Sightings – Episode: "Signs" (January 19, 2026)

Episode Overview

This episode of Sightings, hosted by McLeod Andrews and Brian Sigley, dives into the idea that many supernatural encounters begin not with terror, but with subtle, strange signs. In a refreshed format for 2026, the hosts bring listeners four chilling firsthand stories from around the world, each highlighting mysterious, paranormal—or even cryptid—encounters. With authentic reactions, humor, and wide-eyed curiosity, McLeod and Brian explore the uncertainty that lingers between reality and the unknown.

Format Update & Call for Stories

[00:48 – 02:52]

• The show is moving to a monthly schedule (except for Spooky Season in the fall, which will return with full “Monster, Alien, and Ghost” stories).
• Focus for now: listener-submitted stories, brought to life in dramatic readings and conversation.
• Listeners are encouraged to send their own supernatural accounts via email or Instagram.
• Notable banter:
  • McLeod: “So join us now as we explore four listener stories that will have you looking over your shoulder in the night.”

Story 1: "Footsteps, Balloons, and Time Loops" — Gretchen in Australia

[05:02 – 13:06]

Summary

Gretchen recounts her childhood in a rural, nondescript rental house in Australia—built on land that used to be a slaughterhouse—which gave rise to increasingly bizarre and frightening occurrences. The story unfolds through a skeptical child’s eyes, as footsteps at night escalate to overt poltergeist activity: blinds snapping, hangers scraping, and a balloon eerily stretching itself. The family’s reactions run the gamut—from nervous breakdown to calm observation—culminating in a philosophical debate about hauntings, memory, and the nature of time.

Highlights & Quotes

• “At first it was just footsteps, long and slow on the concrete footpath beneath our second story bedroom window.” (Gretchen, [05:55])
• The most tangible incident: a balloon stretching and snapping on its own, coat hangers scraping in a closed wardrobe, and moving shadows cast by blinds.
• Gretchen’s mother: “She told us she thought the house didn't want us to go and whatever was there was trying to communicate and just didn't realize how frightening that would be to us." ([12:07])
• Philosophical reflection: “We don't know how time works… Who knows how many layers of reality are at play in one place at one time?... Maybe...it was us who haunted them.”

Host Reactions

• Brian: “She would be the one wielding a shotgun, kicking down doors… doesn’t bother me, I’m not interested.” ([13:29])
• McLeod: “This woman goes on my, like, who do you want to be in your, like, crew in the zombie apocalypse?” ([13:24])
• Both hosts draw parallels to the film The Others and express awe at Gretchen’s calm under pressure.
• Open question: What did Gretchen’s brother experience?

Story 2: "Mimic in the Trees" — Christopher, Pacific Northwest

[17:49 – 24:30]

Summary

Christopher, an experienced firefighter and S&R volunteer, is dispatched to search for two missing hikers in the rainy forest—accompanied by his 85-pound black Lab, Tiberius. Events take a sinister turn as Tiberius—well-trained and unflappable—suddenly freezes, growls, then whimpers in terror. Christopher sees huge, pale blue eyes reflecting from high in a tree, describes a creature with human-like features and gray fur, and then hears his own voice mimicked back at him perfectly from the dark before fleeing in terror.

Highlights & Quotes

• “The thing moved. Not down. Sideways. It leapt from one tree to another with a speed that made my stomach drop. I caught just enough detail to register something deeply wrong. It looked almost human.” (Christopher, [19:35])
• “From above me, my own voice answered, ‘what the hell?’ Perfectly. Same tone, same inflection. Then it repeated it twice.” ([22:13])
• "The forest doesn't feel the same anymore. Something about that night made it feel less empty out there." (Christopher, [24:10])

Host Reactions

• Brian: “Zoinks is apt for this. Goodness gracious. Well, I’m glad Tiberius was okay.” ([24:30])
• McLeod: “It’s not like anything I’ve heard before… The voice thing is just like oof.” ([24:36])
• Speculate about cryptid identity—Bigfoot? Skinwalker? But the mimicry throws them off.
• Both praise Christopher’s continued service despite his chilling experience.

Story 3: "Who’s That on the Stairs?" — David, Massachusetts

[27:30 – 32:51]

Summary

David moves into a historical 1750s farmhouse and, forewarned of its “energy,” respectfully lays out ground rules for any resident entities. Subtle disturbances arise: a photo frame flies off a shelf, a toy spaceship malfunctions, footsteps on stairs with no visible cause, children and guests seeing shadowy figures. The most haunting occurrence: on their final night, a surge of inexplicable noise and, later, a photo showing a shadowy human shape in an upstairs window as the family poses goodbye.

Highlights & Quotes

• David: “As long as you don’t scare my wife or my daughter, you can stay. If you do, I’ll get a young priest and an old priest…” ([28:20])
• Daughter: “Tell them to go again.”
• Friend’s experience: “She heard someone walk up behind her, footsteps on the hardwood. Except I hadn’t ripped up the carpet yet to reveal the beautiful oak floors.” ([31:05])
• Final act: “Before leaving and locking the door one last time, I turned and spoke to the house. Thank you for the memories, but you cannot come with us." ([32:34])

Host Reactions

• McLeod: “He’s our priest or our paladin…We’re putting together a really strong Dungeons and Dragons team.” ([28:22])
• Both examine the photo (on Instagram @sightingspod):
  • McLeod: “There’s like, the shadowy outline of a human. A person. Like a head and shoulders at the window.” ([33:02])
• Brian: “Cool story. Cool photo. I think what I loved about this too, was…he’s just gonna talk, right? He’s just gonna tell ‘em, this is how it is, ghosts.” ([33:20])

Story 4: "Creature at the Tree Line" — Mikayla, Kentucky

[37:05 – 40:48]

Summary

Mikayla, staying in a century-old house bordering vast woods, is smoking on the porch late one night when primal fear grips her—something is stalking them beyond the tree line. Her husband, Igor, initially dismissive, suddenly spots a seven-foot-tall, eye-shining being peeking from behind a tree. He shouts and attempts to scare it off, but the creature remains unfazed. For weeks, they’re plagued by unsettling noises and feelings of being watched, leading Mikayla to suspect a wendigo or skinwalker.

Highlights & Quotes

• Mikayla: “The feeling was primal, like I felt like I was going to die if I didn’t get out of there. Intense.” ([37:38])
• “He just started stomping on the porch and screaming, ‘I can see you. I see you looking at me.’” ([39:03])
• “We even checked the next morning and there were no tracks of any kind near the tree. I believe it was a windigo or maybe a skinwalker, but either way I pray it doesn’t show up again.” ([40:37])
• Final reflection: “After that experience, ghosts are the least of my worries.”

Host Reactions

• Brian: “If this one had started talking though, like the first one, I would have never gone back to Kentucky. And I like Kentucky.” ([41:32])
• McLeod: “It reminds me of, like, a found footage time type horror film…” ([41:00])

Conclusion & Community Engagement

[41:36 – 42:18]

• McLeod: “I did survive these four stories, and I’m a better man for it.”
• Listeners are reminded of the new publishing schedule; all previous episodes are available to binge.
• Continued invitation to submit stories: storiesightingspodcast.com or Instagram @sightingspod.
• Both hosts sign off with warm wishes for a spooky and thrilling 2026.

Notable Quotes

• Gretchen’s Mother ([12:07]):
  “We don’t know how time works… Who knows whether we are even the real one? Maybe, she said, it was us who haunted them.”

• Christopher ([22:13]):
  "From above me, my own voice answered, ‘what the hell?’ Perfectly. Same tone, same inflection...There was no echo, no Distortion. Just my voice coming from the trees."

• David ([28:20]):
  “As long as you don’t scare my wife or my daughter, you can stay. If you do, I’ll get a young priest and an old priest, and I will cleanse this house from top to bottom.”

• Mikayla ([37:38]):
  “The feeling was primal, like I felt like I was going to die if I didn’t get out of there.”

• Brian ([33:20]):
  “Cool story. Cool photo. I think what I loved about this too, was…he’s just gonna tell ‘em, this is how it is, ghosts.”

Timestamps for Key Moments

• [02:52] — Stories segment begins
• [05:02] — Gretchen’s haunted house, Australia
• [13:06] — Host discussion (Gretchen’s story)
• [17:49] — Christopher’s mimic cryptid, Pacific Northwest
• [24:30] — Host discussion (Christopher’s story)
• [27:30] — David’s haunted farmhouse, Massachusetts
• [32:51] — Host discussion (David’s story, photo reaction)
• [37:05] — Mikayla’s creature sighting, Kentucky
• [41:36] — Hosts wrap up, invite stories, announce next episode

Tone & Style

The hosts maintain a balance of earnest curiosity, empathy, and humor, always respecting the storytellers’ experiences while grounding their own reactions in wit and camaraderie. The stories themselves range from subtly unnerving to outright terrifying, each with its own unique take on what constitutes a “sign” from the other side.

Sightings continues to capture the allure of supernatural mysteries, blurring the boundaries between skeptic and believer, and reminding everyone that sometimes, the scariest things are not the outright hauntings—but the signs we almost don’t notice.