Short Haunts - The Sprinter

A locked factory stands silent after hours.Stacks of industrial tyres line the floor.Then, from somewhere in the darkness, something starts to run.In this Short Haunt, listener Jaco Labuschagne shares a deeply unsettling account from Johannesburg in 2001, when a night shift inside a tyre repair factory turned into an experience he has never forgotten.After agreeing to work alone overnight, Jaco hears what sounds like heavy footsteps breaking into a sprint through the building — fast, loud and close enough to send him to the floor in terror. But when he searches the factory with a tyre iron in hand, every door is locked, every hiding place is empty, and there is no one there.The story also touches on later experiences in Jaco’s family home, including the glimpse of a childlike figure peering into a bedroom and strange lights captured on video while he practised music — suggesting that whatever he encountered may not have been limited to one place, one night, or one country.Tense, atmospheric and grounded in workplace testimony, this is a story about night shifts, phantom footsteps, haunted factories and the frightening moment when a sound in the dark becomes impossible to explain.Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe, leave us a rating, and drop a review. It really helps the show reach more listeners. Here's where to find more:Support the show: Patreon (patreon.com/hauntedukpodcast) | Ko-fi (ko-fi.com/hauntedukpodcast)Follow us: Instagram @hauntedukpodcast | TikTok @hauntedukpodcast | X @hauntedukpodWebsite: https://hauntedukpodcast.com/Produced by Pink Flamingo Sound Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.