Soon (2025) Movie Script
(film reel clattering)
(brooding music)
(pensive music)
(dramatic music)
Come with us.
Come with us before he kills you.
(woman screaming)
(dramatic music)
(door clattering)
(pensive music)
(phone buzzing)
[TV Character] So beautiful,
so greedy, so cold.
(phone buzzing)
[TV Character] Governor, who'll be next.
How will it happen?
[TV Character] Let me
ask you a question, Doctor.
You were the first one
to see my wife there.
Did you also see anything
that she could have climbed
up on and then jumped?
[TV Character] No.
[TV Character] Did any of them?
There was nothing.
How then did she get up there so high?
[TV Character] Exactly, Mr. Lauren, how?
She couldn't have pulled herself up there.
She couldn't have
dropped from the ceiling.
Do you think your wife killed herself?
(door clattering)
(crickets chirping)
(switch clicking)
(brooding music)
(pensive music)
(dramatic music)
(woman gasping)
(phone buzzing)
(brooding music)
(flashlight rasping)
(switch clicking)
(door clattering)
(crickets chirping)
(feet shuffling)
(phone buzzing)
(footsteps plodding)
(door slamming)
(footsteps plodding)
(Ryan breathing heavily)
(crickets chirping)
(footsteps plodding)
(door clattering)
(eerie music)
(footsteps plodding)
(door creaking)
(eerie music continues)
(footsteps plodding)
(eerie music continues)
(latch clicking)
(footsteps plodding)
(switch clicking)
(crickets chirping)
(door clattering)
(footsteps plodding)
(doorknobs clattering)
(eerie music)
Night, Doctor.
Goodnight, Annabelle.
The crime you two planned
was indeed perfect.
Only the victim is alive
and the murderers are not.
It's a pity you didn't know
when you started your game
of murder that I was playing, too.
(pensive music)
(item thudding)
(footsteps plodding)
(brooding music)
(eerie music)
(eerie music continues)
(eerie music continues)
(door squeaking)
(door creaking)
(footsteps plodding)
(brooding music)
(door clattering)
(phone buzzing)
(gate clattering)
(phone buzzing)
(brooding music continues)
(hand thudding)
(hands smacking)
Hey, guys, uh, welcome to Valli Video.
Today, I have another
unboxing video for you today.
Um, start over.
Hey, guys, welcome to Valli Video.
Uh, today, I got another unboxing video.
But first, make sure you
(speaking gibberish).
(hands smacking and rasping)
Hey, guys, uh, welcome to Valli Video.
Today, I got another
unboxing video for you.
But first, uh, make sure
you smash that like button,
hit subscribe, and leave
a comment down below.
Okay, let's, uh, let's
get into it. (Laughs)
Now, I managed to score
a pair of new Nike's
on a surprise drop.
The bots were fricking brutal
as usual, but I got 'em.
Now retail, these are 150,
but I'm already seeing
them pop up past five bills
on some resale sites, (laughs)
which is, like, crazy fast.
And I haven't even
opened mine yet. (Laughs)
Well, let's change that.
(box cutter clattering)
Oh, yeah, um, don't forget
to follow me at Valli Video
on Twitter and Instagram.
I, um, I try to let you guys
know when there's a new drop.
(Pete laughs)
Better you than a bot, that's what I say.
Okay, um, all right, let's
open these bad boys up.
(box cutter rasping)
(doorbell ringing)
(box cutter rasping)
(doorbell ringing)
(box cutter clattering and thudding)
(box thudding)
(lid clanking)
(footsteps plodding)
Hello.
[Ray] Hey, Peter.
Dad?
[Ray] Yeah, it's me. Let me up.
Uh, what are you doing here?
Would you just buzz me in?
(button clicking)
(hand knocking)
(latch clicking)
Hey, Pete, how you doing today?
Uh, fine.
Yeah, great, man, I'm gonna
use your bathroom real quick.
Okay.
(latch clicking)
(notification chiming)
(footsteps plodding)
That's much better.
You know, I used to be able
to drive twice as long,
never have to stop.
(laughs) Guess I'm just getting old.
Yeah, Dad, what are you doing here?
Son, we need to talk. Come on.
(notification chiming)
(footsteps plodding)
You drove three hours just to talk?
Why didn't you just call?
Would you have answered?
I...
(Ray sighs)
Look, I know you've always been closer
to your mother than to me.
It's just the way it is.
Go on, have a seat.
Still, you drove three hours,
and you didn't even know if I'd be home?
I would've waited. It's that important.
What's going on?
Where's Mom? Why didn't she come?
Your mom and I have
been discussing things,
and, well, it's time we
talk to you about it.
I felt it best that she not
come with me this go-round.
You know how your mom could be.
Are you guys getting a divorce?
(laughs) What? No, God, no.
No, no, no, no, nothing
like that. (Laughs)
(notification chiming)
(Ray sighs)
No, but, um, we have been
discussing our future.
Peter, I'm looking at retiring
in the next couple of years.
It's cool.
Well, believe me when I
tell you it's coming up fast.
And your mom and I, well,
we got a lotta things
we wanna do on the back nine of our lives.
So we've been discussing
our finances lately,
and we just wanna make sure
all our ducks are in a row.
(notification chiming)
Hey, uh, you mind turning that thing off?
This is important.
Thank you.
Pete, we provided for
you for a long time now,
maybe too long.
What?
(Ray sighs)
You wanted to go to school
in Chicago, no problem.
But after three years,
you just up and quit.
I mean, who does that?
You always bring this up.
No, no, no, no, let me finish.
I mean, we get you this
apartment to go to school,
and when you decide to
drop outta school, well,
we figured you'd come home.
When you decided to stay,
well, then we thought you'd get a job.
I have a job.
Pete, a real job.
You bag groceries down
at the grocery store.
I stock groceries.
(Ray sighs)
Pete, you're 25 years old. (Sighs)
You're an adult now.
There's responsibilities
that come along with that.
So?
You were supposed to get
a roommate to split the rent
and the utilities.
That never happened.
To this day, your mom and
I are paying the full rent
and utilities for this place.
I mean, you have a job,
but we're still sending you an allowance
for living expenses.
Hell, we're even paying for the parking
and insurance on the car
that you hardly ever use.
At least you never use it
to come see us. Am I right?
(Ray sighs)
Now you've been working at that
grocery store for years now.
You gotta have some money saved up, right?
I don't really.
[Ray] Just something saved up.
We've been taking care of everything else.
I, I mean, it's a little
Come on, Pete, geez.
What?
I've been building my brand,
and it isn't exactly cheap.
My best-performing content on
YouTube are unboxing videos.
So I have to buy stuff to unbox,
God, not to mention the
social media side of things.
Do you, do you know how
hard it is, uh, competing
for Instagram followers when you have
those trust-fund assholes
flying their private jets
to their private islands?
All right, so you're supposed
to make money on these videos, right?
[Pete] What are you doing?
I'm looking up your YouTube page.
It's called a channel. (Sighs)
Yeah.
It says here you have 519 subscribers.
So what do they pay you,
what, um, monthly, yearly?
No, Dad, you get paid based
off of how many views you get.
Okay, sure.
Your last video has 46 views.
[Pete] Adds up over time. It's new.
Okay, all right, here we have 80 views,
30 views, 120 views,
oh, 250 views.
Okay, yeah.
So, what, they, they
pay you a dollar a view,
50 cent a view?
It's complicated. I...
(Ray scoffs)
It's complicated.
You know what isn't complicated?
Your mom and I sent you to
get a $100,000 education,
and you quit with just
one year to go, Pete.
So instead, we spent $75,000 on tuition,
and you, sir, have nothing to show for it.
(Ray sighs)
You know, (laughs) by
now, I thought you'd be
on Broadway in New York
or, hey, maybe even in
Hollywood making movies,
you know, my son, big time actor.
(Ray sighs)
Come home.
Dad, I
Come home, Pete.
We're not gonna keep paying
rent on this apartment,
and the lease is almost up anyway. (Sighs)
We can't keep doing this.
You, you just need to come home.
Now you can have the
basement all to yourself
at, at least until you
get up on your feet,
and your mom and I, well,
we won't charge you a dime.
So take your time because
we still wanna help you,
but, uh, we can't keep
doing what we're doing.
I mean, your mom and I, we
gotta think about our future,
and what's best for us, and
what's best for you, too.
(Ray sighs)
We love you, Pete.
Your mom and I, we really love you.
Now, you may not
understand that right now,
but we're doing this
because we love you. (Sighs)
Well, you've got a lot to think about,
so I'm sure you don't really wanna see me
around here right now anyway.
I'm gonna let you be.
Hey, um, please give your mom a call.
She'd love to hear from you.
You could talk this over with her.
Going to use your bathroom one more time
before I hit the road.
(pensive music)
(door clattering)
So those are the
units we have available.
Do you see anything you like?
Um, yeah, which one had the lowest rent?
The one-bedroom is 1,100 a month,
the studio, 950, plus utilities.
'Kay.
(phone ringing)
I have to take this. Give me a minute.
If you are interested in
apartment, fill out application.
I do have other showings, so
this first come, first served.
- Sure.
- Hello, yes.
(pensive music)
(pensive music continues)
Okay, goodbye.
Are you all set?
Okay, let's go back to my office.
I will need photo ID and
payment for application fee.
Wait, is your income correct?
Yeah.
I'm sorry.
I cannot approve application
with such a low income level.
Do you have anybody to co-sign for you,
parents or roommates?
Uh, no, that, that's okay.
- Um.
- Sorry.
(pensive music resumes)
(door clattering)
Can I get a beer please?
Thanks.
Hey.
Pete.
Yeah?
Wait, Tahlia?
Yeah, I didn't recognize you
without the beard. (Laughs)
Holy shit, uh.
Yeah, it's been a minute.
Uh, so how have you been doing? (Laughs)
You know, drinking before
noon, so not the greatest.
Ah, I know what you mean. (Laughs)
Do you have a minute?
Do you wanna catch up for a bit?
Oh, yeah, yeah, sure, free.
Cool.
Is this too weird?
No, I, I mean, it is weird, but.
Yeah, it's been, what, like five years?
Since junior new year of college, yeah.
I'm sorry.
I just, I just feel like I
should apologize for, you know,
not reaching out to you this entire time.
I mean, I'm not gonna lie,
I was confused and angry.
I mean, it's not all in my head, right?
Like, we were best friends, (laughs)
Completely inseparable for a
year and a half and then...
I know.
So what happened?
It's like you disappeared overnight.
I don't know.
I mean, there was a lot going on
with me in general that year.
But I mean, with you specifically with,
do you remember the last
time we actually hung out?
It was right after summer
break heading into junior year.
And the first thing I wanted to do
when I was back in the city was see you.
And I distinctly remember
something feeling off.
Like, I wasn't being genuine,
or, or like I was faking something, uh.
And it shook me.
And since we weren't living
in the same dorm building anymore,
I kind of felt like I was losing you
to some of your other friends,
which I know is super selfish and stupid.
But, um, that's just where my head was at.
Well, the last time I
remember seeing you was,
I don't know, I ran into you before class.
Um, we hadn't spoken in,
like, a month and a half,
and I was really excited to see you.
But then when you, I know
when I tried to talk to you,
you just completely blew me off.
That hurt.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
I don't even remember that.
I guess I just don't
know what I did wrong.
No, no, no, it wasn't you. Believe me.
I, that entire year I was
just in a really bad place.
I mean, I was so messed
up by the end, I just,
I knew I couldn't go back.
Oh, so you did drop out?
Yeah.
Whoa.
I guess I was never sure. That's crazy.
Not that I'm trying to
shame you or anything.
Oh, it's okay.
Might not have been the smartest thing,
but it was definitely what I needed.
Can I ask why?
Yeah, um, it's just
everything with school.
I mean, I don't know how it was
for you in the dance department,
but in the acting department,
everything just became
an absolute nightmare.
I mean, the politicking, the
backstabbing, the favoritism,
it's like, it's like you do
exactly what they tell you
to do, but no matter what,
it's just not enough,
or you're not enough.
I just, I didn't like what I became.
It's crazy to look back and think
of how stupid I was
just trying to be edgy,
or different, or whatever.
You weren't that bad.
Except for the part when
I abandoned my best friend.
Well, you weren't all
that bad all the time.
(Tahlia laughs)
A couple of things that
year really just broke me.
I mean,
like, first, I interview for
this really selective class,
and I show up, and the
professor is this massive dude
wearing a dirty T-shirt and sweatpants.
Like, I'm supposed to be impressing you?
And then he shit over every
single response that I give him.
Fine.
But then I interview for
the LA internship program,
which is basically the reason
why I chose that college.
I made the dean's list every semester.
I never got anything lower
than a B+ in any class.
Everything I did was to
get into that program.
And I thought the interview went great,
but rejected.
At first, they said try again next year,
but I was really pissed.
So I sent them an email asking them
for more specific reasons
why I wasn't selected
and why I felt like I earned that spot.
And they never responded.
[Tahlia] That's horrible.
That's when I kind of just gave up,
and it kind of feels good
to say that out loud.
God, did I just completely
screw up or what?
I don't know.
I mean, if it's what you
needed, it's what you needed.
And if it was a huge mistake,
then always time to fix those.
I mean, this morning,
could you have imagined
that you'd be telling
me all this? (Laughs)
I don't know what it is about you,
you just always make me open up.
Yeah, me too, it's our connection.
Guess we haven't lost that.
I should not have been so
scared to ask you out back then.
I always had a thing for you
ever since we first met and we were
partners in that class project, remember?
Maybe you should have.
(Tahlia laughs)
Uh, so what, what have you been up to?
Do you still act?
No, not really.
It's a shame. You were good.
Ever since leaving school,
I just, I really wanted
something that I could control.
You know, I was too jaded
to go to New York or LA,
and I was too embarrassed to go back home.
So I stayed here, and I found
that I really like making
YouTube videos, actually.
Oh, like what?
Uh, mostly unboxing videos.
It's not like I have a big following.
I mean, I try, but really
happy when I do it.
Hey, that's what matters.
What else do you do for, like, work?
I, um, I do stocking at a grocery store.
Oh. (Laughs)
Yeah, maybe dropping out was a mistake.
(Tahlia laughing)
Probably, yeah.
What about you? Do you still dance?
Yes, uh, I teach kids and teens.
Oh, that's awesome.
Yeah, it's, it's more of a side thing.
Um, I, I'm a lead server at a restaurant.
Job is whatever, but the money's decent,
mostly evenings and weekends, though,
so I stopped going out for productions,
not that I was getting any. (Laughs)
Then I started giving
lessons during the day.
It's a lot of work, sometimes too much,
but usually ends up being
a pretty good balance
between sustainability and fulfillment.
Yeah, that's, that's, that's awesome.
Thanks.
So is, um, is today one of those days
where it's just all too much?
Oh, uh, yeah, (laughs)
just blowing off some steam.
- Yeah. (Laughs)
- Yeah.
What about you? What's
driven you to day drink?
It all leads back to
those bad decisions.
I've, I've been a real
asshole to my parents.
I, I pushed them away,
but I've still been taking their money.
It's, it's pathetic actually.
- Hey.
- No, no, it's the truth.
I, and now they're cutting me off.
I, I'm, I'm broke as hell.
I'm gonna lose my apartment.
I, I can't afford anything here anymore.
I've been selling off
basically everything I own,
and even then, I'm
probably only gonna last
another a couple months.
I, just looks like I'll just have
to move back in with my mom and dad.
I've, God, 25 years old moving
back into my parents' basement.
What an idiot.
(laughs) It's okay.
Sorry, I,
just all this has just
been building up, I guess.
So it's just time for
it to come out, sorry.
Hey, you, you can't
hold all that inside.
Where have you been the last five years?
Well, don't you have any
roommates to help with rent?
How many rooms?
It's two, been using the spare as sort
of, like, a storage room thing.
'Kay, this might be crazy,
but I'm currently in the process of trying
to find a new apartment,
and I can come check it out.
And if it's not a complete shithole,
then I could figure something out.
I could, I don't know, sublet
or put my name on the lease
and figure it-
Uh, that's really, really
nice of you,
but you don't have-
I mean, just think about it.
Do you need my number?
If it's still the
same, I never deleted it.
(pensive music)
(hand knocking)
(door clattering)
- Hey.
- Hey.
Uh, I just wanted to check in,
see how you're settling in.
Oh, yeah, I'm all good.
That's good.
Thank you again so much for doing this.
I really appreciate it.
It's all good. (Laughs)
I'm happy we could help each other out.
I just hope you're not a shit roommate.
(both laughing)
But really, I'm, I'm glad
it worked out like this.
Me too.
Goodnight.
Night.
(lips smacking)
(pensive music continues)
(Tahlia laughs)
(Pete moans)
(lips smacking)
(Tahlia laughing)
Hey.
Hey.
(Tahlia laughing)
I checked out your YouTube channel.
Yeah?
Yeah. I liked it.
That's good.
Have a few ideas.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah.
(Tahlia laughs)
(gentle music)
(pensive music)
(food sizzling)
(page rustling)
(pepper grinder rasping)
(utensils clinking)
That was good. (Laughs)
Who knew you could cook?
I learned from the best.
Seriously, I mean,
it wasn't that long ago
that you couldn't make mac
and cheese, let alone this.
(laughs) It's all you.
(utensil clinking)
How are numbers looking?
It's good.
Subscribers?
Little over 3,000.
That's great.
I bet you'll be at 5,000
by the end of the year.
Yeah, we'll see.
(Tahlia laughing)
I'm proud of you.
You're putting in the work
and seeing the results.
Stop.
What? It's true.
I mean, you make it
sound like it's all me.
I mean, sure, most of it is me,
but I couldn't do it without you.
- Well.
- Any of this.
I did tell you to
grow out your beard, so.
Oof, 'kay, I gotta get going.
(dishes clanking)
(gentle music)
When you coming home?
I'll be home for dinner.
Are you filming today?
- Yeah.
Want me to pick up food?
No, it's okay. I'll,
I'll just make something.
No, don't worry about it.
You'll be busy getting
your 5,000 subscribers.
Text me what you want.
Okay.
I love you.
(lips smacking)
Love you.
Have a good day.
(footsteps plodding)
(door clattering)
(pensive music)
(footsteps plodding)
(box thudding)
(footsteps plodding)
Hey, guys, welcome back to Valli Video.
Today's Friday, so you
know what that means.
It's Fan Mail Friday.
All right, you guys know the drill.
Check out the video description
for where you can send
me whatever you want me
to unbox live on camera.
Just remember to mark
it with the hashtag FMF.
And before we get started,
remember to hit the subscribe
button, like the video,
and leave a comment down below.
Also, check out my Patreon.
I wanna give a huge shout out
to all of my new subscribers.
Thank you guys so much for
supporting the channel.
You guys are the best.
That's what Fan Mail
Friday is all about, you.
All right, enough hype,
(laughs) let's get to it.
What do we got here, huh?
(pensive music)
There's no return info.
Uh, hopefully, your name's inside.
Guys, (laughs) I like knowing your names.
(box clattering)
(paper rustling)
Hey, I got a lion.
I, uh, I guess he's a king. (Laughs)
I guess you can call him
the Lion King. (Laughs)
Let's see.
Oh, you know what? There's
something else in here, too.
Maybe this will say who it's from.
(paper rustling)
Okay, um, well, it's just a card
that says the word soon.
Uh, that's interesting, I guess.
Uh, well, uh, thank you for the card,
uh, oh, and for the lion, too. (Laughs)
Okay, uh, let's see what else we got, um.
(finger tapping)
(pensive music)
(doll rasping)
(door clattering and squeaking)
(switch clicking)
(door clattering)
(footsteps plodding)
- Hey.
- Hey.
Do you always have to sit in the dark?
What's up? How'd the shoot go?
Uh, good, hey, check this out.
It was in the Fan Mail Friday stuff.
It's cute, not really your thing, but
Yeah, I have no idea who
sent it, but this came with it.
Soon, what does that mean?
I don't know.
It's, I mean, it's kind of weird, right?
Yeah. I mean, I guess the more people
who watch your stuff,
you're bound to get a
creep or two. (Laughs)
It's kind of funny.
Is it?
(sighs) See, this is why
I told you to get a PO box
for the send-in videos.
I don't love that our
address is just out there.
Come on. Let's eat.
(plastic rustling)
(pensive music continues)
(footsteps plodding)
All right, thank you, Hillary,
so much for the package.
Thank you for being a subscriber
and supporting the channel.
(boxes thudding)
Okay, uh, we have one more box today.
(lid thudding)
(plastic rustling)
Wow, (laughs) there's
a lot of stuff in here.
Who sent this?
(pensive music)
No return info.
Hold on.
(footsteps plodding)
(plastic rustling)
(papers thudding)
(box clattering)
All right, uh, listen.
There's no return info on
this box, just hashtag FMF.
Now, at first I thought it was weird,
but then I remembered that the
exact same thing is written
on this box from the last Fan Mail Friday.
Like, it's clearly from the same person.
Is this what you meant when you said soon?
Look, this would all be a lot easier
if you just told me your name,
but, uh, all right, let's,
let's see what you sent.
(box rasping and clattering)
(sighs) Okay, um, what do we got here?
Uh, first up is a flask
with the letters RZ on it,
obviously not my initials, so.
(liquid sloshing)
Sounds like there's something in there.
(lid clattering)
(Pete sniffs)
Oh, my God, what the hell is that?
(Pete sniffs)
That is foul, man.
I have no idea what that is,
and I don't think I wanna know.
(lid clattering)
I can't even begin to describe
what that smells like.
That's just... (exhales)
(bottle thudding)
Okay, um, let's just keep going.
(paper rustling)
Uh, 'kay.
Um, it's like a framed photo of a castle,
and there's a king.
Don't really know what your
deal with kings are, but.
(Pete sighs)
Um.
(handle rasping)
'Kay, it's a, a old-school
metal pencil sharpener.
(sharpener rasping)
This kinda takes me back
to elementary school.
Do schools even still have these?
Don't know where you got that.
Um.
(paper rustling)
Okay, next up, we got a whistle.
Definitely not going to blow it,
especially after whatever's in that flask.
You know what? Hold on.
(feet shuffling)
(pensive music continues)
(door clattering)
(glass clinking)
Okay, um, probably gonna regret this,
but let's see what's inside this flask.
(lid clattering)
Oh.
(liquid sloshing)
Look at that, man.
I still have no idea what that is.
(Pete sniffs)
God, it smells like something rotting.
Ugh.
Man.
Uh.
(paper rustling)
Okay, uh, what else?
Um.
(paper rustling)
'Kay, uh, got a garage door opener.
Still has some battery.
(button clicking)
Wonder what it opens.
'Kay, um, looks like this
is the last thing in here.
It's a, it's a little lunchbox
that also reminds me of elementary school.
It's got some cute bears on it.
(contents rattling)
Sounds like there's something inside.
(Pete laughs)
You know, I'm feeling a little
skittish after the flask,
and I think I'm not
really learning my lesson,
but let's just see anyway.
(box clattering)
(paper rustling)
Okay.
Oh, it's soft, and it feels kind of moist.
(paper rustling)
(brooding music)
Oh, my God.
(item thudding)
What the hell is that?
Oh, that's... (exhales)
(pensive music)
Yeah.
Did ya have to use
one of the nice glasses?
I'm kidding.
What am I supposed to do?
I don't know.
At least it wasn't anything too crazy.
You know what I mean.
Should I even put this out there?
Doesn't it seem wrong to post it?
I mean, it's interesting,
and as screwed up as it is,
what's the downside?
He sends more stuff like that.
Yeah, but maybe people
get a kick out of it.
If they send more stuff, be more careful.
Wear gloves.
But it's kinda creepy.
Lean into it. I don't know.
Shoot it at night.
You really aren't worried?
I mean, what else is
there at this point?
They already have our address.
Might as well try to
get something out of it.
Should I go to the cops?
And tell them what,
someone tried to send you rotten fruit?
Maybe we're looking too deep into it.
Maybe it just happened in transit.
No, I don't buy that.
Yeah, me neither.
Have you tried looking up
the tracking information,
I don't know, see if that
shows where it's coming from?
No, but that's a really good idea.
(pensive music continues)
023, okay.
Nothing.
Look, not found.
I don't know.
Do what you think is best.
(pensive music continues)
(pensive music continues)
(finger tapping)
(footsteps plodding)
(pensive music continues)
Are you sure you don't want
me here when you open it?
Yeah, probably just throw me off anyway.
Oh, well, whatever
weird stuff is in there
is gonna get you all worked up.
Don't want you freaking
out, especially in the dark.
I'll be fine.
I'm just trying to lean into
the weirdness of it all,
you know, help the vibe of
the video, like you said,
and I've got these.
What are those for?
In case there's something gross.
(Tahlia laughing)
What?
You can't wear those. (Laughs)
I got you these.
Uh, they won't distract
from the whole vibe
you're going for. (Laughs)
Thanks.
Good luck.
I love you.
Love you. (Laughs)
(footsteps plodding)
(pensive music continues)
Hey, guys, welcome back.
Tonight, I have a very
special unboxing for you.
Looks like our mystery sender has sent me
yet another package.
I have no idea what's inside.
I don't know who's been sending these.
The last one was pretty
weird and upsetting,
so I can only imagine
what's inside of here
but definitely learned
my lesson last time.
So let's get to it.
(box clattering)
(paper rustling)
Okay, first up, (paper rustling)
Hmm,
another king.
So we know this is from the same guy.
I don't really know what
your deal is with kings
or why this one's all messed up, but.
(doll thudding)
What else?
(paper rustling)
'Kay, here we have a basketball trophy.
Looks like a participation
one that every kid would get.
Um, seems pretty normal,
except it's missing its head.
Getting weirder.
(trophy thudding)
(paper rustling)
It's the last item in here, it looks like,
obviously a backpack.
Like everything else, it looks old,
like it's from the '90s or something.
Maybe there's a name, too.
Nicole R.
Feels like there's something inside.
(zipper whizzing)
Oh, it's a, um,
(fingers snapping)
Ah, what is it called?
Uh, a, a, a thermos, yeah, thermos.
Um, oh, it's got those same three bears
from the lunchbox.
I bet it goes with that package.
(Pete sniffs)
Hey, after whatever disgusting
shit was in that flask,
I'm not taking any chances, okay?
(lid clattering)
Oh, there's something inside.
(thermos thudding)
Yeah, that is hair.
Look, the liquid in the
flask was disgusting.
The rotten apple sucked.
But this just makes me
feel even more gross.
Like, where did you get this?
Why do you have it? Why
are you sending it to me?
(lid clattering)
Moving on, I guess.
Uh, something here in the side pocket.
Come on, kids' underwear?
Look, if you don't have kids,
you probably shouldn't
have kids' underwear.
What are you, some sort of creep?
(zipper whizzing)
(plastic rustling)
(pensive music continues)
What is that?
Jesus, what is this?
Hell, is, (exhales)
(paper rustling)
Is that blood?
Is that a retainer?
Jesus Christ.
Why? Why?
(retainer thudding)
Why are you sending me this?
This is bullshit.
I'm over it.
I'm being serious right now.
You can stop sending me this shit.
Like, subscribe, whatever.
(footsteps plodding)
(pensive music continues)
(traffic whooshing)
(Pete sighs)
(doorbell ringing)
(chair clattering)
Hello.
Hello, dammit.
(feedback whistling)
Hello.
(Pete sighs)
Give me a break.
(door clattering)
(feet shuffling)
(pensive music continues)
(floor creaking)
(footsteps plodding)
(dramatic music)
Jesus.
Pete, (laughs) where are you going?
Somebody kept ringing the damn buzzer.
I was just down there.
I didn't see anyone.
Must have been some kids or
a random asshole. (Laughs)
Why were you upstairs?
I, I thought I heard a noise.
There's nothing. It's...
What's going on?
(Pete sighs)
It's the box.
(brooding music)
(footsteps plodding)
What? Is that?
Oh, ew.
I have no idea if that is real.
I just, I don't want it in the house.
It's okay.
Um, let's just get this
stuff put away, um.
(frame clattering)
I'm sorry.
No, no, no, it it, it's okay.
You know what? I'll get it tomorrow.
It's okay.
You know what?
I'm over it.
Let's just go to bed.
Over it?
Yeah.
(footsteps plodding)
(pensive music continues)
(traffic whooshing)
(footsteps plodding)
I'm late. I'll see you later?
Okay, love you.
(door slamming)
(Pete sighs)
(footsteps plodding)
(pensive music continues)
(frame rasping)
(paper rustling)
(frame clattering)
Is this a yearbook?
(paper rustling)
Martin Luther King Elementary School.
(box clattering)
(paper rustling)
(bag rustling)
(paper rustling)
(Pete breathing heavily)
(sharpener clattering)
(hands thudding)
(box cutter clattering)
(box cutter rasping)
(box cutter thudding)
(doll rasping)
(paper rustling)
Basketball.
(pensive music)
Nicole R, R.
Nicole R.
The coach.
(finger tapping)
Ryan Zellner, Ryan Zellner.
Zellner.
Holy shit.
(brooding music)
(fingers tapping)
(brooding music continues)
(fingers tapping)
Oh, my God.
(brooding music continues)
(footsteps plodding)
(paper rustling)
(jacket rustling)
(keys rasping)
(door clattering)
(suspenseful music)
(footsteps plodding)
(button clicking)
(doorbell chiming)
(crickets chirping)
(door clattering)
Hi, uh, are you Ryan Zellner?
Yeah.
[Pete] Did you teach
at Martin Luther King Elementary School?
Yeah.
[Pete] Did you have a
student named Nicole Rothe?
Who are you?
Uh, my name's Peter, and, um, I'm here
just because I wanted to ask you
a couple questions about, um
What are you, a reporter or something?
Yeah, kind of.
Uh, more like a, um, a,
a, a video journalist.
What do you want?
I'm researching into
Nicole's disappearance.
I just wanted to ask you a few questions.
Go round back.
(door squeaking)
(door clattering)
(brooding music)
(footsteps plodding)
(door clattering)
(footsteps plodding)
(latch clicking)
Well.
(clothes rustling)
(pensive music)
Nicole Rothe.
I have not heard that name in a long time.
But it's a name you never
stopped thinking about.
Close to 25 years.
What are you doing digging this up?
I recently discovered
the story about her death.
It's not just some
story, some make believe.
It's a living and breathing nightmare,
and she's still missing.
I'm not making any
assumptions beyond that.
I'm sorry.
I came into possession of a copy
of the yearbook from the
year she went missing.
And I noticed that you
coached your basketball team.
Do you recall anything
about her that stands out?
Before she?
No.
No.
After she was gone, you try
and pick apart every little thing.
She was just a kid,
no different or special than anyone else.
[Pete] No reason for her disappearance
from your perspective?
Well, when you talk
with the cops enough,
you eventually see that
there's just nothing,
nothing that would make any sense anyway.
The police talked to you?
Yeah.
About anything in particular?
What?
The Goddamn cops wasted
so much time harassing me,
valuable time that should have been used
to find her instead.
But why'd they focus on you?
Well, when you're a young male teacher
in a sea of aging women, it's
easy to point a finger at me.
But you were a suspect?
That's bullshit.
But why specifically did they think
that you had something to do with it?
The cops targeted me
because I was convenient.
But guess what.
They had nothing.
You know, I wasn't able
to coach basketball after she disappeared.
And then there were the looks
from the other faculty and the parents.
I lost everything.
They basically forced me to
leave after a couple years.
I couldn't teach after that.
And for what, huh?
For what?
Nothing.
(laughs) You know what?
I thank God that it didn't happen today
with, with, with, with
social media and shit.
Your Goddamn generation,
savages.
(dramatic music)
You would run me out of town
and never let me move on.
Were you involved in
Nicole Rothe's disappearance?
I'm done.
(clothes rustling)
(footsteps plodding)
Look, I don't know why
you're digging all this up,
but here's some friendly advice.
Drop it.
Nothing good will come from it.
Is that a threat?
(brooding music)
(door clattering)
(brooding music continues)
(phone beeps)
(keys clanking)
(engine humming)
(brooding music continues)
(brooding music continues)
(brooding music continues)
(brooding music continues)
(door clattering)
(engine churning)
(engine humming)
(pensive music)
(crickets chirping)
(footsteps plodding)
(button clicking)
(door whirring)
(button clicking)
(door squeaking)
(Pete sighs)
(clothes rustling)
(hands rasping)
(jacket rustling)
(footsteps plodding)
(brooding music)
(footsteps plodding)
(footsteps continue plodding)
(brooding music continues)
(jacket rustling)
(items clattering)
(plastic rustling)
(pillows thudding)
(plastic rustling)
(brooding music continues)
(bag rasping)
(item thudding)
(brooding music continues)
(photos rasping)
(brooding music continues)
(brooding music continues)
(brooding music continues)
(brooding music continues)
(photos rustling)
(brooding music continues)
(camera clicking)
(brooding music continues)
(camera clicking)
(shoes rasping)
(footsteps plodding)
(rain pattering)
(brooding music continues)
(footsteps plodding)
(door clattering)
(engine churning)
(engine roaring)
(Pete breathing heavily)
(brooding music continues)
(phone clanking and beeping)
Hey, guys, you are not going
to believe what happened to me tonight.
I, I finally got everything.
I finally got everything I need to prove
that this is not some sort
of weird coincidence
or, or, or, or, or just happenstance.
There, there is something
really, really, really
messed up going on here.
And I finally, I finally figured it out.
(door clattering)
(pensive music)
(keys jangling)
(bag thudding)
(footsteps plodding)
(pensive music continues)
(latch clicking)
(Pete exhales)
(zipper whizzing)
(phone thudding)
(horn honking)
(Pete yawning)
(traffic whooshing)
(Pete exhaling)
(clothes rustling)
(Pete sighs)
(hand thudding and rasping)
(Pete grunts)
(latch clicking)
(dramatic music)
(footsteps plodding)
(floor creaking)
Where are you?
It's in my backpack.
(brooding music)
(paper rustling)
(envelope rasping)
(feet shuffling)
(body thudding)
(keys jangling)
(door clattering)
(pensive music)
(pensive music continues)
(pensive music continues)
(gravel crunching)
(door clattering)
Tahlia.
(footsteps plodding)
Tahlia.
(brooding music)
Hello.
(footsteps plodding)
Hello, Tahlia.
(brooding music continues)
(crickets chirping)
(footsteps plodding)
Tahlia.
(leaves rustling)
(footsteps plodding)
Hello.
(footsteps plodding)
(crickets chirping)
Hello, Tahlia.
(footsteps plodding)
(crickets chirping)
Hello.
(brooding music continues)
(footsteps plodding)
(eerie music)
Tahlia.
(footsteps plodding)
(crickets chirping)
(eerie music continues)
Tahlia, Tahlia.
(footsteps plodding)
(water splashing)
(tarp rustling)
(dramatic music)
(item clattering)
(tarp rustling)
(Pete breathing heavily)
(dramatic music)
(shovel thudding)
(water sloshing)
(crickets chirping)
(water splashing)
(Pete breathing heavily)
(feet shuffling)
(footsteps plodding)
(Pete grunting)
(Pete breathing heavily)
(chains clanking)
(Pete sniffs)
(Pete gasping)
(container thudding)
Tahlia.
Hi, babe.
Are you okay?
Aw, my knight in shining armor,
more worried about me, even
though I'm the one out here
and you're the one in there?
Help me outta here please.
Aw, I know you've got a
pretty big booboo on your head,
but you're gonna have to start catching up
with the rest of the class.
What are you doing?
There ya go, starting
to connect those dots.
What is this?
This is the accumulation of months
of detailed planning and execution,
no pun intended.
This is storytelling at its finest,
a boy wasting his life,
poor and almost homeless,
a rekindled romance with
the girl that got away,
a renewed sense of purpose,
a growing audience,
a mystery, an unsolved
disappearance, a sketchy old man.
The pieces start fitting together,
the boy on the brink of super stardom
when the boy disappears,
leaving all eyes on the girl
who turns this tragedy into
her happily ever after.
So that's it then?
This is all about you?
Who better?
Why me?
Why not you?
Fuck you.
(laughs) You made it so easy.
You should watch what you
post on these social media.
You never know what kinda
creep might be following you.
You post every embarrassing detail
about your pathetic life.
You still think that it was a coincidence
that I was at that bar on
that day, in that moment?
So the last six months,
it just, nothing to you,
it's a lie?
They were fun.
What about the teacher
and the, that girl?
Ah, the cherry on top.
It never ceases to amaze me that people
who will believe the wildest things
with the tiniest bit of truth.
All you need is a guy on
the Internet with little bit
of conviction, and you can have the masses
believing whatever you want.
That guy had nothing to do
with that girl's disappearance.
Or maybe he did.
I don't know. (Laughs)
It doesn't matter.
What matters is that everyone is going
to believe that he did.
And everyone is going to believe
that he didn't want you snooping around.
So who do you think they're
gonna point the finger to
when you end up missing?
You're crazy.
No, I'm just smarter than you.
You're not gonna get
away with any of this.
I am, (laughs) especially
when the police go to his house
and find your phone.
I left him a present.
I've actually left a few things there.
I've been to his house a couple times.
So I've left some things,
and I've taken some things.
And even if they find
you here, guess what.
This property belongs to a
relative of his. (Laughs)
You gotta love the Internet.
(Tahlia laughing)
Okay, well, uh, I think
that about covers it.
Is there anything else I
need to spell out for you?
(Pete grunting)
(chains clanking)
Okie do key, it's been real.
(matches rattling)
Uh, gotta light up this barbecue and
- No, Tahlia, please.
- Hit the road.
Please, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
Please, please, please, Tahlia, please.
Please, I love you.
Aw.
(match rasping)
Oh, no, no, no, please, Tahlia.
Stop, stop.
(match rasping)
No, no, no.
No.
(flame hissing)
There we go.
Please, Tahlia, no, Tahlia, stop.
Please stop, no.
(fire crackling)
(Pete screaming)
Beautiful.
I should have brought marshmallows.
(fire crackling)
(dramatic music)
(fire continues crackling)
(dramatic music continues)
(fire continues crackling)
(dramatic music continues)
(fire continues crackling)
(crickets chirping)
(latch clicking)
(footsteps plodding)
(door clattering)
(switch clicking)
(footsteps plodding)
(hat thudding)
(footsteps plodding)
(box clattering and rasping)
(footsteps plodding)
(box thudding)
(gloves rasping)
(gloves thudding)
(zipper whizzing)
(jacket rustling)
(jacket thudding)
(clothes rustling)
(water pattering)
(Tahlia breathing heavily)
Hello.
Hello.
Hello, (gasping)
(phone beeping)
(phone ringing)
(Tahlia whimpering)
[911 Operator] 911,
what's your emergency?
(Tahlia gasps)
(pensive music)
(pensive music continues)
(pensive music continues)
(pensive music continues)
(pensive music continues)
(pensive music continues)
(gentle piano music)
(gentle piano music continues)
(brooding music)
(pensive music)
(dramatic music)
Come with us.
Come with us before he kills you.
(woman screaming)
(dramatic music)
(door clattering)
(pensive music)
(phone buzzing)
[TV Character] So beautiful,
so greedy, so cold.
(phone buzzing)
[TV Character] Governor, who'll be next.
How will it happen?
[TV Character] Let me
ask you a question, Doctor.
You were the first one
to see my wife there.
Did you also see anything
that she could have climbed
up on and then jumped?
[TV Character] No.
[TV Character] Did any of them?
There was nothing.
How then did she get up there so high?
[TV Character] Exactly, Mr. Lauren, how?
She couldn't have pulled herself up there.
She couldn't have
dropped from the ceiling.
Do you think your wife killed herself?
(door clattering)
(crickets chirping)
(switch clicking)
(brooding music)
(pensive music)
(dramatic music)
(woman gasping)
(phone buzzing)
(brooding music)
(flashlight rasping)
(switch clicking)
(door clattering)
(crickets chirping)
(feet shuffling)
(phone buzzing)
(footsteps plodding)
(door slamming)
(footsteps plodding)
(Ryan breathing heavily)
(crickets chirping)
(footsteps plodding)
(door clattering)
(eerie music)
(footsteps plodding)
(door creaking)
(eerie music continues)
(footsteps plodding)
(eerie music continues)
(latch clicking)
(footsteps plodding)
(switch clicking)
(crickets chirping)
(door clattering)
(footsteps plodding)
(doorknobs clattering)
(eerie music)
Night, Doctor.
Goodnight, Annabelle.
The crime you two planned
was indeed perfect.
Only the victim is alive
and the murderers are not.
It's a pity you didn't know
when you started your game
of murder that I was playing, too.
(pensive music)
(item thudding)
(footsteps plodding)
(brooding music)
(eerie music)
(eerie music continues)
(eerie music continues)
(door squeaking)
(door creaking)
(footsteps plodding)
(brooding music)
(door clattering)
(phone buzzing)
(gate clattering)
(phone buzzing)
(brooding music continues)
(hand thudding)
(hands smacking)
Hey, guys, uh, welcome to Valli Video.
Today, I have another
unboxing video for you today.
Um, start over.
Hey, guys, welcome to Valli Video.
Uh, today, I got another unboxing video.
But first, make sure you
(speaking gibberish).
(hands smacking and rasping)
Hey, guys, uh, welcome to Valli Video.
Today, I got another
unboxing video for you.
But first, uh, make sure
you smash that like button,
hit subscribe, and leave
a comment down below.
Okay, let's, uh, let's
get into it. (Laughs)
Now, I managed to score
a pair of new Nike's
on a surprise drop.
The bots were fricking brutal
as usual, but I got 'em.
Now retail, these are 150,
but I'm already seeing
them pop up past five bills
on some resale sites, (laughs)
which is, like, crazy fast.
And I haven't even
opened mine yet. (Laughs)
Well, let's change that.
(box cutter clattering)
Oh, yeah, um, don't forget
to follow me at Valli Video
on Twitter and Instagram.
I, um, I try to let you guys
know when there's a new drop.
(Pete laughs)
Better you than a bot, that's what I say.
Okay, um, all right, let's
open these bad boys up.
(box cutter rasping)
(doorbell ringing)
(box cutter rasping)
(doorbell ringing)
(box cutter clattering and thudding)
(box thudding)
(lid clanking)
(footsteps plodding)
Hello.
[Ray] Hey, Peter.
Dad?
[Ray] Yeah, it's me. Let me up.
Uh, what are you doing here?
Would you just buzz me in?
(button clicking)
(hand knocking)
(latch clicking)
Hey, Pete, how you doing today?
Uh, fine.
Yeah, great, man, I'm gonna
use your bathroom real quick.
Okay.
(latch clicking)
(notification chiming)
(footsteps plodding)
That's much better.
You know, I used to be able
to drive twice as long,
never have to stop.
(laughs) Guess I'm just getting old.
Yeah, Dad, what are you doing here?
Son, we need to talk. Come on.
(notification chiming)
(footsteps plodding)
You drove three hours just to talk?
Why didn't you just call?
Would you have answered?
I...
(Ray sighs)
Look, I know you've always been closer
to your mother than to me.
It's just the way it is.
Go on, have a seat.
Still, you drove three hours,
and you didn't even know if I'd be home?
I would've waited. It's that important.
What's going on?
Where's Mom? Why didn't she come?
Your mom and I have
been discussing things,
and, well, it's time we
talk to you about it.
I felt it best that she not
come with me this go-round.
You know how your mom could be.
Are you guys getting a divorce?
(laughs) What? No, God, no.
No, no, no, no, nothing
like that. (Laughs)
(notification chiming)
(Ray sighs)
No, but, um, we have been
discussing our future.
Peter, I'm looking at retiring
in the next couple of years.
It's cool.
Well, believe me when I
tell you it's coming up fast.
And your mom and I, well,
we got a lotta things
we wanna do on the back nine of our lives.
So we've been discussing
our finances lately,
and we just wanna make sure
all our ducks are in a row.
(notification chiming)
Hey, uh, you mind turning that thing off?
This is important.
Thank you.
Pete, we provided for
you for a long time now,
maybe too long.
What?
(Ray sighs)
You wanted to go to school
in Chicago, no problem.
But after three years,
you just up and quit.
I mean, who does that?
You always bring this up.
No, no, no, no, let me finish.
I mean, we get you this
apartment to go to school,
and when you decide to
drop outta school, well,
we figured you'd come home.
When you decided to stay,
well, then we thought you'd get a job.
I have a job.
Pete, a real job.
You bag groceries down
at the grocery store.
I stock groceries.
(Ray sighs)
Pete, you're 25 years old. (Sighs)
You're an adult now.
There's responsibilities
that come along with that.
So?
You were supposed to get
a roommate to split the rent
and the utilities.
That never happened.
To this day, your mom and
I are paying the full rent
and utilities for this place.
I mean, you have a job,
but we're still sending you an allowance
for living expenses.
Hell, we're even paying for the parking
and insurance on the car
that you hardly ever use.
At least you never use it
to come see us. Am I right?
(Ray sighs)
Now you've been working at that
grocery store for years now.
You gotta have some money saved up, right?
I don't really.
[Ray] Just something saved up.
We've been taking care of everything else.
I, I mean, it's a little
Come on, Pete, geez.
What?
I've been building my brand,
and it isn't exactly cheap.
My best-performing content on
YouTube are unboxing videos.
So I have to buy stuff to unbox,
God, not to mention the
social media side of things.
Do you, do you know how
hard it is, uh, competing
for Instagram followers when you have
those trust-fund assholes
flying their private jets
to their private islands?
All right, so you're supposed
to make money on these videos, right?
[Pete] What are you doing?
I'm looking up your YouTube page.
It's called a channel. (Sighs)
Yeah.
It says here you have 519 subscribers.
So what do they pay you,
what, um, monthly, yearly?
No, Dad, you get paid based
off of how many views you get.
Okay, sure.
Your last video has 46 views.
[Pete] Adds up over time. It's new.
Okay, all right, here we have 80 views,
30 views, 120 views,
oh, 250 views.
Okay, yeah.
So, what, they, they
pay you a dollar a view,
50 cent a view?
It's complicated. I...
(Ray scoffs)
It's complicated.
You know what isn't complicated?
Your mom and I sent you to
get a $100,000 education,
and you quit with just
one year to go, Pete.
So instead, we spent $75,000 on tuition,
and you, sir, have nothing to show for it.
(Ray sighs)
You know, (laughs) by
now, I thought you'd be
on Broadway in New York
or, hey, maybe even in
Hollywood making movies,
you know, my son, big time actor.
(Ray sighs)
Come home.
Dad, I
Come home, Pete.
We're not gonna keep paying
rent on this apartment,
and the lease is almost up anyway. (Sighs)
We can't keep doing this.
You, you just need to come home.
Now you can have the
basement all to yourself
at, at least until you
get up on your feet,
and your mom and I, well,
we won't charge you a dime.
So take your time because
we still wanna help you,
but, uh, we can't keep
doing what we're doing.
I mean, your mom and I, we
gotta think about our future,
and what's best for us, and
what's best for you, too.
(Ray sighs)
We love you, Pete.
Your mom and I, we really love you.
Now, you may not
understand that right now,
but we're doing this
because we love you. (Sighs)
Well, you've got a lot to think about,
so I'm sure you don't really wanna see me
around here right now anyway.
I'm gonna let you be.
Hey, um, please give your mom a call.
She'd love to hear from you.
You could talk this over with her.
Going to use your bathroom one more time
before I hit the road.
(pensive music)
(door clattering)
So those are the
units we have available.
Do you see anything you like?
Um, yeah, which one had the lowest rent?
The one-bedroom is 1,100 a month,
the studio, 950, plus utilities.
'Kay.
(phone ringing)
I have to take this. Give me a minute.
If you are interested in
apartment, fill out application.
I do have other showings, so
this first come, first served.
- Sure.
- Hello, yes.
(pensive music)
(pensive music continues)
Okay, goodbye.
Are you all set?
Okay, let's go back to my office.
I will need photo ID and
payment for application fee.
Wait, is your income correct?
Yeah.
I'm sorry.
I cannot approve application
with such a low income level.
Do you have anybody to co-sign for you,
parents or roommates?
Uh, no, that, that's okay.
- Um.
- Sorry.
(pensive music resumes)
(door clattering)
Can I get a beer please?
Thanks.
Hey.
Pete.
Yeah?
Wait, Tahlia?
Yeah, I didn't recognize you
without the beard. (Laughs)
Holy shit, uh.
Yeah, it's been a minute.
Uh, so how have you been doing? (Laughs)
You know, drinking before
noon, so not the greatest.
Ah, I know what you mean. (Laughs)
Do you have a minute?
Do you wanna catch up for a bit?
Oh, yeah, yeah, sure, free.
Cool.
Is this too weird?
No, I, I mean, it is weird, but.
Yeah, it's been, what, like five years?
Since junior new year of college, yeah.
I'm sorry.
I just, I just feel like I
should apologize for, you know,
not reaching out to you this entire time.
I mean, I'm not gonna lie,
I was confused and angry.
I mean, it's not all in my head, right?
Like, we were best friends, (laughs)
Completely inseparable for a
year and a half and then...
I know.
So what happened?
It's like you disappeared overnight.
I don't know.
I mean, there was a lot going on
with me in general that year.
But I mean, with you specifically with,
do you remember the last
time we actually hung out?
It was right after summer
break heading into junior year.
And the first thing I wanted to do
when I was back in the city was see you.
And I distinctly remember
something feeling off.
Like, I wasn't being genuine,
or, or like I was faking something, uh.
And it shook me.
And since we weren't living
in the same dorm building anymore,
I kind of felt like I was losing you
to some of your other friends,
which I know is super selfish and stupid.
But, um, that's just where my head was at.
Well, the last time I
remember seeing you was,
I don't know, I ran into you before class.
Um, we hadn't spoken in,
like, a month and a half,
and I was really excited to see you.
But then when you, I know
when I tried to talk to you,
you just completely blew me off.
That hurt.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
I don't even remember that.
I guess I just don't
know what I did wrong.
No, no, no, it wasn't you. Believe me.
I, that entire year I was
just in a really bad place.
I mean, I was so messed
up by the end, I just,
I knew I couldn't go back.
Oh, so you did drop out?
Yeah.
Whoa.
I guess I was never sure. That's crazy.
Not that I'm trying to
shame you or anything.
Oh, it's okay.
Might not have been the smartest thing,
but it was definitely what I needed.
Can I ask why?
Yeah, um, it's just
everything with school.
I mean, I don't know how it was
for you in the dance department,
but in the acting department,
everything just became
an absolute nightmare.
I mean, the politicking, the
backstabbing, the favoritism,
it's like, it's like you do
exactly what they tell you
to do, but no matter what,
it's just not enough,
or you're not enough.
I just, I didn't like what I became.
It's crazy to look back and think
of how stupid I was
just trying to be edgy,
or different, or whatever.
You weren't that bad.
Except for the part when
I abandoned my best friend.
Well, you weren't all
that bad all the time.
(Tahlia laughs)
A couple of things that
year really just broke me.
I mean,
like, first, I interview for
this really selective class,
and I show up, and the
professor is this massive dude
wearing a dirty T-shirt and sweatpants.
Like, I'm supposed to be impressing you?
And then he shit over every
single response that I give him.
Fine.
But then I interview for
the LA internship program,
which is basically the reason
why I chose that college.
I made the dean's list every semester.
I never got anything lower
than a B+ in any class.
Everything I did was to
get into that program.
And I thought the interview went great,
but rejected.
At first, they said try again next year,
but I was really pissed.
So I sent them an email asking them
for more specific reasons
why I wasn't selected
and why I felt like I earned that spot.
And they never responded.
[Tahlia] That's horrible.
That's when I kind of just gave up,
and it kind of feels good
to say that out loud.
God, did I just completely
screw up or what?
I don't know.
I mean, if it's what you
needed, it's what you needed.
And if it was a huge mistake,
then always time to fix those.
I mean, this morning,
could you have imagined
that you'd be telling
me all this? (Laughs)
I don't know what it is about you,
you just always make me open up.
Yeah, me too, it's our connection.
Guess we haven't lost that.
I should not have been so
scared to ask you out back then.
I always had a thing for you
ever since we first met and we were
partners in that class project, remember?
Maybe you should have.
(Tahlia laughs)
Uh, so what, what have you been up to?
Do you still act?
No, not really.
It's a shame. You were good.
Ever since leaving school,
I just, I really wanted
something that I could control.
You know, I was too jaded
to go to New York or LA,
and I was too embarrassed to go back home.
So I stayed here, and I found
that I really like making
YouTube videos, actually.
Oh, like what?
Uh, mostly unboxing videos.
It's not like I have a big following.
I mean, I try, but really
happy when I do it.
Hey, that's what matters.
What else do you do for, like, work?
I, um, I do stocking at a grocery store.
Oh. (Laughs)
Yeah, maybe dropping out was a mistake.
(Tahlia laughing)
Probably, yeah.
What about you? Do you still dance?
Yes, uh, I teach kids and teens.
Oh, that's awesome.
Yeah, it's, it's more of a side thing.
Um, I, I'm a lead server at a restaurant.
Job is whatever, but the money's decent,
mostly evenings and weekends, though,
so I stopped going out for productions,
not that I was getting any. (Laughs)
Then I started giving
lessons during the day.
It's a lot of work, sometimes too much,
but usually ends up being
a pretty good balance
between sustainability and fulfillment.
Yeah, that's, that's, that's awesome.
Thanks.
So is, um, is today one of those days
where it's just all too much?
Oh, uh, yeah, (laughs)
just blowing off some steam.
- Yeah. (Laughs)
- Yeah.
What about you? What's
driven you to day drink?
It all leads back to
those bad decisions.
I've, I've been a real
asshole to my parents.
I, I pushed them away,
but I've still been taking their money.
It's, it's pathetic actually.
- Hey.
- No, no, it's the truth.
I, and now they're cutting me off.
I, I'm, I'm broke as hell.
I'm gonna lose my apartment.
I, I can't afford anything here anymore.
I've been selling off
basically everything I own,
and even then, I'm
probably only gonna last
another a couple months.
I, just looks like I'll just have
to move back in with my mom and dad.
I've, God, 25 years old moving
back into my parents' basement.
What an idiot.
(laughs) It's okay.
Sorry, I,
just all this has just
been building up, I guess.
So it's just time for
it to come out, sorry.
Hey, you, you can't
hold all that inside.
Where have you been the last five years?
Well, don't you have any
roommates to help with rent?
How many rooms?
It's two, been using the spare as sort
of, like, a storage room thing.
'Kay, this might be crazy,
but I'm currently in the process of trying
to find a new apartment,
and I can come check it out.
And if it's not a complete shithole,
then I could figure something out.
I could, I don't know, sublet
or put my name on the lease
and figure it-
Uh, that's really, really
nice of you,
but you don't have-
I mean, just think about it.
Do you need my number?
If it's still the
same, I never deleted it.
(pensive music)
(hand knocking)
(door clattering)
- Hey.
- Hey.
Uh, I just wanted to check in,
see how you're settling in.
Oh, yeah, I'm all good.
That's good.
Thank you again so much for doing this.
I really appreciate it.
It's all good. (Laughs)
I'm happy we could help each other out.
I just hope you're not a shit roommate.
(both laughing)
But really, I'm, I'm glad
it worked out like this.
Me too.
Goodnight.
Night.
(lips smacking)
(pensive music continues)
(Tahlia laughs)
(Pete moans)
(lips smacking)
(Tahlia laughing)
Hey.
Hey.
(Tahlia laughing)
I checked out your YouTube channel.
Yeah?
Yeah. I liked it.
That's good.
Have a few ideas.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah.
(Tahlia laughs)
(gentle music)
(pensive music)
(food sizzling)
(page rustling)
(pepper grinder rasping)
(utensils clinking)
That was good. (Laughs)
Who knew you could cook?
I learned from the best.
Seriously, I mean,
it wasn't that long ago
that you couldn't make mac
and cheese, let alone this.
(laughs) It's all you.
(utensil clinking)
How are numbers looking?
It's good.
Subscribers?
Little over 3,000.
That's great.
I bet you'll be at 5,000
by the end of the year.
Yeah, we'll see.
(Tahlia laughing)
I'm proud of you.
You're putting in the work
and seeing the results.
Stop.
What? It's true.
I mean, you make it
sound like it's all me.
I mean, sure, most of it is me,
but I couldn't do it without you.
- Well.
- Any of this.
I did tell you to
grow out your beard, so.
Oof, 'kay, I gotta get going.
(dishes clanking)
(gentle music)
When you coming home?
I'll be home for dinner.
Are you filming today?
- Yeah.
Want me to pick up food?
No, it's okay. I'll,
I'll just make something.
No, don't worry about it.
You'll be busy getting
your 5,000 subscribers.
Text me what you want.
Okay.
I love you.
(lips smacking)
Love you.
Have a good day.
(footsteps plodding)
(door clattering)
(pensive music)
(footsteps plodding)
(box thudding)
(footsteps plodding)
Hey, guys, welcome back to Valli Video.
Today's Friday, so you
know what that means.
It's Fan Mail Friday.
All right, you guys know the drill.
Check out the video description
for where you can send
me whatever you want me
to unbox live on camera.
Just remember to mark
it with the hashtag FMF.
And before we get started,
remember to hit the subscribe
button, like the video,
and leave a comment down below.
Also, check out my Patreon.
I wanna give a huge shout out
to all of my new subscribers.
Thank you guys so much for
supporting the channel.
You guys are the best.
That's what Fan Mail
Friday is all about, you.
All right, enough hype,
(laughs) let's get to it.
What do we got here, huh?
(pensive music)
There's no return info.
Uh, hopefully, your name's inside.
Guys, (laughs) I like knowing your names.
(box clattering)
(paper rustling)
Hey, I got a lion.
I, uh, I guess he's a king. (Laughs)
I guess you can call him
the Lion King. (Laughs)
Let's see.
Oh, you know what? There's
something else in here, too.
Maybe this will say who it's from.
(paper rustling)
Okay, um, well, it's just a card
that says the word soon.
Uh, that's interesting, I guess.
Uh, well, uh, thank you for the card,
uh, oh, and for the lion, too. (Laughs)
Okay, uh, let's see what else we got, um.
(finger tapping)
(pensive music)
(doll rasping)
(door clattering and squeaking)
(switch clicking)
(door clattering)
(footsteps plodding)
- Hey.
- Hey.
Do you always have to sit in the dark?
What's up? How'd the shoot go?
Uh, good, hey, check this out.
It was in the Fan Mail Friday stuff.
It's cute, not really your thing, but
Yeah, I have no idea who
sent it, but this came with it.
Soon, what does that mean?
I don't know.
It's, I mean, it's kind of weird, right?
Yeah. I mean, I guess the more people
who watch your stuff,
you're bound to get a
creep or two. (Laughs)
It's kind of funny.
Is it?
(sighs) See, this is why
I told you to get a PO box
for the send-in videos.
I don't love that our
address is just out there.
Come on. Let's eat.
(plastic rustling)
(pensive music continues)
(footsteps plodding)
All right, thank you, Hillary,
so much for the package.
Thank you for being a subscriber
and supporting the channel.
(boxes thudding)
Okay, uh, we have one more box today.
(lid thudding)
(plastic rustling)
Wow, (laughs) there's
a lot of stuff in here.
Who sent this?
(pensive music)
No return info.
Hold on.
(footsteps plodding)
(plastic rustling)
(papers thudding)
(box clattering)
All right, uh, listen.
There's no return info on
this box, just hashtag FMF.
Now, at first I thought it was weird,
but then I remembered that the
exact same thing is written
on this box from the last Fan Mail Friday.
Like, it's clearly from the same person.
Is this what you meant when you said soon?
Look, this would all be a lot easier
if you just told me your name,
but, uh, all right, let's,
let's see what you sent.
(box rasping and clattering)
(sighs) Okay, um, what do we got here?
Uh, first up is a flask
with the letters RZ on it,
obviously not my initials, so.
(liquid sloshing)
Sounds like there's something in there.
(lid clattering)
(Pete sniffs)
Oh, my God, what the hell is that?
(Pete sniffs)
That is foul, man.
I have no idea what that is,
and I don't think I wanna know.
(lid clattering)
I can't even begin to describe
what that smells like.
That's just... (exhales)
(bottle thudding)
Okay, um, let's just keep going.
(paper rustling)
Uh, 'kay.
Um, it's like a framed photo of a castle,
and there's a king.
Don't really know what your
deal with kings are, but.
(Pete sighs)
Um.
(handle rasping)
'Kay, it's a, a old-school
metal pencil sharpener.
(sharpener rasping)
This kinda takes me back
to elementary school.
Do schools even still have these?
Don't know where you got that.
Um.
(paper rustling)
Okay, next up, we got a whistle.
Definitely not going to blow it,
especially after whatever's in that flask.
You know what? Hold on.
(feet shuffling)
(pensive music continues)
(door clattering)
(glass clinking)
Okay, um, probably gonna regret this,
but let's see what's inside this flask.
(lid clattering)
Oh.
(liquid sloshing)
Look at that, man.
I still have no idea what that is.
(Pete sniffs)
God, it smells like something rotting.
Ugh.
Man.
Uh.
(paper rustling)
Okay, uh, what else?
Um.
(paper rustling)
'Kay, uh, got a garage door opener.
Still has some battery.
(button clicking)
Wonder what it opens.
'Kay, um, looks like this
is the last thing in here.
It's a, it's a little lunchbox
that also reminds me of elementary school.
It's got some cute bears on it.
(contents rattling)
Sounds like there's something inside.
(Pete laughs)
You know, I'm feeling a little
skittish after the flask,
and I think I'm not
really learning my lesson,
but let's just see anyway.
(box clattering)
(paper rustling)
Okay.
Oh, it's soft, and it feels kind of moist.
(paper rustling)
(brooding music)
Oh, my God.
(item thudding)
What the hell is that?
Oh, that's... (exhales)
(pensive music)
Yeah.
Did ya have to use
one of the nice glasses?
I'm kidding.
What am I supposed to do?
I don't know.
At least it wasn't anything too crazy.
You know what I mean.
Should I even put this out there?
Doesn't it seem wrong to post it?
I mean, it's interesting,
and as screwed up as it is,
what's the downside?
He sends more stuff like that.
Yeah, but maybe people
get a kick out of it.
If they send more stuff, be more careful.
Wear gloves.
But it's kinda creepy.
Lean into it. I don't know.
Shoot it at night.
You really aren't worried?
I mean, what else is
there at this point?
They already have our address.
Might as well try to
get something out of it.
Should I go to the cops?
And tell them what,
someone tried to send you rotten fruit?
Maybe we're looking too deep into it.
Maybe it just happened in transit.
No, I don't buy that.
Yeah, me neither.
Have you tried looking up
the tracking information,
I don't know, see if that
shows where it's coming from?
No, but that's a really good idea.
(pensive music continues)
023, okay.
Nothing.
Look, not found.
I don't know.
Do what you think is best.
(pensive music continues)
(pensive music continues)
(finger tapping)
(footsteps plodding)
(pensive music continues)
Are you sure you don't want
me here when you open it?
Yeah, probably just throw me off anyway.
Oh, well, whatever
weird stuff is in there
is gonna get you all worked up.
Don't want you freaking
out, especially in the dark.
I'll be fine.
I'm just trying to lean into
the weirdness of it all,
you know, help the vibe of
the video, like you said,
and I've got these.
What are those for?
In case there's something gross.
(Tahlia laughing)
What?
You can't wear those. (Laughs)
I got you these.
Uh, they won't distract
from the whole vibe
you're going for. (Laughs)
Thanks.
Good luck.
I love you.
Love you. (Laughs)
(footsteps plodding)
(pensive music continues)
Hey, guys, welcome back.
Tonight, I have a very
special unboxing for you.
Looks like our mystery sender has sent me
yet another package.
I have no idea what's inside.
I don't know who's been sending these.
The last one was pretty
weird and upsetting,
so I can only imagine
what's inside of here
but definitely learned
my lesson last time.
So let's get to it.
(box clattering)
(paper rustling)
Okay, first up, (paper rustling)
Hmm,
another king.
So we know this is from the same guy.
I don't really know what
your deal is with kings
or why this one's all messed up, but.
(doll thudding)
What else?
(paper rustling)
'Kay, here we have a basketball trophy.
Looks like a participation
one that every kid would get.
Um, seems pretty normal,
except it's missing its head.
Getting weirder.
(trophy thudding)
(paper rustling)
It's the last item in here, it looks like,
obviously a backpack.
Like everything else, it looks old,
like it's from the '90s or something.
Maybe there's a name, too.
Nicole R.
Feels like there's something inside.
(zipper whizzing)
Oh, it's a, um,
(fingers snapping)
Ah, what is it called?
Uh, a, a, a thermos, yeah, thermos.
Um, oh, it's got those same three bears
from the lunchbox.
I bet it goes with that package.
(Pete sniffs)
Hey, after whatever disgusting
shit was in that flask,
I'm not taking any chances, okay?
(lid clattering)
Oh, there's something inside.
(thermos thudding)
Yeah, that is hair.
Look, the liquid in the
flask was disgusting.
The rotten apple sucked.
But this just makes me
feel even more gross.
Like, where did you get this?
Why do you have it? Why
are you sending it to me?
(lid clattering)
Moving on, I guess.
Uh, something here in the side pocket.
Come on, kids' underwear?
Look, if you don't have kids,
you probably shouldn't
have kids' underwear.
What are you, some sort of creep?
(zipper whizzing)
(plastic rustling)
(pensive music continues)
What is that?
Jesus, what is this?
Hell, is, (exhales)
(paper rustling)
Is that blood?
Is that a retainer?
Jesus Christ.
Why? Why?
(retainer thudding)
Why are you sending me this?
This is bullshit.
I'm over it.
I'm being serious right now.
You can stop sending me this shit.
Like, subscribe, whatever.
(footsteps plodding)
(pensive music continues)
(traffic whooshing)
(Pete sighs)
(doorbell ringing)
(chair clattering)
Hello.
Hello, dammit.
(feedback whistling)
Hello.
(Pete sighs)
Give me a break.
(door clattering)
(feet shuffling)
(pensive music continues)
(floor creaking)
(footsteps plodding)
(dramatic music)
Jesus.
Pete, (laughs) where are you going?
Somebody kept ringing the damn buzzer.
I was just down there.
I didn't see anyone.
Must have been some kids or
a random asshole. (Laughs)
Why were you upstairs?
I, I thought I heard a noise.
There's nothing. It's...
What's going on?
(Pete sighs)
It's the box.
(brooding music)
(footsteps plodding)
What? Is that?
Oh, ew.
I have no idea if that is real.
I just, I don't want it in the house.
It's okay.
Um, let's just get this
stuff put away, um.
(frame clattering)
I'm sorry.
No, no, no, it it, it's okay.
You know what? I'll get it tomorrow.
It's okay.
You know what?
I'm over it.
Let's just go to bed.
Over it?
Yeah.
(footsteps plodding)
(pensive music continues)
(traffic whooshing)
(footsteps plodding)
I'm late. I'll see you later?
Okay, love you.
(door slamming)
(Pete sighs)
(footsteps plodding)
(pensive music continues)
(frame rasping)
(paper rustling)
(frame clattering)
Is this a yearbook?
(paper rustling)
Martin Luther King Elementary School.
(box clattering)
(paper rustling)
(bag rustling)
(paper rustling)
(Pete breathing heavily)
(sharpener clattering)
(hands thudding)
(box cutter clattering)
(box cutter rasping)
(box cutter thudding)
(doll rasping)
(paper rustling)
Basketball.
(pensive music)
Nicole R, R.
Nicole R.
The coach.
(finger tapping)
Ryan Zellner, Ryan Zellner.
Zellner.
Holy shit.
(brooding music)
(fingers tapping)
(brooding music continues)
(fingers tapping)
Oh, my God.
(brooding music continues)
(footsteps plodding)
(paper rustling)
(jacket rustling)
(keys rasping)
(door clattering)
(suspenseful music)
(footsteps plodding)
(button clicking)
(doorbell chiming)
(crickets chirping)
(door clattering)
Hi, uh, are you Ryan Zellner?
Yeah.
[Pete] Did you teach
at Martin Luther King Elementary School?
Yeah.
[Pete] Did you have a
student named Nicole Rothe?
Who are you?
Uh, my name's Peter, and, um, I'm here
just because I wanted to ask you
a couple questions about, um
What are you, a reporter or something?
Yeah, kind of.
Uh, more like a, um, a,
a, a video journalist.
What do you want?
I'm researching into
Nicole's disappearance.
I just wanted to ask you a few questions.
Go round back.
(door squeaking)
(door clattering)
(brooding music)
(footsteps plodding)
(door clattering)
(footsteps plodding)
(latch clicking)
Well.
(clothes rustling)
(pensive music)
Nicole Rothe.
I have not heard that name in a long time.
But it's a name you never
stopped thinking about.
Close to 25 years.
What are you doing digging this up?
I recently discovered
the story about her death.
It's not just some
story, some make believe.
It's a living and breathing nightmare,
and she's still missing.
I'm not making any
assumptions beyond that.
I'm sorry.
I came into possession of a copy
of the yearbook from the
year she went missing.
And I noticed that you
coached your basketball team.
Do you recall anything
about her that stands out?
Before she?
No.
No.
After she was gone, you try
and pick apart every little thing.
She was just a kid,
no different or special than anyone else.
[Pete] No reason for her disappearance
from your perspective?
Well, when you talk
with the cops enough,
you eventually see that
there's just nothing,
nothing that would make any sense anyway.
The police talked to you?
Yeah.
About anything in particular?
What?
The Goddamn cops wasted
so much time harassing me,
valuable time that should have been used
to find her instead.
But why'd they focus on you?
Well, when you're a young male teacher
in a sea of aging women, it's
easy to point a finger at me.
But you were a suspect?
That's bullshit.
But why specifically did they think
that you had something to do with it?
The cops targeted me
because I was convenient.
But guess what.
They had nothing.
You know, I wasn't able
to coach basketball after she disappeared.
And then there were the looks
from the other faculty and the parents.
I lost everything.
They basically forced me to
leave after a couple years.
I couldn't teach after that.
And for what, huh?
For what?
Nothing.
(laughs) You know what?
I thank God that it didn't happen today
with, with, with, with
social media and shit.
Your Goddamn generation,
savages.
(dramatic music)
You would run me out of town
and never let me move on.
Were you involved in
Nicole Rothe's disappearance?
I'm done.
(clothes rustling)
(footsteps plodding)
Look, I don't know why
you're digging all this up,
but here's some friendly advice.
Drop it.
Nothing good will come from it.
Is that a threat?
(brooding music)
(door clattering)
(brooding music continues)
(phone beeps)
(keys clanking)
(engine humming)
(brooding music continues)
(brooding music continues)
(brooding music continues)
(brooding music continues)
(door clattering)
(engine churning)
(engine humming)
(pensive music)
(crickets chirping)
(footsteps plodding)
(button clicking)
(door whirring)
(button clicking)
(door squeaking)
(Pete sighs)
(clothes rustling)
(hands rasping)
(jacket rustling)
(footsteps plodding)
(brooding music)
(footsteps plodding)
(footsteps continue plodding)
(brooding music continues)
(jacket rustling)
(items clattering)
(plastic rustling)
(pillows thudding)
(plastic rustling)
(brooding music continues)
(bag rasping)
(item thudding)
(brooding music continues)
(photos rasping)
(brooding music continues)
(brooding music continues)
(brooding music continues)
(brooding music continues)
(photos rustling)
(brooding music continues)
(camera clicking)
(brooding music continues)
(camera clicking)
(shoes rasping)
(footsteps plodding)
(rain pattering)
(brooding music continues)
(footsteps plodding)
(door clattering)
(engine churning)
(engine roaring)
(Pete breathing heavily)
(brooding music continues)
(phone clanking and beeping)
Hey, guys, you are not going
to believe what happened to me tonight.
I, I finally got everything.
I finally got everything I need to prove
that this is not some sort
of weird coincidence
or, or, or, or, or just happenstance.
There, there is something
really, really, really
messed up going on here.
And I finally, I finally figured it out.
(door clattering)
(pensive music)
(keys jangling)
(bag thudding)
(footsteps plodding)
(pensive music continues)
(latch clicking)
(Pete exhales)
(zipper whizzing)
(phone thudding)
(horn honking)
(Pete yawning)
(traffic whooshing)
(Pete exhaling)
(clothes rustling)
(Pete sighs)
(hand thudding and rasping)
(Pete grunts)
(latch clicking)
(dramatic music)
(footsteps plodding)
(floor creaking)
Where are you?
It's in my backpack.
(brooding music)
(paper rustling)
(envelope rasping)
(feet shuffling)
(body thudding)
(keys jangling)
(door clattering)
(pensive music)
(pensive music continues)
(pensive music continues)
(gravel crunching)
(door clattering)
Tahlia.
(footsteps plodding)
Tahlia.
(brooding music)
Hello.
(footsteps plodding)
Hello, Tahlia.
(brooding music continues)
(crickets chirping)
(footsteps plodding)
Tahlia.
(leaves rustling)
(footsteps plodding)
Hello.
(footsteps plodding)
(crickets chirping)
Hello, Tahlia.
(footsteps plodding)
(crickets chirping)
Hello.
(brooding music continues)
(footsteps plodding)
(eerie music)
Tahlia.
(footsteps plodding)
(crickets chirping)
(eerie music continues)
Tahlia, Tahlia.
(footsteps plodding)
(water splashing)
(tarp rustling)
(dramatic music)
(item clattering)
(tarp rustling)
(Pete breathing heavily)
(dramatic music)
(shovel thudding)
(water sloshing)
(crickets chirping)
(water splashing)
(Pete breathing heavily)
(feet shuffling)
(footsteps plodding)
(Pete grunting)
(Pete breathing heavily)
(chains clanking)
(Pete sniffs)
(Pete gasping)
(container thudding)
Tahlia.
Hi, babe.
Are you okay?
Aw, my knight in shining armor,
more worried about me, even
though I'm the one out here
and you're the one in there?
Help me outta here please.
Aw, I know you've got a
pretty big booboo on your head,
but you're gonna have to start catching up
with the rest of the class.
What are you doing?
There ya go, starting
to connect those dots.
What is this?
This is the accumulation of months
of detailed planning and execution,
no pun intended.
This is storytelling at its finest,
a boy wasting his life,
poor and almost homeless,
a rekindled romance with
the girl that got away,
a renewed sense of purpose,
a growing audience,
a mystery, an unsolved
disappearance, a sketchy old man.
The pieces start fitting together,
the boy on the brink of super stardom
when the boy disappears,
leaving all eyes on the girl
who turns this tragedy into
her happily ever after.
So that's it then?
This is all about you?
Who better?
Why me?
Why not you?
Fuck you.
(laughs) You made it so easy.
You should watch what you
post on these social media.
You never know what kinda
creep might be following you.
You post every embarrassing detail
about your pathetic life.
You still think that it was a coincidence
that I was at that bar on
that day, in that moment?
So the last six months,
it just, nothing to you,
it's a lie?
They were fun.
What about the teacher
and the, that girl?
Ah, the cherry on top.
It never ceases to amaze me that people
who will believe the wildest things
with the tiniest bit of truth.
All you need is a guy on
the Internet with little bit
of conviction, and you can have the masses
believing whatever you want.
That guy had nothing to do
with that girl's disappearance.
Or maybe he did.
I don't know. (Laughs)
It doesn't matter.
What matters is that everyone is going
to believe that he did.
And everyone is going to believe
that he didn't want you snooping around.
So who do you think they're
gonna point the finger to
when you end up missing?
You're crazy.
No, I'm just smarter than you.
You're not gonna get
away with any of this.
I am, (laughs) especially
when the police go to his house
and find your phone.
I left him a present.
I've actually left a few things there.
I've been to his house a couple times.
So I've left some things,
and I've taken some things.
And even if they find
you here, guess what.
This property belongs to a
relative of his. (Laughs)
You gotta love the Internet.
(Tahlia laughing)
Okay, well, uh, I think
that about covers it.
Is there anything else I
need to spell out for you?
(Pete grunting)
(chains clanking)
Okie do key, it's been real.
(matches rattling)
Uh, gotta light up this barbecue and
- No, Tahlia, please.
- Hit the road.
Please, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
Please, please, please, Tahlia, please.
Please, I love you.
Aw.
(match rasping)
Oh, no, no, no, please, Tahlia.
Stop, stop.
(match rasping)
No, no, no.
No.
(flame hissing)
There we go.
Please, Tahlia, no, Tahlia, stop.
Please stop, no.
(fire crackling)
(Pete screaming)
Beautiful.
I should have brought marshmallows.
(fire crackling)
(dramatic music)
(fire continues crackling)
(dramatic music continues)
(fire continues crackling)
(dramatic music continues)
(fire continues crackling)
(crickets chirping)
(latch clicking)
(footsteps plodding)
(door clattering)
(switch clicking)
(footsteps plodding)
(hat thudding)
(footsteps plodding)
(box clattering and rasping)
(footsteps plodding)
(box thudding)
(gloves rasping)
(gloves thudding)
(zipper whizzing)
(jacket rustling)
(jacket thudding)
(clothes rustling)
(water pattering)
(Tahlia breathing heavily)
Hello.
Hello.
Hello, (gasping)
(phone beeping)
(phone ringing)
(Tahlia whimpering)
[911 Operator] 911,
what's your emergency?
(Tahlia gasps)
(pensive music)
(pensive music continues)
(pensive music continues)
(pensive music continues)
(pensive music continues)
(pensive music continues)
(gentle piano music)
(gentle piano music continues)