Our story
begins in a small town
somewhere in northern New Jersey
in an old, abandoned movie theater.
Legend has it that inside that theater
is where the monsters live.
- This looks so cool, especially
with the title screen.
- Let me see, let me see.
This is awesome.
Hey, should we try to go inside?
- Heck yeah.
- It's locked.
- Hey, let's try around back.
Hey, Cody. The door's open.
Come on.
- You don't belong back here, kid.
What's your name?
Take it easy. I'm not gonna hurt you.
Here, check this out.
- This is pretty cool.
- Yeah, it is.
That's a collector's item, in fact.
A relic from the days of
those old black and white
science fiction movies that kids used
to love watching so much.
No, you keep it.
- Really?
- Yeah, it's better suited for someone
with a young person's imagination, anyway.
So what's your name?
- Jack.
- Jack, I'm Colin.
I run the projector in this place.
- I thought this place was closed.
- Don't let the locked doors fool you.
I admit it's been a
little slow going lately.
People thinking it's
more of an inconvenience
to go to the movies than
the magical experience
that it used to be.
The smell of freshly popped popcorn,
the hush that falls over the
audience when the lights dim.
- I watch movies on my phone.
- How would you like a
taste of the old days, Jack?
- What do you mean?
- I mean, I take you
on a trip back in time,
back when movie theaters enjoyed
huge crowds, packed houses,
and the endless echoes
of cheering and applause.
A time when the silver screen
was really made with silver.
- Cool.
- Hey. How about some popcorn?
- Wow, thanks. Didn't see that coming.
- And if you did, would you
have tried to change anything?
- No.
- Of course not.
It's too bad Dr. Sterling
didn't have you around
to give him some advice.
Maybe things would've
ended differently for him.
- Are you ready, my dear?
- I'm ready, Dr. Sterling.
- Constant professional,
aren't you, Ms. Wells?
- Doctor, what you have achieved
will change the course of
human history, literally.
Working with you these past two years
has been incredibly inspiring for me.
I'm in awe of you actually.
- Ms. Wells, I, uh, I
don't know what to say.
Once I set the system,
you'll feel a mild vibration in your neck.
Nothing alarming, but
it'll be quite noticeable.
If at any time you feel
panic or discomfort,
you can board the jump by using the switch
on your arm chair.
I wouldn't allow you to do this
if I didn't believe it was entirely safe.
I would've taken the first trip myself,
but I need to calibrate these instruments
once they're activated.
After that, the machine could be operated
by anyone at the controls.
- I understand.
Don't worry, Robert. I'm not afraid.
- Perhaps this isn't the right time,
but you know how much
you mean to me, Karen.
- This isn't the right time, Doctor.
Why don't we continue this
conversation upon my return?
- You're right.
I'm only sending you five
minutes into the future.
Once you are there, you'll
have approximately 20 seconds
to make mental notes of how
you feel and what you see
before the device returns
your consciousness
back to our time.
From my perspective, you
wouldn't have been gone
for more than an instant.
You'll return at almost the
exact moment you've left.
Good luck, Ms. Wells.
Ms. Wells.
Are you all right?
- I'm all right, Robert. It worked.
It worked?
Karen, how do you feel?
- A bit disoriented.
- Here. Let me get some water.
Here. Drink this.
- Robert, it was amazing.
Like an amusement park ride.
You're a genius.
- Karen, what did you see?
What did you see, Karen?
- I saw us standing here.
We were kissing.
We were happy.
I've known how you felt about
me for some time now, Robert.
Traveling into the future
only convinced me I was right.
I feel the same way.
I have ever since the
very first day we met.
- I love you, Karen.
- Karen?
- Yes, Robert?
- I thought you should know. I
received a call from Dr. King last night.
He heard about the
progress I've been making
with the time invention,
and I invited him over this afternoon.
I know you two were once involved,
and I didn't wanna make
you feel uncomfortable
seeing him again.
It's just that he's one of
the brightest men I know,
and I couldn't resist the opportunity
to hear his analysis of my work.
- That's quite all right, Robert.
I did love Steven once,
but that was long ago.
We were both so young and
I was quite impressionable.
Besides, I com boast the most
amazing scientist in the world
as my future husband now.
Or is it future traveling husband?
- Let's get the equipment
ready for demonstration.
I think it's time I test
out the machine myself.
- Robert, it's wonderful to see you.
- Steven, it's been far too long.
- I hear you've invented a
time machine, old friend.
- Come in, please.
- So what is it you've got,
Robert? Tell me everything.
- For years, my colleagues in the field
have been experimenting in
ways to bend time and space
in a way that would
allow the physical being
to travel from one point to the next.
Pinching two ends of the
fabric of reality together
creating a doorway.
If successful, any man could
step across the threshold
and find himself in the
future or in the past.
However, I found this technique
impossible to achieve.
How can one simply defy all that is known
and restructure the
universe to our own design
for our own purposes?
No, I needed a new approach.
Something science is more
familiar with it, the human brain.
Instead of distorting the space around us,
why not instead distort our perception
of the space around us?
Have you ever heard of
astral projection, Steven?
Science has never been
able to qualify the soul.
With this formula and the assistance
of a navigation machine I created,
I can stimulate your
consciousness to a point
where the human form
is no longer required.
A state of being where your
mind and essence are free
to travel outside the
barriers of the human host
and into the deepest layers
of reality, time and space.
- Fascinating. Tell me, Robert.
How did you discover this formula?
- Years of research and testing.
It was no easy task, my friend.
It has its limitations.
- Such as?
- One can only travel into the future.
For some reason, the past is inaccessible.
Even with the guidance of my instruments,
I can't seem to navigate the mind
into what has already happened,
only what will happen.
Honestly, I think it's a blessing.
Knowing one can visit
the past might tempt one
to change the present
by altering the past.
That's a dangerous endeavor
with unknown consequences.
Now affecting the future
by altering the present,
now, that is something we do every day
with or without a time machine.
- But what we do every
day isn't influenced
by what we know to be the
consequence of our actions.
- Now, imagine if it was.
What if I told you that
cigarette you're smoking
would k*ll you?
What would you do?
What if you can warn
victims of a flood that's
taken the lives of hundreds
of women and children
to flee before a single raindrop falls?
Is that so terrible? Is
that somehow dangerous?
- And when will you
conduct your first test?
- It's already been successfully ex*cuted.
- What?
- How would you like to meet
the world's first time traveler?
Dr. King, you've met my assistant
and recently announced
fiance, Ms. Karen Wells.
- Steven, it's wonderful to see you again.
- So the rumors are true.
The one who got away, got engaged,
and to this old stiff of all people.
You look beautiful, Karen.
You haven't changed a bit.
- Thank you, Steven.
That's kind of you to say.
- Congratulations.
- Ms. Wells here recently
traversed into the great unknown
between space and time.
- Five minutes into the future,
and witness to events
that had not yet occurred.
- Amazing, simply
amazing. And quite brave.
- I had to calibrate the
machine during the first jump.
Mrs. Wells here helped
me develop the project
and knows the process is perfectly safe.
- No side effects, Karen?
- None, aside from elation,
I foresaw our engagement,
and upon my return,
it unfolded to the detail.
- I see. You mean Robert proposed?
I've never known him to be so bold.
- Steven, let's not waste another minute.
Soothsayer awaits.
- Soothsayer. I'm impressed, Doctor.
- Not yet, Steven, but you will be.
Ms. Wells.
It's 3:00 PM,
I'm setting the destination for 3:10.
A short jump, but in the next 10 minutes,
you'll see with your
own eyes my image appear
like a ghost in this very spot.
My journey will only last an instant.
So following my return,
I will stand with you
and watch your jaw drop as
my predictions come true.
- Godspeed, Robert.
- I won't be longer
than a blink of an eye.
- Robert, are you all right?
- Yes. Yes.
I'm fine, dear. - God,
Robert, you frightened us. Did it work?
- Yeah. Would you both
excuse me for a moment?
- Of course, are you sure you're-
- I only need a moment.
Karen.
- But, Robert, why?
- Please, Karen, right now.
- Robert, is everything okay?
- Steven, what's your intentions here?
- My intentions? I'm here to
see the result of your work.
Is this about the jump? What did you see?
- What's your intentions with my fiance?
Rob, are you serious?
- Deadly serious.
- Rob.
- Robert.
- Karen.
Please tie Dr. King to the time chair.
- What's going on here,
Robert? You're scaring me.
- From what I've seen,
you should be scared.
We should both be scared for our lives.
Now, please do as I ask.
There's no time to waste.
- Robert, this isn't necessary.
Just tell me what you saw.
Why are you doing this?
We can change the future.
You said it yourself.
- I am changing it.
Now tell me why you're
here before I k*ll you.
- k*ll me. Why would you k*ll me?
What, what did I do?
- Robert, please stop this.
You could be having an adverse
reaction to the time travel,
and it could be affecting your behavior.
- I wish that was the case, my love.
But our prisoner here is destined
to commit the heinous crime of m*rder.
- What?
- That's right.
I can't divulge any
further what I witnessed,
but I am firm and confident
that he is the antagonist.
- Robert, this is pure madness.
You must see that. We've been
friends for over 20 years.
- And you've been envious
of me for 15 of them.
Did you truly come here to
bear witness to my success,
or were there ulterior motives?
I want the truth this time, Steven.
- You've got me, Robert.
Always a little foolish, never a fool.
I heard about your engagement,
and I admit I was jealous.
The news about your
work on the time travel
sounded like your ego had
gotten the better of you.
So I never took it seriously.
I just used it as an excuse to visit you.
See, Karen, I was hoping
she would remember
what we once shared, what she means to me,
what she has always meant to me.
I never stopped loving you.
- That's quite enough, Steven.
I knew your felicitations
were less than sincere.
- Darling, I need you to
tell me what you saw, please.
- I wanted to spare you
the grim details, my love.
But if you must know, I saw
you lying dead on the floor
no more than a few feet
from where we now stand.
m*rder*d by a love scorned
madman who couldn't accept
the fact that he lost your heart long ago.
Perhaps it was a realization
that my discovery
would propel us to fame and fortune
that drove his murderous rage.
Or perhaps, it was sometime
during our demonstration
that a sinister intention took
root into his black heart,
maybe taking my research for his own
and leaving no witnesses behind.
- But Robert. Dr. King
is not that kind of man.
- I'm not, Robert. Damn it, man, I'm not.
- No man is a m*rder*r until
the day he commits m*rder.
Can't you understand, Karen?
I've seen it with my own eyes.
The Soothsayer showed me.
It was all validated
when I saw Dr. King here
strangling me to death
with his bare hands.
A look of pure insanity
painted across his face.
- My God, Steven, why?
- Robert, this is insanity.
I will not be subject to
these accusations any longer.
Please allow me to leave.
- I'm afraid not, Steven.
I have you right where I want you to be
to ensure our safety.
- But are you really safe?
If in fact, you did see me m*rder you,
then I am destined to
do exactly just that.
And despite your greatest
efforts to prevent it,
it will happen.
- You might be right, old friend.
Perhaps it's best to not
leave anything to chance.
No!
Karen, no.
I'm so sorry.
This is all your fault. Why
didn't you die like a man?
I'll k*ll you.
- Robert, no!
- How tragic.
- Why would he do that?
- Dr. Sterling couldn't
live with the consequences
of his actions.
When he tried to change
the future that he saw,
he unwittingly caused it to unfold.
Or at least that's what I think happened.
Time travel stories
always kind of confuse me.
Now, in the case of one Scott Wills,
he suffered the consequences
of someone else's actions,
someone from his past.
Now does that sound fair to you, Jack?
- No.
- Yeah. Me neither.
But it makes for a damn good story.
You can't do
this, Marg. What happened?
Where is Kenny?
You have to
take him and keep him here.
Don't let him come home with me.
Not ever. Promise me, Jenny.
- Marge, please. The boy needs his mother.
- I am begging you, Mike. You raise him.
You raise him right.
- Mom?
Damn it. Margaret.
- Scotty, I have to go now.
You're gonna stay with your aunt and uncle
for a while, okay?
- Why, Mom? Where is Dad?
He left us, honey.
He's gone, baby.
I, I can't explain it,
but I love you, Scotty.
- I wanna go home.
I love you so much.
- Scott?
- T?
- What are you doing?
- I'm taking a 10 minute break.
I just finished tearing
up the last of the carpet
in Olivia's room.
Check this out.
Brought it down from the attic.
A ton of old photos of my parents.
There's even a few of me in here.
- Yeah, uh, that's great.
But we need to get the
bedrooms done by Monday.
Olivia starts school next week,
and I cannot stay
at my mother's place any longer.
I am done with Baltimore.
- This place was covered in carpet.
Tearing it up is no easy job.
When we finish sanding
upstairs, paint her room,
you girls can move right in.
Now...
Follow me, young lady. I
got something to show you.
Upstairs.
- Upstairs?
- Upstairs.
Come on. Come on.
Oh, oh, oh, oh.
Careful.
- All right.
- Careful. All right.
I finished our room this morning.
My God.
Our room is done.
Oh, yay.
Our room is almost ready.
- Yeah, bedroom's done so...
- Well, can you at least, um,
carry me over the threshold?
Oh, God. Watch your back.
- You need to talk to Olivia.
About what?
- Well, ever since you
inherited this house,
she's been asking a lot of questions.
She wants to know why your
mom never asked to visit
or why you never talk about your father.
- Because I barely know
the truth of it myself.
I mean, what am I supposed to tell her?
That I hate my father for leaving us
without so much as a goodbye letter?
Or that my mother, in her infinite wisdom,
decided that the solution
to becoming a single parent
was to abandon me with her sister
and then live the rest
of her life as a recluse?
No. I wouldn't suggest that.
Look, your mom
had pictures of your dad
all over this house
when we first got here.
I mean, it doesn't seem like she had
any ill will towards him.
Maybe it's time you forgive her
and him.
- I forgave her a long time ago.
I did.
But him? Leaving without an explanation?
Whatever his reason, it was wrong.
It was just plain wrong.
And the last thing I
want is Olivia thinking
something like that will happen to us.
- It won't.
It won't.
- Promise?
- Promise.
- Okay.
All right, well, if this
place is gonna be ready,
I have to get back to work.
You go home, tell your
mother you're all grown up
and ready to move out on your own.
Yay.
- All right. Just I wanna lay here.
- Yes.
- Five more minutes.
- Okay.
- All right.
- Good luck.
You okay out there?
- Yeah. I just got a splinter.
Good morning. Good morning.
I smell burnt toast.
- The burnt omelet is almost ready too.
- Wonderful. Hey, Liv.
- Hey.
- So how was the first
night in our new house?
- Oh, amazing.
- Really? Come on, kid.
I put a lot of work into that room.
- Olivia, your father
suffered a devastating injury
getting that room ready for you.
- This is hilarious. I can't believe it.
You, school, now.
- Wow, Dad just kicked me out.
Okay. Fine.
Bye.
- Bye, Liv.
- Bye, honey. Have a lovely day.
- Go talk to her.
- Olivia, hold up.
Your mom says you've got some questions
about this place, about my parents.
Is something bothering you?
- No.
I don't know.
It's just we never really visited grandma.
I mean, not once.
And now we're living in her house.
- Okay, well, that's fair.
But Aunt Jenny is your grandma,
and she loves you very much.
As far as this place goes, well,
Baltimore just wasn't
right for us anymore.
And your mother and I had been talking
about moving for quite some time,
but then we got the call about
Margaret's passing in this house.
- I don't get it. Why didn't
she ever wanna see us?
- My mother wasn't well, okay?
She barely left the house.
She kept to herself mostly.
I remember once when I
was, I was a little boy.
I was much, much younger than you.
And, uh, I asked Aunt
Jenny and Uncle Mike,
why doesn't mom raise me herself?
Why doesn't she love me
enough to raise me herself?
And they said, "No, no, no.
Your mother loves you very much."
But sometimes when you lose someone,
the child that you share
can be a painful reminder
of that heartache.
And for some people, like my mother,
it was just too much to bear.
- So your father leaves her,
and she's so bummed out, she leaves you.
That doesn't make any sense.
You're right.
It doesn't make sense.
It didn't make sense back then.
It doesn't make sense to me now.
I don't think it was an
easy choice for her to make.
I think it broke her.
I think it broke her heart,
her mind, her spirit,
and she just didn't recover.
But the thing is, kiddo,
that's all in the past.
And we're here now to start
a new life for ourselves,
for you, and for me, mom.
And some questions just don't
get answered in this lifetime.
I'm okay with it.
Are you?
- Yeah. But you would never
leave us like that, right?
- Hell no.
But if your mother keeps
burning the toast like that...
- Dad.
- I don't know, maybe.
Okay, I gotta go.
All right, go, learn
great things, young lady.
- Yeah, bye.
- I love you.
Olivia is good. She gets it.
But all kidding aside,
this thing is really starting to hurt.
There's still a small
piece of the splinter
stuck in my foot.
I tried to get it out this
morning with a, a sewing needle,
and it's just in too deep.
And now everything's starting
to swell and get stiff.
- Well, I told you, tough guy.
Go to the doctor.
- For a splinter. Really?
- Well, you could always wait
until it's too late and have it amputated.
- All right. All right, already.
I've gotta swing by the
storage unit, anyway.
I'll, uh, stop by Dr. Grave's office.
See if he could squeeze me
in and take a look. Fair?
- Fair.
- Okay, I gotta go.
Have a great day.
- Love you.
- Love you too.
- Mr. Wills. Dr. Graves
is ready to see you.
Mr. Wills?
Mr. Wills?
Mr. Wills?
Mr. Wills?
Dr. Graves is ready to see you.
Okay. Thank you.
Oh, hey.
Good afternoon, Scott.
How's the move going?
Slow and steady,
but thankfully, the place
is coming along nicely.
- Oh, that's good.
I'm sorry to lose a patient,
but best of luck in your new home.
- Thank you.
- So what's ailing you today?
- I'm actually a little embarrassed to say
because it's so minor,
but I have this splinter in my foot and-
- Oh, nothing to be
embarrassed about, Scott.
Better to have it looked
at than risk infection.
Please remove your shoe and
sock and let's take a look.
Well, that's in there deep.
And based on the look of this
foot, it's already infected.
How long has it been in there?
- Only a few days. Can you get it out?
- I think so, but it's
not gonna be pleasant.
I'll numb the area first
and we'll get right to it.
It shouldn't take too long.
- Okay, great. Thanks.
- Christine, can you come
here a minute please?
- Yes, Doctor.
- We are removing a splinter
from Mr. Will's foot.
I'll need you to hold
the leg still for me.
Now, relax, Scott. It'll
only hurt just a little bit.
I, I don't want you kicking
me in the head outta reflex.
- I can handle it, Doc. I'm a big boy.
- g*dd*mn it. That's excruciating.
- I'm sorry, Scott.
This splinter is in deeper than I thought.
It feels like you
hit the bone.
- Scott, I've got some bad news.
I'm not gonna be able to
remove the splinter here.
We're gonna need to
get you to the hospital
where I have better equipment.
Can you do it tomorrow morning?
- The, the, hospital for a splinter?
- I know, but it's in very deep.
And I, I, I don't want to
risk causing any nerve damage.
And I, I, I'm not
comfortable with the level
of infection you seem to have here.
I'm gonna prescribe some antibiotics
for you to take tonight,
and we'll put an anti-septic
on the wound with a coverup.
Gonna schedule a light
surgery for tomorrow
at Mercy and have you
in and out in no time.
What is going on with me?
Oh, just breathe.
Hi, this is Teresa
and you've got my voicemail.
I promise I'll listen to it later,
and I might just call you back.
Thanks.
- Hey, T, how are you, babe?
Uh, just got outta the doctor's office.
Uh...
I'll tell you about it when I get home.
Uh, I could use a drink.
I'm gonna stop by a local watering hole.
Check it out. Who knows?
Maybe it becomes our new dive bar.
Shouldn't be more than a few hours.
I love you. Tell you about
everything when I get home.
My God, I could use more than one drink.
- Hey, you must be the new neighbor.
- Hi. Yeah.
I'm Teresa Wills.
- Solomon.
- Nice to meet you, Teresa.
- Same.
- So Wills, huh? I guess
you're related to Margaret.
- Yeah, um, my husband Scott is her son.
- Oh. I didn't know she had any family.
Margaret didn't talk very
much, at least not to me.
She did seem like she had
an awful lot to say though.
- What do you mean?
- Well, she'd sit out there
practically all day and night.
Well, just talking up a storm.
Sometimes I thought she had company over,
but when I peeked over
the fence, it was just her
all by her lonesome.
- Do you peek over the fence often?
Only when I'm outside.
- Solomon, can you tell me anything
about Margaret's husband?
- Kenny? No, not really.
When we moved in, he'd already passed on.
- I, I'm sorry, passed on?
Mm-hm.
- Wait, do you mean that he d*ed?
- I assume so.
Margaret used to say his name a lot
when she was out here talking to herself.
I figured she was just
conversing with the dead.
Not that she was crazy or
anything but, you know,
it can bring us comfort.
I know. I talk to my Annie
whenever I visit her plot.
- Well, it was nice meeting you, Solomon.
- You too, Teresa.
Oh, and I'll, uh, keep
my peaking to a minimum.
You do that.
- Howdy.
- How are you?
- You got something to
make the pain go away?
- Oh, that's all we serve here, son.
You got a name?
- Scott.
Scott Wills.
- Wills.
You wouldn't happen to be related
to Margaret Wills, would you?
- I'm her only son.
- I'm so sorry to hear of her passing.
She was quite well known in this town.
I'm Tuck, Scott. Nice to
make your acquaintance.
- Pleasure, Tuck.
- And how come I haven't seen you before?
I know most people around here.
- I actually grew up in
Maryland with my aunt and uncle.
My wife and daughter and myself,
we just moved back to town.
- Well, welcome home.
- You live in this town
your whole life, Tuck?
- Yes, sir.
- You didn't happen to
know my father, did you?
Ken Wills?
No, uh, not personally.
There was a time though, that, uh,
he ran things around this town.
A lot of people admired that man.
He had his fair share of enemies too.
- Really?
- Shut up, Lenny.
- What did he just say?
- No one knows what that
old man's talking about.
He's a kook.
- Where's your bathroom, Tuck?
- Ah, down there on the end.
Hey, uh, what happened to your leg?
I got a splinter on my foot.
- You know, you should
just cut it right off.
- My foot.
Christ, Tuck, you're starting
to sound like my wife.
That's a good one.
Oh, Jesus Christ.
Scott.
- This is on the house, and like I said,
you should just cut it right off.
- Thank you for the drink.
I, I have to go home.
Oh, oh.
You know, you
should just cut if off.
Scott.
Scott.
Oh, Jesus Christ. Oh, Jesus.
Oh.
Oh, no.
11 missed calls.
- Jesus, Scott. Where have you been?
- Um... I was dozing behind the wheel.
Yeah, and I just, the
smartest thing I could do
is pull over and take some rest.
- What? How much did you have to drink?
- Where's Olivia?
- Well, she's in her room
on her phone, of course.
How did it go?
- Not good.
I have to get surgery
first thing in the morning.
What?
For, for a splinter?
- Mm-hmm.
Apparently it is severely infected. Yeah.
And Dr. Graves, he damn near
k*lled me trying to remove it.
Oh my God.
Death by splinter.
Oh, God. Oh, that'll be a first.
- Oh, that's hilarious. Oh.
This thing is really k*lling me.
- Oh. I'm sorry, babe.
- Yeah, yeah.
What are you looking at here, anyway?
- Oh, I'm just, uh, shuffling
through all of these old boxes
you brought down from the attic.
Your, uh, your mom had
quite the collection of old newspapers.
- Really? Anything interesting?
- Well, I did find something,
but I hesitate to show you.
- Why?
- It's an article about your father.
He never left your mom the way we thought.
He went missing.
- Why would she tell me that he left us?
- Well, apparently in the
'60s, he was one of the men
responsible for the government
seizure of this land.
They ordered the razing
of the entire forest
from here to the Delaware River
in order to build this community.
- You know, Aunt Jenny always told me
that he worked in construction.
But I had no idea it
was for Hackett Works.
They're one of the largest
developers in the world.
- Not only that.
The Lenape, they staged a huge protest
because the forest was on sacred land.
They believed the souls of their ancestors
resided in the woods.
The project was an affront to the people,
and things got ugly really fast.
The police tried to disperse the crowds
rather violently, because
they tried to block
the bulldozers and the tree
cutters from coming in.
The leader of the tribe,
a, a shaman named Kiondashawa
was heard shouting over and over
in his native tongue at the crew,
and he refused to budge from the path.
He was hit and k*lled by a
truck that didn't brake for him.
His people believed he
cursed anyone responsible
for the destruction of the land.
Apparently, the majority of this community
is built from the trees they tore down.
A lot of the men on the project
moved their families here.
When, when your father went missing,
the police suspected foul play,
but no one was ever arrested.
Now here's the really, really weird part.
He's not the only one
who's mysteriously gone
missing in this town.
- I need, I need to get some rest.
- Hon, are you okay?
I'm sorry.
I, I didn't mean to spring this on you.
- It's not you.
It's, it's just a lot to take in.
If, if this is true,
then I've been lied to.
I always thought my father
was just a dead b*at.
And now I come to learn
that he was either partially
or fully responsible
for an atrocity in this town's history.
Possibly m*rder*d because of it.
It is just a lot to take in.
I need a good night's sleep.
- Yeah, yeah, you look, uh,
really worn out.
- My head is throbbing,
and my back is so stiff
that I feel like an old man.
- I'll call the office
tomorrow in the morning
and let them know I'll be late
so I can drive you to the hospital, okay?
- Okay.
Thank you.
I'll see you in the morning.
- Love you, babe.
- Love you, too.
Oh, Jesus Christ.
Death by splinter.
Don't let
him come home with me.
Not ever. Promise me, Jenny.
I can't explain it.
I can't explain it.
Scott.
- I'm sorry, son.
Scott.
Scott.
- The last thing I want to
do is have Olivia think that,
that something like
that could happen to us,
could happen to us.
- It won't.
Scott.
Scott.
- Hey, Mr. Benson, um,
this is Teresa Wills.
I'm gonna be a little late today.
I have to take my husband to the hospital
for emergency surgery.
Yeah, um, I think it'll be fine.
Uh, I, I'll still have my phone on me
so you guys can reach
me if you need me, okay?
All right. I'll see you in a little bit.
Scott?
Scott?
Liv, have you seen your dad?
No.
- All right, kid. You gotta get up.
You're gonna be late for school,
and I have to take dad to the hospital.
- What?
Ew!
- Poor Scott. If only his
mother hadn't lied to him.
You know, we tend to
put our faith in people
who don't deserve it.
Give them our trust and they
just take advantage of it.
You trust anyone, Jack?
- My head hurts.
- I asked you a question, Jack.
Do you trust anyone?
- I trust my friend, Cody.
- Well, you shouldn't.
Trust is what creates
the con men of the world.
Men like Carl McGavin.
- Mr. McGavin?
- Ms. Olson?
- Please come inside.
- You said it was the last
room, right, Ms. Olson?
- That's right. Mr. McGavin.
- Okay, I'm going in. So,
uh, please wait inside.
- Please be careful.
- Do you see? It's just like I told you.
- I see, dear, but, but Ms.
Olson, please wait inside.
Sometimes these entities demonstrate
a particular aggressiveness
towards the owner of the home.
I need to handle this alone.
- But what could I have
done to make it angry?
- I, I don't know, dear.
But please wait inside.
Negative energy may not stay.
I release it and send it on its way.
Negative energy, I banish thee
That is my word, so mote it be.
- Is it done, Mr. McGavin? Is it gone?
- I think that should just
about do it, Ms. Olson.
I warded off the spirit.
It was powerful, but
I don't think it'll be
bothering you any longer.
- No more flickering lights?
No more chill in the air?
- Any chill in the air, young lady?
- None. It's gone.
Oh, thank you so much, Mr. McGavin.
- Now you're gonna need
to have a strong faith
so that spirit doesn't get
any ideas about returning.
- No need to worry about that.
I'm a lifelong Christian.
- God bless you, Ms. Olson.
Now, if I could just collect my fee, uh,
there's some other houses
that need cleansing
and protection from some dark forces.
- Of course. You are a
brave man, Mr. McGavin.
Doing the Lord's work is something
you should be very proud of.
Um, it was $800, you say?
- Yes, ma'am.
- God bless you. Mr. McGavin.
- Same to you.
- Mom, it's happening again!
- Carolyn? Honey, are you okay?
Good evening,
ladies and gentleman.
And welcome to tonight's game.
- Yeah, put me down for 500, Charlie.
Yeah, I got the money.
I just got done cleansing
another house.
No, no, no.
Just a nice old lady with a loose plug
and an open window
haunting her.
All right, I'll see you Friday.
McGavin Paranormal Investigations, LLC.
How can I help you?
- Mr. McGavin? My name
is Heather Freeling.
I, I got your number from a newspaper ad.
Um, I...
I think there's a ghost in my house.
- Well, Miss, Miss Freeling?
- Mrs.
- Well, Mrs. Freeling, you
called the right investigator.
Now what makes you think you
have a ghost in the house?
- My daughter and I have both experienced
some very unusual things.
Um, books flying off
shelves, doors slamming,
strange noises.
- It sounds like you got a
poltergeist, Mrs. Freeling.
How soon can I come by
and do a walkthrough
and an assessment?
- As soon as you can, Mr. McGavin, please.
We're terrified.
- Well, I should mention that I utilize
some very specialized equipment.
The work that's required to
do a thorough investigation
is quite involved.
I might need to, uh-
- How much will it be, Mr. McGavin?
- $1,000, ma'am.
- $1,000?
- Yes, but that covers a full
investigation of the property,
a detection of a presence, a
classification of the entity,
removal and/or dispersal, and
finally, a protection spell.
- A spell? Mr. McGavin,
can you really help us?
- Mrs. Freeling, if anyone can help you,
it's Carl McGavin.
Mrs. Freeling.
- Mr. McGavin. Please come in.
- Oh. Hello.
I'm Carl McGavin.
- Hi, I'm Carolyn.
Are there really ghosts in my house?
- Well, that's what I'm here
to find out, little lady.
- Can we get started?
- Absolutely.
How long have you been experiencing
these strange types of
occurrences, Mrs. Freeling?
- It's been about three months now.
It started a few weeks
after we buried my husband.
- Oh, my sincere condolences.
- Thank you.
Harry's death was a shock,
and it's been especially hard
on Carolyn losing her father.
She was in the car with
him during the crash.
They were very close.
These unexplained events
have only exacerbated the situation.
She's been incredibly
stressed. We both have.
- Well, these kinds of visits immediately
following the death of a
loved one are commonplace
when the family refuses to
let go of those memories.
- Wait, are you suggesting
this is my late husband haunting us?
He loved his family dearly.
Why would he frighten us this way?
- I'm not suggesting
anything, Mrs. Freeling.
You know, forget that I even mentioned it.
Um, where did the
paranormal activity occur?
- Most recently was in Carolyn's bedroom.
Before that, it happened in
here, and once in the kitchen.
Every time, Carolyn seems to
be the focus of the att*cks.
- I'll start in the kitchen, Heather.
Do you mind if I call you Heather?
It might be best if you
and Carolyn wait outside.
If this spirit is after
her, I'd rather go in alone.
You know, for your safety and hers.
I've seen some entities
get very aggressive
when I begin the removal the process.
- Oh, we'll wait on the porch.
- Is everything all right, Mr. McGavin?
- This poltergeist is not not
too happy about me being here,
but I know precisely how to handle it.
So you two, please remain
outside until I'm done.
Negative energy may not stay.
I release it and send it on its way.
Negative energy, I vanish thee.
That is my word, so mote it be.
Heather, Carolyn, you
can come back in now.
Your home has been cleansed.
- My mother's lamp.
- I'm sorry, ma'am.
The unwanted guests tried
desperately to frighten me off
and hold onto your home.
But what it didn't anticipate was somebody
who knows how to handle
these particular types
of home invasions.
- How can you be sure it's gone for good?
- Well, ma'am, I utilize the
full force of the Holy Spirit
along with these protective crystals,
a smudge stick or two,
some hoodoo candles.
The final protection spell
helps to close the door
on any possible return.
But here's the most important part.
You need to let go of the grief
of your husband's passing.
- What? But it's only been a few months.
- I understand, ma'am. But sometimes
holding on to those painful memories
manifest visitation from
the recently deceased.
I'm not saying it's him,
but what I'm saying is,
maybe it's time that you move on.
- Mr. McGavin, whatever you think this is,
I thank you, but I will not
be forgetting my husband
so soon and neither will Carolyn.
Here's your check.
- Mrs. Freeling, Carolyn, have a nice day.
- Everything's gonna be
all right now, honey.
Mr. McGavin said the spirit is gone.
Can you help me get things cleaned up?
- Sure.
- Okay.
Let's go live.
- McGavin Paranormal Investigations, LLC.
- Mr. McGavin, it's Heather Freeling.
It's happening again, worse than before.
I, I thought you said it was gone.
- Now, now, Mrs. Freeling,
I told you what might happen if you refuse
to let go of your grief.
Your husband is tormenting you
because you will not move on.
- That's just it. I
did what you suggested.
For the first time since he passed,
I started packing away his things.
That's when it returned with a fury.
- Well, I'm sorry, Mrs.
Freeling. There are no refunds.
But if you'd like to
schedule another appointment,
I can do a more intensive
examination of the premises
for an additional 1,200 bucks.
- We can't afford another
dime, Mr. McGavin.
We asked for your help, and
now we're scared for our lives.
- Mrs. Freeling, I did
what I could do for you.
Now you're gonna have to
come to the realization
that there are no such things as ghosts.
Oh, f*ck.
So what you see here is
a cluster of white orbs
concentrated in your bedroom.
Good news is, white orbs
are a positive energy.
Although you have a supernatural
presence in your home,
you shouldn't experience anything more
than sometimes feel you're not alone.
- I can't. I can't.
Who knows? Maybe they
like watching.
- Is there anything you
could do to get rid of them?
- There sure is.
If you'd like to schedule a cleansing,
please check out our package
deals in our brochure.
I'd be more than happy to
go through each service
and what it means to
your paranormal security.
Hey, excuse me. I have to take this.
Danny, Danny, could you please, um,
go over the cleansing
packages with these folks?
- Sure. All right, guys.
- McGavin Paranormal Investigations
Incorporated. How can I help you?
- Hello, Mr. McGavin? My
name is Charlene McGee.
I was told you could help
me with a haunting problem.
- Yes, uh, Mrs.? Is it Mrs?
- Miss.
- Miss McGee.
Yes, I could, uh, schedule
our team for an assessment.
- Actually, Mr. McGavin, I was
hoping it would only be you.
- Uh, I don't do these investigations
alone anymore, Ms. McGee.
It's just too much gear.
- I'll pay you $2,000 cash.
- $2,000?
What's your address?
Okay, all right. Got it.
I can get there in an hour.
- Mr. McGavin?
- Yes.
- Please come in.
- Thank you.
You wouldn't happen to
have any coffee brewing,
would you, Ms. McGee?
- I'm afraid not. Could we
just get on with this, please?
It's, it's been an awful experience,
and I'd really like it
over as soon as possible.
- Sure, um, uh, well, tell me a little bit
about what you've been experiencing.
- Very unusual things.
Books flying off the shelves.
Doors slamming, strange noises.
Classic poltergeist haunting.
You mind if I take a look around?
- Not at all.
- Please wait down there.
Sometimes these things become
a little aggressive when I-
- When you begin the removal process?
Yes, exactly.
Where did the last incident occur?
- Just down the hall.
Do you see, Mr. McGavin?
- Whoa.
I see.
Ms. McGee.
Ms. McGee, open the door.
Come on, Ms. McGee.
Let me out.
Ms. McGee.
Mr. McGavin,
are you all right?
Let me out. Let me outta here.
Let me out.
- Mr. McGavin, there's something.
- I don't know what to do.
- What do you mean you don't what to do?
- Listen, I never, I don't know.
I've never seen anything
like this. I don't know.
- Do you mean there are
no such things as ghosts?
- I know you.
- My name is Carolyn Freeling.
You came to my home 10 years ago.
You broke a few things,
took my mother's money
and told her to forget
about my dead father.
Truly professional service, Mr. McGavin.
- What, what is this?
- After we lost my father,
something strange happened.
My severe depression and
anxiety triggered sensations
that I'd never felt before.
Every time that I thought of dad, I,
I started to notice objects
moving around on their own,
just recklessly and aimlessly
flying across the room.
It was, it was the most frightening thing
I'd ever experienced.
Mom and I were sure the house was haunted.
And when my mother called you
and you offered your help,
we thought we'd found the answer.
Finally, someone who would
know what was happening
and, and why it was happening to us.
You told my mother that her
grief had caused all of it,
and somehow her pain had opened
a doorway into the afterlife,
and my dad had just stepped through
to punish us for not letting go of him.
You lied to us, Mr. McGavin.
A few days after your visit,
my mother packed away every
last memory of my father.
All his photographs, his clothing,
his personal belongings.
I was furious.
How could you try to
erase him from our lives?
- Carolyn, I'm sorry.
Mom?
Just then the haunting started again.
But this time with a hellish intensity.
And while trying to save me
from the chaos of it all,
my mother was crushed under the weight
of a falling book case.
There are no
such things as ghosts.
- Daddy, why are you doing this to us?
- This is not your father, baby.
- Mom, is Mr. McGavin
coming? What did he say?
- He said, he said...
He said there's no such
thing as ghosts, okay?
Come on.
Mom?
When I saw her lying there lifeless,
I screamed a deep guttural scream.
And the truth was revealed.
Mom!
I'm a telekinetic, Mr. McGavin.
Everything that happened
was because my emotions
were controlling my power.
Hell, we had no idea. How could we?
My mother trusted you.
She believed in you.
But you treated us like
just another con job.
And my mother d*ed because of it.
Now your con man days are over.
- Colin!
Colin!
- What is it, Jack?
- It's the man in the movie.
I need to go home.
- Now, now, Jack.
There's still one more
short story to watch.
And this theater is so close
to feeling like its old self again.
Besides this next short
is all about your little
friend right there.
And you just might recognize
the star of the film.
He's living in a
fantasy land and I'm sick of it.
Why doesn't he just do what he's told?
Let me talk to him.
Talk all you want.
I don't wanna see his face
for the rest of the night.
You understand me?
- Jack, you need to listen to Joseph.
There are rules in this
house. You know that.
Let me see your eye.
- It's fine.
- You shouldn't make him angry.
You know how he gets.
- I know.
- Go to bed. Don't come
out until breakfast.
Just let your father cool down.
- He's not my father.
- He is now.
- Ah, ow.
Where do
you go if you don't want
your news sugarcoated?
When you don't want your news opinionated?
When you want the facts, just the facts,
and only the facts-
- You want Facts News.
That's right.
Facts News with five-time
Emmy Award-winning
veteran news anchor, Joe Capatow.
And his co-anchor former
Miss America, Anne Wilcox.
Good evening, I'm Anne Wilcox.
Our top story tonight
is the grisly discovery
of yet yet another victim
of foul play in Jersey City.
Henry Benson, founder and
CEO of Benson Shipping
was found m*rder*d...
- Didn't your mother tell you
to stay outta my sight until tomorrow?
- Yes.
- Yet here you stand.
Troublemaker. Just looking for trouble.
Come here.
- Jack?
- Yeah?
- He's gone to work. Come
and get some breakfast.
- Okay. I'll be right down.
You're working.
Oh, cool.
- You know, Jack,
when your father d*ed, I was in shock.
I didn't...
I thought we were gonna grow old together.
And then he was gone.
And suddenly I was left
with all these problems.
We were already behind on the mortgage.
There were car payments, property taxes.
There was you.
- Me?
You think I'm a problem?
- No. I couldn't do it alone.
I just couldn't.
Joseph is taking care of us now.
- Why do you let him hit me?
- Clean up and get ready for school.
We're gonna be late.
- Jack, have you seen my pliers?
- No.
- No.
Because if I found out
you went in my toolbox
and took them without asking me-
- Leave him be, Joe.
- Excuse me?
Excuse me?
Here.
- You lied to me, Jack.
Son, how many times do I have
to teach you about lying?
When are you gonna understand
that I will not tolerate it in this house?
- I'm not your son.
- Is dinner ready yet, Carol?
You know...
There's plenty of ways
I can get my message through to you, Jack.
Kids, they have thick skin.
Sometimes the belt just leaves a mark,
but not an impression.
No, stop.
- Don't you dare, Joseph.
- No dinner for you tonight, kid.
Touch my tools again,
and I'll be sure to leave
another impression on you.
Or at the very least, a mark.
Move.
- Hey, robot. How you feeling today?
- Yes? Can I help you?
- Good morning, ma'am.
My name is Agent Smith,
and this is Agent Jones.
Is your son Jack at home?
- Jack? How do you know my son?
- Well, we found this in
the woods near the crater
of that meteorite crash that
happened a couple days ago,
and you're the closest house to the site.
Did you see anything?
- No, I didn't. I heard it come down.
I called the police.
- We'd like to speak to
your son, Mrs. Kapek.
- You know my name?
- Look, there's no need
to be startled, ma'am.
We just need to know if
Jack was up at the site
after the crash.
Meteorites can be highly radioactive.
- Meteorites aren't
radioactive. It's a myth.
- Oh. Hello, Jack.
You're a smart boy, aren't you?
- He reads a lot.
- Jack, were you at the crash site?
Did you see something
in the woods up there?
- Nope.
- We found your hat up there, champ.
We thought you might have been exposed
to some dangerous materials or gases,
and I'll bet you were scared.
- I wasn't up there that night.
I lost my hat a long time ago.
- Really?
Okay. Well, here's my card in case.
You know, just in case.
- Jack, go inside.
- Thank you for cooperating.
- Where'd you come from, robot?
Far away, I bet.
I wish I could go there.
I wish I could live there.
- I got a visit at work today
from an Agent Smith and an Agent Jones
asking me questions about
that crash up at the ridge.
Apparently looking for witnesses.
- Really?
- Oh, yeah.
- Huh...
Well, they were here earlier today too.
- Yeah, they mentioned that. Yeah.
They mentioned they met Jack too.
- They found his hat.
- His hat.
- Mm-hm.
- Found it where, Carol?
- On the ridge.
- Call him down here.
Jack!
- I hate him so much.
I wish he were dead.
Jack!
- You know, that boy knows something
that he's not telling us.
- That he's being abused?
- No, there's no question about that.
But he knows something about that site,
and there's something else
going on inside that house.
- How should we proceed?
- We sit tight and we
keep our eyes peeled.
- Then he asked me about the
bruises on his arms, Carol.
What the hell did you tell them?
- I didn't tell them anything.
They, they just wanted to know
if he'd been in the woods,
if, if he'd seen anything.
- Yeah, Mom?
- You little sh*t.
What were you doing
over at that crash site?
What the hell did you tell those feds?
- Nothing.
- Nothing?
I will whip your little ass, Jack.
- I'm not lying.
- What are you hiding from me, Jack, huh?
What are you hiding from me?
Come here, you little sh*t. Come here.
I can tell when you're lying, g*dd*mn it.
Come here, come here.
- Jack, stop running.
You're making it worse.
Don't make me chase you, Jack.
Take it like a man.
Please, Joe,
he didn't say anything.
You're gonna get it, kid.
You wanna see me get,
arrested? You little snitch?
Come here.
What the hell is this?
- That's it. Let's move in.
- Jesus Christ, Jack. Is that your toy?
It k*lled Joseph.
- No, no, robot, no!
Mom!
- Agent Jones, do you see this?
- Yes, sir.
- Call it in.
- Dear God, help us.
- Jack?
Jack?
- Oh, hey.
- Have you seen my friend Jack?
- Jack? No.
I'm afraid I haven't.
I have a better question for you.
Have you seen any good movies lately?
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