Dust and Echoes

Darius Enlo is five thousand days into a lonely mission to harvest a comet that will exponentialize Earth's AI models. Onboard are the scientists who will execute the plan on arrival, frozen in ice for the long haul. Watching over them alone is Darius, a transit caretaker.  But when an impossible message arrives from deep space claiming the mission is a death sentence for "his people", Darius must make a choice. Does he trust the AI-lead world government's models? Or...does he trust the voice speaking to him from the dark? He knows he's alone...but someone is definitely watching. The Caretaker is a tense, claustrophobic sci-fi thriller about the price of following orders and the courage it takes to break them. Written and Read by the Author, James Cawley 

Stewart believes he is just waiting out the clock. Retired, invisible, and adrift in a life that feels increasingly gray, he drives into the high Utah wilderness not to find something new, but to escape the quiet nothingness of home. He tells himself he is ready for the end. But the mountain has a way of calling a bluff. When a sudden winter storm buries the remote road and traps him in a freezing whiteout, the silence of the desert strips away Stewart’s defenses. Isolated in the crushing cold, he is forced to confront the terrifying truth about his own resignation. As the temperature drops and the world dissolves into white, Stewart discovers that the line between accepting death and fighting for life is razor-thin...and that the mundane life he took for granted might be the only thing worth burning for. A story about the stubbornness of the human heart and the savage clarity that only comes when the cold finally breaks in. ----more----GIVEAWAY!  And finally, a special offer for the listeners of Dust and Echoes. I am opening the doors to my premium audio platform, and I want you there first. I am giving away a free one-year VIP subscription to the first ten people who email me right now. That’s full access to over 50 original audio-book style stories (new ones added each week), some of which you can’t hear anywhere else. Want to win?  This is what you do: Open your email and send the word VIP to: EnterTheDust@gmail.com The first ten emails to hit my inbox get the year for free. Good luck.   ----more---- OFFICIAL GIVEAWAY RULES & DISCLOSURES The Offer: The first ten (10) individuals to email "VIP" to the designated address will receive a free 1-year subscription to the Weekly Stories platform. Winner Determination: Winners are determined solely by the timestamp of receipt in the Host’s email inbox server. Eligibility: Must be 18 years or older to enter. Void where prohibited by law. Prize Fulfillment & Beta Status: Delivery Timeline: Access to the service is part of a "Pre-Launch" phase and may be subject to a delay of up to Thirty (30) days from the date of winning notification. Subscription Term: The complimentary one-year subscription period begins upon the Winner's successful activation and verification of their account credentials, not the date of the email entry. "As Is" Condition: Winners acknowledge that the platform is in a developmental/beta state. The service is provided "AS IS" and may contain bugs, errors, or experience temporary downtime. Limitation of Liability: As this is a complimentary service provided at no cost, Winners agree that no compensation, refunds, or alternative prizes will be offered for technical issues, software failures, or service interruptions during the subscription period. Privacy & Data Rights (GDPR/CCPA): By initiating contact via email for this promotion, you explicitly consent to the processing of your email address for the purpose of winner notification and offer fulfillment. Residents of the European Economic Area (GDPR) and California (CCPA) acknowledge that this interaction constitutes a voluntary submission of data. Your information will not be sold to third parties or added to general marketing lists without further explicit consent. No Purchase Necessary: A purchase or payment of any kind will not increase your chances of being in the first ten. Right to Cancel: The Host reserves the right to cancel or modify this promotion at any time if fraud or technical failures destroy the integrity of the giveaway.  

Sent to the dreary, isolated Oregon coast to stay with a grandmother they barely know, two city teenagers find themselves trapped in a war that is older than they are, and far more terrible. Their family's history is the town's curse, and the only path to survival demands that they sail directly into the heart of the darkness. This is a story about the agonizing choice between running from your past, and the moment you decide to burn it all down.

Thomas Reid is a literary star, his bestselling novel The Factory Grave, a golden ticket out of his blue-collar past. But the life he built withing a remote mountain fortress, the perfect family, the critical acclaim....it all feels like a fraud. He is haunted by a suffocating "survivor's guilt", a feeling that drives him back to the Utah wilderness for a reunion with Rudy, the best friend he left behind.   He went for penance. He went to prove he hadn't changed. In the cold, gray light of the mountains, a single rifle CRACK shatters the silence. Thomas is faced with a choice: his new life, or the truth. He chooses the new life. He buries his secret under a blanket of pine needles, crafts the perfect lie for the sheriff , and walks away, a good actor in the role of a grieving friend. For two years, the lie holds. He is safe.   But some graves don't stay closed. And in the remote, quiet dark of his fortress, Thomas is about to learn that the man he buried... isn't the one who is coming back for him.

What if you found a VHS tape... that showed you the future? It's 1992, and Clint Mercer is a lonely man living a quiet, predictable life. His only solace is the local video rental store, a relic of a bygone analog era. But when the clerk hands him a mysterious, unlabeled cassette with one word on it ...REWIND! his world is shattered. It's not a movie. It's a prophecy. Clint watches, horrified, as the grainy, handheld footage shows him events that haven't happened yet, a future he can't even comprehend. The tape's cryptic message is clear: if he doesn't rewind it, it will all come true. But the future doesn't want to be changed. The moment Clint decides to act, he learns that something is guarding the timeline. Creatures of static and shadow begin to crawl from the dark corners of his apartment, whispering his name, their only goal to stop him from pressing that button. This episode of Dust and Echoes is a gripping story about a man in a race against time, armed only with a failing VCR and a flashlight. It's a chilling blend of supernatural thriller, 90s nostalgia, and analog horror that asks: if you had the power to save the world, could you survive the things trying to stop you? If you love stories about cursed objects, found footage, or "what if" time travel thrillers, this episode was made for you. Written and performed by the author, James Cawley.  Like this?  Want more?  Please SUBSCRIBE and LEAVE A RATING.  

Jack's a long haul trucker that's not just hauling freight. He's cursed with a psychic radar for evil...a 'Thump' in his skull that screams for blood, freezes the cab with spectral dread, or heralds true, ancient darkness. Blackmailed by a demonic 'Dispatcher' holding his sister's life as leverage, Jack is now on a cross-country run with an impossible cargo: a sealed, freezing trailer that's a beacon for every monster on the map. From roadside serial killers to rival psychics, Jack's about to discover he's not just making a delivery...he's hauling the key to the apocalypse. Buckle up, because the haul has begun, and on this highway, there's no turning back. Part 1 of a multiple part series: "THE BLACKTOP SAINT" book series.  GET THE COMPLETE EBOOK FREE,  https://www.dustandechoespodcast.com/ Written, produced and performed by the author, James Cawley

A collection of some of my favorite original short scary stories, volume 1.  What if the things you trust most...the deep silence of the woods, the familiar voice of a loved one, a desperate cry for help in the dark...were all just bait? For this special episode, Dust and Echoes presents a triptych of terror. Three Original Tales of Terror from author James Cawley that explore the unsettling truth that we are never truly alone, and that something ancient is learning how to get closer. These stories take you from a solo camping trip where the wilderness is watching back, to a locked door with a terrible choice on either side, to the bottom of an old, dry well where a voice is waiting for a hero. These aren't just scary stories. They're glimpses into a world where our safe places are being mapped, our voices are being recorded, and our very compassion is being used as a lure. Want to support the podcast? Get a copy of my latest book, THE SILENT https://a.co/d/iY72C2L Check out our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@DustandEcho

Seeking total solitude in the vast, silent corners of the Utah desert, a traveler believes he's finally alone. But the darkness is listening...and waiting.  When a relentless siege begins against the thin fabric of his small tent, he is forced to remember the ancient, whispered rules of the night: Don't speak, don't whistle, and never, ever tell the darkness your name. This is a terrifying psychological battle against a patient predator that specializes in mimicry, using the voices of the loved ones he's lost. Our traveler will fight to survive the long, dark night, but sometimes, the greatest horror isn't what's trying to break down your sanctuary...it's the rules you forget, before you encounter it. Support the podcast by purchasing a copy of my first book, The Silent:  https://a.co/d/5pbBJBW Written and performed by the author, James Cawley 

REDEMPTION An Original Dust and Echoes Cinematic Western by James Cawley Under the searing Utah sun, where the San Juan River cuts through stone and silence, a quiet frontier life is set ablaze. When a brutal betrayal rips her world apart, Emma Hawthorne rises from the ashes...scarred, armored, and guided by something far older than the church bells that once tried to tame her. Redemption is not your typical western. It’s a vengeance-soaked, faith-fractured, desert-burning odyssey. A cinematic audio drama where religious power turns violent, colonial myth collides with Indigenous truth, and one woman’s grief is forged into something unstoppable. Redemption is an Original Dust and Echoes Story in Audiobook style Podcast form.  Written and performed by the author, James Cawley   Looking for the perfect SCARY SHORT STORY???   👉JAMES CAWLEY'S SKINWALKER More on our website: https://www.dustandechoespodcast.com

After the funeral and the estate sale Thomas stays behind to spend one final night alone in his childhood home.  To say goodbye before it's sold.  The rooms are now empty. But something still moves in the silence. As he clings to fading memories, something within the house begins to respond. A slow-burning tale of guilt, loss, and the dark things that wait in places we think are safe. Written and performed by the Author, James Cawley. 

Some roads lead to what people would rather forget. In the backroads of Indiana, the corn grows high enough to swallow the horizon. Mile after mile of silent rows, where sound dies and even daylight feels heavy. Farmers tell their children to stay clear of the fields after dark. Hunters avoid them altogether. And still, the missing persons reports grow. This is the story of what Jenson and Susan McBride stumbled into one late summer evening when a wrong turn, a stranger, and a simple act of kindness led them into a darkness beyond imagination. Part crime story, part rural legend, The Corn Witch is a descent into isolation, obsession, and the terror that grows wild when no one’s looking. A Dust and Echoes original story, written and performed by James Cawley.

Three hundred years after the fall of the old world, the survivors live not in cities… but inside their skeletons. High above the vine-choked ruins of what once was Manhattan, the Stone Tree Clan endures among the rooftops guided by firelight, memory, and the stories passed down since the first flames were lit. Stories that remind them of the sins that burned the world… and of the one law that has kept them alive: Stay close to the flame. Remember the stories. Never go into The Down Dark. But rules can’t hold forever. The Down Dark is a haunting tale of survival, silence, and the weight of tradition in a world built on ashes. A cinematic story told in the rhythm of oral myth, kept alive through fearing the shadows of the past. From Dust and Echoes, this is James Cawley’s The Down Dark

Some places will never let you go. Jeff Bauer thought he escaped his hometown of Burley, Idaho. He traded wheat fields for Hollywood lights, childhood ghosts for film scores and awards. But a phone call from an old childhood friend drags him back into the nightmare that he thought he'd escaped.  Developers are unearthing the farmland where two kids once hid things that they hoped would always stay buried. Now, Jeff must confront the dungeon once again....the town he fled, the boyhood pact he broke, and secrets the Idaho soil refuses to keep. In Burley, silence is currency, memory is a trap, and loyalty can cost more than blood.   Listen to past episodes and see what's next at:  https://www.dustandechoespodcast.com

Long before covered wagons creaked across endless sagebrush and steam locomotives chased the horizon...something ancient arrived from the cold stillness between distant galaxies, and it buried itself deep into the red clay of Shoshone land.  And there, it waited for the old man and the girl.  Generations later, Dzoon awakens it. The visions it brings are unlike anything he’s ever known...not memories, but omens. Fire. Ruin. A ghostly old woman. A warning... A fragile thread of hope that his people might survive a new darkness rising in the East.  Dzoon and Shaya must take a stand to keep the ember of their people alive and protected, before everything is buried behind the coming silence. This is a story about ghosts trapped within the walls of our history. About language, land, and the choice between forgetting the spark of who we really are...or lighting the fire inside ourselves, fighting to preserve the flame to wait out the night. Told in a cinematic, audio-book style by the author and host of Dust and Echoes, James Cawley.  The Sky We Carried blends myth, ancestry, and prophecy into a story that refuses to be forgotten. More stories and peek at what's coming next at:  https://www.dustandechoespodcast.com    

Dust & Echoes is a fiction podcast blending horror, mystery, adventure and suspense in original short story form. Each episode is a cinematic, immersive experience drawing you into tales of the strange, the forgotten, and the haunted parts of being human. Written and performed by author James Cawley, Dust & Echoes delivers a modern campfire experience, one story at a time. Unheard. Unpublished. Until now.  New episodes every Tuesday.  Each one a new original story.  ------------ See what's coming next at:  https://www.dustandechoespodcast.com

When neurosurgeon Garrett Goodwin boards the Celestia Maris with his family, he’s looking for quiet. But in the heart of the Bermuda Triangle, the ocean gives him something else: silence. The kind that feels… alive and watching. As strange orbs appear on the horizon and a boy in the ship’s medical wing whispers in someone else’s voice, Garrett is drawn into a nightmare of reality that science can't explain. The Bermuda Meridian is a psychological thriller that blends cosmic horror with intimate human dread, taking you deep into the terrifying unknown...and into the parts of ourselves we pretend don’t exist.

He took the deckhand job with no experience and no questions asked. Just a one-way ticket to somewhere quiet. A chance to disappear. After years of bad choices and time served, Joey’s ready to leave everything he broke behind. But the further the small fishing boat he gets from land, the more dread builds inside Joey's mind.   What begins as a quiet escape drifts, in thick fog, into darker waters. And as the isolation deepens, Joey starts to suspect this boat was never headed where they claimed...and learns, firsthand, that past the breakers, the dark depths of the ocean keeps its own secrets. The Deckhand is a haunting, slow-burn descent into suspicion, survival, and the choices that pull us under. See more of my stories and what's next at: https://www.dustandechoespodcast.com

In a remote desert canyon lost to time, a weathered archaeologist uncovers the final thread of a mystery he’s chased his entire life, a forgotten Indigenous city hidden beneath the stone. But when a mountain lion encounter leaves him broken, bleeding, and alone, survival becomes a brutal reckoning. Blending myth, memory, and a fire-lit confrontation with the past, Library in the Desert is a visceral tale about what we choose to remember… and what was never ours to claim in the first place.

Out in the wasteland, something still ticks, a briefcase unshackled from a dead chief’s wrist, armed with codes from the old world. Now, a Tribal sheriff must race through a post-apocalyptic Vegas to stop a warlord wearing a stolen face. This isn’t hope. This isn’t redemption.  This is Humanity’s last stand, and it rests on the back of one man. The Fifth Number is an original story by James Cawley, host of the Dust and Echoes podcast.  Make sure to SUBSCRIBE and tell a friend.  I'll have another new original story for you EVERY TUESDAY.  Visit our website to see what's next and to view past episodes at:  https://enterthedust.com

The world ended with a sound. Low, strange, and final. Entire cities froze. The Silent remained: breathless, wide-eyed, deadly if you fall asleep. A gambler, a swimmer, a rock star, and a physicist race toward a rumored safe zone as the last signal counts down. But what they find isn’t safety, it’s the truth behind the end. The Silent is a gripping survival thriller where sleep isn’t rest, it’s a death sentence. Make sure to SUBSCRIBE and tell a friend.  I'll have another new original story for you EVERY TUESDAY.  Visit our website to see what's next and to view past episodes at:  https://enterthedust.com