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Visit simplyscarypodcast.com to learn more about this and our other weekly storytelling programs.Thank you for listening and enjoy the show.
This episode is brought to you by Fume.Got a certain bad habit?Well, turn the bad into good with the help of the Fume flavored air device.Fume has served over 300,000 customers and you can be the next success story.
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The new Apple Watch Series 10 is here.It has the biggest display ever.It's also the thinnest Apple Watch ever, making it even more comfortable on your wrist.
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Good evening.I'm storyteller, Otis Jiary.And I ain't your grandfather.From where I'm from, we don't do bedtime stories.And if that's what you were expecting, You're in the wrong place.
If it's terrifying tales you're after, well then, I've got just the thing.Get comfortable.Settle in.Turn off the lights, if you dare.Your night is about to get a whole lot darker.Who needs sleep anyway? Ha ha ha...
Ha ha ha ha ha!Good evening!You're listening to Scary Stories Told in the Dark.Welcome, dear listeners, to Season 16, Episode 2.I'm your host, Otis Jirye, and here as well is my neighbor, Malcolm Blackwood.Hello, dear listeners.
I hope you are well this evening. And in this episode, we'll be performing five tales to terrify you, courtesy of authors Kyle Harrison, Dale Thompson, Craig Groshek, and Hyde Price.
Tonight, we'll hear stories of naughty neighbors, exsanguinating experiments, familial frights, baleful boatings, and ravenous rivalries.
You're listening to the standard edition of tonight's program, which contains the first three spine-tingling stories.
If you'd like to show your support and enjoy an extended version of this and other episodes with twice the terror, visit simplyscarypodcast.com and click Patrons in the upper menu to sign up today.
Thank you for your support.Your support is most deeply appreciated, and nothing warms our cold, unmoving hearts quite so much as providing more terror than you can take in one sitting.
Now, it's time to take a walk together down the moonlit trail.So lock your doors, turn your lights down low, and settle in.The show is about to begin.Mwahahahaha! Well, you've chosen a very interesting time to stop by.
We've gotten into an evening of game playing before you came, and so far, it's been a very interesting experience.
Well, your chess game is admirable, but you still have some ways to go when it comes to placing down your gravestones in skeletons of Catan.
Still, nothing quite like a nice round of Stradigool to even up the odds a bit, though.
I always did find the rule change where the miner dies no matter what they find to be a bit on the rough side, but I suppose that's closer to real life.
Yes, you never know what you're going to dig up, are you? when it gets down to it.Especially when it comes to the undead.Sometimes they want the flesh of the living, sometimes the brains, sometimes your blood.
It's like a shopper at Whole Foods, always wanting it fresh from the source.And who can blame them?A nice warm cup of blood can hit the spot on a cold day.
Well, yes.Vampires and their ilk are always looking for a nice bite.But, as Kyle Harrison is about to share, some vampires are a bit different than others.
You don't say.Well, perhaps we can pause in our match for a moment.I'm wondering exactly what we're in store for.
Without further ado, I present to you, my next door neighbor's a monster. Throughout the years, I've had my share of quirky and strange neighbors, but none quite as interesting and unforgettable as Eliza Munoz.
I met her during my second year of residency at Baylor Medical in Dallas, and from that very first encounter, she immediately caught my attention.
I was just stepping out of the elevator and jingling my keys when two people shoved their way out of the emergency stairs and up against the wall.
One of them was a tall, slender redhead with a curvy figure and a short black dress with lace stockings underneath and pumps.
She was gorgeous and vivacious as hell, but I immediately felt dirty for thinking such thoughts about a woman that was clearly old enough to be my mother.
The man that was pinning her to walk was younger, though probably two or three years older than I, and muscular as heck.The two of them were kissing and moaning like two animals, and I rolled my eyes in disgust.
Get a room, I muttered as I went into my apartment and closed the door.Even then, because of the thin walls, I could hear everything they did that night.
And as embarrassing as it is to admit, I was extremely turned out by the vitality and sexuality of this woman.I was jealous, too, of a life that I would probably never be part of.
Two days later, I found out her name, thanks to another gentleman caller she had.This one was a Spanish dude who yelled and cussed at her when she threw him out and threatened her.
Once again, I was caught in the middle, and once he was gone, she ran out into the hallway and tossed his clothes like they were garbage.His dirty pants hit me and I dropped my phone mid-text.
I'm like, God, I'm so sorry, she said, leaning down to get it.If I wasn't already enamored by a figure, this view would have tipped me over the edge, since all she was wearing was a thin nightgown. It's fine.Sorry about whoever he was.
I said nervously as she passed the phone back to me.Julio?He's no buddy, hon.She said, crossing her arms in front of her chest, and then her eyes drifted up and down my figure like she was sizing me up.
I felt so uncomfortable and had butterflies in my stomach that I didn't even pay attention to the questions she was asking me.So she waved her hand in front of me and muttered, are you deaf, sweetie?I said, what's your name?
Richard, Richard Pross, I told her.She told me her name and I memorized it like it was the only thing in the world that mattered.Hmm, you look about my son's age. Have a good night, Richie," she said with a smile and closed the door.
I'm not afraid to admit that I jacked off to her calling me Richie about three times that night, and almost every other night that week.What can I say?
I haven't been laid much since I started the job, and this woman and her abundant sexuality were driving me stir-crazy.
Every time she would bring a different man home while I was up late doing studies, and I would hear her and her lover rock the bed, I'd lose all concentration and just have to take a cold shower.
Eventually, I realized I would need to work up the courage to actually try and make a move.After all, some of these men were even younger than me, so what was the harm in me giving it a go, too? Life was too short not to take risks.
I said those type of boosting phrases about a zillion times before finally deciding to go over to her apartment one night and ask her on a date.My plan was simple.
I was just gonna use some cheesy pickup line and return some mail that got accidentally placed in my box downstairs. Yet, instead, that night changed everything.
Her door was slightly ajar, as though her and her latest boy toy were in such a mood they couldn't even be bothered to close it.
I was just about to turn around and go home, deflated that I'd come on a night when she was busy, when I heard what sounded like a bone crack and a squeal of pain.
Immediately I thought she was in danger, so I pushed the door open and stepped into the dark room.I heard what sounded like soft gasping, and I whispered her name.Are you okay?I asked softly as I made my way into the small den of the apartment.
The noises were coming from her bedroom.I felt wrong to intrude like this, but it felt like she might be in some kind of danger. The sound of pain was getting worse with each second, and my curiosity got the better of me.
What I saw is something I doubt I will ever get out of my mind.At first I could make out just the curve of her back, but it wasn't the same way I was used to seeing it at all.
It was almost like she was twisting her spine around the man she was straddling. Her body stretching and constricting to surround him the way a boa would.As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I realized that was exactly what was happening.
She'd managed to contort her entire body and was suffocating the man the way a snake might when preparing to devour its meals.
breasts were pressed up right against the man's face as he lost all consciousness, and then her mouth was stretching and detaching her jaw to allow room for her to swallow him whole.
In the middle of this horrific scene, her sparkling green eyes darted up and focused directly on me.Not knowing what else to do, I ran.I didn't look back until I made it to my apartment and bolted the door shut.
I hardly had time to even catch my breath when I heard a sharp knock at my door.Gazing through the peephole told me it was my sultry neighbor standing there in just a gown with her midsection showing and no underwear beneath it.
Her torso was still covered in her lover's blood.Richie, I need you to let me in, she said in the most sensual voice. I closed my eyes, trying to shake away the visions I'd just seen in her apartment, and swallowed a gulp of air.
I'm sorry you had to see me like that, Eliza told me.If you let me in, I can explain.I saw her lick her fingers as though savoring the last bit of the man she had likely just ripped the head off of. I ignored her.
I thought for sure she was going to smash the door in and smother me, and I wasn't sure whether I found that idea sexy or downright terrifying.
But surprisingly, she finally left me to my own devices, and I slid down onto the apartment carpet and gave a long sigh of relief.I didn't sleep one wink.I just sat there, listening to the sound of her finishing her meal and shuddering involuntarily.
I think I might need to break my lease.After my first encounter with Eliza, I tried my best to try and avoid any contact with her at all.
I think what was the most infuriating was the fact that even though I knew what she was doing to these men, when I heard her getting raunchy, it took almost all my willpower not to get aroused myself.
Was this just because I was a pathetic loser who needed a date?Or was I really infatuated with a woman that was most likely a demon?I found out the answer two days later when we had another encounter in the hallway.
She looked tired, like she had spent all her energy coming up the stairs.Then she spotted me and pinned me to the wall the same way she had that Spanish guy.Oh, but what are you doing?I asked nervously.
If this had happened a week ago, I would have been beyond thrilled to be in her arms.But now, as her heavy breathing hit the back of my neck, and she whispered, I need you now. All I could think of was I was about to die.
I considered making a cry for help, but the hallway was empty save for the two of us, and the other half of me wanted this badly even if it did mean that I was going to wind up a meal for this mistress.I was thrilled and enticed all at once.
It didn't last very long though, that feeling of excitement and titillation, because I watched before my eyes and this beautiful woman transformed into a monster from legend.This episode is brought to you by Fume. Folks, it's time to have a talk.
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First, it was her teeth, those perfect rows of pearly whites, suddenly became elongated and pointed, the way I'm sure many artists rendered vampires.Then it was her tongue,
It unnaturally split down the middle, forking and sliding toward my neck as though she were scenting, where best to incapacitate me.Would I even feel anything, or would this just be a slow, cruel death?
Her power over me was unbearable, and I wanted nothing more but to give in.Her seductive green eyes now took on a hypnotic presence. Nothing in the world mattered except becoming a prey.
Her neck stretched, her jaw detaching itself in order to prepare to feed.And then I saw a shock in her eyes.I was pulled from the trance and I realized how close to death I'd come.My arms were bruised, my legs paralyzed by her grip.
And what was it that broke her ritual? It took me a second to see a man standing in the hallway, and it was he who pulled her from her next meal and tossed her aside like a ragdoll.
It took me another few moments to recognize that it was Julio, the angry lover she had thrown out days before.How could he possibly overpower this goddess?
As I stumbled backward and fell to the floor, I suddenly realized that Julio no longer looked human himself.His chest was exposed and revealed cracks in his skin that resembled a molten rock that threatened to burst from a volcano.
His hands were sandpaper, coarse and brittle, but clearly not made of flesh.And his eyes, his perfect composure, were now broken as his visage revealed actual fire blazing behind his irises.
Eliza was not happy with his interruption and immediately hissed back at her ex, the way a spitting cobra would. They were going to fight, and if I didn't get out of the way, I was going to be collateral damage.
I crawled backward out of the way as Julio moved toward her again, slamming his fist against the wall by her head.You dare to disobey your master?Julio said in an inhuman voice.His fiery fury was threatening to spread toward other parts of his body.
Eliza didn't bother to apologize.She snarled and hissed and leapt toward him, her fingernails resembling sharp claws.I was only a few feet from my doorway.Escape would have been easy.After all, Eliza just tried to kill me.
And I didn't feel like this was anything a mere mortal could be involved with.But I felt a tinge of guilt that I was considering abandoning her. Especially as I realized that Julio was likely the stronger of the pair.
He was easily blocking her blows and when he did attack, it caused her perfect skin to appear burnt.Was he some kind of fire demon?I also realized of the two of them, if I saved Eliza, she would be thankful.
I doubted Julio would even bat an eye at killing us both. It was for that reason I convinced myself to stay and see if she needed help.
Immediately, Julio grabbed her by the throat when she attempted to pounce again, holding her up and causing her feet to dangle.I've been waiting for this moment for nearly three thousand years. Now you will die for your sins."
He snarled as fire bellowed out of his mouth and eyes.I instinctively rushed to grab a fire extinguisher.At this rate, he could easily burn down the entire apartment.
Without missing a beat, I broke open the glass and grabbed the cylinder, pulled the pin, and aimed it at the strange demonic man. Eliza was screaming and shrieking as he tightened his grip and tried to collapse her airway.
Then I pointed it toward him and squeezed, sweeping the foam toward his fiery body.Julio let out a roar of frustration and dropped her, futilely trying to block the steady stream with his hands.
I barely had any time to know what to do next, nor had I planned ahead. In a few moments the fire monster would be charging and the only hiding spot was my apartment a few feet away.
I went over to Eliza and helped her up, glimping toward the door and hoping that this would work, but she seemed paralyzed the moment I tried to go through the entrance.
And behind her, Julia was laughing and spitting out more fire, eager to make both of us pay now.Fight me. Elisa said desperately as I tried to pull her over the threshold.
It sounded like a silly ritual that such a simple act could save her, but it did.A few simple words and she fell into the den of my apartment gasping for breath.Meanwhile, her hothead ex was stuck at the barrier glaring at me.
You should not have gotten involved, gringo. Now, as soon as you leave this place, I will kill you.Then I will kill everyone you care about, he says.
I could see that the extinguisher had caused some damage to the left half of his fiery face, his skin cracking and collapsing in on itself as he winced in pain.
And you are only fooling yourself if you think that snake will not feed on you once she's at full strength.You've doomed yourself either way, Julio sneered.Then he stormed back toward the stairs.
I looked down at the floor at Eliza's unconscious form, frightened at what I had just gotten myself pulled into.Had this been a trap for her to ultimately get me right where she wanted me?Leaving wasn't an option.
Calling for help might endanger someone else. No, all I could do now was wait.Wait, and I hope Eliza was thankful I saved her life.Most guys would think they're lucky to have a gorgeous woman in their apartment all to themselves.
But Eliza was not an ordinary woman. I speculated that she might be connected to the ancient beast known as the Lamia, or perhaps something similar to the traditional vampire.
Well, after what happened yesterday, I'm inclined to believe any crazy theory.The trouble started a few hours after Julio had left.I suspected that he was hoping I would let my guard down and venture outside of my apartment.
But when Eliza finally regained consciousness, she told me otherwise.The Sharuf must regain its strength.It will not return until dawn breaks, she said with a weak voice as she struggled to sit up.
I offered to help her, but she hissed at me in defiance.If you were to come near me right now, I'm not sure I could resist my primal instincts, she said softly. I did my best not to twist that into some kinky roleplay, and asked her what she meant.
In short, Richie, I need to eat to gain my strength back.Otherwise, neither of us will make it out of here alive, she said as she winced in pain.As long as he can't come inside, we're safe, right?I asked.For now.
until Julio grows brains bigger than his balls and realizes he can overcome the seal by burning the entire building down," Eliza muttered.She was sitting at the edge of my bed now, her bare legs showing.I did my best not to get aroused.
I felt like an adolescent, driven only by my impulses.It was embarrassing.She smiled, seeing my interest, and commented, If I'm ever supposed to thank you properly, then we need to get out of this mess."
It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what she meant, but I also understood there was an underlying threat laced in her words.If I couldn't save her, Julio would return, and he'd finish us off both.
Well, it's not like I can just bring someone here and have you eat them, I muttered. Eliza blinked those seductive green eyes at me and pitifully asked, why not?I huffed.I was a bit impulsive, but I wasn't stupid.You murdered them.
The last time I checked, that was a crime.She looked at me for a long time and laughed.Surely you aren't a naive, Richie.In the short time you've been my neighbor, how many men have you seen me with?
I didn't really know of a way to answer that, honestly, but before I could even think it over, she said, If these were men of any consequence, don't you think that the police would be pounding at my door?I'm selective with my meals.
I choose scum, the lowest of the low.Those who deserve to die in won't be forgotten by society.What I do is not evil.It's a service to the place that I've called home for centuries. In many ways, it's like what a spider does to handle flies."
I felt my mouth go dry, and I looked at my feet shamefully.But you also were going to kill me.A moment of weakness.I've been off my game.I have to eat regularly, or my more animalistic side takes over, she admitted.
I swallowed a gulp of air and looked toward her. I could see that a portion of her skin was peeling against her face, and she looked away, shamefully.This is also for your safety, Richard.I was nearly ready to kill you.
Without something soon, I won't be able to stop myself.That was enough to give me pause.I couldn't even imagine the lengths she would go to fight these urges, but it frightened me, and it terrified me more to disobey.
So, despite not having a clue what I was going to do or how, I left the apartment searching for a meal for a monster.Part of me thought I should just leave.Get in my car, drop out of college and just get out of here.
But guilt and probably a bit of curiosity kept me from doing so.Julia would be back and would kill Elisa if she wasn't at full strength. I couldn't have that in my conscience, especially after I misjudged her feeding patterns.
I know that most people hearing this will think that this isn't for her to decide who should live and die, but I'd been thinking.She's been around a few millennia, so I feel like she has a better judge of character than most of us were.
Besides, even in my short time here in Dallas, I've definitely seen my share of justice that needed to be served.I don't know.Maybe this was my way of convincing myself that I could use my new connection to Eliza as a means to an end.
Either way, by the time I reached the bottom floor and saw my apartment super, I knew exactly what I was going to do.Carl's always been a jerk to me, and today was no different. Brass, what the devil are you doing wandering the lobby?
You look like a stalker.He snarled as he spotted me.I thought of all the times he had joked and said I was fat or gay, or when he had flirted with married women and promised discounts to anyone who would give him sexual favors.It was disgusting.
I couldn't think of a reason why such a horrid human being had escaped Eliza's wrath.There's been a leak in my bathroom that needs fixing.Your maintenance men are slower than molasses.Can you come up and get it working so I can get a shave?
I muttered.I knew he had no way of disproving it, and since it wasn't particularly busy, he went ahead and came along for the ride.
You know, if you were a half a man, you would have been able to solve these issues," he muttered, as he jingled his keys to find the right one for my power box.Let me go in first.The place is a mess, I told him.Inside, Elisa had shed more skin.
Her upper body was looking more scaly and snake-like by the minute.When she saw me, I thought for sure she would attack. Yet instead all she could do was hiss weakly, food.I brought something.
I admitted as I turned toward the door and told Carl he could come inside.What happened in the next five minutes is probably the most grotesque thing I have ever seen.
Seeing what she had done to a lover in the dark, a few days prior was nothing compared to this perverted act in broad daylight.As soon as Carl was in the room, she slithered over to him and pounced.
He was shocked, confused, and, I think, a bit enticed by her power.I didn't want to watch him get devoured by the monster, but I found I couldn't look away. First, she crushed his windpipe so he couldn't scream.
Then, without waiting for any chance that he might escape, Eliza stretched out her body and allowed the folds of her skin on the side of her bust to expand like a king cobra would.
She lulled him into a false sense of security as she began to feed, digging her mouth into his shoulders and neck first. Before long, Carl looked like a disemboweled mess or raggedy and all that had their stuffing pulled from them.
There was blood everywhere.I was doing my best not to faint.The rest of my mind was realizing that this could have been me a few hours ago had Julio not interrupted.That made me physically ill. Had that fire demon saved me?
And if so, had I just unwittingly given my captor the power to kill me any time she wanted to?Eliza finished Carl a few moments later, and then told me that she needed to go shed in the restroom.
It was disturbing to see her crawl across the floor like a snail would, but for some reason I stayed still. She told me it would take a few hours for the old skin to be removed, and she promised me answers as soon as she was done.
I've been mesmerized by the bloodstains and asking myself, has this really been worth it?I've definitely got in over my head here.Let's start with Eliza Munoz and what she told me after she finished shedding her skin.
First off, when she left the restroom, she no longer resembled the gorgeous women I knew.Instead, this one had iridescent skin that shimmered like the blue sky of one of those aliens from Avatar.
Part of it was disturbing, but the rest of it was something I was totally enamored of.She really was a goddess in human form. Thank you, Ritchie.I owe you my life."She told me with a smile as she touched my chest and added that I should sit down.
There wasn't much time left before Julio returned, and she said there would be a few things I could do to prepare for his arrival.It's not often that someone like me can defy a Sharuf.
We're bound to their mates by the pillon long before we were ever created. But our ways have been dead for quite some time now, and some of us do not know how to move on.I've been gathering my strength in order to attempt to break free.
Thanks to you, I have my chance.When Julio returns, I will kill him, she told me. How can I help?"I asked nervously.The only thing capable of killing someone as strong as Julio is by performing an ancient ceremony to awaken the Wequif.
You could call them soulless demons.They roam the earth devouring all negative emotions in a vain attempt to gain a sense of being, Eliza said with a scoff. The way she talked made it sound normal, but I was still perplexed by all of this.
I don't think I'm familiar with any of this mythology, I admitted.Do I look like a legend to you, Richie?She asked, her eyes sparkling as she looked at me with that same seductive glint in her glaze.Was she really attracted to a loser like me?
What could a pathetic human like me have to offer anyway? Okay, you have a point.But I don't want to get his ritual wrong.I mean, it's a demon, right?What if I piss it off, I asked.I will guide you every step of the way, she assured me.
I checked the time.Julio could be back in less than an hour.It didn't seem like it would be enough to learn the ins and outs of a complicated magical system.But Eliza had faith in me and I didn't want to disappoint her.
Just by being yourself you can control them.I trust you."She said as she started to guide me through the different phases.I could tell she was nervous.Would Julio return with friends to do her in?How much time did we really have?
I was having a hard enough time focusing when she was in front of me.Even though she was clothed, her new heavenly body was just too much for me to handle. I wanted to touch every curve.Then, before I knew it, there was a rapping on the door.
Julio had returned.I know that you're in there.I can smell your fear, he snarled.For some reason, I was feeling cocky and retorted back, You sure that isn't yourself, bud?Julio responded with a burst of fire under the door.
I jolted back and looked toward Eliza in concern.Do you understand how to summon the W'kuf?She asked me anxiously.I didn't like the way she was talking.Did she intend to die here if I couldn't get this working?
Did she expect me to learn this magic, strange language so quickly?I'll give you one chance to make this right. Open the door and send that bitch to fry, and I'll spare your life," Julio told me.
I was desperately trying to finish the ritual, chanting the words that Elisa had told me to say.But instead, she chose to go confront the strange, fiery demon.Keep working at it, Richie.I'll hold him off, she told me.
I could tell she wasn't as confident as she should be. who knew how much stronger Julio was.She opened the door and two legendary monsters stared down at each other.
I worried that someone in the hall would see, but surprisingly, there was no one else out there.Julio, you may have power over me now, but that's about to change, Eliza said with a snarl. It'll be fun to make you eat your words, the fire demon said.
Then she struck like a cobra that was ready to devour its prey.It was hard to focus on what she told me to do while I was hearing this legendary fight right outside my door.
All of Julio's body was nearly transformed into molten lava, his mouth spewing fire as Eliza tried to wrap herself around him.The heat had to be intense because I could feel it from within my apartment.I did the ritual again, this time for real.
I couldn't afford to practice anymore. Drawing the strange sigil on my floor and then waiting for something to happen was the most nerve-wracking experience ever.I could hear Elisa struggling to hold Julio down.Her skin was starting to melt.
Every moment was torture for her.Then, at last, there was a response from the air around me.Something that looked like a were-wisp swarmed the room. At first it was gentle and soft, twirling about my body like a brisk wind.
Then it became angry, unstable and fierce.It moved toward the two in conflict and shrieked its nameless fury.The sound of its arrival was enough for Julio to give pause.Then the spirit attacked.
I've seen a lot of strange things in my few days with Eliza, but to see this bizarre demon disintegrating before my eyes, it was the most disturbing of all.Julio let go of her and stumbled backward, aimlessly trying to stop the shapeless entity.
began to make his body temperature increase dramatically.His own body cracked and crumbled.He screamed in a language I hardly understood and shot a few bursts of flames toward Elisa.But it was too late.Somehow, I had successfully stopped this brute.
As his body collapsed onto itself, the spirit twirled back up in the air and looked toward Elisa next. Did it plan to kill her as well?As stupid as it sounded, I ran up to block its path.The ghost ran straight through me like a bolt of lightning.
It took Eliza's breath away and she fell to her knees, gagging as she felt it destroy her own life force.Then the spirit was gone, whisking away toward the sky. No, no, no, no!I said as I fell to her side and tried to keep her from fading.
It's all right, Richie.It's all right.This is what I wanted to have happen.At last, I, too, can pass on and join my ancestors.I can be free of beasts like Julio forever.She said as she touched my face softly.
I didn't think I would ever have a chance with her, but she pulled me closer and gave me a warm kiss.I owe you more than that, but circumstances don't allow, she admitted.I smiled and brushed back her hair.It was a pleasure meeting you, I told her.
Maybe we can meet again in my next life, she suggested. Then her body started to transform into ash.She gripped my hand, gasping for breath to the very end, and she was gone, and I was alone, staring at the ash as it drifted down the hall.
I like to think I learned a few things from my horrific experience with Elisa. The world is a lot more complicated and intricate than I ever knew.And I think she actually taught me how to stand up for myself.
I've been thinking I can't blame anyone except myself for my dating problems.I should put myself out there.And that's what I'm going to do.I don't know if that means I'll ever meet a woman as intriguing as her again.But life is too short.
to not at least try.I hope you enjoyed My Next Door Neighbor is a Monster by Kyle Harrison as performed by yours truly.
If you enjoyed that tale and would love to read more from tonight's very talented featured author, you can help support him by visiting simplyscarypodcast.com slash Kyle-Harrison.That's simplyscarypodcast.com slash K-Y-L-E dash H-A-R-R-I-S-O-N.
Thanks again for your support of this program and tonight's featured author.
True love is a wonderful thing.This wasn't quite it, though.More of a true lust kind of situation.
But you have to admit, it was a passion where the flames burned brightly.
Oh, indeed.If only both men were able to swallow their pride as well as she swallowed a vagrant.
In our next tale, Dale Thompson.Hold on a minute. Did you really have that many enemies stacked up on my board at last turn?
It's just a little fortification.I'm sure your demonic hordes will make short work of it, if, of course, they can fly over my wall of everlasting pain.
Perhaps it's time I did a little experimentation in my tactics.
And speaking of experiments, Dale Thompson has a story, once again starring a certain good doctor and his friends, in what happens when the road to hell is paved with the best of intentions.
Speaking of which, I play the road to hell card on your wall of everlasting pain.
Interesting move.Well, I do have a trick or two still up my sleeves.
Without further ado, I present to you, The Misery Man.Jacob Millwright was linked to tragedy.Behind his trusting eyes teemed mischief and mayhem, chaos and disorder in abundance.
He saw the world as prosaic, and he, being a narcissist, fed upon the ignorance of others, leaving mounds of destruction in his wake.He was always the smartest person in the room.
He valued his youth and his good looks, and prided himself on his physical appearance.He never met a stranger, and he could light up a room. Everyone who met him would have sworn he was a salesman, but he had nothing to sell except lies.
Though he sold nothing, yet was profitable and always had money.He was the type of guy you did not ask a lot of questions of, but most people had plenty they wished to know.
Apparently he was from inherited money and had never earned one red cent of his own. Jacob could be the life of the party, or he could be at the party, and no one would be aware he was there.There are many evils in the world.
There are plenty of ways to get into trouble or to have a little extra fun.Jacob knew all about the nightlife and its amenities.
If you had a chance to talk to him, you would have been schooled in the do's and don'ts of getting ahead and never being taken advantage of again.Rumors swirled within the circles he rubbed elbows in.
Good things were said, bad things were supposed, but no one knew for sure what the truth was. His refusal to be forthright was condemned by those who barely knew him.
His eccentricities, of which there were many, formed the basis of much speculation and unwarranted suspicion and accusations.For his faithful, the pathos captured their imaginations and loyalty. He and another man, Locke, were constant companions.
Although one was hardly ever seen without the other, they somehow lived different lives and crossed paths often.Aversion, mistrust, and fear were attributes both men did not feel ashamed of.
Jacob would win over people and receive the accolades of admiration as his talents became manifest.
with timeless vibrato and character, befitting someone everyone ought to know, he entered a tavern stealthily and found a table where he was immediately served with a cocktail, compliments of a stranger across the room.
Jacob was studying the room, extrapolating what he could from two or three sweeps of the floor.His mind was fluent in conversation, yet he was the only one sitting at the table. This was his habitation.
His ancient knowledge was not tempted to permit the rhythms nor vibrations of the room to distract him.He would not succumb to the thrum penetrating through the walls and floors.
If he appeared older, he would be called venerable, but he was not older in this life. Well-versed in esoteric matters, he was amused by this party-like atmosphere, but he did not move from his seat.He simply smiled as people walked past.
Jacob had a haunting presence.Those attracted to him lived their lives within the realm of darkness.Most of these wanted to be ghouls and monsters, but only practiced their nefarious activities in the dark of night.
Some thought they were hiding their sins.Jacob could read a person in seconds and would know what sort they might be.He was dedicated to his craft because his craft gave him life.
He told everyone he was ordained, called to do what he does, but no one seemed to know what he did.For some, this was disconcerting. Jacob was becoming antsy.He believed it was time to move on.He had a present target.
Nothing could possibly get in between him and the target, but he wanted this done cleanly.Not like last time, when riots broke out, fires were set, and he was hunted.He was the hunter.
He did not like to be resisted or reared back on his heels, for he would always push back. Jacob thrived.He was a survivor.He had been to war and he had scars to prove it.Locke watched his back.Locke was devoted.
His dedication and vocation were never taken for granted.Jacob was dependent upon the expertise of Locke.Locke understood movements.He knew the dynamics and maneuvers of the hunt and of the exit.
never start a battle without an escape route," he reminded Jacob.With the target chosen, the play opened with Jacob making the first move.Jacob did not beat around the bush.
He followed the target out of the building and down a desolate black and gray street.Locke followed a safe distance behind, covering the rear and watching the flanks.
Jacob pursued the target to the railway station and took his place on a wooden bench, one gate down from the target.The two men appeared to be the only ones catching the late train.From down the tracks a faint rumble was heard.
The thunderous sound was becoming louder as the light from the train was seen.It rolled into the station with a clawing wind in the immemorial blackness. with clanging sounds and sibilant air screeching with a high whirring and grinding of metal.
No one departed the passenger car.The target entered through the back door and Jacob entered through the front.Locke moved into the car directly behind Jacob's.The target sat, seemingly unaware he had been followed.
Right as the train prepared to begin its journey to the next station down the line, The target quickly exited the train car.
Jacob made a move toward the exit, continuing the chase, but he was stopped in his tracks as two men entered from one end and two men entered from the other.They were wearing gas masks and were suited up all in black.Confused, Jacob attacked.
But before claws and fangs came out, the entire train was filled with a thick fog of gas, and Jacob was instantly sedated.Incapacitated, Jacob moved from the car out to the platform, where he was bound and shackled with heavy chains.
His target was me.I was the bait to this ill-thought-out plan. Theodore Fitton, and with my companions, Peter Blighty, Blake Planton, and Roger Medford, we hunt the monsters that you say do not exist.
Not only had we captured Jacob Millwright Lucharelli, a chief vampire from the Civitateo clan, we had bagged his accomplice, Locke Ford Zimmerman, Both were moved quickly out of sight and then into our waiting van.
We transported the two to our home base, which was tucked away deep in the woods, away from prying eyes and the curious.
We four had worked together for quite some time, receiving our directions and instructions from Dr. Victor Meunier, who had not joined us on these captures of these two fugitives. This particular assignment had not been endorsed by the doctor.
This was our first outing without consulting the doctor, just to see if it were possible, that we were capable, and that we could manage such an undertaking without his direct involvement.
We secured the two abductees in an unescapable fortified room and talked among ourselves as to who was the best qualified to carry out the interrogation.
What we had hoped to achieve was to extract information piloting us to a larger scale collection of these monsters.
Jacob, for example, was not one of the high-ups in the clan, but he was extremely dangerous, merciless, and had a real appetite for carnage.Locke served more or less as his marine.
Locke could be called Jacob's handler, but in this instance, Locke brought Jacob's demise by not recognizing that we had covertly been observing the two of them for a while.
We had never actively pursued these creatures with the intention of an actual capture before, so this was a thrilling moment for the four of us, especially the fact that we'd been successful.Things had gone off without a hitch.
Gaining access to Jacob's mind was going to be difficult.He was highly intelligent, undeniably disturbed, and a parasite who was capable of extreme violence.
Our intention concerning his body was to keep him in an induced anemia without putting him in a hemolytic transfusion reaction.
Specially prepared synthetic blood had been formulated in dozens of units for this interrogation, and every precaution was taken concerning immunoglobulins and blood type.
The experiments we performed gave us supporting data that indicated that vampires do not have to seek specific blood types.They were also immune to disease.Immune response would occur should we transfuse the blood directly into their circulation.
As the blood goes into their gut, the proteins that cause immune reactions, they're destroyed by the digestive enzymes and acid secreted by the gut.
From our earlier experiments, we understood that this was ghastly work, but it must be done if we were to rid the city of these diabolic, blood-sucking leeches.Normally, this was something we would have consulted the doctor about.
However, against my better judgment, I listened to Roger's pitch about ridding the city of vampires and, pardon the expression, got sucked into his plan. With Jacob and Locke secured, we began hooking them up to IVs and monitor leads.
There was a possibility that, tragically, either of them could go into shock with the transfusion, so we prepared for such an occurrence.The pseudo-lives these two had existed in were about to change.
The key to making this experiment work, without killing the subjects, was the amount of trace silver we had blended with the blood.
Because vampires have no brainwaves or heartbeat, and do not breathe oxygen from the air, our experiment intended to watch for any of these signs of human life.Our makeshift laboratory was nowhere near the size or quality of Dr. Meunier's workshop.
The comparison was night and day. we'd secured a fair bit of equipment, which we hoped would suffice.I will admit, seeing these two monsters chained upright gave me no reassurance.
I knew what they were capable of, and if they awoke, they would crave fresh blood.Without boring you with all of the technical jargon, I'll get right into the experiment itself.
Once the synthetic blood began to flow, our eyes were glued to the monitors. None of us had ever performed such an experiment before, and looking back, we probably should have considered our methods.
We'd been privy to sit in on several of Dr. Meunier's experiments, but had never taken it upon ourselves to do anything this dangerous or complex without his direct input and guidance.
The first signs the silver-tainted synthetic blood was having an effect was when Locke jerked twice, violently, practically coming out of his chains and restraints.We were several feet away from him.
In addition, we'd had him in a steel cage, a military-grade reinforced cell, yet we leapt back embarrassingly. Locke's head began to twist and turn in syncopated, quirky, animated movements.His face wrinkled as if fighting off terrible pain.
His fists were clenched as one being electrocuted.His body gave way and relaxed, and his eyes opened.He appeared to be confused, disconnected from reality.Black eyes then found us, and the death stare began. He's attempting some sort of hypnosis.
Do not look into his eyes," Bleck warned.I kept my attention focused on the monitor.No signs of life were present.
Locke tilted his head back and, widening his yawning, rotting mouth open, revealing a bottomless abyss of hunger, as if he were about to have a river of blood poured down his gullet. An amazing moan roared from his vain, swollen throat.
Once again, his focus was back on the four of us.He spoke, and his tone was harsh, unpleasant, laced with venom.I am hungry.Feed me.Increase the flow, Blake instructed Roger, who allowed more blood to flow through the feeding tube.
Why are you giving me tainted blood?I taste the poison. My tongue is burning."Fox said as he strained against the restraints, shouting, I will get you.I will eat you alive.
You will feel every bite, hear every crunch of your bones, but I will not kill you.I will bring you to the point of death, heal you, and eat more.Over time, there'll be nothing left except your pathetic soul, and I will annihilate at last.
Locke was yelling and threatening, but the restraints were not going to break.Jacob's eyes opened.He didn't convulse as Locke did, even though he was receiving the same amount of blood.
With his head slightly bowed, he opened his eyes, looked up through his brow, and saw a wicked smile appear in his placid face.Our monitors were still showing no signs of life in either two of them.
But by all rights, both were still terminal, and both were still vampires.
We were pumping these inanimate beings full of a formula, saturating their veins in hopes the bloodlust in them would subside, and that the person they were in the beginning, before their transformation into vampires and making barren their souls, could be restored.
Maybe we were playing God. We knew nothing about returning a soul damned to the abyss back to its carbon-based form.If we did accomplish what would only be seen as a miracle, would this person regain their soul?
We pushed on into the early morning, depleting half of our blood supply without results. In both Locke and Jacob, we found no evidence we had cured their bloodlust, nor had we returned their lost souls.
Both persons had ceased the cursing and threatening, and gave us the stare of death for many hours straight, without blinking or showing any signs of change, pain, or accomplishment.It appeared we had failed.What do we do now? Peter was visibly worn.
It had been a long, tense night and early morning.We were all exhausted.We were faced with many more questions than when we had begun these first experiments, which yielded no positive results.We'll have to adjust our cocktail, Blake suggested.
More silver?Roger wondered. Possibly one of us should have had more schooling than getting most of our information from the internet.Had to question our methods because they seemed to have proven ineffective.
There were no accusations or patronizing tones among us.The controversy was collectively our way to bear.Yet there was an unpleasant taste, an awkwardness none of us could wash away. cowards."Jacob had been listening to our entire conversation.
What do we do?Roger was distinctly troubled by Jacob's accusation.We keep going, Blake said.Can you gag that thing?Roger inquired.I don't want to get near it.Blake answered.
The thought of entering the cage with the vampires being cognizant was as scary as meeting Satan face to face.Gas them again, then we can gag them both, I suggested.So we did.
We put on our masks and saturated the cage until we were confident both vampires were comatose.The synthetic blood transfusing started again with a more potent dose of the silver. We hoped we were not admissioners during lethal doses.
For us, if this failed, we'd have to start over, and finding and containing a vampire would take a lot of planning and resources.Until the gas lifted, we wore our masks snugly.When it was safe to do so, we removed them.
I volunteered to gag the two creatures, although they manifested human characteristics.I looked at them for what they were.Monsters.And the experiment resumed.Thirty minutes into the second transfusion, Blake announced, I got something.
His voice was excited and he sat up in his chair.What, what, what?We asked as we huddled around his monitor. There's a weak heartbeat.Faint as it is, his heart is pumping blood for the first time since being changed, Blake declared.
We all leaped and jumped, not at the possible success of bringing life to a vampire, but at the booming pounding on our fortified door.Who the devil could it be?Roger nervously asked. No one knows we're here.
We are as secluded as anyone on the planet," Blake reminded us.A thought came to my mind.I think I know who it could be.My three friends looked at me with downcast faces.Before opening the door, we already knew who was on the other side.
We'd been found out and would have to face the consequences.I agreed to open the door. We were not surprised when Dr. Victor Meunier stepped through the threshold.Gentlemen, you have not covered your tracks so well.
I see you have been doing a little chemistry and some biology?He smirked.Then derogatorily he asked, I suppose these two were willing participants tonight? A doctor, these men are not men."Roger attempted an explanation, but was cut short.
I can see they're not men.These are vampires.Don't you think, in all of my travels, I would not know one if I saw one?What are you attempting to do?the doctor asked, curiously.We did not rush to answer.
So we eyed up our apparatuses and medical contraptions, and, well, he came to his own conclusion. Blood transfusions, huh?"He huffed.Let me guess.You were hoping to turn these foul things back to their former selves?
His pause caused us to reflect, and Roger, who normally was not the bravest out of our lot, answered, yes.And, sir, right when you arrived we had a breakthrough.Roger's nervousness remained, but with an excitable quiver.A breakthrough?
The doctor questioned with distress.We have a heartbeat!Blake proudly said as he had created a cure for all diseases of the world.Oh my!Dr. Mounier bent to look at the data.Indeed, you have a heartbeat!
You must kill it before you transform it entirely.We were astounded that the doctor would take such a position.Kill it? It's breathing.It has a heartbeat, Doctor.Next, the brain will start working.And this will be a man again," Peter echoed.
It can never be what it was.You've made a terrible mistake.I had hoped to have gotten here before you went this far.I missed the train.No, bother, men.You can allow this to continue.The Doctor's voice was more of a warning than a scolding.
I would not normally question the doctor, because he was more learned and traveled than the four of us combined, but in this case I had to know what it was that he was basing his apprehensions on.What will he come back to?
the doctor poignantly asked.He can start over, make life anew, Roger rebutted. You might have brought back a beating heart, but just think what he may retain in his mind.He's committed wicked, unforgivable acts against humanity.
Do you believe he may not have memories, hauntings, nightmares?You're bringing to life a soulless man who must face his own judgment based on who knows what sort of morality or lack thereof. The doctor was adamant that we had made a grave error.
Jacob moaned and coughed and lifted his head.Of a strong heartbeat.Brainwaves.His oxygen saturation is normal.Blake gave us a quick update while all the while wondering what to do.Are you going to just let him leave?Keep him caged as a prisoner?
Or a pet?What was to be the finality of this exercise? The doctor was posing good questions.Maybe deep down we did not believe it would work, Roger admitted.Whether you believed it or not, you've awakened the dead.
The doctor walked to the cage and stared into Jacob's eyes.Jacob returned the stare, his face more perplexed than before.The doctor bravely went inside the cage and removed the gag from Jacob's mouth. In a dry whisper, Jacob asked, who are you?
The doctor did not answer.He commanded, get the man some water.It was the least we could do for whatever humanity we were staring at.Where am I?Jacob asked in a whisper.The doctor fed the water to him.
You, my man, are in a lab in the middle of nowhere. were very ill, sick, and dead.These men have returned you to the land of the living.What are your memories?Can you tell us anything about yourself?"The doctor sounded inquisitive.
I remember pain, suffering, anguish, and blood.Lots of blood, Jacob answered.The doctor glanced at all of us with a furtive look. Redirecting his attention back to Jacob, he asked, Do you have family, loved ones, friends you can call on?
Jacob looked away as if trying to remember.I remember a group of people.Yes, a group.We all lived together, but I don't know why.Jacob turned his head to see Locke.This stirred him physically.I know this man. He was my friend, an associate.
I believe he lived with our group.Jacob was answering, emotionally unsure, but sounded as though he was also asking for answers in a hyperphore manner.This is your friend?What's his name?The doctor was stern, without empathy.
Jacob struggled with the answer, but mumbled a question.Brock?Rock?Enoch?I can't be sure.Jacob sounded mildly defeated.The doctor looked to me for an answer, for he did not know his name either.I fed him the answer.You heard Jacob.This man is Locke.
What's wrong with him?Jacob sounded untrusting and suspicious.He's been given a mild sedative, the doctor answered.Why are we restrained?Jacob's life was coming back.He sounded stronger.
Recognizing clearly that Jacob was gaining his strength, the doctor ordered an immediate stoppage to the experiment, and the feeding tube and IVs were removed, but the monitoring devices remained.Stop the transfusion immediately.
Talking directly to Jacob while examining his eyes, the doctor said, Jacob, I cannot provide you with satisfactory answers.
For one, you'll not believe me, and two, by the time I convince you, you may indeed be able to free yourself from the restraints.If that happens, we will all have a problem."
Without warning, after the lines and feeds had been pulled from Locke, he began shaking violently and making horrible noises, seeming to resonate from some abominable place in the abysses of his soulless frame.
His restoration had not gone as smoothly as Jacob's presently appeared to be.Locke still had no heartbeat, though Jacob's was showing a spike and elevating quickly.
Help me, the doctor explained as he tried to hold the intensely agitated Locke in place.But the convulsions were far too violent.Three of us could not hold him, and there was a perceivable fear that he was going to snap the restraints.
This conspicuous scene had to be mortifying to Jacob, who watched it all unfold.Leaning heavily upon Locke, there was no stopping the vivid intensity of his physical upheaval.
I had not noticed when the doctor had arrived, but I was about to find out that he had thoughtfully carried in with him some tools of the vampire trade. Locke had managed to grab Roger's hand in a death grip.
His contraction caused Roger to let out a cry as his knuckles cracked under the iron fist.With the threat of increasing madness, the doctor yelled emphatically, Move back!
I retreated and Roger ducked his head as the hatchet the doctor had carried in with him swung hard, fast, and wide in the direction of Locke's swollen throat. veritable maniacs, hit its target on the right side of Locke's neck.
One would expect a spray of blood, a profusion of projectile liquid.However, deceptively, it did not result in a bloodbath.Locke's head had been partially severed.The room went from calm to cataclysmic in seconds.
We were immersed up to our necks with vampires. Peter screamed, almost feminine, like, Sweet Jesus, sweet Jesus, save us!I was not so sure if he was calling on Jesus, the Savior, or if he was calling Dr. Victor Mounier Jesus.
Regardless, with another divine strike, Locke's head was now cleanly amputated from his body, bumping the floor with a thud and rolling across the cage to a full stop shy of the cage itself. I was thankful there was no torrential spurting of blood.
Just having these creatures under control gave me the creeps.Roger nursed his hand while the doctor retrieved the head and neatly stored it away in a bag he had in a satchel.I was shocked yet was ever so thankful for our sakes.
The doctor had arrived when he did.We still had a real problem. Jacob had witnessed this butchery and all of the chaotic madness which had ensued.I could not help but think most assuredly that he viewed us as the bad guys.I suppose we were his enemy.
There was no way the doctor was going to allow him his freedom. What's happening?Jacob appeared to be in the throes of a panic attack.His eyes were wide, his mouth gaped in petrified horror, and there was an underlying whimper under his breath.
I would say, up until this point in my life, I had never felt so disgusting and unholy.We left Jacob alone, hoping he could calm down so we could actually communicate with him without him being terrified. Truth be known, I was horrified and scared.
I had no idea what a vampire of his caliber was capable of, but I did know that three grown men would not have a chance against Locke without the restraints.We cannot allow him to leave.He has the rivers of Acheron running through his veins.
One taste of human blood and he'll be done for.He is still very dangerous in his weakened state."The doctor was adamant.But what if he has come back, body and soul?Peter suggested.I will not deny that he has returned in body.
Truly, it is proven, but once his soul has been vanquished in darker realms, only God himself would have the ability to retrieve it, the doctor argued. What do we do with him?"Roger asked, holding his very bruised hand.We let him figure it out.
This time I was honest with him.Don't they say the truth sets a man free, the doctor asked?We collectively trusted the doctor more than any other person on the planet.
He was always truthful, forthright, and we had gone through many weird and strange situations with him. Other than Roger, no one had ever been injured.
Roger seemed to be at the wrong place at the wrong time every time, but he was sturdy and a durable friend in body and commitment.When we returned to the cage, Jacob greeted us with pitiful eyes.What is happening?He begged, seeking answers.
Jacob, do you want the absolute truth, or do you want me to spin you a yarn so that you'll feel better about all this? The doctor was trying to lighten the mood before he revealed the secrets to our experiment.Nothing could make me feel better.
I know Locke was my friend.I saw you butcher him.Nothing you have to say will make me feel better.Jacob was in defiance.You say you have no memory of your life.Well, we do not know who you are, really, either.
The daughter's words stumped Jacob, and we saw his countenance lighten.We know who you are in the present, but know nothing about your past, and we have no idea when your past turned into the present.
To make it simpler for you, let me put it this way.You were probably an average man doing average things, but something quite horrifically supernatural occurred in your life,
and your life was stolen, your destiny changed, and everything up until that time was erased.
Since this transformation, you've done many terrible things, and you may have been a wanted man, hunted, and I'm sure if I dug around, there's probably a bounty on your head.These gentlemen, my associates, decided they would try and give you aid.
It has not worked. You are still a man of the present, and your past is lost forever.You see, Jacob, you're dead."The doctor paused as he saw Jacob connecting the pieces.He was in thought.He knew deep down there was a truth to the doctor's expose.
How did I die?Though they do not exist in modern language, you are a vampire. You were at some time turned, and this failed attempt at changing you back to your human life has failed miserably and left us in a precarious position."
The doctor spoke softly and so on.The memories of deeds done started filtering back into Jacob's torn mind.His facial expression was one of excruciating suffering and torment. I am a murderer.I've killed people, stolen lives.
Oh, mercy me, what have I been?"The distress in his voice tore at our hearts.Part of me feels remorse, the other half I cannot describe.I long for the darkness.I crave the taste of the nectar which you've robbed from me.I do not belong in your world.
But you existed in our world, and you were killing nightly if you could," Blake said with an angry undertone.I remember what I am.I am a man of misery.Jacob's demeanor was changing.
An arrogance and pride swelled in him as the noctivagus creature was slowly seeping back into the fiber of his being. I saw the fathomless horror growing.In demonic fury, under hollow cheeks, his anger flared.
His bloodless pallor was a ghostly white, almost a powder, and he bared his ivory canines sardonically.He threatened us.Do what you must. But I am Jacob Belright Luccarelli, chief vampire of the Civitateo clan.I curse you, pathetic mortal creatures.
Created in the image of your god, how laughable your god must be.You will change, and get old, and you shall die.I am unchangeable, immortal. Unknowingly to us, Jacob used his speech as a distraction.
He used his finished power of telekinesis to unlock his restraints.In a flash, he was upon us, his human form metamorphosed into its bulging, dreaded demonic form.With a collective, simultaneous gasp, we were faced with the unexpected.
The room instantly was polluted with the foulness of a the putrid and unhallowed swirling flood of viciousness ensued.His skin was burnt and charred in color.His arms were like sandpaper as they brushed coarsely across my face.
I remembered the eyes were pupil-less and glassed over like a blackened sea.He smacked his lips with slavering relish. He unleashed horror upon us with a spirited, vicious attack, so expeditiously I was entirely caught off guard.
I saw Roger go down with a laceration to his cheek.Peter had been trampled, but was trying to regain an upright position.Myself and Blake struggled pointlessly to secure Jacob's wrist.We were desperately exposed.
Our makeshift laboratory and research center was going to be our crypt. Blake yelled out, Merciful God!His decry did not erase our mortal struggle.The vampire was strong, twisting, jerking, and flailing arms in a maddening fashion.
Greatly augmented, his fatality was demonstrated in a swift torrent of rage and pandemonium.This was enough to unnerve the bravest of the mortal men. I was thrown to the side like a ragdoll.I feared I was headed to a grimacing death.
I heard consecutive thuds and whacks a dozen or so faster than I could have ever imagined.It was the doctor who had prepared himself for a sudden attack.He had severed his second atavistic head the night and added a few extra blows for good measure.
Jacob had fallen practically in the same spot where Locke had fallen earlier.After the vampire episode, we were embarrassed.We feared the doctor might never bring us into his confidence ever again.
He had sent us home that night and used his resources to clean up our mess.We did not see the doctor again for three weeks. I was resting at home, working on my memoir, when a knock came at the door.
I checked the time and saw that it was later in the evening than I had imagined.Normally, my guests give me notice before visiting.I casually answered the door, unsure of what to expect.
To my surprise, Dr. Meunier's driver met my acquaintance and handed me an invitation. The Doctor has invited you in one week, seven days from today, to attend a gathering of friends at his home.He has a story to share with you.Will you attend?"
I opened the invitation and read it to myself.You are cordially invited to attend a storytelling by yours truly.I will convey a story of a monstrous manner and a dreadful crumlick. I answered, most assuredly.
I hope you enjoyed The Misery Man by Dale Thompson as performed by yours truly.
If you enjoyed that tale and would love to read more from tonight's very talented featured author, you can help support him by visiting simplyscarypodcast.com slash Dale-Thompson.That's simplyscarypodcast.com slash D-A-L-E dash T-H-O-M-P-S-O-N.
Thanks again for your support of this program and tonight's featured author.
Delightful.I very much enjoy any story with a happy ending.More specifically, a nice double beheading.It sounds like something you get on the golf course.
Well, I'm certainly not getting a double beheading in this new game.Is this the rulebook?
The thing is bigger than a dictionary.Oh, by far.I can tell the dictionary is nice, but it doesn't quite have the heft you need for a good bludgeon, if you need one.So, how do we play?I don't know, really.
I've never gotten past chapter 83 in the rules, and they don't even get into how you move around the board. But you know what I have read?
A sneaky little tale courtesy of Chilling Tales for Dark Nights creator and founder Craig Groshek about a young man who finds his life turned upside when tragedy befalls his family.But I'm sure it will all turn out well in the end.
Settle down and settle in as I tell you the tale of They Feed at Night. Part 1.The soft glow of the bedside lamp bathed Terence's room in a warm, comforting light.
The familiar scent of fresh laundry clung to the blankets as Abby tucked them around her son, smoothing the edges and making sure he was snug.
It was part of the nightly routine she and Gary had perfected over the years, a routine filled with love and quiet moments where the outside world felt a million miles away.
Good night, sweetie, Abby whispered, leaning down to kiss Terrence on the forehead, his wide eyes filled with the innocent curiosity of an eight-year-old, looked up at her.Night, mom, he said, his voice soft and drowsy.
Gary stood by the door watching the scene with a small smile.His hands were calloused and a little rough from the remodeling work he had been doing around the house.The result of months spent fixing up the old family home.
Tools, 2x4s and scraps of lumber littered the second floor.Evidence of his ongoing efforts to make the place even better than it had been. As Abby straightened up, Gary stepped over to the bed, lowering himself onto the edge with a grunt.
All right, buddy, time to get some sleep, he said, ruffling Terrence's hair.Can I help you with the work tomorrow, Dad?Terrence asked, his eyes lighting up with excitement.Gary chuckled softly.Sure thing, kiddo.
It's always good to have a helping hand.We can get started after breakfast.How's that sound? Sounds good," Terrence murmured, his eyelids fluttering, heavy with the pull of sleep.Gary leaned down and kissed his son on the forehead.Love you, pal.
Sleep tight.Love you too, Dad, Terrence whispered, his voice growing softer as he hovered on the edge of sleep, though not quite there yet. Gary stood up, giving Abby a small smile.
He's almost out, he said quietly, trying not to disturb the peaceful moment.Together, they tiptoed toward the door, careful not to wake him fully.The house was quiet.They only sound the distant hum of the heater kicking on for the night.
Outside, a gentle breeze stirred the branches.A normal, peaceful evening in the suburbs.Nothing out of place, nothing to fear. Sleep well, sweetie.Abby whispered one last time before they slipped out of the room, leaving the door slightly ajar.
As they headed toward their own room down the hall, Gary rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the tightness in his muscles.I've still got a few more boards to put up tomorrow, he said, half to himself.Good thing Terence wants to help.
He loves spending time with you, Abby replied, smiling.Just make sure he doesn't get too close to the tools.Gary laughed under his breath.I'll keep an eye on him.
They parted ways in the hallway, Gary heading for the bathroom to wash up while Abby went to their bedroom to settle in for the night.The house was still, filled with the quiet, comfortable sounds of home.
Back in his room, Terrence lay on the verge of sleep, the soft glow of his nightlight casting shadows across the ceiling. His thoughts drifted to the next day, imagining himself holding the hammer working alongside his dad.
He felt safe, surrounded by the walls his father was improving with care.It was a simple, good life, the kind every kid dreams of. But as his eyelids fluttered shut, a new sound intruded.
At first it was faint, almost too soft to notice, just a slight scraping noise, like the wind blowing a tree branch against the side of the house.Terence turned over, half asleep, convinced it was nothing more than that.
The noise came again, a soft but steady scratching.This time it was closer.He sat up, frowning as he listened.The sound was persistent, deliberate, as if something was trying to get in.Terence glanced at the window, his heart beginning to race.
His room was on the second floor.There shouldn't be anything outside. The scratching continued, and now it was unmistakable, like claws dragging across glass.Terence's mouth went dry, a knot forming in his stomach.
He pulled the blanket closer, his eyes locked on the thin curtains.The dim glow of the night light barely reached them, casting eerie shadows across the room. He didn't want to get out of bed.He didn't want to know what was making that sound.
But he had to.With a shaky breath, Terrence slid out from under the covers, his bare feet touching the cold floor.Slowly, carefully, he crept toward the window, every step measured, his heart thudding in his chest.
The scratching grew louder the closer he got.Whatever it was, it wasn't going away. Terrence reached for the curtain, his hand trembling, as he pulled it aside just enough to peek through the crack.
A face stared back at him, pressed against the glass, pale, with eyes that glowed faintly in the moonlight.Its lips were thin, curled into a twisted smile, revealing long, sharp teeth.
The creature's hand, clawed and bony, was tapping against the windowpane, trying to work the latch. Terrence stumbled back, a gasp catching in his throat.He felt his legs go weak, his breath quickening as his mind raced.
The creature was hovering outside the window, suspended in midair, its empty eyes locked onto him.The scratching stopped, and for a long, terrifying moment, the creature just stared, unblinking, through the glass.Then the window cracked.
A jagged line shot through the glass and Terence screamed as the security alarm blared throughout the house.The window shattered and cold air rushed into the room.
The creature reached through the broken glass, its long fingers searching for a way inside. Footsteps thundered down the hallway and Gary burst through the door, Abby right behind him.
The alarm was deafening, but it barely registered over the sound of his son's terrified screams.Terrence, what's happening?Gary shouted, his eyes darting to the broken window.I saw it!Terrence cried, pointing at the shattered glass.It was outside!
It tried to get in! Gary rushed to the window, his heart racing.Outside, the night was still.No movement, no sign of anything out of the ordinary.The street was quiet, the yard untouched.Whatever had been there, it was gone now.
There's nothing here, Gary said, trying to sound calm, though his pulse raced.He looked back at his son.It must have been a bird or something.Maybe it hit the window. No dad, it wasn't a bird," Terrence insisted, his voice shaky.It had teeth!
It was floating!Gary's face tightened.He exchanged a quick glance with Abby, who was kneeling by Terrence, trying to calm him. It's okay, sweetie, you're safe now," she said softly, though her own fear was starting to show.We're here.
I'll board this up, Gary said, already heading for the door, his voice strained as he tried to convey his sense of control.You stay with Terrence, take him to our room. Abby nodded, her eyes reflecting the worry she felt.Be careful, Gary.
Gary gave her a reassuring smile, though it didn't reach his eyes.I will.Abby nodded and gently pulled Terrence to his feet.Come on, honey, you can sleep with us tonight.Terrence glanced back at the window, his heart still racing.
His mother let him out of the room, but the image of the creature's face, of those glowing eyes, was burned into his mind. Gary lingered in the room for a moment, staring out into the night.
His pulse still pounded in his ears, the alarms ringing fading into the background.He had told his son it was nothing, but deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that something had been there, something unnatural.
The shattered glass crunched under his shoes as he approached the window, his eyes scanning the darkness outside.The night was still, almost unnervingly so.There was no movement, no sign of life beyond the glowing streetlights.
But the memory of Terence's terrified description lingered in his mind, gnawing at him.He grabbed one of the boards he had left behind from the remodeling project and a hammer, his hands slightly unsteady as he worked to cover the window.
The cold night air hit him like a slap in the face, sharp and biting.As he lifted the first board ready to nail it into place, something caught his eye, a flash of movement outside the window.
At first he thought it might have been a trick of the light, a stray branch swaying in the wind.But then he saw it again, a face, staring back at him from the darkness, bathed in shadow and hovering just beyond the broken window.
Gary's breath caught as the figure moved closer, its features slowly coming into focus, the pale skin, the glowing yellow eyes, and the long, protruding canines that glistened in the faint light.
The creature's gaze locked onto Gary's, its eyes narrowing with a predatory intensity.The creature had returned.Part Two In the master bedroom, Abby was doing her best to keep Terrence calm.
The boy was still trembling, his eyes wide with fear as he clung to her.She stroked his hair, murmuring soothing words that she barely believed herself.It's going to be okay, Terrence.Daddy's just fixing the window.We're safe in here.
But even as she said the words, Abby couldn't shake the feeling of dread that had settled in her chest.She hadn't heard anything from Gary since he'd gone to board up the window and the silence was starting to gnaw at her.
Mom, what if it comes back?
Terrence's voice was small and shaky, his fear palpable.Abby forced a smile, though it felt brittle on her lips.It won't, sweetie.Daddy's making sure of that.
Meanwhile, Gary's heart raced as he stared out of his son's bedroom window into the darkness, his breath catching in his throat.The creature with the glowing yellow eyes was there, just beyond the shuttered window.
Its pale, gaunt face pressed close to the broken glass. But it wasn't alone.Beyond the creature, nearly a dozen others loomed in the shadows, their shapes indistinct, yet their movements deliberate and predatory.
Their glowing eyes blinked in the darkness, each pair fixed hungrily on Gary, like wolves circling their prey.
The creature closest to the window made the first move, its clawed hand shot through the gap in the glass, gripping the frame as it began to pull itself through.The others stayed back, watching, waiting for their turn.
Gary stumbled back, his pulse pounding in his ears, the creature's long bony fingers wrapped around the frame, the sharp edges of the glass slicing into its skin as it clawed its way inside.
Its face twisted into a sickening grin, its fangs gleaming in the moonlight. Behind it, the other creatures crept closer, their bodies swaying slightly as they waited for an opening.
With trembling hands, Gary grabbed the hammer he'd been using to board up the window, his mind racing.He swung it wildly at the creature's hand, trying to force it back, but the thing didn't even flinch.
It gripped the frame tighter, then lunged forward, grabbing Gary's wrist with a crushing grip. Gary's voice cracked with fear, the shout desperate and raw.
From the master bedroom, Abby had just settled Terrence under the covers when the piercing sound of Gary's scream shattered the quiet, sending a wave of terror coursing through her.She bolted up from the bed.
Stay here, Terrence, she commanded, her voice shaking.Don't move.Terrence's gripped her arm tightly, his eyes pleading.Don't go, Mom, please. I'll be right back, I promise."Abby reassured him, gently prying his fingers from her arm.Stay in bed, okay?
Abby sprinted down the hallway toward Terrence's bedroom, her heart hammering in her chest.The sight that greeted her when she burst through the door was like something out of a nightmare.
Gary was pinned against the wall by the window, his arm pulled through the gap by the creature, its claws digging into his skin. blood trickled down Gary's arm as the jagged edges of the broken window bit into his flesh.
The creature at the window was feeding, its mouth pressed against Gary's forearm, draining his blood with sickening efficiency.Its eyes, hollow and predatory, flicked toward Abby as she entered the room.
Behind it, the other creatures began to stir, moving toward the window, drawn by the scent of blood. There were too many, almost a dozen of them, each as pale and grotesque as the first, their glowing eyes gleaming with anticipation.
They clawed at the sides of the house, eager to follow the first inside.Gary!Abby screamed, rushing toward him, but Gary's eyes were wide and glassy, his face drained of color.
His arm trembled as he tried to wrench it free from the creature's grip, but his strength was fading fast. I can't…" Gary's words were cut off by a choked gasp as the creature bit down harder, the pain forcing his knees to buckle.
His other hand swung weakly with the hammer, but it was no use, he was losing too much blood. Before Abby could reach him, another creature forced its way through the broken window, this one larger and more feral.
Its claws latched onto Gary's other arm and it sank its fangs into his flesh with a ravenous hunger.Blood poured from both wounds, spilling onto the floor as Gary's body went limp.
Abby grabbed a hammer from Gary's hand, swinging it wildly at the creature closest to her.She managed to land a blow, knocking it back slightly, but it wasn't enough.The creatures were too many, and they were relentless.
Gary's eyes fluttered shut as his body collapsed to the floor.His skin was ashen, almost gray, his body shriveled and drained of blood.
Abby could only stare in horror, her hands trembling, as her husband, once so strong and full of life, was reduced to a hollow shell. She backed away, tears streaming down her face, but the creatures didn't care.
Their glowing eyes turned toward her now, blood dripping from their mouths as they moved closer, stepping over Gary's lifeless form.Abby didn't think.She ran.
Her feet pounded against the floor as she bolted from the room, the creatures chasing after her.Their soft, inhuman growls echoed down the hallway as they moved in unison, a pack of predators closing in on their next kill.
She burst into the master bedroom, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her heart racing.Terence sat up in the bed, his face pale with fear.
Mom, what's happening?Where's Dad?
With no time to respond, she grabbed Terence by the arm, yanking him from the bed.We have to go, now!she cried, her voice shaking with panic.
Terence barely had time to react, fear freezing his movements as his mother practically dragged him down the hallway toward the staircase.The creatures were close behind, their claws scraping along the floor, hungry for the next victim.
They hit the stairs at a sprint, their footsteps echoing in the silent house as they flew down the steps, their hearts racing.Abby could hear the creatures just behind them, faster than she could have imagined, their breathing heavy, almost inhuman.
She urged Terrence forward, forcing him down the stairs faster than she thought possible. They reached the first floor, Abby's hand gripping Terence's as they darted across the hallway, past the living room, and toward the basement door.
Once there, her fingers fumbled for the latch, her heart thundering as she heard the creatures descending the stairs behind them, their growls growing louder.Every second felt like an eternity as her shaking hands struggled to turn the knob.
Behind her, she could hear the creatures drawing closer, their soft footsteps echoing through the house like the ticking of a countdown.With a final shove, she threw open the basement door and practically shoved Terence down the stairs ahead of her.
she urged, her voice a mixture of panic and desperation. Terrence stumbled down the stairs, his small feet barely keeping up with the frantic pace his mother set.
Abby was right behind him, pulling the door shut just as the first creature reached the top of the stairs.The creatures were just a breath behind her, their claws swiping at the air as she slammed the heavy door shut just in time.
Quickly, Abby bolted the door, her body trembling as she heard the creatures slam into it on the other side. Their claws raked across the wood, their growls low and menacing, as they scratched and thumped, testing the barrier.
The basement was cold and dark, illuminated only by the faint light filtering through a small high window.
Abby's breath came in short, uneven gasps, as she guided Terrence to a corner behind the water heater, where they crouched together, trying to make themselves as small and as invisible as possible.
Terrence clung to his mother, his tiny body shaking with fear.
Mom, what were those things?Where's Daddy?
He whispered, his voice quivering.Abby's heart broke as she held him close, her mind racing to find the right words.Words that wouldn't send him spiraling into an even deeper terror.
I don't know, baby, but we're going to stay here and we're going to be quiet, okay?We have to stay quiet.
Above them, the sound of the creatures scratching at the basement door filled the silence, each scrape a reminder of the relentless horror waiting just beyond.Abby's mind raced with options, but every thought led to a dead end.There was no way out.
She cursed herself for leaving her phone upstairs in the panic.She couldn't even call 911.What good would it do anyway, she thought.How could she possibly explain this? Minutes passed, though it felt like hours.
The scratching at the door eventually stopped, but Abby didn't dare move.Terence was shaking, trying to be brave, but failing miserably.Mom, are they gone? Abby hesitated, listening intently.
The house was eerily quiet, as if the creatures had vanished into the night.But she knew better than to trust that silence.Still, she couldn't stay here forever.She needed to know what was happening.
I'm going to check, sweetie," she whispered, her voice trembling despite her efforts to sound calm.I want you to stay here, okay?Stay behind the heater and don't come out until I tell you it's safe.Terence's grip on her tightened.
No, mom, don't leave me.Abby cupped his face in her hands, her eyes locking with his. I promise I'll be right back.I just need to make sure it's safe.You have to be strong for me, okay?"
Tears welled in Terrence's eyes, but he nodded, swallowing his fear as best he could.Abby kissed his forehead and slowly stood up, her knees weak as she walked toward the basement stairs.
Each step felt like she was walking into the jaws of some unseen predator, but she forced herself to keep moving. She reached the door, her hand trembling as she undid the deadbolt and grasped the knob.
With a deep breath, she slowly turned it, opening the door just a crack.She peered through the gap, her heart pounding in her ears. The hallway was dark and empty, the house silent.Abby opened the door wider, listening for any sign of the creatures.
There was nothing.No scratching, no breathing, no movement.Maybe, just maybe, they had left. Summoning every ounce of courage, Abby opened the door wider and slipped through, her eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of danger.
She took a few tentative steps into the hallway, each step measured and cautious, her eyes straining for any sound, any indication that she wasn't alone.Then she heard it, a faint, almost imperceptible sound, like the rustling of fabric,
It came from the direction of the kitchen, just around the corner.Abby froze, anxiety threatening to overwhelm her as she tried to decide what to do.
Every instinct screamed at her to run back to the basement, to hide with Terrence and hope the creatures would leave them alone.But she had to know what was happening.She had to be sure.
She edged closer to the kitchen, every step slow and deliberate.Her breath held in her lungs. As she reached the corner, she paused, her hand gripping the edge of the wall for support.Taking a deep breath, she peeked around the corner.
What she saw nearly made her scream.There, crouched in the middle of the kitchen, were at least a dozen creatures.Their pale, emaciated bodies moved with unnatural grace as they sifted through the remnants of their grisly feast.
Abby's eyes were immediately drawn to the figure lying on the floor.Gary, or what was left of him.His body was little more than a dried husk.His skin stretched tight over his bones.His face, frozen in a mask of pain and terror.
The creatures had drained him completely, and now they seemed to be searching for something more.Something to satisfy their insatiable hunger. As Abby watched, one of the creatures lifted its head, its glowing yellow eyes larking onto hers.
For a split second, time seemed to stand still.Abby's breath caught in her throat as the creature's gaze pierced her soul, its mouth curling into a twisted grin.
Then, with a horrifying realization, she knew they had seen her and now they were coming for her. Abby turned and ran, her bare feet pounding against the hardwood floor as she sprinted back toward the basement.
Behind her, she could hear the creatures moving, their footsteps almost silent but unmistakably fast.She reached the basement door, yanked it open and stumbled down the stairs, her only thought to get back to Terrence.But she wasn't fast enough.
Before she could reach the bottom, the first creature was upon her, its claws sinking into her shoulder with an iron-like grip.Abby screamed, the sound echoing through the basement as the creature yanked her backward.
She tried to fight, tried to pull away, but more of the creature swarmed her, dragging her down.
No, Terrence, stay hidden!"
she screamed, her voice breaking as the creatures tore into her.She felt their sharp teeth sink into her flesh, felt the sickening pull as they drained her blood.
Her vision blurred and the pain was overwhelming, but all she could think about was her son hiding behind the water heater, listening to her die. The creatures fed ravenously, their hunger insatiable as they drained the life from Abby's body.
She felt her strength ebbing away, felt herself slipping into darkness.Her last thought was of Terrence, in the hope that somehow, somehow he would survive this nightmare.
A moment later, Abby was gone, her lifeless, mummified corpse discarded, left, lying splayed upon the basement steps. Part Three The basement was deathly quiet, but the silence didn't bring comfort.
He'd weighed on Terence like a heavy blanket, suffocating him as he sat huddled behind the water heater.His mother's scream had cut through the night, and then... nothing. Terence's whole body trembled as he forced himself to move.
He hadn't heard the creatures in hours, but that didn't mean they were gone.They could still be in the house, waiting.But he couldn't stay down here forever, not knowing what might be waiting for him upstairs.
His legs felt weak as he crept toward the open door, the cold concrete floor chilling his bare feet.He reached the bottom of the basement steps and stared up. The door hung open.She would never have lifted open, not her.
The fact that it was still wide open made the truth undeniable.Something terrible had happened. That single image filled him with a deep, hollow dread.She hadn't come back for him, and she never would.
He swallowed hard and started to climb the stairs, each step slow and deliberate.The wood creaked beneath him, making him wince with every sound.His heart pounded in his chest, and his breaths came in shallow, nervous bursts.
She had been right here, on these steps.He knew it. But now, his mother's body wasn't there.There was no sign of her, no blood, no trace of the struggle he had heard so clearly.
She had been attacked here, he was certain of it, but now she had vanished.The absence of her remains filled him with an even deeper sense of terror.Where is she?he thought.What did they do with her?
He hesitated at the top of the stairs, staring at the area where she should have been.The possibilities of what might have happened to her twisted his stomach into knots.Was she even still in the house?Where had they taken her and why?
Terence moved through the hallway in a daze, his eyes scanning the empty space.The house was trashed.Furniture overturned.Broken glass scattered across the floor.But it was silent.His mother was gone.And his father?
He didn't even know what had happened to him.He had to get out.He had to find help. Shaking, Terence grabbed the landline phone off its cradle nearby and dialed the only number he could think of, Aunt Mary's.
His fingers trembled as the phone rang, his heart beating out of his chest.Please let her answer, he prayed. The line clicked, and his aunt's voice came through, soft but steady.Hello?she inquired.Aunt Mary, Terence began, his voice barely audible.
I... I need help. By the time Aunt Mary arrived at the house, it was already mid-morning.The sun was shining brightly, casting long shadows over the yard.But for Terence, the house still felt as dark as ever.
He couldn't bring himself to leave the front door, staring out into the driveway as a car pulled in.The air was crisp and clean, a stark contrast to the horror that still lingered in his mind.
As soon as Aunt Mary stepped out of the car, she rushed up the steps, pulling the boy into a tight hug.Terrence, she whispered, her voice shaking, pulling him into a tight hug.Are you okay?What happened?You sounded so scared on the phone.
He opened his mouth to answer, but at first no words came.How could he even begin to explain?Terence barely managed to find his voice.They're, they're gone, he stammered, his eyes wide and unfocused.
Mom and dad, they're just gone.
Mary's face paled as she looked around the house.What do you mean gone?
I don't know," Terrence said, his voice breaking.
The creatures, they took them.
His aunt stared at him, clearly struggling to process what he was saying.Creatures, she repeated, her tone uncertain. Before he could try to explain any further, the sound of approaching sirens pierced the air.
Aunt Mary had called the police on her way over and now two patrol cars pulled up behind hers.The officers stepped out, walking toward the house with cautious, purposeful steps.
They exchanged glances, surveying the scene as they approached, but their faces were unreadable.Ma'am, one of the officers said as he reached the porch, his tone professional, We got your call.You mentioned your nephew was in a panic.
Can you tell us what's going on?"Aunt Mary hesitated, glancing at Terence, unsure of what to say.He called me early this morning, saying something terrible had happened.He sounded terrified.I didn't know what to do, except call you.
The officer nodded, then turned his attention to Terence, crouching down slightly to meet his eyes. Hey there, buddy," he said, his voice gentle but probing.Can you tell me what's going on?Did something happen last night?
Terran swallowed hard, his throat tight.He wanted to speak, to tell them about the creatures, about what they'd done to his parents.But it was if the very words lodged in his throat.The truth felt too big, too terrifying to say aloud.
I don't know, he stammered.They're gone. The officer raised an eyebrow.Who's gone?My mom and my dad, Terrence whispered, his voice breaking.
They were here last night, but now they're gone.The creatures took them.
At that, both officers exchanged a brief uncertain glare, not disbelief exactly, but concerned.They weren't sure what to make of it yet. The second officer stepped forward.All right, we're going to take a look inside, okay?
You stay here with your aunt and we'll see if we can figure out what's going on.Terence nodded numbly, watching as the officers entered the house.The door clicked shut behind them, leaving him standing on the porch with Aunt Mary.
The air felt too quiet now, too still, as if the house itself was holding its breath. Terrence and Aunt Mary stood on the porch as the officers conducted a walkthrough of the house.
The front door hung slightly ajar, giving them a glimpse of the chaos within.Broken furniture, scattered belongings, clear signs that something violent had occurred.The wait felt like forever.
Terrence shifted from foot to foot, the cold morning air doing little to calm his nerves.Aunt Mary held him close, rubbing his back in soothing circles. But it wasn't enough.His mind was racing.What if the police didn't believe him?
What if they thought he was lying?Finally, after what felt like hours, the officers emerged from the house.They had serious expressions, their faces hard to read.But Terrence could tell they weren't dismissing this as just a child's fantasy.
One of the officers stepped forward.It's clear something happened here, he said, his tone calm but firm.There's obvious evidence of a struggle.Overturned furniture, broken glass.
We can't confirm exactly what happened yet, but there's no doubt foul play is involved.Terrence swallowed hard, filling a small flicker of hope.Maybe they would believe him after all.
We're going to need more details though," the second officer said, crouching down to Terrence's level.You mentioned earlier that some creatures took your parents.Can you describe these people or creatures for us?
Terrence hesitated, glancing at Aunt Mary before nodding.He felt a lump form in his throat as he thought back to the face he had seen at his window.The first moment he realized something terrible was about to happen.
It was pale, he began, his voice shaky but steady.Really pale, almost white.
Its eyes glowed yellow, and it had sharp teeth like fangs.
The officers exchanged another glance, this time more uncertain.Aunt Mary tightened her grip on Terence's shoulder, a small show of support.The first officer jotted down notes, though his expression remained skeptical.
So you're saying these people, or whatever they were, broke in and took your parents?"Yes," Terence whispered, but it wasn't just them.There were more.I heard them.I saw them.A lot of them.
The officers remained silent for a moment, clearly processing what they were hearing.One of them opened his mouth as if ready to speak, but Terence interrupted, his voice suddenly stronger. window," he said, pointing toward the second floor.
They broke the window from the outside.The officers frowned.The window upstairs?the first one asked.Terence nodded vigorously.That's where I first saw one of them.It was scratching at the window trying to get in.It broke the glass.
The officers seemed doubtful, but shared another glance.Without a word, they went back inside, heading up the staircase.Terence watched them go, his heart hammering in his chest.He hadn't been sure if they'd listen, but now they were checking.
Minutes passed.Terence held his breath, waiting.Aunt Mary stood beside him, her face pale, worry etched into her features. Finally, the officers returned.The first officer looked more serious now, his brow furrowed.
The window upstairs is broken, he confirmed, glancing at his partner.From the outside, just like the boy said.But there's no ledge, his partner replied.What?How did... I know how it sounds," the first officer said.I know.
Terence let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.They believed him.At least, they believed part of his story.The officers might not have bought into the idea of vampires or monsters, but this was something concrete.
Something they couldn't dismiss.The second officer turned back to Aunt Mary. We're going to need to conduct a full forensics investigation.It's clear something happened here.
And while we can't confirm what, we'll treat this as a possible break-in and abduction. We'll also put our sketches based on your nephew's description of the person, creature, he saw," the first officer added, his tone more measured now.
We'll handle this like any other missing persons case.In the meantime, we need to know, did Terence's parents have any enemies?Anyone who might have wanted to harm them?Mary shook her head quickly, her eyes wide.No, of course not.
They were the sweetest, most caring people.They didn't have enemies. The officers nodded but kept their expressions neutral.We'll look into everything, ma'am.Right now, we'll have to start with what we have.We'll keep you updated as we learn more.
After the officers finished their questioning and made their way back to their cars, the house fell silent once again.Terrence watched them leave, feeling the weight of everything settled heavily on his shoulders.
They were going to investigate, but it didn't feel like enough. He stood there, staring at the driveway, unsure of what to do next.His mind was still filled with images of the creatures, of his parents, of the broken window.
Everything felt too overwhelming.Aunt Mary knelt down beside him, her face softening as she placed a gentle hand on his back. Hey, she whispered, her voice low and soothing.I believe you.Terence looked up at her, his eyes wide and full of doubt.
You do? She nodded, rubbing his back in small comforting circles.I don't understand everything that happened last night, but I know you saw something terrible.I'm here for you, okay?You're going to be alright.
Terrence wanted to believe her, but the knot of fear in his chest wouldn't go away.The world felt different now, darker, more dangerous. But Aunt Mary's hand on his back, her soft voice gave him a small sliver of comfort.
He leaned into her, filling her arms wrap around him.We'll figure this out together, she whispered.You'll be safe with me.I love you.I love you too, Aunt Mary, Terence said, burying his face in her chest as he desperately held back his tears.
Part Four The ride to Aunt Mary's house was quiet.The morning sun filtered through the car windows, but it did nothing to ease the tension that hung in the air.
Terence stared blankly out at the passing streets, his mind consumed by the events of the night before.Nothing felt real.His parents were gone, and the creatures that had taken them were still out there.
Aunt Mary glanced at him from the driver's seat, her face tight with concern.She had said little since they left his house, not knowing what to say.As they pulled into her driveway, his Uncle Tom stood waiting by the door.
Meanwhile, his younger cousin Kendra was with him, peeking out from behind his legs with wide, curious eyes.We're here, Aunt Mary said softly, turning to look at him.Let's get you inside.We'll figure this out.
Terence followed her into the house, the warmth of their home a stark contrast to the icy fear that gripped him.Everything here felt normal, too normal, and it made him feel even more out of place.
The comfort he should have felt was replaced by a deep sense of dread.Aunt Mary led him to the kitchen, where Tom was setting the table for breakfast. How are you holding up, kiddo?"his uncle asked, giving Terence a quick but firm hug.
Terence shrugged, unsure how to respond, his mind felt numb.Kendra sat down beside him, her eyes full of questions she didn't dare ask.They ate together in silence, the clinking of silverware the only sound breaking the tension.
Afterward, Aunt Mary suggested they spend the day together, trying to keep things as normal as possible. The day passed in a blur.
Mary and Tom tried their best to distract him, taking him outside to play with Kindra in the yard, even though his heart wasn't in it, and later watching a movie together in the living room.
But the horror of the previous night lurked in the back of his mind, refusing to leave. Dinner came and they ate quietly around the table.
Mary and Tom kept glancing at each other, silently communicating their concern, while Kindra tried to act like everything was normal.But Terence could feel it.Something was wrong.
No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't shake the weight hanging over them.After dinner, Aunt Mary suggested they all get some rest.She led Terence and Kindra to her daughter's room. You'll be sleeping with Kendra tonight.
We thought it'd be nice for you not to be alone," she said gently, trying to sound reassuring.You're safe here, Terrence.We'll all look out for you.Kendra nodded shyly, offering him a small smile, but Terrence couldn't bring himself to smile back.
We can stay up and talk if you want, she said, but Terrence wasn't in the mood for talking.The warmth of the house felt suffocating as if it was no longer meant for him. That night, Terrence lay in bed wide awake.
His mind was a storm of fear and unease, replaying the horrors of the previous night over and over again.Kendra had fallen asleep quickly, her soft breaths the only sound in the room, But for Terence, sleep seemed impossible.
Every creak, every faint rustle made his heart race.He pulled the blanket tighter around him, his eyes darting toward the window.He tried to convince himself that nothing would happen tonight, that the nightmare was behind him.
But the darkness outside felt different, thicker, heavier. as if something was waiting just beyond the glass.The house felt like it was holding its breath.The minutes stretched on, each one crawling by, the silence unbearable.
Terence's body tensed with every tiny sound.His own breathing, the distant hum of the refrigerator, the faint tick of the clock on the wall. But beneath it all, there was something else, something just out of reach.
He didn't want to move, didn't want to turn his head toward the window, but the feeling gnawed at him, that sense of being watched, of something lurking just out of sight. And then he heard it, a faint scratching at the window.
His breath caught in his throat.The sound was subtle at first, almost like tree branches brushing against the glass.But it grew louder, more deliberate, the sound of claws dragging across the surface. A chill ran down Terence's spine.
He wanted to ignore it, to tell himself it was nothing, but the scratching continued, steady and insistent.Slowly, Terence turned his head toward the window.His heart pounded in his chest, his pulse roaring in his ears.
The darkness outside pressed against the glass, thick and impenetrable.But there, just beyond the window, he saw them.Glowing yellow eyes, staring back at him.No, Terrence said under his breath, his voice catching.
The pale, gaunt face of the creature hovered just beyond the glass, its eyes locked on him with a hunger that made his skin crawl.Terence's blood ran cold.It was the same face, the same creature that had come to his window the night before.
They had found him. His body froze.He wanted to scream to wake Kendra, but fear had him pinned to the bed.He could only watch as the creature's claws scraped against the glass, the faint screeching sound cutting through the stillness of the room.
The window creaked, a tiny crack forming at the edge. Terence's breath came in shallow gasps.He pulled the blanket up over his head and curled into the fetal position, hoping the thin sheet of fabric would somehow conceal him.
His heart hammered in his chest, each beat echoing in his ears.He pressed his eyes shut, willing the creatures to go away. But the sound of the window breaking made him flinch, a soft crack followed by a louder one as the glass gave way.
Taryn stayed hidden under the blanket, trembling.He could hear the faint crunch of broken glass as the creatures stepped into the room.The air grew colder, the oppressive silence replaced by the low, guttural sounds of the creatures breathing.
Kendra stirred in her bed, her soft murmur breaking the quiet.But before she could fully wake, the creatures moved toward her.The sound of her blankets rustling, followed by her confused gasp, filled the room.
Terence bit down on his lip, trying to stop himself from crying out.He couldn't move.He couldn't help her. Kindra's gasps turned into a strangled cry as the creatures descended on her.
Her small, panicked voice pierced the air, but it was quickly cut off by the sound of the creatures feeding.Terrence squeezed his eyes shut, the horror of the moment clawing at him.
The wet, sickening sounds of their fangs sinking into her flesh made his stomach churn. He could hear everything.The muffled gasps.The desperate attempts to scream.The sound of blood being drained.And yet he did nothing.He couldn't move.
He couldn't fight.All he could do was lie there, frozen in terror, as the nightmare unfolded just a few feet away.Kendra's cries faded into silence. The room fell still again, the smell of blood thick in the air.
Terence lay motionless under the blanket, his heart pounding so hard he thought it might burst. His whole body trembled as he listened to the creatures move around the room.They weren't done.
He could feel them getting closer, the sound of their footsteps, the soft rustle of their movements as they approached his bed.His breath caught in his throat and his body went rigid with fear.And then the blanket was ripped away.
Terence's eyes snapped open, and there they were, pale, monstrous faces staring down at him.But these weren't strangers.It was his parents.Their eyes, once full of warmth, now glowed with the same cold, predatory hunger as the other creatures.
They weren't his mother and father anymore.They had become a part of the Horde. His mother leaned down first, her sharp teeth sinking into his neck.The pain shot through him, a burning, tearing sensation that made him gasp.
It was as though a fire had been ignited beneath his skin, searing him from the inside.He tried to pull away, but his body refused to respond.The pain was paralyzing, and a wave of dizziness swashed over him as his vision started to blur.
His father followed, grasping his arm tightly, his eyes now devoid of any emotion.The cold grip of his father's hands was like a vice, squeezing the last of the warmth from his body as his teeth punctured Terence's skin.
The sensation was sickening, a deep, hollow feeling as what remained of his blood was siphoned from him. The hunger in their eyes, the same hunger that had devoured the people they used to be, was overwhelming.
Terence felt himself slipping, his body growing weaker with each passing moment.His vision darkened. the edges of the room fading into shadows, he could no longer feel the bed beneath him.
His mother's face was the last thing he saw clearly, her once soft eyes now empty, reflecting nothing but the savage need that controlled her.
He wanted to scream, to fight, to call out to her, to remind her of who she had been, but his voice was gone.He no longer had the strength. As his body went limp, the room seemed to collapse into darkness.
The sounds of feeding faded into the distance replaced by the eerie stillness of the house.Everything around him blurred and dissolved into shadows.His heart pounded faintly in his chest, each beat slower than the last.
His father's grip tightened and the last of his blood drained away, leaving him empty.The cold seeped into his bones, numbing him to the core. Steadily, Terrence's vision faded to black.
The last thing he saw before the darkness took him was the cold, vacant eyes of the creatures that had once been his parents.Then, there was nothing. When Terence awoke, everything felt wrong.His body was cold, stiff, and foreign.
His limbs ached, and the room around him was shrouded in dim light.He blinked, his eyes heavy, and saw Kendra's body beside him, pale and lifeless.
Her once vibrant face was drained of all color, her eyes open but unseeing, staring blankly at the ceiling.There was no blood left in her. The scene should have filled him with horror, but instead, there was only one feeling.Hunger.
It gnawed at him, deep and primal, an overwhelming need that pulsed through his veins.He pushed himself up slowly, struggling to adjust to the unfamiliar sensation coursing through his body.
His limbs felt awkward and rigid, like they didn't belong to him anymore. His muscles throbbed in agony, but the hunger pushed him forward stronger than the pain.The transformation had reshaped him, twisted his body into something less human.
He could feel it in his bones, in the way his movements felt foreign and unnatural.His skin, once warm, was now cold to the touch and his mind was clouded with a single, all-consuming instinct. to feed.
He staggered to his feet, his legs unsteady as he tried to make sense of the world around him.The room was still, deathly quiet, and the scent of blood hung heavy in the air.His senses were sharper now, the darkness more vibrant, more alive.
He could feel everything, the weight of the air, the movement of the shadows, but none of it mattered. His parents stood by the window waiting, their eyes glowed with the same hunger that now burned inside him.
They said nothing, but they didn't need to.Terence understood.He was one of them now. Without hesitation, he joined them.He moved toward the broken window, his body responding to the hunger that pulled him forward.
He leaped through the shattered glass with ease, landing softly on the ground below.His movements were fast, fluid, unlike anything he had ever experienced before.His parents were already ahead, leading the way.
The hunger drove him forward, guiding him to the next house, the next family, their next meal. I hope you enjoyed They Feed at Night by Craig Groshek, as performed by your friendly neighbor, Malcolm Blackwood.
If you enjoyed that tale and would love to read more from tonight's very talented featured author, you can help support them by visiting simplyscarypodcast.com slash craig dash groshek.
that's simplyscarypodcast.com slash c-r-a-i-g dash g-r-o-s-h-e-k.Thanks again for your support of this program and tonight's featured author.
Now, before we go, we'd also like to take a moment to thank you personally for joining us on this episode of Scary Stories Told in the Dark.I hope you enjoyed what you've heard on today's program.
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Good evening to you, and with the tip of my hat, I wish you only the sweetest nightmares.
Until next week, stay spooky.And get some sleep, if you can. Thanks for listening.
You've been listening to Scary Stories Told in the Dark, a production of Chilling Entertainment and the creative team at Chilling Tales for Dark Nights, and a proud member of the Simply Scary Podcasts Network.
Visit SimplyScaryPodcast.com today to learn more about our network and our other amazing storytelling programs.Tonight's program was hosted and its featured stories performed by yours truly, Otis Shirey.
Selected stories have been adapted with the kind permission of their respective authors Original music provided by Luke Hodgkinson and Jesse Cornett.
Sound design and final mixing and mastering provided by executive producer and director Craig Groshek.Programs, artwork, and logo by David Romero.
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