Spooked Podcast – "The Fog - Classic" (September 19, 2025)

Main Theme / Purpose

This episode of Spooked, hosted by Glynn Washington, centers on a chilling supernatural encounter in the rural Australian town of Yungabarra. Recounted firsthand by Blair, the story explores how a mysterious fog, an abandoned farmhouse, and ghostly voices intertwine in a night of fear, confusion, and near-tragedy. The episode taps into universal anxieties—claustrophobia, parental protection, and the spectral imprint of grief—to produce a haunting narrative about being lured by forces beyond understanding.

Key Discussion Points and Story Breakdown

1. Glynn’s Personal Fear and Introduction to the Tale

• Claustrophobia and Caves in Vietnam

  • Glynn Washington shares his lifelong claustrophobia and recounts an incident in Vietnam where he refused, then reluctantly entered, war-time tunnels.
  • The feeling of suffocation and panic he experienced sets the emotional tone for Blair's impending encounter in the dark (03:57–06:33).
  • Quote (Glynn, 06:33):
    “When my time comes. Scatter my ashes. Shoot me into space...but please, please, please, please don’t put me in the ground now.”

• Transition to Rural Australia

  • Glynn introduces Blair’s family vacations in Yungabarra, emphasizing the area's isolation, foggy climate, and history—particularly the old farmhouse locals claimed was one of the settlement's first buildings (06:33–08:36).

2. Setting the Scene: The Walk Home Through the Fog

• Blair’s Background and Journey

  • Blair visits friends Alex and Olivia for games, losing track of time until 11:30 PM.
  • Faces a long, dark walk back to the family cabin, with deepening cold and approaching fog—creating both physical and emotional unease (08:36–12:45).
  • Quote (Blair, 08:36):
    “It was cold. I was really cold, and I only had, like, a really thin jumper on, so I was...shivering a lot.”

• Atmospheric Shift and Isolation

  • As Blair starts up the zigzag driveway, heavy fog rolls in, blocking out all light—evoking a sense of helplessness and disorientation.
  • Quote (Blair, 12:02):
    “All I could see in front of me was white. Like there was...I was in the middle of what seemed like a cloud, and I just could not see anything.”

3. The Encounter: Light in the Darkness

• Sighting the Lantern

  • Paralyzed with indecision, Blair suddenly sees an amber flame approaching—a kerosene lantern, seeming to be carried by his mum (16:52–17:33).
  • Relieved, he follows the voice and light, believing rescue is at hand. The lantern’s pace synchronizes eerily with his own movements.
  • Quote (Blair, 17:43):
    “I heard her say, ‘Son, is that you? Come here out of the fog. Just follow my light.’ I breathed a sigh of relief.”

• The Wrong House

  • The figure with the lantern leads Blair toward a house—but it’s not the family cabin, it’s the abandoned farmhouse.
  • As he approaches, the light disappears inside, leaving him in silence (19:33–20:28).

• The Voice Changes

  • At the doorstep, the reassuring “mum” voice morphs into an unfamiliar British woman’s accent:
    Quote (Blair, 20:35):
    “‘Nasty weather out there.’... it turned into a very old style British accent.”

  • Realizing the deception, Blair is overwhelmed by fear, especially as the voice now insists he come inside, calling with increasing urgency:
    Quote (Blair, 20:35):
    “‘Where are you going, my son? Come back here.’ Like in a demanding voice. It was very, very demanding.”

4. The Escape and Aftermath

• Flight, Grave, and Supernatural Pursuit

  • Blair flees, tripping over a tombstone—realizing it marks perhaps the fate of the lost son from the farmhouse legend.
  • He is then surrounded by multiple small amber lights, which close in, trapping him in a tightening circle (21:00–22:30).
  • Blair bursts through a gap, runs blindly, and smacks headlong into a wall, blacking out.

• Father’s Rescue

  • Blair’s dad hears the collision, finds him, and brings him inside. The next day, the lingering terror remains.
  • The dad confirms seeing a similar distant kerosene light by the farmhouse (25:00).

5. Context and Local Legend

• Alex and Olivia Reveal the Tradition

  • Blair’s friends share the farmhouse’s tragic history:
    • Ann, an early settler, lost her son one foggy night.
    • She searched with a lantern and called out—her son died lost in the fog, found later at the pond below the cliff.
    • Ann’s spirit is now believed to haunt the area, eternally searching, inexorably calling any lost soul “her son.”
  • Quote (Blair, 31:09):
    “Olivia told me that Anne was the thing that I heard and that kerosene lamp was hers and she was stuck in like a loop doing that, searching for her son. So she thought that I was her son.”

• Blair’s Reflection

  • Expresses a mix of sympathy and terror, realizing how lucky he was not to enter the house.
  • Vows never to return to that place, recognizing that the ghostly encounter was more than a residual haunt—it felt willful, intentional, and nearly fatal (33:00–33:55).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Glynn Washington (On Claustrophobia and Mortality)
  “Scatter my ashes, shoot me into space...but please, please, please, please don’t put me in the ground now.” (06:33)

• Blair (Describing the Rising Fear and Isolation):
  “All I could see in front of me was white...I couldn’t see the street lights.” (12:02)
  “I was stunned. I was frozen.” (12:45)

• Blair (Relief Turning to Dread):
  “I heard her say, ‘Son, is that you? Come here out of the fog. Just follow my light.’” (17:43)
  “This light had made me follow it to this abandoned farmhouse. Then a voice that no longer sounded like my mum...said, ‘Nasty weather out there.’” (20:28–20:35)

• Blair (Realization and Escape):
  “I knew I wasn’t going to set a foot inside that house...I ran down the steps and...heard that British accent yell at me going, ‘Where are you going, my son? Come back here.’” (20:35–21:10)

• Blair (Aftermath and Local Lore):
  “She definitely thought I was her son. And what I tripped on, that would have been the son’s grave.” (31:09)
  “It felt like Ann or whatever it was, was trying to reach out to me...She was definitely trying to get me to come into the house.” (33:23)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Glynn’s Claustrophobia Story: 03:57–06:33
• Introduction to Yungabarra and Blair: 06:33–08:36
• Blair’s Walk and Fog Descending: 08:36–12:45
• Amber Light and Maternal Voice Appears: 16:52–17:43
• Led to the Abandoned Farmhouse: 19:33–20:28
• Voice Shifts, Demands Entry: 20:35–21:10
• Flight, Lights Surround, Blair Escapes: 21:10–22:30
• Dad’s Rescue and Confirmation of Light: 25:00–25:55
• Friends Reveal the Legend of Ann: 29:08–33:23
• Blair’s Reflection and Vow: 33:23–33:55

Conclusion: Tone and Final Thoughts

Spooked delivers a gripping, atmospheric ghost story that explores more than just fear—it asks about the lingering pain of loss, the dangers of empathy with the unknown, and the terror of being singled out by forces beyond rational explanation. Blair’s chilling brush with the specter of Yungabarra blends classic haunted-house elements with fresh, emotional storytelling.

Host’s Take-Home Message:
“If a voice ever called to me from deep in the darkness, it’s gonna have to mind its own business.” – Glynn Washington (33:55)

Mood:
Reflective, eerie, and empathetic—balancing supernatural horror with human tragedy.

Credits

• Storyteller: Blair
• Host: Glynn Washington
• Story produced by Greta Weber with an original score by Loren Newsome

Spooked is produced by Snap Judgment and KQED/PRX.

If you love ghost stories that linger in the mind, “The Fog” is not to be missed.