Unlike the sweeping gothic drama of the Perron farmhouse, the Smurl haunting was a claustrophobic, urban nightmare. It began subtly in 1974 with the scent of rotting flesh and phantom footsteps, but by the 1980s, it had escalated into a war of attrition against the family. While the patriarch, Jack Smurl, became the public face of the case, it was his wife, Dawn, who bore the brunt of the entity’s venom.
For Dawn, the haunting was not just about flickering lights or disembodied voices. It was a targeted psychological dismantling. She reported being shoved in the basement, having her bed linens ripped from her body while she slept, and witnessing the infamous "black mass"—a roiling, shadowy figure that would materialize at the foot of her bed. But the most terrifying manifestation was the auditory assault. While Jack heard growls, Dawn heard whispers that knew her secrets—guilt about her children, fears about her marriage, and vicious accusations aimed at her faith.
Dawn’s courage, however, became the case’s turning point. During the climactic exorcism, when the entity tried to physically manifest through a green, sulfurous haze in the master bedroom, it was Dawn who recited the Saint Michael the Archangel prayer through tears of terror. The Warrens reported that while the demon was eventually expelled, it left a parting curse on the threshold of the home: "I will return for the quiet one."
Unlike the sweeping gothic drama of the Perron farmhouse, the Smurl haunting was a claustrophobic, urban nightmare. It began subtly in 1974 with the scent of rotting flesh and phantom footsteps, but by the 1980s, it had escalated into a war of attrition against the family. While the patriarch, Jack Smurl, became the public face of the case, it was his wife, Dawn, who bore the brunt of the entity’s venom.
For Dawn, the haunting was not just about flickering lights or disembodied voices. It was a targeted psychological dismantling. She reported being shoved in the basement, having her bed linens ripped from her body while she slept, and witnessing the infamous "black mass"—a roiling, shadowy figure that would materialize at the foot of her bed. But the most terrifying manifestation was the auditory assault. While Jack heard growls, Dawn heard whispers that knew her secrets—guilt about her children, fears about her marriage, and vicious accusations aimed at her faith.
Dawn’s courage, however, became the case’s turning point. During the climactic exorcism, when the entity tried to physically manifest through a green, sulfurous haze in the master bedroom, it was Dawn who recited the Saint Michael the Archangel prayer through tears of terror. The Warrens reported that while the demon was eventually expelled, it left a parting curse on the threshold of the home: "I will return for the quiet one."
NOTE: If you're still having trouble getting either methods to work, then see here.
I often get e-mails from people asking how they can donate to my projects, but I don't like to accept donations for this particular kind of stuff. If you'd still really like to help out, though, if you buy any EarthBound/MOTHER merchandise through these links, I'll get a dollar or so. This will help keep EarthBound Central up and running, not to mention many of my other projects, like Game Swag!
| Poe | byuu | reidman | Jonk | Plo |
| sarsie | HockeyMonkey | weasly64 | Rhyselinn | PKDX |
| Buck Fever | dreraserhead | Demolitionizer | Kasumi | Ness and Sonic |
| PK_Fanta | linkdude20002001 | climhazard | TheZunar123 | sonicstar5 |
| Skye | Triverske | Mother Bound | Blair32 | PSIWolf674 |
| Ice Sage | PK Mt. Fuji | The Great Morgil | Ness-Ninten-Lucas | LordQuadros |
| Ross | rotschleim | LakituAl | Kuwanger | MotherFan |
| Anonymous | BroBuzz | Trevor | Rathe coolguy | EBrent |
| Robert | KingDarian | Satsy | tapioca | curtmack |
| Chuggaaconroy | Roido | MarioFan3 | blahmoomoo | VGMaster64 |
| Corey | Superstarman | Halloween | Robo85 | ZUUL |
| Crav | Priestess Paula | My Name Here | Aangie | platinatina |
| Petalklunk | Aviarei | Cuca | Realn |
And probably a hundred or more other helpful people! Forgive me if your name should have been here, there are so many to remember that my brain is failing me now. But know that your help was appreciated and led to this patch's creation!