Kaidankai: Ghost, Supernatural, and Dark Short Fiction

Linda Gould
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  • Fiction
  • Updated weekly

The Kaidankai is a short fiction podcast featuring strange, supernatural, and dark stories across horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the uncanny. The Kaidankai presents original short stories from experienced and emerging authors that explore the unsettling edges of human experience. These tales can be touching, scary, gruesome, funny, and even heartwarming. From ghostly encounters and supernatural revenge to speculative futures and uncanny moments, the stories span genres while sharing a common atmosphere of mystery and unease. The Kaidankai is narrated with a focus on mood, pacing, and immersion. Whether a story leans toward horror, fantasy, science fiction, or something harder to define, each episode invites listeners to step into a world just slightly off-kilter.

  1. Oliver's Stairs by Ivan Richardson: A Psychological Supernatural Horror Story

    2 days ago

    Oliver's Stairs by Ivan Richardson: A Psychological Supernatural Horror Story

    Oliver arrives at a casino looking for excitement and distraction. What he finds is a mysterious woman. His obsessive personality soon presents an option. Can he stop his obsession with her, or is he willing to take one more chance?  A haunting psychological horror story that taps into a very human trait.  Author Bio: Growing up with TV shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The X-Files, and Star Trek, Ivan Richardson developed a love of dark fantasy and science fiction. Born in Scotland, he studied Mechanical Engineering at Leicester University and is a member of the Leicester Writers Club. He also holds a fourth-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Narrated by MN Wiggins and Melissa Miles. Photo by Jonathan Greenaway on Unsplash The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange. New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com Follow the show: Instagram Facebook Bluesky Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to kaidankai100ghoststories@gmail.com.

    28 min
  2. The Glass Hotel by Ria Cabral: Haunted Hotel Horror

    24 Jun

    The Glass Hotel by Ria Cabral: Haunted Hotel Horror

    When Julia answers an ad offering cash to spend the night in one of England’s most haunted hotels, she expects cheap scares and staged ghost stories. Instead, she finds herself trapped inside a place where reflections linger too long and corridors shift in impossible ways. A gothic supernatural horror story filled with mirrors, whispers, and creeping dread. Originally from the UK and living in the USA for nearly 20 years, Ria is an author and artist with a background in journalism and communication. Blending creativity with storytelling, Ria published their debut book, Elara’s Tea Leaves, a whimsical journey through magic and meaning. Their next book, a richly illustrated tale about gnomes, is set for release in 2026. With a love for folklore, nature, and visual storytelling, Ria combines words and art to craft immersive experiences. Their work reflects a lifelong passion for narrative in all forms, shaped by both European roots and American life. The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange. New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com Follow the show: Instagram Facebook Bluesky Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to kaidankai100ghoststories@gmail.com.

    15 min
  3. HEAT by Caolán Mac an Aircinn: Frozen Mountain Horror

    17 Jun

    HEAT by Caolán Mac an Aircinn: Frozen Mountain Horror

    Set high on Mount Everest, HEAT is an atmospheric survival horror story about isolation, ambition, and the dangers that await in the frozen darkness. As a climber reflects on the choices that brought her to the world's highest peak, strange figures begin to move through the snow and something unseen stalks the mountain's isolated expeditions. On Everest, survival can become far more terrifying than the climb itself. A chilling blend of Mount Everest horror, supernatural horror, and survival fiction, HEAT explores the thin line between endurance and obsession—and the unsettling truth that some places refuse to let go of those who enter them. About the Author Caolán Mac an Aircinn is a translator, classicist, and musician from Dublin, Ireland, who writes in both English and his native Irish. He has published numerous short stories and poems in the horror and science fiction genres. When he isn't writing, he enjoys playing traditional Irish music and bothering his cats. He can be found on Instagram at @writercaolan. Narrated by Caolán Mac an Aircinn. The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange. New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com Follow the show: Instagram Facebook Bluesky Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to kaidankai100ghoststories@gmail.com.

    15 min
  4. Main Attraction by Lori D'Angelo | Dark Carnival Horror

    10 Jun

    Main Attraction by Lori D'Angelo | Dark Carnival Horror

    In a small town built around a mysterious carousel attraction, visitors line up for the chance to relive a moment from their past. Some leave shaken. Some never recover from what they discover. As the ride’s popularity grows, so do the whispers surrounding the man known only as “The Creator” and the strange influence the carousel seems to have over the entire town. A chilling psychological horror story about obsession, memory, and the dangerous allure of knowing the truth. Lori D'Angelo, a two-time Pushcart nominee, is the author of a short story collection, The Monsters Are Here, which was published in 2024 by ELJ Editions. For more information about her, see her website at lori.dangelo.com. Listen to the song "Hurt" performed by Johnny Cash here. The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange. New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com Follow the show: Instagram Facebook Bluesky Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to kaidankai100ghoststories@gmail.com.

    14 min
  5. Ep. 365: The Secret Closet by Zary Fekete: Ghostly School Horror

    3 Jun

    Ep. 365: The Secret Closet by Zary Fekete: Ghostly School Horror

    A quiet high school student drifts through life unnoticed—until a hidden room in her school begins calling to her. Inside, she discovers strange messages layered beneath decades of forgotten posters, and a place that seems to understand her better than the outside world ever could. But the deeper she disappears into the secret closet, the harder it becomes to tell where memory ends and something else begins. A haunting and emotional supernatural story about loneliness, identity, memory, and being seen. Zary Fekete grew up in Hungary. He has a debut novella (Words on the Page) out with DarkWinter Lit Press and a short story collection (To Accept the Things I Cannot Change: Writing My Way Out of Addiction) out with Creative Texts. He enjoys books, podcasts, and many, many films. Twitter and Instagram: @ZaryFekete Bluesky:zaryfekete.bsky.social The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange. New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com Follow the show: Instagram Facebook Bluesky Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to kaidankai100ghoststories@gmail.com.

    18 min
  6. The Flesh That Endures by David Horn: Cosmic War Horror

    27 May

    The Flesh That Endures by David Horn: Cosmic War Horror

    In the trenches of war, soldiers face more than just the enemy. When something unnatural begins to move across the battlefield, they must confront a horror that feeds on death itself. A bleak, atmospheric tale of war and cosmic horror. David Horn is a Colorado-based writer whose fiction explores the border between history, memory, and the uncanny. His stories have appeared or are forthcoming in Rooted Literary Magazine, AntipoedanSF, and other journals and anthologies. A veteran, former police officer, and cybersecurity engineer, he now divides his time between writing and environmental studies. He is the author of Signals from the Edge and the forthcoming novel The Glass Child. Find him at https://www.facebook.com/horndw ​ Image of the Japanese yōkai nuppeppō from Sawaki Suushi. The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange. New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com Follow the show: Instagram Facebook Bluesky Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to kaidankai100ghoststories@gmail.com.

    28 min
  7. Heavenly Escape by MN Wiggins: Psychological Supernatural Horror

    21 May

    Heavenly Escape by MN Wiggins: Psychological Supernatural Horror

    A woman narrowly escapes death during a violent raid—thanks to her guardian angel… who just happens to be her deceased twin sister. But as the two navigate the aftermath, reality begins to fracture, and the truth behind her life—and her sister’s influence—becomes something far darker than she ever imagined. Here is an article about multiple alternate universes potentially affecting our lives and an alternative (lol) viewpoint. MN Wiggins is an internationally published novelist, surgeon, professor, and voice actor from the American South whose short stories have been performed on multiple podcasts and published in several magazines. His narration credits include The Night’s End podcast and Thirteen. Dr. Wiggins’s latest novel, El Dorado, is available through Solstice Publishing. His complete works may be found at www.MNWiggins.com  The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange. New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com Follow the show: Instagram Facebook Bluesky Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to kaidankai100ghoststories@gmail.com.

    36 min
  8. Flies in the Honey by Kyle Walker: A Creepy Psychological Horror Story

    13 May

    Flies in the Honey by Kyle Walker: A Creepy Psychological Horror Story

    A man obsessed with cleanliness and control begins to notice something wrong—flies appearing where they shouldn’t, and a smell he cannot escape. As reality unravels, he must confront a terrifying truth about decay, memory, and guilt. A psychological horror story that builds into something deeply disturbing. Kyle Walker is a writer and playwright living in Valdez, Alaska. His short stories have appeared in Alien Dimensions, Scary Monsters Magazine, and the Prince William Sound Anthology Series. His theater work has been featured at the Civic Center Theater in Valdez, Alaska, Under St. Marks Theater in New York, NY, Dog Story Theater in Grand Rapids, MI, Hap Ryder Riverfront Theatre in Fairbanks, AK, and TBA Theater in Anchorage, AK. His non-musical stage adaptation, "Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera," was published by Next Stage Press in 2024. Follow him on Facebook and Instagram and at kylewalkerwriter.com. The Kaidankai Podcast features original short fiction exploring horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the strange. New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Read the stories at kaidankaistories.com Follow the show: Instagram Facebook Bluesky Have a story you'd like us to read? Send submissions to kaidankai100ghoststories@gmail.com.

    25 min
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About

The Kaidankai is a short fiction podcast featuring strange, supernatural, and dark stories across horror, fantasy, science fiction, and the uncanny. The Kaidankai presents original short stories from experienced and emerging authors that explore the unsettling edges of human experience. These tales can be touching, scary, gruesome, funny, and even heartwarming. From ghostly encounters and supernatural revenge to speculative futures and uncanny moments, the stories span genres while sharing a common atmosphere of mystery and unease. The Kaidankai is narrated with a focus on mood, pacing, and immersion. Whether a story leans toward horror, fantasy, science fiction, or something harder to define, each episode invites listeners to step into a world just slightly off-kilter.

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