The NoSleep Podcast - NoSleep Podcast - Sleepless Decompositions Vol. 04

Episode Date: May 30, 2021

Welcome to our fourth foray into fear with the ghastly tales we call Sleepless Decompositions.“AL5” written by Pam Puck (Story starts around 00:05:00) TRIGGER WARNING!Produced by: Phil MichalskiCast: Narrator – Kristin DiMercurio, Leah – Erin Lillis, Maria – Danielle McRae, Christine – Sarah Ruth Thomas, Customer – Nikolle Doolin, Doctor – Dan Zappulla, News Anchor – Graham Rowat, Voice – Erin Lillis“Bone Crack” written by G.O. Undeath (Story starts around 00:37:45)Produced by: Phil MichalskiCast: Narrator – Matt Bradford, Emily – Mary Murphy, Psychiatrist – Elie Hirschman, Nurse – Alexis Bristowe“A Hungry Mouth to Feed” written by Jason Washer (Story starts around 00:53:15) TRIGGER WARNING!Produced by: Jesse CornettCast: Narrator – Mike DelGaudio, Orson – Jeff Clement, Audrey – Nichole Goodnight, Doctor Ashford – Mick Wingert, Evelyn – Tanja Milojevic, Nurse – Wafiyyah White, Woman – Alexandra Cruz Hernandez“Cook Your Bloody Heart Out” written by Magda Knight (Story starts around 01:36:05) TRIGGER WARNING!Produced by: Jeff ClementCast: Anya – Erika Sanderson This episode is sponsored by:Caliper CBD – Caliper CBD is a fast, easy way to use CBD. With precise 20 mg doses of dissolvable powder which mix quickly and flavorlessly into any food or drink, you’ll experience all the benefits of CBD without the hassles of oils or tinctures. Get 20% off your first order when you use promo code NOSLEEP at trycaliper.com/nosleepShipStation – ShipStation makes it super easy to manage and ship all your orders from all your sales channels faster, cheaper and more efficiently. You can import orders from any sales channel and ship with any carrier using their deeply discounted rates. Go to shipstation.com and click the microphone icon at the top of the page. Enter code NOSLEEP to get a 60-day free trial.  Click here to learn more about The NoSleep Podcast team Click here to learn more about Pam Puck Click here to learn more about Jason Washer Click here to learn more about Magda Knight  Executive Producer & Host: David CummingsMusical score composed by: Brandon Boone“Sleepless Decompositions” illustration courtesy of Kelly Turnbull Audio program ©2021 – Creative Reason Media Inc. – All Rights Reserved – No reproduction or use of this content is permitted without the express written consent of Creative Reason Media Inc. The copyrights for each story are held by the respective authors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ah, sleepless decompositions. I love how dark and twisted these tales are. Can anybody be fully and truly braced when it comes to the... 47 millimeters! What on earth is Atticus doing now? 36 millimeters! Atticus, what are you doing with these large foam letters? Well, I'm measuring them.

Isn't that what you wanted? What? You have the first four letters of the alphabet here, and you're measuring them with a... Oh, no. Uh, yeah. You told me... you wanted me to use a caliper on C, B, and D, to measure them, right?

Oh, Atticus, no. I wanted you to record an ad for Caliper CBD powder. Caliper CPD? Why didn't you say so? Caliper's the easiest and most convenient way to use CBD. I know. I love Caliper CBD powder. It helps me deal with stress, like the kind I'm feeling right now. Relax. Caliper CBD comes in convenient and easy to use packs. Precisely 20,000. milligrams in each packet. Always THC-free so you can feel better without the high. And no weird taste, no oily residue. It mixes easily into any food or drink. Plus, it's all-natural, vegan, non-GMO, free of fillers, added chemicals, and artificial flavors. Did you know Caliper delivers 30 times more

CBD in the first 30 minutes versus CBD oil? I did indeed. I often use Caliper CBD in the evening. I can really notice a difference when it comes to how easily I fall asleep. And I'm sure I sleep deeper and more restfully when I use Caliper CBD before bed. You go to sleep? Shh, don't tell anyone. Well, I like how you can get all the benefits of CBD in just 10 minutes. Some CBD oils can take over an hour to absorb. Plus, it was developed by food science experts with decades of experience,

rigorously tested for purity and quality. And right now, you can get 20% off your first or first or, order when you use promo code no sleep at tricaliper.com slash no sleep. You can tricaliper CBD risk free for 30 days. If you don't like it, they'll give you a full refund. That's tri-caliper.com slash no sleep. Don't forget promo code no sleep for 20% off your first order. I should probably get these big foam letters out of here, huh? Yes, please. I'll call the post office. Why the post office? I need help with this, so I'll get a letter carrier. Atticus, get back here and be disciplined for that horrible pun!

Oh, well, in the meantime, you've been warned. It's sleepless decompositions. Oh, sleepless, David Cummings here. As mentioned on episode 8 of season 16, I am leaving soon for the U.S. East Coast in search of the bookstore, The Thickening Plot. So while season 16 pauses for one week, I am proud to present, and by proud, I mean mortified, ashamed and downright repulsed, to present our fourth volume of our experimental, sleepless decompositions series.

Now, this episode is a lot. Graphic, violent, extreme body horror. Bones snapping, skin tearing, horrific scenes of pus and blood and other bottle. fluids. Basically, the whole episode is a content warning. I had to climb into a dumpster filled with rainwater just to get in the right mood to record this intro. But seriously, this one does go hard for the entire duration. It's sleepless decompositions, after all. Experimental, different, outside of the norm for the podcast. If you hate it, it's okay. If you want to skip it, well, that's okay, too. It's its own thing. But,

if you love it, then that's awesome. And if you listen to it and think, man, that was pretty tame, then, well, maybe I'll sit down for some special cocktails with you sometime. So the only thing left to say as we delve into volume four of sleepless decompositions is, of course, brace yourself. In our first tale, we learn about a brand new miracle cream to prevent aging. I know, I know they're all over the market,

and none of them deliver on what they claim. But this one's different, I promise. It really will make significant, noticeable changes to your skin. But in this tale, shared with us by author Pam Puck, we have to consider whether we really want those changes. Performing this tale are Kristen Di Maccurio, Erin Lillis, Danielle McCray, Sarah Thomas, Nicole Doolin, Dan Zapula, and Graham Rowett. So slather on the cream and get ready to become your best self, or at least some self,

because the effects are pretty potent when you apply AL5. There was always some new product that was all the rage. Leah thought working at a health food store would make her more passionate about natural remedies and holistic wellness, but three years at Treehouse Organics had ended up just making her more cynical. Every month there was a new fad and everyone was a new fad, and everyone was a new fad. was always trying to peddle some new miracle cure. Deep down, Leah still cared about her health, and she still wanted to help others get healthy.

But seeing so much snake oil come through the door was enough to make anyone skeptical. Still, even her boundless pessimism wasn't enough to keep her away from AL5, a new skin cream that arrived straight out of Iceland. Leah's boss tried a sample of it, and the next week, a small crate of the stuff was delivered to the store. The cream was expensive,

and $300 for a tiny bottle, so it was kept in a locked glass case. Kim, the store manager, had the only key. The informational pamphlet on the cream said it was made from a type of iridescent slime mold that they found in an ice cave near Iceland's Vatniakut National Park. It was only recently discovered

because it had been frozen inside a glacier for hundreds of thousands of years. Local herbalists said it was a superfood for your skin, and it was supposed to be something that could get rid of wrinkles and make everything smooth again. Everywhere Leah turned, someone was raving about how it was a million times more effective than anything else on the market. And skepticism aside, this had definitely piqued her interest. Leah was in the upstairs break room with her coworker Christine when the conversation inevitably

turned to AL5. Christine spoke through bites of Eyncorn salad and sips of her $8 bottle of chocolate rachie milk. Apparently, it works on a cellular level. This slime mold stuff, it gets under your skin and reacts with all the microorganisms there. First, your skin turns kind of warm and reddish. Some people even have a fever for a couple days, but I think that's just your body getting used to it. After a few days, it's assimilated and it starts to reverse the aging in your cells. It bites off free radicals and it's full of antioxidants, kind of like rishi. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, how does it do that?

What exactly gets into yourselves? I don't know. Maybe ask a scientist instead of a cashier. I just know loads of celebs are using it. And it's the only anti-aging cream that actually does anything. Plus, it's all natural. Christine took another mouthful of salad and pointed her fork at the rash on Leah's arm. Oh, it probably helps for skin conditions like that.

Eczema and psoriasis and stuff? Leah rubbed the scaly rash gently, self-conscious, as always, of its existence. Yeah, well, it's too expensive anyways. I don't think anyone working here can afford it at least. Christine shrugged and looked back up at the clock. She sighed and quickly packed everything up. How's my lunch break over already? I was supposed to run and grab Keb's prescription.

He's coming by to pick it up at four. Could you cover for me on the cash register for like 15 minutes while I run to the pharmacy? Leah was supposed to bag up the bulk supply of spinach after lunch, but she hated that particular job and was more than happy to have an excuse to avoid it. Yeah, sure, take your time. Christine ran out the back door, and Leah went down to the cash register so the other cashier could take his break. It was completely dead in the store,

and the managers were all in the back doing their weekly orders. Leah found herself alone, thinking about the cream. She'd be 30 years old in two months, and wasn't a fan of the fine lines that were already starting to trace parts of her forehead, mouth, and the sides of her eyes. Plus, the eczema, her constant companion since childhood, always had a way of making her feel like she was falling to pieces whenever it flared up. She imagined trying that cream and walking into work after her 30th birthday, radiant and rash-free, getting compliments left right and center. The bell on the store's front door rang out and snapped her out of the daydream. An older woman in a sleek black dress walked hurriedly over to the counter,

her heels clicking loudly on the cement floor. The woman smiled as she took off her sunglasses. Hi there. Hi, can I help you? Yes, I hope so. I just bought this cream for a friend, but she doesn't want it. She's worried about it not being FDA approved or something. Can I return it?

It hasn't been opened or anything. no one touched it. The woman held out her hand to show Leah the small glass bottle of AL5. Leah's eyes widened, and she glanced around the store. Oh, yeah, sure. I don't see why not. She took the bottle and put the credit back on the woman's card. The woman left the store without another word. Some people are too important to say thank you.

That was another thing Leah learned in the health food business. When the woman was gone, Leah looked around the store again. She made every excuse in the book as she ran into the staff closet and slipped the bottle of AL5 into her purse. Leah wasn't a thief, and she'd never stolen anything from work before, but she saw freedom in that cream. Freedom from being self-conscious, freedom from growing old, and she knew she deserved it.

Besides, if anyone noticed something was wrong, she could plead ignorance. She would say that someone came in wanting a refund, and she gave them one. No, they didn't return anything. The customer is always right after. all. Besides, she couldn't get into much trouble. She wasn't even supposed to be on the register. A few minutes later, Christine came back, and Leah went to work in the produce cooler until the end of her shift. When she got home, Maria was on the couch watching TV. She looked up as Leah entered and smiled. They had only been dating for a few months, but Maria was already in the

habit of spending most of her free time at Leah's. Hey, how was your day? Leah sat on the couch beside her. So good. I have something to show you. Maria leaned forward as Leah took the cream out and handed it to her. Okay, what is it? Face cream? It's not just face cream. It's this crazy new stuff that actually gets rid of wrinkles.

Like, it actually works. Christine said it would probably work for my eczema, too. Maria was reading the label. Oh, I heard about this stuff. That slime mold from Iceland? I don't know, Leah. That sounds like bullshit to me. Has this stuff ever been tested?

Leah grabbed the bottle away. Yes, it's been tested. Loads of celebrities have been using it. I just want to try it out. Wait. Isn't that stuff super expensive? Like, $500 expensive? Did you spend $500 on that?

It's $300, and no. Some rich customer came in and returned it. I just kind of took it instead of, of returning it. So you stole it. I didn't really steal it. I just kind of misplaced it in my purse. Leah couldn't help but smile back.

Maria lifted her hands in the air. Hey, I don't care. Just don't get fired over some dumb placebo face cream. Anyways, I need to get going. I just wanted to see you before I left. Oh, aren't you staying here tonight? No, I have my night ship tonight. So I'm just going to crash back at my place in the morning.

I'm leaving for my trip this weekend now, so maybe we can go out for drinks Thursday night. Sounds good. See you then. Leah kissed Maria goodbye and found herself alone in her apartment at last. Finally, she could try out this miracle cure. After a quick shower, she gently applied the cream to the rash on her arms and then to her face and neck. It stung a little, and her skin was tingling everywhere the cream had touched. Leah remembered what Christine said about the initial rash and fever and decided to settle on the sofa with a pot of tea for the evening.

She pulled the blanket over herself. Okay, let's get beautiful. She woke up in the middle of the night, gasping for air. Her clothes and blanket were soaked through with sweat and her skin burned. Her head was pounding. Every inch of her body pulsated with pain. She wondered if it was really the cream that was making her feel so sick, or if she finally caught the flu from some customer.

Leah looked down at her phone and saw it was 2.30 a.m. and that she had three texts, all from Christine. Her heart sank as she read them. Hey, are you home? Kim's pissed. The register was short $300. I don't want you to get the blame, but I know it wasn't me. They think someone stole one of those AL-5s. You're going to have to talk to Kim when you come in next. Leah slowly sank back into the couch, shivering. She regretted ever stealing the stuff, ever covering her sensitive skin in it. She was thinking about the store, about Kim, about losing her job. She thought about Maria and how embarrassing it would be

if she saw her like this. She thought about the closet at work, about caves, about dark, cool caves. Slowly, her mind began to drift, and settled on an image and then a feeling. There were small lights everywhere. She suddenly realized she was one of them.

She could feel and smell the earth. She was the earth. She was formless. She was free. Leah woke up at noon the next day, paralyzed with pain. Every time she moved, she felt like screaming, but she finally managed to drag herself onto her feet and into the bathroom. What did I do to myself?

She looked at her reflection and froze. Mouth open and eyes wide. She saw her skin was bright red. As she leaned in closer to the mirror, she could see that the red was decorated with little white spots. The spots looked like they were moving, like tiny maggots wriggling just under her skin. Leah's head was spinning.

She touched her face and a shock of pain ran through her. She almost fainted, but threw up instead. Thick, pink stomach bile spilled out of her clung to the side of the toilet bowl. It smelled like dirt and rotting wood. Leah crawled back to the couch and tried to sleep. Her mind came to rest on an image of pink mucus every time she closed her eyes. It made her feel sick, but her stomach was empty and she was exhausted.

Somehow, she slipped back into a restless sleep. Again she was in the cave. Again, she was made of beautiful light. On Thursday, the sky was a clear blue and the sun was shining. but Leah's apartment was bathed in darkness. At some point in the morning, Leah had pulled down all of the blinds and closed every curtain. Maria walked into the apartment and wrinkled her nose. Leah, what's that smell?

The sunny third-floor apartment felt like it had been transported somewhere deep underground. The stagnant air filled Maria's nose. She called out to Leah again before seeing her asleep on the couch. Leah's face was covered in sores, and the skin was peeling. where large blisters had burst in the night. Maria kneeled next to her and gently stroked her hair. Oh my God, Leah. What happened?

Leah opened her eyes and smiled. She was so relieved to see Maria, relieved to no longer be alone with her thoughts and the dark images that were filling her mind. Maria? I think that cream really messed me up. No shit? I can't believe this.

How are you feeling? My skin is burning. And I keep throwing up. I keep... Leah wanted to tell Maria about the visions, the cave, the mucus, the beautiful lights. She thought better of it. I think we need to take you to the hospital or something.

No, no, no way. I can't afford to go to the hospital. Maria bit her lip and thought for a while. Okay, well, you need to go wash that shit off. Just get it off your skin, okay? Don't use any soap or anything. Okay. I'm going to go pick up some aloe vera and some stuff to help your stomach.

Just take a nice shower and I'll be back soon. Leah nodded. Thanks, Maria. Maria leaned in to kiss Leah, but stopped short when she saw her flinch. Even Leah's lips were covered in the small, painful sores. Maria left the apartment, looking worried. Leah dragged herself to the bathroom again. The pain was still there, but she felt disconnected from it.

She felt disconnected from every part of her body. Under the bright bathroom light she examined her new skin. It was pulled tight around small blisters that covered every inch of where the cream had touched. Something underneath the blisters looked like it needed to come out. She stared at her arm as her mind went blank. Slowly, Leah ran her fingernails along the minuscule blisters on her forearm, and they popped noisily, each one leaking a pink-tinted liquid. It hurt so much she started to cry, but something urged her to continue.

It feels so... It didn't sound like Leah's voice. She couldn't remember her mouth forming the words, and she didn't know why she would say that something so excruciating felt good. Before she knew it, she was scraping down her other arm, then along her hands and face. The only sounds were the popping of the blisters

and her own steady breath. A minute later, Maria was trying to open the bathroom door. She pounded her fists and shouted out to her. Leah! Leah! Leah opened the door! Leah! Maria slammed the weight of her body against the door until the lock finally gave way, and she fell onto the bathroom floor. At some point, Leah had started screaming. She let out a final blood-curdling scream that betrayed the calm and rhythmic motion of her scraping. Maria stared, terrified. It was as though something had taken over, and that something was making Leah claw at herself. Leah was trapped, imprisoned behind her own eyes and behind that scream.

Maria finally grabbed Leah's arms and forced her to stop. Leah, the real Leah, looked up. Her face and body were slick with blood and the pink liquid of the blisters. Maria gasped as she gently wrapped a towel around her. Oh my God. It's okay. It's okay. I'm going to take you to the hospital now. What happened, Leah? Maria looked Leah in the eyes, trying to avoid the peeling flesh and the small, hard sores that covered her face. Yeah, the rash. From that stupid, toxic skin cream. Leah, what happened, though?

But Leah couldn't finish. Suddenly, the pain was everywhere. She started crying and didn't stop until they got to the hospital. At the emergency room, Leah was sedated before a doctor looked her over and dressed her wounds. The doctor prescribed a course of antibiotics and a topical steroid. and after a brief conversation, referred her to a psychologist. As professional as the nurses and doctors were, Leah could see their lips curl in disgust every time they looked at her. Just use the medication and stay away from all other skin care products.

I think it'd be a good idea to make an appointment with your family doctor too, so they can keep an eye on how everything's healing, okay? Leah nodded and kept her head down. Okay, I will. Thanks. The time Leah left the hospital, she was feeling much calmer, and all of the pain had disappeared. She didn't know what got into her back at the apartment, but she knew seeing a psychologist was totally unnecessary. Plus, there was no way she'd be able to afford that on top of the hospital bill.

Maria shared her thoughts while they were in the car. I don't know. I mean, I think you should maybe go and talk to them. You should have heard the way you were screaming back there. I really appreciate you so much, but I'm fine now. I just had a little meltdown. I mean, it really hurt. And plus my skin, it looks terrible.

I look like I have the plague or something. But you know me. You know I don't need to shrink. What were you even doing, though? Why didn't you just leave the rash alone? Maria was getting annoyed. Leah had only seen her lose her patients a couple times before, but she noticed her mouth always got slightly small.

smaller when she was upset. No matter how hard she tried to stay calm, her mouth gave her away every time. I don't know. I was just upset, I guess. I'm not going to a psychologist just because I was upset. Let's just drop it. Maria sighed. Leah had made up her mind, and she wasn't the type of person you could reason with once she'd done that. Leah shifted in her seat and looked out the window. The silent treatment was always worse than an argument, and Leah became acutely aware that Soon, she'd be back in her apartment, alone, with no one to talk to. Do you want to come up for coffee or something? Maria wouldn't look at her.

I can't. I just, I really need to get going. Leah tried to smile. All right. Do you still want to have drinks? I mean, I can't go out looking like a monster, but we can make some cocktails at my place. Maria shook her head. I can't, really.

I had to pack up for my trip, and there are a few errands I need to run before I leave. After Maria parked the car, she finally turned her head to look at Leah. You're not supposed to drink on antibiotics anyway. The two sat silently in the car for a moment. The quiet tune of a song on the radio buzzed in the background. Don't be angry at me. I don't know what happened, but I'm fine now, okay? Maria reached out and gently brushed Leah's hair out of her face.

I'm just worried about you, you know? I'm going on this trip, and I'll be gone for almost a month. I want to know that you're going to be okay. Can you just promise me you're going to be okay? I know, and I'm fine. I didn't mean to worry you. I don't know what happened. I'm just going to do what the doctor said,

and I'll call my mom if I need anything. Just have a good trip, okay? Maria nodded. I'll send you an email when I get there. My phone will work there, too. so I'll call once I'm settled. Take care of yourself. I'll see you soon.

She hugged Leah lightly, afraid to touch her delicate skin with too much force. Leah closed the door and watched Maria drive away before walking up to her apartment. She was back home, alone again. It was dark, and the silence was unnerving. The apartment's atmosphere had transformed completely over the last two days.

It felt thick with moisture and the smell of decay. Leah had the overwhelming sense that something had settled in while she was gone. It had burrowed into the walls and floorboards, soaked into her clothes and cushions. Let's just pretend that never happened. She sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. Leah hadn't eaten since her last shift at work. She was planning on making some lunch and doing a few chores. But within ten minutes on the couch, she could feel herself drifting off to sleep.

What does mold a dream of anyways? Leo was walking barefoot through a large corridor. It was cold and dark, but the walls glowed with a beautiful soft blue light. The place was quiet, and the only sounds were her footsteps and a distant tripping. As she walked, the corridor got smaller and more narrow until she came to an opening that she had to crawl through on her hands and knees.

The opening led to a small cave. The blue light had disappeared, and her eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness. Finally, she could see a mound of something on the far side of the cave. It was moving very slowly, and it emitted a beautiful light at sporadic intervals, the same light she had seen in her dreams. Leah was at once afraid and mesmerized. The thing was moving closer and closer to her,

but she didn't notice until it was touching her. A cold pink slime enveloped her right hand, and her skin burned. Leah cried out and tried to crawl back through the small opening, back to her apartment, back to Maria. When she turned, the entrance was gone. There was nothing but the smooth walls of the cave. Leah clawed at the walls as the thing moved closer, oozing along the uneven floor, dazzling her with its light. The jelly-like substance again devoured her hand and crawled up her arm. The pain was unbearable now.

Leah went to scream, but the creature slid over her face and in front. to her mouth, she choked as thick mucus filled her throat. She tried to pull it away, but her hands and feet were gone. They were now a part of the squirming mass. Leah woke up and clutched at her throat. Her whole body burned and her stomach cried out in pain. She didn't know how a dream could feel so real. She threw up a thick pink slime onto the carpet. Leah's first tooth fell out on Saturday. It was the day she would usually meet Maria for lunch. But Maria was gone now. When the tooth fell out, it hurt, but it was a satisfying pain, like rubbing a sore muscle. Losing the tooth reminded her of removing a splinter.

She was just getting rid of a foreign object that was uncomfortably lodged in her skin. The tooth didn't feel like it belonged anymore. And neither did her hair or her skin, for that matter. Her whole body felt like a foreign object, and only the thick pus bulging under each blister felt at home. It was the only thing about her that felt good. The day her tooth fell out, she decided to stop taking her medicine. It felt better to just scrape off the skin. It felt better to let herself leak out of the wounds and drip in a puddle onto the floor.

I'm more oozing past than I am skin. She buried her nails deep into her shoulder and tore. Sometimes she'd spend hours just picking at her knees or elbows, showering the floor with scabs. The couch was covered in dried blood, pus and stomach bile. She sat on it, unaware of the filth, just picking at her now useless skin. The TV had been on for days, and suddenly a blast of music signaling breaking news erupted from the screen, cutting off a sitcom's laugh track.

The man on the screen looked straight at Leah as he spoke. Reports are coming in about the AL5 Body Cream. Health officials in the United States and abroad have put an official ban on the product, and they are urging anyone who has come into contact with the cream to seek immediate medical help. Certain people can have a life-threatening reaction to the cream, especially those suffering from eczema, psoriasis, severe acne, or fungal infections. If you or someone you know used the cream, be aware of any allergic reactions. Symptoms include fever, mental fog, severe skin burns and blistering, psychosis, locked-in syndrome, and death.

Anyone who's used the cream should contact a local hospital immediately as these symptoms are severe. Leah's phone rang. Maria was trying to get in touch again. She had been calling non-stop since the news started making its AL-5 health warning announcements. Leah could barely remember Maria, but she knew if she saw her again. She would make Maria use the cream. It would be so much better for her. It would be better for everyone.

Leah's hair was coming out in thick clumps. The slick skin of her scalp clung to each handful. She was taking off her disguise, slowly undressing from a human costume that no longer suited her. The slime mold in the AOL5 was pulsing through her, but now it wanted its freedom. Sometime after her last tooth came out, Leah sank into the couch and watched her hand fall off.

First the skin around her wrist tightened, and then dried until it felt like hard plastic. Leah picked at it until the skin fell. flaked away and the slime underneath began to leak out. Her wrist became soggy, and her hand slowly dropped off. It ripped away like wet tissue paper, leaving strands of sinew behind. Leah watched with eyes that were no longer hers. She opened her mouth, but the only thing that trickled out was the pink mucus.

The slime mold had taken full control of her body, but it still wanted more. Maria tried calling Leah from her taxi, but again got no answer. The AL-5 was suddenly all over the news. People were dying. People were torturing themselves. It was unlike anything anyone had ever seen. How could she not come back early to check on her girlfriend? The taxi pulled up to Leah's building, and Maria ran to the apartment.

She opened the door and stood at the entrance, shocked by the stench that emerged from the dark rooms inside. Maria took a breath and stepped inside, using her phone as a flashlight. The apartment looked like a crime scene. The floors, furniture, and walls were covered in thick, mysterious fluids. The lamps and chairs had all been knocked over. The TV blared in the background. Maria took another step forward and saw a piece of paper lying on the ground.

A note was scrawled onto it with black marker, but it was decorated with dark red smudges. What is it now? I don't think it matters anymore. It's in my brain now. In my mind. I don't think I even have a brain anymore. Just a throbbing blister, pressing harder and harder against my skull.

The pressure of it is keeping me awake. It has for days now. I just, I can't wait for it to pop. Maybe I should pop it. I could use a hammer or a kitchen knife. It would feel so good. It'd be so good for us. Maria felt sick as she read the note.

She was terrified to look around the apartment, but she needed to find Leah. She needed to save her. She made her way through the living room and into the kitchen before she froze. Her phone's flashlight shone through the darkness and landed on a body. It was covered in pink pus and blood.

It was missing limbs, and the hair was all gone. but she knew it was Leah. She was slouched over on the kitchen floor with a knife sticking out from the top of her head. Paralyzed by fear, Maria hesitated before running over and collapsing onto Leah. She tried to open her eyes, checked for a pulse.

She hugged her and cradled her. The thick slime that was all over Leah now covered Maria as she cried. In the background, the news anchor was speaking again. The WHO and CDC have stated that the slime mold present in AL5 has successfully mutated at least once. We have confirmed cases of human-to-human transmission. Be aware that everyone can now be affected by this mutated form of the mold,

regardless of previous skin conditions. Avoid all contact with infected persons. Again, avoid all contact with the infected. Slime mold. The worst kind of mold. I think we need a short break to wash our skin before we get back to the horror. All done, Boss. All done, what do you mean?

I got rid of those large foam letters like you asked me to. Ah, good lad. How'd you do it? Easy. I used Ship Station. The best way to make ship happen. You know it. It's perfect for people who need to ship products. Like, say you start your own online store. You're doing what you love, selling products people want, and orders are coming and fast. Now the hard part. Shipping those products out. Luckily, Ship Station makes it easy.

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every time. With ShipStation, small businesses can now access the same rates usually reserved for Fortune 500 companies without the contracts or commitments. Ship more. in less time. Just use our offer code No Sleep to get a 60-day free trial. That's two months free of no hassle, stress-free shipping. Just go to Shipstation.com, click on the microphone at the top of the page, and type in No Sleep. That's Shipstation.com, enter offer code, no sleep. So tell me, who did you ship those foam letters to? A friend of mine, he collects large letters. He keeps them in containers high on his shelf. Why does he do that? do that? I don't know. He said he just likes uppercase letters. Oh, let's get back to the show.

Unlike that joke, this next story will crack you up. Love. Oh, isn't it wonderful? Spending so much time with someone who just gets you and who you fully know and understand in return. Such bonds are often unbreakable. But in this tale, shared with us by author G. O. Yundith, the bond of love may end up being broken in a rather literal way. Performing this tale are Matthew Bradford, Mary Murphy, Ellie Hirschman, and Alexis Bristow. So feel free to take a break before you listen, because we don't want you to snap,

but when you're ready, steal yourself for a bone crack. My girlfriend, Emily, and I have been together for a little over three years. She's the best thing that never walked into my life. She's very caring and supportive, and she makes some real good home-cooked meals. She always brings out the best in me, and I try to bring out the best in her. That's not to say everything is perfect. We've had our ups and downs. The occasional argument bubbles to the surface now and then,

but overall it's been a very happy relationship. It was about three months ago when things started to get, strange. I was sitting in the living room when a heavenly smell wafed in from the kitchen. Emily was making dinner for us, as she liked to do. And even though we often cook together, she had offered to cook alone. It smelled like she was making stir fry, and as I closed the distance, I could hear the sizzle of vegetables in a hot pan. I came in from behind and wrapped my arms around her. Leaning my head forward, I could. Kissed her on her cheek.

You need any help out here? No thanks. I've got it covered. I could see her smile. She reached an arm up and touched my hair. And then a loud cracking sound echoed from her shoulder. It sounded like bone had broken into pieces. It was so loud and it sounded like it would hurt.

I instinctively let go over, fearful that I might have somehow hurt her. Holy shit. Are you all right, babe? She turned away from the stove, still smiling at me. What are you talking about? Your shoulder just cracked. It was so loud. It sounded like your bone shattered. Well, I didn't feel or hear anything. You sure it wasn't something else?

Might have just been the veggies in the pan. She turned back to the stove to stir the vegetables. I wouldn't really answer that. I mean, I swear I heard that crack. come from her shoulder. It didn't sound like the sizzle of a pan or even a pop. But I'd let this incident go without making too much of a fuss. The next time it happened was a few nights later when we were getting ready to go to sleep.

I had brushed my teeth and gotten into bed already. And when Emily came in and started to lift her leg to get into the bed, there was an ear-splitting snapping sound. My blood wasn't cold. I expected her to cry out in pain and close. clutch her leg. But instead, she just got into the bed like nothing was wrong. Hey, what's going on?

Your leg just made a snapping noise. I don't understand. Doesn't that hurt? She looked at me quizzically. I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't hear anything. I heard it clear as day. Your leg just made a snapping noise.

Is this some kind of prank? I'm tired. I want to see. sleep. She was beginning to shift from confused to annoyed with my constant questions. I relented and leaned over to give her a kiss. I flipped off the light and just laid there in bed. I knew I heard it. It sounded exactly like the time I'd fallen while playing soccer and broke my leg. I fell the wrong way while running and there was a loud snap while my concerned teammates gathered around me. The pain was excruciating.

There's no way it could be ignored, and obviously I couldn't walk for a while. I thought of that incident made me shudder, and I tried to push it all away from my mind so that I could sleep. Incidents like that just kept happening. And she would move a certain way, and something would pop or grind or crack. It was very worrisome. And I started to think she may be hiding a disease from me. or something.

Every time I mentioned it, she became more annoyed. And I felt like her personality had changed. The once calm and caring Emily I knew was now constantly irritated with me. She showed no signs of pain from any of it. Still, one day I insisted she'd go to the doctor. Listen, you have to get yourself checked out. I think something's wrong. It's not normal for this stuff to be happening.

We don't have money for that. And if we did, you should be getting yourself to a mental health specialist. You keep saying my bones are popping or snapping, but I don't hear anything. This is becoming ridiculous. You're hearing things that aren't there. No, no way. I hear it. It is so clear.

Yeah? Lots of people hear weird things, but they aren't real. You are sick. You need to get help. I left the room, trying not to escalate the situation into an even worse argument. I thought she must be lying. But then stopped and thought to myself, what if she was right? But I didn't seem to hear sounds from other people, only from her.

For a while, I kept quiet about the whole thing. Until one night, things got even worse. I woke in the middle of the night to hear the sound of cracking and grinding. It was loud enough to wake me. And when I looked over at my girlfriend, I could see her arm was contorting and moving in odd ways. Ways that simply weren't possible without bones breaking. My heart beat fast as her arm thrashed around. And terror set in.

The sounds of bones snapping continue for what felt like minutes. I shakily said her name to see if she was awake, but her eyes were closed and her arm kept on moving and cracking and grinding. It wouldn't stop. And then her arm is reached for me. Her fingers popping as they wrapped around my neck and began to squeeze. That was enough. I grabbed her arm and pushed it back towards her body.

The cracking and grinding stopped, and she opened her eyes as I had my hands around her arm. She sat up in bed and pushed me away. What are you doing? Your fucking arm was moving on its own. You tried to strangle me. And your bones, they just kept cracking and breaking. God, not this again.

This is getting so tiresome. Now you're waking me up in the middle of the night for this? Look. She moved her arm back and forth, twisted it. No cracking. or grinding. See, it's fine. She rolled on to her side, facing away from me.

I think we need to get you some help. Tomorrow we'll see if we can find a psychiatrist or something. You can't keep going on and on about this. I said nothing. Still feeling terrified at the whole ordeal. But I was pretty convinced now that I might be imagining things. I laid in bed for a while feeling condescending. confused, scared, and unsure.

I couldn't get back to sleep. Later in the night, Emily got up to use the bathroom. I got out of bed feeling more awake than ever and went to sit in the living room. It was quiet for a moment. And then I heard that cracking and grinding noise. I covered my ears and closed my eyes until the sound stopped. Emily came out of the bathroom, but something wasn't right. Her head was tilted ever so slightly to the left for some reason.

and something was protruding from her neck on the right side, pressed against her skin, pushing it to its limits. I said nothing about it, though her eyes met briefly and she only scowled at me. I felt like I must have been crazy. Got back into bed and went to sleep while I spent the night sitting on the couch. The next day I agreed to see a psychiatrist at Emily's request. Her neck was normal when I saw her. in the morning. The protrusion was gone. That was enough to convince me that I was suffering from

some form of mental illness, complete with auditory and visual hallucinations. The first meeting was expensive, but I figured I needed help. The doctor sat me down, and after some brief talk about my life, he asked me about my hallucinations. I only seem to have them when Emily is around. I mean, I hear these cracks, like bones breaking, but they only... come for her. Sounds are awful, but if she says she's fine, I don't know. Are there others around when you hear these things? When you and Emily go out? Do you hear them? Actually? No. If we're out, I never hear them. It's when we're alone that it starts. Strange. He eyed his watch.

Listen, now what time is up for today? But I'd like to discuss this more in a week. I'd like you to log the times and instances when you start hearing and seeing things. There may be very specific triggers. And if we can discover those and eliminate them, we might be able to avoid putting you on medication. I thanked him for his time and scheduled an appointment for next week with his secretary. I can't say it was all that helpful. He didn't really tell me what was wrong, but I figured I would follow his suggestion. The matter of whether I was crazy or not, still seemed up in the air. After the appointment, I sat in my car, not really wanting to go home to Emily. Lately it felt like walking on eggshells. Her mood was dower, and she constantly bossed me

around. I was feeling exhausted with everything. The sounds of bones cracking and her trying to strangle me was scary, even if it wasn't real. I stopped by the store to pick up a notebook to document everything as the doctor ordered. But then, an idea popped into my head. I figured there was one way to prove or disprove my sanity. I could simply use my cell phone to record her. If I record the sounds, then I would know for certain that I wasn't hearing things. When I walked into the door, I had my cell phone recording already. Emily greeted me with a hug and a smile, which was a nice change of pace from her typical moodiness. I'm glad you went. How did he go?

Did you get on any meds yet? No, not yet. He wants to have a follow-up appointment. I think he finds it strange that my symptoms only happen at home, and only around you. I hope I didn't offend her. Isn't he supposed to be the expert? Why is that strange?

Her smile fell into a scowl. There was a brief moment of silence. A loud crack rang through the room. It sounded like her back just broke, but she didn't even move. I felt my hand began to clam up, and my heartbeat increased. She had no reaction to it, as usual. Your back, it just... Her mouth contorted into a sneering grin as she looked at me.

My back wet. It cracked? Yeah, it was so loud. It felt a sinking feeling my stomach. I didn't hear anything. She grinned at me wickedly. I reached from my back pocket and pulled out my cell phone, stopping the recording. I was sweating, knowing that this was it.

This was the moment. Emily's face twisted into anger. What hell are you doing with that thing? I pressed play, and it began to play back the event since I walked in the door. Isn't he supposed to be the expert? Why is that strange? No! Emily was trying to paw it from my hand.

I moved back and listen closely as she shrieked at me to turn it off. There was a moment of silence. I felt more nervous as time passed slowly. Finally, there it was. The sound rang through the room. There was no denying it anymore. Something was wrong with Emily, not me. She knew she had been discovered, and as I looked into her eyes,

I saw them change. They grew dull as she began to bend backwards. Her back snapping loudly again until her upper body was parallel to the floor. Her neck twisted violently again and again until blood began to spread out. Her arms began to move into unnatural arcs as a sound of bone snapping and grinding filled the room.

Her body contorted into a bridge pose. I tried to back a way. away as the blood poured from her twisted neck, but she was so fast. She leapt at me, knocking me to the ground. She put her hand on my shoulder for a moment before the skin between her wrist and hand split, sharp bones shooting out and stabbing me. My blood began to trickle down my arm, but adrenaline pumped through me. Using my legs, I kicked her away.

The sound of bones cracking filled the room as she flew back against the wall, Pulling myself to my feet, I fled from the building with a splintered bone protruding from my shoulder. The grinding and snapping noise grew fainter as I escaped. I clutched my shoulder as I made my way down the sidewalk, trying to get further away from her, or whatever that thing was. The blood flowed from my shoulder. I reached into my pocket and called 911 before I lost consciousness. When the paramedics arrived, I vaguely remember them taking me in the ambulance.

The doctors whispered in hushed tones as to why a part of radius bone was sticking out of my shoulder. But they took care of me nonetheless. The whole thing left me terrified. Any snapping or crack from anything had me jumping. And I had to deal with the loss of Emily. I'm not sure. sure if she was always that thing, or if my girlfriend had somehow been taken over. But I knew that she was gone now, and it left me feeling empty.

When I thought no one would hear me, I spilled a few tears, but I guess I wasn't as quiet as I could have been. A nurse walked into the room, and I scrambled to try and hide my tears, but it was obvious I'd been crying. Don't worry, dear. You'll be out of here soon. There's no need to cry. The nurse went and pulled a tissue from a box, and as she handed it to me, there was a loud crack that rang throughout the room. It sounded like her arm had broken. My eyes widened, but she just kept grinning. This has been a production of the No Sleep podcast.

The musical score was composed by Brandon Boone. Our production team is Phil Mikulski, Jeff Clement, and Jesse Cornett. Our creative content manager is Olivia White. Our editor-in-chief is Jessica McAvoy. I'm your host and executive producer, David Cummings. If you would like to find out how you can hear the extended editions of our audio program, please visit the no-sleeppodcast.com to learn about our season pass program.

25 episodes, each over two hours long, and three exclusive bonus episodes, all for only $25. On behalf of everyone at the No Sleep Podcast, we thank you for listening and for being ever curious. This audio production is copyright 2021 by Creative Reason Media, Inc.

All rights reserved. The copyrights for each story are held by the respective authors. No duplication or reproduction of this audio program is permitted without the written consent of creative reason media.