 Welcome to Paranormality magazine. Each week, Paranormality magazine explores all 40 subjects, from phantoms to UFOs, and every cryptid creature in between. Each week, you are treated to a collection of well-researched and investigated stories, interviews and reports on cutting-edge paranormal projects and topics they know you crave. And here in the podcast, I share stories from the magazine to give you just a taste of what you receive in every issue. I'm Darren Marlar and this is Paranormality magazine. In this episode, we begin with a story of high strangeness from South Africa. Chaz CMP brings us an article entitled Have You Any Water? It was December of 1951 outside of Parle, South Africa, on the Drakenstein Mountain when another bizarre encounter occurred. Today, there is a tunnel that passes through this mountain range, but in the 1950s, one had no choice but to make the much longer journey over the mountain. The witness who was identified as Henry made one such trip in his pickup truck one warm summer evening. He'd been working on his truck and wanted to test it out to ensure the job was finished. A quick trip up and down the mountain was all that he had in mind. Henry drove toward the top of the mountain until he reached a plateau near the peak. He decided that this large flat area was best to turn around, but before he did, he took a moment around 11.15 p.m. to take in the beauty of the evening. The moon was in the sky that night, partly obscured by the surrounding peaks casting their large shadows of darkness across the plateau. Henry was about to begin his descent back down the mountain when he saw a man emerge out of the darkness, waving and walking toward him. The man walked up to Henry's truck and asked him, Have you any water? Henry informed the man that he did not have any, but the man insisted that he was in desperate need of some. At this, Henry told the man that there was a stream a little further down the road that they could use. The man asked how far this stream was, and after being reassured it was nearby, he hopped in Henry's truck. As the two men drove toward the stream, Henry quickly observed his new passenger. The man sitting next to him looked human. He was wearing an off-white lab coat, regular trousers and shoes. His head was topped with neat brown hair and he was clean shaven. Overall, he looked to be about 40 years old. However, Henry also noticed a few strange things about the man's appearance. His forehead seemed to be slightly protruded and his hands had long, delicate fingers that Henry described as looking almost effeminate. He was also remarkably short at under five feet tall. Henry also said the man's accent was bizarre, and while he admitted that South Africa was home to a lot of bizarre accents, he was certain that this one was more strange than usual. When they arrived at the stream, Henry asked the man if he had a container to hold water to which the man replied, no. At that, Henry remembered he had an emergency oil container in the back of his truck that they could use. When the oil can was reasonably cleaned and filled with water, the two men got back in the truck. Henry navigated a difficult three-point turn on the narrow road and the two men were off, heading back toward the plateau. When they got there, the man instructed Henry to drive a little further into the shaded area from which the man had originally emerged. As they drove into the darkness, Henry saw a large metal sphere that hung about 100 meters off the ground. It was perched on four legs with a ladder descending from underneath it. The sphere was between 10 and 15 meters in diameter, but not very tall, only being about 4 meters in height, including the legs. The small man got out of Henry's truck, walked over to the craft's ladder, and invited Henry to come aboard. Henry was hesitant, but the man waved at him in reassurance, and the two ascended the ladder. Inside the craft, Henry observed what seemed to be a large, circular room. There were four other men inside that looked similar to Henry's new companion, but they appeared to be a few years younger. Henry then noticed one of the men was lying on the floor of the craft, and the others were crowded around him. It became clear that the man lying on the floor was injured. Henry's guide informed him that the man had suffered burns upon entering the atmosphere when one of their windows had broken. Henry offered to get the local doctor to help them, but the man refused. The other four men continued about, as if Henry wasn't even there, and only the original visitor spoke to him. Henry next noticed a strange panel in the center of the room, and here's how he described it. In the middle of the room, I spotted some levers, something like those in a railway signal box. They seemed to be about one meter in length, the tops ending in a sort of two-pronged, forked handle, just like the handbrake in old motor cars. From where I was, I could not see how many, but maybe eight in two rows. They protruded from the interior of the object below the floor. I could see the rectangular slits through which they protruded. Behind the levers I could see some sort of table, more like a console. I thought there might be some dials, some instrument panels, but saw nothing like that. This being my job, instrumentation engineering, I noticed everything very clearly. He also noticed that there were seats around the walls of the craft that seemed to be covered in some kind of leather. The craft was well lit, but Henry could not see any light source. There were windows circling the craft that were two feet by three feet in size and were square shaped with rounded corners. He also noted that none of its windows were broken. The floors were metallic and slippery, and had some kind of strange pattern that he could not quite recall. While he observed, he noticed the men moving about their injured comrade, and they seemed to be holding strange devices. After giving the water to one of the other men in his group, the original visitor came back to where Henry was standing. The short man then asked Henry if there was anything he wanted to know. As an engineer, Henry's first question was, where are the engines? The man told him there were none, and that the craft used a type of gyroscope that spun heavy metals around it. The spinning of this liquid metal would create an independent gravity field for the craft, and that is how it functioned. Henry then asked where the men came from. In response, the short fellow simply pointed upward, out the window to the stars. He would not elaborate further. Henry then remembers climbing back down the metal ladder and returning to his truck, speculating that his entire time aboard must have been no more than 15 to 20 minutes. He thought about the craft and the strange small man his entire way home, and that night he fell into a deep sleep. He slept so deeply in fact that the next day he was unsure if the event was a dream or not. So he returned to the plateau. He found no craft there, but there was an indentation in the ground where its legs had once stood. He then thought to check the back of his truck, where he discovered that his oil can was gone. Imagine moving into a home with your family in the dead of winter, when suddenly bizarre things start to happen. Strange things, terrifying encounters that recur, defying all logic that one can explain. This next story is about a young family whose dream home became a terrifying nightmare. Molly Briggs tells us about Gary Indiana's Portal to Hell. In November 2011, Latoya Ammons for three kids and their grandmother moved into 3860 Carolina Street in Gary, Indiana. Settling into their new home should have been a time of great promise and new beginnings. Unfortunately, the horrifying events that would eventually occur would terrify and confuse each member of the Ammons family. Shortly after moving in, the family immediately witnessed thick black flies appearing in growing numbers, swarming an area of the house that was too cold for them to survive in. Confused and disgusted, they would swat them away, killing them, only to see the flies return later in full force. The presence of flies is not uncommon within a home or structure that is rife with paranormal or demonic activity. That is not to say, however, that flies are definitive proof of the devil himself. It's simply a feather to add to this paranormal story's cap. Another shady situation was a shadowy figure seen by the children's grandmother. The woman had seen a strange entity pacing the floor one night. As she moved toward the dark, ominous figure, all she found was a pair of soggy footprints where the shadow had been. At this point, it feels reasonable to say that most people would have gathered their things and said goodbye to this creepy cabana by now, moving out faster than a rat through a drainpipe, but not the Ammons family. Armed with a Bible, holy water, crucifixes and candles, they chose to stay and fight whatever dark entity had taken over their new home. Ultimately, it would be a decision they would regret. Four months after they moved into the home, a horrifying, unexplainable event would set the unwelcome wheels of terror in motion. While the family was grieving the loss of a loved one, many people within the home witnessed Latoya's 12-year-old daughter levitating above her bed. Faithful friends and family members dropped to their knees and prayed hard for the bedeviled child to be safely delivered back to her bed. Once their prayers were answered, the terrified people spilled from the home like a cup of water overflowing never to return. Swallowing their pride and reaching out for help, Latoya and her mother quickly found that finding someone to exercise 200 demons from a home was a task much easier said than done. Two psychics sensed that at least 200 demons were residing inside the Gary Indiana home. The activity in the house was so threatening that both psychics suggested the only thing the family could do for their safety was to move. Most churches in the Gary Indiana area denied the desperate women the slightest help with their demon problem. They did however offer some holy advice. The cowardly clergy told the women to clean the home, preferably with ammonia and bleach. They were then told to smear oil down and around all doors and windows for extra measure. One may ask, why stop there? Why not rub your belly, pat your head, and shout rumple stilt skin thrice fast while clicking your heels together? That sounds like an equally efficient recipe for getting rid of rascally demons. It wasn't long after that whatever was possessing the home seemed to be affecting the children. While playing in the living room one afternoon one of the young boys spoke in whispers. The child chanted bizarre, hateful phrases like I will kill you and it's time to die. Some reports vary, however it is speculated that during that same event the other children joined in until ultimately they began attacking each other and their grandmother physically. It's said that while chanting the children's eyes would start to bulge and their natural effervescent childlike smiles would creepily turn up into an unnatural grin. All family members felt the effects of the dark entities haunting the Ammons home. The smallest of the three children had taken to communicating with a boy who could only be seen by him. In one horrifying encounter the youngest Ammons child was picked up by an unseen force and thrown across the room. As time passed the activity in the home increased, making a regular daily routine impossible. The children missed many days of school which ushered in the assistance of multiple doctors and DCS caseworkers. On one of the memorable visits to the doctor's office the doctor noted the children's delusional behavior and bizarre disturbing statements. As the children stood in the office with family and office staff present including a nurse and a DCS worker the youngest child flew into the air. The origin of the force that propelled the boy could not be seen. The same child then commenced to walk up a wall. The boy defied gravity and flipped directly over his grandmother. Following the alarming event medical staff were seen fleeing from the room leaving the family more desperate than ever. Feeling as if their hands were tied DCS together with the authorities removed the three children from the home. Although Latoya Ammons had thought to a certain degree that she could beat the heady demon the state of Indiana had enough. The final act of the pure evil lurking within Latoya Ammons home was to separate her from her kids. It would prove to be the cruelest act of all. In an effort to come to a clearer understanding of what may be happening within the home DCS and the police made multiple trips to the house to investigate. Officers noted that an oily substance was found dripping from the blinds covering windows inside the home. After the blinds were cleaned and dried the oil returned with no explanation as to the source. One worker haphazardly dragged her hand across the slick shades smearing her palm and fingers with the ominous oil which curiously turned parts of her hand white. Police investigating the home reported witnessing apparitions as well as experiencing radio malfunctions. Just prior to leaving the home for good Latoya Ammons agreed to be subjected to a good old fashioned exorcism. A religious act done only by a priest and by the explicit permission of a bishop. Three exorcisms later Latoya was feeling more like herself. After a short time she moved away from what some have called the demon home and straight to Indianapolis quickly regaining custody of all three children. As for what eventually happened to what some media outlets have dubbed the Portal to Hell house, it was bought by a fairly well-known ghost hunter for $35,000. After filming a documentary about Latoya Ammons' story, the ghost hunter had the structure torn down for public safety. A curious move to say the least. Was the tear down an effort to save curious investigators from potential mental or physical harm or was it to ensure that future filming of the now infamous property would be impossible? We may never know. One of the particulars of this strange case begs the question of whether or not the spirit world can actually affect our physical bodies. During the filming of the documentary many people became ill. One investigator suffered major organ failure, another experienced uncontrolled violent behavior and yet another was prone to fly into a rage without any conscious intention of doing so. These are just a few examples of strange instances occurring in or around the home, just after or during an investigation. Albert Einstein said, energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be changed from one form to another. This may be a quote to revisit when questioning the existence of malevolent entities. The portal to hell story of horrors gives credence to the testimony of Latoya Ammons and the thousands of others like her all over the world who continue to face legions of demons alone with nothing but courage, tenacity, a few shakes of holy water and prayer on their side. Want more paranormality? Subscribe to Paranormality magazine and each month get it delivered digitally or via mail in our print version. Paranormality magazine is a collaborative endeavor featuring works from people like you who have a passion for all things mysterious and unexplained. Our goal is the pursuit of knowledge gathering captivating stories from our own team of writers, researchers and investigators as well as from writers such as yourself. Each monthly issue also includes a list of paranormal, horror, UFO and cryptozoology events around the country. Incredible paranormal themed artwork, articles and writing sent in from our readers, suggested books and podcasts to consume and more. Visit paranormalitymag.com and subscribe today for as little as $3.99 a month. That's paranormalitymag.com Paranormalitymag.com Seeing as this is October the month of Halloween, I thought it might be fun to bring you an article by J.A. Kirk from Paranormality magazine entitled The Evolution of Halloween Costumes. Greetings fellow seekers of the supernatural and lovers of the eerie. As the harvest moon rises and the spectral winds begin to whisper, our minds turn to Halloween that bewitching night when the boundaries between the living and the dead blur. To truly appreciate the modern marvel that is the Halloween costume, we must journey back to the ancient Celtic festival of Sauen which sparked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. During this time the Celts believed that the veil between our world and the spirit realm grew thin, allowing the souls of the departed to return. To ward off malevolent spirits and to blend in with the supernatural entities, the Celts donned elaborate costumes made from animal hides and masks carved from gourds. These disguises were as much a means of protection as they were a form of celebration. With the spread of Christianity, Sauen evolved into All Saints Day and All Hallows Eve or Halloween. Costume traditions persisted, but they gradually absorbed Christian influences. People began to dress as saints, angels, and demons using costumes as a way to educate and entertain during religious festivals. The 18th and 19th centuries witnessed the rise of Gothic literature and the emergence of the macabre in mainstream culture. Literary works like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Bram Stoker's Dracula inspired fascination with the supernatural and monstrous. As a result, Halloween costumes took on darker and more sinister themes. People embraced their inner monsters, vampires, and ghosts with morbid delight. The 20th century ushered in a new era of Halloween costumes influenced by popular culture. Iconic figures from film, television, and comic books became sources of inspiration. The 1930s saw the emergence of classic horror movie monsters like Frankenstein's monster, Dracula, and the mummy as beloved costume choices. The post-World War II period brought with it the baby boom and a surge in children's Halloween celebrations. Superheroes, beloved cartoon characters, and space explorers became the favorite attire for young trick-or-treaters. This era marked the transition from homemade costumes to store-bought ensembles, giving rise to the commercialization of Halloween costumes. The 1960s marked a period of DIY creativity. Halloween costumes became a canvas for self-expression and political statements. People embraced the freedom to craft their own costumes, often drawing inspiration from psychedelic art, iconic musicians, and cultural phenomena. The 1980s witnessed the resurgence of horror in pop culture. Slasher films like Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Friday the 13th dominated the silver screen. This led to a resurgence of classic horror figures as popular costume choices. The 1980s also brought about the influence of video games with characters like Mario and Luigi becoming Halloween staples. In the 21st century, Halloween costumes have fully embraced the influence of pop culture. From beloved movie characters like Harry Potter and the superheroes from the Marvel and DC universes to trending memes and viral sensations, costumes have become a reflection of the times. The rise of cosplay, a subculture dedicated to dressing as fictional characters, has further blurred the lines between Halloween and fan conventions. Cosplayers spend months crafting intricate and detailed costumes, elevating the art of costume creation to new heights. As we look to the future, it's clear that Halloween costumes will continue to evolve. Technology, including 3D printing and smart fabrics, will enable even more creative and immersive experiences. Virtual reality and augmented reality may offer entirely new ways to transform into fantastical beings for Halloween night. The evolution of Halloween costumes mirrors the changing cultural landscape. From ancient traditions rooted in mysticism to modern expressions of pop culture and personal creativity, costumes have become an integral part of the Halloween experience. As we embrace the unknown and venture into the supernatural this Halloween, let us also celebrate the ever-changing art of costume creation. Happy Haunting UFO slash UAP slash Alien disclosure has gained quite the traction over the years. One part of social media seems to be flooded with videos of lights and objects in the sky, while the other part is inundated with videos of testimony from government whistleblowers and experts claiming aliens exist. Whatever you believe, one thing that holds true is that this is not a new phenomenon. For decades people have been talking about the existence of non-terrestrial life forms. UFOs and strange beings have been painted in caves, ancient structures and renaissance art. People have been experiencing these phenomena for centuries. And one of those people happens to be Deborah D. Roke, who wrote an article for Paranormality Magazine entitled Close Encounters of the Third and Fifth Kind. I was in ninth grade when I first encountered a UFO. It was a school night, though I cannot tell you the date or day. My father and younger sister were sleeping. My mother and I were the only ones awake. I do not remember what I was doing awake, but I recall it was past my bedtime. My mother was outside hanging clothes out to dry. It was not unusual for her to take advantage of the still hours of the night to do laundry. We lived in Miami, near the Miami-Dade College North Campus, and if you lived in Miami during the 90s, then you know the scariest thing around was not Paranormal. It was the streets. This is why it always surprised me that my mother did her laundry outside at night, knowing it was risky. Suddenly I hear my mother yell my name, Deborah! I was startled because I never heard her call out my name like that before. Then I hear her call it again. I became concerned and ran outside to where she was by the clothesline. She took my hand, pulled me close, wrapped her left arm around my left shoulder, and crouched down to my height, pointing her right hand to the sky. She asked, Do you think that's an airplane? I remember feeling annoyed and thinking she called out my name hysterically just for an airplane. Yes, Mom, it's an airplane. She wasn't pleased with that answer. She said, No, look again. An airplane doesn't move that slow. So I stared at it. And that's when reality started to creep in. I wasn't staring at an airplane. I was staring at a UFO. I can't remember if we said anything, but the next thing I knew we were running through the house and out the front door to the porch. We stepped out to the driveway. There it was, hovering, silent, bright, colorful. There were so many colorful lights that appeared to dance as they blinked in pattern. It was saucer-shaped. I do not remember the color of the rest of the craft. Maybe it was silver? Maybe it was black? I was too taken by the experience to even notice. I remember it hovered low, no higher than what a helicopter hovers when it searches for suspects. I also remember it hovered silently. Helicopters and airplanes have engines that hum. It also hovered motionless. It didn't tremble. It was as if something invisible suspended it. I don't know how long we stood out there just staring. All I know is that my amazement and wonderment slowly turned into absolute fear. I began thinking about all the alien movies and abduction documentaries I had seen. The most impactful one being the McPherson tape, which had terrified me because at the time I didn't know it was a found footage film. I thought it was a real documentary. So when I saw this UFO in front of me, I believed I was going to be abducted. As the fear sat in, I ran inside my house and sat in a corner of my kitchen where the refrigerator met the wall. I tucked my knees in and shivered so strongly that my teeth chattered. I was frozen with fear. Soon after I sat in the kitchen, my mom ran inside and went to get the camcorder to record the object in the sky. She struggled to get the camcorder working. It was big, bulky, and she was not tech-savvy. I stayed in my corner praying and hoping we wouldn't be abducted. As soon as she got the camcorder working, my mom ran outside but came back almost as fast as she went out. It's gone, she said. She couldn't understand how it could be gone so quick, being that it moved so slow and hovered so still. She was disappointed. I was relieved. I went to bed that night feeling wary. I climbed up to my bunk, and before I went to sleep I looked outside my window toward the sky to make sure nothing was out there and fooled myself into feeling safe. I fell asleep. The next day my mother and I told my father what we saw. She even grabbed the camcorder and recorded a light in the sky that morning, convinced it may be the UFO we had seen last night. My father, an atheist and skeptic, didn't believe us. He said it was probably some sort of government aircraft. I told my friends at school who only considered believing me because my mother was a witness. My family didn't know what to think when we told them. They believed we saw something, but they chalked it up to the government too. I started looking out my window every night after that day, and I did see more activity as the years passed, except I told no one. As an adolescent and young adult, when I travel or go out at night I'd look to the skies where I would occasionally see things. Again, I told no one. I kept it all to myself. It was my personal secret, and each sighting was a confirmation that what I saw wasn't just an anomaly. It wasn't a government craft. It was something else, something bigger, something unknown, something personal, something unique, something only for me. I was disappointed. Disappointed at the lack of answers. Disappointed at the lack of trust. Disappointed at the lack of support. I couldn't understand why people didn't believe me. Why would I lie about this? What did I have to gain? I wasn't running and telling the tabloids or news. I was just trying to share a story with those I loved. But I was dismissed. Twenty years later, the disclosure went viral. I suddenly felt validated by the universe. I also realized that I was a part of thousands, if not millions, of people who shared similar stories and felt an equal sense of disappointment, stigma, judgment, and isolation, along with amazement, curiosity, and wonder. I felt seen and heard, though it wasn't my voice being used. Fast forward to today, where I'm learning more about what these experiences mean on a more personal level. After my most recent experience, I've reached a point where I'm no longer afraid of these encounters. I moved into my apartment last July with my husband and daughter. A couple of months passed before I began to see a light shine through my sliding glass door in the middle of the night. It happened for a few nights. What I found odd about the light was how bright it was and how it seemed to shine from the top rather than the bottom or side, which would indicate a car was either exiting or entering the community. The fact that the light came from the top weirded me out, but not enough to investigate. After a few days, I began to hear a droning and melodic hum. I would wake up to this sound for a couple of nights. I knew it wasn't a truck, car, or the sound of the air conditioner. Something told me it was something else, but I didn't worry about it and would fall back asleep. This lasted a few weeks until I saw them. I woke up one night and looked toward the corner of my room by the sliding glass door. There they were, two beings, one sitting on the floor with its knees tucked in, the other standing behind it. Both were looking at me. I remember staring at them for a few seconds. Some light shined through the window and allowed me to see some details. I noticed the one standing was about the same height as my light switch. I also noticed their skin color was a reddish-brown color. Their heads were large and oval, but it wasn't the typical elongated egg shape we're used to seeing in films. Their heads were wider. The chin wasn't long though, it still looked somewhat pointed. The eyes were large, black and shiny as usually depicted. I recall them looking at me and me looking at them, but I didn't feel startled or scared. I just told myself to go back to sleep, so I did. In the morning I told my husband and he was amazed. He said that I most likely had a connection with them since they visited me all those years ago. I told him it felt like what I saw was real, but I wondered if it was a lucid dream. I suppose I'll never truly know. What I do know is that I am not alone, pun not intended. I am a part of a community of individuals who have had similar experiences. Now I welcome these experiences and even seek them out. How? A close encounter of the fifth kind. I've done a CE5 meditation, not one guided by anyone. I did it on my own, using my intuition and experience. It did not disappoint, but that is a story for another day. Please know, if you have had a UFO, abduction or alien visitation experience, that you are a part of a growing community. Feel free to reach out to me and share your story. Additionally, if you are having a hard time reconciling the encounter and are still battling feelings of confusion, disappointment, stigma and judgment, I can help with that too. Keep looking toward the skies. As they say, the truth is out there. Thanks for listening to Paranormality Magazine. Get more information about the magazine and subscribe to our monthly publication at ParanormalityMag.com. That's ParanormalityMag.com or click the link in the show description. And if you are a researcher or investigator, send us your stories. We might feature you in our next issue. If you have a paranormal podcast, you can add it to our website so our readers can find your show. And artists, if you'd like your work to be featured in our magazine or on our back cover, contact us. Again, our website is ParanormalityMag.com. I'm Darren Marlar and I'll have more paranormal for you next time from Paranormality Magazine. Hey weirdos, be sure to click the like button and subscribe to this channel and click the notification bell so you don't miss future videos. I post videos seven days a week and while you're at it, spread the darkness by sharing this video with someone you know who loves all things strange and macabre. If you want to listen to the podcast, you can find it at weirddarkness.com slash listen.