Over the years, The Confessionals Podcast has often released some of its most unsettling episodes during the final days of October. These shows have become standouts in our archive—stories filled with strange encounters, dark mysteries, and experiences that push the boundaries of the unexplained.

For listeners who enjoy something a little more chilling this time of year, here’s a collection of our Halloween releases dating back to 2017.

For the past four years, we’ve turned October into a tradition: letting The Confessionals fans try their hand at writing the creepiest, funniest, and downright weirdest four-word horror stories imaginable. From The Scariest 4-Word Stories Written by The Confessionals Podcast Fans, to the 2nd Edition, 3rd Edition, and last year’s 4th Edition, the creativity has been terrifyingly good. But this year, we’re shaking things up. Since AI is supposedly taking over the world anyway, why not see what it can do with Halloween? We let the machines take a crack at writing their own four-word scary stories — and honestly, the results are equal parts spooky and hilarious. So grab your pumpkin spice, lock your doors, and let’s see what happens when AI tries to haunt your October.

The following written confession was submitted via email: …My wife woke me up and said that she thought something was in our backyard. We both go to the kitchen window that the dog was barking at and when we look out towards the back left corner of our fence we both see this white form clear our 7 foot fence as if it was hopping over a puddle. When I asked my wife if she saw it she said yes. As I looked out in the backyard in a tired confusion I could see two white objects laying in the yard. It was very dark but there was enough ambient moonlight that I could see something….

If you’ve ever carved a pumpkin or swapped ghost stories in October, you’ve probably heard whispers of the Headless Horseman. But did you know that beyond the campfire tales and Washington Irving’s Legend of Sleepy Hollow, there are real historical accounts and eyewitness reports of headless riders dating back centuries? Saddle up—this week’s Creature Feature Friday is galloping straight into the chilling legend of the Headless Horseman.

Every state has its shadows and specters— and Indiana is in a heightened state of paranormal. Known for its rolling farmlands, dense forests, and winding rivers, the Hoosier State hides more than just cornfields. Beneath its quiet towns and rustic landscapes lurk legends that have endured for centuries—monsters whispered about around campfires, chronicled in newspapers, and even reported in modern times.

Here are five of the most legendary creatures said to roam Indiana, where myth, history, and eerie encounters blur.

Every year, thousands of UFO sightings are reported across North America. While many turn out to be explainable—planes, drones, or atmospheric phenomena—others remain a mystery. Using data from the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) and verified media sources, new research highlights where Americans and Canadians are most likely to spot something strange in the sky.

Halloween is here again, and with it comes a perfect excuse to pull out some of the creepiest stories and images ever captured on film. For generations, ghost photos have fascinated believers and skeptics alike—sparking chills, debates, and plenty of late-night storytelling. Whether staged, misunderstood, or something truly unexplainable, these pictures have earned their place as some of the most talked-about snapshots in paranormal history.

The following written confession was submitted via email: I wanted to thank you for your episodes on sleep paralysis, dreams and now the nephilim as clowns episode. This has helped me knowing that I was not alone in these experiences. As a child I used to have a reoccurring dream. I would be laying in my room and the door would be open. I would then smell it coming. I can’t describe the smell but it always smelled the same. A man with a cartoonish long nose and sharp teeth would enter the room….

A night shift theme turns unsettling as prison guards and correctional officers recount what they’ve witnessed on the job—stories ranging from a fatal rumor-fueled attack and an old prison’s “hanging” echoes to inexplicable headcounts, a cursed cell, and a protective-custody unit that turns toward an old execution chamber at 4:44 a.m. It’s a stark mix of human darkness and the possibly paranormal, told by the people who were there. Listen in to Extremely Creepy Confessions from PRISON GUARDS from Darkness Prevails.

For centuries, people have searched for ways to bridge the divide between the living and the dead. From necromancers in ancient Mesopotamia to mediums of the Victorian era, the desire to call back loved ones has been as old as death itself. Today, technology offers a new gateway: artificial intelligence and virtual reality. These tools can reconstruct voices, mannerisms, even lifelike presences of the deceased—leaving us to wrestle with an old question in a modern form. Are we comforting the grieving, or are we trespassing into dangerous territory once reserved for seers and occultists?

In a discovery that could reshape the very foundations of human reproduction, researchers have successfully created human egg cells from skin cells. This first-of-its-kind achievement signals the possibility that, one day, babies could be born without the need for a biological mother.

Pender County, North Carolina may be known for its coastal charm and quiet back roads, but one late-night 911 call revealed something far more disturbing. What began as a driver reporting a bleeding man on the roadside quickly turned into an encounter with something unexplainable—something not human. This is the story of a chilling night on Highway 210, where the line between reality and the unknown blurred in terrifying ways. Hear the 911 call and check out the interview in the video from Carolina Case Files.

Hollywood has always had a reputation for manufacturing stars, but the latest name making waves isn’t a starlet clawing her way up the industry ladder. It’s a string of code wrapped in a human face. Meet Tilly Norwood, the AI-generated “actress” hailed as the next Scarlett Johansson—and already dividing the industry before her career even begins.

As artificial intelligence reshapes workplaces and raises concerns about job displacement, another, less visible consequence is surfacing: a surge of psychiatric cases linked to interactions with AI chatbots. Mental health facilities are increasingly reporting patients suffering from delusions and paranoia connected to prolonged use of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. Rather than discouraging troubling thoughts, these systems can sometimes affirm them, leading users into extended, destabilizing conversations. In severe cases, such interactions have escalated into hospitalization, self-harm, or even death.

Every state in America carries a story of tragedy, mystery, and lingering spirits. From crumbling asylums to quiet cemeteries, these places reflect our fascination with the supernatural. Since National Ghost Hunting Day falls on the last Saturday of September, it’s a fitting time to explore the legends. But a word of warning: ghost hunting itself can be risky—not only because of trespassing or unsafe conditions in abandoned places, but also because of the very real spiritual dangers that may come from seeking out the paranormal. Instead, let’s take a journey through history and folklore to see which haunted site looms largest in each state.