The Ghosts Of New Orleans (A PARANORMAL RESEARCH AND CONTAINMENT DIVISION (PRCD) CASE FILE) by Terri Reid Page A
Authors: Terri Reid
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tangled, and roofs and windows shattered. Trees were split or toppled
over and abandoned cars littered the streets. Eloise turned down a few side
streets in order to avoid congestion and questions. Finally, she came back to Rampart Street and to the cemetery.
She parked her car up on the
sidewalk as close to the cemetery gate as she could. She knew that every tourist
brochure warned people not to walk into the cemeteries of New Orleans without a
large group and tour guide. This was not due to the ghosts or phantoms that
might be lurking near the above ground gravesites. It was because you were
very likely to encounter thieves, drug dealers, and other ne’er-do-wells.
However, Eloise felt that most of those “unfriendlies” had left the confines of
the cemetery walls for greater pickings elsewhere in the abandoned city.
The cemeteries of New Orleans were
often called “cities of the dead.” Not only did the tombs look like buildings,
but the cemeteries were organized with streets and street signs much like the
cities of the living.
Because the water table in New
Orleans was so high, the residents realized early on that they could not bury
their dead in the usual manner. After several unsuccessful attempts, like
putting rocks on top of the coffins to keep them from rising to the surface, it
was decided that above ground tombs would be a better choice.
However, building an above ground
tomb could be quite an expense for a family, so the tombs in New Orleans
cemeteries are used again and again. It is common to bury all the members of a
family...or multiple families...in the same tomb, with names and dates added to
a plaque or headstone as necessary.
The St. Louis Cemetery #1 was the oldest
and most famous of over a dozen above-ground cemeteries in and around New Orleans. Eloise walked through the gate and entered the narrow paths that crisscrossed
throughout the cemetery. Over six hundred different edifices dotted the
cemetery, their designs resembling Moorish dwellings, temples, chapels,
palaces, and mosques. The paths were covered in smooth asphalt and the quiet of
the cemetery was broken only by the sound of Eloise’s heels slapping against the
ground.
She turned down a narrow path and gasped
softly. The ghost was beautiful. She was tall, with translucent ebony skin, a heart-shaped
face and dark, piercing eyes. She was dressed in a soft white floor-length gown
Eloise realized was a shroud.
“So, you are looking for me, perhaps?” the
ghost asked in a soft, melodic voice.
Eloise nodded. “If you are Maria Laveau,
I am.”
“And who would come to see the Queen of
Voodoo without a gift?” she asked, raising her eyebrows haughtily.
Eloise shrugged, “I apologize, I am
ignorant to the ways of voodoo and I have come here to learn.”
Maria laughed and then nodded her
approval.
“You do not seek for yourself, I think,
so you do not have to offer a gift to Maria,” she said. “What is it that you
desire to learn?”
“I have a job…” she began.
Maria interrupted. “I know of your work.
The spirits whisper of your works to me,” then she smiled, “Lizzy sends her
greetings.”
Eloise smiled in response.
“But there is one who does not approve of
your work,” Maria stated. “One who wishes to stop you.”
Eloise nodded. “Yes, I wish to learn how
to stop her.”
Maria tilted her head and stared
speculatively at Eloise for a moment. “You do not wish to run?” she asked.
Eloise shook her head. “No, I wish to fight.”
Maria started to pace slowly down the
asphalt walkway through the white marble tombs, Eloise followed her. “Why do
you wish to fight?”
Eloise shrugged. “Because I don’t like to
be pushed around.”
Maria laughed again and then stopped and
turned to Eloise.
“This spirit you seek is not only evil,
but mad. She seeks to enslave the spirits of those who wish to pass. She
seeks their power – their energy. She will kill
over and abandoned cars littered the streets. Eloise turned down a few side
streets in order to avoid congestion and questions. Finally, she came back to Rampart Street and to the cemetery.
She parked her car up on the
sidewalk as close to the cemetery gate as she could. She knew that every tourist
brochure warned people not to walk into the cemeteries of New Orleans without a
large group and tour guide. This was not due to the ghosts or phantoms that
might be lurking near the above ground gravesites. It was because you were
very likely to encounter thieves, drug dealers, and other ne’er-do-wells.
However, Eloise felt that most of those “unfriendlies” had left the confines of
the cemetery walls for greater pickings elsewhere in the abandoned city.
The cemeteries of New Orleans were
often called “cities of the dead.” Not only did the tombs look like buildings,
but the cemeteries were organized with streets and street signs much like the
cities of the living.
Because the water table in New
Orleans was so high, the residents realized early on that they could not bury
their dead in the usual manner. After several unsuccessful attempts, like
putting rocks on top of the coffins to keep them from rising to the surface, it
was decided that above ground tombs would be a better choice.
However, building an above ground
tomb could be quite an expense for a family, so the tombs in New Orleans
cemeteries are used again and again. It is common to bury all the members of a
family...or multiple families...in the same tomb, with names and dates added to
a plaque or headstone as necessary.
The St. Louis Cemetery #1 was the oldest
and most famous of over a dozen above-ground cemeteries in and around New Orleans. Eloise walked through the gate and entered the narrow paths that crisscrossed
throughout the cemetery. Over six hundred different edifices dotted the
cemetery, their designs resembling Moorish dwellings, temples, chapels,
palaces, and mosques. The paths were covered in smooth asphalt and the quiet of
the cemetery was broken only by the sound of Eloise’s heels slapping against the
ground.
She turned down a narrow path and gasped
softly. The ghost was beautiful. She was tall, with translucent ebony skin, a heart-shaped
face and dark, piercing eyes. She was dressed in a soft white floor-length gown
Eloise realized was a shroud.
“So, you are looking for me, perhaps?” the
ghost asked in a soft, melodic voice.
Eloise nodded. “If you are Maria Laveau,
I am.”
“And who would come to see the Queen of
Voodoo without a gift?” she asked, raising her eyebrows haughtily.
Eloise shrugged, “I apologize, I am
ignorant to the ways of voodoo and I have come here to learn.”
Maria laughed and then nodded her
approval.
“You do not seek for yourself, I think,
so you do not have to offer a gift to Maria,” she said. “What is it that you
desire to learn?”
“I have a job…” she began.
Maria interrupted. “I know of your work.
The spirits whisper of your works to me,” then she smiled, “Lizzy sends her
greetings.”
Eloise smiled in response.
“But there is one who does not approve of
your work,” Maria stated. “One who wishes to stop you.”
Eloise nodded. “Yes, I wish to learn how
to stop her.”
Maria tilted her head and stared
speculatively at Eloise for a moment. “You do not wish to run?” she asked.
Eloise shook her head. “No, I wish to fight.”
Maria started to pace slowly down the
asphalt walkway through the white marble tombs, Eloise followed her. “Why do
you wish to fight?”
Eloise shrugged. “Because I don’t like to
be pushed around.”
Maria laughed again and then stopped and
turned to Eloise.
“This spirit you seek is not only evil,
but mad. She seeks to enslave the spirits of those who wish to pass. She
seeks their power – their energy. She will kill
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