iNTO THE FRAY 552 | The Sleeping Ones

In this episode of Into the Fray Radio, host Charissa welcomes author Melissa Crecy to discuss her book *The Haunted Place*, which chronicles her years-long experience with vivid, recurring dreams about a specific location—the Copper Penny Trading Co. in Cushing, Oklahoma. Melissa reveals that she began dreaming about the building in 2018, drawing detailed maps of its layout long before ever visiting it. Her dreams featured a sinister woman she calls 'the mean lady,' a tall, sharp-toothed figure with Gibson Girl hair and a cameo, who controlled shadowy, sheet-covered entities she refers to as the 'sleeping ones' in the basement. After years of keeping her experiences private due to skepticism and dismissal, Melissa finally visited the Copper Penny in 2024—only to find the dream world mirrored in reality. She was physically overwhelmed by the presence of the mean lady, confirmed by the owners that her dream map matched the building’s actual layout, including hidden rooms and the exact placement of the 'dark place' and the teddy bear. The episode explores the building’s layered history as a mortuary, doctor’s office, furniture store, and church, and the possibility that the mean lady was a real historical figure who maintained control even in death. Melissa also shares her emotional journey of validation, healing, and her desire to free the trapped spirits, particularly the sleeping ones, through a spiritual cleansing. The conversation ends with a call for others to share their own experiences at the Copper Penny, emphasizing the power of small, cumulative details in paranormal storytelling. The episode underscores the profound psychological and spiritual impact of recurring dreams and the transformative power of confronting one’s subconscious through physical exploration. Melissa’s journey—from isolation to public sharing—serves as a testament to the importance of narrative as catharsis. The Copper Penny, with its rich history and layered energy, emerges not just as a haunted site but as a living archive of forgotten lives. The host and guest reflect on the ethics of storytelling, the limits of rational explanation, and the emotional weight of being believed. Ultimately, the episode is a meditation on identity, legacy, and the haunting nature of unresolved pasts—both personal and collective.