Every state seems to have its cryptid. The Pacific Northwest has Bigfoot. Scotland has the Loch Ness Monster. And Florida — bless its humid little heart — has the Skunk Ape. Imagine Bigfoot, but smaller, smellier, and more confused. That’s the Skunk Ape. A creature said to lurk in the swamps and Everglades, staggering through … Read more
Once upon a time, calling yourself a witch meant something. It meant clandestine gatherings, serious study, an uncomfortable familiarity with poison gardens, and a decent chance of being set on fire by your neighbors. It was not, I assure you, a lifestyle choice you arrived at after fifteen minutes on TikTok and a particularly inspiring … Read more
Palmistry — or chiromancy, if you’re feeling pretentious — is the ancient art of pretending that the tiny, random creases on your palm contain the secrets of your personality, your future, and possibly your past lives, if the reader is feeling ambitious and the client looks like a good tipper. According to palmists, the major lines … Read more
There’s a particular kind of psychic that doesn’t just predict the future — they manufacture it. Stage by stage, whisper by whisper, merchandise table by merchandise table. Serena the Seer is rapidly becoming a textbook case. Once a local curiosity, now an undeniable small-town celebrity, Serena has parlayed gauzy scarves, soft lighting, and a talent for … Read more
St. Augustine, Florida, bills itself as America’s oldest city — a charming mix of Spanish colonial architecture, cobblestone streets, overpriced taffy, and relentless humidity. It also bills itself as one of America’s most haunted cities, which is tourist-speak for “bring your wallet and your willingness to believe anything after dark.” Naturally, I signed up for … Read more
There are many glittering examples of mass delusion in human history, but few sparkle quite so tragically — or quite so stupidly — as the great Fairy Photograph Scandal of the early 20th century. In 1917, two young girls from Cottingley, England produced a series of photographs allegedly showing themselves frolicking with tiny, winged fairies. … Read more