December 22, 2025 • 30 mins
The demon has a name — Zurvan. For thirty years it waited, dormant within the charred fragments of a spirit board, sealed inside an advent calendar built by hands it had already corrupted. Now Detective Davenport lies dead, his head twisted completely around as punishment for a door Matthew failed to open. Logan has been freed from the demon's grip, but Zurvan does not forgive, and it does not forget — Father Olsen warned that when a host is lost, it will seek another. Pastor Hart fled drenched in blood. Wilbur Ward's corpse was found in Mason's closet. Twenty-one doors have been opened, twenty-one horrors unleashed, and three days remain until Christmas Eve — the climax of Zurvan's ancient celebration, the anniversary of the night Matthew ran while his family burned. Logan is ten. Mason is seven. The parallel to Matthew and Steven is no coincidence. Matthew's allies are dead or scattered, both sons have been touched by an ancient evil, and the calendar continues its relentless countdown toward something even more terrible. Three doors remain. Will anyone be left alive to celebrate Christmas?
Get the print version of the novel: https://weirddarkness.com/AdventOfEvil
#WeirdDarkness #ChristmasHorror #HolidayHorror #SupernaturalThriller #HauntedCalendar #DarkChristmas #HorrorStory #DemonicEvil #CreepyTales #YuletideTerror
Get the print version of the novel: https://weirddarkness.com/AdventOfEvil
#WeirdDarkness #ChristmasHorror #HolidayHorror #SupernaturalThriller #HauntedCalendar #DarkChristmas #HorrorStory #DemonicEvil #CreepyTales #YuletideTerror
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
The demon has a name, Zervon, ancient Hatian. Hungry. For
thirty years, it waited dormant within the charred fragments of
a spirit board, sealed inside an advent calendar built by
hands it had already corrupted. Now it waits no longer.
Detective Davenport lies dead, his head twisted completely around, punishment
(00:28):
for a door Matthew failed to open while lying in
a hospital bed. The demon's rules are absolute, its memory
is long, and its retribution knows no statute of limitations.
Logan has been freed from Zervan's grip, but the cost
of that liberation remains to be seen. The demon does
not relinquish its vessels willingly. It does not forgive, and
(00:52):
it does not forget. Father Olsen warned that when a
host is lost, Zervon will seek another, someone close, someone vulnerable.
The question now is not whether the demon will strike again,
but who it will claim next. Wil Reward's decayed corpse
was discovered in Mason's closet. Pastor Hart fled Matthew's home,
(01:15):
drenched in blood, screaming that he could not help. The
calendar sits open beside the fireplace, its carved bearded face,
watching with hollow, eyeless patience. Twenty one doors have been opened.
Twenty one horrors unleashed. Tomorrow is December twenty second. Three
days remain until Christmas Eve, the climax of Servan's ancient
(01:40):
midwinter celebration, the anniversary of the night the Norris House
burned and Matthew ran while his family screamed. Everything comes
full circle. The demon declared a ten year old boy
and his seven year old brother destined for the flames.
Logan is ten, Mason is seven. The parallel to Matthew
(02:03):
and Stephen is no coincidence. Zervon has been orchestrating this
from the beginning. Matthew's allies are dead or scattered. Both
of his sons have been touched by an ancient evil.
His marriage and family stand at the edge of an abyss,
and the calendar continues its relentless countdown towards something even
(02:23):
more terrible, whatever that might be. Three doors remain sealed
three days until this unholy game reaches its end. Will
anyone even be left alive to celebrate Christmas? Welcome Weirdos.
(03:16):
I'm Darren Marler, and this is weird Darkness's advent of Evil,
a holiday horror novel written by Scott Donnelly based on
a concept from Darren Marler. Twenty four Doors, twenty four days,
twenty four secrets waiting in the darkness, just like an
advent calendar counting down the Christmas. We'll unlock one chapter
(03:36):
each day, but what we find behind these doors may
not be the gift you're expecting. You can find all
available chapters, as well as the print version in paperback, hardback,
or kindle at Weird Darkness dot com slash Advent of Evil.
The calendar is waiting. Let's see what awaits us behind
today's door. Monday, December twenty second. Work was the last
(04:09):
place I wanted to be, But if I didn't show up,
I would have looked even more suspicious than I was feeling.
From the moment I walked into the office and sat
in the small workspace that I was temporarily assigned to,
to the moment Sears came in late and finally approached me,
I felt like every single eyeball in the precinct was
(04:29):
on me, studying me and blindly accusing me of things
they knew nothing about. Morning Sears said emotionlessly, there wasn't
even a hint of his normal peppy self. But since
the last time I saw him, which was when he,
unfortunately had to bear witness to the fight Anika and
I had at the Winter Wonderland Festival. My son had
(04:51):
been questioned in the attack on Joseph Nolan, the SeaGlass
motel manager, so his lack of emotion or friendliness was
completely understandable, if not misunderstood. They were all misunderstood. Could
I see you when my office met? He asked, sure,
I said, standing up and following him through the bullpen
(05:13):
and into his office. He closed the door and shut
the blinds on either side of it. We sat across
from each other at his desk. I awaited him to
speak first, assuming it would either be about Logan or Davenport.
It turned out to be the latter. Detective Davenport was
supposed to come by your house yesterday and bring Logan
(05:34):
back in for additional questioning. He explained he never came back.
I studied Seyr's face, wondering if he was suspicious of me.
I couldn't figure it out. His eyes seemed to wonder
about many things all at once. Did he show up?
Sears pushed I inhaled through my nose and let it
(05:58):
out slowly. He called. I began with the truth. He
said he was going to come by within the hour.
I then remembered Davenport was in his personal car. He
was always in his personal car, which didn't have the
GPS tracking that our patrol vehicles did. I had an
(06:18):
idea it was off the cuff and risky, but I
saw it as the only Hail Mary option to keep
protecting my family at the moment. But he never showed up.
Years of trust and camaraderie with Sears paid off. He
nodded seemingly accepting when I told him as the truth,
and sighed heavily, alluding to something else being on his mind.
(06:41):
Now I think something happened to him. Then he said
he's been investigating some contractor that he believes to be dangerous,
the same guy that fixed your window last week. Do
you know what I'm talking about? I shook my head. Yeah.
He said he was asking around if anyone had caught
his name or the company he worked for, but was
(07:03):
coming up empty. I don't know much else. I drove
by his home last night. Sears said his car wasn't there.
Maybe he had a lead, maybe. Sears led out a
half hearted laugh. He is one determined disobe isn't he?
There is? I agreed, I've never met anyone quite like him.
(07:26):
Sears then changed his tone along with the conversation. He
told you that Logan was going to have to be
questioned again. Right. The evidence shows that he lied and
stabbed the SeaGlass manager without reason. We need to get
him in here today. He's sick, I promptly replied. He
was vomiting up blood yesterday. Sears cringed, ooh, I hope
(07:50):
he's okay. He said. It was clear to me that
the line between the professional job and the personal relationship
he had with me was blurred. In any other Logan
would have been instantly brought in and charged already. It
felt wrong in the way that he was still at
home while the innocent motel manager suffered through a blind
sided attack and a subsequent surgery. If I were in
(08:14):
that man's shoes, I would want to press as many
charges as legally possible. But for my own family's sake,
I was glad he hadn't yet, although I was sure
it was coming. A knock on the office door distracted
Sears from the conversation. I turned around and watched Tillie
enter with a smile. In the back of my head.
(08:35):
I had hoped her intrusion wasn't because of some unexpected
crime scene, but it was her smile, though, that quickly
put that worry to ease. Sears stood up and met
her halfway through the office. They shook hands, making it
awkwardly obvious that they didn't want to break any sort
of in office relationship rules. Sears turned back to me.
(08:56):
We'll talk later, he said, excusing me from the office.
I left and the door closed behind me. I heard
it luck and took notice of how the blinds remained shut.
I pulled out my phone on the way back to
the workspace and called Anika. Hey. She answered blandly, Hey,
(09:16):
I said, sitting down at my desk. How's everything at home? Good?
Your parents are making gingerbread houses with the kids? Is
slogan feeling okay? I asked? Yes. She sounded tired, daunted.
Who would have blamed her? Though? I wasn't able to
tell her anything that happened at the house until much
(09:37):
later in the evening, after we'd parted ways with my
parents for the night and put the boys to bed.
She had just stared at me while I explained the
horrific things that had taken place, the gory show the
demonic possessor jumping from body to body and then vanishing
to parts unknown. It left her nerves shattered and her
(09:58):
spirits down. I just wanted to check on you guys,
I said, where good. Just get home as quickly as
you can. Please, I'll do my best, I told her, then,
without a goodbye or and I love you, she ended
the call. I was afraid Zervon could be anywhere or
(10:19):
any one. I needed to keep an eye out for
the signs again. It made me incredibly nervous to think
about who he could possess next. My parents were there,
Anika Mason. I even feared that he had slipped back
into Logan and I just hadn't been able to see it.
I needed this nightmare to be over. Glancing at the
(10:41):
calendar beside me, I was reminded that he was December
twenty second. There were only two days left until Zervon's
much dreaded denouement. I took a break around ten am
and drove to the Joe and Go Cafe. I hadn't
stepped foot inside the place, since Carl Martin had asked
me to go check on his daughter. A flurry of bloody,
(11:04):
disturbing memories peppered my brain. She was on the bed across,
sticking out of her chest. The lion erupted from the
hallway with a crow bar, and I had to fight
from my life. I remember the unmasking, seeing Zach looking
confused and scared. He didn't want to do it. He
had been corrupted by lies and then manipulated into driving
(11:25):
a terrifying narrative throughout Marshport. And it was all to
punish me for still being alive. A massive disapproval observe
On's ongoing self indulgent objective. I walked into the cafe.
It was just as festively decorated as it was earlier
in the month. Classic Christmas music played faintly over the
(11:48):
clinking of forks on plates and the ticking of fresh
coffee brewing behind the counter. I walked right up to
the counter where Gwen had always been to take my order.
But where Gwen should have been now was another young woman.
Good morning, she said with enthusiastic pep, did you already
place an order? No? A tall black coffee and a
(12:09):
cruller to go, please, I said, pulling out my wallet.
The girl looked me up and down, taking note of
my uniform. It'll be on the house, she said. It's
a new policy mister Martin put into effect free coffee
and donuts for all police officers. Oh really, that's so nice,
I said, looking around for Carl. Is he here? Can
I thank him personally? The girl seemed a little put
(12:32):
off by my request, but obliged nonetheless. Sure, hang on,
She trotted into the back. While I waited, I glanced
around the cafe, watching the patrons eat their food and
drink their drinks. It was peaceful. It's what Marshport should
feel like, and I was hoping, regardless of what the
next couple of days would bring, that the entire town
(12:53):
would return to this level of peace and composure. Officer Klein.
I heard Carl Martin's voice by behind me. I turned
back to the counter where he was handing me a
black coffee and a cruller wrapped in a napkin. Carl,
I said, I'll gladly pay for this. It's on the house,
he insisted. I nodded in appreciation, which was followed by
an awkward moment of silence between us. I heard about
(13:17):
what happened to you. I've been meaning to reach out
to check on you, but I put my hand up
to stop him. No, I said, you have had a
lot going on with everything. The last thing you need
to do is worry about me. Carl lowered his head.
I'm sorry for what I asked. He looked up at
(13:37):
me with tears swelling in his eyes. If I had
never sent you to Gwaham's apartment, Zach and Simon would
never have even come for you. That's not true, I said,
trying to convince him that none of that was his fault.
Zach was disturbed and Simon was upset. That's all. If
it wasn't me, if it wasn't your daughter, it would
(13:57):
have been someone else. Trust me. Sometimes people just do
bad things. It doesn't make it any easier, Carl whimpered.
It's not supposed to. In fact, it makes it harder.
It makes it impossible to understand. Carl held back any
further tears and tried to compose himself back into the
(14:18):
strong man that he was. He sighed and reached across
the counter to shake my hand any time you need
a coffee or a donut, just stop by. There'll always
be on my house for you. Thank you, I said,
take care of yourself, Carl, I said. I gave the
girl behind the counter a friendly nod, and then left
the Joe and go holding back emotions of my own.
(14:41):
Seeing Carl break like that was painful. He'd lost Gwen,
his only child, his little girl. It made me think
of how close I was to losing Logan. The terrible
truth was I was still close to losing him Anika
and Mason too, and long long as my parents were
at my house, they were also in danger. I needed
(15:05):
to get home. Once I was back to the office,
I told Lieutenant Sears that Logan seemed to take a
turn for the worst. It was a lie, but it
got me out at work. I drove home, and when
I pulled into my driveway, I noticed two cars already
there that I didn't recognize at first glance. I slowly
pulled past them and up the steps of my porch.
(15:28):
When I led myself into the house, it felt warm
and inviting. The fireplace was roaring. The smell of some
kind of pastry cooking fought the apple cinnamon candles for domination,
and there was muffled Christmas music coming from one of
the rooms, the living room. I peeped my head in
there first when I saw my parents sitting in the
chairs by the fireplace. They had a radio on and
(15:49):
a poppy rendition of last Christmas was playing. My mom
was the first to see me. Her detection of me
grabbed my dad's attention. Hey, I said, heeling a little
funny about the way they were just sitting there by
the fireplace, listening to music. It brought back another unpleasant memory,
one that mirrored the darkest night in my life. Oh
(16:11):
what are you guys doing taking a break? My dad laughed.
I've been building houses all morning long. I looked at
my mom for clarification, gingerbread houses. She said, with the boys,
that's right, I thought. I looked around. Where are they now?
They're in one of their rooms playing, I think, my
(16:33):
mom said. Anika had some guests arrive, so she set
them upstairs, and we're just in here giving them some space.
Who's here, I asked, glancing behind me toward the kitchen area,
where I could now hear Anika's voice and two other
men talking. People from church. I believe my mom said.
On that note, I walked into the kitchen just as
(16:55):
Anako was removing a pie from the oven. At the table,
I saw a Pastor Hart and Father Olsen both sitting down.
When they noticed me, they both stood up to properly
greet me. Matthew. Father Olsen said with a smile, it's
nice to see you. Likewise, I said, shaking his hand,
and then Pastor hearts he never responded to my text
(17:15):
yesterday when I suggested speaking about and extioucism. His voice
lowered for the last part of his sentence. I assumed
to avoid having my parents hear it. Sorry, I said, I, Well,
you see, I Atika told us everything. Pastor Hart spoke
up more intent than he had been in the last
(17:36):
week or so. His feelings toward our predicament seemed to waver.
One minute, he was concerned for us, giving us advice
and suggesting Father Olsen for the job. In the next minute,
he would distance himself and play things off in a
way that made us feel doubted. We're here to help you,
Pastor Hart, emboldened Father Olson, and I have decided that
your circumstances are too dire to ignore. You're in danger
(18:00):
as he's your family, and by extension, as long as
Ervon is here, so is the entirety of Marshport. I
spoke with Logan when we arrived. Father Olsen said, I
didn't want him to know why I was here, so
I gently probed. He seemed comfortable, relaxed. He wouldn't have
felt that way with us in the slightest if Servon
(18:22):
was still in control. I felt a ton of relief
when Father Olsen said those words. I assumed Zervon had
left Logan's body after what I'd witnessed, but to have
it confirmed well, I wanted to cry. Speaking to Mason,
he also seems to be fine. Father Olsen continued, your
(18:43):
parents too. This is all good news, I said, but
with an empty pit in my stomach. I looked at anakinnext.
I found it curious how he hadn't mentioned her in
his initial thoughts, so there should be no exorcism necessary. Then,
I asked Father Olsen, since everyone seems to be okay.
(19:04):
Father Olsen and Pastor Hart exchanged a concerned glance, which
only made me even more antsy the longer I stood
before them. I've never done an extorcism. Pastor Hart began,
but Father Olson asked me to join him today in
the off chance one would need to be performed. It's
always safer with multiple representations of God. That said, when
(19:26):
I walked into your home, I felt nauseous and very unwelcome.
I looked at Father Olson. He nodded, as did I.
On the surface, I don't see anyone possessed. However, Zervon's
presence in your home is formidable. He's here. I have
no doubts. If it's not a person that he's possessing,
(19:48):
it could be something else, an animal, an object. The
calendar Annika said. We were all thinking it, and it
might have been too obvious, but it was what can
cocted the demon from the past to the present. It
would have made the most sense. Have you checked today's offering?
Father Olsen asked me, Now we should have a look,
(20:12):
he concluded. The four of us filed into the living
room where my parents were sitting. Confused by our march
into the room, they both stood up concernedly. What's wrong?
My dad asked? Everything? Okay, Dad, can you and mom
give us a few minutes? Please? Are you dad? I snapped,
(20:33):
Please just a minute? My dad stared at me for
a moment. He was perplexed, concerned, and he had every
reason to be. There'd be a time and a place
to explain things to him, but that time was not now.
My parents awkwardly left the living room, and once I
knew they were out of sight and potentially out of
(20:53):
harm's way, I led the group closer to the advent calendar.
Looks a little battle, damn it, Pastor Hart said upon
his initial observation. Well, I lost my cool at one point,
I said, very matter of factly, while I reached for
the black handle on door number twenty two. I pulled
it open and watched a thin, torn piece of paper
(21:15):
flow it out and begin to rapidly drift toward the fireplace.
I snatched it out of the air before I'd had
a chance to burn up and eliminate any chance we
would have had to know what it was. I wasn't
sure if it was the work of Zervon or the
Russia forces from me opening the door. Either way, I
held the paper in my hand and examined it. What
(21:35):
does it say? Anika asked. I could feel her eyes
on me, as well as Father Olsen and Pastor hearts.
I looked at the torn paper, the torn page. It
had been ripped out from a book. I read aloud
what I could, and he asked him, what is your name?
And he answered saying, my name is Legion, for we
(21:59):
are men. Father Olsen and Pastor Hart looked at one
another again. They knew something, and by the sound of
what I read, I'd already concluded it was some kind
of Bible verse. What does this mean, I asked, It's
from the Gospel of Mark. Pastor Hart said, it speaks
of a man who is filled with many demons, not
(22:21):
just one. Father Olsen added, I heard Annika gasp just
out of my view, but I retrained my focus on
the men of God before me. Are you saying there
are more demons infesting our home than just Deservon, I
fearfully asked. Father Olsen thought. For a moment I could
tell he was trying to understand and grasp the insanity
(22:43):
that had become our situation. It was spiraling wildly out
of control. But then he locked eyes on me fairly
quickly with a poised, confident answer. No, he said, Zervon
is a master of deception and manipulation. I haven't seen
any evidence that points to a second or even a
third demonic presence here it's just him, then, why would
(23:07):
that be in the calendar? Aneka muled, pointing to the
torn Bible page in my hand. Father Olsen took another
brief moment to reflect on Zervon's alleged objective and abilities.
It's got to be something he's threatening to do, he
thought out loud. Pastor Hart post a question, could Zervon
(23:28):
possess two people at the same time? Father Olsen contemplated
Pastor Hart's query. I don't know. I mean legion itself
implies that multiple demons can exist within a singular unit.
But can a demon split itself into two separate entities?
I suppose when you're dealing with demonic and supernatural things,
(23:52):
the capacity of their potential is unfounded. So that's a yes,
I asked. Father Olsen looked at me. It's not a no.
I would need more to corroborate the intent. Why Why
would Zervon want to split into two separate things to
(24:13):
ensure he continues on? I said, the celebration is almost over.
Maybe he's getting worried. Look at us, we're onto him.
He probably has never been met with such opposition before
he killed the Christie's. He turned my uncle into a killer.
Then he wiped out my entire family. Aside from me,
I've been a thirty year thorn in his side. I
(24:35):
was probably the first instance he had ever felt without
having complete dominance. He's on edge. I can feel it.
As I talked my way through it, I felt as
if a win could have actually been within reach, although
I wasn't sure how exactly, but I truly was convinced
that Zervon was on guard. I had religious combatants on
(24:58):
my side. I'd fought back, showed resilience and determination. I
hadn't run, and even in the face of pure evil
consuming the body of my son, we all remained. This
was our house, these were our lives, and as far
as I was concerned, Zervon wasn't in control anymore. We
(25:20):
were out of nowhere. The house began to shake, just
like it did the other day. Pictures fell from the
wall and cracked on the floor. More ornaments dropped from
the Christmas tree branches and shattered. The Advent calendar, however,
stood strong and unmoving on its perch, like it was
making the point. Not this time, Matthew Annika cried out,
(25:41):
hopping across the room to grab a hold of me.
Father Olsen and past her Hart looked around fearfully watching
picture after picture crashed to the floor. A loud, sharp
crack shot through the wooden board that covered the broken window.
It formed a zigzagging fissure that resembled a lightning bolt
from top to bottom. Something anomalous glint through it stake home.
(26:02):
Father Olsen commanded, he's trying to re establish his dominance.
Just then, through the quaking uproar that had seized our home,
I heard a crash in the kitchen, followed by my
mom yelping and my dad hollering. Sandy Mom. I shouted,
breaking away from Anika's grasp and rushing out of the
living room. But just as I tried to sprint past
(26:22):
the basement door, it flung open with fierce strength. A dead,
howling tempest pounded me against the wall, crushing my injured
arm between it and my body. I cried it out
and collapsed to the floor, wrapped in the vile stench
of death and decay. As I lifted myself up to
my knees, I heard the screams first Annika, father Olsen
(26:43):
and past her heart. They were all petrified. I looked
up to see what they saw, and my blood ran cold.
The nude, decomposing body of Wilbur Ward levitated out from
the basement and loomed over me. It arrived with a
chorus of haunting screams and cries from hell behind it.
His eyes were merely shadows, sunken way back into his skull.
(27:05):
His skin was gray and tightly stretched over his bones,
almost to the point of snapping or tearing. Maggots crawled
over almost every inch of him, even spilling out from
his mouth as it opened and expelled Zervan's distorted, harsh voice.
You are not in control, he growled, pointing one of
his bony fingers down at me. I am. I always
(27:28):
have been, I always will be, even long after you
and your pathetic, unjust family has perished. I trembled beneath him,
rattled by what I was witnessing. I heard Logan and
Mason screaming from the second floor. I directed my attention
(27:48):
to the bottom of the stairs, boys, I called out.
Ervon tackled, don't worry about them, Like I said, I
have everything under complete control. What are you doing to them,
I cried, but before Zervon had a chance to respond,
Pastor Hart flew into the hall with a cross held
(28:09):
out in front of him like a weapon, and the
holy name of Jesus Christ. I command you too. Before
Pastor Hart had a chance to finish, the dead, decomposing
body of wilbur Ward pivoted in mid air, faced him,
and grabbed him by the neck. With one powerful clasp.
Pastor Hart dropped the cross to the ground and was
lifted off his feet. The demon smiled hideously, letting more
(28:31):
and more maggots fall from his mouth than in one
abrupt on holy act. He snapped his neck like a twig.
Pastor Hart's body crumpled to the ground, where it lay motionless.
Annaka reeled back and cried out in terror, while the
possessed body of wilbur Ward hung in the air over
Pastor Hart's dead body, cackling and mocking his demise. I
(28:51):
jumped to my feet and grabbed the demonic creature by
its legs. I conjured every bit of strength I had
and tried to pull it down to the ground, but instead,
its dead, withered skin peeled off like a boiled chicken,
leaving only his spoiled bones visible. It was a grotesque,
uncanny sight, which made me sick to my stomach. I
fell back into the wall as the repulsive creature faced
(29:14):
me with detest. It began to spew a frantic and
chaotic procession of words and phrases that I couldn't understand.
It wasn't a language I understood or had ever heard before.
Don't listen to him. I barely heard Father Olsen shout
over Servon's increasingly louder words, But it was impossible to
not listen to him, even though I couldn't comprehend any
(29:35):
of it. Whatever Zervon was saying had arrested my full focus.
It didn't take long for Father Olsen's words to be
completely drowned out. I couldn't hear him. I couldn't hear
Anika or the boys. I couldn't hear my parents in
the kitchen. All I could hear was Servon's indecipherable gibberish.
Somewhere within this constant flow of cryptic blather, I could
(29:56):
hear allusions to snakes hissing and lions roaring. Servan abruptly
stopped talking. At that exact moment, my vision went dark.
Times up, Servon arrogantly snarled, and then my world completely froze.
Thanks for listening. If you like what you're hearing, please
(30:18):
share it with someone you know who loves scary stories
at Christmas time. If you like to read the full
novel for yourself in print, it's available in paperback, hardback,
and kindle versions at Weird Darkness dot com slash Advent
of Evil. That's also where you can go to hear
each of the twenty four chapters as they're posted. I'm
Darren Marler. Thanks for celebrating Advent with me in the
(30:42):
Weird Darkness
The demon has a name, Zervon, ancient Hatian. Hungry. For
thirty years, it waited dormant within the charred fragments of
a spirit board, sealed inside an advent calendar built by
hands it had already corrupted. Now it waits no longer.
Detective Davenport lies dead, his head twisted completely around, punishment
(00:28):
for a door Matthew failed to open while lying in
a hospital bed. The demon's rules are absolute, its memory
is long, and its retribution knows no statute of limitations.
Logan has been freed from Zervan's grip, but the cost
of that liberation remains to be seen. The demon does
not relinquish its vessels willingly. It does not forgive, and
(00:52):
it does not forget. Father Olsen warned that when a
host is lost, Zervon will seek another, someone close, someone vulnerable.
The question now is not whether the demon will strike again,
but who it will claim next. Wil Reward's decayed corpse
was discovered in Mason's closet. Pastor Hart fled Matthew's home,
(01:15):
drenched in blood, screaming that he could not help. The
calendar sits open beside the fireplace, its carved bearded face,
watching with hollow, eyeless patience. Twenty one doors have been opened.
Twenty one horrors unleashed. Tomorrow is December twenty second. Three
days remain until Christmas Eve, the climax of Servan's ancient
(01:40):
midwinter celebration, the anniversary of the night the Norris House
burned and Matthew ran while his family screamed. Everything comes
full circle. The demon declared a ten year old boy
and his seven year old brother destined for the flames.
Logan is ten, Mason is seven. The parallel to Matthew
(02:03):
and Stephen is no coincidence. Zervon has been orchestrating this
from the beginning. Matthew's allies are dead or scattered. Both
of his sons have been touched by an ancient evil.
His marriage and family stand at the edge of an abyss,
and the calendar continues its relentless countdown towards something even
(02:23):
more terrible, whatever that might be. Three doors remain sealed
three days until this unholy game reaches its end. Will
anyone even be left alive to celebrate Christmas? Welcome Weirdos.
(03:16):
I'm Darren Marler, and this is weird Darkness's advent of Evil,
a holiday horror novel written by Scott Donnelly based on
a concept from Darren Marler. Twenty four Doors, twenty four days,
twenty four secrets waiting in the darkness, just like an
advent calendar counting down the Christmas. We'll unlock one chapter
(03:36):
each day, but what we find behind these doors may
not be the gift you're expecting. You can find all
available chapters, as well as the print version in paperback, hardback,
or kindle at Weird Darkness dot com slash Advent of Evil.
The calendar is waiting. Let's see what awaits us behind
today's door. Monday, December twenty second. Work was the last
(04:09):
place I wanted to be, But if I didn't show up,
I would have looked even more suspicious than I was feeling.
From the moment I walked into the office and sat
in the small workspace that I was temporarily assigned to,
to the moment Sears came in late and finally approached me,
I felt like every single eyeball in the precinct was
(04:29):
on me, studying me and blindly accusing me of things
they knew nothing about. Morning Sears said emotionlessly, there wasn't
even a hint of his normal peppy self. But since
the last time I saw him, which was when he,
unfortunately had to bear witness to the fight Anika and
I had at the Winter Wonderland Festival. My son had
(04:51):
been questioned in the attack on Joseph Nolan, the SeaGlass
motel manager, so his lack of emotion or friendliness was
completely understandable, if not misunderstood. They were all misunderstood. Could
I see you when my office met? He asked, sure,
I said, standing up and following him through the bullpen
(05:13):
and into his office. He closed the door and shut
the blinds on either side of it. We sat across
from each other at his desk. I awaited him to
speak first, assuming it would either be about Logan or Davenport.
It turned out to be the latter. Detective Davenport was
supposed to come by your house yesterday and bring Logan
(05:34):
back in for additional questioning. He explained he never came back.
I studied Seyr's face, wondering if he was suspicious of me.
I couldn't figure it out. His eyes seemed to wonder
about many things all at once. Did he show up?
Sears pushed I inhaled through my nose and let it
(05:58):
out slowly. He called. I began with the truth. He
said he was going to come by within the hour.
I then remembered Davenport was in his personal car. He
was always in his personal car, which didn't have the
GPS tracking that our patrol vehicles did. I had an
(06:18):
idea it was off the cuff and risky, but I
saw it as the only Hail Mary option to keep
protecting my family at the moment. But he never showed up.
Years of trust and camaraderie with Sears paid off. He
nodded seemingly accepting when I told him as the truth,
and sighed heavily, alluding to something else being on his mind.
(06:41):
Now I think something happened to him. Then he said
he's been investigating some contractor that he believes to be dangerous,
the same guy that fixed your window last week. Do
you know what I'm talking about? I shook my head. Yeah.
He said he was asking around if anyone had caught
his name or the company he worked for, but was
(07:03):
coming up empty. I don't know much else. I drove
by his home last night. Sears said his car wasn't there.
Maybe he had a lead, maybe. Sears led out a
half hearted laugh. He is one determined disobe isn't he?
There is? I agreed, I've never met anyone quite like him.
(07:26):
Sears then changed his tone along with the conversation. He
told you that Logan was going to have to be
questioned again. Right. The evidence shows that he lied and
stabbed the SeaGlass manager without reason. We need to get
him in here today. He's sick, I promptly replied. He
was vomiting up blood yesterday. Sears cringed, ooh, I hope
(07:50):
he's okay. He said. It was clear to me that
the line between the professional job and the personal relationship
he had with me was blurred. In any other Logan
would have been instantly brought in and charged already. It
felt wrong in the way that he was still at
home while the innocent motel manager suffered through a blind
sided attack and a subsequent surgery. If I were in
(08:14):
that man's shoes, I would want to press as many
charges as legally possible. But for my own family's sake,
I was glad he hadn't yet, although I was sure
it was coming. A knock on the office door distracted
Sears from the conversation. I turned around and watched Tillie
enter with a smile. In the back of my head.
(08:35):
I had hoped her intrusion wasn't because of some unexpected
crime scene, but it was her smile, though, that quickly
put that worry to ease. Sears stood up and met
her halfway through the office. They shook hands, making it
awkwardly obvious that they didn't want to break any sort
of in office relationship rules. Sears turned back to me.
(08:56):
We'll talk later, he said, excusing me from the office.
I left and the door closed behind me. I heard
it luck and took notice of how the blinds remained shut.
I pulled out my phone on the way back to
the workspace and called Anika. Hey. She answered blandly, Hey,
(09:16):
I said, sitting down at my desk. How's everything at home? Good?
Your parents are making gingerbread houses with the kids? Is
slogan feeling okay? I asked? Yes. She sounded tired, daunted.
Who would have blamed her? Though? I wasn't able to
tell her anything that happened at the house until much
(09:37):
later in the evening, after we'd parted ways with my
parents for the night and put the boys to bed.
She had just stared at me while I explained the
horrific things that had taken place, the gory show the
demonic possessor jumping from body to body and then vanishing
to parts unknown. It left her nerves shattered and her
(09:58):
spirits down. I just wanted to check on you guys,
I said, where good. Just get home as quickly as
you can. Please, I'll do my best, I told her, then,
without a goodbye or and I love you, she ended
the call. I was afraid Zervon could be anywhere or
(10:19):
any one. I needed to keep an eye out for
the signs again. It made me incredibly nervous to think
about who he could possess next. My parents were there,
Anika Mason. I even feared that he had slipped back
into Logan and I just hadn't been able to see it.
I needed this nightmare to be over. Glancing at the
(10:41):
calendar beside me, I was reminded that he was December
twenty second. There were only two days left until Zervon's
much dreaded denouement. I took a break around ten am
and drove to the Joe and Go Cafe. I hadn't
stepped foot inside the place, since Carl Martin had asked
me to go check on his daughter. A flurry of bloody,
(11:04):
disturbing memories peppered my brain. She was on the bed across,
sticking out of her chest. The lion erupted from the
hallway with a crow bar, and I had to fight
from my life. I remember the unmasking, seeing Zach looking
confused and scared. He didn't want to do it. He
had been corrupted by lies and then manipulated into driving
(11:25):
a terrifying narrative throughout Marshport. And it was all to
punish me for still being alive. A massive disapproval observe
On's ongoing self indulgent objective. I walked into the cafe.
It was just as festively decorated as it was earlier
in the month. Classic Christmas music played faintly over the
(11:48):
clinking of forks on plates and the ticking of fresh
coffee brewing behind the counter. I walked right up to
the counter where Gwen had always been to take my order.
But where Gwen should have been now was another young woman.
Good morning, she said with enthusiastic pep, did you already
place an order? No? A tall black coffee and a
(12:09):
cruller to go, please, I said, pulling out my wallet.
The girl looked me up and down, taking note of
my uniform. It'll be on the house, she said. It's
a new policy mister Martin put into effect free coffee
and donuts for all police officers. Oh really, that's so nice,
I said, looking around for Carl. Is he here? Can
I thank him personally? The girl seemed a little put
(12:32):
off by my request, but obliged nonetheless. Sure, hang on,
She trotted into the back. While I waited, I glanced
around the cafe, watching the patrons eat their food and
drink their drinks. It was peaceful. It's what Marshport should
feel like, and I was hoping, regardless of what the
next couple of days would bring, that the entire town
(12:53):
would return to this level of peace and composure. Officer Klein.
I heard Carl Martin's voice by behind me. I turned
back to the counter where he was handing me a
black coffee and a cruller wrapped in a napkin. Carl,
I said, I'll gladly pay for this. It's on the house,
he insisted. I nodded in appreciation, which was followed by
an awkward moment of silence between us. I heard about
(13:17):
what happened to you. I've been meaning to reach out
to check on you, but I put my hand up
to stop him. No, I said, you have had a
lot going on with everything. The last thing you need
to do is worry about me. Carl lowered his head.
I'm sorry for what I asked. He looked up at
(13:37):
me with tears swelling in his eyes. If I had
never sent you to Gwaham's apartment, Zach and Simon would
never have even come for you. That's not true, I said,
trying to convince him that none of that was his fault.
Zach was disturbed and Simon was upset. That's all. If
it wasn't me, if it wasn't your daughter, it would
(13:57):
have been someone else. Trust me. Sometimes people just do
bad things. It doesn't make it any easier, Carl whimpered.
It's not supposed to. In fact, it makes it harder.
It makes it impossible to understand. Carl held back any
further tears and tried to compose himself back into the
(14:18):
strong man that he was. He sighed and reached across
the counter to shake my hand any time you need
a coffee or a donut, just stop by. There'll always
be on my house for you. Thank you, I said,
take care of yourself, Carl, I said. I gave the
girl behind the counter a friendly nod, and then left
the Joe and go holding back emotions of my own.
(14:41):
Seeing Carl break like that was painful. He'd lost Gwen,
his only child, his little girl. It made me think
of how close I was to losing Logan. The terrible
truth was I was still close to losing him Anika
and Mason too, and long long as my parents were
at my house, they were also in danger. I needed
(15:05):
to get home. Once I was back to the office,
I told Lieutenant Sears that Logan seemed to take a
turn for the worst. It was a lie, but it
got me out at work. I drove home, and when
I pulled into my driveway, I noticed two cars already
there that I didn't recognize at first glance. I slowly
pulled past them and up the steps of my porch.
(15:28):
When I led myself into the house, it felt warm
and inviting. The fireplace was roaring. The smell of some
kind of pastry cooking fought the apple cinnamon candles for domination,
and there was muffled Christmas music coming from one of
the rooms, the living room. I peeped my head in
there first when I saw my parents sitting in the
chairs by the fireplace. They had a radio on and
(15:49):
a poppy rendition of last Christmas was playing. My mom
was the first to see me. Her detection of me
grabbed my dad's attention. Hey, I said, heeling a little
funny about the way they were just sitting there by
the fireplace, listening to music. It brought back another unpleasant memory,
one that mirrored the darkest night in my life. Oh
(16:11):
what are you guys doing taking a break? My dad laughed.
I've been building houses all morning long. I looked at
my mom for clarification, gingerbread houses. She said, with the boys,
that's right, I thought. I looked around. Where are they now?
They're in one of their rooms playing, I think, my
(16:33):
mom said. Anika had some guests arrive, so she set
them upstairs, and we're just in here giving them some space.
Who's here, I asked, glancing behind me toward the kitchen area,
where I could now hear Anika's voice and two other
men talking. People from church. I believe my mom said.
On that note, I walked into the kitchen just as
(16:55):
Anako was removing a pie from the oven. At the table,
I saw a Pastor Hart and Father Olsen both sitting down.
When they noticed me, they both stood up to properly
greet me. Matthew. Father Olsen said with a smile, it's
nice to see you. Likewise, I said, shaking his hand,
and then Pastor hearts he never responded to my text
(17:15):
yesterday when I suggested speaking about and extioucism. His voice
lowered for the last part of his sentence. I assumed
to avoid having my parents hear it. Sorry, I said, I, Well,
you see, I Atika told us everything. Pastor Hart spoke
up more intent than he had been in the last
(17:36):
week or so. His feelings toward our predicament seemed to waver.
One minute, he was concerned for us, giving us advice
and suggesting Father Olsen for the job. In the next minute,
he would distance himself and play things off in a
way that made us feel doubted. We're here to help you,
Pastor Hart, emboldened Father Olson, and I have decided that
your circumstances are too dire to ignore. You're in danger
(18:00):
as he's your family, and by extension, as long as
Ervon is here, so is the entirety of Marshport. I
spoke with Logan when we arrived. Father Olsen said, I
didn't want him to know why I was here, so
I gently probed. He seemed comfortable, relaxed. He wouldn't have
felt that way with us in the slightest if Servon
(18:22):
was still in control. I felt a ton of relief
when Father Olsen said those words. I assumed Zervon had
left Logan's body after what I'd witnessed, but to have
it confirmed well, I wanted to cry. Speaking to Mason,
he also seems to be fine. Father Olsen continued, your
(18:43):
parents too. This is all good news, I said, but
with an empty pit in my stomach. I looked at anakinnext.
I found it curious how he hadn't mentioned her in
his initial thoughts, so there should be no exorcism necessary. Then,
I asked Father Olsen, since everyone seems to be okay.
(19:04):
Father Olsen and Pastor Hart exchanged a concerned glance, which
only made me even more antsy the longer I stood
before them. I've never done an extorcism. Pastor Hart began,
but Father Olson asked me to join him today in
the off chance one would need to be performed. It's
always safer with multiple representations of God. That said, when
(19:26):
I walked into your home, I felt nauseous and very unwelcome.
I looked at Father Olson. He nodded, as did I.
On the surface, I don't see anyone possessed. However, Zervon's
presence in your home is formidable. He's here. I have
no doubts. If it's not a person that he's possessing,
(19:48):
it could be something else, an animal, an object. The
calendar Annika said. We were all thinking it, and it
might have been too obvious, but it was what can
cocted the demon from the past to the present. It
would have made the most sense. Have you checked today's offering?
Father Olsen asked me, Now we should have a look,
(20:12):
he concluded. The four of us filed into the living
room where my parents were sitting. Confused by our march
into the room, they both stood up concernedly. What's wrong?
My dad asked? Everything? Okay, Dad, can you and mom
give us a few minutes? Please? Are you dad? I snapped,
(20:33):
Please just a minute? My dad stared at me for
a moment. He was perplexed, concerned, and he had every
reason to be. There'd be a time and a place
to explain things to him, but that time was not now.
My parents awkwardly left the living room, and once I
knew they were out of sight and potentially out of
(20:53):
harm's way, I led the group closer to the advent calendar.
Looks a little battle, damn it, Pastor Hart said upon
his initial observation. Well, I lost my cool at one point,
I said, very matter of factly, while I reached for
the black handle on door number twenty two. I pulled
it open and watched a thin, torn piece of paper
(21:15):
flow it out and begin to rapidly drift toward the fireplace.
I snatched it out of the air before I'd had
a chance to burn up and eliminate any chance we
would have had to know what it was. I wasn't
sure if it was the work of Zervon or the
Russia forces from me opening the door. Either way, I
held the paper in my hand and examined it. What
(21:35):
does it say? Anika asked. I could feel her eyes
on me, as well as Father Olsen and Pastor hearts.
I looked at the torn paper, the torn page. It
had been ripped out from a book. I read aloud
what I could, and he asked him, what is your name?
And he answered saying, my name is Legion, for we
(21:59):
are men. Father Olsen and Pastor Hart looked at one
another again. They knew something, and by the sound of
what I read, I'd already concluded it was some kind
of Bible verse. What does this mean, I asked, It's
from the Gospel of Mark. Pastor Hart said, it speaks
of a man who is filled with many demons, not
(22:21):
just one. Father Olsen added, I heard Annika gasp just
out of my view, but I retrained my focus on
the men of God before me. Are you saying there
are more demons infesting our home than just Deservon, I
fearfully asked. Father Olsen thought. For a moment I could
tell he was trying to understand and grasp the insanity
(22:43):
that had become our situation. It was spiraling wildly out
of control. But then he locked eyes on me fairly
quickly with a poised, confident answer. No, he said, Zervon
is a master of deception and manipulation. I haven't seen
any evidence that points to a second or even a
third demonic presence here it's just him, then, why would
(23:07):
that be in the calendar? Aneka muled, pointing to the
torn Bible page in my hand. Father Olsen took another
brief moment to reflect on Zervon's alleged objective and abilities.
It's got to be something he's threatening to do, he
thought out loud. Pastor Hart post a question, could Zervon
(23:28):
possess two people at the same time? Father Olsen contemplated
Pastor Hart's query. I don't know. I mean legion itself
implies that multiple demons can exist within a singular unit.
But can a demon split itself into two separate entities?
I suppose when you're dealing with demonic and supernatural things,
(23:52):
the capacity of their potential is unfounded. So that's a yes,
I asked. Father Olsen looked at me. It's not a no.
I would need more to corroborate the intent. Why Why
would Zervon want to split into two separate things to
(24:13):
ensure he continues on? I said, the celebration is almost over.
Maybe he's getting worried. Look at us, we're onto him.
He probably has never been met with such opposition before
he killed the Christie's. He turned my uncle into a killer.
Then he wiped out my entire family. Aside from me,
I've been a thirty year thorn in his side. I
(24:35):
was probably the first instance he had ever felt without
having complete dominance. He's on edge. I can feel it.
As I talked my way through it, I felt as
if a win could have actually been within reach, although
I wasn't sure how exactly, but I truly was convinced
that Zervon was on guard. I had religious combatants on
(24:58):
my side. I'd fought back, showed resilience and determination. I
hadn't run, and even in the face of pure evil
consuming the body of my son, we all remained. This
was our house, these were our lives, and as far
as I was concerned, Zervon wasn't in control anymore. We
(25:20):
were out of nowhere. The house began to shake, just
like it did the other day. Pictures fell from the
wall and cracked on the floor. More ornaments dropped from
the Christmas tree branches and shattered. The Advent calendar, however,
stood strong and unmoving on its perch, like it was
making the point. Not this time, Matthew Annika cried out,
(25:41):
hopping across the room to grab a hold of me.
Father Olsen and past her Hart looked around fearfully watching
picture after picture crashed to the floor. A loud, sharp
crack shot through the wooden board that covered the broken window.
It formed a zigzagging fissure that resembled a lightning bolt
from top to bottom. Something anomalous glint through it stake home.
(26:02):
Father Olsen commanded, he's trying to re establish his dominance.
Just then, through the quaking uproar that had seized our home,
I heard a crash in the kitchen, followed by my
mom yelping and my dad hollering. Sandy Mom. I shouted,
breaking away from Anika's grasp and rushing out of the
living room. But just as I tried to sprint past
(26:22):
the basement door, it flung open with fierce strength. A dead,
howling tempest pounded me against the wall, crushing my injured
arm between it and my body. I cried it out
and collapsed to the floor, wrapped in the vile stench
of death and decay. As I lifted myself up to
my knees, I heard the screams first Annika, father Olsen
(26:43):
and past her heart. They were all petrified. I looked
up to see what they saw, and my blood ran cold.
The nude, decomposing body of Wilbur Ward levitated out from
the basement and loomed over me. It arrived with a
chorus of haunting screams and cries from hell behind it.
His eyes were merely shadows, sunken way back into his skull.
(27:05):
His skin was gray and tightly stretched over his bones,
almost to the point of snapping or tearing. Maggots crawled
over almost every inch of him, even spilling out from
his mouth as it opened and expelled Zervan's distorted, harsh voice.
You are not in control, he growled, pointing one of
his bony fingers down at me. I am. I always
(27:28):
have been, I always will be, even long after you
and your pathetic, unjust family has perished. I trembled beneath him,
rattled by what I was witnessing. I heard Logan and
Mason screaming from the second floor. I directed my attention
(27:48):
to the bottom of the stairs, boys, I called out.
Ervon tackled, don't worry about them, Like I said, I
have everything under complete control. What are you doing to them,
I cried, but before Zervon had a chance to respond,
Pastor Hart flew into the hall with a cross held
(28:09):
out in front of him like a weapon, and the
holy name of Jesus Christ. I command you too. Before
Pastor Hart had a chance to finish, the dead, decomposing
body of wilbur Ward pivoted in mid air, faced him,
and grabbed him by the neck. With one powerful clasp.
Pastor Hart dropped the cross to the ground and was
lifted off his feet. The demon smiled hideously, letting more
(28:31):
and more maggots fall from his mouth than in one
abrupt on holy act. He snapped his neck like a twig.
Pastor Hart's body crumpled to the ground, where it lay motionless.
Annaka reeled back and cried out in terror, while the
possessed body of wilbur Ward hung in the air over
Pastor Hart's dead body, cackling and mocking his demise. I
(28:51):
jumped to my feet and grabbed the demonic creature by
its legs. I conjured every bit of strength I had
and tried to pull it down to the ground, but instead,
its dead, withered skin peeled off like a boiled chicken,
leaving only his spoiled bones visible. It was a grotesque,
uncanny sight, which made me sick to my stomach. I
fell back into the wall as the repulsive creature faced
(29:14):
me with detest. It began to spew a frantic and
chaotic procession of words and phrases that I couldn't understand.
It wasn't a language I understood or had ever heard before.
Don't listen to him. I barely heard Father Olsen shout
over Servon's increasingly louder words, But it was impossible to
not listen to him, even though I couldn't comprehend any
(29:35):
of it. Whatever Zervon was saying had arrested my full focus.
It didn't take long for Father Olsen's words to be
completely drowned out. I couldn't hear him. I couldn't hear
Anika or the boys. I couldn't hear my parents in
the kitchen. All I could hear was Servon's indecipherable gibberish.
Somewhere within this constant flow of cryptic blather, I could
(29:56):
hear allusions to snakes hissing and lions roaring. Servan abruptly
stopped talking. At that exact moment, my vision went dark.
Times up, Servon arrogantly snarled, and then my world completely froze.
Thanks for listening. If you like what you're hearing, please
(30:18):
share it with someone you know who loves scary stories
at Christmas time. If you like to read the full
novel for yourself in print, it's available in paperback, hardback,
and kindle versions at Weird Darkness dot com slash Advent
of Evil. That's also where you can go to hear
each of the twenty four chapters as they're posted. I'm
Darren Marler. Thanks for celebrating Advent with me in the
(30:42):
Weird Darkness
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.