David Cummings

Water. It gives us life. We are drawn to it, yet it holds immense power over us. It can bring unspeakable horror to the most familiar places. Your morning shower, A tranquil riverbank or the the endless ocean. It's time to dive deep into the abyss. From the dark waters of the Cape Fear River. Immerse yourself in horror as you brace yourself for the no Sleep Podcast.

Erica Sanderson

Hello there and welcome to another episode of the no Sleep Podcast. Whether you've been listening since the beginning, have recently found us, or anything in between, welcome and thank you for joining us. I'm Erica Sanderson and I'll be your host for today's stories. If you've been listening for several seasons, you may remember that this is not my first time in the Podfather's big chair, as I hosted a handful of shows while the team were away on one of their early tours. And speaking of the live shows, no Sleep will be at crime wave on Sea 2.0 in February 2027. You can still sign up at crimewave@sea.com nosleep for your exclusive meet and greet with David Cummings, Jessica McAvoy, Peter Lewis, Lindsay Rousseau, Graham Rowett, and the maestro Brandon Boone. Now, if you're still having trouble recognizing me, don't worry. It's rare that I use my natural speaking voice and you're more likely to have heard me playing a young boy, a creepy granny, or a snarling monster. Some of my more iconic roles include a haunted toilet cubicle, a demonic ice cream truck, and a parrot. Yes, I am a classically trained actor and all that animal work at drama school was worth it. Now I joined no sleep in season five episode 13, which was produced back in May of 2015. It was a beautiful story called My Wife Cooks Me Dinner by Rona Vasselaar and I was partnered with my long term colleague and friend, Mr. David Ault. In fact, you can probably blame Ault for me being here at all. My background is as a stage actor and I was doing a theatre show with David in which I had several quick costume changes. David very kindly helped me and in between undressing me, we ended up talking about our respective careers. At that time, me being away on tour wasn't compatible with family life, so I was looking for a way to branch out my professional acting into voice work, recording scripts from home. Ault passed my name on to David Cummings and here I am over a decade later. All thanks to not being able to zip myself into an evening gown. Since then, I've narrated several stories and played hundreds of characters, and it's the sheer range and variety of roles across ages, gender, humans, demons and creatures that makes this job such a joy, as well as the opportunity to repeatedly kill, maim or torture Mr. Alt. Though to be fair, he's done his fair share of murdering me as well. In fact, somewhere I've been told that there's a running tally going on, but if anyone's doing a re listen and wants to keep score, please let me know. And if you do enjoy my work, you can hear me in several other audio shows as well as horror games like Chasing Static and Hollow Body away from Horror. You may have noticed I'm a bit of a geek. Did anyone catch my Obi Wan Kenobi hello there at the top of the show. Yes, I am a massive Star wars fan. Several years ago I had the opportunity to talk with Sam Witwer, the current voice actor for Darth Maul, about voice acting and he was incredibly generous with his time and I've even used some of the vocal techniques that he showed me in creating some of the creature voices that I've done for no Sleep. So there's some trivia for you. No Sleep Podcast Genuinely Sith Lord inspired and if you're listening to this episode as it's released, I will have just come back from a comic Con in London where I will have been meeting some of the voice cast from the Clone wars whilst dressed as a Jedi. I am ridiculously excited and I will have to try and contain myself whilst keeping a modicum of professional decorum while at the same time internally screaming and fangirling. However, deep down I know I'm going to be like a four year old on Christmas morning, as stories from a galaxy far, far away have always been a lifelong passion, much in the same way as my love of theatre, which goes right back to my childhood at the convent where the nuns first fostered my love of singing and performing. Far from being a serene and angelic upbringing, there was a healthy dose of mischief and eccentricity from the sisters that I've definitely carried with me throughout my career. Speaking of things seemingly angelic, this brings us on to today's theme in which we will meet a host of celestial inspired characters and places. But rather than the sound of heavenly trumpets accompanying the cherubim and seraphim, you can guarantee there will be much more wailing, grinding of teeth and screams of terror. So take a deep breath as we dive into the dark waters of this week's tales.

David Cummings

Erica I'm just gonna crawl out of the Cape fear for a second so our Sleepless fans can learn more about Indecloud. Look, I don't know who needs to hear this, but buying groceries and living should not feel like a luxury experience. We all have to cut many corners these days, and that's stressful. Which is exactly why everyone is getting a little more IND intentional about how they actually unwind. That's where Indicloud fits in. Indicloud is your fully legal online cannabis dispensary for gummies, exotic flour, premium pre rolls, zero sugar, THC sodas, sleep gummies, and now rooms. A clean, alcohol free way to relax, reset or shift your mindset without throwing off tomorrow. Everything available is federally legal Hemp THC lab tested and shipped discreetly to your door. I love and use and pay for Indecloud's products, so knowing they're effective and affordable makes it easy for me to not only endorse Indicloud but also highly recommend them. No pun intended. If you're 21 or older, go to indecloud co. That's co not.com and for new customers, use code nosleep for 40% off your first order. That's indecloud code no sleep for 40% off shipped discreetly to your door plus free shipping on orders over $50 and free gifts on qualifying orders. And please don't forget to fill out the quick survey when you order to support our show. Enjoy responsibly and thanks to Window Cloud for making May feel a little more manageable. Now let's kick off these stories. Erica.

Erica Sanderson

In our first tale, a young woman moves to the beach town of Angel Bay to live with her aunt. While there's a chance of romance with a local boy, there's something else rippling under the surface of the waves in author A.C. mcAnelli's story of awakening Destiny. Performing this tale are Nicole Goodnight, Nicole Doolin, and Kyle Acres. Be careful on the shore and beware the tides in welcome to the Water.

Adrien

I'd lived in the mountains my whole life, landlocked, with only a nearby river barely broad enough to warrant a bridge as my main source of water. But once my parents passed in a car accident, I was sent back to live with my mother's people, to live with my Aunt Lydia, who I had only met once when I was very small and she had come to visit us. She'd send us postcards every once in a while, but that was it. I remembered her being kind and funny, but she was still a stranger, not much different than the Kind of strangers in my hometown that took me in. At first I dreaded being stuck in a car with her for hours. But she made it easier than I thought it would be.

Aunt Lydia

We don't have to talk if you don't want to. We can listen to music or just sit in silence.

Adrien

That she gave me choices meant she was trying. But I was still wary of her. Music is fine for now. But even I couldn't stand not talking for hours. The first hour of the trip. I tried to sleep, but the sun was in my face the whole time. So I decided to get a few questions answered. Why didn't you visit more?

Aunt Lydia

I could ask you that same question I did ask.

Adrien

I asked mom that a lot. She said it was too much money for all three of us to travel to see you. And that there was no way she would send me here alone. Said she couldn't bear the thought of being that far away from me.

Aunt Lydia

And believe me, I did offer for you to come stay. Your mother was always very protective of you. But now look at you. Almost grown and don't even know your mother's people.

Adrien

Is there more than just you do? Do I have more aunts?

Aunt Lydia

You have great aunts and cousins. Many cousins. Though most of them did like your mom and leave home and get married. But the Delmar family has been in Angel Bay since it was established. Though the town is small, it's our family's anchor.

Adrien

Is that why you never came to visit? You had to be the Delmar that managed the ancestral home.

Aunt Lydia

Ancestral home? I wish we had such an estate for you to inherit. Ad but you're partially right. This is where we grew up. It's always been home. And honestly, I can't imagine any place being better than this. Sure, there are the flashy cities for those who need noise and to constantly be doing something. But Angel Bay is the perfect balance of life. A feeling like you belong to a community and to the peacefulness that the heartbeat of the sea offers.

Adrien

Doesn't sound much different than back home. Maybe it'll be easier to adjust to it that way. Once the sun was out of my eyes, I stopped talking and took that nap. Not to avoid Aunt Lydia, but to avoid the motion sickness. She let me sleep for most of the drive, but woke me up as we were approaching town. The coast was vastly different than the towering mountains I was used to on the drive in. The only things massive here were the cliffs that faced the ocean as if they were the last sentinels to ward off the thrashing waves.

Aunt Lydia

It's Magnificent, isn't it? I'll have to show you the cliffs at sunset.

Adrien

It was pretty, but the storm gray sky didn't feel welcoming and once we made it to Angel Bay, the cliffs were nowhere in sight, just a few rolling hills that jutted out into the ocean like desperate creatures reaching for the water. The town was small but not quiet. I saw what Aunt Lydia meant by the perfect balance of life and peace as we drove by. There were plenty of people out on the street, some selling their goods from pop up tents or rollable stands, others shopping among the row of vendors. It looked like a fisherman's farmer's market and the flea market combined.

Aunt Lydia

We are small but we take care of each other. You'll see how the longer you're here.

Adrien

It only took a few minutes to drive through the whole town and finally make it to Aunt Lydia's. Her hut sat on the shores of one of what I assumed were several beaches here. It was bigger inside than it looked outside, with many windows to let in the light. I hoped one of those shops we passed had some blackout curtains. As I got out of the car I was surprised at how warm it was even with the gray sky threatening to open up on us. I'd felt the humid hug of the valley and the mountains during summers, but this was a different type of warmth. I'd have to decide if I liked it or not. Aunt Lydia pointed me to my bedroom. It was bare with only a twin sized bed tucked in the corner, but it had its own sliding glass door that led out to the ocean.

Aunt Lydia

I purposely kept it bare for you so you could make it your own own. There are several shops in town that have decor of all styles. I'd be happy to help you buy some things.

Adrien

Thanks Aunt Lydia. Maybe after I get what I do have unpacked and feel settled in.

Aunt Lydia

Everything in the kitchen is free game and you're welcome to any part of the house. Feel free to start settling in or to just pass out on the bed tonight. Whatever you want to do. I'll be in the living room or on the side porch if you need me.

Adrien

She's trying, I'll give her that. But part of me really didn't care about it. The move being hundreds of miles away from where I was raised. Just like the new smiling faces didn't matter, not really. Nothing felt real except for the emptiness that my parents death engulfed with me. Aunt Lydia was trying not to push herself on me too quickly, but the space she gave me ended up being the space the grief needed to swallow me whole. When I started school, I wasn't rude to the girls and guys in my classes who made a point to introduce themselves to me and attempt to become my friend. But the smile I put on my face wasn't real. At least not until I met Bailey and Morgan. Bailey was the first person here to make me genuinely laugh. Morgan was there laughing right along with me, but the first time I saw him, it was the first time I'd felt anything since arriving here. I took that as a good sign, but tried not to think about it too much until he decided to ask me out. It took a couple of weeks of the three of us hanging out him to ask. I don't know if he had to muster up the courage or just find a minute without Bailey there, but he finally asked before the last bell rang. Before the weekend.

Morgan

Hey, D. Would you want to come to the cliffs with me this weekend?

Adrien

Oh, to hang out with you and Bailey?

Morgan

No, just you and me. The sunset is amazing off of the Crag Ken.

Adrien

The Crag Ken?

Morgan

Oh, that's the name for the largest cliff on the west beach. And there's legends of the first people of Angel Bay making sacrifices to an ocean God, so they named it after the Kraken.

Adrien

Yeah, the pun did not escape me.

Morgan

If you don't want to go.

Adrien

No, no, I would love to go with you. He smiled. Every time he smiled, my body tightened in ways I didn't know it could.

Aunt Lydia

Cool.

Morgan

I'll pick you up right before sunset.

Adrien

Then I made my way home and told Aunt Lydia the plan for the evening. She was used to me running off with Bailey and Morgan, but when she heard it would be just me and Morgan going to the Kragkan, she asked me to sit at the table and talk.

Aunt Lydia

I'm glad you've got your first chance at a boyfriend here, but I think we need to lay down some more ground rules we haven't discussed yet.

Adrien

Mom already had the talk with me, so please skip that if that was on your agenda. Aunt Lydia stared at me for a moment, calculating.

Aunt Lydia

She already talked to you about what being intimate with someone means for you.

Adrien

She did not dance around it like you are attempting to do right now. But yes.

Aunt Lydia

Good. I should have known she would have been blunt about it. But I assume she never told you the rules of the water since you were landlocked.

Adrien

She didn't? No.

Aunt Lydia

The west cliff he's taking you to. As long as you're up there, just don't get too close to the edge. But if he tries to Take you down to West Beach. Stay out of the water. I don't care if he says he's ready. Stay on the shore or make him drive you down to Bear's Beach. The water is too treacherous on the West Beach. One riptide and you're gone.

Adrien

Stay on the cliffs or go to Bear's Beach. Got it?

Aunt Lydia

I can't stop you from doing what you want, but I will caution you to be smart and be careful. And if he touches you in a way you don't want.

Adrien

Okay then. That's enough of that talk. Don't worry. I'll be fine.

Aunt Lydia

I'm sure you will be.

Adrien

The dying light of the day Set the sky on fire over the ocean. The cliff was lined up just perfect enough for the sun to look like it was setting on the edge of the crag. I minded my aunt and did not step that far out on the edge. Morgan brought a blanket for us to sit on and one to cover up with. The wind cut through us as the waves broke out against the rocks below. Before we sat down, Morgan had to be the brave one that stepped out, arms outstretched as if to hug the sun. But it didn't take him long to come back to me.

Morgan

The best view is back here, but there's something about standing on the edge of that crag that makes you feel like you're on the edge of the world.

Adrien

I'm good not being on the edge of the world. I've already been on the edge of the abyss, and back is overrated. He sat beside me and put his hand on mine.

Morgan

Sorry about your parents. When I try to imagine what it would be like without my mom.

Adrien

Where's your dad?

Morgan

He's not dead, as far as I know. But beyond that, I really don't know much. He left me and my mom when I was little.

Adrien

I'm sorry. He shook it off.

Morgan

Are you okay just sitting and enjoying the view for a bit?

Adrien

Of course. That's what we came up here for, right?

Morgan

Right.

Adrien

He gave me a knowing smile, and in that moment I realized he meant for a lot more to happen than us just looking at a pretty view. We'd had subtle touches the last couple of weeks. A brush of the elbow or hands lingering longer than they should have on shoulders or backs. There had been heat between us from the beginning, but I didn't know how far I actually wanted to take that right then. What I did know, though, was that I wanted to feel something other than the emptiness. Sounds like we aren't the only ones who decided to come to the cliffs for the sunset. I heard them before I saw them. Another group of couples from school. They said hey as they passed, but continued on for whatever plans they had for the night.

Morgan

It's getting a bit crowded here. Do you want to go to the beach?

Adrien

I don't mind sitting on the west beach, but I'm not getting in.

Morgan

Works for me. I'm not ready to jump in the water either. Come on.

Adrien

We made the trek down the cliffs and to the west beach. The sun had dipped beneath the water by the time we got settled in. Morgan talked me into taking my shoes off and walking in the sand. I didn't like it at first, the coarse grain, like the dirty sandboxes I played in as a kid. But the more I walked, the easier it got. Still, it was a completely different texture than the grass of the valley or the foliage of the mountains I missed. But the ocean made the difference. Its constant rhythm on the shore and the wind made for better background noise than some of the annoying bird song I was used to hearing. Instead of musk in the air, there was salt. I didn't think there could be so much salt in the air, but it wasn't uncomfortable, just new. New sensations comforted me, pushed away the longing for the mountains, including Morgan Sands. I sat down in front of him and he wedged his whole body against the back of me, legs and arms engulfing me. I leaned back into him, felt his warmth, smelled sandalwood and a hint of vanilla on him. As distractions go, this was the best. Morgan nuzzled his face close against my ear, his breath hot against my cheek.

Morgan

Can I kiss you?

Adrien

I turned in his arms enough to face him and answered him by pressing my lips against his. As we kissed, our hands explored each other's bodies until he flipped us over and I was laying up, looking at him. Something in the water caught my eye for a moment, something glistening, bright white just over the waves. But Morgan pulled my attention back to him as he tightened his hold on me. Neither of us noticed the tide rising until the waves rushed over our feet. Morgan yelped and laughed because it was cold, but I was frozen in place, gasping for air. The chill of the ocean ran through my whole body and didn't let go. I gasped at the sensation as the cold ran down my throat. I tried to breathe, but only felt rushes of water filling into my lungs. Water that wasn't there.

Morgan

Ad what's wrong, Adrien?

Adrien

I didn't have the breath to tell him and didn't even know what to tell him. Just as I thought I was going to pass out, the cold shivered through my body and gathered in my right hand. So cold. So cold it burned. Once I had my breath back, I started screaming. I raised my arm to look at it. My hand had turned completely white.

Morgan

I'll call my mom. She'll know what to do.

Adrien

I barely registered his words. I didn't want him to leave me. I didn't want to die alone. I reached for him with that pale white hand, and as soon as my fingers touched his skin, the cold spread to him. I couldn't stop it. I couldn't control it. But a part of me was also relieved to have some of the pain recede. That relief was thrown to the side as Morgan started screaming. For a moment, I thought the cold would run through his body the same way it did mine. But as I watched him writhe, his body began to melt. I had no better word for was like his body had lost its form. Like how water keeps the shape of the cup it's in, but once it's spilled, it runs all over. That's what was slowly happening to Morgan. His voice became a wet gargle as his body slowly slid apart, becoming gelatinous. No muscle, blood or bones. Instead, he faded into liquid and disappeared, leaving only a dark spot in the sand. And even that disappeared as the water came in again and washed over it, leaving no trace of Morgan. I shook my head and started crying. It couldn't be real. I heard someone from the group on the cliff call down to me, asking if everything was okay. I ignored them and ran. I ran off the beach and hit the road. And I didn't stop. I ran back to the hut, tears cooling my cheeks as my eyes burned from all the crying and the wind fighting against me. The coldness in my arm was almost gone. If what happened was real, then my touch did it. God. I killed Morgan. Lydia. Lydia. God. She came out of her bedroom.

Aunt Lydia

I'm here. Adrien. What's wrong? What's happened?

Adrien

She held her arms out as if to embrace me, but I stepped back. Don't touch me. Aunt Lydia kept her distance, nodding that

Aunt Lydia

she understood what happened.

Adrien

I let myself collapse to the floor. Morgan. We were. We were on the beach. We didn't go in the water like you said. We were just on the shore. And we started kissing. But then. But. But then the tide came in and the water touched my foot. And then. And then.

Aunt Lydia

Oh, Adrien. Your mother didn't tell you that any contact would do it.

Adrien

Do what, Aunt Lydia's? Eyes widened and her face paled.

Aunt Lydia

You said she told you what would happen if you got intimate with someone.

Adrien

She told me what sex was. She didn't tell me about this.

Aunt Lydia

Are.

Adrien

Are you saying I did this? I killed him?

Aunt Lydia

Tell me exactly what happened to him.

Adrien

He melted into the water. His whole body became one big puddle.

Aunt Lydia

The hand of living liquid.

Adrien

What? Aunt Lydia grabbed her coat.

Aunt Lydia

We have to get back there now. I'll explain everything, but I need you to get in the car and show me where this happened.

Adrien

I did what she said. We hopped in the car, and with my aunt so calm, I put myself back together, stopped crying, and started asking questions. You know what happened? Aunt Lydia glanced over for just a minute before turning her eyes back to the road.

Aunt Lydia

There are five families in Angel Bay that have been here before the town was even created. We are one of them. When Morgan introduced himself, I thought from his last name he wasn't one a Morgan's maternal side of the family. Do you know what their name is?

Adrien

No. No, I haven't even gone to his house yet.

Aunt Lydia

When members from any of the five families pair up and do so at the west beach. Your mom really never mentioned any of our family history to you about this?

Adrien

What? That we can turn people into goo?

Aunt Lydia

No, it's not just that. That's just one way for it to manifest.

Adrien

For what to manifest?

Aunt Lydia

I'll have to show you.

Adrien

The sky turned dark by the time he got back to the beach. No more orange rays, only hues of purple and blue. As night approached, I took Aunt Lydia to the beach, but before I could start making the trek down to it, Aunt Lydia stopped me.

Aunt Lydia

Do you see them?

Adrien

She pointed to the cliff side of the beach. One of the couples from before had lit a fire in the sand and was still laughing and having a great time. If only they knew how close they were to the horror. Yeah. Ah. What about them? She pointed out to the water.

Aunt Lydia

Do you see that?

Adrien

Again, I tried to follow where she was pointing. At first I saw nothing. Then that same white glimmer I saw earlier was there almost in the same spot. The light. I see it. What is it?

Aunt Lydia

Most of the families in Angel Bay know this story, even the outsiders who move here. But if they don't believe, if they think it's just a story, then they ignore the rules.

Adrien

Aunt Lydia, why are you so calm about this?

Aunt Lydia

Because if you will just listen, there's a chance we can get Morgan back. But it's not something I can do for you. You have to learn to do it yourself. So best you watch and see if those two are going to show you what to do. Or if they show you what happens if you break the rules.

Adrien

My heart was beating out of my chest. I was so scared and confused. I trusted my aunt enough to do what she asked, but if I didn't get any answers soon, I was going to the cops. The light in the water glimmered for a bit longer. But the couple on the beach either didn't see it or ignored it. They kept carrying on laughing and having a good time. The light dimmed but also transformed. It almost looked like like a body was floating face down in the water with the light shining on it. If I hadn't seen the light there before, I'd have thought the rising moon was reflecting off the pale body. The laughing died around the campfire. They stood up and started pointing. The guy quickly took off his shirt and shoes and swam for the body while the girl grabbed her phone to call for help.

Aunt Lydia

If she's calling 911, they will do nothing. They will come out to see what's left, but there will be nothing thing for them to do. Why? Keep your eye on the boy. And please know I take no joy in this. And you cannot do anything either.

Adrien

My heart dropped to my stomach when she said that. What do you mean I can't do anything?

Aunt Lydia

See for yourself.

Adrien

I watched as the guy made his way to try to save, or at least bring back, the body floating on the waves. But about 10ft away from the body, he stopped. He stopped and started screaming and was pulled under. He and the body both disappeared. The girl started screaming for her boyfriend, Jake, or Jack maybe. I couldn't quite make it out from where I was standing. She threw sand over the fire to put it out and started running up to the road. You knew something was going to take him. You knew when we could have stopped it.

Aunt Lydia

We can't stop it any more than we can stop gravity. It is the rules of our people, of our world. The water provides as long as we follow the rules. Those who do not follow the rules may pay the consequences. Now let's go.

Adrien

There's no way I'm stepping foot down there.

Aunt Lydia

If you want to try to save Morgan, you must come with me.

Adrien

I cried out in frustration, but then took the lead on the trek down to the beach. I showed her the blankets and pointed to where his body fell.

Aunt Lydia

You have the hand of living liquid. It can transform shapes in time. You could change anything into any shape you want with one touch. Or when the power first appears. It's wild, untamed at best, and dangerous at worst. When you're panicking and scared. I remember my panic and fear my first time. But I had my mother and your mother there to help me.

Adrien

You.

Aunt Lydia

I am so sorry I wasn't there for you.

Adrien

So if all that's true, then I just have to turn him back into his original shape. But how can I do that if I can't even see him anymore?

Aunt Lydia

No, dear. Once the ocean claimed him, he belonged to her.

Adrien

Before I could ask what her she was referring to, the white light in the water caught my eye again. It was back, and I had a feeling that was the her.

Aunt Lydia

Raise the hand that holds the power ad raise it, and no matter what, don't move. Not until I tell you I did

Adrien

what she asked, because what else could I do? At that point, I raised my right arm and felt the coldness of the ocean in my hand again. But the light did something new. It moved toward us. I couldn't control my breathing as the thing approached. My eyes darted from my hand back to the light. My hand had not only turned white, it glowed. It glowed brighter as the light came closer, the same hue as that terrible pale sliver of a ray in the water. The light rose up from the waves and a shadow of a form followed it. As the light danced about 10ft off the ground, I could see the bloated body from before, the helpless body that the guy went to help. The skin was a hue of blue I'd never seen before on the person, and waterlogged. It was attached to the light. They hung from the same rod.

Aunt Lydia

Oh God.

Adrien

As I looked beneath the light, I could see the teeth, rows and rows of teeth jutting out from the lower jaw of this thing. My stomach turned once I noticed the ripped jeans cloth stuck between its teeth. It really did eat the the guy. As the light swayed above, it shined down on one eye, about the size of a basketball. Oh God. The light and body were allure. The thing in front of me looked like a mutated angler fish, as if those things weren't scary enough. And this one was the size of a small whale. Instead of fins, it had webbed feet to pull itself up on shore with. The massive creature stopped 5ft in front of me, and it took everything I had not to scream. Aunt Lydia went to her knees and bowed.

Aunt Lydia

Greetings, Cruita, the mother of our people, the womb of the ocean.

Adrien

The creature gaped like the fish. She was out of water, but her breathing calmed. She Had a fleshy plume of external gills like an axolotl. Was she amphibious?

Aunt Lydia

If Morgan is one of ours, you can use your hand on her to call him back and finish the ritual you started with him. Started the first time you kissed and the water touched you. If he is not one of ours, she may still give him back, but will ask for something in return. Ask. Not take, ask. As long as you abide by her rules, she is fair. Lay your hand on her and push that power into her. And think of Morgan.

Adrien

I tried to control my brain breathing as I took an uncertain step forward. Hand still raised, I avoided the hanging body as I moved to one side of her. I didn't dare touch her mouth. I laid my hand on the side of her face beneath her eye and imagined the cold in my hand moving into her, Imagining Morgan in my arms, kissing me. Please give him back. The cold of the ocean left my body and instead a warmth filled me. The light that started in her lure ran down the length of her spinal finger and through her gills. The bloated body hanging above her face began to twitch and things moved beneath the skin, filling it up. The decaying blue hue got replaced with a pearl white glow. An arm swelled. The skin shed and revealed a hardened black shell with a pincher at the end where the hand once was. A scream ripped from the mouth of the body, the face still flowing and reshaping. Until I saw Morgan's face, half hardened with that brackish shell, leaving a gaping hole on one side where his other eye should be. A compound eye, stretched long and thin, hanging from a stalk that seemed so small, emerged from that gaping eye socket. Morgan. He dropped from the rod of the creature like ripe fruit. His crab arm hit the sand and he looked up at me. His human eye was no longer brown, but pale blue like the ocean. His voice was not quite his. It was deeper with more rumble. But he said my name with heat. I wasn't sure if it was anger or passion. And I was almost afraid for him to touch me. But ever since I pushed my power into the creature, a calm took over me. Like I was exactly where I belong.

Aunt Lydia

Praise the mother. Look at you. Look at you both.

Adrien

I forgot Aunt Lydia was there. Until she spoke, there was no worry or fear in her eyes now. She came to me and hugged me. No fear in either of us.

Aunt Lydia

Welcome to your true home. AD the water welcomes you.

David Cummings

Let's take a short break for our sponsors who help us keep our heads above water. For waves of AD Free horror content. Join our Sleepless Universe by going to sleepless sleepless.thenosleeppodcast.com whether you're in Angel Bay or anywhere on the southern coast, you know how the weather is really heating up. That's why I've been more intentional about what I wear day to day, leaning into pieces that feel easy, comfortable and still put together. And that's why I love Quince. Quince has all the wardrobe staples for spring. Think 100% European linen shorts and shirts from $34. Lightweight, breathable and comfortable but still looking put together. And those 100% European linen drawstring beach shorts. Yeah, I got myself a pair and I love them. Being comfortable and looking good at the beach is a Quint staple. Everything is priced 50 to 80% less than what you'd find at similar brands. Quince works directly with ethical factories and cuts out the middlemen so you're getting premium materials without the markup. So refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to quince.com nosleep for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com nosleep for free shipping and 365 day return. Quince.com nosleep and we always appreciate it when our episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. This May, we're focusing on Mental Health Awareness Month, a reminder that whatever you're going through, you don't have to go through it alone. It's hard for all of us these days to make sense of life. Being kept up at night by horror stories is one thing, but when you can't sleep because of your own mental health struggles, it's time to find someone to talk to. Having someone with you to listen, to understand and to support you can make all the difference. And finding your therapist is easy. BetterHelp will do the initial matching work for you so you can focus on your therapy goals. A short questionnaire helps identify your needs and preferences and their 12 plus years of experience and industry leading match fulfillment rate means they typically get it right the first time. And if you aren't happy with your match, switch to a different therapist at any time from their tailored recommendations. You don't have to be on this journey alone. Find support and have someone with you in therapy. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com nosleep that's betterhelp.com nosleep now let's plunge back into the deep waters of horror.

Erica Sanderson

When four horsemen ride into a small town bar in the middle of the desert, the bartender looks to make a quick buck from them. However, in this tale shared with us by author Nico Lapidus, the strangers have their own charitable mission to complete. Performing this tale are Graham Rowett, Atticus Jackson, and Jesse Cornett. So get ready to meet Slake, slaughter, Savage, and Sully.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

The four horsemen were coming. Jacob could see them from the dirty window, and while he sat behind the bar and served ale to whatever wretched customers might want any, he pondered what these visitors might be doing here. Nobody came to the town of Halleck for any small reason. The desert journey from town to town was a long and arduous trek, especially if one didn't have a wagon, and few people in the 35 municipalities of the Copper Desert had horses, let alone wagons, and so it ended up that each town was cut off from the rest, almost entirely marooned in the sandy sea. Small tricklings of trade arrived at Halleck once in a while, but their last shipment of horse jerky, fresh water, and bullets for the constable was two days ago. They weren't expecting another trade anytime soon, and yet four men rode towards the town in four billowing dust clouds. When Jacob squinted, he saw they were dressed in colorful, foppish garb. They wore suits, each a different color, and Jacob could make out the outline of four hats rakishly cocked on each head. Jacob shrugged and got back to his work. The four men would arrive soon, and then he could find out their reasons for being there and maybe sell them some ale. These folks looked rich with their fast horses and bright suits. Maybe they were wandering tradesmen coming with wares from one of the richer towns. Or maybe they were silvermen sent by the church to convert Halleck to the silver flock. Well, Halleck did not need that. It was plenty. Devout as it was, Jacob wasn't the most pious man around, but he did his dues for the hooded lady, going to the rickety chapel in the town square twice a week. Still, he wasn't quite as pious as even the most blasphemous silverman. For one thing, he wasn't chaste and pure the way they were supposed to be. All the girls in Halleck could tell you that, and a good portion of them could tell you that with certainty. Jacob slid another ale across the bar, wordlessly accepting the payment. He examined the stone coin with a dismal look in his eyes, then looked back to the approaching forms of the brightly dressed horseman getting closer slowly. Horses now trotting lazily. If they came to his bar, they would pay with more than stone, a good old copper disk, or a jangling pouch of flint chips. Maybe they'd even have silver. Well, if Jacob could get a bit of the holy metal into his humble pockets, why then he'd go to chapel every day, clean the dust and grime off the hooded lady and everything. Jacob smiled distantly and pushed another ale across the bar. That was a good dream. Perhaps it'd come true in a few minutes. A whinny broke his hopeful stupor and he looked out of the paneled doors to see who he hoped were silvermen. Silvermen bearing faith and gifts. The four had already dismounted from their horses, hopping onto the dusty ground as gracefully as the hooded maidens in the chapel, but Jacob's hopes were dashed when they walked through the bar doors. There wasn't a chunk or chip of silver to be found anywhere on them. Some holy men wore just a tiny nugget around their neck, and others bedecked themselves in heavy robes of silk, beads, and, most importantly, silver. But no matter how much they had, they made it visible, a chain around their throats, affixed by the hooded lady. There was no silver on these men.

Jacob

Damn.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

He tried to quell his disappointment.

Jacob

All right, silverman ain't the only ones with lots of loot. These could be merchants or prospectors. You still got a chance to put some stone in your pocket before the day's done, Jakey boy.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

As the four men approached the counter, Jacob plastered a smile onto his face and furtively moved the sign that listed the day's prices. He had the chance to make some not insignificant money here.

Jacob

Welcome to Halleck and welcome to the Wood Bar, sirs. What's your business in our humble town?

Narrator (Jacob's story)

The four men smiled all at once like they had rehearsed this. They all wore the same thing, a suit of solid color, pointed leather boots, and a round bowler hat matching the suit. They looked neither like merchants nor silvermen, but at least they didn't look like outlaws. That was the least he could hope for when strangers rode to Halleck, especially when the constable was slumped over one of Jacob's chairs in the back room where the true drunkards went. The suits they wore were each a different color. The first man, tall and barrel chested, wore a black suit. The second, skinny and short with stooped shoulders and hooded eyes, wore one of pale green. The other two men could have been twins, except that they dressed in suits of white and red. However, despite these small differences, all four men looked like each other. They had the same face, fleshy even though all of them were thin, with hooded grayish eyes and an equally grayish pallor. There was a strange neutrality to their clay like faces, almost as if they were the faces of men who had everything else stripped away. Perhaps they were brothers. Eight identical eyes gazed at Jacob from above. Four identical horseshoe shaped mustaches and four smiles were cut into the clay. The man in black spoke first.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Why, we are quite pleased to be in your town of Halleck.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

The red one nodded.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

We won't stay long as we have urgent business to attend to here.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Both of them spoke with voices that were so similar it was almost eerie. They had a strange accent, a silky lilt drizzled over their words like syrup. The one in white spoke next, with that same odd dialect.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

And before we start our business, may we order a drink from here?

Jacob

Sure.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Jacob tried to be friendlier than he had been all day. He didn't want to lose these customers, strange though they might have been.

Jacob

Say, are you all brothers or something?

Narrator (Jacob's story)

They all nodded, him and the one in black. Perhaps their leader spoke for them.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Why, yes, we are. It is a pleasure to meet you, Jacob.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Jacob squinted at the man, his muddy brown eyes meeting the gray ones buried in flesh almost as gray.

Jacob

Did I tell you my name?

Narrator (Jacob's story)

They shook their heads, and for the first time the one in the suit of pale green spoke.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

No, but we have heard of you. We've heard of your town from very far.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Jacob smiled a big wide smile that took considerable effort to maintain

Jacob

that.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

So the more these four men spoke out of their pale, fleshy faces, the more Jacob wanted them out of his bar. There was something off about them, something that was, in his opinion, foul. Just looking at them had made him pick up on a bad scent.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Why, we have not even introduced ourselves. How rude. You'll need to forgive us, Jacob.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

The way the man in black put it sounded like an apology, at least on the surface, but Jacob couldn't help but feel that he was being ordered about. He sure as hell didn't like being ordered about, certainly not by some out of town bastards with their clay faces and their fancy suits. He looked down for a second and saw that the knuckles around the bottle he held were white. The man in black continued, my name

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

is Mr. Slake, brothers. Why don't you introduce yourselves?

Narrator (Jacob's story)

The short, hunched little monster of a man nodded, a head topped with a mossy green hat, oily skin glistening.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

I'm Mr. Slaughter, my good sir.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

The two other brothers obliged like coyotes howling at the sound of their pack leader, the one in white taking initiative. Next.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Good to meet you, Jacob. I'm Mr. Sully.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

The man in red reached forward and shook Jacob's hand. His grip was cold and clammy. Like having your hand shaken by a codfish. Jacob didn't like it in the slightest.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Pleasure. Quite a pleasure. I'm Mr. Savage. You may know us as Slake, Slaughter, Savage and Sully, and we are many.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Jacob extracted his hand from Savage's, trying his best to ensure that a deal was made and that it was over as quickly as possible. He wanted this slimy quartet of riders out of his bar as soon as possible, but greed was a hard thing to snuff out. They looked wealthy. Anyone showing up here alone and dressed like this had to be wealthy or mad.

Jacob

So would you like to order something? We have a good selection of drinks. Nothing fancy, like, but a good strong ale can be damn refreshing after a long ride. Take it from me.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Jacob had never ridden anywhere other than from one end of Halleck to another, but he saw no reason to offer that. The four men did nothing but look and smile at him, oily skin glistening. There was no visible intelligence in their expressions. Perhaps they were simpletons unwanteds, coming from a town with no room for village fools. Well, all the better to sell the mail.

Jacob

Ale's good.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

It occurred to him that many of his customers had fallen silent, dropping their conversations to low murmurs as they hunched over glasses of ale and bowls of fried bark. The loudest sound in the room was the constable's snoring, his six shooter flopping limply at his wide belly.

Jacob

Strong stuff. Not cold maybe, but wakes you right up, then puts you to sleep and eases your weary.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Why, we will order four ales. Ease our wearies after a long journey. As you say.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Jacob nodded. It hadn't been what he was hoping for. He'd wanted them to at least order some fried bark. Local specialty. Still, business was business. And as for Slake, Slaughter, Sully, and Savage, the sooner they had their ales, the sooner they could get out of his bar, bringing their shiny suits and their strange smell like old crackers or bread out of there.

Jacob

That'll be two flints each.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

The standard price was one stone chip, but he might be able to fool some out of town simpletons. Hell, if he couldn't fool some out of town simpletons, what the hell was he doing behind the bar anyway? Slaughter nodded, then reached into his mossy green pocket and pulled out something small and shiny, not black like flint, but the Smoky gray of lead. Jacob's mouth went dry when he realized it was a bullet. Nobody had guns around here, save the six of the 12 constables. One of them passed out drunk in his bar. Slaughter placed the bullet on the table and its thump sounded like a ton of stone crashing down. At least to Jacob.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Here you are, my good man.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Slaughter's face was affixed in a blank grin, infuriating in its alien stupidity. Jacob frowned, but couldn't bring himself to glare. Not if these strangers were packing bullets. They would have guns too, no doubt. When Jacob looked down as furtively as he could, he could see the handle of a six shooter on a hidden holster. Each of the grinning, mustachioed freaks bore two and plenty of bullets.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Well,

Jacob

is that to barter? Because you'd have better luck trading that to the constable than me, I have to tell you.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Oh no.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Was that Sully or Savage? The one in red. Whatever the case, he answered for Slaughter. That reminded Jacob of bees buzzing. When they flitted and hummed amongst each other, their stripes and size were negligible. They were the swarm, and the swarm was them.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

We are Sleek Slaughter, Savage and Sully. And we are fair traders. No, we would not give you bullets for ale.

Jacob

But see, that's what you just did.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Jacob regretted it almost instantly. They had guns, this suited swarm of grinning beasts in the skin of men. They were not ones to be trifled with, even if there was nothing between their ears but water. In the 35 towns of the Copper Desert, any man, no matter how small, was a giant when armed with a gun.

Jacob

Now, I ain't saying I'm not open to trade, but.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

He felt the sentence fizzle away in his mouth.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Why not at all.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Slake spoke, but at the corner of his eye Jacob saw Savage's lips move as well.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

We are honest brothers and gentlemen. We would not cheat you. This, sir, is your promised eight flints.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Sully reached forward and Jacob noted with almost mesmerized disgust the smear of oiliness the sleeve of his white suit left on the bar. It was almost as if he was sweating profusely, but his suit looked completely dry, and it didn't even look like sweat. It was thicker and yellowish, like mucus had extended from the sleeve. Jacob could feel sweat trickling off his neck as those four identical clay sculpted faces leered at him. Savage. But Jacob could have sworn it was just Sully who had reached forward, took the bullet in his fleshy fingers like gray, lumpy sausages. Then he spun it like a top until it went so fast that Jacob could no longer see its shape, just a spinning gray blur. Then Slake stopped it with a finger, and Jacob realized the bullet was gone. In its place was a pile of small black shards. They had made their payment after all. Why?

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

See, here it is. Yo eight flints.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Jacob felt a low moaning rising in his throat. He wanted this surreal, hideous dream to end right now.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Now.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Savage's face slackened briefly as he spoke, then reverted to normal.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

We must have our ale since we have paid. It is our rule of reciprocity, my friend.

Jacob

Right, of course.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Jacob heard how weak and small his voice sounded, even though there was nothing obvious to fear. Were these men sorcerers? Outlaws? Shades come up from the nether Realm to haunt Halleck? For the first time in a while, he found himself praying outside the chapel.

Jacob

Hooded lady, protect me from these four devils. Make them leave, I beg you.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Jacob reached behind the bar, produced four wooden mugs, and filled them to the brim with his best ale. Although the best ale in Halleck wouldn't be best anywhere else, he was not going to serve the murky grog that he dished out to most customers, not to men with guns and faces like clay apes. Slake slaughter. Savage and Sully took their ale, but they had not started drinking yet. They just held their cups, smiling that singular idiot grin made with four mouths.

Jacob

What is. What's your business in Halleck? No concern of mine, I'm sure, but I'd just like to know what brings you here.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Slick laughed. Sully, clad in white, followed, and soon the whole group of them was laughing. All across the bar. His other patrons had gone silent, staring and whispering as the four paid them no mind. Those flat, muddy eyes were focused entirely on Jacob, but he couldn't bring himself to meet them.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Our business? Why? Our business is philanthropy.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Jacob couldn't sort out which of them had spoken, but it made no difference.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Pardon me, Charity, my dear man. We come here to soothe the woes of this town and so many other towns like it in the Copper Desert. We are men of charity, my friend, and we spread good fellowship from the saddles of our horses.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Those horses, Jacob observed with a hideous fascination, accompanied by a swimming feeling in his gut. We're not harnessed or anything outside. They just stood still as statues outside the bar, bulging white eyes like glass, not blinking once despite the boiling sun and the sand whipping in the air outside.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

We aim to begin our charity just as soon as we finish drinking our ale.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Jacob looked at the ale that the four men spoke of and saw that the Wooden cups were almost drained, but Jacob hadn't seen them take a single sip. He was glad, at least, that these things would be off to their charity soon and out of his bar.

Jacob

Well, that's a fine thing to do, I guess. Are you of the Silver Church?

Narrator (Jacob's story)

The men laughed, savage in red, starting the chorus this time. But in those muddy eyes there was something that had not been there before. There was anger. The flesh, already saggy and dripping like candle wax, wrinkled prodigiously, becoming an almost alive mass of crumpled flaps. Slake's blocky, yellowed teeth stood out like tombstones under wormy lips.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Why, no, my friend. We do this for the sake of no hooded harlot. No. The charity and gifts are ours and ours alone.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Slake chuckled hideously, and the response from his horrible homunculi of brothers was a forced imitation, Repulsive in its contriteness. There was no humor in that wet laugh, and there was none of the fellowship and charity that the writers named Slake Slaughter Savage and Sully spoke of. Jacob's instinct, and likely the instinct of many a man who watched this dark pantomime was to harshly rebuke Slake, he of the black hat and the meaty face. No man, even if he was armed to the rotting teeth and not alone, could call the hooded lady a harlot. No man. But this was not a man, Jacob found himself thinking. True, Slake and his brothers of the blood and moss and marrow resembled men, but only by close association. They were barely men, and Jacob felt that they reminded him of apes, like the creatures he had seen in the bestiaries in the town library, a thing close to a man, just on the precipice of true humanity, but not quite there, and all the more awful for it. And so Jacob did not raise his voice against the four, and neither did a single man in the bar. As Slick Slaughter Savage and Sully held their cups, which seemed to drain invisibly, Jacob found himself wishing for the constable. Constable Carlin was a drunkard and a lazy man, but in his heart he was a good man. But more importantly, no one in the town, not even one of the other constables, could outshoot Carlin. A bag of ale that he was, he was quick on the draw, and while there was nothing to suggest he would need that, Jacob wished he had someone who could ward these suited beasts off. A silverman might have brandished the hooded sign and chanted prayers, but right now Carlin and his revolver would serve better than even the holiest holy man. But Carlin was in the back room room swimming lazily in a cup of ale. And so all Jacob could hope for was that the brothers would leave, get up on their dead eyed horses and go haunt another town. Slick, Slaughter, Savage and Sully seemed completely oblivious to Jacob's terror. Such was the awful blankness in their faces that they seemed oblivious of everything. Eyes were supposed to be windows into a man's head. These windows were boarded up and perhaps never opened. Finally Slaughter placed down his cup, another smear of the oily substance on its handle. His brothers followed suit.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Why, we have finished drinking our ale and we must thank you, Mr. Jacob. Thus our business with each other is done. And now we have our charity to attend to.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Relief bloomed in Jacob, but just for a moment. Just a moment of sweeping relief that went away when Slake spoke next.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Why would a lucky man you are, Mr. Jacob. You will be the first to receive our charity.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Then a long arm raised, meaty fingers clutching a six shooter. Messrs. Slick, Slaughter, Savage and Sully all grinned one awful yellow smile. Jacob tried to scream, but nothing came out but a low moan.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Why, thank you for the ale.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

The revolver fired a single bullet of charity and Jacob's head came apart, splattering everything around him. The four brothers were untouched by the red droplets which slid off of them easily. The spell cast over the rest of the bar broke and they began to scream, knocking tables and chairs over in their dash for the single door. By this time Slake and Slaughter each held two revolvers and took deadly aim with them. Before the first people even made it out of the swinging doors, Slake and Slaughter had fired and three more men lay on the floor. The brothers of Black and Green did not missed their shots. Everyone else stampeded for the door and when they came out, the brothers of Red and White, twins with their smiles and mustaches and knives were there to greet them. The first cut down was a wealthy woman coming out of the door. She had tripped over her long ruffled skirts and fallen to the ground. A savage descended upon a half blind old man. His boot came down upon the woman's head with the sound of an eggshell crunching. Savage and Sully were most efficient in their work. As Slaughter and Slake flushed them out of the bar, the beasts in red and white cut them down with knives, aiming for the hearts, heads and throats. Most went down in one or two cuts. Savage and Sully only let one. One man slipped past half a boy and scared like one. Instead of running out of the doors like all else, he had Crashed out the windows, bloodied but mostly unhurt from the glass, he began to sprint away. Ten minutes later, after Slake, Slaughter, Savage, and Sully had finished with their charity in the bar, the boy had made it almost three miles running in a horrific frenzy. He never stood a chance. He thought. He was heading to the closest town, a small lakeside village called Mullend. The only place he was going was into the open desert. But Sully caught him anyway and broke his neck with a snap of his horsewhip. But he would not do that right now. Right now, the young man was simply flailing away from the window windows, blood and glass in his wake. He was the only one not caught by the knives. As for the inside of the tavern, Slake and Slaughter were making short work of the rest. The constable had stirred from his drunken stupor by now, and even foggy minded as he was, he was still the best shot in town. He hit Slaughter in the head twice. The bullets had gone through him and out the open other end, unbloodied. There were small clumps of what looked like clay on the bullets. Then Slaughter shot him, finished the rest of the bar, then joined his two brothers as Sully rode off to catch the boy covered in glass and blood. Slake and Slaughter and Savage dispensed the rest of their charity. They started with the stables, where they tossed a box, bottle of ale and a lit match. Then Savage bolted the door and the three brothers rode into the center of town as the horses whinnied and burned. By then, the other five constables saw what was happening. They instructed the people of Halleck to get inside, bolt their doors, and pray to the hooded lady. The good people of Halleck did all that, but it did not savour them from the charity of the brothers. 4. The remaining constables made a valiant stand, emptying their barrels into Slake, Slaughter, Savage, and Sully, who had just returned his horsewhip bloody. All they managed was to rip their suits. Once the brothers finished with them, they set to work on the rest of the town. A few people tried to make it out running, since their horses were burning. The brothers mounted their horses and ran them down. It was easy for them. The rest of the town was still huddled in their homes, praying to whom Slake had called the hooded Harlot. Slake and Savage rode in circles around the tight, compact town as Slaughter and Sully charged into their houses. Those who were driven out, either by the brothers of green and white or the spreading blaze from the stables ran straight into the knives of Slake and Savage. By sundown the town was in flames and 347 people were dead. Slake stood watching the flames as his three brothers stood beside him. His face was just as placid as it had been when he spoke to Jacob of philanthropy and drank his ale without his mouth.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Why come and see, brothers, before we brought our charity here. There were 347 people in this lovely town far away.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

The four brothers heard the crash as the stone statue of the hooded lady toppled to the ground and broke into pieces. It brought a smile to the four mouthed face of the clay swarm in suits.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Come and see.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Savage stood with his body of sticks, eyes of glass and face of clay.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

There were 23,572 people in the Kaapa Desert. Yes.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

The four brothers watched the flames for a few seconds more, then mounted their horses. There was no more time to waste on admiring their work. Slake looked into the sky of Halleck, choked with smoke, starless and cold.

Mr. Slake (and brothers)

Why, we have 23,225 more to give our charity to.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Slake snapped his horsewhip and the four horsemen rode on.

Erica Sanderson

And that concludes this episode. I've been your host, Erica Sanderson. Thank you for joining me and for listening. We really do appreciate your support. Don't forget you can join in with what's happening in no Sleep across the socials. Leave a comment and connect with fellow fans or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Blue Sky. Until next time, stay Sleepless.

David Cummings

As our stories sink beneath the waves, we claw our way back gone to dry land. Join us again next time when we plunge into the chilling depths where water hides its darkest secrets. The no Sleep Podcast is presented by Creative Reason Media. The musical scores are composed by Brandon Boone. Our production team is Phil Mikulski, Jeff Clement, Jesse Cornett, and Claudius Moore. Our editorial team is Jessica McAvoy, Ashley McInally, Ollie A. White, and Kristen Samido. I'm your host and executive producer David Cummings. To discover how you can get even more Sleepless horror horror stories from us, just visit sleepless.thenosleeppodcast.com to learn about the Sleepless Universe. Ad free extended episodes each week and lots of bonus content for the dark hours. All for one low monthly price. On behalf of everyone at the no Sleep Podcast, we thank you for taking the plunge into to our dark waters. This audio program is copyright 2026 by Creative Reason Media. The copyrights for each story are held by the respective authors. No duplication or reproduction of this audio program is permitted without the written consent of Creative Reason Media. No part of this audio program may be used or reproduced in any manner for the purpose of training artificial intelligence technologies or systems. All Rights reserved.

Aunt Lydia

Foreign.

Danielle Fishel

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Narrator (Jacob's story)

from Pod Meets World.

Danielle Fishel

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Narrator (Jacob's story)

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Danielle Fishel

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Narrator (Jacob's story)

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Danielle Fishel

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Morgan

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Adrien

Hey campers, it's Jan from Toyota. This summer we're headed to Camp Toyota and the fun starts now. We're kicking things off by kicking up mud. Jump in campers. We're going off roading in a 4Runner. Next we're heading to the hot springs in Arav 4. And finally, park your tundras and Tacomas around the campfire. Because we're roasting marshmallows, we're dumber.

Erica Sanderson

Start here.

Narrator (Jacob's story)

Dealer inventory may vary so you're participating. Toyota dealer for details Event Hand stream first Toyota let's go places.