Sage burning by [name withheld]’s uncle and “evil spirits” in a house (continuation of an earlier call)
A male caller continues an earlier story about a haunted house. He relays what [name withheld]’s uncle told him and others about the spirits there. According to the caller, the uncle said the spirits were evil and upset because they were stuck in limbo. He said the group had “shook something up” and been [quote withheld] and that a good spirit had been holding the evil ones back. The caller states that from the day the uncle burned sage, no further incident occurred in the house.
This clip comes from the source recording. AI chose where it starts and ends, so it may start or end a little early or late. The word-for-word transcript is not published. You can hear the source recording on the Internet Archive (file “Ghost to Ghost 1998.mp3”, starting at 1:57:09). Is this you, or someone you know? Ask for a correction or removal.
The story as told
This is a continuation of a longer call. The caller, whom the host addresses as “sir,” is describing a house he had discussed earlier. He relays that “[name withheld]’s uncle” explained to them that the spirits there were evil and [quote withheld] [quote withheld] According to the caller, on the day the uncle burned sage [quote withheld] The uncle, he says, told them they had [quote withheld] and were [quote withheld] that they were [quote withheld] and that this had [quote withheld] in the house, while [quote withheld] The caller also relays that the uncle explained the Natchez Indian practice of burying their dead in trees. When a tree falls, [quote withheld] the spirit of that body is released. He says the uncle told them [quote withheld] and that a couple of other spirits are in other houses [quote withheld] The host remarks, [quote withheld] He recommends the book [quote withheld] and says he had meant to interview its author. He closes with “Good morning” before taking the next caller.
Reported events, in order
- 0:09
The caller relays that [name withheld]’s uncle told them the spirits in the house are evil and upset because they are stuck in limbo and cannot get out.
- 0:22
The caller states that on the day the uncle burned sage, there has never been another incident in that house.
- 0:31
The caller relays the uncle saying the group had “shook something up,” were getting in over their heads, and were [quote withheld]
- 0:52
The caller relays that this upset the evil spirits, and that a good spirit had been trying to keep the evil away.
- 1:11
The caller relays the uncle’s explanation of the Natchez Indian practice of burying the dead in trees, with the spirit released when the tree falls.
- 1:31
The caller relays that the uncle said [quote withheld] and that other houses in the area are haunted.
- 1:40
The host comments that the caller’s city is [quote withheld] and recommends the book [quote withheld]
Claims
Each claim is labeled as something the person telling the story noticed (observation), what they made of it (interpretation), something others told them (hearsay), or something the host said (host statement).
- hearsay· 0:09
The spirits in the house are evil and upset because they are stuck in limbo and cannot leave.
- observation· 0:22
From the day the uncle burned sage, no further incident has occurred in the house.
- hearsay· 0:47
The group had stirred something up and were in over their heads, [quote withheld]
- interpretation· 1:04
A “good spirit” was trying to keep the evil spirits away from them.
- hearsay· 1:21
The Natchez Indians buried their dead in trees, and the spirit is released when the tree falls.
- hearsay· 1:31
The uncle said [quote withheld] and that other houses in the area are haunted.
- host statement· 1:40
The caller’s city is [quote withheld]
Scores, with reasons
An AI model gave these scores using a fixed set of scoring rules (scoring-v1). They are editorial judgments and rough guides, not the odds that anything paranormal happened. How scoring works.
This is a mid-story continuation, so it works as a fragment. The raw component scores added up to roughly 53 (firsthand but partial, modest specificity, consistent, ordinary explanations not addressed, some calibration from attributing claims to the uncle). A fragment cap of 40 or less was applied.
Evidence for and against
- Consistent sequence with no contradictions.
- The caller attributes claims to a named third party rather than asserting them himself: [quote withheld]
- A concrete outcome is given: sage was burned and no further incident followed.
- The haunting events themselves are not described here, only their aftermath and explanations.
- No dates, address, or checkable details in this part of the broadcast. The place name is garbled (“Vlaja Lest”).
- Ordinary explanations (coincidence, changing behavior of the occupants) are neither raised nor addressed.
- Whether the underlying incidents are firsthand to the caller or partly relayed from others.
- The labels showing who is speaking shift within this part of the broadcast.
- 0:22
- 0:37
What the model inferred (not said on air): I treated the caller as a firsthand witness of the house events (from the earlier, missing portion) but as a relay of the uncle’s explanations here. The cap reflects that this part alone is incomplete.
Nothing beyond the caller’s word and that of the informant he relays is present: no photograph, recording, document, or second witness on air.
Evidence for and against
- A claimed third-party informant ([name withheld]’s uncle) exists but does not speak on air.
- No checkable details: no name of the house, address, or date. The place reference is garbled.
- No physical evidence claimed to exist.
- Whether any documentation exists outside this part of the broadcast.
- 1:36
What the model inferred (not said on air): A claimed but silent informant does not back up the story under the scoring guide. Scored in the “assertion only” range.
This part is largely explanation. Mild unease comes from the claims that evil spirits are trapped in limbo and that the group was “playing with fire.” No threat, contact, or escalation is described here.
Evidence for and against
- [quote withheld]
- [quote withheld]
- The story ends on a calming note: no incidents since the sage burning.
- No sensory horror or description of an encounter in this part of the broadcast.
- The frightening material likely lies in the portion before this one.
- 0:09
- 0:22
What the model inferred (not said on air): Scored low because this part is explanation and resolved rather than building dread.
A haunted-house setup is common. But the explanation, spirits trapped until the tree holding a tree-buried body falls, is a distinctive, less common detail.
Evidence for and against
- Natchez Indian tree burial and release of the spirit when the tree falls.
- The overall structure, with evil spirits, a good spirit opposing them, a cleansing with sage, and activity stopping, uses familiar themes.
- Only a fragment of the story is available. The earlier portion may contain additional distinctive material.
- 1:21
What the model inferred (not said on air): This is my judgment of how distinctive it is. Novelty compared with the rest of the archive was not computed here.
Scoring confidence 0.40 · analysis confidence 0.50 · checked against outside sources: no · evidence available: The caller’s firsthand word (partial; continuation of an earlier call).; Relayed claims attributed to [name withheld]’s uncle, who does not speak on air.; No physical evidence claimed or examined in this part of the broadcast.. The originality score blends the model's score (58) with how rare the story's details are across the archive. This method is still provisional.
Ordinary explanations to consider
These are possibilities only. None is a finding about what happened.
- The end of incidents after the sage burning may reflect coincidence, a change in the occupants’ attention or behavior, or the passage of time rather than a cause. · The only support is the caller’s statement about the order of events, with no details about how often the earlier incidents happened or what they were.
- House noises, drafts, and structural sounds are common sources of reported “presence” events in old houses. · The caller refers to “that house” and incidents there, but this part of the broadcast does not describe the events themselves.
What stands out
The distinctive element is the explanation offered. The haunting is tied to a claimed Natchez Indian tree-burial custom, in which spirits stay trapped until the tree that holds the body falls. This part of the broadcast is also unusual because it comes almost entirely through a third party’s explanations ([name withheld]’s uncle’s) rather than the caller’s own observations.
Related stories
Matched by shared recurring details, categories, and wording.