The NoSleep Podcast – Season 24, Episode 9 (March 29, 2026)

Episode Overview

This chilling installment of the NoSleep Podcast, hosted by David Cummings, explores themes of "pests"—from those that skitter in the walls to otherworldly horrors that invade the familiar. The episode features three original horror stories, each delving into how uninvited entities—both literal and metaphorical—can turn ordinary lives into nightmares. Atmospheric music and immersive storytelling create an unsettling journey for listeners.

Key Segments and Discussion Points

Introducing the Episode & Jake Benson’s Folk Horror Film (00:08–04:23)

• Opening Monologue:
  David Cummings sets a somber yet wry tone, riffing on water’s dual nature and the concept of “pests” at every level—people, things, cosmic entities.
  • Notable moment: Attempts a comedic bit, interrupted by (ironically) noisy neighbors, which segues into horror themes.
• Listener Announcement (02:42):
  Jake Benson, familiar to NoSleep listeners, promotes the Kickstarter for his film Draugr, a folk horror story about a grieving widower encountering ancient evil in the Scottish Highlands.
  • Memorable quote (Jake Benson, 03:20):
    "Don’t let the fire go out at night."
  • Benson appeals for support, highlighting rewards like signed posters and cameo opportunities.

Story 1: "The Encroaching Cloud" by Ren Seegers (06:05–22:14)

Premise:
A family faces the arrival of a mysterious cosmic cloud that physically and existentially transforms everyone it touches.

Key Points:

• Domestic normalcy is slowly overtaken by the surreal as reports of a worldwide, unidentifiable threat become personal.
• The family's attempts at preparation are rendered futile when their bodies begin to mutate.
  • Powerful moment (Unnamed Father, 08:54):
    “It’s like we’ve been attempting to arm ourselves to fight a thundercloud.”
• Transformation scenes are deeply personal, focusing on the terror of witnessing loved ones change beyond recognition.
  • Daughter's body deforms, shedding skin and losing fingers (14:38–16:04).
    • Heartbreaking line (Emily, 14:35):
      "It doesn't hurt, but I can feel it. It's like popcorn inside me."
• The landscape itself becomes grotesque and alien under the cloud.
• Final acceptance: survival is impossible; there is only the horror of change and loss.
  • Resigned reflection (Unnamed Father, 19:19):
    “We couldn't have prepared more than we did. Whatever this is, it's going to happen, however it's going to happen. And that's it.”

Story 2: "Heard Something in the Wall or Ceiling?" by Helena Castellan (25:14–45:33)

Premise:
Liam, a pest control worker, receives a series of increasingly disturbing calls from the same street, culminating in a supernatural encounter.

Key Points:

• Routine pest control calls escalate as multiple residents of Pollen Street report scratching, dragging noises, and signs of something large moving through their homes.
  • Chilling escalation (Caller, 33:01):
    “I can hear this heavy thing eating right above me... dragging something heavy.”
• Investigations reveal mutilated bodies, unexplainable destruction, and a carved symbol in blood.
• The exterminators’ attempts to confront the creature meet only horror—a bat-winged humanoid with horrifyingly human eyes.
  • Visceral encounter (Liam, 43:01):
    “In the darkness, I saw two eyes shimmering a few inches from mine... upside down... Behind the head were large wings made the same way.”
• The horror cycles back: another call comes from the same neighborhood, and Liam, traumatized and aware of his own proximity, can only warn the caller to leave immediately.
  • Nota bene (Liam, 45:19):
    “We ain't helping you with that. It's beyond us. That shit needs a priest.”

Story 3: "Killer Selfie" by Melissa Mason (47:38–74:41)

Premise:
Ghost-hunting duo Marcus and Kayla investigate a haunted photo museum, only to find that a death portrait channels a fatal curse to those who look too closely.

Key Points:

• Marcus and Kayla’s dynamic contrasts skepticism and belief as they hunt for viral content.
• At the Heartwood Photography Museum, local lore revolves around Elizabeth, a Victorian-era "spiritual healer" killed by her husband.
• The team is given access to the museum’s secret basement housing the notorious death photo.
• Tension between curiosity and caution escalates:
  • Mystic warning (Kayla, 61:11):
    “That feeling of sadness. It's stronger here... Heavy like quicksand.”
• Marcus, the skeptic, triggers the curse by taking a selfie near Elizabeth’s portrait, dismissing Kayla’s warnings.
• When the security guard, Joe, examines a cursed photo, he dies on the spot—reaffirming the supernatural danger.
  • Tragic realization (Marcus, 72:45):
    “All the air left my lungs as realization hit. Joe didn't show heart attack symptoms until he grabbed my phone... Just taking the selfie didn't kill you. Looking at it did.”
• The cycle closes with Marcus himself falling prey to the curse, the episode ending on his point of view as the supernatural overtakes him.
  • Haunting last line (Marcus, 74:41):
    “Elizabeth Hartwood stared directly at me... She really did look sad.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jake Benson's Kickstarter Pitch (03:20):

  "Don't let the fire go out at night." — Jake Benson

• Resignation to Unstoppable Horror (19:19):

  “There’s no point in being scared. There’s nothing we can do to stop this... Whatever this is, it’s going to happen.” — Unnamed Father

• Supernatural Realism (43:01):

  “In the darkness, I saw two eyes shimmering a few inches from mine. Two eyes that looked so human, I thought that I was almost seeing my own reflection, except while they were upside down... Behind the head were large wings made the same way.” — Liam

• Ethical Dilemma & Internet Fame (69:00):

  "Delete those pictures, Marcus, or I'm done. No more investigations." — Kayla

• Final Realization, the Dead Look Back (72:45):

  “All the air left my lungs as realization hit. Joe didn't show heart attack symptoms until he grabbed my phone... Just taking the selfie didn’t kill you. Looking at it did.” — Marcus

• Closing Reflection (74:41):

  “Elizabeth Hartwood stared directly at me from her wicker chair, eyes a startling bright green in her black and white face. Kayla was right, I thought as my throat closed... She really did look sad.” — Marcus

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Episode Open & Jake Benson's Announcement: 00:08–04:23
• Story 1 ("The Encroaching Cloud"): 06:05–22:14
• Story 2 ("Heard Something in the Wall or Ceiling?"): 25:14–45:33
• Story 3 ("Killer Selfie"): 47:38–74:41

Tone and Style

True to The NoSleep Podcast’s tradition, the episode’s tone is atmospheric, cinematic, and darkly contemplative, alternating moments of black humor and existential dread. The stories privilege mood and psychological horror over gore, with characters responding in painfully human ways to incomprehensible threats. The performances are immersive, with pacing ramping tension from domestic unease to full-on cosmic fear.

Summary Takeaways

• Theme: Encounters with "pests"—mundane, cosmic, or spectral—fracture reality and expose the futility of preparation against the unknown.
• Emotional Impact: The horror here comes not just from what invades, but from the slow shattering of personal security, the terror of powerlessness, and the ethical ambiguity of human choices.
• Memorable Moments: Each story closes with a profound sense of loss—bodily, ethical, or existential—leaving listeners with a lingering chill.

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Episode music by Brandon Boone. Production by Creative Reason Media Inc.