Scary Stories and Rain

Episode 208 – “The Ocean Floor”

Released: August 25, 2025
Host: Being Scared

Brief Overview

Episode 208 of Scary Stories and Rain, “The Ocean Floor,” immerses listeners in three unnervingly atmospheric horror stories, accompanied by gentle rain sounds and the host’s soothing, steady narration. The stories plunge into the terrors hidden in the deep ocean, the horrors of abusive foster care, and a paranormal figure haunting behind the blinds. Each tale escalates familiar fears—claustrophobia, isolation, the unknown—into chilling, unforgettable nightmares.

Key Stories & Discussion Points

1. The Ocean Floor Experience

[01:53–14:13]

• Premise:
  A seasoned diver recounts a harrowing week living at the bottom of the ocean in a small, pressurized habitat. The splendor of marine life is eclipsed by the all-consuming terror of impenetrable darkness and what may lurk within.

• Key Details:

  • Living on the sea floor allows for unprecedented, nearly unlimited dive time, but nighttime is a source of dread.
  • The diver must exit the habitat to use a separate underwater latrine, a nerve-wracking experience surrounded by blackness and predatory fish.
  • The lights to both the habitat and latrine go out unexpectedly, leaving the diver lost in pitch-black water. They accidentally grasp at something that feels organic and squirming, sparking full-blown panic.
  • Upon finally reaching the habitat and surfacing, the diver discovers their crewmates being consumed by a monstrous, mutated siphonophore—a colony creature absorbing not just fish but humans, incorporating them into its body.
  • The narrator barely escapes, later explaining the incident away to others as simply a tragic diving accident.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “At the bottom of the ocean, you would look out from the habitat into utter blackness, darker than anything you've ever seen. And how can you not imagine what's out there?” (A, 03:23)
  • “There was no rational explanation for what I saw inside the Habitat. The other two members of my crew were surrounded by what appeared to be misshapen tentacles. But no, that's not quite right. Not tentacles. These were different....” (A, 11:16)
  • “They think it's because I'm remorseful....What I really think about is what's down there under the surface.” (A, 13:32)

• Memorable Moments:

  • The raw, dark humor of swatting fish away during a vulnerable moment in the underwater latrine.
  • The creeping dread as, with no lights, the diver’s hand repeatedly brushes against unknown things.
  • The mutated siphonophore, with human and marine life still visibly alive and terrified within its membranous, endless body.

2. Orphanage Fire and the Dark Aftermath

[14:45–26:32]

• Premise:
  The narrator reflects on a traumatic past: a happy life in an orphanage, suddenly shattered by a deadly fire, and a subsequent placement with a couple whose initial kindness belies horrifying abuse and neglect.

• Key Details:

  • Narrator’s only solace in the orphanage was best friend Alex.
  • A fire devastates the orphanage; not all children escape.
  • The narrator and Alex are taken in by a seemingly compassionate couple whose son had disappeared the year before.
  • The supposed bedroom is a torture chamber, the original son’s corpse hidden inside. Abuse, starvation, and terror dominate their new lives.
  • Alex is a steadfast companion throughout, giving the narrator the strength to survive.
  • Police eventually rescue them. Years later, as the narrator builds a new life, he reveals a devastating twist: Alex died in the orphanage fire, and his presence through the abusive years was a coping hallucination—a guardian from trauma.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “If only that kind look on their faces had remained. As soon as we walked in the front door, we were led into a room that looked more like a dungeon from a movie than a bedroom.” (A, 19:00)
  • “Alex was strong. He never cried, and he would always lift my spirit with his smiles. He had always been very talkative. So at nights before we both fell asleep. We would talk about the outside world and how we would both like to visit a lot of different countries. He really saved me from going insane.” (A, 22:55)
  • “Alex was there for me through all of my hard experiences, keeping me sane until I was ready to let go...I could finally remember the name of the boy who died in the fire. His name was Alex.” (A, 25:35)

• Memorable Moments:

  • The shift from idyllic orphanage life, through chaos and grief, to the gut-wrenching horror of captivity.
  • The slow realization and emotional impact of Alex’s true fate.

3. The Man Behind the Blinds

[26:32–34:44]

• Premise:
  Since childhood, the narrator has been haunted by the recurring, inexplicable appearance of a sinister man outside the window, always partly concealed by blinds. The experience turns from a mere childhood fright into a disturbing, supernatural ordeal.

• Key Details:

  • It begins with fleeting glimpses—a figure on the balcony, motionless and faceless behind the blinds, even on floors he could not possibly reach.
  • The man’s presence seems to follow the narrator to new homes over the years. Direct confrontations are impossible: the blinds never move when needed, the man always vanishes before anyone else can see.
  • One night, the narrator opens the window to confront him and is pulled out—only to awaken outside, locked out of his life, with the man now inside.
  • The world transforms: every home has people standing behind closed blinds, hiding their faces, as if the narrator’s fate is universal.
  • In a desperate escape, the narrator must perpetuate the curse, dragging an innocent stranger through the window to take his place, finally freeing himself.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “One night a few years after that I was lying in bed trying to sleep. I noticed the rays of moonlight coming through the blinds were suddenly blocked by something. I looked over to the window and saw the silhouette of a tall man standing on my balcony behind the blinds in my window.” (A, 27:00)
  • “I tried coming back in, but all the doors and windows were locked and all the blinds were pulled all the way down except the window of my bedroom. He was standing there looking at me like he usually does, but for the first time he was the one on the inside.” (A, 31:50)
  • “I hope whoever I pulled in wasn't in there for too long. Hopefully one day I can forget this ever happened, but I don't think I will.” (A, 34:35)

• Memorable Moments:

  • The universal, dystopian image of everyone standing motionless behind closed blinds.
  • The ambiguous, cyclical nature of the haunting—will it ever stop, or is it simply passed on?

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “At the bottom of the ocean, you would look out from the habitat into utter blackness, darker than anything you've ever seen.” — Host/Narrator [03:23]
• “There was no rational explanation for what I saw inside the Habitat. The other two members of my crew were surrounded by what appeared to be misshapen tentacles....” — Host/Narrator [11:16]
• “Alex was there for me through all of my hard experiences, keeping me sane until I was ready to let go.” — Host/Narrator [25:31]
• “He was standing there looking at me like he usually does, but for the first time he was the one on the inside.” — Host/Narrator [31:50]
• “I hope whoever I pulled in wasn't in there for too long. Hopefully one day I can forget this ever happened, but I don't think I will.” — Host/Narrator [34:35]

Episode Flow & Structure

• [01:53]: Begins with “The Ocean Floor,” setting a somber, claustrophobic underwater tone.
• [14:45]: Shifts to a semi-autobiographical-feeling tale of orphanage trauma, abuse, and the catharsis of a supportive (imaginary) friend.
• [26:32]: Final story, “The Man Behind the Blinds,” concludes the episode with a surreal, recursive haunting.

Atmosphere & Tone

The host’s calm, steady cadence, paired with gentle rain, noticeably enhances the uncanny effect—inducing both relaxation and unnerving discomfort, heightening the horror through contrast. The narrative is unhurried, yet each story grows steadily more intense, culminating in open-ended dread or tragic ambiguity.

Useful For:

• Fans of immersive horror stories with deep atmosphere
• Those interested in psychological horror and supernatural tales
• Listeners seeking a blend of comfort (rain, calm voice) and unease

Scary Stories and Rain delivers on its promise: horror you can fall asleep to—if you dare.