Summary
Whispers Estate: A Haunted History
The narrator takes us on a journey to promote a documentary series on History Hit TV, starting at Stonehenge and then shifting to the infamous Whispers Estate, a haunted location with a dark history dating back to 1894. The estate was once home to Dr. John and his wife Rachel, who bought the house in 1899-1901.
Dr. John’s Dark Past
Dr. John had a 27-year medical practice in his home before being forced into retirement. His wife, Jesse Gibbons, passed away in 1934, and three years later, an insanity inquest was initiated against him, but it was concluded that he was not insane. However, some accounts portray him as a benevolent individual, while others claim he was a bad doctor who took liberties with female patients.
The Haunted Estate
The house has a dark history, with a former occupant who threatened to kill people and was eventually forced into retirement. The house was vacant from 2000 to 2004, when it was bought by a new owner who started renovations, triggering a surge in paranormal activity. Since then, numerous people have reported strange occurrences, including whispers, knocking, and objects moving on their own. Many have been physically affected, with some being scratched or having their names called out.
Personal Experiences
The narrator has had personal experiences, such as being scratched and hearing their name, and has witnessed objects being violently moved or knocked over. They describe a terrifying experience in the house, where they saw a ominous shadow in the dining room, and later, a dark shadow figure was captured on camera.
Paranormal Encounters
The narrator recounts various paranormal encounters, including seeing a ghostly girl in a white dress, and unexplained physical interactions, such as being grabbed from behind and feeling sharp fingers on their spine. They also mention hearing strange noises, like footsteps and whispers, and feeling a presence, like being hugged or touched, which they describe as a positive experience.
Terrifying Experiences
The narrator recounts several terrifying experiences in the haunted home, including a moment when a person was seemingly thrown across a room, and another when a table pulled investigators towards a human-shaped entity with horns. They also describe seeing a disfigured, cat-like creature and a silhouette of a little girl.
Rachel’s Story
The narrator shares two stories about Rachel, a ghost who allegedly died in a fire in the front parlor of the house. The first story claims Rachel was hiding from someone, crouched next to the Christmas tree, and accidentally set her dress on fire. However, the narrator found evidence that contradicts this story, and two psychics later suggested a different story: Rachel snuck into Dr. John’s room, took a violent ether, and rendered herself unconscious, causing her to fall and knock over a candle, which started the fire.
Positive Interactions
The narrator shares a personal experience with a ghost, Rachel, who died in the room after a fire. Rachel’s spirit is playful, making sounds, and interacting with people, including the speaker. She is known to knock things over, and some people have even seen her sitting on the bed.
Conclusion
The speaker describes their experiences at a haunted house, where unexplained events occur, making them wonder if it’s all a scam or if the house is rigged with sound effects. Despite their initial skepticism, they’ve witnessed strange happenings multiple times with different groups of people, including students. They believe that our personalities and belief systems continue beyond physical life, and that’s why some people become ghosts, stuck between life and death, afraid to move on.
The investigator believes that children who have passed away may still be present in a house, unaware of the afterlife or religion, and it’s up to the living to help them move on. The strength of the emotion and sudden nature of the death can make it possible for people to experience paranormal events, even years later. These events can be life-changing and can occur in places that are known or unknown to be haunted, and the energy from these events can still be present, interacting with people and affecting them.
The speaker, initially a non-believer, has had unexplainable and terrifying experiences at Whispers Estates, which have led them to become non-skeptical about the paranormal. They believe the house is alive, with multiple paranormal entities, and that it chooses who it wants to interact with. Despite the fear, the speaker is drawn back to the house, excited by the unknown and the possibility of new experiences, likening it to “paranormal roulette”.
Key Vocabulary
| Term | Definition | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Inquest | A formal investigation or inquiry, especially one conducted by a court or coroner. | An insanity inquest was initiated against Dr. John, but it was concluded that he was not insane. |
| Paranormal | Beyond the range of normal experience or scientific explanation. | The narrator has had numerous paranormal experiences, including whispers, knocking, and objects moving on their own. |
| Haunting | The act of frequenting or inhabiting a place, especially in a ghostly or spectral manner. | The Whispers Estate is said to be haunted by the ghost of Rachel and other paranormal entities. |
| Entity | A thing with distinct existence, whether physical or spiritual. | The narrator witnessed a human-shaped entity with horns in the haunted house. |
| Psychic | A person who claims to possess extrasensory perception (ESP) or other supernatural abilities. | Two psychics suggested a different story about Rachel’s death, contradicting the original story. |
| Skeptic | A person who questions the validity or authenticity of something, often requiring strong evidence before accepting it as true. | The narrator was initially a skeptic but became a believer after experiencing paranormal events. |
| Afterlife | A supposed existence or state of being after death. | The narrator believes that our personalities and belief systems continue beyond physical life, and that’s why some people become ghosts, stuck between life and death, afraid to move on. |
| Paranormal Roulette | A term used to describe the unpredictable and thrilling experience of exploring the paranormal. | The narrator likens their experience at Whispers Estate to “paranormal roulette,” excited by the unknown and the possibility of new experiences. |
Watch The Video
Vocabulary Quiz
1. Which word means ‘a formal investigation into someone’s mental health’?
A) Inquest
B) Renovation
C) Insanity
D) Paranormal
2. Which word means ‘a person who is kind and generous’?
B) Benevolent
C) Insane
D) Paranormal
3. Which word means ‘to officially force someone to stop working’?
A) Initiate
B) Retire
D) Renovate
4. Which word means ‘a feeling of being touched or held closely’?
A) Hug
B) Presence
C) Emotion
D) Touch
5. Which word means ‘a game of chance’?
A) Roulette
B) Inquest
C) Renovation
D) Paranormal
Answer Key:
1. A
2. B
3. B
4. B
5. A
Grammar Focus
Grammar Focus: Using the Past Perfect Simple and Past Simple to describe past events
Grammar Quiz:
1. By the time Dr. John was forced into retirement, ____________________ a 27-year medical practice.
A) he had
B) he has
C) he was having
D) he is having
2. The house ____________________ by a new owner in 2004.
A) was bought
B) had been bought
C) has been bought
D) is bought
3. The narrator ____________________ a terrifying experience in the house when they saw a shadow.
A) had
B) has
C) was having
D) is having
4. By the time the narrator started investigating the house, ____________________.
A) many people had reported strange occurrences
B) many people have reported strange occurrences
C) many people report strange occurrences
D) many people are reporting strange occurrences
5. The narrator believes that the energy from paranormal events ____________________ still present in the house.
A) is
B) was
C) has been
D) had been
Answer Key:
1. A) he had
2. B) had been bought
3. A) had
4. A) many people had reported strange occurrences
5. C) has been