Scary Stories For A Rainy Night – Ep. 218 – "Hung Upside Down"

Podcast: Scary Stories and Rain
Host: Being Scared
Date: September 4, 2025

Episode Overview

This chilling episode, narrated in the familiar calm, rain-soaked tones of “Being Scared,” brings together a series of unsettling and true listener-submitted accounts of brushes with danger and the unknown. Set against the gentle backdrop of rain, the stories explore vulnerable moments, near-misses, and the uneasy realization that danger can lurk in the most unsuspecting places. The episode’s main aim: to both unsettle and soothe, creating the perfect atmosphere for a frightening bedtime listen.

Key Stories and Discussion Points

1. Alaskan Camping Horror

[00:43 — 09:22]

• Setting: The desolate, wild expanse of rural Alaska, where isolation can be a double-edged sword.
• Narrator's Backstory: Grew up tough in Anchorage, used to the outdoors and independent camping.
• Incident: While camping alone near an old mining site off the highway, the narrator encounters armed members of a militia patrolling their “private property.”
• Escalation:
  • Hears voices, then threats:
    • Quote: “When we find you, you’re dead. You’re on private militia property and trespassers get shot.” — [07:08]
  • Forced to flee and hide in underbrush with nothing but a purse and keys.
  • Militia members find her tent, realize she's a woman alone, and appear increasingly menacing.
• Resolution: Escapes, finds car by the road surrounded by militia. Eventually retrieves badly damaged camping gear with a threatening note attached.
• Aftermath: The experience teaches her to only camp in designated sites—deeply shaken, but grateful to escape with her life.

2. Runaway Motel Encounter

[09:23 — 13:47]

• Backstory: At fifteen, runs away with her sister, ends up living in a rundown motel.
• Incident: Alone on the motel stairs, approached by an older man who invites her to his room for drinks.
• Red Flags:
  • He produces an ID marked “offender.”
  • Another man enters the room, both act in an intimidating, predatory way.
• Escape: The young woman lies about needing to get something from her room and is, surprisingly, allowed to leave.
• Aftermath: He calls her room, catches her in the lie, insists she return—but she never does.
• Reflection: Only years later does she realize how close she came to harm.
  • Quote: “I was so lucky. … It took me to becoming an adult to realize the danger I was in that night.” — [12:53]

3. Twitter Stalker in France

[13:48 — 22:56]

• Backstory: Teenage girl in suburban Paris makes an anonymous Twitter account.
• Incident: She is contacted by "Rob," who claims to be a new student moving to her town.
• Grooming Tactics: Rob seeks personal info, insists on meeting in isolated places, and ingratiates himself over weeks.
• First IRL Meeting: Rob is older than expected but seems harmless at first. They develop a daily school routine.
• Climax: On a night the narrator is home alone, Rob follows her from the bus to her house, attempts to break in, and continues harassing her online.
  • Quote: “It was Rob, a few meters away, looking at me with a really creepy face.” — [20:17]
• Aftermath: The girl deletes her account after relentless harassment and later discovers Rob was never actually a student at her school.
  • Quote: “I still ask myself, what did he want and what would have happened that night if he had gotten inside my house?” — [22:44]

4. Child Abduction Attempt at the Store

[22:57 — 25:14]

• Setting: Narrator is 11, living in a rough area, visiting a boyfriend of their mother.
• Incident: An elderly man with a menacing grin follows them from a bus stop. Hours later, tries to abduct the child from a corner store.
• Response: The mother and her boyfriend physically intervene, saving the narrator before the abductor can escape.
  • Quote: “If my mother had not spotted him leaving with me ... I shiver at the thought of what could have happened.” — [24:38]
• Aftermath: The police never found the man.

5. Creepy Night Shift at the Convenience Store

[25:15 — 30:09]

• Setting: A convenience store, late shift, narrator alone at night.
• Incident: An erratic customer (the “lighter guy”) repeatedly returns, behaving menacingly—staring, lurking, threatening violence, and possibly attempting a break-in.
• Community Support: Other customers rally to keep the narrator safe while authorities are summoned.
• Resolution: The suspect is arrested after several tense confrontations.
• Reflection: The narrator expresses deep gratitude for the strangers who helped:
  • Quote: “Who knows what would have happened if all those people that helped had decided not to stop by that day.” — [29:56]

6. The Old Man with the Door

[30:10 — 35:51]

• Backstory: Recalled from childhood; lived in apartments near dangerous people.
• Incident: Narrator and a friend are lured into the apartment of an eccentric, “beetles-glasses” wearing old man after being promised toys and collectibles.
• Gut Instincts: The man tries to lure them deeper inside and attempts to close them in.
  • Quote: “Something in me just knew. I jammed my foot between the door and the frame ... I said no thank you.” — [34:12]
• Escape: Friend's mother calls from outside, providing cover for both to escape.
• Aftermath: The event is rationalized at the time but, looking back, terrifies the adult narrator.

7. Alone in the Office at Night

[35:52 — 39:57]

• Setting: Narrator is working late in an office (gym, acupuncture/chiropractic suite).
• Incident: A man with a key enters late at night, claims to be “on probation,” and refuses to leave. Blocks the door, asks unnerving questions.
• Tense Departure: Thanks to a phone call with a coworker, the narrator insists the man leave—he finally does, but lingers outside with a large van.
• Unsettling Aftermath:
  • Quote: “The fact that this man came in with a key and acted like he was there for probation doesn’t make sense.” — [39:21]
• Resolution: Coworker arrives, the suspicious van finally leaves, but the encounter leaves lasting anxiety.

8. Strange Four-Eyebrows Woman

[39:58 — End]

• Backstory: College student coping with social anxiety and trauma tries to get sunlight during lockdown.
• Incident: Approach and ambiguous encounter with a mentally unstable woman (identifiable by “drawing on a set of eyebrows below the ones she’s already growing”) who alternately asks for police, then money, then companionship, becoming increasingly intrusive and following the narrator home.
• Panic Response: The narrator describes a physical and psychological freeze response due to past trauma.
• Police Called: The woman is talked to by police but not detained since she poses no clear threat.
• Reflection:
  • Quote: “Now I’m just sitting here ... waiting to regain control over my limbs and for my heart rate to go down. But the lady with the four eyebrows—I really hope I never see you again.” — [44:58]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Militia Threats in Alaska:
  “When we find you, you’re dead. You’re on private militia property and trespassers get shot.” – [07:08]

• Teen Realization:
  “Surprisingly though, it took me to becoming an adult to realize the danger I was in that night.” – [12:53]

• Online Predator:
  “I still ask myself, what did he want and what would have happened that night if he had gotten inside my house?” – [22:44]

• Abduction Attempt:
  “If my mother had not spotted him leaving with me … I shiver at the thought of what could have happened.” – [24:38]

• Convenience Store Community:
  “Who knows what would have happened if all those people that helped had decided not to stop by that day.” – [29:56]

• Child’s Instinct:
  “Something in me just knew. I jammed my foot between the door and the frame ... I said no thank you.” – [34:12]

• Office Intruder:
  “The fact that this man came in with a key and acted like he was there for probation doesn’t make sense.” – [39:21]

• Unsettling Final Encounter:
  “But the lady with the four eyebrows—I really hope I never see you again.” – [44:58]

Conclusion

Ep. 218 of “Scary Stories and Rain” masterfully weaves tales of everyday terror—strangers with ill intentions, moments when instinct saved a life, and the lingering dread of near-misses. The rain ambiance and serene delivery contrast with the intensity of the stories, creating that special blend of bedtime chill the podcast is known for. This is an episode about listening to your gut and the sobering reminder that sometimes, the most terrifying threats are the ones that hide in plain sight.

Perfect for: Listeners who crave real-life horror, thoughtful narration, and a peaceful yet disturbing bedtime mood.
Caution: Some stories touch on sensitive topics—use discretion when listening at night or alone.