When Objects Move Unaided…
It’s called teleportation… unless you’re not doing it.
Ever seen a vase float across a room? My friend has—more than once.
In a haunted Reno house, objects move, invisible walls appear, and a ghost with strong opinions about interior design makes his presence known.
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Another true story that may be hard to believe, but my dear friend experienced this on more than one occasion and swears it is true. She even has a second corroborator, so don’t dismiss this immediately.
Often, Sandy’s cousins asked her to housesit while they went on short trips. They owned an older house in Reno, Nevada, that people said was haunted. This didn’t deter Sandy’s cousins from buying it—they embraced their ghostly roommate, even learning his history. According to local lore, the spirit was a former resident who had died peacefully but never quite left. They believed he simply liked things a certain way.
Being a stalwart relative, Sandy accepted this information and stayed at the haunted house several times.
The Vase That Wouldn’t Stay Put
One evening, as Sandy sat on the sofa watching television, she watched in stunned fascination as a vase rose from an end table on one side of the room and floated across to a table on the other side. No wind, no vibration, no trickery, just a slow, deliberate relocation.
Curious, she picked up the vase and moved it back to its original location. It felt normal, no temperature change, no static charge. But after a while, the vase once again traveled across the room as if someone were carrying it.
When Sandy confronted her cousins, they were amused. “Oh, he prefers it on the left,” they said. “He always moves it back.” It became a game they played. Sometimes other objects would be repositioned as well—books, cushions, even a pair of reading glasses.
Sandy accepted this, and since the spirit wasn’t threatening, she wasn’t concerned. In fact, she began to play along, moving the vase frequently during her stays only to find it back on the opposite table.
The Invisible Wall
During one of these visits, Sandy’s friend Linda came by. Sandy had told her to use the back door, so Linda circled around the house to the patio. As she stepped under the wooden cover, she ran into something solid—an invisible force field. She described it as hitting a brick wall, accompanied by a sudden chill.
She couldn’t pass through until Sandy came outside and escorted her in. Once inside, Linda also witnessed the floating vase. Attuned to the supernatural, she wasn’t alarmed. “He’s just particular,” she said, accepting the resident ghost as part of the household.
Ghosts vs. Poltergeists: What’s the Difference?
So what exactly was Sandy dealing with? A ghost? A poltergeist? Let’s explore the distinctions.
In Sandy’s case, the spirit seemed to exhibit traits of both. The vase movement was physical, yes—but it was consistent, nonviolent, and even playful. That leans more toward a ghost with a strong preference than a poltergeist. Poltergeists tend to escalate, often causing chaos or fear. This entity, by contrast, seemed to enjoy rearranging the room like a meticulous interior designer.
Some paranormal researchers suggest that poltergeist activity may stem from unconscious psychic energy—often from adolescents or emotionally charged individuals. But in this case, there was no such person present. The activity was tied to the house, not the visitor.
Folklore Echoes and Paranormal Etiquette
In Celtic folklore, spirits who linger are often described as “house guardians” or “threshold keepers.” They’re not malevolent—they simply maintain order. The invisible wall Linda encountered might be interpreted as a protective boundary, a way of vetting visitors before allowing entry.
In many traditions, spirits are believed to have preferences—certain objects, scents, or arrangements that comfort them. Moving the vase may have been less about control and more about ritual. A way of saying, “This is how I remember it.”
Final Thoughts
Whether ghost or poltergeist, Sandy’s story reminds us that not all supernatural encounters are terrifying. Some are simply… peculiar. And sometimes, the veil between worlds thins just enough to let a vase float across the room.
If you’ve ever experienced something similar—or know someone who has—I’d love to hear your story. Leave a comment or reach out. The paranormal is personal, and every tale adds a thread to the tapestry.
Poltergeists are endlessly fascinating. It’s hard to pinpoint what they are. Interesting case!