Ghosts. What can we say? They’re terrifying and mysterious, and people are looking for them. Wait, what? Yeah, there are people in the world who are constantly seeking the existence of these paranormal entities.

_{Things That Go Bump}

Don’t believe us? Well, let’s do what we usually do and prove otherwise. But first, we need to look at what a ghost is. A ghost is the soul of a dead person that still lingers in the living world. Oh, you thought we would sugar-coat this tad bit of info?

Sorry, not likely. Throughout history, numerous accounts of sightings involving these apparitions have remained prevalent. Believers of the paranormal suggest that human spirits are separable outside the body and can maintain their consciousness after their body ceases to function (dies). There are also accounts that these entities may even linger in places where they die, termed a “haunting.” Because of the mysterious nature of these entities and some scarce accounts of their existence, people often question if they exist or are just a figment of the human mind.

_{The Truth Is Out There}

Ironically, because of such quarries, people go out of their way to seek the truth for themselves. This search for truth would eventually lead to the practice of paranormal investigations, or “ghost hunting.” It’s the process in which a team (don’t ever do it solo) utilizes special equipment or other sensory means to determine the source of reported hauntings. This process gained so much traction that more paranormal organizations began to crop up. But by far, the most famous paranormal investigators (as far as the U.S. is concerned) are the famed duo Ed and Lorraine Warren.

_{The Devil on Trial}

Their names are legendary among the ghost-hunting community for bringing to light numerous cases of paranormal activity. Some of their most well-known cases involve Annabelle The Doll, The Haunting of the Perron Family, and, most notably, the infamous Amityville Horror. Because of their accounts of these cases, it wouldn’t be long before Hollywood would try to ride on their involvement in those incidents and their rise to fame and create film adaptations about them. In 1977, the author Jay Anson wrote a horror novel describing the horrors inflicted by the DeFoe and the Lutz family.

Then, by 1979, a film adaptation based on the novel would be released, The Amityville Horror. The film tells the same story as the novel and case records, though with a little more unsettling movie magic. The film was so horrifying to the audience that it sparked massive conspiracy theories and controversies about the actual accounts of the Lutz and the Warrens. Decades later, in 2013, another film involving one of the Warrens’ paranormal cases would debut, The Conjuring. The film tells the story of the Warrens investigating the hauntings of the Perron family, terrorized by the spirit of a woman named Bathsheba. The film garnered so much success that it led to the creation of what’s known as “The Conjuring Universe,” through which a majority of the films detail and showcase many of the paranormal investigations orchestrated by the Warrens, especially one film dedicated to their case with Annabell The Doll (titled Annabell).

_{Supernatural Marks}

The Warrens have left a profound effect on the community of both the common folk and ghost hunters alike. Their dedication to uncovering the truth behind these hauntings has become the hallmark of their journey into the unknown. Today, many paranormal investigators strive to live up to their level of seeking the truth behind numerous hauntings still being reported. A word of warning, though: if you desire the truth behind the unknown, be sure not to go at it alone. You never know what may be lurking in the dark.

Read More from The Able Show Contributors.

Works Cited:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078767/fullcredits

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1457767/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%2520conjuring

https://www.ctinsider.com/projects/2021/visuals/ed-lorraine-warren