Original subtitles

[theme music playing]

[whispering voice]

Heather?

Heather talk into the phone.

[hissing]

I had this huge house all to myself.

I thought maybe this won't be so bad.

Wanna play hide and seek?

[screaming]

Ready or not, here I come.

She said the wall was talking to her.

Jenny.

I just figured it was a weird dream.

[screaming]

I knew there was only one way to put this to rest.

Goodbye.

[echoing]

[screaming]

Whatever was doing this wasn't about to let me go.

[music playing]

I went to college on an academic scholarship.

It covered 100% of my tuition and fees

but not my room and board.

One of the sororities on campus was

desperate to raise their pledge count,

so they were offering free rent for new rushes.

I couldn't afford an apartment in the city,

so I decided to pledge that sorority and live in the house.

I never really thought of myself as a sorority type,

but at the time, I really didn't think I had much of a choice.

Pledge.

We're going out tonight, so guess what.

You get to be our designated driver.

I have a test tomorrow.

You're pledging.

Let's go.

JILL: The older girls really took advantage of me.

At the time, I thought that explained why hardly anyone had

finished pledging the house in nearly two years.

I basically spent two months as a designated driver.

And then when spring break rolled around,

I was named designated housesitter.

Sorry you can't come with, pledge.

Somebody's got to watch the house.

Sorority rules.

[honking]

Shuttle's here.

Have fun.

Oh, and don't forget to clean the bathrooms.

JILL: After they left, I thought maybe this won't be so bad.

[television playing]

I mean, I had this huge house all to myself.

It was definitely a little lonely.

But it was nice not having someone hanging

around harassing me all day.

The night time, though, that was a totally different story.

[music playing]

[creaking]

I heard these noises all throughout the first night.

But it was a big old house, and I was sure I was just letting

my imagination scare me.

I mean, houses make noise, right?

But the second night, I knew.

I knew it wasn't in my head.

[rumbling]

It sounded like footsteps coming up the stairs.

I was terrified.

Everyone who lived in the house was in Mexico.

But I could hear someone on the other side of that door.

[creaking]

But I didn't see anyone out there,

so I told myself I was just being paranoid.

And I went back to sleep.

[music playing]

Fortunately, I was able to get out

of the house for a few hours at work.

The library stayed open during spring break

for the grad students, but I was usually alone there, too.

I got home from the library a little later than usual

one night.

[rumbling]

My first thought when I saw those disgusting handprints

on the wall was that the girls gave a key to some frat guy

and told him to try and scare me while they were gone.

But I was a pledge, the lowest form of life they used to say.

So I couldn't just leave it there.

I spent two hours cleaning that wall.

[muffled voice]

It almost sounded like somebody crying.

[crying]

But after it stopped, I didn't think much else of it.

Later that night, I was watching a movie downstairs.

One of the frat houses down the street

was having an after hours party, so at first, I

thought I was hearing them.

[banging]

The second time I heard it, I realized

it was coming from inside the house.

[crying]

It was that same sound I heard before, the crying.

[crying]

[phone ringing]

[gasping]

Delta Beta Alpha house.

OPERATOR: You have a collect call.

Yes, I accept the charges.

HEATHER: Listen to me, pledge.

[voice dropping]

Heather?

HEATHER: [inaudible]

Heather, talk into the phone.

[low growling]

[hissing]

HEATHER: Listen to me, pledge.

[inaudible]

Heather?

Heather, talk into the phone.

[low growling]

[beeping]

OPERATOR: We're sorry.

Your call cannot be completed as dialed.

[screaming]

Oh my God.

I never thought I'd be so happy to see the campus security

guy driving past the house.

Hi, hi.

I think there's somebody in my house.

Someone in your house?

Yeah, I think so.

This one right here?

JILL: He told me to stay in the van

while he went inside to check out the house.

[creaking]

[heavy breathing]

[creaking]

[tapping]

Hey.

You wanna let me in?

Thanks.

Did you see anything?

These houses, they're big and old.

Big old houses can be scary sometimes.

JILL: He searched the entire house and didn't find anything.

He told me I was probably exhausted

from studying so much.

Thanks.

That I was wired from drinking too much coffee.

Have a good night.

And he was right.

I was.

So I went back inside and went to bed.

I actually managed to get some sleep that night.

[music playing]

[door slamming]

It was this loud whining sound.

And whatever it was was coming from right outside my bedroom

door.

[whirring]

[screaming]

Sorry.

JILL: It was just Miranda, the housekeeper.

After that, I told myself the campus security guy

was probably right.

This was an old house with weird noises,

and I was just freaking myself out.

And that actually worked for a few hours.

I was watching TV, and I went to the kitchen to get something.

I didn't hear anything fall, but when I got back in the room,

there's an old picture on the floor.

It was an old rush photo.

Judging from the hair and clothes,

it had to be from the '80s.

The first thing I noticed was this girl in the back

with long brown hair.

I knew that face.

It was the same girl I saw in the mirror.

And that's when I knew there's no way any of this was a prank.

At that point, I just thought I don't care if they kick me out

of the sorority.

I'm leaving.

I'm out.

I jammed everything I could carry into a bag.

I figured I'd sleep in my car or at the library.

[clicking]

But whatever was doing this wasn't about to let me go.

[phone ringing]

This is Delta Beta Alpha House.

I'm locked inside.

Can you please send somebody to help me?

Hello?

(WHISPERING) Help me.

JILL: I know this sounds crazy, but the voice on the other end

of that line, it sounded so desperate.

I saw the door lock on its own, and I heard this voice asking

for help.

And now the shadow upstairs, it was all starting to make sense.

I knew there was only one way to put this to rest.

[creaking]

[rumbling]

[crying out]

Once I got to the top of the stairs,

it was really clear where the noise was coming from.

The girls never went up to that attic.

In fact, it was always locked, but when

I went to open the door--

[creaking]

It opened for me.

[creaking]

[crashing]

I never touch that box.

It fell out on its own.

And then I heard this whisper.

(WHISPERING) Please don't be afraid.

JILL: I should have been terrified, standing there

staring at her, but this strange calm just came over me.

[creaking]

And I knew there was something she needed me to see.

[creaking]

I only saw her for a few seconds,

and then she disappeared.

As soon as I saw what was hidden inside that box,

I knew it had been here since her death.

They were all of her, tons of these old photos, just one

after another of her being forced

to do these crazy things.

[music playing]

As far as a sorority was concerned,

she might as well have never existed.

Donna pledged in 1987, but just a few weeks into the semester,

she was found dead in a field outside of town.

I'll never know for sure what happened to Donna--

But knowing what I saw in that house

and what I found in that attic, I'm

convinced it all happened while she was being hazed.

And the girls in the sorority, I think they did everything

they could to cover it up.

But I couldn't let it stay hidden anymore.

I never became a member of the sorority.

And I realized why so many other pledges

left with no explanation.

Donna was just trying to warn us.

Where are you going?

Away from here.

And I knew I had to do the same for her.

I don't know if I released her from that house

or moved her on to a better place.

I mean, I never even believed in that stuff until that night.

But I hope she's finally at peace.

[music playing]

HAYLEY: Eliot and I have been dating for two years

when he asked me to marry him, and then he surprised me

with this giant house that he bought in a part of town

that I really love.

Hey.

Hey.

I was actually thinking I don't hate the furniture

that the other owner left--

We actually called it the mystery house

because he bought it at one of those auctions

with the furniture and everything.

We wanted a big place so we could start a family.

About three weeks after we moved in--

How's it going?

HAYLEY: Elliot's daughter from his first marriage

came to stay with us for part of the summer.

Remember Haley?

Hi, sweetie.

Hi.

MOTHER: Don't worry.

It's only going to be four weeks, OK.

You'll be fine.

Have fun.

JENNY: OK.

HAYLEY: I wasn't really surprised

that Jenny was upset when Elliot told her that he was marrying

me, but, you know, secretly I still want

to be the cool new stepmom.

Unfortunately, Jenny wanted nothing to do with me.

The day after Jenny arrived, I was unpacking,

and Elliot called from work.

Well, how long are you going to be gone?

ELLIOT: Two days.

Two days?

He had a work emergency, and he was

going to have to get on a plane and put out some fires.

Two days alone with a nine-year-old that I barely

knew who barely knew me.

I'll deal with it.

[music playing]

Jenny, what are you doing?

Jenny was just standing downstairs staring up at me.

It was bizarre.

And then the guest bedroom door opened all by itself,

and then when I look back, she was gone.

I thought maybe I had left the window open,

so I went to go close it.

Jenny, what are you doing?

[creaking]

I went to leave.

And in the mirror I saw a child's feet

hiding behind the curtain, but when I turned, they were gone.

It was a tiny pink hair ribbon.

What to play hide and seek?

Sure.

For a second, I thought Jenny must somehow be doing this.

But then I told myself I was just being paranoid.

7-1,000, 8-1,000, 9-1,000 10.

Ready or not, here I come.

[footsteps running]

Jenny.

[footsteps running]

Jenny.

Jenny, where are you?

[footsteps running]

[ticking]

[footsteps running]

[creaking]

We always kept the basement door closed to keep out

the cold draft, so I was sure she must be hiding down there.

[footsteps running]

Jenny, you in the basement?

[footsteps running]

Jenny?

[footsteps running]

I could see her running behind the wine racks--

Jenny, I see you.

Staying just a few steps ahead of me.

[footsteps running]

Come out.

[footsteps running]

Jenny?

I got you.

[gasping]

JENNY: Wanna play hide and seek?

HAYLEY: 9-1,000, 10.

Ready or not, here I come.

[footsteps running]

I got you.

[gasping]

I saw her for only an instant.

She was a little girl with black eyes

and white skin holding a doll.

And then she was gone.

At first, I thought it was Jenny trying to scare me

until I found her hiding upstairs in my bedroom closet.

It was about 2:30 in the morning when I heard something moving

under my bed.

[creaking]

Jenny?

[screaming]

It had to be Jenny.

Jenny, it's not funny.

I was sure.

Jenny--

But not sure enough to stick my face under the bed.

[creaking]

[door closing]

[creaking]

I had no idea how she got across the room and out the door

without me seeing her, but I planned to find out.

Her room was empty.

I searched everywhere in the house.

I had only one place left to go.

I hated that basement.

Jenny.

But if she could go down there, then so could I.

Jenny, come on.

Jenny.

Jenny.

Jenny, I'm calling your dad right now.

[mumbling]

She was just standing there mumbling to the wall.

[mumbling]

Jenny.

[humming]

What are you doing?

I could see it in her eyes.

She was as confused as I was.

Come on.

Let's get you back to bed.

Later that night, Jenny said she could only remember one thing.

She said the wall was talking to her.

I should have called Eliot right then and told him to get home,

but I didn't want him to think I couldn't handle something as

simple as babysitting his daughter.

I just figured it was a weird dream.

Do you have any fours?

JENNY: Go fish.

HAYLEY: After that night, Jenny and I

got along a little better.

Do you have any queens?

Feel like giving you that.

Sixes?

Honey, I'm gonna be right back.

I just got to check the circuit breaker, all right.

OK.

Gonna be two seconds.

Personally, I would have sat in the dark all night

but Jenny was finally starting to respect me

and I didn't want to tell her that I was too afraid to go

down to the basement.

[ticking]

[creaking]

[ticking]

[creaking]

[ticking]

[exhaling]

It was the same pink ribbon I'd seen in our guest room.

[screaming]

Sixes?

[screaming]

JENNY: Why did you scream?

I saw a rat.

There's no way I could tell her what I'd just seen.

I mean, maybe I was afraid that it would scare her,

or maybe I was afraid she just think I was insane.

It's fine.

I'll lay down some traps in the morning.

Good night.

Goodbye.

HAYLEY: Goodbye.

I was lying awake wondering what possesses a little girl

to say something like that--

[squeaking]

When I heard the footsteps and the door opening again.

[creaking]

I followed the noises into the basement.

[mumbling]

[humming]

Jenny.

JENNY: Do you want to come play with me?

Jenny.

You live under the stairs--

Hey, babe, come on.

Wake up.

You're sleepwalking again.

Come on.

She just pointed at the wall.

[crying]

And that's when I heard the crying coming

from the other side.

[muffled screaming]

[crying]

[knocking]

GIRL: Hello?

Sweetheart, come on.

Come over here.

Over here, over here.

Stay right there, OK.

[sniffling]

[muffled crying]

[crashing]

Jenny, get upstairs.

Jenny, now.

I wasn't sure what I was going to find back there,

but somehow I knew I didn't want Jenny to see it.

[gasping]

I saw her again that one last time.

Then she was gone.

I tore a big enough hole in the wall to go inside.

There was a room hidden back there.

A desk, a mirror, a bed, the doll that I saw under my bed.

We told the police.

They took the doll and the sheets,

but they said the evidence was too old to identify who'd

lived inside.

I know I have no way of proving it,

but that girl I saw in the basement,

I'm sure she was locked away inside that room.

I don't know why, I don't know by whom,

but I know what I saw in there.

And I think maybe she just wanted someone

to know what happened to her.