Automatic writing hand continues figure eights until commanded to stop
A caller the host addresses as [name withheld] tells Art Bell that they had tried automatic or spirit writing before without results. On their last try, their hand moved in a figure-eight pattern, sped up, dug into the paper, and would not stop until they told it out loud to go away. Days later, the caller says, a book in a secondhand bookstore fell open to a passage claiming that a figure eight in spirit writing means an evil spirit. They took that as a sign never to do it again. They report that they have not done it since.
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 2006.mp3”, starting at 1:34:26). Is this you, or someone you know? Ask for a correction or removal.
The story as told
[name withheld] tells the host they used to dabble in automatic writing because they had read about it. They did not think it was real, and they say nothing had ever happened before. On the last time they tried it, they say, their hand moved in a circular, figure-eight pattern like a Ouija board planchette. The pencil then moved faster and faster. They began to think it was weird and decided to stop. They say their hand would not stop. It kept digging harder and harder into the paper in a figure-eight pattern. They say it felt as though it was not their hand anymore, and they had to physically grab it with their left hand. Even then, they report, it was still trying to move regardless of what they were doing. They say they finally called out, [quote withheld] and had to say it a couple of times before they felt whatever it was let go of their hand. They add that they did not really feel anything holding their hand, only almost a tingle. The host tells the caller they invited something in, that it took control and did not want to let go. [name withheld] then says that a few days later, at a secondhand bookstore chain they often visited, they looked at the occult section beside the sci-fi fantasy books. A book about symbology caught their eye. They cannot remember the exact title. When they opened it, they say, the second part it fell open to said that if you are doing spirit writing and get a figure eight, you have an evil spirit. They say they thought it was freaky that this was the second page it fell open on, and they took it as a sign never to do it again. They report that they have never done automatic writing since. The host closes by discussing intent and warns, [quote withheld]
Reported events, in order
- 0:17
[name withheld] says they used to dabble in automatic or spirit writing but did not think it was real, and nothing had happened before.
- 0:42
On the last try, they say their hand began moving in a circular, figure-eight pattern like a Ouija board.
- 0:52
They report the pencil moved faster and faster, then began digging into the paper. They thought it was weird and decided to stop.
- 0:59
They say their hand would not stop, kept digging harder in a figure-eight pattern, and felt as if it was not their hand anymore.
- 1:19
They report having to physically grab their hand with their left hand, but it was still trying to move.
- 1:28
They say they called out, [quote withheld] and had to repeat it before whatever it was let go.
- 1:37
They report they felt no hand holding theirs, only almost a tingle.
- 1:43
The host says the caller invited something in, it took control, and it did not want to let go.
- 1:50
A few days later at a secondhand bookstore chain, they say a book in the occult section fell open to a passage about spirit writing, figure eights, and an evil spirit.
- 2:41
They say they took the book passage as a sign never to do spirit writing again and have not done it since.
- 2:54
The host discusses intent and says, [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).
- observation· 0:42
Their hand and pencil moved in a circular, figure-eight pattern like a Ouija board.
- observation· 0:52
The pencil moved faster and faster and then dug into the paper.
- observation· 0:59
Their hand would not stop and kept digging harder into the paper in a figure-eight pattern.
- observation· 1:16
It felt as though it was not their hand anymore.
- observation· 1:19
They had to physically grab their hand with their left hand.
- observation· 1:23
The hand was still trying to move regardless of what they were doing.
- observation· 1:28
They called out, [quote withheld] and repeated it before it let go.
- observation· 1:37
They felt no hand holding theirs, only almost a tingle.
- hearsay· 2:35
A book passage said that getting a figure eight in spirit writing means an evil spirit.
- interpretation· 2:46
They took the book passage as a sign never to do spirit writing again.
- host statement· 1:43
The host says that the caller invited something in and it took control.
- host statement· 1:47
The host says that it took control and did not want to let go.
- host statement· 3:26
The host says that the intent is to invite a spirit or something to take over.
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 firsthand story with a consistent sequence and some specific details of sensation and action. But no place, date, or details that can be checked are given, and unconscious hand movement easily explains the main event.
Evidence for and against
- The caller describes the event as directly experienced.
- The sequence is ordered: figure-eight movement, speeding up, digging into paper, trying to stop, grabbing the hand, speaking a command.
- The caller includes a specific later detail: a book passage about figure eights and an evil spirit.
- No name, location, date, or record is given for the event.
- The book title is not remembered.
- No second witness or documentation is presented.
- In automatic writing, unconscious hand movement is a common ordinary possibility.
- The name [name withheld] comes from the way the host addresses the caller and from the automatic labels in the transcript.
- The place and time of the event are not stated.
- 0:42
- 0:59
- 2:35
What the model inferred (not said on air): I am treating this as the caller's word rather than as evidence of something unseen. The score reflects firsthand closeness and consistency. It is held down because the main event has an easy ordinary parallel and has no outside checks.
Only the caller's word is present. No physical evidence, recording, document, or second witness on air is offered, and the one object that could be checked (the book) is not named or examined.
Evidence for and against
- The caller's firsthand story about their own hand movement.
- The caller reports a specific book passage, though they cannot recall the title.
- No paper with marks is described as kept or examined.
- No bookstore name, book title, date, or other record that can be checked is given.
- No second witness speaks on air.
- The transcript does not say whether they kept the paper or showed it to anyone.
- The book title and bookstore chain are not given.
- 2:18
What the model inferred (not said on air): Because nothing can be independently checked in this part of the broadcast, evidence strength falls in the lowest range rather than being raised by how vivid the story is.
The story has unsettling elements: losing control of one's own hand, a pencil digging into paper, and a later warning about an evil spirit. It is partly resolved by a spoken command, and it contains no reported injury or ongoing threat.
Evidence for and against
- The hand reportedly would not stop and dug harder into the paper.
- The caller says it felt as if it was not their hand anymore.
- A book passage they found afterward called a figure eight an evil spirit.
- The episode reportedly ended after they spoke to it.
- No physical harm, ghost, or continuing activity is reported.
- The host presents the ending as a warning rather than an ongoing danger.
- How strong their feelings were cannot be judged independently from the transcript.
- 0:59
- 1:16
- 2:35
What the model inferred (not said on air): I score how unsettling the story is, not whether it is true. The strongest creepy elements are the lack of control over the body and the apparent confirmation in the book. The quick resolution keeps the score moderate.
Automatic writing and comparisons to Ouija boards are familiar occult themes. But the specific figure-eight pattern, the hand digging into paper, and the later book passage matching the pattern give this story an unusual detail.
Evidence for and against
- Automatic or spirit writing is the central practice.
- The figure-eight pattern is directly linked to a warning about an evil spirit.
- The book reportedly falls open to that passage shortly after the event.
- Automatic writing and Ouija-board stories are recurring occult story types.
- The warning from a book is a familiar way of confirming a fear.
- Originality is provisional and compared with the archive. This part of the broadcast alone cannot show how rare it is in the archive.
- 0:42
- 2:35
What the model inferred (not said on air): The model score leans on the unusual specificity of the figure-eight motif and the book falling open, rather than on any newness in the broader automatic-writing setup.
Scoring confidence 0.72 · analysis confidence 0.80 · checked against outside sources: no · evidence available: The caller's firsthand story; Claimed book passage, title not remembered and not examined. The originality score blends the model's score (55) 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.
- Unconscious or automatic movement: a person who deliberately lets the hand move can produce unconscious, seemingly independent motion, and figure-eight patterns are common in such practices. · They describe the practice as [quote withheld] and compare the motion to a Ouija board. In both, unconscious movement is often considered.
- Muscle fatigue, cramp, or involuntary contraction after repeated motion could make the hand keep moving or feel hard to stop. · They report the pencil moving faster and digging harder, and that they had to physically grab the hand with their other hand.
- Coincidence and selective attention may explain the later bookstore passage. The caller was already looking in the occult section after an unsettling experience, and cannot recall the book title. · They say they went to the occult section, a book caught their eye, and they cannot remember the exact title. The passage was about the exact figure-eight pattern they had just experienced.
What stands out
The story is built around automatic writing rather than a haunted place. Its most unusual feature is the reported figure-eight hand movement, followed days later by a book falling open to a passage linking figure eights in spirit writing with an evil spirit. The caller says they stopped the episode with a spoken command and treats the later book passage as confirmation or a warning.
Related stories
Matched by shared recurring details, categories, and wording.