The NoSleep Podcast – Season 23, Episode 16 (S23E16)

Release Date: October 19, 2025
Host: David Cummings / Creative Reason Media Inc.

Episode Overview

This episode of The NoSleep Podcast is a chilling collection of original horror stories—perfectly attuned to the Halloween season—with atmospheric music and immersive voice performances, including special guest Jonathan Ha. The show delves into the terrors that emerge from what’s most familiar: family, friends, and beloved pop culture obsessions. The tales explore the unnerving threats lurking just beyond the edges of normal life, winding through personal boundaries and the liminal spaces where reality warps.

Episode Structure and Key Stories

1. Host Introduction and Halloween Special Teaser (03:29)
2. Story 1: "The Place Where the Fence Ends" by Dean Ribko (07:24)
3. Story 2: "October's Little Sisters" by Gordon Brown (18:09)
4. Story 3: "The Idol in the Basement" by Sanya Bangash (27:27)
5. Goat Valley Campgrounds – Season 2, Chapter 5 by Bonnie Quinn (66:51)
6. Closing Credits and Next Week's Preview (90:04)

1. Host Introduction and Halloween Special Teaser

Timestamps: 00:00–07:24

• Atmospheric Opening: Nighttime radio host "DZ" on WNSP sets the mood with discussions of long nights, "pale crawlers" (cryptid creatures), and forest lore.

  • "If you see a pale crawler, your mental capability is just fine. And it will be even better after you hear another episode from our friends over at the No Sleep Podcast." (01:40)

• David Cummings Enters: Announces October as horror's biggest month and previews the upcoming Halloween special.

  • "If you're looking for the full-sized candy bars of horror podcasts, make sure you join us next week as we'll be featuring our big Halloween special." (03:48)

• Guest Spotlight: Welcomes voice actor Jonathan Ha (Fortnite, The Long Walk, K Pop Demon Hunters).

  • "We are thrilled to have Jonathan join us on this episode." (05:17)

• Theme: This week’s stories all focus on how sometimes, those closest to us can pose the most terrifying threats.

2. "The Place Where the Fence Ends" – Dean Ribko

Timestamps: 07:24–15:02
Performers: James Cleveland & Erica Sanderson

Synopsis

A man, now the sole inheritor of his family's property after the death of his parents, is drawn by childhood curiosity to the mysterious fence running through the woods. His parents always warned him to stay away, but now he must know: where does it end?

Key Points & Insights

• Liminal Mystery: The fence seems endless, impossibly stretching through ancient woods.
• Supernatural Encounter: He discovers an inexplicable, warm wooden door embedded in the fence, with whispering, disembodied voices warning, “He’s arriving,” and later, “Soon will be his arrival.” ([11:03])
• Unsettling Aftermath: That night, his sleep is shattered by a knock and an emotionless voice repeating, “You discovered the door.” ([12:25])
• Lingering Terror: Though the doorway disappears by morning, footprints (his own and a mysterious second set) remain—a constant reminder.

Notable Quote

• “But in the deepening dusk, I beheld a presence that did not belong… A doorway trapped in the midst of the fence.” (09:54)
• “Sometimes, in the dead of night… I swear I can hear it. A whisper. ‘He’s coming.’” (15:00)

3. "October's Little Sisters" – Gordon Brown

Timestamps: 18:09–24:39
Performer: Marie Westbrook

Synopsis

A high school freshman is desperate to join the secretive "October’s Little Sisters"—a clique shrouded in rumors of witchcraft and acts of cruelty that grant social power.

Key Points & Insights

• Urban Legend Realness: The Sisters are credited for dead cats, whispered secrets, and mysteriously effective bargaining.
• Rite of Membership: The protagonist receives envelopes with increasingly disturbing instructions—cutting off her hair, sending incriminating photos, and ultimately, killing a neighbor’s cat.
• Loss of Innocence: The story is a metaphor for peer pressure, sacrifice, and the corrupting pursuit of belonging.

Notable Quotes

• “You'd like that, wouldn't you? Of course you would. You want something more than cheap prairie houses and dollar store parking lots.” (18:47)
• “You aren't aware of it until a sharp corner jabs against your finger. It's red. Candy apple. Red stop sign. Red.” (23:41)
• “But October’s little sisters are out there somewhere in the night and every shadow's whispering. You've already come this far.” (24:32)

4. "The Idol in the Basement" – Sanya Bangash

Timestamps: 27:27–66:51
Performers: Lindsay Russo, Sarah Thomas, Jonathan Ha (special guest)

Synopsis

Anna, loyal best friend to K-pop superfan Adrian, finds herself lost in the basement labyrinth of a convention center with Adrian and a beautiful, odd idol named Jihoon… only to discover a nightmare far worse than getting separated from their group.

Key Points & Insights

• Pop Culture Immersion: Anna is plunged into Korean pop fandom culture, feeling out of place and following Adrian into the convention.
• Uncanny Spaces: The basement is a maze of identical, yellow-lit halls and small, misleadingly mundane rooms—each floor more unsettling than the last.
  • “I'm not claustrophobic, but a big part of me wanted to stretch my hands against the walls and push them away…” (39:29)
• Creeping Dread: Anna’s mounting unease and nausea suggest a supernatural wrongness.
• Disturbing Revelation: She finds Jihoon transformed—skin and demeanor monstrous—devouring Adrian’s corpse in a grotesque, inhuman spectacle.
  • “It had his face, but its cheeks were hollowed out… Its mouth was stained… The object was Adrian’s headless, armless lake. The creature was gorging itself on it…” (60:39)
• Escape and Survivor’s Guilt: Anna escapes but is disbelieved by authorities, haunted by guilt and trauma.

Notable Quotes

• “It's plastic skin. Plastic skin. It's plastic skin. I jolted up… My brain kept repeating it. Plastic skin. Plastic skin.” (52:43)
• “All the while, the image of it now gnawing at her body… Its shell peeling off to birth its next form.” (66:39)

5. Goat Valley Campgrounds – Season 2, Chapter 5 (by Bonnie Quinn)

Timestamps: 66:51–90:04
Main Characters: Kate, the Buyer, Sheriff Sabota, The Man With No Shadow

Synopsis

Kate, haunted by her family legacy and surrounded by an angry mob wanting her gone, is forced to navigate supernatural threats and civic unrest at Goat Valley Campgrounds. An attempted confrontation with the truly inhuman manipulator, The Man With No Shadow, results in a horrific injury.

Key Points & Insights

• Family Legacy & Community Judgment: Kate is treated as a pariah due to inherited supernatural responsibility and her mother’s violent reputation.
  • “I guess I have a soft spot for pathetic things. Surprised even me.” (70:46)
• Sell or Defend: The town wants Kate to sell the campground to rid themselves of supernatural dangers.
• Power Struggle: The Man With No Shadow manipulates townsfolk and tries to force Kate out.
• Supernatural Violence: Kate attempts to shoot The Man With No Shadow—wounding him, but he retaliates by tearing away her shadow’s arm, leaving her physically and psychically wounded.
  • “His body spasmed as he fell heavily to his hands and knees, one hand clutching at his ribs. Blood leaked between his fingers…” (84:04)

Notable Quotes

• “Honestly, I can't get mad at that. I get it. It’d be good for the town.” (81:27)
• “My shadow’s arm was gone. Only a tattered end remained behind. And the man with no shadow was also gone.” (86:03)
• “I know, I know. I just. It felt different this time. I stopped being angry for just a few seconds, and it was like I couldn't do anything without my anger.” (88:24)
• “At least we know how to hurt him now. We'll get another shot at killing him. I’m sure of it.” – The old sheriff (88:51)

6. Closing Credits and Next Week’s Preview

Timestamps: 90:04–93:00

• Credits: Shout-outs to writers, voice actors, producers, and composers.
• Reminders: Listeners are encouraged to become Sleepless Sanctuary members for extended, ad-free episodes and bonus content.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Atmosphere:

  • "A rustle of the leaves. A fleeting movement at the edge of your vision. How often have you walked a forest trail at dusk only to feel the unmistakable sensation that something unseen is watching you?" – DZ ([02:38])

• Fear of the Familiar:

  • "In the world of horror, those closest to us sometimes mean they’re a little too close to us. Close enough to do some serious harm." – David Cummings ([06:09])

• Horror in Modern Culture:

  • "Some are kind of obsessed with it. And in this tale… we meet Anna and Adrian, two friends who are attending a gathering of K-pop fans...but when they meet a K-pop idol who seems lost, they do what they can to help him out." ([26:18])

Conclusion and Impact

This episode of The NoSleep Podcast weaves together chilling, everyday horror and supernatural trauma, all anchored in the bonds of family, friendship, and belonging. Whether it is a haunted property line, secret school societies, or the feverish adoration of pop idols, each story puts a dark twist on places and people we think we know best. The enduring message: sometimes, the most terrifying things are waiting inside the places and relationships we trust.

End of summary.