Welcome to episode one of the Avery After Dark podcast. I'm your host Avery Ross, and I am so happy to be here with you. I have gotten

tons of requests for this podcast, and I'm very flattered and excited to be able to bring this to you all.

Much like you, I love listening to podcasts, starting a couple years ago.

Turning on a podcast was like the start of my wind down routine at night. I would get myself

all comfortable in bed, in my PJs, turn on a good episode, and just kind of drift into someone else's story. I also love listening

to a podcast while I'm driving, whether it's on the way to work or a road trip. And I really hope

that this becomes your new favorite escape when you need it.

There's so many of you cool people out there listening that like spooky, mysterious,

scary stories as much as I do, and that genuinely really makes me happy.

I'm going to continue to bring you spooky stories. Stories that just kind of make you think, what? And I think you're really going to enjoy today's story.

So kick back, relax, and listen.

And let me tell you a story.

This is called my friend Mary.

Since my parents' divorce, my mom struggled to support us.

My dad ran off and started another family and is dodgy with his child support payments. He's dodgy at even returning my phone calls,

to be honest. My mom does sales for a big company, but has to turn down some work trips because

she has to stay with me. I'm 15 and she doesn't like to leave me alone for long. So once summer came,

my mom suggested I go and stay at my

grandmas for a month. This would give her a chance to travel and work and save up some money for us.

I loved my grandma, and her health had been declining in the past couple months, so I thought

this would give me a great opportunity to spend

time with her while I still had the chance. My grandpa passed a few years back, and I'm sure she was

...