“Through the eerie green murk, a shadow appears in the shape of a humanoid creature that floats like a fish but with the limbs and proportions of a man…”

This is Haunted UK Fiction, original stories of the supernatural, the monstrous, and the unknown.

Tonight’s story is Below the Surface, a Japanese-inspired horror story penned by the brilliant John Able. Perhaps it’s best if you eat your dinner before listening to this one… you’ll understand why by the time you get to the end.

If you enjoyed this story, continue your listening with:

Jack’s Pool by Willerby

Okuri Inu by Liah Thorley

Driftstone Marsh by Jason Wells

About the Author:

This story is from the collection, The Day the Depression Returned, available on Kindle and paperback through Amazon. The story itself was greatly influenced by The Signal Man by Charles Dickens as well as in part, The Willows by Algernon Blackwood.

John Able is also the creator of “31 Tales for October”, a children's horror fiction podcast. His upcoming Works include a short story collection inspired by Japanese folklore titled The Vending Machine Birth and Other Stories of Japan, which is available via Amazon on kindle and paperback.

Instagram: @writerjohnable

Website: https://ko-fi.com/johnable

Email: johnablewriter@gmail.com

Submissions

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, send it to hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com

Until next time… stay safe and take care.

Episode Credits

Story by: John Able

Narrated by: Melissa West

Script prepared by: Melissa West

Produced by: Pink Flamingo Home Studio

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a rating, and drop a review - it helps the show reach more listeners!

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: hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You may want to leave the light on for this one…

“The expanse of hairlessness had increased substantially. It had started off the size of a one-pound coin, first time he noticed it. Just arrived one day, like an alien in the night. It had become his obsession since then…”

This is Haunted UK Fiction, original stories of the supernatural, the monstrous, and the unknown.

In this episode we read Salvation Street, a gory tale of revenge by horror master Jed Vesper who previously brought us the holiday horror stories Arena of Shadows and The Retribution of Parson Beelzebub Brown in Dark December 2025.

If you enjoyed this story, continue your listening with:

Spores by Lewis Darley

Bloodsuckers by Willerby

Grandpa’s Clock by Jed Vesper

About the Author:

Jed Vesper is a horror writer with a taste for the macabre and strange. His home county of Yorkshire, UK, is steeped in atmosphere and inspiration for the ghoulish and ghostly, so he fits right in. His debut anthologies: Tales of Dread and Dismay, Volumes 1 and 2, are available in e-book format from Amazon worldwide. Jed has also appeared in the BHF Books of Horror Stories, in Book Ate-th (special cannibal edition), and Book 11 (a folk horror special). Jed’s stories have also been published on the Planet Raconteur podcast as well Nocturnal Transmissions podcast. Jed is usually most active around the witching hour. That’s when the company is best.

All details of Jed’s past, present, and future writing projects can be found on his Facebook page: Jed Vesper Ghost Story and Horror Writer – and he can occasionally be found haunting X @jedvesper

He sincerely hopes you are disturbed by his stories.

Submissions

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, send it to hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com

Until next time… stay safe and take care.

Episode Credits

Story by: Jed Vesper

Narrated by: Steven Holloway

Script prepared by: Melissa West

Produced by: Pink Flamingo Home Studio

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a rating, and drop a review - it helps the show reach more listeners!

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: hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“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.

If you enjoyed this story, continue your listening with:

Salvation Street by Jed Vesper

The Thing in the Wall by Alec Rowan

Mother Never Liked Dead Things by SC Fisher

About the Author:

Robert McDermott lives and works in Dublin. His debut novel, 'Jone$town' was published by Riversong Books in 2021 and followed in 2024 by a collection of short stories 'The Occulting Light' also with Riversong Books. His most recent work is a novella called 'Klara and the Forest King', a quirky family-based fairytale inspired by Rumpelstiltskin. Robert’s stories have been widely published in anthologies both in print and online. His influences include Kurt Vonnegut, M.R. James, Kelly Link, Denis Johnson, Kevin Barry. When not writing he enjoys listening to podcasts (especially Haunted U.K.) and walking with his cocker spaniel, Alfie.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertmcdermott73author/

Email: robertmcdermott@gmail.com

If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, send it to hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com

Until next time… stay safe and take care.

Episode Credits

Story by: Robert McDermott

Narrated by: Melissa West

Script prepared by: Melissa West

Produced by: Pink Flamingo Home Studio

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, leave a rating, and drop a review - it helps the show reach more listeners!

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: hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.