The Pageant: A Chilling Christmas Horror Story

0:01 The Christmas pageant is in full swing. Halo's straight, Carol's Sweet, until one stranger in the back pew smiles like he's waiting for something awful to happen, and as he grins, the night becomes much much less holy. How did you get in here? Ho? Ho? What's that you want to be scared? Come with me? This is Weekly Spooky. Hello, my spookies. It's not Wednesday, it's Thursday. But that won't stop me because all December long we're releasing shows with a holiday flavor to make sure you have a very

1:35 scary Christmas. In fact, tomorrow we'll have a brand new novella just for you to enjoy as you begin your first weekend in December. And tonight we're heading to a Christmas pageant where not everyone is what they seem. But before we get to that, I want to say thank you so much for tuning in and joining us for this trip through Yule Tide Fear. And if you want to support us in a very direct way and get two bonus shows every single month, well, head to Weeklyspooky dot com slash join for as little as one dollar a month, you get two bonus episodes exclusive audiobooks and five years of creepypasta readings. That's Weeklyspooky dot Com slash Join.

2:33 This episode is also sponsored in part by cozyearth dot com. They feature the softest, most luxurious bedding, loungewear, and my favorite bathrobes. High quality, highly absorbent, and very very cozy. If you head to cozyearth dot com right now and use promo code Spooky, you get forty one percent off your order, and every order supports Weekly Spooky directly. So head tocozyearth dot com and use promo code Spooky now. As for tonight, imagine your hometown church on Christmas Eve, the parking lots full of snow dusted cars, every pew is packed, and somebody's kid is up front in a crooked halo, ready to say there one big line. For most people, the Christmas pageant is the safest night of the year. Soft candlelight, familiar carols, the same old story again and again. Now imagine one woman who needs it to be perfect. She needs the applause, the respect, the quiet nod from the pastor, and to make sure she met with a stranger in a sharp coat who calls tonight his special Christmas Gift and It'll never be forgotten.

4:14 The Pageant by Morgan Moore. Janet Monroe was a mess, not in the sense that some people call themselves a mess to refer to their mental health. Nor was she messy in her appearance. Now she was a mess in that she was in a difficult spot and felt utterly confused. Janet had been selected to run the yearly Christmas pageant for her church this year and threw herself into the task. It was something she had wanted to be in charge of for years, just as most of the women in the church did. Being in charge of the pageant was a sign of social status. After all, only those whom the pastor believed would best serve the community were allowed to do it, which often meant they spent time at the church under his supervision, and nobody would complain about that, especially the women of the congregation. It also meant, foolishly that the person chosen best exemplify the values and spirit of Christ and Christmas. Everybody knew that in reality, it was no different than a popularity contest amongst most of

5:48 the members, akin to class president or prom royalty. But Janet wanted it, and after years of waiting, she was given the chance. The ball was in her court, and she was determined to hit it out of the park. Unfortunately, it was why she was a mess. Janet wiped tears away from her eyes with the sleeve of her coat. The winter wind was stinging her face and made her tears painful as they welled up before running down her face.

6:29 She had retreated out here to attempt to gather herself and maybe, just maybe, with enough will power, would wake up from what was surely and absolutely just a bad dream. That was the mindset ten minutes ago when she first came out. Now she knew this was her reality, her life, and she stayed in the cold, wanting to assis escape the embarrassment. For two weeks, rehearsals had gone without any issue. The gym that made up a fair portion of the church building, aside from the sanctuary itself, had been a one stop workshop for the whole production, from prepping costumes in what few props would be needed, to having a mock stage put together for the actors to work around.

7:28 There was a small area with a piano for the choir to practice as well. Janet's cast was made up mostly of the younger church goers, but did feature some of the teenagers for a few parts. Plus there was the choir. Her own children, Andy and Mollie were part of the cast as well. Two weeks of running back and forth between school and church and the house and anywhere else the family needed to go or to get supplies for the production flew by. Yet Janet never let the chaos go off the rails. She always believed she thrived in craziness and was showing that was indeed the case.

8:16 In a way, she thought of herself handling the pageant like a ring master controlling a three ring circus. But that was until going on fifteen minutes ago. As she checked her watch for the time. It was the night of the pageant and Janet had gathered everybody for a dress rehearsal from the jump. Something seemed a tad off, but not too terribly. She chalked it up to nerves throughout the cast, choir and miscellaneous helpers. Nothing too serious, Janet thought, maybe they just need a quick break to gather themselves. She excused herself from the gymnasium to go to the kitchen and gather up some treats. Some of the church volunteers had been baking cookies and brownies throughout the day for the cafe near the sanctuary to sell tonight, and Janet figured if a platter or two went missing, it wouldn't matter too much. When she returned to the gym, everything was a chaotic mess. Boys were fighting to the extent that they were falling into and breaking parts of the makeshift stage. The elder girls of the ensemble were bickering over who knows what. Younger kids were running around screaming, crying,

9:53 and dirtying up their costumes. Even the choir director and other adults were our king. Everything that could go wrong was going wrong, and it was just too much for Janet. She dropped the platters nestled in her arms and let them crash to the ground as she ran out of the gymnasium. At first, she race walked through the church to try to find her husband, Paul or the pastor. The pastor was a no go, which wasn't too unexpected considering how popular he was with those who worked at the church and those who came for worship, not to mention the fact that it was Christmas Eve. A shame.

10:46 She thought he could get everything running smoothly again, and unlike many of the ladies, would not give her grief. Her husband, however, was located and it was near the cafe where she found him talking to a small group of his friends. Paul caught sight of her and smiled, with Janet waving a hand to gesture him over. He started to make his way there, but was pulled back into the group by one leu Anne Philson. She was the epitome of the stereotypical mean girl, a church going woman who never left behind her days of being Queen Bee in school. Moreover, she acted like she knew everything and could never be wrong. Janet didn't often dislike somebody, let alone claim she hated anyone. It wasn't the way of the Lord to hate. Leu Anne Philson was an exception, and Janet could at least rest knowing Paul wasn't a fan of her either, He was only going along with the tide of whatever the group was discussing. Still, it

12:20 didn't help her morale for her husband to have had to see the distress on her face and not come to comfort her, and that was when she decided to get out of the church before she had a fit Looking at her watch, Janet saw that it was fifteen minutes until the Christmas Eve service was set to start, which meant the pageant had a little under fifty minutes until it started. How on earth am I going to get everything settled in time? We can't even get through dress rehearsal, so how am I going to wrangle everybody for the actual show? These were the thoughts running through her head as another blast of winter freeze smacked her face.

13:14 God damn it, she exclaimed, Unable to contain her frustration any longer, even if it meant taking the Lord's name in vain, Janet sighed and wiped away the last of her tears. She turned to head back through the door and bumped into a man. I'm so sorry, she said, through chattering teeth and surprise. The man was well dressed, at least in the moderate sense of most people who came to church who weren't senior citizens. Black dress pants, an open black long coat which showed a dark blazer, white dress shirt, and a dark red tie. His hair was blonde, and his facial features were an androgynous mix, neither too feminine nor too masculine. It's no problem if anything.

14:18 I apologize for blocking your path, he told her. No worries, though, I mean, I don't need to say that. It isn't like you knew I was out here or even about to come in. Janet responded fair enough. He answered. Something about the man was alluring, not in any way that a person thought of as being attractive. It was something more in line with his presence. It wasn't to say Janet didn't find the man on the attractive side, but it wasn't his look books that caused something inside her to tell her to stay. It was something more natural, metaphysical.

15:10 Even I'm sorry, I don't know if I've ever seen you here before. Are you here for the holiday? Janet asked, In a way. I'm always around, just not always noticeable. I guess must just be one of those faces that blends in, he said, with good humor. Maybe I'm usually serving in some capacity, so that's why I don't recognize you, she offered with a shrug. Perhaps, He replied, well, it's nice to meet you. I'm Janet, A pleasure to meet you, Janet.

15:57 My name is Samiel, but you can just call me Sam. He held out his hand and she took it without a second thought. The grip was firm, but his skin was as smooth as stone and provided a source of warmth in the cold. Staring down at her, he tilted his head in an inquisitive manner. What's troubling you? Something is, But what exactly has you out here in the cold on Christmas Eve? He asked. Janet blushed, You don't have to worry about that. Well, clearly you have something on your mind, and I have all the time in the world, Samuel reassured her. You sure you really want to listen to my problems, Janet questioned. He flashed a friendly smile.

16:58 If it helps you feel better, well, consider it a Christmas gift from me to you. Janet smiled and giggled a little. Well, it's just really that I'm in charge of this year's pageant, and I really wanted it to be as great as it could be. Well before I came out here, I was bringing everybody a snack, and the whole rehearsal area was in total chaos. All that hard work flushed down the toilet, though at least it wasn't near the actual stage. I guess I just really wanted to do a good job and for it to be special, to show that I'm a good part of the church. Is that all, Sam asked. Janet looked down.

17:54 I really wanted to cement my spot as one of the good ones. I guess that. And it just sucks that I gave my all to this and it's going to probably reflect badly on me. I know it's silly, and this sounds like a little girl back in school, but that's what a lot of the social life is here unless you're really old. I just wanted to give everybody a show that they wouldn't forget, something that would give me an identity other than just another gal in a church. Samuel nodded, So, is that what would be at the top of your wish list for Santa Claus?

18:45 A laugh escaped Janet's throat and lips. Yes, I would say that would be my one wish for Christmas. Her acquaintance smiled and gave her hand another shake and a squeeze. Well, I'm willing to bet you'll get all that you want and more. The service was more of the same, no different than any other Christmas Eve the congregation had witnessed. If anything was different, it was that it wasn't as showy as most churches tended to make any service any more. No, despite the size of the sanctuary and building itself, it was moderately snazzy, with all the warmth of a small local event. Janet peeked out of one of the doors behind the stage area and looked out at the crowd, a full house. Unsurprisingly, the pageant was about to start, and her nerves were still biting away at her. Talking with Sam had helped relax her somewhat, but the anxiety was still there, and seeing the sanctuary full of people did it no favors. But it was show time and

20:16 it was time to hope and pray that everything would at bare minimum go somewhat to plan. When some of the staff had finished another song, the pastor came out and gave Janet her introduction, making the Sign of the Cross. Janet passed through her hiding spot in the doorway and on to the stage. The audience applauded, and she gave them smiles and waves as she hoped to hide her nervousness.

20:56 Good evening, everybody, Thank you for coming out tonight to celebrate not just the holiday of Christmas, but the birth of our king years ago. Every year our church puts on a pageant to share with you the story of Jesus's birth. This year, I was honored to be chosen to be in charge of the pageant. The cast and crew, and I've worked hard to put on something we feel is special and best represents our community and our values. At the end of the day, we're simply one family brought together by our love of Christ. Enjoy. A wave of applause sees Janet off as she makes her way backstage to direct the music starting and the show begins, and whether it simply was everybody willing to indulge the Christmas spirit, happenstance, or her wish coming true. A Christmas miracle occurred. The pageant went without a hitch, Nobody was off key, out of time or place. There were no technical difficulties. Not a single thing about the show was wrong.

22:23 It was flawless, with the choir being pitch perfect more so than usual. Watching the whole show brought tears of joy to Janet's eyes, and when all was said and done, she wished that the church had live streamed their events so that the night could be seen by more people and live on for anybody to watch, any time, anywhere. When the show was finished, the applause was thunderous, to the point where Janet would almost swear that it was making the Sanctuary shake at its foundation. The pastor strode on stage and catching a glimpse of her in the wings, waved her to join him. She did, and, at his side, encouraged by the applause, took a bow. Well, Janet, I don't speak for everybody, but I can safely say for myself that that was quite possibly the best Christmas pageant we've ever had here, the pastor exclaimed. More applause from the congregation shaked Janet more. As she felt her face reddening from the ovation and the praise, the pastor pulled her in for a hug before handing the microphone to her. Wow.

23:54 I don't know what to say. All that comes to mind is thank you everyone for being a part of something so special tonight. Thank you God for letting us all gather here to worship the birth of your son. Thank you to my family for helping me through this production. And again, thank you everyone out here tonight. This is a night we won't forget. Janet exclaimed, passionately. The audience roared with applause, and Janet stood on stage taking it all in. She turned her head to look at stage right, and in the wings saw Samuel softly clapping as he smiled at her while she looked at him. Janet was unaware at first of the shift in the crowd to her, the roar still of applause. It isn't until she hears a scream closer to her that her attention turns away from Samuel and sees that Mollie has fallen down. Only then does she realize the roar is not of applause but terror. As she stared out into the audience, she

25:26 saw people running for their lives and falling to the ground. She also saw the cause of it. A man dressed in tactical gear with a gun was firing at anybody and everybody he saw. Janet stood in frozen shock as everything took place, and only made a movement when she felt a bullet pierce her stomach with the sensation of a stinging burn. Lying on the grid, Janet feels her blood running out of her and watches as the carnage continues, her vision obstructed by Samuel moments later, with a grin on his face. I believe you are correct. This is certainly a pageant. Nobody will ever be able to forget.

26:28 This is Janet attempted. Now, Now, no need to use up too much energy. After all, you'll need it to even try to survive, Samuel cood, Who who are you? She managed to get out. I told you my name, though I suppose I only told you one of my names. When you've been around as long as I have, you tend to be given numerous nomenclatures. It all depends, really where I am and when, though I suppose anything beginning with l Uci or me Eph usually is what I'm given.

27:20 Samuel offered an indifferent shrug. Janet's eyes widened as the realization slowly came together in her mind. You you're out of time, he said, with a smile, before turning his attention away briefly. And so are you. It seems it truly was a pleasure to meet you, Janet. Oh, don't worry about Andy and Paul. They're quite safe. Your pastor got most of your cast off the stage, and Paul is with that other lovely lady. Something tells me they'll recover well with one another. Samuel offered a smile before walking off. In her gaze, Janet sees the assailant. He cocks his head briefly before aiming his weapon at her face.

28:28 Merry Christmas, Well, my spookies, what a heavenly little disaster that turned out to be nothing like a Christmas pageant to prove the only thing holier than thou might be the hole you end up in afterward. So if you're stuck at a Christmas Eve service this year, do your old uncle Henny a favor. Take a peek at the back pew, and if you see a sharp dressed stranger grinning like he wrote the ending, maybe blow out that candle and jog politely to the parking lot. And we're not done decking your hauls with horror. Tomorrow Friday we trade pews for the Christmas Carnival by rob Fields, a holiday fairground that shouldn't be open, rides that don't want to stop in a midway, just dying to take you for a spin. And on Saturday, we have a Christmas horror compilation from the Weekly Spooky Vault waiting for you.

29:36 Stuffed with Yule Tide chills like leftovers you actually want to eat, so make sure you're subscribed. And an extra special thank you to our Patreon podcast boosters, folks who head to Weeklyspooky dot com slash join and pay a little extra every month to hear their names at the end of the show. And they are Johnny Nicks, Kate and Lulu, Jessica Fuller, Mike is Schuey, Jenny Green, Amber Hansford, Karen we Met, Jack Kerr and Craig Cohen. Thank you guys so much, and if you want two bonus episodes every single month and maybe even to hear your name at the end of every episode of Weekly Spooky, just go to Weeklyspooky dot com slash join, sign up and support us in a very direct way and help us keep going and going as we continue past seven years of Spooky on the weekly. But now it's time for me to get back to work. There's so much more to come, including a very interesting Christmas folklore episode of Terrifying and True. So for myself, for my executive producers Rob Fields and Bobbletopia dot Com, my producer Dan Wilder, and my creepy composer Ray Mattis, I'll talk at you tomorrow.

30:45 Thank you for listening me. Make sure to find your way back next week weekly, But for now you are safe. Trust me.