“THE BOY WHO FOUGHT THE REAPER: The Price of Protection When Death Comes Calling” by Gary Brand

From ancient honey-preserved human confections to European royalty dining on powdered skulls, we explore the disturbing world of medicinal cannibalism where the dead became dinner in the name of healing. Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy. DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised. IN THIS EPISODE: Of all the instances of cannibalism found in human history, no one quite practiced it like some in China used to. In these cases, cannibalism came in the form of eating mellified flesh for medicinal purposes. In 16th century China, mellification was a way for elderly people nearing the end of their lives to donate their body to science. The idea, originally derived from an Arabic recipe, was that they could turn their bodies into medicine that would be ingested by their descendants to alleviate ailments like broken bones. The process of mellification was a gruesome one. In short, it consisted of very slowly turning one’s body into a mummified human candy bar. And that’s not even the worst part — for mellification to be the most effective, the process started while the person was still alive. CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Lead-In 00:01:10.417 = Show Open 00:02:28.924 = And Mellified Man For Dessert 00:04:27.887 = Honey, I’m Dead 00:09:57.010 = Sugar-Glazed Grandpa 00:16:02.121 = Better Health Through Cannibalism 00:27:31.137 = Self-Mummification 00:30:39.753 = Corpse Medicine 00:39:58.915 = Show Close SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE… “And Mellified Man for Dessert” by Katie Serena: https://tinyurl.com/rjwv5cw “Honey, I’m Dead” by Paul Salopek: https://tinyurl.com/wz23h9d “Sugar-Glazed Grandpa” by Brent Swancer: https://tinyurl.com/w2mqzyp “Self-Mummification” from Stranger Remains: https://tinyurl.com/w795gxp “Better Health Through Cannibalism” by Natalie Zarrelli: https://tinyurl.com/tsqhqbl “Corpse Medicine” by Maria Dolan: https://tinyurl.com/y6spcbcb ===== (Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I...

A skeptical tourist at the Tower of London plays an ancient organ — only to awaken haunted by headless phantoms demanding his return. Hear the tale from Dark Fantasy! | #RetroRadio EP0416 Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Show Open 00:01:50.000 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “The Other Side of the Coin” (March 18, 1976) 00:47:22.209 = Murder By Experts, “It’s Luck That Counts” (August 29, 1949) ***WD 01:17:04.639 = Exploring Tomorrow, “Cold Equations, aka The Stowaway” (April 30, 1958) ***WD 01:34:56.399 = Dark Fantasy, “Headless Dead” (January 23, 1942) 01:59:34.029 = Diary of Fate, “David Dexter” (May 04, 1948) ***WD 02:29:11.019 = Fear on 4, “The Dead Drummer” (1988-1992) 02:57:36.539 = 5 Minute Mysteries, “Squealing Gearshift” (late 1940s) 03:02:43.369 = Future Tense, “Zero Hour” (May 23, 1974) ***WD 03:21:32.909 = Gang Busters, “Joe Fletcher” (January 24, 1948) 03:45:03.119 = Green Hornet, “A Rake” (August 22, 1939) 04:14:26.439 = The Hall of Fantasy, “The Judge’s House” (April 03, 1947) ***WD 04:41:20.629 = The Lives of Harry Lime, “Harry Lime Joins the Circus” (April 25, 1952) ***WD 05:06:56.277 = Show Close (ADU) = Air Date Unknown (LQ) = Low Quality ***WD = Remastered, edited, or cleaned up by Weird Darkness to make the episode more listenable. Audio may not be pristine, but it will be better than the original file which may have been unusable or more difficult to hear without editing. Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy. = = = = = "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46 = = = = = WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness. = = = = = CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0416

FREE WORD SEARCH and CROSSWORD for this episode: https://weirddarkness.com/LuridLocations Some places don’t just feel haunted — they attract the unexplained like a magnet, drawing in ghosts, UFOs, curses, and creatures that defy logic and lurk just beyond the veil of reality. Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy. DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised. IN THIS EPISODE: From haunted houses and cursed lakes to mysterious roads where ghostly figures appear out of thin air, our planet is home to some truly chilling locations. (Lurid Locations, Spooky Spots, and Paranormal Places) *** How could a person seemingly burst into flames without any external ignition source? We’ll look at the chilling story of Mary Reeser and others like her, that continue to baffle and intrigue both scientists and the public, leaving us to ponder the true nature of what has been termed “spontaneous human combustion.” (The Bizarre Phenomenon of Spontaneous Human Combustion) *** The remains of nearly a dozen sex workers were carelessly discarded in the New Mexico desert between the years of 2001 and 2005. And today it is still not known who is responsible. (Unsolved: The West Mesa Bone Collector) *** Have you seen the mischievous spirits of Tinker Swiss Cottage or met Galena’s Lady in Black? Perhaps you’ve had a run-in at DeKalb’s Egyptian Theatre? These are all areas within a short distance of each other, northwest of Chicago, that can give the Windy City spooks a run for their money. (Rock River’s Residual Revenants) CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Dedication Of This Episode To Paul Spangler 00:01:23.934 = Lead-In 00:03:04.406 = Show Open 00:05:01.575 = Lurid Locations, Spooky Spots, and Paranormal Places 00:31:07.265 = The West Mesa Bone Collector 00:37:43.525 = Spontaneous Human Combustion 00:48:37.279 = Rock River’s Residual Revenants 01:08:30.909 = Show Close SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE… ***If you have an information regarding the West Mesa murders, Albuquerque CrimeStoppers is still offering a $100,000 reward. Call (505)768-2450 or Crime Stopper at (505)843-STOP.*** “The West Mesa Bone Collector” by Kelsey Christine McConnell for The-Line-Up.com:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckux8v6 “Lurid Locations, Spooky Spots, and Paranormal Places” by Marcus Lowth for UFOInsight.com,

A wrongly imprisoned man returns with a razor in hand and revenge in his heart—will justice be served, or something far darker? What will happen in THE FINAL RECKONING? Hear the tale from Creeps By Night starring Boris Karloff! | #RetroRadio EP0415 Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Show Open 00:01:50.000 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “Crime Casts a Shadow” (March 16, 1976) 00:51:33.299 = Box 13, “Sealed Instructions” (April 17, 1949) 01:18:15.679 = The Clock, “Island Paradise” (June 15, 1947) 01:41:02.659 = Creeps By Night, “The Final Reckoning” (July 12, 1944) ***WD 02:09:12.619 = Sounds of Darkness, “S.F. For Soviet” (February 17, 1970) 02:36:11.139 = Devil and Mr. O, “Gravestone” (October 22, 1971) 03:05:39.639 = Dimension X, “Pebble In The Sky” (June 17, 1951) 03:30:24.589 = Strange Dr. Weird, “Murder Comes Home” (November 28, 1944) ***WD 03:43:23.329 = The Creaking Door, “Isle of Lost Souls” (November 23, 1964) ***WD 04:12:24.059 = The Eleventh Hour, “Lord Marley’s Guest” (1941-1963)04:38:10.189 = Escape, “Action” (April 04, 1948) 05:07:36.248 = Show Close (ADU) = Air Date Unknown (LQ) = Low Quality ***WD = Remastered, edited, or cleaned up by Weird Darkness to make the episode more listenable. Audio may not be pristine, but it will be better than the original file which may have been unusable or more difficult to hear without editing. Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy. = = = = = "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46 = = = = = WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness. = = = = = CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0415

A frustrated farmer's attempt to force his adult daughter toward independence sets in motion a horrifying chain of events that will forever change his understanding of family loyalty. Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy. DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised. IN THIS EPISODE: It’s #ThrillerThursday – today I’m bringing you a chapter from an audiobook I narrated from J.C. Moore entitled “Soured” – and this is the title chapter of that book. SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE… “Soured: A Collection of Short Horror Stories (Dark Intrigues, Book 1)” by J.C. Moore: https://amzn.to/4dExz5i ===== (Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.) = = = = = "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46 = = = = = WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness. ===== Originally aired: April 04, 2024 EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/soured