Scary Stories For A Rainy Night - Episode 246: The Cold Dark

Podcast: Scary Stories and Rain
Host: Being Scared
Date: October 2, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of "Scary Stories and Rain" (#246 - The Cold Dark) delivers a medley of unsettling, true accounts narrated in Being Scared’s calm, steady voice, all underscored by the persistent sound of rainfall. The stories center around the theme of confronting chilling dangers—from suspicious strangers and home intrusions to near-misses with deadly intentions—reminding listeners how vulnerable and lucky we are, even in seemingly safe places. Through first-person retellings, listeners are urged to trust their instincts, heed the small signals that something is wrong, and appreciate the thin margin between safety and disaster.

Key Story Summaries & Insights

1. The Creepy Encounter at the Karakariki Track (00:59 – 13:54)

• Setting: Rural New Zealand, 2019.
• Synopsis: A young woman and her boyfriend go on a sunny, secluded date to their favorite waterfall spot, only to encounter a menacing stranger wielding weapons and behaving erratically.
• Key Points:
  • The couple recognizes the land’s usual farmer but are alarmed by a large, unfamiliar man on a quad bike who silently watches them.
  • The stranger, carrying firearms (extremely rare in post-Christchurch New Zealand), behaves incoherently, brandishing his weapon and muttering about wanting to “kill some fish.”
  • Fearfully, the couple stages their escape with subtle, non-provocative gestures, ultimately running away the moment they are out of sight.
  • The psychological aftermath is palpable, as the woman notes the spot was once sentimental, but is now forever tainted.
• Notable Quote:
  “Listen to me close now. This is my first and last time in my entire life I have ever seen a real life weapon. It is incredibly hard to get one in New Zealand.” (09:30, speaker: story narrator)

2. Imposter at the Door (13:55 – 19:18)

• Setting: Outskirts of a quiet town, contemporary US.
• Synopsis: A late-night pounding on the door by a self-proclaimed police officer sets off alarm bells for a woman home alone.
• Key Points:
  • The stranger fails basic credibility tests—can’t state his intention, doesn’t know her name, doesn’t sound official.
  • The narrator calls 911, confirming no officers are dispatched to her address.
  • Police later reassure her: always confirm officer identity, call 911—no one will get in trouble for being careful.
• Memorable Advice:
  “Always trust your instincts and remember that if you have any doubts about someone claiming to be a police officer, call 911 and confirm that they are who they say they are.” (18:45)

3. The Van at the Caravan Park (19:19 – 26:31)

• Setting: UK caravan park, circa 20 years ago.
• Synopsis: Three children, bored at holiday entertainment, stumble into a stranger’s trap late at night near parked caravans.
• Key Points:
  • A man with a white van and open back doors asks the boys for help moving a heavy box (“alright boys, can one of you strong lads help me shift this heavy box into the back of my van? I hurt my back now.” 23:08).
  • Danger escalates when one boy naively approaches; the others freeze, then flee.
  • The children’s terror mounts as they fail to open the caravan, realizing they must return past the danger to find parents.
  • A bloodcurdling scream from the vaned stranger haunts them as they run for safety.
• Notable Moment:
  “I will never forget his horrid face when he saw Lucas walking towards him. It was like a spider that had caught a fly.” (22:52)

4. Parmesan the Hero Dog (26:32 – 38:08)

• Setting: Remote beach campsite, UK, 2011.
• Synopsis: A family adventure turns deadly until the family’s rescue dog, Parmesan, saves the day.
• Key Points:
  • While setting up camp, an intoxicated man with a large knife approaches, becoming increasingly aggressive.
  • The family’s dog bursts from the car and attacks the man, forcing him to drop the knife and flee.
  • The terror compounds when the family, after fleeing, spots the knife-wielder at a gas station, and then is chased by his car for nearly an hour while low on gas.
  • Reflects on the bond with the rescue dog, gratitude, and the chilling realization the attacker may have been wanted for murder.
• Memorable Quote:
  “A bolt from the black like a wolf descending on its prey. Took us all by surprise. Most of all the man with the knife. In that moment, Parmesan was the apex predator.” (33:25)
  • Life lesson: Always trust a dog’s instincts about people.

5. The Haunted Coffee Machine (38:09 – 40:01)

• Setting: Unknown
• Synopsis: A woman recounts buying a used Italian coffee machine that hides a revolting surprise.
• Key Points:
  • The machine makes odd ticking noises; upon opening it, the owner discovers a massive cockroach nest inside.
  • Waves of roaches scatter; requires kitchen fumigation, making the “cheap” deal the most expensive (and traumatizing) coffee ever.
• Notable Quote:
  “Inside the coffee machine was the biggest nest of cockroaches I have ever seen in my life. To this day, the little buggers absolutely disgust me.” (39:18)

6. The Peculiar Prestige Family (40:02 – 44:10; continues at 44:11 – 54:54)

• Setting: Small English town, Wiltshire, 1970s–80s.
• Synopsis: The narrator tells of growing up near an infamously strange and secretive family, culminating in an unimaginable act.
• Key Points:
  • Lewis, the son, is known for his constant distress and social ostracization due to his peculiar, abusive home life.
  • After a welfare check, Lewis’s demeanor changes; he’s suddenly confident and happy, no longer brought to school by his parents.
  • A week-long absence and a surge in town police activity precede the news of a brutal double murder.
  • Only later do townsfolk realize Lewis killed his parents, revealing the secret behind his freedom and happiness.
• Highlighted Reflection:
  “The reason Lewis’s parents didn’t seem to be around anymore, the reason he was so happy and confident and carefree, was because Lewis had killed them. He had finally rid himself of the people that had made his life hell. I get that. But the fact that a kid killing his own parents could make him so happy, that is something I have never been able to truly understand.” (47:55)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I could have lost my life or my partner that day and I’m always extremely grateful that my boyfriend is the man that he is…” (12:50)
• “He stared at us for a few seconds but did not smile or physically acknowledge us. Then he blurts out an enthusiastic ‘alright boys, can one of you strong lads help me shift this heavy box into the back of my van?’” (23:08)
• “If you’re able to please adopt, you might find yourself in a situation like mine someday. Hopefully not. I promise you, if you’re willing to save a four legged friend’s life. They will pay you back tenfold if they’re able to without a thought for their own safety.” (37:59)
• “We were all just one little spur of the moment. Yes, from finding out, finding their bodies maybe. If that was the case, then Louis would have killed us too.” (54:01)

Timestamps and Important Segments

• 00:59 — Start of Karakariki Track story (New Zealand encounter)
• 13:55 — Home intrusion: fake police officer
• 19:19 — Stranger at the caravan park
• 26:32 — Parmesan the rescue dog saves family
• 38:09 — Cockroach-infested coffee machine
• 40:02 — Introducing the Prestige family
• 44:11 — Climax: Lewis’s “freedom” and the neighborhood double murder

Episode Takeaways & Tone

• The episode’s language is anecdotal, direct, and conversational—almost confessional at points, maintaining the personal vulnerability of each narrator.
• Themes of luck, danger, and the importance of acting on intuition pervade.
• The rain ambience underscores the feeling of isolation and reflection, wrapping each story in a cocoon of atmospheric dread.

For those seeking a chilling, contemplative listen during a sleepless night, this episode delivers true stories that urge listeners to trust their gut, watch out for danger in unexpected places, and appreciate the hidden guardians—canine or human—at our sides.