Paydert (2026) Movie Script

1
[swoosh]
[upbeat music]
I know would
I know I could
- Mommy, why did we have to leave Georgia?
- For the last time, Imani, I told you
Chris found us a new house.
Besides, we just needed more space out front
living in an apartment.
And besides,
wasn't it you that told me just a few weeks ago
that you wanted your own room?
- Yes, but...
- Alright then.
I know I could, yeah
- Hey, Imani, cheer up.
You're going to love the new house.
I keep my head up...
I can't wait for you to see your new room.
[chuckles]
...Open up my third eye
Letting sisters be my guide, I still survive
- Mommy, will I at least be able to call my friends
back in Georgia?
Imani, you're gonna meet so many new people here.
I promise you.
Now, Imani, I really need for you to cheer up.
You know, I thought you'd be a little bit more excited.
Getting your own room.
- Oh, I am.
I'm so glad I don't have to deal with anymore wetbed
because of Nasir.
I say never get complacent, I've been patient
I've been waiting, be fasting
I've been praying
Been saying my affirmations
Felt sorry for myself
Had to make a plan
Playing with the cards that I was dealt
Watch me switch my hand
Oh my, hide them cards reversed
No more skipping over me
They gonna have to draw for
Just for looking over me, the wildcard
Numero uno, who better than you know
Thought I was pitbull in a skirt
Found out I was Kujo
I'd be witching I'd be working
Writing curses in cursive
Had to walk up out your life
Cuz I was walking in my purpose
Hella pray for, had a way for
Tell 'em haters I was made for
Had to stay loyal had my head up
I had no face for
Now they can't ignore
Remember when I couldn't pay for?
Now I get paid for, thank you, God
I keep my had to the sky
Eyes like gonna rise
Open up my third eye
Letting sisters be my guide
I still survive
All of my worst days
I know I could
I know I would in the first place
Hey, I know I would
I know I could
I know I would
I know I could, yeah
I know I would in the first place
Hey
I keep my head up to the sky
Eyes like gonna rise
Open up my third eye
Letting sisters be my guide
I still survive
All of my worst days
I know I could
I know I would in the first place
Hey, I know I would...
I know I could
I know I would
I know I could, yeah
I know I would in the first place
[music fades]
- Uh...
Is this it?
[melancholic music]
- Yeah, this is it.
Our new home.
- Oh.
This looks old.
- Mommy, do we have to go in there?
- Oh, sweetie.
I don't think there's anything to be afraid of.
Right, Chris?
[chuckles]
- Chris!
- Yeah. Well, look, this is our new home.
Our new beginning.
Come on, y'all, let's go.
- Wait, can me and Nasir go play?
- Sure, but
- Be careful. - Be careful.
- Come on, baby, I got so much I gotta show you.
Till we see a how we want it.
[soft music]
- Yes, Nasir, you can play.
But, Imani, make sure you stay away from that road.
All right, be careful.
[door closing]
[chuckles]
[footsteps]
- Baby. - Hmm?
- Who's that?
- Oh, hey, this is just Miss Louvenia, baby.
[chuckles]
- Louvenia?
- Yeah.
- I'm so sorry to have frightened you.
You can call me Venia for short.
- You need some help with that?
- Yes.
- Nice to meet you, Miss Venia.
- Oh, you too, my dear.
I'm not like I used to.
[Laughing]
- We didn't see your car outside.
- Who?
- You...
Your car.
- What is that, son? I don't know what that is.
- Do you have, you know, a vehicle?
- I don't know what that is.
- Okay. - Okay.
- Is this your beautiful wife you told me so much about?
- Yes, this is my beautiful, gorgeous queen.
[laughing]
- How long y'all been married?
- This April make it two years, right?
Yeah.
- Oh, that's so sweet.
Love is beautiful, ain't it?
- Yes, it is.
- Oh, yeah,
that reminds me of my Henry before he was sold.
- [both] Sold?
- I said I was old.
- Oh. [laughing]
- Now, Chris, you sure do favor someone I used to know
many, many years ago.
[pensive music]
- Mm-hmm.
- Well, I guess we got that lookalike somewhere, right?
[laughing]
- I suppose.
So, where's the children?
- Oh, they wanted to stay outside and play.
I actually have two.
Imani, she's fourteen.
Nasir, he's eight.
- Children are precious, aren't they?
And, uh, uh, Christopher...
- [clears throat] It's Chris.
- Ohh. [chuckles]
I'm so sorry.
You get as old as me, you forget sometimes.
- It's okay.
- Here are the keys. - Oh, yeah.
- Okay.
- Keys.
- Yeah.
- Like I was saying, all the belongings are yours.
Everything in the house.
- You're not going to take anything with you?
- Oh, I don't need anything where I'm going.
Now, this key right here, that's to the front door.
The other key there, that's to the back door.
And this one here is to the side door.
- Look, again, thank you, Miss Venia.
Thank you.
You are truly a blessing to me and my family.
- Oh.
You're very welcome.
I know the house gonna to be taken good care of.
- Oh, most definitely will.
[chuckles]
- Well, I'm going to go.
But before I leave, let me...
[coughing]
Here's a list of names of people in town who can help you,
if you need anything with the house.
- You know, I don't see your number.
You know, if I want to get in contact with you.
- I'll contact you. Don't worry.
- Yeah.
I'll contact you.
- Okay. Well, look, thank you again, Ms. Louvenia.
Are you sure you don't need...
- I'm fine. I'm fine.
Let me go ahead and go now.
Go ahead and enjoy your home.
- Okay. Here, let me get the door.
- Oh, thank you.
And y'all take care now.
- You too.
[mellow music]
- Baby. - Yeah?
- Is it just me or did she give off a weird vibe?
- You know what?
Come to think about it,
I remember seeing the store
not at least maybe 5 miles before.
- I know.
You know what?
Maybe we did pass it on the way here
and just didn't see it.
- Maybe. - Well, tell me this.
- What is it, babe?
- Babe. Are we officially home owners now?
- Ha ha! Yes, we are!
Oh man, this is so great.
Our dreams are finally coming true, baby
Hey look,
this is a fresh start for us and the kids.
Come on, let's go.
- Alright. Let's go check out the bedroom.
- Alright, let's go.
[funky music]
Pack my bag with dreams and go
Left the cold the stories old
Going southwest sun stays bold
Got my heart, got my plan
Dancing free, a brand new life
We'll get running up
I'm feeling alive
Sweet air, bright skies
I will rock, get a lot of groove
Oh, it's my vibe
City lights fade in my rear view
Field of green come breaking through
[song fading]
- Heals my soul with your touch
And I da da da da da da da da...
- Hey baby,
just got done putting the kids to sleep.
- Baby.
Aww.
Baby!
Do you remember this?
[chuckles]
It was a wedding gift.
- Yeah.
I remember.
My mom used to have a similar piece like this one.
You know she always loved her paintings.
- Baby.
I wish I had gotten a chance to meet your mom.
- She would have definitely loved you.
And she would have been happy
that her son all happy in marriage now.
[laughing]
- Baby, I know she is so proud of you.
Chris, you are such a wonderful husband.
You're a real man.
You are an amazing father figure to my children.
I appreciate you so much.
- No, I love your kids like they're my own.
- Huh, and what about me?
- Of course I love you too, Kenya.
[both giggling]
[kiss]
- So, Babe.
- Mm-hmm?
- Babe, you never told me exactly how you got this house.
- Well, um...
strange as it may sound,
Ms. Venia gave me the house.
- What?
Wait...
Wait a minute.
You told me that you got the house
using the money from your book events.
- Yeah, well, you know,
I wasn't completely honest with you on that.
But listen, baby,
I only told you that because I know how it sounds.
I mean, it threw me for a loop when she offered it to me.
You remember when I had to come to North Carolina
for that book signing?
- Yeah.
- So, after the book signing,
the next day, I get back on the road.
Okay? I put in the GPS to head back home.
For some odd reason,
the GPS put me on a whole 'nother route
that's supposedly been faster than the highway.
- Okay.
- But as I was driving up this country road,
not even a mile later, there was a house for sale,
three miles to the right...
on 5157 Paydert Street.
- Okay.
- So, I get out the car.
And I'm looking at the house.
I'm looking at the property.
It's beautiful. Okay?
And then I realized,
there was no stakes in the ground.
No information down the windows.
So something told me to check the front door,
see if it was unlocked, and crazy as it sounds, it was.
[chuckles]
- So you mean to tell me
that you just walked into somebody's house?
- Okay. Baby, listen.
I didn't know anyone was living here at the moment.
I mean this for sale sign did say the house was for sale.
But...
I got to the door,
I walked in and there she was.
- She who?
- Louvenia.
Of course, I did apologize for trespassing
and barging into her home.
But she explained to me that there was no worries
that she told God whoever come across those doors,
she was going to give the deed of the house to.
- Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
So, you mean to tell me...
- Mm-hmm.
- ...you get to this house,
you see a lady at the house.
- Yep.
- And the lady says that whoever walks into the house,
the first person,
she's gonna just give the house to.
- Right.
But she also explained to me
that she really has no use for this house anymore.
I mean, after her husband died 30 years ago,
the only things left here is memories.
- What about children?
Did she mention any children?
- No. She didn't mention anything about kids.
But you know what?
I know how it sounds, Kenya.
I do.
Trust me. I get it.
It's hard to believe.
- Yeah. I mean, it sounds too good to be true.
- Yeah, exactly.
But while she was showing me the property and the house,
I don't know, baby, it just felt right.
It felt like our prayers had finally been answered.
I mean, we always used to talk about
moving out of that small apartment
when, you know, no room, no space,
and moving to our own house.
And now we get that chance.
Right?
We get the chance to raise our kids
in this small town out of the city.
I mean, have you seen that land outside?
That's us.
This is our land.
- I mean, babe, I get it. I get it.
I mean, and I trust you.
I trust you and your decisions for this family, Chris.
I mean, I have to say, I love it too.
There are a few things that...
I would change about the house,
but overall, you did a good job, babe.
[kiss]
- Thank you, Kenya.
[Laughing]
- So, tell me about family.
Does Louvenia have any family?
- Baby, I really don't recall her
mentioning anything about family at all.
- This is weird. - But...
You know what?
Enough about her.
We are homeowners now.
- Mm-hmm.
- So, why don't we celebrate our new home
with a glass of champagne?
- Oh, sounds good to me.
[chuckles]
Baby, you know what?
I put the champagne glasses in the kitchen
right above the microwave.
- Okay.
[birds chirping]
- So, did you guys sleep well in your new room?
- I did mommy.
- Me too.
I'm so glad
we don't have to share rooms or beds anymore.
- No, you don't have to share a room with your brother.
But you do need to keep those rooms clean.
No toys thrown all over the floor.
No clothes thrown around.
We need those rooms clean.
- Okay, okay.
- Mommy, I made a new friend.
- Well, tell, baby.
- Her name is Tilley and she was in my room.
She said she lived here a long time ago
on the third floor.
- Nasir, who told you that?
- Tilley did, she told me last night.
- Baby, what did I tell you about making things up?
- I'm not making it up, Mommy.
- She was there in my room
and she dresses funny too.
- Well, uh...
Nasir, it could have been a dream.
I mean, you know how dreams seem real, huh?
- No it wasn't a dream, Chris.
It was real. I saw her.
- Okay, okay, okay. That's enough talking.
Are you two done with your cereal?
We don't want you to be late for school.
- I'm done.
Bye, Chris.
- All right, behave in school, okay, buddy?
- All right. - See you later, Chris.
- All right, see you, sweetie. Love y'all.
- Love you too, Chris.
- Baby, you have a great day at work.
- You have a great day at work.
Love you, Kenya.
- Love you, too.
[footsteps]
[keyboard clacking]
[phone buzzing]
- Hello?
- Hi, this is BearHug Publishing.
May I speak to Mr. Chris Nobles?
- Yes, this is he.
- Hi Chris, I just wanted to reach out to you
to let you know that your book sales
and digital books are doing amazing!
And we're just so proud.
- [clears throat] Yeah, that's really great news.
That's really great news.
- We love having you as a part of our team,
and you're such an incredible author.
Your first book is doing quite well,
and I'm interested to see your second book release.
- Well, I've been working very, very hard on it
before the move.
Now that we moved in and settled,
I'm ready to dive right back into it
to complete my second manuscript.
- That's great, good to hear.
If you need anything,
please let the company know.
If there's any chance that, you know,
you may not be able to make the deadline,
please just give me a call
and we'll figure something out.
- Yes, we'll do.
Thank you.
Thank you, so much.
- No problem.
We'll talk again soon, Mr. Nobles.
- Yes, yes!
Okay, let's get started.
[door squeaking] [thud]
[thud]
Hey!
Hey, whoever's in my house
better get out right now.
[electricity crackling]
[paper rustling]
This house ain't haunted, alright?
[blues music]
I gave you all my days
Still you're drifting far away
The night is cold, my hands are empty
But my heart won't let you stray
I can't hide the way I need you
I can't fight the way it burns
Every road keeps leading back
Every corner makes me turn
So hold on to me, darling
Don't let the night take you away
Hold on to me, baby
- Time for dinner.
How was your day?
- Well, my day was very productive.
I'm still working on that second manuscript
for that deadline I got coming up.
Speaking of the book,
I definitely got some great news for you.
- Oh, what is it?
- Well, the publishing company called
to tell me how my book was doing.
- And?
- And it's doing good, Kenya.
I mean, the sales are incredible.
It is great.
- That is amazing.
Baby, what'd I tell you?
You had absolutely nothing to worry about.
The book is good.
- I know, I know. You told me.
- Chris, what is your book about?
- Well, it's about a man named Floyd McKinsey.
- Who the heck is that?
- He's fine. He's fine.
So Floyd McKinsey was a lawyer
that was born here in Asheville, North Carolina,
not too far from where we live at now.
- So was he like Dr. King or something?
- Well, both of them were civil right activists,
but he was the first African American to attend
North Carolina University School of Law.
- So was that a good thing?
- Yes, buddy, it was actually a great thing.
- So what else did he do?
- Well he...
- Nasir, he stood up for what was right.
He believed that people of color should have
the same opportunities and rights as everyone else.
We should be able to own and control our own land,
homes, food, jobs, schools, and families.
- Wait a minute, Imani, did you read my book?
- I am so sorry, Chris.
I found the extra copy in the car under the driver's seat.
But I promise you I was gonna put it back.
- No, no, no, no, no, no, you're fine.
When did you have time to read it?
- Um...
Mostly back at school in Georgia,
like during break time or whenever I had time to read it.
- Did you like it?
- I loved it.
But I just hated that it didn't go as planned
because Soul City would have been an amazing place
for black and brown people to come
and be treated fairly.
- You know what, that's right.
And did you know even to this day
that town is still called Soul City?
- It is?
- Yeah. - Chris, that is amazing.
We should definitely visit someday.
- Most definitely one day.
- Well,
looks like everybody's done with dinner.
Imani, Nasir, I need you to go ahead upstairs,
brush your teeth, get ready for bed.
You know, school's tomorrow.
- One more day before spring break!
- That's right, baby.
- Okay, Mommy, love you.
Love you too, Chris.
- Love you too, Mommy and Chris.
- [Both] Love you too.
[crickets chirping]
[spooky music]
[gasps]
- No, no, no, don't be afraid of me.
[giggle]
- Who...
Who-Who are you?
- My name's Tilley.
You don't have to be afraid of me.
I used to live in this house many, many years ago.
[giggles]
- Hi, T-Tilley.
- Hello, Imani.
- How do you know my name?
- There is so much I's know about you.
I's met Nasir the other night.
[giggles]
- Oh.
Yeah, he told us.
So, why are you here?
[door opens]
- Imani, baby, who are you talking to?
- Tilley.
- Tilley? Who's Tilley?
That's the girl Nasir saw the other night.
She was just...
...there.
- Okay, baby. Look.
I don't know who Tilley is,
but you gotta go back to sleep
before you wake up your mama and your brother, okay?
Now get some more rest.
Good night.
[clunking]
- [unintelligible] I'm able to save more, Imani.
- Sorry.
- That's okay.
- Good morning.
Hey.
How are you doing, baby?
- Good, did you sleep well?
- I slept alright.
Just couldn't get too much sleep because somebody
was up at 02:00 in the morning.
- I'm sorry that I woke you, Chris.
- That's alright, sweetie.
It just took me a while just go back to sleep, that's all.
- Baby, why were you up?
- Mm...
- What?
You couldn't sleep?
What is it, Imani?
Okay.
You're not leaving this table until you say something.
- Well, I saw that girl.
- What girl?
- You talking about the same girl
that Nasir supposedly saw the other night?
- Yes, Tilley.
- You saw Tilley too?
- Yeah, she told me that she lived here like many years ago.
- Wow.
So what else did she say?
- Well, uh,
she said that she knew my name,
and that she knew a lot about me.
- Cool!
- Stop it.
Stop it.
What'd I tell the two of you about making things up?
- But Mommy, I'm not making it up.
I actually saw her.
- So tell me, why is it that the two of you have seen this girl,
but Chris and I haven't.
- I don't know.
- Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
Let me get this straight.
You're saying that this little girl is haunting this house?
[unsettlling music]
- Haunting?
- Look, babe, I'm just trying to understand it all, okay?
I mean, first the kids saying
they've seen this girl around the house,
and you know what, yesterday, when...
I didn't want to tell you, but...
when I was upstairs working,
I don't know.
It seemed like kids were playing downstairs.
I mean, I knew y'all were all gone,
but I just couldn't make sense of it.
- Oh, did you go downstairs to check?
- [sighs]
I mean, I did and I literally thought
it was kids downstairs playing.
But you know, the funny thing is,
when I went downstairs,
there was no one.
- Well, then why didn't you tell me?
- Because I didn't want you to worry, babe.
Especially if it was nothing.
- Chris, you said you heard kids downstairs
playing at our house.
My kids weren't home.
That's enough to freak me out.
- Babe,
the house is old.
It's gonna make noise.
I can assure you, it was just all in my head, okay?
And nothing to be bothered by.
[utensils clanking]
And kids!
Enough of the noise and enough of the stories
about this little girl,
do I make myself clear?
- [both kids] Yes.
- Good.
It's time for y'all to go to school.
- Goodbye, Chris.
- See you later, guys.
Y'all have fun at school and behave.
Hey, babe.
Look, I promise everything's going to be just fine.
I promise.
- Okay.
Love you.
- I love you more.
Now have a blessed day at school.
[thuds]
Bae?
Is that you?
Got off work early, didn't you?
[giggling]
Babe.
[giggling continues]
Babe, you down here?
[giggling]
[unsettling music]
Baby.
You down here?
[unsettling music continues]
Kenya!
Okay, I get it.
It's all payback, huh?
All right, come on out. You got me.
You got me.
[giggling]
Bae!
[music swells]
[unsettling music]
Hey! Hey!
What are you doing in my house?
What are you doing in my house?
- He he he.
What are you doing in my house?
I...
I don't want to hurt you.
I just want to know why are you here?
All right, you got till the count of three
before I call the cops.
One!
Two!
Three!
[loud thud]
What the hell?
[thud] [beeping noise]
[heavy breathing]
[knocking on the door]
Coming.
[Knocking]
Good evening, Sheriff.
How may l help you?
- Good evening, sir.
I got dispatched to this address.
Someone called 911, but there was no response.
Here to make sure everything's okay.
- Yeah, I'm so sorry.
My phone tends to call down people in my pocket.
I completely apologize for that, Sheriff.
- No, it's okay.
It happens to me all the time.
Never called 911 before.
Just protocol, we'll come out to check for emergencies.
- Everything's just fine.
- Okay.
Sir, if you don't mind me asking,
how long you been a resident here?
- My family and I,
we just moved here from Atlanta, Georgia,
about a few days ago.
- Oh, the Big Peach.
Yes, sir. - Okay.
You guys are first time home buyers?
- Yes, sir. We are.
- Okay. Congratulations to you and your family.
- Thank you again.
- Hey, look, brother to brother,
off the record.
You do know this house has a lot of history, right?
- What...
What kind of history?
- Well, for starters, the house is 300 years old.
It belongs to a wealthy family that owned quite a few slaves.
Man, they worked these lands from sun up to sun down.
- Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
Are you saying that this house was a plantation house?
- Take a walk with me.
Look, my mother told me a lot of stories about this house.
- What kind of stories?
- Well, she told me when she was a little girl,
this road you see here, it wasn't even here.
She used to walk three miles of school
every day passing this house.
She told me every time she passed this house,
she used to see a little girl up in that window.
- Wait, that window?
- [radio]
- 10-4 dispatch.
- Wait, wait, wait.
What else did your grandma say about this little girl?
- Sorry, I hate to cut this short,
but I gotta get going. - No, no, wait, wait. Sir!
Did you not just say my house was a plantation house?
- Chris, was that a police car?
- Actually, it was a sheriff car.
They both look similar though, buddy.
- Cool! A sheriff car at our house!
- Why was the sheriff here, Chris?
- Imani, Nasir, take the bags and go in the house.
We'll be right in here.
- Hey babe, how was-
- Chris, why was there a sheriff car at our house?
- It was a complete mix up of address.
That's all. Nothing to be bothered about, okay?
- Okay.
[unsettling music continues]
- I'm full.
- No more pizza for you, Nasir.
- I'm done too.
Hey, Mommy, Chris.
I found something in my room closet the other night.
- What's that, sweetie?
- Imani, at the dinner table?
What is that?
- Give me that.
Imani, what is this?
- It's just a dirty old bag with cotton balls inside.
- No, no, no. Where did you find this?
- In my closet.
- Does not make sense.
- That's where I found it.
- Imani, Nasir,
go upstairs and wash up for bed, okay?
Chop chop.
Hey, young lady.
Make sure that you come back down,
and get that dirt off of my floor.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Bae.
Babe, you're real quiet. [echoing]
Are you okay?
Hello?
Chris, are you listening?
- Yes!
Yeah, I'm sorry.
I just got a lot on my mind.
It's just...
It's like I went...
- My baby, what's on your mind?
Is it the house?
- No, no.
It's- the house is fine.
It's...
It's- It's just I- I...
I got this deadline for this book coming up and...
I just get this thinkers block
and I just can't seem to write anything.
- Well, Bae, I know it's a lot on you.
You just need to relax.
Baby, don't get so hard on yourself.
Just relax.
- Yeah, you're right.
- I know I'm right.
- Oh, now that feels good.
- Does it?
- It does.
- Well, just relax, babe.
- Did you ever think about putting some miles
between you and this farm?
- I mean...
I used to dream about it all the time for a trillion though.
But now I just survive these days
knowing dreams don't come true for people like us.
- Don't you talk like that now.
It's not...
- What can you say about the man who locked a heap
in Furlichism's hotel room?
- That was Jack Cowley, a man who stole shaping dishes-
- What the heck?
[giggling]
[unsettling music]
W-Who's in there?
T-Tilley?
Is that you?
- Looking for me?
[laughing]
[humming]
[humming continues]
[gasping]
- It's been a long time, Jim.
You done got big.
- Jim grew up.
- I must be dreaming.
Wake up, Chris. Wake up.
- [chuckling]
How can you tell from a dreamin'
and what's real?
[chuckles]
- Who are you?
- I is your past.
Your present.
And your future, child.
I was a part of you, son.
- What- What's that supposed to mean?
- I remember when you was just a little boy.
Oh, I used to watch over you all the time.
Sitting here.
[chuckles]
Sitting here making you laugh with the...
the smell of innocence that God done breathed all on you.
You've been chosen, my son.
You've been chosen.
- Chosen- Chosen?
Chosen for what?
I don't understand any of this.
- In time.
In time, you's will know.
- Bae.
Bae, did you have a bad dream?
- Yeah.
- You want to tell me about it?
- Honestly, it doesn't make any sense.
- What happened?
- I-I don't know what time it was,
but I know it wasn't in this day and time.
- Babe, what do you mean?
- What I mean is...
wherever I was...
it was like I was in a period of slavery time.
- Really?
- It's a dream.
- Okay.
There was this old lady...
sitting in the chair.
There was someone standing behind her,
but I couldn't tell who it was.
At first, I didn't know what she was doing,
but then I heard her humming.
And she tells me that she remembers me.
And that she's my past, present and future.
- What does that even mean?
I mean, did you ask her?
- I did.
- What did she say?
- In time, I would know.
- Yeah, girl.
I'm out here just sitting on the porch
watching the kids play kickball.
I mean, it's just a few things that we have to fix up
but overall, is so nice.
Girl, it just feels good to have my own place.
[chuckle]
[sighs]
Girl, I miss y'all too.
I miss y'all so much.
Yeah.
Well, you just gonna have to come find out for yourself.
- ...look what I found.
Mommy, Mommy, look what I found.
- Girl, let me call you back.
- Look what I found, Mommy.
- Where did you get this?
It's just a rope, Mommy.
- Nasir, you and Imani, in the house now.
In the house, now.
- Where did you get this?
- Nasir found it outside playing.
Why would a...
Why would a noose be on our property, Chris?
Chris!
- I don't know, Kenya.
Maybe it was left here by its previous owners.
- Who? Miss Louvenia?
That doesn't make any sense.
I mean, first Imani finds a bag of cotton in her closet,
and now my baby finds a noose outside?
- Look, I don't have any answers for none of this, Kenya.
I don't.
Baby.
B-Baby, just sit down, sit down, breathe.
Breathe, baby, breathe.
- I've only seen a noose once in my life.
And that was when I was a little girl.
I was about 10 or so and...
Me and my friends, we used to go...
We used to go down to this lake and...
we used to play there all the time, but one day,
one day, these white girls were there.
They were a little older than we were.
They started yelling at us.
Yelling out racial slurs, and calling us black.
Ugly.
Telling us we were monkeys and apes.
Saying that we were dirty,
just like the lake in black,
just like the mud around the lake.
We tried to leave but one of the white girls
just took my doll away from me.
Telling us to stay away from her lake,
and what she would do to us
if we came back there to her lake.
- Baby, what did they do?
- They took my doll.
They took my baby doll.
I don't even know why they got it from me.
And they...
They tied a rope around the doll's neck.
And they pretended to hang my doll with a noose,
just tying the noose around my doll's neck,
pretending to hang it over a tree limb.
And they said, that's what would happen to us.
I have never been so angry in my life.
But I was also scared, Chris.
I was so scared.
All I could do was just run home and hide in my room.
I was too scared to tell my mom and my daddy.
All I could think about was...
people like Laura Nelson and her 14 year old son,
who...
who were lynched in Oklahoma.
And Ruben Stacey who was lynched in Florida.
Lee Paul...
Lee Paul who was lynched in Georgia and...
Oliver Moore who was lynched right here in North Carolina.
I told myself...
I told myself that if I ever had kids of my own,
that they would never have to experience the wicked.
The wickedness and hatred that this country has over us.
And it seems like no matter how hard I try,
it just has a way of coming back and resurfacing.
- Kenya, look at me.
Look at me.
Everything's gonna be just fine.
I promise you.
There's gotta be an explanation to all of this,
and I will find out.
I promise.
- Yeah.
Yeah, I hope so.
[knocking]
- Huh.
Just like the way it used to be.
- Can I help you?
- They ain't outing at all.
They didn't look such like the kind of things.
Not changed things on this house.
- Can I help you?
- Oh, oh.
How you doing, sir?
Did you call in about a problem
with your house?
- My what?
- I'm so sorry, sir.
I'm to mean your stool, your toilet.
- Oh, you are stool plumbing, right?
- Yes, sir, that's me.
- Okay, yeah, yeah, I did call.
It's down the hall, right this way, come on in.
- Are you sure?
You sure I could come in?
- Yeah, come on in.
- You sure right now?
- Bruh, come on in.
- Everything is still so nice in here.
It's so clean in here.
- Sorry it took me a while to get to the door.
I was upstairs working on my computer.
- No problem.
So, how long have you and your family been living here?
- It's been about five days.
Yeah, been about five days,
and that's since we moved in.
- About five days, huh?
- Yeah, yeah.
The toilet. Toilet. This way.
Come on.
Well, here's the toilet.
My daughter said it doesn't flush so there you go.
- It won't?
So let me take a good look inside it.
Mm-hmm.
I found your problem.
- What is it?
- Looks like your flap done came loose.
So all I gotta do is put it back together.
- Okay, well, it don't sound expensive at all.
- No, sir, it won't hurt your pocket at all.
- So Stewart, out of curiosity,
did you know Louvenia well?
- Yes sir, she's a sweet old lady.
She's been taking good care of this house
for a long, long time.
- You definitely too.
I don't know, I just...
I just feel like...
I just wonder sometimes, like, why would she give me
this whole house to me and my family.
- I don't know nothin'.
But maybe you reminds her of someone.
- I guess.
- You know, I knew the masters,
I mean owners before her.
- Oh really?
Who were they?
- You know don't know?
The Wards.
John and Mary Ward.
They were very powerful back in the day.
- What do you mean by powerful?
- Uh...
Let's just say, you best not get out of line,
because they had a lot of whips.
I mean, they were in a pretty tight ship, you know?
Things were a lot different.
A whole lot different back then.
- Okay.
Look, look, um...
enlighten me for a second here.
What is this word around town that this house
was a plantation house?
- Well...
That's gonna do it for you.
As you can see, your toilet works fine now.
- But you didn't answer...
O-Okay, fine.
So how much do I owe you, sir?
- Nah. Nothing.
Nothing at all, sir.
- Y-You sure?
- Yeah. No problem.
- Good looking, big pepper.
- No problem. Call me if you need me again.
[funky music]
Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah
Sunlight spills through the window wide
Laughter bounces, no place to hide
Mom's got moves, Dad's got style
Little bro's moonwalk cracks a smile
The music plays, the world feels small
Together we rise, together we fall
Family grooving in the zone
Hearts beat loud like a saxophone
No matter when, no matter when
It's love that makes us whole again
[music slows, warped]
Grandma's stories, wild and true
Cousin's dancing in mismatched shoes
[music warped]
Chris! - Yes!
Yeah.
- Do you want some water or not?
- Yeah, please. Give me a bottle, please.
Thank you.
[unsettling music]
What's this?
The history of Paydert Plantation.
This...
This is our house.
Back in the day.
Let's see.
[somber music]
The Paydert Plantation was built by John Ward in 1805...
It was built...
By the time he died in 1863, the Wards own 10,000 acres...
Slavery was legally practiced in the Province of North Carolina
and the State of North Carolina until January 1, 1863.
When President Abraham Lincoln issued
the Emancipation Proclamation.
Prior to the statehood,
there were 41,000 enslaved African-Americans...
on the Province of North Carolina in 1767.
During the Antebellum period,
the state of North Carolina passed several laws
to protect the rights of slave owners.
The percentage of population of slaves were...
[continues to read]
In 1860, what the slave population was greater
than the fleet of the slave population in 1860.
[reading]
[reading]
Bingo!
Hey,
my name is Chris Nobles.
I'm trying to reach a young lady
by the name of Grace.
She wrote a story online
about the Paydert Plantation on Paydert Street.
Anyways, look, if you can give me a call back
in 555-237-5,
it'd be greatly appreciated, thank you.
Kenya's gonna kill me.
[urine gushing]
[water gurgling]
[water gushing]
[unsettling music]
Oh!
[gasping]
Where'd she go?
Where'd she go?
[panicked breathing]
Um...
Hey.
Hey.
- You alright?
Yeah, um,
just, uh, a little constipated.
- Bae, you look like you just saw a ghost.
- No, no, no, no.
Um...
I'm fine, I'm fine.
Um...
Yeah, I'm-I'm fine.
- You ready for bed?
- Yes.
You just go in there.
I'll be in there in a minute, alright?
- Okay.
[both giggles]
[sigh]
[chain jangling] [humming]
[heavy footsteps] [chain jangling]
[humming continues]
[humming]
[humming abruptly stops]
[gasping]
What has happened to me?
[heavy breathing]
- Bae.
- Mm?
- It's hot.
[soft humming]
- Who are you?
Where am I?
What is this?
- Mister, you're safe.
Please, calm down.
- I must be dreaming.
Wake up, Chris. Wake up.
- Mister, you ain't dreaming.
- I gotta be... I gotta be...
- Sshh.
You's too loud.
You's gonna wake up Billy.
- Billy?
Who's that?
- Billy.
The overseer.
- Overseer?
Oh no, I gotta get out of here.
- I's need you quiet now.
[somber music]
- Could you...
Could you please tell me where...
where am I?
- You's at Paydert Plantation.
- Plantation?
- Yes, sir.
This here is property of John and Mary Ward.
- Okay.
No, no, no.
I'm not supposed to be here.
- [chuckles] We's all ain't supposed to be here.
- No, no, no.
I mean, I'm not supposed to be here.
Like here, right now.
Look, can you tell me what year this is?
- You's mean 1853?
[music swells]
- Okay, so is that...
Is that what year this is?
1853?
- Yes, sir.
I's telling you.
Don't be afraid.
- Wait.
You're the same girl that I saw in my house.
Same exact girl that Imani's saying, aren't you?
- Yes, that was me.
- So why?
What do you want from us?
- I is your past, present, and future.
- What does that mean?
- In times, you's know.
- Bae. Chris.
[gasps]
It's time.
- Ti-Time?
- Time for breakfast.
[birds chirping]
You're not gonna eat?
- I'm sorry, babe.
I haven't had much of an appetite.
- I see that.
Is there anything that you want to tell me?
Look,
I don't know what's gotten into you lately,
but ever since we moved into this house,
you've been distant and I don't like it.
- Look babe, I'm sorry, okay?
I just got this book deadline and I can't finish...
- Damn the book, Chris!
I'm speaking about us,
and I need for you to be honest with me.
- And I have, Kenya.
- No, you haven't.
Please, tell me what's going on with you.
[sighs]
- Chris, I am waiting.
- Okay, okay.
Look, you gotta promise me you won't freak out, okay?
Look, baby, I believe this house is haunted.
I believe this house was the old slave plantation house.
- Wait, what, come again?
- Yeah, look, the police, the plumber, the...
history I read online about it.
Just makes sense.
- You know what?
I don't know if you're trying to scare me but I don't...
- Baby, I'm not trying to scare you.
Okay, I don't know what's going on.
I don't- and I can't wrap my mind around it,
but I promise you,
there is something definitely going on in this house, Kenya,
and I'm not joking around.
- So what are you trying to tell me?
What are we supposed to do now?
We moved all the way here from Georgia, Chris.
We don't have any family.
What am I supposed to do about my kids?
- Our kids, our family.
This is our home, Kenya.
There's nothing that's gonna change that, okay?
Look,
I'm going to get to the bottom of it.
I promise you, I just need you to trust me.
- Chris, how can I trust you
when you haven't even been honest with me
about this house?
You weren't even honest with me about how you got this house
to begin with.
- And I understand that completely.
But baby, I got us in this mess.
Just I promise you, I'm gonna get us out of it.
- Chris.
Did you think to at least look up the history of the house
or at least talk to me about it
so we could have made a decision about the house together?
- And I understand that point, but baby,
I was excited when the house was given to me.
And I wanted to surprise you and the kids, Kenya.
- Surprise?
Look, have you at least talked to Louvenia?
- I would have, but she didn't leave a number, remember?
Babe, babe, babe, look,
I promise you I'm gonna get to the bottom of it, okay?
I just need you to trust me.
Do you trust me?
Baby, look at me.
Do you trust me?
- I do, Chris. I'm just scared.
- There's nothing for you to be scared of.
I got you and I got the kids, okay?
I love you.
- I love you too.
- Hello?
- Hi, am I speaking with Grace?
[soul music]
Love, you my blue flame, blue flame
Got love you through mood swing
I just break the levy quick to make that mood change
You my twin flame, never thought we'd lose range
Tears fallin' from the clouds
And rushin' the window pane, love
When I first met you, I could tell that you was different
I seen it in your eyes, I probably felt it in your spirit
Deep in conversation like she fit right in the vision
Knew I had to make you mine, but shout out to my intuition
What's up
It's crazy how you fall for me
Like how you fell for me
Like you was there for me
When I was thinking shit nobody really cared for me
Handle my heart carefully
To how I bring you so much pain
Forgive me for those times where I was so far out of line
Karma get so heated, ain't no way we calmin' down
Don't give a damn who we around
We built this perfect house of love
Rose petals flyin' dust
That turn around and burn the shit down to the ground
But what's love without the scars, baby?
Look, is it real if it ain't never brought you pain
Can you stand in the rain?
Or maybe I'm just toxic man enough to take that blame
I'm so addicted to the...
Love, blue flame, blue flame...
[knocking on the door]
- Coming.
- Hey, sir. Can I come in?
It's a little chilly out here. - Yeah, sure, sure, sure.
- Woah. It's cold out.
I got a package here for you.
- Oh, yeah. Yeah.
Ttis must be the incontrast order for my computer.
- Sir, I'm gonna need your signature right here.
- Oh, yeah. I got you.
- All right, appreciate you, man.
- [clears throat]
- You're a Nobles, aren't you?
- I am.
- Once upon a time,
there was a lot of Nobles around this area.
- Hmph, really?
- Exactly, but that's what I heard.
You don't by any chance have any families
around these parts, do you?
- I can't say that I do.
I'm not from around here.
- Oh, okay.
Heard a lot of stories about this house.
- Let me guess.
This house used to be a plantation house, right?
- Right.
- Gotcha.
- If I may, can I ask you a personal question?
- Sure, shoot.
- You don't know anything about the first owners, do you?
- I've heard some rumors around town.
I mean, I haven't did my research yet, but I will be soon.
Why, you ask?
- Okay.
No, just nothing, nothing.
It just, you know?
Where are you from?
- My family, we were originally from Georgia.
- The Big Peach?
- Yes, sir.
- Okay, that's a stretch.
Long ways from home, huh?
- Yeah, it is, it is.
- So what's it like?
- What, Georgia?
- Nah, living in this house.
- I mean...
it's all right, I guess.
- Hm.
Must not be nice.
- Excuse me?
- Oh, no, no.
I was just thinking about my grandmother.
She knew a little bit of history about this place.
She once told me a majority of the people
that were enslaved on this land was actually related.
- That's interesting.
- Crazy.
I also remember she said something about
when she was a little girl walking to school.
She used to pass this house all the time.
And every time she passed,
she see a little girl right in that window.
See by that window in there?
- Mm-hmm.
- You know you gotta be asking yourself now,
why am I here?
I guess the real question you must ask yourself,
what brought me here?
Well, I gotta jet, man.
- Wait. - Nice chit-chatting with you.
I gotta figure out where...
First off, can you tell me exactly
where 808 North Madison Avenue is?
- Look, look, I got a question. - Don't worry about it, huh?
I'm running early... I'm running ate, but I guess gotta go.
Hello?
- [sigh]
Not again.
[mellow music]
- You know you will look beautiful with braids, right?
- I know but I just really love my ponytails.
- Yeah, but don't you want to switch it up sometimes?
- Mmm, not really.
They just look like they really hurt.
- Girl, you just tender headed, that's all.
- I am not tender headed, Mommy.
Ow.
- [laugh]
Whatever you say.
[laugh]
- You know, your mama is right, Imani.
You should try something different.
And braids?
Definitely not a bad idea.
And you would definitely look very beautiful with them.
- I keep telling her that.
- Imani, did you know that braids started back in Africa?
- Africa?
Seriously?
- Yeah!
Africa was the Himba people of Namibia.
Look, braiding can be traced back
over 5,000 years of African culture.
And did you know,
not only when wearing braids you're wearing the style of it,
but you're wearing the origin, the art,
and the history that come from it.
- I never thought about that, Chris.
- Yeah, it's pretty dope, right?
- Yeah.
Actually, that's pretty cool.
Hey, that girl Tilley...
she had braids in her hair too.
- Oh, did she?
- Yeah, she did.
I guess I'll give it a try, man.
- Ready or not, here I come.
- Nasir, what are you doing?
- We were playin' the game You're It,
and now I can't find her, Mommy.
- Can't find who, baby?
- Tilley, she's always hiding in good spots.
Maybe she's in the attic.
- Nasir, no.
Now tell me, when was the last place you seen Tilley?
- Chris.
- Look, I understand how it sounds, Kenya,
but there's something going on in this house, okay?
Just... look, just trust me, okay?
Nasir, I need you to stay in your sister's room
until I get back.
- But Chris, I wanna come.
- What did I say, Nasir?
- Chris, you have no right to be yelling at my son that way.
What's been going on with you?
Nasir, come here, baby.
Baby, listen,
your dad called,
and he wants to come out and pick you up.
And he wants to spend a week with you next week.
He'll be here to pick you up tomorrow.
- Wait, can I go too?
- Aw, I'm sorry, baby.
He said he wanted to spend some father-and-son time
with Nasir.
- Of course, he does.
Because he always leaves me out.
- Baby, I'm sorry you feel that way.
How about this?
You and I can go have some mother-daughter time, okay?
It'll be fun.
- Okay.
- First let me fix this hair.
- Hey.
I'm sorry.
I shouldn't have yelled at you.
You forgive me?
All right, good.
Now, I want you to go ahead
and have fun with your dad, okay?
I'ma miss you, little buddy.
- Miss you, too.
[giggle]
Yeah.
[somber music]
[vocalization]
Tilley, Tilley.
- Mister, what's wrong?
- No, explain to me why I'm back here again.
- Mister, there's something I was going to show you,
and that there's a few things you need to know.
- Okay, so tell me.
- Well, well, well.
What have we got here?
- How do you do, sir?
- Why aren't you picking?
- Excuse me, picking what?
- He's a bit tired, sir.
He's out for a spell coz his hands are aching.
- [laughing]
I don't care about those hands of yours.
As long as they're pickin' cotton.
- He's getting right to it, sir.
- Shut up, Tilley!
- Do you understand me, boy?
Pft!
You looking at me, negro?
- No.
- What'd you say to me, boy?
- No, sir.
- That's what I thought.
Now get back to picking.
And that goes for all of y'all, too.
- That was Billy, the overseer.
- Yeah, that was hard to figure out.
- Sshhh, you's too loud.
- No, no, enough.
You told me you came back to tell me what.
- Chris! - Please tell me what you had to tell me.
- Chris! Bae!
Chris!
- Yeah, yeah.
- Baby, what was that all about?
We were in the middle of a conversation
and you just up and left.
- I just, um...
I just came out for a breath of fresh air, that's all.
- A breath of fresh air in the middle of a conversation.
- Yeah, doesn't everybody do that?
Come on, let's go back in.
- So, are there any more people like you here?
- Yes, there's more of us.
- Cool.
Wait,
are there any more people in this room?
- [laugh]
No, Imani, it's just me.
- [relief sigh]
I was about to say.
So, you say you were here for Chris, right?
- There's things he need to know about his past.
And a little bit that needs healing.
But I'm here to help Chris and guide his future.
- That's cool too.
I like Chris.
He's a good guy.
He's funny and he treats my mom really well.
- That's good.
So what you learning?
- Oh, it's this book called
The Autobiography of Shirley Chisholm.
This is my second time reading it.
Have you read it?
- No, I's haven't.
- Well, you should.
This is a really good book.
- I's can't read.
Can you read it to me, Imani?
- Sure.
Shirley Anita St. Hale Chisholm
was the first African American woman in Congress,
and the first woman in African-American to seek the nomination
for President of the United States.
- Hey, Mommy, what's up?
- I was coming upstairs and...
it sounded like I heard you talking to somebody.
You don't have nobody in this room, do you?
- No, Mommy, of course not.
I was just reading out loud.
You know how much I love this book.
- Okay.
Well, don't let me disturb you.
Love you. - Love you.
[knocking]
- Hello, I'm Grace.
Are you Chris?
- Yes, I am. Please come in.
As you know,
now this house does have quite the history.
- Yeah.
I just wonder why Louvenia never told us about the history.
- Hm. I'm not sure why either, but did you ask her?
- How would he have known?
- This is new to us.
We're not from here.
- I understand.
- Okay, so we got the backstory of the house,
which leads me to my next question.
Did something happen here?
- Well, Mr. Nobles, under certain circumstances,
there were a lot of things that happened here
that weren't so pleasant.
Are you speaking of something specifically?
Chris, have you heard or seen something?
- I have.
- Nasir, hush, she's talking to Chris.
- No, it's alright.
Hi, Nasir.
- Hi.
- How do you like your new home?
- I like it a lot.
- Nice.
So have you seen or heard anything strange
since you've moved here?
- Um...
Like a ghost?
- No, not necessarily a ghost.
Something that sticks out or feels strange.
- No, I haven't seen anything.
- And what's your name, sweetheart?
- Imani.
- Imani. That's such a pretty name.
- Thank you.
- So how about you?
Have you seen or heard anything unusual
since your family moved here?
- Well, she's not a ghost.
- She?
- She's a little girl about my age.
Her name is Tilley.
- Mm.
So, did she say how she got here?
- Um...
She told my brother and I
that she used to live in this housemany years ago,
and her family was forced to live here.
- Is that what she told you, Nasir?
- Yeah, she's my new friend.
- Mm.
And how old is this Tilley?
- [in unison] She's 10.
- Have either of you seen this girl in this house?
- No.
This is just some little girl
that they made up when we moved here.
And I keep telling them about making things...
- No, Kenya, it's true.
- Chris,
you've seen this girl?
- Yes, I have.
- Where have you seen this girl?
- Mostly in my dreams.
Um...
I was here alone and I seen her walking in the house.
Washing my face one night,
she appeared behind me and...
vanished.
And other times,
it seemed as if I was in a different time period.
I see that...
it's a lot to take in. I just...
I just hope that you can help me understand.
- Wow. [chuckle]
This is quite the story.
But there has to be some reason why all of this is happening.
- Yeah. - Right?
- Yes.
- So now you're the only one that hasn't seen anything
a bit off in this house?
- Yeah, basically.
How old are you two?
- I'm eight years old.
- I'm 14.
- Okay, well, do you like school?
- I love school.
- How about you, sweetheart?
- It's cool.
- Excuse me.
Who are you and why are you here?
- Baby, she's the historian.
- It's okay, Chris.
I'm sorry.
I apologize for not truly introducing myself.
I'm a local historian here in town,
and I do a bit of research on history
and descendants.
- Okay, and you're here again because?
- Kenya...
- I can answer that as well.
It's all right.
Well, Mrs. Nobles,
Chris contacted me because he wanted to know more
about the history on this house.
So we scheduled a time that I can come by
and I'm really sorry to intrude,
but I assume that Chris would have shared that with you.
- No, he didn't.
It seems as though I'm always the last one
to know things around here.
- Well, I ask that you all give me a couple of days
to pull some information together
so I can try to make sense out of all of this for you.
- Okay, thank you so much.
- It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. and Mrs. Nobles.
Thank you for the hospitality.
And I'll be in touch, Chris.
- Thank you.
- Have a good day.
- Hey, beautiful.
Kenya, baby, are you okay?
You seem a bit upset.
- Upset?
Oh, you haven't seen upset.
- I mean, what's going on?
Do you want to talk about it?
- Oh, so now you want to talk.
- Okay, baby, where is this coming from?
- Don't be trying to gaslight me.
You're trying to make it seem like I didn't see
what I saw earlier today.
- What are you talking about?
What did you see?
- So you wanna play games?
We can play a little game, Chris.
- What game?
- Who is she?
- Who's who?
- No, you tell me who the hell that was
that you brought into our house earlier.
- Who, Grace?
Baby, she's just a historian.
- I knew you were going to say something like that.
- Well she is, Kenya.
- Lie to me one more time, Chris.
- Oh, that's the honest-to-God truth, Kenya.
- Okay, so you still want to keep playing games.
- What games?
- Where did you meet her?
- Baby, this was the first time I met her alone with you.
- So you trying to tell me
that your first time speaking to this girl
was earlier today in our living room?
- No, no, no, no.
I mean, I got her number online.
- Online?
So that's where you met the little ho?
- Yes. No, no, no, not in that way.
Kenya, look.
Baby, look, I got Grace's number off this website
when I was reading a story about this house.
I only reached out to her so she could help us
figure out what's going on.
I mean, I did this for us.
- Oh no, speak for yourself.
You did this for you.
You're the only one that's been acting strangely around here.
It's like you isolated yourself from reality.
- What is that supposed to mean?
- You're not here.
You're not here with us, Chris.
Look at you.
You've been drinking, talking to yourself.
The only time I can hold you is when you waking up
from one of your bad dreams,
and you're always, always alone in that room
working on your damn book.
- That's my job, Kenya.
- No, we are your job, Chris.
Being a great husband and father figure is your job, Chris.
- Father figure?
Oh, so you want to talk about father figure?
Okay, Kenya, let's talk about father figures then.
Explain to me, how the hell I'm supposed to do that?
Because every time when I talk to them,
you always correct me and make it clear
that I'm not the damn father.
Baby, I am trying.
God knows I am, but this,
this right here, isn't easy.
- It's not supposed to be, Chris!
This is the real world!
- Don't you think I know that?
Baby, look, I'm sorry.
I'm just trying to make sense of all this, okay?
I'm trying to understand this.
- What is it that you don't get?
- I honestly don't know,
but ever since we moved into this damn house,
everything, not me,
everything seemed to be a bit off.
- A bit off?
You know what?
Maybe you need to get checked out.
- Checked-
Checked out?
Checked out by who, Kenya? - A doctor, Chris.
- Come on, please.
- Didn't you say something about your mother...
- Don't you dare mention another word about my mother?
- Why, Chris, is it too much for you?
- Yes, Kenya, it is.
You know what?
I'm going to sleep downstairs.
- Well, take your ass downstairs.
[birds chirping]
- Come in.
- Hey baby.
- Hi.
- What you doing?
- Just reading.
- What are you reading?
- The Autobiography of Medgar Evers.
- Medgar Evers.
You know what?
Isn't he the civil rights activist that worked for the NAACP?
- Yeah, he was the first real secretary in the South.
One of his first assignments
was to investigate the murder of Emmett Till.
- You know what, I remember that.
I remember that story.
It's just so sad how he was murdered
just for whistling at a white woman.
- Supposedly but, yeah, he was a major figure.
- Yes, he was.
Guess what?
I have a surprise for you.
So I know you were a little upset
that you couldn't go with your dad.
So I got you two gifts.
- You didn't have to get me any gifts.
- I know baby, but you know what?
I think you're gonna like these gifts.
- So, where are they?
- Now you're asking the right questions.
- [gasps]
Tee-Tee and Ryen, my best friends from Atlanta!
How did y'all get them here?
- Well, my mom has a convention with her job in Raleigh,
and Tee-Tee was staying with us for the weekend.
So I had my mommy talked to your mom
to see how far you guys were from the convention,
and if it wasn't too far if we could come visit you.
- That's right.
So after speaking with Ryen's mom,
I let her know we're just an hour and 30 minutes away.
So we set it up to where your friends
get to stay with us for one night,
while her mom is at the convention.
It was perfect timing.
- Thank you, mom.
- You're welcome, baby.
Have fun.
Enjoy your friends.
- So what y'all been up to?
- Same old stuff back home.
- Girl, what type of Adam's family house is this?
- Tee-Tee!
- I'm just asking!
Imani knows I mess with her.
You know I miss my girl, right?
- You do?
- We both miss you.
- You're our homegirl for life,
and that ain't gonna change no matter where you are.
- You know things haven't been the same since you left.
- Yeah, I know. I just miss Atlanta so much.
And I mean everything about it.
- Girl, why don't you call us more?
- Oh, I try every chance I get.
But Chris uses the internet a lot while he works,
and the service here isn't great.
- So you say I can't do TikTok?
And girl, why is it so dark in here?
It's doing something to my spirit.
And God said, "Let there be light!"
- I see she still hasn't changed.
- Not one bit.
Now where's the nearest malls and stores?
I need me a new polish.
- Hey y'all, you know we got to hit the skate rink, right?
- Oh, yeah. - I need to get my skate on!
Show y'all my new tricks.
- Y'all, there's no mall or a skating rink nearby.
- Say what? No cascade here?
- Cascade is only in Atlanta, Tee-Tee, but no mall?
So what do you do to have fun?
- I basically just go outside and play,
watch TV or chill in my room,
mm, read a book.
- Re-- Wait, read a what?
I didn't hear you.
I ain't doing all that.
Only book I probably read is the Bible,
the scripture too.
This is a spring vacation.
- The most important thing is that we're all together.
Right, Tee-Tee?
- Um...
Yeah.
Something like that.
Now, what y'all got to eat up in here?
Cause I am starving.
- In time, you's will know.
[clock ticking]
[sighs]
[clears throat]
[melancholic music]
Mama, I need you.
I don't know what's happening
or why it's happening.
Am I going crazy too, mama?
Why?
Why did you leave me here?
[sobbing]
Why did you leave me?
I felt like I'm losing it...
over and over and over again.
Why?
Why?
I just want to feel your touch one more time, mama.
I just want...
If I could just hold you one more time.
If I could just...
that you'd tell me,
everything would be all right.
Why, ma?
[sobbing]
I just miss you so much.
I miss you so much.
- Dear Lord, we come to you as we know how.
And we thank you for allowing us to visit our dear friend Imani.
I'm not sure why they moved here
in the middle of nowhere,
no mall, skating rink, and nothing!
And I mean nothing for kids to do.
Living in a 300 year old house,
but we ask you, Lord,
that you would watch over my friends' home.
We come to you
and need your hand covering us tonight as we sleep,
that nothing inside this home will come alive.
Like that doll Annabelle in the movie sequel.
- What?
- Annabelle?
- We ask you, Almighty,
that you surround your top 10 angels around me while I sleep.
And, um, them too.
In Jesus name, we pray.
- [in unison] Amen.
- I'm exhausted.
- Same, let's go to bed.
- Shaka!
Let's get that first.
Ha ha.
- Good night, Ryen. I enjoyed you.
- Good night, Imani. I enjoyed you, too.
- Good night, Tee-Tee.
Tee-Tee?
[snores]
- Hey, let me give you a hand with those.
- Thank you.
- What?
I just went to the store to grab a few things
that we needed for the house.
- Okay.
Hey, I just want to apologize and thank you.
- For what?
- For not being completely honest with you, Kenya.
I mean, you were right.
I've been hiding a lot of things, and I've changed a lot.
And for that, I am truly sorry.
But I do know that...
I really want us to work out because I really do truly love you.
Kenya, I really do.
- Well...
thank you.
And I appreciate your apology, Chris.
And baby,
baby, I am so sorry too.
Gosh, I, especially...
especially for what I said about your mom
was completely out of line.
And baby, I do.
I do want things to work out too.
Listen, I'm going to do a better job
in expressing my feelings.
Okay, baby?
I've just been so insensitive.
Listen, from now on,
I'm gonna be more supportive, okay?
Baby, I just love you so much.
- And I love you too, Kenya.
- Just tell me,
where do we go from here?
- I... [phone ringing]
It's Grace.
- Just answer it.
- I don't really need to answer it.
We can figure this all on our own.
- No, no, she may have the answers, Chris.
It's okay.
Answer the call.
- Okay.
Hello?
- I'm gonna miss you guys.
- We're gonna miss you too.
- Imani,
I'm sorry I asked you too many questions about your house.
I really like your new home.
- It's okay, Tee-Tee.
I know it's coming from a good place.
- So next time you're coming to visit us, right?
You know it, eight town down.
[All] Ey!
- Hey y'all, look!
- What is it?
What?
- Where'd she go?
- Where'd who go?
- There's a girl in that hallway.
- Oh, Tee-Tee.
Enough about this house already.
Let's go.
Bye. - Bye.
- I know what I saw.
- After I left your home,
I went up to my office to do a little research
by running a few names in the company ancestry database.
Well, this database we use has over 30 billion records
going back as far as the 17th century.
I already built quite a bit of information through the years
about the plantation on Paydert Street.
And it wasn't that hard
after calling a couple of other historians I know.
And the information that they found,
I think you need to know.
- Okay, we're definitely listening.
- As I shared with them what you guys have witnessed,
they told me there was a young girl,
the age of 10 documented in John Ward's book
where he kept all his slaves' names
and how much they were worth.
Tilley Nobles was born in 1854,
and was brought in to clean,
do some cooking, and to fan their owners.
They also mentioned another girl who worked the fields
until she was a teenager.
It's documented that she got brought in the house
to help clean, cook,
and to watch the owner's granddaughter
from time to time.
Her name was Sarah Jones and she was 17.
- [scoffs] Wait.
I can't believe this.
- I couldn't either.
I also was told that the year 1863,
there were a few that ran away from the plantation.
- Wait,
was Sarah and Tilley with them that ran?
- Yes.
Sarah and Tilley were the names that fled along
with the others.
Not many were able to run away
without being captured and without the help
and connects of the underground railroad.
But somehow, from what was told to me,
Sarah was the leader and had a map
that took her family into Freedom Land.
- Wow.
So they all got away.
Brave young girl she was.
- She really was.
[knocking on the door]
Hey,
may I come in?
Whatcha doing, sweetie?
- Nothing, just reading.
- Look Imani, I just want to apologize
for how I've been acting.
I mean, I know you picked up a lot of things
between your mother and I.
But I just really want you to know
you have nothing to do with anything, okay?
- I know.
I understand adults have disagreements sometimes.
- Imani, you sure are smart.
- I know I am.
[chuckles]
Look,
about this Tilley.
You knew I'd been seeing her too, didn't you?
- Yeah, she kinda told me.
She told me that there was something that you needed to know,
and that when you did, you were gonna tell us.
- Yeah, I'm still trying to figure that out too, sweetie.
But for right now, you need to get some shut eye.
And first thing in the morning,
we talk more about it.
Deal?
- Deal.
- Good night, Imani.
- Good night, Dad.
- Take a little nap.
- In time, you's will know. [echoing]
[humming]
[humming continues]
Hmmm...
[gasps]
Touch the cane.
- Tilley. [laugh]
Wow, you look beautiful.
What's the occasion, the dress and all?
Look, I got so many questions I gotta ask.
I just...
[melancholic music]
Tilley,
what is this?
Who- Who are these people?
- They are here for you.
- Me?
- This here be your family.
- Family?
- That's right.
Your roots, your blood, your ancestors.
- Are you serious?
So that means that you're family too, right?
Okay, okay, okay.
So what's the connection?
- [chuckles]
I's your great-great-great-grandmother, Chris.
- My great-great-great-grandmother?
- That's right.
We heard your cries for many years, Chris.
You've become the man that your mother is very, very proud of.
- My mother?
Have you seen her?
Has she mentioned me?
- Asla, will tell you.
- My baby.
My baby.
[sobs]
It's okay.
It's alright.
[door squeaks open]
- Mama, did you get me a new BearHug comic book?
- Yeah, baby, it's in my bag.
Go to go to the bathroom.
Chris, what are you doing?
- Nothing, Mama. Just these pills fell out of your bag.
- Give me those.
I never want to see you playing with pills again.
Do you understand?
- Yes, mama.
- Here's your comic.
- Yes! Thank you, mama.
- You're welcome.
Now go to your room and read it while I prepare dinner.
- Okay.
Mm.
This headache.
- See you next issue for a Ho-Ho-Holiday Story
with an ending you won't believe.
The end.
Wow, that was cool.
Mama, is the food done?
Mama?
Mama?
Mama?
Mama?
Mama?
Mama?
Mama!
Mama! Mama! Mama!
Mama! Mama! [echoing]
- It's alright.
- [sobbing]
- It's okay!
I am fine!
I'm fine!
Love, you was just a child.
It was all a mistake.
- It's my fault, Mama.
It's my fault.
- No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
You gotta forgive yourself.
And you gotta move on.
Okay?
- Does he look just like Pa?
- He sure does.
- Who's Pa?
- My father.
His name is James.
You's look just like him.
- I do?
Take a look for yourself.
- They say we look alike.
- Yeah. I guess so.
- Well say...
Need a hug like you gave them.
You're my great-great-great-great-grandson.
- Wait, wait, so...
Oh, Tilley, this is a...
This is a lie.
Whatever happened to Sarah?
- She would have told you herself.
- Who are you?
- My name is Aminah.
I no longer go by the name Sarah.
I've heard a lot about you.
We've been here to watch and cover over you
since you were a little boy.
We're all so proud of you.
I want you to keep shining your light and to the world.
We'll always be here, right here with you, Chris,
even when you cannot see us.
- There's one more thing that's really important to know.
We just left you something that's been in the house
for many, many years.
- What do you have in the house?
- You'll find it.
There'll be a gift,
and it'll bring you closer to your understandings.
There's a lot more of this that you should know.
Use the gift to make a difference in your family
and your community.
But most of all,
this gift will remind you where you came from, Chris.
- I will.
- Now remember,
I will always, always be with you.
Right here.
- Mama, I love you. [sobbing]
I love you.
- I love you too.
I love you too.
[objects clattering]
[coughing]
[coughing]
It's that bad.
I won't be sleeping in this dusty place.
What's this?
Pft!
[coughs]
A map.
[grunts]
[thuds] [coughs]
- Good evening, sir.
I got dispatched to this address,
someone called 911 but there was no response.
- Louvenia?
- Is this your beautiful wife that you told me so much about?
- Yes.
- How long have you and your family been living here?
- Great-great-great-great grandfather.
- So what's it like?
- What? What do you mean?
- In time, you's will know.
My great-great-great-great grandmother.
What's this?
Oh, snap.
What is this?
[coins clinking]
Ah! Kenya!
Kenya!
Look! Guys!
Kenya, Imani, come here!
Guys!
Kenya, check-
Kenya!
Kenya!
Imani. Imani!
Guys! Come here!
Kenya!
Yo! Kenya!
- Yes, Chris.
- Baby!
Come here, come here.
You gotta come here.
Come here.
Kenya!
Baby, come here.
- I'm coming.
What?
- Come on. I got something to show you.
Come here. - Okay.
I'm coming, I'm coming, I'm coming.
What is it?
What's up?
- Baby, come on here.
- What is going on? What is it?
- It's all right there.
- What is this?
- Look, my ancestors, the money, everything.
Look at that.
- Oh my god. What?
You're in.... This is what...
- It's a gift.
Tilley said she left something in the house and...
this is...
This is it.
- Oh my God.
Baby.
Baby. - Mm?
- Look.
[laughing]
- Who's that?
- That is my great-great-great-grandmother,
Tilley Nobles.
Now, do you believe me?
[chuckling]
- Hello everyone and welcome to the Shirley Freeman Show!
[cheers and applause]
We have a special guest on this evening.
He just released his second book, Paydert.
I was so gracious to have producers that were able to find him
while he was on his book tour.
Listen everybody,
let's show some love and make some noise
for the one and only Chris Noble!
[cheers and applause]
Wow.
So Chris,
your book is now a New York Times bestseller,
am I right?
- Yes, you are right.
My family and I, we was very excited
when we got that phone call.
- Wow. So listen,
tell us where you're originally from.
- Well, I'm originally from Atlanta, Georgia,
where I met my beautiful wife and lovely kids.
And we just decided we needed to change the scenery,
so we moved up here to East Carolina.
Shout out to Greenville, North Carolina.
- All right.
[cheering]
So Chris, where did the inspiration come from
in writing your new book, Paydert?
- Wow.
Well, definitely my beautiful wife Kenya,
daughter Imani, son Nasir.
And we can't forget the new addition to the family,
who we named Aking.
And...
the one true inspiration
from my great-great-great grandmother, Tilley Nobles,
who was right here, right here in my heart.
[applause]
- Wow.
So I heard you say that
your grandmother was a great inspiration to you.
- She was. She was.
- But you are also a great inspiration to many.
And I want to thank you for coming,
and your beautiful family to the Shirley Freeman Show.
I wish nothing but the best of luck for you.
Great things are in store.
Listen everybody,
let's give him a hand one more time.
Chris Nobles!
[applause]
[vocalization]
[humming]
See me in the whirlwind
Awakening in the air
I can hear my ancestors
I feel them on this land
Living at the Paydert
Blood, sweat and the tears
I can hear my ancestors
Living at the Paydert
can hear the white masters
Living at the Paydert
I can hear the kids playing
Living at the Paydert
The blood, the sweat and tears
Living at the Paydert
Oh
Living at the Paydert
Oh
Living at the Paydert
[humming]
[END]