03x05 - The Tale of the Dollmaker

[bunniefuu]

[Child's laughter]

Hey, guys.

Hey.
Hey.

Hey! What's
the rush, Slick?

Betty Ann's up tonight.

I told him Betty Ann
tells really weird stories,

and he's been looking
forward to it ever since.

Ooh! Pressure's on.
This better be good.

I'll see what I can do.

A doll? You're telling
a doll story?

Weak!

Siesta time, man.

Wake me up
if it gets good.

Come on, Tuck!

It's OK.

Let him sleep.

Most people think dolls
are just toys.

But they're really like
perfect little people.

Sometimes,
they're so lifelike,

that it's almost as if
the dollmaker took a person

and shrunk him down
to doll size.

But that's not how dolls
are really made.

Or is it?

Submitted for the approval
of the Midnight Society,

I call this story...

Ever since she could
remember,

Melissa spent weekends
now and then

at her aunt and uncle's
house in the country.

The first few visits,

it was pretty much
a total drag.

But then the Hendersons

moved in next door.

Even though they only saw each
other a few times each year,

Melissa and Susan Henderson
quickly became best friends.

Where's Susan? Thought she'd
be here waiting for me.

You told her when I
was coming, didn't you?

I'm sorry, Melissa,
but...

The Hendersons moved back
to town early this spring.

But why?
They love this place!

Well--

We don't exactly
know why, hon.

Come on. Let's get
you settled in.

You must be famished!

Yeah.

OK.

No, Mom.
The trip was fine.

But the Hendersons
have moved.

Susan Henderson?
Remember?

We hung out all the time.

Now I've got nothing to do
all weekend.

Aunt Sally and Uncle Pete
don't even have cable.

OK, OK.

I love you, too.

Yeah. Bye. Bye.

Bye!

Hurry up, sweetie.

We don't want to
be late for bingo.

Bingo!

Hey, Melissa,

I got some work to
do on the septic t*nk.

Wanna lend a hand?

Septic t*nk.

Gee, sounds like
fun,

but, uh...
No thanks.

[Chuckles]
Suit yourself.

Hello?

Anybody here?

Hello.

Hello.

Anybody up there?

Hello?

Anybody here?

Hello?

[Creaking]

Anybody here?

Hello?

[Creaking]

Oh, cool!

Oh, wow!

[Gasps]

Oh, probably just a mouse.

[Coughing]

Melissa!

I really don't think you should
be snooping around up here.

Now come on!

I'm not snooping
around.

The front door
was unlocked,

so I just...

I thought maybe Susan
had come back.

What on earth would
make you think that?

I saw someone
in the window.

Oh...

You probably saw me.

Now come on!

Come on!

Now I want you
to give me your word

that you won't ever
come over here again.

Why not?

Because the Hendersons asked
us to watch over the place,

and it's not a
responsibility I take lightly.

They left a lot of
precious things behind.

Like what, a bunch of
old furniture and stuff?

Well, that dollhouse alone
must be worth a fortune.

It's nothing for
a child to play with.

Can I look at the
dollhouse, please?

Oh, Melissa,
I don't know.

I'd rather you kept
away after what happened.

After what?
What happened?

Aunt Sally,
what happened?

Aunt Sally!

I suppose you had to
find out sooner or later.

Melissa...

The Hendersons
didn't just move away.

Last winter...

Susan disappeared.

What do you mean,
disappeared?

No one knows what
happened to her.

One minute
she was there,

and the next...

She was gone.

The whole town
came out.

We searched everywhere.

Her parents
were heartbroken.

They wanted to stay in
case she came back, but...

In the end,
they couldn't stand

to live in that
house any longer.

Too many memories.

They're keeping it,
though,

just in case she
ever comes back.

Come on, sweetie.

Let's go in.

Pete: You shouldn't
have lied to her

about the Henderson
girl in the first place.

I didn't want to
ruin her weekend.

You didn't tell her
what Marge Henderson

said about
the house, did you?

Shh! She might hear you!
No, of course not.

Anyway, Marge was
beside herself with grief.

She didn't know
what she was saying.

Maybe not, but she
said it pretty clearly.

It was the house
that got her!

That's
what she said.

[Girl's voice whispers]
Melissa.

Melissa.

Melissa, help me.

Cool.

Melissa?

Susan!

Melissa?

Susan, you're going
the wrong way!

Melissa?

No!

Aah!

Uncle Pete!

Melissa,
are you all right?

Yes,
but it's Susan--

she's still here
in the house!

Melissa...

Please let me go!
I saw her!

Melissa,
listen to me!

Come here.

Look.

Lord knows why that
door was ever up there

in the first place.

They should have
boarded it up long ago.

I'm sure I saw her... at
the end of a long corridor.

There was this
weird light...

Honey...

I know finding out
about Susan

was a shock.

I wasn't dreaming
or sleepwalking.

It was as real as--

[hammering]

If Uncle Pete
boards up that door,

Susan will never
be able to get out.

Melissa! Listen to
what you're saying.

What on earth would she
be doing in the attic

after all this time?

I don't know.

Susan?

Susan, are you in here?

Susan, where are you?

Susan?

[Thud]

[Thud]

[Thud]

[Loud
footsteps]

[Thud]

[Thud]

My god!

The dollhouse!

I'm in the dollhouse.

Aunt Sally?

Aunt Sally, back here,
in the dollhouse!

Please! No, wait!
In the dollhouse!

It's no use.

She can't hear you.

Susan?

I knew you'd come.

What's wrong with you?
You look just like...

A doll! But how?

What's happened
to you?

You've turned into
a doll!

The dollhouse
did this to you?

OK, look.
You sit there.

I'll be right back.

It's the attic.

Yes. I'm going to take
you back to the attic.

The attic.

Yes. The attic.
Don't worry.

Everything's
going to be all right.

My god! The door!

It was right here!

My hands!

There's gotta be
another way out of here.

doors on this side.
One on the other.

Stairs over there.

Just like Susan's house.

OK. That means
there should be

a closet right here

with a ladder leading
up to the--to the attic!

That's what she meant!
Not the real attic--

the dollhouse attic!

[Grunting]

The bureau, right?

We've gotta move it
to get to the attic!

The bureau's too big!
You've gotta help me!

I can't.

You have to!

If we don't move that bureau,
we can't ever get out of here!

I'll try again.

Yes!

Yes!

There it is, in
exactly the same place.

OK. Here we go!

OK. Nice and easy.

Oops.

Susan? Can you
hear me?

Oh, no!

Don't worry.
Just a couple more seconds,

and everything'll be OK.

But... that's impossible.

The dollhouse is in
their attic, not outside.

This has to be it!

Ready?

OK.

Here goes nothing!

It's my fault.

No, it's not
your fault.

Don't go
overreacting.

I'm sure she'll turn
up safe and sound.

It's the same as Susan.

Exactly the same.

Maybe it was someone else
who broke into the house.

For all we know,

Melissa could be out
going for a walk.

Oh, Peter.

Look!

Aunt Sally!

Aunt Sally!

Uncle Pete!

Melissa!

Oh!

I was so worried
you'd disappeared...

Just like Susan.

But I did!

What do you mean,
sweetheart?

I disappeared just like
Susan, and I found her!

What are you saying?

Look!

Come on.

That very night,

Melissa's uncle
b*rned the dollhouse

in a big bonfire
in the backyard.

As it went up in flames,

Melissa wondered

where the door in the
Hendersons' attic would lead

now that there was
no dollhouse left.

The end.

Yeah...

Where would it
lead to?

Oh? You awake?

Yeah, yeah. Not bad
for a doll story.

I declare this meeting of
the Midnight Society closed.

Good night, everybody.

Yo, bet,
you forgot your doll.

This thing
looks just like...

You!

Where'd she get that?

That's a whole
other story.