Original subtitles

Come with me to a place of wondrous contradictions,

a place that is silent and unstirring,

yet restless and alive,

a place of untold peace and boundless dread.

Come with me into the very cradle of darkness,

where those who dwell,

dwell alone.

His name is Andy Hill.

His age,

35.

His occupation?

Well, he's never had one.

You see,

Andy has spent the last 15 years of his life in prison.

But tonight is the beginning of a new dawn.

A detour into a world he never dreamed possible.

Parole officer tells me you worked in the prison infirmary.

That's right.

Well, this isn't a medical job,

Hill.

It's strictly janitorial.

Yes, ma'am.

You have a significant other?

No, ma'am.

Good.

Working the night shift is hell on a social life.

This is where you'll be spending most of your time.

We affectionately refer to this wing as the vegetable aisle,

home to our coma patients.

That means your job is simple.

All you have to do is keep the area neat.

and presentable for the visiting loved ones.

It's pretty routine,

really.

Evening,

Jack.

Oh, Jack Friendly,

except he's not so friendly anymore.

Over here is Frank Gillis.

Poor boy was struck by lightning six months ago.

He's a keeper.

Remember,

never touch the patients or the machines.

Are you decent,

princess?

Who's that?

Grace Matthews.

Came to us about a week ago.

Word is she was a real society cupcake.

Fell into a coma after tumbling down a flight of stairs.

Probably tripped wearing some fancy high heels.

Those things will kill you.

Is she gonna be alright?

All right.

Look at her hill.

She's got squash for brains.

The only thing keeping this woman alive is her health insurance.

It's

so dark in here.

God,

you're so beautiful.

What am I so nervous about?

It's not like you're going to get out of bed and kick me out of your room.

Of course,

if we were anywhere else,

a classy woman like you,

you wouldn't give me the time of day.

You can't have that.

A woman like you deserves nothing but the best.

That's better.

I should take better care of you.

I don't know how anybody expects you to get better.

I mean, this place is like a morgue.

Beats listening to those machines,

huh?

Hello.

Hill?

What's going on in here?

It's Grace.

What about Grace?

She moved.

She touched my hand.

It's probably just a reflex.

Coma patients have all sorts of muscle spasms.

See?

It doesn't mean anything.

This wasn't a reflex.

There's no sign of movement.

You weren't touching her,

were you?

No, ma'am.

Lo.

Who are you?

Who am I?

Jonah Matthews,

Grace's husband.

This is a hospital,

mister. You can't smoke here.

Right, I was just leaving.

Take good care of her.

Thank you.

Who said that?

What are you so jumpy about?

Nothing.

Everything's fine.

Hello? I really wanted to thank you that day.

Who is this?

Not just for opening the window tonight,

but for ev-Grace?

Someone is coming,

Eddie.

I have news.

You clean Grace's room yet?

What are you waiting for?

She's not going to bite you.

I'll be all right.

I can't be awake.

This is all in my head.

Does this feel real to you?

Come,

Andy.

Sit down.

But how?

I think maybe you had something to do with it.

Grace,

this is wonderful.

Let me give Miss Walker the doctor's...

No, Andy.

Why?

You're awake.

This is what everyone's been praying for. This is not for them to know.

Hill?

Are you in there?

Come back tomorrow.

Don't tell anyone we talked.

Grace, I really think...

This has to be our secret,

Andy.

Promise me.

Who were you just talking to?

Nobody.

Well, why'd you lock the door?

I didn't.

It must have shut behind me.

Doors always stay open in the Coma Ward Hill.

No excuses.

I don't like you spending so much time in this room.

Yes, ma'am.

Oh,

they're beautiful.

Where's Miss Walker?

She's on a break.

Then we don't have much time.

What's wrong,

Andy?

There's something you don't know about me.

I know what I see,

and what I see is decent and kind.

You don't understand.

I've been in prison.

So have I.

Locked in this body,

trapped in a relationship that has no meaning.

I was...

I was so lonely until you came along.

Grace,

I can never give you the things that your husband did.

You've already given me more than I've ever had.

I used to spend nights alone in my cell,

dreaming of having someone to spend my life with.

Someone to care for.

Who'd care for me.

It's not a dream anymore.

I love you,

Melody.

What happened,

Andy?

She looks so angry.

She's transferring me to another part of the hospital.

If I go back to the coma ward again,

I'll be fired.

Up.

Can't let her do this.

I'm sorry,

Grace.

Tell me you want to let her,

Andy.

I'm nothing without you.

Yes, I know.

The insurance company told me that our coverage runs out in two weeks.

I don't care what it costs.

I want the best care for Grace.

Excuse me, I'm with my wife.

Can you come back later?

Visiting hours are over.

You need to leave.

I'll call you back.

I don't make the rules.

No, you don't.

Thank God he's gone.

You're shaking.

Grace,

what's wrong?

What happened?

Hold me,

Andy.

I'm so afraid.

Tell me what happened.

My husband is trying to kill me.

Now I'm sure it wasn't an accident.

The railing didn't just give way.

Jonah tampered with it. He fixed it so I'd fall.

But he's always here fawning over you like he really cares.

Don't you see that's his alibi?

Trust me until he wants me out of his life.

And as long as I'm like this,

he can't get his hands on my money.

I've been watching him every day.

He comes by waiting for the right moment to finish what he started.

I'm not gonna let him hurt you,

Grace.

Oh, and you go back to prison.

What are you doing back in this ward?

I'm protecting Grace.

Protecting Grace?

From whom?

From him.

He's trying to kill her.

Are you out of your mind?

I have no idea what he's talking about.

You're a liar,

Matthews.

Grace told me everything.

I know all about the night you rigged the railing.

Grace told you?

Yes.

I know this sounds crazy,

but Grace is awake.

I'll show you.

Grace?

It's me,

Annie.

Please,

Grace, you gotta wake up.

Tell her what you told me.

This is Kate Walker.

I need security up here.

Stat.

No, wait,

Walker.

All right,

Hill.

Clear out your locker.

I'm telling you,

Grace needs me.

You're fired.

End of story.

I don't understand.

Grace is in danger.

He tried before and I'm trying again.

Grace!

Grace!

Grace!

I'm sorry,

Mr.

Matheson.

Super Bowl Officer will be hearing about this.

Bowl Officer?

Man belongs in a psycho!

Grace?

Andy,

come quick.

Jonah is here.

Is he with you right now?

Lord, it seems the wind is just sitting there waiting to come up.

He's going to kill me tonight,

Andy.

I know it.

Hugh! It's over,

Matthews.

I'm turning you in.

It's my word against yours.

No!

Andy,

you killed him.

What in heaven's name are you doing?

Call security,

he just tried to kill his wife!

No,

no, I was putting it back in!

She's still alive.

I need a crash cart,

stat!

It wasn't me,

it was Grace!

She pulled the plug!

You gotta believe me, it was Grace,

I swear it was!

Tell him it was your Grace!

Claire!

Tell him you're awake!

Help!

That's Grace Matthews,

Real Society Cupcake.

Fell into a coma after falling down a flight of stairs,

and over here we have her Prince Charming,

our latest addition,

Andy Hill.

It's a real piece of work when he was up and running.

Come on,

kid.

I'll show you the rest of the vegetable aisle.

somewhere between this world and the next there lies a void a place where life and death have no meaning where andy and gris have taken permanent residence what

matters is that they're together now thanks to a love that has no boundaries

All aboard the evening express,

some travel on business,

others visit family and friends.

Cheryl Breeder is about to embark on an unexpected journey,

a non-stop voyage to the darkest corner of her heart.

Ticket, please.

This fare is for South Falls,

miss. You're on the wrong train.

I do this every week.

That's not possible.

Well, we're headed northbound.

I'm afraid you're going in the opposite direction.

I'm sorry.

I don't know what happened.

Hop off at the next stop.

You can catch the 650 back.

Take it, please.

Kristen,

it's Cheryl.

Look, I'm running a little late.

I know the doctor wanted to do a full blood workup.

Tell him I'll be there as soon as I can.

Okay?

It's...

Excuse me.

Michael,

speak to him.

Speak to him.

Michael?

No,

don't let him leave.

Don't leave the train.

Shh.

I'm sorry.

Once we get to sleep,

I'll call the caterer.

Don't forget to bring the gifts for the wedding party to the rehearsal dinner,

okay?

Scotch, please.

Cousin Leonard next to my Aunt Jo and Uncle Tom.

They always fight at weddings.

People warn me about the seating arrangements.

No matter how hard we try,

somebody will be happy.

I'm acting like a nervous bride,

aren't I?

Sweetheart,

what's wrong?

The strangest thing happened when I was getting back on the train.

Never mind.

Forget it.

So we're both a little frazzled.

We should be.

Getting married in two days.

I'll get there.

I promise.

Looks like someone decided to stay.

I haven't been upstate since I was a kid.

Must be pretty this time of year.

How far would you like to go?

Kingsborough?

Goshen?

End of the line,

Seacliff?

Seacliff.

Sounds perfect.

Michael

Find him.

Go to Michael.

He's waiting.

Stop it! Stop it!

Are you alright,

miss?

Can I get you some water?

You have to hurry.

Time's running out.

They're together.

Get your feel.

Honey, did I tell you my mom's adding flowers to the top of my veil?

I'm sorry,

what did you say?

Michael,

you've been in a daze ever since we boarded.

Talk to me.

No, it's just...

I've got a lot on my mind.

Thinking about her again,

aren't you?

Who?

You know very well who I'm talking about.

It's not about her,

Natalie,

I swear.

I know I shouldn't be jealous anymore,

but I can't help it.

We're going home to get married.

I'm not marrying you.

Do me a favor.

Kiss me.

Go to my grave.

Stop! Why are you doing this to me?

Why won't you leave me alone?

I didn't mean to startle you,

it's just...

I don't know why I'm here.

You have it too,

don't you?

I don't know.

What I'm feeling...

Look,

this is crazy.

My fiancé is on this train.

I'm getting married in two days.

I bump into a total stranger and I can't stop thinking about her.

Take him in your arms.

Are you?

Let go of me.

Don't push him away.

He'll need you.

Leave me alone.

He needs you.

Michael?

Natalie,

I...

Oh,

don't let him go.

Don't let him go.

Oh,

if you don't stop him,

he'll die.

Who is she,

Michael?

I told you,

I don't know.

Of course not.

That's why you were holding her.

Believe me,

Natalie.

Until tonight,

I'd never seen her before.

Do you want to cancel the wedding?

Is that it?

Of course not.

There's something about her.

The way she looked at me.

Her eyes burning through me.

It's exactly the way that... The way that Laura used to look at you?

Laura's dead Michael the car accident was almost two years ago.

You made me believe you were finally over her

I was

Right. I am

Maybe it's my fault.

I Stupid to believe I could ever mean as much to you as Laura did

She still does

I'd love you and Natalie

Let me help you with that.

Bad ticker,

huh?

I understand what you're going through.

My wife's had a condition for seven years.

Do you need a doctor?

I'm just getting over some surgery.

I'm fine.

Bypass can be tricky.

It was a transplant.

You're here to talk about it.

I've been sick my whole life.

This was supposed to be a new beginning.

But it's strange.

I haven't felt like myself since.

You have a new lease on life,

young lady.

Enjoy it.

It's like I always tell my wife,

you don't need a good heart to have a good soul.

If only I could believe that.

He

doesn't love her.

Please!

You're hurting me.

I don't understand.

It's her fault.

The more they're together,

the weaker you become.

She's the one destroying you.

Destroying us.

Please stop.

We're almost in Seacliff.

I'm begging you.

Don't let him marry her.

Do something before your heart can't take it anymore.

Before she destroys us both.

Eve,

a message for Mr.

Mark.

I'll take it,

thanks.

Michael,

who are you?

Why are you doing this to us?

Where's Michael?

I have to see him.

Why are you trying to destroy what we have?

I have no choice.

I can't fight her anymore.

Her?

I have to leave this train.

Both of you.

Look,

I don't know what your problem is,

but just stay away from us.

You can't let her have it.

Leave me alone.

She's killing us.

Do you want to die after everything you've been through?

No!

Get rid of her.

Now.

No!

Remember how long you waited for a heart strong when she's going to end it all?

Can't you see they're happy together?

Who needs me?

You need me.

There's only one way you can save us both.

I won't.

I can't.

And I will.

Michael,

wake up! Michael?

Natalie?

Who are you?

What do you want?

You know why I'm here,

Michael.

I'm the one who really loves you.

The one you've waited for so long.

What the hell are you doing?

I want you to remember the way it used to be.

How good it was.

Oh, Dad.

Remember the night we spent on Beecher's Cove?

Tide.

I fell asleep in your arms,

Michael.

I can still feel your body.

Softness of your lips.

Laura?

It's you.

You're the one who got the transplant.

You have Laura's heart.

I'm back,

Michael.

That's all that matters.

This is crazy.

This is absolutely crazy.

Remember what we had.

What we can go on having.

All you have to do is say yes.

Look,

whoever you are...

If you care about me,

get out of my life!

I've always been a part of your life,

Michael.

And I always will be.

This is the woman I was telling you about.

Ask her.

Miss,

do you know Michael Larkin?

I just passed him in the hall.

Why?

Where is he?

What did you do to him?

I saw him go into the end compartment.

He's waiting for you there.

I'm sorry about everything.

I'll be getting off at the next stop.

You'll never see me again.

I'd like to believe that.

Guess you've got a good heart after all.

Michael?

It's always been your problem,

Natalie.

You're so naive.

How could you possibly believe Michael would forget me?

I'm sorry. I just wanted to tell you something.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Have you seen my friends?

A young lady just took her to find you.

When? Where'd they go?

I don't know.

So, I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to hurt you.

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to hurt you.

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to hurt you.

Natalie!

Open the door!

You know what you have to do.

Just do it.

Natalie!

Oh!

Just do it.

I love you!

Don't let them be...

I love you!

No!

It's your only chance to live.

He doesn't love her.

Ashley!

Doesn't love you.

Yes,

he does.

No,

no,

please,

no!

Hey!

Easy now.

We'll get you to a hospital.

It's okay.

I finally feel like myself again.

Feels good.

the human spirit is a force to be reckoned with when all hope is lost it can drive us to acts of compassion and self-sacrifice maybe the conductor was right after all you

don't need a good heart to have a good soul

A house divided against itself can not stand.

The American Civil War proved that.

The year is 1864.

The place,

a remote corner of the ravaged South,

still being assaulted by Union troops.

Every day for two years,

Alma Harding has prayed for the safe return of her husband,

Jeremiah.

a farmer serving in the beleaguered army of the South.

Her prayers have now become more urgent since their only son,

Benjamin,

fell deathly ill with scarlet fever.

But as Alma is about to learn,

prayers sometimes are answered in unexpected ways.

Please,

Lord,

let Dr.

Hayes receive the message I sent,

so he may come swift.

And save our dear,

sweet band.

Child,

it's just another fever dream.

Slow gray coats.

Wailing.

Dying.

And out of the smoke came a man on a black horse,

fireballs in his hand.

Fire?

The weather tried to escape.

He hit our farmhouse.

The horseman was right behind him.

He threw his fireball and...

Your God,

it's burning up.

Mama, please don't let him in.

Don't let him take me like he did those soldiers.

Mama,

bring it. No one's taking you anywhere.

Mama.

Shh.

Shh.

Dr.

Hayes,

thank heavens!

Hello,

I'm a student of the University of California and

I am a student of

Easy,

ma'am.

You're lucky to be alive.

Oh, dear God,

tell me he's not.

He's asleep,

is all.

It's not his time...

yet.

Who are you?

What are you doing here?

Name's Henry Jakes,

ma'am.

I hope you don't mind.

I haven't had a scrap in three days.

So I took some bread and cheese from your cupboard.

How did you get in here?

I came in through the back door.

I keep that door bolted.

Blast must have jolted it open.

Ma'am,

that cut on your forehead looks pretty mean.

If I was you,

I wouldn't be up and about.

You come here on horseback?

Ma'am?

You heard me.

My horse was shot out from under me.

While battling them butchers of the 6th Ohio Cavalry.

Mr. Jakes,

I'd like you to please leave our home.

In case you ever notice me,

all hell is raging outside.

How do I know you're not a Union spy?

Not likely,

ma'am.

Leave us be.

Sorry, ma'am,

I can't do that.

I'll just sleep by your fire.

I'll be gone by first light.

Wake up!

please!

I Was getting low so

I took the liberty said you'd be gone you promised

I can't be leaving a dying child unattended especially with his mother engine He's not dying

He just has a touch of fever.

Ma'am, I'll be on my way as soon as the doc arrives.

What do you know about the doctor?

I never spoke of him to you.

When I found you under the rubble last night,

you spoke of him.

Will this war ever end?

Some say the good Lord sent it to us as punishment for our sins.

I've seen things,

ma'am, that make your heart curdle.

Men lying dead like rows of cordwood.

You say that as if you're an observer,

sir,

not a soldier.

Tired is what I am,

Mannon.

Tired of burying men in unmarked graves,

where their family and friends will never be able to find them.

Men like them brave souls I fought with at Chattanooga.

My husband's last letter came from Chattanooga.

Perhaps you know him.

Jeremiah Harding?

What happened to Chattanooga?

Was there a terrible battle?

I ain't never seen a battle that wasn't.

Were there many casualties?

Let me put it this way,

ma'am.

If I was the angel of death,

I'd be very tired.

My husband is alive!

Best get some rest,

man.

No!

Ben needs me!

And if Dr.

Hayes doesn't get here soon...

Don't worry.

I'll watch over your boy.

I knew it was you.

No,

I won't let you take him away!

You saw him riding on a black horse?

I'm furring his head.

You know?

Only too well,

boy.

Only too well.

Tell me about my papa.

You said you knew him.

Mama said she promises he's coming home soon.

Don't be afraid,

boy.

It's the good Lord's will.

You'll be seeing him soon enough.

Look right there,

mister.

Ma'am, you don't want to be playing with that.

You might hurt yourself.

You told Ben you knew Jeremiah.

Why did you lie to me before?

Don't think I won't use this,

because I will.

Your husband and I were in the same company.

Go on.

He used to talk about you all the time.

He won Ben.

He even read me some of your letters.

Maybe because he knew I didn't have a family of my own.

My letters?

Yes, ma'am.

All them things about the crops growing,

canning fruit,

going into town to buy a bolt of calico,

and Ole Miss Sanders across the creek.

How she liked the brandy a bit too much.

Which made what you didn't say all the more heartbreaking.

How much you missed your husband.

How your boy longs to see his daddy.

How scared you must have been that you might not ever see him again.

Jeremiah?

Where is he?

Why didn't he come?

Answer me!

He wanted you to know...

How much he cherished you both...

Before he...

Oh, it's true!

He said,

tell my wife...

And my child...

I'll meet them in heaven.

You're lying!

I know who you are,

and I know what you're trying to do.

What are you talking about?

You're the horseman my son saw in a vision.

The one he was afraid would come and take him.

away you're wrong Alma let you take him away do you hear me if I was the angel of death do you think them bullets would really harm me

I only came here cuz your husband asked me to he made me swear if anything ever happened to him

I would take care of you and

Mama!

I got the right child!

The horseman!

I got the right child!

He's here!

He's here!

Mama!

He's gonna thank me!

Please dear God,

please!

Help me protect my pet!

Help me!

Dr.

Hayes...

I found this man on your porch.

He's lost a lot of blood.

I beg your pardon,

sir, but I was expecting Dr.

Hayes.

Dr.

Hayes is dead.

He was killed last night when the town was torched by Union troops.

How terrible.

Ben,

you're a doctor too.

Luckily,

the bullet passed through cleanly.

He'll live.

Ben,

he wasn't the horseman.

I understand you have a sick boy here.

Yes.

My son,

Ben.

Thank God you're here.

Please,

you have to save him.

Ben!

Wake up,

sweetheart!

The doctor is here now.

Everything's going to be alright.

Who are you?

I believe you were expecting me.

But you said...

I never said I was here to save your boy.

Afraid I'm here for another reason.

Can I offer you some tea?

Oh,

thank you.

Perhaps you'd like to take a rest by the fire.

You look tired.

It has been a long four years.

Thankfully,

with the war coming to an end soon,

my services won't be so much in demand.

Your services?

Then again,

there'll be another war soon.

He's never even been sick before.

In fact,

last winter when everyone else was ailing,

Ben would be outside playing in the snow for hours on end,

just a happy,

healthy ten-year-old boy.

And did I mention that he's a model student?

At school,

he studies his letters and his numbers real hard.

Miss Johnson assures me he has the most unusual talent with words.

I remember the time he wrote me a poem for my birthday.

It's just heartache.

And he loves his father ever so much.

They used to go cane pole fishing all the time.

But dear Ben would always want to let the poor little things go.

Yes, sir,

I beg you.

Don't take him away from me.

You've already robbed me of my beloved husband,

Jeremiah.

Ben.

It's all that I have left in the world.

I'm truly sorry.

Well, then at least allow a mother a few last minutes to say goodbye to her only son.

Five minutes.

Mama, I heard a voice.

It's just a visitor,

child.

He'll be on his way soon.

Papa's voice.

Your father spoke to you.

He told me not to be afraid.

Not to worry,

because he's safe now.

We'd all be together again.

Together?

I felt the sound of my foot.

I wasn't afraid anymore.

Really,

Mama,

I'm not.

Take me instead of the boy.

The world won't miss me,

Alec.

I'm afraid it doesn't work that way.

But this woman and her child,

they've suffered enough.

Take me instead of the boy.

It's not your time,

Mr. Jakes.

You have another purpose.

I want you to know,

Ben,

whatever happens,

you will always have a place in my heart.

And never forget your dear father's words.

One day we'll all be together again.

Yes, Mama.

Mama,

I love you.

Come on,

sweetheart.

It's time.

Once more,

sir,

I humbly beg you.

I'm afraid it's too late for that.

Oh,

may Lord have mercy on my dear sweet bed.

Me?

That head wound was more serious than you thought.

But my boy...

It was never his time.

Come, Alma.

Jeremiah's waiting for you.

Thank you.

Don't you worry,

ma'am.

I'll take good care of him.

I'll raise him like my own.

Just like I promised your husband.

War takes a terrible toll.

Especially when it rages in our own heart.

But sometimes by surrendering,

we win the very thing fighting for all along.

For Alicia Berry,

home carries a special meaning.

Blowing up in foster care all her life,

she never had a place to call her own.

Then came a legacy from a great aunt she never knew.

A gift from the family she always longed for.

A house,

along with its deepest,

darkest secrets.

Ugh, look at this place,

Carl.

Didn't I tell you it was going to be gorgeous?

Yeah,

yeah, a little paint here and there,

some landscaping.

We could even join the local gardening club,

honey. I'm sure they'll give us some great tips.

Start again,

Carl.

Start what?

Honey,

I know you're trying,

but you don't have to lay it on with a trowel.

OK, OK,

so I wanted to stay in Boston.

Hey, hey,

look,

I can see it now,

a cascade of roses.

They're just tumbling down,

wooden trusses.

Now you know you're green thumb honey,

you could have that going in no time.

Now what was that for?

For being so sweet.

Hey hun,

this looks like genuine Victorian.

Look at this.

Your Aunt Jessie did real well,

huh?

Probate attorney told me that she and Uncle Paul owned a hardware store in town.

Built it up from nothing.

Yeah?

First black family to break the color barrier in the neighborhood.

Well,

I always knew you came from good trail blades and stock.

Huh?

You want to see if the bed works?

Whoa!

Hey, what are you doing?

Calling the police.

That is the last door you want to knock on around these parks.

What are you talking about?

If somebody breaks into your house,

you call the police.

I am going to take care of it myself.

Lucy,

you're not allowed to stay here.

I can too,

she said so.

Don't move.

Now can I call the

police?

Ruthie,

it's Sheriff Williams.

I want you to come on out right now.

It's Ruthie James.

Old Jesse was kind to her,

let her stay here on and off after Paul died.

Ruthie,

you come quietly now or you're going to the county hospital.

Jesse,

what are you doing?

You're not supposed to be down here,

remember?

Calm down,

Ruthie.

What's she talking about?

Don't pay her any mind.

She's obviously gone a little soft.

Everything's all right.

I'll get her home.

If you ask me,

I thought the sheriff seemed nice enough.

Honey,

you saw the way he looked at us.

He was tense.

Yeah. You would be,

too, if you were dragging a senile woman out of a dark basement.

No,

I've seen that look before.

It's like,

you don't belong here.

You know,

Carl,

not all small-town cops are what you think they are.

Well,

all I know is you scratch the surface on a place like this,

and you realize how little things have changed.

I left my garden shears in

the basement.

See that?

See what?

There.

Laura.

It was burning.

It looked like the outline of a body.

Don't you smell it? It's like a distillery down here.

Smells like an old musty basement to me.

Carl,

I'm not hallucinating.

It was right there,

right in front of my eyes.

I'm sorry.

Honey, I really didn't mean to hurt you.

I don't know.

It's just all the stress.

The move.

Maybe I just imagined the whole thing.

Take a look at this.

Mmm,

man.

Talk about family resemblance.

No wonder that old woman thought that you were Jesse.

I still don't get it.

What do you think she meant when she said Jesse wasn't supposed to come down to the basement?

Mm, it's like that sheriff said.

Ruthie's gone a bit soft.

Carl?

It's just a fuse,

honey. I'll go down to the basement and I'll fix it,

okay?

I'm coming with you.

I think I saw it in the root cellar.

Wait.

Right here.

Carl?

What's going on?

Are you okay?

That's what I saw.

It was burning in his belt.

That's a KKK,

some of them share.

People always imagine they see things in the dark.

Excuse me,

if my wife said she saw that sign,

she saw it.

There's been no clan around here for more than 30 years.

So you're saying she dreamed it up?

We searched the entire basement,

Mr. Berry,

and we found nothing.

Did you check the fingerprints?

Did you even check the rest of the house,

Sheriff?

Look, sir,

I know how to do my job.

If you're not comfortable here,

there's a nice clean motel down the road.

Carl, we're not leaving this house.

We are being harassed by some Klansman.

The cops,

they don't give two dams.

And you are expecting me to wait here until the mob arrives.

It wasn't some Klansman I saw.

I don't know what it was.

You said you saw something.

I defended you to that cop.

All I know is it was like something out of a nightmare.

Allie,

whatever you think you saw,

honey, it is only one more reason for us to get the hell out of this house.

I'm not going.

Honey, when are you gonna realize that we do not belong here?

You're wrong.

I do belong here.

This house is all I have left of a family I never knew.

I just can't walk away without a fight.

You sure you don't want to come with me?

It's too nice a day to be cooped up inside a library.

Besides,

I have flowers to plant.

I'll be fine,

sweetheart.

We're okay.

Twinkle,

twinkle, little star.

How I wonder. Ruthie?

Is that you?

I came to get my dolly.

You gave it to me,

Jessie.

I don't recall that,

Ruthie.

Can you tell me about it?

No,

not here.

Too painful.

What's painful,

Ruthie?

What happened down here?

He'll hurt me.

Just the way he hurt you.

What do you mean?

How did he hurt Jesse?

You made me promise not to tell.

You made me.

You made me.

He's here.

Don't you feel him?

He's here watching us.

Always watching us?

Oh, Ruthie,

who's here?

No!

Ruthie always keeps a promise!

Shhh!

Ruthie!

Ruthie!

Ruthie!

Ruthie,

why?

Looks like there was something down here after all,

huh Sheriff?

Seems it's Frank Stone.

Man was Sheriff here a long time ago.

The whiskey,

that's what I smelled.

What I want to know is what the hell is a cop's body doing buried in the basement?

Thirty years ago,

stone vanished off the face of this earth.

Been a mystery in this town ever since.

Till now.

Thirty years ago,

huh?

Now isn't that the last time you said the Klan were active in this area?

What are you driving at?

What does this tell you,

Sheriff?

Ruthie told me that someone hurt Jesse down here.

Maybe Stone and some of his clan buddies decided to come and welcome the new neighbors.

I wouldn't know that.

Considering the evidence of foul play,

I'll have to conduct an investigation.

But with all the time that's passed,

I doubt we'll ever know what really happened here.

Something tells me that Sheriff knows more than he would let an arm.

Now you're starting to sound like me.

I still can't understand why he only came after me.

And he let it go.

Stone is finally out of his house,

and from now on,

the only disgruntled spirit you're going to have to deal with is your husband,

trying to finish his dissertation.

You're right.

Maybe it's better not to know.

I

can still feel his hands and the smell of his rotted flesh.

Honey, take this.

The body is gone!

Why won't it just go away?

Okay,

okay.

It doesn't matter because we're getting out of here right now.

No discussions.

It's Williams.

Now, what does he want?

Maybe he found out something about Stone.

Okay, okay.

Hey, hey,

hey.

I will go talk to him.

You go pack some things,

and we are out of here in ten minutes,

okay?

Is your wife okay?

Yeah.

Yeah, she will be as soon as we're out of this house.

We need to talk.

You know I'd really like to,

Sheriff,

but we're leaving right now.

I need to get something off my chest.

About the night Frank Stone died.

Okay.

I'm listening.

Let's take a walk.

Carl,

the door's open. I was just a kid.

Twenty years old when Sheriff Stone made me his deputy.

Paul and Jesse had just moved into town,

and Stone was not happy about it.

One night,

Stone made me drive out here.

He'd been drinking.

He ordered me to make up some excuse to bring Paul back to the station.

While Stone stayed behind.

I obeyed my orders.

I had no idea what he was going to do to Jesse.

There's something was wrong

He begged me to turn around.

By the time we got back,

Stone was already dead.

His throat cut with a broken whiskey bottle.

Jesse was lying in the garden,

clothes ripped off,

bleeding,

crying.

I helped Paul carry Stone's body to the basement.

None of us ever said a word about it again.

Even though it ruined all our lives.

Oh, God.

Alicia!

William said Stone was a church-going man.

And I guess like any other sinner,

he's just begging to be saved.

But why does he want me to forgive him?

What do I have to do with any of this?

I guess because you're Jesse's kin.

Or maybe because when you're burning in hell,

you look for forgiveness anywhere you can.

And the only way we're going to live here in any peace is if you release him.

All my life I was taught to forgive.

But I can't forgive that man.

Not after what he did to Jesse and Paul and Lord knows how many others before them.

He can have this house.

With a single act of forgiveness,

we can erase the past,

healing ourselves in the process.

But sometimes the past cannot be erased.

It lives on within our hearts and minds.

And by not forgetting the evil that men do,

we lay the foundation of justice for generations to come.

Attention viewers,

in aisle one we're featuring Trevor Mooney.

Slacker Supreme,

two days short of his

21st birthday.

Trevor is idling at the crossroads,

sitting there in life's Barka lounger,

channel surfing through a series of insignificant jobs.

Trevor and millions like him are the future of our country.

God help us.

Nope. Dude!

Don't ever do that again.

Whoa,

check it out.

Treatment alert.

That can't be Scotty.

Boy went legit on us.

Scotty's going places,

gentlemen.

Just like I know you two will someday.

Good evening,

Mr. Kravitz.

If you boys are done here,

I could use you on aisle three.

Their shelves are stuck.

Yes,

sir. That was close.

Forget about it,

man.

Mr. Krusty would never fire us.

It's way too late back for that.

Dude,

this is like the holy grail of non-jobs.

Beefsteak?

Got my own.

Catch on the floor.

Good evening.

Would you like to try some

Senor Spicy's chili?

All that foul.

Tell me about it.

I'm late.

I needed nourishment.

Hey, what's the deal with Scotty?

It says he's got a total tune.

Mr.

Kravitz promoted him to assistant manager.

Major overhaul from last week.

He's got the disease.

Spirits had to put him up to it.

No doubt.

It's a conspiracy.

You wanna hurl?

Feast your eyes.

College?

My parents pulled an Enron on me.

Luckily I intercepted.

No one's gonna bust our plans.

Look at them.

They look so sad.

Of course they're bummed.

They're old.

They live in that dumpy retirement hole around the corner.

They got nothing better to do than to spend their nights window shopping.

I know.

They're the only ones who ever show up here at night.

And they never buy anything.

It's so Twilight Zone.

It's completely zone.

Getting old sucks.

But we're not gonna be like that,

Carla.

No way.

Joe's serious.

Gotta bail.

I'll catch you on a break.

I got it all planned out.

Two more months socking away the cash I make here,

then it's backpacking and brews for Carla and me.

What are you,

brain sick,

dude?

Nobody takes a chick with them to Europe.

You're gonna go down in flames.

Now, how do you figure?

You see these niblets?

Think of them as Carla.

Sure, they may taste fine on their own,

but you put them in a breakfast burrito,

and you got a wicked combination.

What are you talking about?

I'm talking about the key to the gravy train,

my friend.

My kinsman.

Listen to me.

Euro chicks love guys like us.

We're spawn of Uncle Sam.

Westerners.

It's the accent,

dude.

Overseas babes love the accent.

You gotta dump Carla.

How else are you gonna do some serious mingling with that ball and chain hanging around?

Man, lose the thought.

I'm not going for search and destroy.

This is strictly the real deal.

I don't know what you see in her.

Carla's sugar coated,

man.

She's the one.

We're gonna always be together.

You're deluded.

Hey, Trav.

Check out those two.

They've been cruising this aisle all night.

Maybe they like you.

Don't doubt it.

That old guy's been eyeing me like I was a Baywatch blonde.

Piccola,

please see the assistant manager in aisle five.

Dude,

you're busted.

That old couple must have heard you dissing them and told Scotty.

See you on the unemployment lines.

Did you hear a scream?

Scream?

No.

Carla,

have you seen Vic?

No.

Why?

What's up?

Vic left early.

He wasn't feeling well.

Vic, what are you doing?

If Scotty and Mr.

Kravis catch you playing around,

they're gonna flip and can your butt!

Excuse me.

I'm telling you,

Vic walked right out of the freezer.

Scout's honor.

You weren't a scout.

Forget that.

Give me one good reason why Vic was mingling with the popsicles.

Vic is weird?

Sounds freaky.

I can feel it.

Vic,

what's up?

I quit.

Huh? I'm moving on to bigger and better things,

kids.

I don't have just me to think about anymore.

You look lovely tonight,

Carla.

He's so weird.

And a picture to aisle 5.

Come on,

we have to get out of here.

Something freaky is definitely going on.

I can't just leave.

I'll be fired.

Forget the job.

We're in danger.

Trev,

listen to yourself.

Your sugar intake's peaked.

I'm completely sane.

No one is sane here.

It's a heinous muzak and harsh fluorescent lighting that throws everyone out of whack.

Time to settle to aisle five.

Catch you later.

Carla,

don't.

People are going into Isle 5 and coming back different.

I think you've been watching too many scary movies.

Carla Satchel,

Isle 5.

Remember the plan.

All we gotta do is hang for another couple months,

and then we're outta here.

Now I'm outta here.

Listen to me.

I'm not gonna let you go.

You won't come back the same.

Carla Satchel to Isle 5.

Don't you just let her do her job?

I thought you left!

Just came back to do a little shopping.

You... Shh!

For God's sake,

Carla! Don't go near there!

Carla! Let me out!

Come! Carla,

forget all that's the matter.

I want to know.

I want to know.

What happened to Carla?

Carla went home.

She wasn't feeling well.

Don't lie to me.

I saw what's going down on Aisle 5.

Aisle 5?

I'm not sure I understand.

You know what I'm talking about.

The guys who work here?

They're being changed?

Changed,

Mr.

Mooney? In what way?

Talk to me.

What's wrong with this place?

Nothing's wrong.

Business is better than ever.

In fact,

we're running low on stock.

And what do you mean?

The shelves are full.

I stocked them myself.

Why don't you and I go have a look at aisle five?

Now forget that.

I'm not going anywhere near there.

Very well.

I'll go see if something's going on.

Let's go Trevor.

I have a customer waiting.

Oh By you buddy snacks and freaks

No,

I saw you go into the freezer

Trevor, they're after me.

Here they come again.

Please,

don't let them get me.

Please,

Trevor.

Thank God you're okay.

We need to get out of here.

Come on,

I know the way.

This used to be an old emergency exit.

Are you sure about this?

It's the only way out,

Trevor.

The only way out of our unproductive lives.

Youth is wasted on the young,

Trevor.

Especially those whose lives are going nowhere.

That's garbage.

You're old,

you're dying,

so you're stealing young bodies.

That's what you're doing.

Trust me.

It's better like this.

We're gonna do more with your life than you ever would have.

Let's conclude this transaction,

shall we?

Think of it,

Trevor.

Think of how easy things will be.

We've been through it all.

Got the wisdom not to make the same mistakes again.

I like who I am.

I like making my own mistakes.

Give me the chance to make something of my life.

Don't you get it?

You don't have a life anymore,

Trevor.

You've been fought.

Then I should warn you what from,

mister.

You just bought yourself defective merchandise.

It's alright.

They're all a bit feisty at first.

What the hell we're all alike.

We're not all alike.

We're not all alike.

Life may stink sometimes.

I'm not ready to disappear.

Listen up old man.

You may rip off my body,

but there is no way you're getting the rest.

See how much fun you'll have inside me.

It's gonna be a tight squeeze.

Because I'm not bailing.

I'll be making your life miserable.

Finding you every minute,

every hour,

every step of the way.

I'm sorry,

Mr. Mooney,

there's been a misunderstanding here.

It's unfortunate,

but I'm going to have to let you go.

Let me go?

There's no sale here.

Given your newfound strength of character,

I'm afraid you really are defected merchandise after all.

He'll be back in about 50 years.

I don't think so.

He said I was selling bodies?

Yes, sir.

Those were his very words.

Well,

it sounds like Trevor Moody was trying to get back at me for letting him go.

I tried to give the kid a break,

but as you can see by this crazy story,

he was a troublemaker.

Sorry to waste your time,

sir.

By the way...

If you still need someone,

I got a son who could use a job.

Really?

How old is he?

Nineteen.

Lord knows he could use a little structure and discipline in his life.

Send him by.

We'll make a new man out of him.

Attention.

Today's special.

A word of advice.

To those of you who are young and wandering aimlessly...

Get your act together.

Oh man,

what a surprise.

Do you believe these dumb movie victims?

You think she'd know better than to go alone into a forest where a mad killer just butchered her best friend?

You know what?

That's the thing about the horror industry these days.

They don't make a...

Joey Howell knows all about horror movies.

He eats,

breathes,

and dreams them.

But now,

Joey's about to learn something new about the genre he loves.

Something for which he isn't prepared.

Indeed.

How many times do we have to see the cop boyfriend come to the rescue just as the killer is about to rev up his chainsaw?

Hey, where you going?

Just-just name anything in the horror section and I'll tell you if it's any good.

See what I mean,

Dad?

You try and do people a favor.

You can't be too hard on them,

Joey.

Not everybody knows scary movies the way you do.

You got that right.

I mean, you're like a walking encyclopedia.

I have a sense of history,

that's all.

Jason,

Freddy,

Chucky.

They just don't make them like they used to.

Joey,

I was wondering.

You've been so nice to me since I started working here,

teaching me about all these great...

Anything you want to know,

just ask.

Actually,

I was thinking...

There's a midnight show of Gore Circus playing at the Bijou and...

Gore Circus?

Talk about anemic.

Same old slice and dice,

except the killer is a ringmaster.

Scary?

I don't think so.

Maybe that's because you've seen these things too many times.

Nothing scares you anymore.

Tell me about it.

But I wouldn't give for just one spine-tingling jolt.

One unexpected twist.

So let's forget the movie.

But tomorrow night there's this really cool band playing in the park.

Maybe we could go.

That is,

if you're not busy.

Yeah, sure,

whatever.

Really?

Great,

so

I'll see you tomorrow.

Okay.

Don't work too hard.

What happened to you,

Mr.

Bones?

First time I saw you,

you scared the hell out of me.

Now I can't even get a goosebump.

Hey!

What's going on?

That's a stupid question.

Uh,

sorry,

we're closed.

Excuse me.

We're closed.

Oh my god.

It's a death mistress.

Bingo!

No way!

Mindy McCobb?

In the flesh.

And you must be Joey Howell.

I'm...

How did you know that?

What are you doing here?

Joey,

don't you remember?

You sent me that wonderful fan letter.

You got that?

You actually read that?

Every word.

Did you really mean it when you said that I'm the Meryl Streep of horror films?

Uh-huh.

Aren't you going to ask me to sit down?

Uh...

Mindy McCubb,

I still can't believe it.

What I can't believe is that you have every one of my movies here.

And I thought Hot Sub Hell was out of print.

I got the owner to special order that.

I mean,

anybody who knows horror knows that

Mindy McCubb is the ultimate scream queen.

Of course, I don't do much screaming anymore.

Not since I started doing the monster parts.

Just waiting to see the new film I'm shooting.

A new film?

What's it about?

Uh, let's just say it's your kind of nudie.

Slasher stuff?

Wait,

don't tell me it's a zombie flick.

Patience,

Joey.

Good things come to those who wait.

Ah,

can't you at least give me a hint?

Well,

if you really want to know,

I could tell you about it tomorrow night.

That is,

if you're free.

Are you kidding?

I...

I'd blow off my mother's funeral to hear about your new film.

Oh,

you're even sweeter than in your letter.

So, uh,

how do we do this?

I mean,

where do we meet?

Just be here tomorrow night.

I'll arrange a quick dance.

Thanks for joining the movie.

Hey, Joey,

guess what?

That dumb customer just thought the thing was directed by Wes Craven.

You would have been proud of me.

I told him it was John Carpenter.

Hey, Joey,

what are you doing?

I mean,

you look great,

but the concert tonight is definitely on the casual side.

I was just going to go like this.

Concert?

Remember I asked you last night if you wanted to go?

Oh, right.

Ah.

Babs, I'm sorry,

but something came up.

Who am I kidding?

It's more like my wildest dream came true.

Pardon?

You won't believe who came into the store last night after you left.

Mindy McCobb.

Who?

Mindy McCobb.

Babs!

You've only heard me talk about her a million times.

Death Mistress.

Scream,

Mama,

scream!

She came here?

What would she want to come here for?

She's shooting a movie in town and thought she'd drop in on her number one fan,

and one thing led to another.

And?

And we made a date to get together tonight.

But, Shelly,

I already got the tickets to the concert.

I guess you keep this button or not.

I wonder where she's gonna take me.

Probably some fancy restaurant.

Or maybe we'll wind up going back to her hotel and,

uh,

watch videos and stuff.

I'm not feeling so well.

I think I'll go home early if that's okay?

Sure, Babs,

no problem.

I'll tell you all the juicy details tomorrow.

I can hardly wait.

Maybe go

Silent Creek.

Starts many because I don't know.

Can't you read?

The sign says...

Wait.

I know you.

Curse of the Casket Man.

You're the evil undertaker!

I knew she wouldn't stand me up.

So where is she?

Oh,

yeah,

right. You didn't talk in the movie.

Just silent and menacing.

Oh wow!

That's great!

Just like when Casket Man kidnapped the wet t-shirt contest winner!

How'd Mindy know I loved that scene?

Oh delicious!

Oh well not so tight there guys.

Oh oh this is good.

Uh okay all right I can walk on my own.

Haha, hey,

hey,

uh, what's going on here?

Are you sure I can breathe in here?

Guys?

Guys?

Open up!

I can't breathe in here!

About time,

you guys.

I thought you forgot all about me.

Oh, I'm sorry,

Joey.

I told them to send a limo,

but you know how these publicity people are.

Where am I?

Welcome to the world of being a mistress.

You said you want to know more about my new movie,

right?

You mean I'm actually going to get to watch you act in it?

Even better,

Joey.

Come on,

let me introduce you.

to the director.

Jeff Kovac,

meet

Joey Howell.

The Jeff Kovac?

Zombie honeymoon?

The hungry dead?

So what do you think?

He'll do.

Do?

Do for what?

Oh Joey,

I have a big surprise for you.

How would you like to be?

in a Mindy McCobb movie.

You're kidding me,

right?

The least I could do for my number one fan.

You even get to act in a scene with...

But

I don't know how to act.

I never acted before in my life.

It's just a small part.

Just one line,

but a key role.

In fact,

you're going to love this.

I get to carry you.

This is too good to be true.

So you'll do it?

When do we start?

Okay, people,

rehearsal's up.

Let's get quiet on the set.

Okay,

and rehearsal,

and action.

Okay,

Joey.

You just snuck into your girlfriend's house.

Her parents are away.

You're excited.

You call out her name.

Tiffany!

Tiffany!

Good.

Good. That's good.

But there's no reply.

Suddenly,

you flinch at the sound of thunder outside.

Okay,

good.

Now you cross the room.

Cross,

glancing around,

fear mounting,

and that's when you see her there beside the,

beside the chair.

You freeze in horror,

and then,

suddenly,

as if by instinct,

you turn,

and that's when you see.

Look here,

mistress.

No,

You're in mortal fear,

Joey.

She's gonna kill you.

Okay,

let's take a break.

Mindy,

I'm sorry.

I don't know what I was thinking.

Your eyes.

They were glowing.

Must have been the lights.

Come on,

let me give you a crash course on how to show fear.

Tending to be scared is a lot trickier than you thought,

Joey.

I guess my problem is I've seen too many horror films,

you know.

Nothing scares me.

That's because you're not digging under the surface,

getting in touch with your deepest,

darkest fears.

What if you don't have any fears?

Come on,

Joey.

Everybody's afraid of something.

Some people just hide it,

that's all.

Take you,

for example.

You were seven years old when you saw Freddy Krueger for the first time.

Each night,

you'd wake up in the dark and see him standing in the doorway,

grinning at you.

How do you know that?

You were so scared,

you couldn't even tell your parents.

So what did you do?

You made Freddy your friend,

so he wouldn't kill you.

Stop it!

You know what your greatest fear is,

Joey?

The movie isn't just a movie.

It's real.

I'll be stuck in the dark.

And the monsters will get you.

Shut up!

See, Joey?

I knew you could do it.

Huh?

Real fear.

That's what this scene's all about.

Okay,

rip this off.

I don't know about this.

You'll be fine.

Trust me.

You're perfect for this part.

Okay,

Joey.

Don't just stand there.

Good.

That's it.

Now start glancing around.

Tiffany?

Tiffany?

Good.

Now you're getting nervous.

Very nervous.

And you see her lying there behind the chair.

And...

Cut!

Okay,

not bad Joey,

not bad.

We got that shot.

Uh,

let's set up for the kid's death scene.

Miss?

Excuse me,

miss?

Mr. Kovac,

the girl who played Tiffany.

She's dead.

She's gone.

Yeah, that's right.

Her scene's over.

She's done for the day.

Uh, no,

you don't understand.

She's really dead.

She's not movie dead.

She shriveled into a corpse in front of my eyes.

Yeah,

of course.

It's in the script.

Now, if you don't mind,

I'm a little busy here.

Look, look,

I know enough about movies to know that the special effects,

they're done after the filming.

Joey.

Joey.

Why don't you just go over your script and get into character?

We're almost ready for your scene.

Well,

if it isn't Mr.

De Niro.

Still in character.

Patty, I'm getting out of here.

Joey,

every actor has the jitters in the beginning.

No,

no,

it's not that.

Then what?

What is it?

I'm scared.

I'm really scared.

Great.

That's wonderful.

Don't you see you got in touch with your fear?

That's what it means to be an actor.

But I'm not acting.

It's all too real.

Listen, Joey,

I had to pull strings to get you this part.

This scene is crucial to the movie.

You don't want to disappoint me now.

Do you?

Mindy,

I'm sorry,

but...

You thought that little embrace we had during rehearsal was something?

Just wait till you experience the real thing when we shoot.

Come on.

Let's go make movie magic.

Come on,

silly.

Turn.

Turn!

Okay, you're numb with fear.

You can't move.

Can't breathe.

And just then,

she wraps her arms around you in a final embrace,

ready to suck the life out of you.

Hey, you're ruining the shot!

Why are you running away,

Joey?

Isn't this what you wanted?

No!

No!

That one spine tingling joke?

No!

That unexpected twist?

No! Please,

I wanna go home!

Wrong movie,

Joey.

You're not in Kansas anymore.

Like those dumb movie victims,

Joey.

You can run,

but you can't hide.

Now that's what I call real fear.

Shh.

Hey, what movie is that?

I just got it in.

Looks pretty scary.

You know horror films.

You've seen one,

you've seen them all.

A good scare is worth more to a man than good advice.

Unfortunately,

no one advised Joey Hamill that the ultimate scare is within his grasp.

all along,

playing in the horror movie of his own mind.

An antique store,

alive with the ghosts of bygone days.

Yet the proprietor,

Albert Vong,

has labored long and hard to block out the past.

His own past.

A survivor of the killing fields of Cambodia,

Vong has consigned his painful memories to the tomb of his mind.

For 20 years,

he's kept the lid closed.

A struggle that continues to this very day.

Hi, what an elegant steak knife.

Don't tell me,

it's a priceless ceremonial piece.

In feudal times,

it was a weapon held sacred by royal court assassins,

given by the king to those he favored most.

So they could butcher his enemies with heads held high.

Story of our homeland in a nutshell.

I thought you had classes all afternoon.

That was yesterday,

Dad.

We have a date for dinner tonight,

remember?

It's Friday already.

You lose track of the days when you live alone.

I just saw Mr.

Loy.

He says you stopped playing chess with him.

That man's a fool.

He chatters on about the old days like a fishwife.

Mother would have hated to see you cut yourself off from your friends.

Mother was my only real friend.

And when she passed away...

Amy,

let me live my life in peace.

Pooped up in here?

Shut out from the world around you?

I'm sorry,

Dad, but that's no way to live.

I've been meaning to tell you.

I invited a friend to join us for dinner tonight.

You did what?

His name is Stephen Kimra.

He lives in my dorm.

He's a graduate student in history.

His parents are from the old country.

I don't care where they're from.

You know how I feel about having strangers in my house.

I like this guy,

Dad. I like him a lot.

Actually,

he reminds me of you.

He's intense,

intelligent,

and caring,

and I think he really likes me.

Please, Dad,

don't shut yourself off.

Not from me.

Thanks,

Amy.

Interesting design.

From the looks I'd say

Qing Dynasty,

16th century.

Nineteenth.

Of course,

the, uh,

Tung Chi reign.

Tung Chi.

You should have seen Stephen admiring your collectibles downstairs.

It was all I could do to tear them away.

An appreciation of the past is a rare trait in the young.

Well, I feel it's important that we should study the past,

Mr. Vong.

We live in a world that's quick to forget,

especially when human suffering is concerned.

Take our country,

for example.

The time of sorrows,

of the Hooded Death Squads.

Would you believe my sister's children had never heard of these things?

Maybe that is for the best.

I can understand how you feel.

Amy tells me you're one of the survivors.

The world has a lot to learn from those who escaped the slaughter.

Escaped?

No one ever escaped.

Not as long as they remember.

I'm sorry,

Steve.

It's just that...

I'll be right back.

You brought him here to pry?

To make me talk about things I choose to forget?

It's just that Steven is writing his thesis paper about the Time of Sorrows.

And when he asked me for my help,

I thought that...

Thought what?

That I could be tricked into opening old wounds,

share my suffering with a stranger.

I know how guarded you are about your memories.

But maybe sharing them could help heal your wounds.

I want him out of my house.

Out of my life.

I'm sorry,

Dad.

I never meant to hurt you.

Some things...

Are best left untold.

Who's there?

Who are you?

What do you want?

Answer me!

You know who we are and why we've come back.

Welcome to the series.

This is the end of our dialogue.

Morning,

Dad. I know you go ballistic when I show up without calling,

but I was passing the vapour on my way to school and...

What's wrong,

Dad?

You're as pale as a ghost.

I didn't sleep well last night.

The nightmares again?

I'm fine,

Amy.

Really,

I am.

Are you?

Friends of yours?

They were.

Once.

Then one day they joined the secret police.

They returned to my village,

rounding up people they had known all their lives,

rooting out subversion by any means possible.

You have no idea the depth men will sink to in the name of following orders.

I've tried to put a pass behind me,

prayed for strength to erase the terrible memories from my mind,

but it's no use.

They will let me.

There's no shame in being a survivor.

Maybe the only way to bury the past is to face it.

Talk to Steve,

Dad.

Tell him what he needs to know.

It's time to put these things to rest.

Amy?

You're dead!

All of you are dead!

You're not the kind who die easily,

Vong.

No one knows this better than you.

Dad?

Are you here?

That's weird.

He never locks the door during business hours.

It's okay,

Amy.

He's coming too.

It's alright,

Dad.

You're safe now.

They've come back.

Back from the dead to reclaim me.

To punish me for surviving.

I'm sorry.

I'll go make more tea.

Sure don't need some help?

I can manage.

If you could just keep my father company.

I'd be glad to.

Those men you said came back.

They worked at the S-34 interrogation camp,

didn't they?

An amazing achievement.

You're escaping that charnel house.

How did you ever manage such a feat?

I don't want to talk about it.

Did you know out of 14,000 prisoners held at S-34,

there were no other known survivors?

I want to be left alone.

Years later,

after the death squad leaders were captured,

many victims from other camps came to testify,

but you weren't among them,

were you?

No more.

After the trial...

Many people traveled for miles just to witness the executions.

How appropriate.

They got to wear their hoods before the nooses tightened around their necks.

But you weren't there to witness it,

were you,

Mr. Fong?

In fact, you never even left this store.

What are you saying?

What are you accusing me of?

Just searching for the truth.

Truth?

I'll show you the truth.

A souvenir from S-34.

A scar so deep it refuses to heal.

Is that proof enough of the pain I endured?

But the question is,

who was the one wielding the blade?

That's enough.

What the hell are you doing?

I'm sorry,

Amy, you don't...

I don't even want to hear your explanations.

Get out right now.

Get out of my father's house.

We saved it for you,

comrade.

It seems like only yesterday when you wore that hood with pride.

It's useless,

Vaughn.

All the flames of hell won't burn away the past.

There has to be an end to it.

You've nothing to be ashamed of.

Your duty was to extract confessions.

And this you did with great success.

I had no choice.

I was under orders.

There was always a choice.

And you chose to survive.

You survived when that prisoner slashed you through.

The war turned against us.

You bribed your way to safety,

to a new life in a new land.

No one ever dares suspect.

Not even your wife.

It's all different now.

I'm not a man I was.

Mimi's friend doesn't see it that way.

He's determined to expose you,

to bring you to justice at all costs.

That's why we've come back to help him.

No.

You've survived too long to back down now.

I can't.

Not anymore.

It's over,

Dad.

He's gone now.

Go?

Kimra will never come back again.

God forgive me for bringing him into this house.

I thought his intentions were pure,

but all he ever wanted was to spew his filthy accusations.

His terrible lies.

That's all they were.

Nothing but lies.

There's just no way you could be guilty of such atrocities.

A person lives with someone all their life.

They know who that person really is.

About what?

Justice,

long overdue.

Only this time we talk alone.

If despair ain't me, the shock.

I'll be there in an hour.

You know what you have to do.

It was only last year when the records were found.

Right there on the bloodstained floors of the back rooms of S-34 were these meticulously kept files of those who commanded the prison.

These daily logs of torture and genocide.

These documents of death.

Among the hooded interrogators,

there was this one who stood out.

A man so merciless that he became known by his own comrades as Brother Death.

Seems that after a long day of beating out confessions or performing executions,

Brother Death would retire to his room and while away the hours,

admiring the beautiful antiques he obsessively collected.

He was also quite fastidious about documenting his victims.

Among the thousands butchered during his tenure,

several names seemed to spring to mind.

My grandparents,

for example,

were near the top of the list.

What do you propose to do with me?

I'm willing to offer you a chance to turn yourself in quietly.

So what's it gonna be?

Brother Death?

Amy! Amy,

I swear I didn't.

Even when he threatened me,

I couldn't.

Threatened you with what?

Where are you going?

To call the police.

No,

don't.

All those things he said about you,

they were true,

weren't they?

Amy.

Whole life I looked up to you like you were some kind of saint.

God help me.

And all the time you were living a lie.

Pretending to be a victim to save your own worthless skin.

You're still my little girl.

My own flesh and blood.

Don't touch me.

You're not my father.

You're not even human.

I don't know who you are.

I never did.

And I never will.

Amy,

come back.

Amy!

You'd be a fool to let her go.

She's determined to betray you.

I could never harm my daughter.

She's all I have left in the world.

I'm afraid you'll be dead to her,

comrade.

When your heart stops beating,

it will be a mere formality.

Unless you stop her heart first.

No!

Hello?

God,

Amy!

Die,

Jesus.

Die,

Jesus.

Die,

Jesus.

The ghosts of a guilt-ridden past are a patient lot.

They can lie and wait for years,

festering in the darkness of memories,

hungering to meet out the justice that's been long deferred.

When at last the hangman calls,

he often wears a familiar face.

In the case of Albert Vaughn,

the face of his executioner was all too familiar.

Croft International,

resting securely on the Fortune 500.

Thanks to CEO Blaine Croft,

it offers unique advancement opportunities to hungry young executives,

unlike those of any other corporation.

Which is why anyone who does not have a cost-cutting proposal on my desk first thing in the morning will be out of a job.

That's all,

ladies and gentlemen.

Judith, I want you to stay behind.

Rob,

Ethan,

you two.

Three of you,

take a seat.

In the time you've been working for me,

I have observed that each of you possesses a unique and valuable quality.

Ethan,

for example,

is a consummate risk-taker,

afraid of nothing.

Rob seems to have an infinite source of vitality,

someone of rare energy and drive.

Judith,

I think we both know what your strongest quality is.

I'll come to the point.

I want to invite you all to join me tonight in a game of chance.

Just the four of us.

I assume you're all familiar with the rules of poker?

Hey,

poker's my middle name.

I had to cancel my plans this evening,

but count me in.

With all due respect,

Mr. Croft,

I don't believe in gambling.

I think you'll change your mind when you hear the stakes.

A person lucky enough to win tonight's game?

will be the new CEO of Croft

International.

That person will have the power to shape the future direction of this company in any way that he or she wishes.

Pardon me,

sir,

but it sounds too good to be true.

And what sort of a buy-in are we talking about here?

All money made will be provided for you,

which,

by the way,

the winner will also be allowed to keep.

I assure you this will be a game unlike any you've ever played.

So,

shall we say 8 o'clock this evening?

The game is five-card draw,

table stakes.

As you see,

we'll each be starting with a quarter of a million dollars.

But he pinched me.

Tell me I'm dreaming this.

Whoever wins will walk away with a million dollars and the reins to this company.

But if you lose,

you give up everything you came to the table with.

What if you win,

Mr.

Crot?

What do you get out of this?

Perhaps the reassurance that I'm the only one fit to run this company.

What was that you said about,

uh,

not believing in gambling?

If I had this company to run,

a lot of good causes could be funded.

Sometimes you have to make sacrifices for the things you believe in.

Then I believe it's your bet.

Okay.

Let's start things out with a bang.

I'll open with...

Ten grand.

Better pace yourself,

pal. It's gonna be a long night.

I'll call.

Too rich for my blood.

I fold as well.

I'll take...

Two. Oh.

I only need one.

Okay,

Robbie boy.

Let's see what you're made of.

25 grand in the blind.

All right.

I'll see your 25,

and I'll raise you 50 more.

I say you're bluffing.

There's only one way to find out,

right?

Read them and weep,

trip cowboys.

Not so fast.

Nine's full?

Come to papa.

Beginner's luck.

Come on,

let's deal the next hand.

I don't believe my luck tonight.

Maybe luck has nothing to do with it,

Eve.

Let's try to keep this game friendly.

Oh, that's easy for you to say.

If you weren't just folding your hands,

maybe you'd realize we're playing for big stakes here.

Guys, did you hear that?

Hear what?

There it is again.

Sounds like...

Somebody's shoveling dirt.

Ethan,

you don't seem your usual fearless self.

You okay?

What the hell is going on here?!

Ethan, what are you talking about?

Don't mess with my head,

he's right over there!

Perhaps we should all take a short-

right don't forget this

is just a game no no don't you remember what he said

If we lose,

we lose everything we came to the table with.

What did he mean by that?

Are you ready to resume our game?

I'm suddenly feeling very bold tonight.

So,

Ethan.

I'll see your bet and raise you...

75,000.

I have to fold.

Me too.

It's all up to you,

Eve.

I guess it's just you and me now.

Your play.

Hello,

my name is David.

I'm a student at the University of Michigan.

You know what they call that,

don't you?

Dead man's hand.

All hearts.

I'm afraid you've lost,

son.

That much for Mr.

Fearless.

I'm going to go ahead and do a little bit of

Some people just can't stand losing.

That's to you,

Judith.

I'm out.

I don't seem to be needing these anymore.

Rob,

I call.

I have two pair.

Finally.

Time my luck changed.

Queen High Street.

Obviously,

you didn't hear me very well.

I said two pair.

Two pair of fours.

I think we better take another break,

Mr. Croft.

Can you insist?

I feel like I'm just getting my second wind.

Rob, what is it?

I'm so tired.

I'm not sure I'll be as tired in my life.

Two coffins,

black.

I'm scared of cheating,

there's no other way.

I thought of that,

but I would have caught him by now.

It's one of you,

the Innspurser.

I saw my dad cheat at cards for years.

I watched him pull every scam in the book.

I also saw the price he paid for cheating.

Bullet in the chest.

Yeah, I learned all the tricks from him.

Rob, what's wrong?

I've never seen you like this.

I'll be fine.

Just let me catch my breath.

Come on,

people!

We've got a game to finish!

I call you Croft.

What do you have?

I don't know.

I haven't looked yet.

You raised me a hundred and twenty-five grand and you didn't even look.

I was going for a flush.

Let's see if I made it.

Well...

No.

It's impossible.

You cheated!

Now now Rob,

let's not be a sore loser.

What the hell is going on?

What are you doing to me?

Rob, take it easy.

You really disappointed me,

Rob.

I actually thought you would last longer.

You know the rules.

Winner takes all.

You killed him.

Wrong,

Judith.

I simply won.

Can I get you something at the bar?

I'm getting out of here.

You can't leave,

Judith.

Until the game is finished.

Game?

Is that what you call this?

It's not just a card game.

Surely you've figured that out by now.

You've destroyed two men tonight,

God knows how.

Remember when I said that each of you had a special quality that I admired?

Well,

perhaps admire is the wrong word.

Now all I need is what you have to offer me.

What are you talking about?

I'm talking about your ruthlessness,

June.

Mind-brooklessness?

Aren't you talking about yourself,

Croft?

The man who's exploited his way to the top?

It cuts both ways.

Aren't you the one that fought to close our third world factories?

Even if it meant putting half of our overseas sales force out of work?

The only difference between you and me...

as if you do it with a bleeding heart.

You can tell that to the police.

I'm so glad you decided to come back.

Shall we finish the game?

You were conscious before,

and now you're getting careless.

Wonder what your father would say.

What?

We both know you got your killer instinct from dear old dad.

You don't know anything about my father.

I know you've always been ashamed of him.

That's why you've dedicated yourself to saving the world.

To atone for those lost souls you watched your father rob and cheat.

But like it or not,

he gave you that quality you've spent your whole life trying to run away from.

That same quality you hate so much in me.

Look.

Why don't we dispense with this psychological warfare and get down to brass tacks?

I'm intrigued.

What do you have in mind?

One hand.

For all the marbles.

Winner take all.

Still had a little of the ruthlessness left.

It's up to you,

Judith.

Just a second,

I'm thinking.

What'd your old man always teach you?

Don't think,

baby.

Play from the gut.

Something wrong?

No.

No, I just thought that I heard...

He's been a lousy pair of knives.

Now be Daddy's little girl and play those aces.

How many cards,

Judith?

Cards?

How many cars?

I'll take one.

Fine, Pat.

No cars for me.

So

I guess this is it

I'm afraid it is

What do you got?

you first full house

I Wish I could say I was sorry

But at least this way you'll be spared the humiliation of a long drawn-out and wave

What's happening?

She didn't give me a chance to show you my hand.

Oh!

Why had you be?

With no idea!

Like you said,

Croft,

ruthlessness cuts both ways.

Results,

people.

I have not been running this company for 38 years to see it fall behind our competitors now.

That's why I want jobs cut,

benefits slashed.

And any one of you that doesn't improve the efficiency of your departments will be fired.

That's all,

ladies and gentlemen.

Adam,

I'd like you to stay behind.

Keith,

Elizabeth,

you too.

Now then,

I assume you're all familiar with the rules of poker?

The thrill of victory,

the agony of defeat.

Who among us has not experienced both?

Yet by winning,

Judith Kale has also lost something.

Perhaps the very thing that made her strive to win in the first place.

It's been three years since Gail Brand was murdered,

a tragedy her husband Marty still cannot accept.

Like so many who deny the death of a loved one,

Marty has become a shell of his former self,

unwilling to move on to pick up the pieces of his shattered life.

But,

as Marty is about to discover,

those pieces are even more shattered than he imagined.

I tried to talk to you yesterday after corporate with the press all over you.

May I come in?

So it's finally over.

You must be relieved.

Relieved?

That Bobby Jackson will be spending the rest of his life behind bars?

Oh yeah.

I'm thrilled.

Ecstatic.

I mean, after all,

the kid only killed my wife,

right? I mean,

she gets the life squeezed out of her,

and he gets free meals.

Cable.

Who knows,

maybe we'll even write a bestseller about it.

Mr. Brand,

I know you've suffered a great loss.

I tried to impress that on the jury during...

Like hell you did.

You plea bargained away the gas chamber,

which is the only thing the scumbag deserved.

May I remind you he was a juvenile during the time he was arrested and also happened to be mildly retarded?

I don't care if he was the Pope's nephew.

He murdered the love of my life.

The fact remains he should never have been tried as an adult.

If it wasn't for your letters to the governor and your relentless tactics to drum up support,

he'd probably be in a hospital where he belongs instead of a maximum security prison.

A hospital?

So the punk could get out in a few years just to whack someone else's wife?

Maybe the real reason you're so angry is with the case finally over,

there's nothing left for you to fight for.

Is that why you came here,

Ms. Cunningham?

To add insult to my suffering?

Actually, I came to drop this off.

They're your wife's personal effects.

Since Jackson waived his right to appeal as part of the plea bargain,

we no longer need them for evidence.

You know...

The things that Gail was wearing that night?

The night that she was...

Of course,

if you don't want them,

I'd be glad to destroy them.

Look,

perhaps it would help to talk to someone.

You want to help me?

Give me back my wife.

Remember when I gave you these?

You said you'd never take them off.

I can't take them off.

How am I supposed to forget?

How do I go on with my life?

I don't know.

Her life wasn't the only one you ended when you killed her.

You managed to teach her.

I tell you

Ed,

she was there.

Riles,

the press,

you've been under a lot of pressure lately.

Bend your knees.

I don't blame you for not believing me.

I hardly believed myself.

But when I saw her face,

so alive,

so beautiful...

Marty,

it's been three years for God's sake.

Three years of thinking about her every waking moment,

dreaming that something like this would happen.

There's a name for that.

It's called denial.

Ed,

I know she's dead.

I know only too well.

But I also know that Gail must have come back for a reason.

You okay?

That scarf?

The one she was strangled with?

I was holding on to it when all this happened last night.

Marty.

We've known each other since we were in grade school.

You were the best man at my wedding.

I was the best man at yours.

Well, then you know me well enough to know that I'm not crazy.

Listen to somebody who cares about you.

Go home.

Take all those clippings off the wall,

all those photos in your darkroom,

and throw them away once and for all.

No.

You don't understand.

And that scarf?

Burn it.

Burn it before it burns a hole in your heart.

Oh my god.

This is for you.

Gale, it's me,

Marty.

Right here.

I'm

here. Can I help you?

No!

What do you want?

It was him.

Get away from her!

The slime bag must have seen her through the window,

knew she was alone.

But according to the store clerk's testimony during the trial,

Gail never ordered a delivery.

So why wouldn't she just check through the peephole the way she always did with strangers?

Marty.

And there was something else was weird.

She wasn't wearing that scarf.

What are you talking about?

The murder weapon.

The one everyone figured she had on that night,

but she didn't.

So how did Bobby get it?

He could have dragged her upstairs,

pulled it out of the drawer or something,

but...

Why was she found dead in the kitchen?

Marty,

stop it. Do you hear yourself?

Are you listening to me,

Ed?

I was right there,

right when it happened.

Okay.

Suppose you did have some kind of vision.

Even if you did,

why obsess about it?

Still won't change what happened to Gail.

She was my whole life,

Ed.

And I can't put this behind me until I know.

Know what?

I have to go back to the scene of the crime.

Marty,

as a favor to me,

go and see that doctor I told you about.

I know you're only trying to help,

Ed.

You're the only one that's stuck by me since I lost Gail.

But even you don't know how deep this goes,

what's driving me.

It's not denial,

Ed.

It's guilt.

You see, if I hadn't been out of town that night,

Gail might still be alive today.

Delivery?

Shut the door.

I'm sorry,

there must be some mistake.

He's gonna kill you!

Excuse me.

I said...

No.

Just a second.

Can I see your delivery slip?

Yes,

ma'am.

See here,

it says 211.

This is 214.

The place that you're looking for is across the street.

Yes, ma'am.

Let me get this straight.

For three years you make my life miserable,

demand that Jackson be executed for murdering your wife,

and now you have the nerve to sit there and tell me he's innocent?

Look,

the kid couldn't have killed her.

I saw him leave,

which means that it had to be someone else,

someone who showed up later.

And you saw this all in your hallucination?

You have to release him and reopen the case.

How do I put this politely?

Not a snowball's chance in hell.

Lady, don't you get it?

There's a killer still out there.

Not as far as I'm concerned.

Now, if you don't mind,

I have serious cases to try.

Okay.

If you won't listen to me,

well, maybe the press will.

In a stunning turn of events,

the man who publicly accused a delivery boy of murdering his wife now claims the youth is innocent.

And now we'll turn to the weekend weather forecast with meteorologist Chris Anderson.

Chris,

take a look at that triple Doppler radar.

I thought you scared me.

What took you so long?

Don't worry.

Marty's out of town.

It's just you and me,

darling.

Don't tell me you're still mad at me.

I didn't mean it,

Ed.

Ed?

You know I would never breathe a word to your wife.

Ed? Gail?

No!

You're not following through.

Feel the difference?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Marty?

It was you all along!

You killed her!

What are you doing?

Get up, you lowlife scum.

Look, whatever this is about...

This is about you sleeping with Gail,

then murdering her in cold blood because you were afraid that she'd tell your wife.

You're crazy.

Oh, yeah?

Then tell me to my face that you weren't sleeping with Gail.

Tell me to my face that you didn't betray me.

You were my best friend.

I trusted you.

All those business trips you take.

What did you expect,

Marty?

You'd spend more time working than you did with her,

even on her birthday.

I was always there for her.

Always.

Until you took that scarf.

No.

Where is the scarf?

Okay.

Look.

I did go there that night.

But by the time I got there,

she was already dead.

Nice try,

Anne.

But I saw you there when she was still alive.

I heard her call you by name.

It's not true.

If you were so innocent,

why didn't you go to the police and tell them that you were there that night?

Because I was scared.

Wouldn't you be?

I figured it was safer if I just kept my mouth shut.

You just,

like, blocked it all out,

pretended it didn't happen.

Well, listen,

people don't just block it out unless they have something to hide.

Okay, we questioned him.

And?

And you were right.

There appear to be some inconsistencies concerning Mr.

Falsi's whereabouts the night of the murder.

Just like I said.

However,

considering the crime scene no longer exists,

and since there isn't a scintilla of evidence tying him to the crime,

I have no choice but to release him.

But I told you I saw him.

In a vision,

Mr. Brand.

Visions aren't admissible in court.

But he killed my wife!

I'm sorry.

There's nothing more I can do.

You know what I think?

I think that there's a lot more that you can do.

But you're scared sick of what would happen to your career if you admitted that you put away the wrong guy.

I think you'd better leave.

How can you let that Jackson kid rot in prison knowing that he's innocent?

I'll tell you how.

It's called denial.

Just pretend the bad stuff never happened and hopefully it'll just all go away.

Like I said,

Mr.

Brand,

without hard evidence,

my hands are tied.

You want hard evidence?

I'll get you hard evidence.

Don't worry.

Marty's out of town.

It's just you and me,

darling.

Don't tell me you're still mad at me.

Why,

dear,

why?

I didn't mean it,

Ed.

You know I would never breathe a word to your wife.

Ah!

It's...

Shit!

Ah!

No!

That's impossible!

GAAAAAAAALLLLLL!

Shit!

Ah!

I love you,

Sandy.

I love you.

I love you. I love you.

We all know that life is a journey paved with self-discovery.

For Marty Brand,

that journey has ended where it began three years ago,

trapped in the madness of denial.

Meet Nicole Osborne,

the editor of Dazzle magazine.

A woman so obsessed with her appearance that the cries of her soul long ago became inaudible.

Hi honey,

it's me.

I'm stuck in a meeting.

I'll be late.

No, I didn't get a chance to call the caterer.

Walter,

I can't talk about it now.

Listen,

I really have to go.

I can't believe I've been married to that man for 25 years.

Put the poor slob out of his misery,

Nicole.

Tell him you want a divorce.

How can I?

He's been planning that damn anniversary party for six months.

If I call it quits now,

it'll break his heart.

As if you really care.

Walter's not a bad man,

Cliff.

It's just that people change after 25 years.

He's gotten so old.

I don't believe in getting old.

As your plastic surgeon,

I give you my solemn oath that you'll never look a day over.

In that case,

I guess I'm going to have to keep you around.

Walter?

Aren't you going to introduce me?

Introduce you?

To whom,

dear?

Your lady friend.

The one with the quaint little ponytail.

The only lady friend I have is you.

Come on,

Walter.

I saw her standing in the doorway.

Where is she?

No one here except us chickens.

I've been writing the graphics program for Langley Architectural.

I heard the two of you laughing.

Oh.

You must mean the caterer.

I was on the phone with him a few minutes ago.

He needed the final headcount for our party.

I could have sworn there was someone in here with you.

You're probably just tired.

I know I am.

Coming, dear?

Always.

Always.

Walter, wake up.

Forever.

Forever.

Walter.

Tushy,

Tushy. I'm telling you,

Walter, she was in our bedroom.

I saw her standing in our doorway.

Are you sure you weren't dreaming?

Dreaming.

I could hardly get any sleep at all with the way you were tossing and turning.

Sorry if I kept you up.

Nothing a little concealer won't fix.

You know, honey...

I think you're beautiful without any of that war paint or facelifts or implants.

Please, we've been through this before.

It's my body,

my eyes,

my nose,

my mouth.

I believe in making the most of them.

Just one man's opinion.

I don't believe it.

What do you mean what's wrong with her?

Thunder thighs?

Crow's feet laugh lines?

Must I go on?

This is the cover shot,

sweetheart.

Make it magic.

Take this to photo.

Any messages?

One or two.

Let's see.

Your new contact lenses are ready.

Oh, and the caterer called.

Bought the cake for the party.

Tell her to call Walter.

What's this?

I must have picked up Walter's file by mistake.

I thought he designed software.

Obviously,

he's branching out.

I go to Osborne's office.

Uh.

It's your plastic surgeon.

Are you in a meeting?

I'll take it.

Hello, Cliff?

I'm sorry I'm not going to be able to make it.

Something's come up that I have to take care of.

I'll miss you,

too.

Bye.

Walter?

Walter?

Walter?

Walter?

Walter!

Walter?

What the hell do you think you're doing?

Walter!

Alright,

game's over.

I hope I'm not interrupting anything.

Walter!

Nicole,

I didn't hear you come in.

I was just thinking about you.

The goal.

The absolute gall to bring that ugly little mouse into my home.

And the audacity to stand there and ignore me as if I didn't even exist.

What were you thinking?

I only think of you,

Nicole.

Cheating on me the day before my

25th anniversary.

I wasn't cheating on you.

I would never do that to our marriage.

So?

I was hallucinating.

And did I hallucinate seeing these pictures?

Who is she,

Walter?

Who is this woman you're so obsessed with?

Someone I knew a long time ago.

I wasn't sure if I could remember what she looked like.

Get rid of her.

I never want to see her near my house again.

I really can't explain any of it.

I was screaming and screaming,

and they both just stood there,

as if they couldn't hear me.

Hey, can we save this for later?

I've only got an hour for lunch.

First she was there,

and then she was gone.

Look at the bright side.

Now you can get a divorce without breaking poor old Walter's heart.

What kind of a woman would have an affair with Walter?

She must be 20 years younger than he is.

May-December romance.

Perish the thought.

What does she see in him?

If I didn't know any better,

I'd say you're jealous.

Of what?

Some frumpy little four eyes?

She's having an affair with Walter.

She needs stronger glasses.

Well, this tension's gonna give you some nasty worry lines.

You know, Cliff,

I'm really not in the mood for this right now.

I'll call you later.

Sir?

I'm home.

Who are you?

What are you doing in my house?

Answer me,

damn it!

Daisies and marigolds.

Your favorites.

Walter,

what are you doing?

Stop it!

Stop it this instant!

You mean any better?

What happened?

You must have passed out.

I found you on the floor downstairs.

I think you're working too hard,

dear.

What are you doing to me,

Walter?

Taking care of you.

You're taking care of me,

all right.

You're trying to make me disappear into thin air.

Trying to get rid of me.

So you can be with that other woman.

There is no other woman.

Don't lie to me,

Walter.

I saw you kissing her.

When I tried to stop you,

my hand passed right through you.

You really need some rest,

darling.

We have a big party tomorrow night.

Those flowers.

Where did those flowers come from?

I brought them home for you.

Daisies and marigolds.

Cliff,

I know it's crazy,

but I think he actually brought her to life somehow.

How else could he get a woman to fall for him?

Listen.

Cliff,

wait. I need to talk to you.

Not according to the message you left me this morning.

What message?

You told my assistant you know...

I never called you this morning.

Cliff,

I swear it wasn't me.

Have a nice life,

Nicole.

Cliff,

wait,

wait!

And then she nearly bit my head off,

excuse me.

But I didn't realize it was my responsibility to buy the stupid cake for her anniversary party.

I never said it was your responsibility.

Oh, and make sure the filling is almond mocha.

It's Walter's favorite.

Can't you hear me?

I never told you to buy the damn cake.

I hope she chokes on it.

What's going on here?

Who called this meeting?

I'll get on it right away.

No! Nicole?

Are you alright?

She was sitting right here in my chair.

And all of you were fawning over her as if you thought that little dish mop was me!

Who?

Nicole,

what are you talking about?

Don't tell me you don't recognize her.

Wasn't that one of Walter's designs?

Can't you see what's happening?

He created her to take my place,

and that's just what she's doing.

She caught up this morning and pretended to be me.

She told him I didn't want to see him anymore.

Nicole.

If Walter thinks his little scheme is going to work,

he is wrong.

The guests will be here soon,

dear.

Don't you think you should get ready?

It's over,

Walter.

She's gone.

I've destroyed her.

Darling,

I can explain everything.

I don't want your explanations.

I don't care what kind of sorcery you use to conjure her up.

It's finished,

do you hear me?

It's finished!

Nicole?

I want you to come to the party.

with me.

After what you've been trying to do to me?

I want you to come with me and hold my hand and show everyone how much we love each other.

Don't touch me!

Please!

If you don't come with me tonight all that we have will be gone forever.

It will all disappear.

Funny thing seeing you've been trying your damnedest to try to make me invisible.

I can't bear to lose the woman I fell in love with.

You lost me years ago.

I just didn't have the guts to leave.

Please,

don't go.

Happy anniversary,

Walter.

Can't be.

Have you ever seen Nicole more radiant?

I'm telling you,

she almost looks like a new woman.

Everybody,

would you please come into the dining room?

Walter has something he'd like to say.

I'd like to read to you something that was written to me 25 years ago.

A letter I found last week in an old trunk.

Dearest Walter,

my lover,

my friend.

You are the light of my life,

the fire in my soul.

You are the part of me that has been missing.

the peace of my heart that makes me complete.

I feel blessed to share my life with you.

I want us to grow old together,

knowing that what we have will only strengthen with time.

I will love you forever.

Always.

To my wife,

Nicole.

The only woman I ever loved.

Please don't do this,

Walter.

We can still be together.

I can be her again.

I swear it.

I can.

Walter,

please!

Most of us live our lives in fast forward,

eager to bury the past and forget who we really are.

Yet there's one basic truth that should not be forgotten.

The ghosts of our former selves are never easily erased.

The reluctant subject of these photographs is rock and roll legend Nicky the Snake Man Van Adder.

Seven years ago,

he walked away from the music business,

trying to escape the public eye.

And this is the public eye.

Fran Rayburn,

once a promising photojournalist,

now scraping by as a third-rate paparazzo.

But that's all about to change.

These are amazing,

Franny. I knew you'd like them.

After all the years you've been stalking Van Adder,

not one clear shot of his face.

What do you expect?

The man makes Michael Jackson look like a press hound.

And I resent the word stalking.

What else would you call it?

Oh, God,

spare me the ethics lessons there.

Nicky Van Adder was a drunk.

The man electrocuted himself in his bathtub playing the guitar.

What's happened to you,

Franny?

Once upon a time,

you had scruples.

Once upon a time,

when I were a item.

Things changed,

Bear.

Come on.

Buy a picture.

All time's sake.

Sorry,

Franny. No can do.

All right,

welcome.

Your magazine's doing an obituary tribute,

right?

What do you think we pay for something special?

Such as?

Such as a recent shot of the Snake Man?

How recent?

Oh,

say,

post-mortem?

For something that tasteless,

that low,

the sky's the limit.

It's just what I wanted to hear.

Buddy,

no one knows where they're holding that body.

Nine,

will they,

if anyone can find that funeral home later.

Come on,

Billy.

You owe me big time for that Madonna tip I gave you.

Come on,

Ziggy,

don't give me excuses.

Give me an address!

Yeah, talk to me,

sweetie. You know I'll take care of you.

Yeah,

bye.

So sorry I stopped you,

Miss Rayburn.

Who are you?

How did you get in here?

The door was open.

Yeah, well,

what do you want?

Word has it you're looking for Nicholas Van Adder's last remains.

Maybe.

What's it to you?

That's better. I've taken him.

Yeah, how do I know this is for real?

Well,

it's real.

A friend of mine drove the hearse.

Security's tight.

You won't get in without a cover story.

I'll come up with something.

Maybe I can help you.

A woman named Rose Delmotto used to do Mr.

Van Aller's makeup.

They're expecting her tonight at nine.

I believe I can arrange for you to take her place.

Yeah, well what's in it for you?

Dedication to one's craft is such a rare quality these days.

After all the years you've been hunting him down,

I figure you should get what you deserve.

Yeah,

look, Mr.

uh...

Flash!

Just call me Flash.

Yeah, assuming this address checks out,

Mr.

Flash,

what's it going to cost me?

I trust you,

Mr. Abram.

You pay me what you think is fair.

Ordinarily,

Mr. Delmato,

I do all the cosmetology,

but the

Van Adder people wanted a specialist.

Do you know the deceased will?

Oh, you could say I was sort of like his shadow.

It's an honor for our establishment to serve an artist of Mr.

Van Adder's magnitude.

I understand he had a passion for privacy.

Rest assured,

we'll do everything to protect it.

I think you would have appreciated that.

I was about to begin the embalming when you arrived.

Don't let me stop you.

As you know,

we're making every effort to ensure that nothing mars the dignity of tomorrow's proceedings.

As an additional precaution,

we have hired round-the-clock security.

We're aware that Mr.

Van Adder's notoriety attracts vultures.

Vultures?

The media.

They rarely gave him any rest in the still.

Miss Delmato?

No, I'll be fine.

I'm going home.

It's the smell of the formaldehyde.

I'll get you a nice glass of water.

Yes, you can.

Hey,

Nikki,

remember me?

This time I expect your full cooperation.

See that wicked tattoo.

Here you are,

Miss Delmont.

You're white as a sheet.

Take deep breaths.

Deep breaths.

Thanks, I'll be fine.

I'm sorry,

it's the smell.

It gets to some people.

Make yourself comfortable.

I'll let you know when Mr.

Van Ander's ready.

Thanks.

Barry Shepard.

Hey, Bear.

Guess where I am?

In a supply closet right across from the embalming room.

Let's start talking prices.

Wait a minute.

Don't tell me you're actually at the funeral home.

I was thinking somewhere in the low six figures.

I'll even throw in a candlelight dinner for two.

I don't believe this.

You mean you took a picture of his corpse?

Let's just say I was interrupted.

But I'll get the shot.

Count on it.

Franny,

get out of there before you wind up in jail.

Not until I've captured the Snake Man for posterity.

Bye.

Bye.

I like to give the impression that they've just drifted off into a calm,

restful sleep.

That's Betsy,

his guitar.

They're to be buried together.

I'll be in my office.

Come on,

Fran,

just relax.

Oops. It's just in your head,

Fran. It's just in your head.

Dead rock stars don't open their eyes and sit up.

You're just letting your imagination run away with you,

Fran.

Just stay calm.

You're gonna get the shot.

There's nothing to worry about.

You're stressed,

you're tired,

you're just hearing things.

Just chill out,

Fran.

Just stay focused here.

Mr. Deavers!

We're not quite ready in there yet.

Is everything all right?

Of course,

it's fine.

I was just going back in to finish this makeup.

No,

he's not done yet.

The still motto,

please step aside.

No, he's not ready,

Nick. He's extremely sensitive about presentation.

I owe you an apology.

Don't worry about it.

Well,

since this is the way he wanted to be remembered,

I think he's ready for casketing.

I know Mr.

Markov will be pleased with your work.

Who?

Mr.

Van Adder's business manager.

Yeah, right.

I'm sure his business manager,

of course.

Mr.

Van Adder just about wraps it up for me.

Don't worry about me,

Ella. I'm on my own way out.

Come on.

Yeah?

Hey, Babs,

you're never gonna believe this.

Franny,

don't tell me you're still there.

The man is not dead.

I mean, he is,

but he isn't.

What are you talking about?

He's sitting up.

He's opening his eyes.

He's playing riffs on his guitar.

It's like he won't sit still for a picture.

Did somebody put acid in your Irish coffee?

Barry, I am serious here.

I don't know what to do.

I'll tell you what to do.

Get out of there now.

It is just what Van Adder wants.

Franny,

listen to yourself.

You're losing it.

Yeah, yeah,

yeah. Maybe you're right,

Barry. Maybe you're right.

Tell me something,

Barry.

If your magazine is willing to pay six figures for a shot of Van Adder dead,

what's it worth for a shot of his corpse taken a stretch?

That's it.

Where are you,

Fran? I'm coming over there right now.

Go buy the champagne,

sweetie.

Call you when I get the shot.

Hey,

Nikki.

Showtime.

So, how are things up there in rock and roll heaven?

Everybody up there?

Janice,

Hendrix,

Elvis,

Sid.

You're gonna be bigger than any of them,

Nikki.

And I can make it happen for you.

One picture,

that's all it takes.

Come on.

Okay,

so you dropped out.

You needed a break.

Fine.

But you're dead now.

Time to start thinking about the future.

Okay, look,

can I be honest here?

If you don't work with me to turn this thing around,

you're just going to remember it as another burnout who couldn't hack it. Is that what you want,

huh?

Come on.

Come on,

Nikki. You want to play games?

Play some games.

Come on.

Sit up.

Strum your guitar.

Anything.

Come on.

Fine.

Don't move.

No skin off my nose.

Portrait of a loser.

Hello,

my name is

Okay!

Mickey, where are you?

Look,

what I was saying before,

I was just trying to get a reaction.

No!

You know,

you celebrities are all alike.

Make us have to be the villains while you play the poor,

innocent victims.

We people need us as much as we need you.

Oh,

I can explain.

I made a mistake.

You made a mistake,

all right.

Rose Del Mato died in an auto accident.

What?

I spoke to Mr.

Markov.

He doesn't know who you are.

But I do.

Even in death,

he's not safe.

Give me the film or I bring trespassing charges.

Sorry,

this falls under the public's right to know.

Hey, Bear.

Got your checkbook handy?

I've been worried sick.

Please tell me you're home.

I'm home,

and I didn't return empty-handed.

You got the shot?

And, sweetie,

when you see it,

you're gonna freak.

Barry.

What?

Congratulate me.

I spit on the staff.

Congratulations,

Fran.

This is an all-time low for you.

But you still love me,

right?

On a six-figure price?

I think you sold your soul cheap.

If you're gonna go that way about it,

maybe you shouldn't buy the picture.

Plenty of other magazines out there with money to burn.

I'll be there in an hour.

Make it two.

It's been a long night.

Gotcha,

Snake Man.

What the hell's wrong with you?

Don't you believe in knocking?

I just stopped by to see how things went.

Oh, well,

to be honest,

it didn't go very well.

I'm distressed to hear that.

Was my information incorrect?

Oh, no,

it wasn't that.

It was just,

well,

you know, there were some problems.

You must be very disappointed.

Yeah,

well,

you win some,

you lose some.

That's so true,

isn't it?

If I didn't know better,

I'd say that was Mr.

Vatter.

Yeah, well,

it's not a really good angle of him,

so I'm not going to get much for it.

I thought we were dealing in good faith here,

Miss Rayburn.

Look, let's say I write you a check for 500 bucks.

How's that sound,

huh?

You certainly are a talented photographer.

All right, I'll go as high as 750,

okay?

Bet you went through hell to get that.

A thousand bucks,

Mr. Flash.

Take it or leave it.

You don't understand,

Miss Rayburn.

I'm not interested in cash.

What are you talking about?

You haven't given me a day's peace in five and a half years.

Not even in death.

Now,

it's time to return the favor.

Brandy?

Brandy, where are you?

Oh my God,

what happened?

There.

There.

What? There.

I'm gonna get help.

I'm gonna get help.

There.

Every action has a consequence.

Fran Rayburn made a living stealing pictures of unwilling subjects,

but in her eagerness to turn a profit,

she neglected to calculate the cost to her own sanity.

Ten months ago,

motivational guru Doug Swift set out to conquer the treacherous east face of Mount McKinley.

When neither Swift nor his guide returned,

it was presumed they had both died in a climbing accident,

their frozen bodies lost in one of the unreachable chasms near the summit,

which was exactly what Doug Swift wanted everyone to believe.

But even hiding out on a remote Pacific island can't make Swift,

or R.

Jones as he now calls himself,

escape the cold reality of what plagues him.

Noah.

Karen,

I told you it's not safe to call yet.

It means tomorrow

I go to the lawyer's office where they'll hand me a check for ten million dollars as your grieving widow and sole heir.

Listen to me.

We waited ten long months for this.

It's not good to excited just yet.

Days will be reunited in Jakarta,

filthy rich and ready to start a new life.

Remember what I told you.

Most goals are never achieved because of a loss of focus at the last critical moments,

right?

I wrote it on the bathroom mirror like you suggested.

If it wasn't for all your positive thinking,

your incredible confidence...

Karen,

no more calls.

Are you hearing me on this?

I promise.

Just think,

only three more days and you'll be off that godforsaken little island.

Three more days.

Just a matter of staying cool.

Okay,

gotta go.

Bye.

I had that dream again last night.

I was back on the mountain,

in the blizzard,

and I heard the guide scream.

What if he didn't die after I pushed him?

What if he was still alive,

lying there for hours?

Feeling his blood start to freeze until finally he just...

There you go again.

Programming your unconscious with negative thoughts.

Enough with the psychobabble,

okay?

In case you forgot,

that psychobabble bought you a Rolls,

a mansion,

a country club membership,

until you gambled it all away.

I just had some bad luck,

that's all.

Bad luck is one of the excuses that unsuccessful people use to justify their failures.

One of your own pearls of wisdom.

Look,

all I'm saying is I feel bad for that guy.

I mean,

I didn't even know him.

Whether he was married,

had any kids.

You planned it that way,

remember?

Like you planned every detail.

Right down to choosing an inaccessible crevasse to push him into to make the accident look real,

while assuring that the body would never be found.

Let's face it.

It was the perfect crime.

So why do I keep thinking I'm about to get busted?

Chapter 3.

To achieve success,

stop thinking about the past and focus on the goal at hand.

I strongly suggest you take your own advice to heart.

It's easy for you to say,

because you haven't been cooped up in this hellhole for nearly a year.

Remember your mantra.

I'm strong,

I'm fearless,

and I create my own destiny.

I am hot,

I am tired,

and I'm bored out of my mind.

Stop feeling sorry for yourself.

Say it!

I'm strong.

I'm fearless.

I create my own destiny.

See,

don't you feel better?

Yeah.

Actually,

I do.

Let's look at it this way.

These are the last few days of discomfort you'll ever have,

so why not enjoy them,

huh?

Come on,

sport.

You can take the heat a little longer.

Yeah.

Did you tell me your ancestors used to feed people like this before throwing them into a pot and serving it for dinner?

It's just to say thanks for your words of encouragement.

What words are those?

About getting in touch with my higher goals.

I got a raise at the hotel.

Really?

In that case,

I think we should celebrate.

Bart?

Can't wait to leave this island and see the world.

You did mean it about taking me with you.

Oh,

I forgot to mention.

There were two men asking for you today.

What two men?

In the village.

Maybe they were looking for someone else.

They only asked for an American.

What'd you tell them?

Nothing.

Remember what you told me when you first hired me to cook and clean?

How you came here for privacy?

Privacy you didn't have as a famous writer?

Did you feel that?

What?

The wind just now.

So cold.

In this terrible heat?

You're just teasing me.

No.

It's almost like one of those storm dusts that whip up the snow in the mountains.

You must have felt it.

You know I've never felt cold before in my life.

That it's my dream to see snow.

Oh,

I'm late for work.

I'll be back in the morning.

Bright and early.

It's all in your head,

big guy.

There are plenty of Americans down here.

Yeah,

but what if it was me that they were looking for?

Well, to quote a certain pundit of positive thinking,

80% of fears are based on things that will never happen.

All right.

I said that,

didn't I?

No!

Hell?

Who's there?

Come on,

answer me!

I am strong,

I am fearless,

I can ready my own taste-o-tooth!

I don't care what it costs,

I need to charter that boat tonight!

What do you mean they're all out fishing?

Okay then,

first thing in the morning,

you hear me?

First thing!

Yeah.

That's the spirit,

buddy.

You just gotta be proactive.

Who the hell is that?

Remember the theme of your first cassette series?

A winner always sees the unknown as a challenge,

not a problem.

Hello.

Baron, I thought you promised...

The Nasus Eclipse.

It'll be wired to the numbered account in Jakarta.

Great.

Now,

will you please hang up?

What happened?

What happened?

Karen!

Where do you think you're going?

The boat won't be ready until tomorrow.

I don't care.

I'm getting as far away from this place as I can.

In other words,

you're afraid to confront an unresolved issue.

Don't start with the self-improvement bull again.

You're getting angry.

That's good.

Anger is the first step to overcoming a negative thought pattern.

You saw it,

right?

The snow,

the tracks,

and then the face in the window.

There you go again.

Giving up your power to fear.

This is not a bad marriage or an eating disorder that we're talking about.

What this is about is the guy that I killed up on that mountain who's decided to pay me back.

Remember the name of that workshop you did in Cleveland?

Problem Identified,

Problem Solved.

What's motivating you to create this illusion?

It's not an illusion.

It was real!

Bottom line,

pal,

there are two live guys on this island who may be looking for you.

Why blow it all now after all these months of hell?

It's the bottom of the ninth,

bases are loaded,

and you're batting a thousand.

All you have to do now is wait 12 hours for that boat,

and you've hit the Grand Slam.

Hello?

The line went dead.

I was worried sick something happened to you.

Karen,

before we got cut off,

you said something strange happened.

Call from the insurance company.

They want to talk to me.

About what?

I don't know.

What should I do?

What if they found out the truth?

Karen,

listen to me.

80% of our fear is based on things that will never happen.

Thank you,

sweetheart.

You always know how to make me feel better.

Like you said,

it's probably nothing.

You just have to keep your head no matter what.

One of us is strong.

And no more calls unless it's an emergency,

okay?

I'll be so happy when this is over.

Okay, I'm hanging up now.

I love you.

Yeah,

me too.

This

can't be real.

It's wrong with my mind!

Art?

Art?

What's wrong?

He was right here.

He broke down the door.

There's nothing to worry about.

I brought somebody who can help you.

Not those men who were looking for me.

Actually,

it's somebody you know.

Someone who's helped you before.

God,

no!

You did such a good job pretending your own death.

Maybe you're not pretending anymore.

Maybe you never learn.

Swift Resitor.

Karen, is that you?

I'm sorry,

sir, but Mrs.

Swift is under sedation.

She's unable to come to the phone.

Sedation?

What do you mean?

I mean,

who the hell is this?

I'm a nurse.

Mrs. Swift had a breakdown after identifying the body this morning.

The body?

The one they found on the mountain.

Turns out it was definitely her husband.

Her husband?

I don't understand.

Yes.

He died in a climbing accident ten months ago.

Seems Mrs.

Swift was under the delusion that he was still alive.

Here you are,

hours away from Glory,

and you risk blowing your cover by calling your wife on a traceable line.

What if Malia was right?

What if I am dead?

All right, buddy,

it was just a dream,

remember?

What about the phone call?

Was that a dream,

too?

No, you said it yourself.

You're hot,

you're tired,

you're bored out of your mind.

Isn't it obvious that this is all in your head?

Go on,

answer it.

You're still in control,

aren't you?

Hello?

Honey,

it's me.

Karen?

I'm at the airport.

The money's been transferred.

We're home free.

But what about the body?

What body?

The one they flew back from McKinley.

The one the nurse said you ID'd as mine.

I mean,

that's the reason the insurance company called you,

isn't it?

It's just a misunderstanding.

They called me in to sign some forms.

What?

Was that about a nurse?

Nothing.

No,

forget it.

It was just...

It's just a bad dream,

man.

Just think,

only two more days.

In 48 hours we'll be sipping champagne in Jakarta,

starting our new life together.

I can't wait to see you again.

It feels like a lifetime since we held each other.

Karen,

I love you so much.

Tears.

Bye.

Who's Karen?

Only a...

All those promises you made,

they were nothing but lies.

Explain.

It was a fool not to believe those men when they said you were married.

What are you talking about?

They showed me your picture.

They said you killed an innocent man to fake your own death so you and your wife could steal insurance money.

It's true,

isn't it?

Isn't it?

Where are you going?

Where do you think? Oh no!

I spent ten months sweating my brains out down here.

I'll be damned if you're gonna ruin it all now.

80% of fears are based on things that'll never happen.

This is never gonna happen.

Wings!

Can't you feel it?

So cold.

As if he's been dead for a long,

long time.

Folklore has it that the most painless way to die is to succumb to the cold.

But what if there's a cold that can't be measured in degrees?

Perhaps there are terrors that linger long after life has been put to rest.

by its icy grip.

What is it that makes people afraid?

For most of us,

fear is a healthy part of life,

an instinct that protects us from danger.

But fear can also be born of a traumatic experience,

one that transforms the fabric of everyday life into a web of terror.

Three years ago,

Kate Bradshaw suffered just such an experience.

She hasn't spoken a word since the incident,

which is why she's come here to see a specialist,

who she hopes will find a physical reason for her affliction.

Right now,

that isn't what's running through Kate's mind.

All she can think about is how she's going to make it to the specialist's office on the 10th floor,

without going stark raving mad.

Go ahead.

Be a coward as usual.

Or you can take that first step and beat this thing once and for all.

See?

That wasn't so hard.

Relax.

No big deal.

Four down,

only six to go.

Come on,

come on.

Remember what Dr.

Ridgefield said.

Be patient.

Breathe deep.

Okay,

you're doing fine.

You're almost there.

What?

Oh, please,

not again.

A security guard.

Great.

He'll be with you the rest of the way.

What's he doing?

Please,

I have to go up.

Sorry, lady,

I'm in a hurry.

No,

you don't understand.

I have to go up.

Get back!

Cops are downstairs,

McNally.

You won't get away.

Yeah?

Just watch.

Come on, Bradley.

Take a shit.

They're bluffing.

Lying to my face just like that lowlife O'Brien.

This isn't happening.

But I fixed him,

all right.

He wanted to fire me,

but I fired him first.

Permanent.

This can't be happening.

Sorry,

lady.

You might take it to freedom.

To get out before it starts.

Well, if they're not bluffing.

Cops always hang out in that coffee shop.

They love it.

No!

You've got to tell him.

I gotta think.

Make him understand.

Don't do anything stupid,

lady.

Please,

you have to let me out!

What's with the silent act?

You playing games or think of what?

Can talk,

huh?

It's fine by me.

There's already too much gab in the world.

Besides, I got other things to worry about.

Okay.

Don't panic.

You just have to stay calm,

focused.

Oh god,

it's starting.

It's starting.

Stop!

Stop it,

please!

What the hell's the matter with you?

The voices!

Why can't he hear them?

McNally,

McNally!

Are you Tex?

Hey,

Gus.

Help your h-

Come on,

man. There's no way out.

Why not make this easy on everyone?

Okay, I'll make it real easy.

10 grand and a car to the airport.

Make it 50 grand.

Some time.

You got 10 minutes.

Don't worry.

They'll give me what I want.

You just gotta show people that you're tough.

Not afraid of anything.

Afraid?

What does he know about being afraid?

Look,

I know you're probably thinking,

this guy's a whack job.

I'm just a regular Joe.

Believe me, I don't like this any more than you do.

Besides, it's all O'Brien's fault.

You know,

for years I sucked up to him.

Took his abuse.

Then this morning...

I come into work and he says he smells liquor on my breath.

And then he up and fires me.

Just like that.

Come on,

Kate.

The doctor said it's not real.

It's just in your head.

It's in your mind.

All in your mind.

Leave me alone!

There's nothing I can do!

I ain't......with you anyway.

Damn it, I told you to stay put and I mean it.

I can't go through this again.

But I have problems.

My ex was always getting on my case about quitting.

She said I was too weak to even try.

Weak.

Wait till she hears from O'Brien's widow.

Yeah, I guess I shouldn't.

It's hard enough to breathe in this rat trap.

So this no voice thing...

Born that way or what?

Something happen?

Accident or something?

And that's...

What are those guys doing down there?

What took you so long?

Gus, my name is Detective Stewart.

I said no cops!

I'm gonna try to get you what you want,

but first I need to speak to the woman.

I already told the other guys that she doesn't talk.

Then how do I know she's still in there with you?

What, do you think I'm joking up here?

Without that assurance,

we can't make a deal.

You want proof she's here?

F***ing proof.

Yeah, looking at her ID,

her name's

Kate Bradshaw,

born 11-28-68.

She lives at 212 Maple.

What else we got in here?

A prescription from a Dr.

Richfield.

Okay,

I still have to know she's okay.

So why don't you release the emergency button?

Yeah, the hell I will!

Look, you better give me what I want,

or we're gonna be talking about Miss Motormouth in the past tense.

Got it?

Hey, Gus,

Gus,

listen to me,

Gus.

You believe this,

moron?

How dumb does he think I am?

The smoke.

The fumes.

Yeah.

Bar's ready.

Money's in the glove box.

Okay, we're coming down.

But if I so much as smell a cop,

the lady's history.

Got me?

See?

Told you they'd cave.

Don't worry,

we'll be out of here in no time.

What's wrong with this thing?

It's not moving.

I'm trapped.

There's no way out.

Look, I know what you guys are up to.

You figure if you keep me up here long enough,

I'll crack.

You can back out of the deal.

Well, it won't work,

so forget it.

I know you're there,

Stuart.

Answer me,

dammit!

What are you crying about now?

Just my luck to be stuck in here with a voiceless basket case.

Look, Stuart,

I warned you.

Now you listen up,

and you listen good.

This isn't Detective Stewart.

My name is Richfield.

I'm a psychiatrist.

Dr. Richfield?

Thank God.

Shrink?

People actually think I'm going to fault your mind games?

I'm not with the police,

Mr. McNally.

I'm Kate Bradshaw's therapist.

Yeah, sure,

and I'm the Polk's cousin.

I have to put her on the phone.

Let me speak to her.

Of course, if you really were her shrink,

you'd realize she's got a little speech problem.

That's right,

Mr. McNally.

Three years ago,

she was caught in an earthquake,

trapped in a collapsed building for six days before rescuers could...

find her.

Yeah, well,

life's full of heartache.

Every time she's in an enclosed space,

she relives the ordeal,

which means if she doesn't get out of there fast,

she could have a permanent mental breakdown or worse.

You want her out of here?

No problem.

You can start by telling the cops to release this damn elevator.

Mr. McNally,

no one's controlling the elevator except you.

I already told you,

Doc, playing with my mind won't work.

He's got to listen to him.

He's got to understand.

That can't be.

We sit here,

and we wait,

until they realize that I mean business.

Let them mess with me all they want.

I'm not afraid.

Terrific.

Now those maggots have turned off the air.

Just breathe deep.

Focus on something.

Anything.

What are you doing over there?

Focus.

Stay focused.

All.

I can't take it anymore.

Get back in the corner.

I can't.

Lady, I'm not going to warn you again.

Lady, if you don't stop acting crazy,

I swear I'll...

Do it.

Please.

Do it.

I'm going to kill you.

Please!

You're out of your mind.

You're crazy.

And you're making me crazy.

The hell is that?

He hears it.

Must be the SWAT guys coming down the shaft.

At least someone else hears it.

I'm not alone.

Not anymore.

What's that?

Where's that coming from?

Who are you?

It's no use.

They can't hear you.

They died three years ago crying for help that came too late.

What's going on?

It's only me.

Okay.

I'm going to get out of here now.

Stuart!

Bradley,

are you there?

Anyone?

Don't you see?

Is anyone there?

Help me.

It's heartless.

Get me out of here,

damn it!

This can't be real.

None of it can.

It can't be.

This is your nightmare,

not mine.

Now you know what I've been through for the last three years.

Reliving it over and over.

With no escape.

Until now.

Don't fall apart now.

Okay, you guys win.

I give up.

The gun,

Kate.

Forget the car.

Forget the money.

Just get me the hell out of here.

You can do it.

Look, I'm begging you,

okay?

You can help yourself.

Be free.

Hello?

The gun,

Kate!

It's now or never.

What's

happening?

Tell me what's happening.

We are...

members...

Now's your chance!

No!

No!

You, Damon!

It's all your fault!

Fight,

Kate,

fight!

You're not the one making this happen!

If I kill you,

maybe it'll stop.

Somebody,

help me.

You've done it,

Kate.

You're in control now.

No more.

Take it away.

For God's sake.

You're not afraid anymore.

God,

please.

Take it away.

You're free.

Um,

excuse me.

Are you going down?

No,

I'm going up.

A Study in Contrasts

One person who found the key to unlock the chains that bound her,

and another person to whom the same chains have been passed.

Let me out.

It's starting again.

Please let me out.

Oh, God.

Please.

God. One no longer afraid,

the other now imprisoned in fear forever.

The Hanwell Asylum for the Insane first opened its doors in 1833.

Today,

the people who work there call it the Hanwell Institute,

but its mission is still the same,

to wage hand-to-hand combat against mental illness.

In an era of government cutbacks,

Hanwell is fighting to survive.

It is also,

as Carolyn Ryan will soon discover,

haunted by its terrible past.

I don't envy your assignment,

Dr. Ryan.

Turning this place around isn't going to be easy.

We're overcrowded and understaffed.

Our patients only get one hour of therapy a week.

We'll do it.

I'm going to bring this facility into compliance within 90 days.

That'll win us federal grant and the state will match it.

90 days,

huh?

Good luck.

Luck has nothing to do with it.

This unit houses men with psychotic disorders.

They, uh,

just had their lunch.

Most of them are in their rooms napping.

Hello, Marcus.

Dr. G?

What'd he say?

Hello,

Alfred.

Alfred, this is Dr.

Ryan,

our new clinical director.

How are you feeling today,

Alfred?

I was schizo as hell this morning.

But I'm okay now.

Couldn't be better.

Glad to hear it.

Can I go home now?

I'm late for my 2.30 class in constitutional law.

I don't think you're quite ready for that yet,

Al. I'm not ready.

What do you mean,

not ready?

I told you I'm sane.

I'd be fine if I had a new brain.

I don't like the one I've got.

It's filled with too much negativity.

Too many emotions.

Sorry to hear that,

Alfred.

With a new brain,

I'd be okay.

When can I go home?

Perhaps that's an issue we can take up at your next therapy session.

I want to go home.

Take your hands off me this instant.

I...

I'll check in on you later.

Alfred tends to get a little excited,

but he's just looking for attention.

All he needs is to be reminded about personal boundaries.

What's schizophrenics,

Doctor?

A little over a year now.

My first year,

I used to go home every night and cry my eyes out.

I don't do that anymore.

I've learned to disengage myself.

If you don't,

you'll burn out.

Then you won't be any good to them or to yourself.

I haven't learned to do that yet.

Then it's time you started.

Excuse me,

this is an administrative floor.

Can I help you find your way back down to your bed unit?

Wait!

You know I love you,

and I love you.

But this way,

I'll put you in a good place.

You know I love you,

and I love you.

But this way,

I'll put you in a good place.

I'll put you in a good place.

You alright?

What's in there?

I don't know,

ma'am.

This wing's been closed for years.

I don't even know if there's a key to it.

I wasn't hallucinating.

I didn't say that you were!

The ventilation system in this building often carries voices from one ward to another.

Sometimes even from floor to floor.

Ventilation shafts don't explain the person I saw.

You think she was a patient?

I've never seen a patient wearing anything like that.

She was in a long burgundy dress like something from another time.

I don't know what else to tell you.

That door hasn't been opened in decades.

The wing had been closed since 1910.

What's so hard about this?

I want to go see what's in there.

If maintenance can't find the key,

I'll have them arrange for a locksmith.

It may take until tomorrow.

Fine.

Tomorrow,

then.

Excuse

me, Dr.

Ryan.

It's been so long since I've seen a doctor work so late.

Dr.

Clark,

he was so dedicated to the patients.

He used to... I'd love to discuss Dr.

Clark with you sometime,

but I really need to get on with these grant proposals.

I'll be locking up,

Dr. Ryan.

When you want to get out,

just ring security.

Thanks, George.

Who are you?

What do you want?

Alex!

Feature!

Don't make us come get you!

Dr. Ryan,

with all due respect,

it was awfully late.

Are you absolutely certain that that's what you saw?

Listen,

Doctor,

the place was filled with patients,

and these hatchet-faced attendants actually chased me down the hall.

I'd just like you to consider that there might be other explanations.

Just open the door.

Specters are going to love this place.

This leads to some sort of battle word,

doesn't it?

I've set some traps.

Well, it's the same room,

but everything's changed.

Dammit,

I saw them.

They were here.

These rings?

Patients were shackled to them.

And the woman?

The one who led me here?

The attendants drove a wedge in her mouth and forced medicine down her throat.

You're right.

Maybe you need to get some sleep.

Alice.

Alice Feature,

that's what they called her.

Do we have records dating back to when this hospital first opened?

I think so.

I want case files on every female patient admitted before 1900.

I found it.

What?

Alice Beecher,

she was here.

Admitted June 1859,

age 32,

diagnosed as female dementia.

Doctor,

we're supposed to submit the grant proposal to the board tomorrow morning?

Wait till you hear how they treated her.

Series of standard water cures,

repeated submersions in freezing water.

Rhyme this. On April 17th,

1860,

1130 p.m.,

Alice Beecher died during surgery to remove her ovaries.

God, they were barbarians.

Back then they believed female organs caused insanity.

But look,

we've got to get this proposal out,

Dr. Ed.

Why does she keep coming to me?

What does she want?

Alice Beecher died a long time ago.

But we've got living patients who need that grant money.

You've got to disengage yourself.

Hey, you're rolling words,

Doctor.

Look, she had a son.

Any chance there's a surviving relative?

Small town like this,

anything's possible.

I'm really glad you agreed to see me,

Mrs.

Beecher.

Not at all,

Doctor.

What is it you wanted to know about my family history?

That's a portrait of my great-grandmother.

Alice Beecher?

How did you know that?

Her case file said something about improper public behavior.

Why was she really committed?

Her husband was a hard man.

He didn't much care for the questions Alice kept asking.

He couldn't answer a lot of them.

Made him look foolish.

He locked her up for that?

That.

And because she wrote.

Poetry.

Mr. Beecher thought it was the devil speaking through her.

That's how the story goes.

Do you have any of her poems?

I only wish I did.

Her husband burned them.

He thought reading and writing enfeebled a woman's mind.

And when she wouldn't stop,

they had her killed on the operating table.

Or Alice.

They silenced her forever.

Let me out of here!

Let me out of here this instant!

Hello,

Alice.

How are you this evening?

What are you talking about?

My name is Carolyn Ryan.

Whatever you like.

It's true,

dammit.

I'm a doctor.

Of course not.

Can't you see?

I am not Alice.

You're a big disappointment to me.

I thought we were making progress.

But these past months of water cures are not having the effect we were hoping for.

We all want you to get better,

Alice.

But you're getting worse.

This is insane.

This can't be-

I was hoping that your malady was caused by an overstimulation of the female emotion.

But your failure to respond to treatment indicates that your problem is physiological.

It will,

I'm afraid,

require surgery.

No.

You don't want to live the rest of your life as an incurable,

locked in the backboard,

do you?

You are going to kill me.

Now, Alice,

there's nothing to be afraid of.

We'll operate this evening,

and soon you'll be home with your husband and that lovely little boy of yours.

Please don't do this.

Please!

You have got to listen to me!

I am going to die!

Please don't let me die,

oh god. Oh god,

please don't let me die!

Please,

please, please don't let me die!

Please,

no! No!

Just relax,

Alice.

We'll have you well in Nodemark.

What the f-

Dr. Ryan,

are you alright?

Yeah,

I think so.

Just take it easy on me.

We'll have you out of here in no time.

George,

would you tell Nurse Carter to bring a wheelchair,

please?

I've been looking for you all morning.

how'd you get in here?

I thought all these rooms were supposed to be locked.

Dr. Ryan?

I'll

speech is poultry.

She wrote it with this.

The hand of time may etch my face.

What's in my heart time shan't erase.

Though this mortal shell will soon be nil,

these words I write must linger still.

Across generations yet unknown,

they're all I leave that were my own.

In between the dark and the light,

where time has no linear progression,

paradoxes abound.

Silenced voices may be heard again,

and the cold of the grave may rekindle some light and warmth in the living.

Saturday night at the local tavern.

Spirits are working their magic,

offering the intoxicating promise of a need fulfilled.

The need for human companionship.

Eric Duke is needier than most.

It's been one month since his wife divorced him.

One month of painful solitude.

Tonight,

he's decided to put the past behind him and start searching for companionship.

But darker spirits still lurk within Eric.

Spirits of seething anger.

Of pent-up rage waiting to explode.

Hey, Beth,

let me buy you a drink.

A liberated woman.

I'll drink to that.

Here's to liberation.

Just so happens I'm a liberated man myself,

you know.

Hell, I even got the divorce papers to prove it.

Yes sirree,

I'm as free as a bird,

ready to sample some of life's sweet pleasures.

Gotta be social,

or I'll be spitting in your face.

Women.

All like...

All card-carrying members in the same unit.

Guess who winds up paying the dues?

All a man wants is a little timidness.

A little warmth.

Was that too much to ask for,

Jack?

Hey, Ricky.

Ricky boy.

What's up,

man?

It's good to see you.

Finally came out of hibernation,

huh?

So tell me,

what's it like to be a bachelor again?

Like a million bucks.

I mean, no sense sitting around the house feeling sorry for yourself trying to figure out what went wrong.

So it felt not mine.

Well, there you go.

We both know there's more fish in the sea,

right?

It's just a matter of keeping your bait fresh and your line on the water.

Where are you going,

man?

Celebrate my freedom.

I'm gonna catch me a big one.

Well, don't forget the realer ain't slow.

Here, let me get that for you.

Yo,

when you make a challenge,

I'm gonna show you my magic.

Five,

six, seven,

eight, nine,

ten, all I want is to get you sick.

Thank you.

Waiting for somebody?

Taxi.

I called twice,

we were laughed at.

We still haven't come.

Sorry to hear that.

Where are you heading?

Service station by the highway entrance.

I was driving to Medford when my clutch came out.

Medford?

That's a long ways from here.

Tell me about it.

I have a final tomorrow morning that I can't afford to miss.

I can give you a ride.

Thanks for the offer,

but the cab should be here any minute.

No, Saturday night,

she'd leave.

I wouldn't want to put you out.

It's not a problem.

I always station a couple blocks from my house.

Unless, of course,

you've got a problem riding with a fridge.

Eric Duke.

Major appliance troubleshooter at your fence,

man.

Lena Gibson.

Tired of waiting for a taxi.

Do most of my repair work at the Skinner's Appliance Store.

I also buy junk units,

fix them up,

sell them good as new.

They're the three refrigerators of my life.

I don't remember passing through these woods.

It's a scenic route.

Relax,

have a swig.

Help warm you up.

Don't touch me.

Damn it,

I knew it.

First time I saw you sashaying around the bar.

Don't let me out here.

Just like my ex-wife.

Nice and cold.

Colder than the coldest refrigerator.

Bye.

Sweet little college girl like you can learn a lot from a fridge.

Just don't let me out.

Low maintenance.

In the book,

serves ice cold beer night and day.

Let you take what you want with no complaints.

No one ever treated a man half as good.

No woman ever will.

I'm going to add on me.

Just like.

why'd she have to run out on me like that?

I mean, hell,

I'm a reasonable guy.

I mean,

if she could just ask nicely,

I would.

I mean, I'd let her go.

It's your fault,

Margie.

If you hadn't dumped me,

that girl would still be breathing.

You killed her,

not me.

Come on, you can get yourself together.

It's cool.

Everything's gonna be alright.

Just have a beer.

Let's do it.

Thank you.

What's up, Joe?

Yo, Ricky,

what's a good word?

Man,

you are one sorry mess.

You look like you've been hit by a truck.

What the hell are you talking about?

Big fish you went after.

She must have tossed you around some,

huh?

Yeah, she was a handful.

Oh, but you didn't get away,

did you?

Eric,

Duke to the parts counter.

The replacement motor came in on the Hager unit.

Well, no rest for the weary,

huh, buddy?

Refrigerators are my life.

Found a dirty condenser back here,

Mr.

Sagan.

I cleaned it up for you, no charge.

I would certainly hope so,

considering you promised two weeks ago to have it fixed in no time.

Sorry for the inconvenience,

but we had to order your part.

Two weeks without a working fridge.

You have any conception of the hell I've been going through?

Yes, ma'am.

I'll have you know I was forced to go hat in hand next door to Lois Klempner.

I had to beg her to store my food in her fridge.

I've been feuding with that woman ever since her dog Bowser started crapping in my tulip bed.

All done,

Mrs. Shager.

Mr. Skinner will send you the bill.

Hey, hey,

where's my invoice?

I gotta go,

sorry.

You're not going anywhere until you check this thing and make sure it works.

Of course it is.

I just checked it. I know where it is.

Well, then open the damn door to find out for sure.

Well, come on.

What are you waiting for?

Sorry.

You know you saw it.

You know you did.

Okay, fine.

The light's on.

You fixed it.

I'll take it with the mic.

Okay, babe.

Heads up,

Phil. All right,

Lou.

Hot stuff coming through.

Call me.

College graduate student.

Missing since Saturday night.

Lena Gibson,

22,

was last seen at Jack's Roadhouse when she was awaiting a cab.

Hey, Lil,

where'd you put the emergency phone list?

Huh?

What's the problem?

No refrigerators on the blink,

that's what.

Ice cream,

butter, everything's melting down to mush.

So what the hell you telling me for?

Call the repairman!

Hey, Aaron.

Where's your horses?

I'm running late,

all right?

But call Skinners and they'll take care of it,

okay?

Look what I found.

Dana,

I clean forgot you were here,

Eric.

You don't understand.

I can't help you back here,

Bo.

It's a hot one.

Everybody knows you're the Surgeon General of Refrigerators.

I'm the one the thermostat's for.

Well, whatever's broken back here,

Eric will fix it.

Right, Eric?

Yeah. Surgeon General,

right.

Duke,

pick up the phone,

Duke.

Come on,

pick up the phone.

Where the hell are you?

Mrs. Crane's been yelling about her freezer.

You were supposed to be at her house an hour ago.

She got calls to make,

refrigerators to fix.

I swear,

Duke, if you're not at this office in 15 minutes,

you're fired.

Please let me out!

Let me out

of here.

I'm gonna go.

I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go.

I'm gonna go.

I'm gonna go.

Yo, Rick.

What are you doing here?

Just checking to see if you're still alive.

I mean, it's been almost a month since you took off work.

I've been...

under the weather.

Come on,

Rick.

You're still moping about your marriage.

That's not it,

Kenny.

Well, you're held up in here like some old recluse.

Hey, you got any cold ones in the fridge?

No,

don't go.

There's something wrong with the fridge.

Oh, and you can't fix it?

This I gotta see.

Don't go in there.

Kenny,

no, don't go in there.

What?

Yeah.

Problem seems to be fixed now,

so I'll just give you a call later.

Is that cool?

Heheheheheheheheheheh Heheheh

She's gone.

She's really gone!

So there I was,

living like a hermit.

Cut myself off from two greatest joys life has to offer.

Women and refrigerators.

And all because I let my imagination get the best of me.

But you are looking at a man reborn,

ready to give one lucky lady all the passion he's been keeping in storage.

And believe me,

baby, when I say that is a whole lot of passion.

You know good.

You want some help?

Are you okay?

I'd like to return the favor.

Maybe you can.

I was just about to call a cab.

I can give you a ride wherever you need to go.

Where do you want to go?

Home.

Why are we going this way?

I figured you'd appreciate a more scenic route.

I know I do.

Relax.

You're gonna warm me up a bit.

It's easier as you're colder than I...

Refrigerator,

perhaps?

You would know,

after all,

refrigerators are your life.

Do I know you?

Do you?

I couldn't have done that job.

You sure we've never met before?

Probably.

Something about your eyes.

We don't know each other in the form of eyes.

Anything's possible.

Wake up sleepyhead.

How long was I out?

A while.

What is that?

Where the hell am I?

You're in my place.

Don't you remember?

Not a damn thing.

Not one precious moment.

Plenty of time to get reacquainted.

All the time in the world.

Don't let me out.

I've taken you home with me,

Eric.

To give you the warmth and tenderness she always wanted.

Look what she lays out on the ground.

It's God!

No woman ever treated you half as good.

Oh yeah,

God! No woman ever will.

I'm gonna fuck you,

you little......fuckin'......fuckin'......shit.

It is said that guilt-ridden conscience cries out for punishment,

unleashing demons of the mind to pay for its sins.

It is also said that those who die unjustly do not go gentle into the endless night.

that their souls can only be stilled by exacting retribution from

beyond the grave vengeance is a dish served cold