Dr. Creepen's Dungeon - S1 Ep30: Episode 30: Campfire Horror Stories

Episode Date: May 20, 2021

 Tonight's show is proudly sponsored by Manscaped: get 20% Off and Free Shipping with the code CREEP at https://www.manscaped.com/ Today’s opening story is ‘The Roadkill Cafe’, an original work by Dp-deadpool-notdp, also kindly shared directly with me for the express purpose of having me exclusively narrate it here for you all. https://www.reddit.com/user/Dp-deadpool-notdp Tonight’s second epic tale of terror is ‘The Swells’, an original story by J.D. McGregor, kindly shared with me for the express purpose of having me exclusively narrate it here for you all. Please make sure to visit his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JD-McGregor-1377647915591477/ Today’s penultimate work of horror is ‘A Trip to Remember,' an original work by S. Duarte, yet again kindly shared directly with me for the express purpose of having me exclusively narrate it here for you all. https://www.reddit.com/user/S_Duarte Today’s final tale of terror is ‘I'm a Babysitter, A Power Outage Occurred Last Night’, an original work by Crone Johnson, kindly shared directly with me for the express purpose of having me exclusively narrate it here for you all. https://www.reddit.com/user/Crone_Johnson

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Welcome to Dr. Creepen's Dungeon. Which is the true nightmare? The horrific dream that you have in your sleep? Or the dissatisfied reality that awaits you when you wake? Four stories to alleviate the pain of reality for you this evening. Later on we have swells. That's followed by a trip to remember. We round off with I'm a babysitter.

A power outage occurred last night. But we begin tonight's proceedings with the Roadkill Cafe. Now as always, before we begin, a word of caution. Tonight's stories may contain strong language, as well as descriptions of violence and horrific imagery. If that sounds like your kind of thing, then let's begin. Before I start this story, I want to preface it with this.

This will be told in the third person, as it's a story from my grandfather. He told this to me the last time I went down to see him in California. He wasn't doing so good, and I wanted to get a lot more time with him, so I made the nine-and-a-half-hour drive from Oregon to visit him. Now, some backstory about my grandfather. You grew up in Texas, and was a true, rough and tumble guy, went through the Navy for six years and was always a tough individual. To put it into perspective, just a few years back when he was 75,

he was eating dinner at McDonald's with my grandma, when a trucker came in and started running his mouth and calling everyone names, making an ass of himself. My grandfather had enough and said, Hey, these people came here to eat their dinner, not to hear you make an ass of yourself. The trucker, now finding a target, started walking over to him as he got to the table. He said, oh yeah, what are you going to do about it, old man? That's when my grandfather stood up and gave him a vicious. right hook, and then said,

Time to go, to my grandmother. They got about five miles outside of town before the cops caught up to him and took him to jail. All of the people in the McDonald's backed him up, and they're about to let him go when they got more information about the trucker from the hospital. They said that he'd broken his face, and the bone around his eye was crushed.

He ended up letting him go due to the fact that he was clearly self-defense, but that just shows my point on how tough this man was. Now to the actual story. So, I went down there to visit him, and he looked like he wanted to get something off his chest. Grandpa, do you want to talk about something? He looked like you have something you want to say. Me thinking it was going to be something about him passing

or something he'd done in the past. Well, I was wrong. So wrong. His eyes travelled to the Rogue Kill Cafe sign that he's had ever since I've known him. Did I ever tell you I started and co-on the very first Rogue Kill Cafe? I kind of started.

Those things were real? You looked at me directly. They are real. There are few now. But they were more of a thing back in the day. I pondered this. I'd seen the signs and the shirts and so on. but never thought anyone would eat roadkill, let alone pay for it.

But apparently it was a thing. What got you started doing that? I asked curiously. He paused and took a deep sigh and told me. I kind of wish he hadn't. But I need to share this. If I don't, blood could be on my hands. I'll try to retell it as best I can. This was back in 1945.

He was traveling in Arizona at the time. and was going down the famous Route 66. As he was travelling down the stretch of road, he came across a deer carcass in the middle of the road. He said, well, he couldn't just leave it there. It could cause an accident, and it was disrespectful to the animal. That was my grandfather. Always has been a hunter, and had a deep respect for animal life and the wilderness.

As he pulled over and shut off his car, he saw that the deer moved, and he stopped short. Oh, crap, it's still alive. He thought, as he went back to his car and pulled out his 38 revolver that he always kept with him, as he made his way back, he saw his eyes. They were milky and white, and flies were covering it and maggots spilling out of it. But I saw it move. He leaned in at this point.

I knew something was wrong then. I just had this deep feeling of it. dread as he edged closer to it and grabbed a stick from the side of the road to poke it he was still apprehensive all of a sudden black motley looking tendrils came out of the beast and started whipping around grabbed his arm that was holding the stick he pulled back and was understandingly freaked out he kept trying to pull him closer and closer to him as it got him closer it began to almost have a seizure and then it split down the middle, and he saw its guts as well as rows of teeth in its body cavity,

its trunk opening and shutting in anticipation of its meal. He pulled back once more, brought up his revolver and fired three shots into his mouth. He paused then and looked at me, seeing me with a look of disbelief. He looked somber for a moment and said, I know it's hard to believe, but it's true.

I could tell that he truly believed this had happened and that it had profoundly impacted him. Go on, I believe you, I said with a reassuring tone. He went on. After he'd shot it, he'd screeched so loud he had to cover his ears, and then a black, bubbling substance started coming out of the dear thing as the screeching slowly died down. The tendrils released their grip on his arm,

and he noticed, he noticed, he. he was bleeding. He saw a why very soon. The tendrils were covered in barbs and they'd sliced into his arm. He backed away from the thing, and went back to his car and grabbed a rag. He carried with him for spills and the like from his glove box and wrapped his arms in it. He sat down in the car and was washing the thing, making sure it didn't move. After calming down and ten minutes had passed, he decided to leave well enough alone and get to. out of there. Must he couldn't stand getting near that thing, understandably.

He started driving down the road, and he saw another corpse in the middle. This one was a rabbit. He drove around it remembering what had happened the last time. Good thing, too, because as he drove by and saw it in the rearview mirror, he started moving after his car. Not fast, just with an odd, unnatural hopping. He sped up and then saw another corpse in the middle of the road, and then another and another. Soon he was having to drive around another corpse every mile or so.

That was when his car started to sputter, and he looked at the gas meter. He was getting close to empty. He looked up and saw a sign for gas in five miles. Oh, thank God, he said under his breath, as his arms stung. He drove the last five miles with a constant anticipation of danger. Every once in a while, driving around another animal corpse, he finally made it to the gas station and saw that the perimeter was surrounded by corpses. As he poured around them to the gas pump, he heard shouting.

He looked around for its source, when he spotted several people inside the gas station waving him down. That was when the corpses started moving with their sickening, hopping towards. towards them. They hopped with a sickening, slurping sound, and landed with a splat, leaving bits of rotting flesh behind. He ran into the gas station as they opened the doors for him. He ran in and leapt and landed on the ground. I see that you had to run in with those beasties too, a gruff-looking man said. He extended his hand to my grandfather and helped him up. What the hell are those things? He explained.

exclaimed. The man stepped back and helped him up. I don't rightly know. I know they're ambush predators at the very least, and they're mean and strong. Other than that, I have no clue. Ambush predators. And then it clicked. They didn't move until a car had passed or had stopped. Plus, they weren't very fast and moved awkwardly. That makes sense. He said to the the man. I suppose I should introduce myself, being as we're stuck in this predicament. The name's Carl. Your? L. My grandfather said back to him and shook his hand. It was then that he looked around and saw that there were two other people in the gas station. They'd either run out of gas or had to run in with the creatures and had to abandon their vehicles from the looks of it.

How long have you guys been here? Al asked. couple of days or so, but we have a plan to get out of here. We just needed extra muscle and look and behold, here you are, Carl said, with a sarcastic tone. Oh yeah, what's the plan? Al asked, as he sat down, just as Carl was about to explain, they heard a commotion outside. They saw a car pull up and a man getting out to pump gas. They all start yelling for the man to run. He looks around confused. Then flips the the bird thinking they were messing with it. And that's when a corpse

hopped closer to the man, but he didn't notice, until the tendrils launched out and wrapped around the man's face and neck and pulled him towards it. It then split open, showed its guts and rows of jagged teeth, pulled his head inside of it,

and bit down. Silence the man screams as a fountain of blood shut it out of the creature's mouth and other corpses started hopping closer and faster than normal due to the prospect of feeding. The first creature was making a contented sighing sound. It trembled as it ate the man.

The others followed suit as they launched out tendrils that latched onto the man and started tearing him apart. Well, now's as good a time as any. Let's get out of here and kill these things while they distracted. Carl said, and Al and everyone else agreed. He pulled a pump out and grabbed a lighter In a jagged mob handle He handed the mop handle to Alan said

You keep him at bay While I light these things on fire I nodded They burst out of the doors of the gas station And they made right for the ones Feeding first Carl started pumping Then put the lighter to the gas

And burn the creatures alive with his makeshift flame thrower They screeched And let go of the dead man as they tried to flee, it didn't get far, as the flames took them quickly. The others followed suit soon, and the gas station was clear, right when they were calming down. One of the burnt creatures split open, and a black thing came out. It was like a ball of everything, different limbs and animal pieces. Tumbled away like a tumbleweed, made it to the desert, and then borrowed in.

They all stopped and looked at each other, all had the same idea. These things were parasitic and either killed animals or infested them after being hit by a car hole by some other natural form of death. So they all came up with a plan. It was scour the roads and collect any dead animals in three-man teams and make sure that these things didn't have a host. That worked for a few months. soon they were running out of funds and out of people to do it.

So Carl had the bright idea to start butchering the meat and selling it. And that was how the Rogue Kill Cafe was born. Sadly, they've all but closed, said my grandfather Al. So you guys kept this up and never told anyone? I asked him. Who would believe us? Only people who'd seen these things would believe. And the people that did usually joined us.

and we spread through the poor states and the desert states. Most of us have gotten older. Since we did such a good job keeping everything clean, well, we haven't seen the creatures for a long time now. But with us gone, a lot of the roads being on patrol for the most part, I doubt they'll be gone for long. He paused for a bit and said,

Thank you for listening. Please be careful on your way home. I left the next day. I decided to take a scenic route back home through some of the desert areas because, well, it's something we never really see. It quickly outgrew its novelty, I can tell you. That's when I saw a corpse of a desert rabbit in the middle of the road.

Tire tracks across its split body. Remembering my grandfather's story, I kept driving. A rearview mirror. I could have swore I saw it move in an odd, Hopping motion. Coming after my car. Breaking news.

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I tread as gently as I could. My head held above the surface. I heard nothing from the depth below. Only the sound of laughter further else. No, I said. Can't hear it. I looked out towards where Theo and Camilla swam. I wanted to think he had to drag her all the way out here with him,

that it was all part of some elaborate scheme that I was capable of learning myself. But it wasn't. She swam all the way out there on her own, laughing the entire way. She was smitten. Referring not to think about it, I turned back towards the shore. Olive-coloured trees scattered over the golden brown mountains. The slopes were steep and rippled. If they existed back home, people would be lining up for the gondola all winter.

And there it was again. The thought had crossed my mind. Home. Why did it keep coming up? Two weeks ago, I sat in my office flicking a pen, waiting for five o'clock. desperate to get on the plane and start the South American adventure. Now that I was here, all I thought about was getting back into the old routine.

I tried to bring myself back to the moment. The shore didn't appear exactly as it did the last time I'd looked. The waves, crashing against the cliff edges, were bigger. The recoil was a violent white. Directly below me, I noticed the depth of blue had got to. and deeper. There aren't any sharks out here, are there? I asked Daniela, trying to keep my voice as calm as possible. No sharks, she said, suppressing a smile. She dove down. As she did,

her legs rose above the surface before following. I admired the spectacle. I wondered, if I swam out as far as Theo did, if Daniela would follow me as obediently as Camilla. did for him. There, I hear it, Daniela said as her head popped back out. Listen close. Tide is coming now.

It's starting. I plunged my head beneath the surface. Again, I couldn't hear anything. No big grinding noise like what had been advertised. Perhaps the details had gotten lost in translation. As I emerged again, I saw Theo and Camilla swimming towards us.

Hey, did you guys hear the sound? I asked. No, dude, nothing. Theo answered. These Colombian girls are lying to us. Just wanted an excuse to drag us out here. Both girls giggled. By this time, the four of us were all treading water no more than a few meters away from each other. Camilla's breasts bobbed at the surface

and jealousy burned through me. Theo had seen them bare the night before. I didn't get anywhere near that with Daniela. Hey, wait, Theo said. I think I heard it just there. What? I still don't hear it. Maybe you just need to go a little deeper, bro. Theo lunged forward in two muscular arms,

push me beneath the surface one more time. They held me there for a few seconds. seconds. His hands firmly, but not painfully, grip my shoulders, as scattered schools of fish swam beneath my feet. I kicked at him on the way back up. Not surprisingly, the girls laughed as I returned. I started to race through any number of comebacks or physical responses. I came up with nothing. Theo was my friend. Certainly not my best, but still. a friend. He was also the only one willing to tag along when I'd brought up the idea a few months ago. But the guy was just more dominant. He was higher up the ladder at the bank back home.

He was bigger, better looking, he took more risks, he... The sound interrupted the thought. It was only faint like distant thunder. But it was there. It came from the ocean floor below us. The water stirred and bubbled. Wow. What was that? Theo asked. Hueva Bajo El Mar, Camilla answered.

And what is that? Hey, we show you. I stayed at the rear of the group as we swam back towards shore. The waves were even higher than they were minutes before. Water dripped down from the receding ledges all over. We had to climb out. The narrow beach from which we entered had disappeared under the rising ocean. Water had soaked the bottom of my towel.

As I drive myself with a part that wasn't wet, I looked out to the bay where we had just been swimming. The landscape was almost unrecognisable. Round sand and rock had given way to turquoise blue. It was as if I was standing at a completely different place than where I'd been just minutes before. A deep sound came again. It came from below the spot where we had been treading. You could still make it out prominently from the shore.

What exactly does Cueva Bajo El Mar mean? I asked as we started along the same jungle path from which we came. Cave beneath the sea, Daniela said as she stepped off the path into the jungle thicket. Careful, watch for snakes and spiders. Her route curved away from the main path in the direction of the point. The jungle was like a sauna. Minutes after leaving the cool water,

Theo and I were completely drenched with sweat. our clothes stuck to our backs like an extra layer of skin I could hardly believe it when we got there just short of the tip of the point the cave entrance opened into the ground you would never have seen it unless you knew exactly where to look it was completely hidden from sight from the beach the water and I bet even from the mountain tops

but when standing in front of it the entrance seemed like a mirage. The opening was like a miniature trapdoor on a bed of rock. It led straight down. At the bottom, you could see that the cave continued downwards towards the sea. The trajectory looked like it was going to send you straight into the water. It was so narrow that only one person could pass at a time. Sand covered the bottom landing.

It slowly gave way to stones until the cave. The floor became completely rock further in. However, the most remarkable thing was the view as you descended. I was the last to witness it. You faced the ocean as you went down. You were well above the water before you started, but just as you disappeared underground, you could see it. Your eyes were on the perfect level of the surface of the ocean.

changed at the bottom. The walls and ceiling were moist. Water dripped down from above, the air was cold. It was nothing like the extreme heat on the surface. As you ventured further in, it became clear. You weren't just on a par with the ocean down there. You were below it. The cave literally tunneled under the ocean. Instinctively, I reach for my phone. I was convinced that I would need the flashlight app, but it didn't take long for me to realize I was wrong. The main cavern was already lit. A natural yellow light filled the area. It glistened off the dark, moist walls and ceiling. I looked around, trying to see where the light was coming from. Theo did the same. I heard the waves of the ocean crashing above us.

salt water dripped down into my eyes as I searched. I discovered the light source atop a slope at the far end of the cave. It was steep and the only wall that didn't arc in a circular fashion above you. On the top, just below the highest point, there was a crack. Through this little break in the rock, a sliver of light shined through. It must have been some kind of natural wonder. the crack was no more than half a meter wide and somehow some way something behind it was shining into the darkness illuminating the entire cave that rested beneath the ocean i had never seen anything like it before it was so much louder than it was at the surface it was less like thunder down here it sounded more like grinding

The cave walls seemed to shake as it echoed all around us. The light's brightness fainted. The sound source was unmistakable. It came from whatever lay behind that crack in the cave wall. I started to worry about the cave stability. Somehow I doubted the Colombian cave that burrowed beneath the ocean, complied with any safety standards I would be comfortable with. I imagine the cave ceiling opening up and millions of gallons of water.

water above crashing down on us. I felt like I was in a tomb. He was deafening. The light above us faded slightly again. The girls and I stumbled back. Not Theo, though. He stared at the little crack in awe as he approached the slope below it. His mouth unhinged, hanging wide open. He resembled a little bit. He resembled a child, marvelling at whatever phenomena lay before him. The idea would not leave his mind from that point forward. He was infatuated. You can't climb, Camilla said. Too dangerous. Nobody goes up there. Theo didn't turn back. I imagine he didn't even here. Back at the hostel in Santa Marta, Theo leaned back on his patio chair.

The ashes dropped to the deck as he tapped his cigarette. The hot day was behind us, replaced by a mild evening with a cool wind coming off the ocean. The crack of light in the cave had lingered in our minds. The party was in full swing around us, but for different reasons, neither of us really came to join. I took a swig of my beer and looked up at him. He spoke to me directly for the first time since we'd left the cave.

I want to go back, he said. I knew that it was only a matter of time before he broached the subject. We had to plead with him to leave in the first place. Not fucking doing that, Theo. I don't care if you come or not. I'm going back. I need to see what's up there. You don't even know the world. way. Seriously, you think you can really navigate through the jungle on your own?

I won't have to. I'll get someone to show me. He snapped his fingers in the direction of the bar. It caught Camilla's attention. She smiled and dropped the glasses she was cleaning in the sink. Can I get you, boy something? She said as she approached. Sit down, Theo responded, as he gestured towards an empty chair. chair. She looked at us nervously before complying. Camilla, can you take us, or me, back to that spot tomorrow? She shook her head, no. Come on, pretty girl. It's the last day of my vacation.

Let's spend it out there together. I know why you want to go. No climbing up. Dangerous for you. Theo chuckled and leaned forward. He placed a hand on her knee. I need to get there one way or another. Maybe if I asked Daniela? I gripped my seat the moment he said that. Through the crowd of travellers around the bar, I looked through to the reception desk.

She leaned forward, smiled, and chatted with a guy who must have just checked him. I'd be damned if I was going to let him. or even worse, Theo move in on her. Oh, come on Camilla. Don't make me get up, Theo said.

She won't show you. Yeah, she will. I'll make it worth her. Don't worry about it, I said, interrupting him. I stood up and pushed the seat back. I'll take care of the directions. Let's see what the fuck is up there. Theo lifted his hand from Camilla's leg up onto his glass.

He raised it in my direction and looked at me in a way he'd never done before. The faintest grin came to his face. Well, how about that? I ran my glass against his and down the rest of my beer. I forced myself in the direction of the reception desk, pondering exactly what it was I was about to get myself into. It all happened so fast. Morning came before I was ready.

I took the façade further than I meant to. As the little boat motor started, I still couldn't believe it was real. I'd scribble the directions Daniela had given me on a piece of paper. She was resistant to give them up. Pressuring them out of her had also ruined any shot I had at any extracurricular activity.

I just couldn't rationalize to myself how it was worth it. Before starting our track, I reconsidered the voyage through the jungle. The chance of us getting lost was too high. And I knew that Theo would try and go regardless. I had to find an alternative. Part of me was amazed. How in the hell had I managed to give directions to the local fishermen in part broken Spanish, Heart simplified English was beyond me.

By the water, it was more direct. Seven bays east, how hard could that be? The real question now, though, was who was I trying to impress? The girls were back at the hostel, living their lives, probably transitioning to their next flings with new white boils travelling through. Was I trying to prove that I wasn't a pussy to Theo? Was I trying to prove it to myself? I squinted against the sun as we cut into the oncoming waves.

Santa Marta started to disappear in the distance behind us. I sat in the back next to the fisherman who had one hand on the motor. My finger grazed along the mat, trying to keep track of where we were. Theo knelt down at the bow. peering onto the ocean in front of us, as if he was the captain, the one in charge of the entire voyage. In his mind, he knew what he was getting himself into.

He wasn't afraid of anything. We continued to pass the bays on our rights. Each one disappeared on the horizon more quickly than the last. I felt the slightest bit of nausea as we passed the sixth bay and turned into the seventh. It was instant recognition. Just like the day before, the tide was coming in strong, eating away at the shore.

The boat scraped against the sand and rock as we reached the shallows. I noticed the fishermen carefully surveying the surroundings. Theo hopped out, knee high in the water, he trudged towards the shore. I picked up my bag and meant to do the same. But before I could, the fisherman grabbed me by the shoulder. Cave, he said. I nodded. No go. Dangerous.

I hesitated only for a moment. When I looked back at Theo, he was already out of the water. He held his arms out wide, wondering what the hold-up was. Come back in four hours. said, holding up four fingers to the fishermen. The thunder sounded, just as I hit the water. I braced myself and started towards the shore. The way to the cave entrance was easy enough to find.

The bushes and shrubs we had trampled on the way the day before, left enough of a trail for us to follow. I felt like a sweating puppet the entire way there. like it wasn't me but Theo who had control over where I was going cave opening stared back at us it was inviting if for nothing else than the cool air that I knew was down there aside from that I resented it in every way what did you dream about Theo asked as he took his first steps down

The light, that's all I could see last night in my dreams. He disappeared into the darkness and below the ocean. For a few moments I stood at ground level alone. I'd already come so far. I couldn't see the use in turning back then. Grinding felt like a twisted welcome call. I began my descent. Just like the day before, the catacomb was fully lit.

Light beamed through the crack, making the cavern beneath the depths completely visible. It looked just like the day before, but perhaps a little dimmer. What in the hell was up there? Theo already stood at the base of the slope. He looked up at that little crack of light. His hands shook with excitement at his sides. "'You're actually going to do it, aren't you?' I said as I stopped next to him.

Theo nodded in acknowledgement. He reached for a ledge just above his head. His hand slipped on the dripping rock. He tried again and got his grip. He hoisted himself up. Please, don't. I pleaded as his feet planted just above me. Don't do it, Theo.

It's just not worth it. As always, it grinded louder than before. Theo turned away from the diminishing light briefly. You coming? No. Promptly, I jogged back towards the cave entrance. I hoped so much that he would follow. Whether it be out of sympathy, confusion or pity, I didn't care.

But he didn't. When I turned around, he was already a third of the way up the slope. Like a four-legged spider, he climbed with surprising ease and finesse. He was undeterred by the dripping water, and the growing space between him and the cave floor. Cove, cave walls shook again. More seawater dripped down. The yellow light that had acted as a barrier to whatever the sound came from had dimmed. the whole place was just different.

It was then that I felt the change as well. The envy towards the better man, now on the final stretch of his climb, had lessened. In its place came a deep, burning desire, along to prove myself to myself, not out of social obligation to be a bigger man, but a genuine ambition to discover on my own exactly, what the hell was up there. There would be no excuses this time.

No jumping through metal hurdles to convince myself that it wasn't my fault, nor that it was a big deal. I marched back towards the base of the slope, and I looked up at the yellow shining light and saw it anew. No longer was it something to be feared or avoided. Now it was only a warm invitation.

I thought I understood, exactly what it was Theo had been doing all along. As I reached for the same ledge where Theo had started, the light vanished. In the blackness, I looked up and saw that he was now squeezing his body through the crack, blocking the cave's access to the light. It quickly returned as his bottom leg pulled through and disappeared. He made no sound when he reached the top.

no shriek of brilliance or discovery. The cave fell, nearly silent. I heard only the faint sound of crashing waves above the salt water dripping down. I pulled myself up to the next ledge. My hands and feet moved on their own. They found the little holds and crannies in the rock wall all by themselves. My mind wasn't there. It was lost in the brilliance of the light.

What the fuck could possibly be up there? Why did I let Theo get there first? My foot slipped. Momentarily my entire body was suspended under only the strength of my arms. In a less fortunate position, I would have fallen. But there were no thoughts of climbing down. There was no second-guessing the decision. My fingers ached as I passed the halfway month.

arc of the slope. My body, drenched in water, shivered in the cold cave air. How did I not sleep with Daniel? The opportunity was there. If it had been Theo, he would have done it on the first night. He would have done it without any effort and moved on. He wouldn't have waited around, evening after evening, too fucking scared to make a move. My ears rang after the impact of the grinding sound had passed through. The cave shook again and the feeling of nausea invaded my stomach. Yet still, there was no concern. Climbing back down was not an option.

I'm not going home. I'm not going back to that goddamn cubicle. Fuck getting up every day at 6 a.m. to catch the train. Fuck, staying late and... I was almost at the top. My arms and legs wanted to quit and let me fall. I was so close to that light. It was getting dimmer all the time.

Just a few more meters. Help! Theo's voice was weak, desperate. It didn't sound far off from behind the crack I was about to pull myself through. I reached the opening. It looked smaller so close up. I started to wriggle my body through. The wet rock scratched and cut exposed parts of my skin

as I did. I went into the light. The cave behind me fell into darkness. I scraped my way through until my body became free from the narrow clutches of the rock. On the other side, I slipped down into another cavern. This one was miniature in comparison to the main one I'd just been in. It was barely big enough for me to kneel down. The source of the light then revealed itself. It was nothing more than natural sunlight. It poured down through a small opening that led out to another part of the shore. It was at the end of a tiny tunnel leading from the little cavern I was in now. It looked like you could make it through.

You could make it back to the surface and complete the circuit of the cave. That's what I imagine the one obstruction between the light and I have tried to do. theo was wedged in the little space between me and the way out little rays of sunshine poured through the spaces his body did not occupy hands shot to my ears in a desperate attempt to protect them the grinding sound was just in front of me everything became clear it was exactly what theo had been chasing all this time There was no celestial being or incredible natural phenomena. It wasn't something that could be comprehended through human perception. It was merely one giant bolder. It was the one part of the cave that was detached from the rest.

It acted as a ceiling, the only piece of material separating the little tunnel from the crashing waves above. The grinding sounded as the increasing movement of the... ocean pushed it down scraping it against the other parts of the tunnel it lowered no more than a centimeter pushing down on Theo's body against the rock floor on which he lay a slow agonizing wimper escaped his lips as it did a little more light disappeared from behind him help he said again turning his head in my direction He had barely enough space to make the manoeuvre. His eyes glared at me.

They were bulging, desperate. I crawled forward and grabbed at his nearest arm. I pulled gently at first, and he did not budge. I tried again, harder. But the achieved result was the same. I could hear the swells of the ocean crashing bigger waves against the shore above. He couldn't have been more than a few meters below the sea at that part of the cave.

The rock ceiling lowered another centimeter. You could hear cracks in Theo's body as he was pressed harder against the tunnel floor. His face was squished in place, permanently staring in my direction. Ocean water started to not just drip from a boat. above, but pour into the little cavern. Water started to pool around my feet. My time available to spend there was dissipating. Theo heaved. Moisture from his breath rose as he tried to blow the ocean water away from pooling around his mouth. He said nothing. He looked to me as if he expected me to find some kind of solution. Something we both knew, full well did not.

exist. His ribs collapsed. Bones snapped at all different parts of his body. He made no sound as the side of his skull started to depress. The water level rose again. Still, he was there, conscious. Still, he stared back as the water reached his lower eye. The truth is that Theo didn't drown to death.

No, he wasn't so fortunate. Theo was simply crushed by the boulder that pinned him there. As the waves pushed harder and higher against the shore, and the weight of the water above increased, the rock just kept pushing down, one slow grind at a time. As I backed away through the little crack where we both climbed in, we both knew full well that he was going to die.

And it was the worst feeling that he or anyone else could ever have imagined. It was nothing more than natural human curiosity that had driven us there. There was no external factor on which to pin the blame. It was an impossible pill to swallow. I know because he told me It was the last thing he said Before the boulder was pressed down flat against the tunnel floor Our penultimate tale of terror is called

A Trip to Remember After being married for over 35 years Ed and Martha retired And decided to drive across the country Like they'd always dreamed They waited until the kids are grown up And the house was quiet again for the long long-awaited trip to become a reality.

Ed and Martha chose to purchase a used motorhome for their journey, and because Ed was frugal, he managed to get a great deal. A penny saved is a penny earned, Ed often quoted, wagging a finger in the air. They planned for days and drew out their routes and backup routes on the map. They packed food, spare fuel, tires, tools, and everything they thought they would need. early the next morning they double-checked everything after a big breakfast and set off ready to enjoy what the open road had to offer and it was indeed everything they'd ever wanted during their trip they decided on a whim to take the back roads to have an extra layer of adventure had thought it was a great idea and pointed to an alternative route on the map martha was hesitant at first but eventually she agreed They drove all day, but didn't come across a single soul, only trees, rolling hills, and the weathered pavement before them.

For an instant, Martha thought of asking Ed to turn back, but she knew they'd gone too far. Soon the night took hold, and they barreled through the empty stretch of highway under the stars. But despite the circumstances, they were prepared for such a predicament. Ed checked the fuel gauge and noticed the tank was low, so he pulled off the side of the road and activated the emergency lights. He shuffled out into the crisp air, opened the storage compartment and unstrap the gas can. He filled up the fuel tank as he whistled and looked up at the full moon in the sky.

Branches snapped in the darkness behind him, and he shot a worried look over his shoulder, while his mind conjured up a whole host of possible scenarios. Ed dropped the gas can and fumble with the flashlight aiming the beam at the autumn tree line scanning it side to side but there was nothing there

set the dripping gas can upright strained his ears to listen and waited but nothing happened he knew it was most likely animals in the forest but he felt uneasy just the same Ed emptied the remaining fuel

into the tank and flew back into the RV leave. Martha lay back in the passenger seat with a coat draped over her, one eye opened. She could see that Ed was uneasy, or he gripped the wheel and sweat rolled off his face. But she thought it best not to upset him further, so she closed her eyes and soon fell asleep. They drove through the night, and eventually the soft pastel colors pushed back the darkness as morning broke. Martha shifted in her seat and woke to the rising sun. light falling onto her face. The old couple greeted each other,

and before long they came across a faded sign that pointed to a nearby town. They turned off the highway and made their way, delighted to find a moment to stretch their legs and explore somewhere new. They drove down a dirt road for several miles till they found the town they were looking for, but it looked deserted.

Martha opened up the map and checked the location, but couldn't find the town in it. anywhere. Carriages sat along the empty streets, surrounded by old buildings and stables. Pine trees covered the landscape, tall and ominous. At the centre of it all was a large church that gleamed white as they approached, blackbirds coring loudly on its peat. The RV began to shake and make strange noises. Then the motor sputtered and died on the spot. The brakes hissed as the RV coasted for several meters and came to a halt. Ed cranked the key over and over,

but nothing happened. Might be the fuel bum, he said to his wife, who was not amused. Can you fix it, Ed? She asked in a soft voice. He shrugged his shoulders, then jumped out to open the hood and take a quick look. Upon inspection, there didn't seem to be anything wrong at all,

no loose wires or leaking fluids, everything as it should be. He paused to look around and then noticed the church door was ajar. A thin arm reached out and held it open. Then a man emerged and stared in their direction. Ed opened the RV door, and Martha sat with a hopeful look. Go on, he said. Let's see if we can ask where to find the nearest mechanic.

I'm not sure they have one around here, he finished under his breath. She shot him an unamused look, then climbed down. from the motorhome smoothed out her skirt and combed her wavy white hair together in hand they walked in eerie silence the old church looked remarkable for its age and the thick slabs of lumber did not show any signs of wear the white paint seemed to glow in the sunlight while the blackbirds flap their wings and circled above a man in a traditional grey suit held the door open for them his face obscured by the hat he wore They could hear music from within the church, the old organ straining to produce a note in tune. Many people filled the church and occupied every seat within. The couple wanted to ask for help but decided the plight thing to do would be to wait until the service was over. They hoped to remain against the back wall out of sight, but the man in grey shrewed them way to the front. The occupants of the first row slowly condensed and shifting.

it over to accommodate the old couple. Ed plopped down next to the aisle, and Martha had a seat next to a woman that wore a yellow dress and broad, brimmed hat. The woman's white-gloved hands rested on her lap, clasped together, her head bowed in prayer. Ed looked back and noticed everyone had their heads down as well, and so they did the same. The organ crawled to a stop and revealed low rumbling of an approaching storm. They waited an uncomfortable silence for the priest to begin, but he never did. He remained there with his head down, as did everyone else, while the interior of the church grew down. Some time passed, and they began to grow restless. Martha decided to ask the woman beside her if another Bible happened to be lying around.

She leaned over to touch her arm. And slowly, the woman. and lifted her head to meet Martha's games. Thunder booed. Then lightning flashed above them. For a brief moment, the church was bathed in bright light. Empty sockets stared back at Martha, inside a withered face that peered out from beneath the large hands. Her sunken nose revealed the nasal cavity beneath,

and large teeth protruded from the tight skin around her mouth. She pulled back her lips to speak, but no words came out, and then her jaw opened, disturbingly whined. Martha screamed while Ed held her. Then they noticed everyone in the church had turned to face them. More flashes of light tore across the sky, illuminating the sunken faces that stared with empty eyes. The thunder roared and grew louder, as a figure strained to rise, making their way to the couple one step at a time. Even children were among them, arms raised with tiny hands reaching out.

A fierce wind howled outside, and the boards of the old building rattled and shook. Arthur could smell smoke and looked upward to see an orange glow suddenly engulfed the roof. She felt as if she were looking through a portal into hell itself, faces in the flames. Don't leave, they shouted in ragged voice. Stay with us. More of them begged and pleaded. The couple jumped to their feet and made their way to the door, frightened out of their minds. Ed held on to his wife's hand and pulled her along while he barreled through the crowd of the dead.

The figure shrieked and moaned as the couple ran by and burst through the double doors. Rain fell down on them in torrents, while the gulfed. ghouls follow close behind. In all the commotion, Martha looked back for a moment and lost her balance. Her ankle folded beneath her, and she tumbled to the ground with a hard thud. She shrieked in pain as the dead approached and reached out for her, but Ed swooped in to pick her up into his big arms at the last moment. They rushed toward the RV, out of breath,

and jumped in through the driver-side door as it shut. several hands wormed their way in and gripped onto Ed's arm. Stay! They screeched, locking eyes with him through the window. But he remained vigilant, while he partially opened the door and slammed it shut with all his strength over and over again. He broke and severed the rotten fingers that held him. Then finally the hands retreated, and Ed locked the doors.

He sat there in a daze and closed his eyes for a moment, then turned to look at the church. The once white edifice had now become a giant fireball that reached up into the heavens. Lightbird circled the red sky while the dead rocked the RV, silhouetted against the giant flames. He fought hard to understand what was happening,

and at that moment it was overwhelmed as the smell of smoke and decay hit him like a punch to the gut. Gorn faces pressed into the windows on either side of them. Rotten hands hammering down with tremendous force. The glass began to crack under the stress, and their hearts sank. He tried the ignition again, but still nothing.

Ed screamed at the RV to start, while Martha trembled in the passenger seat. He slammed his fist into the dashboard, then cranked the key and fluttered the gas pedal. To his relief, the motor roared to life. Jubilant, he hit the accelerator to the floor, and the tide. as spun in the rain, the RV launching forward. They sped away from the fiery church, hearts racing

as they watched it all disappear from view. They reached the nearest town a few hours later. When Ed parked the car, they sat in silence for a one. Then he reached out and offered a hand to Marl. She took it and smiled

weakly, letting everything sink in. They wanted to cleanse the day from their memory, yet more questions formed in their minds. An old man sat in a rocking chair outside the town general store, and a scruffy dog lay curled up at his feet. The man had a long white beard down to his waist and took puffs from a wooden pipe as he rocked back and fall.

A couple asked about any strange towns in the area, then began to open up about their bizarre encounter. The man stopped and lifted his head, turning his milky white eyes towards them. You must mean a small town south of here, he said in a rough accent. Ravensville, it was called at the time, on account of the only animals that came around was there.

It was a bust in town back in the day, you know. Such a shame what happened. The old man knocked the empty pipe against the chair, filled it up and then lit it again. He took a few puffs before he continued. I was a young man when I heard it. Not something you want to hear at that age. About 90-odd years ago, the whole town gathered for Sunday Mass when a terrible storm hit.

They barricaded themselves inside, and the building held against the winds well enough. Best anyone could figure, the town's folk were trapped inside when the whole place caught fire. Everyone in town died in that church. The old man narrowed his eyes and sharpened his tongue. Don't you ever go back. That place belongs to the dead. You round off this evening's entertainment with? I'm a babysitter, and a power outage occurred last night.

Penelope lifted her finger from the doorbell and wrapped both hands behind her back. The ebony wood door in a golden frame, which most likely cost more than her. her monthly salary. Open. She was greeted by the wide smile of a black-haired middle-aged woman in a skin-tight black dress. Shiny silver pearls and earrings complimented her at night. Her husband, wearing a beige suit in a big golden watch, stood one step behind her. Peeking from the interior, a 12-year-old girl in a green sweater waved, smiling wide, revealing braces. The woman put her hand on the side of Penelope's shoulder. and slightly tilted her head.

I am so grateful to you, young miss. I sincerely hope this wasn't an inconvenience for you. She smiled with her mouth closed, and eyebrows pulled together. Not at all. I love babysitting, especially your little girl, Mrs. Mowgli. She's so well-mannered.

Penelope, hands still behind her back and feet glued together, kept her calm smile. You know what to do. We'll be back at two o'clock. Gabriel, our limousine is waiting. Mrs. Mowbly grabbed her husband by the wrist and let him out into a clean, white corridor. Gabriel turned his head and waved at his daughter,

who eagerly waved back. Enjoy your anniversary dinner. Penelope turned to the girl and hugged her. She was a short woman and stood a little taller than the little girl. Oh, this is so awesome. I haven't seen you in ages, Penn. She hugged her tightly and welcomed her in. Not a trace of dust or filth could be seen in the two-story apartment.

The walls were white and covered with simplistic paintings. All pieces of furniture were a combination of the same ebony wood as the door, and dark blue leather. The stairs leading to the second floor had gold ornamented railing. It's only been three months, Nina. Penelope flattened the back of her red summer dress, and sat on the long couch, facing the widescreen TV. So, how's school? She threw her small backpack to the side.

That's the first question you always ask me. Nina frowned and crossed her hands. Boring as always, nothing cool happens in private schools. She turned her head aside. Penelope smiled, gently put her hand on Nina's chin and turned her head to face hers. The stories I tell of my school days, they aren't cool in anyway.

Don't go looking for trouble. With a burst of energy, Nina jumped on the couch and wrapped her arms around her knees. Oh, since you brought it up, can you tell me another awesome story? She hid her evil smile behind her knees. Your standard for awesome is set really low.

Your folks should really give you access to the internet. Penelope had tried to talk them into it before, but always failed. Okay, I'll tell you one. Action? Romance. Horror. She raised one eyebrow and smiled. The little girl opened her mouth.

Ah! She shut it and closed her eyes. Horror! Nina yelled. Eyes wide, open now. Horror? You usually choose action. Penelope began to think,

Hmm, I ever tell you about? Her voice gradually became quieter. The bogeyman, she whispered. Pan, don't feed me children's fairy tales. Nina frowned. Boogieman is only a nickname. Penelope's voice shifted back to normal, the nickname of a very scary man.

She got her quiet, lower-pitched narrator voice back. The way she said those words, sure got Nina's attention. This is back when I was 13. One day, a friend ran up to me, all frightened, and said a man had been following her from a distance. This man wore a black hoodie and was almost seven feet tall.

Nina hadn't blink once since Penelope started her story. Next day, Another girl at school said he followed her, but this time he was even closer. A third girl came the other day. This time he was only 30 feet away. Penelope had been slowly moving her head towards Nina and now whispered inches from her ear. I thought they were all messing with me. But that night, when I walked home, I could feel I wasn't alone. I looked back and saw that exact same man.

the distance. I turned and quickened my pace. In a minute, I glanced back again. He was 30 feet away. I went behind a corner and bolted. Me a second later, I heard him running too. I turned around as I ran and saw this huge man in full sprint, hand out to catch me, and then... Penelope took a deep breath and prepared to jump scare the little girl. The lights in the apartment turned off. The room was pitch black. Nina shrieked and stumbled off the couch. Penelope, calmly but curiously, looked around.

This isn't the kind of apartment building to have power outages. She found Nina's shoulder in the darkness and pulled her closer. Chill out, this is a power outage. They happen from time to time. She put her hand on the girl's side. cheek. Pearl will be back any moment. The solid minute passed, and Penelope sighed.

The light from her phone illuminated the entire room. She could now see Nina's panicked face. Penelope couldn't remember the first time this happened to her, but when she thought about it, an outage could be horrifying, especially the first time you experience it. The safety that light provides disappears in a flash, and we're reminded. how dark the night truly is, without our technology to guard us. Right, I remember we learned about this at school. Nina calmed down.

I'll go and talk with one of the neighbors. As she got up, the girl grabbed her by the hand. Mom doesn't let me have a phone. I can't light up the room. Any candles? We have some, but they're special or some crap. Mom would kill me if I lit them. Okay, but don't tell your old folks I let you out of the apartment.

Penelope held Nina's hand and walked out. Unlike the apartment where the light illuminated the entire room, the corridor stretched into darkness. Penelope pocketed her copy of the key and closed the door. They carefully approached the nearest door and rang the bell. A man in a bathrobe, hair covered in shampoo, with a candle in his hand, opened it. Oh, don't you just hate these, fuck.

He stopped mid-sentence, once seeing the little girl. Oh, don't you just hate these outages? These apartments aren't cheap. I'd expect better maintenance. We were hoping you, someone on this floor, knew what was going on. Penelope tried to be calm. Her phone shut off. The cutter of guard, as she clearly remembered charging it before coming.

here. Now that the light from it was gone, the door to their apartment was swallowed by darkness. Both sides of the corridor were pitch black. It wouldn't happen to have an extra flashlight to land. Penelope smiled. Sadly, no, I can't seem to turn them on. He looked at her phone, then back to her. Same thing with mine. He moved aside and revealed his living room, lit up by candles. Could you lend us a candle? She could see her breath, she said those words. A chill went through her spine, and she could feel Nina's grip tightened. The entire corridor had become colder. Everyone's breath was now visible. All three of them ran into the apartment. The man shut the door and pulled his candle closer to his chest. They lost control of their

bodies for a moment. Something on a primal level forced them to flee towards the warm candles. The man's home was almost identical to Nina's, but had lit candles on all the tables. The rooms were entirely lit and lacked any dark corners. I wasn't the only one who felt that, right? The man took deep breaths. Definitely not, sir. Nina slowly loosened the hugger. around Penelope's waist as she calmed down. Someone must have left the entrance door open. Penelope wasn't the bravest of people, but she would always stand up if no one else did.

I'm sorry we just jumped into your apartment. Don't worry. You can stay here until the power comes back on. The man looked nervous. And I'm scared of the dark. I could use someone to protect me. He looked at Nina and smiled. I should change. He picked some of the shampoo off of his head. You two feel like home. The man walked up the stairs. Just as they were going to sit,

Penelope's head snapped towards the door. She put her finger to Nina's mouth and attempted to listen carefully. There it was again, a very subtle sound from down the corridor. She let go of Nina and silently walked up to the door. Now she could hear it better.

Footsteps. Whoever walked outside tried to be quiet. Penelope signalled Nina to sit down. She could define the sound better once it was closer. Naked human feet, accompanied by three clicks, one after the other. It came closer and closer, till she could hear it. only a few feet away on the other side. The footsteps stopped in front of the door. Something sharp, slowly scraped against it. Penelope's heart was beating rapidly.

Even though it was dark on the other side, she looked through the people. As expected, only darkness welcomed her gaze, but that same primal fear reappeared. I got this real fun board game we can play. The man broke the the silence as he walked down the stairs with a colourful box in his hands. Penelope's head instinctively rotated towards him. The lights came back on. Penelope's phone screen shone through her pocket. The man's TV turned on and filled the room with screaming and yelling from some comedy movie he was watching. Penelope quickly looked back through the peephole and only saw an empty corridor.

Yes, yes, hey, the light's back. Nina cheered. Penelope walked to her with a smile. See, told you everything would be cool. Yeah. The man looked at his box with disappointment. The light is back. He slowly put it on the table and walked up to them.

You two, have a good night. He put his hand on the doorknop. Oh, the light's my door. go out again and who'll be here to protect you? Nina smiled. Hand still on the doorknob. He looked at her in surprise with a slightly open mouth. Penelope looked at the time on her phone, then back to the girl. Two hours till bedtime, Penn. Nina tilted her head. Okay, if it's cool with a man, we can stay, but only for an hour. The three stayed up another three hours, laughing at some horrible action movie,

eating chips and playing that same ballgame. Sometimes the darkest of moments can lead to the brightest of days. Many thanks to the four authors of tonight's stories. Cron Johnson, Deadpool, Not Deadpool, S. Duarte, and J.D. McGregor. If you enjoyed tonight's podcast,

please do me a little favor. Write some nice words and leave a five I'll review wherever you get your podcasts. That's it for me for this week. I'll be back again soon. Same time, same place. I'll do so hope you'll join me once again. Until the next time, a very, very sweet dreams.

Bye-bye.