Hypnogoria: Hypnogoria Halloween Advent Calendar

Transcript from the Into The Night radio show, broadcast on Radio Redvale, Wednesday 11th October 2023

Thanks Tim for the weather update, and back on with the show. And we are delving into the ghostly postbag again as promised! Ghostly postbag? Should that be “ghost bag”? Maybe! Anyhow, before I begin, and while I know you are all listening, here’s an important message…

Has anyone out there seen Raymond Montague? He is a fourteen year boy with sandy short hair and wears round glasses. Quite thin but tall for his age, four foot 9. He was last seen on Monday evening and obviously we all want to find him. Often goes by Ray, and I'm told his school nickname is Blue. If you have any information, contact Haggleton Police Station immediately. Or contact us here. And, if you are listening to this Ray, ‘cos we know you enjoy the Friday Night Hot and Heavy Rock Express show with Tony D, please get in touch. You are not in any trouble matey, and you can get in touch with us in confidence if that's what you prefer. People just want to know you are ok.

Right then folks, on with the show. You're listening to Mike Nelson and we are going Into The Night. Now with your generous contributions 9ver the last few nights we've been cataloguing the ghosts of Haggleston and Redvale, and we are well on course, I reckon, to challenge Pluckley in Kent for the title of most haunted village. So far we have a comfortable four, but twelve is the number to beat!

So then, a quick recap for any new listeners timing in, and I know there are more every night! We have a spectral teacher at Provost School, Old Charlie the resident poltergeist in the Brown Trout pub, a phantom cyclist on a penny farthing. This old gent dressed in tweeds has been seen often at sunset biking in various lanes around the edge of Fring and Haggleton. He sounds lovely, doesn't he folks! I would mind seeing that one myself.

At the Boakes Hotel, on Clark Street, there is apparently the ghost of a serving lady still seen, which various listeners have described as a kindly looking lady in Georgian dress. Right, how many is that Producer Raquel? Four? Four! Right yes, but we are hoping to bump that up a bit tonight!

First up, we have a bit of a follow-up on an earlier story which I reckon might get us to five! Last Thursday, on the very first show we dipped into the ghostly post bag, we had a letter from a lady called Suzy. And she told us about a house she lived in with something spooky going on in the attic room.

Well now, we have had three more letters concerning that same property. And all three report very similar ghostly goings on! For example a gentleman who has asked to remain anonymous wrote in and had this to say...

Dear Mr Nelson, I believe I resided at the same house for a short time. I first realised there was something amiss when I moved in and neither of my cats would venture near the top floor. Soon we were suffering with strange noises in the attic and then came that intolerable smell. We did not stay long after that.

So there we are gang! But there's more, another former resident, a lady by the name of Judy, told us what happened when she rented the place for a while.

Dear Mike, the attic room was a nightmare. We used it for storage at first, spare bedding and whatnot. But you could not leave anything in here. Because after a while you find things were shredded or chewed. The letting agent tried to claim it was rats but the teeth marks were clearly human. Or at least human size... And rats don't make a sound like dragging chains.

Well how about that then! Now our third letter comes once again from a listener who doesn't wish to be identified on the air. Yes, do remember folks, if you have a story we will take it seriously, and we will respect your privacy.

Anyhow, our third letter isn't from a former resident but someone who used to walk past the house in question more or less everyday. And they said -

Dear Mike, I believe I know the house Suzy referred to. Several years ago, I used to take my dog on a walk past that house. It was often empty, and I can attest that no one seems to stay there long. I used to wonder about that. At least until one evening. Me and Jock, my little Yorkie, had been out for a late afternoon jaunt to the park, and we were heading home at sunset. This was late November, so about four o'clock-ish. There was a beautiful sunset that day and the old Victorian houses looked a treat.

However as I was admiring the view, I spotted movement at one of the upper windows, and saw a horrid little face leering down at me. At first I assumed it was some grubby looking child in a mask, probably left over from Halloween.

But then the odd figure seemed to become aware I could see it and it broke into a hungry grin, and I realised that inhuman face was flesh… and then, it just melted away… just vanished. I was very shocked but also somewhat relieved. And I headed home very swiftly. I avoided that street from then on…

I am not surprised sir! Dearie me! But l thank you sir for sharing that! So then, a Victorian house with an unpleasant something lurking in the attic! You can see why the estate agents don’t want me to name the street it's on, can’t you! And how does old Mikey know that all these good people are talking about the same house? Well, although Suzy included all the details in her letter, I didn't read out the full address. However our three new correspondents all gave the correct location and house number. So I'm counting that as our number 5!

Anyhow on the show and time for a tune! Here’s a new one called, appropriately enough, Dog Day Afternoon...