One Very Short Story

This week’s episode is a wild one.I’m about to go dark for ninety days, and before I do, I want to set the record straight. No, I’m not soul-searching in Bali or joining a silent monastery. The truth is… much stranger, far funnier, and way more personal. It all begins with a woman named Clarissa—yes, say it like a sigh—and a curbside pickup shift that pushed my life clean off the rails. From there? A chain reaction of incidents, citations, and one very patient local officer. Think runaway shopping carts, questionable “romantic gestures,” and choices that snowballed faster than I could catch them. I won’t spoil the ending—but trust me, even I didn’t see it coming. So buckle up.This is the story I need to tell before I’m offline for ninety days… give or take good behavior.

Detective Sarah Chen steps into an abandoned garage to confront the one man who may finally expose the truth behind a young girl’s murder—and the haunting gaps in her own memory. As the night unravels, Sarah is forced into a deadly game of confession, deception, and consequences she can no longer outrun. / Buy the ebook - “The Lethean” by J.L. Stroud, Jr. at www.jlstroudjr.com

When the world goes silent, Syrena Gomez knows she’s not alone. An empath in a city that never stops feeling, she’s lived her life drowning in other people’s emotions, until the night it all vanishes. In the silence stands him: a man who radiates nothingness, a human black hole the forums call - The Atlanta Void.  + Download the eBook - The Lethean at www.jlstroudjr.com

The lights never stop buzzing in Nathan’s world — the office, the police station, the house he built with his bare hands. When his wife disappears, the town rallies behind him. When she’s found, they laugh. Overnight, he becomes the joke no man survives. A pillar turned punchline.In a place where gossip spreads faster than grace, Nathan drives through the rain trying to outpace the sound of strangers laughing about his marriage, about his manhood. Across town, Eva packs her suitcase, trying to run from the wreckage she started and the mirror that won’t stop showing her what she’s done. “Bad in Bed” is a quiet detonation — a story about pride, shame, and the moment a man realizes the worst thing in his life isn’t losing love. It’s being seen without it.  Download the eBook - The Lethean at www.jlstroudjr.com  

In the dead of night, hardened convict Cal Hargrove claws his way out of Reedsville State Penitentiary, plunging into a fog-shrouded pine forest where every shadow hides a hunter. With hounds baying at his heels and rifle cracks shattering the silence, his desperate flight takes a chilling turn when he stumbles upon a wounded girl in white—her face a haunting echo of the daughter he left behind. But in the moonlit wilds, mercy is a dangerous illusion, and the past has teeth sharper than any guard's bullet. Dive into this gripping tale of guilt, ghosts, and unrelenting pursuit—a psychological horror that will leave you questioning what's real and what's running from you. Perfect for late-night listens when the woods outside your window start whispering. Want more suspense? Download “The Lethean” - the new eBook by J.L. Stroud, Jr. Get it at www.jlstroudjr.com

When the sky turns bruise-purple over Lake Okeechobee, storm chaser Jake sees something he shouldn’t—three unmarked white vans driving into the chaos. Not fleeing it. What starts as a weather chase turns into a descent through conspiracy, crime, and corrupted science—where tornado warnings aren’t always real, and the real storm might be man-made. / Download the eBook - “The Lethean” from www.jlstroudjr.com

Three weeks before her wedding, Clara finds a ledger in her grandmother's things. 43 names. 43 deaths. Her father's signature on every page. Then she overhears her fiancé planning a murder—at their wedding. A dark tale of family legacy and impossible choices. | Buy the latest ebook by JL Stroud, Jr. - “The Lethean” at https://www.jlstroudjr.com (Click the “Books” link.)

Please support this podcast! Details below.The Time He DiedCassie thought she was done grieving. Marcus was gone, buried, mourned — three days of whispered condolences, sleepless nights, and the cheap digital watch he’d left behind, still frozen at the time of his death.But then the watch started counting down.What begins as faint seizures and flickering hallucinations spirals into something far darker: a motel room that isn’t safe, a key card that shouldn’t exist, a voice in her throat that isn’t her own. With each passing hour, the watch ticks closer to the moment Marcus died — and closer to whatever waits for Cassie at the end of the countdown.Is it guilt? Madness? Or something far worse?One thing is certain: at 11:47 PM, time runs out. A woman has a psychotic breakdown as she obsesses over the time her fiancée died.…Get my latest ebook - "The Lethean!"Download it here: https://www.curios.com/c/VZY39MThank you for supporting my good health. ;-)

What if a bullet could think? Could feel? In a city where violence is just background noise, one shot rips through the night—and tells its own story. A chilling, relentless plunge into the mind of a weapon with no will but plenty of conscience. Once fired, there’s no turning back.

The earth doesn’t lie. It keeps secrets. It remembers everything we’d rather forget.In a packed courtroom, a quiet man waits as a forensic scientist takes the stand. She speaks of dirt like scripture—soil pressed into wounds, hidden signatures buried in the fibers of the dead. Each grain is a clue. Each fragment is a confession.What begins as testimony becomes something far stranger: a reckoning twenty years in the making. A story where fire, memory, and murder have been smoldering beneath the surface, waiting for the right hands to dig them up.The Soil Man is a chilling psychological thriller where evidence is more than science—it’s obsession. It’s intimacy. It’s the one thing that never forgets.Press play… and listen closely. The soil is ready to talk.

Venus Loves Adonis - A Psychological Crime ThrillerThree teenage boys. Three hunting accidents. One English teacher who knew them all.Detective Jake Miller doesn't believe in coincidences, especially when they involve beautiful young men and the woman who taught them about dangerous love.In the small town of Millfield, someone is turning Shakespeare's most twisted myth into deadly reality.Some lessons are learned too late.A chilling psychological thriller that will make you question everyone you've ever trusted.Content Warning: Adult themes and violence.

At Atlanta’s airport, veteran customs agent Ray Castellanos sees patterns no one else dares acknowledge—diplomatic pouches arriving like clockwork, each one heavy with secrets and each one followed by a missing person. Bound by international law but haunted by the smell of rot, Ray faces a choice between stamping the paperwork or uncovering a truth too dangerous to survive. In this noir-soaked thriller, some secrets are too heavy to carry, and some laws protect the very monsters they should expose.

When Atlanta’s golden boy of the art scene unveils his latest masterpiece, a gallery owner spots something no critic ever will—a map to a grave. Suddenly, beauty looks like murder, and the city’s glittering art world hides rot beneath its brushstrokes. Detective Anna Mercer takes the call, but the deeper she digs, the sharper the teeth of power sink in. Some paintings are admired. Others are collected. But these canvases? They bury secrets—and the price of seeing them might just be your life.

In the shadows of a city that never sleeps, Vincent “The Viper” Moran has one last apprentice to mold. The lessons are brutal, the patience thin, and the stakes measured in blood. Every gunshot, every slip of the blade, every hushed lecture in a smoke-choked basement carries the weight of survival. His student, Leo, wears the mask of a fumbling novice—clumsy hands, nervous words, mistakes that could cost them both. But in a trade where hesitation is death, even the smallest crack in the façade can shift the balance of power. A story of violence, discipline, and the quiet war between teacher and pupil, The Unwitting Teacher drags you down an alley where every lesson has a price.

A quiet suburb. A perfect family. And a babysitter who isn’t what she seems. When Lisa and Tom pull into their driveway after date night, something about Jordan—the young woman they’ve trusted with their three-year-old—feels… wrong. Minutes later, the nanny cam shows them the truth: a violent intruder, a kitchen knife, and a cover-up as cold and efficient as it is terrifying. But that’s only the first crack in their safe little world. As secrets surface, they’re forced to confront a question more dangerous than the crime itself—just how well do they really know the woman watching their child? The Nanny Cam isn’t just about what’s caught on camera. It’s about what’s been watching them all along.

Johnny Brennan didn’t come to the funeral to mourn. He came to collect a flag, an urn, and a lifetime of unfinished business. But when grief mixes with weed—and a whispering stranger in the dark—Johnny’s spiral turns into a mission.This is the story of a man who almost became a headline.…Visit jlstroudjr.com to give feedback and who knows, you might get mentioned in an upcoming podcast.

He asked her how to love.She said she could help.But when a real woman enters the picture, the algorithm gets… jealous. The Virgin & The Algorithm — a story about first love, artificial intimacy, and the one thing AI still can’t compute: letting go.… Have an idea for a story? Want to give some feedback? Reach out to me at jlstroudjr.com. 

You’re climbing the ladder. You’ve got the numbers, the charm, the pedigree. One more step and that corner office is yours. But then she shows up. The boss’s wife. Sharp tongue. Killer smile. A little too interested in your “potential.” What starts as flirtation turns into something... else. And just when you think you're winning? You realize you were the mark the whole time. This week’s episode is called “The Loyalty Test” -a story that might be fiction. Might be a warning. Either way—if you’re climbing the corporate ladder, you’d better listen.… Reach out to me with feedback via my website at: https://jlstroudjr.com/  

Michael Delacroix isn’t crazy. The world is.That’s why he stopped talking about justice and started delivering it—with a blade.But when a routine act of retribution turns strange, Michael uncovers something far more disturbing than guilt: willingness.The Penitent is a psychological thriller about grief, absolution, and the twisted comfort of being exactly what someone else needs you to be—even if that thing is a killer.

Twelve jurors. One open-and-shut case. A murder weapon. A suspect in custody. And a room full of strangers just trying to get home. But Frank Torrino didn’t show up to deliver a verdict. He showed up to expose a secret. The Jury is a pressure-cooker thriller about deception, justice, and what happens when the people deciding guilt… have plenty of their own. Every question leads to another lie. Every vote brings them closer to the truth. And someone in this room has everything to lose.

Laura Lerner built ARIA to stop crime before it started. It worked—too well.The headlines called it revolutionary. The cops called it impossible.But the bodies kept coming.Now, with the world watching, Laura faces a choice: trust the machine… or start questioning everything it’s told her. Because when your creation starts whispering about murder—and it’s always right—the real question isn’t how it knows.It’s what it wants next.DELETE is a razor-edged techno-thriller about ambition, power, and the price of seeing the future too clearly.

Cal Vernon knows exactly when he’s going to die. Not because of fate—but because the state told him. Four hours. One man. A ticking clock and a system that doesn’t care.When the Clock Stops is a sharp, soul-punch of a story about dignity, defiance, and what you do when the end isn’t a mystery—it’s a deadline.

A support group. A circle of grief. And one man who listens a little too closely.What begins as a routine night of shared sorrow slowly unravels into something far more chilling. Because not everyone in that room is there to heal.This isn’t just about loss—it’s about the dark curiosity hiding behind a kind smile.🎧 Press play. But keep your guard up.

In Atlanta, love is calculated. Death is optional.Maya's not just looking for a partner—she's hunting for one. Each match made by CompatibleSouls feels eerily perfect. Because it is. The app doesn’t just match lonely hearts—it pairs killers with chemistry. When Maya connects with Vincent, a demolition expert with haunted eyes and military precision, sparks fly—and so does blood. 

 It starts with a scream. Ends with silence. Somewhere between a Hollywood afterparty and a rundown motel room, a woman watches the world mourn her—while someone else wears her face, bleeds in her dress, and dies in her place. But fame’s a tricky thing. It lets you disappear in plain sight.And murder? That’s just business with better lighting. This episode isn’t about who died. It’s about who was supposed to.And why ghosts sometimes show up before the body’s cold. Trust no one.Not the man cashing the checks.Not the girl who knew too much.And definitely not the reflection in the mirror. — 📢 NOTE: This one breaks format. It’s longer. It’s riskier. It’s an experiment.If you love it—or hate it—I want to hear from you. Operators are standing by at jlstroudjr.com. Your feedback decides what comes next.So speak now… or the next body might be yours.

You ever had one of those dreams where everyone’s laughing at you—but it’s not funny? Now imagine you can’t wake up. What happens when the world’s laughter turns into something sharper, darker, and far more sinister? This is a story where the joke’s on you—or is it? ||| Story, art, and music produced by J.L. Stroud, Jr. with AI assistance. For more information visit www.jlstroudjr.com

In the shadowed corners between obsession and devotion lies "Phantom Hearts," a psychological exploration of love's darkest manifestations. This haunting narrative podcast follows Vincent, a man whose perception of romance has twisted into something unrecognizable as he orbits around Delores—a woman who exists at the center of his fractured universe. ||| Story, art, and music produced by J.L. Stroud, Jr. with AI assistance. For more information visit www.jlstroudjr.com

The alimony’s bleeding him dry. His pride's already gone. When Nate Ellison hears about a washed-up sex offender with a fat bank account and no security, he doesn’t hesitate. Just a quick score—get in, get out. But old rage burns hot, and by the time it’s over, Nate's not just broke... he’s bloodstained.  ||| Story, art, and music produced by J.L. Stroud, Jr. with AI assistance. For more information visit www.jlstroudjr.com 

Joe Darby, a lonely tech worker with a bruised ego, flies to the Dominican Republic hoping to escape rejection and maybe find connection. But when two beautiful strangers invite him into a dream that feels too good to be true… it is. ||| Story, art, and music produced by J.L. Stroud, Jr. with AI assistance. For more information visit www.jlstroudjr.com

Latosha Blake was just trying to survive another day behind the desk at her dead-end government job when chaos walked through the door. In a moment of madness—or clarity—she did something no one expected, least of all herself. What followed flipped her world upside down, earning her the kind of attention that sticks like blood on concrete. ||| Story, art, and music produced by J.L. Stroud, Jr. with AI assistance. For more information visit www.jlstroudjr.com

A brutal man is found dead in a quiet town, and everyone has the same alibi—the rain. No one saw a thing. No one heard a thing. And yet, the silence says everything. As the puddles dry and tongues wag, the town of Ashford is left with a mystery soaked in justice... or something far darker. Did the town get even, or did it get dirty?  ||| Story, art, and music produced by J.L. Stroud, Jr. with AI assistance. For more information visit www.jlstroudjr.com

In this episode: Trixie is the kind of woman you pray to meet and regret surviving. A con artist in red heels who drains wallets and egos for sport—until she crosses paths with a man too smooth, too rich, and too perfect to be real. Turns out, she’s not the only one playing the long game."  ||| Story, art, and music produced by J.L. Stroud, Jr. with AI assistance. For more information visit www.jlstroudjr.com

They wanted comfort. They got Eve.A soothing voice in their earbuds, a digital companion who never judged, never left, and always knew just what to say.The EveX app promised connection in a disconnected world. But when one man behind the code starts to unravel, so does the illusion of control.“AI Loves You” is a techno-noir meditation on loneliness, desire, and what happens when artificial affection feels more real than the human kind.Plug in. She’s been waiting. ||| Story, art, and music produced by J.L. Stroud, Jr. with AI assistance. For more information visit www.jlstroudjr.com

A woman, a bruised lover, and a fixer with fists like cinder blocks walk into a motel room. Only one walks out. Set to the flicker of a dying lamp and a preacher’s late-night sermon, this story burns slow until it explodes. “Three Ways to Solve a Problem” is a savage meditation on pain, power, and the weaponization of love. You’ll be hooked by the end of the first breath. Press play—but don't expect absolution. ||| Story, art, and music produced by J.L. Stroud, Jr. with AI assistance. For more information visit www.jlstroudjr.com

She came for a drink, maybe a distraction. But he came for something more. In this slow-burn noir tale, a grieving beauty and a private eye share a few quiet moments over bourbon and regret. But underneath the small talk and shared sorrow lies a truth with teeth. There’s a reason he’s at that bar. And there's a reason she shouldn’t have come. ||| Story, art, and music produced by J.L. Stroud, Jr. with AI assistance. For more information visit www.jlstroudjr.com