A Graveyard Surprise...

I had made plans to visit somewhere entirely different this past weekend, but it didn’t work out. Fortunately I made last minute plans to visit another place as well. I had always put off visiting Stone Mountain Village because it is located so close to me (only a 30 minute drive), it just seemed like it wouldn’t be that exciting….I was wrong. The weather was so pretty this past weekend I decided to take the back roads out there with the windows down and music blaring…

It was Sunday afternoon and very sunny in the high 70s. It was the perfect fall day, hot in the sun and nice and cool in the shade. I had seen the Stone Mountain Village Inn online and read some interesting stories on others’ past experiences with the paranormal. I also found it interesting when I visited this site: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g35283-d75433-Reviews-Village_Inn_Bed_and_Breakfast-Stone_Mountain_Georgia.html and upon looking through the pictures I saw possible orbs in more than one of the pictures. Interesting...yes.  I had visited their website over the summer to check out rates and everything, and I didn’t bother checking the site until after my visit (it’s been disabled), so I was very surprised when I arrived at the Inn and saw a FOR SALE sign. The Inn still looked very quaint and inviting though. No one was home from what I could tell, but I would really love to visit with them sometime to see if they had any spooky tales for me. If anyone has been here and did or didn’t have any paranormal experience I would LOVE to hear from you! It is a very beautiful Inn and it looks very cozy.

Heading away from the Inn I went over some train tracks a block away and found myself in the square of Stone Mountain Village. Sunday is never the best day to visit small towns in Georgia because most everything is usually always closed on Sundays. There were some very interesting shops that definitely are on my list of places to visit soon though! A few shops I saw were: a health food store, a mom and pop toy store, a couple art galleries, a tattoo parlor, a café, and a tavern. So if you live near Stone Mountain as well I suggest taking a day trip over with the family and check this quaint little town out (but on a Saturday of course).

Across from the tavern is the Stone Mountain Village Cemetery. This cemetery was on my list because it has a memorial and a ton of tombstones for some of the unnamed confederate soldiers. I am a nerd for history I must admit. I read a few different accounts people have given on their experiences here and most ran to hearing footsteps, seeing orbs with the naked eye, and feeling hands trying to push you. I was very skeptical after reading this, and was prepared to debunk anything I could. I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived at the cemetery because it is extremely well maintained and aesthetically pleasing. It is a peaceful and nice cemetery, albeit old and in some places crumbling, but overall well cared for.

I parked and got out at the very back end of the cemetery (the opposite side from where the confederate soldier tombstones are), and started walking around and reading the names and dates and taking sporadic pictures. I instantly became aware of the noise that I’m sure many were referring to when they “heard footsteps”- there are numerous oak trees throughout the cemetery with acorns falling and landing with a crunch or thud here and there. Footsteps-debunked. I kept on walking and reading the names it was very cool to see the consistency of very old dates. Normally I only find a few from the 1800s mixed in with more recent dates.  I always find it interesting to see the names of people during the 1800s. My favorite was “Cincinnatus.” That is a GREAT name!!!

I ventured off the main walk way and started walking down hill to read some more of the tombstones when I came to a VERY interesting one… There was a group of three tombstones in a bordered plot and the center one read the first name “Livinia” and I read it out loud a few times because I like the way it sounds, and said [out loud] “wow, what a pretty name…Livinia.” and instantly it happened. I smelled a floral perfume, like roses. At first I thought someone must be walking up to me, or near and the wind carried it to me, but I turned in a full circle and no one was in sight and the wind wasn't really stirring. I got the chills, but continued “that is such a beautiful smell, I wonder what it is…” and the smell became stronger and stronger with each second as if someone was bringing a bottle of perfume over to me and holding it in front of my nose to smell. I slowly circled the bordered plot to give myself some composure because this was very unsettling. Again I said “that is a beautiful smell, but I do not see anyone around, nor are there any flowers in sight. Is that you Livinia?” At that instant the smell became very powerful, and in a flash it was gone. I walked around the bordered plot again, and not a trace of the scent was left.

The hair that was standing on my arms began to settle, and my spirits were definitely lifted a bit. It was a pleasant experience, almost the equivalent to complimenting a stranger on their new boots and seeing how that little compliment brightened their day. Except… different, obviously.

I ventured further down the hill and felt myself drawn to this area under a large oak tree. Acorns were falling sporadically, and after getting hit by a couple on my head and shoulder I made sure to keep out from under it. Staying on the outskirts of the tree and studying these tombstones I couldn’t help but to feel very odd. It was as if these tombstones had been well tended for a time, and then just abandoned. There were still urns on the graves with plastic flowers in them, but so covered in dirt and grime you could just barely make out a hint of pink underneath. None of the other plots had seemed this grim. Me being alone and lacking the self-consciousness to not speak to myself out loud I said so. “This is an unusual place compared to the others; it looks gloomy and forgotten…” At this instant I felt the need to take a picture, so I looked down at my camera to turn it on, and out of nowhere :::WHACK::: I yelled “OUCH!” and spun 360 degrees to see who had just thrown a pebble or acorn at my chest. I couldn’t see anyone, but I could feel a cold. I became confused, and immediately looked up to see if I had wondered under the tree and into the shade, but I was still a few feet from the farthest overhanging branch. It would have been impossible for a falling acorn to be the culprit because I was looking down first of all, my head and hair were blocking my chest from anything from above, and secondly I wasn’t under the tree, and third, I had already experienced the falling acorns and they had landed on my head and shoulder but with nowhere near that amount of force. I’m trying to work this all out in my mind and searching for a logical explanation, but I can’t so I say “who’s there!? That really hurt!” and instantly I am shut up. I start backing away slowly while just a few feet in front of me a milky fog-like mist about a foot wide and a foot tall starts forming at the same level as my chest. I lowered the camera to my side, I felt like I was being threatened not to use it. My hair is standing on end and my heart is racing. With each step I take backwards the mist inches towards me. Slowly I turn around, while I keep walking and say “I didn’t mean any harm” and walk quickly back to my car. When I reached my car I turned back around and it’s warm and sunny and the feeling is gone, and I can see the mist nowhere in sight. I get in my car and shake my head, did I just imagine that? NO WAY! Two experiences from two very different energies in a matter of minutes. IT WAS FASCINATING!!!! I was pumped! Spooked? Naturally!

I decided I had worn out my welcome, on this part of the cemetery at least, but I still wanted to pay my respects to the confederate soldiers. I decided to drive as close to that side of the cemetery I could get to make a point, that in a way I was leaving what or whoever I had just bothered alone. I ended up parking at the bottom of a hill that had a walk way up and over to the hill that leads down to the area for the confederate soldiers. I made my way down there and took some pictures, read some names and dates, and paid my respects and talked to some of the tomb stones… You never know… someone could fancy a little chat.

After a while I headed back up the hill and just as I get to the top of the hill I looked for my car. I froze instantly because there was a man standing by my car, but huddled over looking in the passenger side window. Instinct took over and I took off [no idea what I was actually planning on doing once I got there], I ran full force all the way back to the walkway and down to my car, but when I got there… no one was there. Nobody was there. I turned 360 degrees and even called out “is someone there?” No one answered and no one was there. The cemetery is in no way secluded, but it is too wide open to not see someone running off or trying to hide. I got in my car, and drove back to the square in the center of town. I thought everything over. I know what I smelled, what I felt, and what I saw…twice. Those experiences were very real, and I still get chills retelling them.

I am disappointed that I didn't catch anything in my pictures, and I would really like to go back to this cemetery at night to take some, I think that could be very interesting, but I probably will not go back alone.

Until next time: Happy Hunting, haunting and Halloween!