Throughout history, certain individuals have managed to rise to the challenge in the face of difficulty. But in 1827, that attitude was taken to a new—and horrific—level.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 42: In the Bag
Most of our fears can be blamed on a deeper, more instinctive anxiety: we hate losing control. And no place on earth represents that sensation more viscerally than prison. Contrary to popular belief, though, not all prisons have been created equal.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 41: Hole in the Wall
We’ve been taught since childhood to be honest, because our actions have consequences and our words can hurt people. But the events that took place in a Scottish village over three hundred years ago took that lesson to a darker level.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 40: Everything Floats
The older the city, the more stories there seem to be. Some places are home to tragedy, while others have played host to disaster or war. Few cities have it all, though, and judging by the pain those stories often reveal, that might be a good thing.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 39: Take the Stand
For as long as humans have lived together in community, there has been the need for crimes and disputes to be settled by some form of court. Many of those trials have been fair, while others have been unjust. Some, though, have been downright weird.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 38: The Mountain
Humans have always wandered off into unexplored territory. It’s a key part of our identity to leave safety behind in pursuit of adventure. Those journeys, though, don’t always end in success. In fact, sometimes they end in horrible tragedy.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 37: Passing Notes
For as crowded as this world has become, most people feel isolated and alone. Perhaps that’s why so many of us believe that there’s another world, just beyond the veil. But when that veil is tampered with and pulled aside, it’s hard to say what might emerge.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 36: When the Bow Breaks
The cities and buildings where tragedy has concentrated over the years always seem to hold stories. Stories of loss, of pain, and of things that refuse to move on. That quality, though, isn’t unique to places on land.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 35: The King
Popular culture is obsessed with the idea of a lost humanity. Countless films, novels, and television shows all ask the same question: what would happen if only a few of us were left? Unfortunately, the answer was discovered a century ago off the coast of Mexico.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 34: All the Lovely Ladies
Folklore has often developed as a response to real-world events, but the opposite has also been true. History has, upon occasion, unintentionally confirmed ancient tales. And nowhere is this more evident, or more bloody, than in the tale of one particular 16th-Century countess.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 33: A Dead End
Folklore can change and evolve over time. But when we uncover the roots of these stories, we often find that the real events at their core are the darkest version of all.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 32: Tampered
Maybe it’s human pride, or maybe it’s just a tendency toward superstition, but humans are very good at making excuses. When things don’t go our way, or when something breaks, there always seems to be a reason why it's not our fault. And apparently, those excuses have occasionally walked among us.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 31: Lost and Found
We spend every waking moment surrounded by people. People who talk to us, who interact with us, and who are very much alive an breathing. Which is why it’s that much more shocking when we stumble upon those who aren’t. And it’s more common than you’d think.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 30: Deep and Twisted Roots
When two boys discovered a macabre surprise while playing in a Connecticut gravel pit, they uncovered more than a piece of the past. Their discovery echoes stories that are much older, stories with roots that reach far deeper than anyone might imagine.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 29: The Big Chill
Thanks to the writings of Stephen King, the state of Maine has become known as a place of fictional horror and tragedy. But it's at the real-life intersection of Maine's harsh winters and deadly coastline that we find the most tragic stories of all. Stories that no one would want to experience for themselves.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 28: Making a Mark
Stories leave a mark on us. They can act like scars or decoration, always there, always reminding us of things that happened. But in some cases, those stories leave behind literal, physical marks. Or do they?
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 27: On the Farm
Safety is a basic human need, and we build a lot of our life around achieving it. This is nothing new, really; humans have always sought safety in a dangerous world. And because of that, it’s those moments when safety is shattered that haunt us the most.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 26: Brought Back
Humans have been obsessed with escaping the grasp of death for thousands of years. It’s impossible, of course, but we dream of it nonetheless. Which makes the events in a small Caribbean village all the more horrifying.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 25: The Cave
Over the centuries, all sorts of methods have been used to govern people. And while some have been just and humane — such as most modern legal systems — others have been more unusual. Social fear, religious tyranny, and military might. However, few examples stand out as much as the events that took place over a century ago on a small island off the coast of Chile.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.
Episode 24: A Stranger Among Us
Many family traditions and treasured folktales involve strangers who visit us. What would Christmas be without Santa, after all. But strangers in general are a lot less appealing than we might believe.
Researched, written, and produced by Aaron Mahnke.