These aren't the stories your mother told you.

No, these are the other stories.

Hey listeners, if you yourself are a writer or know somebody who writes, then you might be

interested to note that we are running a week-long horror writing mini-course. From January 20th to

the 27th, we're running an online course for those looking to dip their toes into the wonderful

world of writing scary stories. It will be run by myself and bestselling author Daniel

Wellcox and will be helping newer writers go from coming up with a story idea to writing

the first draft, editing it all in one week. If you're interested and head over to hawk

and cleaver.com forward slash horror for all of the relevant information. Once again,

that's hawk and cleaver.com forward slash horror.

Today's episode is Ms. Jimima Stretch and the Cephala 4 of Hickety Hall, written by L.P. Mills and narrated by Alex Elroy.

My dearest, Amelia, it is with great trepidation and queasiness of spirit that I pen this missive.

Oh, Gemma, you are no doubt thinking with a coy roll of the eye.

You always did have a flare for the melodramatic.

While I could scarcely contest this sentiment, I am afraid that in this measure my histrionics are most certainly justified.

You see, I fear I have done something.

Yes, something quite terrible.

In my overwrought state and perhaps against my better nature, I race ahead of myself.

Allow me to restart and to reset myself at the very beginning.

I speak, of course, of Dr. Carcosa and his ill-fated excursion to the uncivilized world.

I have no doubt that Mr. Carcosa's exhibition at the British Museum is as seared into your mind as it is mine.

The savage effigies, the most wicked fetishes, the strange and arcane pictographs

...