The Whitehaven Body Snatcher
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- Happy Halloween! A disturbing and scary tale that will be performed live in Whitehaven this Halloween as part of our Eerie Cumbria programme.
I hope you will be suitably disturbed by it, even it you don't live in Whitehaven.
You can listen to my version of Dracula free on Bandcamp (you get to play each chapter 3 x before you have to pay a cent) if you need more Halloween vibes.
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Holy smokes. That's a story to get under one's skin, sorry for the pun. Very vivid. It's very gritty.
I appreciate you writing about our lost souls. It's a hard life for everyone involved. I wish our world would have more creative ways to find solutions. Having worked in the Field, our options are sadly very limited.
I know. If we didn’t care it would be easier
@@ClassicGhost Yes. Somehow that's impossible. ❤
Yeah, it is absolutely true! All the helpers, come out of the woodwork, offering to help, but they overwhelm you. And in the end, they can’t or just don’t do anything to really help. You just feel so much “ less than “ everyone else
Youre very talented Tony. I've been a fan for awhile now. Really loved your Cumbrian series, you truly have the Bardic blood running through your veins. Keep on channelling these creepy tales! Cheers
Do you know I think I probably have :)
“I prefer my poverty plain …not covered over with cheap scent . That way people know how things stand.. “ Awesome. You are a great writer Tony Walker. That was a chilling story.
That is an intense description. I have known sad people such as that.
Excellent story. You are very good at setting the place. I felt I was there and sadly could smell it.
*'at least she didn't have cats'* HA! I have 7 w/ me right NOW listening to this & lovin' it😻😻😻😻😻😻😻
Seven cats, huh? That's pretty good, but do you know what you need?
*Eight cats!*
One cat short of insanity 😺
You are an incredibly good writer!
Moreover, you describe the unwanted poor of the world so very well. I am homeless and I was in a car accident on June 5th, in which my leg was run over by a car. I had to have surgery.
When I was released from the hospital, I was placed in a rehabilitation facility (nursing home), since I wasn't in any shape to go back to living in my van! The management in this place treat me exactly the way you describe. (They haven't opened my skin and climbed inside yet!)
I have Depression and PTSD, but I am very much more active and capable than the rest of the patients here, and the management is trying to rein me in to the level of the others.
I have run into all of the helping professionals whom you describe. And I've run into the hapless people whom you describe, too. It's so hard to be a decent person and yet feel so hated by society.
I follow a group of economists who teach Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) and they think that the poverty and income inequality we see now is caused by neoliberal austerity. In the UK, yours was started by Margaret Thatcher, and in the US, ours was begun by Ronald Reagan. The real wages of the working class have stagnated at best, and have lost ground in some cases, in the last 50 years. This is a class war which the wealthy are winning. The recommendation of the MMT economists is that the government needs to take better care of their citizens, but politicians would much rather enrich their donors in the military supplies industries and give them billions of dollars to send weapons to Ukraine - known as the most corrupt country in Europe - in order for 70% of the military weaponry never to get to the soldiers in the front lines. It's being sold on the black market. Which is where other troublemakers, for example in Sub-Saharan countries like Ethiopia and Eritrea, get their arms to start other wars.
Our countries are in the hands of people who just don't want to do the right thing.
The current situation, all around the globe, is what lead up to the French revolution. The poor dying and powerless, the wealthy getting richer and increasingly powerful.
The rich are feeding off of us.
I hope your leg is healing. Stay safe. ☮peace ☯️harmony 💝hope ♾ forevermore.
As soon as it started, I was excited to see how you would draw from your professional experiences. And this story is definitely part of that tradition of ghost/horror stories as social commentary. On a different topic, Bengali (my heritage language) has a tradition of ghost stories, often with similar tropes i.e.haunted house, woods, etc. I believe you have read at least one story from a Bengali author. My hometown of NYC has its share of spooky tales but I think most people are attracted to stories about isolated or unfamiliar places with dark histories. Happy Halloween!🎃
+ProfSalam I did do a Bengali story. There were a few short stories put together . I enjoyed them
No disrespect to the other big 3 audible horror channels but T. W. Seems like he works the hardest, I'm torn on who I like most but the Sardonicus narration by Tony decided it for me.
I think it’s the added ending free flow, those personal bits, that feels inclusive.
Other channels have other personalized expressions through the medium or through the production or their character voices; we REALLY ARE BLESSED🪶
🧠🫀🫁📚📘🗣🎙🎛🎚📡📲🌌💙
Wow! That's very powerful. Great story
Unfortunately, it spoke very deeply to me. Amazing insight, wonderfully written and read.
I need to buy you several coffees for the mental health jolt you have given me.
Thank you. You are an amazing person with a precious skill.🙏🏻
Great story Tony. Reminded me of the one bed HA flat I lived in til a couple of years ago, it was in one of those blocks.
Amazing!!! That was so creepy and awesome! Such talent!
This one was top notch for me! I work in a pediatric psychiatric hospital. I wouldn’t say I feel like a parasite but I do often feel that the ultimate solutions we come up with for our patients generally just serve to make US feel better while the patient’s reality remains grim. It is not an easy job.
That's the way we often feel as well. There are good people that genuinely help though. Just wish there were more, then people might make genuine progress.
I've found those that are genuinly good at helping find the job a lot harder, because they're mired and hampered by those that aren't. As you recognise the issue of parasitic care you're probably one of the good ones.
Too much focus on paper models these days, most of which have no empirical evidence that they even work. Makes people feel like they're nothing more than an RPG character sheet, and care givers end up trating us like characters not people. It can be very dehumanising. Thing is, often neither care giver nor patient realise it's happening. It's a subtle undermining of individuality and truly tailored care.
I like that story quite a bit, but I saw where it was going pretty early I like a surprise twist but somehow when I guess in advance it does not spoil the story for me but somehow adds a touch
*broken biscuits* ...they taste the same as the unbroken ones🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🫖🍵
good LORD what a twisted tale--just what we're here for.
thanks, yet again. now in that halloween mood!
"At least she didn't have cats." Oh dear, Tony has offended all the cat lovers lol.
I do think people believe that everything a character says is something I believe. But they are not me. As you know. They say and do things to create the story. It’s fiction
@@ClassicGhost and smart fiction at that: a cat wouldn't have been fooled by the monster's social worker act!
@@ClassicGhost
We KNOW your girlfriend doesn’t want the cats… but is the neighbors cat coming to hang out with you yet?
🐈⬛🐈🐈⬛🐈🪶🐈🪶🐈🐈⬛🦮🐈⬛🐈🐈⬛
It took my rescue months of hanging around & letting her know I’m interested in hanging out…now we are best buds. If you get a wand toy you might entice the kitty to play when it’s on your side of the fence…also kitties need LOADS of WATER! You could put a couple old bowls out. It’s not food (wouldn’t want to step on toes) but if you think you go out enough to keep the water clean. The cat might pop by to stay hydrated & hang out.
🐈⬛🧿🪬🧿🌌🌃🏙🌃🌌🧿🪬🧿🐈⬛
@@evelanpatton a little bit
I have several of Tony 's books, and he has a very sly sense of humor.
I worked in social welfare for a while and I agree so many of the helping professionals do function like parasites on the suffering of others. I preferred working as a nurse where black and white situations can be 'fixed'. I admire anyone who sticks in the mental health or child care areas though. Just couldn't keep doing it myself and keep my sanity. Bless those who do, the parasite thing just happens I guess, you need a heart like a lion to withstand it.
So i guess it's an international deal to divide up victorian's into apartments? Happens in SF and LA too. Those poor old grand dames made into 4 or 5 rental units. Sad really isn't it. I'd love to be able to speak to a house and have it tell what it's seen and feels about it
I grew up in Whitehaven in the 70s/80s and saw this all starting to happen.
Hope Thatcher’s skin takes a thousand years to flay off.
Potentially such a beautiful place too.
I remember being totally non-plussed by the Ibiza cafe-del-mar sunset as Whitehaven gets better ones.
+Pope Vimto Ripkeef Happysack XVIII
Yeah I work I. Whitehaven and it has so much potential. I’m very fond of the town
@@ClassicGhost I’ve been with the same lass since Whitehaven School and her surname is Lewthwaite !
I read a lot of horror and I really like your gritty, contemporary style - reminds me of the vibe of old Mike Leigh films.
I’ve only heard this one so far.
Unless you wrote the one about the police/haunted factory/timeloop on Bedtime Ghost Stories ?
That was sinister, Tony. And good.
Tony! Patient therapist confidentiality is a sacred bond. 😂 She’s probably a posh smoking jacket now 🧥 ❤️🔥
Or not so posh
That was so wonderfully grim! Thank you
Well done
Really good. Your telling gives so much to it. I’m trying to enlarge your Detroit MIchigan US audience. People are loving these stories.
Thank you Glo. I know Terry of the Detroit Holiday Rockestra?
Great story, worst social worker ever!!
Ohhhh myyyy goooshhhhh!!!!! LOVE a twist at the end!!! I love it....I love it....I LOVE it!!!!!
You could say that psychiatric workers do dig into people, get them relaxed and opened up. Before they know it, the people are spilling their guts. Those nails sound dreadfully unsanitary, though. Wearing their skin? You want to become them? Or maybe just hide? Sit down and tell me about it. I'll just close the blinds.
*Thanks Tony* very generous of you ...excellent choice for October🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🕸🕸🕷🕷💀💀☠☠👻👻🕸🕸🕷🕷I luv your opening location description grabs the attention instantly & sets the mood ... spot on
Good story. Thanks for sharing. During the course of the story, it occurred to me, which may seem obvious to you, mentally ill people are unhappy (a psychopath or something similar may be an exception). The mentally ill are, in a sense, punished. What I am leading up to is this: What would a story look like if a happy person were punished for being happy? The unhappy people in Whitehaven were, in a sense, being punished for being unhappy.
Food for thought, Walter...I know - won't say more. It does feel like a punishment I imagine- and unfair. Tony's story was excellent too, very perfectly captured the scene, the behavior, the conversation etc. His stories are getting better and better...namaste from Canada
@@MSYNGWIE12 : It *does* feel very much like a punishment, speaking as one who knows, and it can very well be a punishment. The attitude towards the poor in America goes back to the colonists, who brought their attitudes over with them from England, and the attitudes in England were best summed up by the Elizabethan Poor Laws: basically, that the poor should be punished for being poor. Poor people are simply hated in the US - even by people who are themselves poor!
I don't know how much you have heard of the "sweeps" that the police do to homeless people here in the US, where they take everything that the homeless people own - including RVs and other vehicles - and throw them away.
Everything in the US is esteemed only by its dollar value, including people.
You can read The Theory of the Leisure Class by Thorstein Veblen for an analysis of this kind of society.
@@susanmercurio1060 HI Susan, I did read Veblen long ago in college, I was fortunate to have a "pinko"- Marxist type economics lecturer who turned me on to many books, including The Theory of The Leisure Class- my memory is currently not so hot, I probably have a copy upstairs in my attic/library- I'm sure I can find good chunks of it for free on the net- thanks. Take care. I really wasn't happy with Tony's protagonist! Eating up off! Isn't he terrific both at narrating and writing and he's SO interesting, I tease him and call him The Renaissance Man of the Macabre- he always seems to be traveling, learning, meeting interesting people- very cool cat...Namaste from Canada ( I try to think of ways of keeping my huge in need of repairs house if something should happen to my guy- take in a lodger- of course, that can be risky- right Tony?!)
@@MSYNGWIE12 I'm homeless and I would love to be a lodger, if Canada would have me. Also I don't have a passport.
P.S. You can't read Veblen in chunks. He builds up his argument very carefully, brick by brick, like Marx.
You have to read him first to last.
This has terrified me since I heard it some year ago. I've recalled it often, shivering in fear. Finally jinned up the nerve to give it another listen. Stunning.
You put a good amount of detail in this story. As you were reading it I pictured it as an old 1960's movie with a very mousy Rita Tushingham.
Excellent
I feel don't think your parasitic, people want to share, I think it could be a burden on health professionals and those who spend the last moments, minutes with someone at the end of their life. They could be sharing their last secrets with you, releasing themselves. You serve a very necessary service, and hopefully helping that person who has you there, with them, at a crucial time. Thank you, and everyone who offers these services to those who feel they need them. Your not a parasite whatsoever!
When you said the story could have been from anywhere, you were right. For some reason I thought it was set in America until one of the characters mentioned Council housing.
Great story. Ya, didn't see that coming at all. I did shriek in the car. Your request for regional ghost stories is brilliant.
Liked the story, but to be honest, it was obvious where the story was going, very early on. Still, well told.
I loved the story. It was very disturbing and I could see it may have a double meaning. My lights will be staying on nice and bright tonight
Good god, this was disturbing. Tony, you have a genuine gift.
Awesome!
:) but dark
@@ClassicGhost darkness can be beutiful :P
Whaaaat is this music???? Ooh. I guess I just hadn't heard the while thing.
Aw tony I’m too cynical a listener I think. I intuited the direction from the moment you said “I had done my homework”.
Sad story and I’m sure based on a lot of experience. It saddens me to reflect on all the lost people who never did anything to deserve what they end up with.
+Toady UK I always say with a twist
It’s a win win. Some listeners don’t foresee it and enjoy the revelation. Others do and enjoy being clever 😉
No Molly don’t turn the light down!!!!💀
+marilynbiondi poor Molly
Dude, thought it but chilling!!😱
Went to Whitehaven with my late parents many years ago.Good story
I guess part of his enjoyment is hearing about each person's drama.
Great story. I have a friend who comes to me for Reflexology. She has self harmed in the past..on her stomach..where it can't be seen. She tells me that she feels better when I just hold her feet. It's very sad..the whole explosion and increase of all ages experiencing mental health problems.
I think touch is a great healing therapy. Sheila does reflexology
@@ClassicGhost I've held feet whilst their owners have laughed or cried. Its a privilege
This story was very good. I remember the exact point in the story when I realized what was happening. Bravo Mr. Walker!!! Damn good story telling.
23:37 Regarding mental health workers being 'parasitic''. I think some MH workers can be parasitic if the worker isn't in a healthy state. For example of a MH worker is still dealing with a similar issue to what their client(s) are dealing with. In this specific case, who is treating who?! I think MH workers who are burned out (aka suffering from compassion fatigue) may not be the most helpful but still bring the technical skills to the interactions to some degree. I did social work in the community and office-based with populations of all ages. It was challenging work to hear the suffering of so many and I can say that secondary trauma can be a real thing if the MH worker doesn't try to protect themselves by having a professional separation of the clients' stories and challenges. Too much separation stops being "professional" and healthy in nature. This type of separation turns into compassion fatigue.
An excellent description. Supervision is very important
Oooooo creeepy
This is the STUFF! I love stories like this where you sort of know what’s happening but that makes the build up to the inevitable all the more dreadful! This is a new favorite!
On a deeper level, it’s so frightening to think that even when these services are available to people (they aren’t where I’m from) so often it’s not enough 😢
Aah..a sad and unsettling tale, but very good! I only reaized what was above to happen just before the end! The reference to Nag champa slightly dismayed me - I love the stuff!!
I listened to the Screaming Skull of St Bedes a few weeks ago, and thought it was genuine folklore, so well done with that!
I’m a bit of a fan of nag champa too
It was horrific. I felt that the 'helper' was unpleasant almost from the beginning, the tone of voice you used and the condescension.
My aunt lives in a place like this, but she's not vulnerable like Molly, and is fairly street savvy. She has neighbours like Molly though.
The voice was spot-on, a lot of care providers actually sound like that. And they wonder why we don't "engage".
Thank You For Sharing Your Imagination With Us.
Your a brilliant and gifted storyteller and narrator. ❤
Very kind Lesley
Oh my...😳 frightening...
Awesome yarn Tony!!!
I loved it 🖤✌️🍂👻
I love the creepy old Victorian yarns, the straightforward Regency realists, and the Weimar weird tales, but my favorite stories you narrate are the ones you've written. Starting to think the whole "I'm not a body snatcher" thing is the gentleman doth protesting too much, though. Hmm.
+Anna Bell Reads Anna. I am definitely NOT a body snatcher. Have you ever seen my hands though?
@@ClassicGhost Your "I am not a body snatcher" disclaimer has people asking a lot of questions already answered by your disclaimer.
The circumstances of Molly hit home hard, I've been in that situation the exception of the abusive mother and self harm. In a far superior situation now.
I am so pleased to hear that.
I've been in that situation with the abusive mother and without the self-harm.
16;45 into the story.
I think I know there is going to be a twist and I'm pretty sure I know what that twist is going to be.
Well written, with a good understanding of mental health.
Some of the people who try to help are trauma vampires, especially those who bang on about "lived experience" and other buzzterms. It's like talking to an NPC who gets off on tragedy. Wish they'd just get their jollies from true crime, like normal people. Thing is a lot of "sevice users" (especially neurotics) spot them right away and "don't engage" or become "hostile". We're not either, we just know we're the sanest one in the room. Which is worrying, and infuriating, when you're looking for help with mental health issues.
Very much enjoyed the story, captured the despair of mental ill-health and, the false hope offered by trauma vampires, perfectly.
Good story. You don’t need an annalist. It’s human nature to think about the variety of outcomes to situations we are experiencing. If you are a storyteller it’s a given.
Tony,
Wow… you have a way of blowing the dust off an old story, and waking it up. It seems “alive” if that’s not too overused and a bit trite . And conversely, this new story has the charm and beauty of an older story. There’s a feeling I’ve had in an old house full of its antiquities , and you’ve given that same sort of feeling to this modern story. The author knows just how each word is meant and how it should be presented . Not all narrators achieve that. You do. Your narration of this work is masterful…and you’ve written it! The feeling of Stendhal comes to mind. Many narrators use a sort of rhythm when they speak. You use conversation. As I said before; Wow.
Thanks,
Rick
Now I remember that documentary's title: Woodlands Dark & Days Bewitched. It's interesting af.
Where did the description move to?
Honestly I found this story dreadfully hideous. Hideous. There is still resilience in Molly but I can honestly understand why this is especially gross when considering the real tales coming out about the police and those in power taking advantage etc. Hideous Tony this actually made me what to cry over the chillingness 😢 I pray for the real Molly 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
This is really horrible. This is because it's 2022 England as I know it personally. Brrr.
Great story and narration! I can tell you work in the industry. Great job, and thanks for all you do.
It was truly scary! It is a good and scary yarn!
"He looks like you!"
I think I know the house. I used to live at 1 Hamilton Terrace looking onto Foxhouses. I love listening to all your stories Tony. Thank you.
haha yes very close to home. I lived off an on the streets and a place called poets corner in sydney once upon a time. No body snatching tho. I'm well now tho, 3 years sober of everything 😊
Excellent story! A mix of raising awareness and horror. Great work!
That was superb. I love the tiny details that only make sense as the horror reveals itself, like not touching the doorknob. Great stuff.
Nasty story. I like it. Didn't see it coming until the end.
Hi Tony, great tale, very atmospheric- tell me why Nag Champa is awful- what brand do you buy, very pricey Japanese coils? Tibetan which gave me a mini trip once- curious as I love incense. You captured the delusional way of thinking perfectly - your stories get better and better...Namaste
I am an incense snob now. I got some stuff from a shop in Glastonbury and have never looked back :)
You could see the ending coming from minute #2.
Aw shucks. But then maybe not. Maybe that's what I wanted... It actually was to be fair
Very clever Tony ………bravo 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Nice twist. Just caught it at the right moment. Well done.
Outstanding!
Thank you kindly!
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE your short stories!
I especially like the Fairy Stories!
I also really like this new Heartwood 🖤🎶🎵🎶ending music! Prefect match!
Thank you for sharing your creations! 🎉
Ps
The link to the newsletter is not working is says the page can’t be found? Is it because I’m in the states?
+Evelan Patton no. Try this
tonywalker.substack.com/archive
Creepy! Really good. Thanks!
Nicket and Peter Howlett whitehaven 👻
PLEASE do some New Orleans ghost stories! I love visiting there whenever I get an opportunity to do. Most people automatically think of voodoo (voudon) stuff when they think of scary NO, but there’s just a spooky vibe there at night period.
Do you know any (apart from Anne Rice)
Recently introduced to your work and devouring all of it. I'm a big fan of E.F. Benson's ghost stories and in my opinion you're certainly up with him and the best of them.
Isn't it true? He has great talent. I wish I had the money to pay Tony what he really deserves.
So Tony, what is the good of mental health workers if they can never really reach people?
that is a big question. They can help some people. I suppose it’s like the fire brigade.
Great story. First time I've ever heard CAMHS on You Tube. 😁
Lol. They are pretty rare these days.
You don't often hear stories told from the perspective of the fiend.
+@JimBagby74 spoiler alert!
Hmmm...
Why does he do it Molly?
I'm just trying to understand Molly why someone, some thing would do that.
I don't f***ing know why!
I just know he/IT does!
Ok ok calm down. I don't doubt that you believe this. I know you're not stupid. I know you're frightened.
I'm here to help...
Hi Tony,
Molly isn't stupid, and she must have seen it coming, because I did, so she wanted it all to end.
That on itself is tragic; her life is tragic.
Molly is real and you brought her to us, but the jump scare didn't work for me, so I wanted something else. Relief, more sadness, more horror?
Molly knew that *I* was *really here to help; to take it all away.
She looked into my eyes with her bloodshot but faded blue ones.
Will it hurt ?, she asked as her fingers unconsciously unbuttoned her cheep, pilled cardigan.
Please don't be offended, I really love what you're doing, and these are my clumsy stabs at it.
But I am voracious for a chilling tale and consume all in my reach.
Like a Vampire, you left me wanting more.
😁
Yes she lets him kill her because they are agreed it is a kindness. But. I don’t personally believe that. It’s just the story that comes to that conclusion not me.
Thanks for answering Tony.
I admire your resilience for working in the mental health field; I am grateful for all people whom work to help people.
Sadly I have known people whom have been driven mad by it themselves.
Thanks for your writing.
Oooo! Brilliant story. Thank you!
THAT WAS EXCELLENT ❤️
Tony this is brilliant and resonated with me.
In another point York would be an awesome place for some ghost stories. If you are ever coming this way let me know and I’ll shout you lunch. How can I get my email to you securely?
Funnily enough i had an email from an old friend in york and I said I hoped to be down I. The new year. You are right of course. Inhave done a story based in york in my Halloween book. Email me at classicghostpodcast@gmail.com
Great. Have emailed you……
Great story Tony
Excellant 💜🙏
Sneaky creepy!😳
Great ending!
Excellent!
Very good!
You write very, very well, Tony, You know and understand your subject though and through, The pain. Thank you.
Eek!
Interesting how when the bodies were opened, they were hollow. Makes sense really in my experience. Hair-raisingly good, Tony.
Scariest part for me is how there but for the Grace of God am I Molly!
Glad to hear you are not.
@@ClassicGhost only on the inside lol
Fantastic story Tony!
Loved the story! You can really spook me out!!
+Anny Mac Sad to say but I am pleased
@@ClassicGhost I'm pleased as well! I'm hard to spook. Bravo Mr Walker! Bravo!