Original subtitles

(ARROWS WHOOSHING)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

ARTHUR: This is Arthur Riley,

pastor of Mount Calvary Church.

I'm a father and soon a grandfather.

I'm a man of God.

I'm leaving this for my daughter, Naomi.

If anyone else listens, you may need it, too.

If you found this, it means the rats are back.

If they are, beware.

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

♪ I'm on the outside looking in ♪

♪ Can anybody hear me knocking? ♪

(INDISTINCT CHATTER, LAUGHTER)

♪ I'm lost, there's no search party ♪

You were great tonight.

Mm.

Nobody gives a shit, they just want to hear

music from a decade ago.

They just don't know the new stuff yet, babe.

Yeah, I'm sure that's it.

You've been really inspired making the new record.

Don't lose that just 'cause people in some

random dive bar didn't love it.

(BANGING)

(INDISTINCT SPEECH)

(INHALES)

(♪♪♪)

DYLAN: Mom!

Mom, I need you!

Just a sec, buddy.

(DYLAN WHISTLING)

Thank you, dude. Really appreciate this.

(DYLAN WHISTLES)

Okay. I get it.

Wowie. You want some breakfast?

I don't like it in here. I wanna go outside.

How was the new babysitter last night?

-She seems really nice-- -I don't like it.

Well, do you like it if I do you here?

-Or here or here or here? -No, no, no, no!

-And here, and here, and here. -No, no, no, no!

NAOMI: Good morning, Samus.

It's still weird here, Mom.

Why can't we just go back to California?

Maybe when my album is finished,

but what if you like it and you wanna stay?

Never happen.

Never?

NAOMI: Hey, Samus.

You gonna talk to us today?

Come here.

You just have to do a little bit of...

(CAR DOOR OPENS)

Naomi?

-(CAR DOOR CLOSES) -Grayson?

I thought that was you.

NAOMI: Oh my God, I haven't seen you in--

GRAYSON: I don't even know how long. How you been?

NAOMI: Oh, good.

Been in LA, a couple weeks, good.

(SCREAMS)

Oh, shit!

-Dylan! -(SCREAMING)

-Dylan, what happened? -Let me see.

-Are you okay? -Let me see.

-Let me see, let me see. -Come on, buddy.

Come on, you're all right, come on.

Let's go, let's go, you're all right.

So you know absolutely nothing about this goat,

that's very helpful.

Appreciate your time. Thanks.

(INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT IN BACKGROUND)

How's he doing?

Oh, he's good, um, they stitched up a gash,

but it looked a lot worse than it was, so thank God.

The nurse is just wrapping it up now.

Hey, I'm sorry if I like, distracted you or--

What? No.

Oh my God. The goat's the asshole.

It fucking bit D.

Yeah, he was an asshole.

Were you just coming by or--

Yeah, I heard you were home, wanted to see

if I could catch a glimpse of the rock legend.

Mm.

Hey, I-- I know it's been a while, but I just wanted

to say that I'm so sorry about your dad.

-Thank you. -He was a good man.

Yeah.

Think there's ever been a Bible Bowl champion

with that many tattoos?

Uh, I don't know, the guy from Creed maybe?

Mm-hmm.

I should get back to Dylan.

Hey, let me know if y'all need anything, okay?

-Thank you. -Yeah.

-Well, I'll see you around. -All right.

-NAOMI: (INDISTINCT SPEECH) -(DYLAN LAUGHS)

-(NAOMI HUMMING) -(PIANO PLAYING)

Can you do that?

(PIANO PLAYING)

Amazing. Do it again.

(PIANO PLAYING)

Hmm.

Ooh, close, but did you hear this one?

That's a try tone.

That kind of cord was banned by the church,

because they said it made people do crazy things.

They wouldn't let you play music?

(INHALES)

That's not even the craziest thing they've done.

Anyway.

Hmm, bed time, let's go.

No, let's play something banned.

(CHUCKLES)

Tomorrow. Let's go.

All right, you ready?

-One. -Big breath.

-Two. -Mm-hmm.

Three.

(BOTH INHALE)

Oh! You little cheater.

I win, I win.

Can you check the room, Mom?

I heard something the other night.

You don't need me to check the room.

It's weird here, Mom.

It's not weird, it's just old.

You get used to it.

(♪♪♪)

Okay, look, give me this guy.

Something is here and you can touch it, it's real.

If you can't, it doesn't exist.

You can't touch monsters, because they're in your head.

What about Dad?

People say we'll see him again.

Is that real?

If you close your eyes and you think about him,

you can see Dad whenever you want.

Okay. I'm gonna go see him right now.

(CHUCKLES)

(SCURRYING NOISES)

(♪♪♪♪)

(ATTIC DOOR OPENING)

(GRUNTS)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

-(RAT SQUEAKING) -(GASPS)

(♪♪♪)

What the?

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

Mm-hmm.

♪ Never thought, never thought ♪

♪ You hear me speak like this ♪

♪ 'Cause you did ♪

♪ It's just a thought, just a thought ♪

(OWL HOOTING)

(TAPE FAST FORWARDING)

(SIGHS)

ARTHUR: (ON TAPE) This is Arthur Riley,

pastor of Mount Calvary Church.

ARTHUR: (ON TAPE) I'm a father and soon a grandfather.

I'm a man of God.

I'm leaving this for my daughter, Naomi.

If anyone else listens, you may need it, too.

If you found this, it means the rats are back.

If they are, beware.

I believe Jesus taught us right and wrong,

taught us about God's laws,

but I committed the ultimate sin.

I took a man's life.

His name was Royce Cobb.

I thought it was the right thing.

I was afraid this thing

would destroy people, children.

I did it to protect future generations.

(ARTHUR TAKES DEEP BREATH)

ARTHUR: (ON TAPE) I buried him here.

If anyone listens and needs it,

his body won't be hard to find.

(TAPE REWINDING)

I buried him here.

If anyone listens and needs it,

his body won't be hard to find.

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

D?

Dylan?

(♪♪♪)

Buddy?

Are you okay?

Hey, buddy?

You okay?

What's going on?

Mom. Something's not right.

What do you mean?

I don't think this is the bathroom.

Oh.

(CLICKS TONGUE)

It's okay. It's okay.

Let's get you changed.

You good?

Stay, please.

Here.

If you need me, you blow into this as loud as you can

and I will come right away.

I promise.

Okay, fine. You win.

We'll get used to it together, okay?

NAOMI: You all finished here, bud?

(DYLAN SIGHS)

No games at the table, please.

DYLAN: Did something bad happen here?

Why would you say that?

Just 'cause every day feels weirder and weirder,

like something's happening to my brains.

Happening how?

I don't know. Just like weirdo stuff.

Well, next time anything weird happens,

can you tell me?

DYLAN: Okay.

Okay. Thank you.

(TV CHATTER IN BACKGROUND)

Oh, man.

D, I just told you not to play games at the table.

You just killed me. Great job.

How'd you like it if I killed you?

Uh, I ended a game.

And if you don't get your butt to the bus,

you're not playing at all today.

Fine. I hate it here.

ARTHUR: (ON TAPE) I thought it was the right thing.

I was afraid this thing

would destroy people, children.

I did it to protect future generations.

God said he wouldn't use a flood nor plague,

but they used a flood when I was young.

I buried him here. If anyone li--

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(GRUNTING)

(♪♪♪)

NAOMI: What?

Samus, where are you, you little asshole?

Oh, shit!

ARTHUR: (ON TAPE) But they used a flood.

They flooded the town, and He came for us.

We were never the same.

(SCHOOL BELL RINGING)

(CHATTER IN DISTANCE)

Hey, buddy.

The ice cream truck's here today.

You want some ice cream?

I'm sorry we fought earlier.

I know how hard it is in a new place,

but it will get better.

I promise.

Nathan says California's horrible

and on fire all the time, 'cause everyone there's

going to hell and it's all homosexuals.

Kids say this stuff to you?

DYLAN: Nathan does.

What do the teachers do?

Nothing.

Well, Nathan doesn't know what he's talking about,

because you and I are the only two who've ever been

to California, and it's awesome.

Then why can't we go back?

Because it's expensive and this is just a better

place for me to finish my album.

LUELLEN: It's you.

It's you right there.

It's you. Are you kidding me?

It's y-- Are-- are you serious?

What are you doing?

NAOMI: What the hell?

DYLAN: Who was that?

NAOMI: I don't know.

(TIRES SQUEAL)

(♪♪♪)

BARON ON TV: What is the meaning of this intrusion?

I'm sorry Baron, I thought I heard voices.

(♪♪♪)

(SIGHS)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

D? What are you doing?

D? (GASPS)

It's Cobb. He's the one doing it.

(GASPS)

(♪♪♪)

(CHAIR ROCKING)

(GASPS)

(SCREAMS)

(GASPS)

(PANTS)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

Oh, fuck it.

(TAKES DEEP BREATH)

(CLEARS THROAT)

Hey, it's Naomi.

Yeah, I-- I just wanted to see if maybe you wanted

to get dinner sometime?

-GRAYSON: Oh my God. -NAOMI: Mm-hmm.

Where? Where did you get this?

I mean, I won't say I'm not a hoarder.

Jesus.

What was with the headphones? You never took those off.

Well, after years of therapy, I can safely say that

I just didn't want the music to stop,

'cause I knew that if it did, then I'd have to face

the real world, and the real world was my parents

and all their madness.

But thank goodness that you don't wear

that medallion anymore.

NAOMI: Don't say that.

I would if it hadn't got lost in the move.

It's like, the only religious thing I still like.

I'm religious. You don't like me?

Well, who am I to judge?

Hey, look, I get why you would.

I mean, people think of God like He's some kind

of a genie that's only there to grant wishes.

God may exist, but that doesn't mean that

He's always on your side and that you're

always gonna win.

So what about you?

What brought about your conversion?

You used to be the damn Bible Bowl champion.

(NAOMI CHUCKLES)

Uh, yeah, well, I mean, I was conflicted for a while.

You know, growing up, I would always think I saw

God in like, strange coincidences, you know,

when everything would line up perfectly,

just when you needed them to.

You know, you could say it was fate or whatever,

but I thought it was God.

My-- my husband used to drive his dad to chemo treatments

and sit with him and then take him home after.

And one day, about a year ago, the hospital was running late

and everything was backed up and on the way home,

they were hit by a drunk driver,

both killed instantly.

All of those coincidences lined up perfectly,

in an almost evil way.

So is that God, too?

It's not God or the devil, just the randomness

of a world without either.

I'm sorry.

NAOMI: Yeah.

Um, can I ask you something?

GRAYSON: Hmm?

And I know how this is gonna sound, so...

(NAOMI SIGHS)

Weird things have been happening here.

Um, when I first moved back in, I found a tape

that my dad recorded and on it he admits

to killing a man named Royce Cobb.

What?

Ever since we moved back, things have been happening

in this house.

I have been having the craziest dreams.

Dylan is acting strange.

He's doing and saying really odd things.

Like, he's acting much younger than he is.

His behavior is regressing.

I don't know if he's seeing somebody on the property or--

You're messing with me. I get it.

I'm not fucking with you.

You're a journalist.

I thought maybe you could look up this Cobb guy,

see if there's any connection to my dad

or if he's even dead.

You know, anything that could help me figure out

what the fuck is going on.

No, you and D have been under a lot of stress.

I know what stress looks like. This is not stress.

(♪♪♪)

Look, even if this was my area,

I mean, you really think

your dad did this?

I don't know.

NAOMI: That's kinda the point.

Let me think about it.

(♪♪♪)

Hey, buddy, are you still cool taking the...

...bus?

-(♪♪♪) -(BUS ENGINE WHIRRING)

ARTHUR: (ON TAPE) This is Arthur Riley,

pastor of Mount Calvary Church.

Pastor there a long time.

-I'm a father -(BANGING ON DOOR)

and soon a grandfather.

I'm a man--

-GRAYSON: Hey. -Hi.

I was up all night researching.

And I found out some pretty interesting stuff.

Wow.

-Okay, thank you. -Yeah.

So for the past 10 years, Cobb's daughter has been

talking to anyone who will listen to her about

her father and that the police never did shit.

She has got some fascinating stuff to say.

That's great.

Uh, we should find a time to go talk to her.

She's in my car.

We can go talk to her right now.

(♪♪♪)

Uh, sorry if I was bugging you that day in town.

I just never seen a star before.

Oh, so you were pointing at me, not my son.

I don't know your son,

but I sure as shit know who you are.

So what uh,

preacher man think you're playing the devil's music?

He never listened to any of it.

You know, I think when my album Backslider came out,

he tried to start a boycott.

You ever meet Ted Nugent?

The Nuge?

Motor City Madman?

I never had the pleasure.

I put a curse on him once,

'cause he stopped answering my letters.

You and him is my favorites.

Thank you.

Any curses you have on people currently?

Well, I can't answer that.

There is a situation pending, 'cause I was acting erratic,

as the police put it.

Why don't you tell Naomi what you told me about your father?

(CLICKS TONGUE, SIGHS)

Uh, well, he has been missing a long time.

When I was young, he kinda abandoned me and Mama.

He was always in and out of my life, but seems like

now he is out permanently.

Any reason someone would have done something to him?

Only about 2,000.

There's two sides to that man, like a quarter.

He could be real nice.

He could also start a fight in an empty house.

And at some point, I don't know, he--

he started doing all kinds of weird stuff,

like he'd be gone all night and he'd come home

just covered in blood.

Dead animals started showing up all around our property.

He was always muttering about some guy named Rider,

Hyder, saying something about a debt being due.

I-- it didn't make no sense.

Did you ever meet this guy?

No. None of his friends did neither.

Thought crossed my mind that he might have just

been going crazy.

GRAYSON: Yeah, I assume you talked to the police.

NAOMI: Shit. I'm so-- I'm so sorry.

Uh, uh, I got it.

You're-- Thanks.

He never fit in with all the bible humpers in town.

They always looked down on him for being poor,

like some kind of outcast.

So he started dipping his toe in the devil's pool,

like he wanted to get back at 'em.

Started spending all his time down by the water.

Would never talk about it, but that-- that's when he

started doing with all the weird stuff with the blood

and the animals.

It was like he couldn't stop, like he was drawn to it.

At the end, my daddy was full of bad mojo,

the blackest kind,

like those snakes where the head could still kill you

even after it's been cut off.

I'd be scared if I was the one done something to him.

He may be dead, but I bet you he's giving hell

to whoever done it right now as we speaking.

GRAYSON: Could you give us the names of his friends?

Anyone else you think maybe we should speak to about

what might have happened?

Yeah, of course. Yeah.

Y'all let me know what you find out.

LUELLEN: Hey, you know what hillbilly girls say during sex?

GRAYSON: What's that?

"Get off me, Uncle Bill."

(BOTH CHUCKLE)

I love that. I'ma have a smoke.

(LUELLEN HUMS)

(GRAYSON SIGHS)

There's definitely something here.

Her dad was in my dream last night.

It was the exact same face that was on that poster.

I--

You want to go and tell her about the tape?

Y-- yes.

I just, I need to make sure it's a 100% real first.

I mean, she could be the one doing all this shit

for all I know.

Listen, we need to talk to Cobb's friends,

figure out your dad's connection,

figure out what the hell happened, right?

(CELL PHONE RINGING)

Hello?

Wait, wait, wait. He did what?

The head of a what?

A goat head is not an acceptable item

for show and tell.

I am so sorry.

I had no--

This is what Ms. Roy's homeroom saw today.

I truly can't imagine how--

Please, take a look.

I know what a goat looks like.

The head. Just the head.

You've seen that?

Because Nathan out there, along with the rest

of the class, has now.

And you're lucky he's not expelled.

Is that the same Nathan that's been bullying my son?

I'm sure I don't need to tell you this,

but your son has had a hard time fitting in.

Now, I don't know how y'all do things in California.

-But around here-- -You know what?

I was raised here, so you can spare me the lecture

on how things are done around here.

And California isn't some alien planet.

It's three fucking states that way.

He shouldn't have brought that, obviously,

but maybe he'd fit in a little better

if he wasn't constantly hearing how different he is.

Maybe California isn't the problem.

(CHUCKLES)

Yeah.

Congratu-fucking-lations, you solved it.

(DOOR CLOSES)

NAOMI: Let's go.

(♪♪♪)

Where did you find it?

Samus?

No, the other goat whose head you took to school.

Yes, Samus.

In the woods.

His head was away from the rest of him

and my friend Nathan wanted to see it.

You're friends with Nathan now?

Yeah.

Did you hurt Samus?

No. I found him like that.

'Cause if you did, he hurt you first.

I just want to know the truth.

I didn't hurt him.

I'm not trying to make you mad at me.

I'm not mad at you.

I just-- I don't want you sent home from school.

You don't want to see me?

I don't want you in trouble.

I love you so much.

I just want to cut off your head and carry it around,

so I can see your face whenever I want to.

(♪♪♪)

NAOMI: You feeling okay after today?

Yeah.

I shouldn't have taken Samus' head to school.

Look, if you do something bad or you see something bad,

you tell an adult, okay?

What's this?

DYLAN: I have a studio now.

NAOMI: That's awesome.

You want me to check your room?

No. I like it when he visits.

When who visits?

DYLAN: The man.

What man?

What are you talking about?

Grandpa's friend.

The one from the flood.

I thought he visits you, too.

What? Who?

What are you talking about?

(YAWNS)

Goodbye, mommy.

No, no. No. Hey. Hi.

What do you mean? What does he look like?

Where does he come from?

I don't know. I just wake up and he's here.

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(WHISTLING IN DISTANCE)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(WHISTLING CONTINUES)

(♪♪♪)

Dylan?

(WHISTLES)

D?

DYLAN: Mom?

(GASPS)

Don't look back and close your eyes.

Come sleep in my room.

(♪♪♪)

(BANGING ON DOOR)

D?

(BANGING ON DOOR)

Hi, this is Naomi Riley.

I'm calling to make sure that Dylan Riley

got to school.

He did? Okay.

Thank you.

Should I check your car and make sure

there's no surprise guests?

What the hell?

Thought you could just steal this?

Steal? Seriously?

You didn't tell me the body was buried on your property.

You didn't tell me that there are clues.

Would it have made a difference?

The whole point of this is

to try and find the body, right?

So what the hell else are you not telling me?

Look, you helped me through some pretty shitty times

in high school, all right?

I wanna be there for you, but you gotta be

straight with me and at some point Luellen.

Look, I'm sorry, okay?

Nobody left me a manual for what to do when your dad

leaves you a fucking murder tape.

And so I'd like to make sure it's true before I start

shouting it to the world.

Look, I get it. I get it.

I'm just asking you to be straight with me.

Yeah.

Uh, this, uh--

Yeah, this.

Oh.

I'm pretty sure the body's not here.

Let me see.

Okay, so on the tape your dad said that he did it

to protect future generations.

What would killing Cobb protect you from?

I wish I knew.

I think-- maybe we put these pieces together,

find the body,

hopefully, figure out what the hell's going on,

so we can stop it before anything else happens.

Now show me where D found that goat.

(EXHALES)

NAOMI: He said it was back here. Uh.

Hey, come here.

GRAYSON: What is it?

I have no idea.

Wait.

(♪♪♪)

Look.

What are you doing?

Uh-- Wait.

(INDISTINCT SPEECH)

GRAYSON: No.

(GASPS)

Oh, what the shit? That's weird.

NAOMI: Uh...

-Okay. -That's weird.

Okay. So what? Are we supposed to dig or...

Hey, hey.

What do you think that means?

GRAYSON: 13.

NAOMI: Um...

Come with me.

My grandfather built this house himself.

I think those numbers could be like Framer's Code

or something.

Framer's Code? What's Framer's Code?

It's like what they use in the blueprints

to figure out where the walls are gonna go.

Okay.

Okay. Okay, what do we got?

These blueprints, my friend.

And if I remember right, Framer's Code.

See?

Okay. So...

13, that's the same number on the inside of the bag

that's us right here, right?

Mm-hmm.

Okay.

Well, it's gotta mean something

that we're not seeing, right?

I-- (SIGHS)

I mean, to my dad, in whatever mental state

he was in, all of this shit must have meant something.

Okay.

So out in the yard, the cross, the tree.

Mm-hmm.

And the number 13, which is where we are.

I don't know.

There's a triangle on the tree.

Three points of a triangle.

Okay. So what if it is?

You remember Ms. Martin's class?

Connect the midpoints of the sides of a triangle,

you get the center.

GRAYSON: Oh.

GRAYSON: What the hell?

Hmm.

NAOMI: Oh my God.

Okay.

Oh, what the hell?

Well, what do we have here?

Here.

Oh my God.

GRAYSON: What do you see?

I thought you lost that in the move.

Somebody's fucking with me.

Somebody is seriously fucking with me.

Saint Christopher is the protector of children, yeah?

It's almost like someone was trying to bury the symbol,

get it out of sight.

Your dad said that he was worried about a thing.

But?

I don't know how to explain this.

What does that mean?

I mean, maybe something attached itself to you

when you guys moved in.

I'm just worried about what kind of danger D might be in.

Well, we can move.

I can take him somewhere else.

No, I've read situations where running

even makes it worse.

Houses don't get haunted, people do.

(RATS SCURRYING)

There's more under there?

(NAOMI GRUNTS)

-What is that? -I don't know.

(GRUNTS)

Whoa.

"In case you need this.

In case it happens again.

In case my actions didn't stop."

That guy that Luellen was talking about.

Rider, Pider?

Piper.

Well, what is it?

-Oh my God! -Oh, Jesus!

Well, we found Cobb.

Are you starting to believe in things beyond this world?

'Cause your father sure as hell did.

Is that an A?

Oh, God.

GRAYSON: No, don't.

Ugh.

Ew, uh.

Uh. Look.

And an R.

That's supposed to be the name of something maybe?

Yeah, they all look like

they're supposed to go together.

GRAYSON: "Lahring."

Does that mean anything to you, Lahring?

No, but this does.

"Harling."

It's a guy that my dad was with in the seminary.

Turned into this sort of new age kinda guy.

I think he even left the church at some point.

Call him, you're not gonna like this,

but I feel very strongly that we should pray right now.

And Father, we need you.

DETECTIVE: Haven't had a lead on this case

in five or six years.

You ever meet him?

-Cobb? -Yeah.

No.

Natural-born thief.

Anything not tied down, he'd steal faster

than a cat lick its own butt.

Meaner than shit, too.

Yeah, the whole thing just seems kinda weird, don't it?

Yeah, I'd say it's all pretty weird.

I mean, you're not bringing this to me.

That's weird, ain't it?

I mean, he might have been a son of a bitch,

but that don't mean he don't deserve justice.

Look, just listen to the tape and I think

you'll find it pretty cut and dry.

All right.

Hey, you're not going back to LA anytime soon, are you?

I want you close in case I have any more questions.

No.

I gotta go notify next of kin.

Could you sign that?

For the investigation?

It's for me, actually.

It's for uh, well, my wife.

She said your fans will buy that on eBay.

The Bible Bowl champ becomes a rock star, then discovers

a dead body under her house.

I gotta tell you, I did not see that coming

when you kids were in high school.

-(CHUCKLES) -NAOMI: Mm.

♪ You say it's nothing to you ♪

ARTHUR: (ON TAPE) It means the rats are back.

If they are, beware.

I believe Jesus taught us right and wrong, taught us

about God's laws.

(GRUNTS)

Shit.

ARTHUR: (ON TAPE) But I committed the ultimate sin.

I took a man's life.

-(LOUD THUD) -(GASPS)

(♪♪♪)

ARTHUR: (ON TAPE) It means the rats are back.

If they are, beware.

I believe Jesus taught us right and wrong,

-taught us about-- - Dylan.

ARTHUR: (ON TAPE) God's laws.

But I committed the ultimate sin.

I took a man's life.

Thought it was the right...

(GASPS)

Jesus loves me, yes, I said...

(INDISTINCT SINGING)

Don't. You'll only make it worse.

(LOUD BANGING)

(PANTS)

(SCREAMING)

Go get on the ladder, Dylan!

(GRUNTING)

(♪♪♪)

(SCREAMS)

(GRUNTS)

(PANTS)

Oh, baby.

(PANTING)

(♪♪♪)

Why don't you guys stay with me for a while?

Because that's not fair to you and I've already booked

a motel.

That's not the point.

(SCOFFS)

(COMPUTER RINGING)

Hi, Dr. Guidry.

Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly.

Just Harling. Heard a lot about you.

I know you and your dad didn't see things the same,

but he was always a proud papa.

Did he ever mention anything about a Royce Cobb?

Why do you wanna know about him?

I found a tape on which my father confessed

to murdering him, and last night, we found

human remains under the house with your name carved

into the bones, and the words

"If my actions didn't stop piper"

carved into the box.

Cobb came to your daddy for help.

Years ago in the 1950s, people lived

in what was called, "The Valley".

Mostly poor people.

Town leaders flooded that area to build the lake, Lake Elbe.

The town was supposed to relocate these people

and give 'em 5 acres to build new homes,

but they backed out on 'em.

There was a man who lived down there,

everybody called him, "The Piper".

He sold ice cream, drove one of them trucks.

Everywhere he went, all the kids followed him

like the Pied Piper.

He wanted to get revenge on the town, so he lured

five of those kids to his house to wait for the water.

One child for each acre of land that was promised,

but never given.

Three of 'em drowned, two of 'em escaped.

Royce Cobb and your father.

Wasn't no trial, 'cause The Piper died

in the flood with the children.

Years later, Cobb came to your daddy for help,

told him something was happening.

He was doing dark things, hurting animals.

Claimed he couldn't help it.

Your dad believed this thing was taking over Cobb.

And after Cobb died, he was afraid it was trying

to take over him.

Until then, your dad didn't think The Piper

could affect adults,

but he realized he was still

looking for revenge on the town,

however he could get it.

So he did what he thought he had to do

to stop this thing.

When a spirit's unsettled, it has its own dwelling place,

usually a place or a dimension that we can't get to,

where it just repeats its final moments over and over.

Your daddy believed there were portals into these

dwelling places.

He was trying to find a way to get there.

Because of this spirit's past, I believe it wants

to wreak havoc on the children.

Adults have to have much closer proximity to evil

to be affected or controlled, but that's not the case

with a child.

Since it was two children that escaped before,

my guess is he's looking for two children to repay

the debt.

Do you have kids?

A son.

How's he doin'?

Not great.

I need you to keep a close eye on him

and I'll be there as soon as I can.

Thank you.

-Oh. -You're gonna be okay.

LUELLEN: You're a coward and-- and I'm not afraid.

What the hell?

-I ain't afraid of you! -GRAYSON: Oh, shit.

LUELLEN: I ain't afraid!

You kidding me?

Are you serious?

Luellen, I'm so, so sorry.

LUELLEN: Are you serious? There is a curse here.

Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

I'm so-- I didn't want you to find out--

No, don't say a word. There is a curse.

I'm-- I'm trying to remove it if it ain't too late.

We taunt the evil, 'cause we ain't afraid

of cowards!

Thank you for finding out the truth about my daddy.

Maybe his soul can rest now.

Um, can I ask you something?

Yeah.

The name that, um, your dad kept talking about,

Ryder, Pider, could it have been Piper?

Yes, that's it.

He would mumble "Piper" and-- and then he'd hum this...

(HUMMING)

(PHONE RINGING)

Hello?

ROSE: (ON PHONE) Hi, Ms. Riley.

This is Rose from Bailey Elementary.

I was calling to find out the reason

for Dylan's absence today?

What?

No, I dropped him off myself this morning.

ROSE: (ON PHONE) Ms. Garner said she

hasn't seen him today.

Uh, um, I'll-- I'll be right there.

What's going on?

Dylan wasn't at school today.

(INHALES)

DISPATCHER: (ON PHONE) 911, what's your emergency please?

Yeah, I spoke to Luellen. She uh, she denied it.

Is there anybody else you can think of

who might've done this?

No, I--

I-- I mean, what if it's something bigger than this?

What do you mean by that?

I don't know. I just...

(INHALES)

Something to do with Cobb.

Like um, I don't know, it's like a fucking force.

Something supernatural.

Su-- supernatural?

Huh.

There was another child that went missing earlier today,

Nathan Hudson.

He was in D's class, yeah?

Yeah.

He said Nathan started following him around.

All right, well, I'm hoping maybe they just ran off

together and they'll-- they'll turn up soon enough.

Regardless, we got a search team about to go out

any minute,

but I need for y'all to stay here

in case D comes back.

-Yeah. -All right.

I know you're under a lot of stress, so I'm just

gonna forget about that whole supernatural shit

you just said.

But don't say that again or I'll have to come back

and ask you some much tougher questions.

Like I said earlier, I'm just doing my job.

Yeah.

(SOBS)

We're not just waiting.

(♪♪♪)

(GASPS)

(FLIES BUZZING)

As a parent, you have one job,

protect your child.

Hey, nobody could have been prepared for this.

You know when Harling's getting here?

Assume any time now.

I did some asking around. Some people say he's crazy.

They say he's a prophet that saves lives.

Let's hope it's the latter.

SEARCHER 1: Dylan!

SEARCHER 2: Dylan!

SEARCHER 3: Dylan!

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

Shh.

I don't give a fuck if you are mad.

Dig this shit.

But I ain't here to make friends,

I'm here to save your boy.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, there's definitely something going on in here.

Well, you think we should call in the church or something?

(CHUCKLES)

Church? You watch the news lately?

The church ain't got no more say in this matter

than you or I.

What you need is Jesus, you got that?

Well?

Well, what?

Are you willing to call on Jesus Christ, our Lord

and Savior?

I thought you left the church.

I left the church, 'cause the church is full of shit.

But God ain't and Jesus ain't.

You believe in the devil and all the evil he puts

in this world, don't you?

What the hell you think is going on in here?

Parlor games and trick or treat?

I assure you, this here evil is real and it's got your boy

in its grasp.

You cannot fight this shit with one hand tied

behind your back.

Your boy needs you to fight for him.

You don't have to believe,

but promise me you'll stay open.

Otherwise, I can't help you.

Can you do that?

Yeah.

All right.

I want you to show me where everything happened.

Uh, a lot of it was in D's room.

Mm-hmm.

Do you have that, uh, necklace that you mentioned?

(♪♪♪)

St. Christopher's.

Appointed to look over kids in the grasp of evil.

This coulda've been the only thing that kept you

from totally losing him.

Did you find a key in your dad's things?

Yeah. How did--

How did you know that? Do you know what it goes to?

All I know is Cobb gave it to your daddy

and your daddy thought it was important.

(MAN CHANTING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE ON TAPE)

DYLAN: (ON TAPE) My mommy told me I need to tell someone

when I do something bad, so I'm telling you.

I wanted to kill Samus for a long time.

(GASPS)

DYLAN: (ON TAPE) I've done other bad stuff.

(MAN CHANTING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE ON TAPE)

Unfortunately, these kind of things are normal

in situations like this, so...

(WHIMPERS)

Let's gather the rest of those up

and let's go through 'em.

I...

(WHIMPERS)

Where is God when something like this happens to a child?

If he's not here for things like this,

then what's the point?

Please don't lose faith. I think it helps.

If nothing else, it helps me.

(TAKES DEEP BREATH)

This thing knows that the way to really hurt a parent,

you hurt the child.

It's what it wants.

Let's look at the original story

of the Pied Piper, right?

The kids were led out of town, just like the rats.

Nobody knows what happened to 'em.

Did they die?

Did they go some place and-- and suffer,

because there was no one to look after 'em?

Usually, when we look at the story,

we look at the parents' despair.

But what if the children were actually suffering more,

because they were kept alive, but neglected?

Which begs the question, what's worse?

A world without children or a world where children

live without their parents?

(CRIES)

You wanna hear the world's shortest prayer?

Fuck it.

As in "Fuck it. It's in God's hands."

When you were a believer, how did God speak to you?

Was it dreams?

Was it prophecy, signs?

Strange coincidences.

(SNIFFLES)

Okay.

We gonna have to baptize you original style.

None of the sprinkles and shit like that.

Old school, straight from the Bible, because you need

to be ready when it's time to fight for your boy.

What are you doing?

(♪♪♪)

(CRIES)

Are you open to getting baptized?

NAOMI: That voice on the tape, is that the thing

that possessed my son?

It's more complicated than that.

It's more about influence.

My guess is the Piper's using his influence on D

like an antenna to broadcast his message.

That's how he do that other boy that went missing.

He could lead others away

by using whoever he's affected.

Early Christians believed that true baptism required

God to bring you back to the surface.

The idea was man puts you under, God brings you back.

Don't go out there unless you really,

really ready to do this.

(♪♪♪)

(WATER SPLASHING)

Our son needs you. You're his only parent now.

(GASPS)

Grayson?

Dylan?

Grayson!

Harling? Grayson!

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

HARLING: When a spirit's unsettled,

it has its own dwelling place...

usually a place or a dimension that we can't get to.

Your daddy believed there were portals into these

dwelling places.

Years ago, in the 1950s, they flooded that area

to build a lake.

(♪♪♪)

(GRUNTS)

(WHIMPERS)

(♪♪♪)

(DOOR CREAKING)

Hello?

(♪♪♪)

Hello?

(INDISTINCT SPEECH IN DISTANCE)

(♪♪♪)

MAN: (ON TV) I wish I could say tonight

that a lasting peace is in sight.

Happily, I can say that war has been avoided.

Steady progress toward our ultimate goal has been made.

We now stand ten years past the midpoint of a century

that has witnessed four major wars

among great nations.

Three of these involved our own country.

Despite the Holocaust,

America is today the strongest,

the most influential, and most productive nation in the world.

Hello?

DYLAN: Shh, he'll hear you.

Where are you?

DYLAN: So, where are you?

Dylan, are you here?

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(HOUSE CREAKING)

(LOUD BUZZING)

(GASPS)

(♪♪♪)

Howdy, friend.

I was uh, sent down here to make sure everybody's

cleared on out before we flood it.

Oh, yeah. I uh, I was just leaving.

Thank you.

THE SKINNY MAN: Well, that's great.

I'm-- I'm gonna follow you a couple miles on up to

Garrison Road, make sure you don't have any trouble

before I head back to the dam.

That's not necessary, thank you.

Well, it-- it actually is necessary, friend.

They're not breaking the dam till I report back

that everybody's cleared out.

(GASPS)

Yeah.

Okay, I'll uh, be right there.

Thanks, friend.

(♪♪♪)

(PANTING)

(♪♪♪)

(VEHICLES ENGINES RUMBLING)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

D?

(KNOCKING)

-Dylan? -DYLAN: Mommy?

Dylan! Baby!

DYLAN: Where have you been?

Are you okay?

DYLAN: I'm scared, Mommy. I'm scared.

I'm gonna get-- I know, baby.

I'm gonna get you out, okay?

(SCREAMS)

(SOBS)

(GASPS)

(♪♪♪)

Okay, baby, he's coming back. You have to be quiet, okay?

DYLAN: No! Get me out!

I am going to, I promise, baby.

DYLAN: Get me out!

Please, please, Dylan, just be quiet.

(THE PIPER GRUNTS)

(♪♪♪)

(KEYS JINGLING)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

DYLAN: Mommy, are you still there?

(SCREAMS)

(GRUNTS)

(GRUNTING)

(NAOMI COUGHS)

(GRUNTING)

(COUGHING)

(PANTS)

(YELLS)

NAOMI: Dylan!

(GRUNTS)

Oh, thank God.

Oh my God. Okay.

Go, go, go!

(CRYING)

Come on, come on. Go, baby, go.

Go, go, go, go.

(SCREAMS)

(GRUNTS)

(♪♪♪)

(GROANS)

(PANTING)

(♪♪♪)

NAOMI: No, no!

No!

(GRUNTING)

(SCREAMS)

(SCREAMS)

DYLAN: Mom, no!

DYLAN: Get off of her!

(GASPING)

(COUGHS)

DYLAN: Mom!

(♪♪♪)

Mom!

Mom!

EVAN: You have to fight through your grief.

(SIGHS)

Fuck it.

You have to find a way.

You have to find a way to save our son.

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

-HARLING: Go, go. Get her out.

Get her out. Let's get her out.

Go, go, go. Let's go.

Go! Come on.

Now, now, now.

Roll her over. Roll her over. Roll her over.

(INDISTINCT SPEECH)

HARLING: (INDISTINCT SPEECH)

You're back. We've got you.

-Come on, come on, come on. -GRAYSON: Nai, come on.

Call an ambulance!

HARLING: Relax. Wait, just get down. Okay. Get down.

DYLAN: Mommy!

HARLING: Breathe. Wait, wait, wait.

Nai, come on, man.

DYLAN: Mommy! HARLING: Come on!

HARLING: (INDISTINCT SPEECH)

GRAYSON: Somebody, help!

HARLING: Hey, it's okay.

We got it.

Oh, come on!

HARLING: We've got people coming.

NAOMI: I died that night for several minutes.

But then, like Harling said, God brought me back.

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(SIGHS)

(HUMS)

Is it cold?

(MAKING NOISES)

(♪♪♪)

Mommy! I don't hear the music anymore.

(♪♪♪)

Mom?

Mom?

HARLING: Adults have to have much closer proximity

to evil to be affected or controlled.

(GRUNTS, SCREAMS)

HARLING: Until then your dad didn't think The Piper

could affect adults.

Let's look at the original story of the Pied Piper.

When we look at the story,

we look at the parents' despair.

But what if the children were actually suffering more,

because they were kept alive, but neglected?

What if that was The Piper's real intention

all along?

The Piper can lead others away by using whoever

he's affected.

My guess is The Piper is using his influence on D

like an antenna to broadcast his message.

Imagine how much stronger that message would be

broadcast through an adult.

(DOOR OPENS)

Mom?

Mommy?

HARLING: What's worse, a world without children

or a world where children live without their parents?

♪ As I went down to the river to pray ♪

♪ Studying about that good ole way ♪

♪ And who shall wear the robe and crown ♪

♪ Good Lord, show me the way ♪

♪ Come on, fathers, let's go down ♪

♪ Down to the river to pray ♪

GRAYSON: God may exist,

but that doesn't mean that he's always

on your side and that you're always gonna win.

♪ Studying about that good ole way ♪

♪ And who shall wear the starry crown ♪

♪ Good Lord, show me the way ♪

♪ Come on, mothers, let's go down ♪

♪ Come on down, don't you want to go down ♪

♪ Come on, mothers, let's go down ♪

♪ Down to the river to pray ♪

Mom?

Mommy?

Mommy?

(PANTING)

(DYLAN WHISTLING)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

(♪♪♪)

♪ I'm on the outside looking in ♪

♪ Can anybody hear me knocking? ♪

♪ I'm on the outside looking in ♪

♪ Can anybody see me? ♪

♪ Can anybody hear me crying? ♪

♪ I know, I know, I'm all alone ♪

♪ I know, I know ♪

♪ I'm lost and there's no search party ♪

♪ Long gone and nobody's looking for me ♪

♪ I think I'm gonna die out here ♪

♪ I'm losing my mind out here ♪

♪ I'm losing my mind ♪

(SINGER VOCALIZING)

♪ As I went down to the river to pray ♪

♪ Studying about that good ole way ♪

♪ And who shall wear the robe and crown ♪

♪ Good Lord, show me the way ♪

♪ Come on, fathers, let's go down ♪

♪ Come on down, don't you wanna go down? ♪

♪ Come on, fathers, let's go down ♪

♪ Down to the river to pray ♪

♪ As I went down to the river to pray ♪

♪ Studying about that good ole way ♪

♪ And who shall wear the starry crown ♪

♪ Good Lord, show me the way ♪

♪ Come on, mothers, let's go down ♪

Come on down, don't you wanna go down?

♪ Come on, mothers, let's go down ♪

♪ Down to the river to pray ♪

♪ As I went down to the river to pray ♪

♪ Studying about that good ole way ♪

♪ And who shall wear the robe and crown ♪

♪ Good Lord, show me the way ♪

♪ Come on, sisters, let's go down ♪

♪ Come on down, don't you wanna go down? ♪

♪ Come on, sisters, let's go down ♪

♪ Down to the river to pray ♪

♪ As I went down to the river to pray ♪

♪ Studying about that good ole way ♪

♪ And who shall wear the starry crown ♪

♪ Good Lord, show me the way ♪

♪ Come on, sinners, let's go down ♪

♪ Come on down, don't you wanna go down? ♪

♪ Come on, sinners, let's go down ♪

♪ Down to the river to pray ♪