RUN, LITTLE MONSTER!

Episode #535 · Written by Chester S. Geier · Narrated by Scott Miller

The world has narrowed to scattered farms and small towns, where fear fills the gaps left by everything that was lost. In that fragile place, Fran lives under constant threat, surrounded by people who see weakness as something to exploit. When something inside her begins to change, the danger shifts. What once made her vulnerable may now be the very thing that keeps her alive—if she can control it.

Run, Little Monster! moves with the force of a chase that never truly stops. Fran is pushed beyond endurance, forced to rely on instincts she doesn’t yet understand. Each moment tightens the pressure. Those who pursue her believe they are hunting something dangerous, and that belief gives them a terrible certainty. As the distance between hunter and prey closes, the question becomes immediate: how long can she stay ahead?

A voice reaches her across an impossible divide, calm and steady where everything else is chaos. It offers direction, warning, and something she has never had before—connection. But trust does not come easily, especially when every mistake carries a cost. Fran must decide whether to follow that guidance or face what is coming alone.

The story unfolds in a landscape shaped by atomic war, where abandoned cities remain deadly to ordinary people. Survival has forced humanity backward, and anything outside that narrow world is met with fear. In that environment, difference is not tolerated. It is hunted.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chester S. Geier was a prolific contributor to magazines such as Weird Tales, Fantastic Adventures, and Amazing Stories during the 1930s and 1940s. His work often crossed between science fiction and horror, including stories like “The Return of the Mummy” and a wide range of supernatural and speculative tales that appeared in pulp publications.

Geier frequently explored transformation and hidden identity, placing characters in situations where being different carried immediate risk. Run, Little Monster! reflects that focus, using a post-atomic setting to heighten the tension between fear and survival while grounding the story in a single, relentless pursuit.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to Run, Little Monster! by Chester S. Geier – a vintage science fiction short story of pursuit, hidden power, and survival in a world shaped by atomic ruin.

ABOUT THE LOST SCI-FI PODCAST

The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast is the most listened-to vintage science fiction podcast in the world. Ranked the #1 Science Fiction Podcast in 43 countries and heard in more than 190 countries, the show has surpassed 4.2 million listens.

Each episode features carefully selected stories from the Golden Age of science fiction, professionally narrated. Timeless storytelling the way it was meant to be heard.

What listeners are saying:

★★★★★ “The best! Simply, the best vintage sci fi podcast ever. Great stories here that I would never have heard of if not for this podcast.”
— Johnny Vancouver

★★★★★ “Exceptional. The best scifi podcast I’ve come across. Fantastic stories are one thing, but I can’t count the number of times I have been disappointed by the quality of the voice acting. I am very happy to say, that the standard of both contained within these episodes is top notch. As is often the case, there are often elements within classic scifi that don’t age particularly well for numerous reasons, but they are few and far between. I think I will be blasting through the entire catalogue in no time and left waiting in anticipation for the next weekly addition. Great work!”
— blablahyaddayadda

Vintage science fiction. Professionally narrated. Carefully curated.

📬 JOIN LOST SCI-FI WEEKLY

40,000+ Listeners Can’t Be Wrong

Get vintage sci-fi stories, podcast episodes, and surprises every Monday.

FREE SCI-FI EVERY WEEK

✅ Check your email and confirm — that unlocks your free sci-fi downloads.

No spam in this galaxy. You can eject anytime.