Monsters Among Us: S19 Ep35 – Seeing Red: The Flannel Man, Blood-Stained Entities, and the Infamous Mothman
Release Date: August 12, 2025
Host: Derek Hayes | Audioboom Studios
Introduction to the Episode
In the 35th episode of Season 19 of Monsters Among Us, host Derek Hayes delves into the enigmatic and often unsettling theme of the color red in paranormal phenomena. Celebrating nearly a decade and over 500 episodes, Hayes aims to keep the show fresh by exploring various supernatural encounters tied together by the primal color red. This episode, titled "Seeing Red: The Flannel Man, Blood-Stained Entities and the Infamous Mothman," features multiple first-hand accounts that range from eerie appearances of red lights to encounters with legendary cryptids.
Aaron from California: The Red Bouncing Ball
Timestamp: [04:21 – 07:20]
Aaron recounts a peculiar experience involving a massive red bouncing ball. While assisting a friend, Aaron witnessed an enormous 8-foot red ball rolling down the street, bouncing past houses before vanishing.
Aaron (04:25): "There was about an eight-foot red bouncing ball that was like 8 foot in diameter. I don't know what it meant."
Host’s Commentary:
Derek Hayes offers a rational explanation, suggesting that Aaron might have encountered a weather balloon—a plausible yet eerie interpretation. This segment highlights the show's balance between embracing paranormal explanations and considering mundane alternatives.
Hayes (07:28): "A weather balloon or not, the story is a perfect example of what we're doing here tonight."
Sean from England: The Red Handprint
Timestamp: [10:35 – 13:02]
Sean shares a chilling tale from his hometown of Raynham in Medway, Kent, England. While playing in a recently plowed field near an old graveyard, Sean and his friends encountered a disturbing incident where a red handprint appeared on a friend's back after a mysterious push.
Sean (12:15): "There was like a slight red handprint on her back. So we was like, huh, that's kind of weird."
Host’s Commentary:
Hayes reflects on the historical and haunted nature of Sean's village, pondering whether disturbed spirits were responsible for the red handprint.
Hayes (13:02): "A ghostly red handprint in a plowed field, no less. A very interesting location for an interaction like this."
Trenton from Kentucky: Blood on the Walls
Timestamp: [15:19 – 17:48]
Trenton honors his late grandmother by sharing a haunting story from her childhood in Cave City, Kentucky. His grandfather's tragic suicide led to blood appearing on the walls of their home, specifically during rainstorms—an occurrence that continued long after the family moved away.
Trenton (16:30): "Every time it rained, red paint would come to the walls."
Host’s Commentary:
Hayes acknowledges the recurring theme of blood apparitions, noting the unique aspect of the phenomenon occurring only during rainstorms in Trenton's story.
Hayes (17:48): "We've heard about blood oozing out of the walls in a handful of stories over the years."
Taylor from Paris, France: The Witch in the Wall
Timestamp: [19:02 – 26:17]
Taylor describes unsettling events in a newly purchased home in San Clemente, California. Her mother experiences blood running down the walls and encounters with a supernatural witch figure warning her. The disturbances escalate, leading the family to abandon the house.
Taylor (20:45): "The witch in the wall is going to get you, Nanny. You better watch out."
Host’s Commentary:
Hayes connects Taylor's experience to broader folklore, mentioning that such tales often inspire horror narratives in popular culture.
Hayes (26:17): "The witch in the walls... [is] unsettling as the Flannel man can be."
James from Wisconsin: Red Lights in the Woods
Timestamp: [29:39 – 36:32]
James narrates an encounter with mysterious red lights while ATV riding near his family's campground in Wasco, Wisconsin. He and his fiancée observe hovering red lights in the woods, struggling to identify the source, leaving them questioning whether it was a UFO or something more inexplicable.
James (30:10): "It was a red light hovering above the pine. We don't know if we saw a UFO or what we saw."
Host’s Commentary:
Hayes offers a potential explanation, suggesting that the red lights could have been part of power line maintenance by helicopters—a plausible yet still eerie possibility.
Hayes (33:44): "Maybe that's what you saw, James. A helicopter hauling around a telephone pole or some other large object."
Beowulf from Georgia: Encounter at Old Listery Church
Timestamp: [36:32 – 40:46]
Beowulf shares an adolescent memory of exploring the haunted Old Listery Church in Georgia with friends. Disturbing events, including tombstone mishaps and sightings of red orbs, intensified after their group disrupted the graveyard, leading to ominous feelings and ghostly apparitions.
Beowulf (38:00): "They started to see red orb in the woods as well as floating around in the sky."
Host’s Commentary:
Hayes emphasizes the importance of respecting grave sites, hinting at the potential consequences of disturbing historical and spiritual sites.
Hayes (40:46): "Be respectful, folks. Upending a tombstone is a guaranteed way to get yourself some sort of unwanted spiritual attachment."
Anonymous Caller from Colombia: Red Lights Indoors
Timestamp: [40:46 – 54:57]
An anonymous caller recounts a second-hand story from his father in Colombia, where red lights would float around various rooms, including the head of his father’s bed, during childhood. These lights were benign yet unsettling, appearing consistently across the household.
Caller (43:54): "It was a red light. It was like a thing my dad would tell all the time."
Host’s Commentary:
Hayes notes the global nature of red light sightings, suggesting a universal intrigue and fear associated with the color in paranormal contexts.
Hayes (53:54): "Most of us that wake up and see a bloody young boy in our bedroom would freak right out."
Ashley from Tennessee: The Flannel Man
Timestamp: [44:42 – 48:05]
Ashley describes a high school encounter with a towering figure known as the Flannel Man while cruising on a dark country road. The man, dressed in red plaid overalls and wielding an axe, vanished mysteriously after being spotted, leaving the group unnerved.
Ashley (46:30): "He was carrying this axe... He didn’t look ghostly or transparent. He was solid. He was real."
Host’s Commentary:
Hayes connects Ashley’s experience to the folklore of the Flannel Man—an entity often associated with supernatural events and sleep paralysis, akin to shadow people.
Hayes (48:05): "It sounds like you had a run in with the infamous Flannel Man."
Luke from Florida: Mothman Dreams and Tragic Coincidence
Timestamp: [49:17 – 57:22]
Luke shares his recurring nightmares featuring Mothman, a legendary cryptid. These dreams often precede troubling events, such as the sudden death of his family cat shortly after experiencing a vivid encounter with the creature in his sleep.
Luke (50:30): "He keeps coming here and this time he can't get in dreams. So it's definitely gonna be something that happens."
Host’s Commentary:
Hayes sympathizes with Luke’s loss and underscores the prophetic nature of Luke’s dreams, suggesting a possible connection between the Mothman sightings and real-life tragedies.
Hayes (51:14): "If they feature a harbinger of doom and then doom occurs the next day, well, I figure that's worth a couple of minutes."
Mike from Canada: Bloody Apparitions
Timestamp: [52:08 – 54:57]
Mike from Ontario recounts two unsettling experiences. The first involves a blood-covered boy appearing in his bedroom during sleep paralysis, whom he couldn't interact with physically. The second story extends to his father’s childhood in Colombia, where similar red light phenomena occurred indoors.
Mike (52:25): "There was this boy, maybe 10 to 12 years old, covered in blood, standing beside my bed."
Host’s Commentary:
Hayes admires Mike’s compassionate response to the apparition, contrasting it with the common fear-driven reactions of others.
Hayes (53:54): "Most of us that wake up and see a bloody young boy in our bedroom would freak right out... But Mike is here to help."
Deidre from North Carolina: The Red-Eyed Black Figure
Timestamp: [57:22 – 65:01]
Deidre, a medic from North Carolina, details paranormal activities surrounding a local base. She describes encounters with a towering black figure with red eyes, including physical manifestations like hands gripping a post and evocative sounds indicating an ominous presence.
Deidre (63:15): "There's this black thing standing beside the door... [with] red eyes."
Host’s Commentary:
Hayes explores the psychological impact of red on human physiology, suggesting that the color intensifies the fear associated with such encounters.
Hayes (65:01): "Studies have shown that being exposed to or wearing red can cause... elevated blood pressure... giving you a big adrenaline rush."
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Derek Hayes wraps up the episode by reflecting on the profound and diverse nature of the red-themed paranormal encounters shared by callers. He emphasizes the persistent allure and fear evoked by the color red in supernatural experiences, underscoring its deep-rooted significance in human perception and folklore.
Hayes (68:08): "After nearly 10 years and 500 episodes, Monsters Among Us keeps things fresh by exploring new themes like the color red."
The episode concludes with endorsements, announcements for upcoming content, and acknowledgments of sponsors, adhering to the show's established format of blending storytelling with community engagement.
Key Themes Explored:
- Color Red as a Supernatural Symbol: The episode highlights how red is a recurring element in various paranormal experiences, symbolizing danger, passion, and the supernatural.
- Personal Encounters with the Paranormal: Callers share intimate and chilling stories, providing a first-hand look into unexplained phenomena.
- Folklore and Urban Legends: The show connects individual experiences to broader myths and legends, such as the Flannel Man and Mothman.
- Psychological Impact of Red: Discussion on how red affects human physiology and perception, adding depth to the fear and awe elicited by red-themed paranormal events.
Notable Quotes:
- Aaron (04:25): "There was about an eight-foot red bouncing ball that was like 8 foot in diameter. I don't know what it meant."
- Sean (12:15): "There was like a slight red handprint on her back. So we was like, huh, that's kind of weird."
- Luke (50:30): "He keeps coming here and this time he can't get in dreams. So it's definitely gonna be something that happens."
- Deidre (63:15): "There's this black thing standing beside the door... [with] red eyes."
Conclusion:
Monsters Among Us continues to engage its audience with spine-chilling stories that intertwine personal experiences with the mystical allure of the color red. Episode 35 of Season 19 serves as a testament to the show's enduring ability to evoke fear, curiosity, and fascination through meticulously curated paranormal narratives.
For more chilling tales and to share your own experiences, visit Monsters Among Us Podcast and join the conversation on social media platforms linked on their website.
