A ghost story is rarely only about a ghost. It may also be about grief, fear, memory, identity, family, belief or a moment when the familiar world suddenly became impossible. Many people who experience something they cannot explain keep it secret for years, fearing ridicule or dismissal. When they finally speak, they are not simply recounting an entertaining tale. They are entrusting someone else with an event that may have permanently changed how they understand reality. Since beginning her project to document paranormal experiences across Milton Keynes, psychologist and writer Dr Steph Lay has spoken with witnesses in cafés and pubs, through video calls, emails, voice messages and chance encounters. Some have recalled brief glimpses of apparitions; others have lived through years of disturbing activity.