I won’t lie; the place
used to give me nightmares.
I watched the original
movie portrayal of the Lutz family’s experience here on a dark
night in the 1990s, and I was lucky to have my older sisters and a
few friends present. Upon further research I often found myself
getting unfriendly dread and sensations that I was not alone.
The idea of being helpless
in bed while someone of your immediate loved ones decided to stand
over you and end your life was a haunting proposition in its own
right. The possibility that otherworldly evils forced you into it
added to the freaky factor.
The Lutz encounters are
probably the most debated case of fraud in paranormal history, but
that does not change the fact that only one member of the family that
dwelled there previously is still alive- and he is serving life in
prison for the six members who are not.
Mass murder of bizarre
circumstances took place in the walls of the beautiful Dutch colonial
by the river, and that itself can create a storm of energy that is
unable to rest in death.
Layers of fascination
built over the years as I discovered the famous “ghost boy photo”
that was captured during an investigation that followed the Lutz
family’s hasty abandonment of the house. This was done by the
Channel 5 news crew with Ed and Lorraine Warren in attendance. It is
possibly the only source of credible evidence that supernatural
things dwelled in the house. Others claim that the photo has been debunked.
This does not erase the fact that George and Kathy both
passed lie detector tests, and they went to their graves saying that
the accounts were true. Their sons have come forth corroborating the
stories.
But no reports of further
paranormal occurrences plague proceeding residents. And why would
they want to stir the fire since the town seems disturbed by an
overwhelming amount of visitors and gawking tourists like myself?
These are people with much less respect- people who have taken pieces
of the house, the grass, the personal space of private owners. Some
have even been known to ring the doorbell. Can’t say I wasn’t
tempted.
The quiet town does not
associate itself with the terrible things that happened on Ocean
Avenue. You will find no stores with ghostly memorabilia, but you
will find a fence around the horror house yard and plenty of ‘No
Trespassing’ signs to keep you going on your way.
I was drawn there after
years of reoccurring dreams that saw me going up the stairs and into a
different room each time. The rooms were always dark as I was pulled
into the blackest section where something awaited me. Growing older,
the dreams changed. I was no longer pulled or forced into these
places, rather I would charge forward on my own accord to face off
with whatever hostile beings dwelled in the black corners.
I suppose being an adult
has its advantages sometimes.
On that note, I made it a
point to not have to dream anymore. It was the day after Halloween,
and I was determined to make it a reality.
After heathens of New York
traffic, I cruised into Long Island late in the day. Charming signs
welcomed me into Amityville, and I was relieved to have a while to
breathe on less busy roads. The buildings and houses gave the homey feeling of a quiet area. It was not long before I took a right turn onto
Ocean Avenue. One STOP sign later, I beheld the place that consumed my
mind for so long.
Formerly addressed as
number 112, it is in an upscale neighborhood with people going for
walks and groups of kids riding bikes. ... Little bastards who would
not take my picture in front of the house.
The home looks unique from
all the others and is by no means isolated. The black-cloak
decoration of a witch stretched across the house face under famous
windows that have been remodeled from when they looked like the eyes.
I found it ironic that Ronald DeFeo Jr. claimed a black-hooded figure
handed him the gun that he used to slaughter his family.
The sign that used to be
in front of the house is long gone from the place, much like the idea
that the sign used to convey when it read High Hopes.
I turned around, parked my rental in the business center on the corner, ordered a pizza, and went
for my walk. Leaves of all colors made rattles on the street.
My heart pumped as loudly
in my chest as the leaves that made scraping noises along the street. It was not
long until I stood before it, smelled the New England air, and hoped
to get no hassle from neighbors. I took a long stare at the place and wondered, like most people do, why each member of the DeFeo
family was found face-down in bed, why none of them were awakened by
the sounds of gun blasts, and why zero neighbors heard anything
out of the ordinary aside from the dog barking.
I internally criticized
how it would not be a surprise for neighbors to notice me and cause
trouble, even though they were unable to notice more than five rounds
of high powered rifle blasts in the middle of the night. But then I
fell back into wonder at other claims about the house.
George Lutz claimed that
the night he and his family fled, it sounded like a storm inside the
house. And I believe it was Hans Holtzer who mentioned that some
entities are able to encapsulate sound like a force field trying to
keep secrets.
I certainly know of
hauntings where noises of chaos, destruction, and broken dishware
turn up no mess at all. It is a phenomenon all its own, and I always
wonder what type of entities are able to manipulate sound so
intensely. How is it possible to convince our ears that we hear
something? It must be equally possible to convince unwanted ears
that they hear nothing.
To top off the strangeness, Lutz often said he was drawn to the fireplace repeatedly at the infamous 3AM hour- the same hour said to be when the DeFeo family were executed.
From the other side of the
river, I took a picture of the house with a red sunset in the
background. Another surreal moment of accomplishment. ... And, yes, it was fantastic pizza.
The house on Ocean Avenue
in Amityville, Long Island is on the market as of the moment this is
written. If you happen to score the purchase, please let me in for a
sleepover. I assure you a night of utmost respect and quietness.
Nothing paranormal happens there anymore, anyway.
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