Scary Stories and Rain — Ep. 225: “Scary Stories For A Rainy Night - Animal”

Host: Being Scared
Date: September 11, 2025

Overview

This episode of Scary Stories and Rain delivers a collection of real-life, unsettling tales, each set against the backdrop of soothing rainfall. The stories, read in the host's signature calm, nearly hypnotic tone, feature encounters with armed strangers, mysterious break-ins, predatory individuals, and urban paranoia. The ambiance is designed for late-night listening, ideally for those seeking both chills and the comfort of a gentle storm.

Key Stories and Insights

1. A Veteran’s Nighttime Encounter on the Beach

[01:10–13:55]

• Background: The storyteller, an ex-military veteran coping with PTSD, finds solace in late-night walks along the beach, away from intrusive upstairs neighbors.
• The Incident: On the third walk, he observes a camouflaged Land Rover near an abandoned pub. The vehicle’s occupants disembark, one wielding a scoped rifle with a torch, seemingly searching for someone.
• Reaction: Leveraging his army training, he manages to evade detection by hiding in long grass and eventually calls the police.
• Aftermath: Police respond with urgency. A helicopter search ensues. The realization of his narrow escape triggers a panic attack.
• Reflection:

  “If I had stayed still… I could have gurgled my last breath alone in the dark in the cold wet dirt…” (12:45, Storyteller)

• Impact: The storyteller no longer goes for nighttime walks and occasionally suffers from nightmares due to the ordeal.

2. College Break-Ins and Unanswered Questions

[13:56–21:55]

• Background: In a student-dense neighborhood, a series of break-ins cause anxiety among a group of four female roommates.
• Events: After securing their home, two of the roommates discover open windows and moved furniture one morning. Nothing is stolen, and the police response is lackluster.
• Notable Moment:

  “There is something wildly unsettling about the fact that my bed is also pushed up on the wall right against my window… they would have had to completely jump over my body to enter my room.” (15:50, Storyteller)

• Conclusion: The residents are left feeling violated and unsettled, frustrated by the lack of police engagement, and ultimately relieved to move away.

3. A Best Friend with Dark Secrets

[21:56–33:42]

• Background: The narrator recounts her fraught friendship with “Sam,” whose attraction to older, dangerous men leads to chilling events.
• Key Events: Sam’s involvement with a controlling, much older man spirals into physical threats and property destruction.
• Climactic Twist: After the man’s fiancée dies mysteriously (ruled suicide, later found to be murder), Sam cryptically claims,

  “I’m the only one who knows what actually happened. Nobody else knows the truth.” (31:23, Sam)

• Aftermath: The storyteller cuts ties with Sam, left unsettled by the implications behind her words and her ongoing relationship with the convicted murderer.

4. The Stalker in the Trench Coat

[33:43–39:26]

• Background: An 8–9-year-old girl endures weeks of threatening phone calls while home alone before encountering the presumed caller at a store.
• Climax: The man refers to her “kitten” shirt, grabs her, but she escapes. The family moves shortly afterward for safety.
• Quote:

  “You’re wearing a kitty shirt right now.” (36:54, Trench Coat Man)

• Reflection: The story underscores parental vigilance and the unknown intentions of strangers.

5. The Night Jogger and the Shadow Follower

[39:27–45:28]

• Background: Amid the pandemic, a woman goes for late-night runs with her small dog, Mocha, in a quiet Northern California town.
• Incident: Mocha repeatedly alerts her to a presence behind them. The jogger eventually sees a dark figure, who then chases her. She escapes by jumping into a stranger’s yard and hiding.
• Quote:

  “I have to thank Mocha for pretty much telling me that someone was behind us, following us, stalking us.” (44:28, Storyteller)

• Outcome: They escape unharmed, and the storyteller becomes more cautious about running at night.

6. The Persistent Stranger at the Funeral Home Apartment

[45:29–48:50]

• Setting: A woman living above a funeral home encounters a nervous, fast-talking stranger on her back stairs late at night.
• Event: The man spins an implausible story about a broken down car and repeatedly asks for money, only to flee when confronted by the storyteller’s husband.
• Analysis: The storyteller notes the stranger would have needed prior knowledge of her location to approach her directly, and is left unsettled by his true motives.

7. ‘Tango Out’ — The Disturbed Cigarette Stranger

[48:51–54:50]

• Introduction: A man with apparent mental illness, possibly paranoid schizophrenia, repeatedly behaves erratically on the storyteller’s property, calling him “Sarge” and referencing military jargon despite no service record.
• Creepiest Moment: Staring at the house and muttering, “I want out. Tango out.” (51:44, Tango Out)
• Resolution: Police intervene and, with neighborhood cooperation, find suitable assisted living for the man and his mother.
• Empathy: The host demonstrates compassion for the man’s struggles despite the unnerving encounters.

8. Imposter Cop Caught in the Act

[54:51–55:12]

• Setting: In a high-crime city, a young woman living alone with her dogs is alarmed to find a supposed police officer silently attempting to creep up her stairs at 2am.
• Exposure: His explanation of investigating “smoke” is implausible. The tenant later finds evidence of lock tampering; the police confirm they had no officers dispatched to her address that night.
• Quote:

  “That guy looks so startled and so surprised, like a kid caught red handed stealing a cookie from the cookie jar.” (55:01, Storyteller)

• Aftermath: Although unharmed, the experience leaves her wary of police calls and grateful for her vigilant dogs.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Realization and Trauma:

  “That happened. That was real and it was here. What the hell?” (13:21, Veteran Storyteller)

• On Hidden Danger:

  “They would have had to jump over my body to enter my room…” (15:54, College Student)

• On Evil Hiding in Plain Sight:

  “I’m the only one who knows what actually happened. Nobody else knows the truth.” (31:23, Sam)

• On the Relief of Escape:

  “I just hope he didn’t get a clear glimpse of my face and I really hope I never come across him again.” (45:12, Jogger)

• On Everyday Frights:

  “He came right up to me like he was targeting me… once my husband was outside…it’s like his whole plan had been foiled.” (47:40, Funeral Home Tenant)

• On Mental Health and Community:

  “I can’t imagine what’s going on in your mind. Whatever is haunting your thoughts and dreams, I hope one day you can overcome them and live happily.” (54:45, on Tango Out)

• On the Fear of Authority:

  “Till this day, I am terrified to call the police to my house in case he shows back up.” (55:08, Final Storyteller)

Timestamps for Major Stories

| Segment/Story | Time (MM:SS) | |-------------------------------------------------|---------------| | Veteran’s Nighttime Encounter | 01:10–13:55 | | College Break-Ins | 13:56–21:55 | | Friend with Dark Secrets | 21:56–33:42 | | Stalker in the Trench Coat | 33:43–39:26 | | Night Jogger and the Shadow Follower | 39:27–45:28 | | Persistent Stranger at the Funeral Home | 45:29–48:50 | | ‘Tango Out’ Cigarette Stranger | 48:51–54:50 | | Imposter Cop Caught in the Act | 54:51–55:12 |

Tone & Style

The host’s narration maintains a calm, reflective, and deeply empathetic tone throughout, contrasting the chilling content with a presiding sense of safety and care. Each story is recounted in the first person, lending credibility and intimacy. The rain ambience offers a paradoxical comfort, underscoring the tension in each account.

Summary Takeaways

• The episode explores the frightening unpredictability of both strangers and those close to us.
• Listeners are reminded of the razor-thin boundary between security and exposure in everyday life.
• Despite the darkness of the tales, there is a current of compassion—toward trauma, the mentally ill, and survivors—which sets the podcast apart.

End of content summary; advertisements and non-story sections omitted.