Imagine waking up in the middle of the night. Your eyes are wide open. You can see your room. You can hear the quiet around you...but there's one problem. You can't move. Your body is completely frozen.

And then...you realize you aren't alone.

Across the world for centuries, people have reported the same chilling encounters during sleep paralysis; shadowy figures standing at the foot of the bed, something sitting on their chest, whispers in the dark, or the overwhelming feeling that something evil is lurking inside their room.

Today, Christine explores the science, the folklore, and Mel shares her own chilling experiences of sleep paralysis. So turn down the lights, get cozy, and maybe keep one eye open!

Today we talk about Elizabeth Smart; a 14 year old girl who was abducted from her bedroom in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2002, in the middle of the night by a man who had previously worked in her family home. Elizabeth endured nine months of captivity, manipulation and abuse before being found alive. Her story of survival captivated the world and ultimately helped change conversations around victim advocacy and recovery.

In 1994, a young woman named Allison Botha was abducted, brutally attacked and left for dead in the South African wilderness. Her injuries were catastrophic and by every definition, she should not have survived.

But she did.

This is a story of unimaginable violence- but more than that, it's a story of sheer willpower and the human instinct to live.

Listener discretion is advised- this episode contains disturbing details.