Sanctuary of the Strange: Tom

Oh where do I start with Tom? During our initial walk through of the Sanctuary of the Strange, one of the owners took us into a room and said "Notice the smell? This is the only room that smells like this, and it doesn't seem to change regardless of what we do. There's also a really weird vibe in here." 

    I immediately picked up on the reason. I told the owner that it was due to the person hanging around in the corner. He is comfortable in this room and doesn't really leave. Later on in our investigation, I learned of this ghost's name and birth date: Tom, born in 1938. I got the sense that Tom was in his late 60's, early 70's when he passed. Austin brought in a REM POD to see if we could get Tom to interact. That was a no-go. Not only was Tom *not* interested in exploring the REM POD's potential, he backed away from it, and complained loudly to me about not only the device, but about all of the other 'stuff' that was in the room. Tom is what's best described as a 'crotchety old man.' Definitely the "get off my lawn" type. He was full of anxiety, which explains the 'weird vibe' that the owner described and I picked up on. Austin offered Tom some candy, and he reluctantly agreed that he liked the orange flavor.

ChatGPT recreation of the scene
in Tom's room. It's not exactly what
Tom looks like, but it's close enough.

Later in the evening, the two other paranormal investigators camped out in Tom's room. They *also* set up a REM POD, hoping to get the ghost that was present to interact. I had popped in to ask them how it was going, and they said they had very little response from the entity there. I told them it wasn't surprising, and informed them about what we experienced and I learned about Tom. I hadn't stayed long, as I was off to go explore more of the facility. 

    The absolute funniest interaction I had with Tom was when I returned again. The two investigators were still hanging out in Tom's room, chit chatting with one another. I walked into the room and heard "There are TOO MANY people in MY ROOM. Get the F*CK OUT." I literally busted out laughing and immediately left the room. This particular room has an opening and a counter top, so I moved to that part of the space and told everyone what I had just heard. The next time I visit the Sanctuary of the Strange, I am going to have to revisit Tom's room and see if I can get more of his story. What a trip he is! 

    

Sanctuary of the Strange: Matt

I knew of Matt's existence at the Sanctuary of the Strange, though I didn't know his name until I arrived. Months ago, one of the Paranormal Investigators I wound up visiting the place with sent me images of the facilities. I picked up on a male, late teens to early 20's, hanging around, in addition to several spirits whom were buried in the graveyard surrounding the church. Subsequent remote viewing by my friend Tom and an investigation by one of the owners revealed the presence of an angry male spirit hanging around and about the premises, in addition to them hanging about the surrounding neighborhood. 

    In our original walk through of the property by the owners, we were alerted to an incredibly angry ghost who was threatening anyone who entered the boiler room. I walked through the narrow cinder block entry to the boiler room and immediately announced to the owners "He's here, and his name is Matt." In the short time I have been aware of my gifts I have realized that regardless of my own egotistical doubts, the information I receive from my spirit guides or from other spirits is true. I don't expect that I will ever stop questioning this gift. My human brain still can't comprehend why I continue to receive data that has no rational validation other than my own sense of "knowing" what is true. Regardless, time and time again what I have received has proven to be validated, so I just go with it and speak with certainty. 

    Matt was one of the ghosts for whom I felt a presence when I sat down in the sanctuary to understand who was talking to us. I immediately knew that he was the young man I sensed in my own remote viewing. It became clear to me based on the info I received from the owner and my own friend Tom (not to be confused with the spirit Tom whom I would encounter later) that he had a message that needed to be heard. 

    Matt's message was clear. He was killed in a drug-related crime. He was angry because he was betrayed by someone he thought was a friend. "He was my friend, man!" was a repeated message I kept receiving from him. He didn't die in or near the church. He was killed in the surrounding neighborhood, but found the church to be a place of respite. My friend Tom's remote viewing sensed this angry spirit roaming the woods in a neighborhood surrounding the church, so it was an interesting confirmation that Matt would be there. Also weirdly confirmed by the fact that I was told by my spirit guides that the church itself was a "protected" space. 

    Matt clearly felt betrayed by those he felt were his friends. It makes sense that he felt like he was unjustly unalived. The only other information I received from him was that he lived at some point after 1980, so it wasn't a great bit of info to track down how or why his murder occurred. I've since searched the archives to figure out who he is but my search has turned up with no leads. Regardless of his circumstance, it was clear that he was an angry spirit, felt restless in his death, and was searching for a way out. And that's why it's not surprising that he went running toward the portal that opened when I met Bobby.  

    I should point out that it was after I helped Bobby cross, and felt Matt rush up on me, that we as a group returned to the boiler room. I told the 3 paranormal investigators that I felt no one in the room with us. It was after several minutes of an estes experiment, through which I personally participated and no meaningful communication came through, coupled with Elise's confirmation that I was 100% certain that Matt was the ghost that left when the portal was open.