While we're taking our summer break (because even ghost hunters need a vacation), we're treating you to one of our most chilling historical deep dives. Journey back to the 14th century—a time when "social distancing" meant hiding from the Grim Reaper himself. In this gripping episode, Lee, Josh, and Jen unravel the catastrophic nightmare that was the Black Death—a plague so devastating it wiped out nearly a third of Europe's population and turned entire cities into graveyards. But wait, there's more morbid fun! We fast-forward to meet Samuel Pepys, the 17th century's most entertaining diarist, whose writings give us a front-row seat to the Great Plague of London. Think of him as history's first influencer, except instead of posting about avocado toast, he was documenting mass death and societal collapse. From eerie similarities in public hysteria to fascinating differences in crisis management, this episode connects medieval mayhem to early modern madness—proving that humans have been spectacularly bad at handling pandemics for centuries. Perfect summer listening for when you need a break from current events! 🕯️ Like what you hear? Hit that subscribe button, smash the like, and share with your fellow weirdos! Help feed the algorithm beast so we can keep bringing you the strangest stories from history's darkest corners. Keep it Strange, Strangers! 🔮 All Video & Audio Edited By Jeremy of Schroeder Audio Contact The SSOS: Email: SSOSpodcast@gmail.com TikTok: @SSOSpodcast Instagram: @secretsocietyofstrangerspod Facebook: Secret Society of Strangers Podcast Merch: Available - check out our linktree Sources: Primary source material from Samuel Pepys' diary entries (1665-1666) Medieval chronicles and church records documenting Black Death mortality rates Historical plague documentation from European archives Comparative analysis of pandemic responses across centuries