Original subtitles

So cute.

Shh.

I know it's kinda strange,

but my grandmother's always been my best friend.

Seriously.

She'd seen hard times.

Just after Grandma had triplets,

they tell me my grandfather axed himself in the head

while chopping wood.

They must think I was born yesterday.

Uncle Ian calls it "The Axcident."

Pun intended.

Mom says he just uses humor to hide his real feelings.

I don't know. Must've been pretty tough for them.

There's a lot of stories they don't tell me,

but I can feel them.

They're in the dirt that I walk on when I visit this place.

Anyway, I'll never forget all the things

Grandma tried to pass on to me.

Even the ones she didn't mean to.

Harder. Harder, man.

It's hard being an outsider.

And you and me come from a long line of outsiders.

People like to prey on those who are weak.

But you have to remember something.

It's not because we are weak.

It's because we are strong.

My grandma taught me that.

What's this?

A warning.

It means if anyone who lacks courage

steps foot on her grave,

she'll reach out and strike them dead.

But she was just kidding, right?

See for yourself.

Whoa.

Don't move!

If you move, she'll strike.

You have to be brave.

You have to stand up.

Here.

Look her in the eye and play.

What? Do it.

She seems to approve.

If you can stand up to a beast,

you can stand up to a bully.

Oh. Wow!

Momma.

Wow.

Looks good.

What is it, Momma?

- Oh, gosh! - No!

Get out! Get out of my house!

Whoa, what happened?

Mercy cut me.

Don't go in there.

Get out!

Grandma!

Georgie?

Georgie...

I tried everything, Georgie.

I can't cure myself.

It's gonna be okay. The doctors are coming.

They don't know anything.

All I wanted was a baby.

Georgie.

He's coming.

You got to get out of here.

What? - It's for your own good.

Georgie. - I'm not going anywhere.

I can protect you, Grandma!

I love you!

I love you too.

More than anything.

But you can't save me.

George? You need to come now.

No, not now! - George!

He's coming! He's coming!

Did you hear what I said?

Grandma had a stroke?

Is she dead?

Mom said stroke. Stroke doesn't mean dead.

Might as well be.

Ow! You moron!

Guys, stop it!

She's not dead,

but she's in pretty bad shape.

The idiots at the nursing home

say they won't take care of her anymore.

Why?

There's been, um...

Problems.

What kind of problems?

So she's gonna live with you now, huh?

I wish.

We're going to stay at Grandma's place for a while.

Mom says we'll take care of her there.

What's wrong with your house?

She wants to die in hers, huh?

You haven't seen her since she got sick.

I should have.

It's not your fault, George.

You care too much.

No. - You do.

That's why I watch over you.

Georgie, look. You mustn't...

George.

Who you talking to?

The girl next door.

The girl next... Or God, maybe.

Well, either way you're supposed to be in class.

No, I've done my work for the week.

School policy, George. You still have to go.

Or what? You gonna drag me in?

I'm nothing like my brother.

He hates going to Grandma's.

But he's kinda weird.

He's 15 and only cares about his cooking

and being a chef one day,

but at least he has direction.

Maybe I'm the weird one.

Can't you just use ketchup like a normal person?

I'm not a normal person.

I'm a "supertaster."

A what?

Doctor Frankel said I have a third more taste buds than most people.

And 100 fewer IQ points.

Guys! Oh, for God's sakes!

This blows.

Why are we stuck taking care of Grandma anyway?

Uncle Ian lives closer. He works.

And you don't?

What about Aunt Jinny?

She's got to get out of the nuthouse first.

It's a hospital.

I've got to get a healthier family.

Why do you have to be such a jerk?

Aren't you just a little sad?

I mean, it's the last time you're gonna see Grandma.

Oh, doesn't look so bad.

Should've stayed in a hotel.

Watch it!

It's Grandma's favorite lamp.

Oh, no. Not Grandma's favorite lamp.

Yeah, see? Now you got the haints angry.

That's just the house settling.

The house has been here for 150 years.

Don't you think it's already settled?

Don't try to freak me out.

I don't have to.

You know what happened here.

Grandma was sitting there, holding Mom.

Grandpa Frank, he was standing here.

Holding an ax. Bite me, George!

Everyone knows it was an accident.

How can you cut yourself in half by accident, you moron?

I'm sure it happens all the time.

Maybe he like...

Tripped.

And...

Who cares anyways!

You do.

You think he's still here.

Can't you see him? Walking this room?

Rusty old ax in his hand?

Just give it a rest, okay?

What happens when he runs out of head?

Who's he gonna turn his ax on then?

Turn the light on.

I'm warning you.

You wouldn't hear him coming.

The last thing you'd smell is his whiskey

and his hot, stale breath on your neck.

- George! - And then...

Stop!

Stop...

What's going on, Jimmy?

What's going on, hey!

Buddy, Basil, come on!

Basil, come on!

Ah, thought you were a ghost.

I ought to call the cops on you, Jim. The way you scared my boys.

Me? Hell, Reb, you should've seen them going at it.

Boy's gotten heavy too. I think I threw my back out.

Buddy's cooking.

How's the photography, Mr. Swann?

Selling any photos?

Uh. Well, some folks prefer my wife's paintings,

but I do sell enough to afford the occasional libation.

Libation? Oh. Means they can get plastered.

George!

Boy's got a mouth and a vocabulary.

Speaking of which,

look what I got for you.

Little education.

Sweet.

Isn't that a little scary for him?

Oh, hell no.

It's just about a guy trying to kill his entire family.

My daddy did it all the time.

Is there anything for me?

Damn. Did I forget you?

Gift card to my cousin's grocery.

You can Bobby Flay yourself to death.

Thank you.

Anything left for me?

You?

Just my undying love and the pleasure of my company.

I think your wife might have something to say about that.

I wouldn't tell.

Well, I just figured you, you know,

need some help getting the house ready.

Oh, you don't have to do that. No, no.

Oh. Come on!

Your mama practically raised me. I owe her big.

And it's a pretty decent excuse for me to come visit.

Mom's 15 again.

She should've married him.

She would've had to move back here.

Yeah, so?

Mom loves him enough.

Not as much as she hates this place.

Mom?

Hey, George. You ready?

Let's go get Grandma.

Ah, shit!

Family reunion!

Hey, Uncle Ian.

Hey, Uncle Ian.

Jesus, you boys got tall.

You got a little wide.

And you started a little early.

It's my day off, Beck!

In fact, I was just down in Coopersville.

I got you guys a special present, okay?

So you'll always have something to remember your special trip

to see your Grandma.

Here you go.

That was funny, all right? I'm trying to lighten the mood.

You should try humor.

This is an advertisement for dying young.

Welcome. Grandma's room's right there, boys.

So I signed the discharge papers. I thought that might help.

"Help" would be taking her in yourself, Ian.

No, that would not be. That would be martyrdom.

What is this?

It's a room.

You told me she had a private room.

She did, at first.

Lanning, I sent you thousands of dollars!

And it got spent.

Metamucil tax.

The quality oatmeal.

You know we had to get a few roommates to defray the cost.

How many?

I don't know. Four, five?

Four or...

Six.

Six? Get over here.

Let's go! Ow.

She said you'd come to get me.

Keep her away from me!

What?

Jesus, help me. What's going on?

This guy, he tried to grab George.

What?

She's here, honey.

Jeez.

Sorry, George. She's like this most of the time.

Grandma?

You carry that thing everywhere?

Just when I'm with your grandma.

Why?

Ask her roommates.

All right, so you got her drugs.

Special pillow.

For God's sake, don't give her another pillow.

And then you got these.

Wait. We have to change her diapers?

Yeah, she's pretty regular.

Is she ever lucid?

Yeah, for a few minutes of the day.

Mostly she's like an infant.

Gurgles, drools.

The most important thing is you have to remember

to give her her shots when she's awake.

Chlorpromazine? Isn't that for mental patients?

It helps keep her... Friendly?

Just gotta dilute it with saline solution and you'll be fine.

Now your brother said that you had medical training, correct?

In the army.

Great! That's good for me.

Wait, wait, wait. Um...

Do you think maybe you could stick around for a couple of days?

Make sure that we're doing everything right?

Uh...

I'll pay you double what you're making now.

What d'ya... Take care.

Ugh! I'm going with Wendell.

You're not going anywhere.

What? You think just because she's old

we're going to dump her in the street?

We're a family.

One day, I'm gonna be on that bed

and you'll be taking care of me.

That's up to Medicare.

Buddy!

Come here. Come here!

Look, I know this is hard. But we're in this together, okay?

And we're gonna face this with love and dignity.

Hold her down! I'm trying!

Sit on her feet then!

George, just hold the arm! Hold the arm!

Hold her arm!

What are you doing?

Did you see that?

No. It's in her handwriting.

Yes. Of course I'm sure.

All right. Well, thank you.

Your Aunt Jinny's been in isolation for the last month.

They don't know how she sent it.

Okay. Well, what does it mean? Hastur...

Don't say that.

Why? Who's Hastur?

Oh, come on! Come on!

No, it's just a stupid old name

that gets Grandma all worked up.

I quit!

She doesn't like that baby food crap. She wants real food.

She will get what the doctor ordered.

But Mom! She doesn't like it! Look.

Momma!

So, here's your baby back.

And there is the tekkamaki.

It's sushi. My dad FedEx'd me the fish from New York.

It's a little undercooked, son.

That's because it's sushi.

Why don't we go put it on the grill?

See, Mercy? It's rosemary, your favorite.

Let her smell it, Henrietta.

Mercy, he just wanted to see how you were.

Wow. Yeah, I took that.

So good. A couple of years ago.

Beautiful. I always liked the light there, right?

It's gorgeous. Oh, my goodness.

Yeah.

Those yours?

Yeah, Charlotte and I started a new catalog.

Look. Wow.

- Jesus. Mmm-hmm.

My darling wife painted that one.

Isn't she awesome?

That's a "Death Wolf."

The "Death Wolf"?

Yeah, it's an old hill folk legend.

You haven't heard of it?

Oh, we don't believe in that haint stuff.

Death Wolf's no ghost, honey.

You know, they say that she walks

the border between this life and the next,

hunting for lost souls.

If she catches you, she will eat you.

And shit you out in hell.

Nice.

My wife's the Devil worshipper in the family.

Really? 'Cause I'm gonna get five grand for that painting.

George, could you get some lemonade from the cellar?

Yeah. Yeah, sure.

You show your grandma this?

What?

Yes or no, boy! Has she seen it?

No!

All right, come with me.

Uncle Ian, you smell like whiskey.

You ever drink alcohol, George?

No.

Yeah, I didn't think so. I was about your age when I started drinking.

I'm not kidding.

You think I'm a class-A butthole, don't you?

It's all right.

I don't hold it against you, George.

It's most folks' opinion.

But you're the closest thing I have to a son,

so I want you to listen to me now, okay?

Hey! You listen, all right?

Now what did my sister tell you about your grandmother?

Hmm? She says she's a good mama?

Made us lemon cake?

Put Band-Aids on our boo-boos? Right? Yeah?

Yeah.

Well, that's her story.

'Cause your mama ran off and she joined the army when she was 18.

And she never saw how awful they got.

How awful what got?

Grandma's bad spells.

Well, she had little ones when we were young kids.

One moment she'd just be all kisses and whispers.

And then she'd turn on you like a rattlesnake.

Now, your mama was really strong, like you.

You know, she could handle her.

But when she left,

it was just me and Jinny. She sat us down and she says,

"Ain't no more of my kids leaving me.

"Come hell or high water."

Jinny was fine with it at first.

You know, she was the most like your grandma.

But things got complicated.

Let me show you something.

There's your Aunt Jinny.

With her boyfriend, Terry Clay.

They were so in love. It was beautiful.

Your grandma didn't like it.

She said, "There is no way in hell I'm letting you go, Jinny."

But Jinny stood up to her. She said, "I'm moving out.

"I'm getting married, I love this man."

What did Grandma say?

"Enjoy your honeymoon."

Yeah, I didn't think much about it,

till they went camping near Holly River.

Jinny said they'd be gone two days.

A week later, the rangers found 'em.

Papers called it a bear attack.

What was left of Terry you could've fit in a shoebox.

And your Aunt Jinny,

they found her hiding up in a tree.

And she screamed.

She screamed all the way to the goddamn nuthouse, George.

Now,

let me ask you something.

What kind of a bear

tears apart half a forest,

and doesn't leave one goddamn track?

I don't know.

You know, I never wanted to stay in this shithole town.

But that old bitch...

No, Uncle Ian. You can't possibly think that Grandma could have any...

Boy! Listen to me!

This is a warning. Your Aunt Jinny is just like your grandma.

She sees things.

None of us are gonna rest easy

till that old fucking bitch is in the ground.

You got it? Yeah, I got it.

Grandma, you ever hurt anyone?

How about some chocolate?

I know you're not supposed to have any but I snuck some.

Will you eat it for me?

Eat it for Mom?

For Hastur?

Hastur.

Hastur.

Grandma?

Can't wait to get out of this house.

Why?

It's just so creepy.

It's different, you know? From how it used to be?

Mom tell you what happened today?

No, what happened?

I was feeding Grandma and...

Then she started talking to me.

It was gibberish.

No. It sounded like a real language.

Like Middle Eastern or something.

You think Grandma's part Arab?

Maybe I should make couscous.

This isn't a joke!

She was herself, Buddy.

Maybe that chlorpromazine stuff is making her sick?

Are you a doctor?

No. Then stay out of it.

You're just gonna make things worse.

But what if... No ifs.

I'm telling you as your brother, leave it alone.

Oh, you're up.

Where'd you get that?

Right. Our little secret.

You want your medicine?

No, Grandma. Grandma, I can't throw it out.

I know, I don't like it either, but it's for your own good.

Stop!

Grandma, stop! Stop!

Stop! Stop!

Stop! Stop.

Stop.

Help me.

Come on, George. You ready to go?

There you go, Mama.

Babysitter's here.

It's about time.

Why do I have to go shopping? My old coat's just fine.

Yeah, I can smell it from here.

We will be back in a couple hours.

Try not to burn the place down.

Yes, Mom.

Come on, let's just have a look. Uh, hey, Mom?

Can I catch up with you?

There's something I want to check out at the bookstore.

All right, just don't be too long. Okay.

So, what brings you around here?

My grandma's been my best friend my whole life.

Now, people are telling me things.

So, why come to me?

I saw you at her house.

Anyway, that's your job, isn't it?

Telling folks what to believe.

No one wants to believe bad things

about the people they love, son.

You think Abel wanted to believe Cain was a murderer?

So you're saying love's a bad thing?

No.

I'm saying people do more evil in the name of love than anything else.

This is your grandma's Bible.

You guys were friends?

Best friends.

She and your grandpa helped me build this church.

She was the most Christian woman I've ever met.

What happened?

She loved something too much.

Children.

She wanted them more than anything.

But the good Lord decided not to give her any.

Mercy!

Miscarriage. Just like the others.

I'm sorry, Frank.

She ain't ever gonna be a mother.

Now you have to understand,

this was a woman who served God every day of her life.

She could not fathom why he had deserted her.

So, in time, she decided to look elsewhere.

What do you mean?

I don't hold with these local superstitions.

But there have been times when I've looked out at those mountains,

and I know there's something up there staring back.

Something old.

Mean.

Folks say that if God won't help,

what's up there will welcome you with open arms.

All I know is, your grandmother climbed up into those rocks.

And when she came back down...

Mercy!

Nothing was the same.

Well, you sure fooled me.

We might even be talking twins.

Now it's a little early, so I wanna keep an eye on you.

But I don't see why we can't celebrate.

Looks like we hit the jackpot.

Are you ready for number three?

She got what she wanted.

But there was a price.

He became the town drunk.

Beat three of my congregation half to death.

All I could do

was tell him to stay away.

Oh. Shh.

The end was inevitable.

Frank?

We both wanted a baby.

A month after your grandpa died,

she found gold on her land. Gold!

The next year, we had a drought.

Her farm was the only one spared.

Decade after decade, no matter how bad things were,

your grandmother always did very well.

And every time, she'd get a little meaner, she'd get a little nastier.

She was trading in the good bits of herself

to get what she wanted.

If you thought she was so bad, then why'd you keep her Bible?

Love is blind.

Well, maybe I'm blind, too.

She threw that Bible at me just after your grandpa died.

Swore she'd never set foot in my church again.

I've been praying for 50 years for her to come back and claim it.

Maybe it's your turn to pray.

"It's your turn to pray."

Jesus Christ! See, this is why we don't go to church.

Well, what was I supposed to do?

You could've come to me!

You never talk about Grandma!

He's right.

All right, what do you wanna know?

Did she ever hurt you?

Badly?

I'm still here, aren't I?

That's not an answer. Are you a mother?

No, but... Then how the hell would you know what it's like?

Raising three kids alone, no husband, no family.

When you got 104 degrees fever

but you still got to change three sets of diapers?

You think you'd be able to keep your cool all the time?

Your grandma could be mean.

And she could be rough, and I hated her guts sometimes.

But she never backed down from her duty.

But Uncle Ian said...

Uncle Ian is a pinhead.

Do you know I carried him and Jinny for 17 years

and all they could do was blame me and Grandma for their problems?

"Oh, I've had such a hard life."

"Well, boo hoo. Grow up and deal with it."

If there's one thing I learned in the army,

it's that you take responsibility for yourself.

Then how come you ran away?

Lanning!

He killed her! He killed...

It's not her blood.

You okay?

So, now they're saying Uncle Ian died of an aneurism

from all that drinking.

He hated her, right?

And he was drunk.

He put his hands around her throat and started squeezing.

You sound like you're trying to convince yourself of something.

What do you know?

You're just a figment of my imagination.

Is that all you think I am?

Tell me what to do, then. Help me!

This is your fight, George. You have to finish it first.

What's happening to you?

She's gonna need one of us close now all the time.

So, we'll have to sleep in shifts.

You mean it's a death watch.

Can you give us a minute?

Hey, George.

I'm sorry.

It's not your fault she...

No, I mean, I'm, I'm sorry.

She's been closer to you than I ever was. And...

I wanna change that.

Will you help me change that?

Must've been where the fight started.

Maybe we shouldn't open it.

What, you think it's gonna shoot out bolts of lightning or something?

One,

two, three.

What's it say?

Nothing.

We're wasting our time.

Charlotte's into all this stuff.

She's gotta know something.

Jim? Charlotte?

We shouldn't be here.

No, it's fine.

Jim said, "Come any time."

George, they're not here. We should go.

Here, see if you can find anything in that.

What should I look for?

Books with raindrops.

No raindrops.

What about "Tears"?

No tears.

"Weeping," "Sobbing."

Here's "Weeping."

Yeah, Weeping Book.

"During the witch hunts of the Middle Ages,

"anyone caught with a magic-related book

"was routinely burned at the stake.

"Legend has it that necromancers

"created a special type of book that could avoid detection.

"While the manuscript's pages appeared blank,

"text was actually written in an ink that only became visible

"upon contact with the salt of human tears.

"Hence the term 'Weeping Book'."

"An individual was required to cry upon its pages

"while praying for the thing that one most wanted.

"Words would then appear describing the necromantic rite

"needed to procure what one desired."

World hunger.

Darfur.

Julia Child.

Julia Child? She died too young.

You're supposed to cry over something you want, you dumb-ass!

What'd you think of?

If there was a way to cure Grandma.

Well, look at it this way. It'll make a really great diary.

Buddy, wait!

What are you doing? What do you think I'm doing?

We don't know what chopping this thing up will do.

You'd rather keep it around?

You really think that's gonna solve anything?

No, but I sure feel more...

Buddy! Mom!

Come here, come on!

Mom!

Here we go, here we go. Argh!

Okay, baby...

Mom, wait!

Stay with Grandma! What?

You know we can't leave her alone.

Mom, please. I'm really scared.

Call Jim! Have him come over.

Call Jim!

Mom, let's go!

Jim, it's George. Third message.

Just wondering when you're gonna be coming over.

Please call me.

Grandma?

Jim?

It's here.

Grandma, there's nothing.

What's here?

The Death Wolf.

Okay, Grandma, just stay, just stay...

No, no, no. Stay here.

Hastur!

It's coming! It's coming!

Mom?

It's your Aunt Jinny. She came to me, George.

Mercy's spirit. She told me what it was.

It's you, George. It's always been you.

What?

She held it up as long as she could.

But, please. You have to get away as far as possible.

You've gotta get out of the house.

I busted out of the hospital. I had to hurt some people.

Remember Dead Tree Hill? Jinny...

Just down the road from Grandma's. Meet me there tonight.

If you see him, make the sign... Jinny!

Make the sign of the cross!

Get away from me! Jinny!

Oh, no.

Come on, get up.

Come on, come on, Grandma, get up.

I can't lift you on my own, Grandma. Come on!

Oh, no, no, no. Grandma, wake up!

Wake up. It was just your medicine.

Please, wake up. Grandma, it was just your medicine.

Please, wake up.

No...

No...

911 Emergency.

Yeah. This is George, Mercy McCoy's grandson.

She's just...

Please hold.

What is happening?

Help me!

I can't.

He's keeping me out.

What do I do?

Get the ax in the cellar.

Break down the doors.

Hastur...

Jim!

Jim!

Back up for a second. You said she tried to cut you?

No, she tried to eat me!

Eat you? Like, like the pictures in the Weeping Book.

And then I grabbed the verbena plant

and I burned her face with it.

You fought her off with a houseplant?

It was a demon, Jim.

And the Death Wolf came after me

and I ran and... You believe me, right?

I don't know.

Charlotte.

I used to think it was just crap to tell tourists.

But...

But what? The kid's scared half to death.

He wouldn't have imagined any of this

if you hadn't told him those goddamn stories.

Don't blame me! What he's saying is different from the stories.

What do you mean?

The Death Wolf isn't a demon.

It's meant to go after wicked folk.

Why would it go after you?

Uncle Lanning.

What?

I switched out Grandma's drugs for saline.

She must've gotten some of her strength back.

She killed him, Jim.

I helped her kill my uncle.

George, you didn't help try to kill anyone.

Then how else do you explain it?

You said you left me messages, right?

There's nothing on my cell.

Isn't it possible that maybe...

I don't know, you imagined or dreamed all this?

No, it's true. And it's all real.

I called you.

Call the police.

And tell them what?

Do you think they're gonna believe this story?

They'll lock us up.

I don't care about the police.

I just wanna see my mom.

Ah, you got it, my man.

Let's go see your mom.

What's the matter?

Jim.

Why couldn't you have just stayed put, huh?

Why?

What?

Look, this is not what you think.

You're like a son to me.

You know how much I tried to turn her down?

Turn her down for what?

What the hell was she gonna give you, Jim? A new camera?

You're just a kid.

You don't know what it's like... Look at me.

You don't know what it's like to love someone

and not be able to be with them.

You have no idea.

She promised you my mom?

No.

Hastur did.

Hey! Don't.

Son, please, don't.

Come on! Shoot me. George!

Stop! Shoot me, you asshole!

George!

George!

Aunt Jinny!

Aunt Jinny.

Jinny, finally!

Oh, no, no!

Hello?

- George? - Mom?

George, what are you... George, where are you?

Mom?

Where's Aunt Jinny?

George?

George? Look I can't find Grandma

- and the house is all messed up and... - Oh, my God!

You could just keep running.

It'd be suicide to go back.

You know that.

I have to try.

What if you fail? Who's gonna help then?

Mom?

Mom, wake up. Please. Please, wake up.

Come on!

Hastur.

Grandma, please! There's got to be something left of you.

Hastur.

Stop! Hastur did this to you!

This isn't you!

Forget Hastur! You're my grandmother!

You're Mercy!

Mom.

That's what you want?

You have to be brave.

You have to stand up.

I love you, Grandma.

Georgie?

I love you too, Georgie.

Grandma?

The deal Grandma made came from a strong need for family.

The truth is I would've never been born, if she hadn't done it.

So, in a strange way,

even the darkest things in life can be a blessing.

But, no matter what challenges we face,

we'll face them as a family.

Just like Grandma wanted.