Spooky Halloween Special 2024: Haunted Tales ft. Weird Darkness

0:06 Speaker 1: Happy Halloween. Well, here we are. It's Halloween. It's Halloween.

0:44 Speaker 2: It's Halloween.

0:45 Speaker 3: Spooky.

0:46 Speaker 4: Yeah, I know.

0:48 Speaker 1: It doesn't feel like Halloween.

0:51 Speaker 3: Why? You've got your shirt. My little skeleton shirt.

0:56 Speaker 1: You've got your little skull shirt.

0:57 Speaker 3: I've got my little skeleton shirt.

1:00 Speaker 1: We did some stories.

1:01 Speaker 2: Yeah.

1:03 Speaker 1: We have a special guest. We do. So what is wrong with this picture? Huh. I know. That's better. That's more Halloween.

1:22 Speaker 3: Oh, yes. I got my scary skeleton shirt. You got your scary skeleton shirt.

1:29 Speaker 1: And we've got some really spooky things coming up.

1:32 Speaker 3: The mood has changed.

1:35 Speaker 1: The mood has changed greatly.

1:37 Speaker 4: Yes.

1:37 Speaker 1: Now, we. Premiered season 11. 11.

1:43 Speaker 3: It's more than my ping-pings.

1:45 Speaker 1: Yes.

1:47 Speaker 2: And our lovely returning cast is Annie Mick, Dave Arkpoff, William Stafford, Raven Adams, Patience Adams, Mick Davis, and Robert Jackson.

2:04 Speaker 4: And, of course.

2:06 Speaker 1: If you listened to the first or watched the first episode for Season 11, which was last Friday, you heard a new voice.

2:15 Speaker 4: Yes.

2:16 Speaker 1: And his name is Darren Marler. His YouTube channel is Weird Darkness. I encourage you to check it out. You'll find the links in the description box. Plus, check out, we have a few other things.

2:32 Speaker 5: Yes, we do.

2:33 Speaker 1: Annie Mick. Annie Mick. She's just had a new book come out. So check that out at AnnieMick.com or go to her Amazon page. And a little information too. Raven Adams.

2:49 Speaker 2: Yeah.

2:49 Speaker 1: Oh, yeah.

2:50 Speaker 5: His channel.

2:51 Speaker 4: Yes.

2:52 Speaker 2: As the Raven Dreams.

2:54 Speaker 1: Yes. And it's very, very good. And he is working on a novel. Yes, he is. Yes. So check him out, like I said. Descriptions down there.

3:05 Speaker 5: Link in the description.

3:07 Speaker 1: Link in the description. And our very special guest for this Halloween episode is actually Darren Marler.

3:17 Speaker 3: Yay!

3:18 Speaker 1: Doing his award-winning rendition of Edgar Allan Poe's The Tale of Tale of Cards. Tale of Cards.

3:27 Speaker 3: Oh, there's also you and I. Winslow Swan.

3:34 Speaker 1: And Crimson McKenzie.

3:36 Speaker 2: But you guys already knew that.

3:39 Speaker 1: So, we'll start the Halloween festivities with Darren Marler doing The Telltale Heart.

3:48 Speaker 4: The Telltale Heart. Written by Edgar Allan Poe. Narrated by Darren Marler.

4:04 Speaker 3: True.

4:05 Speaker 4: Nervous. Very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am. But why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses, not destroyed them, not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How then am I mad? Hearken. and observe how healthily, how calmly I can tell you the whole story. It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain, but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object, there was none.

4:55 Speaker 4: Passion, there was none. I loved the old man. He'd never wronged me. He'd never given me insult. For his gold, I had no desire. I think it was his eye. Yes, it was this. He had the eye of a vulture, a pale blue eye with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold, and so by degrees, very gradually, I made up my mind to take the life of the old man. and thus rid myself of the eye forever. Now this is the point. You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing, but you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded, with what caution, with what foresight, with what dissimulation I went to work.

5:51 Speaker 4: I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him. And every night, about midnight, I turned the latch of his door and opened it, oh, so gently. And then, when I had made an opening sufficient for my head, I put in a dark lantern, all closed, closed that no light shone out, and then I thrust in my head. Oh, you would have laughed to see how cunningly I thrust it in. I moved it slowly, very, very slowly, so that I might not disturb the old man's sleep. It took me an hour to place my whole head within the opening so far that I could see him as he lay upon his bed.

6:37 Speaker 5: Ha!

6:37 Speaker 4: What a madman! Have been so wise as this! And then, when my head was well in the room, I undid the lantern.

6:46 Speaker 1: Cautiously.

6:47 Speaker 4: Oh, so cautiously. Cautiously, for the hinges creaked. I undid it just so much that a single thin ray... fell upon the vulture eye. And this I did for seven long nights, every night just at midnight. But I found the eye always closed, and so it was impossible to do the work, for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his evil eye. And every morning, when the day broke, I went boldly into the chamber and spoke courageously to him, calling him by name in a hearty tone. and inquiring how he passed the night.

7:30 Speaker 4: So you see, he would have been a very profound old man indeed, to suspect that every night, just at twelve, I looked in upon him while he slept. Upon the eighth night, I was more than usually cautious in opening the door. A watcher's minute hand moves more quickly than did mine. Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers, of my sagacity. I could scarcely contain my feelings of triumph to think that there I was, opening the door little by little, and he not even to dream of my secret deeds or thoughts.

8:13 Speaker 4: I fairly chuckled at the idea, and perhaps he heard me, for he moved on the bed suddenly as if startled. Now, you may think that I drew back. But no, his room was as black as pitch with a thick darkness, for the shutters were close fastened through fear of robbers, and so I knew that he could not see the opening of the door, and I kept pushing it on steadily, steadily. I had my head in, and was about to open the lantern when my thumb slipped upon the tin fastening, and the old man sprang up in bed, crying out,' Who' s there?'

8:54 Speaker 4: I kept quite still and said nothing. For a whole hour I did not move a muscle, and in the meantime I did not hear him lie down. He was still sitting up in the bed, listening, just as I have done night after night, hearkening to the death watches in the wall. Presently I heard a slight groan, and I knew it was the groan of mortal terror. It was not a groan of pain or of grief.

9:25 Speaker 2: Oh, no.

9:26 Speaker 4: It was the low, stifled sound that arises from the bottom of the soul when overcharged with awe. I knew the sound well. Many a night, just at midnight, when all the world slept, it has welled up from my own bosom, deepening with its dreadful echo the terrors that distracted me. I say I knew it well.

9:51 Speaker 1: I knew.

9:51 Speaker 2: I knew.

9:52 Speaker 4: What the old man felt, and pitied him, although I chuckled at heart. I knew that he had been lying awake ever since the first slight noise when he had turned in the bed. His fears had been ever since growing upon him. He had been trying to He'd been saying to himself, it's nothing but the wind in the chimney, it's only a mouse crossing the floor, or it's merely a cricket which has made a single chirp. Yes, he'd been trying to comfort himself with these suppositions, but he had found all in vain.

10:33 Speaker 4: All in vain. Because death, in approaching him, had stalked with his black shadow before him and enveloped the victims. and it was the mournful influence of the unperceived shadow that caused him to feel, although he neither saw nor heard, to feel the presence of my head within the room. When I had waited a long time, very patiently, without hearing him lie down, I resolved to open a little, a very, very little crevice in the lantern. So I opened it. You cannot imagine how stealthily, stealthily, until at length, a simple, dim ray, like the thread of the spider, shot from out the crevice and fell full upon the vulture eye.

11:26 Speaker 4: It was open, wide, wide open, and I grew furious as I gazed upon it. I saw it with perfect distinctness, all a dull blue, with a hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in my bones. but I could see nothing else of the old man's face or person, for I had directed the ray as if by instinct, precisely upon the damned spot. And have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but over-acuteness of the sense? Now, I say, there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton.

12:10 Speaker 4: I knew that sound well, too. It was the beating of the old man's heart. It increased my fury as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage. But even yet, I refrained and kept still. I scarcely breathed. I held the lantern motionless. I tried how steadily I could maintain the ray upon the eve. Meantime, the hellish tattoo of the heart increased. It grew quicker. and quicker, and louder, and louder every instant. The old man's terror must have been extreme. It grew louder, I say louder every moment.

12:49 Speaker 4: Do you mark me well? I have told you that I am nervous, so I am. And now, at the dead hour of the night, amid the dreadful silence of that old house, so strange a noise as this excited me to uncontrollable terror. Yet, for some minutes longer, I refrained and stood still. but the beating grew louder.

13:13 Speaker 2: Louder.

13:14 Speaker 4: I thought the heart must burst, and now a new anxiety seized me. The sound would be heard by a neighbor. The old man's hour had come. With a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room. He shrieked once, once only. In an instant, I dragged him to the floor and pulled the heavy bed over him, and then smiled gaily to find the deed so far done. but for many minutes the heart beat on with a muffled sound. This, however, did not vex me. It would not be heard through the wall. At length, it ceased.

13:52 Speaker 4: The old man was dead. I removed the bed and examined the corpse. Yes, he was stone, stone dead. I placed my hand upon the heart and held it there many minutes. There was no pulsations. He was stone dead. His eye would trouble me no more. If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body. The night waned, and I worked hastily but in silence. First of all, I dismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.

14:36 Speaker 4: I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber and deposited all between the scantlings. I then replaced the boards, so cleverly, so cunningly, that no human eye, not even his, could have detected anything wrong. There was nothing to wash out, no stain of any kind, no blood spot whatsoever. I'd been too wary for that. A tub had caught all. When I had made an end of these labors, it was four o'clock, still dark as midnight. As the bell sounded the hour there came a knocking at the street door.

15:13 Speaker 4: I went down to open it with a light heart, for what had I now to fear? There entered three men, who introduced themselves with perfect suavity as officers of the police. A shriek had been heard by a neighbor during the night. Suspicion of foul play had been aroused, information had been lodged at the police office, and they, the officers, had been deputed to search the premises. I smiled, for what had I to fear? I bade the gentleman welcome. The shriek, I said, was my own, in a dream. The old man, I mentioned, was absent in the country.

15:48 Speaker 4: I took my visitors all over the house. I bade them search, search well. I led them at length to his chamber. I showed them his treasures, secure, undisturbed. In the enthusiasm of my confidence, I brought chairs into the room and desired them here to rest from their fatigues, while I myself, in the wild audacity of my perfect triumph, placed my own seat upon the very spot beneath which reposed the corpse of the victim. The officers were satisfied. My manner had convinced them I was singularly at ease.

16:26 Speaker 4: They sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of familiar things. but ere long, I felt myself getting pale and wished them gone. My head ached, and I fancied a ringing in my ears, but still they sat and still chatted. The ringing became more distinct. It continued and became more distinct. I talked more freely to get rid of the feeling, but it continued and gained definiteness, until at length I found that the noise was not within my ears. No doubt I now grew very pale, but I talked more fluently and with a heightened voice, yet the sound increased.

17:09 Speaker 4: And what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound, much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath, and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly, more vehemently, but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles and a high key and with violent gesticulations, but the noise steadily increased. Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men. But the noise steadily increased.

17:48 Speaker 4: Oh, God, what could I do? I foamed, I raved, I swore. I swung the chair upon which I'd been sitting and grated it upon the boards. but the noise arose overall and continually increased. It grew louder, louder, louder, and still the men chatted pleasantly and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God, no. No, they heard.

18:13 Speaker 1: They suspected. They knew.

18:15 Speaker 4: They were making a mockery of my horror. This I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony. Anything was more tolerable than this derision. I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer. I felt that I must scream or die. And now, again, hark!

18:35 Speaker 1: Louder! Louder!

18:36 Speaker 4: Louder!

18:37 Speaker 2: Louder!

18:38 Speaker 1: Villains, I shrieked!

18:39 Speaker 4: Dissemble no more! I admit the deed! Tear up the planks!

18:43 Speaker 2: Here!

18:43 Speaker 1: Here!

18:44 Speaker 4: It is the beating of his hideous heart!

18:52 Speaker 1: That was incredible. The Telltale Heart. But coming up is something even more incredible. Crimson McKenzie doing.

19:02 Speaker 3: Little Orphan Annie. Who's that by? James Wickham Riley. Little Orphan Annie, come to our house to stay. And wash the cups and saucers up and brush the crumbs away. And shoo the chickens off the porch. and dust the hearth and sweep, and make the fire and bake the bread, and earn her board and keep. And all us other children, when the supper things is done, we sit around the kitchen fire and has the mostest fun, listening to the witches' tales that Annie tells about, and the goblins will get you if you don't.

19:50 Speaker 2: Watch out.

19:52 Speaker 5: Once there was a little boy who wouldn't say his prayers.

19:58 Speaker 3: And when he went to bed at night way upstairs his mammy heard him holler and his daddy heard him bawl and when they turned the givers down He wasn't there at all. And they seeked him in the rafter room and cubbyhole and press, and seeked him up the chimney flue and everywhere's, I guess. But all they ever found was this, his pants and roundabout, and the goggles. Get you, if you don't. At one time a little girl would always laugh and grin and make fun of everyone and all her blood and kin. And once there was company and old folks was there, she mocked them and shocked them and said she didn't care.

20:56 Speaker 5: And this as she kicked her heels and turned to run and hide, there was two great big black things standing by her side. And they snatched her through the ceiling. For she knowed what she's about. And the goblins will get you.

21:18 Speaker 3: If you don't watch out. And little orphan Annie says. When the blaze is blue. And the lamp wicks spotters. And the wind goes. And you hear the crickets quit. And the moon is gray. And the lightning bugs and dew is all squinched away. You better mind your parents and your teachers fond and dear. And cherish them it loves you and dry the orphan's tear. And help the poor and needy ones that cluster all about. Or the goblins will get you if you don't watch out.

22:11 Speaker 2: And our loveless swan is going to be doing the golden arm.

22:22 Speaker 6: Many years ago, there was an old miser who married a rather wealthy young lady. The thing about this woman was that she'd had her arm severed off years ago. and had been replaced by a golden arm. The man coveted this arm, wanted it for his own.

22:53 Speaker 1: And so he went about ending her life.

23:03 Speaker 6: Before she was buried, He took the golden arm. The night of the funeral, he was lying in his bed. The wind whispered through the cracks in the house, making strange noises. The man thought he could hear something just on the wind, sounding much like his.

23:41 Speaker 1: Wife, his deceased wife. He could hear the words, rather plainly, but just under the wind.

23:51 Speaker 3: Saying, Who's got my golden arm?

24:03 Speaker 1: It didn't make him overly scared, just a little nervous and He thought, well, it's just my imagination. But then he heard it a little louder. Who's got my golden arm?

24:27 Speaker 1: This troubled him greatly, and he went up to his room, locking the door behind him and crawling in the bed, and then... He heard it. The door. Downstairs. Slowly opening. And on the wind he heard it a little louder. Who's got my golden arm? He jumped in the bed, pulling the covers around him. He could hear the footsteps coming. coming up the staircase, and the voice, Who's got my golden arm? He could hear the footsteps slowly coming down the hall. He stared at the bedroom door and saw the handle begin to turn.

25:35 Speaker 1: And then, And he heard the voice again.

25:39 Speaker 6: Who's got my golden arm?

25:45 Speaker 1: The man watched in terror as the door slowly opened. Who's got my golden arm? You've got it! Well, we hope you enjoyed our little Halloween foray. Thanks very much to Darren Mahler for not only joining the cast, but doing the Telltale Heart.

26:16 Speaker 3: Yes.

26:17 Speaker 1: And, of course, thanks to all of you guys.

26:20 Speaker 2: Yes.

26:22 Speaker 1: Watching the show, be sure to hit like, subscribe.

26:26 Speaker 3: Like, give a paws up.

26:28 Speaker 5: Oh, my cat's gone.

26:29 Speaker 1: She's not here.

26:30 Speaker 3: I was going to show your paw, but. Give us a paws up if you want. I mean, if you like it.

26:37 Speaker 1: And share it to all your friends, your 8 million followers. And make sure that you check out the other channels that we have linked in the description. And just on a personal note, as of this taping, as of this taping, I will be going into the hospital on the 23rd. And hopefully be out before this actually airs. So I had a little heart problem.

27:10 Speaker 5: A little?

27:11 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, I'm downplaying it a lot.

27:15 Speaker 3: I know you are.

27:16 Speaker 1: But everything is going to be fine. And we'd appreciate any good vibes you guys could send us.

27:22 Speaker 3: Yes, send good vibes, prayers, or meditate upon his well-being. Don't care, just goodness if you could send to my bestie.

27:34 Speaker 1: And I do appreciate it. And we appreciate all of you guys for being with us and sticking with us for 11 seasons. Uh-huh. That's a lot. It has been, what, three years? Yeah, a little over three years, actually.

27:49 Speaker 3: Yes, it has.

27:50 Speaker 2: So, thank you, guys. We really appreciate it.

27:54 Speaker 1: So, stay tuned. We've got more on the way for Season 11. We have loads more. Loads more. In the meantime, we will be lurking for you.

28:26 Speaker 5: Hey guys, this is Crimson.

28:27 Speaker 1: And this is Swan. And we'd love to know what you think of the stories.

28:31 Speaker 3: Even if it's bad.

28:33 Speaker 1: So leave us a comment.

28:34 Speaker 3: Or give us a thumbs up.

28:36 Speaker 1: Thank you!