S02 - Flash Fiction 02 - TriskaideCATphobia by Willerby, Susan Ballinger, and Melissa West | Cats and Superstition
Haunted UK Fiction: Tales of the Supernatural, Paranormal, and UncannyShow Notes
TriskadeCATphobia: Three Cat tails... er, tales... one superstition.
“When I first arrived, the spirits were no more than shadows and mist. As a kitten, I’d pounce and tumble on tendrils of fog. Madame was angry at first, but soon discovered that her visitors willingly accepted my mewling as the sounds of spirits from beyond the veil…”
To mark Friday the 13th, this special Flash Fiction Friday episode brings together three eerie tales — all centered around one of the most mysterious creatures to share our homes: the cat.From shadowy folklore to watchful companions and something far more unsettling beneath soft fur and quiet paws… these stories explore the strange, the supernatural, and the suspicion that cats may understand far more than we do.TriskadeCATphobia features three short tales: All the Cats Are Black (from the strange town of Willerby, where even the animals aren’t quite what they seem) The Medium’s Cat by Susan Ballinger (where the line between the living and the dead may not be so clear) Have You Seen Murphy? by Melissa West (where something gentle… may not be harmless) Flash Fiction Friday – bite-sized stories designed to unsettle.
If you enjoy this episode, continue your listening with: Shortcuts (a strange Willerby tale where something familiar turns deeply wrong) The Wedding Dress (a haunting story where objects quietly witness human lives unfold) Spores (a deeply unsettling tale where something begins to spread and take hold)
Stories in this episode were written by contributors from around the world: Willerby – an anonymous and mysterious source chronicling a town that seems to exist just out of step with reality Susan Ballinger – a writer with a passion for history, the unexplained, and the strange intersections between them Melissa West – co-creator of Haunted UK Fiction and creator of The Skylark Bell, known for atmospheric and emotionally resonant supernatural storytelling You can explore more of their work below:
Willerby: Website: www.welcometowillerby.com Instagram: @willerbyvillage Bluesky: @willerbyvillage.bsky.social
Susan Ballinger: Bluesky: @PeculiarSusan.bsky.social Instagram: @birdshot127 | @cemetery_plots Email: [email protected]
Melissa West: Website: www.theskylarkbell.com Instagram: @theskylarkbell Email: [email protected]
Submit your story: Have a paranormal or supernatural tale? Send it to: [email protected]
Credits: Stories by Willerby, Susan Ballinger, Melissa West Narrated by Steven Holloway Script prepared by Melissa West Produced by Pink Flamingo Home Studio
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/haunted-uk-fiction--6761767/support.
Enter the world of Haunted UK Fiction — a paranormal fiction podcast and sister show to the Haunted UK Podcast.We bring you original supernatural stories, ghost stories, and eerie fiction written by authors from the UK and around the world. From hauntings and poltergeists to strange creatures, folklore, and the unexplained, each episode features professionally narrated horror and paranormal fiction designed to unsettle, intrigue, and stay with you long after listening.If you enjoy atmospheric storytelling, dark fiction, and immersive audio experiences, Haunted UK Fiction is your home for weekly supernatural tales.
All links (listen, follow, support, submissions): https://linktr.ee/hauntedukfiction
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If you enjoy atmospheric storytelling, dark fiction, and immersive audio experiences, Haunted UK Fiction is your home for weekly supernatural tales.
All links (listen, follow, support, submissions): https://linktr.ee/hauntedukfiction
Contact: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from Haunted UK Fiction: Tales of the Supernatural, Paranormal, and Uncanny
“The man fanned himself with this hat. This time a different odour caught in Lara’s nose, something sweet, but not exactly pleasant, like overripe fruit…” This is Haunted UK Fiction, original stories of the supernatural, the monstrous, and the unknown. Today’s story is The Same Dark Heart by Robert McDermott. If you’ve been listening to our show for some time, you’ll recognize Robert as the author of other brilliant stories like It Shows Up When It’s Needed, One Always Comes Back, and Sukie in the Graveyard. This particular story of Robert’s skews less toward nostalgia than his previous work, and more towards outright terror.
“Amidst the hundreds upon hundreds of pumpkins of all shapes and sizes that lay in that field, there sat one unique and peculiar, and rather large misshapen one. Creepily, it displayed all of Eugene’s exact same facial features, right down to his large set of slowly blinking, bloodshot eyes, bulbous, crooked nose, as well as his quivering, signature devious grin…”
“I persisted up those grimy stairs. I had to. For up on the thirteenth floor was Mr Barnes. The man who said he had a message for me; a message from my dead husband, Simon…”
“As I looked at this John Doe, I felt odd. Not scared, or creeped out, just… I don’t know… an unease? That might be the word… I had the oddest feeling, difficult to describe, a sort of apprehension. A bit like the feeling when you think you are being watched, but no one is there…”
“You’ve run out of time. But if you let me have your watch for just a moment, I can give you some back…”