Episode 676: Listener Tales 98: Witches!

Summary

Podcast Summary: Morbid
Episode 676: Listener Tales 98: Witches!
Release Date: May 29, 2025

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Introduction

In Episode 676 of Morbid, titled "Listener Tales 98: Witches!", hosts Ash and Elena delve into a series of spine-chilling stories submitted by listeners. Embracing the theme of witchcraft and exorcism, the episode weaves together personal testimonies of supernatural encounters, curses, and manifestations. The hosts infuse the narratives with their signature blend of thorough research and lighthearted humor, creating an engaging experience for both longtime fans and newcomers.

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Hosts' Introduction and Thematic Setup

The episode opens with Ash and Elena donning costumes inspired by the film The Craft, setting a spooky ambiance for the tales to follow.

• Ash (00:00 – 03:00): Briefly mentions the podcast's sponsors and shares humorous interactions about their costumes.

  “We dress up. And today we're dressed up like people from The Craft.” — Ash [03:16]

• Elena (02:28 – 03:00): Apologizes playfully for any hiccups during the introduction, adding to the lighthearted tone.

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Listener Tale 1: "I'm Spooky AF Witchcraft and Exorcism"

Narrator: Jean, a 27-year-old from the Philippines living in the Middle East, recounts her harrowing experience with witchcraft and exorcism.

Story Overview

Jean's family, consisting of her siblings, cousins, and grandparents, resides on a secluded farm next to a cemetery. Their peaceful yet eerie environment becomes the backdrop for a terrifying ordeal when her cousin Anna arrives sick with unexplained symptoms. Believing Anna to be the victim of kulam (Filipino witchcraft), the family consults traditional healers who confirm the curse was placed by a relative of Anna's stepmother.

Key Events

1. Anna's Arrival and Symptoms (07:15 – 08:15)

   • Anna arrives pale and frail, exhibiting severe physical symptoms.
   • Family believes black magic is the cause after a fight with her stepmother.

2. Exorcism Rituals (11:12 – 13:10)

   • Healers perform rituals involving candles, smoke, and holy water.
   • Anna experiences possession, speaking in an old woman's voice threatening harm.

   “Anna began to move strangely. Her body stiff, her voice completely changing.” — Jean [12:27]

3. Escalation and Possession (16:37 – 19:24)

   • Additional rituals fail to contain the evil spirit.
   • Possession spreads to Anna's sister, leading to violent outbursts.
   • The family faces increased paranormal activity and physical manifestations of the curse.

4. Anna's Death and Aftermath (19:34 – 22:17)

   • Anna is hospitalized but succumbs to her ailments before a definitive diagnosis is made.
   • Her wake reveals a transformed visage resembling her stepmother, deepening the family's trauma.
   • Jean reflects on the lingering presence of the curse even after Anna's passing.

   “The face you're seeing isn't hers. It's the face of the stepmother.” — Healer [21:58]

Hosts' Reactions

Ash and Elena react with shock and empathy, highlighting the story's emotional and supernatural elements.

“I have full chills right now. Like I have. I read this before and I have chills.” — Elena [21:38]

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Listener Tale 2: "Yeet. A Witch Cursed Me."

Narrator: Brianna shares her personal battle with curses that manifest in her physical health, linking her sufferings to witchcraft.

Story Overview

Brianna describes a traumatic event where she and her friends disturb an old wooden box containing eerie items. Upon tampering with the box, Brianna begins experiencing severe health issues, diagnosed later as multiple sclerosis. She connects these ailments to a curse placed upon her, attributing her symptoms to witchcraft influenced by her interactions with the mystical box.

Key Events

1. Discovery of the Cursed Box (23:32 – 24:18)

   • Brianna and friends find a box with ominous contents near a river.
   • Upon touching the key, Brianna starts experiencing nightmares and physical ailments.

2. Manifestation of Illness (35:02 – 37:00)

   • Brianna develops multiple sclerosis-like symptoms, which she believes are the curse's effects.
   • Her dreams become terrorizing, reinforcing her belief in the curse's reality.

   “Every wound she gave herself, I carry them now.” — Brianna [36:51]

3. Impact on Daily Life (37:00 – 38:40)

   • Despite seeking medical help, Brianna struggles with depression, anxiety, and memory loss.
   • She shares her hope that the curse will no longer haunt her as she manages her health issues.

Hosts' Reactions

Ash and Elena express sympathy and relate to the story's emotional depth, emphasizing the real-life impact of such supernatural encounters.

“That was so scary.” — Ash [35:34]
“I saw all of that. And I want to unsee it, please.” — Elena [38:32]

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Listener Tale 3: "I Manifested a Whole Cat"

Narrator: Danae recounts her experience with witchcraft and manifestation leading to the appearance of her cat, Mars.

Story Overview

After the loss of her beloved cat Loki, Danae turns to her nascent witchy practices to manifest a new pet. Despite initial resistance from her fiancé, her persistence through spells and rituals culminates in the appearance of Mars, a cat who seems determined to stay with her. Danae details the mystical signs that confirmed Mars' identity as her manifesting cat and the challenges she faced in convincing her fiancé to keep the cat.

Key Events

1. Loss of Loki and Decision to Manifest (39:00 – 41:33)

   • Devastated by Loki's disappearance, Danae decides to use witchcraft to bring a new cat into her life.
   • She performs a basic spell, burning bay leaves and setting ashes to manifest her desired outcome.

2. Encounter with Mars (41:34 – 48:35)

   • A stray black cat appears at her doorstep under mysterious circumstances.
   • Danae's intuition and witchy senses affirm that Mars is her manifested cat.
   • Despite initial skepticism from her fiancé, Mars proves to be a persistent and affectionate presence.

   “She couldn't have kittens because she was already fixed. And sadly, in fact, she did have tapeworms.” — Danae [48:10]

3. Integration into Family (48:36 – 49:10)

   • Mars becomes a cherished member of the family, bringing joy and companionship despite her initial struggles.

Hosts' Reactions

Ash and Elena celebrate Danae's successful manifestation with enthusiasm, highlighting the positive outcome of her witchcraft journey.

“Mars is so cute.” — Elena [49:07]
“You did.” — Elena [48:32]

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Listener Tale 4: "My Mom's a Witch"

Narrator: Gigi narrates her unsettling experience with a protective jar given by her mother, leading to mysterious burns.

Story Overview

Gigi, a veterinary technician student, receives a protective jar from her empathic mother just before moving for college. Ignoring her mother's instructions, Gigi allows a friend to touch the jar, triggering a curse that manifests as burns on her chest. Following her mother's guidance only after the incident helps alleviate the supernatural effects, reinforcing the power of her mother's witchcraft.

Key Events

1. Receiving the Protective Jar (49:40 – 51:08)

   • Gigi's mother gifts her a mason jar filled with protective items, instructing her to keep it in her car.
   • A friend accidentally touches the jar, prompting Gigi to contact her mother for help.

2. Manifestation of the Curse (52:04 – 54:00)

   • Gigi awakens with burns resembling oil splatters across her chest, a direct result of the curse.
   • Realizing her mistake, she follows her mother's instructions to remove the curse, which successfully heals her wounds.

   “The next day, the burns were gone. Your mama's a powerful bruja.” — Elena [54:28]

3. Lessons Learned (54:00 – 55:15)

   • Gigi shares the importance of respecting her mother's protective measures and the real consequences of meddling with witchcraft.

Hosts' Reactions

Ash and Elena reflect on the story's moral, emphasizing the importance of heeding spiritual guidance to avoid supernatural repercussions.

“That's worthy. You don't listen to your bruja of a mama.” — Ash [55:09]

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Conclusion

In this episode of Morbid, Ash and Elena explore the dark and mysterious world of witchcraft through their listeners' personal stories. Each tale underscores the potent blend of fear, belief, and the supernatural, leaving listeners both entertained and unsettled. The hosts adeptly balance the eerie narratives with their witty banter, ensuring an engaging and memorable experience.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Ash [03:16]: “We dress up. And today we're dressed up like people from The Craft.”
• Jean [12:27]: “Anna began to move strangely. Her body stiff, her voice completely changing.”
• Healer [21:58]: “The face you're seeing isn't hers. It's the face of the stepmother.”
• Brianna [36:51]: “Every wound she gave herself, I carry them now.”
• Elena [38:32]: “I saw all of that. And I want to unsee it, please.”
• Danae [48:10]: “She couldn't have kittens because she was already fixed. And sadly, in fact, she did have tapeworms.”
• Elena [49:07]: “Mars is so cute.”
• Elena [54:28]: “The next day, the burns were gone. Your mama's a powerful bruja.”
• Ash [55:09]: “That's worthy. You don't listen to your bruja of a mama.”

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Final Thoughts

Episode 676 of Morbid masterfully intertwines personal horror stories with supernatural elements, providing listeners with a captivating exploration of witchcraft's impact on real lives. Ash and Elena's dynamic hosting ensures that each tale is both haunting and relatable, making this episode a standout in the true crime and spooky history genre.

Transcript

[Ash]

Hey weirdos, it's Ash. Before we dive into today's twisted tale, let me tell you about the spooky perks of Wondery. It's like having a skeleton key that unlocks ad free listening and early access to new episodes. So don't wait. Try Wondery Today. You can join Wondery plus in the Wondery app, or in Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You're listening to a Morbid network podcast. We get support from Amazon Prime. Hey weirdos, you know what's literally the most amazing thing ever? Amazon Prime. Listen up because this is gonna blow your minds. With prime, you get faster than lightning delivery on like everything. We're talking millions of items. Literally everything you could ever want or need. But wait, there's more. There's more than everything you could want or need. Prime Video lets you binge all those shows we're obsessed with, and Amazon Music has all the bops for your next dance party. I have been ordering a little bit on prime lately. I had to get some earplugs the other night because my husband was a snorri snore snoring and I said please send them to me the very next day. And they did. That was great. Loved that. Whether you're a bookworm, a gaming fanatic, or you just really like trying new things or sleeping through the night without your husband snoring waking you up, Prime's got your back. Ebooks for days, free in game goodies and everything you need to make your next DIY project. From streaming to shopping, it's on Prime. Visit Amazon.com prime to get more out of whatever you're into. Morbid is sponsored by Squarespace. Squarespace is the all in one website platform for entrepreneurs to stand out and succeed online. Squarespace gives you everything you need to offer services and get paid all in one place. It's so convenient. From consultations to events and experiences, showcase your offerings with a customizable website designed to attract clients and grow your business. Every Dream needs a domain, and Squarespace Domain makes it easy to find the best name for your business at one fair, all inclusive price. There's no hidden fees or add ons, nothing like that required. And every Squarespace domain comes with advanced privacy and security tools included to ensure that your domain remains online and protected. Protected. Plus, Squarespace provides everything you need to bring more of your dreams to life. Whether that means building a website or adding a professional email Service. Head to squarespace.commorbid for a free trial and when you're ready to launch, use offer code morbid to save 10 off your first purchase of a website or domain. Hey, weirdos. I'm Bonnie Post. Glow up.

[Elena]

And I'm Nancy Mid glow up.

[Ash]

She's sorry.

[Elena]

I am sorry. Oh, my mom and dad are calling me.

[Ash]

That's because you tried to call that.

[Elena]

I did.

[Ash]

She tried to FaceTime them. I going to give them a heart attack. They're older people. We can't do that to them.

[Elena]

This is a look.

[Ash]

A Luke.

[Elena]

A Luke, if you will. I've been sorry. I'm going to mess with this. With my hair. I'm sorry. Because this is really. This is really something.

[Ash]

I spit on my vice. Oh, my God.

[Elena]

We have Nicholas here. It says you look good.

[Ash]

Oh, you're good. Maybe because I spit on my own face. Also, if you're not watching this on YouTube and you're listening to it, don't forget these are on YouTube now. Listener tales are on YouTube. And we dress up. And today we're dressed up like people from the craft.

[Elena]

Yeah. You don't want to miss this.

[Ash]

You really don't. Mostly for Elena's. Giddy up. Get up, giddy up, giddy up, get up.

[Elena]

Yeah, I even did the black eyebrows, in case. With eyeliner.

[Ash]

You did.

[Elena]

To color over, you know.

[Ash]

Did you ever have, like, a goth phase like that?

[Elena]

I never had this.

[Ash]

You had, like, an emo phase?

[Elena]

Yeah, I had an emo phase, I think in, like, my soft goth.

[Ash]

Soft goth era.

[Elena]

This. I never had this face when she.

[Ash]

First put the wig on.

[Elena]

I respect this face. I just can't pull this face off.

[Ash]

Maybe in another life.

[Elena]

Yeah. I think I'm made to have the hair. I have. I'm made to have the eyebrows.

[Ash]

It's because your features are so tiny.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[Ash]

They're like all of the, like, goth things are so harsh.

[Elena]

Yeah. That it's like I can't blood off.

[Ash]

But you still look good in a weird, scary way. I don't know.

[Elena]

I sent a picture to John. He has not responded yet, and he's right downstairs.

[Ash]

So you gave him a heart attack.

[Elena]

I think I gave him a fright.

[Ash]

I think so.

[Elena]

But, yeah, I love Nancy.

[Ash]

Yeah, Nancy's the best.

[Elena]

But Nancy pulls off Nancy.

[Ash]

I just wanted to, like. I wanted to wear a costume without wearing too much of a costume. I wanted to cheat a little bit.

[Elena]

You nailed Bonnie.

[Ash]

Thank you.

[Elena]

Like, that is Bonnie. So, yeah, go watch the craft. If you haven't watched it before. And also, this is probably really strange if you haven't watched the craft.

[Ash]

If you haven't Watched the craft. What are you doing?

[Elena]

I know. How are you?

[Ash]

Even the second one was pretty good.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[Ash]

Yeah, it was all right. I liked it better than I thought I was going to.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[Ash]

Anyway, first one rock, first one slaps. Yeah, I have. I am the Son Holy.

[Elena]

That's on it.

[Ash]

Or dressed like Catholic people.

[Elena]

Like, we're going to Catholic school.

[Ash]

Like Catholic girls.

[Elena]

Like Catholic girls.

[Ash]

All right, well, you know what it is? It's Listener tales. It's brought to you by euphoria from you and all about you. Remember, if you're sending in a listener tale right now, let us know if we can use the images in your listener tale. Otherwise, we'll follow. I'm explaining it. Nicholas.

[Elena]

Did he say what?

[Ash]

Yeah, he said what?

[Elena]

What?

[Ash]

Otherwise, we're going to pester you.

[Elena]

And if you haven't been here before and you're just joining for this episode, welcome. Can you imagine?

[Ash]

Can you imagine if this is your.

[Elena]

First rodeo in here? Hello.

[Ash]

Alley oop.

[Elena]

And also, that's Nicholas. He's our resident ghost that's going to join us for listener tales and spooky episodes.

[Ash]

He was mean to me. Last spooky episode. So hopefully we can repair our friends today, Nicholas.

[Elena]

Hopefully.

[Ash]

I'd like to.

[Elena]

I feel like you can.

[Ash]

All right, well, speaking of spooky things, the first listener tale is called Listener Tale. Read me. I'm Spooky AF Witchcraft and Exorcism.

[Elena]

I'm gonna close this. Close.

[Ash]

All right.

[Elena]

So not Mac forward.

[Ash]

Don't be Mac forward. It's like the Andrew McMahon episode when I was the most Mac Forward a girl could possibly be. Literally. I was hiding. I was a little bit nervous. Anyway, hi there, Ash and Elena. I'm a new listener here, and I just have to say, this is the most fun podcast ever. Oh, I love it. Thank you. Thank you for all the laughter. Even though your stories can be truly heartbreaking, you bring so much light to my otherwise boring world. I've been following you for almost a year and a half now, and I absolutely love how you deliver each story. You both make me so happy.

[Elena]

Oh, you make me happy.

[Ash]

Good day to all the morbid listeners. I just want to share. Good day. I just want to share my unforgettable and scary experience from when I was 14 years old and in seventh grade. Please forgive me in advance if there are any suffering. Awesome. Please forgive me in advance if there are any grammatical errors. And I'll do my very best to tell every bit of my story. Please stick with me until the end. I Promise it will be worth it.

[Elena]

And yes, stick with you.

[Ash]

This is a 100 true to life story. I've only changed the names of the people involved, including mine. Do you believe in spirits possessing human bodies?

[Elena]

Hell yeah. Just ask Nicholas.

[Ash]

Yes. Or should we call it exorcism? Well, if you don't, just wait till you hear my story. My name is Jean. I'm 27 years old, originally from the Philippines and currently working in the Middle East. This is my story of encountering a real life exorcism. It all happened in 2007. We were living in the province with my two siblings and four male cousins. So that's seven kids in total, two girls, five boys, plus our grandma and our grandpa, making nine of us in the household.

[Elena]

Damn. I know.

[Ash]

That's a lot of people. We lived in our grandmother's house because both of our parents had decided to work abroad. My cousin's parents were also busy running a business in another town. First, let me describe our house and the environment to add more spookiness to the story. My grandpa and uncle owned a large farm lot that surrounded our house. It felt like we were right in the middle of nowhere with only two houses in the area.

[Elena]

Bowl. Maybe he's reminding you of a bowl Haircut.

[Ash]

Maybe.

[Elena]

And he said suffering. And I think he means how itchy this is.

[Ash]

Wigs are itchy.

[Elena]

And he was like suffering especially like.

[Ash]

Like Amazon wigs.

[Elena]

This is. It's pretty cloudy outside. So he's correct, huh?

[Ash]

It is, yeah. Good job, Nicholas. Well, anyway, you'd have to walk literally 10 minutes just to reach the neighbor. Imagine a vast farm filled with animals, big trees, a river behind our house, and even a mountain just a five minute walk away.

[Elena]

Are you recording?

[Ash]

Did he say, are you recording? Yes, Nicholas, we are. Yes, we are.

[Elena]

Nicholas. Sorry, we should have asked your permission first. Is that okay, Nicholas?

[Ash]

John.

[Elena]

Did he just say John? Should we just abandon listener tales and just listen to Nicholas?

[Ash]

Just snap my laptop in half and run out of here. Okay, Nicholas, you know too much. Okay, so. So remember, we're in a. We're. We're on a farm. I'm terrified.

[Elena]

Tell us also if you get a chance. Nicholas, what about John? All right, go ahead.

[Ash]

Fair, fair. So you'd have to walk literally 10 minutes just to reach the next neighbor. Imagine a vast farm filled with animals, big trees, a river behind our house, and even a mountain just five. A five minute walk away. My.

[Elena]

A happy place. Thank you.

[Ash]

Oh, you thought. Oh, I thought. And. Are you ready for this?

[Elena]

Yeah.

[Ash]

We were Right next to a cemetery.

[Elena]

Oh hell yeah.

[Ash]

It's your happiest place.

[Elena]

Oh, I love that.

[Ash]

Yes, if you looked at our bedroom window, you could literally see the cemetery. Oh, I love that. My cousins and I were always traumatized by the sight of it, so we never slept in that room. Instead, we all camped out in the living room because we were too scared. Our favorite thing to do every night though, was tell horror stories. On weekends, we'd binge, watch scary movies, then end up sleeping together all terrified. Those were fun and spooky times. At night, the farm became pitch dark. There were no street lights. Only the moon and stars lit up the narrow paths. You'd hear nothing but the occasional hoot, hoot of birds or sounds from the farm animals. Now fast forward to when we received a call from one of our cousins who lived in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. Our province was about a seven hour drive away from the city. We were told that our cousin Anna was very sick and the hospitals could not figure out what was wrong with her. So my grandma decided to take her in. She thought maybe Anna just needed fresh air since the city is crowded and heavily polluted. The day finally came when Anna arrived with her older sister. And we were all shocked when we saw her. She looked so thin and pale, with dark eye bags and dry lips. And her stomach also seemed unusually swollen. Anna was only 18 years old at the time, but to me she looked much older than her actual age.

[Elena]

Poor Anna.

[Ash]

And then the weird stuff started happening. Her sister told us that before all of this began, Anna had a terrible fight with her stepmother. She believed that she was the victim of black magic, what we call kulam, a type of Filipino witchcraft or sorcery.

[Elena]

Oh, interesting.

[Ash]

Oh, by the way, we tried to get witchcraft themed listener tales.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[Ash]

So the craft. Because the craft. They also believed that this was the main reason why the hospitals couldn't figure out what was wrong with Anna. I remember she had a heart condition when she was a kid, but the doctor said it completely healed and that was that had nothing to do with her current state. There were days when my cousin Anna felt extremely weak and sick. Especially on Tuesdays and Fridays, which are believed to be the days when black magic is at its strongest. Oh, isn't that interesting? I didn't know that she would start making strange noises. Noises at night around 3 or 4am, the so called witching hours. One night I woke up to the sound of her crying. She stared directly at me with heavy breathing and her eyes just looked terrifying. Even now Just remembering it gives me chills. That face did not look like my cousin Anna at all. Two weeks after they arrived, the family finally decided to consult a full care healer. What we call an abulero, I think, and tagalog. These are traditional Filipino healers who use herbal medicine and ancient rituals to heal physical or spiritual ailments. After performing the rituals, the healers did confirm that Anna was indeed a victim of Kulam, a curse cast by an old woman who happened to be a relative of her stepmother.

[Elena]

What the up with that lady?

[Ash]

They got in a fight and she. She cursed her.

[Elena]

Don't curse people.

[Ash]

I know. During the ritual.

[Elena]

Rude.

[Ash]

They tried to confront the witch's spirit. What I saw was something I will never forget. Anna began to move strangely. Her body stiff, her voice completely changing. She no longer sounded like herself. She sounded like an old woman with a sharp, angry voice, shouting at the healer. I'm gonna kill this girl. You can't do anything about it.

[Elena]

That's so spooky.

[Ash]

Horrifying.

[Elena]

Imagine seeing your cousin doing that.

[Ash]

No.

[Elena]

Like screaming in somebody else's voice. I'm gonna kill this girl.

[Ash]

My grandma shouted back in anger and prayer. It all lasted maybe a minute. And then, just like that, Anna came back to herself. She would break down in tears, totally unaware of what had just happened. We asked her where she went during those moments and she said she didn't know. Everything just turned pitch black. Creepy, right?

[Elena]

I hate that.

[Ash]

The healer gave the family two choices. Apologize to the stepmother and try to make peace or fight back. But it would come at a cost, and Anna would suffer more. Of course, this witch messed with the wrong family. So we chose to fight back.

[Elena]

Hell yeah.

[Ash]

For weeks, they performed strange rituals. They burned candles of leaves to create thick smoke while chanting prayers. Anna was told to inhale the smoke, which was said to cleanse her body and her spirit. They also bathed her with salt and holy water. I forgot to mention. Oh, Nicholas, we're here.

[Elena]

Nicholas, we're here.

[Ash]

Is it because we fought last week? It's all good.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[Ash]

Let's be friends. I forgot to mention. Anna hadn't pooped in over a month, which explained her swollen and hardened stomach. I can't even imagine how much pain she must have been in. Yeah, I know. A month.

[Elena]

Oh my God. That's so bad.

[Ash]

After each session, they gave her medicinal oils and plant based remedies. I remember one time she drank this weird medicine that looked like ash. Not me. It even smelled burnt. The expression on her face said it all. It tasted horrible. I'M sorry. But strangely, it worked and she was finally able to poop a little.

[Elena]

I mean, I would do it Metamucil. Maybe that's what it was.

[Ash]

After about a month of seeing the healer regularly, she slowly started to improve. Her appetite, came back, and for the first time in weeks, she could sleep through the night. I thought everything would be okay because Anna seemed much better. Then one day my grandma visited some Catholic church members, mostly elderly women, to bless our house, or more accurately, to cast out any evil spirits. They prayed for more than three hours, going room to room, sprinkling rice mixed with salt while shouting over and over, we condemn the evil spirit in this household. And that's when Anna started losing it again. From the creator of Think Twice, Michael Jackson Listen to the New Audible Original Final Thoughts Jerry Springer Once known as the king of Trash tv, Springer was the notorious talk show host whose wild daytime program transfixed audiences everywhere. Join Springer's personal and professional life as the ratings soared and the reviews soured. Here revealing interviews about the choices we make and the regrets we may have. Listen to the new trashy and true Audible Original Final Thoughts Jerry Springer by going to audible.com Springer hey weirdos, if.

[Elena]

Ash and Elena's episode on Ken McElroy left you wondering how someone could become so cruel, manipulative, and untouchable, you'll want to hear my psychological breakdown of this case. On my podcast Killer Psyche, I examined the twisted mindset behind McElroy's reign of terror, how he exploited fear, used charm as a weapon, and turned an entire town into his victims. Understanding what made him tick is exactly the kind of insight I bring on Killer Psyche, where I use my experience profiling criminals for the FBI to uncover what drives people like Ken McElroy to become predators. So if you're curious about the mind behind the mayhem, join me for an inside look at the psychology of a man who got away with everything until he didn't follow Killer Psyche on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ash]

She began whispering strange things in a cold, terrifying stare directed at the old ladies. She stayed eerily silent while the grannies tried to talk to her, but you could tell that something just wasn't right. And that's when we realized she was being possessed again by that same evil spirit. It's like the witch was watching us and she was pissed.

[Elena]

Damn.

[Ash]

From that point on, every day at 6pm we would gather in front of our altar to pray the rosary and read Bible verses. There were moments we could tell Anna wasn't herself again. But we kept praying and tried to ignore the strange shifts in her behavior. I sat beside her during these prayers since I was the eldest, after her sister being a student at a Catholic school like me and Elena. Yeah, I knew a lot of prayers by heart, and I thought, yup, this is my jam. Evil spirits. Bye. I love that.

[Elena]

I love that you said, like, I'm.

[Ash]

Flexing on these spirits. But weeks passed, and Anna started to get worse again. She couldn't eat. She was up all night. She started. She stopped pooping again. She kept saying her shoulders felt heavy and her back hurt terribly. We ended up buying her a wooden reclining chair because she could no longer lie down to sleep.

[Elena]

Oh, no.

[Ash]

She had to sit up the entire time. It really broke my heart to see her like that.

[Elena]

And she's so young.

[Ash]

I know. The healing sessions continued, but the evil witch just got bitchier. Eventually, my grandma decided to surrender. She agreed to apologize to the stepmom, the very one they believed was behind the curse.

[Elena]

That is idiotic. Not apologizing, but what the stepmother has done.

[Ash]

I agree.

[Elena]

Yeah. Yeah, Nicholas, you right.

[Ash]

But the stepmom didn't just show up in person. They were able to speak to her to, like, the grandma. By possessing Anna's sister. What the. So now we had two possessed people in the house. What the actual holy. The quote unquote conversation started with the healer just trying to intimidate the witch and the stepmom. But they did not back down. Instead, they started cussing out my grandma, saying the nastiest things. It's too late. It's too late. She already. It's never too late. You're right, Nicholas.

[Elena]

Never.

[Ash]

She already ate. By no means is it ever over.

[Elena]

Nicholas is on your side.

[Ash]

I love that she already. They said she already ate the cursed food. She will die, and she will take her two siblings with her. That's when everything hit a new level of terrifying. I forgot to mention, both Anna and her sister at this point had to be physically restrained by four men.

[Elena]

Oh, my God.

[Ash]

I know. The stepmom's spirit inside Anna's sister was trying to bite people. And she was strong as hell. Like, superhuman strong. Damn. I could not sleep that night. Actually, I've really never slept peacefully again after that encounter. Fast forward. Anna got even more boat. He's like, get the hell out of there.

[Elena]

Get on a boat.

[Ash]

Fast forward. And it got even more like, oh.

[Elena]

Did you die on a boat?

[Ash]

He said, my death or let all.

[Elena]

Oh, I think he drowned.

[Ash]

I'm sorry. Nicholas.

[Elena]

Nicholas. Damn, that was heavy. Wow. It's not about you right now though. Okay? We'll talk later. So we'll talk later.

[Ash]

Okay.

[Elena]

That's good.

[Ash]

Anna got even more ill. So they decided to take her back to the hospital. We would often visit and she seemed okay there. But deep down, we knew something wasn't right. She ended up staying in the hospital for more than a month.

[Elena]

Wow.

[Ash]

Still, the doctors could not figure out what was wrong or how to treat her. The healer continued sending her herbal medicines, though I'm not sure if the doctors allowed her to take them. One time when I visited, Anna told me something that gave me chills. She said a lot of people had died in that hospital room. It had eight beds filled with some patients, from newborn to elderly adults. And she told me she saw someone die right in front of her. Oh, God. It traumatized her. I felt so bad just seeing how scared and hopeless she was. She'd been sick for more than three months now, and she just wasn't getting any better. Eventually, the family decided to bring her back to Manila and to transfer her to a much larger hospital with better facilities. But the healer strongly disagreed. He warned us, if she leaves, it will be the end.

[Elena]

Oh, wow.

[Ash]

My grandma begged them to stay, but the family insisted. They just promised that they would come back once the doctors finally diagnosed Anna. By this time, Anna was in a near vegetative state. She was conscious, but she couldn't speak. She was on oxygen support. And then the worst nightmare happened. On the way to Manila, she fell into a coma. By the time they reached the hospital, she was completely unresponsive. The doctors gave the family 48 hours to decide whether to keep her on life support or let her go. It broke all of our hearts. I cried and I prayed that night, just begging for a miracle. We waited for more than two days holding on to hope. But Anna never woke up. So the family made the heartbreaking decision to say goodbye. On July 27, 2007, Anna passed away. Her wake was held at their family home in Manila for almost two weeks. And after that, her body was brought to back to our province for another week long wake. The moment I saw her in her coffin, I was stunned. She didn't look like Anna. She looked like a complete stranger. When the healer arrived, he explained. The face you're seeing isn't hers. It's the face of the stepmother. I have full chills right now. Like I have. I read this before and I have chills.

[Elena]

I just got straight up chills.

[Ash]

The face of the stepmother, like, haunting this family. Oh, my God, I hate the stepmother.

[Elena]

Why was she so mad?

[Ash]

She was. A beer.

[Elena]

Could they have possibly done to elicit this?

[Ash]

Nothing.

[Elena]

Damn.

[Ash]

He said Anna suffered greatly, and you could see the pain in her expression before her heart stopped. And he also told us, in a few days, her real face will return. Isn't that wild?

[Elena]

Shut up.

[Ash]

Sure enough, just two days before her funeral, her face changed, and she looked exactly like Anna again. I remember asking my grandma, did they put makeup on her? Because suddenly her cheeks had a soft blush, her lips were pink, her skin smooth. She looked like she was just sleeping. And the most beautiful part. Her lips were curled into a soft smile.

[Elena]

Oh.

[Ash]

It wasn't creepy at all. And I knew deep in my heart that she was finally at peace. A lot of strange things continued to happen, even after the funeral. But I'll stop here, because this is already five pages long and my eyes hurt. You're welcome to summarize this story however you like. Let me know if you want to hear what happened next. We do.

[Elena]

Yes.

[Ash]

Like when her sister and my cousin got possessed by spirits, too. Holy. I truly hope this story makes it to Listener Tales. It did.

[Elena]

It did.

[Ash]

Thank you so much, Ash and Elena. More power to you both. And honestly, I would die if you ever read this on your podcast. Don't die. Don't not die.

[Elena]

Damn, what a story that one was.

[Ash]

Holy.

[Elena]

Poor.

[Ash]

I know.

[Elena]

Going through all that.

[Ash]

I hope. I hope you're right. And that, like, she's finally at peace now. I bet she is.

[Elena]

I hope so, because she didn't deserve that. Sorry. My ears are tucked underneath these. That's okay.

[Ash]

The part that scared me the most was when she had the stepmother's face.

[Elena]

No, I hate that.

[Ash]

Aside from that. Also scared me.

[Elena]

That was also very scary because, yeah, we've all been there. Yeah, not in that way, but.

[Ash]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Elena]

Even Nicholas was sh. He was moved by that.

[Ash]

He was.

[Elena]

Well, let's see. Thank you for that one. This one's called Listener Tales. Yeet. A witch cursed me.

[Ash]

This one is up.

[Elena]

Cool.

[Ash]

And it's a little gory, so if that's not your vibe, like, maybe skip it. But I love it.

[Elena]

But don't stick around. So this is Yeet. Okay, now that I got your attention from your favorite word, here is a puff and a dock of my Listener's Tale. I love it. Whichever is better. Hope you guys love it. My name is Brianna, and you can all use my name.

[Ash]

Party.

[Elena]

Brianna.

[Ash]

Brianna.

[Elena]

There you go. Warning the details of my Nightmare are pretty messed up. Hello, weirdos. Brianna here. Feel free to use my name. I have a long story, so read all of it and I am not sorry. I like that. I like it, too, because for this story of mine, your bums will be clenched.

[Ash]

She's not lying.

[Elena]

She's not. This story goes best with a darkened room and blankets to cover your toes.

[Ash]

There's a blanket over there.

[Elena]

There is, but I don't want to take it out. It's a costume. I will talk about how much I love you guys and your podcast and all the mushy stuff at the end. So let's get straight to business, yeah. When I was younger, my siblings, friends, and I went walking near the river. Shout out to June and Mags. Mags was the person who got me listening to you guys shout out to you.

[Ash]

Mags.

[Elena]

Shout out to respectful Nicholas.

[Ash]

Are we doing this again? Nicholas, are we doing this again? Who's disrespectful?

[Elena]

You were the one talking.

[Ash]

No, you were reading.

[Elena]

No, you said, shout out to Mags and he said disrespectful.

[Ash]

It's not disrespectful, Nicholas. Shout out means thank you.

[Elena]

Maybe he didn't understand. Maybe he's from a distant time.

[Ash]

I'm trying to explain it.

[Elena]

I appreciate that.

[Ash]

I'm trying to be more open with Nicholas today.

[Elena]

So what that means is like, hey, June. Hey, Mags. Thank you. Okay, Nicholas. We were just messing around. That's when we found it. An old wooden box. My sister handed me a stick to pry it open. Thanks, sis. Inside a bag of cornmeal and rice, bird skulls, strange mushrooms, and a rusty skeleton key.

[Ash]

That's what dreams are made of.

[Elena]

I'm not kidding you. I would have done anything to find this when I was younger.

[Ash]

Maybe not, though. When you find out what happens.

[Elena]

Probably not. Don't mind me. I'm going to do something extremely stupid right now. It says, I picked up the key. Honestly, I would have, too, probably.

[Ash]

Who wouldn't?

[Elena]

My sister freaked. Drop it. That's some bruharia. For those who don't know. Oh, you gave me a pronunciation. If I had read a little further. Oh, thank you. I appreciate that. Bruharia. Bruhari. Oh, roll that R, girly. I know you can. I love that you have so much faith in me, Brianna. I cannot roll my arse, but.

[Ash]

I got very British there. Would you say, like.

[Elena]

Oh, yeah, okay. Yeah. I feel like that's right.

[Ash]

Right. That's hard to say.

[Elena]

I cannot roll my R's. It's like genetics.

[Ash]

It is genetic.

[Elena]

Yeah. I can't do it.

[Ash]

I think I got it on my dad's side.

[Elena]

But I really appreciate that. That, like, support. You were like. I know. You can shut up. Okay. God. Show off. So it means witchcraft in Spanish. I put it back and we closed the box and went home. The next morning, I woke up with the key there under my pillow. You just dropped that. Like you just. You were no build up, she said.

[Ash]

Witchcraft key.

[Elena]

Yeah, she said. I just woke up the next morning and there it was. I screamed, ran to my parents. They saw me, a mess, sobbing, holding up the key like it was burning me. They blame my sister. She swore up and down she didn't put it there. We had been together the whole time. No time to grab it. No time to plant it. In the end, my dad buried it in the backyard. Bad ideas all around. I didn't say that you did.

[Ash]

Self aware.

[Elena]

The nightmare started when I was 14. It's always the same. A pitch black forest. Wind howling through the trees. Fog curling around my feet. I was always cold, hugging myself as I wandered. Then, out of nowhere, a cabin. Towering, rotting. Its windows shattered like empty eyes.

[Ash]

You write really well.

[Elena]

I enter the house and the door closes behind me. A long hallway stretched before me. He can. He can speak. Is that. Oh, he can't speak. You just did, though, so don't worry.

[Ash]

Yeah, you're speaking through the. Through the phone. Nicholas. You got this.

[Elena]

We hear you. Believe in yourself.

[Ash]

We can hear you.

[Elena]

So I started with the first. Inside a living room, a couch, a bookshelf, a dusty old TV in the corner. I moved further in, standing behind the couch. That's when I heard it. Now, here's where it gets spoopy. I hear a woman call out my name from behind me. Hello, Brianna. I turn around and there's no one there. I turn my head back to the tv. The TV flickered on. Static, humming. And an old woman sat cross legged on the floor, rocking side to side, laughing. A dry, hollow cackle. Then silence. She presses her hands to the screen. Then rose too tall. Tall enough to almost hit the ceiling. I hate that. Skin stretched over her brittle bones. Her limbs grotesquely long, her mouth curled into a sick, toothy grin. But her eyes. Her eyes were weeping.

[Ash]

Oh, I don't like it. I don't like Nicholas.

[Elena]

Yes.

[Ash]

It's a little scary.

[Elena]

It's scary. Then suddenly, methodically, she smashed her own eyes with her fists. The wet sound of breaking. The scream high and rattling, full of pain. And then she wrote in parentheses, psycho Then it stopped. She reached into the hollowed sockets and pulled out a rusty key, handed it to me. I take the key and leave. Going to the next door. I love that you were just like.

[Ash]

Okay, I'll take that.

[Elena]

The word is gonna go to my next quest. Onto the next. I unlock it with the key that was given to me. When I entered, she, my bestie looked perfectly fine. She stepped to a broken window and plucked a shard of glass. She held it up to her neck and dragged it across her throat. Blood poured, but she kept grinning. She stuck her tongue out and sliced it out.

[Ash]

I told you I'd be like, what?

[Elena]

What's going on?

[Ash]

If I had this dream, I would never go to sleep again.

[Elena]

This is rough. She started to laugh again, but she began to gargle and choke on her blood. Mind you, this whole time she's staring straight at me for this whole interaction. She sticks her hand into her neck, pulls out another rusty key and hands it to me too. Okay people, flowers, ponies and puppies. We're making our way through Flowers, ponies, puppies, Mikey stressed in the corner. I grab this one and exit. But before I leave, I hear her gurgle the words just wait a bit longer. Gurgle, gurgle. Last year, long crime brought you the trial that captivated the nation. She's accused of hitting her boyfriend, Boston police officer John o' Keefe, with a car. Karen Reed is arrested and charged with second degree murder. The six week trial resulted in anything but resolution. We continue to find ourselves at an impasse. I'm declaring a mistrial in this case. But now the case is back in the spotlight and one question still lingers. Did Karen Reed kill John o' Keefe?

[Ash]

The evidence is overwhelming that Karen Reed is innocent.

[Elena]

How does it feel to be a cop killer? Karen I'm Kristen Thorne, investigative reporter with Law and Crime and host of the podcast the Retrial. This isn't just a retrial. It's a second chance at the truth. I have nothing to hide. My life is in the balance and it shouldn't be. I just want people to go back.

[Ash]

To who the victim is in this. It's not her.

[Elena]

Listen to episodes of the Retrial exclusively. An ad free on Wondery. Lamont Jones world is shattered when his cousin dies in custody just weeks after entering prison. The official report says natural causes, but bruises and missing teeth tell a different story. From Wondery comes Death. County, Pennsylvania. Chilling true story of corruption and cover ups that begins as one man's search for answers, but soon reveals a disturbing pattern. Lamont's cousin's death is just one of many, and powerful forces are working to keep the truth buried. With never before heard interviews and shocking revelations, Death County, Pennsylvania pulls back the curtain on one of America's grand, darkest institutional secrets. This isn't just another true crime story. It's happening right now. Follow Death County PA on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Death County PA early and ad free right now by joining Wondery. I ran to the next door to unlock it. I went into the next room and she was back to me too.

[Ash]

Nicholas, you are. You're being a great third host.

[Elena]

You are. Nicholas is stressed. I went into the next room and she was back to being whole again. This time she was in an empty room with just a small table. Hate my dream self. Run out of the house, dummy. Yeah, he was singing a tune. And went down on her knees and started banging her head against the table and saying, don't forget. Can't forget. Why can't I remember? She stuttered and repeated this over and over. Then as she was banging her head, chunks of her brain started coming out and with it was a key. At least a key is always involved. You know, she's always like, into the next room. Yeah, she picks it up and hands it to me. People, rainbows and kittens. This is not a drill. I took this key and ran out of the door and unlocked the last door. This room was the kitchen. Her being perfectly whole again. She grabbed the kitchen knife. I'd be like, no, stop it. We know how this ends. Digging into her left leg with the knife, she stabbed herself in the leg once, twice. Again. Still grinning, still humming, she reached in, fingers slick with blood, and pulled out another key. I'll be waiting, she whispered, handing me the key. I turned to run and when I got to the end of the hallway to leave the house, I froze. The old woman stood at the end of the hallway, her body broken, every injury, every wound. Blood dripped from her hollow eye sockets, her throat and her shredded limbs. Then laughter, a wild, heaving laugh that rattled my bones. When she stopped, she stood up, completely straight and still. Suddenly she was right in front of me and all her wounds started to heal one by one. I felt as if I was crying and touching my face. There was blood on my hands and I realized that my eyes were bleeding. My throat was cut and my tongue was missing. My leg had a huge hole and was bleeding out. I limped out of the house and managed to get past some trees until I heard this horrific scream. A hand, cold, pressing against my back. I fell. I rolled onto my back just as she reached for me. Her long withered fingers wrapping around my neck, squeezing. I choked. I clawed at her mouth, shoved my hand deep inside her mouth and pulled out the final key. Her grip loosened. I gasped for air and she just smiled. Then she was gone. I wake up gasping, coughing, choking. I open my eyes and always see her in the corner of my room.

[Ash]

Hate that.

[Elena]

Watching and smiling. Then she turned, stepped into the wall and disappeared. On one of these nights, I took it upon myself to keep a pen and paper on my nightstand. So when I was able to move after my dream, I turned the lights on and started to draw her to show my siblings. The pen broke and ink splattered everywhere, but I continued since it felt like a trance and I couldn't stop. I sent you the drawing.

[Ash]

We got it.

[Elena]

Also, I showed my 11 year old brother and traumatized him slightly. Just wanted to make him stronger. You were 14.

[Ash]

It's fine.

[Elena]

Yeah. You know, I didn't have the dream again. Not for a while. At 16, the dream returned. I feel like, should we bring the. Oh, is her name Brenda?

[Ash]

If this witch's name is Brenda, I'm done.

[Elena]

You're all.

[Ash]

You're all not ready for this.

[Elena]

Let me see. Brenda. Brenda. That's Brenda. 5%. So scary. Imagine she's just like, I'm Brenda.

[Ash]

So scary. She's kind of whimsical in a way, though. I don't know in what way exactly.

[Elena]

Name the way.

[Ash]

The Hanner.

[Elena]

It's what we want.

[Ash]

Brenda's not what we want. Brenda is not, in fact, what we want.

[Elena]

But she's beautiful. Yeah.

[Ash]

You're gorgeous, Brenda.

[Elena]

At 16, the dream returned. But in this dream, the woman was saying that it was finally time. And when I woke up from the dream, I felt a hand planted on my back. Being the big girl that I am, I flipped over onto my back and saw her again. She was there, her body broken, her wounds fresh. She lunged at me. Then nothing. I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 17. Oh, I'm sorry. I know. My symptoms are depression, anxiety and memory loss. Speech problems like stuttering and fumbling my words. My anxiety convinced my brain that my vision was different, that I had something extremely wrong with my eyesight. I didn't. And that my left leg, left leg would walk on its own. It would walk outwards. It felt weak. And I walked with a limp. I Had to go to to physical, vision, and speech therapy for a year and a half. So if you hadn't put two and two together yet. Every wound she gave herself, I carry them now.

[Ash]

Isn't that fucking bananas?

[Elena]

And I always will for the rest of my life. If I have children, they might carry them, too. I am now 21. I'm getting treatment, so I'm doing better.

[Ash]

I'm glad. That makes me so happy.

[Elena]

My memory and speech are still such a huge issue for me sometimes. I feel like if she comes back, she won't need to haunt my dreams. Because next time, I won't wake up. I still forget things, but I know one thing for sure. A witch cursed me. Thank you. Thank you so much for listening to my story. I love your podcast so much, and you girls are the absolute best. You guys are my go to podcast. I feel like we're totally on the same wavelength. Best friends in the making. Keep it real. Don't worry. I know how implausible and probable, inconceivable and outlandish this story sounds, so I made sure to bring proof. You can post the drawing. Yes. Print it out, then burn it. Whatever you guys want. The image I sent is the drawing I made back then and something to prove my diagnosis. Oh, my God.

[Ash]

You did not need to do that.

[Elena]

I believe you, but thank you. I. We did not need that. And she said, because Hippo. Love you guys and hope the kids are all happy and healthy. Thank you.

[Ash]

Bye.

[Elena]

Hope you all keep it. Weird, but not so weird that you open a random curse box, touch the random skeleton key, and get haunted by a witch that curses you for no reason and get a disease given to you by the witch for the rest of your life.

[Ash]

Life.

[Elena]

P.S. don't worry. The page is just my accommodations for my school that say that I was what I was diagnosed with. That picture is haunting. So scary. And when you said the pen exploded, you can see that it exploded because it's, like, all smeared.

[Ash]

Like, you're an incredible artist, though, like, to draw that.

[Elena]

And your writing is unbelievable.

[Ash]

Yeah.

[Elena]

Because truly, I saw all of that.

[Ash]

I saw all of that. And I want to unsee it, please.

[Elena]

That just, like, the symbolism in that dream and everything. That's so scary.

[Ash]

Yeah.

[Elena]

And so sorry that you've been, like, dealing with that, but I'm so happy to hear that you're doing better.

[Ash]

Me, too. And that, like, it was, like, multiple dreams and she said, like, it's time now.

[Elena]

Yeah. Like, she was, like, building up to it. Yeah. Oh, that's scary. So scary. That's scary as hell.

[Ash]

Don't open random boxes in the woods, y' all.

[Elena]

Don't do it.

[Ash]

I got a little bit of a palette cleanser. Listener tale for after.

[Elena]

Okay, cool.

[Ash]

This one is called Listener Tales. The time my black ass manifested a whole ass cat.

[Elena]

Amazing.

[Ash]

Hi, Alina. Hi, Ash. My name is Danae.

[Elena]

Hi.

[Ash]

Please feel free to use my name if you decide this. Sorry. If you decide to read this. Inflation is real and I can't afford to care if my name is used. I wanted to say I'm a really huge fan of the podcast and I listen to you wonderful, witchy, spooky weirdos pretty much every day. At this point, it's like the only way I can get through work.

[Elena]

I love that.

[Ash]

Also, Ash, I wanted to say I'm a witchy Gemini. Sun and rising too. You're a double Gemini. Wonder Twins. Wonder Twins power activates. Glad to see the witchy Gemini representation. Also, also, also. Sorry this is so long. You know what they say about Geminis and how talkative we are. Anywho, here's a story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down. Okay, I'll stop now. About how I manifested my pet who. Who's totally manipulative, who I totally now consider my familiar.

[Elena]

Oh, I love it.

[Ash]

Okay, so flashback to the summer of 2018 to the Pangea Covid. It hadn't hit my cat. Iris passed away, and I was an art student at my local community college. I had this beautiful Siamese cat named Loki. My mom named him. Leave it up to me. His name would have been trash goblin or Lasagna or some shit.

[Elena]

Lasagna.

[Ash]

Please name your next cat.

[Elena]

That's amazing.

[Ash]

He was such a sweetheart. He loved to cuddle, love to be picked up, and was cross eyed. Like I'm telling you, this cat was a literal angel.

[Elena]

Oh, my God.

[Ash]

One night, my fiance didn't close our front door all the way and he was gone. Of course, that broke my heart because we had him and his brother Eris, along with another cat, Malik's, since they were kittens. So that was effectively my son that went missing.

[Elena]

Oh, no.

[Ash]

We put up signs, put up some old T shirts. We even did the kitty litter trick. And still no Loki. As time went on, the house began to feel empty, like someone was missing. And it got to a point where we just had to accept that he wasn't coming back no matter what we did. I brought up getting another cat not to replace Loki because no one could replace him. Of course, Simply because there's just no other cat like him. But because I was finally ready for another cat. But of course, my grumpy Capri Sun. Capricorn. Sorry. Elena was against it. I will now call, be calling you Capri Sun.

[Elena]

I like that.

[Ash]

After going back and forth for quite some time, I said it. I want a damn cat. Now. Normally, I would respect his wishes in this type of situation, because a new pet might as well be our new child for us. And that's some I take seriously.

[Elena]

Grandfather. Grandfather.

[Ash]

Huh? But in this case, after listening to my enabling friends, as well as being the brat I am, I said it. I want a cat. And I would use any means to get this cat. While keeping my hands clean, of course. What did I turn to? My budding witchy woo woo practice.

[Elena]

I love this already.

[Ash]

It's fantastic. So around this time, I was very, very, very new to my practice. But in true Gemini fashion, rather than looking up tried and true ways to manifest and spells, and I just went off pure intuition, what I what little I already knew, curiosity. She did not go off your desk, Nicholas. And pure vibes.

[Elena]

That is very Gemini.

[Ash]

It is. That's the most Gemini ever.

[Elena]

Pure vibes.

[Ash]

I do be doing spells rough. Pure vibes sometimes. So I made a list of what I wanted in a cat. I forget what I put on there, but I strongly remember putting that I wanted a boy cat. Because my only cat, Malik Shakur Dank, my cousin named him, is a boy. Malik Shakur Dank is a boy. And he wasn't neutered yet. And my black ass wasn't ready to be a cat.

[Elena]

Grandma, I'm literally obsessed with you.

[Ash]

I burned the leaf, the list, with some bay leaves with the flame of a white candle after I read aloud what I wanted. And then I set the ashes into the wind.

[Elena]

I love that.

[Ash]

Based off pure intuition, I feel like that's a pretty good spell.

[Elena]

I think you killed it.

[Ash]

I think so. Being new to all things witchy and manifestation, as well as going as well as being in this is so relatable. Sorry, let me say this again. Being new to all things witchy and manifestation, as well as being an ongoing victim of instant gratification, I feel safe. Have we met? We have met. Nicholas. Hi.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[Ash]

Thanks. Amazon Prime. I figured this manifestation would come in looking like my fiance, just finally saying yes to a gag to getting a cat. Lol. No. He kept saying no until finally I just got impatient with the universe and with him and just quickly gave up hope about me ever getting a cat. Oh, life went on as per usual and I accepted that we were going to be a one hack, one cat household. And that was that. One day on a morning so cold that Ted Bundy would be glad that he's burning in the heat of hell in a half awake stupor, I got a statement.

[Elena]

What?

[Ash]

A statement. In a half awake stupor, I got ready for work. I get up at like 5 in the morning for work and I have to walk to work on top of that. So yeah, the neurons were not raring to go.

[Elena]

If you catch my dream, I feel.

[Ash]

That I shuffled out the door, still half awake, and I spot my cat outside. Assuming the door was left open again, in typical black mom fashion, I said, get your black ass in the house. I gestured to the door that was still open and my cat is just looking at me like I'm crazy. I start walking towards him, trying to grab this cat and telling him to get back in the apartment because it's cold as. And the last thing I need is PETA on my case because my cat decided he was about that life and grew tired of being a suburban cat. That's what I call it. Indoor cats. We can't afford to live in the suburbs. Lmao. My cat started to run off toward the neighbor's door and my ass was really trying to get him in the damn house. But this cat was doing everything to duck and dodge me without going too far away from me until he just finally started to run down the stairs. Mad because I was going to be late to work for chasing my cat. I just went and shut the door so I could chase after this cat. I noticed a black cat in my kitchen staring at me like, bruh, you good, fam? The entire time I had been chasing some random ass cat.

[Elena]

What the?

[Ash]

So her cat was inside and she was chasing a different cat.

[Elena]

You okay? Yeah. What's going on here?

[Ash]

Now I'm really annoyed because now I'm late for work for no reason at all and I really go shut the door and this rando ass cat just comes back. It looked up at me and it started scratching at my door and it clearly wanted to come in because it was. That was like very intense. That scared the shit out of me.

[Elena]

You can't understand this kind of.

[Ash]

But he said, you can't understand.

[Elena]

He's upset about it.

[Ash]

Nicholas.

[Elena]

We understand he feels a lot.

[Ash]

Okay. So the cat looked up at me and started scratching at my door. It clearly wanted to come in because it was super fucking cold outside. Now I'm a Lot of things in true Gemini fashion, but I'm not heartless. I talked it over with my fiance, and we both agreed that the cat could stay in the house until it got warmer that afternoon. And of course, we would give her food and water and then just let her back out. So I ended up picking up the cat, which, to my surprise, was.

[Elena]

Okay.

[Ash]

Is it the oldest cat?

[Elena]

The eldest cat?

[Ash]

Like the eldest cat? That sounds like a good book. And to my surprise, I would read it. Yeah, absolutely. I would. The eldest cat. It sounds like a good kids book. Yeah, like your kids would like that book and I would read it to them.

[Elena]

That's very true.

[Ash]

To clarify.

[Elena]

There you go.

[Ash]

Okay, so the cat was okay with being picked up by a random stranger. And that's when I felt it. This was my cat.

[Elena]

Oh, hell yeah, it was.

[Ash]

So a note, a side note about my own witchy abilities. Like a lot of witchy woo woos. I'm sensitive to energy. I read tarot, the whole nine yards. I'm also a channel, so sometimes I'll hear phrases or words from God, spirits, and the like.

[Elena]

Oh, I'm jealous.

[Ash]

I know. That's really cool. When I picked her up, I instantly saw me performing my manifestation month before flash before my eyes. And I knew this was supposed to be my cat, even though I wasn't 100 sure because I have no way of knowing at the time. I instantly knew this was a girl cat, that she couldn't have babies, and I heard the word tapeworms.

[Elena]

Oh.

[Ash]

I tried asking my fiance if we could keep her, thinking the answer would be different because this was clearly my manifestation cat. And it had to work out this time, right?

[Elena]

Of course.

[Ash]

Lmao. No. Again, the answer was no. And this time I was upset because I knew the universe gifted me this cat I asked for, but I wasn't in the mood to fight. So I went to work and I said, fine, we'll just let her go later. Then my fiance, he's fine. I guess we'll just leave this cat. My fiance texts me again to tell me we can't keep her this time, including a reason saying she was trying to fight Malik. And I explained to him that most cats just don't get along at first. And the answer became, I don't know, babe. Still, I was.

[Elena]

He's shifting. He shifted.

[Ash]

Still, I wasn't in the mood to argue, and I said nothing. He then texts me hours later, explaining that the cat just wouldn't leave.

[Elena]

Of course not. That's your familiar right there.

[Ash]

I'M like, what do you mean the cat won't leave? Come and find out. She ran in my room. We have separate rooms because he's a streamer. And she hid under my bed and would not come out at all. He tried everything to coax her out of there and she just flat out refused to leave.

[Elena]

Oh, my God.

[Ash]

I finally get home from work and she finally comes out and I snap a few pics and try to see if anyone would take her in. No takers?

[Elena]

No. Because that's your familiar.

[Ash]

Because that's your fucking cat.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[Ash]

My fiance, after having much time to think about it, decided since no one else would adopt her, we will keep her.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[Ash]

I got my cat.

[Elena]

Hell yeah, you did.

[Ash]

He won't leave. Whoa. Oh, my God. That's right. Nicholas.

[Elena]

Nicholas is getting the hang of this.

[Ash]

He is trying to get my Capricorn stellium fiance to change his mind. Guys, literally took witchcraft.

[Elena]

I have a capricorn stellium too. You do?

[Ash]

Yeah. Yeah. You do?

[Elena]

Yeah.

[Ash]

I was trying to think if anybody else did. We ended up taking her to the vet and come to find out she was in fact a girl. She couldn't have kittens because she was already fixed. And we have. We have catch and spay programs here for strays to reduce the stray cat population. And sadly, in fact, she did have tapeworms.

[Elena]

Oh.

[Ash]

Of course. She's been treated for it and has become part of our little family. I've included pics because who doesn't love cat pics?

[Elena]

Hell yeah.

[Ash]

And that is how I manifested my pet cat, Mars.

[Elena]

Mars.

[Ash]

Such a cool name.

[Elena]

Yes.

[Ash]

If you read this out loud. Thank you for your time and. Sorry it took me a few tries to figure out the right email and stuff. Or if you didn't still. Thank you for your time and I.

[Elena]

Hope you definitely close. Not even close.

[Ash]

Wow. And I hope you definitely keep it. So weird that your bratty ass manifests a cat and your grumpy ass fiance, who originally said no later becomes best buds with him or with her. Excuse me.

[Elena]

Maybe Nicholas was talking about the other emails that she might have sent it to. He was like, not even close.

[Ash]

Not even close to those emails.

[Elena]

Oh, my God. Let me see Mars.

[Ash]

Mars is so cute.

[Elena]

Oh, Mars.

[Ash]

We'll post some pics.

[Elena]

Oh, look at that. Look at that collar.

[Ash]

I know.

[Elena]

Look at that fancy. Look at this collar. Oh, that's a familiar.

[Ash]

Yeah, that's a familiar. I love it.

[Elena]

I love that story. Oh, that was a needed story. It was. All right, let's See? Let's see.

[Ash]

Should this be the last one?

[Elena]

Yeah. So should we. Which one should I do?

[Ash]

I definitely think we should do Yeet the Yiddies.

[Elena]

Yeah. Yeah, I think so too, actually. How can you not? So this one's called Yeet the Yiddies. My mom's a witch.

[Ash]

Said all of our future children and current children. Hello, ladies.

[Elena]

My name is Gigi. Oh my God, I love that. And yes, you can absolutely use my name and any other names as I've already changed them for you. You're a real one. Here's my story in 12 point double space. Puffer. As I've been listening for so long, I was trained to write this to your liking. Lol.

[Ash]

Thank you, brother.

[Elena]

I want to start off like any other tale and praise you for your badgery. You bombastic ladies have gotten me through some rough times and I'll forever be grateful for you. I like that too. Elena, congrats on your book. Thank you so much. I am so proud of you for not only being an amazing mother, but also pursuing your dreams. Thank you so much. That's like the best compliment. Ash, congratulations on your engagement.

[Ash]

Oh, I'm so married now.

[Elena]

Thank you. I'm also getting married soon and feel as if we're doing it together like two best friends.

[Ash]

You're probably married now too.

[Elena]

Congrats. Congrats. Any hoosers? Today is the day I finally push myself to send him my tail. If you're reading this, Deb, Deb, please give me a shot and send this in.

[Ash]

She did.

[Elena]

Wouldn't want to see a five foot nothing lady lose her. Let's get on with the story. I'm going to start off with some backstory. I grew up in a teeny tiny town known as Hastings, Nebraska. I've lived here since I was 9 years old. My parents moved up here looking for better job opportunities to support their family. I'm an. I'm originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico. When I was 18 and freshly graduated, my mother decided to move back to New Mexico to support my older brother while he and his fiance had their first child.

[Ash]

So nice.

[Elena]

That's so nice. My mother made this decision in one day, packed up her things, decided to inform me the day of and gave me the choice of either you come or you stay.

[Ash]

Damn. That's a grandma right there.

[Elena]

Whoa. As a young adult, I was thinking about college and starting my own life and not dropping every everything to move a few states away. I decided to stay with my now husband and drive a couple of cities away. For college. I'm now in my last year of veterinary technician school and graduated May.

[Ash]

Congrats.

[Elena]

I love vet techs. I love them.

[Ash]

Yeah, you're special people.

[Elena]

It's true. The next time I saw my mother, she gave me a protection jar. Now, my mother has always been an empath and has done some things I couldn't explain. But I never took it seriously until this story took place. The jar she gave me was a small mason jar she filled with rice, coins, dollar bills and other various trinkets. She told me to put it in my car as I would be traveling between Hastings and Norfolk, Nebraska. And it took me a second to know the abbreviation for the state.

[Ash]

The amount of times that's happened to me throughout these listener tales.

[Elena]

The M's are the one that's the ones that kill me.

[Ash]

Yeah.

[Elena]

I can never figure out which ones they are and that it would keep me safe. But to make sure no one but myself would touch it. At first I thought it was a joke and she just didn't want me to lose it. But boy was I wrong. One day a couple of weeks before I moved for college, I was driving around with one of my friends, we'll call her Asia. And she asked me about the jar. At first I was calm and explained what it was until I noticed Asia holding the jar. Rub. Rub. I wasn't too worried at first, but let her know no one else was supposed to touch it. That night I called my mom and told her what happened. When I tell you this lady freaked the out. Any Hispanic listeners will understand when their moms get upset. Hispanics are naturally loud, but ang. Oh dear. I definitely held onto my butt. After that my mom starts telling me don't worry, it'll be okay and just do exactly what I say. Reminder. She isn't even in the same state as I am at the time. She's 15 hours away and expects her half brained daughter to perform witchcraft over the phone. You got me up. So she instructs me to pour out the contents and replace the rice and place the replace the rice and place the contents back in the the jar and say a certain phrase or prayer if you will. Again at this moment I just thought you please go.

[Ash]

We're almost done.

[Elena]

We're almost done.

[Ash]

Nicholas knows we have a very busy day today.

[Elena]

Yeah, he's like you have a meeting.

[Ash]

He's like moving along again.

[Elena]

At this moment I just thought she was some crazy superstitious lady and assured her I did what she asked me to do and called it A night. But did I actually? Absolutely not. The following events are 100% true and told to the best of my memory. Me. I always love when something starts out that way.

[Ash]

I know.

[Elena]

The next day, I woke up and was getting ready to hop in the shower, as one normally does when I look in the mirror and notice a cluster of burns all over my chest. Sort of like when you burn yourself with hot oil and oil splatters everywhere.

[Ash]

That's like the I that was the best way to describe that. Like, I could picture it so easily.

[Elena]

At that moment, I knew I should have listened to the crazy bruja witch in Spanish. I love how much like bruha, bruharia and bruja magic we're getting.

[Ash]

So fun.

[Elena]

I took for granted I was terrified. So I called my mother hysterical and explained what was going on. And this time, I actually did what she told me to do. Very smart. And to my surprise, the next day, the burns were gone. Your mama's a powerful bruja.

[Ash]

A bruja.

[Elena]

After it was all said and done, I told Asia about the whole ordeal, and she yelled at me for letting her touch the jar in the first place. Place she gets it to my mom if you hear this. Never trust your daughter, or any of your children for that matter, with some witchy I'm not responsible enough for. But I will never, ever doubt you again. Thank you for reading my tail cursed. Oh, no. Thank you for reading my tale. And I hope it wasn't too long. And if this made it to the pod, I will lose my marbles. Anyway, keep it. Weird, but not so weird that. Take it away, Ash.

[Ash]

Not so weird that your mom makes you a spell jar and then you let other people touch it after she told you not to touch it. And then you. You get clusterfucks of burns on your chest. That's worthy. You don't listen to your bruja of a mama.

[Elena]

Yeah, I'm glad you decided to listen to your bruja of a mama.

[Ash]

A bruha mama.

[Elena]

Bruha mama.

[Ash]

That's really fun to say. Bruhamma.

[Elena]

That does feel good.

[Ash]

I like it.

[Elena]

That was fun.

[Ash]

That was a fun one.

[Elena]

And I liked that they were different kinds of witchcrafts I did. That was a good mix of really cool ones. So. That's so interesting.

[Ash]

I know. I love witchcraft. So fun. I had to miss a couple installments of my witchy class. But I'm going back this month and I'm really excited.

[Elena]

Hell yeah.

[Ash]

Yeah. Yeah. Party. All right, well, thank you so much. For tuning in. Thank you for listening. If you have listener tales, you can send them to morbidpodcast gmail.com. please remember to include your. Like letting us your permission. That's what it's called.

[Elena]

Expression. Use your name. Yeah, say that. To use.

[Ash]

Yeah, like, please go ahead.

[Elena]

To use your name. To use any pictures, any. Anything in there that you will. That's like identifying or your own thing. Just give us your express permission to use it. Just because we want to be cool.

[Ash]

Yeah. And remember that these are on YouTube and you can see us dress in ridiculous costumes.

[Elena]

Ridiculous? What are you talking about? I can't wait to get this off my head because it's so itchy.

[Ash]

Well, with that being said, we hope you keep listening. We hope you keep it. That's the way that you throw your wig off.

[Elena]

No, it's too scary.

[Ash]

Oh, I thought you were gonna do it. All right. Throw it off. Throw it off, throw it off.

[Elena]

Oh, wait, I have a net under. Under there.

[Ash]

It's fine.

[Elena]

Just throw it off. Just throw it off your way.

[Ash]

Plausible. Plausible.

[Elena]

Yeah.

[Ash]

You see? Even Nicholas is like. It's plausible.

[Elena]

It's stuck. Oh, no, it's stuck. Oh, I put a thing. Hello?

[Ash]

Honey. Honey, we have to go. Goodbye.

[Elena]

Look inside.

[Ash]

Look inside.

[Elena]

Look inside yourself. He said look within. Oh, that was.

[Ash]

Look within it. Foreign. If you like morbid, you can listen early and ad free right now by joining Wondery plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey.