He Waits by Tony Walker

[@jacquelinetaylor9447]

The sound effects definitely added to this scary story!!! A real creepy story and thank you!!

[@colemarie9262]

Genuinely unsettling....for some reason hearing about other people's dreams has always freaked me out, even in real life with friends and stuff. Great work!

[@ClassicGhost]

Thanks a lot.

[@wesleyedwards3031]

I loved it! Therapist-as-narrator is an interesting twist to put on a classic ghost story. It works very well.

[@shelleymarquis2887]

I loved the sound effects. Very creepy premise every time I hear a new version of the dream and real life overlapping or having the awareness of which is which becomes difficult or impossible to recognize. Good one. Thanks.

[@JennyLane8666]

Oh man, Tony. You never disappoint. Brilliantly read as always. I love your stuff. You've a place among the great storytellers, my dude ❤

[@ClassicGhost]

i’m working on another scary one ☝️

[@jennyhaswell2620]

Fantastic story loved the way you did the ending. Your a great writer.

[@ClassicGhost]

Thank you so much! Much appreciated

[@divinemischief4655]

I loved the story and I love sound effects. Sound effects add extra depths to the story, well it does for me

[@ClassicGhost]

me too!

[@julietbenassi8680]

My goodness, that was very atmospheric and really unsettling. Really amazing work.

[@ClassicGhost]

Very pleased you liked it

[@aarondutil3077]

As a CBT therapist here in the US, I really appreciated this story even though several of the therapist’s actions were questionable in terms of professional ethics, lol. Very creepy atmosphere in the abandoned school.

[@frerindurin3632]

The thing that comes crawling in is fascinating, it kind of leans towards this feeling of "one's own fears". The different people died in different ways, but since we don't know more than what Melissa offers it allows the imagination to either be held abreast or fully unleashed. It's a quality I honestly look for in ghost stories. Love it!

[@ClassicGhost]

Thank you

[@stevenshipman650]

Oops! Now that I’ve listened to the complete afterword, it turns out that The Room In The Tower was indeed one of your inspirations for this.

[@lesleykaygosson315]

Don't know how I missed this little gem from a year ago. Such a great story and perfect narration. Well Done Sir, Well Done. ❤

[@applewagon253]

Ooooh this one was fantastic! Reminded me (a bit too vividly) of after my mother died when I had vivid nightmares that terribly impacted my waking life. I was prescribed a medication that stopped me dreaming… and it worked! Very strange.

[@ClassicGhost]

But I wouldn't like to stop dreaming. Hope you are over the nightmares now though.

[@rheinhartsilvento2576]

Wow, Tony - great story - as usual! I for one, love the sound effects - they're very well done and really love the sound effects. Really chilling.

[@ClassicGhost]

Glad you like them! Me too.

[@zuleigahanslip7689]

Wow! You are gifted Tony! Loved the story

[@ClassicGhost]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@christinebrument6851]

Brilliant thank you x

[@jaceek2030]

What a great story, Tony! Thanks for sharing it with us.

[@stevenshipman650]

I just bought a copy of London Horror Stories on Amazon because I love this story so much! 😊

[@ClassicGhost]

I am very glad you did

[@trishbirchard1270]

I had a dream a similar nightmare when I was about six years old tat I still recall because of it's intensity and full blazing technicolor- It was based on the terrifying witch from Hansen and Gretel. Why the publishing house even printed these "Golden " books for very young ( but literate ) children still confounds me ! This was a wonderful broadcast , Tony ! I feel connected to a strange and esoteric group of people.❤️🐾❄️🍀☃️💚🌏

[@ClassicGhost]

Yes. It’s nice isn’t it? It’s like a little community

[@davidmalone921]

Great story, Tony! Awesome sound effects AND your American accent is very believable. So glad I found your stories. I’ve listen to so many that I feel like I know you now. Keep doing great work my friend.

[@ClassicGhost]

Glad you liked my American accent :)

[@cindywomack5911]

I love your stories Tony! I’ve always been fascinated with England even as a young child and lo, and behold, I found my reason why in 2012. I met and fell in love with an Englishmen. He’s passed away now but your voice reminds me of him. Life is strange sometimes but wonderful.

[@sandrarickards886]

Really good! Thank you.

[@Cinedragon]

I myself am a big fan of horror stories with added sound effects, really amps up the creepy atmosphere for me and a very well written story this one is. Well done!

[@tomlarson5486]

Pretty darn good one.

[@andreavander6197]

Very good well told ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👍🏼

[@blixten2928]

THis is a very good story. Excellent. The same horrid atmosphere as Bensen's, but without the hokey ending. She actually took the poor woman to the school, and got locked in: the teachers staring out... And now, "the thing that waits" has now found another door to wait behind. And who'll do the dreaming when it's the narrator's time to .. be taken? Really outstanding. THANKS.

[@ClassicGhost]

As always, your comments really lift my spirits

[@elliemccarthy3487]

Reminds me of a old school in east London that was full of old desk going Bk to the Victorian era

[@vintagebrew1057]

I went to a school like that in the 60/70's. We had a "haunted" library....

[@janetcw9808]

You are beyond clever and talented, SO glad I've come across your channel. Kindest Wishes Xxx 🙏🏼 ❤️ 🍀 🗺️ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@ClassicGhost]

Any relation to Edith? Or my friend Steve come to that?

[@janetcw9808]

@@ClassicGhost Nope. The Wharton bit is the married-in name x

[@sinacide11]

This reminds me of my favorite twilight zone episode,” perchance to dream”. Well done writing and narrating!

[@bittybitty8233]

Loved love it !!! The AMBIENCE was perfect...very important to me. Adds so very much. You're so talented & I'm so happy I found your channel. 💜💛💜👍....T.Y.

[@martiwilliams4592]

DO dreams come true? Oh dear, oh dear( GULP) Thanks for warning us..... . You write fabulously and likewise your so SPOOKY delivery enhances it. Thank you

[@scoutrifle6827]

Cracking good story. I'm working my way through Cumbrian Ghost Stories, and have London Horror Stories on the end table ready to go when it's done. If they're all like this, it's going to be great...

[@ClassicGhost]

This one is from London Horror Stories. But has the effects.

[@terryjaenke238]

Great work as usual Tony..all the best friend.

[@ClassicGhost]

Thank you so much

[@kemperkey5750]

Great story Tony I had leukemia been in remission for almost three years. I still get IVIG treatments every 2 months they give me steroids and I don't sleep well so I listen to your wonderful stories. I sleep well after listening to a few. I'm from USA. Thanks Tony

[@ClassicGhost]

peace and my best wishes for your health and well being ❤️

[@kemperkey5750]

@@ClassicGhost Thanks Tony You make my steroid induced sleepless nights more bearable. My health is as good as it gets.

[@trixie10199]

Such a chilling story!!! Thank you!😳🫣😱

[@blackfyre365]

That's a really great story. Genuinely disturbing - amazing work, thank you! 👍🏻❤

[@irenabevans3411]

Enjoyed the story kept me riveted throughout

[@ClassicGhost]

Great!

[@kalihensley-garrison7581]

Thoroughly enjoyed this story Tony! 💚 Needed this. Thank you for giving my brain a rest. 😏

[@quint3570]

One of my favourite stories by your good self 👍

[@inacook2285]

Loved this story so much!!!

[@ClassicGhost]

Great. I will do more

[@inacook2285]

@@ClassicGhost Yes please do!

[@anindk2049]

excellent story and great narration!

[@nhmisnomer]

This is a truly scary story, and the sound effects add to the mounting dread as the story progresses.

[@ClassicGhost]

I’m glad you enjoyed the sound effects!

[@Truth2632]

Creepy story. Loved it! Excellent American accent. I felt intense helplessness as I listened to the physiologist behind the locked door unable to aid her patient. Just a thought: I see inconsistencies in what happened to the victims. The patient’s classmates died, but their bodies remained: run over, leukemia, “The ones I managed to trace, they’re all dead.” Yet, the patient disappears leaving no body. Am I missing something or wouldn’t it help the story’s congruousness if all the prior victims just disappeared like the patient? Also, in America we use a broom to sweep the floor. If she was American wouldn’t she say broom rather than brush even if she lived in London? We use a brush on our hair in America. Even when I lived in Canada, out of habit, I called petrol gas, the dustbin the garbage can, and chips French fries. Regardless, keep up the good work! You are remarkably talented. I especially enjoy the commentary, before or after the story and the sound effects.

[@ClassicGhost]

Yes, you are right! How come their bodies remained? Or did they... I suppose that's my way out. I could have put that there were further mysteries about none of their remains being found. That would have made it even weirder! I may put that in a future story.

[@stalinlovsciafbifakemsmzio6674]

Those sound effects were PERFECT. As a vet Emmy winning prEditor of prime time network and cable hits, it had EXCELLENT excellent sound effects, could've even used the first music sfx a tad more. very subtle and professional. Excellent story as always, sir. Also it sounded in another of your stories like your dealing with a lot of perma man and woman children. F them. Cheers brother

[@ClassicGhost]

Compliments indeed! Thank you! Take care

[@jaquelineturner6119]

loved this. i have a dream that ive had all my life. its not a horror story, buut ive had it for years and years, im always tying to have a house, something always goes wrong. i mean we do have a house.

[@cindylou2536]

I absolutely loved this !

[@jaquelineturner6119]

well, the very same story about having your tonsils out. but EXACTLY the same. woke up everyone crying hahaha!

[@LuisaD93]

Stupendous! Thanks 😊

[@talex1625]

Isn't it a fear of the reality of life, and death? I mean, many of the children I went to primary school with have now passed. Sometimes I think about the vagaries of life, why them and not me, that sort of thing.

[@martiwilliams4592]

Ditto. Just as creepy this time around. Fabulous writing , SPOOKY presentation and entertaining, informative commentary. A true favorite of mine! Thank you!

[@ClassicGhost]

Glad you enjoyed it! Glad it stands the test of time

[@martiwilliams4592]

@@ClassicGhost It certainly does!

[@ReginaApple007]

This is definitely the best original of yours I've heard

[@dmx5439]

Brilliant

[@terryolsson4145]

Wow, another good one Tony......thanks

[@loulou7963]

This was fantastic. Really eerie atmosphere and very gripping. I really wanted it to go on though and give some sort of explanation. What was it ? Why were the teachers locked away watching ? Why were these pupils in the room waiting ? I would have loved the therapist to go on and find out. 💕💕

[@elliemccarthy3487]

The old school is east London had a terrible history, a teacher had jumped off the top , it was v haunted my friend was the caretaker as it was being sold for flats the doors slammed on there own , it had a high incident of tragedy & was how I imagined the school in you’re great story

[@ClassicGhost]

Sounds just like the one I imagined.

[@Eternal-Student]

That was successfully creepy 🤪

[@franken-pattern]

How I wish this could also be translated into a short film! Hollywood has nothing on Mr. Walker 🎉 So scary and interesting!

[@tcup9258]

Great story ! Tense lol

[@donaldmccleary9015]

Great story and narration! Good, creepy, and scary. Thanks!

[@ClassicGhost]

Thank you. I think I need to do the thumbnail again....

[@donaldmccleary9015]

@@ClassicGhost I listened to it twice. It is really good. If you change the thumbnail I will definately not lose it!

[@susanmercurio1060]

15:30 Say your prayers, Melissa, and make your peace with your maker. I can both believe and not believe a story at the same time.

[@johnnicholas1488]

I enjoyed the story. I sometimes think that stories of this genre hold our attention because we expect from the outset that something significant will happen. That this is interesting because in life it rarely does. It caught in my brain that the narrator concluded the patient is "psychotic" but gives no explanation upon which to predicate this diagnosis. I may be wrong, and probably am, but it does seem to me, and I am no expert ,that psychosis is no trivial thing. But what do I know ? I am just a lackey. Have read , looked and listened in a lot of places over many years, and have never found any sort of explanation for dreams which provides any satisfaction. In fact the more sophisticated the author, some guy with a bunch of degrees and fancy accalaides, the less credible I find his explanation. Dreams are what happens when we go to sleep. I sometimes wonder if our dreams are really more important than the other stuff. Who the hell knows ? Not me. I am just a lackey.

[@ClassicGhost]

I like to hear your thoughts. Jung believed that you could have an incipient psychosis, so that what I put here. My own experience is that people are psychotic until they aren’t. It’s never just lurking.

[@johnnicholas1488]

@@ClassicGhost Thank you. I finally figured out how to make a patreon donation to you and have done so to support your worthwhile efforts and show my gratitude.

[@ClassicGhost]

@@johnnicholas1488 I saw that. Very grateful for your support

[@SunnySmile-fr5yg]

Great writing, wow!

[@undeadondine1977]

Very creepy😀👍

[@rhondacampbell153]

Hello, You have a gift, thank for sharing.

[@ClassicGhost]

+Rhonda Campbell thanks for saying that Rhonda. Appreciated

[@lunarbloom3587]

Loved your story, and the sound effects!

[@rosasantanna]

What a gem! 🤩

[@stevenshipman650]

This is really a fantastic story! Very inventive homage to E.F. Benson, if you had that in mind when writing it.

[@ClassicGhost]

+Steven Shipman I did :)

[@MsMak12356]

Great story! Indeed very creepy!

[@stacyattinger6323]

That was so good!

[@susanmercurio1060]

My therapist offered me tea.

[@DavidSmith-op8ix]

The Benson story is it the room in the tower.

[@zoeyhumbert3868]

I love the sound effects x

[@ClassicGhost]

Good. i enjoy putting in sound effects

[@bethcastagnoli2911]

Well, this one is a little too close to being believable! Perfect camp fire story

[@mkelly4617]

Bravo!!

[@deloreslowndes762]

Another good one.

[@staaa4199]

Ahh I love your writing style so much :,)

[@ClassicGhost]

Thank you 🙏

[@elizabethwoolnough4358]

Your American accent was totally convincing to me.

[@robertmusacchio9409]

Great story, truly great writing, interesting your description of the tale's synthesis ; the old "monster from the id". Only question I have is, since you're the reader why couldn't the therapist be a man ? And I know you like to do an American accent, but as a New Yorker am sorry to say, I've never heard 'your' NY accent there. Please keep up your work, you've a real talent for the macabre and I enjoy your story-telling immensely.

[@ClassicGhost]

Yes he could have been a man. Dunno why not. Nor why she was from New York. It would have been easier if she was from York.

[@teddydog6229]

As you mentioned you lived in London for a long time. One of my - and I think quite a few people's - favorite Stephen King stories is a Lovecraft homage called 'Crouch End'. As the victim of the terror in the story tells the police "I think Crouch End is an ugly name". I agree completely. Do you have any idea how that odd and unappealing name was chosen ? And is it a peculiar place or do you reckon King just chose it for the name and the fact his friend and collaborator Peter Straub lived there ?

[@ClassicGhost]

Interesting. It's unusual that I don't know the origin of the name as I'm interested in place names. I had a girlfriend who lived in Crouch End once. Apparently 'crouch' is a cross so it meant the parish boundary.

[@teddydog6229]

@@ClassicGhost That is refreshingly innocent. I figured it would mean a place thieves lay in wait or at least something to do with crouching. The woman in the story is right. It IS an ugly name. Admittedly she was biased as tentacles the size of banyan trees and covered with screaming faces was coming out of the pavement.

[@Alkimza]

The New York area is mostly non rhotic accents btw.

[@ClassicGhost]

Thank you. useful to know

[@MSYNGWIE12]

Hi Tony, Feb.19/22- Hell, how are you? I wish you'd elaborate on those experiences...maybe on your podcast? I am very intrigued, as I AM a fence-sitter. I think there is so much possibility for charlatans don't you? You must have met and gotten to know fairly intimately people who are credible- and together with what you have encountered- the whole field of parapsychology is fascinating, isn't it? On a show on you Tube, a prof from Cambridge? Professor Rupert Sheldrake- you,ve heard of him and his sons- one is a musician and the other also a scientist and writer, Cosmo and Sheldrake- Cosmo wrote me back a few times. Professor Sheldrake does a lot of research with the capabilities of cats and dogs- very interesting man- you should, if you haven't already check him out. Hope all is well. Namaste, Nanny Edwina Drood nee Heep ( I agree with the comment below- put more succinctly than I do- the therapist as narrator is clever- all your stories are clever!)

[@garybernstein3527]

immediately I noticed your voice sounded different as I began to listen to this narration, although it still sounded good, excellent excellent to narrate this story . then the narrative said that the person speaking the story was from America, and I thought Tony has an American accent down perfectly, but the character said her accent was from New York. the exit sounded perfectly like it was from America but it did not sound like a New York accent. noting this I ignored it and it did not interfere with my enjoyment of the story at all. I typed this comment at the beginning of my listening, which I mentioned in case the characters accent becomes relevant in any way later in the story.

[@ClassicGhost]

I think she says Atlanta but point taken

[@clonejones7955]

That tonsil storytime yikes.lol

[@DreamingCatStudio]

Spoiler: Mixed reactions to this one. It’s atmospheric and your narration is excellent! I liked the sound effects too. However, no licensed therapist would ever do anything like this. None would ever take a client somewhere alone, especially a creepy place they had to bribe someone to get in, provide alcohol, or even say I’m going to cure this girl. I’m glad I listened all the way to the end to hear the story’s origin. Given you have no background as a therapist maybe change it up slightly to a new, inexperienced therapist (or a bored, jaded one who’s tired of her practice), who is over-confident her unorthodox methods will work, and then looses her license because of negligence. It would still be creepy.

[@ClassicGhost]

It's true. Of course in my work I am a mental health professional and I would NEVER do this. I am Mr Boundaries. However, I do know GPs and some others who do do things like this. Very unwise. I have another story set down a coal mine, and I've never been a coalminer, though my grandfather was. An ex miner came to a live reading and at the end he said, "Good story. Of course no miner would ever do that..." So, indeed. Point taken. These things can destroy the suspension of disbelief.

[@DreamingCatStudio]

@@ClassicGhost Good points! Of course in fiction you can write about anything without having the actual experiences. And yes it did pull me out of your excellent story to keep thinking “no therapist would do that!” All you need is some kind of brief explanation why the story’s therapist behaved unethically, and bob’s your uncle! No distraction.

[@rattyrachel4316]

Have you ever written a story that was inspired by one of your own dreams?

[@ClassicGhost]

Hmm. I'm not sure I have.

[@hawthornetree646]

Any tips in how to create a plot in stories?

[@ClassicGhost]

Yes, I do! if you go to www.ghostpod.org I think I did a post on it. Find me on Facebook and send a direct message

[@hawthornetree646]

@@ClassicGhost well, I’m not signed up on FB but I’ll check out yet but maybe I’ll sign up.

[@sparklemotion8377]

What's with the American accent?! I really like your voice and British accent

[@ClassicGhost]

'Cause she's American. But I find it easier being British

[@martiwilliams4592]

And your American is perfect! :=)

[@ClassicGhost]

Maybe not

[@martiwilliams4592]

@@ClassicGhost Whew!

[@hawthornetree646]

That was neat how the story’s origins are from a real childhood experience. Why did you choose the narrator to be a woman? Is it more challenging to write from a female point of view?

[@ClassicGhost]

I don't know. She just conjured herself.

[@carmelurbanoviezurbanoviez7437]

Brilliant story and narration but the American accent is dreadful 😅

[@ClassicGhost]

I'm giving up on American now. I'm just going to speak like everyone's from Workington.