CreepsMcPasta Creepypasta Radio - ”While Urban Exploring in 2014 I Visited an Abandoned Zoological Park" Creepypasta

Episode Date: July 28, 2021

CREEPYPASTA STORY►by xXKikitoXx: https://www.reddit.com/r/nosleep/comm...Creepypastas are the campfire tales of the internet. Horror stories spread through Reddit r/nosleep, forums and blogs, rather... than word of mouth. Whether you believe these scary stories to be true or not is left to your own discretion and imagination. LISTEN TO CREEPYPASTAS ON THE GO-SPOTIFY► https://open.spotify.com/show/7l0iRPd...iTUNES► https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast...CREEPY THUMBNAIL ART BY►Zuzanna Kapuścińska: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/B1...SUGGESTED CREEPYPASTA PLAYLISTS-►"Good Places to Start"- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7YCb...►"Personal Favourites"- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEa2R...►"Written by me"- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gX6RA...►"Long Stories"- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...FOLLOW ME ON-►Twitter: https://twitter.com/Creeps_McPasta►Instagram: https://instagram.com/creepsmcpasta/►Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/creepsmcpasta►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CreepsMcPastaCREEPYPASTA MUSIC/ SFX- ►http://bit.ly/Audionic ♪►http://bit.ly/Myuusic ♪►http://bit.ly/incompt ♪►http://bit.ly/EpidemicM ♪-This creepypasta is for entertainment purposes only-

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Starting point is 00:00:01 When I was in my late teens, I was very into urban exploration. Usually, I was limited to reasonably tame areas. For example, I would just go down streets I didn't know, or walk around abandoned buildings and construction sites. Admittedly, I never spent much time in areas that made me feel that I'm going to get in trouble for being here feeling, and I had a curfew. I was also pretty sure my mom would kill me if I came home late, so I was never late home.
Starting point is 00:00:29 This was until I was about 17. Then I was more self-assured and rebellious. I met a girl, Charlotte, that I wanted to impress. So, naturally, I rammed up how dangerous and scary it could be. Trying to make myself sound cooler, I suppose. She seemed delighted by this, and to my surprise, she hinted at an exploration date. Honestly, it was a miracle my hormone-filled awkward self actually not. noticed her hint and offered to take her along to a super spooky location.
Starting point is 00:01:05 Of course, I absolutely did not have a super spooky location to take her. To buy myself some time, I told her it was a secret location and that if she met me at seven at night with a bicycle, I would take her to this mysterious place. She agreed, and I panicked myself into rapid Google searches of abandoned places in my area. To my horror, There was nothing. Not one place that seemed even vaguely exciting or eerie sounding to visit.
Starting point is 00:01:37 In desperation, I looked up historic records hoping to find an old train station or something. Still, nothing. As I skimmed through the pages of results, the word, Zoological Park Closure 1944 caught my attention. I was saved. Clicking on the link, I saw that the old zoo was little ways out of town. It was closer to the industrial side of town, so I hadn't actually been to that area before, which is probably why I didn't know about it sooner.
Starting point is 00:02:12 It was a Friday night, and that was usually the night my parents went out on their date, so I wasn't going to have any trouble sneaking out. In fact, I told them that I would probably go to bed early since I'd had a long day, and while they seemed surprised I could tell they were quietly relieved because it meant they didn't have to call home to check on me later my parents left around
Starting point is 00:02:35 six and I spent the next half an hour getting ready combed my hair, used mouthwash that kind of thing I chose a black high-collar leather jacket and denim jeans to wear I wanted to make a good impression and look much tougher than I really was
Starting point is 00:02:50 then I rode down to meet Charlotte We met in the park and she was there before me, nervously looking around as she waited. She was wearing a halter necktop, skirt and sneakers with a dark brown hair down over her shoulders. She looked relieved to see me and I tried not to gawk at her. We greeted each other. Then I led the way towards the old zoo. A lot of the way there was darker than I thought it was going to be. The street lights were far spaced and I could tell she.
Starting point is 00:03:24 Charlotte was a little bit scared. Truthfully, I was a little bit scared too. However, instead of saying this, I poked fun at her. If you're scared, we can go back, I taunted playfully, hoping she would agree. I'm not scared, are you? She teased innocently in return. Not at all, I lied with a smug tone. I still cringe at how cool I thought I sounded.
Starting point is 00:03:53 We arrived at the zoo not too long after that. The entrance to the zoo was a set of tall barred iron gates. They were held shut by a thick chain and a padlock that was just as rusted as the gate itself. To either side of the gate were decorative stone brick pillars spaced by sections of iron bars that matched the gate. Eventually these sections connected seamlessly to even taller concrete walls.
Starting point is 00:04:18 On the right there was a simple stone building with a window hole and wooden door on the other side. It was in a state of disrepair, pieces of broken bricks laying around its base, the paint on the door was peeled and the window was smashed. This was the old ticket booth, I told Charlotte, pointing it out. I was hoping my knowledge would be impressive. She, however, just smiled and said, I see. I realised then that I was only pointing out the obvious. We left our bikes near the gates, making sure to put them out of the door.
Starting point is 00:04:54 direct sight in case someone passed by on the road and led around the outer perimeter of the zoo. How are we going to get in? She asked curiously. She seemed more confident now. I could hear excitement in a voice. Don't you trust me? I asked lightheartedly to hide the fact that I had no damn clue how to get in. We couldn't fit through the bars of the front gate and I was really just hoping the whole thing wasn't surrounded by this giant wall. It was by pure, dumb luck that we actually found a way in. We came to a section of the wall that had a chain-linked fence running parallel to it that was only a little shorter than the top of the concrete.
Starting point is 00:05:38 This meant that if we could climb the fence, we could stand on top of it and then get on top of the concrete part. Thinking quickly, I announced this was the spot that we would get in. I pushed a nearby dumpster up against the chain fence and then offered to help her climb up by lifting her slightly, so she greased the top of the fence and pull herself up from there. At this, Charlotte hesitated a moment. What? I asked her.
Starting point is 00:06:07 I was worried that she had suddenly changed the mind. Don't look up my skirt, she told me firmly. Honestly, that thought hadn't even crossed my mind. I felt my ears grew hot with embarrassment. Don't worry, I won't. I'll close my eyes, I assured her, tripping over my words, and I'm sure, ruining my cool facade. She eyed me with suspicion for a moment before smiling. Why so serious? she joked to lighten the mood again.
Starting point is 00:06:39 I was thankful for that, and lifted her up. When I opened my eyes again to see that she'd made it, she was sitting on the concrete part of the wall, swinging her legs. Hurry up, slow poke, she called down. great now I had to hoist myself up there let no one think pulling your own body weight up is an easy task for anyone
Starting point is 00:07:01 let alone 17 year old me who would never be into any gym a day in his life somehow I managed to get up with my dignity intact and we cautiously shuffled along the top of that wall until we were able to jump down under the sloped roof of the gift shop I helped to slide down to the ground
Starting point is 00:07:19 and cautiously jumped down after her on the inside of the zoo wall it was dark. I mean pitch black. Can't even see your own hands in front of your face dark. I brought a flashlight with me, but I fumbled to turn it on and those extra seconds before there was light were deeply unsettling. I shone the light at Charlotte. That's so bright, she laughed nervously as she shouldered her eyes from it. Yeah, I agreed, returning on laughter to hide my own nerves. Feeling emboldened by the flashlight's strong beam, we picked the direction and began to explore. The ground was made of long, neglected, uneven paves with plant life growing up between them.
Starting point is 00:08:06 We had to be careful not to stumble in the dark, and I spent half the time shining the light on the ground. We would stop at places of interest, so I could point the light ahead of us and over the empty cages. Dust, litter and cobwebs were their only inhabitants now. They were extremely small, too small to imagine ever-butting animals in, and we found entertainment in reading the plaques and the bars that noted which animal had once been housed in each cage. Some closures were deep pits with moat surrounding to keep their inhabitants trapped and visitors out. For some reason, these spaces gave me the creeps. Looking down into them, and seeing the remains of dismal-looking habitats
Starting point is 00:08:50 gave me feelings of claustrophobia. As we walked, the conversation came easily. We talked about school, our parents, and how sad it was that animals had been kept in these small enclosures. Gradually, Charlotte grew closer to me, and eventually she lute her arm around mine to hold my hand, holding my arm lightly with her other hand, so that she leant in close to me.
Starting point is 00:09:14 My heart beat so fast then. She smelled like vanilla body spray. It was the best moment of my life Why did they close this place down? Charlotte asked me after some time. They closed it down in 1944. Officially is listed that they just lost funding during the war, couldn't afford to keep the place running without visitors
Starting point is 00:09:35 and a lot of animals died due to neglect. I told her, pleased that my five seconds of research on the place was coming in handy. That's really sad, she replied with sympathy. Yeah, but that's just the official reason. Do you want to hear the unofficial reason?
Starting point is 00:09:53 I asked with Glee. Yes, she answered a light with curiosity. I smiled. I was out of the teller and had been trying to work it in all night. I thought it would really set the mood, since she seemed to enjoy the spokier side of things. Well, the head suitkeeper was crazy. I began in a low tone, shining the light under my chin
Starting point is 00:10:17 for effect as I began. At this, she laughed and folded her arms in an unimpressed manner, giving me a sarcastic, oh really, expression, as she waited for me to continue. When the animals would die, the head zookeeper would become inconsolable. He wanted his animals to come back to life. It was rumoured that he would try to bring them back
Starting point is 00:10:38 by sew their remains back onto live animals. Some people even say he would take children from parents who weren't paying attention and sew them onto his beloved animal caught. As many as 23 children disappeared in this park. When the public found out about these experiments, there was an uproar. The guy locked himself down in the zoo basement with his creations, and the townspeople set fire to the building.
Starting point is 00:11:01 The zoo's reputation never recovered. Some people say some of his creations survive the fire and still roam the grounds to this very day. I trailed off slowly and cut the light for a moment to scare her. Charlotte screamed, and I laughed, turning the flashlight back on. That was not funny and totally not scary either, she shouted. But I think my laughter won her over,
Starting point is 00:11:27 because she seemed more exasperated than angry. Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I apologize sincerely, but still very much amused. Jerk, she grumbled, though thankfully seemed to forgive me. You know, if that's true, shouldn't the burned building still exist? She asked. Maybe. I said slowly.
Starting point is 00:11:49 This was a major plot hole in my story if it didn't. I had gotten my little tale from a comment left by an anonymous user at the bottom of the article. I didn't really believe it myself. I'd try to find it, she suggested eagerly. This woman was unnervingly enthusiastic about terrifying situations and I was in no position to refuse after I'd talked it up so much.
Starting point is 00:12:15 We wandered around looking for any tried buildings for a while, and I felt disappointment setting in as there was nothing. I was starting to think that I would have to confess to her that my story was probably make-believe when the very faint smell of stale smoke reached our nostrils. At first, I thought I was imagining it, but the closer we got, the stronger the smell of damp mould and charcoal became, until the building stood directly before us. It wasn't much to look at. It was a stone building similar to the ticket booth and gift shop,
Starting point is 00:12:53 only that the roof had caved in. The internal stones were blackened with sutt, and the floor was covered in the collapsed remains of rotting, burned wood. It seemed that this was all that remained of the supports that would have once held up the ceiling and walls. Finding it was an eerie achievement, and I secretly wondered, if maybe the user who had left that comment
Starting point is 00:13:13 was in fact telling the truth. Given our discovery, we were both unsure of what to say and it seemed we silently agreed not to say anything. Instead, we turned around and swiftly walked right back the way we had come,
Starting point is 00:13:29 as teenagers do. When we felt we were a safe distance away, we began to laugh like idiots as the nervous energy released at once. That was so, creepy, Charlotte exclaimed. I thought my story is BS. I never actually expected to find anything.
Starting point is 00:13:48 I admitted, excited and terrified. It could just be a coincidence, something that burned down recently. She rationalised as we calmed down. Definitely, I agreed. We stood in awkward silence a moment. Then, to my surprise, Charlotte leaned in toward me. My heart started to race. I thought she was going to kiss me after that little adventure.
Starting point is 00:14:10 but as she got close there was suddenly a sound from the darkness around us it sounded as though a chain were jiggling or dragging if the non-existent wind was somehow strong enough to move a loose chain somewhere behind us
Starting point is 00:14:25 that would be the sound hesitantly I turned towards the noise and pointed the flashlight at the area the circle of light fell on emptiness I looked around a little further still nothing jack you're still trying to scare me she accused me pushing me away in the joking manner with an exaggerated how dare you expression hey that wasn't me how could i do that i'm standing right next to you i pointed out sulky at the moment was ruined this gave a pause and i could see genuine concern cross her face but it was probably nothing it must have been just the wind i assured quickly Oh yeah, definitely, she agreed through dry lips. Maybe we should start heading home, I suggested reluctantly,
Starting point is 00:15:17 blowing my light back to the usual level. Yeah, she agreed, and we began to walk back the way we thought we had come in. Truthfully, with no map and almost no light, it was difficult to navigate. We were guided mostly by the enclosures. I felt my confidence return as more and more animal plaques were familiar to us, However, after hearing that sound, we felt watched. The whole place was eerily silent. So, what had made that noise?
Starting point is 00:15:49 Rats or something, I rationalised with myself as I resisted the frequent urge to look back and look behind us. I was both a little afraid in case there was something, but I also didn't want to seem paranoid. I was lost in thought when Charlotte abruptly screamed. something just ran past my leg she shouted and almost tried to climb up onto me from the panic in her voice i knew she wasn't joking immediately i shone the flashlight around us there was nothing it's okay it's okay there's nothing there see there's nothing it the word died as it left my mouth the torchlight had come to rest on several sets of reflected eyes glowing ominously in the darkness ahead Charlotte and I stood frozen. Neither of us made a sound. I don't think we were even breathing as we stared back of those eyes.
Starting point is 00:16:46 They were too far away from the light to show us exactly what we were looking at, but there were undoubtedly some kind of animal. The eyes blinked and bobbed about as the creatures moved, slowly advancing on our position. We should go, can we please go? Charlotte whispered in my ear and I nodded. There was no argument from me on this point. Don't run, just walk backwards slowly, I told her quietly through my set jaw.
Starting point is 00:17:13 Both trembling, we gradually inched backwards. The worst look I've ever had in my life, the back on my heel connected with an out-of-place paver, and I fell backwards, dragging Charlotte down with me and dropping the light. We both scrambled back to our feet in a frenzy, and I hurriedly snatched the torch back up. I shone the light back to where the eyes had been as quickly as I could. They were gone. We ran. I was faster than Charlotte, so I was practically pulling her along.
Starting point is 00:17:46 Behind us, I could hear the sound of heavy grunting, scraping a pavement, and the clatter of chain. We had absolutely no idea where we were going. It was impossible to keep the lights steady, and the lumpy, neglected pavers were not kind to us. And our haste and fear, we fell several times, dragging each other down, but we did not even once consider leaving the other. Behind us, the sounds grew louder. I could practically feel the hot breath of a predator on the back of my neck. The gate, Charlotte panted out as she changed her direction.
Starting point is 00:18:20 I hadn't noticed it, but she was right. Through the darkness, there was light. It was street light, to be precise, shining through the bars of the front entrance gate, highlighting itself brilliantly. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. We reached it and, in a panic, tried to cram ourselves through the bars, only to remember that there were still too thin for us to fit through. Over, go over! I gasped, hoisting Charlotte up without a moment's hesitation. I practically threw her towards the top of the gate with adrenaline-fueled strength I didn't even know I had.
Starting point is 00:18:54 And in seconds, she was pulling herself up over the decorative spikes. She landed on the other side of the gate heavily. I heard her ankle snap and she gasped in pain. However, that didn't stop her from staggering back to her feet. Climb, she screamed at me desperately. I didn't need to be told, but it was also an impossible task. There was nowhere to put your feet for support, so I just kind of jumped up as far as I could
Starting point is 00:19:20 and scrambled to haul myself up the rest of the way. As I was doing this, I was only vaguely aware of Charlotte. She was shouting like a lunatic, so loud a voice strained. Things like, hey, hey, over here! Come here, you ugly thing, over here! And she limped her way along the fence away from the gate. In her hands she had pieces of broken bricks and she was hurling them through the gaps in the fence.
Starting point is 00:19:46 Hearing a shout like that was honestly both inspirational and terrifying. I could tell the creatures were distracted by her and I made it over the gate just in time with my arms screaming in protest. Once she saw her I was over, she began hobbling back towards me as I hurried over to her. I will never forget her expression.
Starting point is 00:20:08 Her eyes were wide with pure terror and she was trembling like a leaf, but her expression was one of unwavering determination. My attention was then drawn past her to the creature. This was the first time I got to look at it properly and it was horrific. I had been expecting to see a pack of something, some group of animals that had been abandoned all those years ago and somehow survived. What I saw instead was a single, large monstrosity. Its body was a tangled mess of body parts, some human, some animal.
Starting point is 00:20:46 I don't even dare guess as to what animals exactly. The most disturbing part of this thing wasn't the healed over liquefied skin and fur patches, nor the remains of the chain that it joined onto its limbs over time. It was the heads. There were several heads on this creature. Some were tiny infused onto the main body, while others were on elongated necks. Its main head seemed similar to a giant rodent, but didn't seem to have any functional lower jaw, so it was just an open mass of wet flesh leading onto a dark throat.
Starting point is 00:21:22 It made awful sounds as it beat itself against the bars trying to reach us. I was afraid that the old walls wouldn't hold, and that thing would get loose. Thankfully, it didn't seem to be able to climb. Charlotte was in no condition to be able to ride a bike and neither bike had any space for a second passenger, let alone an injured one. So instead, she put an arm around my shoulder, and I put an arm around a waist.
Starting point is 00:21:49 We walked as fast as we could in a three-legged race manner until we were far enough away that we couldn't hear the beast anymore. As the hours passed, our urgency faded into exhaustion and we staggered along together until dawn before her police officer car pulled up beside us. As it turned out, my parents had come home early from the date and noticed I was missing. When I wasn't home after midnight,
Starting point is 00:22:15 they called the police to help search for us. I don't think anyone believed our story of what happened, but we also weren't really in any trouble. Our parents were just grateful to see us both home safely. Charlotte and I got married in 2018, and are expecting our first child later this year. We tend to shy away from the Where's your first date question when people ask
Starting point is 00:22:40 and neither of us have any intentions of visiting any zoos in the future. We also don't enjoy urban exploration anymore.

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