Bedtime Stories

The Vietnam War was a conflict defined by brutality and uncertainty. Dense jungle concealed ambushes, artillery shattered the night, and young soldiers were forced to fight an enemy they could rarely see. It was a war of exhaustion, paranoia and relentless fear. Yet for some who served there, the Viet Cong were not the only threat moving through the trees. In whispered accounts that surfaced years later, they spoke of another presence in those jungles; an enemy unexplained. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have previously examined three forested regions of the United Kingdom, each of which has become a focal point for reports of high strangeness. Cannock Chase brought with it accounts of shadowed figures, cryptids and unexplained encounters. Clapham Wood revealed whispers of spectral entities and deeply unsettling phenomena. Pembrey Forest, outwardly quiet and unassuming, carried its own catalogue of strange sights and unnerving experiences. Now, we turn to another woodland. A forest where reports do not centre on a single apparition or isolated creature, but on a bewildering array of entities, sightings and encounters, spanning generations. This time, we step into the darkness of Delamere. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Throughout history, there are countless examples of places or objects said to bring suffering to those connected with them, earning a reputation for being cursed. In earlier episodes, we have explored several of these stories, from infamously unlucky motor vehicles to the final resting place of a convicted murderer. In this episode, we turn our attention to the preserved remains of an Ice Age hunter, a body some believe is linked to a series of unexplained deaths. Together, these events have come to be known as The Iceman’s Curse. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some places sit quietly on the map, rarely drawing attention beyond those who live nearby. Others become known not for what happens there once, but for what keeps happening again and again; events that resist explanation, leave no clear record, and blur the line between history and testimony. In the mid twentieth century, a remote corner of Indonesia became the focus of a series of accounts that defied easy categorisation. Fishermen, villagers, and visiting outsiders all described encounters that did not fit local folklore, modern science, or conventional misunderstanding. What follows is not a single incident, but a pattern; fragmented, unsettling, and difficult to dismiss. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

He set off expecting nothing more than a long drive. A journey from Oregon to Florida, planned, ordinary, and uneventful. Somewhere along the way, however, Timothy Braddy disappeared. His truck would later be found parked beside a high school, undamaged and unlocked, as though he had stepped away briefly and never returned. There were no signs of violence, no clear reason for him to stop, and no trace of where he went next. What followed was not clarity, but silence. And with it, a question that still has no answer: how does someone simply vanish in plain sight? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In late 2021, an ordinary man from the north of England reported two encounters that would alter the course of his life. The first took place in the early hours of the morning and left him questioning the nature of consciousness itself. The second occurred months later. Between those two events lay a period of illness so severe that doctors could not explain how he survived it at all. Whether these experiences were connected remains uncertain. But taken together, they form a deeply unsettling account of contact, consequence, and the possibility that some encounters are never meant to be remembered. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When a thirteen-year-old boy growing up on a remote farm in Mexico takes part in what he believes is nothing more than a harmless game, he has no way of knowing what he is about to invite into his life. What begins as curiosity soon gives way to fear, as subtle changes take hold and the atmosphere within the household begins to shift. Over the following months, the boy’s family becomes convinced that something unnatural has attached itself to him, something that refuses to leave quietly. What follows is a disturbing descent into belief, desperation, and the terrifying idea that the greatest threat may come not from outside the home, but from within. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of us move through time without ever noticing it. Seconds pass, days accumulate, years slip quietly behind us. But on rare occasions, something appears to go wrong. A person finds themselves somewhere they do not belong, surrounded by a world that feels unfamiliar, faster, louder, and strangely hostile. In the winter of 1951, in the heart of New York City, witnesses reported seeing a man step into existence where no man had stood a moment before. Within minutes he was dead, but when investigators searched his body, it left them questioning not so much where he came from, but when. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the great deserts of the American Southwest, people vanish with unsettling regularity. Some leave behind traces that hint at what happened. Others seem to step out of the world entirely, swallowed by a landscape vast enough to hide anything and quiet enough that no one hears it happen. But every so often, a disappearance leaves behind more questions than answers. A hiker known for pushing his limits. A cave he insisted held something unusual. A final journey that should have ended like all the others, yet never did. This is the story of Kenny Veach, and the place he never came back from. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a previous episode, we explored several disturbing encounters involving a creature long feared within Navajo tradition; an entity said to move with unnatural speed, mimic familiar voices, and stalk the lonely highways of the American Southwest. Those stories were unsettling enough, yet they represent only a fraction of the reports that continue to emerge. In this episode, we return to the shadows once more, to examine a new collection of chilling encounters that are every bit as harrowing as the first. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During the late 1970s, a fully laden DC-10 passenger jet crashed shortly after take-off, killing everyone on board. The disaster shocked the nation, prompting investigations, headlines, and a long search for answers. Yet in the days leading up to the tragedy, something quietly unsettling had been unfolding elsewhere. One man, living hundreds of miles away and with no connection to the flight, began experiencing a series of vivid, disturbing dreams. Only after the crash would he realise that what he had seen in his sleep was not imagination at all, but a chilling premonition. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1955, a small silver sports car rolled out of a California garage and into American folklore. It was sleek, fast, and dangerous. A machine built for the racetrack. But within weeks, its young owner would be dead, and the car itself would become infamous. What followed were decades of bizarre accidents, unexplained fatalities, and eerie coincidences, all linked to the same deadly machine. Some now claim the car was cursed. Others insist the stories are nothing more than myth. In this episode, we examine the legend of James Dean’s Porsche… Little Bastard. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1947, a cargo ship was discovered drifting aimlessly through calm waters in the Indian Ocean. When rescuers finally boarded, what they found defied all logic. Every member of the crew lay dead, sprawled across the decks, their eyes wide open, mouths frozen mid-scream. Yet the vessel itself showed no sign of fire, struggle, or damage of any kind. No wounds, no blood, no explanation. To this day, no one knows what truly happened or why every man aboard the Ourang Medan met his end in such terrifying silence. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Throughout history, humankind has turned its gaze towards the heavens in search of mystery. Yet time and again, it is beneath the ground where the most enduring enigmas are found. Across every continent lie tales of ancient tunnels, lost chambers, and sealed structures that predate all known civilisation. One such story emerged from the mountains of wartime Slovakia, where a wounded soldier claimed to have uncovered something buried deep within the earth, its surface smooth as glass, hard as diamond, and impossible to explain. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One night, while walking through the woods on the outskirts of her town, an elderly woman discovered what she thought was an abandoned infant lying in the dirt. She carried it home and resolved to raise it herself, but what began as an act of compassion would soon spiral into a mystery that left her community asking whether the baby Aleshenka was even human. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1996, the quiet Brazilian town of Varginha became the centre of one of the strangest UFO cases in modern history. Nestled amongst the hills of Minas Gerais, its residents reported encounters with a bizarre, non-human creature, an event that would draw global attention, military involvement, and decades of speculation. Was it all an elaborate hoax to put this small town on the map, or did something truly extraordinary unfold in what would come to be known as The Alien of Varginha? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Experience tells us there are certain professions in which people are far more likely to encounter the unexplained than others. As the many accounts featured on our sister podcast Wartime Stories clearly demonstrate, one such group is military personnel. But another, just as frequently, is the world of law enforcement, where officers across the globe have reported experiences that defy logic, reason, and training alike. In this episode, we’ll be exploring some of those accounts, cases in which those sworn to uphold the law found themselves policing the paranormal. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the woods just east of Louisville, Kentucky, an old railway bridge cuts through the treeline. To many, it would appear no different to any other trestle found in the rural US. But locals believe that this particular overpass is guarded by a goat-like beast so disturbing that it causes those who see it to instantly run for their lives, or, in some cases, their deaths. For more than half a century, the bodies have continued to pile up with no end in sight, leaving people to wonder, what truly lurks in the shadows of Pope Lick Creek. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1988, a new section of road was carved through the hills of the Peak District in Northern England. Built to divert heavy traffic away from the small town of Stocksbridge, the bypass was meant to bring relief. But almost from the start, strange reports began to surface from workers on the site - sightings of figures where no one should be, and unsettling incidents that defied explanation. In the years that followed, this stretch of highway became known not just for its hauntings, but for the unusually high number of lives it would go on to claim. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fact or fiction, is there anything more terrifying than the idea of being abducted by aliens? History is littered with such accounts, depicting scenes of horrifying experimentation. But what if some of these beings were benevolent, instead inviting us to learn from them? In 1980, one man may have been given that chance. Whether still on this planet or not, his disappearance has left us asking; what happened to Granger Taylor? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the 25th June 1986, a routine journey across Spain turned tragic. In the early morning, a tanker truck carrying thousands of litres of sulphuric acid crashed whilst crossing the Somosierra mountain pass. But the driver was not alone. He had brought along his wife and 10-year-old son. When authorities arrived to investigate, they found something truly unexpected: the boy was missing. Over the ensuing months, hundreds of theories were considered, followed, and abandoned. Today, four decades later, the question still lingers: Where is Juan Pedro Martínez Gómez? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For centuries, the deserts and mountains of the Middle East have been steeped in myth and mystery. From ancient conquerors to modern armies, those who marched into these lands often returned with stories of strange and unexplainable encounters. In more recent times, the deserts of Afghanistan and Iraq have become the backdrop for some of the world’s most intense conflicts — and with them, unsettling reports from soldiers on the ground. Amidst the dust and darkness of desert warfare, they tell of figures glimpsed through night vision, of shadows moving where no enemy should be, and of confrontations with beings that seemed anything but human. Even today, whispers persist that in these unforgiving landscapes, there may still be… something in the desert. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the evening of 24 February 1978, five friends from Northern California - Ted Weiher, Jack Madruga, Bill Sterling, Jackie Huett, and Gary Mathias - set off to watch a basketball game. They never returned. Months later, four of them were discovered dead in the snowy wilderness of the Plumas National Forest, seventy miles from their intended route. The fifth man has never been found alive… or dead. The disappearance of the men from Yuba County is a case we have explored before on this podcast. However, in the years since, Bedtime Stories has become aware of previously unavailable information that sheds an entirely different light on this infamous story. Thanks to the work of a diligent investigative writer who has graciously agreed to collaborate on this episode, we may finally be ready to revisit the tragedy of the Yuba County Five. LINK TO TONY WRIGHT’S BOOK https://www.amazon.com/Things-Arent-Right-Disappearance-County/dp/1958727202 MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Paulides, a former police officer turned researcher, has spent years investigating unexplained deaths and disappearances in North America’s national parks. His work has catalogued thousands of cases that defy easy explanation. In this episode, we follow his findings and ask the question: is there something in the woods - something that stalks and hunts human beings? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For centuries, reports of mysterious flying beings have surfaced across the Americas. Witnesses describe them as humanoid in form yet moving without wings, descending silently from the skies to terrify those who encounter them. But in the early 2000s, northern Mexico became the focal point of some of the most striking and widely reported cases. Police officers, farmers, and ordinary residents all came forward with disturbing testimony of wingless figures hovering above towns and villages. Their sudden appearances and inexplicable movements left communities fearful and bewildered. What are these beings that bring such terror from the sky? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Located on the south-west coast of Wales, Carmarthenshire’s shoreline offers some of the nation’s most peaceful and picturesque scenery. Yet behind this natural beauty lies a history marked by tragedy, where countless lives have been lost in circumstances both sudden and severe. In this episode, we explore accounts in which visitors to the area have found themselves caught up in strange, unexplained, and sometimes ghostly encounters. A series of events known collectively as The Pembrey Forest Hauntings. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of ⁠CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Across the world, there are pockets of land where the skies seem restless. Places where strange lights appear without warning and encounters with the unknown are whispered about for generations. Their locations are often fixed on maps by triangulating the nearest towns and cities, yet their reputations are defined not by geography, but by the stories told about them. One such place lies in the heart of Scotland, a swathe of countryside where sightings occur with unsettling frequency. Known as the Falkirk Triangle, it has earned a reputation as the United Kingdom’s most active UFO hotspot, a place where the seemingly ordinary meets the extraordinary. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Each year, people around the world report having encounters with bizarre animals that seem not to be of this earth. It occurs so frequently that an entire scientific discipline, cryptozoology, was established to study the phenomenon. For a brief period during the early 1970s, one small town in rural Illinois would briefly play host to an entity so mysterious that neither the residents themselves nor anyone else has ever encountered it again. Just what exactly was the Enfield Horror? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In most missing persons cases, time eventually provides answers. The individual is either found safe and well, or, sadly, they are located after passing. However, in a frustratingly small number of cases, neither the family nor the public ever receives true closure. When this lack of resolution is due to police failings, the consequences can be devastating. This was certainly the case in the investigation we’ll be exploring in this episode: that of the Missing Airman. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Battle of Antietam during the American Civil War remains the bloodiest day in American history. That day, and the future of the United States, could have turned out very differently, if not for a single note and three cigars. From Ballen Studios, join us - for the most heart pounding podcast in history. Listen to ⁠A Twist of History⁠ wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During the Cold War, soldiers stationed on an army base in the German city of Celle began to report strange, unexplainable experiences. As time wore on, many of the men came to believe they were being terrorised by a sinister paranormal presence. These encounters proved so horrifying that some took their own lives rather than face another night on patrol. Whilst the incidents were largely dismissed, experts have uncovered long-hidden secrets that prove these men might have been telling the truth. Indeed, few places in the world have a darker, more sinister history than the Celle Neues Rathaus. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Having an encounter with a UFO is one of the most bizarre and overwhelming events a person might experience. But in a large percentage of these cases, the sighting itself is just the beginning. Over the years, hundreds of witnesses have reported being visited by strange, unearthly men in the days and weeks following their sightings. Are they government agents of suppression, extraterrestrial visitors in disguise, or something else entirely? Who are the Men in Black? And what can we learn from the recent videos that claim to finally prove their existence? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In April 1991, the body of an otherwise healthy 35-year-old man was found inside his Seattle apartment. He was fully clothed, kneeling in an empty bathtub, with no signs of a struggle or forced entry. The death was quickly written off as the result of natural causes. But when his friends came forward, they told a different story. They claim he’d spent a week evading a supernatural force he swore had been sent to kill him. Did he literally scare himself to death? Or was the peculiar death of Christoper Case really the result of a witch’s curse? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Each year, hundreds of thousands of people go missing across the United States. Most are eventually found, sometimes safe, sometimes not. But then there are the anomalies - the people who, for whatever reason, seem to completely disappear without a trace. These cases often linger for decades, fuelled by rumour, strange clues, and unanswered questions. This is one such story - a disappearance so bizarre that it left people around the world asking, “What happened to Jared Negrete?” MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For those who believe in extraterrestrials, the military is commonly seen as the first line of defence. For over a century, radio dramas, films, and literature have asked: what would really happen if our military forces engaged an advanced interstellar species? At least two men claim to not only know the answer, but to have participated in just such a conflict, only to be abducted, and their minds mysteriously wiped. Their tales raise an important question: just what happened during the Fort Benning Incident? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – What Killed Olivia Mabel? One afternoon in 1994, a series of silent 911 calls from a remote Texas property would result in several police officers descending upon the scene. What they found after breaking in through the front entrance, would shock them to their core and leave them questioning what killed Olivia Mabel. Story Two – The Strange Death of Gaurav Tiwari In July 2016, a young ghost hunter died in mysterious circumstances after visiting a supposedly haunted property. Authorities hastily ruled it a suicide, but this was not a satisfactory answer for many people, including those closest to him, who are still trying to understand the strange death of Gaurav Tiwari. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There have been multiple alleged interactions which are reported to have taken place between the US military and extraterrestrial visitors. These include the supposed crash of a UFO near to Roswell in New Mexico, and the craft that was encountered by US servicemen in Rendlesham Forest near RAF Woodbridge. In this episode we examine yet another such story, where an alien trespasser is believed to have been incapacitated by sentries who were stationed at another military site. An incident which over time has become known as, the McGuire Air Force Base Encounter. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Time, for most of us, feels like the one true constant - a steady progression from past to future. Yet throughout history, people have reported moments where time - and perhaps even reality - seems to falter. Some claim to have been pulled into the past or thrust briefly into the future. Others describe slipping into worlds that look almost like our own, but with subtle, unsettling differences. In most cases, these experiences are fleeting glimpses across eras. In others, they resemble accidental detours into entirely separate dimensions. Unlike stories of time machines or interdimensional travel, these events - often called time slips or interdimensional rifts - are completely beyond the experiencer’s control. And in rare cases, they leave lasting and sometimes even tragic consequences. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, paranormal researchers have heard tales of a strange anomaly in the hills of central Washington - a hole so deep that it devours everything thrown into it, and which seems to possess supernatural powers. In the late 1990s, a man named Mel Waters came forward, claiming to own the land upon which the bottomless pit resides. But after going public, he found himself at the centre of a conspiracy involving top branches of the US government that ultimately led to his disappearance. Was it all a hoax, or is there more to the curious case of Mel’s Hole? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In August 1993, a group of kayakers from Ukraine travelled to Irkutsk in Southern Siberia. Whilst enjoying the river and scenery south of Lake Baikal, they came across something haunting: a 17-year-old girl, covered in blood and mumbling incoherently about a tragedy that had befallen her and her friends. Her name was Valentina Utochenko, and the terror she survived still baffles experts, who refer to the event simply as the Khamar-Daban Mountain Deaths. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plenty of towns have disappeared over the years. In most cases, the explanations range from economic problems to government initiatives to resources drying up. But what about the towns that truly and quite literally vanished without a trace? It’s not as rare a phenomenon as some people might think. And for thousands of people in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, it’s a perplexing reality. Given the presence of so many vivid memories, how can we possibly explain the vanishing of Doveland? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Manchester Pusher Over the past decade, close to a hundred people have lost their lives in the canal network of one northern English city. In this chapter, we examine evidence, which suggests that a significant number of these deaths were the work of one person, the Manchester Pusher. Story Two – The Uniondale Hitchhiker The N9 is one of South Africa’s longest roads, running from the golden shores of the Southern Coast, right up into the heart of the Northern Cape Province. It is also home to one of the country’s most famous ghostly apparitions. Listen, as we take a ride with the Uniondale Hitchhiker. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During the closing stages of 2009, a family residing in Oklahoma vanished under suspicious circumstances, leaving little clue as to what had happened to them. When evidence of their tragic fate did eventually surface five years later, it only prompted further questions as to what exactly had transpired, rather than providing any useful answers. Join us as we attempt to unravel what really happened to the Jamison family. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – Drawn by Conflict When the movie Predator released in 1987, audiences were captivated as they watched an unseen, extra-terrestrial interloper stalk and kill a highly trained team of US special forces. Little did we know that during the Vietnam war, the militaries on both sides had been attacked by something just as frightening and just as bizarre, a true to life enemy unknown which seemed to be drawn by conflict. Story Two – The Burning Man of Brazil The men and women who devote their lives to working in hospitals across the world quickly become accustomed to treating the worst injuries that a human being can sustain. But every so often, a case comes along that is so gruesome, that it succeeds in shocking even the most hardened of medical professionals. In this story, we look at the haunting tale of the Burning Man of Brazil. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – There is Something in the Forest Abandoned towns can be found scattered across the globe and are usually the epilogue of natural disaster or ever-changing economic factors. But every so often, an established settlement can turn into a ghost town for much more sinister reasons. The one featured in this story was allegedly abandoned because of something in the forest. Story Two – There is Something in the Mountains For more than a century, a steady stream of treasure hunters and thrill-seekers have lost their lives under mysterious circumstances whilst searching for a legendary cache of gold, hidden away somewhere in Central Arizona. The headless bodies of those who have eventually been located have made it clear that there is something in the mountains. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The ocean has always captured mankind's imagination. But where some saw endless potential for travel, trade, and exploration, others could only imagine what untold terrors might be lurking in its depths. Ask any sailor, modern or ancient, and they’ll tell you that the sea is not only a natural force but a supernatural one. As more people begin to confront the thousands of firsthand accounts of mysterious terror of the deep, it becomes clear that there are things above and below the waves that may never be explained. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scotland’s Highlands are among the most beautiful and remote places in the world. But to many, this stunning landscape of mountains, lakes, and coastal villages also bears a notable air of mystery and foreboding. Even today, these ancient lands remain steeped in folklore and supernatural tales. Once one begins to dig into the stories of High Strangeness in the Scottish Highlands, it becomes clear why it is often considered one of the most haunted places on earth. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – Our Lady of Fatima In the Autumn of 1917, as the brutality and savagery of the First World War threatened to finally overwhelm Portugal’s borders, seventy thousand people gathered near a rural township to witness an appearance by the Virgin Mary. What exactly happened during The Fatima Event? Story Two – The Legend of the Bell Witch Whether tales of cryptids or ghostly apparitions, every community has its own folklore. Here, we pay a visit to a small town in Tennessee, which was plagued by a spirit so vengeful that it was the first in US history to receive blame for an actual recorded death, the legendary Bell Witch. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The forests of North America are dense, tall, and foreboding. So it may come as little surprise that as long as people have lived on the continent, there have been sightings of all manner of beasts and cryptids. Some, like the Canadian Wood Bison, were later discovered to be real. Others, like Bigfoot and the Thunderbird, remain in the grey area where myth, fact, and misidentification meet. But there is one creature so elusive and so bizarre in its appearance that those who’ve seen it claim it can only come from the depths of hell. With stories dating from today back to before America’s founding, how can we possibly explain The Jersey Devil? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Charterhouse Guest The English county of Somerset possesses a rich and colourful history which is steeped in tales of myth and legend. It has been the scene of many a mysterious and unexplained occurrence, one of which is known as The Charterhouse Guest. Story Two – Spirits of Devil’s Pool After a string of deaths at a remote beauty spot in Queensland, Australia, many people began to wonder if the area was cursed. Legend told of a woman’s ghostly face appearing just below the surface of the waters there, luring young men to their deaths. In this chapter, we go in search of the spirits of Devil’s Pool. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The San Pedro Haunting During the summer of 1988, a young mother residing in an unassuming Los Angeles neighbourhood reported having been subjected to a horrifying and relentless series of attacks within her home. She claimed that these assaults had been carried out by a mysterious supernatural entity, but just how much truth is there behind the San Pedro Haunting? Story Two – Doppelgängers and the Strange Case of Emilie Sagée In 1845, a school in Latvia became the scene of some disturbing paranormal activity as a newly employed teacher began to appear in two places at the same time. We now recount the strange tale of Emilie Sagée. And ask the question; could we all have a doppelganger? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Skies Over Kecksburg On the afternoon of 9th December 1965, the residents of a small village in rural Pennsylvania became the unwitting recipients of their very own legend. A mysterious event which captured the imaginations of an entire generation. What exactly happened in the skies over Kecksburg? Story Two – The Trucker’s Wife Whilst attending a conference in Las Vegas, noted UFO researcher, Stan Hernandez, was approached by a forlorn looking individual who had a tragic and harrowing story to tell. The man had recently lost his wife, who left behind a disturbing mystery regarding the events which led to her death. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – Footprints in the Snow The Antarctic region is notorious for being as unforgiving as it is beguiling. For those who work there, the psychological dangers associated with their posting can often be more dangerous than any physical hazard. In this chapter, we will examine the fate befalling one such soul. A man who disappeared in May 1965, leaving nothing but a set of footprints in the snow. Story Two – The Boys from Yuba City On a cold evening in February, five young men inexplicably left the safety of their car and struck out into the woods in the dead of night. It would be months beforetheir bodies were found. Known as America’s own Dyatlov Pass Incident, we’re left wondering what happened to the boys from Yuba City. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The CrossWade Interlopers In the Spring of 2013, what seemed to be a straightforward emergency call out for two police officers would turn out to be anything but. Not only would this experience chill them to the core, but it would have them questioning their own sanity for years afterwards as they tried to solve the riddle that was the CrossWade interlopers. Story Two – The Belfast Crossover In October 2016, a nurse working a day shift at a busy hospital in Northern Ireland was involved in an unsettling turn of events, which left him questioning everything he thought he knew about the world we inhabit. What happened during the Belfast crossover? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Lead Masks of Vintém Hill During August of 1966, the dead bodies of two men were found on a hillside in Brazil. Much of what was discovered at the scene would leave authorities baffled and has never been fully understood. What we are left with is a fifty-year-old mystery known as the Lead Masks of Vintém Hill. Story Two – The Watervale Runner Somewhere in South Australia, a small town holds a mystery in the palm of its hand. The disappearance of a young woman in October 2016 would turn the community upside-down and leave residents and local police questioning what happened to the Watervale Runner. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Smartphones and texting have caused many of us to forget that until the early 2000s, complete strangers could call you at any time, for any reason. And if they said the right things to keep you from hanging up, you could find yourself subjected to all manner of psychological manipulation. This tale is one in which several calls are featured, but – in reality – they are just one part of a much larger story. And try as they might, nobody has ever found a suitable explanation for the bizarre events surrounding the Sudbrink Phone Calls. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Mysterious Disappearance of Flight 19 In December 1945, five torpedo bombers on a routine patrol over the Bahamas vanished without trace. It was an incident that would kickstart the notoriety surrounding the infamous Bermuda Triangle and even now, more than 70 years later, we are still questioning what caused the mysterious disappearance of Flight 19. Story Two – The Disappearance of Flight MH370 In January 2017, authorities solemnly called an end to the global effort which had occupied the minds and the prayers of millions for the past three years. Over 120 thousand square kilometres of Indian ocean had been combed around the clock with cutting- edge technology, but despite all this effort, we're still no closer to solving the disappearance of flight MH370. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – Bridgend Lying between the sandy beaches of South Wales’s Gower Peninsula and the rugged mountains of the Brecon Beacons, the county of Bridgend is surrounded by areas of outstanding natural beauty. But over a three-year period in the late 2000’s, the area was devastated by a string of teenage suicides. Just what was happening in Bridgend? Story Two – Eleven Eleven years. Eleven diaries. Eleven deaths. In July 2018, a small town in North Delhi, India was rocked to its core when an entire family perished under strange circumstances. A case still heavily under investigation, we question; what were the events which led up to the mysterious Burari deaths. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In February 1994, police searching a house in Gloucester, England, made a horrifying discovery that would lead to one of the most infamous and disturbing cases in British criminal history. From that point onwards, the property at 25 Cromwell Street would become known as "The House of Horrors." MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our second Christmas week episode, we focus on more stories from the Bedtime Stories team. This time, it’s Simon’s turn. Simon has been a writer with Bedtime Stories since 2019 and has penned the majority of the episodes you have listened to thus far. As a serving police officer, he has witnessed a number of inexplicable occurrences whilst on duty. Finally, we finish out the year with a rather moving personal story from Rich. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christmas has a long tradition of ghost stories and tales of the unknown. Believe it or not, families would often take the opportunity to gather around the fireplace on cold Christmas evenings to share chilling tales with one another. In this episode, we introduce you to Rich, the narrator of the podcast, so that he can share some of his own personal experiences with the paranormal. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Lost Girls of Panama On the morning of 1st April 2014, two young women decided to hike up to a popular tourist spot on the famous Pianista trail. They were never seen alive again. Were their deaths the result of a tragic accident? Or is there more to this mystery than meets the eye? What happened to the lost girls of Panama? Story Two – The Strange Death of Jonathan Lovette When seeking to refute reported UFO encounters, sceptics will often highlight a lack of physical evidence as a means of undermining the witness testimony. But how do you debunk such a tale when it resulted in the death and mutilation of one of the people involved? In this story, we ask what led to the strange death of Jonathan Lovette. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – Taken in the Night Stories of mysterious abductions have been with us for decades, to the point that they’ve become a huge part of Western culture. Unfortunately, this has erased much of the nuance surrounding these events, including strange occurrences felt before, during, and even after the “abduction” itself. Perhaps it’s finally time for people to listen to what really happened to those who found themselves taken in the night. Story Two – The Santa Isabel Entity In September of 1972, a series of bizarre encounters occurred at an industrial complex in the Argentinian city of Cordoba. Over the course of one week, witnesses to the phenomenon described crossing paths with a mysterious intruder – one whose origins remain unknown to this day. Whether it was man, beast, or something else entirely, we still have little explanation for the Santa Isabel Entity. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – Who Killed Cindy James? On a warm Vancouver day in June 1989, the bound and bruised body of a woman was found in the yard of an abandoned house. Police quickly determined that she had committed suicide, but her six-year history of receiving threatening phone calls and being the victim of abusive stalking leaves us asking: who killed Cindy James? Story Two – The Body in Boiler Stack Nine As it becomes more difficult for us to make our way through life without leaving behind a trail of physical and digital footprints, it has in turn become far easier for law enforcement agencies to trace the victims of fatal crimes. And yet, instances persist where human remains are discovered, which are frustratingly never identified. In this story, we examine just such an instance; that of the body found in boiler stack nine. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Ghost of UB-65 It has long been theorised that ghostly manifestations are the echoes of human souls, whose lives were cut unexpectedly short, forever anchoring them to a fixed location. But what happens when that location is a mobile instrument of war, capable of travelling halfway around the world? Story Two – The Nameless Horror of Berkley Square The affluent London borough of Mayfair has long been associated with grand hotels and gourmet restaurants. But hidden amongst the art galleries and international embassies sits an innocuous Georgian property that was once known as one of London’s most haunted houses. What was the nameless horror of Berkeley Square? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – Who are the Shadow People? Flickering in and out of existence, sometimes only for a split second, sometimes longer, but always transient, they leave only questions in their wake. What are their intentions? Where do they come from? Why do they appear? Who or what are the Shadow People? Story Two – The Curse of the Dab Tsog During the 1980s, A Nightmare on Elm Street first introduced audiences to the iconic horror character, Freddie Kruger. But as unsettling as the movie was, the true story that inspired director Wes Craven’s creation of the supernatural killer is equally disturbing. In this story, we examine the terrifying curse of the Dab Tsog. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – Evil Under the Ice In the aftermath of World War Two, the victorious Allied nations despatched numerous military expeditions into the Antarctic region. Did these battleships weigh anchor in the name of science and exploration, or did they set sail in search of something far more sinister? An evil that dwelt under the ice. Story Two – The New York Nuke From solar cannons to time-travelling armies, there are few areas of science fiction which were not inspired in some way by Hitler’s Wonder Weapons programme. In the majority of cases, these outlandish proposals rarely made it off the drawing board. But there is concerning evidence that the Third Reich may have come uncomfortably close to deploying nuclear weapons on American soil. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Beast of Bolam Lake In the northernmost region of England, there lies a small, unremarkable lake. Formerly known as Bolam Bog, it is part of a 65-hectare park teeming with deer and red squirrels. But some claim that there’s something else here as well – something far more dangerous. Since the 1990s, dozens of visitors to the area have reported seeing a tall, hairy creature with large fangs and glowing red eyes. Is it possible that the wilds of Northumberland are indeed haunted by the Beast of Bolam Lake? Story Two – Shadow of the Wendigo In the remote northern parts of the United States and Canada, whispers speak of an ancient presence that stalks the forests. Native tribes say it has always been there – a malevolent, cannibalistic beast with an insatiable desire for human flesh. But more recent accounts suggest that this entity’s influence might extend beyond the wilderness. Is it possible that even urban areas are no longer safe from the shadow of the Wendigo? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part Three What started out as a search and rescue effort soon turned into a serious investigation into the tragic and untimely deaths of nine young souls. There were many aspects of the case which were highly mysterious and seemed to suggest some sort of foul play. But by who? Or what? In the concluding part of our Dyatlov Pass series, we examine the theories surrounding what happened on that fateful night back in February of 1959 - theories which range from the mundane to the truly extreme. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part Two After discovering the collapsed tent of the Dyatlov group, rescuers searched in vain for the missing hikers, hoping they were braving out the harsh Siberian winter in a cave or abandoned hut. The truth, however, was far more gruesome. Only metres away from the abandoned campsite, the bodies of their friends lay silently beneath the pristine snow, each having suffered a multitude of mysterious injuries. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part One In 1959, a group of hikers died in mysterious circumstances on the slopes of a then unnamed mountain. Now one of the most famous mysteries of the 20th Century, are we any closer to understanding what happened on that cold, February night all those years ago? In the first of our three part series, we introduce you to the people involved and recount their movements during the time leading up to their untimely deaths. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Monkey Man of Delhi Urban legends exist around the world. Mostly, they keep us from parking in dark places at night, or from talking to creepy kids with dark-coloured eyes. But what happens when an urban legend goes viral, causing so much panic that people begin to die because of it? That’s precisely what happened in India in 2001, when residents reported some 350 terrifying encounters with what would eventually become known as the Monkey Man of Delhi. Story Two – The Dread of the Djinn Many ancient texts speak of supernatural beings representing the forces of good and evil. However, not all of these entities fit quite so neatly into such categories. For centuries, people in the Arabic world have spoken of creatures who bring fortune and pain in equal measure. But despite the age of these legends, recent reports from the Near East seem to indicate that even our modern world is subject to the dread of the Djinn. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Strange Death of Zygmund Adamski In June 1980, a man was found dead in a coal yard more than 20 miles from his home with suspicious burns to his neck and shoulders. Who—or what—could have been responsible? Story Two – The Body on the Reservoir In 1988, the mutilated body of a middle-aged man was found on the banks of an artificial lake in Brazil. Listed as one of the most disturbing deaths of a human being ever recorded, the question is who or what left the body on the reservoir? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – First in Defence The United States Navy possesses the largest and most powerful fleet of ocean-going vessels on the planet. In the many years that have passed since it was founded, the brave men and women serving within this institution have been exposed to numerous incidents of an inexplicable and unsettling nature. In this week’s episode, we examine three such occurrences. Story Two – The Disappearance of the Nanjing Battalion Despite modern advances in communications and surveillance technology, human beings continue to vanish from society without leaving a trace. Often such disappearances are eventually explained, but this proves more difficult when the incident involves hundreds, or even thousands of people. Join us as we explore the disappearance of the Nanjing Battalion. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – Predators on the Moors For over two hundred years, the rural communities of the United Kingdom have fallen victim to attacks by mysterious feline intruders. As incidents involving these unidentified creatures continue to be reported, we examine the evidence and question whether there really are predators on the moors. Story Two – There is Something in the Valley Tucked away within Canada’s Northwest Territories is an area of outstanding natural beauty, inaccessible by conventional means. For decades, people have crossed its boundaries in search of a great fortune, which is rumoured to lie there. Many have emerged empty-handed, but yet more have never returned at all. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – Ghosts of Flight 401 During previous episodes, we have explored several tales involving vehicles which have become closely associated with the paranormal. In this story we will finally be adding an aircraft to the list of allegedly haunted transports as we retell the story of the Ghosts of Flight 401. Story Two – The Curse of Clapham Woods Previously, we have explored numerous instances of supernatural activity witnessed at Cannock Chase in Staffordshire, many of which are directly connected to Castle Ring, the remnants of an Iron Age fort at the heart of that region. This week, we journey to another such site, located 200 miles away in southeast England, known for similar disturbing occurrences. Join us as we delve into the Curse of Clapham Wood. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – Mystery of the High Country Over the last decade, the Australian state of Victoria has been the scene of multiple unexplained disappearances. What is happening to the people who vanish into this region’s isolated, rural areas, and could a mysterious figure potentially hold the key to uncovering their fates? In this story, we explore the Mystery of the High Country. Story Two – Outback Encounters In the heart of Australia lies a desolate expanse known for its unsettling reputation. This remote region, steeped in eerie tales, has long blurred the line between reality and the unknown. Are these mysterious encounters mere superstition, or do they hint at something far more enigmatic hidden in the vastness of the Outback? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Wavertree Bus Incident From ghostly sightings, weird time slips and bizarre reality glitches, Liverpool it seems, has something of an obscure history of strange occurrences. But an incident in 1961, which saw multiple witnesses incapacitated by strange figures, would add the possibility of inter-dimensional gateways to the city’s ever-growing list of unusual happenings. Join us as we explore the Wavertree bus incident. Story Two – The Sandown Clown During the mid-1970’s, two small children would find themselves confronted by a mysterious figure, whilst holidaying on the Isle of Wight. From their description of this bizarre entity, it still remains unclear whether the encounter was paranormal or extraterrestrial in nature. Join us as we explore the haunting story of the Sandown Clown. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – What Happened to the Sodder Children? During the dying days of 1945, the small town of Fayetteville in West Virginia played host to a horrendous tragedy. A huge blaze tore through a local household, seemingly claiming the lives of five young children in the process. But the failure of authorities to locate their remains, coupled with a series of bizarre occurrences in the aftermath of the incident ultimately posed the question, what happened to the Sodder Children? Story Two – Into Thin Air The nature of missing persons cases can vary greatly, both in terms of their individual circumstances, and their eventual outcomes. But few such disappearances match the complexity and mystery of those we will be examining in this episode. Instances where those who went missing, having vanished in front of multiple witnesses, seemingly into thin air. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Blackbird of Chernobyl When researching the numerous major catastrophes which have occurred throughout human history, it is not uncommon to find testimony from observers who claim to have been pre-warned about the looming tragedy by some form of vision or ominous portent. In this chapter, we examine one such example of this. What was the Blackbird of Chernobyl? Story Two – The Shadow of the Aswang Since time immemorial, in cultures all over the globe, there have been stories of malevolent creatures and spirits, which emerge from the shadows long after the sun has set, stalking the streets and highways, intending to bring harm to those who cross their path. The idyllic islands of the Philippines are no exception, their inhabitants forever living in the shadow of the Aswang. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a species, we have long considered ourselves the most dominant on the planet, laying claim to the territories and natural resources we discover. And yet, over two thirds of the world remain beyond our reach, hidden deep beneath seemingly endless stretches of water. What do those depths hold for those who succumb to their hidden dangers? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Secret of Scape Ore Swamp In an isolated rural corner of South Carolina, there is an area of swampland that has come to gain no small amount of notoriety. Is this inhospitable region home to one of North America’s most infamous cryptids? Join us in this story, as we delve into the secret of Scape Ore Swamp. Story Two – The Lurking Horror In previous episodes, we have examined stories of oversized creatures, whose mere existence appears to defy belief, and in this story, we will be looking at perhaps the most horrifying of these alleged beasts. A gigantic species of spider, known to those who have survived encounters with it as the lurking horror. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Mystery of Aurora America has played host to numerous high-profile UFO incidents, perhaps the most notorious of which took place in New Mexico during the summer of 1947. But the reported discovery of a downed alien spacecraft near Roswell was by no means the first such incident, with an equally mysterious crash having allegedly taken place in the neighbouring state of Texas, fifty years earlier. This week, we visit the mystery of Aurora. Story Two – The Ariel School Encounter One of the most common reasons that alleged encounters with Unidentified Flying Objects are often dismissed, is that they usually involve only one or two witnesses. But how has society reacted when such occurrences have taken place involving large groups of onlookers? This week, we examine one such incident. Join us, as we delve into the mysteries of, the Ariel School Encounter. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Hoosac Tunnel Haunting In the northernmost regions of the United States, a train tunnel stands as a haunting monument to the many workers who perished during its construction, their blood soaked into its very foundations. Eerie encounters with ghostly entities have been reported since its creation, persisting right up to the present day. What secrets lurk within this tunnel of the dead? Story Two – The Tsarichina Entity On the outskirts of a small village in Eastern Europe, there lies a three-decade old mystery, which still disturbs the servicemen and women who were involved to their core. Why did the Bulgarian army spend two years excavating the foothills of the Balkan Mountains, only to hide all evidence of their activities? The answers lie buried, along with the entity of Tsarichina. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have examined several encounters with strange entities, which took place in remote North American communities. In many of these cases, the bizarre nature of the incident has gone on to immortalise not only the being itself but also the location in which it was seen. In this episode, we explore two such encounters, which took place in West Virginia. This mountainous region was the backdrop for the infamous Mothman sighting during the 1960s, which we have already covered. This week, we take a look at both the Flatwoods Monster and the Grafton Monster. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Smiley Face Killers For the last quarter of a century, the bodies of fit and healthy young men have been recovered from the waterways which crisscross the US. Whilst their deaths were ruled accidental by the authorities, a small group of retired detectives believe that they were instead the victims of an organised group of murderers. Who are the Smiley Face Killers? Story Two – Death in Gorda Springs During the Autumn of 2003, staff at a holiday resort in California contacted the police to report having discovered the bodies of two of their guests. Uncomfortable questions still remain over the exact circumstances surrounding this tragic incident. Join us, as we investigate death in Gorda Springs. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Second Kind Alleged interactions with extra-terrestrial craft and their occupants come in many forms, each providing varying degrees of evidence with which to validate their provenance. A small proportion of these cases has resulted in significant illness or injury to those involved, with no definitive explanation as to how or why the witnesses came to develop such harmful symptoms. In this story, we examine two such instances of close encounters of the second kind. Story Two – Enemies of the State We have already examined a broad range of UFO encounters reported at locations across the globe. In this story, however, we will be focussing on a series of sightings which allegedly took place within the Soviet Union. Stories in which the Soviet government had been repeatedly forced to confront and evaluate the existence of potentially unearthly enemies of the state. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – A Haunting in Indiana There are many accounts on record of individuals being targeted by demonic entities. But in this story we examine a case in which an entire family was allegedly driven from their home by a whole host of demons, forcing them to enlist the help of both the church and the police in an effort to save their children. Story Two – The Philip Experiment The idea of a continuing existence despite the passing of a person’s physical form is one that has long fascinated humanity. But what if it were possible to force such an entity into being via the use of nothing more than sheer willpower? In this story we examine a case in which that concept was tested and resulted in some degree of success. An undertaking which became known as the Philip Experiment. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – Shadows in the Dark Anecdotes shared by Rocky Elmore and other former border patrol staff have shed light on the growing number of haunting incidents which have taken place in America’s southern border region. This raises questions over whether the entities that have been witnessed and encountered there, are supernatural or far more tangible in nature. Join us, as we explore more border patrol stories, and in the second half of this episode - exclusive to the podcast series - hear tales from the Mexican side of the border. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Michigan Dogman "Somewhere in the north-woods darkness, a creature walks upright. And the best advice you may ever get is don’t go out… at night." Whilst these words appear to have been born out of a harmless April Fool’s Joke, for the residents of Michigan’s heartland, they stir a deeply rooted apprehension. The fear of a mythical beast, stories of which have been passed down through the centuries. A creature known as, the Michigan Dogman. Story Two – The Beast of Gévaudan During a three-year period of the mid-18th century, a mysterious creature was responsible for the gruesome slayings of over one hundred people living in a small region of southern France. Some say the beast was eventually caught and killed, whilst others believe it is still very much at large. In this story, we examine the Beast of Gévaudan? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Lava Lake Murders During the early days of 1924, three fur trappers working out in the wilds of central Oregon were murdered in a brutal and savage manner. A century later, the full circumstances surrounding their deaths remain an enduring mystery. Who was responsible for the Lava Lake murders? Story Two – Lost In Las Vegas In this episode, we will be exploring a disappearance which took place in the American state of Nevada over the Christmas period of 2009. A mystery in which substantial evidence was uncovered and made accessible, yet provided little assistance to the investigators. The story of a man who became lost in Las Vegas. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Legend of the Mothman In 1966, the residents of a small town in West Virginia were stalked by seven-foot-tall creature with wings and glowing red eyes. Was he real or just a figment of the imagination? And does recent photographic evidence suggest he may have returned? Story Two – Who was the Grinning Man? Alien? Humanoid cryptid? Man in Black? Hallucination? Or possibly a combination of these? This seven-foot-tall being who sports a menacing inhuman smile and terrorises people in the dead of night by watching them sleep may be known by many names, but he needs only one. Who is The Grinning Man? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – Trains, Planes and Timeslips History is littered with the mysterious disappearances of individuals, who vanished from the face of the Earth whilst travelling routine journeys. Many of these instances have proven frustrating to investigate, as neither the transportation that was involved or its occupants were ever located. And in a minority of cases, tales persist of vehicles reappearing in impossible locations or timeframes, long after – and sometimes well before – they disappeared. Story Two – In the Fullness of Time In the previous story, we examined cases in which people have allegedly slipped through time, alongside common inconsistencies that are all too often associated with the reporting of such incidents. At some point in the far future, has humanity discovered the means to journey back to its distant past? Or are we so enamoured with this concept that it somehow blinds us to logic and reason? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – Ghosts of Kadena Airbase It is common for locations that have played host to major military conflict to feature persistent manifestations of ghosts or other such paranormal entities. But the Japanese island of Okinawa is the site of a somewhat disproportionate number of supernatural sightings. Join us this week, as we walk amongst the Ghosts of Kadena Air Base. Story Two – Under the Beacons Glare Reaching far back into antiquity, seafaring civilisations have relied upon beacons and lighthouses to ensure safe passage for mariners. But all too often, these noble constructions have ended up tainted by tales of torment and tragedy. Playing host to mysterious and inexplicable events, which have played out under the beacon’s glare. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – Strangeness in the Borderlands For close to a century, the officers of the United States Border Patrol have traversed the foothills and valleys of the Otay Mesa, located in California’s San Diego County. But in addition to contending with an endless stream of individuals attempting to illegally enter the United States, these agents have sometimes encountered intruders of a more inexplicable nature. Story Two – Tales From Stardust Ranch We have already examined the inexplicable and haunting occurrences at Utah’s infamous Skinwalker Ranch in previous episodes. But across the border in neighbouring Arizona, lies another remote farmstead with an equally terrifying history. This week, we investigate one man’s horrifying conflict with extra-terrestrial intruders, as we pay a visit to Stardust Ranch. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Warminster Thing During the Christmas period of 1964, the inhabitants of a small town in rural Wiltshire found themselves subjected to a series of horrifying and inexplicable sonic attacks. Were these assaults a naturally occurring phenomenon? Or were they something more insidious? Join us as we look into The Warminster Thing. Story Two – The Mysterious Risley Encounter For several weeks in March of 1978, a quiet and unassuming community in the north of England became the site of a media circus, following an inexplicable incident. Who or what was the mysterious figure reported to the authorities, and did it ultimately contribute to the death of its only witness? This week, we recount the mysterious Risley Encounter. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Devil in the Doll Whilst stories of haunted dolls can be traced back many generations, it was not until the arrival of Hollywood characters such as ‘Chucky’ and ‘Annabel’ that the concept of possessed puppets truly cemented itself within the wider public consciousness. In this episode, we examine three allegedly true stories of toys which seemed to have a life of their own and try to determine exactly what was behind the devil in the doll. Story Two – The Black-Eyed Children Over the past twenty years, the number of online testimonies describing encounters with phantom children have increased exponentially. Who are these nocturnal visitors? And what exactly is it that they want from those whom they unexpectedly approach? In this episode, we examine the phenomenon of the Black-Eyed Children. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – The Mysterious Pentyrch Incident During a cold February evening in 2016, a bewildering incident would transpire on the outskirts of Cardiff, which would in time go on to become known as the ‘Welsh Roswell Incident.' Did the British military genuinely ambush a UFO in the Welsh valleys, or was this instead a misunderstanding of more earthly events? Join us, as we delve into the mysterious Pentyrch incident. Story Two – The Howden Moors Incident In March 1997, the authorities responsible for policing the UK’s Peak District, were forced to initiate a high-profile search and rescue operation. Local residents reported seeing an unidentified aircraft hurtle from the skies and impact a remote area of moorland. No survivors or wreckage pertaining to this incident have ever been officially recovered, despite numerous witnesses having observed it taking place. What was the true cause of the Howden Moors incident? MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Story One – Phone Calls From The Dead We have previously explored reports concerning the spirits of those who have passed on, but this week, we will be examining a phenomenon which is even more bewildering. Instances in which friends and relatives have received what should have otherwise been an impossible phone call from the dead. Story Two – Renascence There are numerous examples of famous and influential figures who claim to recall past lives. Such stories have often proven easy to refute, with suggestions that those involved are courting fame or controversy. But such tales prove more difficult to dismiss when the parties involved are small children, expressing thoughts and feelings too advanced for their years, almost as if they have been here before. MUSIC  Tracks used by kind permission of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Tracks used by kind permission of CO.AG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices