Blackwood Sanitarium Haunting

Noah Kancz

Welcome back to the Frightengale Files, everybody. I’m Noah, that’s Mitchell across the table looking way too eager for an abandoned psych hospital, and you all know Paige—

Paige Kancz

Hey, still here, still playing bodyguard whether I wanna or not. But before you get too comfortable, this episode’s special. We dragged someone else into this disaster with us.

Ashten Kancz

Oh, “dragged” is generous. I made my will on the drive over. Hi, I’m Ashten, cousin, designated panicker, and I want the record to show: I did not want to be here. I am only here because—well, family, unfortunately, means you end up in places like this instead of watching true crime reruns with a weighted blanket.

Mitchell Kancz

You’re gonna be fine, Ash. You always say you won’t come, and then you literally grab my arm and don’t let go. I mean, museums have less security than you.

Noah Kancz

So, tonight’s adventure: Blackwood Sanitarium. Operational from 1927 until it closed in ’82. Fifty-five years, dozens of deaths, three staff vanished without a trace, and some of the most questionable “treatments” in medical history. People here didn’t recover. They…disappeared. And tonight, we’re going to see if anything was left behind—besides a pretty robust collection of health code violations.

Mitchell Kancz

All right, we’re inside the lobby, which is…about one tremor from falling down. Ceiling’s caved in, there’s mold patchwork everywhere. And Ashten is now using me as a human leash. Could be worse?

Ashten Kancz

If you let go, I’m leaving. Do you see that floor? Pretty sure that’s not a floor. It’s…memories and asbestos. Possibly older than any of us put together.

Paige Kancz

Sydney was supposed to meet us, but she called from the gas station in town—said the clerk literally told her “Don’t” when she mentioned the sanitarium. Just “Don’t,” and walked off. Not confidence-inspiring, honestly.

Ashten Kancz

Finally, someone who gets it. “Don’t” is the best advice we’re gonna get tonight. We should all be at home, letting someone else volunteer as supernatural bait. And also, if nobody else is thinking about what’s living in these walls…I hope you like bacteria with a personal history older than electricity.

Mitchell Kancz

Wait. Everybody stop talking. Did you hear that? Like…scraping? Somewhere above us.

Ashten Kancz

Yeah, yeah, I heard it five minutes ago. I’ve been staring at the exit the whole time, but no one listens to the “I hear something, let’s run” person in horror movies, do they?

Noah Kancz

Sound definitely came from upstairs. Two, maybe three rooms over—Sydney’s pointing up. Let’s check it out. Ash, you coming?

Ashten Kancz

You already know the answer. “Comedy relief dies third,” right? I mean, this is literally how every bad ghost movie starts. I can hear my therapist already.

Ashten Kancz

Third step’s rotted through, don’t step on it unless someone wants a complimentary tetanus booster and a ghost story.

Ashten Kancz

So, tetanus and ghosts. This trip has everything! Why aren’t there warning signs—"Abandon all rational hope, ye who enter here"?

Noah Kancz

History check—this floor used to be general patient wards, twenty beds to a room. Bare bones staff, zero privacy, and conditions that would’ve gotten you arrested in any decade after, like…1950?

Mitchell Kancz

Hang on. The door at the end of the hall? Pretty sure that was shut yesterday when Sydney and I scouted. Did someone come back in after us?

Ashten Kancz

Ash, real question. You believe in this stuff?

Ashten Kancz

Absolutely, and that’s the problem. You’re all walking around like it’s a theme park, but someone screamed themselves hoarse in here. We’re just intruders with microphones, poking traumatized spirits with a stick and calling it journalism. So yeah, I believe, and I’m terrified because I know what happened in buildings like this.

Noah Kancz

We’re here to document, not provoke. I mean…someone has to record these stories so people don’t forget what happened.

Ashten Kancz

Call it what you want. We’re poking at old wounds and hoping nothing pokes back.

Mitchell Kancz

Did you guys—? That was not the wind. I’ll admit it now. Door just slammed on the next floor up. That was…something else.

Ashten Kancz

Okay, time to go. I’ve hit my spooky building limit! Let’s just say we heard a…draft and call it a win for team sanity.

Ashten Kancz

That came from the psychiatric ward upstairs. Noah, you don’t need to say it—yeah, I know, “we should check it out.”

Noah Kancz

Yeah we do. But guys, stick together.

Mitchell Kancz

This place…there’s something wrong here. Everything sounds…echoey? Just…empty.

Ashten Kancz

Cells are still intact. Padding torn up. Bed frames—look at the straps, all rusted to nothing. Patients were literally restrained here. Not much “healing” as advertised.

Ashten Kancz

Honestly, I’m gonna be sick. This wasn’t a hospital. It was a torture chamber. Why are we recording here, again? These walls have years of…screams. This isn’t—

Paige Kancz

Pause, Ash, deep breaths.

Noah Kancz

So, this was the site of lobotomies, hydrotherapy tanks, shock “therapy”—most of it without anesthesia. You spent a week here, you left missing more than your dignity.

Ashten Kancz

It’s…I just keep thinking, how many people screamed in these rooms? Were they even heard, or just…filed under “treatment” and forgotten?

Mitchell Kancz

Even I’ll admit this place is different. I mean, we’ve done morgues before, abandoned hotels…none of them felt this wrong. Like…we shouldn’t be here.

Ashten Kancz

Do you guys feel that? The air’s—it’s heavy. Like, pushing down on your chest?

Noah Kancz

Mitchell, grab the EMF. Let’s see—oh, okay, that’s new. It spiked all the way, then died. Battery’s dead, that’s a first.

Ashten Kancz

Temperature’s tanked—like twenty degrees in the last minute. Ash, you good?

Ashten Kancz

I was never good. “Ghosts and hypothermia: the Ashten Kancz story.”

Mitchell Kancz

…Did everyone hear that?

Noah Kancz

That was…“Help me.” Through the static, clear as day. Everybody heard that, right?

Ashten Kancz

No. Nope. No. I’m done. Leaving. Good luck with your haunted hospital, I’m not dying here—

Mitchell Kancz

Voice was right at the end, that busted door. Same room with the open door from before.

Noah Kancz

We have to check that room, guys. This is why we’re here. Ash, please?

Ashten Kancz

I’m not going. Noah, Mitchell, Sydney—this isn’t funny. That thing wants us in there. I won’t. Not even for you guys.

Ashten Kancz

But there’s something in there that wants to be found. It’s not gonna let us leave until we do.

Mitchell Kancz

Voice again. Closer. “Help me. Please.” That’s…yeah, that’s not just an echo, it’s…pleading. Okay, Ash—I’m going. I’ll be quick. Just—

Noah Kancz

Careful, seriously.

Mitchell Kancz

…Guys…oh my god.

Noah Kancz

Mitch? What are you seeing? Talk to us.

Mitchell Kancz

It’s—scratch marks. All over. Walls, ceiling, floor. Like—clawing. Years of it. Someone never left this room.

Ashten Kancz

Get out, Mitchell. Now. Out. Do not touch anything.

Mitchell Kancz

Names are carved in the wall. Dozens. Dates next to every one. Oh…one more, three weeks ago. But…this has been abandoned for decades.

Ashten Kancz

Wait. That’s impossible. Nobody’s been here—to leave a date three weeks ago? That’s…wrong, this is so wrong.

Noah Kancz

Mitchell, get out. Now. I mean it, just—

Mitchell Kancz

Something’s—do you hear that? Something’s breathing—

Ashten Kancz

Noah, pull him out. Now. I’m not—I can’t—

Mitchell Kancz

Door—guys door—

Mitchell Kancz

AHHH—

Noah Kancz

Mitchell! Hold on! Door won’t budge!

Ashten Kancz

Try from the hinges, Noah! C’mon, help me!

Ashten Kancz

Break it down! Just—break the damn door! I don’t care what’s behind it, get him out!

Noah Kancz

I’m trying, Ash! It’s not working, it’s…it’s stuck. Like glued, or…locked by something else.

Mitchell Kancz

—

Paige Kancz

Mitchell?

Ashten Kancz

He’s stopped yelling—

Noah Kancz

Just a sec—wait, did it…? The door’s opening—by itself.

Mitchell Kancz

I’m—out. I’m okay. Just…don’t touch me. Please. I need air.

Noah Kancz

Mitch—what happened? Are you hurt?

Mitchell Kancz

Cold. Something touched the back of my neck. Cold. Like…actual fingers. This wasn’t just a ghost—it was there.

Ashten Kancz

We’re leaving. Now. Nobody argues. Let’s go.

Ashten Kancz

For the record, I told you all to leave an hour ago. Didn’t need cold hands on my neck to know this was a bad idea.

Noah Kancz

Wait, the field recorder is still running in there. Do we—do we need to grab it?

Ashten Kancz

No! Forget the equipment! Mitchell, can you walk? We’re leaving. Data doesn’t matter—as long as you’re alive.

Mitchell Kancz

I’m walking. Let’s move. Don’t wait. Just—get out.

Noah Kancz

Out, out, out. Door’s open—run, just—run.

Ashten Kancz

Everybody in the car. Now. Move!

Mitchell Kancz

Okay, seatbelt’s on. Nobody’s bleeding, right?

Noah Kancz

Mitchell…you okay? You’re white as a sheet.

Mitchell Kancz

I saw her. In the room. Woman in a hospital gown, just…standing there in the corner, mouth open. Like she was screaming, but no sound. Just open mouth, pain, and nothing came out.

Ashten Kancz

Don’t talk about it. Stop thinking about it. It’s the only way you’re gonna sleep tonight.

Ashten Kancz

Wait—those scratches, you said shoulder height, right? Not down where the beds are?

Noah Kancz

Yeah? What’s that mean, though?

Ashten Kancz

It means whoever did the scratching wasn’t strapped to a bed. They were free. Probably not a patient. Probably staff. That’s…worse.

Ashten Kancz

So, we just met the ghost of someone who tortured people here. That’s just…fantastic. Exactly what this family needed.

Mitchell Kancz

Those names—they’re victims. That spirit isn’t trapped. It’s still…hunting. Still collecting.

Noah Kancz

That can’t be possible. Even after all we’ve seen, there’s gotta be another explanation.

Ashten Kancz

All of this is impossible, and yet—here we are. Thanks for bringing me, by the way. If anything follows me home, you’re both blocked in my phone and I’m moving to another zip code.

Ashten Kancz

We need to see if anyone’s gone missing around three weeks ago. The timing of that last carving—it’s important. I’ll check after we get back.

Noah Kancz

Deal. Once we’re home, I’ll dig. But for now, I’m just…driving. Nobody look in the mirrors.

Noah Kancz

I know none of us are talking, but…doesn’t feel right to break the silence.

Ashten Kancz

I felt all of them. Not just the ghost, but everyone who died here. Every person who suffered. They’re…still there. Still hurting. And there’s nothing we can do to help them.

Mitchell Kancz

Isn’t that always the worst part?

Ashten Kancz

Okay. I’m saying it: this was my last time. I’m out. I love you all, I do—but I can’t keep doing this just because we share DNA. This is it for me.

Noah Kancz

Ash, c’mon, you know we’re better at this together. You’re family. That still means something, right?

Ashten Kancz

It’s the only reason I ever said yes. But family shouldn’t mean reliving other people’s nightmares. I’m done.

Ashten Kancz

Uh—guys? The EMF in my bag…is back on? It’s at max. I turned it off myself. Battery was gone. It’s—why is it doing that?

Mitchell Kancz

That’s impossible. The whole unit was dead. We saw it. Sydney, turn it off—please?

Ashten Kancz

It’s—lighting up just like in the room. You saw it, Mitch. Same pattern, same sound.

Noah Kancz

Something followed us. From Blackwood. It’s…with us now. It’s not done.

Ashten Kancz

No…no, no, no, no, no.

Paige Kancz

Uh, static’s coming through the recorder. Did anyone else—

Noah Kancz

Wait—listen. There’s a voice in the static—

Paige Kancz

Thank you for visiting.

Mitchell Kancz

That’s not a help me. That’s a—thank you. It wanted us there?

Ashten Kancz

Oh god. That’s worse

Noah Kancz

It’s Noah. Just me, now. Different setup—Paige’s kitchen, not the studio. Since Blackwood—uh—we haven’t all been together. Mitchell hasn’t slept, Ashten won’t answer calls, and Sydney quit the podcast. So. Update: Police found a hiker’s body near the sanitarium, missing three weeks. The last date on that wall. I went through state archives—every name Mitchell carved in his notebook, twenty-three total, matches an unsolved case, all over forty years. This was…real. All of it.

Noah Kancz

Paige barely talks. Mitchell flinches at anything that slams. Sydney won’t come back. That “thank you” in the static—I keep thinking about it. That wasn’t gratitude. That was…something seeing us, wanting to be found, wanting to be known. I don’t know if we’re gonna keep doing Hollow Hill. Maybe some things shouldn’t be recorded. We can’t unknow it, and somebody’s always listening—alive or not.

Noah Kancz

This was Hollow Hill. And honestly? Maybe don’t. Maybe don’t listen to this episode. Some things are better forgotten.

Mitchell Kancz

Let’s, uh…maybe take a break for a while. Listen to something that won’t keep you awake at night.

Ashten Kancz

If you want closure, you’re not gonna get it here. Goodnight, and good luck. I’m disconnecting, for real.

Paige Kancz

Hang in there, listeners. Family looks out for each other, right? I’ll do that, just…not in haunted hospitals next time.

Noah Kancz

Take care. Maybe we’ll be back. End recording.