Dust and Echoes

"Subject did not cast Expected shadow." In the winter of 1962, the Arco Desert of Idaho was home to the National Reactor Testing Station...a 900-square-mile "cathedral of the atom" where the government performed the dangerous alchemy of the nuclear age. It was a place guarded by hardened veterans, high-voltage fences, and the most advanced sensors the Cold War could buy. They were prepared for Soviet spies. They were prepared for radiation leaks. They were not prepared for the Visitor. Drawing from redacted Department of Energy logs and declassified security reports, James Cawley reconstructs the ten-month psychological siege of a facility that shouldn't have been breachable. From barefoot tracks that vanish into untouched snow to thermal signatures that dissolve into static, The Midnight Visitor explores a haunting "locked-room" mystery where physics fails and the observers become the observed.  

September 1857, a wagon train of 120 men, women, and children...the "Ozark Aristocracy"...rolled into a high desert meadow in Utah Territory, driving a fortune in cattle and carrying the dreams of a new life in California. They never arrived. What followed was the most chilling "false flag" operation in American history. For over a century, the truth was buried in a shallow grave, masked by a narrative of "savage" attacks. But the bones tell a different story, one of a theocracy under siege, a "Blood Atonement" doctrine turned literal, and a neighborly betrayal so intimate that the survivors were raised by their own parents' killers. In this haunting episode of Dust and Echoes, James Cawley peels back the layers of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. From the "thicket" of complicity to the eventual sacrifice of a lone scapegoat, this is more than a true history investigation; it is a profound exploration of how easily the "Holy Cause" can justify a hellish act. Written and read by the author, James Cawley. 

In the frozen wilderness of 1903 Utah, the snow captures every secret with perfect fidelity. For the settlers of Iron County, the world is a place of rigid order and hard faith. But when a series of livestock killings begins, the local Sheriff discovers evidence that defies biological explanation. The tracks left in the mud do not belong to a wolf or a bear. They are massive, clawless, and disturbingly human. This is not a story about a predator hunting for food. It is a documented account of a siege. As the nights grow longer, the creature shifts from stalking sheep to pacing alongside schoolteachers and testing the latches of family homes. It moves with the speed of a machine and the intelligence of a man, forcing a terrified community to confront a violation of natural law. In this episode of Dust and Echoes, we walk the line between history and folklore to answer the question that haunted a generation of settlers. What happens when you look into the Utah darkness...and something with glowing yellow eyes looks back? Read by the Author, James Cawley

A TRUE STORY.  Five armed prospectors in a remote cabin were attacked by creatures that science denies...  Welcome to Ape Canyon.  In July 1924, on the volcanic slopes of Mount St. Helens, Fred Beck and his crew made a fatal mistake: they shot a massive, "Bigfoot" creature who was watching them from the cliffs. THEN....That night, they struck back. From the thunderous impact of boulders shattering the roof to the heavy, primal breathing testing the door, this is the harrowing true story known as the Ape Canyon incident. Step inside the claustrophobic nightmare where Sasquatch folklore collides with gritty reality, leaving five men trapped in the dark with one terrifying question: What happens when the apex predator isn't you?

When the world refuses to let a star die, it builds something to replace her. After the death of actress Tessa Hawthorne, a synthetic continuation wakes up years later...perfectly engineered to perform, speak, and exist on command. But fragments of memory begin to surface: a childhood trailer in Idaho, a grandmother’s kitchen, a death that doesn’t match the official story. As the line between machine and person collapses, buried truths emerge about ownership, control, and what it means to be kept alive for profit. This episode explores identity, memory, and the terrifying cost of immortality...through the eyes of something that was never meant to remember.

In the dead of winter, 1862, Jean Baptiste wasn’t just digging graves; he was harvesting them. To the families of Salt Lake City, the cemetery was sacred ground. To Baptiste, it was a supply closet. He cracked open coffins like walnut shells, stripping the stiffening bodies of the innocent...men, women, and children...treating them as nothing more than mannequins. But the horror wasn't just in the ground. It was in his home. When police finally kicked down his door, they didn't just find stolen suits or wedding dresses. They walked into a nightmare: a house heated by the splintered wood of coffins, the air thick with the smell of death, and a corner stacked high with the most terrifying trophies of all-sixty pairs of children’s shoes. This is the true story of a monster who lived among us, wearing the clothes of our dead. A man who was branded and exiled to a desolate island in a dead sea, only to vanish into the night. Did he drown in the salt? Or did the boogeyman walk back ashore? Written and Read by the Author, James Cawley.    Dust and Echoes Podcast.  

Senior Marshal Silas Thorne thought he had seen every kind of evil the frontier could offer. He was wrong. When a simple government task in the remote town of Boulder ends in the brutal murder of his son, Silas abandons the law for something darker. Guided by a mysterious Navajo man and an ancient legend...he carries his boy to the Warrior Cave to demand a miracle. He gets one. But the thing that rises from the glowing green water is not the gentle deputy he raised. It is a weapon. It is a predator with emerald eyes and a hunger for ruin. As the body count rises and the town of Boulder falls to ash, Silas realizes the terrifying truth. He did not bring his son back. He let something else into the world. The Warrior Cave is a supernatural western about grief, consequences, and the terrifying price of second chances. Written and performed by the Author, James Cawley. 

300 Miles through the Apocalypse. 10 Hours. One Way Out. The infection hit fast. The panic hit faster. Now, Jed Thorne is driving a stolen Land Cruiser through a burning Utah, trying to get his daughter to the only safe place left: Dead Horse Point State Park. But the safe zone is closing. At sundown, the military is detonating the only land bridge to the mesa, turning it into an impenetrable island in the sky. Jed has to outrun the infected, outmaneuver the chaos, and beat the setting sun. In this week’s episode of Dust and Echoes, James Cawley presents "Island in the Sky" a relentless survival thriller about the terrifying fragility of the world we live in.

In the isolated settlement of Terth, life is defined by the Burn Line...a shimmering, humming barrier that encircles the town, protecting the last of humanity from the radioactive wasteland outside. To touch the Line is to burn. To question it is heresy. Caleb is a tower mechanic, dedicated to keeping the ancient machines running and the barrier strong. But lately, the silence speaks louder than the hum. He’s noticed gauges that never move and power loads that don't match the terrifying stories of the apocalypse raging just inches away. When a slipped wrench falls into the forbidden zone, Caleb is forced to confront a terrifying reality.  Now, Caleb stands at the precipice of the ultimate taboo. If the fire isn't keeping them safe, then what is it keeping them in...and what is outside? A story about the comfortable lies we live in, and the dangerous freedom that comes with the truth. Written and read by the author, James Cawley >>Something VERY COOL is coming soon, keep an eye out at:<< https://www.dustandechoespodcast.com/

The Grand Banks, 1755. The fog does not roll; it exhales. And hidden within the stifling gray of the Atlantic, something waits for Lieutenant Thomas Halloway. Halloway is a man of the Royal Navy, a scholar of the Enlightenment, and a believer in the rational world. He trusts charts, sextants, and the sturdy timber of the HMS Acheron. But when the fog clears, it reveals a vessel that defies all reason: a blindingly white craft, smooth as bone, devoid of sails, floating in the silence of the deep ocean. Inside lies a corpse dressed in fabrics unknown to history. And in the dead man’s hand, a small slab of seamless black obsidian. It is cold. It is heavy. And when Halloway touches it, it ignites. Suddenly, a man of the 18th century holds a window into a terrifying, vibrant future. The stone captures souls in impossible clarity...moving paintings, disembodied voices, and glowing runes that count down the minutes of a dying light. As Halloway becomes obsessed with the "ghosts" trapped in the glass, he is forced to bring the artifact to the jagged shores of New Providence, where the fanatical Lord Governor Corvus sees not a miracle, but a demon to be purged. With the light in the stone fading and religious hysteria rising, Halloway must protect the impossible object and the memories it holds. But he is about to discover that the greatest horror is not the magic of the future, but the fragility of the legacy we leave behind. Help grow this show!  Leave me a comment and rating please, it only takes a minute. I READ EVERY COMMENT.  > Tell me in the comments: What kind of story do you want to hear next??? < 

Darius Enlo is five thousand days into a lonely mission to harvest a comet that will exponentialize Earth's AI models. Onboard are the scientists who will execute the plan on arrival, frozen in ice for the long haul. Watching over them alone is Darius, a transit caretaker.  But when an impossible message arrives from deep space claiming the mission is a death sentence for "his people", Darius must make a choice. Does he trust the AI-lead world government's models? Or...does he trust the voice speaking to him from the dark? He knows he's alone...but someone is definitely watching. The Caretaker is a tense, claustrophobic sci-fi thriller about the price of following orders and the courage it takes to break them. Written and Read by the Author, James Cawley 

Stewart believes he is just waiting out the clock. Retired, invisible, and adrift in a life that feels increasingly gray, he drives into the high Utah wilderness not to find something new, but to escape the quiet nothingness of home. He tells himself he is ready for the end. But the mountain has a way of calling a bluff. When a sudden winter storm buries the remote road and traps him in a freezing whiteout, the silence of the desert strips away Stewart’s defenses. Isolated in the crushing cold, he is forced to confront the terrifying truth about his own resignation. As the temperature drops and the world dissolves into white, Stewart discovers that the line between accepting death and fighting for life is razor-thin...and that the mundane life he took for granted might be the only thing worth burning for. A story about the stubbornness of the human heart and the savage clarity that only comes when the cold finally breaks in. ----more----GIVEAWAY!  And finally, a special offer for the listeners of Dust and Echoes. I am opening the doors to my premium audio platform, and I want you there first. I am giving away a free one-year VIP subscription to the first ten people who email me right now. That’s full access to over 50 original audio-book style stories (new ones added each week), some of which you can’t hear anywhere else. Want to win?  This is what you do: Open your email and send the word VIP to: EnterTheDust@gmail.com The first ten emails to hit my inbox get the year for free. Good luck.   ----more---- OFFICIAL GIVEAWAY RULES & DISCLOSURES The Offer: The first ten (10) individuals to email "VIP" to the designated address will receive a free 1-year subscription to the Weekly Stories platform. Winner Determination: Winners are determined solely by the timestamp of receipt in the Host’s email inbox server. Eligibility: Must be 18 years or older to enter. Void where prohibited by law. Prize Fulfillment & Beta Status: Delivery Timeline: Access to the service is part of a "Pre-Launch" phase and may be subject to a delay of up to Thirty (30) days from the date of winning notification. Subscription Term: The complimentary one-year subscription period begins upon the Winner's successful activation and verification of their account credentials, not the date of the email entry. "As Is" Condition: Winners acknowledge that the platform is in a developmental/beta state. The service is provided "AS IS" and may contain bugs, errors, or experience temporary downtime. Limitation of Liability: As this is a complimentary service provided at no cost, Winners agree that no compensation, refunds, or alternative prizes will be offered for technical issues, software failures, or service interruptions during the subscription period. Privacy & Data Rights (GDPR/CCPA): By initiating contact via email for this promotion, you explicitly consent to the processing of your email address for the purpose of winner notification and offer fulfillment. Residents of the European Economic Area (GDPR) and California (CCPA) acknowledge that this interaction constitutes a voluntary submission of data. Your information will not be sold to third parties or added to general marketing lists without further explicit consent. No Purchase Necessary: A purchase or payment of any kind will not increase your chances of being in the first ten. Right to Cancel: The Host reserves the right to cancel or modify this promotion at any time if fraud or technical failures destroy the integrity of the giveaway.  

Sent to the dreary, isolated Oregon coast to stay with a grandmother they barely know, two city teenagers find themselves trapped in a war that is older than they are, and far more terrible. Their family's history is the town's curse, and the only path to survival demands that they sail directly into the heart of the darkness. This is a story about the agonizing choice between running from your past, and the moment you decide to burn it all down.

Thomas Reid is a literary star, his bestselling novel The Factory Grave, a golden ticket out of his blue-collar past. But the life he built withing a remote mountain fortress, the perfect family, the critical acclaim....it all feels like a fraud. He is haunted by a suffocating "survivor's guilt", a feeling that drives him back to the Utah wilderness for a reunion with Rudy, the best friend he left behind.   He went for penance. He went to prove he hadn't changed. In the cold, gray light of the mountains, a single rifle CRACK shatters the silence. Thomas is faced with a choice: his new life, or the truth. He chooses the new life. He buries his secret under a blanket of pine needles, crafts the perfect lie for the sheriff , and walks away, a good actor in the role of a grieving friend. For two years, the lie holds. He is safe.   But some graves don't stay closed. And in the remote, quiet dark of his fortress, Thomas is about to learn that the man he buried... isn't the one who is coming back for him.

What if you found a VHS tape... that showed you the future? It's 1992, and Clint Mercer is a lonely man living a quiet, predictable life. His only solace is the local video rental store, a relic of a bygone analog era. But when the clerk hands him a mysterious, unlabeled cassette with one word on it ...REWIND! his world is shattered. It's not a movie. It's a prophecy. Clint watches, horrified, as the grainy, handheld footage shows him events that haven't happened yet, a future he can't even comprehend. The tape's cryptic message is clear: if he doesn't rewind it, it will all come true. But the future doesn't want to be changed. The moment Clint decides to act, he learns that something is guarding the timeline. Creatures of static and shadow begin to crawl from the dark corners of his apartment, whispering his name, their only goal to stop him from pressing that button. This episode of Dust and Echoes is a gripping story about a man in a race against time, armed only with a failing VCR and a flashlight. It's a chilling blend of supernatural thriller, 90s nostalgia, and analog horror that asks: if you had the power to save the world, could you survive the things trying to stop you? If you love stories about cursed objects, found footage, or "what if" time travel thrillers, this episode was made for you. Written and performed by the author, James Cawley.  Like this?  Want more?  Please SUBSCRIBE and LEAVE A RATING.  

Jack's a long haul trucker that's not just hauling freight. He's cursed with a psychic radar for evil...a 'Thump' in his skull that screams for blood, freezes the cab with spectral dread, or heralds true, ancient darkness. Blackmailed by a demonic 'Dispatcher' holding his sister's life as leverage, Jack is now on a cross-country run with an impossible cargo: a sealed, freezing trailer that's a beacon for every monster on the map. From roadside serial killers to rival psychics, Jack's about to discover he's not just making a delivery...he's hauling the key to the apocalypse. Buckle up, because the haul has begun, and on this highway, there's no turning back. Part 1 of a multiple part series: "THE BLACKTOP SAINT" book series.  GET THE COMPLETE EBOOK FREE,  https://www.dustandechoespodcast.com/ Written, produced and performed by the author, James Cawley

A collection of some of my favorite original short scary stories, volume 1.  What if the things you trust most...the deep silence of the woods, the familiar voice of a loved one, a desperate cry for help in the dark...were all just bait? For this special episode, Dust and Echoes presents a triptych of terror. Three Original Tales of Terror from author James Cawley that explore the unsettling truth that we are never truly alone, and that something ancient is learning how to get closer. These stories take you from a solo camping trip where the wilderness is watching back, to a locked door with a terrible choice on either side, to the bottom of an old, dry well where a voice is waiting for a hero. These aren't just scary stories. They're glimpses into a world where our safe places are being mapped, our voices are being recorded, and our very compassion is being used as a lure. Want to support the podcast? Get a copy of my latest book, THE SILENT https://a.co/d/iY72C2L Check out our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@DustandEcho

Seeking total solitude in the vast, silent corners of the Utah desert, a traveler believes he's finally alone. But the darkness is listening...and waiting.  When a relentless siege begins against the thin fabric of his small tent, he is forced to remember the ancient, whispered rules of the night: Don't speak, don't whistle, and never, ever tell the darkness your name. This is a terrifying psychological battle against a patient predator that specializes in mimicry, using the voices of the loved ones he's lost. Our traveler will fight to survive the long, dark night, but sometimes, the greatest horror isn't what's trying to break down your sanctuary...it's the rules you forget, before you encounter it. Support the podcast by purchasing a copy of my first book, The Silent:  https://a.co/d/5pbBJBW Written and performed by the author, James Cawley 

REDEMPTION An Original Dust and Echoes Cinematic Western by James Cawley Under the searing Utah sun, where the San Juan River cuts through stone and silence, a quiet frontier life is set ablaze. When a brutal betrayal rips her world apart, Emma Hawthorne rises from the ashes...scarred, armored, and guided by something far older than the church bells that once tried to tame her. Redemption is not your typical western. It’s a vengeance-soaked, faith-fractured, desert-burning odyssey. A cinematic audio drama where religious power turns violent, colonial myth collides with Indigenous truth, and one woman’s grief is forged into something unstoppable. Redemption is an Original Dust and Echoes Story in Audiobook style Podcast form.  Written and performed by the author, James Cawley   Looking for the perfect SCARY SHORT STORY???   👉JAMES CAWLEY'S SKINWALKER More on our website: https://www.dustandechoespodcast.com

After the funeral and the estate sale Thomas stays behind to spend one final night alone in his childhood home.  To say goodbye before it's sold.  The rooms are now empty. But something still moves in the silence. As he clings to fading memories, something within the house begins to respond. A slow-burning tale of guilt, loss, and the dark things that wait in places we think are safe. Written and performed by the Author, James Cawley.