Southern Cannibal's Scary Stories
Episode 622: 19 Halloween Horror Stories For October 2025
Released: October 13, 2025
Host: Southern Cannibal
Episode Overview
This chilling episode features 19 true Halloween horror stories, sourced from listeners and online submissions. The stories, mostly first-person narrations, cover a wide range of terrifying and bizarre experiences people encountered during Halloween—ranging from unsettling trick-or-treat moments to near-kidnappings, encounters with masked strangers, haunted encounters, and even attempted assaults. The episode masterfully captures the real-life dangers and eerie atmospheres that can accompany the spooky holiday season.
Southern Cannibal, known for his signature suspenseful narration style, delivers the stories in a straightforward, colloquial manner, giving voice to the raw fear and anxiety of each moment. The episode's purpose is to entertain, caution, and provide a communal space to share accounts of true terror.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Unexpected Halloween Dangers and Close Calls
- Multiple stories highlight how Halloween night can turn unexpectedly dangerous, especially in otherwise "safe" environments like neighborhoods, apartment complexes, and college campuses.
- The theme of “you never really know what could happen” is reiterated, with listeners encouraged to stay vigilant and prioritize safety over tradition.
2. Disturbing Encounters with Strangers
- Many stories involve creepy or aggressive individuals using the cover of Halloween and costumes either to scare or—more disturbingly—target victims, such as a grown man demanding candy late at night (00:03), masked men in a van trying to abduct a college student (34:55), and persons dressed as clowns or wearing horror masks stalking children and teens (41:00, 67:00, 73:00).
3. Drug-Laced Candy and Tampered Treats
- One account details a listener falling violently ill after eating a laced candy bar, leading to a hospital emergency (05:00). The story serves as a potent reminder to always check Halloween candy.
4. Predatory Behavior at Parties or Gatherings
- Several stories explore the dangers of holiday parties or group gatherings, where predators may take advantage of lowered guard or isolation, including an incredibly harrowing attempted assault at a bonfire (18:00) and a party-goer stalked and attacked by someone in disguise (50:00).
5. Stalking and Obsession
- The theme of unwanted attention and obsession is recurrent, exemplified by stories of stalkers who take advantage of holiday anonymity, including a friend's toxic fixation culminating in a bathroom assault at a party (50:00), and a person repeatedly targeted after brief encounters.
6. Close Calls with Kidnapping and Physical Harm
- Stories range from attempted kidnappings to escalations where the presence of others or sheer luck saved the narrator from potentially disastrous outcomes (34:55, 67:00, 73:00).
7. Sinister Pranks and Psychological Manipulation
- Several accounts deal with disturbing pranks bordering on criminal—such as a man distributing disturbing DVDs or pornographic material disguised as Halloween treats (73:00), or leaving threatening notes and performing stunts meant to terrify (70:00).
8. Eerie Coincidences and Supernatural Vibes
- Though mostly rooted in real-world horror, some stories touch on the supernatural or unexplainable—sightings in trails bedecked with freakish “art” (12:00), cemeteries with sinister inhabitants (79:00), or haunted hayride attractions blurring the line between performance and real threat (83:00).
9. Lessons and Cautionary Takeaways
- Nearly every contributor ends with a moral or word of advice: to check candy, stick together, never trust a situation just because it's familiar, and always prioritize personal safety over "a good scare."
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
Creepy Encounters in the Night
"We had never had anyone knock on our door on Halloween … Then we got the response, ‘trick or treat.’ But the voice was that of a grown male.”
— Story 1 Narrator (00:03)
Laced Candy Scare
“Less than 30 minutes passed and the doctor came back and told us that there was THC found in my body, which for those of you who don't know, is tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as a chemical in marijuana... which has me to believe that the candy was definitely laced.”
— Story 2 Narrator (05:45)
Halloween “Art” or Horrifying Display?
“There were baby dolls which were a bit further away. They were all dirty and very disfigured and some of them had missing limbs. There were also some in cages too... There were also children's shoes hanging from a string as a garland sort of thing.”
— Story 4 Narrator (12:30)
Aggressive Clown at Halloween Party
"After about 10 minutes, the door busted open and it was the clown guy walking in with what looked to be a gun. We all jumped and started screaming, but we realized, from closely looking, that the gun he had was fake."
— Story 5 Narrator (19:40)
Sinister Trail in the Woods
“Zach walked into the other entrance and found a white bag with blood in it and a ripped sticker. There were also needles and blood smeared all over the trees.”
— Story 6 Narrator (27:40)
Attempted Assault at the Bonfire
“Jason then walks over to me and then says, alright, the fun is about to begin. I hope you brought an extra pair of clothes. But before I could even comprehend what he said, he picks me up, walks me over to the other guys and drops me on the blanket. Then him and two other guys hold me down and use zip ties to tie my hands together... All three men were charged with kidnapping, attempted rape and aggravated assault.”
— Shelby (18:15)
Near-Abduction by Masked Men in a Van
“I barely paid any mind to the old rusty navy van that was passing me. That is until I saw it slowly coming to a stop… The guy in the old man mask stuck out his arm pointing at me and then gestured for me to go over to him… they began to get out of the van towards me...”
— Story 9 Narrator (34:55)
Disturbing “Gift” in Trick-or-Treat Candy
“I then saw a CD among the wrappers... on the other side Ferdy had been written. I frowned and had a bad feeling… The noises were sexual and the camera was moving to show a sex scene. My dad fumbled with the remote trying to turn it off before I got up and unplugged the tv.”
— Story 15 Narrator (73:00)
Ghost Face Follows Kids from Hayride
“We had noticed a black SUV following us… The SUV kept getting closer and eventually slowed down when it was actually really near us. His mom said to come near the house and then go into the backyards to get into the house... the person in the SUV hopped out. It was the same ghost face that was following us, but this time he was carrying an actual kitchen knife.”
— Story 17 Narrator (83:00)
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Timestamp | Story / Segment | Summary | |---------------|----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:03 | Family’s first “trick-or-treater” experience | Police activity, aggressive adult at door, unease about Halloween safety | | 05:00 | Laced Halloween candy | Teen eats tampered candy, ends up hospitalized — reminder to check treats | | 07:30 | Elderly neighbor protection | Late-night creepy attempt at side door, importance of being armed and prepared | | 12:00 | Creepy “art” on bike trail | Disturbing dolls and mannequins in public, encounter with disturbed “artist” | | 15:30 | Troubling Halloween party with “clown” | Stalker in clown mask, escalating to home invasion, eventual encounter with real gun| | 27:30 | Dangerous adventure in the woods | Friends find blood, needles, and feel threatened, possibly stalked | | 18:00 | Bonfire abduction attempt | Attempted sexual assault, victim narrowly escapes – charges pressed | | 34:55 | Van of masked men (college campus) | Abduction attempt thwarted by coincidental passerby | | 41:30 | Obsessive friend transforms into a stalker | Unwanted advances escalate to violent intrusion and attempted assault | | 50:00 | Stalker at Halloween party | Attacker disguised in full costume, sneak attack, victim escapes | | 67:00 | Siblings nearly kidnapped after creepy notes | Masked man, home intrusions, disturbing threats, mystery DVD | | 73:00 | Trick-or-treat “gift” is porn DVD | Kid receives a disk, turns out to be explicit material, police investigation | | 79:00 | Guitar man in cemetery at night | Group approaches man playing music in cemetery, encounter turns threatening | | 83:00 | Haunted hayride and SUV stalker | Kids followed by a costumed man wielding a knife, SUV chase, escape home |
Recurring Themes
- Halloween as a Double-Edged Sword: Fun and festivity can mask real dangers.
- Stranger Danger: Costumes provide cover for those with nefarious intentions.
- Trust and Vigilance: Even familiar faces or “safe” locations can quickly turn.
- Always Check Candy: Tampered treats remain a concern.
- The Importance of Community Response: Bystanders, police, and quick thinking often prevent the worst outcomes.
Tone and Language
Southern Cannibal preserves the authentic voices of his listeners, with much of the episode told in a direct, conversational, and occasionally raw tone. There’s a sense of urgency and realism—profanity and bluntness underscore the gravity of several stories. Listeners are frequently addressed with empathy and warnings to stay vigilant and safe.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a collection of Halloween horror stories grounded in true, all-too-real events, this episode delivers an unsettling but important reminder of the thin line between holiday fun and true fear. Whether you listen for entertainment or cautionary wisdom, the tales shared serve as vivid warnings of what can lurk in the Halloween shadows.
Stay safe, check your candy, and trust your instincts this Halloween.