Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories

On Waterfield's planet, the mining ship's psychologist dresses up as a jeweled king to impress the local chieftain, and the chief sends back a gift: a seven-foot, bowling-pin-shaped creature that puffs out its chest, burps like a braying donkey, and falls for the same practical joke over and over. The crew names him Big Stupe and can't stop laughing, while the man in the crown works hard to make sure the natives respect the Earthmen.

SOURCES and RESOURCES: 
“Big Stupe” by Charles V. De Vet: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3jttc88u

WeirdDarkness® | Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness | Midnight In The Macabre™

More episodes, additional podcasts, books, original music, in-depth paranormal and true-crime articles, and much more at https://weirddarkness.com.

The Massachusetts hospital that Arkham Asylum is based on was built for 450 patients and crowded with more than 2,000, and today people live in apartments built into what's left of it.

READ or DOWNLOAD the full transcript of this episode: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/45y4w6tc

FEATURED STORIES IN THIS EPISODE: Mother Shipton was known for her prognostication skills – but she was even more well known for her grotesque appearance. So much so that she was nicknamed The York Witch, and the Devil’s Daughter. But others have another name for her… hoax. (The Devil’s Daughter) *** A family heirloom begins acting strange when a woman moves into her deceased grandmother’s home. (I Moved Into My Dead Grandmother’s House) *** Is it possible that ghosts, visions, and other paranormal experiences are not only real – but also good for your mental health? (Therapeutic Ghosts) *** After it closed, the old hospital site became a popular destination for thrill-seeking kids looking for the scare of a lifetime. Why does Danvers State Hospital rank among history’s most infamous asylums? (The Infamy of Danvers State Hospital) *** Attend any amateur magic show and most assuredly you will hear a certain word at least once. Why do illusionists use this word? What does it mean – if anything? We’ll look at the very interesting history behind the word “Abracadabra.” (Say The Magic Word)

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = The Foreboding: “Arkhams’ Dark Past”
00:03:36.808 = Show Open
00:05:36.569 = The Devil’s Daughter, Mother Shipton
00:11:29.548 = I Moved Into My Dead Grandmother’s House
00:17:34.047 = The Infamy of Danvers State Hospital
00:24:38.067 = Therapeutic Ghosts ***
00:34:42.439 = Say The Magic Word
00:40:39.300 = Show Close
*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break

*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*

SOURCES and RESOURCES:
“Arkham’s Dark Past” was written by Darren Marlar
“I Moved Into My Dead Grandmother’s House” by Kelsey for Your Ghost Stories: https://tinyurl.com/rjcvecr
“The Devil’s Daughter” by Marc Hartzman for Weird Historian: https://tinyurl.com/vp6vlo4
“Therapeutic Ghosts” by Andreas Sommer for Aeon: https://tinyurl.com/r7xcv2v
“The Infamy of Danvers State Hospital” by William DeLong for All That’s Interesting: https://tinyurl.com/rd223yu
“Say The Magic Word” from Ancient Origins: https://tinyurl.com/sl9nlzm

(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)
WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.

More episodes, additional podcasts, books, original music, in-depth paranormal and true-crime articles, and much more at https://weirddarkness.com.

A Georgia man calls 911 to report that his mother has been abducted by aliens. On a canal bank in eastern India, a few dogs are tearing at something wrapped in plastic. On Halloween night, a couple dressed as dinosaurs gets into an argument with another shopper over who's next in a Publix self-checkout line. Workers lifting the floor of an abandoned gas station in Argentina notice a patch of ground shaped like a grave. And in Toronto, a family takes a magnet to the kids' Halloween candy, and it sticks.

SOURCES, LINKS, AND PRINT VERSION:
https://weirddarkness.com/alien-abduction-911-call-georgia-weird-darknews/

*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*

WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.

More episodes, additional podcasts, books, original music, in-depth paranormal and true-crime articles, and much more at https://weirddarkness.com.

Seventeen-year-old Billy Weaver steps off the train in Bath on a freezing night looking for a cheap room, and a BED AND BREAKFAST notice in a window holds his eye so hard that he finds himself ringing the bell. The landlady opens the door before he can lift his finger, his room is already made up, and the only other names on the page of her guest book belong to two young men who signed it years ago.

SOURCES and RESOURCES: 
“The Landlady” by Roald Dahl: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p83h6nr

WeirdDarkness® | Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness | Midnight In The Macabre™

More episodes, additional podcasts, books, original music, in-depth paranormal and true-crime articles, and much more at https://weirddarkness.com.

Watchers Of The Light: A small-town teacher goes for a lifeguard physical, and the doctor's X-rays show his heart beating on the right side of his chest and his liver turned around. Two weeks earlier, he and his principal set a match to a green powder a student found in an old lime kiln, and the explosion left no trace of either man.

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “Watchers Of The Light” (March 07, 1979) ***WD
00:46:45.882 = Let George Do It, “Voice Of The Giant” (July 31, 1950) ***WD
01:17:27.684 = Black Mass, “Diary of a Madman” (December 16, 1964) ***WD
01:57:45.437 = Michael Shayne, “Dr. Grant’s Dilemma” (August 13, 1945)
02:28:32.297 = Beyond Midnight, “The House” aka “The Visits” (June 27, 1969) (LQ)
02:58:23.508 = Mindwebs, “The Run” (November 26, 1976) ***WD
03:22:07.317 = It’s Murder, “Picture Wire Murder” (August 10, 1944) ***WD
03:36:37.826 = Mystery In The Air, “Mask of Medusa” (September 04, 1947) ***WD
04:06:41.657 = Molle Mystery Theater, “Talk Them To Death” (June 27, 1947) ***WD
04:37:46.049 = Mr. Keen, “The Ruthless Murderers” (October 27, 1949) ***WD
05:06:05.394 = Show Close

(ADU) = Air Date Unknown
(LQ) = Low Quality
***WD = Remastered, edited, or cleaned up by Weird Darkness to make the episode more listenable. Audio may not be pristine, but it will be better than the original file which may have been unusable or more difficult to hear without editing.

More episodes, additional podcasts, books, original music, in-depth paranormal and true-crime articles, and much more at https://weirddarkness.com.