Intro (Click to reveal)

(Intro music)

End Intro

(Tape recorder sounds)

Cole

So?

D

So what?

Cole

Well, it's, it's your last chance to bail.

Mark

Listen, mate. I'll be honest with you, I'm not happy with you right now. You should have told us sooner. We could have just, I don't know, not done the podcast?

Look best to stick together, and I'll be damned if I'm the odd man out on this one. So I'm staying right where I am.

D

Yeah, that, that just about sums up my feelings as well, so,

Cole

Okay. Still friends though?

D

Dog house, but still friends.

Mark

Big time Dog house. But yeah, still friends.

Cole

I, I really am sorry that I didn't tell you guys sooner. I, I thought I could fix this mess myself.

Mark

All right. Okay. You're gonna keep going on about it or, or tell us what you called us here for?

Cole

Oh, yeah. Right. So as part of my creepy murder cassette slash letter investigation, I, I went to a book signing at Creepy Con.

D

What? Wait. Hold on. You went without us?

Jesse

What's Creepy Con?

D

Cree-Creepy Con happens like every year and it, it's a, it's a horror convention for everything like creepy and cursed and weird, you know, kind of our jam.

Jesse

Oh, makes sense. Uh, hence, podcast.

Cole

I know I went without you, but I, I feel like I should get a pass on this one cuz of, you know, crazy potential murderer after me.

D

We'll chill that one, but only temporarily.

Mark

I really can't believe you went without us.

Cole

Okay. Jesus. I'm sorry, but I went to meet Donny Sums. The only other name on the list who isn't dead apart from me.

D

Oh my God. You met Donny Sums.

Mark

Oh, mate. You aren't getting out of that dog house anytime soon.

Cole

Okay, I, I give up. I'll just play you the recording.

Jesse

Who's Donny Sums?

(Tape recorder sounds)

Con Worker

Next in line, please. Up to the line, one at a time. When Donnie's done signing, please proceed to the table. No, hey! Toes on the line. Yes, thank you.

Cole

I'm currently waiting the line at Creepy Con to confront Donny about his connection to the Tiny Terrors-

Con Worker

Sir.

Cole

Oh, sorry. Are you talking to me?

Con Worker

Sir? If you want, Donny Sums to record a personalised message that'll be an extra twenty five.

Cole

I don't know what you're... oh, oh, right. Yeah. Um, yeah, just. Sorry, just one second.

All right. Here's a, uh, a 20 and a...

Yeah, there we go. There's a five.

Con Worker

All right. Up you go. Okay... One. At. A. Time. Toes on the line, ma'am. What did I just say? Toes on the line. Thank you.

Cole

Hello, sir. Um, I mean, hmm. Sorry, I'm nervous. Donny Sums. I, uh, I just wanted to say I am a massive fan of yours.

Donny Sums

Lovely. Now, who should I make it out to?

Cole

Um, c could you make it out to, uh, to Cole, please?

Donny Sums

Sure. C O L E, right?

Cole

Yeah. And, could the message say, uh, "Long live Tiny Terrors"?

Donny Sums

Long live Tiny...

Cole

I'm sorry. Is is there a problem?

Donny Sums

I don't think I heard you. What was the message you'd like written?

Cole

Um, "Long Live the Tiny Terrors Exchange"?

Donny Sums

Who are you?

Cole

Oh, I'm, uh, I'm just,

Donny Sums

What the hell is that?

Cole

This, this, it's, uh,

Donny Sums

Are you recording? What the hell do you want?

Cole

Um, a couple weeks ago I received a letter with a list of, um, names on them, and one of them was yours.

Donny Sums

So?

Cole

I looked up the other names on the list and,

Donny Sums

All right. I don't see what this has to do with me. We're done here.

Cole

All the rest of the other people named are dead, save for you and one other person. Most of them died under mysterious circumstances and I'm just trying to figure out who the hell sent the letter.

Donny Sums

Okay. Who was the other person?

Cole

It was, it was me.

(Tape recorder sounds)

Donny Sums

I'd been a member of the Tiny Terrors Exchange for six odd years by the time I got my first publishing contract. It was a straight to paperback publishing run on a very limited printing, but as you probably know, seeing as how you are now here harassing me, the 'Morgue Choir' quickly became an underground success, and then eventually landed on just about every best sellers list you could imagine.

That was 1992. Right around the time the members were starting to abandon the bulletin board system in favor of the second iteration of the Tiny Terrors Exchange through the mail system. It made sense enough at the time, I suppose, to do it that way. The technology just wasn't there yet, and yes, the bulletin board system worked for sharing a short story, but anything over 1200 words took forever to load. Traditional means of sending mail to one another was just more efficient, no matter how enthusiastic we were. Compared to nowadays with the internet, you'd laugh, but back then the feedback on a story was nearly instant. I'd post a story before going to sleep and wake up the next day, go to work, and when I got home, I'd have two or three comments waiting for me.

In fact, I don't think I'd ever have written the Morgue Choir if I hadn't been a member of the exchange. Those comments really gave me the courage to begin writing in earnest. Actually, I know I wouldn't have written the Morgue Choir if I hadn't been active on the exchange because it's actually based on a story I wrote for the Tiny Terrors Exchange.

It was the first story I wrote and submitted that ever made it big time. It was also the story that really convinced me abandoning the bulletin board system was a good idea. The stories just spread in a way that seemed special. Like getting a good story was a cherished parcel from a loved one. Anyway, I titled the story Corpse Singer.

I printed out a handful of copies with my full name and the title proudly printed in bolder and bigger font and figured I'd play the numbers game, send them all to a handful of exchange members I knew would pass it on and hope one of those copies gained traction. But it seemed I had over-planned and underprepared because within a month I was receiving more mail than I could conceivably read all by my lonesome.

Long story short, I adapted the short story and based my first novel on it. Most folks were happy for me. I got a lot of letters from exchange members looking for me to sign one of those original copies, which frankly felt out of order. Of course, I didn't and just removed as many copies as I could from circulation.

I had a book coming out and figured it would improve sales if there weren't free copies that were shorter in length and ruined the plot twist. Anyways, it's important to note that most folk were happy for me, but not everyone. There were purists sending me scolding letters for cashing out, a a healthy supply of death threats, solicitations... and a few letters I would call odd.

None of them stood out at the time. You just get letters from less well adjusted people when you find fame and fortune. It starts early and never stops. You can't let it bother you of course. All you can do is laugh. That's why I keep 'em. I look back on him for inspiration when I'm feeling burned out and looking for a creative use of the English language to spur on inspiration.

A year or two after I published the Morgue Choir, I was on a press junket going from late night show to late night show when what I assumed was a fan approached me on the street, as I was walking back to my hotel. He stuck out his hand, as if to shake mine but said nothing to accompany the friendly gesture.

So I took his hand, thinking it was going to be a quick and painless encounter where someone a little more awkward than the average individual wanted to let me know they appreciated my work. But as I went in gingerly to lightly shake his hand, he grabbed me and pulled me in close. My heart was pounding outta my chest.

Was he a stalker and assassin looking for infamy? I began tearing my arm away, trying to shake loose the grip he had on my hand, but he pulled me in closer. I could hear his heavy breath like a hurricane in my ear.

God, I can still smell his breath. It was rancid, like spoiled wine, mumbling. He said, Nathan Lansdown, Jamie Pete, Marlon Gunter.

It was nonsense. For all I knew they were his imaginary friends for goodness sake. And then, as I was finding it hard to hold back a little laugh, he said my name.

"Why did you feed the beast?"

Absolute fear grip me in that moment as if I'd been dunked in ice water. My skin pricked and I felt danger in his tone, like static electricity that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I tried to cry out for help, but my tongue was too dry and stuck to the roof of my mouth. I swallowed hard and tried once more to yell for help. All the while he held me tight, and mumbled more random names that meant nothing to me, and then more clearly whispered my name in my ear.

"Why did you feed the beast?"

And he just let me go. The reason I'm telling you this now is because those words stuck with me, the rest of the press junket. Why were those words so familiar? Why did I feed the beast? A week after I got home it hit me though why the question had seemed so familiar. It was like that feeling of having the name of a movie star on the tip of your tongue, but thinking of every other name except the one you're looking for.

I had my assistant bring up my collection of letters, and after a quick search, it was there, a letter I'd received shortly after submitting Corpse Singer to the exchange, before I ever published the Morgue Choir. A lined piece of paper with the words, "Why did you feed the beast? Why did you feed the beast? Why did you feed the beast?" It was written over and over and in the creases and in every available space until the letters were too small to read.

It was the same person.

They'd found me, they'd followed me. They'd stalked me. They'd found me and grabbed me, whispered those same words into my ear all those years later.

(Sigh)

Donny Sums

I'll tell you what my psychiatrist told me. It was likely a super fan, naming off his favorite Tiny Terrors authors. So congratulations. Guess you made the list.

Cole

I, um, can I, can I show you something?

Donny Sums

All right. What is it?

(Paper unfolding)

Cole

Here. That's the list of names I got in the mail. And by mail I mean it just sort of appeared on my desk. Um, I've looked up every name and they're all either missing, murdered, or just plain dead except for you and me.

Donny Sums

All right. Listen mate. Very funny. Who put you up to this? My agent, Janet? Bet it was Janet.

Cole

Honest to God. This isn't a prank. It's, it's right there. "Why did you feed the beast?" just like in your story and the list of names, just like in your story, I promise. I promise this isn't a prank. Just look into it yourself and you'll see I'm telling the truth.

Donny Sums

Nathan Lansdown, Jamie Pete, Marlin Gunter. Oh, piss off.

Cole

There, right there. Just there. It's right there. Just like in your story. You need to listen.

Donny Sums

No, I need to go back to signing books and you need to go crawling back to Janet and tell the old witch to try harder next time.

Cole

What?

Donny Sums

Where'd she find you? Some street corner doing Cheap Walmart knockoff David Blaine mind tricks?

Cole

No, that's, no, that's not it at all. How, How would I know you'd tell me that story. How many insane little factors would have to align for this to work out the way you are imagining it?

Donny Sums

That's the trick though, isn't it? Social engineering or some other mumbo jumbo.

Cole

Oh, you've got to be kidding me.

Donny Sums

Wish I could say it was pleasure, but I'd rather lick a live wire than have you pull one over on me.

Cole

I really don't know what else to say. I guess it's true. After all, never meet your heroes.

(Tape recorder sounds)

D

Okay. I, I know there's a lot to unpack there, but I still just can't believe you went and met Donny Sums without me.

Mark

Right?

Cole

I know. I'm sorry. But Jesus, did you hear what he told me?

Mark

Yep. Same creepy guy. Stopped both of you.

D

Okay. Yeah. But like why you, Donny Sums wrote Morgue Choir, one of the most famous stories in the exchange, but like what have you done?

Mark

In fact, it seems like everyone on that list you got sent was prolific on the exchange.

Cole

Okay, well back up. I've had a little success here and there, okay?

D

I, I mean, not Donny Sums success though.

Cole

Yeah. Okay. Okay. I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with the podcast. You know, they, they don't like that I'm taking the exchange back online maybe?

Jesse

What would be so bad about bringing the exchange back online?

Cole

Nothing, I don't think.

D

Sure it isn't some like unwritten rule that you can't post it online?

Cole

I'm sure someone somewhere might think it is.

Mark

Well maybe it's just a super fan who really liked one of your mediocre stories.

Cole

Okay. I do in fact have feelings, you know that right?

Mark

Look, I'm sorry. I don't mean it, but Dog house.

D

Dog house.

Cole

Right, okay. Yeah. Fine. Fair.

Mark

Okay. Where do we go from here?

D

Hmm. Maybe we try and find out more about the exchange?

Cole

What's that gonna do?

D

Okay, so like when I was in university, we had folks come and guest lecture about the most random stuff. We're talking about folks with PhDs talking about dog breeding in middle aged Spain, or like patriarchal roots of the aerobics craze in the late seventies and eighties.

Wild stuff. There has to be like, I don't know, what do you wanna call it uhhhh? Scholar of the Tiny Terrors Exchange? You know, someone who's tried to put together the pieces or at least document some of the more notable events orbiting the exchange. Maybe there's like a history of... I don't know, a less dark way to put this, but like a history of murder here?

(Tape recorder sounds)

Outro (Click to reveal)

Mark

Tiny Terrors is an anthology horror podcast produced by Pulp Audio and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

D

This episode was directed by Cole Weavers, with sound production and editing by Mike LeBeau.

Mark

To find additional information or to join our Patreon for additional content and ad free episodes, visit our website www.tinyterrorspod.com.

D

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at Tiny Terrors Pod.

Mark

Or join the Pulp Audio Discord by clicking the link in the description below.

D

Rate and review us on Spotify and Apple.

Mark

And finally, thanks for listening.

End Outro