Monsters Among Us – Season 20, Episode 20

Title: Missing time, a pale white figure and glowing globs in the trees
Host: Derek Hayes
Release Date: December 18, 2025
Format: Eyewitness audio calls, curated and contextualized by Derek Hayes

Episode Overview

In this wintry episode, Derek Hayes guides listeners through a series of first-hand paranormal accounts, encompassing everything from unexplained silver spheres and ghostly orbs to missing time, mysterious apparitions, and haunted old-timey music. Each caller’s voice relays their chilling, often inexplicable experience, while Derek provides context, speculation, and a dash of humor, creating a nostalgic and spooky atmosphere perfect for the holiday season.

Main Discussion Points

1. Silver Sphere UFO in Ohio

[03:06] Caller: John from Antwerp, Ohio

• Story: Driving to work on a clear morning, John spots a large, shining silver ball in the sky above the highway. The object seems to reflect a blinding light directly at him before vanishing completely without trace.
• John’s Quote:

  “It was this big silver sphere in the sky. And I was obviously, you know, dumbfounded by that experience. I’d never seen anything like that.” (03:55)

• Derek’s Commentary:

  “We’ve heard this exact same experience from several listeners over the years… nearly all of them describe the exact same object, a silver ball a couple of feet in diameter, flying through the air.” (05:11)

2. Pale White Humanoid Figure in Rhode Island

[06:00] Caller: Taylor from Rhode Island

• Story: At age 10, home alone, Taylor glimpses a shockingly fast, white humanoid figure darting past her bedroom door with nowhere for it to go. Terrified, she calls her mom, then later learns a beloved elderly neighbor had died at home across the street that very day.
• Taylor’s Quote:

  “Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a white humanoid figure run incredibly fast, like, impossibly fast past my bedroom door…but there would have just been nowhere for this figure to go.” (06:39)

• Derek’s Commentary:

  “The description she gave matches a few different legendary creatures. The pale crawler comes to mind…could be the manifestation of a ghost or a spirit, maybe even of the elderly neighbor as Taylor suggested.” (09:23)

3. Missing Time in Massachusetts

[13:00] Caller: Mitch from Texas

• Story: As a child visiting his grandparents in Massachusetts, Mitch experiences a full-night ‘blink’, suddenly waking in bright daylight with no recollection of the night. He connects the story after hearing a similar account involving the mysterious ‘mirrored men’ on an earlier episode.
• Mitch’s Quote:

  “I went to bed one night…at one point I was awake just staring at the ceiling and it was like I blinked and it was morning.” (13:40)

• Derek’s Commentary:

  "Maybe all missing time is caused by these mirrored men. But not all experiencers…see these entities directly. Perhaps just being in close proximity…is enough to warp time.” (14:26)

4. Shared Ghost Impressions in California

[16:32] Caller: Zio from Washington State (story from Central Coast, CA)

• Story: Zio and future stepmother both feel a ghost’s presence in their home—independently sensing it as a man around 35 years old. Lacking historical records, Zio asks for crowd-sourced ideas to research the home’s possible history of death.
• Zio’s Quote:

  “I just felt this presence. And I noted that I didn’t feel scared…somehow also knew that it was a man, and that he was in his mid-30s.” (17:44) “I said, ‘How old do you think he is?’ And she said almost immediately, ‘35’.” (19:40)

• Derek’s Commentary:

  “If it was the latter, it looks like Zio’s stepmother had the exact same vivid imagination…You can go to dydinhouse.com Zio, you have to pay for the report, but it sounds like it might be worth it." (21:45)

5. Identity Crisis: The Doppelgänger Memory

[24:27] Caller: Anonymous from New England (calls in about Puerto Rico experience)

• Story: As a teen in Puerto Rico, the caller is accosted by a girl claiming detailed intimate friendship, insisting they share a history unknown to him—and puzzling even his friends. The memory never returns, but the stranger’s certainty lingers.
• Anonymous Quote:

  “She knew about my family. She knew about boys that I liked at the school. She knew things that only a friend would have known…And I didn’t have that many friends.” (28:40)

• Derek’s Commentary:

  “My first thought after hearing this story was that it was some sort of scam…It’s odd. However you want to slice it, I can’t explain it…” (29:28)

6. Haunted 1920s Music in Historic Ohio Home

[30:25] Caller: Anthony from Coshocton County, Ohio

• Story: While deer hunting, Anthony and a friend hear distinct 1920s-era music coming from upstairs in a farmhouse with no power; neither mentions it until confirming what they heard when checking the radio upstairs (which was off).
• Anthony’s Quote:

  “I’m hearing this music coming from upstairs. It’s like 1920s music…And we both go upstairs and the radio is completely off. We never knew what it was.” (31:34)

• Derek’s Commentary:

  “That area has some of the oldest European settlements in the state—an obvious location in which to encounter ghostly activity.” (33:20)

  • Derek segues into playing EVPs of similar ghostly music for context.

7. Apparition During Sleep in Massachusetts

[37:28] Caller: Tasha from Texas (story from Randolph, MA)

• Story: During a visit, Tasha wakes in pitch-darkness from a vivid dream to see a man’s illuminated face and vintage attire in her room; too scared to investigate until praying and grabbing a flashlight, she finds nothing but notes the exact time (2:58am).
• Tasha’s Quote:

  “I see a face…his face, it looked like it was illuminated…as if there was kinda like a spotlight over his head…As soon as I had that realization that there’s a man in my room, I screamed and…I started praying out loud.” (38:34)

• Derek’s Commentary:

  “This is one of those incredible encounters where sleep paralysis might be the best-case scenario. Otherwise…a genuine spirit—or worse.” (40:55)

8. Glowing Orbs and Living Lights in Texas

[41:45] Caller: Robin from Texas

• Story: Twice in quick succession, Robin witnesses inexplicable bright orbs near wooded areas: first, brilliant orbs and swirling, separated colors rising from the forest; later, a luminous, alive-feeling orb outside her bedroom window, interacting with her dog, Buddy. Robin is certain it was alive, not technological.
• Robin’s Quotes:

  “All of a sudden I see this white, perfectly round orb fall from the top of the sky to the tree line…then these colors come up out of the forested area and they shoot straight up…like if you took a glass of milk and put food coloring in there, it would stay separate…” (42:05) “This glowing white orb…if you took my Toyota Corolla and rounded it into a perfect ball, that would be about the size of this thing…It was like, if a craft could be alive. I knew immediately when I saw it that it was alive.” (44:57)

• Derek’s Commentary:

  “This sounds a lot like a little known but very real phenomenon called plasmoids…essentially a plasmoid is a self-contained, compact structure of plasma bound by its own magnetic fields…And some scientists believe them to be sentient, representing either an unknown species here on our own planet, or proof of alien visitors.” (48:47; 50:14)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Summing up the podcast’s mission:

  “True stories only, one story per call…The quieter the room is that you’re calling from, the creepier your story will be. It’s just science.” – Derek Hayes (15:30)

• Describing the episode’s thematic arc:

  “Sometimes our world is a much bigger place than it seems.” – Derek Hayes (51:05)

Timestamps for Key Stories

• 03:06: Silver Sphere UFO – John, Ohio
• 06:00: Pale Humanoid Figure – Taylor, Rhode Island
• 13:00: Missing Time – Mitch, Texas (occurs in Massachusetts)
• 16:32: House Ghost/Shared Impressions – Zio, Washington (story in CA)
• 24:27: Identity Mystery/Doppelgänger – Anonymous, New England (story in Puerto Rico)
• 30:25: Ghostly 1920s Music – Anthony, Coshocton County, Ohio
• 37:28: Sleep Apparition – Tasha, Texas (story in Massachusetts)
• 41:45: Orbs/Glowing Globs – Robin, Texas

Episode Conclusion

Derek closes by reflecting on the diversity and eeriness of these encounters, promising future deep dives (especially into the plasmoid phenomenon) and encouraging listeners to keep sharing stories that blur the boundaries between the ordinary and the inexplicable.

Derek’s parting words:

“Thank you again, Robin, for the reminder that these things even exist. And for the reminder that sometimes our world is a much bigger place than it seems.” (51:05)

He reminds listeners of how to submit stories and signs off with encouragement to “keep it spooky.”

Tone & Style

Derek Hayes’ style is warm, conversational, and a little bit tongue-in-cheek, balancing open-minded curiosity with healthy skepticism. The episode is structured as a patchwork of vivid personal stories, linked by Derek’s enthusiastic and often reassuring narration.

For fans of the paranormal—or those just looking for a chill this holiday season—this episode is a compelling selection of true tales that will leave you looking at the winter night a little differently.