The Northeast News

Primal fear – stumbling onto a corpse (Page 49)

By Tom Poland, A Southern Writer
TomPoland.net

Besides the solitary confinement of writing, I cut myself off from the world in two places. Hard-to-reach wilderness areas and forgotten churches where a haunting takes over when I see pews, a pulpit, and the occasional piano. A hymnal now and then too. My haunting? The old congregation. Their bodies sleep nearby, and that brings me to my primal fear. Stumbling onto a corpse.

In our photo-journalism adventures, Robert Clark and I go to remote places frequented by mosquitoes, ticks, gators sometimes, snakes, and perchance two-legged snakes. We see no dead people and we hope to keep it that way.

In my solo pursuits I explore forgotten churches where primal fear dogs me . . . seems an abandoned graveyard in the middle of nowhere would be a good place to bury a corpse. At times Cormac McCarthy’s terrible passage comes to me . . . “The mummied dead everywhere. The flesh cloven along the bones, the ligaments dried to tug and taut as wires.”

That doesn’t stop me from visiting lonely churches, though. A few years back I decided to put several forgotten churches in a magazine. Hearing of my project, retired forester Ken Leach of Greenwood, told me a fellow he worked with forty years ago visited an old, abandoned church near Newberry on Monument Road.

“It had an old piano in it and it was there he taught himself basic piano skills,” said Ken.

How easy to envision a ranger in green and khaki sitting on a three-legged stool, notes ringing out to a congregation of cedars, birds, wasps, and mice. Finding this old church turned one-man conservatory proved elusive. Frustrated, I stopped at an old home with five chimneys. The friendly owners gave me directions.

Toward Monument Road I drove where I came across something I would have never imagined, a place where two World War II bombers collided midair.

From the Newberry Observer: “On Feb. 5, 1943, several B-25 bombers on a navigational training mission departed from Tampa, Fla., en route to Greenville Army Air Base, now Donaldson Air Force Base. At around 5 pm three of these bombers passed over Newberry in a tight V-formation. The day was overcast and when these aircraft approached a dark cloud bank, the lead plane suddenly veered to the right to avoid a flight path where visibility would have been extremely poor. In doing so it collided with the plane to the right in the formation and both aircraft plummeted to the ground, killing all 14 crew members aboard.”

Ought to be ghosts in those woods behind the monument I thought. I drove down a lane in the woods and thought of walking into the woods. Something told me not to. As for the old church, finding the site was the best I could do. The church was nowhere to be seen. An overgrown grassy lane led to a flattened area littered with pieces of ceramic and blue glass. At the site’s edge sat a polished piece of granite, a memorial of sorts. No graveyard that I could fine.

Back on the highway I stood in front of the monument. I had stumbled into fifteen deaths — the men and the church, but no corpse. I thought of piano music and the sound of wailing engines followed by crashing metal. I tried not to think of men with arms flailing like shot-gunned doves, but I caught myself looking into the blue with its cottony clouds. That gave me a haunting of a different kind.

RIP, vanquished church. RIP, airmen.

Neither Robert nor I have come across a corpse and I don’t believe we ever will, but abandonment keeps calling and the world is a dangerous place that gets more dangerous with each passing day.

Primal fear – stumbling onto a corpse

By: John

On: July 30, 2025

In: Columns

By Tom Poland, A Southern WriterTomPoland.net Besides the solitary confinement of writing, I cut myself off from the world in two places. Hard-to-reach wilderness areasContinue Reading

803 Day Returns for Second Annual Celebration of Community and Culture

By: John

On: July 30, 2025

In: Events

The Midlands is gearing up for a weekend of unity, creativity, and local pride as the second annual 803 Day celebration returns August 1–3. TheContinue Reading

529 updates give families more flexibility

By: John

On: July 30, 2025

In: Business, Education

By State Treasurer Curtis Loftis As administrator of South Carolina’s Future Scholar 529 Plan, I’m happy to share that recent passage of the One Big,Continue Reading

Harbison State Forest set to reopens

By: John

On: July 30, 2025

In: Community News

The South Carolina Forestry Commission reopened Harbison State Forest to the public July 29. The decision to reopen came after one dog confirmed to haveContinue Reading

Future Leaders Honored at Youth Empowerment Academy Graduation

By: John

On: July 30, 2025

In: Events

Richland County is celebrating the success of its next generation of leaders! Students who completed the Columbia-Richland Fire Department’s Youth Empowerment Academy were honored inContinue Reading

Summer’s Still Wild at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden!

By: John

On: July 30, 2025

In: Events, Recreation

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is keeping the fun rolling into late summer with a fresh lineup of events, new animal residents, and even a chanceContinue Reading

Invasive Spotted Lanternfly Found in South Carolina

By: John

On: July 30, 2025

In: Community News

Officials Urge Public to Stay Alert and Report Sightings COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina has confirmed its first sightings of the invasive spotted lanternfly (LycormaContinue Reading

Cardinal Newman grad to miss 2025-26 season for Gamecocks

By: John

On: July 29, 2025

In: Sports

By Thomas Grant Jr. The University of South Carolina women’s basketball team will have to wait until 2026 for forward Ashlyn Watkin’s return. Last week,Continue Reading

Golf Tips for Seniors: Play Like a Kid Again

By: John

On: July 28, 2025

In: Sports

By Robin All, Life Member – PGA of America This week, I’m not going to tell you what you should do—but what you should stopContinue Reading

Celebrity Chef Brian Duffy Returns to Judge 2026 Southeastern BBQ Showdown

By: John

On: July 23, 2025

In: Events

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Food Network personality and “Bar Rescue” star Chef Brian Duffy is heading back to Columbia for the 2026 Southeastern BBQ Showdown, onceContinue Reading

Columbia Rapper “Leek Obama” Sentenced to Nine Years for Bank Fraud, Money Laundering

By: John

On: July 23, 2025

In: Public Safety

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Malik Jahlil Bell, also known as “Leek Obama,” has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for his role in aContinue Reading

Primal fear – stumbling onto a corpse (Page 49)

Primal fear – stumbling onto a corpse

803 Day Returns for Second Annual Celebration of Community and Culture

529 updates give families more flexibility

Harbison State Forest set to reopens

Future Leaders Honored at Youth Empowerment Academy Graduation

Summer’s Still Wild at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden!

Invasive Spotted Lanternfly Found in South Carolina

Cardinal Newman grad to miss 2025-26 season for Gamecocks

Golf Tips for Seniors: Play Like a Kid Again

Celebrity Chef Brian Duffy Returns to Judge 2026 Southeastern BBQ Showdown

Columbia Rapper “Leek Obama” Sentenced to Nine Years for Bank Fraud, Money Laundering

Send Us Your News Ideas

Richland County Sheriff’s Department to host 250 bench press challenge

Drink Pink Rosé Festival May 16

Dido and Aeneas performances start May 14

Get in Touch

Call Us