Sightings: Halloween Listener Story Spooktacular

Podcast: Sightings
Host: McLeod Andrews & Brian Sigley
Episode: Halloween Listener Story Spooktacular
Release Date: October 27, 2025

Episode Overview

In this milestone 50th episode of Sightings, the hosts celebrate Halloween with a chilling “Listener Story Spooktacular.” Trading their usual investigative deep-dives for first-person horror, McLeod and Brian read and unpack three of the creepiest true supernatural encounters submitted by listeners. Each story ramps up the suspense, from small-town hauntings to unexplainable confrontations in the woods, underscoring the episode's central theme: Halloween is as much a warning as it is a celebration. The hosts’ reactions, thoughtful analysis, and moments of comic relief add depth, making the episode both entertaining and unsettling.

Key Discussion Points & Story Summaries

1. Welcome & Episode Introduction

[01:46]

• McLeod sets the Halloween mood, noting, “Halloween is the one night we invite fear in...but the truth is, the strange and the terrifying often don’t wait for October 31st.”
• The hosts reveal it’s a special occasion: last Monday of the month (Listener Story day), their 50th episode, and Halloween.
• Brian teases the format: “We should read three of the creepiest listener stories that you, our listeners, have sent to us.”
• Light banter about nerves and setting the scene (“I assume you’re in bed while listening to this—make sure your doors are locked.”)

2. Story One: The Spider Woman

Submitted by Colton from Pennsylvania
[04:28 – 08:17]
Summary:

• Colton recounts an eerie childhood experience at his grandmother’s old apartment near Gettysburg.
• The second floor is always off-limits; the place feels heavy, particularly at night.
• As Colton watches TV one evening, noises escalate—scratching, screeching—culminating in a terrifying sight: a spindly, spider-like woman scaling the exterior wall, resembling a younger version of his mother.
• Paralyzed by fear, Colton flees to his grandmother, who dismisses his experience, yet seems oddly familiar with it.

Notable Quotes:

• “Her limbs were long and spindly, bent the wrong way like a spider...but the most terrifying part—she looked like a younger version of my mother.” (Colton’s letter, 06:02)
• “This should be a movie. Are you kidding me? There’s incredible thematic structure going on here.” (McLeod, 08:29)

Host Discussion & Analysis:

• Hosts theorize deeper connections: is the mother tied to the second floor mystery? Is it a werewolf-like or doppelgänger entity?
• “Are you glad this is not what was crawling on the outside of your sound booth?” (Brian, 08:17)
• They reflect on the primal terror of seeing a loved one’s face on something monstrous.

Segment timestamp: 04:28–10:26

3. Story Two: The Friendly Ghost Turns

Submitted Anonymously from Indiana
[13:14 – 21:47]
Summary:

• The anonymous listener describes growing up in a noisy, haunted house alongside five siblings and a single mom.
• The “friendly ghost” is a presence in their lives: footsteps, pacing, and movement sounds are familiar, even comforting—until the haunting turns sinister.
• Key Moments:
  • A boyfriend flees after encountering the ghost’s noisy charge down the stairs.
  • The family dog reacts violently one night, growling at an unseen presence; thunderous knocks come from beneath their feet.
  • The haunting escalates: the ghost is seen as a shimmering, heatwave-like distortion; it sits on beds, paralyzes sleepers, and later follows the brother even after moving out.
  • The entity manifests for other siblings and their children—culminating in a chilling warning shouted into the mother’s ear: “Get out.”

Notable Quotes:

• “That house was always talking. What a good way of putting that.” (McLeod, 13:27)
• “The friendly ghost isn’t so friendly...not anymore.” (Anonymous, 18:41)
• “She still visits me...she followed me.” (Brother, 20:40)

Host Discussion & Analysis:

• The hosts note the uniquely dark tone—this haunting moves from bothersome to outright traumatizing, with lasting psychological scars.
• Brian: “This one went a little darker...It went from, ‘it’s just the ghost that makes sounds upstairs’ to ‘it’s tormenting us.’”
• “Why didn’t they move sooner?” they ask, marveling at the persistence of the family.

Segment timestamp: 13:14–23:08

4. Story Three: The Shadow in the North Carolina Woods

Submitted by Justin from North Carolina
[25:49 – 32:55]
Summary:

• Justin details a terrifying solo camping experience near Table Rock in the North Carolina mountains.
• After typical forest sounds fade, he hears a “wet clicking noise,” followed by unsettling glimpses and footsteps.
• The shadowy entity circles his tent and speaks his name in a “low, rasping” voice.
• At dawn, Justin flees, only to encounter the being again in daylight—a shifting, reality-bending silhouette blocking his path.
• At a local gas station, an elderly clerk hints this ancient thing is part of local lore: “You’re not the first to see it.”

Notable Quotes:

• “Its outline was wrong, blurred somehow, like it didn’t belong in the world.” (Justin, 27:25)
• “Then it spoke...but it knew my name.” (Justin, 28:17)
• “There’s this entity that I wanted to do an episode on called a Hide-Behind...it originated in the Pacific Northwest.” (Brian, 33:00)

Host Discussion & Analysis:

• The entity conjures parallels to the “Hide-Behind” of logger folklore and the Hat Man—shadow figures that haunt the periphery.
• “So you’re not safe anywhere is the moral of this story,” jokes Brian.
• McLeod admits: “I’m not ready for it. This was too spooky for me.”

Segment timestamp: 25:49–34:31

Memorable Host Moments

[Throughout]

• McLeod’s opening line: “Halloween isn’t just a holiday, it’s a warning.” (01:46)
• Lighthearted banter about “monster cats” and “iron bars for your windows,” offering comic relief between terrifying tales.
• Recurrent reflection: “Ye Halloween—it’s a warning, right?” (Brian, 23:08)
• Closing gratitude for 50 episodes and encouragement for listeners to submit their own stories.

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Start | End | |------------------------------------------|---------|---------| | Halloween Setup & Host Banter | 01:46 | 03:36 | | Story 1: The Spider Woman | 04:28 | 10:26 | | Story 2: The Friendly Ghost Turns | 13:14 | 23:08 | | Story 3: The Shadow in North Carolina | 25:49 | 34:31 | | Closing Reflections & Next Episode Tease | 34:31 | 36:28 |

Tone & Style

Maintaining their signature mix of eerie storytelling and conversational humor, McLeod and Brian invite listeners to suspend disbelief and confront uncanny possibilities. Their tone is playful but genuine—balancing skepticism, empathy, and genuine fright, particularly as the stories grow increasingly unnerving.

Final Thoughts & Next Episode Preview

[34:44 – 36:28]

• The hosts express gratitude for 50 episodes and the show’s community spirit.
• Reminder: Listener stories are central to future shows and can be submitted via email or social media.
• Tease for next week: “We’re going to leave the realm of spooky stories for at least a week and dive into probably the craziest story that I have ever encountered when it comes to aliens...heading to New Mexico.”

Notable Quotes Recap

• “Halloween isn’t just a holiday, it’s a warning.” (McLeod, 01:46)
• ”Her limbs were long and spindly, bent the wrong way like a spider…” (Colton’s story, 06:02)
• "I want some follow-up...Did your mom start having monthly I-need-to-go-out nights?" (Brian, 10:05)
• “That house was always talking.” (McLeod, 13:27)
• "The friendly ghost isn't so friendly, he said. Not anymore." (Anonymous, 18:41)
• "Its outline was wrong, blurred somehow, like it didn’t belong in the world." (Justin, 27:25)
• "You're not safe anywhere is the moral of this story." (Brian, 33:53)
• “I’m not ready for it. This was too spooky for me.” (McLeod, 34:17)

This episode stands as a perfect Halloween treat (or trick): a high-tension anthology of real-world supernatural tales, elevated by the hosts’ immersive storytelling and thoughtful, unnerved commentary. Listeners are left with chills and the comforting community of Sightings—until the next story finds its way into the dark.