Dark Softly Tales

In today’s episode we head back to semi-barbaric times, where a king has come up with an unusual system for determining guilt or innocence. All is well, until the princess’s lover is discovered and doomed to choosing a fate between two doors. Behind one door is a beautiful woman and behind the other a tiger. Which will he choose? Today’s story is Lady or the Tiger? by Frank R Stockton. Music: Oxygenic by Lucention https://my.captivate.fm/dashboard/www.darksoftlytales.com...

Mercury poisoning in the drinking water—it has affected everybody—humans and animals alike. Those with natural immunity are given “options” by the government in the form of a federally funded suicide booth run by AI named Adria. Discover your Options this week with a morbid little sci-fi tale called (surprisingly): Options. Longer intro this week: Story starts at 5:37 Music: Hand Off by Damma Beatz https://my.captivate.fm/dashboard/www.darksoftlytales.com (www.darksoftlytales.com)...

Larry Thomas gives his wife a gift hoping for a little respect— respect he doesn’t dare give but demands to receive. He learns the hard way from a little cuckoo clock that has been wound one too many times. Today’s story is Beyond the Door by Philip K Dick. Music: Broken Glass by Eneide (Epidemic Music) https://my.captivate.fm/dashboard/www.darksoftlytales.com (www.darksoftlytales.com) https://my.captivate.fm/dashboard/www.darksoftlytalespodcast.com (www.darksoftlytalespodcast.com)...

The year is 2050. Humans wear metal sleeves and depend on mechanical organ replacements...science and logic drives society, but we discover there is still a touch of humanity of left in our tale today called Skin. Skin was first published in Horror through the Ages anthology. Music: Plan B by Lalo Brickman (Epidemic Music) https://my.captivate.fm/dashboard/www.darksoftlytales.com (www.darksoftlytales.com) https://my.captivate.fm/dashboard/www.darksoftlytalespodcast.com...

Leonard Sale determines to stay awake for six days—when the rescue ship arrives. But, six days is a long time, especially when there are hungry beings waiting to take his body over. Join us in Part Two of Asleep in Armageddon by Ray Bradbury. Asleep in Armageddon was originally published in Planet Stories in 1948. Music: Echoes of Time V2 by Music by Kevin MacLeod https://my.captivate.fm/dashboard/www.darksoftlytales.com (www.darksoftlytales.com)...

"Avoid Planetoid 787. Lush and sunny, with fine air and no dangerous beasts, it'll tempt you to curve in for some nice solid-ground sleep. DON'T!" —Planet Stories, 1948 This week we bring you part one of Asleep on Armageddon by Ray Bradbury. If you keep hearing voices in your head during the story...don't worry! It's just the story. However, if you keep hearing them after the story, you may want to get that checked out. Gods battling for your mind is nothing to sneeze at. Asleep in...

Guest author, Stephen J Golds, steeps our senses in the minds of psychopaths where anything can and will happen in "A Short Story." There's a time and place for all kinds of love in this world. We soon discover that dark love is best buried deeply "In an Unmarked Place." https://www.bristolnoir.co.uk/short-story-a-short-story-by-stephen-j-golds/ (A Short Story) and In an Unmarked Place were both originally published in the wonderful https://www.bristolnoir.co.uk (Bristol Noir Magazine....

A strange sequence of events lands Vi at the sanatorium. Her best friend, Lucy, visits her often and as a best friend will do, dishes out some rather juicy secrets about Vi's husband and his plan to ditch Lucy. Though, after a few stolen drinks of hard liquor, the world is a bit woozy and we learn anything is possible in Vi and Lucy's world. This week's story is Lucy Comes to Stay by the master of psychological suspense, Robert Bloch. Time Stamp: For those who prefer to skip the intro, the...

This week we discover that haunted houses and haunting dreams go together like a coffin in a grave. Our protagonist does well to trust his intuition, but his friend who takes a more logical approach, does not fair well. Join me in this week's story, Caterpillars by EF Benson. This story may have been written in 1912, but trust me, it holds the creep factor! Timestamp: Story starts at 2:48 Music:https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3449-blue-feather ( Blue Feather by Kevin MacLeod)...

It’s 2021, the time of the axe, the time when the blade hacks and hews at sinew and bone, at the moon and stars and the universe that lies between. At Faraday Psychiatric Hospital, Cecilia makes eye contact with herself in the bathroom mirror. She knows today is the anniversary of something very dreadful she has done, but she can't remember what or why. When she applies her favorite lip gloss, Dead Sunset Red, it triggers a floodgate of horrific memories beyond comprehension. This story was...

A double zombie feature for the New Year! You’re welcome. ;-D Weeping Stones is about the “ideal” all American family who demonstrate how to keep up with the Jones when it comes to outsiders and zombies. Peace on Earth is at War features small town drama during the zombie apocalypse. Strange things happen. Like turtles. Don’t ask—just listen. Happy New Year’s everyone! Music: https://filmmusic.io/song/7181-nostalgic-cold (Nostalgic Cold by MusicLFiles) Support this podcast

The North Pole isn't what it's made up to be, neither is Santa. Kidnapped and forced to be Santa's elf, Henrietta hatches up a plan that's much more naughty than nice. This story is extremely dark and for adults only. Violence and foul language. Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas. Today's story is part of a collection of stories based on the beloved femme fatale, Henrietta. You can find another one her stories in Dark Softly Tales most listened to episode which is...

One lonely rest stop. Two sisters. Their secrets so grim, even the reaper would kill to know. Join me in dark story for the darkest nights of the year: Hollow Secrets Looking back through my notes, I realized this was one of my very first published stories! So much love to Yellow Mama magazine for publishing it. <3 Music: Through the Shadows by Camilo Castillo https://my.captivate.fm/dashboard/www.darksoftlytales.com (www.darksoftlytales.com)...

It started with a tap on the ceiling, then it grew a heartbeat and a pulse. The beast calls to Cassie nightly in a world beyond her own—the great abyss. Her husband, Brian, insists medication will make it go away, but when Cassie discovers he has found another love...she questions where she truly belongs. This week's story is called Strings. You can find Strings in https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OWMY0AS (Abyss, 3 Tales to Chill Your Bones, Volume Five). Music: Ritual by Kevin Macleod Tenebrous...

Losing everything can be despairing, but sometimes there is a seed of hope. It’s hidden by shadows and we need to look harder to find it. This week’s story is Burning Yesterday. It placed second placed in a contest years ago. On the shorter side, but powerful. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Music: Thunder Dreams by Kevin McLeod www.darksoftlytales.com www.darksoftlytalespodcast.com Support this podcast

Today is our conclusion of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper. I am once more experiencing technical difficulties, this time with the new mac update. Please hang in there with me while I figure it out. Thanks! Music: Misty Lights by Rafael Krux https://my.captivate.fm/dashboard/www.darksoftlytales.com (www.darksoftlytales.com) https://my.captivate.fm/dashboard/www.darksoftlytalespodcast.com (www.darksoftlytalespodcast.com) Support this podcast

Creeping crawling women in a caged attic... The 1800's produced horror that is just as chilling today as it was back then. Join me in part two of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper. To read Charlotte's reasoning behind the story, click on the link. https://www.americanyawp.com/reader/18-industrial-america/charlotte-perkins-gilman-why-i-wrote-the-yellow-wallpaper-1913/...

Jane is enthralled with the Victorian house and garden that she is to spend a few months resting at. Her husband John, the good doctor, has decided that Jane has a temporary nervous depression, or in other words, a slight hysterical tendency. There are many beautiful rooms in the house, but he decides that Jane’s imagination is too easily exercised and insists that she rests in the attic room—a miserable playroom for children in past times. There are bars on the windows and the doctor won’t...

Congratulations, Nancy! Message me for your prize. Thank you to all the participants. I was surprised at how many names I received in my email. We will do another giveaway soon! Thanks for playing along everyone! To catch the next giveaway, you can sign up for the newsletter, go to www.darksoftlytalespodcast.com, scroll down until you see the sign up form. Music: Spacial Wind by Kevin Macleod Visit Mav's empire site where you can learn more about her her books, haunt her soon to be updated...

What's Halloween without Halloween games? Jackie invites her boyfriend over for a little game of guess that feel... He shows up as a clown, and we soon discover there is no clowning around for what he has in store! *This story is not for the faint of heart or for children. Adults only!* This is our Monday episode—released a little early in the spirit of Samhain... enjoy! (For those who are looking for it. The Name My Scarecrow Contest announcement will be released in a day or two!) This...