Scary Stories For A Rainy Night - Ep. 259: Singing From Downstairs

Podcast: Scary Stories and Rain
Host: Being Scared (Dane)
Date: October 15, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Dane continues the tradition of chilling, true horror tales, all set to the calming backdrop of rain. The stories in Episode 259 range from nerve-wracking encounters with strangers in isolated locations, creepy abduction attempts, ghostly mysteries, and real-life unsolved deaths. The episode's main theme is the ever-present vulnerability and unexplained danger that can lurk in everyday life—making it perfect for listeners seeking both comfort and shivers before drifting off to sleep.

Key Stories & Insights

1. Lake Peninsula Dirt Biker

(00:59 – 08:00)

• A mother recounts a late-night camping escapade with her daughter and a friend at a remote lakeside peninsula.
• After settling in for the night, a dirt biker begins circling their camp at 2am, never speaking, just staring, and acting increasingly menacing.
• The narrator contemplates confronting him, but senses danger and instead freezes, mirroring his behavior—a silent standoff lasting 20 minutes before the biker finally disappears.
• Insight: Sometimes, intuition and restraint are more powerful than confrontation in the face of ambiguous threats.
• Notable Quote:
  • “He was facing directly towards our tent, saying nothing, just still and staring. I realize I have no weapons, no way to protect the girls, and he’s between us and the car…” (07:24, Mom/Narrator)

2. Deputy and the Suicide Scene Cat

(08:01 – 12:33)

• A former deputy describes being assigned to watch over a suicide scene overnight, becoming increasingly unnerved by unexplained noises inside the house.
• After drawing his weapon in fear, he discovers the intruder is not supernatural—but the victim’s cat, whose sudden leap behind the blinds caused mutual terror.
• Tone: The story flip-flops from somber to anticlimactic, offering a moment of levity among the episode's scares.
• Notable Quote:
  • “The deputy’s vision quickly cleared and he stared at the face on the other side of the window, definitely not expecting to see that particular face staring back at him… man and feline eyed each other before both turning away. Feeling stupid, I guess.” (12:10, Dane recounting)

3. Haunted Mine in the Motherlode

(12:34 – 19:59)

• Listeners are taken to an abandoned California gold mine, explored twice by the narrator and different companions.
• Each visit is marked by escalating, unexplained sounds deep within the mine—first rock slides, then audible rattling described as “like a baby rattle.”
• The persistent sense of foreboding sends everyone running back into daylight. To this day, the narrator refuses to return.
• Theme: Sometimes fear is justified; the environment itself can evoke primal dread, even absent visible danger.
• Notable Quote:
  • “That was when I literally just said, you only have to be faster than your slowest friend. Then I just took off running…” (17:55, Narrator)

4. Singing From Downstairs – Attempted Abduction

(20:00 – 33:57)

• A deeply personal and disturbing story from the narrator’s childhood, set in early 1990s Florida.
• Due to a family history of abuse, the narrator is strictly monitored, but moments after the guardian (Nana) steps inside, a menacingly friendly “Scarecrow Man” tries to lure the child with offers of unwanted Christmas presents.
• The situation dangerously escalates, but the narrator's instinct to call for Nana brings her running—wielding a cast iron skillet and causing the would-be abductor to flee.
• Years later, it's revealed that the description matches a known predator sought by police.
• Insight: The vigilance and fierceness of loved ones—and a dash of luck—can be the thin line between safety and tragedy.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “She tells me to sing as loud as I can so she can hear me from the kitchen and know that I was still there. So I did as I was told and warbled all the Boyz II Men lyrics I knew…” (23:13, Narrator)
  • “My Nana appears with this big old cast iron pan in her hand and comes tearing up the path towards me and what I know now to be my potential abductor. And she’s screaming bloody murder…” (31:05, Narrator)

5. The Mysterious Death of Natalie Drissel

(33:58 – 47:42)

• A chilling, real-life cold case: Natalie Drissel is found dead, naked, and bruised in the snowy wilderness near a Colorado Christian retreat center.
• No signs of pursuit, trauma, or substance use. Footprints indicate she ran in apparent panic into the woods in freezing conditions.
• The final explanation presented—“excited delirium”—is controversial, with no solid consensus. Speculation ranges from medical anomaly to a possible unseen or supernatural threat.
• Themes: The unknown in both science and criminality leaves chilling, unanswered questions.
• Notable Quote:
  • “One moment her boyfriend was dropping her back at the guest cabin and she was perfectly normal, the next she was stripped naked and was sprinting through the snow-covered woods in the dark…” (43:33, Dane)

6. The Embalmed Head in Beaver County, PA

(47:43 – End)

• A macabre and baffling discovery: a teenager finds a professionally embalmed severed head in the Pennsylvania woods, with the eyes replaced by red rubber balls.
• Forensic analysis suggests professional anatomical knowledge; the head is determined to have likely been removed post-mortem, possibly by a “body broker.”
• Years of investigation yield no identity for the woman or clarity on why the head was left in the woods. The case remains a morbid mystery.
• Theme: The uncanny and the criminal intertwine—sometimes real life horror far outstrips the imagination.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “When we lifted the skin flap at the nape of the neck, we could see that the whole purpose of that was to access the key joint that would preserve both the head and the vertebral column… It was well done and it was placed perfectly. She was dismembered professionally.” (51:55, Michel Vitali via Dane)
  • “But perhaps the real question is, do we really want to know the whole story behind it, or are we most likely able to sleep easier remaining in blissful ignorance?” (End, Dane)

Memorable Moments & Tone

• The episode’s mood shifts between suspense, eerie dread, dark humor, and incredulity, reflecting real-life horror’s unpredictable cadence.
• The use of calm, almost hypnotic narration against rain ambiance heightens the impact of the stories, inviting both chilling intrigue and uneasy reflection.
• Standout Moment: Nana’s rescue with the cast iron pan—transforming domestic love into a moment of heroic terror—leaves a lasting impression.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Lake Peninsula Dirt Biker: 00:59 – 08:00
• Deputy and the Suicide Scene Cat: 08:01 – 12:33
• Haunted Mine in the Motherlode: 12:34 – 19:59
• Singing From Downstairs (Attempted Abduction): 20:00 – 33:57
• The Mysterious Death of Natalie Drissel: 33:58 – 47:42
• The Embalmed Head in Beaver County, PA: 47:43 – End

Conclusion

Episode 259 of Scary Stories and Rain delivers a satisfying blend of real-life creepiness and mystery, anchored by excellent narration and a keen sense of when to linger on the truly inexplicable. Whether it’s the slow-building fear of an unknown stalker, the laughter breaking tension after a cat’s scare, or the bone-deep chill of unsolved death, the episode reminds us that the most terrifying stories are often both true and unanswered.

“It’s unclear what caused such a state of fear that night, but one thing is clear in abundance. That we will never know exactly what happened... and that we’ll have to accept that here we are walking the earth, knowing that at any moment we too could simply fall down dead from some mysterious ailment that leaves our loved ones as baffled as they are heartbroken.”
(46:56, Dane)