A Haunting (2005–…): Season 4, Episode 5 - Spirits of the Dead - full transcript
Joanne Whitley runs a horse farm in Kingston, New Hampshire, and trains student boarders to compete in horse-riding competitions. Her business thrives, despite eerie incidents that disturb her and the students. Joanne's husband, Jim, is an electrician who can't explain the flickering lights in the stable. Her young son, David, enjoys exploring the 300-acre property. When David gets into a serious accident on his bicycle, Joanne is convinced that the crash had a supernatural cause. A psychic refers Joanne to Sue Bernier, a practitioner of Shambhala. Sue hopes to free the trapped spirits on the property, but finds that one of them violently opposes her.
Narrator: In this
world, there is real evil,
in the darkest shadows and
in the most ordinary places.
These are the true
stories of the innocent
and the unimaginable.
When Jim and joanne whitley
transform an old farm
into a working horse stable,
they believe they've
achieved their dreams.
But the whitleys don't realize
their hard work has
stirred a dormant presence
dead set on evicting the living.
As their family crumbles,
joanne resolves
to take back her life
and fight for what is hers.
Between the world we
see and the things we fear,
there are doors.
When they are opened,
nightmares become reality.
For centuries,
the state of New Hampshire
was a battleground.
Here, native-American
tribes fought over the fur trade,
while French and English
armies slaughtered each other
for control of the new world.
Today, the gray granite
stones jutting above the land
name only a
fraction of the souls...
Lying beneath.
[ Horse whinnies ]
Joanne was raised
farm-girl tough.
Joanne: I'm an honest,
hardworking person.
Narrator: If there's a
problem, she fixes it herself.
I started working on
farms when I was 9,
and basically I knew as a child
that's what I wanted
to do with my life.
Narrator: Her
husband, Jim, is cut
from the same self-reliant mold.
It's a way of life they've
instilled in their son, David.
We're gonna need
you on this one, buddy.
The whitleys moved to
Kingston, New Hampshire,
with dreams of
opening a horse stable
and breathing crisp
country air every day.
But an ominous force
challenged those simple goals,
and now joanne is fighting
not just to preserve her dreams,
but to preserve their lives.
[ Screams ]
[ Siren wails ]
[ Indistinct radio chatter ]
Man: Vitals?
BP, 90 over 60, pulse, 110.
Bay 2 trauma, as
fast as you can.
We're prepping now.
Joanne fears David has
permanently damaged his spine
in a bike accident.
Joanne: I felt totally helpless.
He was in trouble.
I just couldn't do
anything for him.
I just want to go see him.
Just give the nurse a second.
Narrator: For the whitleys,
this is the scariest moment
of their 20-year marriage.
I was like, "oh, it's
the end of my world."
It had to be the
worst day of my life.
Here's what's going on.
This line right here? He
has a fractured vertebrae.
But he's gonna be okay?
Probably. It's lucky it
didn't cut into his spinal cord.
Doctor? Excuse me.
Narrator: Joanne has no doubt
that David's injury is the latest attack
in her family's long battle
with the supernatural.
It's hurt our son.
Joanne: I didn't know
what could happen next.
Somebody could die from this.
Narrator: But Jim isn't so sure.
I was really scared,
but I didn't know if that
was just a bad string of luck
or there was
something else going on.
Nobody's life is like this!
I've got to do something.
There's nothing else we can do.
I'll find a way.
Narrator: That night,
from her stable office...
Hello, my name
is joanne whitley.
I understand you might be able
to help me cleanse my property.
Narrator: Sue bernier
practices shambhala,
a discipline that
balances residual energy
transcending time.
Everything is
comprised of energy.
Our thoughts have energy.
Our words carry energy.
Narrator: Sue's heard many
stories just like joanne's.
What sort of things?
Bernier: People call it
poltergeist, demons, spirits.
Narrator: But they all
have the same effect.
Bernier: Negative energy
will start to take you over.
The stronger the force,
the bigger the incident.
You've suffered a lot.
And those are just
some of the things
that have been happening.
Bernier: I started
seeing her property.
I started feeling nauseated,
shortness of breath,
which typically signals
there is a negative energy.
Do you think you can help?
Well, I can try.
What exactly does that involve?
I heard the despair
in joanne's voice,
and I knew I was in for more
than your typical clearing.
Narrator: The next afternoon,
as sue approaches joanne's home,
she senses the property's
former inhabitants.
Bernier: Using shambhala,
I can see a picture
book of eras.
I saw a native-American.
I saw kids playing.
♪ Ring around the
rosy, pocket full of po... ♪
It was as if I was going
back through time.
I hear the people.
I feel the people.
What moods they
were in, how they died.
[ Tap on glass ]
Hi. Hi.
[ Chuckles ]
Hi, I'm joanne.
Thanks for coming out.
Nice to meet you.
Wow, you have a really
interesting property.
We've done a lot of work.
It was in terrible shape
when we first saw it.
Narrator: Joanne
tells sue the story
of her family's
history on the farm.
When they first
found the property,
it had sat abandoned for years.
This is it, Jim.
This is perfect.
I wouldn't say "perfect."
The 300 acres of open land
are just what joanne needs
to fulfill her lifelong dream...
Opening her own horse farm.
Horses and her...
They're like one.
Her love was
that great for them.
Narrator: Jim is an
electrician by trade.
There's certainly enough
land for your business.
But he's skilled in all
areas of home repair.
Mom, I can help fix it up.
David shares his
parents' excitement.
You got plenty of land,
especially being a young boy,
you get to go out and explore.
Come on. Lets go check it out.
It was a mess, but we
knew we could turn it around
and make it a beautiful home.
Narrator: Over the next year,
joanne invests all her resources
into renovating the property
and preparing her business.
Finally, joanne is ready to
recruit boarders and students.
Joanne: I expected to be happy
and have healthy horses
and have happy students
and just live my dream.
This is very nice.
Thanks, Helen.
[ Horse neighs ]
[ Clears throat ]
Just a little wiring
problem. We'll get it fixed.
Joanne: The lights just
wouldn't stop going on and off.
But it was a very
creepy, strange feeling.
And these students started
becoming very uncomfortable.
Narrator: Later that night...
Did you sign up
the new students?
Well, I was taking them
back to my office to sign,
and the lights started
flickering on and off.
Jim: I was in disbelief.
I wired that myself.
I'm a licensed electrician.
And when I do something,
I make sure everything's
tight and meets the code.
It's no biggie.
They'll sign anyway.
But even when the lights are on,
it's pretty dim in there.
You'll want to add
some more lights.
I'll check the wiring before
I go to work tomorrow.
But new lights are
gonna have to wait.
Fine.
Narrator: The next morning,
the inspection
leaves Jim baffled.
Jim: And I checked through
it, looked at the wiring,
the circuit breakers...
I couldn't find
any problem at all.
[ Children laughing softly ]
And it sounded like there were
some children out there playing.
I didn't see anybody.
Girl: ♪ ring around the rosy ♪
♪ a pocket full of posies ♪
♪ ashes, ashes,
we all fall down ♪
Jim: It was a
little frightening.
When you hear things like
that, it just makes you wonder.
Girl: ♪ ashes ♪
I don't know where it came from,
but I just brushed it off and
kept doing what I was doing.
Fix it?
There's nothing to fix.
There's got to be
something wrong.
No, there's nothing. Huh.
Must have been a fluke.
Well, I've got to get to work.
Narrator: Joanne's business
flourishes within months.
Joanne: We were
full really fast.
Some of the horses were my own,
but the majority
were student horses.
Narrator: To gain experience,
some of joanne's students
help out around the stable
before and after lessons.
Yeah, um, frisco won't
eat or drink anything.
Have you taken him
out yet this morning?
Yeah, that's what's odd.
Frisco is joanne's
favorite horse,
but she's not worried
because she knows his quirks.
Joanne: Each horse
has their own personality.
The things that
they do, sometimes,
just kind of boggles your mind.
[ Horse neighing ]
[ Rumbling ]
It felt like the
earth was rumbling,
like horses were galloping.
[ Rumbling stops ]
What horses got out?
They're all here.
I heard galloping.
We haven't heard anything.
Joanne: I felt very
uncomfortable.
I didn't know what it
was. I couldn't explain it.
Hey. Everything all right?
Uh, did you just hear anything?
No. Why? What'd you hear?
I'm not sure.
It sounded like a herd of horses
just stampeded past the office.
That's odd.
Yeah.
Has he been out there a while?
Long as I been out here.
You all right?
Yeah. Just thought
I heard something.
I'm sure it's nothing.
Narrator: As the weeks pass,
frisco's eating doesn't
return to normal.
Joanne: The horses to me
are just like having children.
They need just as much
care and just as much love.
Narrator: When several
other horses begin acting sick,
joanne calls a vet for help.
It's weird. Only
my horses are sick.
None of the student horses are.
What's he been doing?
Not eating. Seems
to be uncomfortable.
Um, seems to have a bellyache.
It appears to be colic.
It could be from
changing his schedule,
his water, his feed.
That doesn't make any sense.
They're all on the
same schedule.
I feed them all hay and
oats, and it's top-quality feed.
Joanne: I couldn't understand
why they were getting sick.
If that's the case, I may have
to run some additional tests.
I've worked on farms
with 60 head of horses
and never had
this many illnesses.
Something was happening.
It was a very negative feeling.
[ Horses neighing ]
Strange things like that
continued to happen.
And I had this growing
feeling that our lives...
Narrator: Sue is not surprised
that joanne's favorite horse
had been feeling uneasy.
Bernier: Most animals are
more susceptible to spirits.
The spirits or energy
just keeps crossing them.
They don't know what's going on.
Frisco only got worse.
All my horses got worse.
Narrator: To hear the
horses from the house,
joanne and Jim
install an intercom.
There.
By the way, I ordered the
lights you wanted for in here.
Thanks.
As the weeks pass,
joanne develops close
friendships with her students.
I want you guys to think about
riding in some competitions.
Maybe.
Narrator: Hanging out with
them helps take her mind
off the negative feelings
she senses on the property.
Ladies, please excuse
me. I've got to get going.
See you later.
Kiss the baby.
Guys, I really think I
could win a competition.
It's a little hard your
first time, deidre.
[ Horse neighing ]
That's not my Sierra, is it?
No, that's definitely frisco.
We're still waiting for
the tests to come back.
Oh, I'm sorry.
[ Man whistling ]
It was a man's whistling.
Your husband's
a hell of a whistler.
That's not Jim.
He's out of town on a job.
Well, then, who is it?
I don't know.
Let's find out.
The students were
scared to death.
[ Neighing ]
[ Snorting ]
Joanne: I felt like there
was a presence watching me.
That made me feel
extremely uncomfortable.
This is freaking weird.
I know.
What is going on here?
I don't know, deidre.
This whole place
is freaking weird.
[ Horse neighing ]
Come on. Let's
just call it a night.
Joanne: How could I fight
this sinister feeling or thing
if it wouldn't
show itself to me?
How could I get rid of it?
[ Telephone rings ]
Hey, Jessie. How's it going?
Yes, I know what deidre
said, but that's just deidre.
No.
A-Allison's just not sure
if she's going to stay.
I understand.
What am I gonna do next?
If everybody leaves, I'm no
longer gonna be in business.
[ Horse shrieking ]
There was definitely
something hugging my leg.
Hey, honey, I've got the lights.
Not now, Jim.
Not now? [ Chuckles ]
Come on. You've been
riding me about this forever.
Something's here.
Something just grabbed my leg.
To really make me say
"yes, I'm a true believer,"
it would probably have
to come up and bite me
right on the backside.
Joanne, I...
I know there's something.
I don't know exactly what it is.
Girl: ♪ ring around the rosy ♪
♪ ashes, ashes ♪
♪ we all fall down ♪
Narrator: With or
without Jim's support,
joanne cannot sit idly by
as her horses continue to fail.
One night, while
Jim works overtime,
she meets with an acupuncturist.
Joanne hopes the alternative
therapy will soothe her horses
while she waits on
the vet's lab tests.
Thank you so
much for coming out.
I just hope I can help.
Joanne doesn't realize
the acupuncturist
has psychic abilities.
What's wrong?
This isn't just about
the horses, is it?
Joanne: She turned
to me and said,
"do you mind if I say
something to you?"
There are spirits all...
She said, "do you realize you
have many, many spirits here?"
Finally, somebody
is seeing and feeling
what I have been feeling.
Why are they here?
Sometimes earthbound
spirits are trapped.
Maybe they died
a horrific death.
Maybe some force
is holding them here.
Narrator: The healer suspects the
answer lies buried in the land's past.
There are some rituals
that may make peace,
at least for a little while.
It was like a big cloud of
negativity over my farm,
and I needed to find out
why and try to put a stop to it.
Can I have a look? Sure.
Narrator: Later that night,
Jim is still away on his job.
Everything's fine.
Just been reading up
on the history of Kingston.
You know a plague
came though in the 1800s?
Wiped out half the town.
Jim: Wow. Scary.
I'm probably gonna be
stuck here most of the night.
Yeah, do what you
got do. We'll be here.
I knew you'd
understand. How's David?
He's fine.
See you in the morning. Bye.
Every night, joanne
goes to the stable
for one last check
on her horses.
[ Click ]
[ Creaking ]
[ Footsteps approaching ]
I hear and feel someone
walk by right next to me.
Mom!
Mom!
Honey, what's wrong?
I heard footsteps, but
there was nobody around.
It's okay. Just calm down.
David: The feeling of fear,
it was just overwhelming.
Joanne: Now it's
going after my son.
He's my whole heart. He's
my whole reason for being.
I had to put an end to it.
Narrator: Joanne has felt
isolated from her husband
since first sensing
a negative presence.
Joanne.
Joanne: He was a skeptic,
but I didn't know who else
to turn to or who else to tell.
You know I've heard things.
David heard
footsteps last night.
Footsteps? [ Chuckles ] Come on.
It's an old house with
creaky floorboards.
If there's something here, how
come nothing's happening to me?
Maybe you're just ignoring it.
Maybe you're just imagining it.
Jim: She was very angry.
If I don't believe
something, I don't believe.
What do you want to do,
move? Give up your business?
I'm not giving up anything.
This Saturday, I'm going to
try to cleanse the property.
Cleanse the property?
The lady who came to
help me with the horses...
She told me what to do.
Well, there's a source.
Just take David
away that afternoon.
No, I was gonna go and...
I don't care what
you were going to do!
Take him to town.
[ Telephone rings ]
Okay.
Hello?
Frisco's tests are in?
What does that mean?
I-I...
I-I don't know if I can do that.
Thanks.
Thank you.
Narrator: Nothing can be done
to ease the horse's suffering.
Hey, it's gonna be okay.
[ Smooches ]
It's gonna be okay.
[ Sniffles ]
You don't have
to be here for this.
I want to stay
with her till the end.
For joanne, losing frisco is
like losing one of her family.
Joanne: And I loved
her beyond belief.
[ Frisco neighing ]
Narrator: But she will not be scared
away by the negative presence.
Joanne: This was my property.
It was either them or me,
and I wasn't about to give up.
Narrator: That Saturday,
joanne burns sage to
cleanse the property.
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy.
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy.
This whirlwind
of voices and air,
and everything
started happening.
I banish all negative energy.
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy.
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy.
[ Rattling, wind howling ]
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy.
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy.
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy!
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy!
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy.
[ Rattling, howling stop ]
[ Sighs ]
Everything stopped.
And it was beautiful.
[ Exhales sharply ]
I just kind of sat
back and said,
"wow, I did it. I beat it."
For a good while,
things returned to normal.
Jim and I were
getting along better.
I really wanted to
build my business up,
and we had been saving.
So we decided to
invest our savings
in an indoor riding arena.
What happened?
We hired a contractor,
and he cleared that field.
Narrator: Sue realizes
that joanne has unwittingly
provoked the spirits all along.
Having a home and property
that is in constant change
will cause the spirits to
uprise and start to attack.
Narrator: One night, not long
after breaking ground for the arena...
[ Telephone rings ]
Hello?
What about all our money?
Thank you.
[ Telephone beeps ]
He's bankrupt, Jim.
Our contractor is bankrupt.
What?
Apparently he owes
everybody money,
and he skipped town.
Nobody's heard from
the guy in two weeks.
We had put our life savings,
as well as our son's college fund,
into this project.
And to lose that money
was absolutely devastating.
I know a lawyer. Maybe there's
a way to get some money back.
He's gone, Jim.
We've got to try.
You, of all people, know that.
[ Indistinct voice ] [ Gasps ]
[ Breathing shakily ]
[ Man laughing ]
David: I felt like
I was in a barrel
going down to the
bottom of the ocean.
Mom! Mom!
What is it? I heard
the man's voice.
Narrator: Joanne thought she had
banished the negative presence...
I don't want to
live here anymore.
But it was lying in wait.
I'll make it all right.
I'll make it all right.
Narrator: Joanne's property is
besieged by a negative presence.
I was ready to fight it
and fight it any way
that I possibly could.
I'm calling a priest
to bless this home.
Narrator: Joanne pleads
with her husband for support.
Say that you believe me.
Jim: If I accept that there
is something supernatural
happening on the property,
then I will have to
do something about it.
And I don't know what to do.
You know I'm here for
you, and I believe in you.
It's just that...
Girl: Mommy?
Daddy?
David's in bed, right?
That was a little girl's voice.
Call the priest.
Oh, god.
Jim: We both heard
"mommy" and "daddy."
There was no denying it.
Narrator: A few days later,
the whitleys' parish
priest blesses their home.
Priest: In the name of the
father, son, and holy ghost, amen.
Peace be with this house
and with all who live here.
May the god whom we glorify
with one heart and voice enable us,
through the spirit,
to live in Harmony as
followers of Jesus Christ,
now and forever.
Amen.
Narrator: For a while,
the blessing helps,
but joanne still senses
the lingering presence.
Don't you have
lessons this afternoon?
Not anymore.
[ Neighing ]
What's gotten into you?
[ Screams ]
David!
Call the ambulance.
It's gonna be all right.
You're gonna be all right.
All I could think of is,
"oh, my god, he
could be paralyzed."
Everything is
gonna be all right.
I felt totally helpless.
We can't deal with this anymore.
I'm scared for my son's life.
Narrator: Sue isn't surprised
that neither the
priest nor joanne
could cleanse the property.
Bernier: The reason why
blessings and smudgings
don't work on a property
is they don't hold
enough strength,
enough vibrational strength to
actually remove what is there.
It can subdue, but it
usually comes back.
Do you think you
can get rid of them?
I don't exactly
"get rid of them."
In shambhala, we try to
heal the negative energies
and help all the
spirits to ascend.
Is that dangerous?
It can be.
I'd like you to meet my
husband, Jim, and son, David.
Jim: When I first
met sue, I says to her,
"I've met you before."
Not that I know of, I haven't,
but I felt very
comfortable with her.
I'm going to take
David into town.
Narrator: Sue thinks it's best
if no one is home
during the cleansing.
When you confront whatever.
Joanne: She said that it's like
opening a door to the other side.
These spirits, they could attach
themselves to people around her.
Bernier: I was concerned.
There was evil on the property,
[ engine turns over ]
And it was the largest
spiritual gateway
that I've come across.
Aren't you going with them?
I feel like I need to stay.
Well, I need to
walk the property.
Narrator: Sue believes
the presence has retreated
to the woods
surrounding the farm.
I'll be in the
stable. Good luck.
Joanne is used to
doing everything herself,
but now she can only wait.
We were all hoping
that this would work.
We were just hoping and
praying that she could help us.
I could feel my hair starting
to rise on the back of my neck.
What was coming at me was evil.
Bernier: When I walk
a piece of property,
things come to me
in different ways.
Mostly I sense.
I can sense who's
standing beside me.
I can sense who is
walking towards me.
I see the dimensions
that are trapped there.
When working with
energy, you can be harmed.
I have been stabbed.
I've been scratched,
choked, pinned down.
Narrator: To
cleanse the property,
she must convince
the spirits to move on.
You are no longer alive.
You do not belong here.
Joanne: And the
anticipation was incredible,
waiting to see what the
outcome was gonna be.
I want to help you
ascend to a better place.
Narrator: Sue senses
the spirits want to ascend...
but something is
holding them back.
Bernier: You are
free to move on.
Every spirit has to be released.
It must.
My stomach starts turning.
My heartbeat starts racing.
I knew what was
coming at me was evil.
Aah!
Leave my slaves alone!
[ Barking ]
[ Breathing heavily ]
[ Man laughing ]
Samuel.
Bernier: And I hear, "Samuel."
Man: Samuel. Samuel.
Narrator: Sue
realizes it is Samuel
who has held the other
spirits captive for centuries.
Bernier: The only thing
going through my mind was,
"am I strong
enough for this job?"
It wasn't a question
of who was gonna win.
It was, I had to come out alive.
Aah!
[ Horses neighing ]
Aah!
Samuel is pulling my neck.
He was ready to rip it off.
Aah!
You're not alive! You
do not belong here!
[ Screaming ]
When I pushed him down,
I released all of
his negative energy,
and I could breathe again.
[ Breathing heavily ]
You are all free now.
You can go.
It almost made me want to cry,
just the release of their energy
and the relief that they felt,
the ability to ascend,
and the freedom.
Amazing. Amazing.
[ Sighs ]
[ Birds chirping ]
I could hear the birds chirping.
The sun was out.
It was like a big blanket
had been lifted off of me
and off of my property.
Narrator: She is
forever grateful to sue.
Joanne: Sue is the one
true help that we've had here
throughout the years.
Narrator: The
presence is finally gone,
but it has changed
Jim and joanne forever.
I'm not sure where I've
gotten the inner strength from.
It's probably from god.
But I know that I have the
strength to fight anything
when it comes to the health
and well-being of my family.
Jim: It's made me believe
that there is something
else out there.
What?
[ Chuckles ]
It's hard to really explain,
but there is something else.
captions paid for by
discovery communications
world, there is real evil,
in the darkest shadows and
in the most ordinary places.
These are the true
stories of the innocent
and the unimaginable.
When Jim and joanne whitley
transform an old farm
into a working horse stable,
they believe they've
achieved their dreams.
But the whitleys don't realize
their hard work has
stirred a dormant presence
dead set on evicting the living.
As their family crumbles,
joanne resolves
to take back her life
and fight for what is hers.
Between the world we
see and the things we fear,
there are doors.
When they are opened,
nightmares become reality.
For centuries,
the state of New Hampshire
was a battleground.
Here, native-American
tribes fought over the fur trade,
while French and English
armies slaughtered each other
for control of the new world.
Today, the gray granite
stones jutting above the land
name only a
fraction of the souls...
Lying beneath.
[ Horse whinnies ]
Joanne was raised
farm-girl tough.
Joanne: I'm an honest,
hardworking person.
Narrator: If there's a
problem, she fixes it herself.
I started working on
farms when I was 9,
and basically I knew as a child
that's what I wanted
to do with my life.
Narrator: Her
husband, Jim, is cut
from the same self-reliant mold.
It's a way of life they've
instilled in their son, David.
We're gonna need
you on this one, buddy.
The whitleys moved to
Kingston, New Hampshire,
with dreams of
opening a horse stable
and breathing crisp
country air every day.
But an ominous force
challenged those simple goals,
and now joanne is fighting
not just to preserve her dreams,
but to preserve their lives.
[ Screams ]
[ Siren wails ]
[ Indistinct radio chatter ]
Man: Vitals?
BP, 90 over 60, pulse, 110.
Bay 2 trauma, as
fast as you can.
We're prepping now.
Joanne fears David has
permanently damaged his spine
in a bike accident.
Joanne: I felt totally helpless.
He was in trouble.
I just couldn't do
anything for him.
I just want to go see him.
Just give the nurse a second.
Narrator: For the whitleys,
this is the scariest moment
of their 20-year marriage.
I was like, "oh, it's
the end of my world."
It had to be the
worst day of my life.
Here's what's going on.
This line right here? He
has a fractured vertebrae.
But he's gonna be okay?
Probably. It's lucky it
didn't cut into his spinal cord.
Doctor? Excuse me.
Narrator: Joanne has no doubt
that David's injury is the latest attack
in her family's long battle
with the supernatural.
It's hurt our son.
Joanne: I didn't know
what could happen next.
Somebody could die from this.
Narrator: But Jim isn't so sure.
I was really scared,
but I didn't know if that
was just a bad string of luck
or there was
something else going on.
Nobody's life is like this!
I've got to do something.
There's nothing else we can do.
I'll find a way.
Narrator: That night,
from her stable office...
Hello, my name
is joanne whitley.
I understand you might be able
to help me cleanse my property.
Narrator: Sue bernier
practices shambhala,
a discipline that
balances residual energy
transcending time.
Everything is
comprised of energy.
Our thoughts have energy.
Our words carry energy.
Narrator: Sue's heard many
stories just like joanne's.
What sort of things?
Bernier: People call it
poltergeist, demons, spirits.
Narrator: But they all
have the same effect.
Bernier: Negative energy
will start to take you over.
The stronger the force,
the bigger the incident.
You've suffered a lot.
And those are just
some of the things
that have been happening.
Bernier: I started
seeing her property.
I started feeling nauseated,
shortness of breath,
which typically signals
there is a negative energy.
Do you think you can help?
Well, I can try.
What exactly does that involve?
I heard the despair
in joanne's voice,
and I knew I was in for more
than your typical clearing.
Narrator: The next afternoon,
as sue approaches joanne's home,
she senses the property's
former inhabitants.
Bernier: Using shambhala,
I can see a picture
book of eras.
I saw a native-American.
I saw kids playing.
♪ Ring around the
rosy, pocket full of po... ♪
It was as if I was going
back through time.
I hear the people.
I feel the people.
What moods they
were in, how they died.
[ Tap on glass ]
Hi. Hi.
[ Chuckles ]
Hi, I'm joanne.
Thanks for coming out.
Nice to meet you.
Wow, you have a really
interesting property.
We've done a lot of work.
It was in terrible shape
when we first saw it.
Narrator: Joanne
tells sue the story
of her family's
history on the farm.
When they first
found the property,
it had sat abandoned for years.
This is it, Jim.
This is perfect.
I wouldn't say "perfect."
The 300 acres of open land
are just what joanne needs
to fulfill her lifelong dream...
Opening her own horse farm.
Horses and her...
They're like one.
Her love was
that great for them.
Narrator: Jim is an
electrician by trade.
There's certainly enough
land for your business.
But he's skilled in all
areas of home repair.
Mom, I can help fix it up.
David shares his
parents' excitement.
You got plenty of land,
especially being a young boy,
you get to go out and explore.
Come on. Lets go check it out.
It was a mess, but we
knew we could turn it around
and make it a beautiful home.
Narrator: Over the next year,
joanne invests all her resources
into renovating the property
and preparing her business.
Finally, joanne is ready to
recruit boarders and students.
Joanne: I expected to be happy
and have healthy horses
and have happy students
and just live my dream.
This is very nice.
Thanks, Helen.
[ Horse neighs ]
[ Clears throat ]
Just a little wiring
problem. We'll get it fixed.
Joanne: The lights just
wouldn't stop going on and off.
But it was a very
creepy, strange feeling.
And these students started
becoming very uncomfortable.
Narrator: Later that night...
Did you sign up
the new students?
Well, I was taking them
back to my office to sign,
and the lights started
flickering on and off.
Jim: I was in disbelief.
I wired that myself.
I'm a licensed electrician.
And when I do something,
I make sure everything's
tight and meets the code.
It's no biggie.
They'll sign anyway.
But even when the lights are on,
it's pretty dim in there.
You'll want to add
some more lights.
I'll check the wiring before
I go to work tomorrow.
But new lights are
gonna have to wait.
Fine.
Narrator: The next morning,
the inspection
leaves Jim baffled.
Jim: And I checked through
it, looked at the wiring,
the circuit breakers...
I couldn't find
any problem at all.
[ Children laughing softly ]
And it sounded like there were
some children out there playing.
I didn't see anybody.
Girl: ♪ ring around the rosy ♪
♪ a pocket full of posies ♪
♪ ashes, ashes,
we all fall down ♪
Jim: It was a
little frightening.
When you hear things like
that, it just makes you wonder.
Girl: ♪ ashes ♪
I don't know where it came from,
but I just brushed it off and
kept doing what I was doing.
Fix it?
There's nothing to fix.
There's got to be
something wrong.
No, there's nothing. Huh.
Must have been a fluke.
Well, I've got to get to work.
Narrator: Joanne's business
flourishes within months.
Joanne: We were
full really fast.
Some of the horses were my own,
but the majority
were student horses.
Narrator: To gain experience,
some of joanne's students
help out around the stable
before and after lessons.
Yeah, um, frisco won't
eat or drink anything.
Have you taken him
out yet this morning?
Yeah, that's what's odd.
Frisco is joanne's
favorite horse,
but she's not worried
because she knows his quirks.
Joanne: Each horse
has their own personality.
The things that
they do, sometimes,
just kind of boggles your mind.
[ Horse neighing ]
[ Rumbling ]
It felt like the
earth was rumbling,
like horses were galloping.
[ Rumbling stops ]
What horses got out?
They're all here.
I heard galloping.
We haven't heard anything.
Joanne: I felt very
uncomfortable.
I didn't know what it
was. I couldn't explain it.
Hey. Everything all right?
Uh, did you just hear anything?
No. Why? What'd you hear?
I'm not sure.
It sounded like a herd of horses
just stampeded past the office.
That's odd.
Yeah.
Has he been out there a while?
Long as I been out here.
You all right?
Yeah. Just thought
I heard something.
I'm sure it's nothing.
Narrator: As the weeks pass,
frisco's eating doesn't
return to normal.
Joanne: The horses to me
are just like having children.
They need just as much
care and just as much love.
Narrator: When several
other horses begin acting sick,
joanne calls a vet for help.
It's weird. Only
my horses are sick.
None of the student horses are.
What's he been doing?
Not eating. Seems
to be uncomfortable.
Um, seems to have a bellyache.
It appears to be colic.
It could be from
changing his schedule,
his water, his feed.
That doesn't make any sense.
They're all on the
same schedule.
I feed them all hay and
oats, and it's top-quality feed.
Joanne: I couldn't understand
why they were getting sick.
If that's the case, I may have
to run some additional tests.
I've worked on farms
with 60 head of horses
and never had
this many illnesses.
Something was happening.
It was a very negative feeling.
[ Horses neighing ]
Strange things like that
continued to happen.
And I had this growing
feeling that our lives...
Narrator: Sue is not surprised
that joanne's favorite horse
had been feeling uneasy.
Bernier: Most animals are
more susceptible to spirits.
The spirits or energy
just keeps crossing them.
They don't know what's going on.
Frisco only got worse.
All my horses got worse.
Narrator: To hear the
horses from the house,
joanne and Jim
install an intercom.
There.
By the way, I ordered the
lights you wanted for in here.
Thanks.
As the weeks pass,
joanne develops close
friendships with her students.
I want you guys to think about
riding in some competitions.
Maybe.
Narrator: Hanging out with
them helps take her mind
off the negative feelings
she senses on the property.
Ladies, please excuse
me. I've got to get going.
See you later.
Kiss the baby.
Guys, I really think I
could win a competition.
It's a little hard your
first time, deidre.
[ Horse neighing ]
That's not my Sierra, is it?
No, that's definitely frisco.
We're still waiting for
the tests to come back.
Oh, I'm sorry.
[ Man whistling ]
It was a man's whistling.
Your husband's
a hell of a whistler.
That's not Jim.
He's out of town on a job.
Well, then, who is it?
I don't know.
Let's find out.
The students were
scared to death.
[ Neighing ]
[ Snorting ]
Joanne: I felt like there
was a presence watching me.
That made me feel
extremely uncomfortable.
This is freaking weird.
I know.
What is going on here?
I don't know, deidre.
This whole place
is freaking weird.
[ Horse neighing ]
Come on. Let's
just call it a night.
Joanne: How could I fight
this sinister feeling or thing
if it wouldn't
show itself to me?
How could I get rid of it?
[ Telephone rings ]
Hey, Jessie. How's it going?
Yes, I know what deidre
said, but that's just deidre.
No.
A-Allison's just not sure
if she's going to stay.
I understand.
What am I gonna do next?
If everybody leaves, I'm no
longer gonna be in business.
[ Horse shrieking ]
There was definitely
something hugging my leg.
Hey, honey, I've got the lights.
Not now, Jim.
Not now? [ Chuckles ]
Come on. You've been
riding me about this forever.
Something's here.
Something just grabbed my leg.
To really make me say
"yes, I'm a true believer,"
it would probably have
to come up and bite me
right on the backside.
Joanne, I...
I know there's something.
I don't know exactly what it is.
Girl: ♪ ring around the rosy ♪
♪ ashes, ashes ♪
♪ we all fall down ♪
Narrator: With or
without Jim's support,
joanne cannot sit idly by
as her horses continue to fail.
One night, while
Jim works overtime,
she meets with an acupuncturist.
Joanne hopes the alternative
therapy will soothe her horses
while she waits on
the vet's lab tests.
Thank you so
much for coming out.
I just hope I can help.
Joanne doesn't realize
the acupuncturist
has psychic abilities.
What's wrong?
This isn't just about
the horses, is it?
Joanne: She turned
to me and said,
"do you mind if I say
something to you?"
There are spirits all...
She said, "do you realize you
have many, many spirits here?"
Finally, somebody
is seeing and feeling
what I have been feeling.
Why are they here?
Sometimes earthbound
spirits are trapped.
Maybe they died
a horrific death.
Maybe some force
is holding them here.
Narrator: The healer suspects the
answer lies buried in the land's past.
There are some rituals
that may make peace,
at least for a little while.
It was like a big cloud of
negativity over my farm,
and I needed to find out
why and try to put a stop to it.
Can I have a look? Sure.
Narrator: Later that night,
Jim is still away on his job.
Everything's fine.
Just been reading up
on the history of Kingston.
You know a plague
came though in the 1800s?
Wiped out half the town.
Jim: Wow. Scary.
I'm probably gonna be
stuck here most of the night.
Yeah, do what you
got do. We'll be here.
I knew you'd
understand. How's David?
He's fine.
See you in the morning. Bye.
Every night, joanne
goes to the stable
for one last check
on her horses.
[ Click ]
[ Creaking ]
[ Footsteps approaching ]
I hear and feel someone
walk by right next to me.
Mom!
Mom!
Honey, what's wrong?
I heard footsteps, but
there was nobody around.
It's okay. Just calm down.
David: The feeling of fear,
it was just overwhelming.
Joanne: Now it's
going after my son.
He's my whole heart. He's
my whole reason for being.
I had to put an end to it.
Narrator: Joanne has felt
isolated from her husband
since first sensing
a negative presence.
Joanne.
Joanne: He was a skeptic,
but I didn't know who else
to turn to or who else to tell.
You know I've heard things.
David heard
footsteps last night.
Footsteps? [ Chuckles ] Come on.
It's an old house with
creaky floorboards.
If there's something here, how
come nothing's happening to me?
Maybe you're just ignoring it.
Maybe you're just imagining it.
Jim: She was very angry.
If I don't believe
something, I don't believe.
What do you want to do,
move? Give up your business?
I'm not giving up anything.
This Saturday, I'm going to
try to cleanse the property.
Cleanse the property?
The lady who came to
help me with the horses...
She told me what to do.
Well, there's a source.
Just take David
away that afternoon.
No, I was gonna go and...
I don't care what
you were going to do!
Take him to town.
[ Telephone rings ]
Okay.
Hello?
Frisco's tests are in?
What does that mean?
I-I...
I-I don't know if I can do that.
Thanks.
Thank you.
Narrator: Nothing can be done
to ease the horse's suffering.
Hey, it's gonna be okay.
[ Smooches ]
It's gonna be okay.
[ Sniffles ]
You don't have
to be here for this.
I want to stay
with her till the end.
For joanne, losing frisco is
like losing one of her family.
Joanne: And I loved
her beyond belief.
[ Frisco neighing ]
Narrator: But she will not be scared
away by the negative presence.
Joanne: This was my property.
It was either them or me,
and I wasn't about to give up.
Narrator: That Saturday,
joanne burns sage to
cleanse the property.
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy.
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy.
This whirlwind
of voices and air,
and everything
started happening.
I banish all negative energy.
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy.
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy.
[ Rattling, wind howling ]
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy.
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy.
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy!
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy!
I cleanse this building
with light and love
and banish all negative energy.
[ Rattling, howling stop ]
[ Sighs ]
Everything stopped.
And it was beautiful.
[ Exhales sharply ]
I just kind of sat
back and said,
"wow, I did it. I beat it."
For a good while,
things returned to normal.
Jim and I were
getting along better.
I really wanted to
build my business up,
and we had been saving.
So we decided to
invest our savings
in an indoor riding arena.
What happened?
We hired a contractor,
and he cleared that field.
Narrator: Sue realizes
that joanne has unwittingly
provoked the spirits all along.
Having a home and property
that is in constant change
will cause the spirits to
uprise and start to attack.
Narrator: One night, not long
after breaking ground for the arena...
[ Telephone rings ]
Hello?
What about all our money?
Thank you.
[ Telephone beeps ]
He's bankrupt, Jim.
Our contractor is bankrupt.
What?
Apparently he owes
everybody money,
and he skipped town.
Nobody's heard from
the guy in two weeks.
We had put our life savings,
as well as our son's college fund,
into this project.
And to lose that money
was absolutely devastating.
I know a lawyer. Maybe there's
a way to get some money back.
He's gone, Jim.
We've got to try.
You, of all people, know that.
[ Indistinct voice ] [ Gasps ]
[ Breathing shakily ]
[ Man laughing ]
David: I felt like
I was in a barrel
going down to the
bottom of the ocean.
Mom! Mom!
What is it? I heard
the man's voice.
Narrator: Joanne thought she had
banished the negative presence...
I don't want to
live here anymore.
But it was lying in wait.
I'll make it all right.
I'll make it all right.
Narrator: Joanne's property is
besieged by a negative presence.
I was ready to fight it
and fight it any way
that I possibly could.
I'm calling a priest
to bless this home.
Narrator: Joanne pleads
with her husband for support.
Say that you believe me.
Jim: If I accept that there
is something supernatural
happening on the property,
then I will have to
do something about it.
And I don't know what to do.
You know I'm here for
you, and I believe in you.
It's just that...
Girl: Mommy?
Daddy?
David's in bed, right?
That was a little girl's voice.
Call the priest.
Oh, god.
Jim: We both heard
"mommy" and "daddy."
There was no denying it.
Narrator: A few days later,
the whitleys' parish
priest blesses their home.
Priest: In the name of the
father, son, and holy ghost, amen.
Peace be with this house
and with all who live here.
May the god whom we glorify
with one heart and voice enable us,
through the spirit,
to live in Harmony as
followers of Jesus Christ,
now and forever.
Amen.
Narrator: For a while,
the blessing helps,
but joanne still senses
the lingering presence.
Don't you have
lessons this afternoon?
Not anymore.
[ Neighing ]
What's gotten into you?
[ Screams ]
David!
Call the ambulance.
It's gonna be all right.
You're gonna be all right.
All I could think of is,
"oh, my god, he
could be paralyzed."
Everything is
gonna be all right.
I felt totally helpless.
We can't deal with this anymore.
I'm scared for my son's life.
Narrator: Sue isn't surprised
that neither the
priest nor joanne
could cleanse the property.
Bernier: The reason why
blessings and smudgings
don't work on a property
is they don't hold
enough strength,
enough vibrational strength to
actually remove what is there.
It can subdue, but it
usually comes back.
Do you think you
can get rid of them?
I don't exactly
"get rid of them."
In shambhala, we try to
heal the negative energies
and help all the
spirits to ascend.
Is that dangerous?
It can be.
I'd like you to meet my
husband, Jim, and son, David.
Jim: When I first
met sue, I says to her,
"I've met you before."
Not that I know of, I haven't,
but I felt very
comfortable with her.
I'm going to take
David into town.
Narrator: Sue thinks it's best
if no one is home
during the cleansing.
When you confront whatever.
Joanne: She said that it's like
opening a door to the other side.
These spirits, they could attach
themselves to people around her.
Bernier: I was concerned.
There was evil on the property,
[ engine turns over ]
And it was the largest
spiritual gateway
that I've come across.
Aren't you going with them?
I feel like I need to stay.
Well, I need to
walk the property.
Narrator: Sue believes
the presence has retreated
to the woods
surrounding the farm.
I'll be in the
stable. Good luck.
Joanne is used to
doing everything herself,
but now she can only wait.
We were all hoping
that this would work.
We were just hoping and
praying that she could help us.
I could feel my hair starting
to rise on the back of my neck.
What was coming at me was evil.
Bernier: When I walk
a piece of property,
things come to me
in different ways.
Mostly I sense.
I can sense who's
standing beside me.
I can sense who is
walking towards me.
I see the dimensions
that are trapped there.
When working with
energy, you can be harmed.
I have been stabbed.
I've been scratched,
choked, pinned down.
Narrator: To
cleanse the property,
she must convince
the spirits to move on.
You are no longer alive.
You do not belong here.
Joanne: And the
anticipation was incredible,
waiting to see what the
outcome was gonna be.
I want to help you
ascend to a better place.
Narrator: Sue senses
the spirits want to ascend...
but something is
holding them back.
Bernier: You are
free to move on.
Every spirit has to be released.
It must.
My stomach starts turning.
My heartbeat starts racing.
I knew what was
coming at me was evil.
Aah!
Leave my slaves alone!
[ Barking ]
[ Breathing heavily ]
[ Man laughing ]
Samuel.
Bernier: And I hear, "Samuel."
Man: Samuel. Samuel.
Narrator: Sue
realizes it is Samuel
who has held the other
spirits captive for centuries.
Bernier: The only thing
going through my mind was,
"am I strong
enough for this job?"
It wasn't a question
of who was gonna win.
It was, I had to come out alive.
Aah!
[ Horses neighing ]
Aah!
Samuel is pulling my neck.
He was ready to rip it off.
Aah!
You're not alive! You
do not belong here!
[ Screaming ]
When I pushed him down,
I released all of
his negative energy,
and I could breathe again.
[ Breathing heavily ]
You are all free now.
You can go.
It almost made me want to cry,
just the release of their energy
and the relief that they felt,
the ability to ascend,
and the freedom.
Amazing. Amazing.
[ Sighs ]
[ Birds chirping ]
I could hear the birds chirping.
The sun was out.
It was like a big blanket
had been lifted off of me
and off of my property.
Narrator: She is
forever grateful to sue.
Joanne: Sue is the one
true help that we've had here
throughout the years.
Narrator: The
presence is finally gone,
but it has changed
Jim and joanne forever.
I'm not sure where I've
gotten the inner strength from.
It's probably from god.
But I know that I have the
strength to fight anything
when it comes to the health
and well-being of my family.
Jim: It's made me believe
that there is something
else out there.
What?
[ Chuckles ]
It's hard to really explain,
but there is something else.
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