Stella Tarakson

I’m not being flippant or silly. I really have seen a ghost. In fact, the sighting sparked the interest that led to my writing Aliens Ghosts and Vanishings. I was intrigued rather than frightened, and wanted to understand it.

The sighting isn’t discussed in the book. It’s nowhere near thrilling or scary enough to warrant a mention! The book looks at major haunts in historic Aussie locations, such as the convict settlement at Port Arthur, the brutal Old Melbourne Gaol and the notorious Sydney Quarantine Station.

No, my sighting happened in a very humble location – my home. Nobody else saw it, so I can’t call on any witnesses to corroborate me. But I know what I saw.

It wasn’t one of those near-waking experiences, where you could feasibly say it was only a dream. It was in the middle of the day and I was wide awake.

My house is large, modern and open-planned. I was walking from one room to another when I happened to glance towards the front door. The security screen door was locked, but the wooden door was open, letting in a light midday breeze. There, standing near the doorstep, was a young man. I saw him very clearly.

He looked to be in his early twenties. He had blond hair with a longish fringe that flopped over his forehead, with a short back and sides. He was wearing a white shirt and high-waisted jeans. His head was tilted quizzically to the side and he had a gentle smile on his face. Nothing malevolent or creepy – just inquisitive.

I stared at him, wondering what he was doing  there. Was he going to approach the house? Did he want to sell something? Was he collecting for charity? But he just stood there, looking. I was about to approach the door to find out what he wanted, when he vanished. Yep. Right before my eyes!

As I mentioned, I was more curious than frightened. Yes, I felt quite shaken, but that was more a case of confronting the unknown. I had no sense that he meant me any harm. Rather it seemed like he was wondering what I was doing there. So … was he a previous occupant, wondering what we’d done to his house? I can’t think of any other explanation!

It got me thinking. Assuming ghosts are real (and if they’re not I’m probably going nuts, which is even more scary!) what are they? Are they fading images being played back on something like a psychic screen? Or are they sentient beings, aware of us and what is going on around them? It certainly seemed like he was looking at me. But who knows?

After all that research, I still don’t understand what that figure was. It’s taught me, however, the importance of keeping an open mind. Scepticism is important, but it needs to be balanced. Maybe it’s okay not to have all the answers, as long as we don’t pretend to understand…

Have you seen a ghost? If so, please share your story in the comments!