Westside Fairytales: Horror and Dark Fiction Stories
168 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 401 ratingsStrange and deadly things lurk in the dark spaces between dream and reality. Westside Fairytales is a collection of award-winning horror and dark fiction stories written and read by author Tyler Bell. New episodes most Fridays.
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Episodes
3: 303 - Ghost Story (Part One)
December 08, 2018 01:35 - 40 minutesIsolation is a bad blanket. Most people — those who can — eschew it in favor of the warmth good company brings. But those who can’t — the introverts, the awkward, the strange — may find it easier to wrap themselves in those tattered threads when confronted by the chill of loneliness. Not because it’s enjoyable, but because going out into the world can be so much lonelier when you’re not really a part of it. Today’s story is about a man living alone, with little more than the glow of his comp...
303 - Ghost Story (Part One)
December 08, 2018 01:35 - 41 minutes - 56.3 MBIsolation is a bad blanket. Most people — those who can — eschew it in favor of the warmth good company brings. But those who can’t — the introverts, the awkward, the strange — may find it easier to wrap themselves in those tattered threads when confronted by the chill of loneliness. Not because it’s enjoyable, but because going out into the world can be so much lonelier when you’re not really a part of it. Today’s story is about a man living alone, with little more than the glow of his comp...
2: 302 - From Barstow Back Home
November 02, 2018 22:22 - 44 minutesIn today’s story, we follow a veteran who faces a similar problem, coming to terms with the guilt of surviving something many others did not. He’s a man who’s taken up ultra-marathoning, super long-distance running, as a way to escape the memories and feelings that have haunted him since his last ugly day in the sandbox.
302 - From Barstow Back Home
November 02, 2018 22:22 - 44 minutes - 61.5 MBI fought a war once. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen combat, more than a decade actually. But even after all that time, the memories of Iraq. The sand. The heat. The people. The violence. Those have stayed closer to my heart than almost any other thing I’ve done. In today’s story, we follow a veteran who faces a similar problem, coming to terms with the guilt of surviving something many others did not. He’s a man who’s taken up ultra-marathoning, super long-distance running, as a w...
From Barstow Back Home
November 02, 2018 22:22 - 44 minutesIn today’s story, we follow a veteran who faces a similar problem, coming to terms with the guilt of surviving something many others did not. He’s a man who’s taken up ultra-marathoning as a way to escape the memories and feelings that have haunted him since his last ugly day in the sandbox. But on this run, he finds something else chasing him through the rocky sands of the Mojave desert. Something he might not be able to outrun. Support us on Patreon Follow us on social media: Twitter | ...
Preview of New Secret Project
October 31, 2018 03:57 - 31 minutesI’m coming to you this Halloween-eve with a preview of the up-and-coming collaboration project between myself, Jack Luna of the Dark Topic podcast, and Mike Boudet of the Sword and Scale podcast. I can’t tell you any more about the project other than it’s terribly horrifying, based on true events, and that it lives somewhere on the border between True Crime and Horror Fiction. Oh yeah, and that the first episode will drop 1-9-19. This little episode is an interview of the major players in ...
Preview of New Secret Project!!
October 31, 2018 03:57 - 31 minutes - 43.1 MBHey Everybody, I’m coming to you this Halloween-eve with a preview of the up-and-coming collaboration project between myself, Jack Luna of the Dark Topic Podcast, and Mike Boudet of the Sword and Scale Podcast. I can’t tell you anymore about the project other than it’s terribly horrifying, based on true events, and that it lives somewhere on the border between True Crime and Horror Fiction. Oh yeah, and that the first episode will drop 1-9-19. This little episode is an interview of the maj...
Quarterly Review
October 05, 2018 21:00 - 1 hourToday’s story is about a man trapped in that same grind, by his own desire to become the master of the great millstone itself. But his preoccupation with success is getting to him, coloring every new day a darker shade than the last. Support us on Patreon Follow us on social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Join the Westside Fairytales Horror and Lit Club Send us an email Artwork by Yui Breedlove This month’s recommendations: Literature recommendation: ”Uzumaki” by Junji Ito Ra...
1: 301 - Quarterly Review
October 05, 2018 21:00 - 1 hourToday’s story is about a man trapped in the grind, by his own desire to become the master of the great millstone itself. But his preoccupation with success is getting to him, coloring every new day a darker shade than the last.
301 - Quarterly Review
October 05, 2018 21:00 - 1 hour - 112 MBThe grind can get to you. My guess is you know what I’m talking about. Most of you, my Dear Listeners, are probably listening to this in the background of some banal task. You’re driving yourself to work, or the kids to school. You’re out mowing the lawn or sitting on a cold bench waiting for the train to finally show. But like most people in this modern world, you’re somebody with someplace to be and something to do. And it’s hard sometimes, the way the days begin to flit by as you stack d...
Summer Minisode - Lagunitas, 4 a.m.
August 25, 2018 00:18 - 14 minutes - 19.9 MBLife is like the tides. It comes and goes, rises and falls with the moon and light and darkness. This endless force propels us forward no matter our situation, until we can be moved no more. Tonight’s minisode is about a man who takes his elderly grandfather on a late night surf trip. A last bit of kindness before the moon sets in the west. Support us on Patreon Follow us on social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Join the Westside Fairytales Horror and Lit Club Send us an email ...
11: Summer Minisode (211) - Lagunitas, 4 a.m.
August 25, 2018 00:18 - 14 minutesLife is like the tides. It comes and goes, rises and falls with the moon and light and darkness. This endless force propels us forward no matter our situation, until we can be moved no more. Tonight’s minisode is about a man who takes his elderly grandfather on a late night surf trip. A last bit of kindness before the moon sets in the west.
Summer Minisode (211) - Lagunitas, 4 a.m.
August 25, 2018 00:18 - 14 minutes - 19.9 MBLife is like the tides. It comes and goes, rises and falls with the moon and light and darkness. This endless force propels us forward no matter our situation, until we can be moved no more. Tonight’s minisode is about a man who takes his elderly grandfather on a late night surf trip. A last bit of kindness before the moon sets in the west. Check us out at westsidefairytales.com
210 - Bands of Gold and Iron
July 06, 2018 21:42 - 1 hour - 88.9 MBSome fears are shared unevenly amongst the inhabitants of this little blue ball. The fear, for instance, that your agency could be stripped away at any moment without recourse isn’t something we all feel, but that some of us know all too well. It’s fear that comes with a shaky position in society. Women, minorities, and folks with lifestyles and predilections that buck the status quo. If you’re not one of these folks, you might not know what it’s like to not be believed. To simply be ignored...
10: 210 - Bands of Gold and Iron
July 06, 2018 21:42 - 1 hourToday’s tale is the story of a woman who wakes up to a life that isn’t hers, that she doesn’t want to live, and that certain forces, certain people, won’t allow her to leave. Our protagonist knows the truth about herself, but she’s stripped of her freedoms, even her dignity, simply because that’s the sort of thing that happens to women. Sometimes.
Bands of Gold and Iron
July 06, 2018 21:42 - 1 hourToday’s story lives amongst the tendrils of this idea. It is the story of a woman who wakes up to a life that isn’t hers, that she doesn’t want to live, and that certain forces, certain people, won’t allow her to leave. Our protagonist knows the truth about herself, but she’s stripped of her freedoms, even her dignity, simply because that’s the sort of thing that happens to women sometimes. Support us on Patreon Follow us on social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Join the Westside ...
9: 209 - Last Chance Gas
June 01, 2018 21:02 - 1 hourToday’s story is about a man trapped in a relationship he despises. He doesn’t know if he hates his wife or just can’t stand her, but he does know he plans on leaving her, just as soon as they reach the end of the long trip they’ve embarked on together.
209 - Last Chance Gas
June 01, 2018 21:02 - 1 hour - 86 MBMy name is Tyler Bell, and you’re listening to the Westside Fairytales podcast. Today’s story is about a man trapped in a relationship he despises. He doesn’t know if he hates his wife or just can’t stand her, but he does know he plans on leaving her, just as soon as they reach the end of the long trip they’ve embarked on together. But his plans are put on hold when he and his wife stop for gas at a remote desert gas station. Strange things have the building and its occupants under siege. T...
Last Chance Gas
June 01, 2018 21:02 - 1 hourToday’s story is about a man trapped in a relationship he despises. He doesn’t know if he hates his wife, but he does know he plans on leaving her, just as soon as they reach the end of the long trip they’ve embarked on together. But his plans are put on hold when they stop for gas at a remote desert gas station. Strange things have the building and its occupants under siege. There seems to be no way out, and unfortunately for our protagonist, “til death do us part” may be his only option. ...
208 - The Gap on Gable Street
May 04, 2018 23:47 - 46 minutes - 64.3 MBLife has a pace, a rhythm. It’s always unsettling when things disturb it. The death of a friend, an injury, an accident, when the unexpected comes calling it usually visits with bad news in tow. Today’s story is about a man who sets his watch by life’s banalities. He lives a boring life, a life he generally enjoys, but things are about to change for him. It starts small, a gap appears on a street where there was no gap. But even a small change in a boring life can have extraordinary effects....
8: 208 - The Gap on Gable Street
May 04, 2018 23:47 - 46 minutesLife has a pace, a rhythm. It’s always unsettling when things disturb it. The death of a friend, an injury, an accident, when the unexpected comes calling it usually visits with bad news in tow.
The Gap on Gable Street
May 04, 2018 23:47 - 46 minutesLife has a pace, a rhythm. It’s always unsettling when things disturb it. The death of a friend, an injury, an accident, when the unexpected comes calling it usually visits with bad news in tow. Today’s story is about a man who sets his watch by life’s banalities. He lives a boring life, a life he generally enjoys, but things are about to change for him. It starts small, a gap appears on a street where there was no gap. But even a small change in a boring life can have extraordinary effects...
The Seventh
April 06, 2018 23:12 - 53 minutesThere’s an old sort of saying that the best judge is one who hates his work. A man eager to pass judgment on others, that is, is the man least capable of doing the job. Today’s story is about just that sort of man, a reserved individual sent to a small village in a seemingly medieval country, tasked with finding out why people passing by the town are being branded as criminals and hanged. It’s not just a story on the passing of judgment, but on the nature of those judgments we pass and are...
7: 207 - The Seventh
April 06, 2018 23:12 - 53 minutesToday’s story is about just that sort of man, a reserved individual sent to a small village in the back country of a seemingly medieval country, tasked with finding out why people passing by the village are being branded as criminals and hanged.
207 - The Seventh
April 06, 2018 23:12 - 53 minutes - 73.2 MBThere’s an old sort of saying that the best judge is one who hates his work. A man eager to pass judgement on others, that is, is the man least capable of doing the job. Today’s story is about just that sort of man, a reserved individual sent to a small village in the back country of a seemingly medieval country, tasked with finding out why people passing by the village are being branded as criminals and hanged. It’s not just a story on the passing of judgment, but on the nature of those jud...
6: 206 - Child of Sparrows
March 02, 2018 23:16 - 40 minutesSometimes the only thing you can do is run.
206 - Child of Sparrows
March 02, 2018 23:16 - 40 minutes - 55.5 MBWe all feel the urge to run sometimes. Pressure builds up around us, pushing on our chests and heads, caving in the soft bits inside our ears and eyes until we feel fit to burst. Money, family, loneliness, the struggle to be known, the pain of being forgotten, it all stacks up and gets heavier. And heavier. And heavier. And when it gets to be too much, there’s a part of you inside that lets you know. We need to run now. We either run, or we die. Today’s story is about a girl who decides t...
Child of Sparrows
March 02, 2018 23:16 - 40 minutes - 55.5 MBWe all feel the urge to run sometimes. Pressure builds up around us, pushing on our chests and heads, caving in the soft bits inside our ears and eyes until we feel fit to burst. Money, family, loneliness, the struggle to be known, the pain of being forgotten, it all stacks up and gets heavier. And heavier. And heavier. And when it gets to be too much, there’s a part of you inside that lets you know. We need to run now. We either run, or we die. Today’s story is about a girl who decides to...
205 - The Green Man
February 02, 2018 23:10 - 33 minutes - 45.9 MBGuilt grows like a weed in the hearts of sinners. It’s hard to imagine anybody who’s never wronged another person. At some point, all of us are going to make a decision we’ll have trouble living with for the rest of our lives. And even if it’s a small thing, a trifle, it’ll sit with you in the dark hours of the night, stroking the skin at the back of your neck to keep you awake. Tonight’s story is about just such a feeling. A young boy in a bad neighborhood does something awful, and as he t...
5: 205 - The Green Man
February 02, 2018 23:10 - 33 minutesGuilt grows like a weed in the hearts of sinners. It’s hard to imagine anybody who’s never wronged another person. At some point, all of us are going to make a decision we’ll have trouble living with for the rest of our lives. And even if it’s a small thing, a trifle, it’ll sit with you in the dark hours of the night, stroking the skin at the back of your neck to keep you awake.
The Green Man
February 02, 2018 23:10 - 33 minutesGuilt grows like a weed in the hearts of sinners. It’s hard to imagine anybody who’s never wronged another person. At some point, all of us are going to make a decision we’ll have trouble living with for the rest of our lives. And even if it’s a small thing, a trifle, it’ll sit with you in the dark hours of the night, stroking the skin at the back of your neck to keep you awake. Tonight’s story is about just such a feeling. A young boy in a bad neighborhood does something awful, and as he t...
4: 204 - The Water Rotted Doll (Part Two)
January 05, 2018 19:40 - 27 minutesEverybody knows what it's like to be afraid of drowning. The conclusion of The Water-Rotted Doll.
The Water Rotted Doll (Part Two)
January 05, 2018 19:40 - 27 minutesYou know the fear of drowning, even if you've never been near water. It's as inborn in us as the desire to keep breathing. When last we left our protagonist, she was in deathly danger of drowning, and trapped in the kitchen of a sinking ship. This is part two and the conclusion of "The Water-Rotted Doll." We hope you enjoy. Support us on Patreon Follow us on social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Join the Westside Fairytales Horror and Lit Club Send us an email Artwork by Yui Br...
204 - The Water-Rotted Doll (Part Two)
January 05, 2018 19:40 - 27 minutes - 37.6 MBYou know the fear of drowning, even if you've never been near water. It's as inborn in us as the desire to keep breathing. When last we left our protagonist, she was in deathly danger of drowning, and trapped in the kitchen of a sinking ship. This is part two and the conclusion of "The Water-Rotted Doll." We hope you enjoy. We've been added to the lineup at ACPN Podcasts! Check them out at theapcn.com and @ACPNPodcasts on Twitter. We're also a part of this season of #2PodsADay, a campaign t...
3: 203 - The Water-Rotted Doll (Part One)
December 02, 2017 02:19 - 42 minutesToday’s tale is the story of a woman’s journey from a war torn country to one of safety and prosperity. It is a time of sickness, of death, and the specter of death itself follows her on her voyage in the form of an ugly doll made of plaster.
The Water-Rotted Doll (Part One)
December 02, 2017 02:19 - 42 minutes - 58.3 MBToday’s tale is the story of a woman’s journey from a war-torn country to one of safety and prosperity. It is a time of sickness, of death, and the specter of death itself follows her on her voyage in the form of an ugly doll made of plaster. Today’s podcast will cover only the first half of the story, and the second half will be available next episode. Support us on Patreon Follow us on social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Join the Westside Fairytales Horror and Lit Club Send u...
203 - The Water-Rotted Doll (Part One)
December 02, 2017 02:19 - 42 minutes - 58.3 MBI swam out into the ocean one time, racing with a friend of mine. I was younger and stronger than I am now, and I swam a quarter mile to a buoy just off the shore. The excitement of the race faded as the sounds of the people on the beach disappeared, as the water grew cold when we passed beyond the edge of the sandbar. Out that far, there’s nothing to hear but the steady rumble and shift of the ocean around you. Every salty breath becomes precious as you realize that any mistake, any moment ...
202 - They All Come By
November 17, 2017 22:49 - 31 minutes - 42.9 MBWe all feel lonely sometimes. Some of us never really feel like we’re not alone, even when we’re surrounded by people. For guys like me, and our main character, that means slinking out to the bar. Secreting yourself away somewhere dark and comfortable, where it’s okay to be a man on his own. Thing is, that kind of lifestyle can wear on you. It can get too comfortable, and the loneliness might end up becoming your only friend. You become a man alone, sitting at a bar, waiting for friends you b...
202: 202 - They All Come By
November 17, 2017 22:49 - 31 minutesWe all feel lonely sometimes. Some of us never really feel like we’re not alone, even when we’re surrounded by people. For guys like me, and our main character, that means slinking out to the bar. Secreting yourself away somewhere dark and comfortable, where it’s okay to be a man on his own. Thing is, that kind of lifestyle can wear on you. It can get too comfortable, and the loneliness might end up becoming your only friend. You become a man alone, sitting at a bar, waiting for friends ...
They All Come By
November 17, 2017 22:49 - 31 minutesWe all feel lonely sometimes. Some of us never really feel like we’re not alone, even when we’re surrounded by people. For guys like me, and our main character, that means slinking out to the bar. Secreting yourself away somewhere dark and comfortable, where it’s okay to be a man on his own. Thing is, that kind of lifestyle can wear on you. It can get too comfortable, and the loneliness might end up becoming your only friend. You become a man alone, sitting at a bar, waiting for friends you...
201 - So Long Roscoe
November 03, 2017 20:15 - 43 minutes - 59.3 MBEver felt stuck in rut? Today's story is about a woman who feels trapped in a life she never expected to live. Her husband doesn't appreciate her. She doesn't have any hobbies, any friends or really any social interaction aside from her children. But an old friend has stopped by to help her break out of this funk. Somebody from her childhood that always shows up when she needs him. Follow us on social media: @WSFairytales Westside Fairytales on Facebook and Instagram @realTylerBell Questio...
So Long Roscoe
November 03, 2017 20:15 - 43 minutesEver felt stuck in a rut? Today's story is about a woman who feels trapped in a life she never expected to live. Her husband doesn't appreciate her. She doesn't have any hobbies, any friends or really any social interaction aside from her children. But an old friend has stopped by to help her break out of this funk. Somebody from her childhood that always shows up when she needs him. Support us on Patreon Follow us on social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Join the Westside Fairyta...
Minisode - Stuff
September 26, 2017 17:07 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBThe last of the three minisodes for the summer off-season. We've got a slew of terrifying new content heading your way at the beginning of November, so remember to stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at the accounts below. We hope you enjoy your Halloween. Stay safe out there. Instagram: Westside Fairytales Twitter: @WSFairytales Facebook: Westside Fairytales Tyler: @realTylerBell email: [email protected] Archives at: bitly.com/westsideitunes bitly.com/we...
Minisode - The Balloon Game
August 04, 2017 21:14 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBWe're now more than halfway through the off season and new episodes of Westside Fairytales are just around the corner. Today's minisode is just a trifle. A snatch of memory. The creeping sort of horror that walks with you for a while even after you've said goodbye. Show your support and stay up to date by following us on social media. Twitter: @WSFairytales Facebook: Westside Fairytales Instagram: Westside Fairytales Tyler: @realTylerBell All episodes streaming free where you can find podc...
Sound Test One
July 01, 2017 03:44 - 4 minutes - 3.79 MBHey everybody, here's the first of the offseason releases, titled "Sound Test One." It's a gift from our corporate sponsors at Blackwell Innovations*, a technology company based out of the midwest that's been a staunch supporter of the podcast since the beginning. Hope you enjoy! See you in two weeks. bitly.com/westsideitunes bitly.com/westsidestitcher bitly.com/westsideyoutube @WSFairytales Westside Fairytales on Facebook @realTylerBell *Blackwell Innovations is a subsidiary of the Blackwe...
Off-Season Announcements and Updates
June 16, 2017 05:58 - 4 minutes - 4.4 MBHey everybody, we're just checking in on you and letting you know how things are coming along for Season Two of the Westside Fairytales Podcast. We've got a lot of great things coming up during the break and you can expect Season Two sometime in November. Catch up on Season One now on iTunes at bitly.com/westsideitunes Stitcher: bitly.com/westsidestitcher Youtube: bitly.com/westsideyoutube Social @WSFairytales @realTylerBell Westside Fairytales on Facebook [email protected]
110 - The Last Car
April 16, 2017 21:56 - 41 minutes - 38.4 MBHave you ever felt trapped, even when, technically, you were free as a bird? Our modern society is full of gilded cages, just waiting to swing closed right behind us. We feel trapped by our jobs, by our family, by our relationships, and our failures. Even by our own bodies. Today we’ll hear the story of a man trapped by his life decisions, a man who smiles at everybody through bars only he can see. But as he becomes trapped in a monolithic warehouse with something not of this world, he find...
The Last Car
April 16, 2017 21:56 - 41 minutesHave you ever felt trapped, even when, technically, you were free as a bird? Today we’ll hear the story of a man trapped by his life decisions, a man who smiles at everybody through bars only he can see. But as he becomes stuck in a monolithic warehouse with something not of this world, he finds the bars he thought were holding him weren’t as solid as they seemed. Support us on Patreon Follow us on social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Join the Westside Fairytales Horror and Lit C...
Without Eulogy
April 01, 2017 01:07 - 41 minutesToday’s story is a sort of sci-fi western, set at the edge of space in a time unknown. Our small cast of protagonists are escorting a sick man to the far edge of the frontier, ostensibly to die. It’s as dangerous a trip as any, and as our protagonists walk further into the wild of that unknown planet, it becomes clear that not all of them will return from their journey alive. Support us on Patreon Follow us on social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Join the Westside Fairytales Horr...
109 - Without Eulogy
April 01, 2017 01:07 - 41 minutes - 37.7 MBToday’s story is a sort of sci-fi western, set at the edge of space in a time unknown. Our small cast of protagonists are escorting a sick man to the far edge of the frontier, ostensibly to die. It’s as dangerous a trip as any, and as our protagonists walk further into the wild of that unknown planet, it becomes clear that not all of them will return from their journey alive. @WSFairytales @realTylerBell Westside Fairytales on Facebook iTunes - bitly.com/westsideitunes Youtube - bitly.com/we...