Scary Stories and Rain - Episode 219: "The Military Creep"

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode centers on a chilling, first-person account of a woman’s unsettling experiences with a predatory superior during her time in military training. Delivered in the signature calm, immersive style of the podcast and set against ambient rain sounds, the story explores vulnerability, power imbalance, and the unique psychological horror of being targeted by someone in a position of authority, particularly in the isolating environment of the military.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mental State and Military Context

• [01:16] The narrator details her vulnerable state upon entering the military fresh out of high school: experiencing isolation, depression, bullying, anxiety about performance, and an overall lack of support.
  • Quote: “I was experiencing a depressive episode that lasted about six months. I never had mental health issues before entering the military.”
  • She emphasizes the unique stressors—pressure to meet weight and academic standards, relentless fear of failure, and deep distrust of command due to rumors of corruption.

2. Introduction of “Frank,” the Creep

• [02:40] Frank, a physically intimidating, unusually strong NCO, is introduced during formation. His odd behavior (aggressively kicking a tree/pole and ignoring other trainees) quickly makes him the subject of gossip but also unease.
  • Quote: “During the entire wait for formation to start, he stood back there by the fence facing a tree or pole or something and he just kicked at it... It was a bit more forceful than that. And I remember I wondered how his foot didn’t hurt after doing it for so long.”

3. Escalating Authority and Personal Involvement

• [04:55] Frank is placed in charge of a remedial PT (physical training) group, which includes the narrator. She is put under his direct authority, which quickly leads to disproportionate influence over her daily life and well-being.
• [06:56] Frank uses his “boxing” background to justify extremely aggressive and sometimes humiliating training methods.
  • Quote: “Frank was that built guy that I mentioned who apparently likes to kick trees for fun. He told us that he used to be a boxer and he intended to use that style of training to make sure we got fit.”
  • The narrator’s desperate need to remain in his good graces leads her to tolerate increasingly disturbing behavior.

4. Manipulation, Isolation, and Boundary Testing

• [10:38] Frank seeks special attention, telling explicit and inappropriate stories, while the narrator tries to please him to avoid making an enemy.
  • [13:00] Over several weeks, ground-fighting sessions devolve into exhausting—and clearly unsafe—displays of dominance. Frank consistently overpowers the narrator, further reinforcing his physical control.
  • Quote: “Whenever I did [tap out], he would frequently say something along the lines of already? You didn’t even try to get out yet. The thing was, he wasn’t teaching me how to get out.”
  • Memorable Moment: The narrator tries with all her might to choke Frank in a training session, but he is utterly unaffected, frightening her with his lack of response. [15:29]
    • Quote: “I squeezed as hard as I could, but I have small hands and he was a big guy... I looked him in the face. But he was just giving me an apathetic look and said, ‘Are you done yet?’”
  • Frank also intrudes in the narrator’s private life under the guise of mentorship, pressuring her to buy supplies and prepare food for herself unsupervised, visiting her living quarters, and turning a blind eye to regulations.

5. Uncomfortable & Invasive “Help” and Visits

• [22:15] After she injures her ankle at PT, Frank insists on carrying her back in an embarrassing and infantilizing manner, then uses her injury as an excuse to monopolize her time and space over a long weekend.
  • Quote: “Accepting a ride home on Frank’s shoulders was a weirdly humiliating experience for me. I don’t know how else to explain myself.”
• [26:09] He visits her repeatedly, “checking in” ostensibly to help with her ankle, isolating and controlling her under the pretense of care.

6. Creepy, Controlling Behaviors with Ominous Undertones

• [29:30] Frank asks for string to play Cat’s Cradle, then ties the narrator’s good ankle to her desk using her bootlaces under the pretense of demonstrating military knots, describing with glee how the knot tightens upon struggle and is used to subdue “insurgents.”
  • Memorable Quote: “‘You probably can’t get out of that.’ I had no idea what to do. I couldn’t even truly believe the situation I suddenly found myself in.” [31:48]

7. Final Escalation: Alcohol and Predatory Move

• [35:05] Frank brings the narrator contraband whiskey (she’s underage and it’s forbidden in the barracks), pressuring her to drink as part of his “fitness program”—possibly to induce vomiting and push further weight loss, dangerously ignoring her health.
  • Quote: “I think if I had actually done as he instructed, I would have ended up in the ER.”
• [41:10] In a tense final encounter, Frank visits her room intoxicated. Despite social cues and the narrator’s discomfort, he attempts to kiss her, ultimately settling for kissing her bare shoulder. The incident is interrupted by her roommate and the barracks guard, but only just—cementing the predatory threat she felt all along. [47:17]
  • Quote: “I couldn’t run. I couldn’t fight. So I froze. I stared just like before. But this time my bewilderment was clearly displayed on my face.”

8. Aftermath and Reflection

• [50:29] The narrator describes rumors, Frank’s later demotion and administrative separation after violent incidents with peers, and her complicated feelings about the episode: dread, self-doubt, and the lasting impact of being targeted and powerless in a closed environment.

  • Quote: “This incident in particular is why I feel so compelled to write this. No one outside of Frank and I knew about that bizarre event. Even that night as I laid in bed, I doubted that something like that had really happened...”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote / Moment | |------------|---------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:16 | Narrator | “I was experiencing a depressive episode that lasted about six months. I never had mental health issues before…” | | 02:40 | Narrator | “He stood back there by the fence facing a tree or pole… just kicked at it… a bit more forceful than that.” | | 06:56 | Narrator | “Frank was that built guy… apparently likes to kick trees for fun… used to be a boxer…” | | 10:38 | Narrator | “I did my best to seem genuinely interested in the disgusting tale he subjected us to.” | | 13:00 | Narrator | “He wasn’t teaching me how to get out. I remember I once managed to slip out of some hold… he just started squeezing his legs…” | | 15:29 | Narrator | “Finally, die. I was really into the fight… yet in this moment… I had no effect on him… He was just giving me an apathetic look and said, ‘Are you done yet?’” | | 22:15 | Narrator | “Accepting a ride home on Frank’s shoulders was a weirdly humiliating experience for me.” | | 29:30 | Narrator | “‘You probably can’t get out of that.’ I had no idea what to do… I couldn’t even truly believe the situation I suddenly found myself in.” | | 35:05 | Narrator | “Frank stops by my room and drops off a half full handle of whiskey… Not only was hard liquor not allowed… but I was also underage…” | | 41:10 | Narrator | “Surprise, surprise. It’s Frank. I am really annoyed by his visits at this point…” | | 47:17 | Narrator | “I couldn’t run. I couldn’t fight. So I froze….” |

Important Timestamps

• 01:16 — Setting the stage: Vulnerable mental state, context in the military.
• 02:40 — Introduction of Frank and first signs of odd, intimidating behavior.
• 04:55 — Assignment of roles, Frank’s influence starts growing.
• 10:38 — Inappropriate conversations begin, narrator’s discomfort grows.
• 15:29 — Confrontation during ground fighting; narrator is scared by Frank’s lack of reaction to violence.
• 22:15 — Frank physically carries the narrator; “help” becomes a pretext for control.
• 29:30 — Bootlace/ankle-tying episode: explicit physical and psychological boundary-crossing.
• 35:05 — Alcohol incident; dangerous, boundary-ignoring advice.
• 41:10 — Final escalation: predatory advance in narrator’s room.
• 47:17 — Narrator’s freeze response and rescue by roommate/guard; threat peaks.

Closing Reflection

The episode builds a horrifyingly real portrait of how predatory individuals can exploit their authority in highly regimented, isolating environments—often protected by the very structure designed to provide order and safety. In keeping with the Scary Stories and Rain tone, the narration is calm, detailed, and emotionally honest, heightening the horror through its restraint. The story skillfully evokes the internal battle between self-doubt and justified fear in the face of coercive, escalating misconduct, leaving listeners with lingering unease and empathy for those whose harrowing stories often go unseen and unshared.

This summary is intended for listeners who may find the content distressing or need a comprehensive understanding of the episode’s content without revisiting the original narrative in full.