Scary Horror Stories by Dr. NoSleep - I Rented a Remote Cabin in the Woods. The Owner Left Me a Strange List of Rules | Part 3

Episode Date: August 14, 2026

Tariq books a remote cabin for his annual friends’ getaway. The place seems strange, but harmless, until one bedroom becomes a blood-soaked mess and the owner’s rule binder finally explains why. Some rules sound ridiculous. Others sound impossible. But one line matters more than all the rest: if a rule is broken, they have until dawn to make it right… or face something worse than death. Dr. NoSleep Premium: ⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/drnosleep⁠⁠⁠ – Cancel anytime. No commitment. Are you still drinking that stale, store-bought coffee? Head to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠NoSleepCoffee.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to try our fresh roasted-to-order coffee delivered straight to your door! Be sure to use promo code NOSLEEP20 at checkout for 20% off your first order! NoSleep Coffee – The freshest coffee money can buy. Guaranteed. Huge thanks to our sponsors: BetterHelp: Sign up now and get 10% off at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠betterhelp.com/dns⁠⁠. Shopify: You don’t need anyone’s approval to make a living. Build your own business with a free trial at ⁠shopify.com/dns⁠ Author:  Jake Bible Check out all of Jake’s horror story collections at: ⁠https://jakebible.com/short-storiesnovellascollections/⁠ * * * CONTENT DISCLAIMER: This episode contains explicit content not limited to intense themes, strong language, and depictions of violence intended for adults. Parental guidance is strongly advised for children under the age of 18. Listener discretion is advised.  #drnosleep #scarystories #horrorstories #doctornosleep #creepypasta #horror Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part 3. All rules lead to the shed eventually. Despite everything, I actually do manage to get a little sleep. A little. But it's shattered by the soul-piercing shrieks from downstairs. I fumble out of bed and nearly faceplant as I pull on a pair of sweats. Jeff and I collide as we both come out of our rooms and stagger into the hallway, and my back expresses its displeasure. It's not bats, I say to Jeff, winceing as I limp to the stairs. It's shit, he replies. I beat him to the stairs and half fall, half stumble my way down to the cabin's main room. Alicia is trying desperately to calm down the shrieking Nicole. Stay still! Alicia shouts. You keep tearing the towels away.

Nicole shrieks. I know, and you thrashing about is making it worse. Just lie still, and I'll put fresh towels on. It'll feel better. Nicole slaps at Alicia, but she bats the hands away, while still trying to. apply a fresh towel to the top of Nicole's head. I'll hold her down. Jeff says and rushes to the couch.

It's the wrong thing to say. Nicole goes apeshit ten times worse. Her entire body starts bucking against Alicia. Thanks! Alicia spits at Jeff. He shrinks away from the force of her anger. What do you need? I ask Alicia.

A goddamn nursing degree? She barks with a sad, angry laugh. That'd be helpful? Or an ambulance? Paramedics would be awesome right about now. Well, that's not going to be a good. to happen, Jeff says. You think? Alicia shouts. But this isn't working, so we need to do something. Don't say walk out of here again. I didn't say that. I cocked my head as I swear I hear something over

the chaos of Nicole's shrieking and Alicia's and Jeff's bicker shouting back and forth. Hey, I say. What is that? They ignore me and continue to fight. Hey! I yell. What is that? They quiet down. Nicole doesn't, but it's enough for us all to hear the noise semi-clearly. The phone! I exclaim and run my pain in the back ass to the den, or office, or whatever. I don't wait to see if Jeff or Alicia is following me. The old black phone is ringing loudly. I trip over the small rug on the floor, but catch myself on the desk, snagging the

handset off the cradle before I can even get my balance back. Yes, hello, please help. Some of her friends are dead and one is badly burned and we— A raspy voice says, it's not loud, but the force behind it shuts me up instantly. Who is this? I snap. Mr. Olivet? Is that you?

This is Tarek Jensen, sir. I'm the one who booked the cabin with you. We need help, right? I pause, confused. Um, yes, we read the binder, but not until after something awful. Yes, okay, that may be true. But what the hell is this place, huh?

Why are there even... Why does it goddamn matter? People are dead. Our friend is probably dying. Can you please send help? Please! Please! I hear the man hawk aloo.

lugy and spit it out. You? Are you medically trained? Can you treat our friends burns? Yes, but... Jesus Christ, I mutter. What is wrong with you? Mr. Ali Vett laughs.

He hawks up another lugy. This time, I swear he swallows it. Yes, but we also need... Yes, I understand, but you have... The line goes dead. I stare at the hen set for I don't know how long until Nicole's shrieks from the main room bring me out of it.

They must see the slump of my shoulders when I come back in, because neither Jeff nor Alicia ask me who was on the phone. I rub my face and then sit on one of the barstools that doesn't have Nicole's charred skin on it. Mr. Olivet is coming to help, I say. Who this shit is Mr. Olivet? Jeff asks. The owner, Alicia says. That's good, right, T? Jeff asks.

That's a good thing. Is he bringing an ambulance? Did he call 911? for us? Did you try calling 911 now that the phone is working? The last question makes me slump even more. No, I didn't try calling 911 again, I reply. Jeff's face scrunches up with what I can only assume is confused anger. He gets up and storms down the hallway. Alicia focuses on me, despite Nicole still fighting and thrashing against her. What kind of help? She asks. I take a deep breath, then I shake my head. I don't know. He ripped me a new one for breaking the rules, then said no ambulance will help. He said to open up the second

he knocks, or he's going back home. So we need to pay attention to the door along with Nicole tonight." Alicia nods and goes back to focusing on Nicole. Jeff comes running out of the hallway. Nothing! Not even a dial tone or any of that weird shit from earlier. He leans against the wall and then slides down onto his ass. Okay, so when's this Lafayette guy coming? Olive I correct. Lafayette was a general during the whatever i don't care jeff says waving me off when is he coming i don't know he didn't say you didn't ask didn't have a chance he kept cutting me off then he hung up like i told alicia he said to open the door the second he knocks or he's turning around and going home what what kind of

help is that what an asshole agreed alicia says nicole's shrieks suddenly stop and her body goes rigid Alicia shrinks back as Jeff and I turn our full attention to our wounded friend. Her breathing is shallow, but even. Thank God, Alicia says after a few seconds of silence. She's passed out finally. What time is it? 245, I say. Okay, I need to sleep a little. My eyes keep closing even when she's trying to hit me. I've got this. I'll watch her. You two go get some sleep.

Screw that, Jeff says. I'm just going to stay in here. He pats the floor where you. sitting. Right here. Yeah, well, I'm not. Alicia says. She slowly stands up, bending backwards as she cracks her spine. It makes me think of my own aching back, and what's sitting for the next two hours is going to do to it. Mind if I grab some blankets first? I ask. Jeff, can you watch her? You got it, Jeff says, giving me a very sarcastic thumbs up. I shake my head and follow Alicia upstairs. Is it going to be safe? Alicia asks me as she stands at the door of a room. This owner guy? Can we even trust him to help us? Trust? Um, no, probably not.

It's his messed up cabin we're stuck in. I don't intend on trusting him at all. Okay, good. We're on the same page. She sighs and pats my shoulder. Keep an eye on her. And him? And him? You mean Jeff? He's already lost his shit several times. Who of us hasn't? You know what I mean? I glance at the stairs, the nod. Yeah, I'll watch him. Good. She opens her door and steps into a room. I'll see you in a couple of hours. Take care of yourself. A couple of hours? You already worked your shift. Go ahead and sleep until morning. Do you think I'm going to let Jeff relieve you? She laughs. Which part of lost his shit didn't you understand? She closes the door still laughing. Then I swear I hear that laugh turned to a choked sob, followed by intense, muffled crying.

I fetch some blankets and pillows from my room and head back downstairs. Jeff has already nodded off. I'm about to kick him, then think, what's the point? It's my shift, and it'll be easier if he's passed out instead of building up to another freak out. I hesitate, then drape a blanket over him. He shifts a little, but doesn't wake up. I take a spot by the couch and the still sleeping Nicole. As I lay the blankets and pillows down so my back will be comfortable,

but not too comfortable that I'll end up falling asleep. I noticed that Nicole's breathing is even shallower than before. Stay with us, girl, I whisper. Help is on the way. One thing I've learned from building businesses is that getting started is usually the hardest part. When we launched No Sleep Coffee, we already knew exactly what we wanted to sell. We just needed a website. Shopify made that step incredibly straightforward.

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wherever you get your podcasts. I'm not sure how true that statement is, but I have a little hope. The guy is about rules. We broke two. No, three rules. It's a miracle he's helping us at all. A harsh, humorless laugh

bubbles up out of my throat. Helping us? The maniacal asshole put us in this situation. This is his cabin. Those have to be his rules. Even if they aren't, you don't rent out a cabin where the renters might end up dead because they don't follow some evil rules that who knows what demon or devil created. You just don't do that shit. But the vacation rental market is brutal, I guess. It took me forever to find this place and book it for our annual friends vacay. I settle into my makeshift nest and go over everything in my head, which is a stupid, stupid mistake.

My eyes pop open when I hear the knock at the door. Huh? Jeff mumbles. His eyelids fluttering open. The knock comes again. I start to get up. Then I noticed Nicole staring at me. Well, her eyes are staring.

But I am pretty sure there's no Nicole behind them anymore. Oh shit. Oh no. I gasp. There's a third knock. Jeff scrambles to his feet. It's him. It's the owner.

T. It's the guy you talk to. Before I can say anything, Jeff sprints on sleep. legs to the door and pulls it open. Don't leave! He shouts. An older man stands there in the doorway.

He looks ancient, with a craggy, weathered face, and a shock of white hair standing straight up. Jesus! Come in! Jeff shouts and reaches out to grab the guy. Then he cries out and looks down at his arm. What? His right hand is gone. Just gone.

My eyes shift to the floor, and I see it lying at the old man's feet. Then I see the large blade in his right hand and a large leather book in the left. Jeff is leaning against the wall, staring at the stump where his hand was just a few seconds ago. Blood spurts and gushes from the wound. Jeff isn't screaming or shouting or saying a damn thing. He's only staring at his stump. What the shit? I shout, finding my voice.

The old man points the bloody blade at me. Then he points it at a spot over my shoulder. Looks like you've broken all the rules, the man says. Only one way out of this now. I look over my shoulder. The clock. He's pointing at the clock. It's 4.15 in the morning.

Rule four, I whisper. You could have answered that door and not let me in. Mr. Olivet says as he steps up to Jeff. But you didn't do that, did you? My hand. Jeff stammers. He looks directly at the old man. You cut off.

My hand. Yep. Then the old man slashes Jeff's neck. And without missing a beat, places the leather book he's holding directly into the spray of blood. What's going on? Alicia calls from halfway down the stairs. Who is that? What? Jeff?

Then she screams. I don't blame her. If I could, I'd scream too. But I'm just stunned and unable to move. What is happening? The guy who said he'd help just killed Jeff. I'm watching this happen, right? This isn't a bad dream. This is a waking nightmare,

and I don't have anything left in me to fight it. Neither does Alicia. As I watch her just sit down on the stairs, her hands covering her face as Jeff's blood slows, then stops while he slides to the floor. You monster, I whisper. Me? Nah. I said I'd help and I am. The old man says, shaking excess blood off the book.

A monster wouldn't even bother with you or a lot. He holds the bloody book up to his face and smiles at it. Here it is. You're one way out. He glances over his shoulder and out the door. You all better hurry. Dawn will be here in under two hours. If that sun rises before you do what you need to do, well, it ain't going to be pretty for either of you. Then he turns and walks out. I'll put this in the shed for you.

I assume you already got the key. It usually makes an appearance after two rules have been broken. Reflexively, I pat my pocket where the key is stashed and nod. Good. Now, I ain't saying you both are getting out of this mess you made. But there's a chance for one of you, so don't dawdle. Alicia looks up. What does that mean?

The old man laughs, and his voice gets fainter as he steps off the porch. You'll just have to unlock the shed, crack this book open and see. Take some reading, so, like I said, don't dawdle. Then he's gone, leaving Alicia and me with the corpses of two of our friends. Bullshit! Alicia shouts, shoving up onto her feet. She runs down the stairs and out the front door. Hey, come back, asshole!

I can hear her out there, but my attention isn't on her shouting. It's on the key I pull out of my pocket. Like a robot, I walk out of the cabin, off the porch, and head around the side to where the shed sits. I hear a truck drive away. Alicia is still shouting, but I can tell that her energy is waning. After a couple of minutes, she finds me as I stand in front of the shed, the key in my hand. How do you open it to put the book inside without the key?

She asks, then laughs. Sorry, stupid question. How did any of this shit happen? I don't know. That was rhetorical tea. Okay. I take a step forward. The key aimed at the padlock.

Whoa! Alicia cries, grabbing my arm and pulling me back. What are you doing? Opening the shed so we can read the book. You think that's a good idea? This is all a setup, T. That book in there won't help us. It's probably filled with a million rules that we'll have to follow before we die at dawn.

No, I think it will help. Why? How? I shrug. Alicia laughs. Oh, yes. I'm totally on board with anything worthy explanation is a goddamn shrug. I look at her. What else can we do?

We run or walk. We leave. We hike our asses out of here. It's my turn to laugh. My back is shot. I'll make it a mile maybe. I point up at the sky, which is full of stars and a fairly bright moon. Dawn happens everywhere, Alicia.

Even if we are hiking out of here, do you think the rule stop applying, huh? That the dawn deadline only counts right here. at this specific cabin on this specific property? I don't know T, but following the suggestions of some old guy who literally slashed our friend's throat doesn't sound like a better plan. I don't think we're ever going to see better again anyway, I say and slide the key in the lock,

giving it a quick turn before Alicia can stop me. The lock clicks open, and I pull it from the chain. Then I pull the chain from the door, letting both fall to the dirt. I grab the handle and open the shed's door. Inside is pure darkness, except for a single candle. The candle sits on what looks like a large altar that is taking up almost the entire shed. On the altar is the blood-covered leather book.

And next to the book is the blade that Mr. Olivet used to kill Jeff. Nope, Alicia says, and sits down in the dirt a few feet from the shed. Go for it, T, but I am not setting one foot inside that place. You'd be an idiot if you'd do. She's not wrong. but I don't see what choice I have. I've seen too much tonight to think that the dawn deadline is bullshit, like Alicia thinks. I step inside the shed and pick up the book.

The cover is sticky and gross, but I crack the spine and start to read, and read, and read. Taree! Alicia shouts, her hands are on me, and she's shaking me by the shoulders. Huh? What? Jesus, dude! I've been yelling at you for like five minutes straight! She looks over her shoulder. She looks east.

The sun is coming up, T. What did the book say? I smile at her, then pull her in for a hug. I still have the book in my hands. So it's an awkward hug, but it feels good. After a few seconds, I push away, and my smile turns sad. What? What's wrong? Alicia asks. T?

What does the book say? Um, it says that there is a way to survive, my answer. I take a step back and lift. the book. But for only one of us. Alicia doesn't even see it coming when I wallop her across the face with the book. She staggers back on one foot, but before she can recover, I wallop her again. This time, she falls onto her ass, her eyes spinning in her head. A little trickle of blood slides down from her left temple. She asks, looking up at me. I don't dare hesitate. I bring the book down over and over again until she goes completely slack. Kneeling, I check her pulse.

Few, still alive. The book says she has to be alive when I start cutting. Tucking the book under one arm, I grab Alicia's feet and drag her into the shed. My back screams and protest as I struggle to get her up onto the altar, but I manage it, gasping and taking in deep breaths to keep the pain at bay. As I go to close the shed door, I pause and watch the very first rays of dawn begin to break through the trees. I have maybe five minutes, so I'd better hurry.

When I close the door on the incoming dawn and turn to Alicia, the bloody book in one hand, open to the page of the incantation I have to recite. And my other hand is the bloody blade, a bloody blade that's about to get a lot bloodier. Want more? Subscribe and turn on all notifications so you never miss any of our weekly uploads.