Full Body Chills – "Deadwood"

Podcast: Full Body Chills
Host: Audiochuck
Episode: Deadwood
Date: October 24, 2025
Story by: AP Royal
Read by: Mike Saporkin

Episode Overview

This episode, "Deadwood," from the Full Body Chills podcast, transports listeners to the mysterious edges of childhood nostalgia warped by trauma. The story follows a group of friends whose summer adventures lead them to uncover a terrifying secret buried in the woods. The narrative weaves together memory, grief, and supernatural terror, all through the lens of a narrator grappling with survivor’s guilt and the enduring enigma of what happened to their friend Bobby.

Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

1. Setting the Stage: Childhood Innocence

• (02:09–04:25)
  The narrator reminisces about carefree summer days spent with friends, Bobby and Jenny, filled with biking, collecting rocks, and skipping curfew.

  "Back in those days it was about pride. How fast you could travel down Sycamore Avenue on your six speed while the world whistled around you..." (02:09)

• Bobby’s troubled home life and anger are introduced, hinting at deeper struggles underlying the group’s surface banter.

2. Encounter in the Woods

• (04:25–09:17)
  The trio’s after-dark journey leads them to a secluded glade oddly devoid of trees and marked by singed bark – evidence of something unnatural.
  • Bobby is drawn to the ground, clutching his ear, seemingly hearing a strange noise that neither friend can detect.
  • The sense of unease and primal dread intensifies as the sun sets and the woods become sinister.

3. Bobby’s Obsession and Isolation

• (09:17–14:45)
  After being grounded, the narrator learns Bobby and Jenny have returned to the glade, digging obsessively for the origin of Bobby’s mysterious "humming"—a relentless, almost supernatural sound only Bobby, and later his friends, can sense.

  "Bobby was convinced that there was humming, some kind of black static that he couldn't leave alone." (10:39)

• The group’s dynamics shift as concern for Bobby’s mental and physical health mounts, complicated by the limitations of the narrator’s own circumstances.

4. The Night Digging and the Terrifying Discovery

• (15:30–23:41)
  Driven by dread and loyalty, the narrator sneaks out to help Bobby. Together, the three dig deep into the earth in the middle of the night, driven by desperation and terror.

  “The black stains around the neighboring pines, the deadwood, made something in my stomach churn. We stopped when sparks began to fly.” (22:12)

• They unearth a strange, grooved metal plate—its design reminiscent of wartime explosives from documentaries.
• Tension peaks as Bobby, in a frenzy, refuses to stop, and the group is enveloped by an overpowering, supernatural humming.

5. The Climax: Light, Loss & Trauma

• (24:01–27:05)
  The pit erupts in blinding light, and Bobby is consumed in front of his friends, his final, desperate cries echoing in the narrator’s memory.

  "Then, as the dirt began to clear… I realized what it was from all those war documentaries. …My ears rattled and swelled under the merciless drum, my head about to burst." (23:12) "It was quicksand, sweeping and relentless, and like the grip of a black hole, it pulled the boy in. He cried out. Words burned forever in my mind." (27:02)

• The narrator and Jenny survive but are left badly injured and permanently scarred—physically and psychologically.

6. Aftermath & Legacy

• (27:06–29:45)
  The authorities provide logical explanations, like a bomb or mine, but nothing tangible is found. The incident remains shrouded in mystery.

  "It was hit with the kind of heat that took everything with. Left a lot of questions unanswered..." (28:15)

• Jenny drifts away, unable to cope with the trauma and public scrutiny. The narrator is left with scars and haunting memories, questioning the nature of what really happened.

  "No matter how much you try to move on or restart, there's always someone who's heard something, who has nothing to do with you or your life, but somehow knows the worst day you've ever lived." (29:05)

7. Return to Deadwood: The Ghost of the Past

• (29:46–31:04)
  Decades later, the narrator’s return to the transformed site, now reclaimed by nature but forever marked, triggers a resurgence of physical and emotional pain. The scars and the ever-present "humming" serve as reminders of that night’s horror.

  "But still I knew this was the spot. Deadwood. As I approached, the ringing in my ears intensified with a deadly rhythm." (29:55)

• The episode concludes with the poignant memory of Bobby’s last words—calling for his mother, hinting at unresolved grief and the possibility that something beyond their understanding reached back that night.

  "With his final words, Bobby called out for his mother... sometimes, I wonder, was something reaching back?" (31:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the magic of unsupervised childhood:

  "There was no purpose past burning the hours of boredom. And that's what made the whole situation that much stranger. The fact that we were the ones to find it." (02:22)

• On trauma and survivor’s guilt:

  "I blame myself. Although she wouldn't say it, I knew she never forgave me for holding her back, for leaving Bobby in that pit. In the end, we just lost touch. Now all I had was our childhood memories." (29:16)

• On the supernatural ambiguity:

  "What was that humming, pulsing, banging? Were there more places like Deadwood?" (30:22)

• On memory and loss:

  "B, J, C. Bobby, Jenny and me. I cried." (30:52)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Childhood and Introduction: 02:09 – 04:25
• Discovery of the Clearing: 04:25 – 09:17
• Bobby’s Obsession Grows: 09:17 – 14:45
• Night Digging & Climactic Event: 15:30 – 27:05
• Aftermath/Authorities Theories: 27:06 – 29:45
• Return to Deadwood/Conclusion: 29:46 – 31:04

Final Thoughts

"Deadwood" stands out as a chilling coming-of-age tale wrapped in supernatural horror, made gripping by its emotional honesty and vivid details. The story lingers with listeners long after it ends, not just as a ghost story, but as a meditation on loss, the lingering nature of trauma, and the mysteries that sometimes never yield answers.

This episode was written by AP Royal and read by Mike Saporkin. For the full written story, visit the Full Body Chills website.