The NoSleep Podcast

Sleepless Decompositions Vol. 23 (January 25, 2026)

Podcast: The NoSleep Podcast
Host: David Cummings
Episode Theme: Relationships Gone Wrong and Things That Never Let Go

Episode Overview

In this horror-packed anthology episode, host David Cummings introduces two chilling tales linked by the theme of failed relationships. With the show's 15th anniversary and new season on the horizon, Cummings sets a foreboding and affectionate mood, promising listeners a blend of psychological and supernatural horror rooted in the pain of separation—and the even darker things that can follow when letting go is not an option.

Introduction / Context

[00:37]

• David Cummings greets "sleepless listeners" and shares excitement for the podcast's 15th anniversary, teasing a major upcoming event.
• Sets up the episode's theme: "While separation is scary emotionally, I think you’ll understand how some events make that pain even scarier."
• Announces two bleak relationship-themed stories, each exploring how the end of a bond can spiral into horror.

Story 1: "Lisa’s Voicemails" (by GT Corbin)

Summary

[05:23 – 23:21]
We follow Lisa, emotionally unraveling as she leaves obsessive and chilling voicemails for Owen, who has abruptly left her. As her desperation grows, the narrative twists from heartbreak to psychological terror, with hints of cultish manipulation and a fate darker than mere separation.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Beats

• Lisa's Obsession: Lisa's repeated voicemails to Owen escalate from pleading, to possessive, to menacing, indicating her inability (or refusal) to let him go.
  • "You bastard. I need you. Come back. Come." (Lisa, 07:01)
  • She recalls intimate details about Owen’s past, what he left behind, and the darkness of his fears—the pain of being forgotten.
• Broken Relationships and Family:
  • Lisa tracks Owen’s movements, tries to involve his family, and fixates on objects and memories left behind.
  • "You run on borrowed time, collecting ephemeral trinkets that will wither and yet still outlive you… I gave you a chance to outlive this life, Owen. Where did you go?" (Lisa, 08:13)
• Sinister Shifts:
  • As the story unfolds, the tone shifts to reveal cult undertones: a “Father,” references to “cleansing,” and talk of Owen as a “vessel” for a coming spirit.
  • "He’s the perfect vessel for the spirit’s coming. He was the perfect vessel." (Cult Member, 20:10)
  • The narrative implies an orchestrated hunt: Lisa and other cult members are after Owen, who fled their twisted “sanctuary.”
• Climax:
  • Owen is found hiding; the cult corners him, and the voicemail collapses into direct threats and regrets.
  • Lisa’s voice turns mournful and vengeful, fixated on having Owen serve as the vessel, so he may "never, ever die."
• Memorable Quote:
  • "Honestly, Owen, how do you worship without sacrifice? Did I not sacrifice for you? ... Where the fuck is your phone? You didn’t pick up once. I’m calling it right now. I’m saving this for you. I want you to hear me." (Lisa, 21:48-22:30)

Notable Moments & Quotes

• Haunting Reflection:
  • "You told me once that you feared being forgotten. Dying and leaving no mark... Aren’t you scared?" (Lisa, 06:42)
• Dreadful Irony:
  • Lisa realizes Owen may never even hear her voicemails, underscoring both her futility and growing rage.
• Chilling Cult Ritual:
  • "Father will begin the cleanse. He wants you there. He’s your candidate, your responsibility." (Cult Member, 20:24)
  • "Be kind, Owen. When the spirit inhabits you in their coming, that need will guide them to me." (Lisa, 21:30)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 05:23 – First voicemail starts
• 08:13 – Lisa’s obsessive description of Owen’s belongings
• 14:25 – References to “Father” and cult operations
• 20:10 – Cult ritual dialogue/climax

Story 2: "The Hotel Mariposa" (by Sam Riding)

Summary

[27:06 – 73:39]
After discovering his girlfriend’s infidelity, Phil flees into the Colorado Rockies, only to get snowed in at the mysterious Hotel Mariposa—a place where guests and staff seem to blur, dreams are gateways to unimaginable horror, and escape may come at a gruesome price.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Beats

• Phil’s Desperation:
  • Phil’s journey is triggered by heartbreak and a sense of betrayal, seeking escape through travel and isolation.
  • "A few hours earlier, I’d walked in on my girlfriend and her Pilates instructor… I didn’t make a scene. I just packed a bag..." (Phil, 27:22)
• Mysterious Hotel:
  • From the moment Phil checks into the Mariposa, oddities abound: the decor (butterfly motifs), staff who hint at having never left, and a forbidden third floor.
  • "The third floor of the hotel is currently undergoing renovations and is strictly off limits to guests." (Lena the receptionist, 30:43)
• Nightmare Fuel:
  • Phil experiences communal nightmares of torment and grotesque transformation, involving writhing bodies and monstrous insects.
  • "Surrounding the bed, dozens of other couples writhed and squirmed... and in the dark, something great and terrible loomed above us." (Phil, 34:45)
  • "What I saw was not beautiful, Lena." (Phil, 66:05)
• Disquieting Revelations:
  • The staff reveal all of them were former guests—and unsettlingly happy about it.
  • "He used to be a guest. Now he works here. Same with management ... And so did I." (Lena, 47:41-48:13)
• The Maggot Incident:
  • Phil’s breakfast is found crawling with maggots; staff are oddly unphased, deepening his paranoia.
  • "There were maggots in my food, Lena. Maggots." (Phil, 55:57)
• Confrontation & Truth:
  • Phil ventures to the third floor, discovers a corpse—and Lena reveals the hotel's true, supernatural allegiance.
  • "Beelzebub will not be denied, Mr. Thompson. The Lord of the Flies has staked his claim..." (Lena, 69:57)
• Terrifying Escape:
  • Phil tries to flee, only to witness a monstrous figure made of flies emerge from the elevator.
  • "Its flesh appeared to be a seething mass of countless black flies, shimmering and pulsing..." (Phil, 66:59-67:30)
  • Fleeing into the blizzard, he is later found nearly dead and wakes in a hospital, but authorities find no proof of his ordeal.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the Hotel’s Nature:
  • "This place is very old, Mr. Thompson, and all the quiet up here in the mountains, it can be good for people in pain." (Lena, 48:46)
• Horror Personified:
  • "They simply stood in place like a guard of honor and allowed me to pass. I didn’t understand why... but when I pulled open the door, it all made sense." (Phil, 68:51)
• Supernatural Revelation:
  • "Beelzebub will not be denied, Mr. Thompson…" (Lena, 69:57)

Timestamps For Key Segments

• 27:06 – Phil’s introduction and arrival at the hotel
• 36:03 – First confrontations with oddities at the Mariposa
• 48:46 – Revelation staff used to be guests
• 55:54 – Maggot incident in breakfast
• 62:27 – Third floor, discovery of the corpse and full reveal
• 66:59 – Encounter with the Lord of the Flies figure
• 73:39 – Phil awakens in hospital; conclusion

Memorable Quotes (with Timestamps & Attribution)

• On Unbreakable Ties:

  • “We won’t ever leave you. We’ll be together forever and ever and ever.”
    — David Cummings, (04:40)

• Cultish Love:

  • “When the spirit inhabits you in their coming, that need will guide them to me. Hey, angel. Oh. Don’t worry. You’ll be feeling like yourself soon. Father will ensure it. We love you. And we want you back to your normal, perfect, chosen self.”
    — Lisa, (21:20)

• Revelation at the Mariposa:

  • “Everyone recognizes it. And given enough time, you will too.”
    — Lena, (64:35)

• Horror Manifested:

  • “Its flesh appeared to be a seething mass of countless black flies, shimmering and pulsing with the insects’ movements.”
    — Phil, (66:59)

• The Unwilling Chosen:

  • "Chosen? What the—"
    — Phil, (66:37)

• Supernatural Legacy:

  • "Beelzebub will not be denied, Mr. Thompson. The Lord of the Flies has staked his claim, and he will not be denied."
    — Lena, (69:57)

Episode Takeaways

• Shared pain is a wellspring of horror. Both stories begin as tales of heartbreak and loneliness before descending into elements of manipulation, cultish devotion, and supernatural terror.
• Persistence becomes possession: Whether by a desperate lover or by a supernatural force, separation is replaced by a far more permanent nightmare.
• A chilling invocation of the unseen: Both tales heavily use the threat of something present but unfelt—be it lingering voicemail messages or the writhing mass beyond a hotel door.
• Atmosphere, not just action: The music, voice acting, and pacing infuse mundane tragedies with creeping dread, amplifying the horror into something deeply personal and supernatural all at once.

Recommended Listen For…

• Fans of psychological and cult horror
• Listeners seeking horror blending human fears and supernatural menace
• Those who enjoy layered, atmospheric series that let stories gradually rot the psyche

Note: Ad reads and outro content have been omitted to focus on the stories themselves.