It’s no secret that Black Americans and Africans have what you might gently call a “complex” relationship. “Insecure” star Yvonne Orji, for example, is one of several prominent performers of African origin who’ve spoken publicly about some of the negative things Black Americans have said about her Nigerian roots — and she’s also hinted at the less-than-flattering perceptions many on the continent hold about Americans. Colonialism, racism, and the oppressor’s age-old divide-and-conquer strategy have all shaped how we see each other. As Nigerian writer Ohimai Amaize puts it, both groups often regard each other with an uneasy social distance.

Audible’s new scripted podcast, “Sacrilege: Curse of the Mbirwi,” explores that tension through a chilling, supernatural lens. Starring “Stranger Things” actor Caleb McLaughlin, the story follows 17-year-old Dashon Wallace (voiced by McLaughlin), whose luxury family safari to Zimbabwe takes a terrifying turn after they unwittingly desecrate a sacred burial ground. In doing so, they unleash Mbirwi, an ancient spirit that begins to haunt the Wallaces — forcing them to confront long-buried family secrets, personal demons, and the deeper complexities of the Black American and African divide.

“Growing up,” says McLaughlin, now 23, who rose to fame at age 13 on “Stranger Things,” “I’d say, ‘I’m African American.’ But as you learn more, you realize — no, you’re African too. African American culture is different, and our history in America is different. One of the lines my character says is, even being in the Motherland, in Africa, he still feels like he’s not home. It’s so deep. And those are the kinds of nuances [writer] Nyasha Hatendi touches on in the story.”

Once the Wallaces awaken the evil spirit, they’re forced to face not just a supernatural threat but also the darkness within themselves. That premise also pushed McLaughlin into new creative territory. “Sacrilege: Curse of the Mbirwi” is a fully audio production, and for the first time, the actor couldn’t rely on his face, hands or body language to convey emotion — only his voice.

He recorded the podcast over six eight-hour sessions in a booth with just headphones, working to express Dashon’s initial innocence, followed by growing terror and fear. “I didn’t realize how exhausting it could be just [acting] vocally the whole time. You have to be really expressive,” he says. “So it stretched me as a creator.”

While “Sacrilege: Curse of the Mbirwi” wrestles with major themes of identity, belonging and diaspora tension, McLaughlin is quick to remind listeners that it’s also a full-on psychological thriller. As a core cast member in “Stranger Things,” one of the most celebrated horror franchises of the modern era, he knows a thing or two about what makes a story scary.

“Horror brings the good and the bad out of people,” he tells BET.com. “We’re all not perfect, and when you’re going through the worst thing you can think of — and add a monster — there’s a battle that you have to face within yourself. This is a horror story, but it’s about love and family and finding peace.”

“Sacrilege: Curse of the Mbirwi” is currently available on Audible.