03x09 - The Presence

[bunniefuu]

Narrator: in this world,

There is real evil --

In the darkest shadows and in

The most ordinary places.

These are the true stories of

The innocent and the

Unimaginable.

After years of sacrifice,

Sarah miller hopes a new home

Will provide a better life for

Her children.

But when a vicious entity

Attacks, the dream home becomes

A hellish nightmare.

Soon the bonds holding the

Family together are pushed to

Their limits, as they

Desperately struggle against a

Force they cannot identify.

Between the world we see and the

Things we fear, there are doors.

When they are opened, nightmares

Become reality.

Narrator: northern

California, where the

Cascade mountains tower over

Glistening lakes and lush

Vineyards.

But in the shadows of this

Scenic landscape, there is a

Dark side, where the

Unsuspecting walk hand-in-hand

With the supernatural.

In the fall of 2000,

Sarah miller buys a

Three-bedroom ranch in a small

Northern california town for her





To protect her identity, sarah

Appears under the condition of

Anonymity.

My dream as a single mom had

Always been to own a home.

So I saved my money.

It took quite a bit, couple of

Years, to do that.

It was something that I never

Thought I could ever accomplish.

Narrator: sarah hopes her

Kids are as excited as she is to

Spend their first night in the

House.

Well?

It's a lot bigger than our

Apartment.

I liked our apartment.

Oh, just think, beck, a

Little paint, some work, it'll

Be as good as new.

Narrator: becky wishes she

Never had to move an hour and a

Half away from her hometown of

Redding.

I was used to the city.

That's where all my friends

Were, and it felt like a

Different world to me.

Narrator: the furniture won't

Arrive until the next day, but

Sarah makes the best of it by

Camping out in the living room.

Don't we have like a couch or

Something we can sleep on?

Honey, nothing will be here

Until tomorrow.

[ Thunder crashes ]

Oh, great, how am I supposed

To use the bathroom?

Honey, you know where it is.

I got a flashlight right

Here, beck.

Thank you.

Thanks, honey.

Come right back.

Feeling cozy?

What do you say, ready for

Prayers?

Yep?

Yep.

Angel of god...

Something about the hallway

Just scared me, and I didn't

Know why.

This place gives me the

Fricking creeps.

Honey, you'll get used to it.

Good night.

Good night, sweet dreams.

Good night.

Narrator: the next day,

Sarah's boyfriend, steve,

Arrives from redding with the

Furniture.

Sarah's mother, ruth, has also

Come to help.

Wanting to be close to her

Grandkids, ruth plans to buy an

Apartment near sarah.

Until then, she will live with

The family and help out with

Jack.

So, what do you think?

I am so proud of you.

Narrator: that afternoon,

Sarah helps becky unpack.

It's freezing in here.

That room was cold, very,

Very cold, but you went outside

Of that room and the whole house

Was fine.

And it smells funny, too.

Open the window.

I know, I bet it's just this

Vent.

I'll have steve take a look at

It this weekend.

My mom just says 'cause I'm

At the far end of the house

That's probably why my room

Isn't getting warm, but I

Thought there was something

Else.

Maybe that smell is coming

From a dead skunk in the closet.

Becky, please.

I'm exhausted.

And I really need your help.

Here's the last of it.

Oh, there's more?

Do you really have to go back

Tonight?

I got an early day tomorrow.

I promised dad I'd help him out

On the ranch.

Him being in one town and me

In another was very difficult,

But I knew it would work.

Don't worry, everything will

Be fine.

Okay.

Narrator: a month later...

[ Distorted voices ]

It just sounded like a man

And two women outside my window

Trying to get my attention.

Hello?

Is anybody out there?

Oh, mom, don't worry about

His shoes, just get him to eat.

Becky, come on!

Make sure you eat it all.

Honey, it's 7:00 a.m.

Why aren't you dressed?

This is gonna sound weird,

But I kept hearing voices

Outside my window last night.

It was probably just the

Neighbors.

How could it be the

Neighbors?

They're too far away.

Honey, I don't know.

Just eat your breakfast.

Narrator: sarah believes her

Daughter is just experiencing

Anxiety from the move.

Starting a new school,

Getting to meet new kids, and

Being a teenager, that was very

Difficult for her.

Narrator: as the weeks pass,

Becky feels increasingly

Disconnected.

I have no friends at school.

My mom and I aren't getting

Along.

I was just isolated.

Grandma is taken me to skate

Park.

Want to come?

Jack, I told you I'm doing

Homework, okay?

Are you sure?

Yeah.

Okay, see ya.

Mom!

There was no logical

Explanation.

It was moving, and then it fell.

Mom, my ballerina, the -- the

One on top of the tv, it just

Fell and smashed to the floor

And --

Honey, it was probably just

The vibration of the television.

Mom, the tv was not on!

Don't you yell at me,

Rebecca marie.

I won't have it.

But, mom, there is something

Wrong with this house and i-i

Can't explain it, okay?

For peat's sake, becky, just

Because your ballerina broke

Doesn't mean there is something

Wrong with the house.

[ Telephone rings ]

Hello?

I was getting more upset

'Cause it's just me.

Nothing's happening to my mom.

Okay, hold on.

Look, if you don't like your

Room, you can have your

Grandmother's when she moves

Out.

Fine.

Hey, sorry.

Becky's ballerina broke.

Yeah, no, that is all.

How you doing?

You still coming on friday?

Mom!

It looked like a tornado hit

My room.

Honey, I'm on the phone.

But I just went over to get

You.

Honey, what did you do in

Here?

I didn't do anything.

I just came to get you

And then --

Clean it up!

I was just bombarded with all

These different emotions.

I just wanted to be normal.

And being in that house I

Couldn't be normal.

Narrator: several months

After moving in, becky's

Grandmother finds an apartment.

As promised, becky takes her

Room.

I wish you weren't leaving.

I know, honey, but I won't be

Very far.

You'll be able to reach me.

I'm close by.

I love you.

And I love you, sweetheart.

My grandmother has the most

Wonderful relationship with god,

So I felt protected.

I felt safe in her room.

Time for prayers.

Angel of god, my guardian...

Narrator: jack, who has been

Staying with sarah, moves into

Becky's old room.

...watch over me throughout

The night and keep me safe

Within your sight.

In the name of the father and

The son and the holy spirit.

Amen.

All right, kiddo.

Mom! Mom!

Jack!

Honey, what is wrong?

I saw two guys.

He said they'd come out of

The closet.

I told you there was

Something wrong with this room.

Becky, you are not helping.

Honey, there are no people in

Your closet.

See.

I saw them.

They were right there, though.

Honey, it's late, and we

Really have to get to sleep.

Please, mommy, the guys are

Gonna come.

He can sleep with me tonight.

Fine.

You'll be safe in my room.

Narrator: later that night,

Sarah wonders if there is

Something more to her kids'

Stories.

My daughter is hearing

Voices.

My son is seeing things.

I was just very confused.

[ Creaking ]

[ Creaking continues ]

And at the same time, I'm

Beginning to feel scared.

[ Telephone rings ]

Hello?

[ Distorted voices ]

[ Footsteps ]

Mom!

Mom, did you hear that?

Stay in your room.

I thought there was a man in

My home.

This man was gonna harm my two

Kids.

The wall!

Mom, there's nothing there.

The whole thing was covered

In blood.

Mom, there's --

It was on my hand.

There was blood.

There is something here, isn't

There?

Where's jack?

He's in my room.

In my mind, there is gonna be

Death in my family.

I thought that was our blood.

Jack?

Jack?

Mom!

Jack!

Jack!

Mom!

God's gonna protect us, okay?

I told my kids we're gonna

Fight.

Our father, who art in

Heaven...

We prayed for god to

Accompany us, to be with us...

...thy will be done, on earth

As it is in heaven...

...to protect us.

...give us this day our daily

Bread and forgive us of our

Trespasses.

Narrator: the next morning,

Sarah moves jack out of the

Small bedroom and into becky's

Room permanently.

I knew the focus was in that

Room, and I didn't want my son

In danger.

My mom thought, "well, if

There are things in the closet,

We'll put a picture of jesus in

There."

Narrator: for days, sarah's

Mind races with possible

Explanations for the presence in

Her home.

I thought somebody was

m*rder*d in my home.

Maybe we had a ghost that hasn't

Passed on.

Narrator: sarah hopes her

Neighbor knows something about

The history of her house.

Have you settled in all

Right?

Yeah, we're getting there.

Hey, I was wondering if I could

Ask you a question.

She says, "I kind of figured

You would come around asking

Sooner or later."

Well, the woman who lived

There before you, she had a

Teenage daughter who, well, she

Was no angel.

Narrator: sarah's neighbor

Doesn't know of any deaths in

The house, but she shares

Something just as disturbing.

Satan worshipers?

Uh-huh.

They had all sorts of black

Masses and god knows what over

There in that house.

I said, "in what room?"

She says, "your daughter's

Room."

I should have told you

Sooner.

No, no, it's all right.

Call me if you need me.

You have my number.

Thanks.

In the name of the father and

The son and the holy ghost.

Amen.

Narrator: not knowing what

Else to do, sarah asks her

Parish priest to bless her home.

Let us now pray that he will

Enter this home and bless it

With his presence.

Narrator: the ceremony gives

Her hope.

Amen.

I felt peaceful.

Thank you.

I felt very comfortable.

Narrator: after a month of no

Activity, the haunting appears

To be over.

So, my dad and I are camping

When late at night this bear

Appears.

Narrator: life gets even

Better when sarah and steve

Marry that fall.

Then, one friday night, steve

Goes out of town to his father's

Ranch.

His father has several acres,

And so he would leave on the

Weekends to go help his father.

[ Laughter ]

[ Gasping ]

Nos sumos hic.

Nos sumos hic.

Nos sumos hic.

They had her by the throat,

Forcing her to say something in

Latin.

Narrator: sarah has no idea

What the phrase means, but she

Knows it's evil.

I felt that it wanted me to

Worship it.

Narrator: desperate for

Answers, sarah looks up the

Latin phrase on the internet.

It means "we are here."

Becky fears what may happen if

They stay in the house.

And I was terrified.

What else is it gonna do now?

Kids are finally asleep.

What's going on, sarah?

Narrator: that sunday, when

Steve returns home, sarah tells

Him everything.

There's something really

Wrong with this house, steve.

I'm sorry, sarah, but you are

Asking me to believe in

Something I can't see and I just

Can't do it.

I was choked, steve.

I spoke latin.

"Nos sumos hic."

I don't know latin.

Don't give in to your fears,

Sarah.

There has to be a logical

Explanation for the things

You're experiencing.

Fine.

I'll just handle it on my own,

Like usual.

He never heard anything, saw

Anything.

I'm being bullied and my husband

Doesn't understand that, so I

Feel alone.

Narrator: as sarah and

Steve's relationship becomes

Strained, things in the house go

From bad to worse.

I felt breathing in my ear,

And it was cold.

Aah!

Aah!

Mom!

[ Sobbing ]

Honey, what -- what's wrong?

It breathed on me.

What breathed on you?

I don't know.

I just saw a face, and it

Breathed on me.

It was probably a draft.

The house is drafty.

I saw a face!

How do you explain that?!

It was just a head in air, no

Body.

It looked like she was dead.

Please, mommy, we, we have to

Move.

We can't stay here.

Don't be ridiculous.

There's nothing wrong with the

House.

Narrator: sarah realizes her

Daughter will never again feel

Comfortable in their home.

It quietly tears at her heart,

But she allows becky to move in

With a friend back in redding.

I love you.

I love you, too, mom.

I want you to mind your

Manners.

Do your homework.

I will.

Narrator: becky's relieved to

Escape the house, but has mixed

Feelings about leaving her mom

And jack.

I felt bad 'cause I got to

Leave the house and her and my

Brother were stuck there.

Narrator: with each passing

Day since becky's departure,

Sarah struggles to hold herself

Together.

I'm heartbroken.

I'm depressed.

I desperately wanted to move

Out, but I was financially

Strapped.

I was stuck.

Mom?

Becky!

[ Laughter ]

You got what you wanted!

You tore my family apart!

Now leave us alone!

It would constantly mimic her

Voice.

It just tormented me.

This thing was after my family.

I needed to get some help.

Narrator: a research of

Paranormal investigators leads

Sarah to phantasm psychic

Research, a connecticut-based

Organization.

Dave considine founded the group

In 1994.

Hello?

Mr. Considine?

Yes.

Hi.

My name's sarah miller.

I know you probably hear this

All the time, but I think there

Is something really evil in my

House.

Phantasm's basic goal is to

Help individuals that feel that

There's something in their home

Or there's something interceding

In their life.

All right, can you tell me

What you have been experiencing?

It all started with my kids.

Narrator: the group takes a

Scientific as well as a

Spiritual approach to

Supernatural investigations.

Look, miss miller, I believe

We need to have an extended

Conversation.

I'm a lay religious

Demonologist, which means that

I'm not clergy, but I work with

The church.

Narrator: before leaving for

California, considine consults a

Priest with extensive experience

In spiritual warfare --

Bishop robert mckenna.

She said the words "nos sumos

Hic."

We are here.

Narrator: for over 30 years,

The bishop has worked hand in

Hand with paranormal

Investigators.

I think the family might be

In real trouble.

You're absolutely right.

You should do everything in your

Power to help them.

Narrator: anticipating a

Spiritual battle, considine must

Carry out an intense cleansing

Ritual.

Thank you, father.

I'll prepare myself by

Fasting for nine days.

I'll also purge myself through

Confession and keep myself in

Constant prayer.

Because if you're fighting the

Ultimate evil, you want to be

Ultimately good.

Narrator: in june 2001,

Considine and his team travel

From connecticut to northern

California.

There was a sense of doom.

It made you feel as though you

Were being watched.

I'd like to interview the

Whole family.

The investigators that I

Brought with me were my

Cofounder barbara considine,

John arel, who's my technical

Director, and barbie heid, who

Is also a light clairvoyant.

My role during the

Investigation was to try to

Figure out the nature of the

Spirit, as well as assisting

With the set up of the

Electronic equipment.

I understand you've been

Through a lot.

I'm really glad that you're here

With us.

It's no problem.

Narrator: becky has returned

Home for the investigation, but

Jack will stay with his

Grandmother.

Sarah, can you tell me again

About the choking incident?

Sure.

Narrator: that night, the

Team places cameras and

Listening devices throughout the

House.

David, can I get you anything

Else?

No, we're fine.

Get some sleep.

Yeah, we have to get to bed.

Good night.

So, what do you think?

Well, sarah and becky's

Stories are consistent.

I'm pretty sure there's an

Entity in the house.

Human or nonhuman?

It's too early to tell.

I'll take the first shift.

You guys, go get some sleep.

Aah!

It sounded like a b*mb went

Off.

David.

David!

My body, which was in a

Horizontal position, was pushed

Straight up.

Obviously, I was quite shaken.

What the hell was that?

I don't know.

Did you see that?

It just lifted me up?

I heard this big noise.

You heard that noise?

Its whole intention is to

Scare you away.

It's trying to drive you away so

You will not help that family.

Narrator: as the week pushes

On, the investigators continue

To gather evidence.

What's that?

It's called the big ear.

This is able to pick up

Sounds that are not audible to

The human ear.

When you have ethereal sounds,

They usually fall below 300

Hertz.

Do you want to try?

Sure.

Put the headphones on.

What do I do?

And then you press that

Button.

And just point.

And you aim.

[ Distorted voices ]

I could hear the struggle.

It sounded like a female was

Choking and then I heard...

Shut up, she's listening.

She's listening.

I don't want to do it

Anymore.

Narrator: the investigators

Now know they are dealing with

An entity far more dangerous

Than any human spirit.

Bishop mckenna.

Hello, bishop?

Dave considine.

How's california?

Not so good.

Everything that we've been

Seeing and hearing points to a

Diabolical presence.

Are you sure?

Yes, bishop, I'm sure.

I trust your judgment, david.

I do.

Narrator: considine knows

Demons are merciless.

Thank you, bishop.

If we didn't initiate

Something, it would totally

Destroy this family without any

Doubt in my mind.

Narrator: later that night,

Considine calls the family

Together.

I reviewed the evidence, and

It seems clear the home is

Inhabited by a demonic device.

He says, "you have a demon

Here.

And with your faith, we're gonna

Fight this."

But we had the house blessed.

That is a common

Misconception.

It's always good to have your

House blessed, but if you have a

Demonic in your home, this just

Enrages the spirit.

It's like poking a bear with a

Stick.

A demon is essentially a

Fallen angel and its goal is to

Destroy man.

In a family situation, it starts

By destroying the family unit.

How is this possible?

Narrator: considine believes

The black masses held by the

Previous tenant created a

Gateway for the demon.

If there are demons, there

Has to be a way to get rid of

Them.

Bishop mckenna has given me

Permission to perform a minor

Rite of exorcism and

Suffumigation.

This ritual must take place

During the daytime.

We can begin first thing in the

Morning.

Everything in the kitchen is

Open.

Sarah, would you mind?

Please, I could --

Yes.

Are we ready?

We had already come prepared

With the proper tools to take

Care of the problem, blessed for

Us by bishop robert mckenna.

Narrator: one vital tool is

The censer which houses the holy

Incense.

You go throughout the house

With the censer and you put the

Smoke in every nook and cranny

That you can.

The demon cannot be in the

Presence of the holy incense.

In the name of the father,

The son and the holy ghost.

Amen.

I was so exhausted.

I was so sick of feeling scared.

Finally I have some help.

Peace be on this house with

All who live here...

In using the rites of

Exorcism, you are sanctifying

That home.

You are driving these demonic

Creatures back to hell.

...the ancient serpent who is

The devil.

Narrator: as day turns to

Night, the team continues the

Ritual in becky's old room where

It all began.

I stood there listening for a

Few minutes, and I started to

Hear the growling, the gagging,

The retching noises.

It was emanating out of the

Closet, and, of course, when you

Open the closet door, there was

Nothing there, nothing to be

Seen.

Narrator: finally, there's

Only one place left for the

Demon to hide -- the garage.

A very, very oppressive

Feeling came down on you like a

Vice when you walked into the

Room.

In the name of the father and

The son and the holy ghost.

Amen.

They're trying to stop us.

You need to pray.

All: hail mary, full of

Grace, the lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women,

And blessed is the fruit of thy

Womb, jesus.

[ Speaking indistinctly ]

It's gone.

Sarah, it's gone.

It's no longer here.

It was gone.

That heaviness was no longer

There, and you felt safe.

Narrator: the demon has been

Driven back to hell.

The next day, sarah drives

Considine and his team to the

Airport.

Bye.

Narrator: for the miller

Family, the nightmare is finally

Over.

If the investigators wouldn't

Have come, I don't know what

Would have happened.

Narrator: but for sarah, the

House holds too many bad

Memories.

...and the holy ghost.

Narrator: she and steve buy a

New home across town and ask

Their priest to bless their

Property.

Not wanting to uproot her

Daughter again, sarah allows

Becky to stay in redding.

It made me realize that good

Would always win over evil.

No matter what, if you have your

Strong faith, it will win in the

End.

May god bless you with love,

Peace, and joy.