Showcase Magazine - Central and Southwest Virginia's Exclusive Entertainment Magazine

June 17, 2005

Jess had come to stay with me on the 14th for the remainder of the week. On Friday morning around 3:30 in the morning, I woke up and she wasn't in bed. My instincts sent me out of the bed to see if there was anything wrong.

I walked down stairs calling her name, softly at first then gradually getting louder, almost to the point of a scream when she did not answer. There was an eerie glow coming from the living room. Half asleep, I still had no idea what it was but it looked ominous. It turned out that it was just a candle. I walked into the living room and there sat Jess in the floor, legs crossed, seemingly entranced...in front of her the Ouija board. I said “Jess what are you doing?” She didn’t answer. The Ouija board had her complete undivided attention. I asked her again, and no response. So I shook her just a little and she looked up at me with the strangest expression. I will never forget it. It was one of those looks that someone gives you when you wake them from a deep sleep, but there was just something strange in her eyes. It's impossible to recreate in words.
She finally came out of the daze and her expression was replaced by a look of sadness and a slight hint of fear. She got up and went to the kitchen without saying a word. I followed her into the kitchen turning the light on. It was almost as if she did not realize that it was complete darkness. As soon as the light turned on she said "we have to help her.” “Help who, Jess?" I said. "Mrs. Williamson,” she said. That’s not her real name, out of respect for her family. I knew at this point something real had happened with that Ouija board because when I originally told Jess the story of the board and the "mean old lady" I did not mention her name. Needless to say I was completely stunned. Jess had contacted the old lady through the board just by messing around with it alone. Jess told me that she just couldn't sleep so she went downstairs to watch a little David Letterman without disturbing me. The Ouija board was still out she curiously decided to play with it. She told me that it wasn't long before it actually spelled out H-E-L-P. Now Jess doesn't exaggerate so I knew she was telling me the truth. However, if I did not already know that she knew the old lady's name I would probably have chalked it up to sleep walking. Anyway, Jess went on to tell me how she "talked" via the board with Mrs. Williamson for about 15 minutes or so until I came downstairs. Letterman goes off at 12:30 and it almost 4:00 by this time.

She said at that point the lady disappeared. Mrs. Williamson told her that she was being tortured by thoughts of uncertainty. Her daughter was four months pregnant when Mrs. Williamson passed away. Shortly after her death, Mrs. Williamson's daughter moved cross country when her husband got a promotion. The old lady told Jess that she is constantly tormented and felt lost because she had no idea if her daughter or her grandchild were safe. She asked Jess for her help. After hearing her recount the conversation I was a little more than slightly freaked out to say the least. Jess was dead serious and because she knew the name there was no way I could write it off to sleep walking or a dream or anything.

Neither of us slept that night. Jess went straight to the computer and started trying to search for any clue of finding Mrs. Williamson's daughter. I could not sleep because it was as if Jess had become possessed with finding this person. Clearly Jess had felt this woman's pain but to this day Jess refuses to confirm it. Jess was unsuccessful at finding any clues to the whereabouts of Mrs. Williamson’s family.