NoSleep Podcast S25E06

September 27, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

A woman cannot stop listening. At 3:33 AM each night, footsteps pace the ceiling above her bed—ten steps east, ten steps west, a slow, deliberate pendulum. She assumes insomnia, a neighbor with restless bones. But the flat upstairs has been empty for years, sealed since a widow died. The building manager tells her the widow used to walk that same path, wore a groove into the floorboards so deep he had to replace them. "Said it kept the walls from closing in," he recalls. The woman starts mapping the steps with chalk on her ceiling. Sleep abandons her. Her body thins, her gums bleed, tap water runs grey with grit. By the seventh night, neighbors whisper on the stairs. The widow's curse, they mutter. Doors shut faster when she passes. She cannot stop walking. The rhythm has taken hold of her legs, and the ceiling above stays silent because she is now walking for both of them. The widow is bleeding down from the flat above, claiming her rooms one by one. By the 21st night, her reflection in the mirror moves before she does, anticipating each step like a partner who knows the routine by heart. It presses its palm to the other side of the glass, mouthing one word: Switch. She watches from inside the mirror as her younger, desperate self begins to walk, grit spilling from her mouth instead of words. The widow is no longer beside her. She is inside.

Continue reading the full summary in the app — free to try.

Read Full Summary →

Free • No credit card required

Listen to Audio Summary Open in App

Never miss an episode of The NoSleep Podcast

Get every new episode summarized in your inbox — free, ~5 minutes to read.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

What you'll learn

1 (00:13) **Episode Introduction & Host Welcome** - Guest host Dan Zapulla opens the episode with a personal reflection on his decade with the NoSleep Podcast.
2 (03:37) **Episode Theme: Isolation & Obsession** - Dan sets the thematic stage for the episode's stories, focusing on a creeping, isolating obsession.
3 (04:48) **Story 1 Introduction: "333"** - Dan introduces the first tale about a woman who can't ignore a sound in the night.
4 (05:50) **Story 1: "333" - The Footsteps Begin** - The protagonist describes the nightly sound of footsteps in the apartment above her, starting precisely at 3:33 AM.
5 (08:08) **Story 1: "333" - The Descent into Obsession** - The protagonist begins mapping the footsteps with chalk on her ceiling, and her physical and mental state deteriorates.
6 (11:09) **Story 1: "333" - The Possession Takes Hold** - The protagonist's body begins to move on its own, matching the rhythm of the footsteps, and the line between her and the widow blurs.
7 (14:43) **Story 1: "333" - The Final Exchange** - The protagonist fully merges with the widow's ritual, and her reflection takes her place in the real world.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

It's Episode 06 of Season 25. The frequency of fear brings you tales about the sensation of isolation.

"The Footsteps at 3:33" by Marwa Ayad (Story starts around 00:05:00)
Produced by Jeff Clement
Cast: Narrator - Erika Sanderson, Building Manager - Andy Cresswell, Neighbour - James Cleveland, Widow - Penny Scott-Andrews

"Random" by David McLachlan (Story starts around 00:25:20)
TRIGGER WARNING!
Produced by Claudius Moore
Cast: Narrator - Dan Zappulla, Mother - Danielle McRae

"The Better Man" by Michael Harris Cohen (Story starts around 00:43:25)
TRIGGER WARNING!
Produced by Phil Michalski
Cast: David - Jesse Cornett, Alec - Jeff Clement, Brian - Graham Rowat, Gaia - Nichole Goodnight, Mother - Nikolle Doolin, Guest - Atticus Jackson, Hippy - James Cleveland

"Semi-Detached" by Marc Parker-Yates (Story starts around 01:23:10)
TRIGGER WARNING!
Produced by Phil Michalski
Cast: Lynne Pearce - Penny Scott-Andrews

"Mercy Brown and Me" by Christine Lajewski (Story starts around 01:43:00)
TRIGGER WARNING!
Produced by Jesse Cornett
Cast: Julia - Mary Murphy, Mercy - Sarah Ruth Thomas, Mercy - Erin Lillis, Gina - Linsay Rousseau, Laurinda - Nichole Goodnight, Mom - Nikolle Doolin

This episode is sponsored by:
Betterhelp - This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Take a step towards a better you. Our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com/nosleep.

Home Chef - Home Chef's meal kits are rated #1 in quality, convenience, value, taste, and recipe ease. Head to homechef.com/nosleep to get 50% off your first box plus free dessert for life and of course, free shipping on your first box!

Indacloud - IndaCloud is a fully legal online cannabis dispensary for gummies, exotic flower, premium prerolls, Zero Sugar THC Sodas, Energy Gummies, and Extra Strength Sleep Gummies. If you're 21 or older, go to indacloud.co/nosleep to get 30% off yo