Original subtitles

is is

The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for thee, preserve thy

body and soul unto everlasting life. Drink this in remembrance that Christ's

blood was shed for thee. Amen.

The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for thee, preserve thy

body and soul unto everlasting life. Drink this and remember that Christ's

blood was shed for thee.

Preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life. Drink this and

remember that Christ's blood was shed for thee. Be thankful.

The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for thee, preserve thy

body and soul unto everlasting life. Drink this and remember that Christ's

blood was shed for thee. Be thankful.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for thee, preserve thy body and soul

unto everlasting life. Drink this and remember that Christ's blood was shed

for thee. Be thankful.

He's a minister.

He's a dead minister.

Hardly a mark but he's dead.

your faith.

You have failed as God's servant.

You have fallen from his grace.

Your only hope for salvation is to seek out evil and fight

that evil by whatever means possible.

I think he's starting to breathe.

All quiet.

Nothing to report.

For once.

Why are you always here?

I'm hiding.

Well, you never hide.

I'm beginning to want to.

What's the matter?

Where would you like to start?

Going to wait next year.

Now, I could kill the trustees for that.

Look at all of these applications.

You should start keeping a bottle at your desk drawer.

You know, there was one here when I first came.

I never used it, though.

I probably should have.

You are a hard woman.

I still am.

You should have stuck to the soft life, teaching.

Of course, if you had, then you wouldn't have been able to hire me.

And I wouldn't have had a job.

You could have gotten a job anywhere.

Not then.

Only a sister would hire a house flower in widow's weeds.

Weeping widow's weeds.

Why is it so cold still?

We're spring.

You look tired.

What else?

It's almost graduation and it feels like January.

It's the state of things.

I predict major catastrophe at any moment. Are there bodies piled high in

the halls? It was your idea, Mother, and we all knew it.

I'll never admit to it. I don't want the blame.

Oh, come on. It sure wasn't Louise's.

Listen, your aunt's been known to be pretty progressive.

Well, her time... Oh, she's barely older than I am.

See what I mean?

Weren't the rules writing in the halls but not the classrooms?

I knew it.

I knew it was coming. I was just waiting.

You through for the day?

Oh, I got biology lab at 2.20. So you're hacking off until?

Yeah, well, I thought I'd come and bug you.

Hmm.

Is, uh, Marty often late at bed check?

I don't know.

She was last night.

And according to Miss Lateness, you're usually later than she is.

Count on Marty.

Well, she was probably out running around with one of her six boyfriends.

Six?

Yeah.

And they're all orangutans.

You didn't believe her, did you?

Well, just thought you should know who your friends are.

What is this constant motion?

I'm just eager to get out of here.

Oh. Three weeks and two days.

And I'll be out of this prison for good.

What can I wear for baccalaureate?

Oh, I don't know. Find some old rag.

Yeah, don't I know.

Hey, baby.

You okay?

I'm terrific.

She can walk through that door any second.

Where is she anyhow?

Oh, who knows? She's always disappearing these days.

Oh, what else?

Toothpaste. Get it over here. Get it over here.

What else? What else?

What else?

Shaving cream. Oh, go get it. Go get it. What next? What next?

Mayonnaise.

I desperately need something else here.

And that is not it.

See, it's gonna be impossible to get any work done in here tonight.

Exams are four days away, and you're all going crazy.

Ideas, Celia, ideas.

No, we should be studying.

But that's...

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

I think we should get out of here. What's up?

Mary, shut up.

Well,

what is

this collection?

You have exactly one minute to lights out. Now, do you think you can possibly

make that? Yes, Miss Gelson.

Perhaps I'll be back to see you.

That's it for me, then.

Lisey, where are you?

Gonna be in trouble.

Gonna get me in trouble.

It's out now.

I'll come back and clean this mess up later.

Thank you.

What happened?

It just started.

It couldn't have.

The curtains did.

Is that right, Lane?

Yeah.

Where were you?

Lane was in bed, and I wasn't quite.

That's right, you weren't here when I came in before.

Were you smoking?

I don't smoke.

I hate it. That's all Mother does.

And what did you see, Lane?

Not a lot, Miss Gelson.

Why do you have boots on?

Oh, I'm breaking them in for the summer.

Do you sleep in them?

Just about.

It couldn't have been spontaneous combustion, could it?

Or maybe the lightning?

Could have been anything.

All right, everybody, back to bed and stay out of this room.

Lane, you and Wheezy sleep in the infirmary.

In the morning, we'll investigate this further.

Where were you?

I was out looking for you.

But I was in the room.

Not by 1102, you were not.

Well, I'm sure glad you managed to get the door open. How'd you do it?

What do you mean?

Well, the way it was stuck, I couldn't budge it.

But it opened very easily.

Oh, now, that's weird, because it didn't.

Oh, you're crazy.

You're serious.

Well, that's weird, weird.

We're out of the room. Oh.

I don't think so.

You mean we've done it again?

Escaped the wrath of God?

I think we have, Ollie.

I really thought she had me with my boots on.

If you stop, would you start again, and this time, please, on your left foot,

and hesitate between each beat.

And.

Let's start again, please.

Don't say it. You'll wrinkle the gowns.

Now, Lane.

Yeah.

As class president, you just walk to the rostrum and make your welcome speech.

Have you written it?

Yes. Well, would you give it a try if I was paying it?

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. And my mother thanks

you. Testing, one, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, three.

Ladies and gentlemen.

Romans, friends, countrymen, and lowly plebeians back there, please lend us

your ears and your chemistry brains.

No, okay, seriously, seriously.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends, parents, teachers, we'd like to welcome you to

the 53rd commencement exercises of the Helen Page School.

Thank you for coming.

Oh my god!

What are you looking for?

Who's that?

I'm here.

I'm Sergeant Tappinger. Who are you?

Ellen Sumner. I'm a teacher.

I beg your pardon?

Ellen Sumner.

I'm a teacher.

What are you doing here?

I don't know. I'm not sure.

Well, it's not healthy to sit in the dark.

Where are the lights?

What are you hiding out here for?

Just thinking.

About what?

Were you here?

It's a bad thing.

She looks like a trooper, though. She's got a chance.

These things happen.

Yeah.

Yeah.

But you see, there have been others.

Others?

Are there what?

Fires.

This isn't the first fire.

The curtains, the typewriter page, they were the same. Lady, what are you

talking about? It just started for no reason. I was sitting in my room, and

the page went up. It just... It just did.

And the curtains in my daughter's room... It's not natural.

There's something here.

Lady, look.

Here. See?

I'll bet that light doesn't work.

See?

I'll bet it was the short circuit.

It didn't happen that way.

I was here. I saw it.

She just started to burn.

Lady, you're talking crazy.

Now, the lights went out right before it happened, right?

That's proof.

That's what it was.

Yeah.

I'm a man of science, and this isn't my area of purview.

I don't see how I could be of help to you. I just don't know what to do. I

know of a man, though.

At least I've heard of a man.

He might be what you're looking for.

His name is Kevin Leahy.

I don't know how to locate him, but I'll see what I can do.

Blue, I want you to know I've been trying to get outside help.

You what?

What kind?

What for?

Because the sergeant didn't believe me.

What did you tell him?

That it wasn't the first fire.

But they were different.

It's just two.

There's no connection.

There was one in my room before.

You didn't tell me that. When?

It was a piece of paper. It just... Don't be fantasizing. You'll be telling

me the interview, doctor.

Give me any sign they can help and I'll do it. I'll try anything.

What is that?

No,

no, no. It'll be all right. It's just some freak accident. It'll be all right.

Mrs. Sumner, I know you've been trying to get a hold of me.

My name is Leahy.

And then this man I went to knew of you. He didn't know how to find you.

I don't know what else to tell you but what's happened.

I mean, the fires.

The police don't believe me.

My sister doesn't. No one does.

I could use a drink. Would you like one? We could drive into town and get one.

I'm an alcoholic. I don't drink anymore.

Oh. But I'd be happy to go if you'd like.

No, that's all right.

I'm just scared and trying not to show it.

I mean, what's next?

What if it happens again? What if it doesn't stop? What is it? It may be only

what they say it is, something rational.

I can't tell you it's not.

But I can tell you something.

Evil strikes. It does strike.

And it strikes randomly. No explanation, no reason.

Maybe it's come here.

But why?

Why would it? There is no why.

If it has, it'll come again and again. If it has... I'll have to find out what

way it's coming, who's carrying it.

And then?

Mrs. Sumner, I'm not connected with the church. There's no ritual, no procedure.

It's different every time.

But you will know what to do.

I don't know.

It is here.

Maybe so.

I'm okay, Michelle.

Getting ready to get out of here?

Yeah.

I'm hoping to make graduation.

But the doctors, they won't say.

They aren't sure about my leg.

I'm afraid I may lose them.

Lane, the doctor said they are some third degrees.

Some of the burns, it'll have to go.

I know they're ugly now, but they'll pass.

I've seen worse.

How are you?

This is Mr. Lane.

Lane, he'd like to know what you remember.

You're a policeman?

No, I'm not.

Then I knew

I was on fire.

And I froze.

I didn't want to, but I froze.

You didn't see where it came from?

No.

Just like Weezy did.

And you didn't see much of that either?

Lane, tell about the door.

What do you mean?

Wheezy told me, and I told Miss Lane.

Oh.

Go ahead.

Then you know that I wasn't actually in the room.

I think we know now.

Then the door didn't stick.

Wheezy said it did.

But I could open it easily from the outside.

She was covering for you.

Where were you?

Can it matter now?

Who's going to punish you?

I was out looking for Wheezy.

She hadn't come in by 11.

I was just out looking for her.

You were covering for her.

Wheezy, this is Mr. Leahy.

He's not a policeman, but he's looking into the fires.

He'd like to ask you about the one in your room.

But I've already told everyone about five times all I know. Yes, I know.

There's nothing else you want to tell?

No.

What about how you weren't in your room by lights out?

How Lane was out looking for you?

Excuse me, Mrs. Sumner.

I'm not concerned with that.

Perhaps I could talk to Weezy by myself.

I talked to Lane.

She told you?

She told me you couldn't open the door.

Well, I couldn't.

And it wasn't locked.

She told me you were her best friend.

Does she blame me? For what?

For the fire in the auditorium. Why would she do that?

She lied for me.

What about Lights Out?

That's got nothing to do with the other. That doesn't cause another fire.

I know.

What's going on? What does Mother think? I don't know.

I'll tell you where I was that night.

You don't have to. I want to.

I went to see Mr. Wingham, our biology teacher.

I'm not good in biology, and he said he'd help me get ready for the exam.

So, spiders are arachnid.

Arachnida.

Arrhenia, specifically.

Web spiders catch and wind their strands around their victims and mummify them

before they have them for dinner.

Some even devour their own. But, spider's not a bad fella. In fact, in

many ways, he's a truly extraordinary creature.

Now, in here happens to be one particular example.

I got $5 for whoever will come up here and let him out of the jar.

What?

No takers, huh?

What's to be frightened of?

All right.

I'm gonna have to pick a volunteer.

Only Jane in the class. Come on up here. Be brave.

Unlike Insecta, Arachnida have four sets of legs, not three.

This particular example isn't very large. He's known as Lateroticus,

Mactens, or popularly as the Black Widow.

Why, Jane, what about your $5? I'll tell you what.

I'll give you one if you just touch the jar.

I wonder if that top's on tight.

Oh, come on.

Now, that wasn't so tough.

Dangerous spider?

All right.

Know what you're getting scared at before you do.

And I don't mean just Jane, I mean all of you. Don't take my word for it.

The Black Widow has an hourglass-shaped red mark on the ventral side.

And although the bite is poisonous, chances are you wouldn't die from it.

And most spiders are not harmful or poisonous. We'll see some real ones

tomorrow. Okay.

You always scare them to teach them.

It's effective.

There's some things more frightening than spiders.

Oh, yeah.

Toads and snakes.

Bufonidae. Serpendis.

Other creepy crawlers.

Maybe that's not what you had in mind.

I was thinking of fire.

That was grisly. You got there in time to save Lane's life.

I got the jacket over her, that's all.

How do you think it happened?

You mean I have a pet theory?

I don't know.

Give me one.

Spiders?

I can't explain it.

Mrs. Summers' daughter came here a couple of nights before that.

Wheezy, you mean? Yeah.

I take it she'll not pass.

No, that's not true.

Well, I gather she was worried about it, and that's why she came to cram for the

finals. Yeah, that's true.

But she's a good student.

I missed the transition.

Why are you asking that?

I don't know.

Oh, wait a minute, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain.

You must have some reason for asking me these questions.

Oh, I'm not a cop.

you've got lurking around your institution.

I'm informed he goes by the name of Leighton.

What are you doing sitting here in this cave?

I was just thinking.

It's a mistake.

Always a mistake.

Every day I dissect animals that don't, and they're much happier.

What's the worry?

What part of your precious school is still afire?

Ellen says that they're related, the two of them. They, too?

I never heard about any other.

Actually, she says there'd been three of them. Now, wait a second. Let's stick

with two first. What other one?

Blaine and Wheezy's room. It was partially burned two nights before.

I guess biology teachers are hopelessly uninformed.

Is she right?

Is she right about what?

Why do you give yourself a complex about your sister?

She's prettier than I am. Ah, that's a lot of bull.

Her daughter, maybe.

But only because she looks a little like you.

Are you all right?

I have to hold this school together, and these things could really wound it.

It's a good school, Paul.

You don't have to convince me.

I spent years doing that.

Why are you going?

The time has come, the walrus said.

Was it the walrus?

You understand.

I can't stay forever.

Too many memories of the back room of the biology lab.

Some great experiments there.

Besides, I can't teach boys.

Concupiscent girls and dying bullfrogs, that's my meat.

You're a good teacher.

Thanks for the recommendation.

So are you.

And a good headmistress.

I want to get a key to the chapel and I want to see your daughter's room. Excuse

me.

What was my daughter hiding?

Was it a big secret?

Not so big, plain sight.

She was out studying, using the bio lab.

Well, why wouldn't she tell me that?

Did you believe her?

I believe much of what she said, yes. What didn't you believe?

No, it's not that. I don't believe everything anybody says.

You're a cynic.

I'm beyond that.

You were a priest, weren't you?

I was a minister, yes.

And you left it.

You lost your faith.

I was kicked out of the church. I drank too much. I lost it. I was an adulterer.

And other things.

You weren't a priest, were you?

I believed in the bread and the wine.

And now?

You don't believe in anything.

I believe in evil.

And that it can be taken on.

You, Ben.

How are your gauze mittens?

Oh, they're okay.

You look like a great boxer.

Oh, I gotta tell you something. Good in the clinches.

I told this man that I was late the other night and that I came to see you

about exams.

I know.

Now, how do you know?

I know everything.

Except I almost got fried the other night after you didn't mention that.

Ah, that.

Listen to her.

Well, I'm not scared.

That I know.

Easy, Miss Louise.

Don't call me that.

Wheezy, then.

Not that either.

I hate them both.

Well, make up a new name then.

Millard Fillmore.

Look, in ten days, you're gonna be out of here.

Then what?

I made no promises.

In fact, you told me not to.

Yeah, I know.

Let's go in the back room.

And I'll teach you about the chicken and the egg.

Which comes first?

The girl steals my lines.

Yeah, well, you stole something of mine.

Oh, wait a minute.

Lucidus, too.

Was it time?

You're irrepressible.

How come you're leaving?

Is it because of her, Paul?

Who, her?

You know.

No, I don't know what you're talking about.

You do, too.

Maybe I'm leaving because of you.

I wish.

Well, then it's true.

I hate you.

Wheezy.

Wave.

Sergeant, the headmistress won't come in here, but she'll see you.

Miss Gilson?

Yes.

There's something to all this.

Nobody seems to want to help.

Nobody seems to know anything.

Or so they say.

Out of thin air both times?

Can't be.

Yes.

You weren't there last night?

No.

Tell me, what was this biology teacher like?

He was a good teacher.

Yeah.

But what kind of a guy are we talking about?

The girls liked him.

That's what I mean.

Is it possible he fooled around?

No.

That would be grounds for dismissal. Of course.

I figured your head, you know what goes on.

But it must be pretty tough being a female with only other females hanging

around.

What has that got to do with anything?

I can't tell yet.

Hello? Mrs. Sumner, this is Dr. White.

Hello, Doctor.

I read in the papers about your trouble.

I want you to know that I haven't been able to find that man-lady yet, but...

The policeman questioned you yet? Not yet.

I wish we could get out of here.

Who are you, really?

Why did you come? How did you get here? I am what I told you. I came because I

had to. It's not important how.

I'm here to help, if I can. That's what's important.

What are you saying?

Are you saying that you finally believe me?

I never didn't believe you, Mrs. Sumner.

I don't understand you.

I don't want language tricks.

This isn't Pythagorean theorem.

Why Lane?

Why Paul?

I've told you before, there is no why.

I know what you said, but there has to be. No, there doesn't.

Why don't you stop it?

When are you going to stop it? What are you doing here if you can't stop it? I

never said I could stop it.

Well, we can't just wait and wait and wait.

No.

Oh, you're so damn calm.

What is this mystery you're selling?

This dark, quiet presence.

What can you do? Why did it come?

Now listen to me.

Listen to what I say.

You've got to believe me.

Please.

Stop demanding reasons. There is no why. There is none.

Can you win?

I don't know.

What do you do?

Keep on.

I want to ask you some questions.

Yes? I want to talk to some of the other teachers about these fire incidents. I'm

not a teacher.

I saw you hanging around a lot of these costs were mine.

You were there last night. You must have some idea what's going on. You know I

was here? I asked around.

A lot of people have seen you. They don't know exactly who you are. But then

you knew I wasn't a teacher.

Well, I had that suspicion, yeah. Look, I'll be happy to tell you who I am. I

know that. Then you know why I'm here. My next question.

The same reason you are. The fires?

Yes. Do you have any idea who's setting them?

Yes.

I smell a pyro.

Some little girl who's jealous of the class president and that frog-dissecting

teacher decides to do both of them in.

Or maybe they were fooling around.

Tricky, though. Has the earmarks of a professional.

Could be the wires.

Or the Bunsen burner.

It's unlikely, though.

You got something.

Will you believe me? I've seen a few things.

You're a good cop, Lieutenant.

Sergeant. Sergeant Toppinger. I should have introduced myself back there.

And you're right, I'm a damn good cop.

Sergeant, what do you believe in?

What do you mean, what do I believe in? What kind of question is that? Simply,

what do you believe in?

I'll tell you what I believe in. I believe in my badge.

I believe in getting to the bottom of things. There's got to be a reason for

everything. For everything?

Wait a minute. I ask the questions here. That's my business.

Yes.

But how can I answer what you can't see to ask?

I should shut the school.

What other choice do I have?

He almost got up.

He was leaving in June.

At least he went quickly.

He was lucky.

I used to come here to the field of butterflies when

I was a teacher and I'd close the door.

There weren't so many then and I don't like them so much now. Is that why you

came here?

Am I making sense?

You're under a lot of pressure.

We'll get to the end of it, Louise.

We met before.

I don't think so.

I saw you with Ellen.

She needs somebody.

Now that Wheezy's going.

She can take care of herself.

How do you know that?

How can anyone know that?

Why did you never marry?

I was frigid.

Who knows?

It's been so long.

You shouldn't have let it be.

Well?

Oh, dear God.

What is it? What is it?

I've got to get out of this room and I've got to go back to my office and go

to work and... Take charge.

I taught myself to do that.

I'm all right now.

I'm all...

Goodbye, butterflies.

I love you.

I'll be all right.

Are you all right?

Sure. I wanted to talk to you. I didn't want this to happen.

About Paul.

About when Jim... I'm sorry. You had to see that. I'm so sorry.

It's okay.

I didn't sleep much last night. I just couldn't.

We'll try and get some now.

No, no, no. I got a class to teach.

Louise suspended classes, Mom.

Oh, that's right. I remember.

Mom.

I know I sound bad. Don't worry about me. I just feel washed out.

Is there anything I can do?

No. Thanks for being so terrific.

What happens next?

Where are the policemen now?

I don't know. Are they still questioning?

I think so.

She'd hurry up.

I don't care where he is.

I just want to get out of here.

Well, I'm not going anywhere.

I'm not leaving this room unless Ms. Gelson drags me out.

Did the others get to go home after you talked to them?

I don't know.

Where's the freshman?

Where's Celia?

I feel like eight people are missing.

At least.

Yeah.

Are you alright?

What is it?

Louie?

Is it me?

You what?

All these horrible things.

You didn't do them.

Oh, how do you know what I did?

Maybe I don't. Tell me then.

Is God punishing me for sleeping with Wengem? Why would God punish you for

that? You're not the first person who's slept with someone.

Oh, this is different.

Look what happened.

Am I evil?

I mean, is this happening because of me?

We see everyone breaks rules.

We all can find something to blame ourselves for. We all carry some guilt

in our hearts, some dark secret, whether it be an illicit love affair or

whatever.

But that guilt is not evil.

And believe that. You can.

You did nothing so wrong. But our room and name for lying and... This is evil,

not yours, not anyone's.

If only it were so simple.

She loved him, too.

And she hit me. Who hit you?

She called my name.

Louise? She was here.

And she must have known about us.

I'll talk to you.

Oh, baby, what is it?

Mom.

Come Sandy and Marty.

Come Alex.

Where is he mother?

Where is he?

You've opened the school again.

Mm-hmm.

No more tragedies.

No more.

Tell me, what happened to that man, Mr. Leahy? I've been looking for him.

We're not sure.

Who was he, really?

I don't know.

Goodbye, Sergeant.

Welcome.