Monsters Among Us

Host: Derek Hayes
Episode: S20 Ep37: Eerie Evergreen State: Tales from Washington
Date: March 3, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Derek Hayes explores the uniquely eerie side of Washington State through a series of listener-submitted stories. From shadow people and two-faced spirits to mechanical growls, ghostly pets, and unclassifiable creatures, the episode collects real-life supernatural and paranormal accounts, all unfolding against the lush, mysterious backdrop of the Evergreen State.

Key Discussion Points & Stories

Introduction to the Evergreen State

• Washington's Terrain & Mystery
  [11:35] Derek provides background: rugged wilds, abundant forests, and a history filled with legends and hauntings—Washington is the perfect playground for the unexplained.
• "That’s plenty of dark places for mystery to hide."
  (Derek Hayes, 11:49)

1. The Two-Faced Lady

Caller: Ann Marie
Timestamp: [02:43–06:35]

• Story: As children, Ann Marie and her cousin encounter a mysterious woman in a car. Each sees her differently: Ann Marie sees a young, beautiful, kind woman, while her cousin sees an old, snarling woman glaring at her.
• Memorable Quote:
  • "We called her the Two Faced Lady. For years after that, we never saw her again." (Ann Marie, 06:18)
• Derek’s Insight:
  • Derek suggests possibilities like a mask, window glare, or something truly supernatural.
  • "What a weird way to kick things off here tonight." (Derek Hayes, 06:35)

2. Childhood Shadow People

Caller: Thomas
Timestamp: [07:15–09:21]

• Story: Thomas describes repeated childhood encounters with shadow figures—first at home, then at a friend’s sleepover—emphasizing how real and terrifying these felt, even while surrounded by others.
• Memorable Quote:
  • "I saw this shadowy figure...peeking around the corner. And it freaked me out." (Thomas, 07:41)
• Derek’s Reaction:
  • "Those pesky shadow entities. Even the flag state seems to be plagued with them." (Derek Hayes, 09:21)

3. Poltergeist Footprints & The Freezing Room

Caller: Anonymous (College Student)
Timestamp: [12:23–16:45]

• Story: An unexplained loud bang shakes the caller and her roommate, followed by a rush of cold air and the discovery of child-sized, horizontal footprints high on the bedroom walls.
• Memorable Quote:
  • "All the footprints were horizontal. Kind of like someone was running around the room on the walls." (Anonymous, 15:43)
• Derek’s Response:
  • "Explaining away mysterious bangs on the wall isn’t impossible... but footprints on the wall... much more difficult to explain away." (Derek Hayes, 16:45)

4. Ghostly Breath in a Seattle Coffee Shop

Caller: Heidi
Timestamp: [17:32–20:29]

• Story: In mid-90s Seattle, Heidi experiences a strong sensation of someone blowing on her neck while reading in a crowded coffee shop—only to find no one around.
• Memorable Quote:
  • “It was like someone was standing right behind me...blowing on the back of my neck, like an inch or two away from my neck, like this really strong, like, right on my hairline.” (Heidi, 17:50)
• Derek’s Commentary:
  • Connects the incident to Seattle’s haunted underground passageways.

5. Seeing Through Closed Eyelids

Caller: Rebecca
Timestamp: [22:11–25:07]

• Story: Rebecca describes being awake yet able to “see” her room with her eyes closed—an uncanny, not-quite-sleep-paralysis phenomenon, similar to a previous podcast caller.
• Memorable Quote:
  • "It's like I can see through my eyelids, which would have a reddish pink hue...I am very awake." (Rebecca, 23:06)
• Derek’s Theory:
  • Suggests this could be out-of-body experience or remote viewing.

6. Guardian Angel Rescue

Caller: Stephanie
Timestamp: [26:27–27:16]

• Story: On a rural road, Stephanie swerves to avoid a cat, an act she can’t remember consciously, and wonders whether it was skill or something greater that saved her—and the cat.
• Memorable Quote:
  • "I don't remember turning the wheel to avoid the cat...Somehow I did both and the cat made it safely across the road." (Stephanie, 26:45)
• Derek’s Note:
  • Frames story as another guardian angel episode.

7. Ghostly Animal Companions

Callers: Felicia & Shelley
Timestamp: Felicia [28:57–30:46]; Shelley [31:56–34:57]

• Felicia’s Story:
  • Feels the presence of her late dog jumping on her bed; catches glimpses of a black shadow; finds comfort in her dog's afterlife visits.
  • "I absolutely love animal ghosts." (Felicia, 30:42)
• Shelley’s Story:
  • Dream visitation from her departed dog, Moo, bathed in blue light—a brief, vivid encounter offering comfort after loss.
  • "If I was someone who believed in fairies, I probably would have said, oh, that's a fairy." (Mike, 61:45)
• Derek’s Reflection:
  • He notes these “grace period” dream visitations are common with human loved ones but less so with pets, making Shelley’s especially touching.

8. House Ghost Interested in Tony Hawk

Caller: Troy
Timestamp: [37:25–39:53]

• Story: In a 100-year-old former commune, Troy and his son see a female face peering in on their video game session—before realizing his wife is still upstairs and was not the one in the room.
• Memorable Quote:
  • "It's like this ill defined face of a woman...the face kind of goes back around the corner, almost like, oh, I see what I wanted to see." (Troy, 38:26)

9. Little Brown Being Tugging Away

Caller: Sarah
Timestamp: [41:15–43:58]

• Story: Recalling her early 20s in a Victorian house, Sarah describes a waking encounter with a less-than-three-foot tall, brown, wrinkly being—possibly alien or cryptid—which she physically kicked away while resisting sleep.
• Notable Quote:
  • "It looked like what you would imagine, a gray alien but brown." (Sarah, 42:18)

10. The Hitchhiking Flannel Woman

Caller: Bailey
Timestamp: [45:17–48:30]

• Story: Bailey’s family picks up a silent, dirty woman with a gas can on a rural road. She disappears at the gas station, only to reappear at the original spot on their return.
• Key Quote:
  • "I kind of think that we picked up a ghost and gave her a ride to the gas station." (Bailey, 47:33)
• Derek’s Input:
  • Suggests this may be a rare female “Flannel Man” phenomenon.

11. Mechanical Growl in the Backwoods

Caller: Angie
Timestamp: [49:29–51:20]

• Story: While letting her dog out at night in Olympia, Angie hears a mechanical, chilling growl from the woods—unlike any known animal. Both she and her dog are terrified.
• Quote:
  • "It legitimately sounded like it was a mechanical growl." (Angie, 51:10)
• Derek’s Note:
  • Links it to possible Bigfoot or UFO activity in the state with a rundown of WA’s top UFO sighting cities.

12. Attic Shape & The Silhouette That Teleports

Caller: Trevor
Timestamp: [53:05–55:26]

• Story: Multiple sightings years apart of a blue-gray, cloudlike humanoid shape in the window of a locked attic. On the second occasion, both Trevor and his friend watch it "teleport" to the kitchen.
• Insight:
  • Derek acknowledges how the ambiguous figure could be “a ghost, an alien, a shadow man, a real person. All terrifying concepts.”

13. The Giant Insect (or Possible Fairy)

Caller: Mike
Timestamp: [57:24–62:50]

• Story: While setting up for early-morning target shooting outside Ellensburg, Mike observes a strange, rust-colored, 10-inch flying insect with split “legs” or abdomens, moving like a hummingbird, hovering and darting around him.
• Quote:
  • "If I was someone who believed in fairies, I probably would have said, oh, that's a fairy." (Mike, 61:45)
• Addendum:
  • Mike also reports wood-knocking from the area—suggesting possible Bigfoot or cryptid activity.
• Derek’s Follow-Up:
  • Offers a possible ID—a North African wood wasp—but remains open to stranger explanations.

Additional Notable Moments & Quotes

• On listener stories connecting across time:
  • "When I first heard his story, there was a moment of like, what? Because I've never told anyone this. I still haven't except for this call." (Rebecca, 24:10)
• On paranormal animal stories:
  • "We'd do anything for our pets, Felicia, and it seems our pets will do anything for us, even coming back from the other side." (Derek Hayes, 30:46)
• On rational explanations:
  • Derek frequently entertains mundane explanations but is quick to note when the details stray into the genuinely unexplainable: “...footprints on the wall...well, it’s much more difficult to explain away." (16:45)

Cryptid & Folklore Briefs: Washington State

[56:10+]

Derek gives a rapid-fire list of legendary creatures said to prowl Washington:

• Bigfoot
• Mutant Bat Squatch (winged Bigfoot)
• Cadborosaurus (“Catty”)
• Tacoma Narrows Octopus
• Lake Chelan Dragon
• Tata Klila (Owl Woman Monster of Yakima nation)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:43] – The Two-Faced Lady
• [07:15] – Childhood Shadow People
• [12:23] – Poltergeist Footprints/College Apartment
• [17:32] – Seattle Coffee Shop Ghost
• [22:11] – Seeing Through Eyelids
• [26:27] – Guardian Angel Road Incident
• [28:57] – Pet Ghosts (Felicia)
• [31:56] – Dream Visitations (Shelley)
• [37:25] – Tony Hawk Ghost (Troy)
• [41:15] – Brown Being in Victorian House (Sarah)
• [45:17] – Flannel Woman Hitchhiker (Bailey)
• [49:29] – Mechanical Growl (Angie)
• [53:05] – Attic Silhouette/Teleportation (Trevor)
• [57:24] – Giant Insect/Fairy/Knocking (Mike)

Notable Quotes Recap

• “We called her the Two Faced Lady. For years after that, we never saw her again.”
  (Ann Marie, 06:18)
• "All the footprints were horizontal. Kind of like someone was running around the room on the walls."
  (Anonymous, 15:43)
• “If I was someone who believed in fairies, I probably would have said, oh, that's a fairy."
  (Mike, 61:45)
• “It's like this ill defined face of a woman...the face kind of goes back around the corner, almost like, oh, I see what I wanted to see."
  (Troy, 38:26)
• "It legitimately sounded like it was a mechanical growl."
  (Angie, 51:10)

Tone & Style

• Conversational, eerie, inclusive—Derek encourages listeners to keep an open mind and invites further calls and stories.
• Stories are told in the callers’ own words, maintaining authenticity, while Derek provides both empathetic and skeptical takes.

Useful for Unfamiliar Listeners

• Even without listening, the episode’s structure and content—by turns haunting, mysterious, and tender—brings Washington’s supernatural lore to life via intimate, first-person storytelling.
• Derek’s wrap-ups and periodic historical context make it accessible for new listeners.
• The inclusion of animal spirits, guardian angels, Bigfoot, UFOs, and cryptids offers a comprehensive taste of the region’s paranormal spectrum.

Summary prepared by a Monsters Among Us superfan. Spooky stories courtesy of the Evergreen State. “Keep it spooky!”