WHO WOULD HAVE KNOWN BACK IN 1996 THAT I WOULD BECOME PART OF AN URBAN LEGEND . I OWNED AN OCCULT STORE IN FORT ERIE ONTARIO CANADA , WHERE I SOLD SUPPLIES AND DID PSYCHIC READINGS . ONE DAY AN INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST FRIEND CAME TO ASK ME IF I HAD ANY INFORMATION ON HOPKINS TOMB IN PORT COLBORNE . I TOLD HIM WHAT I KNEW - THE TOMB WAS SAID TO BE CURSED AFTER THREE YOUNG MEN WHO HAD TRIED TO BREAK IN SUFFERED SIMILAR FATES . ONE LOST HIS LIFE IN A CAR ACCIDENT , ANOTHER WOULD LOSE HIS LEG IN A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT AND THE THIRD LOST AN ARM IN AN ACCIDENT . MY FRIEND ASKED IF I WOULD LIKE TO INVESTIGATE - I EAGERLY SAID YES . LITTLE DID I KNOW AT THE TIME THAT IT WOULD CHANGE MY LIFE FOREVER .
WE SET OUT ON A FRIDAY NIGHT AFTER I CLOSED MY SHOP " THE OTHER WAY ". IT WAS A PERFECT B - MOVIE NIGHT , RAIN , THUNDER AND LIGHTNING - YOU COULDNT ASK FOR BETTER . THE JOURNALIST STAYED IN THE VAN TO VIDEOTAPE WHILE MYSELF AND ANOTHER FRIEND BRETT HOPPED THE RETAINING WALL AND APPROACHED THE TOMB . LEGEND STATES THAT IF YOU WISH TO BREAK THE CURSE YOU MUST CIRCLE THE TOMB SEVEN TIMES KNOCKING ON THE DOOR EACH TIME YOU PASS . BRETT DID JUST THAT AND UPON COMPLETION ASKED THAT I DO THE SAME . CONSIDERING MY YEARS OF WORK IN THE PARANORMAL I DECIDED IT WAS NOT NECESSARY - IT WOULD BE 24 HOURS BEFORE I REALIZED HOW WRONG I WAS . THAT NIGHT ENDED WITHOUT INCIDENT .
THE NEXT NIGHT I WAS VISITING FAMILY IN NIAGARA FALLS ONTARIO . UPON LEAVING MY COUSINS HOUSE THE CAR I WAS IN HIT A TREE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED . I REMEBER THE IMPACT AND THEN EVERYTHING WENT BLACK . THE NEXT THING I REMEMBER IS STANDING AT THE FOOT OF MY COUSINS DRIVEWAY SOME 300 OR MORE YARDS AWAY FROM THE SCENE - MY FACE COVERED IN BLOOD . WHEN I REGAINED MY FACULTIES I SENT MY COUSIN BACK TO THE CAR TO HELP MY SISTER AND THE DRIVER . WHEN MY COUSIN GOT TO THE CAR THE DRIVER WAS KICKING IN THE PAASENGER SIDE WINDOW AND PULLING MY SISTER OUT . IT WAS A BRAND NEW TWO DOOR CAR WITH ELECTRONIC WINDOWS . IT SEEMS THAT WHEN THE DRIVER AWOKE THE WINDOWS WERE UP , THE DOORS WERE LOCKED AND I WAS GONE . I HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE BACKSEAT OF THIS TWO DOOR CAR - NOBODY KNOWS HOW I ESCAPED .
TO THIS DAY THE TOMB REMAINS A PLACE OF MYSTERY . HOPKINS HIMSELF HAS BEEN SAID TO VISIT THE TOMB DURING THE SPRING EQUINOX AND EVEN HIS OLD RELIABLE DOG HAS BEEN SAID TO HAVE BEEN SEEN GUARDING THE TOMB . IS IT CURSE OR COINCIDENCE THAT I SUFFERED A SIMILAR FATE TO THOSE YOUNG MEN WHOSE ADVENTURE HAD SPARKED OUR INVESTIGATION ? IT IS UP TO EACH INDIVIDUAL TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES - I KNOW WHAT I BELIEVE .
FOREVER IN PEACE
MICHEAL TEAL
THE ANCIENT ONE
www.bardic.on.ca/ancient
