Listener Stories: Vol. 104

Summary

Podcast Summary: And That's Why We Drink Episode: Listener Stories: Vol. 104
Release Date: June 1, 2025
Hosts: Christine Schiefer & Em Schulz
Description: Murder and the paranormal collide! Every Sunday, join Christine and Em for chilling ghost stories and terrifying true crime tales. Remember, the world's a scary place, and that's why we drink!

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Introduction

In this episode of And That's Why We Drink, hosts Christine Schiefer and Em Schulz celebrate their birthdays amidst spooky tales and listener-submitted stories. The episode primarily focuses on six chilling accounts from their audience, with a special feature on Massachusetts's haunted locations. Despite some lighthearted banter and interactions involving their dog, Leona, the core of the episode delves deep into paranormal experiences shared by listeners.

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Listener Story 1: UMass's Haunted AF

Submitted by: Christine's Patron, Ally
Timestamp: [11:21] – [19:02]

Christine and Em introduce the first story titled "UMass's Haunted AF," submitted by Ally, who attended the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. The tale is rich with eerie urban legends surrounding the campus, including:

• Pentagram Architecture: Ally mentions, “the original buildings form a pentagram” and points out that “all the benches around the school say 666” ([12:13]).
• Mysterious Staircases: A rumored count of 666 external steps on campus sparks a humorous yet unsettling discussion between the hosts about counting stairs and the potential supernatural implications ([13:00] – [14:10]).
• Ghostly Encounters: Christine recounts her experiences living in campus apartments, describing unsettling occurrences such as rattling doors and shadowy figures watching her. At one point, she shares, “I saw a shadow standing in the doorway staring at my bed” ([16:09]).
• Paranormal Activity: Christine narrates a particularly frightening night where her door slams and she feels something pounding on it, leading to a vigil against fear as "fear gives power" ([18:09] – [20:25]).

The hosts discuss the interplay between high-stress environments like college campuses and the manifestation of paranormal activities, blending humor with genuine fear.

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Listener Story 2: Haunted Book

Submitted by: Lauren
Timestamp: [32:27] – [44:07]

Lauren shares her eerie experience with a haunted book titled Phone Call from a Ghost. Her story unfolds as follows:

• Duplicate Chapters: While reading the book with a friend, Lauren notices that Chapter 10 appears twice ([33:00]).
• Disappearance of Chapters: Upon taking the book home, she discovers that Chapter 10 is missing altogether, leading to confusion and fear ([34:52]).
• Supernatural Manifestations: Attempts to hide or destroy the book result in uncanny phenomena, including chapters reappearing and shifting locations within the book ([35:03] – [38:12]).
• Final Confrontation: The only resolution Lauren mentions is burning the book after repeated disturbances, effectively ending the haunting ([38:45] – [39:14]).

Em humorously reacts to the story, expressing a mix of amusement and fear, highlighting the absurdity and terror of encountering a haunted object intrinsically linked to one's childhood.

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Listener Story 3: UMass's Haunted AF (Continued)

Christine and Em continue discussing the first story, elaborating on the haunted aspects of UMass Dartmouth. They touch upon:

• Presidential Sacrifices: The unsettling notion that past presidents spent nights in supposedly haunted rooms to debunk the myths, only to leave the spaces still feared by students ([13:31] – [14:45]).
• Campus Legends: Stories about missing students and the influence of historical events, such as connections to the Boston Marathon bombers, deepen the haunted lore of the campus ([14:24] – [16:00]).

The conversation intertwines personal anecdotes with the submitted story, providing a multi-layered perspective on campus hauntings.

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Listener Story 4: Haunted Bathtub and a Possessed Teen

Submitted by: Miranda
Timestamp: [67:36] – [78:44]

Miranda recounts a terrifying experience involving a haunted bathtub and possession during a Ouija board session:

• Revolutionary War Cemetery Proximity: Miranda's family home, built in the 1860s across from an 1736 cemetery, sets a historical and ominous backdrop ([68:14] – [68:53]).
• Haunted Bathrooms: The haunted house features a clawfoot bathtub that remains cold despite hot water, evoking a sense of unease ([69:43] – [70:38]).
• Ouija Board Incident: During a family Ouija session, young spirits communicate that they were drowned in the bathtub. The session escalates when a teenage girl becomes possessed, speaking in unknown languages and leading to a highly traumatic experience for Miranda ([74:43] – [77:33]).
• Aftermath: The harrowing night culminates in Miranda and her family moving out, leaving behind the haunted residence ([77:33] – [78:44]).

Christine and Em engage in a humorous yet empathetic discussion, expressing disbelief and fear over the severity of Miranda's experience. They reflect on the intense emotions and chaos that such paranormal events can induce.

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Listener Story 5: Frankenstein's Furry Tried to Kill Me

Submitted by: Adeline
Timestamp: [44:24] – [56:45]

Adeline shares her spine-chilling encounter at a raw dairy farm:

• Work Environment: Em sets the stage by describing her job at a dairy farm, which involves early morning shifts and night shifts without the usual bottling tasks ([46:04] – [48:28]).
• Unsettling Walks: On a late fall night, Em experiences unnerving sounds and sights while walking back to the barn, including mysterious moos and a shadowy figure near the pasture ([49:01] – [51:22]).
• Sleep Paralysis Nightmare: Em narrates a vivid sleep paralysis episode where she encounters a grotesque, deformed entity described as a "half man, half animal" creature with "long fingers" that overwhelms her ([54:03] – [55:56]).
• Aftermath and Reflection: The traumatic experience leaves Em terrified and contemplating drastic changes, such as leaving her job, while Christine provides supportive banter ([56:05] – [56:45]).

This story blends real-life setting with supernatural terror, highlighting the fine line between mundane fears and extraordinary paranormal encounters.

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Listener Story 6: Haunted College Dorm

Submitted by: Elise
Timestamp: [58:20] – [67:20]

Elise details haunting experiences at Mount Holyoke College:

• Historic Setting: The college, part of the Seven Sisters, features a haunted dorm room with a tumultuous history ([58:31] – [60:35]).
• Paranormal Activity: Elise describes repeated supernatural occurrences, such as objects moving on their own, shadows appearing, and unexplained sobs, particularly in a room off-limits to students ([60:52] – [62:13]).
• RA Encounters: As a Resident Advisor, Elise observes and experiences ghostly interactions, including a shadowy figure weeping in a locked room, leaving her questioning the boundaries between the living and the dead ([62:13] – [66:56]).
• Host Reactions: Christine and Em humorously express their disbelief and amusement over the boundary-testing nature of the story, maintaining a lighthearted tone despite the eerie content ([66:56] – [67:20]).

This account underscores the haunted reputation of historic institutions and the personal toll such experiences can have on those who encounter them.

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Listener Story 7: Haunted Bathtub and a Possessed Teen (Continued)

Submitted by: Miranda
Timestamp: [67:36] – [80:36]

Miranda continues her harrowing narrative:

• Paraphernalia and Rituals: Miranda expands on the Ouija board session, describing how her family's involvement inadvertently summoned malevolent entities ([75:56] – [76:43]).
• Possession and Fright: The teenage girl in the session exhibits signs of possession, speaking in a language unknown to the participants and heightening the fear and urgency to end the session ([76:43] – [77:33]).
• Resolution and Aftermath: The family's decision to move out marks the end of their direct encounters, but the lingering fear remains palpable as Christine and Em discuss the implications of such experiences ([77:33] – [80:36]).

This continuation delves deeper into the psychological and emotional impact of paranormal activities, emphasizing the lasting effects on individuals and families.

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Conclusion

In Episode 104 of And That's Why We Drink, Christine and Em Schiefer provide their listeners with a collection of spine-tingling stories that blend personal experiences with submitted paranormal accounts. From haunted universities and possessed objects to terrifying encounters at workplaces and historic homes, the episode offers a rich tapestry of fears and mysteries. Interspersed with the hosts' humor and personal anecdotes, the stories not only entertain but also explore the profound effects of the supernatural on everyday life.

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Notable Quotes

• Em: “It’s 666 external steps on campus. But I never counted the way I would have wandered around counting the fucking steps.” ([12:13])
• Christine: “Sometimes things need to be redone in a fresh way, you know?” ([03:56])
• Em: “I had to grab him by the collar and drag Him. Which was not very fun.” ([09:08])
• Christine: “No, that's too story. Like, maybe you've escaped unscathed.” ([20:59])
• Em: “Maybe it's a Wendigo? Maybe it's a shadow figure? Maybe it's a criminal? Maybe it's a creeper?” ([78:21])
• Miranda: “It was the most uncomfortable and eerie experience of my life.” ([70:38])

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Final Thoughts

For those who enjoy the intersection of true crime and the paranormal, And That's Why We Drink offers a compelling mix of narratives that are both horrifying and thought-provoking. The hosts’ engaging dialogue and authentic reactions make the stories come alive, providing listeners with an immersive and chilling experience. Whether you're a skeptic or a believer, this episode is sure to leave you contemplating the unknown.

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Note: All timestamps are approximate and based on the provided transcript.

Transcript

[Em]

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[Christine]

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[Em]

Happy birth month to both of us.

[Christine]

Wow, it's a special month just for us.

[Em]

Another 12 episodes everyone endured just to get to our birthday. Oh, you poor sweet things.

[Christine]

I can't believe how much you all went through to get here to this special occasion.

[Em]

It means a lot. It means a lot.

[Christine]

It doesn't mean. It means. It means a bit.

[Em]

Oh well, it. The effort was seen by some kind of.

[Christine]

I have very high standards. This birthday Around.

[Em]

I know. This is your 3 4. Is that how you all think 3 4?

[Christine]

Isn't it a special 3 4?

[Em]

But what are you doing for your 3 4?

[Christine]

Blaze did something really awesome. He booked us a little cabin, and his. His mom and Aunt Lisa are coming down, and my brother's flying in. We're gonna go to, like, a little cabin. He. He's bad at support. He can't, for the life of him. I swear to God, on. On anyone's life, he cannot keep a secret or, like, keep something to himself, which we kind of discovered when Leona barged in here yesterday and started screaming about my secret birthday present. So, like, he literally blurted it out. Like, I mean, it's like, when he came home with the engagement ring, he was still in his scrubs holding Indian food, and he had planned this whole, like, hiking trip to propose, and he just, like, freaked out and, like, handed me the ring. Like, he can't. Which you did make a good point. It's, like, a good thing, I guess, that you certainly.

[Em]

For kids.

[Christine]

Yeah.

[Em]

I mean, I think it's especially for kids, like, when, like, if she goes, like, someone's house, you know, that she's, like, back. Right.

[Christine]

For Leona. Yes. I think also for Blaze, because I'm like, what are you hiding? Just kidding. He doesn't hide anything because he knows he's bad at it unless he's really that good at it. And that could be a novel idea. Somebody write that down, because I'm gonna write a book about that.

[Em]

I'm pretty sure we talk about. Oh, I'm sure every, like, horror author has covered that at some point. Like, sneaky, quiet person who has a secret life.

[Christine]

Okay, well, you know what?

[Em]

Sometimes, maybe not.

[Christine]

Sometimes things need to be redone in a fresh way, you know?

[Em]

Yes, you're right. Sorry. Carry on.

[Christine]

Okay. Oh, yeah. So we're going. Yeah, so we're going to a cabin. I'm really excited. And he cleaned my office, which was very nice.

[Em]

That is very nice. Is it completely clean yet, or is there still a little bit?

[Christine]

It looks pretty damn good. We went in there. Oh. Oh, my God. Okay. This is going to be the reason I drink in a couple days when we record, so I'm not going to tell the whole thing, but Leona literally was like, let's go look for a ghost. And I went, sorry, what? No, there's, like, a whole thing that I will tell you. Tell everybody in the main episode, because I want it to. To be in the main episode, but there's a There's a whole journey happening over here that I was not prepared for. Remember when. I remember when everyone said, careful what you wish for. And I said, leona never talks about ghosts. Well, things have shifted. The tides have turned. So as of, like, today.

[Em]

So is it. Is it Harry or is it someone else?

[Christine]

I don't know. She calls him Boo. Boo.

[Em]

I swear to God. What is this, an A24 movie? That's horrific. I know.

[Christine]

Again, write it down. It could be a novel. I'm telling you, I'm living a horror story right now. So that's good. Yeah. So, happy birthday to me and Emma. What do you have planned for your birthday?

[Em]

I got nothing. I. This is, like, my first birthday. I got no plans.

[Christine]

Well, we have a cabin in Kentucky somewhere, if you want to come. Come ride my stepdad's boat around the lake.

[Em]

Thank you so much.

[Christine]

Yeah, you're welcome.

[Em]

No, I. Allison was gonna come for my birthday, but then it just, like, when it comes to, like, were you.

[Christine]

Gonna go to somewhere cool, or am I making. Oh, that was your anniversary. I keep.

[Em]

That's for our anniversary.

[Christine]

Yeah. Because I get July 4th, June 4th, June 3rd. Anyway.

[Em]

Well, yeah, we were thinking about clumping everything together. My birthday and our anniversary, just so it's one flight for her. I still don't know if we're gonna do that. It's the. The end of June, early July is quite a big old tumbleweed in my head right now about plants, but for my actual birthday.

[Christine]

Tumbleweed in your head. Okay.

[Em]

Yeah, I guess the opposite of what that means. You know, tumbleweed usually means nothing.

[Christine]

I know. But I actually do feel like I know what you mean. It's kind of like a sand tornado, maybe.

[Em]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Christine]

Yeah. You just can't see through. Yeah, it's, like, chaotic.

[Em]

So, yeah. My only birthday plan currently is to maybe go to the dog park. I think he's. The reason I do drink at the beginning of this month is because Mr. Pink Eye over here, round two. I can't take him to the dog park. He's got pink eyes. So, like, that means the next week is going to be hell on wheels because he can't get his energy out.

[Christine]

Oh, God.

[Em]

So I'm, like, really not loving it. But we go to the. That's him, by the way. Hi. We go to the vet right after this, and it's the first time he's taking his puppy, Trazodone, so I'm very excited to see what that does to him.

[Christine]

Yeah, that's supposed to be Very helpful with. With anxious dogs.

[Em]

So he. Well, the doctor said don't bring him here again unless he's on Trazodone.

[Christine]

Oh, okay. Wow. This is doctor's orders. Got it.

[Em]

Yeah, yeah. This is Mr. Gwidashoe's orders. So.

[Christine]

Mr. Gwydda shoes. I frued up.

[Em]

Yeah, I frued up. So Anyway, we're seeing Mr. Gwittash.

[Christine]

Wow, so you're a real parent now. For your birthday, it's like, this is you. You get it now? This is the first birthday. Well, that's not true. I've had a couple really fun birthdays since I had Leona, but this is the first one that's like. Like a trip. Like a whole thing. I mean, it's probably my first birthday that's been a whole trip in my life. But it's the first one where, like, Leona's part of it. Like, it's like a family event, you know, because she's old enough to participate. And we're getting those floaty things for the back of the boat where you, like, sit in it and then you ride around. Oh, and we're going magnet fishing.

[Em]

She'll go nuts for all that.

[Christine]

Do you know what magnet fishing is?

[Em]

I do know what magnet fishing is, and I've never done it. And it looks really fun. You know what's not fun, though, is this deranged pink eyed dog. He's like, around the table, he's like, fishing. Look at how bad his eye is. So sad.

[Christine]

Let me see, baby pinky.

[Em]

Show your eyes.

[Christine]

That's me, buddy. And where'd you get that shirt? Is that our shirt? Yeah. I want that one.

[Em]

Look at. Look at his eye. Pinkies come over.

[Christine]

You can't see it.

[Em]

I know.

[Christine]

Oh, look. Oh, bud.

[Em]

It's like, he's like, it's half closed. He, like, can't open it. It's like, so sad.

[Christine]

Oh, my gosh. Poor baby. Have you put a one every time?

[Em]

Yeah, but no, his whole. He just keeps doing this. Every time I look at him, his face looks like this.

[Christine]

Nobody. He, like, has our little lazy eye. Our little drunk. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Em]

So anyway, hang on, I'm gonna take him outside because otherwise he's gonna just try to climb on the table.

[Christine]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Em]

Please stand by.

[Christine]

We have to stop away. You are fine. I. I didn't know what was happening. I couldn't hear you, but I kept hearing you say, Jesus Christ.

[Em]

I. I had to play dirty on that one. I had to grab him by the collar and drag Him. Which was not very fun.

[Christine]

Oh, no. Yeah. He didn't want to go out.

[Em]

No, he kept. He knew what toys I was using to lure him and then he would grab them and then run back inside.

[Christine]

Got it. He got them. He. He read between the lines. Okay.

[Em]

Yeah, he's not happy right now, but he'll be fine in an hour when he takes some Trazodone. Okay. Anyway.

[Christine]

Anyway, where are we?

[Em]

That's why I drink. Because he's just gonna be like that for the next week because I can't take him to the dog park. So.

[Christine]

Yeah, that blows. Sorry about that.

[Em]

Yeah.

[Christine]

Well, I hope you get to go for your birthday.

[Em]

Thank you. I hope I get to go as well. Just to have a breather for a second. Anyway, we have six stories this time.

[Christine]

Yeah. And I want to say we are excited because this is the first one we get to say was a topic sent in by a patron, Christine. Not me, she her, who submitted the topic of Massachusetts. And so that's. That's kind of a fun little twist. We did have a Patreon selection today.

[Em]

Yeah, I. I like the idea of giving people a chance to submit something interesting in Massachusetts. I feel like there's gotta be a lot of stuff there. I mean, Salem.

[Christine]

Yeah, True, true. Our old apartments.

[Em]

Our old apartments. Yes. Those. The. The most haunted things in the world. Did you have a ghost at your old place?

[Christine]

One time you literally made this face of me and you went back then and you were like, you don't want to know. And I was like, what?

[Em]

I do remember feeling. I can't remember if it was yours or one of our other friends apartments, but I remember feeling something really weird in one of the apartments and then.

[Christine]

You like left and we're like, anyway, you have a ghost in your house. By which I feel like you do still to this day.

[Em]

I just, I. Well, I never went to yours, did I? No. And also you. I got the exact same feeling at my place too. I really thought there was.

[Christine]

I mean, it was a basement of those old ass buildings, so I never like saw or felt anything really. But I was like a little scared. Like I, I would like, I didn't want to know.

[Em]

There's some rooms that I just. I just get a weird, weird vibe from. I remember getting it from someone's apartment in Boston. Anyway, glad you're not there anymore. Now you're in a new house with a new ghost.

[Christine]

Yep. Boo, boo, boo boo, mister.

[Em]

I don't even want to say his name three times because I feel like.

[Christine]

I Actually feel like we have to stop. We must stop.

[Em]

Do you want to do the honors, number one?

[Christine]

I would love to. This is. Number one. This is called umass is Haunted af.

[Em]

Okay.

[Christine]

Where is umass?

[Em]

I know you know, Worcester. Is it kind of like UMass Amherst?

[Christine]

Oh, that's right. Listen, it doesn't matter. They're making it too complicated. It says it has six different. Okay, forget it. I'm over it. Okay, Ali.

[Em]

At least one of the six.

[Christine]

One of those probably. Or a satellite campus. Who the hell knows? Ali. I'm sorry. I'm yelling at you. Ali uses they, them pronouns. Thank you, Ally, for submitting this. It's called UMass's Haunted AF. And it goes as follows. Dear Christine M. Eva, associated Significant Others. That's really good for, like, the longevity of the show, right? Like, 20 years. We'll all be mixed up. Who knows?

[Em]

Who knows? Me and Blaze, you know, you never know.

[Christine]

That's exactly what I was picturing, too. Just, like, swap them around, you know?

[Em]

Yeah.

[Christine]

Spice things up. Dear Christine M. Eva, Associated Significant others. Babies, both fur and human and petrified citrus. So I went to college at University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. Well, I could have waited literally five seconds, but no, I went to college at University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, and that campus is haunted. As there's a lot of urban legends, such as the school was built by a Satanist. To be fair, all the benches around the school say 666. I'll include a picture. Why the original buildings form a pentagram. And there's a rumor there are 666 external steps on campus. But I never counted the way I would have wandered around counting the fucking steps.

[Em]

That would have been my first Saturday on campus.

[Christine]

You and I would have met in the middle.

[Em]

Like, you know how beyond pissed I'd be if I. If I'm lost count?

[Christine]

Can you imagine we both run into each other going 642, and then we wait. Shit, I was counting. You messed me up. And then we all over.

[Em]

You have to, like, scratch them off as you go or something, because what if you think, like. What if someone says, like, oh, did you get that random corridor? And you're like, I don't know. I don't remember.

[Christine]

You really got to leave a little. I don't know what, though. Like, I don't want you to litter, but, yeah, you gotta leave a mark on it.

[Em]

Somehow I feel like, here's what you do. This is easy. You get 666 friends, and then you make each of them stand on a step and Then you walk around campus and see if you can find any other steps.

[Christine]

Fill everybody, and everybody has a number. But you have to remember. Oh, no. But then everyone. Then you have to count all the people.

[Em]

No, no, no. You give everyone a number first. Okay. Each of them pick a staircase. And then when all 666 say we're on a step. If you walk around and see another empty step, you know there's.

[Christine]

I see.

[Em]

Or if those people say, I can't find any more steps, then you know that there's less than 666.

[Christine]

What if 436 is in the bathroom again?

[Em]

Well, okay, then we got a problem. Look, I'll think about it.

[Christine]

We need a new friend is what that means. Yeah, okay. Sorry, Ally. Let's see. I can't believe you never counted the stairs. Ally. First of all, Em and I already have a huge plan with all our 664 friends.

[Em]

100.

[Christine]

There are corridors that lead into walls, staircases that just go up into the ceiling, and everything is just sad. Gray. We made the news. Oh, my God. For a missing student known as Neo Maximus. And again, because one of the Boston Marathon bombers attended here. What in the. It's a bad vibe. Talk about going into a room with bad vibes.

[Em]

I feel like I would go onto that campus and go, you don't want to know. And then.

[Christine]

Yeah, you would. And then you would walk away and leave everyone. Well, guess what? My freshman dorm was really bad. It says for whatever reason, my suite was always empty. I never saw anyone in the bathrooms or in the hallway. What the. So you were alone in there? That's like. You'd think that'd be good.

[Em]

Was that an abandoned building that you accidentally got access to?

[Christine]

Sounds like they just ran out of rooms and they were like, go in there and find a bed.

[Em]

That's so weird.

[Christine]

I never saw anyone in the bathrooms or in the hallways. Once I got to my third floor room, I had a roommate. But after a few weeks, she met a guy and basically moved in with him. I had a wardrobe that used to rattle at night. There was a mirror attached to the inside of one of the doors. I hate mirrors and always have, so I kept that door closed all the time. One night, desperate to stop the rattling, I opened the doors and it did stop. I tried closing just the door with the mirror on it, and it would start again. Since I know I was the only one on my floor, I usually didn't lock my door at night. Incredibly stupid, I know. But sometimes if my cousin Was on campus late. She'd come over and crash. Listen, we've all been there. I get it. I'm sure. I didn't lock my door as often as I should have. My door started opening in the night. Oh. At first, I assume it's not the cousin. I guess I'm assuming here. At first, I assume maybe the wind had blown it open, but it was incredibly heavy metal door. It also didn't open and shut. It was made so that it automatically shut unless. Oh, ew. So it was like being held open? Yeah. Forget it.

[Em]

No thanks.

[Christine]

I saw a shadow standing in the doorway staring at my bed. After a while and then it's like, hey, cuz, I'm drunk. Can you.

[Em]

Yeah, help me.

[Christine]

I just threw up in my hair.

[Em]

I missed a glitter shoots.

[Christine]

I fruit up mystic footage. It's me.

[Em]

It's actually just Hank at the door. Be like, help me.

[Christine]

Yeah. Who knew it was just my sleep paralysis demon Was Hank throwing up on Mr. Glitter Sheet. After a while of pretending to be asleep, the door slowly closed. Oh, God.

[Em]

Oh my gosh.

[Christine]

This happened every time I didn't lock my door at night. The worst building on campus is the art building. The walls leak even when there is no rain or sn. I have I know of. No.

[Em]

What? Like they're crying?

[Christine]

What do you mean? Oh, and it's blood. Wait, what? I know of no students who will be in there alone at night. I couldn't even sit in there with friends. It was so creepy. One night I was sitting outside of it studying under one of the lights because of a bad roommate situation. I could see a shadow standing at the door very obviously watching me and my friend. I assumed it was a student or janitor. But my friend, after about 10 minutes, insisted we moved. When I asked why, she shook her head. And only after we couldn't see the door anymore did she say it was because of the shadow person watching from the doorway.

[Em]

Okay, Leona, relax, Right?

[Christine]

It's just my friend.

[Em]

It's just Mr. Boo Boo.

[Christine]

Mr. Boo Boo. She. That's horrible. We said it again. I. We promised we wouldn't say it again. We both fucking said it again. And we gave him a title. I mean, what are we thinking? She was a very scientific minded person and I had never heard her mention even believing in anything paranormal before. This sounds like Leona all over again. Okay, this is the last two paragraphs here. The scariest single incident happened when I was living in the campus apartments. One night I had a series of bad dreams. I was getting Hurt. My animals were getting hurt and I woke up feeling sick. I left my room to go to the bathroom and the whole time all I could think about was that scene from the Lord of the Rings when the ring wraiths are stabbing the empty beds the hobbits are supposed to be sleeping in. That's my nightmare.

[Em]

What?

[Christine]

I don't know what that is. I'm. I must have seen it at some point. But I do remember as a kid being so scared that someone would stick a knife up my mattress.

[Em]

Well, is that. Not officially. I. What is today for me?

[Christine]

Okay. It was like one of my childhood fears. I must have heard it in like a campfire story or something. I don't know.

[Em]

I think you saw it in Nightmare on Elm street maybe, because that was like a thing that happens.

[Christine]

Oh, I. I mean, I've certainly never seen that film, but I've probably seen like, the clip or the concept of it or something because I. It, like, is still to this day, one of my weird, like, middle of the night.

[Em]

That's like, when I'm. If I ever am like this, I'm. It's always at my exposed wrists or like, if I sleep like this on a. My neck.

[Christine]

Yeah, I have to cover my neck too.

[Em]

Yeah.

[Christine]

Yeah. Anyway, okay. I was freaked out and spent. Okay, so the knife thing. So, okay, terrible dreams. Wakes up, goes to the bathroom, they are thinking. They're. They're thinking, hey, you remember that time those ring rays stabbed all the beds? I was freaked out and spent 10 minutes just sitting there in the comforting light of the bathroom. Eventually, I talked myself into going back to bed. As soon as I got back into my bed, my door started to slam. No, this wasn't completely unusual as it frequently rattled since it was loose in its frame. And I slept with the window open again. I never locked my door this time. Not stupid, as our apartment door was locked and I knew and liked all my roommates. This wasn't the rattling though. This sounded like something huge pounding on the door. Something told me to get up and lock my door, so I did. As soon as it was locked, I saw the handle start to move and rattle.

[Em]

Shut up.

[Christine]

I quickly got into bed and then the banging resumed. I spent the rest of the night trying not to be afraid because I know fear gives power. Yeah, that's the ultimate, like, catch 22. Like, don't be afraid. That'll make it worse. Like what?

[Em]

As, like, tears are streaming down my face.

[Christine]

I'm not scared at all. I tried to it off, but the next Day, the roommate I was with, or I was the least close with, came to visit me at work. She asked if I was okay because when she had gone to bed the night before, she looked down the hallway, and the hallway outside my room had been black. Not dark, but black. The kitchen light had been on. And she said it was almost like something was sucking the light out of the room. And she wanted. She wanted her prayer group to come over. I said, sure. I love this.

[Em]

Bring them on down, please.

[Christine]

I'll make cookies. Come on. I said, sure. I'm not religious. And she knew, which is why she asked for permission. But I still went home for the weekend, so hopefully whatever it was would lose track of me. Thankfully, I have not had problems since the end.

[Em]

That's so weird that you didn't have problems after that, because I would think that's the beginning of the edge, not the end of it.

[Christine]

Feels like the beginning of the, like, final act, like. Or the second act. Like, oh, the prayer group came over and now everything's like. But maybe that's too. Too. Maybe that's too story. Like, maybe. Maybe you've escaped unscathed.

[Em]

Maybe. But also, like, who the hell is that prayer group? Because they need to, like, be on a hotline.

[Christine]

Because maybe they are. Maybe they're like the UMass. Maybe that's why they thrive at UMass Dartmouth. Like, because it's just the spot where all the cleansings need to happen.

[Em]

The strongest religious groups are at Dartmouth because you need them.

[Christine]

Well, with 666 stairs, somebody has to be religious.

[Em]

I feel like, as, like a, as like a someone in their prayer group. Someone's scared of being on those stairs. Or, like, what if you hit every stair before you graduate? What does it mean? You unlock something.

[Christine]

I don't know. That feels like my OCD would immediately latch onto that, though. Catch me counting the stairs again.

[Em]

We've got 666 stairs and also being ripped apart from the inside through my mattress. Okay. All right.

[Christine]

Big, big blade.

[Em]

Right, Sorry. Big, big. Right.

[Christine]

Yeah, I heard. I heard some big news that when I was ill, Juniper and Moonshine took over the. The Small advertisement campaign. Is that correct?

[Em]

M. That is. I, I it. They sent me a text and they said, don't even worry about doing the ads. I got it.

[Christine]

Okay. Well, apparently they have a lot to say, and I can confirm because they're obsessed with this stuff. We got the Smalls box in the other day, and if you haven't heard of it, Smalls cat food is protein packed. Recipes made with preservative free ingredients you'd find in your fridge, and it's delivered right to your door. And that's why cats.com named Smalls there. But best overall cat food. And I think Juniper was on the jury of that as well, because he really won't leave me alone now. Just like Gio, it's like, I. What have I done to myself?

[Em]

88% of cat owners reported overall health improvements, which is obviously a big deal. And the team at Smalls is so confident that your cat will love their product that you can try it risk free. And that means they'll refund you if your cat won't eat their food. That's like such a ringing endorsement for a limited time only because you are in. And that's why we drink listener. You can get 35% off smalls plus an additional 50% off your first order by using my COD drink. Our code drink. Sorry. Sorry. Wow.

[Christine]

How dare you. That's an additional 50 off when you head to smalls.com and use promo code drink. Again, that's promo code drink for an additional 50 off your first order plus free [e-mail] Meow. I almost did that.

[Em]

So let's see. This next one is from Tori. He's a she. Her pronouns. Thank you for normalizing pronouns and the subject line. I told you. Salem. Salem. Febreze. Ghost.

[Christine]

Febreze.

[Em]

Okay, Love that. Okay. Says hello. M. Christine and Eva. I wanted to write in and tell you all about the spooky thing that happened to me while in Salem. I was born and raised in Massachusetts, so that meant multiple elementary school field trips to Salem.

[Christine]

Plus.

[Em]

I know, but I also imagine, like, being someone from Massachusetts. It's like me going to the White House. That sounds dope. But as someone who had to go every year, I'm like, please fucking never go.

[Christine]

It's like how everyone in, like, Southern California gets on their senior trip to go to Disney with the whole class and stuff. And I was always like, that's crazy. And I'm like, that sounds like a pain in the ass.

[Em]

I actually, I'm jealous of my mom because she had that where she got to graduate and then had a Disney day. But, like, Disney shut down for the high school.

[Christine]

Oh, and she was in Florida. Right. So, like, that's Disney World. That's crazy. That's so cool. That would be the dream trip.

[Em]

Amusement park by themselves. That was.

[Christine]

Yeah, that's the dream.

[Em]

I just found pictures of it recently, and I was like, were you in Disney alone? What Happened.

[Christine]

That's so not fair.

[Em]

But I have to go to the White House one more time.

[Christine]

I know, right? And they don't shut that down for me. Can they shut the Salem down for us? Because that would be my dream. Just not shut it down, but just.

[Em]

Like, keep it incredibly open. But get everyone else out there. What about you? What was your, like, big thing?

[Christine]

Every year in Cincinnati, trying to remember what we did. We did a lot of random, like, the gem trip. We drove to North Carolina and, like, panned for gold.

[Em]

Sounds cool.

[Christine]

Normal. That was pretty cool. And then we had. We would go to Serpent Mound, which was my favorite, which are, like the. The effigy mounds made by the. The tribes up here. And those were always just so cool to me. And what else? I mean, we went to D.C. in eighth grade because it's only, like, we.

[Em]

Went to Philly in eighth grade.

[Christine]

Oh, cool. Yeah, we didn't go to Philly. I think that was a little too far for my Catholic school to be bring in a bunch of kids in uniform, plaid uniforms to Philly.

[Em]

We were the beta testing year. We were the first one where they ever tried it with. And so any mistakes that they made on our trip officially don't happen anymore. But I guess now every year when you are an eighth grader, as like, a. Congrats. You're about to go into high school, they were trusting you with responsibility. That's, like, the whole moral of it. It's like, we're gonna take you on a big overnight group trip to Philly to, like, like, a town. Ours was.

[Christine]

Oh, oh, I see.

[Em]

And I remember, like, people, like, snuck out of the hotel rooms and brought alcohol, and everyone was like, 13. We were children.

[Christine]

Grade. We were such a bit. I was. Well, I mean, at least I was such a baby. I remember we were, like, telling ghost stories and eating Twizzlers and we got in trouble for being up too late. Like, that's what I was doing.

[Em]

I remember throwing, like, playing baseball in our hotel room and, like, just hearing the thud of the baseball hit the wall, lol.

[Christine]

I remember my math teacher walked over and she had on. It was just like, one of those moments where you were, like, seeing a teacher out of school, but she's also in her bathrobe, and she had this silk bathrobe and matching eye mask, and it was all leopard print, like, faux fur. And we were just like, what did she miss, Hannigan? I mean, we were stunned. We were like, are we seeing this? Are we all seeing this? So it was a Highlight of the trip for sure.

[Em]

Beautiful.

[Christine]

Well, it was because the toilet flooded, so that was the problem. But anyway.

[Em]

Anyway, Tori went to Salem.

[Christine]

Oh, right, sorry. Can we get back to that?

[Em]

Yeah, Many multiple elementary school trip field trips to Salem. Plus I perform in a monthly show shadow cast of Rocky Horror Picture show in the Witch City Mall. Oh my God, that's so cool.

[Christine]

What? That's awesome.

[Em]

I am no stranger to Salem, but this was my first personal paranormal experience. This past weekend was my birthday. Happy birthday. And my long distance girlfriend was visiting from Cincinnati. And when I finally figured out what I wanted to do, I booked us a room at the Haunted Hawthorne Hotel. Isn't that where we stayed?

[Christine]

That is where I booked us. Is this. Am I your girlfriend?

[Em]

Yeah, hang on, hang on a second. Who's Tori? Christine. Okay. I always. I'd always wanted to spend the night at this hotel and hope that something spooky would happen while we were there. Rumor has it that 3 and 6 are the most haunted floors. Yeah, I remember being on three.

[Christine]

I think we were on three or two.

[Em]

I remember climbing a bunch of fucking stairs with our tour.

[Christine]

Well, I do remember that too. And I remember going oopsie. And then everyone's like, classic Christine. Booking a haunted place with no elevator.

[Em]

Yeah, it seems to be your favorite thing to do.

[Christine]

There was one creepy thing that happened while we were there and it was somebody knocked on my door, like really loudly. And I assumed it was you or Eva, so I went and like whipped open the door and there was nobody there. And I remember like immediately texting and being like, where is everyone? Like right now? And Eva was upstairs. You were out. That was a like, I remember that being like very jarring. But that was the only thing. I slept with the bathroom light on. I was really freaked out.

[Em]

I slept with all the lights on.

[Christine]

Yeah, yeah, you did too.

[Em]

Anytime you tell me we're staying in a hotel that's haunted, I know. I'm sleeping with all the lights on.

[Christine]

Oh, no. Well, okay. I didn't realize I caused you so much turmoil.

[Em]

I fell asleep eventually. Okay, with enough tick tock, anything's possible.

[Christine]

Oh yeah, that's what they say.

[Em]

So rumor has it 3 and 6 are the most haunted floors. We ended up on 5. However, we were across the hall from one of the most haunted room numbers just one floo floor down, so I'll take it. So they were like Caddy Corner.

[Christine]

Oh, I see. So they're like proximity wise, pretty close.

[Em]

Yeah. While my girlfriend was in the shower before checkout, I went down to the lobby to get her a cup of coffee. And as soon as I opened our hotel room door, I was hit with a very nice but strong smell. I saw the maid's cart to my left and figured they had just Febrezed the hallway or something. When I get in the elevator. There wasn't an elevator when we were there. This has to be a different hotel.

[Christine]

Watch it be like a completely different hotel.

[Em]

That's there was always.

[Christine]

Or there was an elevator, which actually is probably worse. That would be worse on me. That would be worse on me, because.

[Em]

I have a feeling that's what happened here.

[Christine]

That would make. I'm really not happy. Oh, no. This is not where we stayed. We stayed at. Because this is, like, a bigger hotel. We stayed at, like, a small house.

[Em]

Was that the.

[Christine]

It's that haunted building.

[Em]

Oh, that one in Salem. Type in that haunted building in Salem.

[Christine]

I did. The Joshua Ward house.

[Em]

Yeah, that's right.

[Christine]

I told you it worked.

[Em]

Fun fact, no elevator there, everyone.

[Christine]

Fun fact, no elevator. But they did have really cool decor. And somebody knocked on the door really loud while I was in there.

[Em]

And they have an excellent bathroom light that stays on all night.

[Christine]

That's exactly true. And you know what? That's just priceless.

[Em]

So, okay, we're at a different one.

[Christine]

Sorry. We're at a different fucking hotel.

[Em]

Hawthorne Hotel. With an elevator. When I get in the elevator. Elevator. The smell is just as strong as it was outside. And I finally figured out what the smell was. It was apples. I like the smell of apples.

[Christine]

Oh, that's specific.

[Em]

When I got off the elevator, I got the coffee, and it took less than a minute. When I got inside the elevator again, the smell was gone. When I got off at our. When I got off at our floor, the smell was totally gone, too. It was too strong of a scent and too short of a trip for it to have dissipated that quickly. On the land where the Hawthorne Hotel was built once was an apple orchard of the apple orchard of Bridget Bishop. Sounds like an old Massachusetts name that Bridget Bishop was.

[Christine]

She was famous.

[Em]

Was the first person to be tried for the crime of witchcraft, and was found guilty and hanged on June 10th, 1962.

[Christine]

Oh, my God.

[Em]

1962. That has to be 1662.

[Christine]

1692, actually.

[Em]

1692. Yeah. I was like, hang on. That was when my mom was born. Hang on.

[Christine]

Oh, my God. Yeah, that's when everything changed. So it's 1692.

[Em]

Okay, 1692. Apparently, smelling apples throughout the hotel is something common that happens. And once I figured out that I was smelling apples in the elevator. I was shook when we left our room. My girlfriend checked the maid's cart, and neither of the Febreze scents were apple. I'm glad that you checked because I.

[Christine]

Was so glad you checked. Yeah.

[Em]

Skeptical. Hope you have the best day. Stay spooky. Encompass at Salem again, because we've already done that.

[Christine]

Love to. I would love to. That's creepy. The apple scent is so specific, too. Like, when you smell something apple scented, you know it's apple, and it makes me.

[Em]

This is, like, me overthinking it, but in my mind, I'm like, if you're from 1692 or 1962, and, like, maybe the. Like, where your perfume would just be, like, a bunch of fruit rubbed on you. Probably right? So maybe it. Maybe she just rolled around in apples back in the day. I don't know.

[Christine]

Maybe. Or maybe the land was the site of an apple orchard.

[Em]

Oh, damn. Maybe that one, too. That would have been a place where we. We have a machine called the Ovilus.

[Christine]

Okay, I was literally hoping you'd bring that up.

[Em]

No, you say it. You say it.

[Christine]

We have this thing that, like, talks in this creepy Microsoft and goes, like generic mode. And it, like, talks in this creepy Microsoft Sam voice, but, like, it spits out these words, and it has this dictionary, but for some reason, every time we use it, it goes like, apple.

[Em]

Orchard always says apple and orchard always.

[Christine]

Always. And if we had not looked up this hotel, we probably would have assumed this is where we stayed, and we would have probably made some big story about it. But it's not where we stayed.

[Em]

And you know what's wild is we. If we brought that machine to the Hawthorne Hotel and it said apple Orchard, we would have been like, oh, this thing's broken again.

[Christine]

Oh, yeah, it's broken.

[Em]

Right?

[Christine]

We wouldn't have even known. We would have been like, oh, man. And then we wouldn't have known we got a real ghost.

[Em]

Anyway, thank you.

[Christine]

Anyway, this is from Lauren. She. Her. It's called Haunted Book. No wonder M hates to read. I subject.

[Em]

I'm gonna sit with that and see where we go from here before I make a video.

[Christine]

Has some new, like, insight. You know, I.

[Em]

You're probably onto something. I'm gonna hear you out. I'm gonna hear you out.

[Christine]

Hello, friends. I apologize for the lack of quirky intro, but I'm writing on my phone while desperately avoiding work. Nailed it. Picture it Fall River, Massachusetts. This is nothing. This has nothing to do with Lizzie Borden. She's not the only ghost up in this place. Although arguably the most interesting. Many, many, many years ago, two adorable preteen girls were excitedly scouring the Scholastic book order form from school for, oh, the dream for any books on ghosts. Oh, my gosh.

[Em]

See, that's where I would have thrived in the book world is big time.

[Christine]

Well, here you go. Success. They found one and ordered it immediately. So I'm assuming that this is Lauren talking about herself as a preteen. Okay, they found one and ordered it immediately. And by immediately, I mean they waited the eternity that it took for these book orders to come into school. I hated that wait. When finally they received their book titled Phone Call from a Ghost, they sat together in a dimly lit room and took turns reading the chapters of true ghost stories aloud. When spooky time was over, they went to bed. Later that night, one of them, me, couldn't sleep and grabbed the book for something to occupy her time. She thumbed through the pages and noticed that chapter 10 was in there twice. She didn't remember it being like that, but she woke her pal up for confirmation. Her friend sleepily confirmed that she didn't believe it was like that and then drifted back off to sleep. I dismissed it as a printing mistake. Those books were cheap after all. And went back to sleep. The next day, this girl took her book home and decided to reread chapter 10 to see what it was about. Because it was in there twice. Maybe it was twice as interesting. She joked to herself. I'm always cracking myself up like that.

[Em]

Hysterical. Like, I love your commentary on yours.

[Christine]

I love it. But when she got to the page, chapter 10 wasn't in there at all.

[Em]

Ew. So it was there twice and then zero. Yeah, I hate that. So wait, you conjured up a story and then just copy and pasted it? That's kind of like lazy thinking, isn't it?

[Christine]

You know, conjured up a story.

[Em]

What if you created a story that doesn't exist anymore in there? Or do you think it was a story that someone else wrote?

[Christine]

Oh, I assumed that in my mind.

[Em]

I would think that I had come up with a completely fake story. And then it was, like, reappearing as if I was dreaming it, like. Oh, like almost like I was creating Lorem Ipsum. Like it was just a bunch of additional texts for no reason in this book.

[Christine]

Oh, I see. Like in your sleep?

[Em]

I guess so. I would have tripped myself up and thought I was coming up with it in my own head, but.

[Christine]

So for the first one, it was that the chapter 10 was in there two times, right?

[Em]

It was in there twice and then it was zero. But I would have thought in my own head, like, I clearly came up with the extra.

[Christine]

Why would it skip from 9 to 11?

[Em]

I don't know.

[Christine]

Do you know what I mean? Like, to have a whole chapter missing is also very weird. To see it twice is weird. Double printed and then to see it. Not at all.

[Em]

I'm telling you, I would sit there.

[Christine]

For hours and I'm so confused. This is, like, mind boggling.

[Em]

I. No matter what happens, I would still. I would wonder about every scenario that could have happened.

[Christine]

Me too. Yeah, my brain hurts. Honestly. It says what? The actual chapter 10 was not in there at all. She immediately called her pal to come over because they lived in the same building and explained what happened. She threw the book at her and demanded she look. And the lack of chapter that had once been doubled. Her face. All right. Her friend's face turned white. Chapter 10 was back. It was now there only once. And chapter 13 was now in there twice. But it had moved to before chapter 10.

[Em]

This is like that coloring book that changes from, like, no lines to, like, blank to colored.

[Christine]

You know, where you. Yeah. Really?

[Em]

It jumps around. The pages totally, like, switch themselves. Oh, my gosh. That's. I. I would honestly burn the book. I would be like.

[Christine]

But my head is like, I can't. And the fact that it's a book about ghosts. A phone call from a ghost is so fun.

[Em]

Like, I would.

[Christine]

This is a kid.

[Em]

Very.

[Christine]

As a kid. This is my dream, though. Like a haunted book. This is my dream. I would read every day if this happened to me.

[Em]

No, I. I totally get now why the subject line was defending me not wanting to read. I would never touch that book again.

[Christine]

No, I get it.

[Em]

I would gift it to my worst enemy.

[Christine]

Okay. Well, apparently she, as in me, it says, shouted, you take it, and threw.

[Em]

It at her friend. Good, Good.

[Christine]

Her worst enemy. I mean, her friend. She said, I clearly cannot handle this book. So her pal reluctantly took the book and hid it at the bottom of her closet. That would be me. I would be like, I'll take it. And then I would get scared and hide in my closet.

[Em]

I feel like that. I feel like wherever it is, like, let's say you put it in that closet for the rest of time. Like, you would hear banging on that closet.

[Christine]

Yeah. Something weird would happen, like scratching noises or something.

[Em]

I hate this.

[Christine]

The next day when getting dressed is not even over yet. The next day when getting dressed, the girl Me Opened her drawer to get a pair of socks and the book.

[Em]

Stop it. I don't even want to hear. Just tell me.

[Christine]

Was laying on the top of her sock drawer.

[Em]

I just don't. I am unhappy.

[Christine]

The girl was furious and thought her friend was playing a cruel joke on her and snuck downstairs and slipped the book into her apart. Or into her room. When she wasn't there, she stormed upstairs with the book in her hand and was about to yell at her friend. But her friend saw the book in her hand and was visibly shocked. She ran to her closet and found it wasn't there. The girls had enough. Something about this book just felt wrong. Yeah, yeah, girl. Which is insane because it came from a weekly book order from school. Catholic school. Nonetheless, they tried ripping out the pages. They would come back. Eventually, the book had to be burned and the activity stopped.

[Em]

Like, come on.

[Christine]

Okay, listen to this. Recently I looked it up and can get a copy on Amazon. I'm tempted to buy it and see what happens. But also. Eek. And then, of course, linked it. Thanks for being you. Much love, Lauren. And it says, does this submission look like spam? And I'm going to say report now.

[Em]

Yeah, report the whole thing.

[Christine]

Wait, I got the book. I'm going to. Ew. It's. Oh, and the picture is so creepy. I actually do remember this book from back in the day.

[Em]

I mean, that's. That's a great thing that they just mentioned at the end there of like. It was. Bye.

[Christine]

I love you. Where are you going? The trampoline park. Have fun. You can give me one hug, but I really gotta record. Okay. Take your shoes off, baby.

[Em]

What conundrum.

[Christine]

What, Honey, to take your shoes off.

[Em]

Yeah. You have to take your shoes off. You don't want to be dirty in the bed.

[Christine]

That's really a good point. I can't argue with. I can't argue with that. Okay.

[Em]

Daddy's gonna love having to put the shoes back on. That'll be really fun.

[Christine]

Come on. Gotta come in. Gotta commit to the bit, girl. Here, I'll give you a.

[Em]

Hi, Leona. Hi, Leona. How are you? Good. You're gonna go to the trampoline park? You're gonna jump around? Yeah. Are you gonna jump really, really high? Yeah. Are you gonna jump? How far are you gonna jump, you think? Really far?

[Christine]

Yeah.

[Em]

Wow, I'm so jealous of you. Are you gonna go with Daddy?

[Christine]

Yeah.

[Em]

What are you. Are you gonna have. Are you gonna eat something later too? Are you gonna have lunch or dinner later? What are you gonna eat we also have snacks at the trampoline park. What kind of snacks? Got chips or candy? You got goldfish and peanut butter crackers and animal crackers. A yawn. Wow. Peanut butter crackers are some of my favorites. I hope you eat some of those.

[Christine]

They don't have cotton candy, popcorn, gummies.

[Em]

Gummies. Mmm. I love gummies. You can have some gummy bears, maybe. We don't have gummy bears. Only gummies. I see. I see, I see. Well, I hope you have fun. Goodbye. Goodbye. Bye. Peace.

[Christine]

Daddy's coming. She's in trouble. Oh, she told Place she was going potty.

[Em]

Maybe she can keep a secret.

[Christine]

She left her shoes down there, too, because she can't get into bed without shoes. Place.

[Em]

The sigh was crazy. That was the sigh.

[Christine]

The sigh is like the normal. Is the normal language we speak nowadays. We've stopped saying everything okay because, like, the answer is usually no. Okay, Sorry. Blaze was like, are you okay in there? And then he's like, where are you? And then I heard him coming up the stairs, and Leona went, bye.

[Em]

Gotta go. Gotta blast.

[Christine]

Gotta blast. Sorry. Okay, so I sent you this picture. Phone call from a ghost.

[Em]

Yeah, it's.

[Christine]

I remember this picture.

[Em]

I remember seeing that book. And also, weirdly, not wanting it.

[Christine]

Like, I remember I was scared of it. I remember being genuinely scared of it. So it was. If you're listening, it has a skeletal, like, grandma. Like a skeleton of a grandma with, like, a pond. What are these called? A shawl. And she's, like, dialing a rotary phone.

[Em]

And it's like, grandma, like, hung out by the phone for too long and is now dead.

[Christine]

Yeah, it sort of Bates Motel vibes, you know?

[Em]

You know, there's something to be said. I hope if anyone out there is listening and knows about where I could find information on this. There's gotta be a study done on why in the 80s and 90s, the children's books were, like, not afraid to terrify you.

[Christine]

Like, well, because I think even before that, they were even more traumatizing. Right. Like, before that, it was spillover from.

[Em]

Like, Strulpita or something.

[Christine]

Right? Exactly. Like, before that, it was like, hey, all your fingers will be cut off if you snore at night. And it's like, well, what the fuck? It feels like they're like, let's make it more kid friendly. And then they came up with this shit.

[Em]

I wonder what the shift was then, because I feel like if you saw this book today in a store, nobody would buy it. No children would want it.

[Christine]

I'm looking here in the reviews. Oh, my gosh. Okay. Johnny says, I know these types of books are for kids, but it was creepy and I'm an adult, so. Okay. I mean, listen, people say they still like it, but I don't think we need to test it out.

[Em]

No, I'm happy. I am very excited that you guys burned it. Thank you. I feel like witchcraft wise, maybe that's not the right thing to do, but it seemed to work for you guys in that moment. Yeah.

[Christine]

And you kind of called it in the beginning, so it feels like you were all on the same page about what to do.

[Em]

I had a hunch.

[Christine]

Yeah, you did.

[Em]

Well, thank you for that. The next story we have is from Adeline, who uses any pronouns, a triple threat. And the. I love this. The subject line is Frankenstein's furry tried to kill me.

[Christine]

What?

[Em]

I can't even begin to tell you.

[Christine]

What could that mean? What could that possibly mean?

[Em]

Adeline says, hey, Eva, Christine M. And everyone. I've been a listener since the very beginning, and my dad actually introduced me to you guys. Can you imagine someone's dad listening to us? That's crazy.

[Christine]

Crazy from the beginning. No.

[Em]

Well, hi, Adeline's Dad.

[Christine]

Oh, hi, Mr. Adeline.

[Em]

Mr. A. You may not want to hear this great, great way to start this, but that means I was 12 when I started listening to you.

[Christine]

Forget it. I. You said you. I don't want to hear it. You were correct the first time I.

[Em]

By the way, I got recognized last time I was home and someone said, I've been listening to you since I was 10, and I literally cried the next day.

[Christine]

That's the kid who buys this book with dead grandma on the front. Like, they have issues.

[Em]

Every time I get recognized by someone who is obviously younger than us, I'm like, what are you about to say to me? Like, I feel so old my hair.

[Christine]

Is about to turn gray in front of your very eyes.

[Em]

When they said, I've been listening Since I was 10, I was like, I'm geriatric. This is crazy.

[Christine]

I am an elderly person. I'm a senior citizen.

[Em]

Anyway, like to. I like to know that our. Our show spans all ages.

[Christine]

Yeah, I mean, listen, I know something's wrong. I said, something's wrong with them, obviously, but something's wrong with all of us. So just. They're just coming here early.

[Em]

Well, Adeline says, yeah, they've been listening since they were 12. Yikes. I've always appreciated how funny you guys are. Yeah. Say more things like that Adeline.

[Christine]

And how when you were 10.

[Em]

And how open you are talking about mental health and gender identity queerness. The podcast has definitely been a huge, safe space for me. I'm 19 now. Oh, my God.

[Christine]

Wow.

[Em]

It's like half your life. Even this.

[Christine]

But I'm so proud. All of a sudden I'm like, oh, we've been with you this whole time.

[Em]

It's very sweet. Some context for the story is I work at a raw dairy and farm store in rural Massachusetts. I love that.

[Christine]

Holy shit. Okay.

[Em]

My regular shift is weekend mornings milking cows and the bottling the milk for sale. I love that. This is usually 6am to 2pm but every once in a while I pick up an evening shift. Those shifts don't include bottling, so they are much shorter and usually go from five to seven or eight. Okay, good context. Thank you. So one particular night I was. Sorry, I was. It's like the ghost. The ghosts don't want me to tell the story. So one particular night, I was covering someone and working a night shift, and I had gotten to work around 5 and started my regular chores of sanitizing all the equipment and so forth forth. It was a night in late fall, so the sun was going down about the time I was heading out to bring the cows down for the milking. I wasn't a fan of that. Yeah, me too. I've done all sorts of stuff.

[Christine]

We've all been there.

[Em]

I wasn't a fan of that as it meant all my cleanup chores. I had to do all my cleanup chores and my walk back out to close the cows into their segment of the pasture would be completely in the dark.

[Christine]

No.

[Em]

And lucky for me, that night, the pasture was all the way at the end of the road across another street. So fast forward through the milking. I let the last cow out of the milk parlor. Love that it's called a milk parlor.

[Christine]

Hello. I love this.

[Em]

That's where I should be every time I'm chugging my. My cup of cow moo juice. You know what I'm saying?

[Christine]

First of all, I banned that phrase many, many years ago. And secondly, you can call it whatever the hell you want as long as you stop saying moo juice.

[Em]

I'm just saying if I ever had a bar and chocolate milk was on the menu, it would be called the milk parlor or an ice cream place called the milk parlor. That's great.

[Christine]

I mean, it's pretty good.

[Em]

I let the last cow out of the milk parlor and followed them and follow them up to say Good night. That's precious. Once I secured the pasture gate, I walked down the farm road by myself. Of course, the headlamp I brought had died, and the phone, my phone flashlight, wasn't doing anything in that misty New England night. So I was basically walking blind back to the barn. I'm always a little on edge walking at night, but it's open fields and my boss lives right on the land if I have an emergency. So I'm not. Not technically alone, but the farm store was closed at this point, and I was really the only person there, so.

[Christine]

You are technically alone.

[Em]

So technically, technically, you're not alone, but technically, you're really very alone. Anyway, I'm walking, usually listening to your podcast in my headphones. Well, duh. That's half the problem.

[Christine]

You're 12 and you're listening to our show. Walking through the dark after a day.

[Em]

Are you a child? Yeah. Yeah.

[Christine]

What's happening?

[Em]

But this time I had a bad feeling, and I took my headphones off and just started listening to my surroundings.

[Christine]

Me. Okay.

[Em]

I felt like I could feel someone behind me. I picked up some speed, started moving quicker, and all of a sudden I hear, hear someone behind me.

[Christine]

Oh, fuck. So is this a. I can't. All right.

[Em]

I ran. When I tell you I don't run, I mean that, but I ran like hell. I'm pretty sure I was actually listening to the Goatman episode before I turned my headphones off. And I was not about to play with that thing. So I get back to the barn and I have to finish cleaning up. I felt a little better being inside, so I start to relax a bit. And I finished cleaning the milking parlor. So I turn off the lights. First mistake. And head to the washroom to clean the rest of the equipment. My headphones are back on. And then. That's why we Drink is playing. But then I hear a moo. And I'm thinking, what the fuck? Did I really leave a cow out in the pasture? Is that what I ran away from? So I go back out to check, and the light switches are sort of far from the door, so I decide to use my phone flashlight. I look everywhere and anywhere that the cows could get into. And I checked the gate to make sure that she didn't escape the property, but I see nothing.

[Christine]

What?

[Em]

I'm like, okay, weird. But I went to check. But I went to finish washing up. And as I stepped out of the washroom to go back and recount the cows in that far away as pasture, I hear another moo. No, I'M like, kind of terrified that this feels like. Like humans can lick, too.

[Christine]

Agreed.

[Em]

It feels like a man is mooing.

[Christine]

After talking about Scholastic Book Fair. Knives coming through the mattress. I feel like I'm in that child state of, like, this campfire tale is not going to end in a cute way. Like, I'm going to have nightmares tonight.

[Em]

This time it sounded like a person imitating a cow.

[Christine]

Forget it. This is actually so bad. So bad.

[Em]

I use my flashlight again and check my surroundings, bolt for the light switch. As I was. And as I was reaching my hand out, I hear a scream and felt someone grab my wrist.

[Christine]

I don't know how you ever listen to our dumb podcast ever again. I would. I would have thrown our podcast.

[Em]

This simply must be your goodbye letter to us.

[Christine]

Goodbye.

[Em]

I literally almost shit my pants. I was so startled, I ran back into the washroom, grabbed my keys, ran to the car, and drove my ass to the other street to count the cows. You're still working?

[Christine]

Wait, you didn't know who grabbed you? Just.

[Em]

No. Just felt someone grab her wrist and she bolted.

[Christine]

What the.

[Em]

I get there, park and see all the cows are where they need to be. Then before I head back to my car, I see a fucking man. Like a shadow figure, dude, just chilling in the middle of the pasture, which you really can't get into any other way besides the gate. Unless you're crawling under or somehow over the pretty tall and very strong electric fence.

[Christine]

Oh, okay, this. Really? Seriously? I know we already said horror movie tropes. We've covered them. This is a good horror movie trope. This guy crawls under the electric fence. Yeah, yeah, write that down, Eva.

[Em]

And honestly, before the electric fence sentence, I was thinking, like, maybe this guy is, like, just mooing at cows. You know, like, when you see, like, a horse or, like, you're like, nay, nay. You know, like, if you were to see an animal, like, maybe you would, like, approach it. Like, if you saw a cat in the street, go kitty. You know, something like that. Maybe someone's, like, saw the cows, was going like, moo is a cow. I don't know. I'm trying to come up with something.

[Christine]

Yeah. And then I was like, oh, I grabbed your arm because I thought you were a cow.

[Em]

Yeah. All of a sudden it's not.

[Christine]

And I crawled under the electric fence.

[Em]

And also, yeah, electric fence is really what sealed it for me. Because, like, you don't. No one cares that much about moving on account.

[Christine]

Yeah. Why are you doing this?

[Em]

I've seen enough horror Movies to know that I shouldn't have said anything. But I've also seen enough horror movies to know that people are idiots. So I said something like an idiot. I said, hello, boss, is that you? No answer, but it moves closer to me.

[Christine]

No. Would you have said something?

[Em]

Just truly. No. I wouldn't be working there anymore. The amount of times that homie has said, oh, I'm gonna go clean more equipment. Fuck that. I'm literally leaving. I'm gone.

[Christine]

I literally heard. I voluntarily picked up shifts and I was like, couldn't be me.

[Em]

I was running and I felt someone behind me. There's going into the other barn and cleaning for hours.

[Christine]

The second I hear a person mooing, I'm not counting the cows. I'm saying, see you later. See you now.

[Em]

Also, Christine, you have such wild OCD sometimes. So, like, you wouldn't have forgotten a cow. You would have. If you heard a moo, you'd go, I know. I counted every cow.

[Christine]

That is a man.

[Em]

Yeah, there's no. That is no cow.

[Christine]

That is no. There's certainly no cow.

[Em]

Am I wrong? I feel like you'd be like, unless I miscounted 300 times.

[Christine]

Then you know me, because also, I leave my Social Security card on the floor of the bar and I really would not be good at counting the cows.

[Em]

One day someone is going to chase you and it's going to be because they're trying to hand you back your Social Security card.

[Christine]

That has happened.

[Em]

Oh, my God.

[Christine]

But it was my debit card. It was an in an atmosphere. And someone started chasing me down and I got so scared and they said, good, bad luck.

[Em]

That's a card and some bad good luck.

[Christine]

Stupid.

[Em]

Okay, so this thing is moving closer to them.

[Christine]

No, I locked my doors. That's when I leave. I would have said something.

[Em]

I think had to hit a three point turn to get out of there, which wasn't very satisfying. But I did get turned around and was able to actually leave. I checked my rear view mirror and as I got off the road, nothing was there. So I went home and felt safe. But I wasn't.

[Christine]

What?

[Em]

That night was the first and only time I've ever had sleep paralysis.

[Christine]

No, that's. I'm telling you, sometimes the sleep paralysis shit, it's no coincidence. I don't think. I really don't.

[Em]

Sleeping on my back, of course. I wake up and everything is dark. I try to check my phone to see the time, but I can't move. I try to close my eyes, but that wasn't working either. I couldn't move at all and felt like I couldn't breathe. And there was this weight on my chest. Then I started to see something out of the corner of my eye and it was getting close, closer. It was this awful, deformed, half man, half animal. Less. Less in a centaur way and more in a Frankenstein's furry way. It was slimy and wet and had long fingers.

[Christine]

What in the.

[Em]

There's no way this was scary. You don't have to tell me why. I know it was scary because this was scary.

[Christine]

Because in this paper, in this essay.

[Em]

I will prove in conclusion, therefore, this was scary because when I was little, I used to have nightmares that the hat man would put his long spindly fingers in my ears and pierce my brain.

[Christine]

Hey, are you really well, hey, I. This is my birthday. Why is everyone bullying us.

[Em]

On my birthday week? You send this to me.

[Christine]

Oh, scared. I don't like the. In the ear.

[Em]

I was already not happy and we didn't like it. Thank you, though, for making it worse.

[Christine]

We didn't want more of it.

[Em]

The furry zombie guy grabbed my face and his hand covered my whole head. I felt him lift me up and start shouting. I don't remember what he was saying, but I started to cry. Now I've been crying since nine hours ago. I don't remember how long it went on or what else happened, but the next morning I woke up halfway down the stairs and I've never walked in my sleep before.

[Christine]

You woke up? Like standing stairs? Oh my.

[Em]

I swear to God.

[Christine]

What in the.

[Em]

You need an exorcism?

[Christine]

No, like for real, for real. An exorcism? Yeah.

[Em]

I also have a story about another job I worked at a night shift, sat alone, where I'm fairly certain someone was low key stalking me. But that's a story for another time. Oh my God.

[Christine]

I still don't even know if that was a person or a demon in the field. It feels like a demon if they came. Not demon, but you know what I mean. Like an entity.

[Em]

Adeline, you move that story on over to Reddit, please. I don't need that over here.

[Christine]

Yeah, get that out of here.

[Em]

I need to cleanse my own ears that are unpierced by the hat man, by the way.

[Christine]

Unpierced and they'll stay that way. Your virgin ear. Get your story away from Em's virgin ears, please, please, please.

[Em]

The end. Thanks, Evelyn.

[Christine]

Money is really confusing and hard and it doesn't matter how much or how little you have I mean, it does matter, don't get me wrong. But it also doesn't matter how much or little you have. It's always confusing. It's always confused me since the day I got my very first nickel.

[Em]

Oh. Oh. Well, as grandma said, money is hard. Well, luckily we have Chime. And Chime understands that every dollar and nickel counts. That's why when you set up direct deposit through Chime, you get access to fee free features like free overdraft coverage, getting paid up to two days early with direct deposit and more. And you can learn more about [e-mail] drink.

[Christine]

Yeah, Chime is really cool. It really gives you a lot of leeway to learn how money works and how to be safer with your money, which is just like invaluable. You know what I mean? Chime is banking done right. You can open a checking account with no monthly fees and no maintenance fees. Told you. And get paid up to two days early when you set up direct deposit.

[Em]

I love getting paid early.

[Christine]

God, why don't I get paid early? That alone, you give me a nickel once every two years and I never get it early.

[Em]

And I need you. It's. I'll give you more when you appreciate it. That's what I'll say. Work. Work on your financial goals through Chime today. Open an account in two [e-mail] drink. That's chime.com drink.

[Christine]

Chime feels like progress. Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services and debit card provided by the Bancor Bank NA or Stride Bank NA members. FDIC spot and eligibility requirements and overdraft limits apply. Timing depends on submission of payment file. Fees apply at out of network ATMs. Bank ranking and number of ATMs according to US News and World Report, 2023 Chime checking account required. Okay, this is the last one I'm gonna read and then there's one more after this. This one is from Elise. She her and it's called Haunted College Dorm.

[Em]

Great.

[Christine]

Hi ATWWD family. I hope this email finds all of you well and hope that this story makes it into the March listener stories.

[Em]

Almost.

[Christine]

I don't know why that's so funny for to me because it's like from two years ago.

[Em]

Oh, it's not almost almost.

[Christine]

I hope this story makes it into the March list after your open call for Haunted Dorms. I go to Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, a historic women's college that is a part of the Seven Siblings. The college. What the is that? What is that? Do you know?

[Em]

No, I don't know.

[Christine]

Oh, oh, oh. You just like, I, I, I said, what the is that? But I don't think you heard me. And you looked so placid and calm that I was like, am I just being an idiot?

[Em]

No, I think I just, I was, I don't know.

[Christine]

Seven sisters, I guess that's like, Sounds religious. Oh, a group of.

[Em]

Is that the name of the other prayer group colleges?

[Christine]

Yes.

[Em]

They're all grown up in Dartmouth.

[Christine]

Yeah. Honestly, that would be such a good show though, like, called calling the seven sisters to, like, exercise your demons. Okay. It says the Seven sisters are a group of seven private liberal arts colleges that are historically women's colleges. So Barnard, Bryn Mawr. Oh, Mount Holyoke, Smith, Wellesley, Vassar, and Radcliffe.

[Em]

Wow. So many of those sent me emails to apply when I needed to go to college.

[Christine]

Wow. Not a single one sent me one, so that's weird.

[Em]

Although I've never heard all of them come together like that, but okay, good to know.

[Christine]

So you got all these email go through them again. Barnard?

[Em]

No.

[Christine]

Oh, not all of them.

[Em]

Some of them.

[Christine]

Sorry, I know, but the fact that.

[Em]

It was over, not part of the next one. Bryn Mawr. Bryn Mawr.

[Christine]

Did Bryn Mawr. Mount Holyoke.

[Em]

No.

[Christine]

Smith.

[Em]

Yes. Wellesley, yes. Vassar, yes.

[Christine]

And then it says Radcliffe became No. Harvard College. Did Harvard also reach out?

[Em]

Actually, no, not that I know of. But yeah, a few of them actually. I remember those popping up in my email and being like, wow, they want me to go to college. But it was probably like, you just send an email to every 17 year old.

[Christine]

Yeah, well, except me, apparently. But that's fine. Don't worry about it.

[Em]

Whoopsies.

[Christine]

Anyway, I'll recover eventually. I got an email from Ball State University and Texas A and M. Really? Yeah. They said, if you come here, we'll give you a laptop.

[Em]

Wow.

[Christine]

Almost convinced me.

[Em]

My friend Tiana obviously fell for that trap because she went to A and.

[Christine]

M. So I feel like I've asked you this before because I'm like, I almost went there for literally just a laptop.

[Em]

I'm sure she got a laptop.

[Christine]

Okay, here we. Why do they let 17 year olds make decisions like that? Like, you know, it's like a life, whatever. Okay, let's see. So we're in March of 23 when this was supposed to be happening, but it's now instead. Okay. One of the seven Sib sisters siblings. The college was founded in 1837 and has a lot of really cool history. Our college has one building and room that is supposedly haunted, so much so that no one on campus is allowed to live in it. A few of the college's presidents have spent the night in it to prove that it is not haunted. You're already losing the battle, my friend. If you have to sleep somewhere to prove it's not haunted, you're not going to win.

[Em]

Like also like, then that makes me wonder, like who is determining the housing situation?

[Christine]

Oh, good point. Because if it's too haunted and the president says no, it's not, please use all this real estate. It's so expensive.

[Em]

You would think the President would go to the housing department and be like, put people in that fucking building. I'll sleep in there to prove it. But that it sounds like the housing people are freaked out more than even the students.

[Christine]

That's exactly kind of what it says. It says they've the presidents have spent the night in it to prove it is not haunted, but the room is still not available for students. Hashtag sus. So yeah, so they clearly maybe met up with something they didn't like.

[Em]

Yeah.

[Christine]

That story aside, it is actually one of the newer buildings on campus that I have a story about. During my time living on campus, I was an ra and wow, let me just say, people be wild. Yeah, I'm certain of it. As such, I lived in a very tiny single person room. With the way the building was set up, all of the RAs had the same room on different floors, with all of us positioned directly under or over the other staff members, with exception to our captain who had a slightly larger room in the stairwell. The building Ham, which we fondly called Ham and Cheese, was built in the 60s and certainly looks it. It is not a very popular building to be in because it is far from campus and the rooms are pretty small. It is never included in campus stories, which is why I was shocked beyond belief that the building was hella haunted. I made the mistake of having two mirrors facing each other in my room. One was. Yep. One was a small desk mirror, the other a floor length one. And my pagan bestie believes this was the start of my problems. It started with small things going missing. A hair tie, my ID card, my lucky socks. And then started to get more frustrating with things spontaneously falling over in my dorm. I always blamed it on a draft or a door closing. But one day it got so wild that I could no longer dismiss the occurrences as being a coincidence. The day in question went something like this one. My floor length mirror falls flat on its face, shattering.

[Em]

It's like it's like, they were even saying, you don't want this smoke.

[Christine]

Feng shui is so bad. We'll help.

[Em]

You're gonna hate this. So let us do you a favor.

[Christine]

And get rid of these mirrors portal real quick. Yeah. 2. My potted plant across the room flies off its shelf, spilling dirt everywhere and shattering the pot. My wax melter full of freaking hot wax falls on my face while positioned towards the back of my desk.

[Em]

That's. And then probably most violent ghost I've heard of it.

[Christine]

That's really scary. Yeah. I feel like they're not. Usually. They're not trying to get your attention, not, like, trying to burn you. It says, ask Megan for the pics. I sent them once while trying to provide guidance for Christine about how to get wax off her sofa.

[Em]

As someone who got them out of my nostrils.

[Christine]

My face. Right. Oh, my God. My favorite amethyst crystal gets thrown off my nightstand and shatters on the floor. So everything's, like, shattering. That. Splashing. I don't like this.

[Em]

I almost feel like the mirrors. Like, if it was an open portal, maybe. So many spirits were coming through that. Like, it almost knocked the mirror on its side. And now the portal is closed with all them out here. So now they're.

[Christine]

Oh, my God. They got trapped in there.

[Em]

So now they're almost just kind of like pinball. Bing, bing, bing, bing, bing, bing. And, like, knocking everything over because they're trying to find a. A new portal.

[Christine]

Oh, pardon me. Splash wax all over your face.

[Em]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Christine]

Jeez. After this very unfortunate day. Rip my crystal and plant, comma. My face is fine. Well, that's good.

[Em]

Okay.

[Christine]

I had my pagan friend come and smudge the room, lock all my windows and mirrors, and perform a banishing ritual. Luckily, my problem stopped, but our co workers did not. One of our co workers was accustomed to having people coming in and out of our room to cry. Yeah. As an all right. That. That feels right. And ghosts were no exception. One night, she woke up. Oh. Because I bet you they were Ra's rooms for, like, decades, you know, so who knows how many. One night, she woke up to the sound of muffled sobs coming from the corner of her room. She groggily turned on her lamp and found a shadowed figure curled up in her chair, weeping in the dim light of her. I know. I. Yeah. No, no. Don't sign me up for this. In the dim light of her lamp, she thought it was one of her residents and said, you can't just come in here to cry.

[Em]

Sor.

[Christine]

That's a great Boundary. Okay, you can't just come in here to cry without being let in. What the hell? The figure looked up at her and proceeded to shoo her away.

[Em]

But maybe it was like an original RA Being like, get out of my room.

[Christine]

Yeah, like, what are you doing here? Disgruntled. She deadass. Literally just rolled over and went back to sleep. Which we still tease her about to this day, saying, fine, just close the door on your way out. 6th Floor RA is on duty tonight if you need something.

[Em]

Wait, it was. It was a ghost, right?

[Christine]

The spoiler alert. Her door was locked the night before, and it was not a parentheses living resident.

[Em]

Okay, good.

[Christine]

Yeah. So basically woke up the next day and was like, wait a minute. The door is locked. So, like, nobody could have exited and locked the door behind them, you know? Okay. Other folks in the building experience their things moving on their own and objects going missing. But her story steals a creepy cake after that. We literally smudged every hallway and all our rooms with a smoke free option. Of course, we were still RAs after all.

[Em]

Of course.

[Christine]

Love you guys bunches. See you in Boston in April. That means we just saw you. Hugs and lemons. Elise. She her.

[Em]

Thanks, Elise.

[Christine]

Wow.

[Em]

What a. I like that they were saying worst, obviously, RA so we can't use a smoke option. I'd be like, my job. Get this thing.

[Christine]

Literally. Yeah, but all of these stories are about us acting insane on campus by counting all the stairs and then quitting every job the moment it turns scary.

[Em]

Like that. Like, I'm like that. Why would I? Anyway, I. Everyone who has written it is a better person than me, I guess.

[Christine]

Well, I don't know about that. It seems like they're having a tough time and we're just chilling, so.

[Em]

Well, our final story this month is from Miranda uses she. Her pronouns. Thank you for amazing pronouns. And the subject line is a haunted bathtub and a possessed teen. And here's the thing.

[Christine]

That can't be good.

[Em]

We've stayed in a lot of hotels. I can never take a bath in a hotel because I always. For some reason, there's something really eerie about a bathtub that's not. That's in a hotel. I just think of all the. I just think of all the naked people before me.

[Christine]

M thinks of the naked people or people dying in them. Right?

[Em]

Yeah, I think of people dying in them and, like, I just feel like there's just like, I'm just lying where maybe like, a body was. I just don't know.

[Christine]

Bleach.

[Em]

If I could be guaranteed you Never know. I don't know if I saw the bleach. Maybe if I saw it being.

[Christine]

I get it. So it's just a mental thing? You're not comfortable?

[Em]

Yeah, it's just like a weird block. I just can't do it.

[Christine]

I'm sure you're not the only one.

[Em]

It really freaks me out. So as soon as you say a haunted bathtub, I'm like, oh, confirmed, great.

[Christine]

You're like, I don't like those. No.

[Em]

So this is what Miranda says hello to everyone. When I was in seventh grade, my family was renting a house in the small town of Hampton. Hamden. Hampden. Hampden.

[Christine]

Oh, Hampton.

[Em]

Instead of Hampton, I see Massachusetts. The house we were living in was super old. Built in the 1860s and located directly across the street from a Revolutionary War era cemetery.

[Christine]

Cool.

[Em]

The oldest grave there dates back to 1736.

[Christine]

Cool.

[Em]

Maybe that's where my love of spooky things in history really took off. But then again, I was always kind of a weirdo. Anyway, my story isn't about the definitely haunted creepy ass cemetery. It's about the definitely haunted creepy ass house I lived in across the street. Christine, can you stop writing into our own email?

[Christine]

I can't. I picked this topic, remember?

[Em]

It's exhausting. Christine with a K. I know. The. The house seemed pretty normal at first and I didn't feel anything negative about it. Yeah, it was old, but I had gotten used to the old houses in New England. And the downstairs was fully renovated, but upstairs it seemed like the. They. It seemed like they gave up. Christine, this is your house.

[Christine]

Oh, yeah. I know where you're going. So it's like kind of falling apart.

[Em]

It seemed like they gave up by the time they got to the top floors.

[Christine]

The floors upstairs.

[Em]

Yeah. With drawings and dirt everywhere.

[Christine]

Yes. That's where they put me, my brother and me.

[Em]

The floors upstairs were like original oak wood floors with 1 inch gaps that gathered crumbs and dust and God knows what for the last 160 years.

[Christine]

Yep, that sounds like my room.

[Em]

Been there, been there, been there. The cellar was the first spot in the house that gave me a horrible sinking feeling that had my heart racing and body filling with dread.

[Christine]

Ew.

[Em]

It's an old root cellar with dirt floors now. It's your current house, Christine.

[Christine]

Yeah, and my mom's house. It still fits. She also has the cellar. It really spans a lot. Yeah.

[Em]

I feel like this person is from Ohio and I just like, maybe they didn't mean to.

[Christine]

They wrote the wrong name the wrong state. Yeah.

[Em]

Yeah. It's an old cellar with dirt floors with this creepy ass stereotypical stairs from horror movies and a single light bulb hanging by a chain. Yep.

[Christine]

I mean, that is like every basement that I've lived in. But I feel like that's pretty normal, right? I mean, I had normal. I mean, it's normal enough.

[Em]

Sure. I had a fully finished basement.

[Christine]

Oh, I've never had that. I've literally never lived in a home with that.

[Em]

I think I only went down a few times. And each time I ran back up those stairs so quickly, feeling like I was being chased by some invisible demon. And when I did go there to get something my mom asked for, I would loudly sing whatever song was in my head the entire time, thinking of the sound. The sounds of Fergalicious would scare the ghosts away.

[Christine]

I would do that, though. Like, it's like, da da da. Like, hum to yourself. Yeah.

[Em]

But the creepiest part of the house was the upstairs bathroom. It was small, but had a huge, deep claw bathtub. And at first I thought, hell yeah, I love baths. Not can't. Can't be me. I was ready to light some candles, pour some bubbles in, and relax while reciting monologues from sappy Ronan's romance movies, Fergalicious and Fergalicious. But I only took a bath there one time, and it was the most uncomfortable and eerie experience of my life. No matter how hot I ran the water, the tub felt ice cold under me. And maybe that's how these old tubs are. I don't know. But something about it told me I shouldn't be there.

[Christine]

We have one of these old ass claw tubs up there, which, by the way, my friend Nicole, whose psychic came over and I didn't even show her through the house because I was like, it's too messy. But she was like, there's a spot up way in your third floor. Is there like a bathroom up there with, like an old claw foot tub? And I was like, ugh, who wants to know? And she goes, I just get the feeling someone hides back tucks away back there. And I went right next to Leona.

[Em]

Maybe it's Boo Boo.

[Christine]

Yeah, Honestly, that's where she made me go ghost hunting today. I'm gonna post it on Tick Tock because she literally walked around wedding. Maybe the ghost is in here. And I was filming it. Like, are we really doing this? But the clawfoot tub. But no, they're supposed to hold heat. They're not supposed to be cold under you.

[Em]

Well, something about told me I shouldn't be there. And I felt watched the entire time. That's the other thing. I feel like I'm being watched and I'm naked. Like, I'm. Like, it's not going to work.

[Christine]

No, it's not going to work.

[Em]

I was constantly looking around, expecting to see someone in the corner, but I never saw anyone.

[Christine]

I just. And then you just felt it.

[Em]

I don't think it was malevolent, but as someone that loves horror and creepy shit, I am a wimp. And one glance of a shadow out of the corner of my eye, and I. Nope, out of there. And it just felt like it was watching, like it was curious. I never took another bath. And when I had to walk past the bathroom to get to the stairs, my heart would start racing uncontrollably. And my eyes were glued to the floor, fearing that if I looked, I would see something. Unfortunately, my little sister really loved that bathroom.

[Christine]

Oh, no.

[Em]

This crazy, possibly demonic sister of mine would disappear and we would search everywhere for her, just to find her sitting in the floor of that bathroom, talking and playing with her toys as if someone was there.

[Christine]

Forget. Okay? Forget it. So if Leona starts bringing her toys into that room, I know something's.

[Em]

Yes.

[Christine]

Not good.

[Em]

She was always in that bathroom talking to her friends. And she would call them her friends. Two little kids, both a little older than her. She said they played with her and they were nice. Everyone else just assumed she had imaginary friends, but I knew damn well that wasn't true.

[Christine]

I'm so afraid. Does it have their names? Because if you say Boo Boo, I'm going to burn my house down. Okay.

[Em]

At some point, if it comes, if it shows up, I'll let you know.

[Christine]

I don't know why I got so scared for a second. I was like, if you say that, that, and Leona's at the trampoline park and Blaze is at the trampoline park, I'm going to start crying.

[Em]

Well, sorry. No, so far. No so far. Although I'm the most terrified of, like, whatever. That stomping in your house is.

[Christine]

In my house?

[Em]

Yeah, like, the. The one that even, like, Blaze was freaked out. Like, it sounds like a whole ass person's walking around.

[Christine]

I think it's Juniper. I really do still think it's Juniper because especially once we found out that he's almost fully deaf. I think he just walks really loud now that he's older. I don't know, but it is very. It does happen, though, sometimes when it's not the Cat. But I think a lot of times when we hear pounding, we look over and it's juniper. So it's one of those things where it's like, it could be explained, but, like, sometimes it couldn't be.

[Em]

I don't know. I was even more convinced when my family had a little late Ouija board party.

[Christine]

Cool.

[Em]

A family friend had come over who was super into tarot and spiritual stuff, and she brought a Ouija board. I swear, Christine, it's like all your.

[Christine]

Personalities are so annoying. I know. I'm the most annoying person ever.

[Em]

And we were all really excited to try. Even my mom, who definitely has zero interest in spirits. When we first started, I was convinced it was fake, and I thought for sure our friend was moving the planchette on her own. But as we talked, as we talked to more spirits, I became a believer in spirit boards. We talked to family members who had passed, asking questions that only me or my mom or sisters knew the answers to. It was really fun and exciting and even a little emotional. But overall, we had a great time until the kids spoke to us. One of the ghosts from the bathroom came through and started telling us about themselves. They were young, 8 or 9, and had a little sister who was there with them. I can't remember their names because, honestly, I think my brain has blocked it out. And eventually they told us something that had me wanting to run away from the house. They both died in the bathroom upstairs.

[Christine]

Oh, no.

[Em]

From what we surmise, their mother had drowned them in the bathtub.

[Christine]

Oh, my fucking God.

[Em]

Later research done by my mother seems to corroborate this shit.

[Christine]

I was hoping, like, at least it's just a story. Fuck me.

[Em]

You'd think that would be the end.

[Christine]

Well, yeah, I'd hope so.

[Em]

The family friend that came over also brought her teenage daughter with her. And the girl hadn't really participated, just sat on the couch and watched us mostly. But after we talked to that kid, she got really, really weird when she went full trance mode for a solid 10 minutes. She's speaking in mumbles, rocking back and forth and saying something in a language we couldn't figure out. No, she can. She can go.

[Christine]

Who invited her anyway?

[Em]

I was an absolute mess, screaming and crying and begging to leave that house. But everyone seemed chill for some reason and told me to calm down. Like, okay, sorry. I didn't realize that getting possessed was a normal thing to.

[Christine]

It's probably because the teenager. Maybe that's just something that she did. I don't know. I don't know if the parents are like, it's fine. I'm like, she does this all the time.

[Em]

Just has.

[Christine]

It has an attitude problem. I don't know.

[Em]

Anyway, we stopped the session right away, and everyone was going off to bed while I was just sitting there freaking out.

[Christine]

No. You poor thing.

[Em]

And you know how they tried to console me? They had the teenage girl who I saw basically possessed by a possible child ghost sleep in the room with me to keep me safe.

[Christine]

No. That's diabolical.

[Em]

I did not sleep at all that night. And I kept looking down at that demon vessel sleeping on the floor.

[Christine]

That's another name for teenagers. Yep. Demon vessel.

[Em]

While I survived, and we moved out for unrelated reasons a few months later. I've been dying to write this for a while now and just finally got the courage to. Much love, Miranda.

[Christine]

Hope we didn't bully you too much to do it next time. Cause, wow, what a story. A demon vessel. That's pretty good.

[Em]

I feel like that a demon vessel would be a competitor to immortal Portal.

[Christine]

I was just thinking, that's album two or 20.

[Em]

It's gotta be.

[Christine]

Yeah, yeah.

[Em]

Season 28 on discovery.

[Christine]

Plus season 28. Wowza, Massachusetts.

[Em]

I don't want to go back, actually.

[Christine]

I do. I want to say the Hawthorne Hotel. Oh, Apple orchard.

[Em]

Yeah. That one's certainly the most tame. It's like, oh, I smell apples. Okay. Yeah.

[Christine]

Like, at the very least, it seems like a harmless enough, you know, like on a dare. Enjoyable.

[Em]

I'd stay there. Yeah.

[Christine]

Yeah.

[Em]

That cow pasture. I gotta be honest. I'm not going, actually. So.

[Christine]

I'm so fascinated by that, though. I want to know, like, was it a Wendigo? Was it, like a shadow figure? Was it a criminal? Was it a creeper?

[Em]

I'm so. I'm just like. Like, call the police. If nobody's there, I'm still not coming back. I'm just like, I'm. I'm out. I'm. I have a new job now.

[Christine]

You. I mean, you're correct. You are correct. I don't deny you're correct. I just. I just know that I wouldn't be as wise.

[Em]

Imagine going to your next job at the interview, and they're like, why are you leaving your last job? And it's like, there was a ghost. I don't know what to tell you.

[Christine]

Yeah, I got this guy. This ghost was mooing a lot. Like, what?

[Em]

You had to be there.

[Christine]

You had to be there. It was so scary, Gary.

[Em]

Well, thank you, everyone, for submitting your stories. And happy birthday to all my other Geminis out there. And I hope you have a good birthday, Christine. And now we just got to wait 12 more episodes until we get to do it all over again.

[Christine]

Oh, man. That's okay. We still have Halloween and Christmas and all that good stuff.

[Em]

I do love that we're halfway to Halloween. We've always got halfway to Halloween. Not so much halfway to Christmas. Yeah, there's lots of reasons.

[Christine]

75% of the way to Halloween.

[Em]

I know.

[Christine]

That's exciting. I don't think the math is right, but whatever.

[Em]

I think we know we're gonna make hankies for his first Halloween.

[Christine]

What?

[Em]

I think he's gonna be Hankenstein.

[Christine]

No, that's cute.

[Em]

We. We've always thought, like, witch and, like, familiar. Like, that's easy. Like, if he has to have a.

[Christine]

True costume, Hankinstein is so cute with his. And he's gonna go all, like, crazy, jumping up and out with little bolts in his head. Oh, he's gonna be so sweet.

[Em]

And he's like a dog that lets you put things on him, which is nice. Yeah.

[Christine]

Anyway, Gio is, too.

[Em]

What's Gio gonna be?

[Christine]

Blessings.

[Em]

Annoyed?

[Christine]

Annoyed. No, I don't know yet, because it depends on Leona. I usually try to make them do a couple's costume.

[Em]

I. That's beautiful.

[Christine]

When she was a dino rancher, he was a triceratops, that kind of thing.

[Em]

Precious. Precious. Well, happy birthday, Christine.

[Christine]

Happy birthday, Em. Have a good time at the dog park.

[Em]

If you make it more like at the vet with Mr. Gordo shoes, good luck with that. Okay. And that's why we drink.

[Christine]

Discover the art of adventure in Cedar City and Brian Head, Utah. Here you can discover southern Utah's first artists at the Parowan Gap petroglyphs. Or carve a fresh trail at Brian Head ski resort. Paint the town red, perusing Cedar City's unique shops, museums, and savory bites. Marvel at nature's masterpieces at nearby Zion, Bryce, and Cola canyons. And be mesmerized by the endless starry nights at Cedar Breaks National Monument. Your inspired adventure awaits. Plan your trip today@Visit cedarcity.com this Friday, I'd like to go hunting the greatest.

[Em]

Action franchise of the past decade.

[Christine]

How do I start doing what you do? Reloads.

[Em]

Looks like you already have.

[Christine]

From the world of John Wick, ballerina.

[Em]

Richard. Richard.