On Sunday evening, 7:00 p.m. EST, a "Things That Go Bump in the Night" tour was led by certified island guide Ananya Karinovna, who conceptualized the idea and conducted research to make the tour more informative and interesting. When asked what made her think of doing a tour like this, Ms. Karinovna answered, "I love the stories we have here... And besides, it is almost All Hallows." Island guide trainee John Edmiston worked to help latecomers find the group and join the tour while it was in progress.
Participants included the following people: Esmeralda Beaujolais, Ferd Berfel, Katt Blade, Candi Cane, Kim Canella, Jenne Carmen, Marika Chase, Courtney Chisolm, Waverly Chow, Emma Clayborne, Miko Daiumi, Raphaela Drummond, John Edmiston, Jon Garfield, Amanda Hunter, Aviva Jacobsen, Jesse Jones, Simon Karellen, Morgan LeFox, Veronica Loveing, Remi MacGregor, Sami Market, Jonathan McDowell, Allison McGuire, Sara McGyver, Tyler Morrison, Zakk Muhullen, Miranda Myles, Sarah Ninesling, Kyla RedCloud, Savannah Reynolds, Elwyn Silverhair, Samson Spade, Lisa Stone, Ami Stuart, Lydia Tredwell, Catriona Trevelyan, Mike Tucker, and Jess Whiterose.
There were six planned stop locations on the tour. The tour began at the Tourist Information Center (TIC) on New Marina Beach. Before the group departed, Ananya Karinovna began with an introduction saying, "There are many stories which have been told, which have been lived, which have been experienced on this island. Some are firmly rooted en seches ... in now. Some are rooted in the distant past. Some have seen resolution, and some have no end in sight. All of the stories you will hear today are those which feature prevedyeneia e nastroyneia, the ghosts and spirits. Some are good, and some are not so good."
She continued, "None of these tales is told with an eye towards converting you to belief in the supernatural. I saw none of these events firsthand, and so can not vouch for their authenticity. But with All Hallows Eve fast approaching, I offer them in the time-honored spirit of tales told around the campfire, in the cold and the dark, where the barriers of life and death have thinned .... Where you hear the things which go bump in the night!"
The first stop was at the secret glen in the forgotten garden, which is located in the middle of downtown. The secret glen is hidden behind the long sweeping branches of a large willow tree. Karinovna first thanked those who helped her research the history of the willow tree saying, "A story was revealed to many at this place, and I am indebted to Edward Straker, Lisa Stone, Jon Garfield, Jess Whiterose and Elise Evans for relating the pieces to me after they occurred."
Then, she relayed the story of the willow tree saying, "Here at this willow, a few years ago, a little girl would visit. Her story is a true tragedy, and her hauntings were gentle ones. Her name was Laura, and her tale touched many hearts, and her presence mixed grief with a certain joy. I personally have much to thank her for, even though I never saw her. Warm breezes, childish, lilting songs, gentle caresses and tiny pink rosebuds marked the presence of a spirit under this tree. Seen at dawn, a little girl with a white, pin-tucked pinafore and beribboned braids could be seen playing briefly ... before the sun grew too high in the sky and she had to return 'home' to look after her brother."
Karinovna explained, "Few people remember when they first noticed her. A giggle was heard here and there, a glimpse of pinafore, a warm, gentle touch on a hand when no one else was around. Soon it became apparent that there was a ghost around, and she came here, to the willow tree, more often than not. Though not everyone was able to see her. Those who did not believe, could not see. She felt their unbelief and would not come forth, as if their mindset blocked her appearance. For those whose hearts were less than kind, she also would not appear. A gentle, tender spirit, Laura was."
After a brief pause, Karinovna continued with the story, "The year was 1910. The Balmour Hotel was at the height of its popularity as a resort for the bogatye, the how you say ... well-to-do, from the Continent and from the Eastern United States. It was filled with touches of gentility and hospitality ... an icon of graciousness in an age where graciousness still counted for much. Fresh bouquets of pink roses were placed in bone china vases each morning and delivered to each room, and a sumptuous tea was served every afternoon."
Karinovna went on, "In that year, a family came
from the United States to spend part of the dreary winter on warm
Morada. The father was a successful businessman, and the mother
was a society woman. Both were very busy people. The children,
Laura, then aged eight and her malyenkeia brat, her little
brother, who was age five, enjoyed the freedom of the beach and
the hotel, but they were often left on their own as their parents
fulfilled their social 'obligations'. Laura, by all accounts, was
a sweet-natured little girl. Warm-hearted, tender, caring and she
took her responsibilities as an older sister very seriously. She
took good care of the little Jonjon, though at that age one
should be minded not minding, da? That was the task given to her
by her parents ... to care for her younger brother. One evening,
when the family's vacation was almost over, the parents accepted
an invitation to an evening's entertainment away from the hotel.
The parents had not hired a nanny, so the children were tucked
into bed, and then locked into their room for safe keeping. And
left for their party."
Karinovna revealed what happened next saying, "No one was certain of how the fire started. There were suggestions that one of the smokers left a smoldering cigar too close to the curtains, then fell asleep. In any case, the blaze began and once going, swept through the old building as swiftly as the wildfire. Most guests were evacuated safely. Only three were not. Of the victims, there was an elderly woman from France ...And two children. It is said that once the news of the blaze went through town, the parents returned in all haste, screaming and begging to be let into the hotel to find their children. Of course, by then, it was far, far too late."
Karinovna closed the story saying, "In the dawn, eighty years later, the spirit of the little girl returned to tell the tale of responsibility as a young age, of loneliness, and of the need for forgiveness for failing to keep another safe ... even though the situation was beyond her control. It is said that Laura finally gained peace when she understood that she was never truly abandoned, and that she was forgiven for not saving her brother. She gained her rest when she felt worthy of the love offered to her. Many today still hold the memory of the little girl in their hearts, and cherish her memory. Her life was very brief, but she filled her world with much joy while she was with us."
The second stop was in the underground crypt of the mausoleum behind St. Anne's church. Karinovna began, "The story I shall relate come to me from Granpere, and from the journals of Snake Silvertongue. The events which unfolded here are hundreds of years in the making, though Morada comes in only recently. Some have said it is a story of evil, but I will let you decide once the tale is told, da?"
Karinovna began narrating the story, "On the Continent, over a hundred years ago, a man named Ricci was known. He had what was called the evil eye -- the darkness which touches the soul so deeply that good is swallowed up whole. Wherever he went, illness followed. Illness and death. Though there were never marks on the victims, the man was called, 'Oopir' -- how you say, the vampire -- for they say he sucked the life out of those he touched. The man, Ricci, disappeared around the time of Hitler. He was not seen nor heard from, and everyone assumed that he had died, or had been killed."
Karinovna explained, "Then, three years ago, a man named Ricci comes to the island. It was not the old man, but another. His son, perhaps. Ricardo Ricci. He was very dashing, da? Charming, debonair, fine clothing, and an eye for the women. But, as Granpere said, the eyes ... you never forget the eyes. This young man was too young to have seen the things which would so blight a man's spirit and make the eyes so dark. Many thought that he was the older Ricci within a revitalized body, or a new, stolen one. No one ever found out though. Ricci appears in the town and people begin to fall ill. They are dizzy, weak, a touch of fever perhaps. People are found dead in alleyways, with no marks upon them -- simply dead as if their essence had been pulled from them. But there is nothing to ... "
Karinovna resumed the story, "One day, a woman crosses his path -- Lucia della Croce. A gracious young woman, with a lovely face and a generous nature. Ricci is very much taken with her, and she with him. Others tell her that he is dangerous, he is evil. She does not listen, not even when the bodies are found. And soon Lucia, she has the same look. Her eyes draw you in, like the dark water to drown your soul. She is his now. The tourists begin to become watchful of the couple, waiting for a chance. They discover that Ricardo e Lucia lived zdeese, here ... "
Karinova touched the two coffins in the center of the room and continued, "... here the couple found their sanctuary. Those gathered knew what it was they must do. They must keep Ricardo e Lucia from this, their haven. The couple are on the beach as dawn approaches, and when the sun glimmered over the ocean, it signaled their end. As the couple saw there was no escape, Ricardo tried to explain to those gathered that they are what they are ... they do not kill for sport, as he said we do. They do what they do to live. He charged that we were more evil than they, for we received nothing but money and glory for deaths. He begged for them to let Lucia live, even if he must return to the abyss."
Karinovna said, "But the islanders would not relent, feeling that these beings were evil, and for the deaths they caused others they should also die. And so, as the dawn filled the skies, their transformation began. First Lucia faded into a mist which was swept out to mingle with the ocean's waves. Then Ricci began to dissolve from sight ...But Ricci's last words were not of defeat. He swore vengeance ... swore that he would be back again, and that there would be no mercy. He had watched his love die from at hands of those who had no mercy ... And there would be none for us from his hand. With those dire words, Ricardo's body was consumed by the mist and was whisked off over the ocean by the gentlest of morning breezes. And so the so-called vampires were gone."
Karinovna continued, "Seches, one would think this would be the end of the story, da? No nyet, for perhaps it is only the prelude, the opening chapter. For in the year which followed, a woman desiring much power, Marie LeReyard, came to Morada as well. The LeReynard was much into spiritualism, and she sought to control the spirit of Ricci, thinking to bind this deadly force and have it do her bidding. In a place of dark rites and darker magicks, Marie and her associates called up the spirit of Ricci... and bound him to the body of her associate, Beau Landreaux. But something went wrong. Terribly wrong. Beau was consumed by madness, and ran into the jungle to find refuge. After that, he was only to be seen infrequently, and those who saw him during these time say it was like he was being torn apart from the inside out."
Karinovna explained, "Beau was found dead several months later, in another country. Killed by the hand of Marie LeReynard, or so the police say. But his death does not end the saga of The Ricci, or of the oopir's sworn vengeance. No one can say for certain if he died with Beau, or if Beau's death only freed him to once again roam in this world."
Karinovna concluded this story saying, "The white rose was gentle Lucia's symbol, and it is from her that we have heard warnings of Ricci's return. The cold and the dark, those belong to Ricci ... and it is said, by the wise among us, that we have not seen the last of him."
The third stop was at Southern's Auction house in the French Quarter. Here, Karinovna asked an ironic question to the tour participants, "The French Quarter seems to have had its share of tragedy and untimely deaths, most linked to love -- The love of money, of self, of another. It is interesting, da, that most crimes are committed in the name of love?"
Karinovna began with a historical account, "This house has seen much in the years. Before Amanda Carter purchased it and turned it into an auction house, it was owned by a family whose lineage dated back to the French Colonialists. This story came to me from the source. William Carpenter lived through the ending events which occurred here, and so told me of the tale.
Karinovna began the story, "Once upon a time, in the eighteen hundreds, a young woman lived here with her papa e babushka, how you say, her grandmother -- her Nana. The girl's mother died during childbirth, and the Nana acted in that stead. Liana was a pretty young thing, as most of our heroines are. Fair skin, blonde tresses and a lovely figure made her a very desirable partner for the young men of the time. She was of marriageable age, but her Nana rejected all of the offers for her granddaughter's hand. She did not feel that Liana was ready. She did not feel that they were good enough. She did not feel that they would treat her precious granddaughter as she deserved. And who is to say, in some ways, she was not correct?"
Karinovna explained, "The truth was though, the Nana did not wish her granddaughter to leave her. The girl was her most precious possession, and it tore her apart to think of Liana living with anyone else. One day, the Nana found out that Liana had been secretly meeting with one of the young men about town -- he was rich, he was handsome, but he also had something of a reputation for playing the rake. When confronted, Liana lied. And her grandmother knew that Liana lied. The young suitor came here, to Liana's home, on one fine afternoon. A social call, as often the gentlemen made. He was turned away though by the grandmother. Angry, he asked why he may not see his beloved. In return, the old woman claimed that Liana had gone with another man, and his company was no longer wanted."
Karinovna shared, "Of course this was a lie, but the young man had no way of knowing differently ... and he obviously had no trust in Liana. He believed the old woman and left bitterly angry, yelling dire words. Liana heard of the commotion afterwards and was, as you can imagine, most upset. Her Nana tried to soothe her, while the girl was given the tea which had been set out much earlier. Liana drank the tea, but was not appeased. It mattered not ... for soon she was dead. The old woman cried and cried, and raised the claim that the young man had killed her beloved granddaughter. And as many of the servants had heard his strong, heated words, they supported this belief. Poison was whispered about, and a poison vial was found in one of his saddle bags. The young man was brought in on charges of murder, and was sentenced to death by beheading. The guillotine in the square was kept sharp in those days ... and in this young man's case, it performed its function all too well."
Karinovna updated the account, "More than two hundred years later, another young man, William Carpenter, known mostly as 'Will', visited what was now the auction house. During his visit, he heard some odd sounds. When he investigated, he was beset upon by the spirit of a young, distraught young woman ...Liana. She had found no rest in all this time, and it was to Will that she was drawn. He understood that her death was a violent one, and that there was much wrong behind it. With the help of his friends, he began to unravel the centuries old mystery. It was not without its peril, though. The Nana also had had no rest, and she felt her granddaughter's regard for this new young man, and did her best to thwart him, to hurt him ... to drive him away. But William is steadfast of heart, and he persevered."
Karinovna enlightened the listeners, "They discovered that it was indeed the grandmother who had killed her granddaughter so that no one else would have her ... and they were able to tell Liana that her lover had always been true to her. Once assured of this, Liana was able to find her rest. As far as the grandmother goes, it is said her spirit still lingers in this place ... and will do so until such a time as she can learn what it is to love without possessing. From the story, it sounds as if she will be bound to this place for a very, very long time. So and so, when the evening shadows gather in this place, and you smell the hint of tea and hear a footfall upon the stairs, perhaps you will meet the old Nana yourself, da?"
Karinovna concluded saying, "And that is the story of Liana, her Nana, and the terrible nature of a terrible love."
The fourth stop was at the Savard mansion just north of downtown. Karinova began the tour on the front porch saying, "Our next story is about the family who built this estate. The Savards. The tale is taken from my own journals, and I do not remember where I heard it only that it was back when I first came to the island. It seems no one else remembers it either ..."
Karinovna placed a hand on the head of one of the gargoyles and read the inscription on the base out loud, "'J'ai bon cause,' eta, 'I have good cause,' or 'I have just cause.' E 'Je n'oublierai jamais,' eta 'I shall never forget.' My French is nonexistent, but I am told those are the translations. Once you hear the story, you can decide if the family mottos are ones which suit."
Then, the tour group moved into the house and climbed the rickety staircase to the second floor landing. There were two portraits on the wall. The first portrait was of a stern-faced elderly man with hooded black eyes and a black scowl on his face. His thin lips were pursed, as if in an eternal expression of disgust at the sorry state of affairs surrounding him. Judging from the clothes he was wearing, he appeared to have been a man of some means. However, his expression indicated his money did not provide him with happiness. Karinovna began the account with this portrait, "Eta Raymond Savard. He was said to be a tyrant, this Raymond. His power-hungry ways alienated him from his family, and it is said he drove his wife to suicide."
Karinovna continued, "It is further said that he made his son, Etienne, into a whipping boy for his ambitions. He forced Etienne to live in this mansion which he built, and bullied him into attending to the family business. Raymond's only sister, Madeline, did not like her brother, but as he controlled her fortune, she was bound to do without any monetary support or stay under his roof. She raised Etienne as well as she could after the death of her sister-in-law, but for both she and her nephew, it must not have been a happy state of affairs."
Karinovna continued the account saying, "It came to pass that when Etienne grew up, Raymond chose a wife for his son. But in this matter, the elder Savard was to be thwarted -- for Etienne, in his only truly rebellious move, had already married behind his father's back. He married a young woman of beauty and refinement, but who had no dowry and no social standing. They say her name was Lucille." At this point, Karinovna pointed to the other portrait. In the portrait, a young couple posed in the style and clothing of the early 1900's. The man's face looked gaunt, and the woman's eyes appeared to be haunted, belying the smile that played about her rosey lips. She wore an exquisite cameo bracelet, barely exposed by the sleeve of the white blouse.
Karinovna explained, "If he could not choose his son's wife, Raymond could at least control the situation. Lucille was installed in the manse, firmly placed under her father-in-law's thumb."
Karinovna said, "Time passes, as time does, and in the way of things Lucille came to bear Etienne his only child. They named him Maurice. Not soon after Maruice was born, Raymond began treating Lucille very badly indeed. It is said he dealt out physical blows along with caustic words. Madeline told her brother that if he did not leave the young Lucille alone, Madeline would disown him. Raymond, of course, did as he liked, and Madeline left his roof. Madeline entreated Lucille to come live with her, and to bring Maurice, but Lucille would not be parted from Etienne."
Karinovna said, "Not long after this, Lucille disappeared, leaving behind both her husband and child. Some clothing and jewelry had been taken, so most everyone assumed that Lucille had simply run away to escape her father-in-law. Etienne waited for his wife to return to him -- to he and their son -- but he was never to see her again. Just a handful of months later, Etienne died ...A fall down the treacherous stairs at night brought his short, sad life to an end."
Karinovna said, "Madeline took Maurice to live with her. She asked no permission -- just walked into the mansion, packed the child's bag and walked out. They both moved to Americia, and the child grew up, healthy and strong and lived a good, long life. But for Lucille and Etienne, nyet. It is said, that at night when the moon is hidden, you can see the spirit of Etienne through the attic windows of this old manse."
Karinovna declared, "At the site of his grave, where his bones lie, they say he waits for his beloved Lucille to return to him. And he waits until eternity's end. Who can say? I have seen the glimmer of something in the old cemetery, when I have had cause to be in here at night. But I will not say it is the ghost of Etienne. It makes a good story though, does it not?"
The fifth stop on the tour was at the east Quad of the Morada Armed Forces Military base, which is located on the west side of the west end of town. Karinovna began saying, "This is one of my favorite stories. The records of the event I will relate came from the annals of Snake Silvertongue. This place has much meaning in Moradian history. The Spanish were the first to build here. It was a strong fortress made to guard the waterways. Later, the British built over the old structure. This place has seen over three hundred years of military use ... and much bloodshed."
Karinovna told the listeners, "While many stories have taken place here, the one I will tell you is as old as the Spanish occupation. It was first told on All Hallows Eve three years ago by Joachin de la Vega, the Commander of the Cannoneers; a man who had stood at his post for hundreds of years before his tale was told to us. He has come to be known as the Phantom Cannoneer. Those who heard his tale were taken to another time, another world ... riding the night on the voice of Joachin de la Vega, the commander of the Cannoneers who guarded the way. It is centuries ago, on the night of All Hallows Eve. It is the quinciniera for Magdalena Teresa Bernal, the daughter of then Governor Bernal. It was a gay time, a joyous time this fifteenth birthday party, and all but a handful of the guards attended. The few who did not take part in the festivities were manning the walls, that is, when they were not listening to the waltzes and flamenco which danced out over the calm night air."
Karinovna pointed towards a far wall saying, "And up there, stood young Rodrigo de Alvarez. Da, an ancestor of our current King. He was a fine officer, it was said, and this night he stood his post attentively despite the party going on below. Listen closely ... you hear the waves upon the shore, just as de la Vega did, just as de Alvarez did. But what is that? Over the waves' motion was there the snapping of canvas sails, and the creaking of wooden rigging. No one knew they were out there, the Corsairs, sailing under letters of marque from the French."
Karinovna detailed, "De la Vega said the Corsairs came in at full sail, and breached the outer wall of the fort with their first salvo. Young Alvarez saw what was happening and sounded the alarm, but it was already too late. Of the few cannoneers on duty, the first gun was taken out with the Corsairs' opening salvo, and the second gun only managed two shots. The music from the quinciniera trailed off, and the happy noises turned to that of alarm. Soldiers poured forth from the Governor's residence, as Joaquin de la Vega shouted orders to his men. The use of full sails would be the Corsairs eventual undoing. The Cannoneers returned fire and destroyed their masts, then hulled the sinking ships. Those of the Corsairs who made it to shore were taken prisoner, and those who tried to escape were shot down."
Karinovna told the listeners, "But Joachin de la Vega found no bravery in this battle. It was savagery, he said ... savagery given free reign. The Spanish troops found a fortune in gold and silver, in spices and goods stolen by the Corsairs from plundered ships. Loot for the victors of a brief, bloody battle. But the riches could not make up for the lives lost during that night, all the soldiers who had died under de la Vega's command. The young, much-admired Rodrigo de Alvarez was killed, as were many others who had followed Joachin de la Vega; and to his shame, he -- who should have died in their stead, or at least leading them as was his charge -- he died an old man, living out his last years as a pastoh, what you call a 'shepherd', on a farm in Salamanca."
Karinovna said, "It is said that Joaquin haunts this place, forever chained to watching for danger on these phantom walls by his own guilt over his inability to save his men ... that his crime and his penance is of his own making. It is further said that de la Vega was given absolution in death by his officers, but that his rest will not come until he saves that which he once lost."
Karinovna indicated a nearby withered patch of grass and said, "As a side commentary, they found an old cannon wheel here, and the remains of a bronze cannon barrel. This is where Joachin was seen three years ago on All Hallows Eve. Nothing has grown here since that time, and perhaps nothing will until de la Vega finds his rest by saving that which had lost. Perhaps de la Vega can help the current Alvarez, da? Bozha knows the King needs some assistance."
The sixth stop was at the dark porous stone statue in the Commons, which is located downtown. This immense statue is of a man with his arms crossed over his broad chest, and he appears to be gazing over Bartholomew Bay to the south.
Karinovna reported, "This is not the 'ghost story' per se, though it concerns the spirit world. A while back, the Carib seer, Berenice Kioga, spoke of the forces which surround us, dobro e zloy -- good and evil. I found the Carib world view which she related to be interesting, and wanted to share it with you."
Karinovna explained, "This statue represents one of the heroes of the Carib legends. The Good which watches for the coming of the Evil, scanning the oceans, much as de la Vega and his men did for early signs of approaching doom. Someone once asked Babushka Kioga to speak of the Loa, of the spirits which imbue the world. And this is how she answered..."
Karinovna recited Kioga's words:
"The spirits are all around us. There are those who seek to cherish what the great sustainer has given, and others who would rule over all in dominion."
"One, who is called Kokoatain, is strong now. He is spreading his voice through the island. He is very old, and very wicked. Kokoatain is one who was new when the world was born. He has long desired to take all as his. He is very subtle, and his servants are many. But why his voice has been sent to our island, I know not."
"He has many brothers and sisters. The Loa are many ... A new sister, Ukilamate, is young and yet fresh with her strength. She tries to turn Kokoatain's hand."
"The Loa, they have always been here. Yet now, they awaken. These shores drip with the blood of the slain ... Surely that is not enough to feed the lust of Kokoatain?"
Karinovna asked the listeners, "Good and evil, the peace of death or the torment from beyond the grave. In Berenice Kioga's universe they speak of that which imbues us all, good and evil made manifest in us and outside of us. Kokotain e Ukilamate, Ricci e Lucia. Are they the same being, but with the different faces?"
Karinovna concluded the tour saying, "I have to wonder, in a purely philosophical sense kan'yetchna ...If the parallels between the worlds, between the stories do not indicate a much larger, much broader 'reality' than the one we can touch. But then, when it comes to all things which are dyovyene, 'spiritual', we must all decide how to interpret what it is we experience. For some, these things will always be just tales of things which go bump in the night."
When the tour was over, the participants applauded. The crowd dissipated, but a few lingered around the statue afterwards to talk about the event.
When the participants were asked why they wanted to join a tour such as this, some of them responded:
Veronica Loveing, "I just love creepy Halloween things. That's why I came."
Jon Garfield said, "It was a good refresher on what's happened over the years..."
Ami Stuart agreed by saying, "What Jon said."
Marika Chase said, "Brings back a lot of old memories."
Kyla RedCloud answered, "Cause I'm a paranormal investigator."
Miko Daiumi summed it up when she said, "I knew something of those old stories, but this tell me lot more."
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