Havoc Town — Episode 3 | Death in a Small Town

Podcast: Havoc Town (iHeartPodcasts)
Date: August 26, 2025

Episode Overview

In this gripping third episode, the show delves into the mysterious and violent resurgence of a historic plague in the small farming village of Abbesstown, NH. Weaving together events from 200 years ago with the present day, the episode explores themes of legacy, hysteria, and the supernatural. After a funeral for Jonathan Abbas, a series of disturbing events unfolds—mourners turn violent, the sick act out in strange ways, and a box of chilling family artifacts is discovered. At the heart of the chaos, Corinne Abbas finds herself entangled in both her family's haunted past and the terrifying present, as a "vampire panic" seems to grip the town once more.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Legacy of Abbesstown's Plague (01:35–02:53)

• The episode opens with a haunting reading from Reverend Josiah Abbas, recalling the violent measures once taken against perceived evil during the original outbreak.
• Quote: "There's a vile sickness in Abbas Town. You must excise it, dig into the deep earth and cut it out by any means necessary... if you see the blood pour forth from his flesh, you must cut out the very heart of him..."
  — Josiah Abbas, 01:35

2. Funeral Reflections and Town Dynamics (02:53–09:00)

• Corinne describes the funeral of her father, Jonathan, painting a picture of community, loss, and the burden of family reputations.
• She observes that in a town so small, history and identity are inseparable: "Because they'd be thinking about the past, about who our family was, not who we are, who we can be." (05:43)
• Conversations with locals (Tom Stavano, Barbara Horne, Sylvie Harris) highlight how intertwined everyone’s lives are, setting the scene for the communal panic to come.

3. The Sudden Descent into Violence (09:00–13:23)

• At the post-funeral gathering, Brother Ken, the eccentric street preacher, makes an unusual appearance to pay respects and leads a prayer. He notes Jonathan's generosity and kindness in secret.
• The mood turns when Jimbo Horne, a well-liked, gentle former cop, arrives looking ill—bleeding from the eyes and acting erratically.
• Brother Ken begins to quote scripture cryptically as Jimbo suddenly attacks, biting Ken’s shoulder and descending into a frenzy.
• Quote: "Jim, your eyes are bleeding. What are you looking at?"
  — Corinne Abbas, 11:59
• Quote: "Suddenly, Jimbo was on him, hands in his hair, screaming and slamming his head on the counter... and sunk his teeth right into Ken's shoulder."
  — Corinne Abbas, 12:47

4. The Plague's Symptoms and Worsening Panic (15:51–19:56)

• Corinne describes the aftermath: blood everywhere, an uncharacteristic violence from Jimbo, and fear spreading through the town ("It was horrible. All of it. The blood was everywhere." — 15:51).
• Barbara Horne details Jimbo's rapid decline: fever, sudden rages, night terrors, and him killing the family cat while in a deranged state.
• Quote: "He came home from the hospital... he's not been himself. It's like he's been possessed... his eyes were all bugged out and bloody."
  — Barbara Horne, 18:13–20:18

5. The Legacy Revealed: The Black Wooden Box (21:54–26:49)

• Corinne recalls her father’s dying words: "Black wood box." She uncovers the box in her father's closet, unlocking a trove of strange relics—a vial, Bible, crucifix, rosary, garlic, brass flask, dueling pistols, mallet, and a dark-stained wooden stake.
• The implication becomes clear: her ancestry is tied to vampire hunters.
• Quote: "It's for vampires. Well, I figured, given the family history."
  — Corinne Abbas, 26:46

6. The Letter from the Past & Echoes of the Vampire Panic (26:50–29:59)

• Sylvie reads a letter from Josiah Abbas, Corinne's ancestor, written during the original outbreak. The missive instructs his descendant to be vigilant and merciless in fighting the evil infecting the town.
• Quote: "You are God's warrior now. They will not understand you. They will fear you. But this fear is your weapon as well. Wield it without mercy and bring down its holy judgment..."
  — Josiah Abbas (letter), 29:11–29:59

7. Piecing Together the Mystery and Accepting Help (30:23–32:43)

• Sylvie and Corinne try to make sense of the connections between the historical plague and the current outbreak ("That can't be connected." — Corinne Abbas, 30:03).
• They discuss the possible significance of the name "Damaris," Corinne's middle name—one of her father's last words.
• Sylvie offers to contact Professor Jeremy Bradshaw, a folklore expert, for help untangling the family and town history. Their banter brings a human touch to the escalating dread.
• Quote: "We have something you might like to see."
  — Sylvie Harris to Prof. Bradshaw, 32:43

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• "He laid me out once, you know... Never even saw it coming. Your father wasn't what you call a bruise, you know."
  — Tom Stavano about Jonathan Abbas, 06:53
• "He was always very kind. He gave regularly so that I could keep up the services for my parishioners."
  — Brother Ken, 10:15
• "Suddenly, Jimbo was on him...and sunk his teeth right into Ken's shoulder."
  — Corinne Abbas, 12:47
• "It's for vampires. Well, I figured, given the family history."
  — Corinne Abbas, 26:46
• "You are God's warrior now. They will not understand you. They will fear you. But this fear is your weapon as well."
  — Josiah Abbas (letter), 29:11
• "That can't be connected... Why not?"
  — Corinne and Sylvie, 30:03–30:23

Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:35 — Reverend Josiah Abbas’s dire warning from the past
• 02:53–09:00 — Funeral, small town reflections, and personal stories
• 09:00–13:23 — Brother Ken’s prayer, Jimbo’s attack, chaos erupts
• 15:51–19:56 — Symptoms of the plague, Jimbo’s transformation, Barbara's confession
• 21:54–26:49 — Corinne discovers and opens the black wooden box
• 26:50–29:59 — Sylvie reads Josiah Abbas's letter; echoes of the vampire panic
• 30:23–32:43 — Corinne and Sylvie puzzle over the letter, contact Professor Bradshaw

Tone & Style

The episode's language is colloquial, rural, often intimate and formal in the readings of historical documents. It balances grim, supernatural dread with moments of sharp humor and affection among townsfolk. The tension builds steadily as normalcy slips away, culminating in a sense of approaching catastrophe and the draw of history repeating itself.

Summary

This episode blends personal loss and grief with a rising, eerie supernatural threat. Flashbacks and artifacts link Corinne’s present ordeal to the infamous "Abbesstown Vampire Panic" of the past, as the same blood-soaked horrors begin to repeat. The unearthing of a vampire-hunter’s kit and a prophetic letter frame her family as both cursed and called to fight. As the sickness spreads and panic grows, Corinne reluctantly steps into her ancestor’s role, signaling the battle is just beginning.