Podcast Summary: "Monsters Among Us" – Introducing Twisted Tales with Heidi Wong

Date: October 6, 2025
Host: Derek Hayes (Monsters Among Us)
Guest Host/Featured Creator: Heidi Wong (Twisted Tales)
Episode Theme: Preview and introduction to the new horror podcast Twisted Tales with Heidi Wong, featuring chilling true-life inspirations behind horror legends, with a deep dive into the real Annabelle doll.

Episode Overview

This special episode of Monsters Among Us serves as an introduction and sneak preview of the new Crime House original podcast, Twisted Tales with Heidi Wong, which focuses on revealing the disturbing real stories that inspired some of horror’s most notorious icons. Derek Hayes sets the mood for spooky season by handing off to Heidi Wong, who masterfully dissects the terrifying true events behind The Conjuring franchise—specifically, the origin of the legendary Annabelle doll.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Derek Hayes Introduces Twisted Tales (00:03–01:34)

• Sets the tone with a chilling rhetorical:

  “Ask yourself what’s scarier, a nightmare or the truth that inspired it?” (00:03 – Derek Hayes)

• Highlights Heidi Wong as a multifaceted creator obsessed with horror.
• Describes Twisted Tales as the go-to show for the true, twisted tales behind blockbuster horror.
• Stresses the appeal of true stories being “stranger than fiction”—and often even darker.

Heidi Wong’s Show Introduction & The Annabelle Story (01:34–07:45)

Heidi’s Background & Podcast Premise (01:34–02:28)

• Heidi introduces herself as an “artist, poet and creator,” with a deep-rooted obsession for horror in all forms.
• Teases weekly deep-dives into “vengeful ghosts, bloody slashers, alien encounters, and more”—all real-life accounts.

The Origin of Annabelle – The Real Story (02:29–07:00)

• Heidi contextualizes Annabelle’s rise to horror icon status following The Conjuring and its spinoffs.
• Sets the record straight on Annabelle’s very different real-life appearance:

  “In real life, Annabelle wasn’t the porcelain doll you see in the movie... it was a Raggedy Ann doll.” (02:56 – Heidi Wong)

• Tells the story of Donna and Angie, two nursing students in 1970, and the creepy events following Donna’s 28th birthday, when she receives Annabelle as a gift.
• Eerie escalation:
  • Discovery of a parchment note reading “help me”—in a house with no parchment.
  • Appearance of what looked like blood on the doll’s hands and chest.

Attempted Solutions & Terrifying Encounters (03:35–06:15)

• Donna and Angie resort to a medium, who claims the spirit of a little girl named Annabelle Higgins inhabits the doll.
• Heidi wryly observes the dangers of saying yes to the supernatural:

  “How could they say no? They gave Annabelle permission to keep possessing the doll, a decision they’d soon regret.” (04:15 – Heidi Wong)

• Angie's boyfriend Lou’s skepticism marks him for supernatural retaliation.
• Heidi narrates Lou’s terrifying experience with vivid storytelling:

  “One night, Lou was over at the apartment... He spotted something at his feet. It was Annabelle. And then she started moving. The doll slid up Lou’s legs onto his chest. Her arms shot out, wrapping around his throat...” (05:00–05:30 – Heidi Wong)

• Lou wakes—unsure if it's just sleep paralysis or something more.

Physical Harm & Aftermath (06:16–07:00)

• Lou is later actually attacked, finding seven bleeding gashes on his chest after a strange encounter with the doll.
• Creepily, the wounds heal almost immediately, but the message is clear: Annabelle is no benign spirit.
• Points out that this was the turning point for Donna and Angie—realizing Annabelle’s dangerous nature.

Call to Action & Podcast Invitation (07:00–07:45)

• Heidi encourages listeners to share their own haunted stories in the show’s comments.
• Invites listeners to follow Twisted Tales for more real-life horror inspiration.
• Provides listening platforms and notes that new episodes drop every Monday.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Derek Hayes, on horror reality:

  “Reality is the real horror.” (01:25)

• Heidi Wong, on horror enthusiasm:

  “The scarier the better.” (01:49)

• Heidi Wong, on Annabelle’s origins:

  “In real life, Annabelle wasn’t the porcelain doll you see in the movie. This change was possibly due to trademark issues, or the producers just thought their version was creepier.” (02:56)

• Heidi Wong, on the supernatural decision:

  “They gave Annabelle permission to keep possessing the doll, a decision they’d soon regret.” (04:15)

• Heidi’s vivid retelling of Lou’s experience:

  “As Lou’s eyes darted across the room, he spotted something at his feet. It was Annabelle. And then she started moving.” (05:12)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:03: Derek Hayes introduces the theme, Twisted Tales, and host Heidi Wong.
• 01:34: Heidi Wong welcomes listeners, cues up real-life Annabelle story.
• 02:30: Context: The Conjuring Universe and real Annabelle’s backstory.
• 03:35: Donna and Angie’s disturbing discoveries; calling a medium.
• 04:15: Annabelle’s origins via séance and the fateful “permission.”
• 05:00: Lou’s sleep paralysis and terrifying “attack.”
• 06:16: Lou’s physical injuries; realization of Annabelle’s true threat.
• 07:00: Heidi wraps up, invites listener participation and podcast follow.

Summary

This Monsters Among Us episode stands as both a chilling Halloween-season treat and an enticing preview of Heidi Wong’s Twisted Tales. Blending nostalgia-rich true crime and horror analysis, Wong brings a conversational, energetic tone to legendary hauntings—starting with a faithful retelling of the true Annabelle doll’s nightmarish legacy. Both hosts beckon the listener into a world where the real stories behind our nightmares are even scarier than fiction. If you love supernatural lore, psychological horror, or simply getting creeped out, Twisted Tales is posed to become your next obsession.