiet from what I remember, though her mother reacted wondering where exactly the tree was, and maybe if someday we could go back to research the street. That way we could maybe see the history of it, if there was any lynching recorded in the spot, or area.

I am curious, I must say, though I have my own theories. I am a skeptic after all about a lot of things, or at least I try to not accept something at face value while in the same breath having an open mind and knowing that no one has all the answers.

So here's maybe a few things I will throw out there. I was walking on a hot summer day with weight on my back. Maybe this led me to get a little screwy in the head due to the heat, and being dehydrated.

Possible. Though I feel like this is a no for a few reasons. One being that from what I remember I drank a decent amount of water that day.

Second, even though I had heavy weight strapped to my back in the hot sun, this wasn't my first go around at rucking. I'm in decent enough shape. So much so that I have rucked 5 miles before just for “fun” and this was maybe just a one mile round trip, or not much more. So to me this was ruled out.

Next was just my mindset walking up towards the tree. Like I said there was no reason for me to feel what I felt in my eyes, or at least for it to be so vivid.

Though walking up to that tree my mind saw it for what it was. A perfect tree for someone to be hung from. Thoughts of Game of Thrones and The Witcher flowed through my brain as I approached the tree. So maybe just maybe this infected my brain with the thought so much so that I imagined what I saw or heard.

To me this could be the most likely scenario. Even still, I can't say anything for 100% certainty. Maybe those thoughts were in my head, though the feelings, the dread! The indescribable dread that filled me as I heard those ropes creak above me. I know the mind is a powerful thing, but to me it's hard to fathom imagining all of that.

So there's my story. I know hella weird right? Maybe I'm a weirdo who plays too many video games, and watched too many fantasy shows that it's bleeding into my reality. Maybe some things are not completely right upstairs if you know what I mean, (possible.)

Or maybe, just maybe I am a medium? I guess I may never know until I find the exact street that was on and do some research, perhaps that will be a story for next time. Though I pose the question to you dearest of readers…

Am I a medium or naw?

Thanks for reading.