Possession

   Acknowledgments to howardlyon.com for the image

Whilst watching the movie Possession (2009) last week by director Joel Bergvall, I remembered several stories that I had heard about trances, bad spirits and possessions. The movie was about two brothers who had a head on collision, and as their blood which spilt on the ground met, their souls seemed to be linked. One was able to possess the others body, and vice versa. When I was younger, and ultimately less experienced in this world, I never believed or even paid mind to such tales. They were fiction, faery tales told to deter children and adults from unscrupulous behaviour. However, after several years of life experience, I have learnt to be open minded with regard to such renditions, especially when they are made by reputable people like clergymen and sober individuals. Here is a story about an apparent possession told by a young gentleman travelling on the train in the Sydney CBD.

The young man having finished work at a later hour than usual boarded the train en route to his home. He opted to sit in the upper carriage as it was neater than the under carriage. The carriage was dotted with a few other individuals also making their way home at this late hour. The man sat down on a vacant two seater bench, and made himself comfortable for the long ride ahead. A woman sat on a similar bench opposite to him. She was young with long blonde hair, and a sad tired face. She also sat alone. The train started up, and the gentleman leaned back in hope of getting some rest before he reached his destination. He noticed the young lady was looking out the window, and he could see her reflection in the glass. Only the reflection she cast was different to her face. The face in the glass was laughing hideously, whilst the woman’s face was still. The gentleman thinking something was wrong with his vision wiped his eyes and blinked. He then looked at the reflection a second time. The woman’s reflection in the glass continued to laugh hysterically, whilst the actual lady sitting on the bench was silent and her face was still. The realisation of what he was seeing made the man cold to the bone. He looked away and did not look back at the woman, nor move an inch for the rest of the journey. When the train finally reached its destination, he got out quickly and never looked at the woman or her reflection again.

As sceptical as I can be when hearing such stories, this one gives me the chills even as I write it. As we all know, the reason for possessions, have never been clear. Old wives would say it was due to being out late, and going to places good people should not go to. Whatever the reason, this tale is evidence possession can occur, and there may be people amoung us that suffer from it. So my advice to you is, to suffer the old wives and heed the warnings, just in case.

Nivi