Boone County Ghost Hunters

Here it is. I arrived just before 8:00 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 28 and check in
to Room 410, and was really impressed with the place. Only two years old,
clean & fresh, free wireless internet connection, comfortable bed. After
taking care of some things and eating dinner, I settle down at 10:00 or so to
watch a movie. After the movie, I go downstairs for the last smoke of the
night . At 12:20 a.m. change to my sweats & T and set the alarm for 6:45
a.m. Leave the bathroom light on as I always do when I'm alone at a hotel. I
am a great sleeper, but that night I had the worst time trying to fall asleep. I'm
restless, turning this way and that, and have a horrendous headache -- the
light seems to make it worse. So at 1:15 a.m. I finally turn it off and get some
relief, eventually falling asleep. But it's a fitful sleep with more tossing and
turning, hot/cold, covers on/toss 'em off. And weird dreams. I wake up one
time about 3:30 and I am completely sideways across the bed. I think this is
the time I was screaming because of the dreams. Confused and disoriented,
I sort of wake up and try to get my bearings. I see this faint glow in front of
me. Blink, shake my head, what is it? Throw my arms out in front of me to
feel for it. And it finally goes away. Okay, whatever, let's try to get back to
sleep. Still very restless. The alarm goes off. Gee, it can't be time to get up
yet, I've hardly had any sleep at all. I look at the clock. It's 4:45. I had set the
alarm for 6:45. What the ***? Turn it off. More disorientation trying to
figure this one out. But I'm tired. Recheck the alarm setting ........ yes it says
6:45. Turn the alarm on again (it doesn't start buzzing again as if it were a
complete malfunction) and back to more fitful sleep. I am having one of the
most disturbing dreams ever and wake up extremely startled. In front of me is
an even stronger image than the one I saw earlier, and I'm looking from a
completely different viewpoint than the previous time. It looks like a person
in a flannel work shirt. Again, shake the head, blink, try to focus, but can't. I
start kicking and flailing at it and yell out "get out of here" "get away from
me" on and on and on. Eventually it dissipates. I bolt up and turn on the
light, heart pounding, try to sort it out. It's just before 5:30 a.m. I am
panicking ........ gotta get out of here and clear my head. Grab my jacket,
shoes, smokes and room key and head to the door. All of a sudden, papers
come flying at my feet! I SCREAM. Oh my God, it's just the newspaper
and my bill. Which means a real person is out there. I open the door and just
stare at him. He knew he had startled me and was apologizing, but I just
blurted out at him.
ME: Is this hotel haunted? (Startled look on his face.)
Me: IS THIS HOTEL HAUNTED?
He says, "Ohhhh nooooo, I am so sorry. It will be okay."
Me: What? It is haunted?
The Houseman: looking upward and slowly saying, when this hotel was
under construction, a man hung himself on this floor. There have been
"things" that have happened.
Me: holy shit, I gotta get out of here.
The Houseman: Is there anything we can do for you?
Me: No, I just have to get out of here and clear my head. I'm going outside
and smoke a cigarette. I'm sure I appeared to be a maniac when I reached the
lobby and blurted out to the desk clerk that my room is haunted. She's
taken aback ...... I've worked here since April and I've never heard about
that. Me: But the fellow upstairs just told me it is! I don't know how the
conversation went after that ........ I go outside and light up. And get myself
worked up more and more .......... no way I can stay in that room, all I need to
do is take a shower and get ready for the conference. Just can't do it with a
ghost in the room. Back into the lobby and the Houseman is down there by
this time. They give me the key to a new room on the first floor and the
night man goes up with me to collect my belongings from Room 410.
Starting to calm down and think about everything. The bizarre dream I was
having when I saw the figure the second time at about 5:30 goes like this: I
am talking to this fellow who is with a woman. Arm around her holding her
tight. He looks to be 60ish and someone who does labor. It's hard to tell
how old she is, but very worn out with a catatonic look to her. No contact
can be made. I say to him, oh you're here with your wife Marie. He says no, I
made Marie go away, this is my daughter Laura. No, I say, this is your wife.
He says, No, Marie is gone, this is Laura. I'm thinking, what happened to
Marie? Did she go away or did he kill her? And the impression I have of the
daughter is that he is having an incestuous relationship with her. I am alarmed
and trying to get away from it all. Then I wake up and see the image.

This experience was sent to us to post the story to see if anyone else has
experienced anything while staying at the Courtyard Marriott in Columbia
Missouri. Let us know here Contact Us