Four stories from the golden age of science fiction — and none of them end where you think they will. A morgue ship drifting through the wreckage of a space war pulls in something extraordinary. A telethink researcher in the Florida Keys gets a warning from the stars — too late. A beer truck driver spends a sleepless weekend with something he accidentally created in his kitchen sink. And on a planet designed to be paradise, a man locked in a back room finishes building something with his hands. Four writers. Four worlds. Four moments when science fiction and horror become the same thing.
*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*

IN THIS EPISODE: A crashed alien lifeboat brings a deadly predator to a remote Florida key, where a stubborn hermit and a stranded scientist face a creature that even the galaxy's most advanced civilizations fear. It’s “Rough Beast” by Roger Dee. *** Winston Marks brings us the story “The Water Eater”. When a weekend cleaning experiment goes strangely right, a curious beer truck driver discovers he’s made something that might not want to stay in the soap bucket. *** Colonists achieve their dream of a perfect world without work or worry, - but is it truly the paradise they had hoped for? James McKimmey brings us the tale “Planet of Dreams.” *** A classic from Ray Bradbury entitled “Lazarus Come Forth” where a morgue ship operator searching for his son's body among the war dead discovers a perfectly preserved scientist from three centuries ago — and the terrible secret he carries. *** It’s an anthology of science fiction tonight – all stories I narrated for the Auditory Anthology podcast where you can hear them fully produced with music and sound effects if you want the full experience. Just visit https://www.AuditoryAnthology.comto start listening.

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:02:11.821 = Lazarus Come Forth
00:32:39.228 = Rough Beast ***
00:58:22.806 = The Water Eater ***
01:24:29.147 = Planet of Dreams ***
01:42:00.860 = Show Close

*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break

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EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/4ForgottenSciFiHorrorTales

SOURCES and RESOURCES:“Lazarus Come Forth” by Ray Bradbury, originally published in Planet Stories, Winter 1944
“The Water Eater” by Winston Marks, originally published in Galaxy Science Fiction, June 1953
“Rough Beast” by Roger Dee, originally published in Analog Science Fiction Magazine, March 1962
“Planet of Dreams” by James McKimmey, Jr., originally published in If Worlds of Science Fiction, September 1953
(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 ©2026, Weird Darkness.

Originally aired: March 29, 2026

ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: #WeirdDarkness 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 things strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold cases, conspiracy theories, and more. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “20 Best Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a blend of “Coast to Coast AM”, “The Twilight Zone”, “Unsolved Mysteries”, and “In Search Of”.DISCLAIMER: Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.