Transcontinental Terror 2025 #5: Sole Twin Audio Network: Ghost Hunt

This Friday, see what critics are calling a cold-blooded masterpiece. Hello, Freddy. You're dead. Dead is just a word. Did you think our story was over? Discover the secret. You brought us here for a reason. Behind the mask. What do you think happens when you die? It's time to find out. I'm not afraid of you. You should be. Black Phone 2. Only in theaters Friday. Rated R. Under 17. Not admitted without parent. Sunday Showcase. Highlighting some of the best audio storytelling found anywhere.

All right here on the Mutual Audio Network. Soul Twin Audios Stories created solely with a vintage soul in mind. Modern day era driving you up a wall. Time travel not likely in your future. Then follow me for a healthy offering of yesteryear with old time radio theater. Your remedy for unwanted 21st century. Hey! Soul Twin Audios brings you... Ghost Hunt. Another tale well calculated to keep you in... Suspense. Listen to John Bell as Smiley Smith in Ghost Hunt.

Didn't that leave you high, huh? Left me feeling tree top tall. That was Louis Armstrong's I Can't Give You Anything But Love. And that's all for the Hot and Mellow Hour tonight. Yes, yes, yes, this is Smiley Smith, your favorite disc jockey, I hope, I hope, here at the Hot and Mellow Hour, home for the season.

I'll be back again tomorrow night, minus the music, but with a little surprise for you. Tomorrow night, Friday night as you know, is stunt night here at Station WXP. And have I got a stunt for you. Last week you remember. I planted my wire recorder in the steam room in a lady's Turkish bath and let you listen in on the playback, remember? But tonight, as soon as I leave the studio, you know where I'm going, hmm?

Your friend Smiley is going to spend the night in a haunted house on a spook hunt. You heard me, a spook hunt in a haunted house. I'm bringing my little wire recorder along with me. And if you tune in tomorrow evening at this time, you'll learn what it's like to spend the night in a haunted house. Ain't that something? A real haunted house. No kidding. Four people are known to have...

committed suicide there. So tune in tomorrow night and share a real thrill with your old pal Smiley. I must be crazy Smith. Good night.

Care for a cigar, Mr. Thorpe? I got some cigars in the dash there. No. Well, there's no reason to carry a chip on your shoulder, Mr. Thorpe. Oh, really? Well, I don't like this fool's stunt. Why, I don't see it as a fool's stunt at all. I really don't. I think it's the only way you're going to unload this house. Ordinary selling methods won't work in a case like this. Now, don't forget the reputation saddling this house for suicide since 1939. You know what people call it.

The death trap. Yes. It's a lot of nonsense. Sure, but try to convince people of that. Anyway, when this disc jockey offered me the chance to kill all these rumors about the death trap... about the property... Naturally, I jumped and took him up on it, especially since it don't cost a cent. You sure about that? I'm not liable for a penny? Not a cent. We're doing him a favor letting him use the place, he said.

thanked me for the chance last night when I drove him out here. So, one hand washes the others, the fellow said. He gets a chance to pull off a stunt, and the wire recording will prove to people that the property's a number one. And we increased the chance of selling the place. Well, as long as it doesn't cost me anything. Not a thing. He's using his own recorder. And I'm paying for the rental of a couple of walkie-talkies he hooked up to it.

Well, what about this, uh, Reed? Does he charge anything? Ah, he comes gratis, too. Dr. Reed's a, ah, what you call it, a psychic investigator. Belongs to a couple of societies that do nothing but hunt ghosts. He showed me articles he'd written about it in some magazines. Well, here's the house. Looks real nice in the sunshine, don't it?

Man, smell that sea breeze. You don't have to sell me. Well, let them know we're here. Huh. Probably asleep. Up all night and everything. Well, why don't they come out? You think they're gone? I told them last night I'd pick them up around 11. Smith! Smith! Hey, Smiley! Dr. Reed! Yeah, fast asleep, I guess. We better go and wake him up. Of course, they may have taken the bus back to town. Oh, no, no, no. It's a two-mile hike back to the main highway. Smith! Hey, Smiley!

Where are you? Wake up! You don't suppose, do you? No, no, no, no. Smith! Dr. Reed! What's that, uh, that clicking noise from in there? Oh, well, that's his wire recorder. He left it running. These machines cost a lot of money. Doesn't he care if he uses up his batteries? Well, where is he and where's this reed? Maybe they're upstairs. Smith! Hey, anybody home?

They must have walked to the highway and taken the bus. Well, he wouldn't have left his machine. Well, where are they then? Where are they? Don't get excited, Mr. Thorpe. Don't tell me not to get excited. If something's happened to them in my house, I'm liable. You try this side, I'll try that one. All right. Smiley? Smith? Smith? Oh! Oh, McDonald, come here! What? Oh, no. Reed. Dr. Reed. No, don't touch him, Mr. Thorpe. You'll get your hands all... Blood. Is... He... Dead?

Well, I can still feel his pulse, but we better get him to a hospital fast. Wakefield, you're wanted in surgery. Dr. Wakefield, you're wanted in surgery. Care for a cigar, Mr. Thorpe? No, no thanks. Why not try to relax? The nurse said Reed would be all right as soon as he had a blood transfusion. You told the radio station to be sure and call us as soon as they had any word about Smith? Yeah, I told him. Why don't you sit down? Oh, I'm all at sixes and sevens.

What do you suppose happened out there last night? Well, we're gonna know in just a second. Just as soon as I can get this recorder set up. You don't suppose Smith and Reed got into a fight, do you? A fight? I don't know. Well, what's wrong? Won't it work? Yeah, it works. Take it easy. Testing, one, two, three. Testing, one, two, three. Okay, all set, Dr. Reed? Mr. McDonald? Okay, here we go.

This is smiley Smith speaking smiley Smith the ghost hunter I don't know whether to hope if this will turn out to be a success for the sake of the program or a failure for my own sake anyway all of the preparations have been made now and it's up to the spooks i'd better tell you where we are right now we are standing on the lawn of a house about twelve miles above malibu beach

The ocean is a hundred feet away, straight down. The house is perched on a cliff, and there's a sheer drop of about a hundred feet right into the old Pacific. Maybe you can hear the surf pounding. I'll turn up the volume. Hear it? Yeah. Now, I'm going to have you meet two gentlemen who are here with me. Incidentally, we are the only people around for miles and miles. First, I'd like you to meet Dr. Clarence Reed of the British and American Psychical Research Guild.

Dr. Reed is a famous investigator of psychic phenomena, and I'm very honored to be associated with him on this ghost hunt. He's smiling in an embarrassed sort of way. You're much too kind, Mr. Smith. Dr. Reed has conducted experiments in this field with such great believers in spiritualism as Oliver Lodge and Arthur Conan Doyle. He looks a bit like Santa Claus. He's short, stocky... You don't object, do you, Dr. Reed? No, no need. And he has a magnificent white beard. A truly great beaver.

Dr. Reed is so enthusiastic about ghost hunting that he got out of his sickbed this evening to be with us. Excuse me, my lungs. I was... Gassed in the First World War. Yeah. Well, anyway, Dr. Reed and I are here on the lawn looking at the house. Can't see much. It's around, oh, 11 p.m. now. Seems to be a rambling sort of house. Two stories high. Since it was built, there have been four suicides here. Is that right? That's right. Now, into the mic.

Four suicides since 1939. I'd better tell them who you are so they won't think you're a ghost, huh? Standing with the doc in me is a real estate agent, Mr. Charles McDonald. He handles this property, and he can tell you a lot more. more about it than I can. Well, the house was built by a man named Martin, Toby Martin, an orange grower.

built the house as a wedding present for his wife. A month after they moved in, she took her own life. On the day of her funeral, he committed suicide the same way. There have been two other cases since then, and I... Did they all jump into the ocean? Yeah, all four of them. Right over there. The last one's actually seen doing it about three years ago.

He was seen running like all get out toward the edge of the cliff. And he was shouting and laughing and yelling as though there were people beside running right along with him. You kidding? No, it's a fact. He was laughing and yelling and running, and when he got to the edge, right over there, he jumped and he never came above water. As good an argument against cold baths as I've ever heard.

Well, since then, people just refuse to live in this house. Silly, I call it. Anyway, if you and Dr. Reed find any sign of a spook, I'll get the owner to pull the house down and rebuild. But if you don't find anything... I'm hoping this will convince folks that here's a real buy. Well, okay, Mr. Smith. You and the doctor are on your own. I'll be buying the morning and pick you up around 11.

Goodbye, Mr. McDonald. I hope there's something left for you to pick up in the morning. Well, it's almost pitch black, folks. I guess Dr. Reed and I ought to begin. I don't believe in ghosts. Never have. But what I say is this. If you're dead set on looking for them, this is a dandy place to do it. So long. Mr. McDonald just checked out. And then there were two.

Well, three. Oh, my dog. Oh, yeah, yeah. Folks, I have my dog, Jeff, with me. He's a wired-haired terrier. He's three years old, and he can talk. Say hello, Jeff. Come on, Jeff, say hello. Come on. Well... Anyway, he's a wired-haired terrier and he's three years old. Ah, should we go inside now, Dr. Reed? I was about to suggest it.

Now, how do we hunt ghosts, Doctor? How do we do it, huh? We don't really hunt them. If there should be any in the house, they will come to us. How cozy. And please, not ghosts. Do not refer to them as ghosts. We know them as apparitions. Apparitions. I'll remember. I have no desire to hurt their feelings. Where ghosts, apparitions are concerned. I say live and let live. Well, we've opened the front door now. Maybe you heard the hinge squeak a little. Now we're standing here looking in.

Can't see much. Smells sort of musty and damp. What's the matter, Jeff? What's the matter, boy? Jeff? Oh, come on now, come on! My dog seems to object to entering this house. He has all four feet braced, and he's straining against the leash. Perhaps he senses something we don't. Like apparitions, maybe? Yes, it's not unusual. Animals lack the veneer of sophistication we humans possess. They are more sensitive to such emanations. Yeah, well, come on, Jeff. Stop this nonsense.

He probably smells a mouse or a rat or something. Come on, Jeff. We're going in whether you like it or not. Um, there's a short entrance hall. And over there at the end of it is a flight of stairs leading to the second floor. Jeff! And over there to the left is what seems to be a large reception room.

We're entering this large room now. There are windows over there, French windows, and through them I can see the ocean. The electricity hasn't been turned on, so all I have to see by is a flashlight. Not a very powerful one at that. Dr. Reed is now adjusting his walkie-talkie. It's hooked up to my recorder so he can cut in while he's hunting and tell us what he's found. Here's a few words from the doc before he sets forth on his investigation through the house.

Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Smith has introduced me as a ghost hunter. He spoke, I think, in a spirit of skepticism and levity. I'd like to assure you all that my purposes here are serious. I have spent my entire life seeking reliable proof of the appearances of apparitions. Have you ever seen any? Ever? i have seen phenomena which leads me to believe in the possibility of their existence although i have never seen any

I account myself sensitive to the evidence of their existence. This house, for example, affects me profoundly. It doesn't seem to affect you in the same way. I'm not too happy about all this, if that's what you mean. you are not psychic and therefore are not sensitive to these matters as i am i imagine the question that is in the minds of those of you listening to us is shall we find apparitions I don't know. But I feel they are here, and that they are evil. I sense danger. I shall soon know.

Dr. Reed's leaving the room now, going to make a tour of the house. First thing I'm going to do is open the windows and let some fresh air in. Ah, feels better already. Cooler, anyway. I know that... What was that? A bat! A bat just flew into the room. I think it was a bat, and not a bird. I didn't actually see it. It's just its shadow as it fanned my face. There it is again! Oh, it touched me as it passed. Jeff! Jeff, come back here! Jeff, you fool dog! Come back here! Dr. Reed. Dr. Reed.

Dr. Reed. Reed speaking. What is it, Smith? Jeff has run off. My dog, he jumped through the window and ran off. Oh. Well, so I told you he said something about this house, didn't I? Yeah, you want to come and see if you can determine what it was exactly that set him off? Soon. I'm making my way slowly up the stairs toward the second floor now. I'm halfway up. I'll be down with you soon. Well, folks, my dogs run away.

You probably heard him howling. He jumped through the window and took off. Never did anything like that before. Frightened by the bat, I guess. Personally... alone here in this big room i can understand how we must have felt this isn't a cheerful spot by any means i may not be psychic but i sure have a feeling this house doesn't want us here

Read again. Excuse me. I have something of great interest to report. I am now standing in an alcove on the second. second floor trying to recover my breath as i reached the head of the stairs i felt what i think is a definite psychic manifestation i felt suddenly as though i have been punched in the solar plexus that's the only way i can describe it at the same time i began to perspire now my head is still swimming slightly i have difficulty in swallowing

My pulse rate is around 110 at the minute. The sense of evil is very strong. I feel very, what shall I say, profoundly depressed. You want me up there? no no i i prefer to remain up here alone the presence of a disbeliever such as you might interfere with my investigation folks i'd like you to get a picture of what it's like here Very quiet, for one thing. I've never been in such a quiet place. And it's pretty dark. No light except for my flashlight. Tell you what.

you go now and douse all the lights you have on yeah go ahead put out the lights and that'll give you a clearer feeling of how it is here with me go ahead put out the lights hey Did you hear that? A real estate agent told me I'd probably hear rats and mice in the walls. I can certainly hear them now. Even you can hear them, I think. It's as though... Dr. Reed speaking.

i've been working my way toward the front room the one directly above the one in which mr smith is now now the vibrations have become stronger more and more pronounced as i approach it i think I think I am on the verge of an important discovery. Important discovery? Did you get that? Now I can hear Dr. Reed moving about in the room above. I don't suppose you can. Have a try anyway, huh? Hear him?

i hope he finishes this investigation soon because quite frankly i'd like to get out of here i can well imagine people becoming unhinged in this place right now i find myself pretty jumpy Not being very brave, am I? It's being alone in this room down here that does it. It's this darned old house. I mean, you know, the atmosphere is so very... I wish only to make this hurried report.

before continuing with the investigation in this room i have carefully sounded out all the parts of this room and the emanations are most strong coming from what appears to be a closet before which i am now standing As soon as I open the door to this closet, I will have, I think, a thing of great interest to communicate.

i find no key to the lock and so i will attempt to remove the hinges with my penknife and i will tell you what i find when i open it i'll tell you what it would cost to get me to open that door in the basement of fort knock there's that that again it seems to like me the way it keeps each time it passes it touches my face or my neck with its wings

Smelly things, bats. I don't suppose they bathe very often, if at all. I wonder how... Get away, you bat! That bat'll be the death of me. Hey, it's like a jingle, isn't it? That'll be the death of me, the death of me, the death of me. That'll be the death of me. It isn't far from London. No, that isn't the way it goes.

come down to the queue in lilac time in lilac time in lilac time come down to the queue in lilac time for it isn't very far boy i haven't thought of that since i was a kid in grammar school

Gee, I had a lonely childhood when you come right down to it. I mean, well, that's my affair. Yes, it is. It certainly is. I have succeeded in removing the hinges to the door. And I find inside that it is not a closet, but much larger. It is, I think, a dressing room. I have not yet been inside, but I am about to enter. What was I talking about?

Oh, yes, bats. Well, the bat flying back and forth in this room. Did you hear that? Did you hear it? Dr. Reed must have knocked something over in the dressing room. A chair, huh? Yeah, a chair. A heavy chair, by the sound of it. This chair, or whatever it was, must have fallen right over my head. That's the way it sounded. I can see a small stain forming on the ceiling.

Right above my head. Something ran across my foot just then. A rat, I think it was. I've always hated rats. Most people do, of course. That stain up there bothers me. It's gotten so big so soon. I think I'll take a chance and bother Reed and ask him what it is. Dr. Reed? Reed? Can you hear me? Are you all right? Hello? Well, he didn't answer. I think he's just a little bit deaf. I think so. What do you suppose he's found, huh? I'm afraid this is rather dull for you listeners.

I'm not finding it so, of course. There. I heard him cough. Did you hear that cough? I hope he's all right. He got out of his sickbed to come here this evening, you know. He was gassed during the First World War, and this place is starting to get on my nerves just a wee bit, just a teensy, weensy bit. Pete speaking. Hello? He switched off. That's a bad cough he's got. I feel so lonely. Been alone.

so much of my life not so much now of course but when i was younger i was alone so much of the time you know struggling to get ahead living in a hall bedroom wondering where my next meal was coming from i get the blues just remembering it seems sad young people having to spend so much time alone sad for old people too of course I'm saying, of course, a lot. Of course I am. Hey, that stain on the ceiling, it's grown amazingly.

it's actually beginning to drip i mean form bubbles they'll start dripping soon colored bubbles they seem to be odd shaped stain like a body lying on its back with its arms stretched out. It's cheerful. I'll certainly advise Mr. McDonald to have this place torn down. I'll go upstairs in a minute or two to see how Dr. Reed is making out. you know listeners i really believe i'd go completely crazy if i had to stay here much longer it wears you down

That's exactly what it does. It wears you down. It's so close and musty in here. I feel sort of trapped. Don't know why I said that. That's what they call this place, you know, the death trap. There, what did I tell you? That stain started to drip-drop. Drip-drop, drip-drop, drip-drop. I'll catch the next one in my hand and let you know. Reed! Dr. Reed!

I'm going upstairs now, listeners. I'm afraid something has happened to Dr. Reed. I'm not kidding now. I mean, this is on the level. Which room would it be now? Right? Left? No, no. Right. Right. This is it, I think. well evening gentlemen and madam i'm so glad to see you i was just aching to see somebody anybody i've been so lonely down there now what have you done with the doctor huh i know i know he's been hurt see the colour of the bubble on my hand

What have you done with him? Make way, gentlemen, please, make way. Well, if this isn't the funniest, the funniest darn thing, this can't be Dr. Reed lying here. He didn't have a red beard. Now, don't crowd me, gentlemen. Don't crowd me, please. You want me to go with you? You want me to do what? Speak up, gentlemen. To the cliffs? Down to the cliffs? You mean, like, right now? Well, I'm right. If you'll come with me, I don't want to be alone anymore. Will you come with me? All of you?

All four of you? You too, ma'am? Oh, good, good. Come on, then. To the clamps! To the clamps! To the clamps! Oh, he jumped over the cliff. He jumped over the cliff. McDonald, he jumped over the cliff. Mr. McDonald, Mr. Thorpe, you may come in to see Dr. Reed now. What? Dr. Reed is conscious. You may see him. Is... Is he able to talk? Just for a few minutes. In here. Come in. Come in, gentlemen.

how are you dr reed yes and i must apologize gentlemen i had a most unfortunate accident hemorrhage hemorrhage yes my lungs you know now gentlemen Dr. Reed, what happened in that house? What happened to Smith? We've just been listening to a playback of the recordings you made out there. Smith? Isn't he with you? We've just heard the recording, Dr. Reed. Smith jumped over the cliff into the ocean.

oh that poor boy dr reed will you please tell us what happened from what we heard on the recording there were ghosts in that house ghosts i didn't see any ghosts but smith what about him if he went over The cliff. It was fear that drove him over. Gentlemen, I didn't see any ghost as that unfortunate young man who can say now what he saw or thought he saw. you

You've been listening to Ghost Hunt, written by H.R. Wakefield and adapted especially for suspense by Walter Newman. Ghost Hunt was revived, produced, and directed. by Rachel Pulliam, especially for Soul Twin Audio's range, old-time radio theater. Featured in the cast in order of appearance, for Alexa Chipman as announcer, John Bell as Smiley Smith. Dean T. Moody as Charles McDonald. Pete Lutz as Mr. Thorpe. And Jerry Kokich as Mr. Reed.

All sound effects were produced by FeeSound.org with original incidental music by Dr. Ross Bernhardt. The old-time radio theater theme was composed by Ross Bernhardt. and performed by Dean T. Moody. The suspense theme was composed by Bernard Herrmann and reimagined and performed by David Krauss. Soul Twin Audios is copyrighted. by Rachel Pullian in 2021.