A condemned man stands on a railroad bridge, a noose around his neck, dreaming of escape. Ambrose Bierce’s 1891 tale “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” remains one of the darkest and most unforgettable short stories ever written.

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IN THIS EPISODE: It’s Thriller Thursday – and this week I’m bringing you three tales of fiction. I’ll share a short story that has been described as "one of the most famous and frequently anthologized stories in American literature" – it’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by the legendary Ambrose Bierce, from 1890. I have a classic creepypasta from 2016 that many people mistakenly believe is a true story because it is so well written. It’s “The Strange Case of Edmonson Kentucky” by Joe Terrell. But first, it’s a short story of fiction as told by one of the hardest-working writers I know, as she is always posting new stories on Facebook: Christina Skelton. It’s a story from April 2020 titled simply, “The Ghost Bus”.
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00 .00.000 = Show Open
00:01:31 .892 = “The Ghost Bus” by Christina Skelton
00:11:29 .476 = “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce *
00:34:43 .528 = “The Strange Case of Edmonson, Kentucky” by Joe Terrell *
01:02:22 .710 = Show Close
SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/uu4acekx
“The Ghost Bus” by Christina Skelton: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/phupb8p4
“The Strange Case of Edmonson, Kentucky” by Joe Terrell: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/sdtru243=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46 = = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: March, 2021
EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/OwlCreekBridge
ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.
#AmbroseBierce #OwlCreekBridge #ClassicHorror #CivilWarStories #WeirdDarkness