Podcast Summary: "Scary Stories For A Rainy Night - Ep. 248 - New Blood"

Scary Stories and Rain
Host: Being Scared
Release Date: October 4, 2025

Overview

This episode of Scary Stories and Rain blends chilling, true (or true-inspired) horror accounts with the host’s signature calm narration and a soothing rain soundscape. Geared towards sleepless listeners and horror fans alike, the episode features a variety of unsettling tales: the infamous Zodiac murders, betrayals from loved ones, brushes with danger at home and on dates, creepy encounters in the wilderness, and a deeply disturbing late-night customer at a small-town general store. The tone remains intimate, conversational, and suspenseful throughout, perfect for those wanting to be scared yet soothed on a rainy night.

Key Stories & Discussion Points

1. The First Victims of the Zodiac Killer

[01:22 – 11:25]

• David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen: The "All-American boy" and his first love embark on their first date, planning for an innocent evening that ends in tragedy at a secluded lovers’ lane.
• The Confrontation: Another car pulls up, unsettling the teens. When the stranger emerges, the pair tries to flee but is shot; both are killed.
• Aftermath: The community is rocked by the incident. The initially suspected jealous rival is cleared, and soon the killer’s infamy as "The Zodiac" spreads through his cryptic letters to the press.
• Historical Framing: The narrative details how the Zodiac taunted law enforcement, described his crimes in ciphers, and claimed more victims than officially attributed.

Notable Quotes:

• “He squared up to David when the young man was waiting outside of Betty Lou's high school. And although the confrontation didn't become physical, some pretty harsh insults were exchanged and David was warned to stay away from Betty Lou.” – Host, [03:44]
• "The man who took David and Betty Lou's lives… would come to be known by a name that would echo through the annals of true crime all over the world. The Zodiac." – Host, [10:36]

2. Grief as a Weapon: A Cruel Phone Call

[11:27 – 15:49]

• Reaching out from the Past: The storyteller’s ex-girlfriend calls, cryptically says, “we need to talk,” then delivers the devastating false news that his mother has died in a car accident.
• Emotional Whiplash: He calls his brother; both are grief-stricken, only for their mother to walk through the door unharmed minutes later.
• Betrayal Revealed: The ex fabricated the story for revenge after being cheated on.

Notable Quotes:

• “Long story short, my ex had lied and she did so because she wanted to hurt me just like I had hurt her… I’m not saying I didn’t deserve some kind of revenge, but not that brutal.” – Host, [15:02]

3. Home Alone: The Winter Intruder

[15:50 – 23:00]

• College Break: The teller returns home for the holidays, staying up late, sneaking smokes and drinks.
• False Alarms… or Not?: The house alarm blares twice in the night; the family assumes it’s wind—until the neighbor arrives the next morning to report a would-be intruder on their security camera.
• Realization: The teller discovers the intruder had tried the back doors 14 times, likely lurking just outside his window as he played games, oblivious to the danger.

Notable Quotes:

• "After that night though, that all changed. It struck me how evil and predatory human beings can really be… right under my nose, and I had absolutely no clue that he was there." – Host, [21:46]
• “Just thinking about it now gives me shivers.” – Host, [22:30]

4. The Goth Tinder Date from Hell

[25:19 – 31:45]

• Swiping Right: The narrator sets up a date with a mysterious, attractive goth girl.
• Creepy Outing: The girl takes him to the Museum of Death, starts making disturbing comments about mortality and murder.
• Disturbing Desires: She expresses a fascination with killing, watching people die, and details gruesome torture methods—then displays possessive and alarming kinkiness.
• Aftermath: The narrator blocks her, shaken by how “dangerous” real people can be.

Notable Quotes:

• “She starts telling me how… taking another person's life would be better than sex. How that feeling of pure power must dwarf any feeling that drugs or alcohol have to offer.” – Host, [28:44]
• “She then tells me how hot she thought it would be to watch me drown at the bottom of a pool while there's an audience and I'm totally naked.” – Host, [29:03]

5. Scorpion Terror in the Chihuahuan Desert

[31:46 – 37:07]

• Guys' Night Out: Friends gather for drinks and food in the desert; the narrator steps away to relieve himself.
• Creeping Death: A scorpion finds its way under his shorts, crawling ever closer to his groin while his friends debate how to rescue him.
• Close Call: After a tense standoff, the scorpion exits safely and a friend knocks it away, leading to nervous laughter—and a lifelong aversion to desert shorts.

Notable Quotes:

• “I have never been so convinced of the existence of an ever loving God than I was in that moment...” – Host, [36:13]
• “That was legit the scariest experience of my entire life.” – Host, [36:57]

6. The Man in the Night: A Sinister General Store Encounter

[38:56 – 47:55]

• Late Shift: The storyteller works at a nostalgic general store in West Virginia when a pale, sharply-suited stranger enters late at night with a young girl.
• Unnerving Behavior: The man purchases lighter fluid, fills a silver Zippo, then sucks the flammable liquid off his finger—claiming he doesn’t smoke.
• Odd Father-Daughter Dynamic: The girl, dressed childishly for her age, calls him “Daddy”; their manner and exchange unsettle the narrator.
• Ominous Farewell: The man repeatedly warns, “Curiosity killed the cat,” staring the narrator down with cold, predatory eyes.
• Lingering Dread: The teller suspects the relationship and situation are very wrong, but feels powerless to act.

Notable Quotes:

• “I get the distinct impression that nothing we could ever accuse him of was really going to stick. He had all that money and that look he gave me too.” – Host, [47:20]
• "Remember, young man, curiosity killed the cat." – The suited man, [47:40]

Memorable Moments & Atmosphere

• Rain Ambience: The continuous sound of falling rain adds a hypnotic, lulling quality, amplifying the tension and making the scares linger in the imagination.
• Host’s Calm Delivery: The stories are punctuated by the host’s measured, intimate voice—lending weight to each unnerving detail.
• Blend of Relatable and Uncanny: The episode explores both supernatural-adjacent and ordinary human evil, suggesting horror is often closer than we think.

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Story/Event | Start | End | |----------------------|---------------------------------------|-------------|-------------| | Zodiac Killer | Lovers’ lane murders | 01:22 | 11:25 | | Ex’s Grim Prank | Fake mother’s death call | 11:27 | 15:49 | | Winter Intruder | College break-in scare | 15:50 | 23:00 | | Goth Tinder Date | Museum of Death encounter | 25:19 | 31:45 | | Scorpion Terror | Desert camping misadventure | 31:46 | 37:07 | | O’Hurley’s Visitor | Disturbing general store customer | 38:56 | 47:55 |

Final Notes

• Cautionary Moral: Across several tales, a thread emerges—danger can be found in familiar places, people you think you know, or in yourself. The mundane can turn monstrous on a rainy night.
• Signature Signoff: The episode leaves you in suspense, urging you to double-check locks, be wary on first dates, and recognize that horror might be quietly lurking just outside your window.

Whether you’re a horror enthusiast or a sleepless soul longing for an atmospheric chill, this episode expertly weaves true crime, urban legends, and personal terror into an unforgettable midnight experience—one that’ll leave you listening for footsteps in the dark, as the rain falls outside.