It's October, and that means it's spooky season
>> Vanessa: Hey, guys, and welcome back. It's Vanessa. We don't have a guest today, and I know that's a little different than our normal here at Tri State Time Machine, but hopefully you'll stick with me, though, because what I have in store for you has been something that I've counted down the months for. It's October, and that means it's spooky season. Longtime listeners will remember that not only is October my favorite month because of all things creepy, ghostly, and scary, but also because it's my birthday month in celebration of the best season. And also my birthday, I'm going to share with you some spooky stories and first hand ghosts or supernatural experiences for myself and guests alike. So settle in, grab your favorite spooky loving friend, and let's talk spooky trustee.
Ellie was haunted by stories of an old Ohio house haunted by spirits
The old creaking wooden sign still clung to the rusted chain, swaying ominously in the chill of the autumn breeze. Welcome to Lawrence County, Ohio, it read. The letters, faded and peeling, but it was the symbol beneath a crude drawing of a ghostly figure that sent a shiver down young Ellie's spine. Ellie wasn't one for ghost stories. Not really. She was a city girl, always had been concrete and still, that was her thing. But her mom. Well, her mom was from here. From Ohio. And now, with her mom gone, Ellie had inherited this. This old house. This legacy, I guess you'd say. The house loomed before her, tall and foreboding. It had once been white, Ellie could tell, but years of neglect had left it dull and motoring gray. The windows, once bright and welcoming, now stared out like empty eyes. Ellie fumbled for her keys, her hand trembling slightly as she pushed open the creaking front door. Inside, the air was thick with dust and the stench of decay. Ellie coughed, covering her mouth as she stepped further in. The cobwebs clung to the chandeliers, and a thick layer of grime coated every surface. But it was the photos, faded and yellowed, that drew Ellie's eye. Ah, her mom. Young and smiling. Her mom with a man Ellie didn't recognize. Her mom with children, with brothers and sisters, perhaps that Ellie had never known. A pang of sadness welled up in Ellie's chest, but it was quickly replaced by a burning curiosity. Days turned into weeks as Ellie explored the old house. She found trunks filled with clothes with books and letters and photographs, and always the same faces stared back at her. The same Family. But something was off. Something in their eyes. A haunted look that Ellie couldn't quite place. It wasn't until she found the diaries that things began to make Sense to her. Her mom's diaries were filled with stories of a Family that's cursed, of children born only to vanish mysteriously in the dead of the night, of her mom fleeing and leaving behind everything she had ever known in Ohio. And then the nightmare started. Ellie would wake, gasping and drenched in sweat, the faces of her family staring back at her. But they were different now, twisted and grotesque. And then there was a new face, a face Ellie had never seen before. A little girl, no more than ten, with eyes black as coal. Ellie tried to ignore it, to focus on sorting the house, on learning more about her Family. But the nightmares grew stronger and more vivid. And then she began to see the girl out of the corner of her eye, standing in the doorway, always watching her. One night, Ellie woke to find the girl standing over her bed. Her eyes glowed with malevolent light, and her mouth was opened in a scream that Ellie couldn't hear. And then she vanished just as fast as she appeared. Ellie didn't sleep again for days. She packed what little she had and decided to leave. To leave Ohio and its ghosts behind. But as she stood before the old sign, she felt a chill run down her spine. The ghostly figure. It seemed to be watching her now. And as she drove away, she could have sworn that she heard a whisper, a single word carried in the wind. Welcome home. In the heart of Huntington, West Virginia, nestled between the rolling hills and the Ohio river, stood an old, crumbling building known as the doctor JB Johnson House. Locals whispered about the house, its eerie silhouette casting long shadows at dusk. They said it was haunted by the spirits of those who had once walked its halls. And the tales grew darker with each telling. One crisp autumn evening, a group of college students from Marshall University decided to explore the old house, eager to prove their bravery. Among them was Sarah, a skeptic who dismissed the ghost stories as mere folklore. And then her friends, Alex, Mia, and Jake. They were excited about the prospect of a thrill, armed with flashlights and a camera to document their adventure. As they approached the house, the air grew colder. A biting wind rustled the leaves all around them. The front door creaked open with a gentle push, revealing a dark foyer lined with peeling wallpaper and dust covered furniture. They stepped inside, their flashlights illumining the remnants of a forgotten past. Look at this place. Mia exclaimed, her voice echoing in the silence. Its like stepping into a Time capsule. Jake, ever the prankster, suggested they split up to cover more ground. Sarah hesitated, but eventually relented. Not wanting to appear cowardly, they agreed to meet back in 30 minutes. As she wandered deeper into the house, Sarah felt a strange chill, as if an unseen eye was watching her. They agreed to meet back in 30 minutes. As she wandered deeper into the house, Sara felt a strange chill, as if unseen eyes were watching her. In the back room, she discovered a collection of old photographs lining the wall. Images of Family long gone. One picture caught her attention. A woman in a long, flowing dress. Her eyes filled with sorrow. Sarah felt an unexplainable connection to the woman, her heart racing as the temperature in the room dropped. Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from the floor above, jolting Sara from her trance. Her friend's laughter faded, replaced by an unsettling silence. Guys. She called out, her voice trembling. There was no response. Panic set in as she realized she was all alone. As she made her way towards the staircase, she heard whispers. Soft and unintelligible. They seemed to seep away from the walls, wrapping around her like shroud. She hesitated, but pressed on the desire to find her friends more overpowering than her fear. Each step creaked beneath her feet as she climbed, the air growing heavier. When she reached the second floor, she found the hallway lined with doors. One door stood slightly ajar, a faint light flickering from within. She pushed it open, revealing a dimly lit room filled with dusty furniture and an old mirror hanging on the wall. In the mirror, Sarah saw not only her own reflection, but the woman from the photograph staring back at her. Just as she thought all hope was lost, the door flew open, and, uh, Alex stood there, panic etched on his face. Sarah, we were looking for you.
Doctor JB Johnson house loomed ominously, windows dark and empty
He pulled her into the hallway, and they raced down the stairs together, the shadows clawing at their heels. They burst through the front door and stumbled into the cool night air, gasping for breath. The rest of their friends were waiting outside, visibly shaking. We heard you scream. Mia cried. Her eyes filled with fear. We all ran. I saw her. Sarah exclaimed, pointing at the house. The woman in the mirror. She wanted to escape. I know it. As they turned to look, the house loomed ominously, the windows dark and empty. Whispers faded into silence, but the feeling of being watched remained. Without another word, they hurried away, vowing to never return. From that night on, the doctor JB Johnson house stood undisturbed. Uh, a chilling reminder of the spirits trapped within forever longing for their freedom. And in the quiet of Huntington, the shadows continued to whisper, waiting for the next curious soul to step inside. Hey, welcome back. That's it for this week. I hope you enjoyed our spooky stories, and you'll join us next time on our special October series of episodes. As always, I'm so thankful that you guys join us each week, but I am out of here.
