Phantom Companion

A phantom companion is the last thing you would ever want, especially when you’re out in the streets in the dark of dawn. That’s exactly what happened to an elderly woman on her way to church one cold October dawn in Calbiga, Samar Province, the Philippines.

The Philippines is the only Roman Catholic nation in Asia. Devout Catholics, especially the elderly, make it a habit to attend early dawn Masses every day. This elderly woman left her home at around 4:30 A.M. and started heading for church about five blocks away. As was her routine, the lady was on foot, clutching her rosary and prayer books. The street was deserted except for a few stray dogs barking at her as she passed by.

One hundred meters from the church, an round tin lid (like the ones that come with cracker cans) flew out from somewhere, landed beside her, and rolled from the momentum. The old woman was a bit annoyed. She kept thinking a group of teenagers, still out from the previous evening’s revelry, was playing a prank on her. She dismissed it and continued walking since she couldn’t see anyone in the darkness at all.

A strange feeling came upon her and prompted her to look to her side. The round tin lid was still rolling, keeping pace with her a good fifty meters from where it had landed beside her! It was all she could do to quicken her pace as cold dread crept over her entire being. Still, the tin lid kept rolling by her side! It was only at the church grounds’ gate that the round tin lid fell on its face and lay still. It had rolled a full one hundred meters, clearly a violation of the laws of physics.

Was it possessed by an evil spirit? You be the judge. Whether you have an open mind or what, on dark, restless nights, you would never ever want a phantom companion.