That was pretty tough, wasn't it?
It was.
Hard to believe we've
gotten to this point, huh?
We should have told her, right?
I mean, we should have
told her face-to-face
instead of the stupid
charade we've put on.
We don't need to burden
her with our issues.
She's got enough stress as it is.
So what do we do then?
- Want me outta the house?
- I'm outta the house.
I'll just come this weekend
and gather my things
and stay at a hotel until
I figure things out.
I didn't want our marriage
to become this, Jay.
I wanted it to work, I really did.
I'm not blaming you, most
marriages end like this.
I guess it was just our turn.
Do you know where you're going?
No, not really.
My GPS isn't working, there's no service.
We have a map in the glove?
Map?
No, I told you not to take this route.
You don't like highway driving.
I thought you'd like the scenery.
Well, it's hard to see at night.
I guess so.
Remember when we would just drive?
You know, just go where the road takes us.
Feels like that.
I just wanna get home.
I know.
There has to be a sign coming up
to get us back on the highway.
What now?
I need to walk to a gas station.
Walk?
We've been driving for hours
and we haven't seen sh*t.
Walking is not a good idea.
Well doing nothing is worse.
I'll walk, if a car comes by,
wave it down and ask for help.
I'm not staying here by myself.
I'll walk with you.
Well, at least I'm getting my steps in.
Yeah.
I feel bad for
not telling Lisa about us.
She knows, she has to know.
We've not been happy for so long.
I'm sure she saw this coming.
What are you gonna do now?
Move out. Move on, I guess.
Tired of making you miserable.
It's pretty crazy how
things happen, isn't it?
I thought for sure my
life was mapped out and
here we are, on the verge of divorce.
Look.
There's a house, let's go.
Hello there.
Hello, I'm Jay and
this is my wife, Allison.
We broke down a couple miles up the road
and we really need a call for help.
Oh sure. Come on in.
Thank you.
Sit.
We really need a tow or gas for our car.
Well, I know, but to get a tow or gas
might take some time.
I'll make the call,
but you're gonna be here
for a bit without question.
Thanks.
I left a message
with a tow company.
I think they might be closed.
Isn't there a 24-hour tow company?
Well that's what I called,
but it's only a 24-hour tow company
when the guy isn't passed out drunk.
I'm guessing if you
wanna walk up the road,
it's another 40 miles,
you'll find 'em at the bar out cold.
You don't get many
visitors here, do you mister?
Call me Wes.
That's what everyone calls me
and I don't ever see anyone
unless I go into town to shop.
That's the way I wanted it
when I bought this place.
Now look at me, craving some company.
I guess I didn't hate
humanity as much as I thought.
What's wrong with humanity?
What's wrong with humanity?
What line of work are you guys in?
I'm a teacher.
I'm in sales.
I was a homicide detective.
I've lived 25 years in
the blood and the guts
and saw things that nobody should see.
Yeah, it began to eat away at my soul.
I couldn't sleep, I needed out of it,
so I bought this place, retired,
and now I'm trying to see
if I can stop my nightmares.
When something is so terrible
it leaves a scar on the memory.
Hmm, PTSD.
Well you can call with that,
but I think scar on the
memory sounds cooler.
You know, it feels like I've
known you guys my whole life.
Oh, and you, you're okay
in my book too, Wes.
Yeah, I think we can
say that the tow truck guy
isn't coming tonight.
Will my car be okay on
the side of the road, Wes?
Oh yeah, unless it
gets run into by a moose.
We get those big f*ckers out here.
I bet.
I bet you get all kinds of wildlife here.
Deer and moose and bears.
Oh my.
My wife and I used to go to
parties when I was on the force.
We'd go to these parties and
drink wine and tell stories
and it was a really good time.
Now this, this sort of feels like it.
Is your wife here?
In spirit, yes, she passed on.
I miss her.
I miss the way she used to just sit there
and listen to me and wanna
know how my day went.
I'm sorry about that, Wes.
I really am.
Thank you, Jay.
I sometimes feel her spirit here.
I know it's just my imagination,
but I like to pretend it's not.
I'm hoping to see her on the other side.
I'm sure you will.
You said you told stories.
You a storyteller, Wes?
Well as a detective,
it came with the job.
So, why don't you tell us a story?
What is the strangest
thing you've encountered?
Strangest?
Okay, well I only tell true stories.
I might use poetic license here and there,
but this is real sh*t.
Some of it was pretty damn scary.
I bet it had to be.
Well what made it scary
wasn't the blood and the guts.
It was the unknown, the mystery.
There were occasions that
didn't make any sense at all.
I was told to make a case
that was very different than the others.
Different, what do you mean?
Well, you asked for it.
You screwed up, Slit.
You screwed up.
What am I supposed to do now?
I don't know.
I do know.
I know what I'm obligated to do.
I need your g*n and your shield.
Just like that?
Just like that.
You embarrassed everyone
with your outburst at
the press conference.
We got the wrong guy.
The wrong guy?
You got wrapped up in this fantasy,
and it's consuming you.
I told you to back off,
and you double down.
Dead kids.
11 dead kids, you may be
ready to close the case,
but the k*ller's still out there.
I will not close the case,
if there was a remote
chance of another suspect.
You're chasing ghosts.
You bought into bullshit.
I know a fantastic story
is more attractive.
But we got the guy, Bob
Williams is the guy.
The witnesses all saw the same guy.
Williams isn't the guy.
The k*ller's still out there?
He will k*ll again.
We need to find him and stop him.
You are suspended until further notice.
You need a break from this.
You need to not think about this.
This obsession with this
mystery k*ller is ruining you.
Go somewhere, do something.
I will be in touch with you
when the heat dies down a level.
You know you should really be relaxing
and enjoying this time away.
You're not on the job anymore.
I know, I know Sara.
But I can't get it out of my head.
Get what out of your head? Talk to me.
Eight years old,
the f*cking guy butchers an
eight-year-old and there I am.
I'm interviewing his brother
while they're carting
the poor kid's body away.
I can't let it go.
I can't allow him to walk free.
You think they got the wrong guy?
The kid said that a tall man
in black k*lled his brother,
a tall man that gave him candy,
and they called him the Muffin Man.
The Muffin Man?
Like the nursery rhyme.
Yeah, but hear me out.
There were four kids k*lled
in the span of two months
right here in this city 20 years ago.
And they called him the Muffin Man.
Same f*cking description the kid gave me.
He gave him candy and then he k*lled him.
And I think that son of a bitch is back.
And obviously he's thirsty for blood.
Okay, well what can I do to help you?
Nothing.
Nothing, this is my battle.
Come on, what about that
escape room that we did?
I figured it out and you
were lost, Mr. Detective.
So that means I can help you.
Okay.
The body of a nine-year-old
was discovered this
morning by a city worker.
Although the identity of the
victim has not been released,
the police are considering
- this a homicide.
- What's wrong?
Another f*cking kid.
I told that fat son of a
bitch Williams wasn't the guy,
and now look.
Oh.
See? Look here.
With these latest victims, he struck here,
here, and they found the
one from last night here.
He's in this area.
This is his feeding ground.
What are you doing?
Tonight, I'm gonna hunt him down.
You are a normal citizen
now, you're not a cop anymore.
He's k*lling children,
Sara, little kids.
I'm gonna stop him.
You have to report this
to the Captain, please.
I've been reporting it
to him for two months.
He doesn't give a sh*t.
Well, Williams confessed.
Why would he confess?
That's a good question.
I'm gonna ask him.
What do you want?
I want to talk.
You're the cop that blew
up at the press conference.
That's right.
That's why I'm here.
I wanna talk about the murders.
Without my lawyer here?
Are you serious?
You think I'm stupid?
I'm not talking to any
detective without a lawyer.
I'm not a detective anymore.
They suspended me.
They may have fired me.
Actually, I'm pretty sure they did.
I'm just a regular citizen now.
And this is just a friendly conversation.
Friendly?
I want answers because
I know you're innocent.
You know that?
Yeah, I bet my career on it.
Now, I just want to
ask you some questions.
Then ask.
Why'd you confess?
Because, I did it.
I don't think you did though.
I think you were a convenient
suspect, that's what I think.
I don't know why you would
confess, but you didn't do it.
Why do you think so?
Because I know who is
doing it, and it isn't you.
Then who is it?
I don't know much,
but he dresses all in black
and the kids call him the Muffin Man.
I'm gonna go.
You know something.
g*dd*mn it, what do you know?
I can't say anything.
Children are dying.
They found another one just this morning.
He's not human.
I don't know what he is.
But he's not to be f*cked with.
Not human?
What, you're not making any sense.
From a distance he could pass
for one of us.
In the darkness, he
can conceal what he is.
I think he sort of found
his way here from hell.
And now he's feasting and I
don't think he's gonna stop.
How do you know all this?
I came face to face with him.
I was taking my nephew for
a walk and there he is.
He was gonna k*ll my nephew.
Me too, probably.
But then he told me what
he wanted and let us go.
I did what he asked,
and here I am, in paradise.
He asked you to take the rap.
He didn't ask.
He made it quite clear
there wasn't a choice.
But maybe this is good news, right?
If he wants to be left alone,
maybe you cops can actually k*ll him.
Oh, I'm gonna k*ll him.
I'm gonna take him out tonight.
Kids will be safe and you'll be released.
Be careful detective, and good luck.
You'll need it.
What the hell are you?
What's wrong?
I'm not doing that sh*t
again, that's for f*cking sure.
Slow down. Tell me what's going on.
Okay, so I talked to Williams today,
and he basically tells me he's innocent.
Okay.
And he says the real k*ller isn't human.
He's some sort of sort
of demon or something.
Pretty f*cking funny, right?
Well here's the real funny part.
I come face to face with
him tonight, and guess what?
He's a real f*cking demon.
A real demon?
I guess, I mean, it
could be something else,
but he is not one of us, that's for sure.
Okay.
You're probably just
under a lot of stress.
It's a lot of pressure, just sit down.
I don't need to sit down,
Sarah, I need to drink.
That pressure didn't
create what I saw tonight.
I sh*t him.
I sh*t him point blank in
the chest and he laughed.
He laughed at it.
He picked me up like I weighed nothing.
He played creepy music
on his wood box thing.
He was,
he was terrifying.
Okay, let's just take
a deep breath and sit.
Let's take deep breaths, deep breaths.
We're gonna think about this rationally.
Let's just let everything digest, okay?
You calm now?
Yes, much better.
Okay, so tell me what happened.
Demon dude grabbed me. He plays music.
He can't be k*lled.
Oh great, that didn't help at all.
Let's look at this rationally.
You sh*t him.
He's probably wearing a bulletproof vest.
Maybe, just maybe, he was on
dr*gs, which made him stronger.
You see that? That's reasonable.
Yes, reasonable.
So we're over this whole demon thing.
Totally.
A demon?
I don't think suspending
your ass was the right thing.
I should have sent you right to therapy.
You have gone over the deep end here.
Kids are still dying and
Williams is still in prison.
What does that tell you?
It tells me that it's
not a perfect world.
That's what that tells me.
It doesn't tell me that the
boogeyman from the Twilight Zone
is doing it.
Sir, I want to take this thing out.
I am asking you for two things.
Go on.
I want a shotgun.
I'm guessing my g*n wasn't powerful enough
to do the damage I needed it to do.
A shotgun might fix his ass.
The other thing?
I want to be reinstated,
and I need you to come with me tonight
to see this thing and help me k*ll it.
That's three things, actually four.
The answer is no.
How about this?
You come, he doesn't
show and I go to therapy.
I admit, publicly, Williams is the guy.
But when he is there,
and you see I'm right,
we hand him his tonight.
Send him back to the
Twilight Zone, with a b*llet.
How do we find him?
Easy.
We just follow the music.
What?
We've been working for
two hours, and nothing.
How long is this field
trip supposed to last?
Hey, shut up for a sec.
You just say shut up?
Yeah, shut up.
You hear that?
He's here.
Follow me.
Is that him?
I don't know too many
others that play creepy music
and push a wood cart
around at midnight, yeah.
No g*nf*re, once.
Fine.
Hey buddy,
we are investigating a m*rder here,
and we need for you to come
down to the station with us.
Did you not hear me?
You're coming with me.
That a thr*at?
Yes Reid, you can sh**t.
That's all I needed.
Oh sh*t.
Okay.
I guess he's human.
You better be right about
him being a serial k*ller,
because if I only have him on
not having a vendor's license,
we both in hot water.
I'm right. Trust me, I'm right.
I'm just glad it's over.
Oh sh*t!
It's not over.
So how do you like it?
Ah, it's nice.
I get to sit at a desk and
make phone calls all day.
Your phone center isn't
as bad as they say it is.
You seem a lot more at ease.
I am.
I really am.
So this is normalcy then?
Mm-hm.
- No more late nights.
- Mm-mm.
- No more stress.
- Mm-mm.
No more saving the world,
just a regular nine to five,
and maybe some babies in the future?
Babies?
Yeah, I want children,
and you seem like the
best option at this point.
I'd hope.
And I'll think about it.
All right.
Well, I'm gonna head to bed.
So you wanna join me?
I'm not tired yet.
I'm gonna watch a flick.
All right well, we'll
see you in a little bit.
Okay.
- Love you.
- Love you, too.
No.
No.
No.
No!
It was one of those unsolved cases,
but everyone knew what was going on.
Witnesses heard the music
and saw the Muffin Man
as he pushed his cart up
there on little roads.
They all knew he was something else.
But usually the simplest explanation
is the right one, right?
The word is, usually.
Most of the time it makes sense,
and what a great world
it can be when it does.
But there are things in this
world that don't make sense,
and can't be explained,
unless you wanna say some crazy sh*t
that might get you locked up.
Yeah, it doesn't get
much odder than some demon
that likes music and
hands out candy, right?
Oh, I don't know.
Over the past few years
I began to think things
can shift in and out of this world.
We, even we can do it, I think.
Mandela effect, different dimensions.
That's very interesting.
That's what I'm talking about.
Who doesn't like talking
about mystery and the unknown?
We are natural seekers and
seek and we shall find.
You think so?
Because no one's found
anything that I know of.
That's why things are
still a mystery, right?
No Bigfoot captured, no aliens landed.
No ghosts busted?
Not all of that is true.
What do you know, Wes,
that nobody else knows?
Nothing probably.
But working where I worked,
put me into some very
interesting situations
with some people that were
of a higher security clearance than I was.
And some of 'em like to talk.
You're talking what, like CIA, FBI?
Yes and yes and beyond.
What's beyond them?
It's what you see
and what you were told.
Then there are puppet masters who know
what's really happening in this world,
and they've covered up a lot of stuff.
Thankfully I'm easy to talk to.
He opened up and I learned a few things.
Like what?
You know, I would love to hear this,
but can we do a follow
up on that tow truck?
Nothing personal, I just
really wanna get going.
Oh yes. Sorry.
I'll call him again.
Thanks.
I'm gonna use the bathroom?
Oh sorry,
no answer.
Hey Wes, I think I need some air.
We're gonna go take a walk.
Okay, but we'll be back.
I wouldn't go out there.
You know, there are things out there.
[Jay Like what?
You know, bears, coyotes.
You don't wanna be out there like that.
I'm sure it'll be okay, Wes.
You're coming back, right?
You mind telling me what that was about?
He didn't call anyone.
He just paced around his
kitchen like a crazy person.
Why would he pretend to
call someone when he didn't?
I have no clue.
Me either.
And that scares me.
We're in the middle of nowhere.
I don't even know what
f*cking town we are in,
and I don't trust that guy at all.
Okay, fair enough.
We walk, okay?
Eventually we'll get a passing car,
find a gas station or something.
All right.
What?
Something is off.
What do you mean?
My watch, the time hasn't moved.
Well, you have no service.
No no, it doesn't work like that.
And it's still pitch dark.
We've walked for hours.
Why isn't it getting light out?
Where's the sun?
We are stressed out.
We are tired, everything is fine.
If we keep walking, we'll find something.
Now let's keep moving.
Oh, no, no, no, no.
What the f*ck is this?
What the f*ck is this?
We've walked for hours in
the opposite direction.
How the hell did we get back here?
How is that even possible, Allie? How?
Relax, just relax for a minute, okay?
It is impossible.
If it's impossible, then
there's another explanation.
And I know exactly what that is.
Then what is it?
Wes had it moved to screw with us.
We are where we need to be.
We just need to keep moving forward.
This is a trick and not a very good one.
No, I don't think it's a trick.
I think this place is wrong.
I think we drove right into hell.
You tired?
We've been walking for a while.
Yeah, we have.
There has to be something up ahead.
I don't think so.
Why are you so defeatist?
'Cause I know we're defeated.
Defeated, what are you talking about?
You and I have been hiding
the sh*t between each other for so long.
Oh, we're happy on the surface, aren't we?
There's one happy couple, but we aren't.
We close the door and
we fight and we hate.
That hate doesn't go away.
It just manifests into something,
and that something we're
hip deep in right now.
What do you think we are in?
Not one car has passed
us in hours, not one.
We keep walking, and you
wanna know what I keep seeing?
The same stuff.
Trees look the same.
It's not just that.
It's everything.
Years ago, I went hunting
with your brother.
A deer walked into sight.
I went to sh**t, but I couldn't.
Your brother sh*t him, and down he went.
I walked up and looked that
deer right in the eyes,
and he knew,
he knew that his time was over.
I walked away 'cause I lost it.
But he knew that his life was over.
He knew he wouldn't see tomorrow.
I felt horrible.
But tonight,
I know how he felt because I feel it too.
We're going to die tonight.
Stand up.
I said get your ass up.
I'll admit, this night has been crazy.
And I'll also admit that our
relationship has been sh*t.
I am not dying.
You are not dying.
We are getting out of here,
because we keep walking.
Okay?
No more fantasy sh*t.
This is reality and we're
going to find something soon.
It's our car, isn't it?
Yeah.
And for them to move it,
they would've had to tow
it and we would've seen it.
Right.
So how did they do it?
I don't know.
I don't know.
They, they must know
shortcuts or something.
It's all woods, there are no side roads.
This is impossible.
We keep moving.
For how long?
For as long as it takes.
This is a trick.
I don't believe this.
We are going to find something,
but we won't find it if we give up.
I didn't expect you back so soon.
Why'd you expect us back at all?
It's dark. It's late.
There's nothing out there.
And it's been hours, Wes.
We've been gone quite a while.
If you say so.
You live out here, time
can kind of stand still.
So you two left just when I was about
to tell you something very interesting.
Muffin Man was interesting
enough for one night.
Oh, I don't think so.
You think it's an accident
you two ended up here?
What the hell does that mean?
What it means is the
universe puts people together.
That's all I was saying.
That was all, like you two
running into each other.
You two crossing paths in life.
It was meant to be, right?
Well, I guess everyone you meet,
you're probably supposed to meet.
There you go.
Now, since we are here,
and since you are somewhat
of a c*ptive audience,
I am going to sharing with you a story,
but something much better than that.
I'm gonna let you in on some
inside information that I know
you will be in a vast minority,
the people that know it.
Okay, tell us.
I'm sure you've heard it,
Roswell and the alien crash, right?
Do I start?
Do you want to start?
I don't know.
Never done this before,
don't know how it works.
Okay, well, well just start.
How about that?
Tell me why you're doing it now.
I've lived my life privately.
I've had to.
In fact, I've wasted my life.
I dedicated it all to my
work, to career, to, to money.
And I lost it all.
My kids don't talk to me.
My wife d*ed, and I've got nothing left,
except the code.
Okay, what code?
The code of secrecy and brotherhood.
I worked for an agency that
doesn't exist, but it does.
I know things.
Top secret things.
Okay, so you, you
work for the government.
The government is where I got the code,
and I worked for others too.
Okay, do you wanna tell me about that?
I used to design airplanes
and airplane components.
747,
757,
and m*llitary planes.
When I helped design improvements
to our stealth bombing technology,
that's when they came for me.
Who?
The agents, the suits.
I don't know their names,
but they put me to work on
the craft they recovered.
Well, one of them.
What craft?
Yeah, the craft.
It wasn't ours, and it wasn't made
in any other country on this
Earth, I can tell you that.
So, I was reverse engineering this thing.
See how we could use it for data,
figure out the mechanics or whatever.
And we were successful,
and we were using it.
And then the Grays found
out, and they were not happy.
They were not happy one bit.
In fact, they were furious.
And one day they busted
into our laboratory,
and they slaughtered most
of the team of people
I was working with.
So why are you telling me this?
Isn't, isn't this something
that can get you seriously
injured or even k*lled?
I'm already dead.
Stage four cancer, I got nothing to lose.
But I do have something to give,
and I'm gonna give it to you.
Why me?
I've read your work.
I read your book.
You know, it made me laugh
how certain you were of everything,
how you explained everything
away in such simplicity,
so sure of yourself.
I began thinking,
what would Mr. Banker do if
his rock solid belief system
was shaken up a bit?
Might be good for him.
Okay, so you're here to help me.
You know, usually it's
the other way around.
Well, you might be able to help me, too.
I'm having a hard time dealing
with the prospect of death,
but taking my secrets
to the grave with me,
bothers me more than the idea of dying.
I need to pass them on.
And since my kids don't talk to me,
you're the next best thing.
Words are just words, Ben.
I can't sit here and say that
I believe what you're saying,
but I think you believe
what you're saying,
and listen, I'm all ears really,
but words are just words.
Yes, just like in your book.
You said that in your book,
"words are just words."
I like that.
Well, when I see you next on Tuesday,
I'm going to bring more than just words.
And then we'll talk some more.
You'll talk and I'll talk and
it'll be like we're friends.
Come on, Ben, we are friends.
Look, I look forward to Tuesday.
It ought to be interesting.
More interesting than
you probably expect.
You have to tell me, you have to.
Jesus Christ, you know it can't, Jim.
Why in the hell would
you say something like,
oh, you won't believe
what this guy told me.
You don't say sh*t like that
unless you're ready to talk.
All right, look,
I'll leave out the names
to protect the innocent,
whatever I say stays here, okay?
Sure.
All right.
Well, I got this client who
says he works for the government
in their top secret alien UFO department.
Oh dude, dude, that's f*cking cool.
What did he tell you about it?
Nah, it's bullshit.
He's an old man, he's on his way out.
He's just being creative.
Yeah, it's entertaining,
but I think he's just watching
those UFO documentaries,
grabbing that information
and calling it his own.
Listen, the next time I see
him, we're gonna get past that,
and I really want to help
him cope with his situation.
How do you know he's making it up?
Listen, it's all bullshit, right?
You know, it's just,
there has never been one piece of evidence
that's ever been entirely conclusive.
Not one. It's all bullshit.
People love bullshit.
That's why everybody watches those
big footing, ghost stories
on TV all the time.
They love it.
They watch it. It's entertainment.
Dude, I think you're wrong.
When I was a kid, I saw a UFO,
a silver disc in the sky.
Jimmy, I'm not gonna argue
with you about what you saw.
Look, all I know, all I know
is that eyewitness accounts,
blurry pictures, and a good story,
that's just not good enough for me.
I don't think any
evidence would convince you.
You just don't wanna believe.
Come in.
Good morning.
Well, good morning.
I see you brought things.
I brought things, yes.
I brought things to convince you.
Okay, well, I'll tell you what.
How about we put that aside for now,
and I really wanna talk about you.
I wanna talk about your feelings.
Okay.
Okay, this can wait.
You wanna talk about my cancer.
Right, the cancer.
So, what are you feeling?
Terrified.
I'm sad.
I've wasted so much in my life.
My priorities were screwed up.
It bothers me.
Okay well, can you tell me about it?
Yeah.
You know, I will.
This might help you, just might.
I let my quest for financial success
take priority over my family.
I never realized how
fast time would go by.
Before I knew it, my kids were gone,
my wife, gone,
and I had nothing.
And you know who will remember
me fondly after I'm gone?
No one.
Nobody.
So, Mr. Banker, don't be like me.
Put your family first.
Geez, Ben, Ben,
you can still reconcile
with your children.
Just because you don't have
all the time in the world,
you have now.
Like right now, you should call 'em.
That ship has sailed.
I've tried to call them.
They won't forgive me,
and I think they're right.
They probably shouldn't.
Geez Ben, don't give up.
Okay. Okay, enough of that.
Now it's time for some
convincing, you know,
I've been sitting at
home last couple of days
thinking about that look on your face.
You think I'm a crazy old man.
No, no.
Listen, I do not like the term, crazy.
And I certainly wouldn't call you that.
I'd like to tell you something.
We have time, right?
You just got here, Ben.
We got all the time in the world.
Before I got cancer,
I had another disease.
It's called, ambition.
All I cared about was
moving up and up and up
with positions and projects
and power and money.
I got up to a certain point,
and that's when I met them.
The hybrids,
the hybrids,
half human, half Gray.
They look like us.
They look just like people,
but they're not people.
They blend in.
And sooner or later, one of these days,
very soon, they'll be in charge.
I worked with 'em before
the Grays found out
I was reverse engineering their craft,
I worked right alongside the hybrids.
So how are they to work with?
Unusual.
They have no emotion.
You'd think that some of our humanity
would come through to them,
but they're cold.
They're smart, and they're cold.
I couldn't get close to any of them.
If I even got near them, I felt a chill.
So how do you know I'm not one of them?
Hybrids do not have empathy.
They cannot be psychologists,
and no hybrid could write your book.
Well, you got me there.
I am not half alien.
Yeah, yeah. Good to know.
So what's,
what's in the box?
I knew you'd be intrigued.
It's like that game show, right?
You have chosen door number one,
and we're excited to
show you what you've won.
But first,
door number two.
Geez Ben, you know,
you know I'm no expert at any of this.
This could be real, it could
be printed off the internet.
I thought you might say that.
So now it's time for the main event.
I'm guessing that's what's in the box.
Oh, you're good.
Yes, it's what's in the box.
But there's only one rule, okay?
No returns, okay?
Okay.
I guess I don't have a choice here now.
No, you do not.
What,
what the hell is this?
What the hell is this?
Your face.
You just made it all worth it.
What is this? What is this?
What does it look like?
I know what it looks like,
but I just don't believe it.
Well, it's yours now.
You can send it away, right?
Get it tested.
You'll see that it's real.
Oh my God. Oh my God.
But but what are you doing
with a severed alien head?
Jesus.
My God, my god.
You remember I told you about
the Grays busting into our lab
and k*lled most of the team I worked with?
Yes.
Well, this guy, Chuck and I,
we were in the closet the whole time.
It was awful, the screams
coming out of that room.
We knew that people
were being slaughtered,
and then it got quiet for a while.
So we came out, place was
destroyed, bodies everywhere.
And then we saw it, the
Gray, he was still there.
So he started screeching at us.
So Chuck charged him, gave
him sh*t to the throat,
and it landed on the floor,
and we piled on top of it
and we managed to k*ll it.
Jesus, what about the rest of 'em?
They didn't come back.
We were lucky.
We survived.
Chuck got the body.
I got the head.
Yeah, but why?
Well, I don't know, proof maybe.
Some kind of primal thing perhaps.
We were put in a life and death
situation and we survived.
It's like a trophy.
Well, I survived anyway.
Well, what happened to Chuck?
Oh, you don't wanna know
what happened to Chuck.
What happened to Chuck
is he talked too much,
and they made him disappear,
disappear the hard way.
Well, not you obviously.
Well, they brought
me in for questioning.
But one thing I've learned over the years
is you tell people what they want to hear.
You tell 'em what they want to know.
I'm a survivor,
well, before cancer,
so I'm a survivor with an exception.
All right,
I'm gonna say something here, okay?
All right?
I believe you.
I believe what I am looking at
is a
severed alien head.
Tell me about 'em.
What are they, what do they want?
They don't want anything.
What they want, they've already got,
a fast track to complete control.
No no, hold on a minute.
Oh, Mr. Banker,
I'm afraid we're outta time.
For our next appointment,
we talk some more.
Would you like another alien head winner?
No. No.
Wait a minute, you have another one?
Have you ever known
anyone with two alien heads?
I've never known anyone with one.
Good point.
Don, I'm home.
What's this?
What's going on?
Well, it's an alien head.
An alien head?
Yeah.
One of my clients k*lled an
alien and gave me his head.
You know, that's nice.
You have a really great
Halloween decoration.
This thing is real, you know.
This guy worked for the government
and he didn't want to die
with this information.
It's a hoax, he's just playing with you.
Hello?
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, he was a patient of mine.
I'm very sorry.
I'm very sorry.
No, no, no, no.
Thank you so much for letting me know.
I really didn't know him.
We just talked a few times, but.
Yeah, okay.
My condolences to you and your family.
Yeah, thank you.
Anyway.
What's wrong?
The guy who gave me this
head just got k*lled today.
k*lled or d*ed.
Both, he was hit by a car.
He was crossing the street,
got nailed, he d*ed on impact.
That's terrible.
I'm sorry.
Honey,
tell me, what's wrong?
What if this sh*t's real?
Huh?
What if he got k*lled
because he gave me that head?
What does that mean for us?
Nothing, because it's not real.
Listen, we are packing and leaving town.
We're packing and leaving town tonight.
Go pack a bag.
You just have to slow down.
We have to get out of here.
We have to get out of here.
Look, none of this is real
because there are no aliens.
Listen, go pack a f*cking bag.
Geez.
Hey, you need to get over here.
Bill is going crazy.
You need to get over here, now.
Thanks.
Are you ready or what?
No, Jim is coming over.
Jesus Christ.
So what do you think?
It looks authentic to me.
You guys may have a reason to be worried.
I mean, if this is what it is,
you guys are in possession of something
that can get you k*lled.
You are not helping.
We can't live by conspiracy theories.
This isn't a conspiracy
theory, considering what we have.
I mean, if they knew that
you were talking to a guy
with that kind of knowledge,
and that he gave you top secret stuff,
you guys could be on their radar.
Nothing has happened. Nothing.
If there were this secret government,
men in black situation,
they would've been knocking
down the door, right?
Listen, I don't know how they work,
but this alien head is
our insurance policy.
We have to go to the press.
You still know that
girl at the newspaper?
Yeah.
Call her.
What's going on, Anne?
Show her.
Okay, what is it?
What's it look like?
I know what it looks like,
but what the hell do you
want me to do with this?
We think we're in some sort of trouble
because we have this,
but if you cover it,
then it can help us out.
I see.
I cover it, cat's out the bag
and they leave you alone, right?
Yeah, yeah. That's the idea.
Okay, I'll bite.
Let me go grab a camera, a recorder,
and we'll get this going.
You guys have a seat.
Please don't do this.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Don't do this.
Don't do this.
Just take the alien head, okay?
Just, just, just please,
just leave us alone.
Be quiet.
We won't talk.
We'll go somewhere.
Please?
We didn't wanna get involved in this.
- Anne.
- Please.
Anne, get away from him.
He's not gonna let us go.
You son of a bitch!
Damn you.
No, hey!
What's, what's, what's going on?
What, what's.
You are an intelligent man.
You could figure this out.
You're a, you're a hybrid.
You, you, you, you both are hybrids.
Don't you have any sense
of humanity at all?
We have a job to do, Mr. Banker.
You could have avoided this entire matter.
Oh no. Oh no.
How? It was dropped in my lap.
You chose to explore this topic.
You let your curiosity rule.
Are you gonna k*ll me?
That'll come.
You didn't, you didn't sh**t me.
You could have sh*t me.
You are correct.
What's gonna happen?
Nothing good.
There is a certain taste
we enjoy immensely.
Your pain will be intense,
but don't concern yourself.
The shock will kick in and
you won't feel a thing.
I knew they were telling
me the truth about it.
We are not alone as they say.
Why aren't you dead then?
If you know, the government
should take you out then, right?
Maybe they're waiting
for the right time.
Perhaps they'll come knocking one day.
Is there something
wrong with your clock?
Like what?
It's been midnight since we got here.
Batteries d*ed.
Look, I know you're both going stir crazy.
I'm sure that tow truck is on its way.
Let's cut the bullshit, Wes.
What do you mean?
I know you didn't call a tow truck.
I saw you in your kitchen
just pacing around.
You didn't call anyone.
What's the game here?
It's not easy telling people the truth.
What's the truth?
I came here a long time
ago, and I'm stuck here.
And now you are stuck, too.
What do you mean?
I knew something was wrong.
I mean, we kept passing our car
over and over and over again.
No way out.
There's no tow truck
because we are nowhere.
That's the issue.
I've been here 50 years I think,
but the sun never came up,
so I figure I'm still in
the same night I got here.
Tell me about the night you came here.
All right, I got lost
after leaving Detroit.
Find his place, we go
to sleep, we wake up.
No time has passed and my son is gone.
We go out looking for him,
but no matter which way we walked,
we ended up at the same place.
My wife was the next to disappear.
She would not give up.
She kept leaving and coming back
and leaving and coming back,
and one day she never returned,
but I heard her scream.
Whatever's out there
has both her and myself.
How many people have you
seen since you've been here?
Six.
They all have the same story I have,
same story you do,
checked in, but can't get out.
They're not here now.
Maybe they got out.
They didn't, I begged them to stay.
You don't know how tough
it is being out here alone.
It could drive you mad.
Well, we are getting out of here.
All three of us.
I have tried and failed.
You just have to accept that you're here
and we're not going anywhere.
Yes we are.
Let's go.
So how far have you walked, Wes?
10 miles, 20 miles, I don't know.
I walked one night so
long that I fell asleep,
and when I woke up, I
was back at the house.
We are really f*cked.
We are going to see
our daughter again, Jay.
Just keep walking.
Don't lose hope.
We need to go back. He's out.
What? Who?
Remember that Muffin Man
story I told you about?
- Yeah.
- Him.
Oh sh*t, run!
We walked two hours
and it took us five
minutes to get back here?
We are in hell.
We crashed her car and
d*ed and we're in hell.
That's the only explanation we have.
That is not the only explanation.
Then you tell me, what
other explanation is there?
This sh*t, that sh*t
out there is not normal.
Okay? Not normal at all.
We stepped into something evil,
and it's not going to let us leave.
You're wrong.
No, he is right, we're f*cked.
Why was the Muffin Man out there?
He was part of your story.
Why the hell is he out there?
I have a confession to make.
I wasn't a homicide detective.
None of these stories are mine.
Why did you lie?
People feel safer with a cop.
What are you then?
Who gives a sh*t?
You said those stories weren't yours.
Where did you find them?
There are journals in this house.
I've read them a million times.
I'm not sure who wrote them.
So sharing these stories
is something you need to do.
Is that something that the
monster thing out there
told you to do?
No, I share them
because I have nothing else to talk about.
So you've read every story?
Yes, several times.
I wanna see them, all of them.
Things from the stories
are coming into this world,
and there has to be an
explanation in there
on how to get out.
Give me those books.
I was a stay-at-home
Dad, I had no choice.
I was fired for my job after 20 years.
Nobody would hire me.
My wife and I were divorced.
We were attending a funeral the night
we came upon this place.
Oh, that's f*cking odd.
Allison and I are separated.
There must be a connection, right?
You know, if there is, I
don't know what the hell it is.
I'm sorry to hear that you
two aren't working out, why?
You know that saying,
if you don't grow
together, you grow apart?
Well, we lived for our
daughter and when she grew up,
we didn't know how to adjust.
That sounds like it could be fixed, Jay.
I don't think so, Wes.
I don't think so.
I mean, believe me, I wanted
to see this end in a good way.
But we're trapped here and.
I don't see a happy ending for us.
Hi, Sarah Wells from the Register.
Thank you for being here.
I take it you're Rufus.
The one, the only.
Awesome.
Well, I'm just gonna
ask you a few questions,
take a picture, and then
I'll be on my way, okay?
It's more than okay.
All right.
Is this hat okay for the picture?
Yeah, it's great.
Just great.
Great.
Okay, so.
All right.
With the big barbecue showdown
set for this Saturday,
a lot of people are favoring you.
Why do you think that is?
Oh, it's my ribs, Sarah.
The aroma alone drives people wild.
Even vegans take the day
off when I'm cooking.
Vegans? Really?
That's interesting.
You see,
winning a barbecue contest
isn't only about the food,
it's the presentation, you see.
Ladies walk by,
I give 'em the glare.
You mix my glare and the
best ribs in the world,
it's no contest.
Okay, if you say so.
Your glare, you said?
Mm-hm.
And ladies like that?
You tell me, baby.
You know, you might
wanna work on that glare.
Work on the glare?
Work on the glare?
The ladies love the glare.
How'd the barbecue thing go?
Great.
Interviewing a lifetime
loser who makes a pass at me,
it's just what I've wanted to do.
Great for my career.
You've got a great career.
If you say so.
It doesn't feel like it.
Careers turn into jobs
very quickly, don't they?
Does it have to be that way, though?
Like,
there are things I could report on,
but they don't listen to me.
You live in a small
town, nothing goes on here.
I keep telling you to move to the city,
or at least work in the city.
Girl, I've tried.
Nobody will hire me.
And, it's so frustrating
to apply and interview
and apply and interview
and get nothing out of it.
Then do it on your own.
You have that blog thing you do.
Start covering the
stuff you want on there.
Maybe you'll get the eye
of one of the big papers,
and you'll be all set.
I don't know.
Okay.
Keep covering the best
barbecue and Senior Olympics.
Have fun with that.
Oh God, you heard about
the Senior Olympics, huh?
I read your article. It was fascinating.
I love the part about
the best long jumping
and adult diaper coverage.
You knocked that out of the park.
Oh, I'm glad you think so.
Good morning.
Morning.
How'd you sleep?
Not well.
I've been up trying to
find something to cover,
but maybe you're right.
There's not anything going on right now.
I had an idea for maybe
your first story on your own?
Okay.
My cousin Ed, he's
a conspiracy theorist,
and he keeps hitting me up
about some story he has.
Okay, what's his big story?
He rambles, I'm not sure,
but talking to him might
give you something different
to write about,
get your creative juices flowing.
Okay, I guess I'll talk to him.
I know it's not the story you want,
but the conspiracy stuff,
it's popular online.
It'll kick start your
blog, put you on the map.
But I'm already on the map.
Really?
How many visitors.
A month?
Sure.
At least 40?
But they're a dedicated
40 readers, I swear.
I'm serious.
Hi.
Hi. Hi.
Hi.
You're Sarah?
That I am.
I'm Ed. Can I come in?
Come on in.
Yeah, thanks.
You can take a seat right over there.
Oh yeah.
I really appreciate you taking
the time to talk to me, Ed.
Yeah, yeah.
For your website, right?
Yeah.
Yeah, I didn't hide it.
I didn't think I'd get it
in the newspaper right away.
This is really my first interview.
I'm kind of anxious.
You seem like an anxious guy.
Yeah, I don't hide it very well.
Okay.
So what did you wanna talk about?
Well, did Michelle
tell you about the guy?
No.
You tell me about the guy.
Okay.
So,
I'm looking through all of these
old pictures of local
tragedies for reasons, right?
You know, big fires,
car accidents, murders,
and I keep seeing this guy
in every single picture.
A big tragedy, and he's right there.
How do you explain it?
Police radio?
He has a police radio and he
just goes where the action is.
Yeah, that's what I
thought at first, too.
Yeah.
What changed your mind?
So I start going
farther and farther back.
And this guy is in all sorts
of pictures and he doesn't age.
It's the same guy.
There's this factory fire, 1966,
k*lled all sorts of people.
He's right there.
He was in last week's big car pile up,
and he looks exactly the same.
Show me.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
The car pile up.
This is, it's grainy, but that's the fire.
Okay.
And then yeah, there's right there.
You know, like.
I mean the resemblance
is strong Ed, but I mean,
all these guys just look alike.
Okay.
An airplane crash.
1980, kills like 44 people.
The police are there, and
then the news are there.
And there he is, he's right there.
That's 40 years ago.
Okay.
Can we rule out Photoshop?
Yeah, absolutely.
I got all of these from
the newspaper archives.
Okay.
What conclusions have you drawn?
Any theories?
He's a time traveler.
A time traveler?
Yeah, I don't know
how else to explain it.
It makes sense to me.
He goes from one generation to the next,
he looks exactly the same.
Okay.
It's very compelling.
I like the story a lot, I do.
But, how about I get a police radio.
Let me listen and if I hear anything,
and I'll be ready to pounce, if I do.
Be careful, you don't
know what you're up against.
Any reports on time travelers?
Nothing yet.
I gotta give Ed credit.
This is one of his better
conspiracy theories.
He does have a flare for the dramatics.
How much longer are you
gonna listen to that thing?
You know, I need a break.
It's like,
I gotta get up early anyway.
Oh yeah, why?
I'm gonna visit my grandma.
It's been weeks and I feel bad about it.
It's not easy.
My grandmother was in hospice,
and it was too painful to go see her.
Oh my God.
And then one day she passed away.
I'm sorry.
I realize it'd been about
six months since I'd seen her.
Wow.
I still feel really bad about it.
But seeing her like that
took a lot out of me.
Yeah.
Pretty selfish, huh?
No, no, it's not selfish.
I find it hard to visit my
grandmother and she's okay.
You know, but she just,
she lives on her own in one
of those elderly communities
where like they buy
their groceries for them,
teach 'em how to budget, all that stuff.
But honestly,
I don't think I could handle seeing her
at death's door either.
It's not easy.
I hope your granny is doing well.
Thanks.
You know, I think I'm gonna
interview her for my site.
I think that'll make her happy.
Yeah.
Honey, I'm so happy to see you.
Me too.
And you've made it to
the big time, I hear.
The local paper isn't
exactly the big time, Nana.
I mean, honestly, I'm
struggling to pay the bills.
Oh sweetie, do you want some money?
No, no, no, Nana, no,
I don't want your money.
I just wish I was doing
better in my career is all.
Listen, you're young, you're talented.
You have your whole life ahead of you.
Don't worry about that.
And I can't believe that
my talented granddaughter,
who's going to make it to the big time,
is going to interview her old Nana.
I honestly think it's more
for me than for my blog,
but, you know, just a
chance to get to know you
and maybe some things I don't know.
Anyway, how do you like it here?
Well, to be honest,
it's lonely and,
and really sad.
Sad how?
Well, just this morning,
two of my friends were taken
by ambulance to the hospital.
Oh no.
And I found out
later, they both d*ed.
Oh gee, I'm sorry.
Nana, you should have told
me, I could have postponed it.
Oh, no, honey.
Oh no.
Having you here is the best
thing that could have happened.
You bring me so much joy and,
and I don't really get any visitors.
Well, that's gonna change.
Okay, starting from today
you're gonna see me around
here a lot more, I promise.
I'm gonna hold you to that promise.
Absolutely.
I love you, sweetheart.
I love you, too.
I needed this. Thank you.
Hey, can I talk to you?
Hey, wait, I just wanna talk.
Can I just?
What the hell?
It was him.
I swear to God it was him.
What was he doing there?
Two people d*ed this morning.
He goes wherever the hell death is.
Okay, he just disappeared.
I ran track, okay, I can move.
And this guy was, he was
fast, but not that fast.
He just disappeared like
a ghost or something.
Okay, let's calm it down a bit.
Let's think about this rationally.
Take a deep breath.
Okay.
I want you to really think about this.
So let's break it down.
Odds are is that he was
somebody's grandson or something,
and you spooked him, and you lost him.
Nobody just vanishes.
He vanished, just like that.
So what's the next move here?
What are you gonna do?
You know the blog post that
I wrote about him yesterday?
Well, I got like a ton of hits,
and people were commenting,
saying that they've seen this guy too
at fires, funerals, you name it.
Your cousin was right.
Well, there's something
I don't hear every day.
And people comment
because it's a cool story
and they wanna be a part of it.
Maybe.
And I'm gonna figure this out, okay?
I'm gonna solve this and find out
why this guy is everywhere
when something bad happens.
10-71, that means sh*ts fired.
I've been doing some research, okay?
I'm going.
I'll go with you.
Let's go home.
No, not yet.
We being here is strange, okay?
The cops are gonna see us
and they're gonna ask us
why we are here.
What are we gonna say?
I'm press, I'm covering the scene.
I'll say that, don't worry about it.
I'm going to say this
because I love you.
But this is a wild goose chase.
There's no magic man running around
every time something bad happens.
It's just people who look alike, I mean.
What?
That's not him, is it?
Yes. Let's go.
He likes us, I think.
Last time I saw him, I yelled at him,
so let's just walk over slowly, okay?
Come on.
You see? You see?
Yeah.
I see.
He's fast.
Too fast.
Did you hear it though?
Heard what?
If he really ran off,
we would've heard his footsteps, right?
But we didn't.
Okay, he literally just disappeared again.
God.
You're creeping me out.
Let's go home.
You know I'm starting
to get creeped out too.
You gotta go?
Yeah, I'll be back on Monday.
Don't fixate on that sh*t.
You know me. I never fixate.
I'm gonna miss your crazy ass.
Have fun on your trip.
Text me when you get there.
- I will.
- Bye.
Hello?
Hello?
Somebody there?
Michelle?
What are you doing here?
You asked to speak with me, so sit.
Let's speak.
Okay, can I record you?
No.
What can I ask you?
You are the journalist.
I read your blog and I was
quite amused by the coverage.
I didn't know I stood out
so much to be noticed.
How do you do it?
Time travel?
Time travel, no, no.
Then how?
It's my job.
I guess that's the best way to put it
so that you'll understand.
Job?
What kind of job has
you show up everywhere
when somebody dies?
I don't, I don't get it.
I don't expect you to.
And I must say, you and I meeting tonight,
it's very coincidental.
What do you mean?
Two months ago you
went to see your doctor
about your chest pains.
He told you they were stress-related
and not to worry about them.
You should have worried about them.
I'm so confused.
Well,
well maybe you'll be
less confused if I appear
the way you expect me.
You know, the skeleton face,
the dark robe,
the sickle in hand.
I just think that when
it's a person's time,
seeing this face makes it easier.
I don't know.
I don't know what the hell to
do, but we're doing something.
I don't think there's a
way out, Allie, I don't.
I am not staying here
for 15 years, like Wes.
I am not just hiding
in this g*dd*mn house.
I say we move forward and
if we run into any bullshit,
we just forge right through it.
Forge through it?
Forge through that thing with the cart?
He can't k*ll all three of us.
We need to make a vow here.
We keep moving.
And if that thing gets one of us,
the other two just haul ass,
I think we f*ck ourselves if we backtrack.
I'm not just going to run
away if he's hurting you.
We need to get out.
I am willing to die tonight.
If it saves you two, then I'll die.
Maybe that's why all this happened.
Whatever runs this universe
wants us to solve this.
How about this?
We aim for nobody to die,
and we just get the hell out of here.
I'll list that as my best case scenario.
Fingers crossed.
Okay.
Great.
Let's go.
Let's go.
Come on guys.
Come on, let's go.
Let's go, come on.
Allie, the f*cking aliens are here too.
I see them.
Okay, maybe this wasn't the best idea.
Did you see that?
I shoulder bumped that
little alien fucker.
Your high school football skills
are still there.
What now?
We drive, that's as far as my plan goes.
How was your nap?
Oh, good I guess.
It was a dream then.
What was a dream?
Never mind.
What do you think about us trying again?
Really?
One more sh*t to save it?
Yes.
Well, that made my day.
So let's not go home then.
Let's go out to eat.
Let's get a hotel.
What do you say?
Sounds great.
Did you see that sign?
Anything will help?
No,
it said nothing will help.
Maybe nothing will help.
I mean, you didn't really
think you'd get away, did you?
You're not Jay.
Scary Tales Dead Zone (2023)
Moderator: Maskath3