Editor’s note: For Halloween, we asked our readers to share the scariest things they’ve experienced in our area. Readers (and Xpress staffers) came through with shivery accounts of mysterious occurrences, including this one below.
“Welcome to the asylum,” my new neighbor greeted me on move-in day.
My friend and I each took an end of the moving cart. Once inside my apartment, she said, “We need to sage this place. As we came down that side hallway, I was momentarily transported and saw us as old-timey nurses moving gurneys.” Oh, man. I had had that exact same vision.
About 3:30 a.m., I suddenly awoke. My two cats were sitting on the floor, staring right above me. The fur was standing straight up on their backs, and my hair started to rise on my arms. I felt an intense heaviness and an extremely strong presence. The room was almost spinning.
Somehow, I was able to sit up and speak aloud: “Please, I respect this space and its history. But I live here now, too. I would like to coexist in peace, and I need some rest.” At that moment, a bright burst of light traveled from the ceiling across the living room and through my front door. Loud footsteps ran down the hall. My cats had followed the light and were sitting with their eyes fixated on the door.
My friend came and saged the next day.
The Kenilworth Inn was constructed in the late 1800s as a resort, and its history has been varied and intriguing. The original inn burned, then the new inn was needed as a military hospital during both world wars (the basement is said to be haunted by German soldiers). My floor is known to have the most paranormal activity besides the fifth floor, which is sealed off because, I’ve been told, the energy is just too overpowering.
I like to think I’ve made peace with the spirits — but I don’t like it when I get home too late and have to brave the halls. And my cats still stare into that northeast corner just about every night.
— Andy Hall
Xpress Community Calendar and Clubland Coordinator
Asheville
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