Things That Go Bump in the Night: "Monster Mayhem" (110-Minute Binge)

0:13 Speaker 1: With this key, you unlock the world to your dreams. What lies beyond could be the doorway to nightmare. Come in. Welcome. I'm your host through the doorway to nightmare. Consider the world of the con game. It has been with us for centuries. People who spin a good story in the hopes of getting something out of others have been around since the dawn of the human race.

1:15 Speaker 2: And you're telling me that this great treasure is buried right under my house?

1:20 Speaker 3: My dear lady, I can guarantee it.

1:23 Speaker 2: Why, that's wonderful.

1:25 Speaker 3: Of course. It'll require a measure of work to get to it.

1:29 Speaker 2: Of course, Mr. McGrath.

1:31 Speaker 3: Naturally, you will receive the majority of the treasure. All that I would want would be a small portion for my efforts.

1:40 Speaker 2: Oh, I'm sure that you will receive everything that is coming to you.

1:48 Speaker 1: Our mystery drama, Secret in the Cellar, was written especially for Doorway to Nightmare by Winslow Swan, and the story was edited by Crimson McKenzie. Our stars, Annie Mick, Brenna Faith, and Raven Adams. It is sponsored in part by Swanage Press. I'll be back shortly with Act One.

2:15 Speaker 4: The only witness to her murder cannot speak. Until now.

2:21 Speaker 5: Click.

2:22 Speaker 4: A Tale of Revenge by Winslow Swan. Now available on Amazon. Revenge is a dish best served cold.

2:51 Speaker 1: The great showman P.T. Barnum once said that there was a sucker born every minute. He proved his point by displaying oddities of nature that he himself had created. He was perhaps the greatest con artist that ever lived.

3:19 Speaker 2: May I help you?

3:20 Speaker 3: I'm hoping that you can, dear lady. My name is Jason McGrath. By trade, I'm a surveyor.

3:27 Speaker 2: Well, I really wouldn't know where I could put one.

3:30 Speaker 3: Oh, no, I'm not selling anything.

3:35 Speaker 2: Then what are you doing here?

3:37 Speaker 3: Well, let me begin again. I'm Jason McGrath, and I've been surveying the area for a few weeks now, and I've made a great discovery.

3:48 Speaker 2: Which obviously has something to do with me.

3:51 Speaker 1: Exactly.

3:52 Speaker 3: Perhaps I could come in and explain better. Oh, thank you, Ms.

3:59 Speaker 2: Lamar. Sylvia Lamar. Would you like sugar or lemon for your tea?

4:05 Speaker 3: Thank you, Ms.

4:06 Speaker 6: Lamar.

4:07 Speaker 3: Do you live here alone?

4:08 Speaker 2: My daughter lives with me. She's in town doing the shopping.

4:13 Speaker 3: Well then, at least you're not alone.

4:15 Speaker 7: Huh.

4:15 Speaker 3: Way out here in the middle of nowhere?

4:17 Speaker 2: Excuse me, Mr. McGrath, but you were going to explain your business out here.

4:22 Speaker 3: You are correct. Did you know that our Earth, this tiny planet that we make our home on, is filled with caverns, caves, and a vast tunnel system?

4:36 Speaker 2: Really?

4:37 Speaker 7: Oh, yes.

4:38 Speaker 3: I've been mapping this system for the last five years. There are tunnels that travel from coast to coast, And even around the world.

4:47 Speaker 2: Is that so?

4:49 Speaker 3: I've been mapping using the latest technology. This vast array of tunnels. And what do you think I've discovered?

4:59 Speaker 2: Tell me.

5:00 Speaker 3: Well, it is rather strange, but they all seem to converge right on your property.

5:09 Speaker 2: Fascinating. More tea?

5:11 Speaker 3: No, thank you. What I have discovered through my research... is that directly under your home is a large cavern. And what do you think it contains?

5:24 Speaker 2: I'm breathless with anticipation.

5:26 Speaker 3: A fortune. A vast fortune of diamonds, rubies, perhaps the treasure of pirates?

5:33 Speaker 2: And do you say this treasure is right under my home?

5:37 Speaker 3: I can almost guarantee it.

5:40 Speaker 5: Oh.

5:42 Speaker 3: Dear lady?

5:43 Speaker 2: I've been pointing this gun at you for quite some time under my apron. It is fully loaded, and I have just pulled the trigger back.

5:53 Speaker 3: But, dear lady.

5:55 Speaker 5: I.

5:55 Speaker 2: Suggest that you very slowly leave. I believe that you know where the door is.

6:03 Speaker 3: I'm not just telling a story.

6:05 Speaker 2: I don't know what you're telling me, but unless you want a bullet in your body somewhere, I'm not The best of shots. I believe that you should leave. Now.

6:22 Speaker 8: Mama, I'm back.

6:23 Speaker 2: Did you get everything?

6:24 Speaker 6: Almost.

6:25 Speaker 9: They didn't have any ground chuck.

6:27 Speaker 2: It's all right.

6:28 Speaker 9: Who was that man running down the road when I drove up?

6:31 Speaker 6: Oh, no one.

6:32 Speaker 9: Well, I know what ground round does, too.

6:35 Speaker 2: It's all right, my child. Oh, Amelia. What will happen to you when I'm gone?

6:41 Speaker 9: You are as healthy as a horse. Besides, you are probably going.

6:46 Speaker 7: To outlive all of us.

6:47 Speaker 2: As long as the feeding goes correctly, we both should be fine. Ah, Mr. McGrath. I had a feeling that you would be back. As you can see, I still have the gun.

7:10 Speaker 3: Please don't point that thing at me. I've brought proof.

7:14 Speaker 2: What sort of proof?

7:15 Speaker 10: Mother, who is it?

7:16 Speaker 2: It's that man again.

7:18 Speaker 9: Hello, I'm Amelia.

7:20 Speaker 3: Oh, dear child, do you think you could convince your mother to put the weapon down?

7:24 Speaker 6: Mother?

7:24 Speaker 2: Oh, all right. You were saying something about proof, Mr. McGrath.

7:31 Speaker 3: This is a map that I got from the local library. This is my map of the tunnels. And this is a copy of a diary that a certain William Lamar kept. I came across it at an estate sale.

7:45 Speaker 2: But that's the name of my great-grandfather.

7:48 Speaker 6: Exactly.

7:49 Speaker 3: He's also known as William Barty, or, by his enemies, Black Bart.

7:54 Speaker 8: The End A pirate?

8:06 Speaker 1: Lost treasure? And it all leads to the home of Sylvia Lamar. If Jason McGrath is a con artist, he is spinning a rather extreme story. But then, that is the hook. The story to try and convince the mark that the con man is sincere. I sincerely hope that you will return for Act 2. Meet Jerry Connors. Family man. Business man. Psychopathic killer. The Convincer by Winslow Swan. Now available on Amazon. Jerry Connors. He can convince you to do anything. Even die. They say that you cannot cheat an honest man.

9:22 Speaker 1: It is something that has never happened in the history of the confidence game.

9:30 Speaker 2: So you think that my grandfather was this notorious pirate?

9:34 Speaker 3: Oh, I'm sure of it, Miss Lamar. You see, William Barty left the life of a pirate and retired. here now naturally he buried his fortune and then built this house over.

9:45 Speaker 9: It what does that have to do with this tunnel system that you discovered.

9:49 Speaker 3: Oh nothing my child the discovery was simply a byproduct of my research.

9:54 Speaker 2: Where do you think these tunnels come from.

9:57 Speaker 3: Oh who knows the point is they led me here, and I believe that your grandfather was this pirate, and his treasure is right under your feet.

10:08 Speaker 2: So what do you intend to do? Dig up my basement?

10:12 Speaker 3: That is my intention, if you will give me permission.

10:16 Speaker 2: What do you think, Amelia?

10:17 Speaker 9: We could use the money.

10:19 Speaker 3: And of course, I would only require a small portion to cover my expenses.

10:24 Speaker 2: Why can't I dig this vast treasure up myself?

10:28 Speaker 3: If that is your wish, perhaps you could personally cover my costs? I'll give you my research, that way you would know exactly where to dig.

10:38 Speaker 9: How much is this research?

10:39 Speaker 3: Oh, a mere pittance. Say, a thousand dollars?

10:44 Speaker 2: How about a counteroffer? How sure are you that there is treasure under my house?

10:51 Speaker 3: One hundred percent, dear lady.

10:55 Speaker 2: Then get started.

10:56 Speaker 3: I beg your pardon?

10:57 Speaker 2: Amelia, why don't you show our guests down to the cellar?

11:01 Speaker 3: I don't understand.

11:02 Speaker 2: There are several shovels down there.

11:05 Speaker 9: Mother, are you sure about this?

11:07 Speaker 2: Of course I'm sure. It beats having ground round and not ground chuck, doesn't it?

11:19 Speaker 3: Amelia, correct?

11:21 Speaker 1: Yes.

11:21 Speaker 3: I'm being sincere. There really is a fortune buried here.

11:25 Speaker 9: Then perhaps you had better start digging.

11:28 Speaker 3: If you could just give me the money for my services.

11:31 Speaker 9: My mother is actually a very good shot. I suggest that you start digging.

11:36 Speaker 3: Now.

11:37 Speaker 11: Fine.

11:38 Speaker 3: I suppose I will have to prove it to you.

11:45 Speaker 9: How far down do you think that it is?

11:48 Speaker 7: Um.

11:49 Speaker 3: I'm guessing about three, perhaps four feet, maybe a little deeper.

11:56 Speaker 9: Do you really believe that there is a treasure down there?

11:59 Speaker 3: There has to be. All of my research... It's a con, isn't it? Are you calling me a liar?

12:06 Speaker 9: My mother and I have had quite a number of you people out here. We know how to deal with you.

12:18 Speaker 1: Well now, it seems that the worm has turned. An expression popularized by Shakespeare. What does Amelia mean about dealing with people like Jason? We shall all find out when I return with Act 3.

12:40 Speaker 12: Mystery.

12:42 Speaker 7: Horror.

12:43 Speaker 12: Thriller.

12:44 Speaker 6: Suspense.

12:46 Speaker 12: Novels and short story collections from Winslow Swann, now available from Amazon.

13:06 Speaker 1: The first rule of the con is quite simple. Find someone that wants something for nothing. And then give them nothing for something rather simple when you think about it.

13:24 Speaker 2: How far has he gotten?

13:25 Speaker 9: Far enough not to be able to climb out.

13:27 Speaker 2: Good God, me, Willie.

13:30 Speaker 9: He did know about Great Grandfather.

13:32 Speaker 2: True, but that is something that anyone can find out about.

13:37 Speaker 9: And the treasure?

13:38 Speaker 2: Oh, my dear, he will find it. It may not be what he is exactly looking for.

14:00 Speaker 3: Excuse me?

14:00 Speaker 13: Hello?

14:02 Speaker 3: Is there anyone up there?

14:03 Speaker 2: We're here, Mr. McGrath.

14:06 Speaker 3: Well, um, I've apparently dug myself into a hole and I can't get out. Do you think that I might get some assistance?

14:15 Speaker 9: It's almost time, isn't it, Mother?

14:17 Speaker 2: Only a few more minutes, child.

14:20 Speaker 3: Or if you could perhaps lower a ladder down? I promise I will go away.

14:25 Speaker 2: You will be going away very soon, Mr.

14:28 Speaker 1: Grouch.

14:30 Speaker 2: It's almost feeding time.

14:32 Speaker 3: What are you talking about?

14:34 Speaker 2: Are you familiar with the story of Leviathan?

14:37 Speaker 3: My dear lady, what are you talking about?

14:40 Speaker 2: Oh, it is very fascinating. Leviathan was a sea serpent, even mentioned in the Bible. A terrible monster that, according to Greek legend, was defeated by the god Baal.

14:57 Speaker 3: I still don't understand. Um, there seems to be something.

15:07 Speaker 14: That was the treasure that my grandfather found. Not rubies and gold, but an actual creature that he brought back here.

15:16 Speaker 3: Could you please help me out of this hole?

15:18 Speaker 9: We found out that it really likes ground shaft, but they didn't have any today. Ground round is okay, but fresh meat.

15:26 Speaker 13: Is even better.

15:27 Speaker 3: Hey, there's something... there's something.

15:29 Speaker 7: Ah! Ah! Ah!

15:30 Speaker 5: Ah!

15:41 Speaker 2: There you are, my pretty. Apparently, Jason McGrath did not know that Leviathan, being a sort of god, can survive not only in the sea, but deep in.

15:55 Speaker 15: The earth as well.

15:56 Speaker 9: As long as we feed it, it keeps us safe and brings treasure directly to us.

16:09 Speaker 1: Amelia and Sylvia watch as a large tentacle begins to scoop dirt back into the hole, covering itself up again. They smile and wait for the next feeding time. I'll be back shortly.

16:29 Speaker 4: If you'd like to support us, visit our merchandise store at T-shirts, caps, mugs, and so much more. Visit doorwaytonightmare.com today.

16:41 Speaker 1: Another rule of the confidence artist... is to know the potential victim. Research, a very integral part of any game. Perhaps Jason McGrath should have dug a little deeper before approaching his mark. Our cast included Annie Mick, Brenna Faith, and Raven Adams. The story was edited by Crimson McKenzie and and the entire production was under the direction of Winslow Swan. And now, a preview of our next tale.

17:41 Speaker 10: He came in last night, and I can't get rid of the damn thing.

17:45 Speaker 16: Jimmy boy, what are you talking about? There's nothing there.

17:48 Speaker 10: You blind old fool!

17:51 Speaker 17: That raven, the largest I've ever seen, are you telling me you can't see it?

17:55 Speaker 16: Jimmy, I don't know what's going on, but you need some help. I know several doctors, so... No!

18:02 Speaker 18: I refuse to see a doctor when I know there's nothing wrong with me.

18:07 Speaker 16: That raven is real. We can put the TV special off for a few months until you.

18:12 Speaker 10: No!

18:13 Speaker 6: Damn you!

18:14 Speaker 17: You will not rob me of my chance.

18:17 Speaker 19: Raven or no raven!

18:20 Speaker 1: Doorway to Nightmare is brought to you in part by Swanage Press. This is your host... inviting you to return with us through the doorway to nightmare for another adventure into the world of your terrifying imagination. Until next time, slumber peacefully.

18:45 Speaker 4: Epilogue The butler did it.

18:55 Speaker 1: Doorway to Nightmare is brought to you in part by Swanage Press. It lies in wait amidst your dreams, where nothing is ever how it seems. It is a portal to a terrifying world beyond the doorway. Nightmare.

19:29 Speaker 15: Come in.

19:48 Speaker 1: Welcome. I'm your host through the doorway to nightmare. I have always been fascinated with the ghost story. Not only the ones that were written down and published, but the legends that seem to be a part of every culture and province. The stories that are handed down throughout the years to each generation.

20:18 Speaker 6: Oh, come on, Dad.

20:19 Speaker 17: You can't be serious.

20:20 Speaker 16: Deadly serious, Mark. It's been exactly ten years since the last sighting, and the strange occurrences around here have begun again.

20:28 Speaker 12: Dr. Coleman, do you really believe that there is some sort of entity that haunts that field?

20:35 Speaker 16: My dearest Evie, I know that there really is a Shadow Man.

20:44 Speaker 1: Our mystery drama, Something Strange on Crawford Lane, was written especially for Doorway to Nightmare by Winslow Swan and edited by Crimson McKenzie. Our cast includes Dave Arkabov, Crimson McKenzie, and Winslow Swan. I'll be back shortly with Act One.

21:10 Speaker 1: Meet Jerry Connors, family man. businessman, psychopathic killer. The Convincer by Winslow Swan. Now available on Amazon.

21:24 Speaker 6: Jerry Connors.

21:25 Speaker 1: He can convince you to do anything. Even die. The Ghost Story. Literature that has been around since the dawn of man. From the Bible to Shakespeare and beyond, the tales of a spirit coming back from the dead are prevalent in all cultures around the world.

22:09 Speaker 12: How much further, Mark?

22:11 Speaker 17: Oh, I think I missed the turnoff. There's another one up here somewhere.

22:14 Speaker 12: Is your dad okay? I mean, living out here all by himself?

22:20 Speaker 4: He must get lonely.

22:22 Speaker 17: I have never known my dad to be lonely.

22:26 Speaker 12: How long has it been since your mom and dad divorced?

22:29 Speaker 17: Oh, over 20 years.

22:30 Speaker 12: And he never remarried?

22:33 Speaker 6: Why not?

22:34 Speaker 17: That's something you're going to have to ask him.

22:37 Speaker 13: Oh, Mark.

22:38 Speaker 12: Do you think that he'll like me?

22:40 Speaker 17: I'm sure that he will love you. Just as much as I love you, Evie.

22:46 Speaker 12: So, do you tell him.

22:47 Speaker 10: Or do I?

22:49 Speaker 1: Don't worry.

22:50 Speaker 17: I will tell him we are getting married. I just have to do it in my own way. You see, he has certain ideas. Some of which that I don't particularly agree with.

23:04 Speaker 12: How much of this does he own?

23:06 Speaker 17: He owns all 7,000 acres.

23:09 Speaker 12: And he lives in the middle of it?

23:11 Speaker 1: That's right.

23:12 Speaker 12: He must have been very successful.

23:14 Speaker 17: No, not really. He was a historian at the museum. With 23 doctorates, what else would he have done?

23:21 Speaker 12: Well, so how did he acquire so much property?

23:26 Speaker 17: I think I will let him tell you about it.

23:28 Speaker 12: Mark!

23:29 Speaker 4: Watch out!

23:30 Speaker 10: Oh, damn!

23:32 Speaker 17: Almost missed the turn.

23:34 Speaker 10: It's okay.

23:35 Speaker 17: I think this is it.

23:37 Speaker 12: I saw a sign that said Crawford Lane.

23:39 Speaker 17: Yeah, I think that's it. Hey, did you see that?

23:45 Speaker 12: See what?

23:47 Speaker 13: I thought I saw.

23:48 Speaker 2: What is it?

23:49 Speaker 6: Over there, in that field.

23:51 Speaker 17: I swear I saw someone standing out there.

23:54 Speaker 12: I don't see anything.

23:55 Speaker 1: That's funny.

23:58 Speaker 17: He was standing there and then.

24:00 Speaker 6: nothing.

24:10 Speaker 17: Dad, it's great to see you again.

24:14 Speaker 16: Good to see you too. And you must be the lovely Evie that Mark has been telling me about.

24:20 Speaker 12: Very pleased to finally meet you, Dr. Coleman.

24:23 Speaker 16: Please call me Edward. Now I've already fixed up the guest room and you will find clean towels and sheets. I've also made a small dinner in case you're hungry.

24:34 Speaker 17: Oh, Dad, you really didn't have to.

24:36 Speaker 16: Now, now, it's okay. Get yourselves settled in, and I will meet you in the dining room.

24:48 Speaker 12: That was a wonderful dinner, Dr. I mean, Edward.

24:53 Speaker 16: Thank you, Evie.

24:54 Speaker 12: Where did you learn to cook like that?

24:56 Speaker 16: Well, after I divorced Mark's mother, it was either learn how to cook or live off of sandwiches.

25:05 Speaker 12: Well, it was marvelous.

25:07 Speaker 17: Dad, is there anyone else here on the property?

25:10 Speaker 16: There is the occasional hiker that treks across the place. Why do you ask?

25:15 Speaker 17: Well, when we were driving up here, I thought I saw someone in one of the fields.

25:19 Speaker 16: Mark, which road did you take to get here?

25:23 Speaker 17: Well, with the storm, I missed the first turnoff.

25:26 Speaker 12: We came down a strange road that was marked Crawford Lane.

25:29 Speaker 16: The person that you saw, can you describe him?

25:33 Speaker 17: Yeah, it's going to sound a little strange. I think he was very tall, thin, wearing a sort of old-fashioned hat and a cloak. I couldn't make out the features, though. It was too dark.

25:47 Speaker 16: Then he has returned.

25:50 Speaker 12: Do you know him, Edward?

25:52 Speaker 16: I wish that you would come down the other way. Yes, Evie, I know him. Well, I know of him.

25:59 Speaker 17: Well, who is he, Dad?

26:00 Speaker 16: He's only known by one name. The Shadow Man.

26:11 Speaker 1: The author Ruskin Brown said that ghosts are all around us. Look for them and you will find them. He never suggested what to do when you see them. I'll see you when I return with Act Two.

26:31 Speaker 4: The only witness to her murder cannot speak. Until now.

26:38 Speaker 20: Click.

26:39 Speaker 4: A Tale of Revenge by Winslow Swan. Now available on Amazon. Revenge is a dish best served cold.

26:51 Speaker 7: Revenge is a dish best served cold.

27:08 Speaker 1: There has been a resurgence of interest in the ghost story. Tours of haunted places around the country happen all the time. Local legends of mysterious happenings are reported by people everywhere.

27:26 Speaker 12: Oh, it's so beautiful tonight.

27:29 Speaker 16: Yes, I often sit out here after dinner and simply watch the stars.

27:34 Speaker 17: Dad, you're avoiding the subject.

27:37 Speaker 11: Hmm?

27:38 Speaker 12: Mark tells me that you own over 7,000 acres. How did you manage to come by all of this land?

27:46 Speaker 17: What about this shadow man?

27:48 Speaker 16: Please, both of you. I can answer both questions if you'll just give me a chance.

27:53 Speaker 21: Fine.

27:54 Speaker 17: Evie, may I present Dr. Edward Coleman, my father.

27:59 Speaker 16: Very funny, Mark. Now, this entire section of the county was once owned by Thaddeus Crawford sometime in the late 1700s. He was a very prosperous man, also very strange. He invited people to come and build a town. He would sell or lease acreage and people to work the land. He was also a very powerful witch.

28:27 Speaker 2: Oh, my.

28:29 Speaker 12: Now, you must be joking.

28:31 Speaker 16: Believe me, I'm not. By 1810, there were almost 300 people here. And that is when the mysterious things began to happen.

28:40 Speaker 17: What sort of things?

28:42 Speaker 16: Most significantly, children began to disappear.

28:46 Speaker 12: How awful!

28:48 Speaker 17: Did they ever find any of them?

28:50 Speaker 16: Not a trace. Several drifters were caught and tried in what could only be called a kangaroo court. It wasn't until the spring of 1811 that the truth came out.

29:03 Speaker 12: What happened?

29:04 Speaker 16: A young girl by the name of Lettie LeGros had disappeared. She was found three days later out on what is now called Crawford Lane. She told of a demonic ritual held out in the field where she was to be sacrificed. She managed to run away and hide.

29:21 Speaker 17: So how does that explain the shadow man?

29:24 Speaker 16: I'm not finished. The town infuriated. what they heard from the girl, stormed the mansion. They found Crawford at some sort of altar to the devil. They dragged him out and burned him alive. With his dying breath, he cursed the town and swore vengeance.

29:42 Speaker 17: Are you saying that this man Crawford is the Shadow Man?

29:47 Speaker 7: Possibly.

29:49 Speaker 16: According to the legend, every spring the Shadow Man appeared. And every spring, someone would disappear without a trace.

29:58 Speaker 20: So.

30:00 Speaker 12: How did you actually get all of this land?

30:03 Speaker 16: Three years after Crawford died, the town simply dried up. Everyone left. For all those years, no one could do anything with the land. Many tried, and all failed. The county was willing to let it go for any price. I made a rather feeble offer, which they accepted.

30:23 Speaker 17: And this shadow man still appears.

30:25 Speaker 10: Oh, yes.

30:26 Speaker 16: I've seen him every year. But I think that you are the only other person who's witnessed his apparition.

30:35 Speaker 12: Well, Edward, that was a great, awesome, spooky story. I'm going to go take a bath and head for bed.

30:42 Speaker 17: I'll be up in a bit.

30:43 Speaker 2: Take your time, love.

30:48 Speaker 16: She is a very lovely girl, Mark.

30:50 Speaker 6: Thanks, Dad.

30:51 Speaker 17: Yeah, I think so, too.

30:53 Speaker 16: Have you set a date?

30:54 Speaker 1: For what?

30:55 Speaker 17: Oh, God, now.

30:56 Speaker 16: I'm not blind. I saw the engagement ring.

30:59 Speaker 17: I could never pull one over on you, could I?

31:02 Speaker 16: Why would you try? Now, are you going to go the traditional wedding route?

31:07 Speaker 17: You mean in a church? Dad, you know my feelings about organized religion.

31:15 Speaker 16: I blame your mother for that.

31:16 Speaker 6: No, no, no.

31:17 Speaker 17: It wasn't all, Mom. How many theology books did you give me and tell me to make up my own mind?

31:24 Speaker 16: I suppose you were right. How is your mother?

31:27 Speaker 17: Oh, you know, the same, I guess.

31:30 Speaker 16: Mark, I want you to keep a close eye on Evie.

31:34 Speaker 17: Now, why do you say that?

31:36 Speaker 16: Because of the part of the legend that I left out for her bed.

31:39 Speaker 17: I don't understand.

31:40 Speaker 1: What part?

31:41 Speaker 16: And I want you to be extra careful this weekend.

31:44 Speaker 17: Dad, what are you talking about?

31:47 Speaker 16: I told you that the Shadow Man would appear each spring. What I didn't tell you was that each spring, someone has disappeared. Without a trace.

31:57 Speaker 17: Oh, come on, Dad. This is the 21st century. Everyone leaves some sort of a paper trail. You can't just simply vanish.

32:07 Speaker 16: Last year, it was one of the hikers who frequent this part of the state. She was a college student who went hiking with her boyfriend. They saw the shadow man, and the next morning, she was gone.

32:20 Speaker 17: Well, maybe she got tired of her boyfriend and.

32:22 Speaker 16: That was the general consensus of the police. They never found a trace of her.

32:28 Speaker 17: So what you're saying is you think that Evie and I may be in danger of disappearing? Dad, I'm sorry. I just don't believe it.

32:40 Speaker 16: Just watch yourself this weekend, please.

32:49 Speaker 12: What a horrid story. I know that I'm going to have nightmares tonight. Oh, it got so cold in here. Who's there? Mark? Is that?

33:08 Speaker 2: No, no, it can't be.

33:12 Speaker 1: Mark, hearing Evie screaming, rushes up the stairs. Only divine the bedroom.

33:27 Speaker 5: Empty.

33:29 Speaker 1: I'll be back shortly with Act Three.

33:33 Speaker 15: There.

33:35 Speaker 21: Underneath your bed. There is something. And it's waiting. Waiting for another story. No one is afraid of monsters anymore. And other stories to read to the thing under the bed. By Wenslow Swan. Paperback editions available at Amazon.com. Audiobook edition available at Spotify. No one is afraid of monsters anymore and other stories to read to the thing under the bed. Eight terrifying tales for you to enjoy and to read to the thing under your bed. Get it before the thing gets you.

34:34 Speaker 1: Dr. Edward Coleman, after searching the house with his son Mark and not finding a trace of Evie, has driven to the closest town to enlist the aid of the police. Mark awaits impatiently for the search party to arrive.

34:53 Speaker 7: Well?

34:54 Speaker 17: Well, come on, what did they say?

34:55 Speaker 16: They said that they could not do anything until she's been missing for at least 72 hours.

35:00 Speaker 17: Three days? Are you serious?

35:03 Speaker 16: My boy, that is the law. She's over 21 and capable of making her own decisions.

35:09 Speaker 17: We're miles from the nearest to anything. She couldn't have just left.

35:13 Speaker 6: Not on foot.

35:14 Speaker 16: I warned you about the Shadow Man.

35:16 Speaker 17: Oh, damn you and your blasted Shadow Man. I'm going out to find her.

35:20 Speaker 15: Now!

35:21 Speaker 16: You may want to take this with you. If you're planning on walking, you may need it.

35:25 Speaker 6: A bottle of water?

35:26 Speaker 16: You need to stay hydrated. I will take the car and go toward the north end. Keep in touch with me and let me know the minute you find her.

35:34 Speaker 6: Don't worry, Dad. I will.

35:36 Speaker 16: And Mark, you may want to head toward Crawford's Field first thing.

35:51 Speaker 6: Evie?

35:54 Speaker 12: Evie!

35:57 Speaker 17: At least there's a full moon.

36:02 Speaker 7: Evie!

36:04 Speaker 18: Where are you?

36:06 Speaker 15: Evie!

36:06 Speaker 7: Mark!

36:07 Speaker 6: Help me!

36:12 Speaker 11: Where are you?

36:13 Speaker 21: Oh, my God.

36:18 Speaker 6: What is that?

36:22 Speaker 15: Mark, help me, please!

36:25 Speaker 12: Please!

36:26 Speaker 6: I'm coming!

36:28 Speaker 17: Just hold on!

36:30 Speaker 2: The Shadow Man is real!

36:32 Speaker 15: He's trying to take me!

36:35 Speaker 1: Where are you?

36:37 Speaker 8: Those eyes!

36:40 Speaker 17: Those red glowing eyes!

36:42 Speaker 8: I can't move!

36:47 Speaker 14: No!

36:48 Speaker 19: You won't take her!

36:50 Speaker 15: No!

37:08 Speaker 16: Mark, are you alright?

37:10 Speaker 19: Where am I?

37:13 Speaker 17: Where's Evie?

37:14 Speaker 12: I'm here, babe. I'm here.

37:16 Speaker 16: Tell us what happened.

37:19 Speaker 21: I saw him.

37:21 Speaker 17: The shadow man. I saw his eyes. I heard Evie call out and.

37:31 Speaker 17: I just wanted to find her. But something seemed to grip me, hold me, and I couldn't move.

37:40 Speaker 12: But you did move. You threw something at the thing. There was a large bolt of lightning and a huge burst of flames.

37:50 Speaker 6: All that much I know.

37:52 Speaker 17: The only thing I had in my hand was that water bottle that you gave me, Dad. I don't know what I was thinking, but I threw it at him. burst into flames, and then disappeared.

38:05 Speaker 16: You're not a religious man, Mark, but I am. After I stopped by the police station and was told that there was nothing they could do, I went to the church. The priest there is a friend of mine. I asked him to do me a simple favor, and he obliged.

38:22 Speaker 15: What?

38:23 Speaker 12: What did you do?

38:25 Speaker 16: He blessed the carton of water bottles that I had in the back seat. It was from there that I gave you the water to drink. What you threw at the Shadow Man was holy water.

38:48 Speaker 1: Mark Coleman looks at his future bride, Evie. She smiles at him as they embrace. Edward is only relieved and wonders if the Shadow Man has been defeated or Or will he appear again the next year? You reappear when I return shortly.

39:14 Speaker 4: It is in all of us.

39:16 Speaker 17: Waiting.

39:18 Speaker 4: Watching. Growing. Evil Within by Winslow Swan. Now available on Amazon. I suppose our story could not be considered a ghost story in the classical sense.

39:49 Speaker 1: It was neither gothic in nature, nor was it a cautionary tale. It is the sort of story that, I hope, will give you chills in the days to come. Our cast included Dave Arkapov, Crimson McKenzie, and Winslow Swan. The story was edited by Crimson McKenzie, and the entire production was under the direction of Winslow Swan. And now, a preview of our next tale.

40:24 Speaker 17: That's my life.

40:26 Speaker 3: I mean, every day.

40:28 Speaker 17: For five years I have lived with that. I'm just so tired.

40:39 Speaker 8: So what would make you happy?

40:42 Speaker 6: To sleep.

40:44 Speaker 17: Just to sleep. and never worry about what might happen when I wake up.

40:53 Speaker 1: Doorway to Nightmare is brought to you in part by Swanage Press. This is your host, inviting you to return with us through the doorway to nightmare for another adventure into the world of your terrifying imagination. Until next time, slumber peacefully.

41:19 Speaker 12: The butler did it.

41:27 Speaker 1: Doorway to Nightmare is brought to you in part by Swanage Press. It lies in wait amidst your dreams where nothing.

41:44 Speaker 15: Is ever how it seems.

41:47 Speaker 1: It is a portal to a terrifying world beyond the doorway to nightmare. Come in. Welcome. I'm your host, Artemis Black.

42:14 Speaker 1: The very first Frankenstein movie was made by the Edison Studio in 1910. Nosferatu, the first Dracula movie, was made in Germany in 1922, and the first werewolf movie, 1913. At the time of their release, audiences screamed with terror. So sad. That no one is afraid of monsters anymore.

42:48 Speaker 11: It is intolerable. I am nothing more than a morning cereal.

42:55 Speaker 22: But master, you are the prince of darkness. You are the ruler of the underworld.

43:01 Speaker 11: And now everyone oddly laughs at me. Laughs at me. I have been maligned for far too long. It is time for the public to be Truly scared!

43:19 Speaker 1: Our mystery drama, No One is Afraid of Monsters Anymore, was adapted from the short story and written especially for Doorways to Nightmare by Winslow Swan and edited by Crimson McKenzie. Our stars include Mick Davis, Jonathan Rosignol, William Stafford, Annie Mick, and Will Dorman. I'll be back shortly with Act One.

43:42 Speaker 4: The only witness to her murder cannot speak. Until now.

43:49 Speaker 5: Click.

43:50 Speaker 4: A Tale of Revenge by Winslow Swan. Now available on Amazon. Revenge is a dish best served cold.

44:27 Speaker 1: Joel Cohen once said that we create monsters, and then we cannot control them. Of course, now we're no longer frightened by the Classic monsters that came from the minds of Mary Shelley or Bram Stoker. Or are we?

44:56 Speaker 11: Oh, these bones do ache sometimes. I wonder what people would think if they knew that the Prince of Darkness sleeps in the nude.

45:10 Speaker 10: Igor! Igor!

45:12 Speaker 11: Where are you?

45:13 Speaker 13: I'm here. Master, I have your libation.

45:19 Speaker 11: Oh, positive again.

45:21 Speaker 13: I'm afraid that is all that we have in stock.

45:25 Speaker 11: How I recall the nights when I could find a virgin within a few minutes.

45:30 Speaker 13: I'm beginning to think that they are only mythical creatures.

45:36 Speaker 11: Yes. Now is everyone gathered in the main ballroom.

45:40 Speaker 13: Yes, master. All the creatures of the night await your presence.

45:44 Speaker 11: What a dismal time it is, Igor. But, as the master of darkness, I must inform all.

45:52 Speaker 13: Rumors have been flying around the belfry.

45:55 Speaker 1: I know.

45:57 Speaker 11: I shall address them all tonight.

46:00 Speaker 23: No!

46:11 Speaker 11: Could I please have a little quiet? Thank you all for coming to the castle. I understand how hard it is to travel these days. I appreciate the effort from everyone. Igor, I believe your pet is calling for you.

46:38 Speaker 13: It is feeding time, Master.

46:46 Speaker 5: In secret.

46:47 Speaker 11: Before it blows the entire castle down. Why did I allow you to bring Godzilla home?

46:54 Speaker 13: I told you, he followed me home. How could I turn him out into the cold?

47:06 Speaker 11: If he keeps that up, We will not have a place to stay in.

47:12 Speaker 13: Yes, master.

47:13 Speaker 11: Well, what are you standing around for? Go and feed your pet.

47:18 Speaker 13: Yes, master.

47:19 Speaker 17: Right away.

47:26 Speaker 11: Well, well, spit it out already. Apologies.

47:30 Speaker 6: I had a bit of shrimp stuck in my throat. Why are we all here, count?

47:38 Speaker 11: I have some very sad news for all of us, Legion. It seems that no one is afraid of monsters anymore.

47:46 Speaker 6: Of course not. Look what they have done to us. We're now simply throwbacks in an ancient time.

47:54 Speaker 1: Yes, I know.

47:55 Speaker 11: The movie-going audience have become... How shall I put this nicely?

48:02 Speaker 11: Let us just say that it doesn't take much to scare them.

48:06 Speaker 6: Shake a camera. around the woods for 90 minutes and people scream.

48:12 Speaker 11: How is that scary? And do not forget that each one that is made comes with a built-in sequel after sequel after sequel.

48:25 Speaker 5: No!

48:26 Speaker 11: I will not allow us to simply vanish from the celluloid history books.

48:31 Speaker 22: Do you have a plan?

48:32 Speaker 11: When have I ever not had a plan?

48:35 Speaker 6: There was that one time... In Belgrade, when the daughter of.

48:40 Speaker 11: You promised that you would never mention that again.

48:43 Speaker 6: Sorry. So what is this plan of yours?

48:46 Speaker 11: Something that I have been working on for the past few months. Something that will be so frightening, so terrifying, that people would be afraid of the dark once again. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

49:08 Speaker 2: Robert, did you get those contracts sent off?

49:10 Speaker 19: Oh, yes, ma'am. And I have you scheduled for a meeting at Universal next week. Also, your yoga instructor calls. Seems that she is sick with the flu.

49:20 Speaker 2: So much for holistic medicine.

49:22 Speaker 19: I stick to vitamins, mostly.

49:24 Speaker 7: I know.

49:25 Speaker 2: You never get sick.

49:27 Speaker 19: If I got sick, this place would collapse. And you, dear Teresa Smithy, would be a basket case.

49:35 Speaker 2: I don't know what I would do without you.

49:38 Speaker 19: Oh, and by the way, this came yesterday.

49:40 Speaker 2: What the hell is this?

49:42 Speaker 19: It's a movie script. Unsolicited, by the way.

49:45 Speaker 2: Please, for all that is holy, you took it home last night and read it?

49:50 Speaker 19: Oh, that is a no-brainer. I had to. You should have seen the postage on it, and you will never guess where it came from.

49:57 Speaker 2: Transylvania?

49:59 Speaker 19: Well, how did you know?

50:00 Speaker 2: You mean it really did come from there?

50:03 Speaker 19: I'm not making this up. Would you believe that the return address was... Castle Dracula?

50:09 Speaker 2: Oh, you have got to be kidding.

50:12 Speaker 19: Anyway, I went ahead and read it.

50:14 Speaker 2: And what did you think?

50:16 Speaker 19: I think that if you don't produce this and get it out there, and someone else does, you're going to be kicking yourself for the next 20 years.

50:24 Speaker 2: That scary?

50:25 Speaker 19: See these bags under my eyes? They ain't luggage, sweetie.

50:29 Speaker 2: Good enough for me. Give our future screenwriter a call and set.

50:35 Speaker 6: Up a meeting.

50:36 Speaker 19: There's a slight problem there, boss.

50:38 Speaker 2: Oh, wait. Let me guess. No phone?

50:41 Speaker 19: This guy must think very highly of his script. And you. He included a round-trip ticket in first class so you can meet with him in person.

50:51 Speaker 2: I can't just drop everything and go meet up with every Tom, Dick, and Dracula.

50:57 Speaker 19: You leave at 8 a.m. I have already arranged for a limo to pick you up at 5 so that you will have plenty of time.

51:03 Speaker 2: What would I do without you, Robert?

51:06 Speaker 19: Let's hope we don't have to find out. Besides, if this thing is a hit like I think it will be, I expect a huge bonus.

51:16 Speaker 1: I find it rather strange how the movie industry works. A film that costs very little money to make will have a tremendous success. And then there are these so-called blockbusters that flop and are never heard from again. Perhaps Teresa has found a gem. Let's find out when I return shortly with Act Two.

51:46 Speaker 21: There, underneath your bed, there is something. And it's waiting, waiting for another story. No One is Afraid of Momsters Anymore, and Other Stories to Read to the Thing Under the Bed by Winslow Swan. Paperback editions available at Amazon.com. Audiobook edition available at Spotify. Eight terrifying tales for you to enjoy and to read to the thing under your bed. Get it before the thing gets you.

52:42 Speaker 1: Teresa Smithy, a Hollywood movie producer who received a script from, of all places, Transylvania. She is currently calling her secretary, Robert, from her hotel room.

52:58 Speaker 10: So what's it like?

53:00 Speaker 2: Like any other tourist trap. I swear, if one more person uses that stupid voice to welcome me to Transylvania, ha ha ha, and points me toward the Dracula Museum, I may plant myself face first into the nearest cactus.

53:21 Speaker 19: Do they even have those in Transylvania?

53:24 Speaker 2: I don't know.

53:26 Speaker 10: It can't be all bad, can it?

53:28 Speaker 2: I arrived at six last night, hoping to get a bite to eat.

53:33 Speaker 13: Ha ha.

53:34 Speaker 2: The kitchen was closed.

53:36 Speaker 17: Closed!

53:37 Speaker 2: Can you believe that? And then they handed me a key to my room. An actual metal key with a lock to put it in. When I told them I had a meeting up there this evening, they said nobody goes up there anymore. Too dangerous. Like a wall could collapse on top of you. There was a note waiting for me. Get this. A carriage will pick you up tonight at 8 for our meeting. Looking forward to a mutually beneficial discussion. Signed, The Count.

54:11 Speaker 19: Well, whoever this is, they are really going all out for you.

54:24 Speaker 2: Well, isn't this pleasant? Guess I'll just knock on the... Should have seen that one coming.

54:37 Speaker 13: Hello?

54:37 Speaker 2: I'm Teresa Smithy. Anyone here? Big surprise there.

54:48 Speaker 13: Hello? Hello?

54:50 Speaker 5: I bid you welcome.

54:55 Speaker 11: Please, come quickly. Go safely and leave a little of the happiness that you bring.

55:08 Speaker 2: That is by far the best Dracula that I have ever seen in my life. I got to hand it to you. You have even got that huge medallion around your neck. What a performance. I'm sure the tourists eat it up.

55:28 Speaker 11: Perhaps you would like some wine?

55:32 Speaker 2: Oh, yes, please.

55:38 Speaker 11: To a most profitable endeavor.

55:41 Speaker 2: Oh, this is quite good. Aren't you having any?

55:44 Speaker 11: I never drink.

55:47 Speaker 1: Why?

55:48 Speaker 11: Come, please follow me to the ballroom. Ah, listen to them. The children of the night.

56:01 Speaker 2: What music they make. Yes, I've seen the movie. But let's get down to business. You have a great monster for this movie. And I don't think that our special effects department will have any problem building it.

56:17 Speaker 11: Did you say building it?

56:20 Speaker 10: Well.

56:21 Speaker 2: There may have to be some changes made in the description as well as a few minor rewrites.

56:27 Speaker 5: Rewrites?

56:28 Speaker 2: Hey, just calm down, big guy. Every movie is made three times. Once in your head, once on film, and finally in the editing room. That's where the real movie is made.

56:42 Speaker 11: I did not realize.

56:44 Speaker 2: You just let me worry about all that. I think you have a great shooting script now. There is the matter of your monster that you described.

56:56 Speaker 11: What is wrong with it?

56:57 Speaker 2: I'm just not sure how well it will play on the screen. You've described some effects that no one has ever done before.

57:05 Speaker 1: Effects?

57:07 Speaker 2: Don't worry, kid.

57:08 Speaker 11: It will all.

57:15 Speaker 2: What the hell was that?

57:19 Speaker 11: It's just Igor's pet feeding time again.

57:22 Speaker 2: Um, exactly what does it eat?

57:26 Speaker 11: You have nothing to fear. I told everyone that you are strictly off-limits. They will listen to me.

57:33 Speaker 2: Oh, of course. You are the Prince of Darkness, after all.

57:38 Speaker 11: You must understand, Miss Smithy. I have poured my very being into this movie. I have left nothing out. That was not completely mine. Would you care to see the actual monster?

57:59 Speaker 1: British author Glenn Duncan once said, monsters die out when the collective imagination no longer needs them. Our count would like to change that. I'll be back shortly with Act Three.

58:21 Speaker 5: It is in all of us.

58:23 Speaker 10: Waiting.

58:24 Speaker 2: Watching.

58:26 Speaker 6: Growing.

58:28 Speaker 4: Evil Within, by Winslow Swan. Now available on Amazon.

58:32 Speaker 2: Evil Within.

58:49 Speaker 1: It has been a little over a year since Dracula's movie script went into production. Tonight is the big opening premiere, complete with the press, fans, red carpet, and of course, Dracula and the monster of Victor Frankenstein who calls himself Legion.

59:15 Speaker 6: What is the matter?

59:17 Speaker 11: Look at them all.

59:18 Speaker 23: Are any of them running and screaming at the very sight of me?

59:22 Speaker 21: No.

59:23 Speaker 11: All they want is a picture.

59:25 Speaker 6: Until they find out you cannot be photographed.

59:28 Speaker 11: The digital world may have changed that.

59:31 Speaker 6: Personally, I love the attention.

59:34 Speaker 11: Of course you could not. You were a sympathetic monster. I was evil incarnate.

59:42 Speaker 6: Why are you so angry all the time? You have an entire village that celebrates you every year.

59:50 Speaker 18: Now, look at all of these people coming to see something that you have created.

59:56 Speaker 7: So?

59:56 Speaker 15: So?

59:56 Speaker 5: So?

59:59 Speaker 2: What do you think? Isn't this great?

1:00:01 Speaker 11: Let's just wait and see.

1:00:03 Speaker 2: What do you mean, wait and see? The reviews have been great. I'm telling you, we have a definite hit on our hands.

1:00:12 Speaker 23: I want to see firsthand the frightened looks of the people hurrying home to lock their doors and windows and to crawl under their beds, fearful that the monster.

1:00:25 Speaker 5: The fiend, will be able to still get them.

1:00:29 Speaker 2: Um, Legion, that is your name, correct?

1:00:32 Speaker 6: Yes, it is, Miss Smithy.

1:00:35 Speaker 2: What the heck is he talking about?

1:00:37 Speaker 6: I have learned to only listen and try not to comprehend.

1:00:43 Speaker 11: You fools!

1:00:44 Speaker 5: Both of you!

1:00:46 Speaker 11: Do you not know that the monster, my monster, is at this very moment... within the walls of this theater?

1:00:54 Speaker 2: What the hell did you do to my premiere?

1:00:57 Speaker 24: The monster of all monsters, the king of monsters is lurking, creeping in the darkness, waiting for just the right moment.

1:01:09 Speaker 14: You idiot.

1:01:11 Speaker 2: You hired some actor to jump out at the crowd? That kind of stuff went out in the 60s.

1:01:22 Speaker 11: There, the screams to my ears are like music.

1:01:29 Speaker 5: What is that?

1:01:31 Speaker 11: What is that? They are not screaming. They are not running.

1:01:40 Speaker 17: I did what you told me to do.

1:01:45 Speaker 6: I screamed, I threatened.

1:01:49 Speaker 13: I growled.

1:01:50 Speaker 17: I thought that I had done everything correctly.

1:01:57 Speaker 11: What happened?

1:01:58 Speaker 6: Oh, at first, they jumped.

1:02:02 Speaker 17: Then, then, they all laughed at me. And then they applauded.

1:02:12 Speaker 6: I'm sorry, Draco. Perhaps our time has come and gone.

1:02:16 Speaker 11: I should grab the first person that walks by and tear out their throat.

1:02:23 Speaker 2: Hey guys, we are definitely a hit. Hey, what's wrong? You look like you just lost the lottery by one number.

1:02:34 Speaker 11: You would not understand.

1:02:36 Speaker 2: No, you don't understand. See that small.

1:02:39 Speaker 12: Group over there?

1:02:40 Speaker 2: They were the ones who put the money up for this. They were floored by it. We are talking a three-picture deal right now.

1:02:50 Speaker 17: Wait, did you say three pictures?

1:02:55 Speaker 2: Best of all, they want you to continue playing the monster, whoever you are.

1:03:02 Speaker 5: Me?

1:03:03 Speaker 21: A movie star?

1:03:05 Speaker 2: You will rank right up there with Jason, Michael, Freddy, Jigsaw, all the biggies.

1:03:12 Speaker 5: I noticed that I was not listed in that group.

1:03:16 Speaker 2: Hey, come on. It's time to celebrate.

1:03:19 Speaker 5: Come on, Legion.

1:03:21 Speaker 11: Perhaps we should go back to the shadows.

1:03:24 Speaker 2: Are you kidding? We need you and Legion. I mean, somebody has to write the scripts, don't they? Now let's talk contracts.

1:03:37 Speaker 1: While Dracula was not amused that no one was afraid of him anymore, he was not going to pass up the chance to make a lot of money. He was told about a dark web where, for the right amount, you could actually buy virgin blood. I'll be back shortly with a final word.

1:04:06 Speaker 4: If you'd like to support us, visit our merchandise store. T-shirts, caps, mugs, and so much more. Visit doorwaytonightmare.com today.

1:04:30 Speaker 1: I believe that the poet Nikita Gill sums it all up best. The monsters were never under my bed, because the monsters were inside my head. I fear no monsters, for no monsters I see. Because all this time, the monster has been me. Our cast included Mick Davis, Jonathan Rosignol, William Stafford, Annie Mick, and Will Dorman. The story was edited by Crimson McKenzie and the production was under the direction of Winslow Swan. And now, a preview of our next tale.

1:05:17 Speaker 12: Dean, why do you have to be so mean to my child?

1:05:20 Speaker 17: No, she has to learn that there are rules in this house.

1:05:24 Speaker 12: I know, but.

1:05:25 Speaker 17: And when the rules are broken, there are consequences.

1:05:30 Speaker 12: Charity was just playing. There's nothing wrong with a child playing.

1:05:34 Speaker 4: With a doll.

1:05:35 Speaker 1: Oh, no?

1:05:36 Speaker 17: Even if that very same doll is saying that it hates us?

1:05:42 Speaker 1: This is your host, inviting you to return with us through the doorway to nightmare for another adventure into the world of your terrifying imagination. Until next time, slumber peacefully.

1:06:02 Speaker 15: Good luck.

1:06:04 Speaker 5: Shh.

1:06:05 Speaker 6: The butler did it.

1:06:07 Speaker 12: The butler didn't do it!

1:06:17 Speaker 1: Doorway to Nightmare is brought to you in part by Swanage Press. It lies in wait amidst your dreams. where nothing is ever how it seems. It is a portal to a terrifying world beyond the doorway to nightmare.

1:06:46 Speaker 15: Nightmare.

1:06:47 Speaker 20: 20 minutes past the hour on your number one radio station morning show. This is skinny Bobby Wilson, and we have a beautiful day today. Highs in the 70s, lows at night in the 60s, with clear skies for that full moon tonight. If you were not lucky enough to get the tickets to see the moon in the Skyline Bar, I've got you covered. We are giving away 10 pairs this morning, so keep listening.

1:07:28 Speaker 19: This is Alan.

1:07:29 Speaker 17: Pruitt in the KRB newsroom with a special report.

1:07:32 Speaker 13: Approximately five minutes.

1:07:34 Speaker 17: Ago, a tanker truck overturned on I-75 blocking all lanes on.

1:07:39 Speaker 8: The northbound.

1:07:44 Speaker 6: Side.

1:07:57 Speaker 22: Police and fire personnel have been dispatched. Let's go to Captain Mike Embry, the KRB traffic chopper.

1:08:04 Speaker 13: Mike?

1:08:05 Speaker 16: Yeah, this is going to cause absolute havoc with the morning commute. Traffic is already backing up to the interchange. I'm just above the accident scene and... Wait a second. I'm looking at the tanker and it appears to say hazardous chemicals. This creates a whole new complication. Police are arriving now, and both sides of the highway have been cordoned off. Your best bet is to take the Lawrenceville Highway to the 120 loop. This is going to be a mess. Captain Mike Embry in the KRB Traffic Shopper.

1:08:41 Speaker 22: We have just had a report that the hazmat unit has been dispatched to the scene. Stay tuned to KRB for more updates.

1:08:50 Speaker 5: Say I'm back.

1:08:52 Speaker 20: Skinny Bobby Wilson on the KRB Morning Zoo Review.

1:08:56 Speaker 11: And wow, what a morning.

1:08:58 Speaker 5: This has got to be the.

1:09:00 Speaker 20: biggest traffic jam that I've seen in, well, it's been a long time. But hey, if you're the one of those unlucky ones who are stuck in that mess, I've got all the hits stacked up and waiting.

1:09:21 Speaker 22: This is Alan Pruitt in the KRB newsroom with more breaking news. We have confirmed that the tanker truck that overturned on I-75 this morning was indeed hauling hazardous waste material. By law, such material is not supposed to be transported through a major city. Let's go back to Captain Mike Emery in the traffic chopper.

1:09:42 Speaker 1: Mike?

1:09:43 Speaker 16: Yeah, Alan. This is going to be a long day for the cleanup crews. I can see people getting out of their cars, and police are trying to make a lane for emergency vehicles. If you are heading into the downtown area, we have been informed by police to stay away from the downtown connector. Captain Mike Emery, the KRB traffic chopper, back to you, Alan.

1:10:07 Speaker 1: Thank you, Mike.

1:10:08 Speaker 22: According to our sources, the tanker truck was owned by Cross Country Band Lines. Exactly what the chemical was is still unknown. Stay tuned to KRB for more information. Now back to the morning zoo review with Skinny Bobby Wilson.

1:10:32 Speaker 20: Po' Boys and their latest hit on the Morning Zoo Review. Skinny Bobby Wilson with you. And really, I mean, why am I not surprised that hazardous materials are being driven right through downtown? Doesn't surprise me in the least bit, but then you know what's going on because you, my friends, are probably stuck in it. So here is one from Smash Time on KRB Morning Zoo Review.

1:11:03 Speaker 22: This is Alan Pruitt in the KRB newsroom with breaking news. Let's go to Captain Embry in the KRB traffic chopper.

1:11:10 Speaker 16: Alan, we are directly over the crash site. My pilot, Danny Carter, is doing a great job. I can see hazmat personnel surrounding the trailer. The fire department is getting ready to douse the entire scene with foam in case... Wait a second. I see sparks coming off the truck. Emergency personnel do not seem overly concerned at the moment.

1:11:36 Speaker 10: Hold on. Danny, get us out of here!

1:11:42 Speaker 22: We're not sure what happened to our signal in the KRB traffic copter. We're currently trying to.

1:11:49 Speaker 5: Okay.

1:11:51 Speaker 22: I've just been informed that Captain Embry is back.

1:11:56 Speaker 16: There was an explosion at the crash site. A huge pillar of black smoke came rushing at us. Dave's having problems controlling the chopper. He's going to try an emergency landing at the hospital. I'll try to give you an update.

1:12:15 Speaker 1: Yes, Mike.

1:12:15 Speaker 22: Get checked out as soon as you can. As for the driver of the truck, apparently he walked away from the accident. His name has not been released, and from what we understand, he has not been found. KRB News will be keeping up with this breaking story all morning long. Now back to the Morning Zoo Review with Skinny Bobby Wilson.

1:12:37 Speaker 20: While the others are talking, we're already playing out the hits.

1:12:43 Speaker 15: You ready?

1:12:43 Speaker 1: Let's go!

1:12:52 Speaker 20: I've just been looking out the window and you can see this huge black cloud rising up and beginning to drift towards the south side of the city. Now, no one has officially said anything, but if it were me, and this is just my opinion, if you are outside, it might be a good idea to get indoors. If you're in your car, make sure you keep your windows closed.

1:13:20 Speaker 22: Sorry to break in again. But we have our reporter, Judy Kaufman, live on the scene. Judy, what can you tell us?

1:13:28 Speaker 12: Thanks, Alan. We are about five blocks away from the scene. Traffic is at a complete standstill. I can see this massive black cloud billowing up into the sky. I was able to talk with one of those firefighters who was close to the explosion. He managed to get far enough away, but he told me that that first wave of the cloud hit him full force. He began complaining of itchy skin and a wrecking cough. He is on his way to the hospital now. The truck is still burning and there is more and more smoke rising up above the city.

1:14:01 Speaker 22: Judy, has there been any more word about the driver.

1:14:04 Speaker 1: Of the truck?

1:14:05 Speaker 12: Not yet, Alan. Police are checking local emergency rooms and doctor's offices to see if they have had anyone come in with possible injuries. So far... His identity and whereabouts are unknown.

1:14:17 Speaker 22: What are the police telling people to do now?

1:14:19 Speaker 12: According to eyewitnesses, when the truck exploded, many people left their cars and began running up the highway. Police are asking people to please stay in their vehicles and make sure that the windows are shut.

1:14:31 Speaker 22: Any idea what chemical was being transported?

1:14:34 Speaker 12: I'm still waiting for word from the transport company. This is Judy Kaufman, KRB News.

1:14:39 Speaker 22: Thank you, Judy. We have yet another breaking story just coming into the newsroom. Police are dealing with multiple suspects in the downtown area who are committing murder, seemingly without cause. So far, 20 victims have been identified, but no suspects are in custody. I'm getting word that Captain Embry is now at Mercy Hospital, about a mile from the accident scene. Mike, what's the news?

1:15:08 Speaker 16: Well, Alan, Dave and I have both been checked out. We took a huge amount of smoke when the explosion happened. We were directly above the accident scene.

1:15:23 Speaker 22: You just take care of yourselves. I understand that skinny Bobby Wilson has been getting a lot of phone calls about the situation. Bobby, what are you hearing from callers?

1:15:33 Speaker 20: Alan, it's very strange. Naturally, most people are calling in to find out where they need to drive to get around this mess. But I've had some rather bizarre calls.

1:15:43 Speaker 22: In what way?

1:15:44 Speaker 20: I just got off the phone with a woman who said that she saw her husband. Now, that doesn't seem so strange until you take in the fact that her husband died just this morning at Mercy Hospital.

1:15:54 Speaker 22: Do you think this just might be a form of hysteria or folio dude?

1:15:59 Speaker 11: No, Alan.

1:16:00 Speaker 5: I don't think so.

1:16:01 Speaker 20: I've been getting several other calls about what I can only describe as insane people who are attacking whoever they can get to.

1:16:10 Speaker 1: Yes, Bobby.

1:16:11 Speaker 22: We had a report on that a little while ago. I hate to interrupt, but we are going back to Judy Kaufman, who has more information about the driver of the truck.

1:16:20 Speaker 1: Judy?

1:16:21 Speaker 12: Thank you, Alan. We just found out from city police that the driver of the overturned truck has been found dead about two miles away from the accident. George Matthews was an independent contractor who was hauling a hazardous material throughout the downtown area. Cause of death, according to first reports, is suicide.

1:16:41 Speaker 7: Mr.

1:16:41 Speaker 12: Matthews was found with a gun in his hand and a fatal bullet wound in his temple. I'll be following this story closely as we get more information. Judy Kaufman, KRB News.

1:16:51 Speaker 22: We are going back to Captain Embry at Mercy Hospital. Mike, what can you tell us?

1:16:56 Speaker 16: This is one of the weirdest stories that I've ever covered. I've spoken to doctors and nurses here who are telling me that several bodies from the morgue are missing. Also, several personnel from the hospital... have been attacked in the hallways. The suspects have been described as, quote, it appears that they're on some kind of drug, end quote.

1:17:22 Speaker 13: Wait a minute.

1:17:23 Speaker 10: Something's going on at the far end of the hallway.

1:17:25 Speaker 16: Where I'm at.

1:17:26 Speaker 22: Mike, are you in any danger?

1:17:28 Speaker 10: No, I don't think so.

1:17:30 Speaker 22: What are you seeing?

1:17:32 Speaker 16: It appears that there are several patients slowly walking this way. They seem to be almost sleepwalking. A couple of the nurses and interns are going to see if they can be of any help.

1:17:46 Speaker 17: Holy.

1:17:52 Speaker 10: The nurses and doctors are being attacked by the patients. Oh, my God.

1:17:57 Speaker 16: The patients are biting them, tearing the flesh off, and eating them.

1:18:04 Speaker 10: People are starting to run away, but these cannibals are chasing them.

1:18:09 Speaker 22: Mike, get out of there!

1:18:11 Speaker 10: No, no! Get away from... Oh, stop!

1:18:23 Speaker 22: We seem to.

1:18:24 Speaker 4: Have lost contact with Captain Emory.

1:18:26 Speaker 22: At Mercy Hospital. We'll try to.

1:18:28 Speaker 4: Find out what happened as soon as we can. In the meantime, I've been handed a statement from the.

1:18:34 Speaker 22: Department of Transportation that assures me, and I'm quoting... Revenge.

1:18:39 Speaker 4: Is a dish best served cold.

1:18:44 Speaker 22: The black cloud should dissipate within a few hours. End quote. We are getting more and more reports of people randomly killing. Just a moment.

1:18:54 Speaker 1: We are in.

1:18:55 Speaker 22: Contact with Judy Kaufman, who is outside the hospital. Judy, what can you tell us?

1:19:01 Speaker 2: It is complete chaos here, Alan.

1:19:03 Speaker 12: A few moments ago, police entered the hospital on reports that patients were attacking.

1:19:08 Speaker 9: I can.

1:19:09 Speaker 12: see several people running out of the hospital.

1:19:11 Speaker 17: Oh, my God.

1:19:13 Speaker 12: One man fell and several patients ripped him apart.

1:19:18 Speaker 2: They are eating his flesh.

1:19:21 Speaker 9: I'm getting out of here.

1:19:25 Speaker 22: Judy, are you okay?

1:19:29 Speaker 10: I'm good.

1:19:29 Speaker 12: One of those things was coming at me when a police officer shot.

1:19:34 Speaker 9: It directly in the head.

1:19:36 Speaker 22: Judy, are you safe now?

1:19:38 Speaker 12: Yes, I think so. I was able to talk to one of the officers that made it out of the hospital. He said.

1:19:45 Speaker 12: He said that they're... The killers are... They're zombies!

1:19:51 Speaker 22: Judy, I'm not sure that I heard.

1:19:54 Speaker 11: Zombies!

1:19:55 Speaker 12: The dead coming back to life, feeding on the living!

1:20:09 Speaker 1: Judy, are you there?

1:20:12 Speaker 20: Alan, I'm down in the lobby where several people have told me they were attacked by these things. Some of them were bitten and are requiring medical attention.

1:20:20 Speaker 11: Did I hear Judy correctly?

1:20:21 Speaker 5: Did she really say zombies?

1:20:24 Speaker 1: Yes, Bobby, you did.

1:20:27 Speaker 22: I've been handed a report from the city police department saying that everyone should seek shelter immediately and stay off the streets.

1:20:36 Speaker 5: Alan, some of the injured are getting up. They're moving.

1:20:39 Speaker 11: They're moving towards me.

1:20:41 Speaker 23: No!

1:20:42 Speaker 5: Get away!

1:20:49 Speaker 20: Bobby?

1:20:51 Speaker 6: Bobby!

1:20:53 Speaker 22: Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on?

1:21:02 Speaker 22: Reports are coming in from the other countries where this black cloud has passed. They're reporting... that the recently deceased are coming back to life as, well, zombies. They're reporting that if you have a gun to shoot the zombies in the head, it's the only way to stop them.

1:21:21 Speaker 7: Alan?

1:21:22 Speaker 12: Alan, can you hear me?

1:21:24 Speaker 22: Judy, oh thank heavens. Yes, we can hear you. Where are you?

1:21:27 Speaker 12: I made it up to the 13th Street Bridge where a command center has been set up, as well as an evacuation point. If you are still in the city, the National Guard is on the way and will be escorting survivors out of the city.

1:21:39 Speaker 22: Judy, are they saying what could have caused this?

1:21:43 Speaker 12: No one is talking right now. I'm heading west. Alan, you should try to get out of the building as soon as you can.

1:21:50 Speaker 22: Well, I don't think that it will be possible.

1:21:53 Speaker 12: Alan, what's going on?

1:21:56 Speaker 22: I'm looking down the street. The building is surrounded by these things. Our sound engineer has blocked the door as best as he could, but.

1:22:03 Speaker 11: Alan, get out of there!

1:22:05 Speaker 22: I can see through the broadcast booth window several of these things breaking down the door.

1:22:11 Speaker 12: Alan, for God's sake, run!

1:22:13 Speaker 7: I see.

1:22:14 Speaker 22: They're coming up towards the door.

1:22:18 Speaker 7: Ah!

1:22:20 Speaker 15: Ah!

1:22:21 Speaker 17: Ah! Ah!

1:22:23 Speaker 10: Ah!

1:22:31 Speaker 7: Alan!

1:22:39 Speaker 15: Alan?

1:22:41 Speaker 12: Alan, are you there?

1:22:47 Speaker 1: Our mystery drama, Incident on I-75, was written especially for Doorway to Nightmare by Winslow Swan and edited by Crimson McKenzie. Featured in the cast tonight, Mick Davis, Jonathan Rosignol, Dave Arkapov, and Crimson McKenzie. Music was provided by Kevin MacLeod and Triple X 2000. And now, a preview of our next tale.

1:23:22 Speaker 17: I'm sure that you will find everything to your liking, Excellency.

1:23:25 Speaker 2: I will be the judge of that.

1:23:28 Speaker 12: I'm sure that I will find it. Most amusing.

1:23:33 Speaker 17: Yes, Your Excellency.

1:23:36 Speaker 12: Why is it so far out in the country?

1:23:38 Speaker 2: I detest the country.

1:23:41 Speaker 17: We had to build it far enough away from the known targets.

1:23:45 Speaker 12: And you guarantee its safety?

1:23:48 Speaker 17: It will be the only safe place in the country, Your Excellency.

1:23:53 Speaker 1: Doorway to Nightmare is brought to you in part by Swanage Press.

1:23:58 Speaker 4: If you'd like to support us, visit our merchandise store. T-shirts, caps, mugs, and so much more. Visit doorwaytonightmare.com.

1:24:16 Speaker 1: This is your host, Artemis Black, inviting you to return with us through the doorway to nightmare for another adventure into the terrifying world of your imagination. Until next time, slumber peacefully. Epilogue. The butler did it. Doorway to Nightmare is brought to you in part by Swanage Press. It lies in wait amidst your dreams where nothing is ever how it seems. It is a portal to a terrifying world beyond the doorway to nightmare. Come in. Welcome. I'm Artemis Bly. Our world consists of what we perceive to be reality.

1:25:38 Speaker 1: We see, feel, hear, taste, and touch. But do you ever wonder what could be lying underneath? Hey, did you hear that?

1:25:58 Speaker 5: It's only the wind.

1:26:00 Speaker 18: No, there's something else. I can't describe it. Just a sound underneath the wind.

1:26:06 Speaker 5: I think you've been hitting that bottle a little too much tonight. There.

1:26:13 Speaker 6: Didn't you hear that?

1:26:14 Speaker 5: Brad, I only hear the wind. Believe me, working out in the cemetery, you'd think you'd hear all kinds of strange noises.

1:26:24 Speaker 18: Tom, that wasn't just a strange noise. That sounded like something trying to get out of its premature grave. I don't want to be here when it does.

1:26:39 Speaker 1: Our mystery drama, Six Feet, was adapted from the short story and written especially for Your Way to Nightmare by Winslow Swan and edited by Crimson McKenzie. Our stars include Nick Davis, William Stafford, and Crimson McKenzie. I'll be back shortly with Act One.

1:27:00 Speaker 4: The only witness to her murder cannot speak. Until now. Click A Tale of Revenge by Winslow Swan. Now available on Amazon. Revenge is a dish best served cold.

1:27:37 Speaker 1: The wealthiest place on earth is not a gold mine, oil field, or even a bank, but a cemetery. In there are companies that were never started, masterpieces that were never painted, and greatest treasure of untapped potential, wrote Miles Monroe. For some, the cemetery can be a peaceful place for reflection, or it can easily be a place of pure evil.

1:28:14 Speaker 5: Tom?

1:28:23 Speaker 12: Tom Watson.

1:28:24 Speaker 5: Who might you be, miss?

1:28:26 Speaker 12: I'm Emily Maynard from the Herald.

1:28:28 Speaker 5: Ah, one of those reporters who've been all over town asking questions.

1:28:34 Speaker 12: That's what we do.

1:28:36 Speaker 5: What brought you all the way out here?

1:28:38 Speaker 21: Well.

1:28:40 Speaker 12: you have to admit, it is a little strange that all the people who disappeared were last seen heading this way.

1:28:48 Speaker 5: You must have been listening to the stories about old Tom Watson.

1:28:52 Speaker 12: Your name has came up quite a bit.

1:28:55 Speaker 5: I'm sure that it has. since I'm probably the oldest living resident of Cassius Valley.

1:29:01 Speaker 12: I'd like to ask.

1:29:02 Speaker 5: My folks were born here, as well as my grandparents. For all I know, my great-grandfather founded this little town. I'm not sure why the city council would have sent you to me.

1:29:15 Speaker 6: Oh, no.

1:29:17 Speaker 12: They had nothing to do.

1:29:18 Speaker 5: Want to put me in a home, tear down this little shack, and make room for more graves, is it? I've been the caretaker here for 40 years. 40 years, do you hear me? And I'm not going anywhere.

1:29:34 Speaker 12: Believe me, Mr. Watson, that is not the reason for my visit. Why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself?

1:29:44 Speaker 5: Me? Not much to tell. My parents died when I was 15. Car accident. I left school, joined the army. caught a piece of shrapnel in my head, and got a high school diploma and a hefty check, courtesy of our government. When I moved back here, the only job available was this one, and I've been here ever since. Not bad for a 72-year-old.

1:30:09 Speaker 1: Wow.

1:30:09 Speaker 12: Well, why do you stay?

1:30:13 Speaker 1: I like it.

1:30:15 Speaker 5: It's peaceful out here. The cemetery's been here since the 1700s. I wouldn't be surprised... George Washington slept in a tent over one of those graves. I mean, before it was a grave.

1:30:28 Speaker 12: What do you do here?

1:30:30 Speaker 5: I keep the grounds clean, grass mowed, weeds pulled up. I dig graves when needed.

1:30:36 Speaker 12: A man of your age?

1:30:37 Speaker 5: I beg your pardon? I'll have you know that I'm the best grave digger in three states. Oh, that stupid council always wanted to bring a backhoe in to do it. That's sacrilegious to me.

1:30:50 Speaker 1: A grave digger?

1:30:51 Speaker 5: Is a sacred, hallowed thing. It should be another human being to dig it, not some cold machine. That's just respect.

1:31:01 Speaker 12: That is amazing. You've been doing this for 40 years?

1:31:06 Speaker 5: Oh, I can tell you who is where without even looking at the records or the map.

1:31:11 Speaker 12: You have a map?

1:31:13 Speaker 5: Sure. Look, this place is over 15 acres. Thousands of souls are resting here. The map just tells me where they are and what plots are still available.

1:31:25 Speaker 12: Sounds like a rather large job.

1:31:27 Speaker 5: Sure it is.

1:31:28 Speaker 12: And you don't mind living out here all alone?

1:31:31 Speaker 5: What do you mean?

1:31:33 Speaker 12: Well, I don't think that I would be able to sleep in the middle of a cemetery, especially at night.

1:31:41 Speaker 5: It's not as bad as you might think. Although, there was something that happened out here you might call strange.

1:31:50 Speaker 4: What happened?

1:31:51 Speaker 5: It was July, I think. About ten years ago. I was digging a grave for the deceased mayor of our little town. Rest his soul.

1:32:02 Speaker 12: What better time? I'm sorry. Please continue.

1:32:05 Speaker 5: I wanted to make it special. For a special client. My friend, Brad Wilkins, decided to pay me a visit. And I was just finishing up.

1:32:20 Speaker 12: Hello, Tom.

1:32:22 Speaker 6: You around? Right here, brat. Gee, you scared the life out of me.

1:32:30 Speaker 5: I've been telling you to turn up your hearing aid. I suppose crawling out of a grave would be a little scary.

1:32:37 Speaker 6: Every horror movie I've ever seen came flooding back. Don't do that. You almost gave me a heart attack.

1:32:45 Speaker 5: Now don't go making me dig two holes tonight.

1:32:48 Speaker 6: How much longer are you going to be?

1:32:50 Speaker 1: Just finished up.

1:32:52 Speaker 5: Let's go up to the shack. I got some stew simmered on the stove.

1:32:56 Speaker 6: Now you're talking.

1:32:57 Speaker 5: Oh, come on. You really came for my stew?

1:33:01 Speaker 6: Of course not. That's just an added bonus.

1:33:05 Speaker 18: I'm here for the buck and a half I'm going to take from you when you play gin rummy.

1:33:12 Speaker 12: He sounds like a nice gentleman.

1:33:14 Speaker 5: Oh, he was the town character. I always rode this old bike. Clothes that had more patches than material. But was one of the smartest men you would ever meet. And one of the richest.

1:33:28 Speaker 12: Really? How so?

1:33:30 Speaker 5: He once told me that he had four patents that were snatched up by whatever industry they affected. Of course, he was always telling wild stories.

1:33:39 Speaker 12: You did call him the town character.

1:33:42 Speaker 5: He took me to his house once and let me see his safe. I swear... If I were a violent man, I would have killed him and been in South America living the good life. Good thing I didn't do that.

1:33:55 Speaker 12: Why is that?

1:33:56 Speaker 1: He gave me the.

1:33:56 Speaker 5: Combination to the safe and told me it was all mine if anything ever happened to him.

1:34:01 Speaker 12: Now that's a motive if ever I've heard one.

1:34:04 Speaker 5: No, I made him put it in writing. You should have seen the look on the clerk at the court's face when she filed it. Oh, she thought we were just two old guys having a bit of fun.

1:34:15 Speaker 7: But.

1:34:16 Speaker 12: Why wouldn't he have kept it in a bank?

1:34:18 Speaker 5: Didn't trust them. Never did. Anyway, I'm getting away from my story. We were headed back to my shack when... Sure is a quiet night.

1:34:30 Speaker 18: I have never understood why you live way out here. It's all so creepy.

1:34:37 Speaker 5: You get used to it.

1:34:38 Speaker 16: Hey, you hear that?

1:34:47 Speaker 5: Oh, that's just the wind blowing.

1:34:49 Speaker 6: No, no, it sounded like.

1:34:52 Speaker 5: Like what? That stew's been simmering for almost an hour, and my stomach's telling me it's time to eat.

1:34:58 Speaker 6: Just give it a minute, will you? Maybe it'll happen again.

1:35:04 Speaker 1: Come on, Brad.

1:35:05 Speaker 5: I'm hungry. Besides, I think you've turned your hearing aid up a bit too much.

1:35:12 Speaker 6: Give it a few more.

1:35:17 Speaker 5: There.

1:35:18 Speaker 6: Do you hear it?

1:35:25 Speaker 1: The author Kurt Vonnegut once said that it's a small world, especially when you put it in a cemetery. But what things lurk in the dark after the sun goes down?

1:35:44 Speaker 1: I'll be back shortly with Act Two. Meet Jerry Connors. Family man. Business man. Psychopathic killer. The Convincer by Winslow Swan. Now available on Amazon.

1:36:04 Speaker 6: Jerry Connors.

1:36:06 Speaker 1: He can convince you to do anything. Even die. Norman Vincent Peale once said that the only people who don't have problems are in the cemetery. Unless you just happen to be walking through one.

1:36:48 Speaker 6: Don't you hear that?

1:36:53 Speaker 5: I'm telling you, it's just the wind. Now come on. The soup is going to simmer away if we don't... Now where are you going?

1:37:03 Speaker 16: Well, I can come in from over here.

1:37:06 Speaker 5: That's just the grave I dug. Nothing in there but dirt.

1:37:11 Speaker 6: How deep did you go?

1:37:13 Speaker 5: Six feet, like always.

1:37:17 Speaker 6: You ever wonder why it's six feet?

1:37:24 Speaker 12: I've often wondered about that.

1:37:26 Speaker 5: Would you like some tea? I just made a fresh pot.

1:37:30 Speaker 12: Thank you. That would be nice.

1:37:32 Speaker 1: Sugar? Lemon?

1:37:34 Speaker 5: Milk?

1:37:34 Speaker 12: Oh, no thank you.

1:37:36 Speaker 5: Six feet deep. During the Black Plague in 1665, the Mayor of London declared that to keep bodies from spreading disease.

1:37:45 Speaker 12: I wondered where it came from. You are quite knowledgeable for a.

1:37:50 Speaker 5: An old fart. I know a little about a lot of things. How's your tea?

1:37:58 Speaker 12: Quite good, thank you. So, what happened with your friend?

1:38:04 Speaker 5: He started to walk up to that hole in the ground. There was a full moon, and the gravestones seemed to glow in the light. I watched him as he got closer to the open grave, and... Hey, Brad, watch where you are standing. Wouldn't want you to fall in.

1:38:22 Speaker 6: You ever wonder what might be deeper than six feet?

1:38:26 Speaker 5: More dirt. Never really gave it much thought.

1:38:30 Speaker 18: I mean, this place has been here for a long time. Maybe even millions of years.

1:38:36 Speaker 5: The cemetery is old, but I don't think it's that old.

1:38:41 Speaker 6: No, Tom. I mean the ground itself. We just dig down six feet, plant the bodies. Never wonder what might be further down.

1:38:52 Speaker 5: Do you stay up at night thinking about this stuff?

1:38:56 Speaker 6: They've found fossils in less ground, you know.

1:39:00 Speaker 5: I think I hear that stew calling us.

1:39:06 Speaker 6: I swear that sounds like it's coming from now, Brad.

1:39:10 Speaker 5: I told you, don't get too close to that.

1:39:12 Speaker 7: Brad!

1:39:12 Speaker 2: Brad!

1:39:13 Speaker 4: Help me!

1:39:23 Speaker 12: What happened?

1:39:25 Speaker 5: I was looking at Brad, just standing next to that open hole. He just disappeared.

1:39:32 Speaker 12: Did he trip and fall in?

1:39:33 Speaker 5: No, he didn't just fall in. It was like something had pulled him in. Like it had yanked him and grabbed him from behind and pulled him down.

1:39:43 Speaker 2: What did you do?

1:39:44 Speaker 5: I ran up to the grave and turned on the flashlight I always carried and looked down. He wasn't there.

1:39:51 Speaker 12: What do you mean, he wasn't there?

1:39:54 Speaker 5: I should have seen a body at the bottom, but Brad wasn't there. Grabbed the shovel and jumped down, thinking that maybe the wall had collapsed and buried him. It's okay, buddy. I'm coming. Jesus, what the hell was that? What the hell? Looks like a tentacle. Like an octopus tentacle. Holy, it's disappearing.

1:40:39 Speaker 12: You say that you saw this thing, and then you, what, dropped it?

1:40:45 Speaker 1: No, it was there. I felt it.

1:40:49 Speaker 5: I picked it up and started rubbing the dirt off of it. The more dirt fell away the more transparent it became until it was invisible. I could still feel it in my hands, but it wasn't there.

1:41:01 Speaker 12: What did you do?

1:41:02 Speaker 5: I climbed out that hole, went back to my shack, and finished off a bottle of whiskey.

1:41:07 Speaker 12: But what happened to the tentacle?

1:41:09 Speaker 5: I dropped it. Couldn't find it again. But that sound, that little girl sighing just below the wind, sent a chill down my spine. The mayor's funeral was the next day, I spent most of it laying in my bed trying to drink away the horror of Brad, the tentacle, and that sigh. That little girl sigh. It sounded sad. More like someone crying softly. And the nightmares. They were bad. Really bad. That damn tone could have stayed with me for days. I could hear it every time the wind blew. I tried to find it.

1:41:53 Speaker 5: But couldn't, so I just kept drinking. Would you like another cup?

1:42:04 Speaker 17: Yes.

1:42:05 Speaker 13: So what happened?

1:42:07 Speaker 5: Well, there was another funeral the next day, which meant I had to dig another hole. It was the other side of the cemetery. You kind of get a feel for how deep you've gone after you've been doing it for so long. I made sure the walls were perfect as usual. But then I heard it again. I started digging deeper. I didn't care if the walls caved in. I just wanted to know what was making that sound. I started digging. I watched the ground move. I saw a tentacle raising up out of the ground. I thought I thought I was about to be dragged wherever Brad had gone.

1:42:50 Speaker 5: I watched it almost mesmerized, as it started to gently caress my cheek.

1:43:01 Speaker 1: Having a fence around a cemetery, I believe, is rather foolish. The ones inside cannot come out, and the ones outside don't want to go in. Unless there is another reason, which I don't like to think about. You think about returning with me with Act 3 shortly.

1:43:26 Speaker 4: Have you heard any good books lately? Audiobooks from Winslow Swan, now available on Spotify.

1:43:50 Speaker 1: There is a quiet place in any town you may visit. Lots want in. Few are selected.

1:44:00 Speaker 21: For the right price.

1:44:02 Speaker 1: No worries or cares. Not a moment of stress. Or even thinking about tomorrow. We call these little neighborhoods cemeteries.

1:44:14 Speaker 5: How's your tea?

1:44:16 Speaker 12: Very good.

1:44:17 Speaker 4: So what happened?

1:44:18 Speaker 5: I felt that tentacle near my face. It seemed to lick my cheek like a small puppy might do. I felt it wrap itself around me like giving me a hug before sliding back into the ground.

1:44:33 Speaker 12: If you want my opinion.

1:44:40 Speaker 12: I think your tentacle came straight out of one of those bottles of whiskey you have.

1:44:48 Speaker 5: I don't expect you to believe me. I'm just telling you what happened.

1:44:54 Speaker 12: So what did happen?

1:44:55 Speaker 5: I wondered why. Why Brad and not me.

1:45:01 Speaker 1: And then it hit me.

1:45:04 Speaker 5: What if this thing was something older than Our world itself. An alien who had crashed on our planet and simply gone to sleep. Perhaps something that science had not discovered yet. But I had an idea. I started digging up graves all over the cemetery. I started with one of the newer ones. Specifically, the mayor's.

1:45:31 Speaker 23: What?

1:45:32 Speaker 5: I reached the coffin. I carefully opened it.

1:45:35 Speaker 8: What?

1:45:39 Speaker 5: It was gone. The base of the coffin was also gone. Only the ground underneath was visible. I scrambled out of that hole, and I picked another one. On the other side of the cemetery, it was the same. The bottom of the coffin had been ripped away, and the body was missing. I spent the rest of the day digging up graves, finding the same thing. It didn't matter how old or new they were. Bottom of the coffin gone, along with the body.

1:46:16 Speaker 12: I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Well, that was a fascinating story, Mr. Watson.

1:46:23 Speaker 5: Believe it or not, that's what happened.

1:46:26 Speaker 12: Would you like to know what I think?

1:46:28 Speaker 5: Yes, I really would.

1:46:30 Speaker 7: I believe.

1:46:33 Speaker 12: You murdered Brad and buried him in that grave that was eventually going to house the mayor.

1:46:39 Speaker 1: Really?

1:46:42 Speaker 12: I also believe that you've been killing people that come out here for some reason or another.

1:46:50 Speaker 5: And what brought you to that conclusion?

1:46:53 Speaker 12: I checked on a few things. Whenever there is another funeral, there is another disappearance.

1:47:01 Speaker 2: You see, you dig the graves.

1:47:04 Speaker 12: You murder your victim and then just dig a little deeper for the body.

1:47:09 Speaker 5: An interesting theory, but completely wrong. How is your tea?

1:47:15 Speaker 12: It is rather good. I'm sorry, I don't know what is making me so tired.

1:47:23 Speaker 5: Could possibly be the pills I put into the tea.

1:47:29 Speaker 13: Wait, what?

1:47:31 Speaker 5: You see, whatever is under the ground around the cemetery has been there for a long time. When this place was made into a cemetery, it woke up. It found a very fertile supply of food.

1:47:48 Speaker 12: What's happening to me?

1:47:53 Speaker 5: I think whatever it is didn't take me because it knows I'm its caretaker.

1:48:10 Speaker 8: What did you do to me?

1:48:12 Speaker 4: I'm saving you from the horror.

1:48:20 Speaker 5: Of being eaten alive. It doesn't mind the bodies from the mortuary. But like all of us, it does prefer fresh meat.

1:48:48 Speaker 1: As Emily slips into that dark whirlpool of unconsciousness, her mind screams out for help. Tom, taking her limp body, carries her to a recently dug grave. I'll be back with a final word.

1:49:08 Speaker 4: If you'd like to support us, visit our merchandise store. T-shirts, caps, mugs, and so much more. Visit doorwaytonightmare.com today.

1:49:21 Speaker 1: The cemetery is a place of peaceful rest. No one there has cares or worries. If now you have something to worry about the next time you see one, perhaps we have done our job to bring your nightmares to a frightening reality. Our cast included Mick Davis, Crimson McKenzie, and William Stafford. The story was edited by Crimson McKenzie, and the production was under the direction of Winslow Swan.

1:50:18 Speaker 1: This is your host, Artemis Black, inviting you to return with us through the doorway to nightmare for another adventure into the world of your terrifying imagination. Until next time, slumber peacefully. Epilogue. The butler did it.