December 4, 2025 • 31 mins
Christmas Eve in a small-town church takes a terrifying turn in this chilling holiday horror story. “The Pageant”brings you into the heart of Christmas traditions gone wrong, filled with suspense, mature themes, and dark secretslurking beneath the carols and candlelight. Janet Monroe, caught up in the high-stakes drama of running the church’s Christmas pageant, confronts eerie happenings and a mysterious stranger that threaten to unravel everything she holds dear.
Perfect for fans of mature-themed spooky stories and chilling tales set during the holiday season, this episode explores how a seemingly innocent Christmas event transforms into a haunting narrative of fear and suspense. Experience a terrifying Christmas story that will keep you on the edge of your seat this holiday season.
Pour some cocoa, dim the lights, and get ready for an unforgettable Christmas horror experience brought to you by Weekly Spooky.
The Pageant — by Morgan Moore
This episode is sponsored by Cozy Earth — ultra-soft, temperature-regulating bamboo sheets, comforters, and loungewear that keep you warm without overheating while you binge scary movies. Get comfy, my spookies! 41% off at CozyEarth.com with code SPOOKY — supports the show!
🎧 LISTEN NOW and subscribe for spine-tingling horror stories every week!
🎉 Unlock exclusive bonus episodes and support the show on Patreon!
👉 WeeklySpooky.com/Join
📬 Contact Us / Submit Your Horror Story!
🎵 Music by Ray Mattis 👉 Check out Ray’s incredible work here !
👨💼 Executive Producers: Rob Fields, Bobbletopia.com
🎥 Produced by: Daniel Wilder
🌐 Explore more terrifying tales at: WeeklySpooky.com
Perfect for fans of mature-themed spooky stories and chilling tales set during the holiday season, this episode explores how a seemingly innocent Christmas event transforms into a haunting narrative of fear and suspense. Experience a terrifying Christmas story that will keep you on the edge of your seat this holiday season.
Pour some cocoa, dim the lights, and get ready for an unforgettable Christmas horror experience brought to you by Weekly Spooky.
The Pageant — by Morgan Moore
This episode is sponsored by Cozy Earth — ultra-soft, temperature-regulating bamboo sheets, comforters, and loungewear that keep you warm without overheating while you binge scary movies. Get comfy, my spookies! 41% off at CozyEarth.com with code SPOOKY — supports the show!
🎧 LISTEN NOW and subscribe for spine-tingling horror stories every week!
🎉 Unlock exclusive bonus episodes and support the show on Patreon!
👉 WeeklySpooky.com/Join
📬 Contact Us / Submit Your Horror Story!
- Twitter: @WeeklySpooky
- Facebook: facebook.com/WeeklySpooky
- Email: WeeklySpooky@gmail.com
🎵 Music by Ray Mattis 👉 Check out Ray’s incredible work here !
👨💼 Executive Producers: Rob Fields, Bobbletopia.com
🎥 Produced by: Daniel Wilder
🌐 Explore more terrifying tales at: WeeklySpooky.com
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
The Christmas pageant is in full swing. Halo's straight, Carol's Sweet,
until one stranger in the back pew smiles like he's
waiting for something awful to happen, and as he grins,
the night becomes much much less holy. How did you
(00:34):
get in here? Ho? Ho? What's that you want to
be scared? Come with me? This is Weekly Spooky. Hello,
(01:15):
my spookies. It's not Wednesday, it's Thursday. But that won't
stop me because all December long we're releasing shows with
a holiday flavor to make sure you have a very
scary Christmas. In fact, tomorrow we'll have a brand new
(01:41):
novella just for you to enjoy as you begin your
first weekend in December. And tonight we're heading to a
Christmas pageant where not everyone is what they seem. But
before we get to that, I want to say thank
you so much for tuning in and joining us for
(02:02):
this trip through Yule Tide Fear. And if you want
to support us in a very direct way and get
two bonus shows every single month, well, head to Weeklyspooky
dot com slash join for as little as one dollar
a month, you get two bonus episodes exclusive audiobooks and
(02:25):
five years of creepypasta readings. That's Weeklyspooky dot Com slash Join.
This episode is also sponsored in part by cozyearth dot com.
They feature the softest, most luxurious bedding, loungewear, and my
favorite bathrobes. High quality, highly absorbent, and very very cozy.
(02:51):
If you head to cozyearth dot com right now and
use promo code Spooky, you get forty one percent off
your order, and every order supports Weekly Spooky directly. So
head tocozyearth dot com and use promo code Spooky now.
As for tonight, imagine your hometown church on Christmas Eve,
(03:16):
the parking lots full of snow dusted cars, every pew
is packed, and somebody's kid is up front in a
crooked halo, ready to say there one big line. For
most people, the Christmas pageant is the safest night of
the year. Soft candlelight, familiar carols, the same old story
(03:42):
again and again. Now imagine one woman who needs it
to be perfect. She needs the applause, the respect, the
quiet nod from the pastor, and to make sure she
met with a stranger in a sharp coat who calls
tonight his special Christmas Gift and It'll never be forgotten.
(04:14):
The Pageant by Morgan Moore. Janet Monroe was a mess,
not in the sense that some people call themselves a
mess to refer to their mental health. Nor was she
messy in her appearance. Now she was a mess in
(04:37):
that she was in a difficult spot and felt utterly confused.
Janet had been selected to run the yearly Christmas pageant
for her church this year and threw herself into the task.
It was something she had wanted to be in charge
of for years, just as most of the women in
(05:00):
the church did. Being in charge of the pageant was
a sign of social status. After all, only those whom
the pastor believed would best serve the community were allowed
to do it, which often meant they spent time at
the church under his supervision, and nobody would complain about that,
(05:25):
especially the women of the congregation. It also meant, foolishly
that the person chosen best exemplify the values and spirit
of Christ and Christmas. Everybody knew that in reality, it
was no different than a popularity contest amongst most of
(05:48):
the members, akin to class president or prom royalty. But
Janet wanted it, and after years of waiting, she was
given the chance. The ball was in her court, and
she was determined to hit it out of the park. Unfortunately,
(06:10):
it was why she was a mess. Janet wiped tears
away from her eyes with the sleeve of her coat.
The winter wind was stinging her face and made her
tears painful as they welled up before running down her face.
She had retreated out here to attempt to gather herself
(06:34):
and maybe, just maybe, with enough will power, would wake
up from what was surely and absolutely just a bad dream.
That was the mindset ten minutes ago when she first
came out. Now she knew this was her reality, her life,
(06:56):
and she stayed in the cold, wanting to assis escape
the embarrassment. For two weeks, rehearsals had gone without any issue.
The gym that made up a fair portion of the
church building, aside from the sanctuary itself, had been a
one stop workshop for the whole production, from prepping costumes
(07:20):
in what few props would be needed, to having a
mock stage put together for the actors to work around.
There was a small area with a piano for the
choir to practice as well. Janet's cast was made up
mostly of the younger church goers, but did feature some
of the teenagers for a few parts. Plus there was
(07:44):
the choir. Her own children, Andy and Mollie were part
of the cast as well. Two weeks of running back
and forth between school and church and the house and
anywhere else the family needed to go or to get
supplies for the production flew by. Yet Janet never let
(08:05):
the chaos go off the rails. She always believed she
thrived in craziness and was showing that was indeed the case.
In a way, she thought of herself handling the pageant
like a ring master controlling a three ring circus. But
(08:25):
that was until going on fifteen minutes ago. As she
checked her watch for the time. It was the night
of the pageant and Janet had gathered everybody for a
dress rehearsal from the jump. Something seemed a tad off,
but not too terribly. She chalked it up to nerves
(08:49):
throughout the cast, choir and miscellaneous helpers. Nothing too serious,
Janet thought, maybe they just need a quick break to
gather themselves. She excused herself from the gymnasium to go
to the kitchen and gather up some treats. Some of
(09:12):
the church volunteers had been baking cookies and brownies throughout
the day for the cafe near the sanctuary to sell tonight,
and Janet figured if a platter or two went missing,
it wouldn't matter too much. When she returned to the gym,
(09:32):
everything was a chaotic mess. Boys were fighting to the
extent that they were falling into and breaking parts of
the makeshift stage. The elder girls of the ensemble were
bickering over who knows what. Younger kids were running around screaming, crying,
(09:53):
and dirtying up their costumes. Even the choir director and
other adults were our king. Everything that could go wrong
was going wrong, and it was just too much for Janet.
She dropped the platters nestled in her arms and let
them crash to the ground as she ran out of
(10:17):
the gymnasium. At first, she race walked through the church
to try to find her husband, Paul or the pastor.
The pastor was a no go, which wasn't too unexpected
considering how popular he was with those who worked at
the church and those who came for worship, not to
(10:41):
mention the fact that it was Christmas Eve. A shame.
She thought he could get everything running smoothly again, and
unlike many of the ladies, would not give her grief.
Her husband, however, was located and it was near the
(11:06):
cafe where she found him talking to a small group
of his friends. Paul caught sight of her and smiled,
with Janet waving a hand to gesture him over. He
started to make his way there, but was pulled back
into the group by one leu Anne Philson. She was
(11:31):
the epitome of the stereotypical mean girl, a church going
woman who never left behind her days of being Queen
Bee in school. Moreover, she acted like she knew everything
and could never be wrong. Janet didn't often dislike somebody,
(11:55):
let alone claim she hated anyone. It wasn't the way
of the Lord to hate. Leu Anne Philson was an exception,
and Janet could at least rest knowing Paul wasn't a
fan of her either, He was only going along with
the tide of whatever the group was discussing. Still, it
(12:20):
didn't help her morale for her husband to have had
to see the distress on her face and not come
to comfort her, and that was when she decided to
get out of the church before she had a fit
Looking at her watch, Janet saw that it was fifteen
(12:41):
minutes until the Christmas Eve service was set to start,
which meant the pageant had a little under fifty minutes
until it started. How on earth am I going to
get everything settled in time? We can't even get through
dress rehearsal, so how am I going to wrangle everybody
(13:03):
for the actual show? These were the thoughts running through
her head as another blast of winter freeze smacked her face.
God damn it, she exclaimed, Unable to contain her frustration
any longer, even if it meant taking the Lord's name
(13:25):
in vain, Janet sighed and wiped away the last of
her tears. She turned to head back through the door
and bumped into a man. I'm so sorry, she said,
through chattering teeth and surprise. The man was well dressed,
(13:47):
at least in the moderate sense of most people who
came to church who weren't senior citizens. Black dress pants,
an open black long coat which showed a dark blazer,
white dress shirt, and a dark red tie. His hair
was blonde, and his facial features were an androgynous mix,
(14:11):
neither too feminine nor too masculine. It's no problem if anything.
I apologize for blocking your path, he told her. No worries, though,
I mean, I don't need to say that. It isn't
like you knew I was out here or even about
(14:31):
to come in. Janet responded fair enough. He answered. Something
about the man was alluring, not in any way that
a person thought of as being attractive. It was something
more in line with his presence. It wasn't to say
(14:54):
Janet didn't find the man on the attractive side, but
it wasn't his look books that caused something inside her
to tell her to stay. It was something more natural, metaphysical.
Even I'm sorry, I don't know if I've ever seen
(15:15):
you here before. Are you here for the holiday? Janet asked,
In a way. I'm always around, just not always noticeable.
I guess must just be one of those faces that
blends in, he said, with good humor. Maybe I'm usually
(15:38):
serving in some capacity, so that's why I don't recognize you,
she offered with a shrug. Perhaps, He replied, well, it's
nice to meet you. I'm Janet, A pleasure to meet you, Janet.
My name is Samiel, but you can just call me Sam.
(16:02):
He held out his hand and she took it without
a second thought. The grip was firm, but his skin
was as smooth as stone and provided a source of
warmth in the cold. Staring down at her, he tilted
his head in an inquisitive manner. What's troubling you? Something is,
(16:26):
But what exactly has you out here in the cold
on Christmas Eve? He asked. Janet blushed, You don't have
to worry about that. Well, clearly you have something on
your mind, and I have all the time in the world,
Samuel reassured her. You sure you really want to listen
(16:51):
to my problems, Janet questioned. He flashed a friendly smile.
If it helps you feel better, well, consider it a
Christmas gift from me to you. Janet smiled and giggled
a little. Well, it's just really that I'm in charge
(17:11):
of this year's pageant, and I really wanted it to
be as great as it could be. Well before I
came out here, I was bringing everybody a snack, and
the whole rehearsal area was in total chaos. All that
hard work flushed down the toilet, though at least it
(17:33):
wasn't near the actual stage. I guess I just really
wanted to do a good job and for it to
be special, to show that I'm a good part of
the church. Is that all, Sam asked. Janet looked down.
(17:54):
I really wanted to cement my spot as one of
the good ones. I guess that. And it just sucks
that I gave my all to this and it's going
to probably reflect badly on me. I know it's silly,
and this sounds like a little girl back in school,
(18:16):
but that's what a lot of the social life is
here unless you're really old. I just wanted to give
everybody a show that they wouldn't forget, something that would
give me an identity other than just another gal in
a church. Samuel nodded, So, is that what would be
(18:40):
at the top of your wish list for Santa Claus?
A laugh escaped Janet's throat and lips. Yes, I would
say that would be my one wish for Christmas. Her
acquaintance smiled and gave her hand another shake and a squeeze. Well,
(19:03):
I'm willing to bet you'll get all that you want
and more. The service was more of the same, no
different than any other Christmas Eve the congregation had witnessed.
If anything was different, it was that it wasn't as
(19:26):
showy as most churches tended to make any service any more. No,
despite the size of the sanctuary and building itself, it
was moderately snazzy, with all the warmth of a small
local event. Janet peeked out of one of the doors
behind the stage area and looked out at the crowd,
(19:50):
a full house. Unsurprisingly, the pageant was about to start,
and her nerves were still biting away at her. Talking
with Sam had helped relax her somewhat, but the anxiety
was still there, and seeing the sanctuary full of people
(20:11):
did it no favors. But it was show time and
it was time to hope and pray that everything would
at bare minimum go somewhat to plan. When some of
the staff had finished another song, the pastor came out
and gave Janet her introduction, making the Sign of the Cross.
(20:36):
Janet passed through her hiding spot in the doorway and
on to the stage. The audience applauded, and she gave
them smiles and waves as she hoped to hide her nervousness.
(20:56):
Good evening, everybody, Thank you for coming out tonight to
celebrate not just the holiday of Christmas, but the birth
of our king years ago. Every year our church puts
on a pageant to share with you the story of
Jesus's birth. This year, I was honored to be chosen
(21:18):
to be in charge of the pageant. The cast and crew,
and I've worked hard to put on something we feel
is special and best represents our community and our values.
At the end of the day, we're simply one family
brought together by our love of Christ. Enjoy. A wave
(21:44):
of applause sees Janet off as she makes her way
backstage to direct the music starting and the show begins,
and whether it simply was everybody willing to indulge the
Christmas spirit, happenstance, or her wish coming true. A Christmas
(22:06):
miracle occurred. The pageant went without a hitch, Nobody was
off key, out of time or place. There were no
technical difficulties. Not a single thing about the show was wrong.
It was flawless, with the choir being pitch perfect more
(22:28):
so than usual. Watching the whole show brought tears of
joy to Janet's eyes, and when all was said and done,
she wished that the church had live streamed their events
so that the night could be seen by more people
and live on for anybody to watch, any time, anywhere.
(22:53):
When the show was finished, the applause was thunderous, to
the point where Janet would almost swear that it was
making the Sanctuary shake at its foundation. The pastor strode
on stage and catching a glimpse of her in the wings,
waved her to join him. She did, and, at his side,
(23:16):
encouraged by the applause, took a bow. Well, Janet, I
don't speak for everybody, but I can safely say for
myself that that was quite possibly the best Christmas pageant
we've ever had here, the pastor exclaimed. More applause from
(23:38):
the congregation shaked Janet more. As she felt her face
reddening from the ovation and the praise, the pastor pulled
her in for a hug before handing the microphone to her. Wow.
I don't know what to say. All that comes to
(23:59):
mind is thank you everyone for being a part of
something so special tonight. Thank you God for letting us
all gather here to worship the birth of your son.
Thank you to my family for helping me through this production.
And again, thank you everyone out here tonight. This is
(24:20):
a night we won't forget. Janet exclaimed, passionately. The audience
roared with applause, and Janet stood on stage taking it
all in. She turned her head to look at stage right,
and in the wings saw Samuel softly clapping as he
(24:48):
smiled at her while she looked at him. Janet was
unaware at first of the shift in the crowd to her,
the roar still of applause. It isn't until she hears
a scream closer to her that her attention turns away
(25:08):
from Samuel and sees that Mollie has fallen down. Only
then does she realize the roar is not of applause
but terror. As she stared out into the audience, she
saw people running for their lives and falling to the ground.
(25:30):
She also saw the cause of it. A man dressed
in tactical gear with a gun was firing at anybody
and everybody he saw. Janet stood in frozen shock as
everything took place, and only made a movement when she
(25:51):
felt a bullet pierce her stomach with the sensation of
a stinging burn. Lying on the grid, Janet feels her
blood running out of her and watches as the carnage continues,
her vision obstructed by Samuel moments later, with a grin
(26:15):
on his face. I believe you are correct. This is
certainly a pageant. Nobody will ever be able to forget.
This is Janet attempted. Now, Now, no need to use
up too much energy. After all, you'll need it to
(26:39):
even try to survive, Samuel cood, Who who are you?
She managed to get out. I told you my name,
though I suppose I only told you one of my names.
When you've been around as long as I have, you
(27:02):
tend to be given numerous nomenclatures. It all depends, really
where I am and when, though I suppose anything beginning
with l Uci or me Eph usually is what I'm given.
Samuel offered an indifferent shrug. Janet's eyes widened as the
(27:27):
realization slowly came together in her mind. You you're out
of time, he said, with a smile, before turning his
attention away briefly. And so are you. It seems it
(27:48):
truly was a pleasure to meet you, Janet. Oh, don't
worry about Andy and Paul. They're quite safe. Your pastor
got most of your cast off the stage, and Paul
is with that other lovely lady. Something tells me they'll
recover well with one another. Samuel offered a smile before
(28:14):
walking off. In her gaze, Janet sees the assailant. He
cocks his head briefly before aiming his weapon at her face.
Merry Christmas, Well, my spookies, what a heavenly little disaster
(28:39):
that turned out to be nothing like a Christmas pageant
to prove the only thing holier than thou might be
the hole you end up in afterward. So if you're
stuck at a Christmas Eve service this year, do your
old uncle Henny a favor. Take a peek at the
back pew, and if you see a sharp dressed stranger
(29:02):
grinning like he wrote the ending, maybe blow out that
candle and jog politely to the parking lot. And we're
not done decking your hauls with horror. Tomorrow Friday we
trade pews for the Christmas Carnival by rob Fields, a
holiday fairground that shouldn't be open, rides that don't want
(29:25):
to stop in a midway, just dying to take you
for a spin. And on Saturday, we have a Christmas
horror compilation from the Weekly Spooky Vault waiting for you.
Stuffed with Yule Tide chills like leftovers you actually want
to eat, so make sure you're subscribed. And an extra
special thank you to our Patreon podcast boosters, folks who
(29:48):
head to Weeklyspooky dot com slash join and pay a
little extra every month to hear their names at the
end of the show. And they are Johnny Nicks, Kate
and Lulu, Jessica Fuller, Mike is Schuey, Jenny Green, Amber Hansford,
Karen we Met, Jack Kerr and Craig Cohen. Thank you
guys so much, and if you want two bonus episodes
every single month and maybe even to hear your name
(30:10):
at the end of every episode of Weekly Spooky, just
go to Weeklyspooky dot com slash join, sign up and
support us in a very direct way and help us
keep going and going as we continue past seven years
of Spooky on the weekly. But now it's time for
me to get back to work. There's so much more
to come, including a very interesting Christmas folklore episode of
(30:34):
Terrifying and True. So for myself, for my executive producers
Rob Fields and Bobbletopia dot Com, my producer Dan Wilder,
and my creepy composer Ray Mattis, I'll talk at you tomorrow.
Thank you for listening me. Make sure to find your
way back next week weekly, But for now you are safe.
(30:55):
Trust me.
The Christmas pageant is in full swing. Halo's straight, Carol's Sweet,
until one stranger in the back pew smiles like he's
waiting for something awful to happen, and as he grins,
the night becomes much much less holy. How did you
(00:34):
get in here? Ho? Ho? What's that you want to
be scared? Come with me? This is Weekly Spooky. Hello,
(01:15):
my spookies. It's not Wednesday, it's Thursday. But that won't
stop me because all December long we're releasing shows with
a holiday flavor to make sure you have a very
scary Christmas. In fact, tomorrow we'll have a brand new
(01:41):
novella just for you to enjoy as you begin your
first weekend in December. And tonight we're heading to a
Christmas pageant where not everyone is what they seem. But
before we get to that, I want to say thank
you so much for tuning in and joining us for
(02:02):
this trip through Yule Tide Fear. And if you want
to support us in a very direct way and get
two bonus shows every single month, well, head to Weeklyspooky
dot com slash join for as little as one dollar
a month, you get two bonus episodes exclusive audiobooks and
(02:25):
five years of creepypasta readings. That's Weeklyspooky dot Com slash Join.
This episode is also sponsored in part by cozyearth dot com.
They feature the softest, most luxurious bedding, loungewear, and my
favorite bathrobes. High quality, highly absorbent, and very very cozy.
(02:51):
If you head to cozyearth dot com right now and
use promo code Spooky, you get forty one percent off
your order, and every order supports Weekly Spooky directly. So
head tocozyearth dot com and use promo code Spooky now.
As for tonight, imagine your hometown church on Christmas Eve,
(03:16):
the parking lots full of snow dusted cars, every pew
is packed, and somebody's kid is up front in a
crooked halo, ready to say there one big line. For
most people, the Christmas pageant is the safest night of
the year. Soft candlelight, familiar carols, the same old story
(03:42):
again and again. Now imagine one woman who needs it
to be perfect. She needs the applause, the respect, the
quiet nod from the pastor, and to make sure she
met with a stranger in a sharp coat who calls
tonight his special Christmas Gift and It'll never be forgotten.
(04:14):
The Pageant by Morgan Moore. Janet Monroe was a mess,
not in the sense that some people call themselves a
mess to refer to their mental health. Nor was she
messy in her appearance. Now she was a mess in
(04:37):
that she was in a difficult spot and felt utterly confused.
Janet had been selected to run the yearly Christmas pageant
for her church this year and threw herself into the task.
It was something she had wanted to be in charge
of for years, just as most of the women in
(05:00):
the church did. Being in charge of the pageant was
a sign of social status. After all, only those whom
the pastor believed would best serve the community were allowed
to do it, which often meant they spent time at
the church under his supervision, and nobody would complain about that,
(05:25):
especially the women of the congregation. It also meant, foolishly
that the person chosen best exemplify the values and spirit
of Christ and Christmas. Everybody knew that in reality, it
was no different than a popularity contest amongst most of
(05:48):
the members, akin to class president or prom royalty. But
Janet wanted it, and after years of waiting, she was
given the chance. The ball was in her court, and
she was determined to hit it out of the park. Unfortunately,
(06:10):
it was why she was a mess. Janet wiped tears
away from her eyes with the sleeve of her coat.
The winter wind was stinging her face and made her
tears painful as they welled up before running down her face.
She had retreated out here to attempt to gather herself
(06:34):
and maybe, just maybe, with enough will power, would wake
up from what was surely and absolutely just a bad dream.
That was the mindset ten minutes ago when she first
came out. Now she knew this was her reality, her life,
(06:56):
and she stayed in the cold, wanting to assis escape
the embarrassment. For two weeks, rehearsals had gone without any issue.
The gym that made up a fair portion of the
church building, aside from the sanctuary itself, had been a
one stop workshop for the whole production, from prepping costumes
(07:20):
in what few props would be needed, to having a
mock stage put together for the actors to work around.
There was a small area with a piano for the
choir to practice as well. Janet's cast was made up
mostly of the younger church goers, but did feature some
of the teenagers for a few parts. Plus there was
(07:44):
the choir. Her own children, Andy and Mollie were part
of the cast as well. Two weeks of running back
and forth between school and church and the house and
anywhere else the family needed to go or to get
supplies for the production flew by. Yet Janet never let
(08:05):
the chaos go off the rails. She always believed she
thrived in craziness and was showing that was indeed the case.
In a way, she thought of herself handling the pageant
like a ring master controlling a three ring circus. But
(08:25):
that was until going on fifteen minutes ago. As she
checked her watch for the time. It was the night
of the pageant and Janet had gathered everybody for a
dress rehearsal from the jump. Something seemed a tad off,
but not too terribly. She chalked it up to nerves
(08:49):
throughout the cast, choir and miscellaneous helpers. Nothing too serious,
Janet thought, maybe they just need a quick break to
gather themselves. She excused herself from the gymnasium to go
to the kitchen and gather up some treats. Some of
(09:12):
the church volunteers had been baking cookies and brownies throughout
the day for the cafe near the sanctuary to sell tonight,
and Janet figured if a platter or two went missing,
it wouldn't matter too much. When she returned to the gym,
(09:32):
everything was a chaotic mess. Boys were fighting to the
extent that they were falling into and breaking parts of
the makeshift stage. The elder girls of the ensemble were
bickering over who knows what. Younger kids were running around screaming, crying,
(09:53):
and dirtying up their costumes. Even the choir director and
other adults were our king. Everything that could go wrong
was going wrong, and it was just too much for Janet.
She dropped the platters nestled in her arms and let
them crash to the ground as she ran out of
(10:17):
the gymnasium. At first, she race walked through the church
to try to find her husband, Paul or the pastor.
The pastor was a no go, which wasn't too unexpected
considering how popular he was with those who worked at
the church and those who came for worship, not to
(10:41):
mention the fact that it was Christmas Eve. A shame.
She thought he could get everything running smoothly again, and
unlike many of the ladies, would not give her grief.
Her husband, however, was located and it was near the
(11:06):
cafe where she found him talking to a small group
of his friends. Paul caught sight of her and smiled,
with Janet waving a hand to gesture him over. He
started to make his way there, but was pulled back
into the group by one leu Anne Philson. She was
(11:31):
the epitome of the stereotypical mean girl, a church going
woman who never left behind her days of being Queen
Bee in school. Moreover, she acted like she knew everything
and could never be wrong. Janet didn't often dislike somebody,
(11:55):
let alone claim she hated anyone. It wasn't the way
of the Lord to hate. Leu Anne Philson was an exception,
and Janet could at least rest knowing Paul wasn't a
fan of her either, He was only going along with
the tide of whatever the group was discussing. Still, it
(12:20):
didn't help her morale for her husband to have had
to see the distress on her face and not come
to comfort her, and that was when she decided to
get out of the church before she had a fit
Looking at her watch, Janet saw that it was fifteen
(12:41):
minutes until the Christmas Eve service was set to start,
which meant the pageant had a little under fifty minutes
until it started. How on earth am I going to
get everything settled in time? We can't even get through
dress rehearsal, so how am I going to wrangle everybody
(13:03):
for the actual show? These were the thoughts running through
her head as another blast of winter freeze smacked her face.
God damn it, she exclaimed, Unable to contain her frustration
any longer, even if it meant taking the Lord's name
(13:25):
in vain, Janet sighed and wiped away the last of
her tears. She turned to head back through the door
and bumped into a man. I'm so sorry, she said,
through chattering teeth and surprise. The man was well dressed,
(13:47):
at least in the moderate sense of most people who
came to church who weren't senior citizens. Black dress pants,
an open black long coat which showed a dark blazer,
white dress shirt, and a dark red tie. His hair
was blonde, and his facial features were an androgynous mix,
(14:11):
neither too feminine nor too masculine. It's no problem if anything.
I apologize for blocking your path, he told her. No worries, though,
I mean, I don't need to say that. It isn't
like you knew I was out here or even about
(14:31):
to come in. Janet responded fair enough. He answered. Something
about the man was alluring, not in any way that
a person thought of as being attractive. It was something
more in line with his presence. It wasn't to say
(14:54):
Janet didn't find the man on the attractive side, but
it wasn't his look books that caused something inside her
to tell her to stay. It was something more natural, metaphysical.
Even I'm sorry, I don't know if I've ever seen
(15:15):
you here before. Are you here for the holiday? Janet asked,
In a way. I'm always around, just not always noticeable.
I guess must just be one of those faces that
blends in, he said, with good humor. Maybe I'm usually
(15:38):
serving in some capacity, so that's why I don't recognize you,
she offered with a shrug. Perhaps, He replied, well, it's
nice to meet you. I'm Janet, A pleasure to meet you, Janet.
My name is Samiel, but you can just call me Sam.
(16:02):
He held out his hand and she took it without
a second thought. The grip was firm, but his skin
was as smooth as stone and provided a source of
warmth in the cold. Staring down at her, he tilted
his head in an inquisitive manner. What's troubling you? Something is,
(16:26):
But what exactly has you out here in the cold
on Christmas Eve? He asked. Janet blushed, You don't have
to worry about that. Well, clearly you have something on
your mind, and I have all the time in the world,
Samuel reassured her. You sure you really want to listen
(16:51):
to my problems, Janet questioned. He flashed a friendly smile.
If it helps you feel better, well, consider it a
Christmas gift from me to you. Janet smiled and giggled
a little. Well, it's just really that I'm in charge
(17:11):
of this year's pageant, and I really wanted it to
be as great as it could be. Well before I
came out here, I was bringing everybody a snack, and
the whole rehearsal area was in total chaos. All that
hard work flushed down the toilet, though at least it
(17:33):
wasn't near the actual stage. I guess I just really
wanted to do a good job and for it to
be special, to show that I'm a good part of
the church. Is that all, Sam asked. Janet looked down.
(17:54):
I really wanted to cement my spot as one of
the good ones. I guess that. And it just sucks
that I gave my all to this and it's going
to probably reflect badly on me. I know it's silly,
and this sounds like a little girl back in school,
(18:16):
but that's what a lot of the social life is
here unless you're really old. I just wanted to give
everybody a show that they wouldn't forget, something that would
give me an identity other than just another gal in
a church. Samuel nodded, So, is that what would be
(18:40):
at the top of your wish list for Santa Claus?
A laugh escaped Janet's throat and lips. Yes, I would
say that would be my one wish for Christmas. Her
acquaintance smiled and gave her hand another shake and a squeeze. Well,
(19:03):
I'm willing to bet you'll get all that you want
and more. The service was more of the same, no
different than any other Christmas Eve the congregation had witnessed.
If anything was different, it was that it wasn't as
(19:26):
showy as most churches tended to make any service any more. No,
despite the size of the sanctuary and building itself, it
was moderately snazzy, with all the warmth of a small
local event. Janet peeked out of one of the doors
behind the stage area and looked out at the crowd,
(19:50):
a full house. Unsurprisingly, the pageant was about to start,
and her nerves were still biting away at her. Talking
with Sam had helped relax her somewhat, but the anxiety
was still there, and seeing the sanctuary full of people
(20:11):
did it no favors. But it was show time and
it was time to hope and pray that everything would
at bare minimum go somewhat to plan. When some of
the staff had finished another song, the pastor came out
and gave Janet her introduction, making the Sign of the Cross.
(20:36):
Janet passed through her hiding spot in the doorway and
on to the stage. The audience applauded, and she gave
them smiles and waves as she hoped to hide her nervousness.
(20:56):
Good evening, everybody, Thank you for coming out tonight to
celebrate not just the holiday of Christmas, but the birth
of our king years ago. Every year our church puts
on a pageant to share with you the story of
Jesus's birth. This year, I was honored to be chosen
(21:18):
to be in charge of the pageant. The cast and crew,
and I've worked hard to put on something we feel
is special and best represents our community and our values.
At the end of the day, we're simply one family
brought together by our love of Christ. Enjoy. A wave
(21:44):
of applause sees Janet off as she makes her way
backstage to direct the music starting and the show begins,
and whether it simply was everybody willing to indulge the
Christmas spirit, happenstance, or her wish coming true. A Christmas
(22:06):
miracle occurred. The pageant went without a hitch, Nobody was
off key, out of time or place. There were no
technical difficulties. Not a single thing about the show was wrong.
It was flawless, with the choir being pitch perfect more
(22:28):
so than usual. Watching the whole show brought tears of
joy to Janet's eyes, and when all was said and done,
she wished that the church had live streamed their events
so that the night could be seen by more people
and live on for anybody to watch, any time, anywhere.
(22:53):
When the show was finished, the applause was thunderous, to
the point where Janet would almost swear that it was
making the Sanctuary shake at its foundation. The pastor strode
on stage and catching a glimpse of her in the wings,
waved her to join him. She did, and, at his side,
(23:16):
encouraged by the applause, took a bow. Well, Janet, I
don't speak for everybody, but I can safely say for
myself that that was quite possibly the best Christmas pageant
we've ever had here, the pastor exclaimed. More applause from
(23:38):
the congregation shaked Janet more. As she felt her face
reddening from the ovation and the praise, the pastor pulled
her in for a hug before handing the microphone to her. Wow.
I don't know what to say. All that comes to
(23:59):
mind is thank you everyone for being a part of
something so special tonight. Thank you God for letting us
all gather here to worship the birth of your son.
Thank you to my family for helping me through this production.
And again, thank you everyone out here tonight. This is
(24:20):
a night we won't forget. Janet exclaimed, passionately. The audience
roared with applause, and Janet stood on stage taking it
all in. She turned her head to look at stage right,
and in the wings saw Samuel softly clapping as he
(24:48):
smiled at her while she looked at him. Janet was
unaware at first of the shift in the crowd to her,
the roar still of applause. It isn't until she hears
a scream closer to her that her attention turns away
(25:08):
from Samuel and sees that Mollie has fallen down. Only
then does she realize the roar is not of applause
but terror. As she stared out into the audience, she
saw people running for their lives and falling to the ground.
(25:30):
She also saw the cause of it. A man dressed
in tactical gear with a gun was firing at anybody
and everybody he saw. Janet stood in frozen shock as
everything took place, and only made a movement when she
(25:51):
felt a bullet pierce her stomach with the sensation of
a stinging burn. Lying on the grid, Janet feels her
blood running out of her and watches as the carnage continues,
her vision obstructed by Samuel moments later, with a grin
(26:15):
on his face. I believe you are correct. This is
certainly a pageant. Nobody will ever be able to forget.
This is Janet attempted. Now, Now, no need to use
up too much energy. After all, you'll need it to
(26:39):
even try to survive, Samuel cood, Who who are you?
She managed to get out. I told you my name,
though I suppose I only told you one of my names.
When you've been around as long as I have, you
(27:02):
tend to be given numerous nomenclatures. It all depends, really
where I am and when, though I suppose anything beginning
with l Uci or me Eph usually is what I'm given.
Samuel offered an indifferent shrug. Janet's eyes widened as the
(27:27):
realization slowly came together in her mind. You you're out
of time, he said, with a smile, before turning his
attention away briefly. And so are you. It seems it
(27:48):
truly was a pleasure to meet you, Janet. Oh, don't
worry about Andy and Paul. They're quite safe. Your pastor
got most of your cast off the stage, and Paul
is with that other lovely lady. Something tells me they'll
recover well with one another. Samuel offered a smile before
(28:14):
walking off. In her gaze, Janet sees the assailant. He
cocks his head briefly before aiming his weapon at her face.
Merry Christmas, Well, my spookies, what a heavenly little disaster
(28:39):
that turned out to be nothing like a Christmas pageant
to prove the only thing holier than thou might be
the hole you end up in afterward. So if you're
stuck at a Christmas Eve service this year, do your
old uncle Henny a favor. Take a peek at the
back pew, and if you see a sharp dressed stranger
(29:02):
grinning like he wrote the ending, maybe blow out that
candle and jog politely to the parking lot. And we're
not done decking your hauls with horror. Tomorrow Friday we
trade pews for the Christmas Carnival by rob Fields, a
holiday fairground that shouldn't be open, rides that don't want
(29:25):
to stop in a midway, just dying to take you
for a spin. And on Saturday, we have a Christmas
horror compilation from the Weekly Spooky Vault waiting for you.
Stuffed with Yule Tide chills like leftovers you actually want
to eat, so make sure you're subscribed. And an extra
special thank you to our Patreon podcast boosters, folks who
(29:48):
head to Weeklyspooky dot com slash join and pay a
little extra every month to hear their names at the
end of the show. And they are Johnny Nicks, Kate
and Lulu, Jessica Fuller, Mike is Schuey, Jenny Green, Amber Hansford,
Karen we Met, Jack Kerr and Craig Cohen. Thank you
guys so much, and if you want two bonus episodes
every single month and maybe even to hear your name
(30:10):
at the end of every episode of Weekly Spooky, just
go to Weeklyspooky dot com slash join, sign up and
support us in a very direct way and help us
keep going and going as we continue past seven years
of Spooky on the weekly. But now it's time for
me to get back to work. There's so much more
to come, including a very interesting Christmas folklore episode of
(30:34):
Terrifying and True. So for myself, for my executive producers
Rob Fields and Bobbletopia dot Com, my producer Dan Wilder,
and my creepy composer Ray Mattis, I'll talk at you tomorrow.
Thank you for listening me. Make sure to find your
way back next week weekly, But for now you are safe.
(30:55):
Trust me.
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