December 21, 2025 • 43 mins
Matthew Klein watched his son Logan hold a spirit board—just as Matt himself did thirty years ago—and speak in a voice that didn't belong to a ten-year-old boy. The demon Zurvan has found his new vessel, choosing the cruelest one possible: Matt's own child. For three decades, Zurvan has orchestrated this moment, first possessing the kind neighbor who ran toward the flames to help, then guiding Wilbur Ward's hands as he built the advent calendar from the charred remains of the original spirit board. Now the demon's patience has been rewarded. Matt's allies are few—Detective Davenport has finally seen too much to deny what's happening, and Father Olsen has confirmed they face an ancient entity whose methods are psychological torment followed by violence. But Anika believes her husband unfaithful, Matt's foster parents have arrived oblivious to the horror and bearing a spirit board as a gift, and the bodies continue to pile up: Steven's phantom crumbled to ash, Wilbur Ward's corpse rots in the crawlspace, Simon Welch lies dead from his own possessed fury. Four doors remain on the calendar. Four days until December 24th, when Zurvan's mid-winter celebration reaches its peak. The demon no longer hunts from the shadows—he wears Matt's son's face now.
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
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
The circle is complete. Matthew Klein watched his son Logan
hold a spirit board, just as Matt himself did thirty
years ago, and speak in a voice that didn't belong
to a ten year old boy. The demon Servan has
found his new vessel, and he chose the cruelest one possible,
Matt's own child. Four days remain on the Advent calendar.
(00:27):
Four days until December twenty fourth, when Zervan's midwinter celebration
reaches its terrifying climax. The demon has spent three decades
orchestrating this moment, first possessing the kind neighbor Wilbur who
ran toward the flames to help, then guiding Wilbur Ward's
hands as he built a new prison from the charred
(00:48):
remains of a spirit board. Now that patience has been rewarded,
the boy who escaped the fire will watch his own
son become the instrument of his destruction. Matt's allies are few.
Detective Davenport has seen too much to deny what's happening.
Father Olsen has confirmed what they're facing, an ancient entity
(01:09):
whose methods are psychological torment followed by violence. But what
good is knowledge against a demon who has already claimed victory.
Zervan doesn't just inhabit Logan's body, he has turned the
boy into a weapon, using him to stab a motel manager,
to expose secrets, to fracture and jeopardize everything important to Matt,
(01:34):
including his marriage. Thanks to Servon's manipulation of Logan and
Matt's own attempt to keep a secret from his wife,
Anaka is now convinced her husband has been unfaithful. The
photograph of Jasmine, another of Zervan's cruel gambits, has shattered
her trusts in Matt. Matt's foster parents have arrived for
(01:55):
the holidays, oblivious to the horror unfolding around them, gifting
an item to Matt's sons that echoes the very object
that started this nightmare all those years ago. A spirit
board the calendar sits in the living room, cracked from
Matt's attack, but far from destroyed. It survived being hurled
(02:15):
into the Atlantic Ocean. It survived his fury. It endures
because it was built to endure, constructed from cursed wood
by possessed hands for one purpose, to deliver Matt Klein
to his reckoning. The shadowy figure of Stephen has crumbled
to ash. Wilber Ward's corpse still rots in the crawl space,
(02:38):
swarming with flies. Matt's best friend, Simon Welch lies dead,
shot down in his own possessed fury, and Logan. Sweet
ten year old Logan just proclaimed that the spirit board
he was given by his grandparents was exactly what I
asked for. The demon no longer hunts from the shadows.
(03:04):
He wears Matt's son's face now, and December twenty fourth
is only four days away. Welcome Weirdos. I'm Darren Marler,
(03:50):
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 to Christmas. We'll unlock one chapter each day,
(04:10):
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. Sunday, December twenty first, it was a little
(04:41):
after three am when I finally decided to get out
of bed. I hadn't been able to fall asleep, unlike Anika,
who had sedated herself with sleep aids to avoid dealing
with the reality of our situation. I would have loved
to discuss my concerns about Logan with her. Further, I
would have also liked to explain myself regarding the picture
(05:03):
of Jasmine. She had that all wrong too. The last
thing I needed in the midst of this devilish curse
that was playing out was a wife who thought I
was being unfaithful to her. I crept out of the
room as quietly as I could and stopped outside of
Logan's bedroom door. I thought back to the previous day's events,
(05:25):
the stabbing, the disembodied voice. It all confirmed it for me.
Logan is who Zervon had chosen to possess. I just
needed to get Annika to believe it as well. I
placed my hand on the doorknob and wondered what I
would see if I opened the door. Would Logan be awake,
(05:46):
would he look like himself? Would he be waiting for me?
After all the way he spoke to me, he knew
that I knew. I wasn't alone with this knowledge. Whatever
Zer had been planning and plotting for the past thirty
years was coming to an end, and now it seemed
(06:07):
like he was ready to talk. I removed my hand
from the doorknob. I wasn't ready for what lurked beyond
that barrier. Not yet. I went downstairs and headed for
the kitchen, where the smell of fresh brewed coffee was
already filling the house. It's only a little after three am,
(06:27):
I thought. The kitchen was dimly lit only by the stovelight.
At the table, my dad sat with a cup of
coffee and a book. He sat the book down when
he saw me come in your early riser two, he
concluded with a smile. Yep, I said, grabbing a mug
from the dish rack and pouring a cup from myself.
(06:48):
I sat down across from him. He just stared at
me for a moment, retaining his smile, but then asked
a question that must have been bugging him. That was
quite the fireworks display you put on last night, he laughed.
What was that? It? Was a full circle of fire,
I flatly said, taking a sip of my coffee, another
(07:09):
gift from the Advent calendar. My dad scrunched his face up,
his eyebrows furrowing like Harry caterpillars. Ooh, what do you mean?
Did you see the Advent calendar in the living room
last night? I asked, so one on the ground, looking
like it had taken a beating, He laughed. That calendar
(07:29):
isn't filled with little festive gifts, Dad, It's filled with
horrible little things that have made my life a living
hell for the past month, I said, lifting up my
bandaged arms. Proof you hurt yourself by pulverizing that calendar,
he asked, with an army smirk. And here I thought
you got stabbed. I took another sip and sighed. I
(07:54):
wasn't sure what to say, how much to say, or
if I should even say anything more. For all he knew,
everything that was coming out of my mouth were the
ramblings of an overtired, injured, stressed out man. I did
see your reaction to the gift he got the boys, though,
he said, taking a more serious tone, it looked like
(08:15):
it upset you. I'd completely understand if you want us
to take it back, I recalled my dizzy, disoriented feeling
when I watched Logan and Mason unwrapped the spirit board. Why,
I asked, I mean, after everything that happened all those
years ago, why would you get that for them? My
(08:37):
dad looked a little disappointed in himself. His lips quivered
and his hand shook as he took a small, pitiful
sip of his coffee. I didn't want to, he said,
Your mom did. She said that Logan wanted one. If
he call her to tell her that I inquired, my
dad shrugged, Not that I know of somehow, now she
(09:00):
just knew that he wanted one. Started to wonder about
the extent and reach of Servant's power. Obviously, he had
shown that he could deceive me with visions and manifestations
of people that weren't there. Like Stephen, he was capable
of manipulating other people into believing negative thoughts about me.
(09:21):
Possession was something else he prospered in. Now I considered
some sort of long distance clairvoyance that would bolster his
end game ambitions. Are you doing okay, Matt, my dad asked,
genuinely concerned. I unleashed an enormous sigh. I hope, so,
(09:42):
I said. I grabbed my cup of coffee and excused
myself from the table. I sauntered into the living room,
where only a day ago there were broken ornaments on
the floor, damaged Advent calendar, and family photos hanging off
kilter on the wall. All of that had been remedied,
of course, before we went to bed. The one thing
that wasn't repaired, however, was the charred blemish in front
(10:06):
of the fireplace, where the ring of flames had been extinguished.
Beneath my boot, everything comes full circle. I couldn't tell
if it was Logan's voice replaying the words in my
head or the deeper, infernal voice of Zervon. I saw Logan,
but I wasn't sure who I was hearing. Full circle,
(10:31):
I thought, I sincerely hoped that wasn't alluding to what
I feared it was. My kids were the same age
as Stephen and I when the fire happened, and now
there was yet another spirit board involved, as well as
the same exact demonic presence. My chest fluttered as I
slowly turned my head to the right, beholding the Advent calendar,
(10:53):
the scorched Frankenstein spirit board from my youth. My gaze
began at the top, and I followed each door in
numerical order until I landed on the bottom row doors
twenty through twenty four. Door number twenty one was one
of the ones that had tragically been snapped from its
metal hinge during my assault, leaving it as just an empty,
(11:15):
shadowy nook. Next to it, Door number twenty one was
still closed and secure. Play by the rules, I recalled
Stephen's threat. I pulled on the plant sheet inspired handle,
and Door number twenty one opened. A smell came out
(11:35):
from inside the dark space behind it. It wasn't repugnant
like some of the other doors I'd had the displeasure
of enduring as of late, but it also wasn't fresh.
It smelled old, like a musty attic. I reached in
and pulled out a golden locket attached to a thin chain.
I examined the oval shaped jewelry in my hand, admiring
(11:57):
the detailed engravings on it. The swirling design seemed meaningless,
but it was intricate. With my fingernail eye pried open
the locket, expelling a small burst of dust from inside.
Once it cleared the air, I saw two black and
white oval photos perfectly fit into each side of the locket.
(12:19):
They were people that I didn't recognize, older people with
smiles on their faces. I heard the floor creak behind me,
and I whirled around with a start. My heart nearly
leapt out of my chest, but when I saw it
was only my dad standing there, I began to calm down. Jesus, Dad,
I said, clutching my chest. He laughed at first, but
(12:40):
then noticed the necklace chain hanging out of my hand.
What you got, he asked, A gift for Etnica. I
opened my hand to reveal the open locket. Now, I said,
this was in the calendar for today. My dad pulled
a pair of reading glasses seemingly out of nowhere and
inspected the locket up close. Ah, yes, one of those
(13:01):
little terrors that you said are ruining your life. I
rolled my eyes. He clearly didn't take me seriously, but
then again he had no reason to. He wasn't around
to experience everything that had happened. Suddenly, without warning, he
swiped the locket out of my hand and looked at
it even closer. Do you know who these people are?
(13:23):
He asked in a way that told me he did.
I shook my head. This is Alphie and Maria Christie.
He said they lived just north of Bayville. They died
horribly many years ago. Really, I responded, Ah, how do
you know that? It was a big story in the region. Gruesome.
(13:46):
He was all over the news for weeks. My dad
lowered the lockett and talked at me, where did you
get this? A gestured to the advent calendar again, but
I could tell he just wasn't making the connection. He
snapped the locket shut and handed it back to me.
Very strange, he said, turning away and walking off. I
(14:09):
was left standing there with unexpected new information. These people,
the Christie's whose faces were inside the locket, Allegedly it
died horribly many years ago. So what did that have
to do with me? Annika had woken up early to shower.
(14:33):
She usually liked to be as presentable as possible first
thing when we had guests, even if it was just
my parents. While she showered and the kids were still asleep,
or at least in their rooms, I took the opportunity
to lock myself in our bedroom and try to look
up any information I could find on Alfie and Maria Christie,
(14:53):
My dad was right. The Christie's lived not far from Bayville.
Just over thirty years ago, they were both found dead
in their home. Maria was found strangled to death and
without her eyes. Alfie was discovered in a separate room,
his head completely turned around, twisting and snapping his cervical spine.
In two I came across a news article that detailed
(15:17):
how Addison Christie, Alfie, and Maria's only daughter, planned to
have an estate sale to sell off all her parents' belongings.
It was the only way she had been able to
give them a proper burial. Addison detailed that most of
her family's possessions were old, expensive, vintage items, and objects
that would more than likely attract very specific types of
(15:40):
buyers and collectors. I heard the shower turn off and
are attached bathroom and shot a quick glance at the door,
where steam from the hot water was seeping out from underneath,
along with the sweet floral sense of shampoo and body wash.
I then heard a soft knock on the bedroom door.
I looked at the clock by the bedside. It was
(16:01):
just after six am. It wasn't unreasonable to think one
of the kids was awake now. I closed the laptop
and rushed to the door. But before I opened it,
I found myself wondering which kid it could have been, sweet,
innocent little Mason or the other one. Regardless, I opened
(16:22):
the door, Logan was standing there, rubbing his eyes from
the night's sleep. I wanted to say good morning, but
I also wanted to say leave my son alone. I
just wasn't sure what I was dealing with yet dead,
he muttered groggily. Yeah, is it BOOTI yet? He asked,
(16:43):
sounding like he typically did. I nodded, yeah, Mason's sleeping still.
I said, your mom's taking a shower, Grandpa's up, and
I would assume Grandma is too at this point, what
do you do we get here? He asked, staggering into
the bedroom as he yawned. I watched him PLoP down
on the bed and stare at the floor. I was
(17:04):
just looking into something on the computer, I told him,
trying not to give him any reason to accuse me
of lying. I sat down next to him, cautious and wary,
but also hopeful that maybe, just maybe, he was actually
okay after all? Are you feeling okay this morning? I
asked him. Logan nodded, you don't feel sick or like
(17:29):
I trailed off, unsure of how I wanted to word
the rest of my question, like what he asked, looking
up at me. That's when I noticed his eyes looked different.
They were darker and more brooding than a freakish grin
devised on his face. Uncontrollable drool seeped down from the
(17:50):
corners of his mouth, like I was someone else. He
finished my question in a raspy, ominous tone. I shot
to my feet, and he snapped his head to the
laptop on the bed. It flung open on its own
to reveal the news article I was reading on the Christie's.
Logan then cackled in a most discordant way, sending a
ripple of chills through my body. The Christies, he snarled,
(18:14):
I was with them before your uncle. The woman was
loud and shrill. I used her husband to kill her.
Then I left him twisted and guilty. I slowly backed
away from Logan, inching closer to the bedroom door, before
remembering that Anaka was still in the attached bathroom. Logan
faced me and stood up. My uncle bought the spirit
(18:37):
board from the Christie's estate sale. Didn't he, I asked,
trying to keep him distracted from Anika in the bathroom
logan or whatever. He was nodded with wide eyes and
a devilish grin. I've made it a timeless goal of mine,
he rasped, to destroy the entirety of the family who
possessed the board. That board has been around for a
(19:00):
long time now. Before the Christie's, there were the Robles,
the Heirs, the Farmer's post Christie's, of course, were the Norrises,
and now the Kleines, which is a strange extension of
the Norrises, an unfortunate extension tampered with solely because you
(19:22):
didn't perish along with the rest of the Norrises. I
couldn't believe my ears. You're only here because we didn't
close the Spirit Board session. I nervously tried to convince myself,
as well as explained to him, but he only tackled
again in response. The board is not a prison, have you.
(19:44):
I can come and go as I please. Oh sure,
you might have been able to delay things a bit
by ending your session, but this was always inevitable. Once
I make that attachment, I don't stop until i I'm done.
Just then the bathroom door opened and Nika came out.
(20:05):
Steam swirled around her, and when she saw Logan standing there,
she quickly made sure the towel wrapped around her body
was secure. Logan, she said, caught off guard by his
presence in the room, She curiously looked at me as
I stood defensively against the bedroom door. Logan hurried over
to Annaka and threw a hug around her. Did boarding,
he said, his nefarious counterpart, once again veiled by masterful deception.
(20:30):
Annaka hugged him back and kissed him on top of
the head. Are you doing okay this morning, she asked,
still very concerned and bothered by the incident at the
Sea Glass Motel. I'm feeling good, Logan said, just excited
to play with my new Spirit boards soon. He looked
at me after he said that. Oh well good, Annika said,
(20:51):
with a nervous twinge. She glanced my way and then
urged Logan to leave the room so she could have privacy.
While getting changed way out, Logan refused to make any
further eye contact with me. I stepped away from the
door and let him leave. I closed it once he
was gone and exhaled a shaky breath. He seems in
(21:12):
better spirits this morning, Annika said, dropping her towel and
grabbing the clothes she had already laid out for herself
on the bed. Yeah, I apprehensively responded. Annaka was oblivious
whether that was of her own convincing or just the
expert way in which Zervon was presenting himself. I wasn't sure,
(21:32):
but I needed to find out how to tell her
without making it seem like an attack on our son.
It was a little after seven am when everyone was
ready for the day, and we all converged for breakfast
in the kitchen. Annaka made gingerbread pancakes, which Mason gobbled
up and my parents picked at. They were more of
(21:54):
toast and coffee. People in the morning. A sugary blast
pancakes and maple syrup wasn't their ideal way of starting
the day. I watched Logan carefully as I put a
couple forkfuls of pancake in my mouth. He normally gobbled
them up, just like Mason, but this morning, not to
my surprise, he seemed not as hungry or less interested
(22:15):
in eating them. Aren't you gonna eat honey? Anika asked him,
also Noticing his lack of appetite, Logan continued to push
around the soggy pancakes on his plate. I'm not dead hungry,
he said. I could tell that his tone concerned Anika again.
After all, her motherly instincts were never at rest. She
(22:36):
was always paying attention. That's why it baffled me that
she couldn't see what I saw. Sure, Zervan hadn't actually
revealed himself to her, but I was finding it hard
to believe that she couldn't decipher the Logan we normally
knew from the one that was currently sitting at our table. Well,
(22:57):
she continued, I hope you eat something, otherwise you'll have
to wait until after church to eat. Logan dropped his
fork and snapped his head. At Anika church, he asked,
in surprise, there it was, I thought, Zervan's disapproval of God. Yeah,
Annika said, it's Sunday. Logan looked around at everyone else,
(23:18):
but I don't want to go. Annika glanced at me
and then put a sympathetic hand on Logan's shoulder. If
you're worried about God judging you for what you did,
he'll understand. He'll forgive you are protecting your family. That's
admirable in the eyes of God. Logan shot to his feet.
I do what is forgiveness? He glared at me with
(23:41):
peeved eyes. Do I have to go? He asked me directly.
It was hard not to take it as a direct threat.
As I chewed the rest of the food that was
in my mouth, I tried to think of what to
say in response. I didn't expect Mason to punctuate the
situation with his own matter. Is Logan going to hell?
He asked, out of nowhere. This question triggered a variety
(24:05):
of responses. My dad laughed, my mom's eyes widened and
looked around at everyone like bombshell drama had been dropped.
Annika gasped and directed her attention at Mason, and as
the pit in my stomach dilated further, Logan stared daggers
directly into me. Of course not, Annaka said, irritated by
the question, Mason, excuse yourself from the table and brush
(24:27):
your teeth. We're leaving in twenty minutes that I now.
Mason sulked away from the table and out of the room,
leaving a cloud of uneasiness in his wake through the disturbance.
I was able to come up with a solution to
the problem. Detective Davenport said, Logan can't leave the house.
I told Anaka, maybe he can stay home today, but
(24:50):
it's the last Sunday before Christmas. She pleaded a side
glanced Logan, who had yet to lift his stare on me. Right,
but short made it very clear that if we didn't
follow his stipulations, Logan and I would both be arrested.
We're on thin eyes here, Anika, she sighed, We'll go
(25:11):
with you, dear. My mom said to her right, Bob,
she nudged my dad. Yeah, Sandy's right, he said, wiping
a drop of syrup from his bottom lip. Ooh, we'll go.
We need to avoid hell, he added with a small titter.
Logan's incessant stare on me finally lifted, but realigned with
(25:31):
my dad after his unsavory joke. I stood up to
break the tension between Logan or Zervon and everything that
was happening around him. Logan, can I talk with you
in the other room for a moment, please, I addressed
him as calmly as I could. He nodded and followed
me into the living room. We stood before each other
in front of the fireplace. You wanted to seebee, father,
(25:55):
Logan said, with an unruly smile on his face. I
saw the way you looked at my dad, the way
you were angered by Mason. Don't even think about hurting them,
I growled. I wasn't sure if it was a trick
of the light or something else, but Logan's eyes appeared
to sink way back into his face and conjure shadowy
(26:16):
rings around them, highlighting only the whites and pupils. His
unnerving grin was back. Do you hear me? I demanded
an answer. He only nodded slowly and doubtfully. I hear you,
Zervan uttered in a low breathy voice, before walking away.
(26:42):
I told Anaka I would stay home with Logan while
she drove everyone else to church. As soon as they left,
the house fell into a distressing silence. Logan had retreated
to his room after our face to face by the fireplace,
and I hadn't seen him since. I decided to take
the opportunity to call father Olsen. I locked myself in
(27:03):
our bedroom and called him, but it went directly to voicemail.
I left a message, whispering my words so that Logan
wouldn't hear. Father Olsen, it's Matthew Klein. I have a
big problem. Zervon is here. He's taken over my son's body.
Oh what should I do? I need your help. I
(27:24):
ended the call and pulled my laptop in front of me.
I searched demonic possession in people. I read about how
they could have unnatural strength, secret knowledge of people and things,
could speak fluently in other languages, and had an aversion
to holy objects. The cross I thought I had rehung
(27:45):
it on the wall when I cleaned up the living room.
I wondered if any cross would have the same effect,
seeing as it was a symbol of Christ. I scoured
Anika's jewelry box, eventually finding a necklace that had a
cross dangling from it. I put it around my neck
and tucked it underneath my shirt. Just then my phone rang.
(28:06):
I saw Davenport's name crawling across the screen. Hello, I
answered it, bet you, it's Davenport. Good morning, I said
Leary of the grounds for his call. I have some
good news. It's bad news, he said. Good news is
Joseph Nolan, the motel manager. He is gonna make a
full recovery. That's great, I said, now, anxious for the
(28:28):
bad news. However, we pulled security footage from the hallway
and the Sea Glass motel. It clearly shows mister Nolan
knocks on the motel room door, but he never utters
a single word. When the door open, Slogan can be
seen as clear as day driving that pen into his neck.
It appears to be a completely unprovoked attack. I went quiet.
(28:51):
I'm sure of how to respond. I know you and
your family have been going through it this month, he continued,
and after our talk where you lay it all out, well,
I feel like it's probably in everybody's best interested Logan
is removed from the home immediately. You see a lot
of trouble, Matt, and there's not much I can do
at this point. You have to help me, I desperately pleaded,
(29:14):
with so much subtext that Davenport was unaware of. I
wish I could, He said. The best I could do
is make it as discreet as possible. You can bring
him in, or I can come get him alone. That's
how I can help. I didn't answer. I knew that
once I did, Logan's fate would be decided, and it
sickened me to even think about it, since it wasn't
(29:36):
even Logan who had committed the despicable act, but he
was still in there, hidden behind Zervan's guard. I'll be
there within the hour. Davenport ended the call on a
somber note. I put the phone down beside me and
felt the surge of vomit boiling in my stomach. I
ran for the bathroom and threw up in the toilet
(29:59):
A stomach muscles hardened and constricted as I was violently sick.
Once the wave of nausea passed, I sat back. I
hadn't even noticed Logan looming over me. Jesus, I panicked
upon seeing him standing between me and the bathroom door.
He just lurked there, grinning from ear to ear, with
his enlarged eyes affixed on me. What I screamed, but
(30:23):
he didn't even flinch. I pulled the cross out from
under my shirt and flashed it at him. Finally, his
grin fragmented into frown. Are you hiding something from me?
Zervan's menacing voice came out of my ten year old son.
I shook my head, which only encouraged another loathsome grin
to spread like a disease on his face. You know,
(30:47):
he deviously began. All it takes is the notion of
someone hiding a dangerous secret to easily convince someone else
to act on it, protect it, or kill for it.
From my vulnerable position on the floor, I could only
look up at him, listen, and watch as he spewed
(31:07):
his ominous cryptic words. Just ask zach welch, he added,
with a wink, or simon or neddie or stop? I
commanded him, forcing the cross on the necklace out further,
he complied, but I felt as if it was still
on his own accord and not due to my instruction.
(31:27):
Don't do anything reckless, Matthew, he said, turning his back
to me and exiting the room. As he left, so
did the boundless tension that it mounted in the moment
of our encounter. I hadn't even realized how strained my
body had become. I spent the next little while pacing
around the house anxiously awaiting whatever was going to happen next.
(31:51):
Davenport was on his way. Logan or Servon was unaware
of it, or at least I assumed he was, and
Anika wasn't answering my TESTIX. She never took her phone
out at church, so part of me wasn't surprised by
her lack of response. I did, however, half expect her
to check on Logan. I looked at my watch. It
(32:12):
was almost ten am. Church service would be over soon,
Anika would be on her way home, and Davenport's arrival
to take Logan was imminent. I was restlessly awaiting who
I would hear from first. Then my mental enquiry was answered.
There was a knock at my front door. I hurried
to it and looked through the people. I saw Davenport's
(32:35):
distorted appearance, lingering on the porch behind him. I noticed
his personal maroon sedan. He appeared to be alone, just
as he promised. I placed my fingers on the dead
bolt of the door, but hesitated. Opening the door would
mean Logan would be taken away. Leaving it shut would
(32:55):
incriminate me. A chill tickled the back of my neck,
and my calf began to throb, a warning, a threat,
or just my overactive mind. I clicked the dead bolt
over and opened the door. Davenport met me with a
disheartened brown It was one of mourning and regret he
(33:17):
was here to take Logan. I'm sorry, he said, fidgeting
with something in his coat pocket. I've been on the
force long enough to know that metallic jingling sound by heart.
They were handcuffs. May I come in, he asked somberly.
I hesitated again, but ultimately decided to move out of
(33:37):
the way. Davenport walked in, and I double checked behind
him that there weren't any other officers hiding behind the
trees or parked in the road. When I was satisfied
that it was just him, I closed the door. I
really am saw it, Matthew, he repeated, staying professional. This
isn't how I wanted it to go. Oh, even thought
(33:57):
it would. I was hoping, against all odds that the
security footage would have backed up Logan's story. I felt
nauseous again as Davenport aimlessly looked around my house. I
wasn't sure what he was looking for or at exactly,
but it just seemed to be dragging out the whole situation.
Everyone at church, he asked. I nodded, and he curiously
(34:21):
cocked his head at me. You haven't said anything, sorry,
I said, clearing my throat. I just I was interrupted
by Logan descending the stairs. Dad, he called out, noticing
Davenport and myself standing in the foyer. What's going on?
Davenport smiled, trying to keep things as professional and calm
(34:41):
as he could. I'd seen it time and time before,
especially with children, keep them comfortable and feeling safe. The
only problem was, even though it looked like Logan, there
wasn't a child behind the wheel at the moment. I
instantly regretted not telling Davenport Logan. The detective addressed him,
how are you this morning? Logan stopped at the bottom
(35:05):
of the stairs and awkwardly looked from Davenport to me.
It was goog one. Dad. Davenport stepped closer, which caused
Logan to stiffen up his posture and sharply align his focus.
I have good news, Logan, Davenport continued, Mister Nolan, the
motel manager is going to be okay. You don't have
to worry anymore. Logan sighed, eyed me as Davenport continued
(35:29):
to speak. The only thing now is that we need
to bring you back down to the station for some
additional questions. I think that'll be okay. Logan's ears caught
the jingling of the handcuffs in Davenport's pocket, and I
felt myself flush with nerves and shaky anticipation. Just make
it quick, I thought to myself, praying the arrest would
(35:49):
be swift, easy, and without incident. Logan looked at me.
You knew about this, he coldly said, you were hiding something.
Davenport extracted the handcuffs from his pocket and let them
dangle from his grasp. I'm sure you, Dad just didn't
want to worry you, he said, taking a step closer
to Logan. Logan swiveled his head back to the detective.
(36:13):
That's not all he's hiding, Logan said, direct and accusative.
Davenport stopped where he was and looked at me. What's
he talking about, he asked, curious, but with a sense
of rising angst. I swallowed hard, my saliva, feeling as
if it was caught in my throat. Then, without warning,
Logan keeled over, grabbing his stomach and began to vomit
(36:34):
up blood. It splashed all over Davenport's boots, and he
jumped backward in surprise and discussed Logan. I screamed. Logan
flung his head up, arched his back and wretched a
steady stream of bloody vomit throughout the foyer like an
untamed water spigot. Davenport was in shock. He slowly backed away,
looking on to the bloody display as if he were
(36:54):
trapped in a nightmare. Logan then dropped to his knees
as the continual surge of finally came to a stop.
He heaved on the floor. As I dropped down to
his side and placed my hands on his back, he
was shaking uncontrollably, like every single one of his muscles
had a mind to their own. Logan, I clamored, trying
to get his attention. He finally looked at me with
(37:16):
bloodshot eyes, snot dripping from his nose and chin, bloody
rivers trickling from his mouth. I couldn't help but begin
to cry. Are you okay, buddy, I asked him, praying
he could speak. He swallowed and it appeared to cause
him great pain, so instead of speaking, he only nodded.
As I looked into his eyes, I could tell he
(37:37):
was Logan. He had been put through the ringer by Zervon.
I stood up and angrily looked around, only then remembering
that Davenport was in the foyer with us still. I
faced him, hoping to explain everything he'd just witnessed. But
I didn't have to. Davenport was motionless, standing with his
back to the front door. His arms were stiffly down
(38:00):
his sides, where he dropped the handcuffs to the floor
in a clatter. His head was arched back, looking up
at the ceiling. Davenport I called out for him. He
didn't answer Warren. I addressed him on a more personal level.
Logan coughed at my side, dead. He struggled to say,
it's not him. I focused on Davenport as he slowly
(38:24):
and menacingly lowered his head, but he faced me. I
noticed his eyes were void of any features. They were
solid white, radiating an unnatural smoulder. Remember when you were
in the hospital. Davenport's voice was not his own. It
bellowed in an unearthly way. Remember when you failed to
follow the rules? I knew as Zervon was referring to.
(38:48):
It was something that had set in the back of
my mind ever since eating away at me. I had
failed to open the calendar door that day, failed to
follow the rules. Regardless of whether or not I was
in control of it. A part of me had been
waiting for that to come back and bite me. Consider
yourself punished. Zervan snarled, and then, in one quick, fluent motion,
(39:10):
spun his head all the way around. The sound of
Davenport's cervical spine cracking was mighty and stomach churning. Logan
whimpered and looked away. I, however, couldn't remove my gaze.
I watched Davenport's eyes return to normal, however lifeless. His
neck was twisted like a wrung out rag, and blood
was oozing from the lacerations and at where bone had
(39:32):
protruded from. Then, like a pile of rocks, Davenport's body
dropped to the ground, where he lay dead in the
pool of his own blood and Logan's gory regurgitation. As
much as I tried to clean up before the Sunday
church service was over, it was futile. There was too
much blood, too much vomit. Not to mention another dead body.
(39:57):
Annika finally called when she was driving home, and I
convinced to take Mason and my parents out for brunch.
She knew something was wrong at home, but when I
told her not to worry, and I'd explained everything. When
she got home, she reluctantly agreed. I'd bought myself a
little more time. I made sure Logan was okay. He
(40:17):
was hoarse and felt ill. Still. I made sure he
was settled in his own bed, with a cold rag
on his head and the curtains drawn. Get some rest,
I whispered to him. I kissed him on the head
and quietly left the room as the door clicked shut.
I wanted to cry, I wanted to scream. I wanted
to throw up. Zervan had left Logan's body in a damaged,
(40:41):
sickened state in order to take out his frustrations and
anger on me by killing Detective Davenport in the same
fashion that he'd killed Alfie Christie all those years back.
After Alfie was dead, Zervon's dark energy returned to the
spirit board, where it lay in wait until Uncle David
purchased it. It made me wonder where had his dark
(41:05):
energy gone to now. I went back downstairs and wrapped
Davenport's body in a plastic tarp that I dug out
from the garage. It took me nearly thirty minutes to
drag the body through the snow out to his car
and relocate all of it to the densely wooded area
behind our house. Even though Davenport had come alone, surely
(41:25):
he wasn't the only one who knew what he was
up to. That's not how it worked. Sooner or later,
when he didn't return or bring Logan in, they would
come looking for him. And if that were to happen, well,
I wasn't sure if things would work out for us.
I mopped, I cleaned, and I aired out the house
the best I could. My senses had already grown used
(41:48):
to the stale odor of death and vomit, so I
was hoping, against all hope that the open windows and
the plethora of cinnamon apple candles would rid the house
of the stench. Before everyone came home, I went room
to room, intricately, inspecting every wall, every inch of the floor,
every corner of the ceiling. I was satisfied with the
(42:11):
job I had done. If it wasn't perfect, it was
an exemplary attempt. My phone buzzed. It was a text
from Father Olsen that said, I think it's time we
discuss an exorcism. If he had said this earlier, I
would have completely agreed with him, but Zervon had violently
(42:32):
left Logan and subsequently killed Detective Davenport, and now I
had no idea where he was. Thanks for listening. If
you like what you're hearing, please 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,
(42:54):
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 Weird Darkness
The circle is complete. Matthew Klein watched his son Logan
hold a spirit board, just as Matt himself did thirty
years ago, and speak in a voice that didn't belong
to a ten year old boy. The demon Servan has
found his new vessel, and he chose the cruelest one possible,
Matt's own child. Four days remain on the Advent calendar.
(00:27):
Four days until December twenty fourth, when Zervan's midwinter celebration
reaches its terrifying climax. The demon has spent three decades
orchestrating this moment, first possessing the kind neighbor Wilbur who
ran toward the flames to help, then guiding Wilbur Ward's
hands as he built a new prison from the charred
(00:48):
remains of a spirit board. Now that patience has been rewarded,
the boy who escaped the fire will watch his own
son become the instrument of his destruction. Matt's allies are few.
Detective Davenport has seen too much to deny what's happening.
Father Olsen has confirmed what they're facing, an ancient entity
(01:09):
whose methods are psychological torment followed by violence. But what
good is knowledge against a demon who has already claimed victory.
Zervan doesn't just inhabit Logan's body, he has turned the
boy into a weapon, using him to stab a motel manager,
to expose secrets, to fracture and jeopardize everything important to Matt,
(01:34):
including his marriage. Thanks to Servon's manipulation of Logan and
Matt's own attempt to keep a secret from his wife,
Anaka is now convinced her husband has been unfaithful. The
photograph of Jasmine, another of Zervan's cruel gambits, has shattered
her trusts in Matt. Matt's foster parents have arrived for
(01:55):
the holidays, oblivious to the horror unfolding around them, gifting
an item to Matt's sons that echoes the very object
that started this nightmare all those years ago. A spirit
board the calendar sits in the living room, cracked from
Matt's attack, but far from destroyed. It survived being hurled
(02:15):
into the Atlantic Ocean. It survived his fury. It endures
because it was built to endure, constructed from cursed wood
by possessed hands for one purpose, to deliver Matt Klein
to his reckoning. The shadowy figure of Stephen has crumbled
to ash. Wilber Ward's corpse still rots in the crawl space,
(02:38):
swarming with flies. Matt's best friend, Simon Welch lies dead,
shot down in his own possessed fury, and Logan. Sweet
ten year old Logan just proclaimed that the spirit board
he was given by his grandparents was exactly what I
asked for. The demon no longer hunts from the shadows.
(03:04):
He wears Matt's son's face now, and December twenty fourth
is only four days away. Welcome Weirdos. I'm Darren Marler,
(03:50):
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 to Christmas. We'll unlock one chapter each day,
(04:10):
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. Sunday, December twenty first, it was a little
(04:41):
after three am when I finally decided to get out
of bed. I hadn't been able to fall asleep, unlike Anika,
who had sedated herself with sleep aids to avoid dealing
with the reality of our situation. I would have loved
to discuss my concerns about Logan with her. Further, I
would have also liked to explain myself regarding the picture
(05:03):
of Jasmine. She had that all wrong too. The last
thing I needed in the midst of this devilish curse
that was playing out was a wife who thought I
was being unfaithful to her. I crept out of the
room as quietly as I could and stopped outside of
Logan's bedroom door. I thought back to the previous day's events,
(05:25):
the stabbing, the disembodied voice. It all confirmed it for me.
Logan is who Zervon had chosen to possess. I just
needed to get Annika to believe it as well. I
placed my hand on the doorknob and wondered what I
would see if I opened the door. Would Logan be awake,
(05:46):
would he look like himself? Would he be waiting for me?
After all the way he spoke to me, he knew
that I knew. I wasn't alone with this knowledge. Whatever
Zer had been planning and plotting for the past thirty
years was coming to an end, and now it seemed
(06:07):
like he was ready to talk. I removed my hand
from the doorknob. I wasn't ready for what lurked beyond
that barrier. Not yet. I went downstairs and headed for
the kitchen, where the smell of fresh brewed coffee was
already filling the house. It's only a little after three am,
(06:27):
I thought. The kitchen was dimly lit only by the stovelight.
At the table, my dad sat with a cup of
coffee and a book. He sat the book down when
he saw me come in your early riser two, he
concluded with a smile. Yep, I said, grabbing a mug
from the dish rack and pouring a cup from myself.
(06:48):
I sat down across from him. He just stared at
me for a moment, retaining his smile, but then asked
a question that must have been bugging him. That was
quite the fireworks display you put on last night, he laughed.
What was that? It? Was a full circle of fire,
I flatly said, taking a sip of my coffee, another
(07:09):
gift from the Advent calendar. My dad scrunched his face up,
his eyebrows furrowing like Harry caterpillars. Ooh, what do you mean?
Did you see the Advent calendar in the living room
last night? I asked, so one on the ground, looking
like it had taken a beating, He laughed. That calendar
(07:29):
isn't filled with little festive gifts, Dad, It's filled with
horrible little things that have made my life a living
hell for the past month, I said, lifting up my
bandaged arms. Proof you hurt yourself by pulverizing that calendar,
he asked, with an army smirk. And here I thought
you got stabbed. I took another sip and sighed. I
(07:54):
wasn't sure what to say, how much to say, or
if I should even say anything more. For all he knew,
everything that was coming out of my mouth were the
ramblings of an overtired, injured, stressed out man. I did
see your reaction to the gift he got the boys, though,
he said, taking a more serious tone, it looked like
(08:15):
it upset you. I'd completely understand if you want us
to take it back, I recalled my dizzy, disoriented feeling
when I watched Logan and Mason unwrapped the spirit board. Why,
I asked, I mean, after everything that happened all those
years ago, why would you get that for them? My
(08:37):
dad looked a little disappointed in himself. His lips quivered
and his hand shook as he took a small, pitiful
sip of his coffee. I didn't want to, he said,
Your mom did. She said that Logan wanted one. If
he call her to tell her that I inquired, my
dad shrugged, Not that I know of somehow, now she
(09:00):
just knew that he wanted one. Started to wonder about
the extent and reach of Servant's power. Obviously, he had
shown that he could deceive me with visions and manifestations
of people that weren't there. Like Stephen, he was capable
of manipulating other people into believing negative thoughts about me.
(09:21):
Possession was something else he prospered in. Now I considered
some sort of long distance clairvoyance that would bolster his
end game ambitions. Are you doing okay, Matt, my dad asked,
genuinely concerned. I unleashed an enormous sigh. I hope, so,
(09:42):
I said. I grabbed my cup of coffee and excused
myself from the table. I sauntered into the living room,
where only a day ago there were broken ornaments on
the floor, damaged Advent calendar, and family photos hanging off
kilter on the wall. All of that had been remedied,
of course, before we went to bed. The one thing
that wasn't repaired, however, was the charred blemish in front
(10:06):
of the fireplace, where the ring of flames had been extinguished.
Beneath my boot, everything comes full circle. I couldn't tell
if it was Logan's voice replaying the words in my
head or the deeper, infernal voice of Zervon. I saw Logan,
but I wasn't sure who I was hearing. Full circle,
(10:31):
I thought, I sincerely hoped that wasn't alluding to what
I feared it was. My kids were the same age
as Stephen and I when the fire happened, and now
there was yet another spirit board involved, as well as
the same exact demonic presence. My chest fluttered as I
slowly turned my head to the right, beholding the Advent calendar,
(10:53):
the scorched Frankenstein spirit board from my youth. My gaze
began at the top, and I followed each door in
numerical order until I landed on the bottom row doors
twenty through twenty four. Door number twenty one was one
of the ones that had tragically been snapped from its
metal hinge during my assault, leaving it as just an empty,
(11:15):
shadowy nook. Next to it, Door number twenty one was
still closed and secure. Play by the rules, I recalled
Stephen's threat. I pulled on the plant sheet inspired handle,
and Door number twenty one opened. A smell came out
(11:35):
from inside the dark space behind it. It wasn't repugnant
like some of the other doors I'd had the displeasure
of enduring as of late, but it also wasn't fresh.
It smelled old, like a musty attic. I reached in
and pulled out a golden locket attached to a thin chain.
I examined the oval shaped jewelry in my hand, admiring
(11:57):
the detailed engravings on it. The swirling design seemed meaningless,
but it was intricate. With my fingernail eye pried open
the locket, expelling a small burst of dust from inside.
Once it cleared the air, I saw two black and
white oval photos perfectly fit into each side of the locket.
(12:19):
They were people that I didn't recognize, older people with
smiles on their faces. I heard the floor creak behind me,
and I whirled around with a start. My heart nearly
leapt out of my chest, but when I saw it
was only my dad standing there, I began to calm down. Jesus, Dad,
I said, clutching my chest. He laughed at first, but
(12:40):
then noticed the necklace chain hanging out of my hand.
What you got, he asked, A gift for Etnica. I
opened my hand to reveal the open locket. Now, I said,
this was in the calendar for today. My dad pulled
a pair of reading glasses seemingly out of nowhere and
inspected the locket up close. Ah, yes, one of those
(13:01):
little terrors that you said are ruining your life. I
rolled my eyes. He clearly didn't take me seriously, but
then again he had no reason to. He wasn't around
to experience everything that had happened. Suddenly, without warning, he
swiped the locket out of my hand and looked at
it even closer. Do you know who these people are?
(13:23):
He asked in a way that told me he did.
I shook my head. This is Alphie and Maria Christie.
He said they lived just north of Bayville. They died
horribly many years ago. Really, I responded, Ah, how do
you know that? It was a big story in the region. Gruesome.
(13:46):
He was all over the news for weeks. My dad
lowered the lockett and talked at me, where did you
get this? A gestured to the advent calendar again, but
I could tell he just wasn't making the connection. He
snapped the locket shut and handed it back to me.
Very strange, he said, turning away and walking off. I
(14:09):
was left standing there with unexpected new information. These people,
the Christie's whose faces were inside the locket, Allegedly it
died horribly many years ago. So what did that have
to do with me? Annika had woken up early to shower.
(14:33):
She usually liked to be as presentable as possible first
thing when we had guests, even if it was just
my parents. While she showered and the kids were still asleep,
or at least in their rooms, I took the opportunity
to lock myself in our bedroom and try to look
up any information I could find on Alfie and Maria Christie,
(14:53):
My dad was right. The Christie's lived not far from Bayville.
Just over thirty years ago, they were both found dead
in their home. Maria was found strangled to death and
without her eyes. Alfie was discovered in a separate room,
his head completely turned around, twisting and snapping his cervical spine.
In two I came across a news article that detailed
(15:17):
how Addison Christie, Alfie, and Maria's only daughter, planned to
have an estate sale to sell off all her parents' belongings.
It was the only way she had been able to
give them a proper burial. Addison detailed that most of
her family's possessions were old, expensive, vintage items, and objects
that would more than likely attract very specific types of
(15:40):
buyers and collectors. I heard the shower turn off and
are attached bathroom and shot a quick glance at the door,
where steam from the hot water was seeping out from underneath,
along with the sweet floral sense of shampoo and body wash.
I then heard a soft knock on the bedroom door.
I looked at the clock by the bedside. It was
(16:01):
just after six am. It wasn't unreasonable to think one
of the kids was awake now. I closed the laptop
and rushed to the door. But before I opened it,
I found myself wondering which kid it could have been, sweet,
innocent little Mason or the other one. Regardless, I opened
(16:22):
the door, Logan was standing there, rubbing his eyes from
the night's sleep. I wanted to say good morning, but
I also wanted to say leave my son alone. I
just wasn't sure what I was dealing with yet dead,
he muttered groggily. Yeah, is it BOOTI yet? He asked,
(16:43):
sounding like he typically did. I nodded, yeah, Mason's sleeping still.
I said, your mom's taking a shower, Grandpa's up, and
I would assume Grandma is too at this point, what
do you do we get here? He asked, staggering into
the bedroom as he yawned. I watched him PLoP down
on the bed and stare at the floor. I was
(17:04):
just looking into something on the computer, I told him,
trying not to give him any reason to accuse me
of lying. I sat down next to him, cautious and wary,
but also hopeful that maybe, just maybe, he was actually
okay after all? Are you feeling okay this morning? I
asked him. Logan nodded, you don't feel sick or like
(17:29):
I trailed off, unsure of how I wanted to word
the rest of my question, like what he asked, looking
up at me. That's when I noticed his eyes looked different.
They were darker and more brooding than a freakish grin
devised on his face. Uncontrollable drool seeped down from the
(17:50):
corners of his mouth, like I was someone else. He
finished my question in a raspy, ominous tone. I shot
to my feet, and he snapped his head to the
laptop on the bed. It flung open on its own
to reveal the news article I was reading on the Christie's.
Logan then cackled in a most discordant way, sending a
ripple of chills through my body. The Christies, he snarled,
(18:14):
I was with them before your uncle. The woman was
loud and shrill. I used her husband to kill her.
Then I left him twisted and guilty. I slowly backed
away from Logan, inching closer to the bedroom door, before
remembering that Anaka was still in the attached bathroom. Logan
faced me and stood up. My uncle bought the spirit
(18:37):
board from the Christie's estate sale. Didn't he, I asked,
trying to keep him distracted from Anika in the bathroom
logan or whatever. He was nodded with wide eyes and
a devilish grin. I've made it a timeless goal of mine,
he rasped, to destroy the entirety of the family who
possessed the board. That board has been around for a
(19:00):
long time now. Before the Christie's, there were the Robles,
the Heirs, the Farmer's post Christie's, of course, were the Norrises,
and now the Kleines, which is a strange extension of
the Norrises, an unfortunate extension tampered with solely because you
(19:22):
didn't perish along with the rest of the Norrises. I
couldn't believe my ears. You're only here because we didn't
close the Spirit Board session. I nervously tried to convince myself,
as well as explained to him, but he only tackled
again in response. The board is not a prison, have you.
(19:44):
I can come and go as I please. Oh sure,
you might have been able to delay things a bit
by ending your session, but this was always inevitable. Once
I make that attachment, I don't stop until i I'm done.
Just then the bathroom door opened and Nika came out.
(20:05):
Steam swirled around her, and when she saw Logan standing there,
she quickly made sure the towel wrapped around her body
was secure. Logan, she said, caught off guard by his
presence in the room, She curiously looked at me as
I stood defensively against the bedroom door. Logan hurried over
to Annaka and threw a hug around her. Did boarding,
he said, his nefarious counterpart, once again veiled by masterful deception.
(20:30):
Annaka hugged him back and kissed him on top of
the head. Are you doing okay this morning, she asked,
still very concerned and bothered by the incident at the
Sea Glass Motel. I'm feeling good, Logan said, just excited
to play with my new Spirit boards soon. He looked
at me after he said that. Oh well good, Annika said,
(20:51):
with a nervous twinge. She glanced my way and then
urged Logan to leave the room so she could have privacy.
While getting changed way out, Logan refused to make any
further eye contact with me. I stepped away from the
door and let him leave. I closed it once he
was gone and exhaled a shaky breath. He seems in
(21:12):
better spirits this morning, Annika said, dropping her towel and
grabbing the clothes she had already laid out for herself
on the bed. Yeah, I apprehensively responded. Annaka was oblivious
whether that was of her own convincing or just the
expert way in which Zervon was presenting himself. I wasn't sure,
(21:32):
but I needed to find out how to tell her
without making it seem like an attack on our son.
It was a little after seven am when everyone was
ready for the day, and we all converged for breakfast
in the kitchen. Annaka made gingerbread pancakes, which Mason gobbled
up and my parents picked at. They were more of
(21:54):
toast and coffee. People in the morning. A sugary blast
pancakes and maple syrup wasn't their ideal way of starting
the day. I watched Logan carefully as I put a
couple forkfuls of pancake in my mouth. He normally gobbled
them up, just like Mason, but this morning, not to
my surprise, he seemed not as hungry or less interested
(22:15):
in eating them. Aren't you gonna eat honey? Anika asked him,
also Noticing his lack of appetite, Logan continued to push
around the soggy pancakes on his plate. I'm not dead hungry,
he said. I could tell that his tone concerned Anika again.
After all, her motherly instincts were never at rest. She
(22:36):
was always paying attention. That's why it baffled me that
she couldn't see what I saw. Sure, Zervan hadn't actually
revealed himself to her, but I was finding it hard
to believe that she couldn't decipher the Logan we normally
knew from the one that was currently sitting at our table. Well,
(22:57):
she continued, I hope you eat something, otherwise you'll have
to wait until after church to eat. Logan dropped his
fork and snapped his head. At Anika church, he asked,
in surprise, there it was, I thought, Zervan's disapproval of God. Yeah,
Annika said, it's Sunday. Logan looked around at everyone else,
(23:18):
but I don't want to go. Annika glanced at me
and then put a sympathetic hand on Logan's shoulder. If
you're worried about God judging you for what you did,
he'll understand. He'll forgive you are protecting your family. That's
admirable in the eyes of God. Logan shot to his feet.
I do what is forgiveness? He glared at me with
(23:41):
peeved eyes. Do I have to go? He asked me directly.
It was hard not to take it as a direct threat.
As I chewed the rest of the food that was
in my mouth, I tried to think of what to
say in response. I didn't expect Mason to punctuate the
situation with his own matter. Is Logan going to hell?
He asked, out of nowhere. This question triggered a variety
(24:05):
of responses. My dad laughed, my mom's eyes widened and
looked around at everyone like bombshell drama had been dropped.
Annika gasped and directed her attention at Mason, and as
the pit in my stomach dilated further, Logan stared daggers
directly into me. Of course not, Annaka said, irritated by
the question, Mason, excuse yourself from the table and brush
(24:27):
your teeth. We're leaving in twenty minutes that I now.
Mason sulked away from the table and out of the room,
leaving a cloud of uneasiness in his wake through the disturbance.
I was able to come up with a solution to
the problem. Detective Davenport said, Logan can't leave the house.
I told Anaka, maybe he can stay home today, but
(24:50):
it's the last Sunday before Christmas. She pleaded a side
glanced Logan, who had yet to lift his stare on me. Right,
but short made it very clear that if we didn't
follow his stipulations, Logan and I would both be arrested.
We're on thin eyes here, Anika, she sighed, We'll go
(25:11):
with you, dear. My mom said to her right, Bob,
she nudged my dad. Yeah, Sandy's right, he said, wiping
a drop of syrup from his bottom lip. Ooh, we'll go.
We need to avoid hell, he added with a small titter.
Logan's incessant stare on me finally lifted, but realigned with
(25:31):
my dad after his unsavory joke. I stood up to
break the tension between Logan or Zervon and everything that
was happening around him. Logan, can I talk with you
in the other room for a moment, please, I addressed
him as calmly as I could. He nodded and followed
me into the living room. We stood before each other
in front of the fireplace. You wanted to seebee, father,
(25:55):
Logan said, with an unruly smile on his face. I
saw the way you looked at my dad, the way
you were angered by Mason. Don't even think about hurting them,
I growled. I wasn't sure if it was a trick
of the light or something else, but Logan's eyes appeared
to sink way back into his face and conjure shadowy
(26:16):
rings around them, highlighting only the whites and pupils. His
unnerving grin was back. Do you hear me? I demanded
an answer. He only nodded slowly and doubtfully. I hear you,
Zervan uttered in a low breathy voice, before walking away.
(26:42):
I told Anaka I would stay home with Logan while
she drove everyone else to church. As soon as they left,
the house fell into a distressing silence. Logan had retreated
to his room after our face to face by the fireplace,
and I hadn't seen him since. I decided to take
the opportunity to call father Olsen. I locked myself in
(27:03):
our bedroom and called him, but it went directly to voicemail.
I left a message, whispering my words so that Logan
wouldn't hear. Father Olsen, it's Matthew Klein. I have a
big problem. Zervon is here. He's taken over my son's body.
Oh what should I do? I need your help. I
(27:24):
ended the call and pulled my laptop in front of me.
I searched demonic possession in people. I read about how
they could have unnatural strength, secret knowledge of people and things,
could speak fluently in other languages, and had an aversion
to holy objects. The cross I thought I had rehung
(27:45):
it on the wall when I cleaned up the living room.
I wondered if any cross would have the same effect,
seeing as it was a symbol of Christ. I scoured
Anika's jewelry box, eventually finding a necklace that had a
cross dangling from it. I put it around my neck
and tucked it underneath my shirt. Just then my phone rang.
(28:06):
I saw Davenport's name crawling across the screen. Hello, I
answered it, bet you, it's Davenport. Good morning, I said
Leary of the grounds for his call. I have some
good news. It's bad news, he said. Good news is
Joseph Nolan, the motel manager. He is gonna make a
full recovery. That's great, I said, now, anxious for the
(28:28):
bad news. However, we pulled security footage from the hallway
and the Sea Glass motel. It clearly shows mister Nolan
knocks on the motel room door, but he never utters
a single word. When the door open, Slogan can be
seen as clear as day driving that pen into his neck.
It appears to be a completely unprovoked attack. I went quiet.
(28:51):
I'm sure of how to respond. I know you and
your family have been going through it this month, he continued,
and after our talk where you lay it all out, well,
I feel like it's probably in everybody's best interested Logan
is removed from the home immediately. You see a lot
of trouble, Matt, and there's not much I can do
at this point. You have to help me, I desperately pleaded,
(29:14):
with so much subtext that Davenport was unaware of. I
wish I could, He said. The best I could do
is make it as discreet as possible. You can bring
him in, or I can come get him alone. That's
how I can help. I didn't answer. I knew that
once I did, Logan's fate would be decided, and it
sickened me to even think about it, since it wasn't
(29:36):
even Logan who had committed the despicable act, but he
was still in there, hidden behind Zervan's guard. I'll be
there within the hour. Davenport ended the call on a
somber note. I put the phone down beside me and
felt the surge of vomit boiling in my stomach. I
ran for the bathroom and threw up in the toilet
(29:59):
A stomach muscles hardened and constricted as I was violently sick.
Once the wave of nausea passed, I sat back. I
hadn't even noticed Logan looming over me. Jesus, I panicked
upon seeing him standing between me and the bathroom door.
He just lurked there, grinning from ear to ear, with
his enlarged eyes affixed on me. What I screamed, but
(30:23):
he didn't even flinch. I pulled the cross out from
under my shirt and flashed it at him. Finally, his
grin fragmented into frown. Are you hiding something from me?
Zervan's menacing voice came out of my ten year old son.
I shook my head, which only encouraged another loathsome grin
to spread like a disease on his face. You know,
(30:47):
he deviously began. All it takes is the notion of
someone hiding a dangerous secret to easily convince someone else
to act on it, protect it, or kill for it.
From my vulnerable position on the floor, I could only
look up at him, listen, and watch as he spewed
(31:07):
his ominous cryptic words. Just ask zach welch, he added,
with a wink, or simon or neddie or stop? I
commanded him, forcing the cross on the necklace out further,
he complied, but I felt as if it was still
on his own accord and not due to my instruction.
(31:27):
Don't do anything reckless, Matthew, he said, turning his back
to me and exiting the room. As he left, so
did the boundless tension that it mounted in the moment
of our encounter. I hadn't even realized how strained my
body had become. I spent the next little while pacing
around the house anxiously awaiting whatever was going to happen next.
(31:51):
Davenport was on his way. Logan or Servon was unaware
of it, or at least I assumed he was, and
Anika wasn't answering my TESTIX. She never took her phone
out at church, so part of me wasn't surprised by
her lack of response. I did, however, half expect her
to check on Logan. I looked at my watch. It
(32:12):
was almost ten am. Church service would be over soon,
Anika would be on her way home, and Davenport's arrival
to take Logan was imminent. I was restlessly awaiting who
I would hear from first. Then my mental enquiry was answered.
There was a knock at my front door. I hurried
to it and looked through the people. I saw Davenport's
(32:35):
distorted appearance, lingering on the porch behind him. I noticed
his personal maroon sedan. He appeared to be alone, just
as he promised. I placed my fingers on the dead
bolt of the door, but hesitated. Opening the door would
mean Logan would be taken away. Leaving it shut would
(32:55):
incriminate me. A chill tickled the back of my neck,
and my calf began to throb, a warning, a threat,
or just my overactive mind. I clicked the dead bolt
over and opened the door. Davenport met me with a
disheartened brown It was one of mourning and regret he
(33:17):
was here to take Logan. I'm sorry, he said, fidgeting
with something in his coat pocket. I've been on the
force long enough to know that metallic jingling sound by heart.
They were handcuffs. May I come in, he asked somberly.
I hesitated again, but ultimately decided to move out of
(33:37):
the way. Davenport walked in, and I double checked behind
him that there weren't any other officers hiding behind the
trees or parked in the road. When I was satisfied
that it was just him, I closed the door. I
really am saw it, Matthew, he repeated, staying professional. This
isn't how I wanted it to go. Oh, even thought
(33:57):
it would. I was hoping, against all odds that the
security footage would have backed up Logan's story. I felt
nauseous again as Davenport aimlessly looked around my house. I
wasn't sure what he was looking for or at exactly,
but it just seemed to be dragging out the whole situation.
Everyone at church, he asked. I nodded, and he curiously
(34:21):
cocked his head at me. You haven't said anything, sorry,
I said, clearing my throat. I just I was interrupted
by Logan descending the stairs. Dad, he called out, noticing
Davenport and myself standing in the foyer. What's going on?
Davenport smiled, trying to keep things as professional and calm
(34:41):
as he could. I'd seen it time and time before,
especially with children, keep them comfortable and feeling safe. The
only problem was, even though it looked like Logan, there
wasn't a child behind the wheel at the moment. I
instantly regretted not telling Davenport Logan. The detective addressed him,
how are you this morning? Logan stopped at the bottom
(35:05):
of the stairs and awkwardly looked from Davenport to me.
It was goog one. Dad. Davenport stepped closer, which caused
Logan to stiffen up his posture and sharply align his focus.
I have good news, Logan, Davenport continued, Mister Nolan, the
motel manager is going to be okay. You don't have
to worry anymore. Logan sighed, eyed me as Davenport continued
(35:29):
to speak. The only thing now is that we need
to bring you back down to the station for some
additional questions. I think that'll be okay. Logan's ears caught
the jingling of the handcuffs in Davenport's pocket, and I
felt myself flush with nerves and shaky anticipation. Just make
it quick, I thought to myself, praying the arrest would
(35:49):
be swift, easy, and without incident. Logan looked at me.
You knew about this, he coldly said, you were hiding something.
Davenport extracted the handcuffs from his pocket and let them
dangle from his grasp. I'm sure you, Dad just didn't
want to worry you, he said, taking a step closer
to Logan. Logan swiveled his head back to the detective.
(36:13):
That's not all he's hiding, Logan said, direct and accusative.
Davenport stopped where he was and looked at me. What's
he talking about, he asked, curious, but with a sense
of rising angst. I swallowed hard, my saliva, feeling as
if it was caught in my throat. Then, without warning,
Logan keeled over, grabbing his stomach and began to vomit
(36:34):
up blood. It splashed all over Davenport's boots, and he
jumped backward in surprise and discussed Logan. I screamed. Logan
flung his head up, arched his back and wretched a
steady stream of bloody vomit throughout the foyer like an
untamed water spigot. Davenport was in shock. He slowly backed away,
looking on to the bloody display as if he were
(36:54):
trapped in a nightmare. Logan then dropped to his knees
as the continual surge of finally came to a stop.
He heaved on the floor. As I dropped down to
his side and placed my hands on his back, he
was shaking uncontrollably, like every single one of his muscles
had a mind to their own. Logan, I clamored, trying
to get his attention. He finally looked at me with
(37:16):
bloodshot eyes, snot dripping from his nose and chin, bloody
rivers trickling from his mouth. I couldn't help but begin
to cry. Are you okay, buddy, I asked him, praying
he could speak. He swallowed and it appeared to cause
him great pain, so instead of speaking, he only nodded.
As I looked into his eyes, I could tell he
(37:37):
was Logan. He had been put through the ringer by Zervon.
I stood up and angrily looked around, only then remembering
that Davenport was in the foyer with us still. I
faced him, hoping to explain everything he'd just witnessed. But
I didn't have to. Davenport was motionless, standing with his
back to the front door. His arms were stiffly down
(38:00):
his sides, where he dropped the handcuffs to the floor
in a clatter. His head was arched back, looking up
at the ceiling. Davenport I called out for him. He
didn't answer Warren. I addressed him on a more personal level.
Logan coughed at my side, dead. He struggled to say,
it's not him. I focused on Davenport as he slowly
(38:24):
and menacingly lowered his head, but he faced me. I
noticed his eyes were void of any features. They were
solid white, radiating an unnatural smoulder. Remember when you were
in the hospital. Davenport's voice was not his own. It
bellowed in an unearthly way. Remember when you failed to
follow the rules? I knew as Zervon was referring to.
(38:48):
It was something that had set in the back of
my mind ever since eating away at me. I had
failed to open the calendar door that day, failed to
follow the rules. Regardless of whether or not I was
in control of it. A part of me had been
waiting for that to come back and bite me. Consider
yourself punished. Zervan snarled, and then, in one quick, fluent motion,
(39:10):
spun his head all the way around. The sound of
Davenport's cervical spine cracking was mighty and stomach churning. Logan
whimpered and looked away. I, however, couldn't remove my gaze.
I watched Davenport's eyes return to normal, however lifeless. His
neck was twisted like a wrung out rag, and blood
was oozing from the lacerations and at where bone had
(39:32):
protruded from. Then, like a pile of rocks, Davenport's body
dropped to the ground, where he lay dead in the
pool of his own blood and Logan's gory regurgitation. As
much as I tried to clean up before the Sunday
church service was over, it was futile. There was too
much blood, too much vomit. Not to mention another dead body.
(39:57):
Annika finally called when she was driving home, and I
convinced to take Mason and my parents out for brunch.
She knew something was wrong at home, but when I
told her not to worry, and I'd explained everything. When
she got home, she reluctantly agreed. I'd bought myself a
little more time. I made sure Logan was okay. He
(40:17):
was hoarse and felt ill. Still. I made sure he
was settled in his own bed, with a cold rag
on his head and the curtains drawn. Get some rest,
I whispered to him. I kissed him on the head
and quietly left the room as the door clicked shut.
I wanted to cry, I wanted to scream. I wanted
to throw up. Zervan had left Logan's body in a damaged,
(40:41):
sickened state in order to take out his frustrations and
anger on me by killing Detective Davenport in the same
fashion that he'd killed Alfie Christie all those years back.
After Alfie was dead, Zervon's dark energy returned to the
spirit board, where it lay in wait until Uncle David
purchased it. It made me wonder where had his dark
(41:05):
energy gone to now. I went back downstairs and wrapped
Davenport's body in a plastic tarp that I dug out
from the garage. It took me nearly thirty minutes to
drag the body through the snow out to his car
and relocate all of it to the densely wooded area
behind our house. Even though Davenport had come alone, surely
(41:25):
he wasn't the only one who knew what he was
up to. That's not how it worked. Sooner or later,
when he didn't return or bring Logan in, they would
come looking for him. And if that were to happen, well,
I wasn't sure if things would work out for us.
I mopped, I cleaned, and I aired out the house
the best I could. My senses had already grown used
(41:48):
to the stale odor of death and vomit, so I
was hoping, against all hope that the open windows and
the plethora of cinnamon apple candles would rid the house
of the stench. Before everyone came home, I went room
to room, intricately, inspecting every wall, every inch of the floor,
every corner of the ceiling. I was satisfied with the
(42:11):
job I had done. If it wasn't perfect, it was
an exemplary attempt. My phone buzzed. It was a text
from Father Olsen that said, I think it's time we
discuss an exorcism. If he had said this earlier, I
would have completely agreed with him, but Zervon had violently
(42:32):
left Logan and subsequently killed Detective Davenport, and now I
had no idea where he was. Thanks for listening. If
you like what you're hearing, please 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,
(42:54):
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 Weird Darkness
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