Satan's Hollow: Does Ohio Have a Portal to Hell?

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WARNING: This video contains graphic language; viewer discretion advised.

BLUE ASH, Ohio — Can you get to hell from a storm drain in southern Ohio? Some who’ve been gathering at ‘Satan’s Hollow’ in southern Ohio think so. According to WCPO, many claim eerie things happen at the drain located in Hamilton County, things like screams during the night.

Now that enough rumors have spread about the alleged portal to hell, Satan worshipers, horror fans, and paranormal enthusiasts have begun congregating — and trespassing on private property, causing an issue for homeowners and police.

The two-man team of David Scott and John Stephens of IPRAstrong.com, who create a web series on the paranormal as well as the above video Satan’s Hollow – The Tunnel to Hell, decided to wait until sunset to enter the storm drain, according to the Scott, who checks behind his back almost as much as he looks at the camera while introducing the urban legends the drain is known for. “This place is notorious for Satan worshipers that will come in here and sacrifice animals and even humans,” he says.

Why are they going inside a dark, damp, creepy, eerie, (privately owned) storm drain? “We’re going to try to capture some awesome stuff. There’s a legend over here about a tall shadow figure called ‘The Shadow Man.’ People say this is a demon. Some people say this is really an evil spirit. Either way, we’re going to see if we can find him,” Scott says.

Will it be scary, you think? Scott assures us, “It’s totally, completely pitch black in there.”

Question answered: Yes, it will be scary.

You know why I think David Scott is wearing sunglasses in broad daylight while he recounts the stories of Satan’s Hallow? So no one sees his tear-stained eyes that are a direct result of him bawling and squalling while trying to convince himself to go into a dark underground hole and see if the boogeyman is hanging out. That would be the case for me. No. Doubt.

“They have something in there they call the altar room, and that’s where they would supposedly sacrifice the bodies,” he continues.

At this point, I would need not only sunglasses, but also Kleenex. And a compass and some fast running shoes.

“This place has been around quite a while, people hear screams at night; it’s literally like in the middle of the woods, super creepy,” Scott says.

At least he is fully aware that it’s super creepy. Bears and alligators are more welcome in my campground than is this storm drain tunnel to wherever.

And now… bring on the night vision camera! And a switch from sunglasses to traditional clear lenses. Good for Scott for being brave enough to want to actually see what’s inside.

“Okay, it’s sunset right now and we’re heading in. I don’t know how far this thing goes down, but we keep hearing like really strange noises in there,” Scott says as he begins the trek.

NOTE: If the phrases ‘…don’t know how far this thing goes down’ and ‘ keep hearing really strange noises’ come out of your mouth, that is your brain signaling your body to turn around and tear out.

“Throughout this investigation, it’s going to be really awkward as far as audio goes because there’s an extreme echo so everything we say is going to be echoed,” Scott explains. Echo?! Doesn’t the echo tell you not to go?!? Oh, wait. All storm drains have echoes because sound bounces off the concrete so easily. Whew. “I think it’s going to make it all the more creepy for us.”

“If we don’t come out of here alive…. yeah… strong,” Scott says finally, before entering the darkness of the tunnel.

The video shows a lot (A LOT) of graffiti on all of the walls that are visible, which makes one wonder: If it’s so dangerous, who has time to hang out and create a bunch of spray painted vandalism/art?

Then, the long, water-sloshing walk into the unknown.

“This is seriously creepy and, like, claustrophobic,” Scott says from somewhere inside. “It is really really weird. I’ve never been in a place like this before. It’s really weird, so we’re in. We’re in.”

Yeah, you’re definitely in. And you need to get out. Out of there. Now.

Who knows how far in we are for the next shot? Scott points out large pentagrams and 666 spray-painted on the tunnel walls; the lens turns around to give our first glimpse of camera operator John Stephens, who looks innocent enough, nodding his head in agreement to Scott’s declaration, “There you have it. Satan worshipers.”

Well, I don’t know about that… Is that absolute proof? Is this really any more dangerous than a regular storm drain? Storm drains are, however, quite dangerous. Most or all were not created for middle of the night human (or otherwise) visitors.

What’s next?

Oooh! We see a ladder! That’s great news. These boys need to scurry on up that ladder and get out of there. They show us a lighted opening at the top of the ladder and then another tunnel heading off to one side, into darkness. Which of the two paths will they choose?

Scott, apparently running camera now, shows both paths and says, “I think we’re gonna…” just before Stephens finishes his thought, “Boo!” Now it’s getting to be a little bit fun to watch, except for the part about being in the middle of the rumored portal to hell.

But Stephens looks different next time we see him — a little concern in his expression — and there are some weird, squealing noises coming from somewhere.

Maybe it’s just crickets. Giant crickets with huge fangs dragging chains across a dungeon floor.

More darkness. More weird noises. (This is what they call the belly of the beast, methinks.) Stephens reconsiders where he is and what he’s doing. “I’m afraid of f—–g people coming down here,” he says.

You said it, John. And whatever people you would find in a place like that after dark are probably much scarier than dungeon crickets.

“Right now we’re hearing like, footsteps, like there’s somebody running,” Stephens says.

Scott turns the camera on himself to comment, “It’s really creepy in here, but you can see that now. We’re hearing something treading through the water, like foot steps. It’s really creepy.”

It’s been really creepy for a while, you guys. “Haunted or not haunted, this place is just freaky… as f—,” Scott says.

Whoa. Sit down for what happens next.

Stephens speaks into some sort of handheld electronic audio device. “Is anyone here with us tonight?” he asks.

“Just me.”

Who the heck was that?!?

Stephens asks another question. “Do people come down here and worship Satan?”

“Yes.”

(I really don’t think any of us are expecting a different answer.)

“Can you tell us what these tunnels are called?” Stephens asks. For the record, Stephens is doing plenty of looking around every way his head will turn throughout this interrogation.

For a second, seems like there’s going to be no answer. But alas…

“Satan.”

“Oh no.” (Not sure I heard those words exactly, but not being an expert and all, I’ll go with the IPRA team’s captioning on this one.)

Stephens asks, “Who is The Shadow Man?”

“Satan.” (That answer comes through loud and clear.)

“Stop.”

Stephens questions Scott. “Did he say stop?” Oh well, let’s just keep asking questions in case that’s not what we heard.

“Why do they call this Satan Hollow?” Stephens asks.

“Prison.”

I don’t know about the rest of you, but to me, prison is sound pretty good right now.

Again. “Prison.”

“Is this place haunted?” Stephens asks.

“It is. Yes.”

“Do people come down here and worship the devil?” he asks.

I think we all know what the answer is going to be.

“Satan.”

My bad. I thought it was going to be a simple, ‘Yes.’

Stephens keeps going. “Was somebody murdered down here?

“Yes, right here.”

Right where??

“They say people come down here and sacrifice animals and humans,” Stephens says. ”

“Shut up.” (That’s according to the captions.)

“Is that true?” Stephens presses. These guys should have their own show. Oh, wait. They kind of do.

“Yes.”

Why stop there? Stephens continues. “Can you tell us the name of the person who was sacrificed?”

“Jake.”

Quick, call every friend you have named Jake.

But David Scott and John Stephens are going for confirmation.

“Is this just an urban legend or is it real?” Stephens asks.

“No. It’s real.”

How come that’s not good enough? Why does Scott take the microphone/speaker contraption and Stephens takes over camera?

Perhaps it is to see if the same questions get the same answers. Aha.

Scott asks, “Is there anybody down here with us?”

“Yes.” Uh oh. Same answer as before.

“Hi.”

‘Hi?’ Who asked for that? Well, now, this voice sounds friendly. Perhaps a group of boys riding around on their bikes in the evening air are playing with walkie talkies and all these signals are getting mixed up and that’s really all this is.

“Help us.” Now is the time to retract the comment about how friendly whoever is on the other side of the microphone sounds.

“Where is The Shadow Man located?” Scott wants to know.

“Here.”

David Scott does not seem to move his head around quite as much as John Stephens, but his eyes are open very, very wide.

“You want to go home?” Scott asks.

(Yes, I do, but he’s not asking me and I’m not even really there; I’m just 3/4 the way through his video.)

“Home.”

Smart ghost.

“Why can’t you leave?” Scott wants to know.

“Help.”

“Can you call out to God and ask him to take you from this place?” Scott asks.

“Take.”

Scott’s eyes are as big as saucers at this point. That alone is a reason to watch. My eyes have been this big since they said they were going into a dark tunnel at sunset, so I am not belittling these guys at all.

Scott’s not sure about what he heard. “Take?” “Clear?”

Either way, guys, let’s ‘take’ our stuff and ‘clear’ out of here. Pronto. But first, Scott has a question.

“Do you want to leave?” he asks.

“Yes.”

Scott stares at Stephens for a second. Maybe they only have a two-seater.

“Hard to.”

Scott repeats to Stephens, “It’s hard to.”

“Have you tried asking God to help you?” Scott asks.

“Yes.”

Not clear who he’s referring to, but Scott says someone now is “really p—-d off.”

“Do you guys believe in God?” he asks.

“Yup.”