The Astral Woods (2023) Movie Script
(Eerie music)
(Eerie music continues)
(Intense music)
(Intense music continues)
(Birds squawking)
(Spaceship rumbling)
(Spaceship continues rumbling)
(Thunderous explosion)
(Suspenseful music)
(Intense music) (Static buzzing)
(Intense music)
- Okay. One more time, mm.
You're out and someone walks
up to you and they ask you,
who you are and what are you doing here?
What do you say?
- I say, "I don't know where I am
and I'm suffering from amnesia."
- No, wrong. You say nothing, okay?
You pretend that you've
just become conscious
and you're seeing a human person
for the first time in your life.
- Sorry. - All right.
It's, it's fine.
We just need get this, it just needs to,
it just needs to be perfect, okay?
All right, um, so let's talk about food.
You're gonna have enough
MRE's to last you about a month.
You'll eat one in the
morning and one at night.
There'll be a daily vitamin,
so make sure you take it.
- Who's gonna be bringing
me the food and water?
- Yes, just don't worry about it.
This guy takes care
of it every single detail
to make sure everything
runs smoothly, all right?
We just can't have any
single room for error.
You understand?
- Yeah. I just, you know...
- What?
- I just don't understand
why it has to be me who goes.
- Baby, we talked about
this a hundred times already.
Look, you have no family
and, and you don't work.
If I go missing, a lot
of red flags will pop up.
And what about the cops?
What are you gonna say to them?
What are you gonna say when you face them?
- Mm, yeah, I know.
- It's... (Sighs).
Look, Liz, if you have any ounce of fear
or anything like that, you can tell me,
I can make the call and we can cancel this.
- No, no. I, I'm down 100% for this.
- Okay. All right.
Yeah. - Seven years?
- Seven years and we can say goodbye
to this broke-ass lifestyle.
Seven years and we we
get the home of our dreams,
live the life we deserve, the
life we've worked so hard for.
- And you're sure we can trust this guy?
- This is what he does
for a living. All right?
He's helped the most
wanted people live a new life,
and all he asks us for is 10% at the end.
- 10%? - Yeah.
- Of 2 million? - Yeah, I know,
but, ah, that's what it has to be.
Has to be done.
- When will we see each other?
- Um, oh, once a year.
- Once a year? - Yes.
People are gonna be
following me like hawks, baby.
- (Scoffs) What if there's an emergency?
- There will be no cell phones,
but there will be a landline.
You can use it for emergency purposes only,
like your dire need of emergencies.
- Okay. (Chuckles) Oh god.
- What's so, what's so funny?
- Ah, nothing. This is just crazy.
(Sighs) Can I bring books?
- Ah, you can bring
some, but you can't take
your whole library with you, all right?
Look, I'll be there and
he's gonna bring supplies,
food, water, whatever you need.
You can give him a list.
- How far away from you will I be?
- I'll be about six or
seven hours, you know,
it's gonna be a faraway place, you know,
off in the middle of nowhere.
Safe and very secluded.
- Seven years?
- Seven years.
- $2 million?
- $2 million.
And we won't have to work
a day in our lives ever again.
- Let's do it. (Chuckles) Let's just do it.
- Are you sure? (Liz exhales)
Like are you a hundred percent sure?
- Yes. (Chuckles)
- Okay, all right, um, shoot, we,
we're gonna be living the good life.
Trust me, sweetie. We will. (Chuckles)
- So when is this whole
thing supposed to happen?
- Um, um, I'll, I'll call the guy.
I can set up the details
and get everything set up.
You don't have to worry
about a single thing. Okay?
Um, I'll just...(Sighs)
Everything's going to be good.
You're just gonna have
to just relax, you know,
read a book, meditate, do whatever.
Don't worry. Everything's gonna be okay.
(Shower spraying) (Soft dramatic music)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Knocks on door)
You all right?
- Yeah. I'm okay.
- I'm gonna head to the
store. Do you want anything?
- Yeah, no, I'm okay. Thanks.
(Shower spraying)
(Crickets chirping)
- Yeah. She's in a hundred percent.
She's ready.
Yeah, I'm positive, a hundred percent.
No. And you're sure
no one's gonna find her?
I'm just making sure.
What the fuck do you mean, 40%?
The deal was 20.
Hello?
Hello?
(Knocks on window) Oh shit.
(Window rolls down) - Hey.
Everything all right?
- Yeah, everything's good.
- Oh, can you get some chamomile tea?
- Yeah, I can definitely, yeah.
(Shawn breathes uneasily)
(Eerie music)
(Switch clicks)
- Wake up, come on! - Hmm?
- No, what? - Come on, wake up, wake up.
- All right, we have to leave now.
Let's go. - Leave, leave where?
Come on, get up, get
up. We have to leave now.
- What, what, why? - The guy said
it's happening tonight, come on, get up.
- Why, why now? - Look it's, come on.
Get up, sweetie. We have to go.
We have 10 minutes, get up. - No.
What, what the fuck the
are you talking about?
- You don't have a
choice right now, sweetie.
Let's go, come on, we can't... no, no.
- Forget it, I'm not doing this.
- Baby, oh, Jesus, listen, listen.
This guy, these people, you don't wanna
fuck around with 'em, Liz.
Come on, sweetie, let's go.
- What are you talking about?
- Now! - No.
- Liz, Liz. - I can't, no, I'm not-
- if you don't get up right
now, we're both gonna die.
Okay? Get up.
(Suspenseful music)
Ah, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
Look, I'm sorry, um, um.
Look, sweetie, here, ah.
Everything's gonna be
okay, here just drink your tea,
got you some, just drink
your tea and just relax, okay?
All right, we'll pack your
bags, I'll get everything ready,
and it'll be exactly how we
talked about, exactly, okay?
Just relax. Okay?
(Intense music)
(Body thuds)
(Liz breathes uneasily)
(Necklace jangling)
Close your eyes again.
And now think of a place you wanna go.
Now think of a destination
you wanna head in.
- Okay.
- Now open your eyes.
(Eerie music)
(Rain pattering)
(Liz gasps and breathes heavily)
(Bag unzips)
(Liz panting)
- Hello? (Panting)
(Rain pattering)
(Birds chirping)
(Eerie music)
(Eerie music continues)
(Door opens and creaks)
Is anyone here?
(Eerie music continues)
(Phone ringing)
(Liz breathes uneasily)
(Phone clattering)
Hello?
Hello?
- [Man] You are not to leave this property
at any time for any reason.
- Please.
- [Man] The power will shut
off automatically at 8:00 pm.
- I don't wanna do this anymore.
- [Man] Someone will drop off more rations
at the end of every month.
- (Gasps) Can you just listen to me?
I need to speak to Shawn.
- [Man] You only get one
emergency phone call for the year.
Use it only if you are about to die.
- Okay. - Dial 69
and someone will head over.
(Line disconnects) - Hello?
(Prongs and dial pad clicks)
(Receiver clacks)
(Liz cries)
(Package tearing)
(Birds chirping)
(Food squishing)
(Liz inhales sharply)
(Liz sighs)
(Fork clinks)
(Bag unzips)
(Bag zips)
(Eerie music)
(Birds chirping)
(Eerie music continues)
(Birds squawking)
(Liz breathes heavily)
- $500.
They raised the rent up $500. For what?
Ac is never working, right?
Hot water is always warm.
That should be illegal.
- (Scoffs) It's fine, okay?
I'll just get a part-time
job while I finish up school.
I could probably find something from home.
- Oh, no, no. I, I, I don't
want you to do that.
- Well, I can't just sit
here and do nothing.
You know how stressful it is hearing you
complain about money all the time?
- What do you mean, complaining?
I'm, I'm out here every
day breaking my back
for both of us.
- I didn't mean it like that.
I'm just saying I wanna help.
- Well, um, I'll figure something out.
(Shawn sighs)
(Tense music)
(Sighs) You gotta Rob a
bank just to live these days.
- Well, if things get too
bad, you can always kill me.
Collect the insurance money.
- Hey, don't joke like that.
(Soft dramatic music)
I mean, if only one of us goes missing,
no one really has to die.
- (Chuckles) Well, I volunteer
to hide in The Bahamas.
- If one of us goes
missing, after seven years,
we'll get $2 million.
- What the hell are you talking about?
Wait, are you seriously considering this?
- It's just seven years, you, you-
- okay, no, stop, Shawn.
No, this is beyond stupid.
Making me feel weird.
(Scoffs) I would work at the
gas station before I did that.
- Yeah.
Yeah, um, I'm, I was just kidding anyway.
I'll figure something out.
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Insects chirping)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Ominous music)
- Let me introduce myself.
My name's Doug Wallace,
but you can call me Wallace.
I'm sure you're aware that in, um, um,
disappearances like this
where there's large sums
of money attached, well,
there's a little extra caution taken.
- I didn't kill my wife.
The police already said I'm in the clear.
They searched all over
and couldn't find anything.
- Well, I never said you
killed your wife, Mr. Hawkins.
Just because someone goes
missing doesn't mean they're dead.
- Look, I don't have time for this.
You tell me, what do you want?
- (Chuckles) You know, I've, um,
I've gone over the police reports
and there's just one
thing that just, it tickles me.
You know, um, none of her
possessions were missing.
It's almost like someone
just plucked her in the night.
(Wallace chuckles)
- Like I said, I was at work
and when I came home, she was gone.
- Yeah, that's what you said.
Hmm. (Chuckles)
Did you happen to know
that she had a male friend?
- What the hell are you talking about?
- A Mr. Jay Giles.
Um, seems they had a,
an extensive text history,
and, ah, ooh, couple late night chats too.
- I think it's time for you to leave.
(Wallace chuckles)
(Door handle clacks)
- Is that what happened, Shawn?
Did she find another man?
Someone who might,
you know, provide for her.
(Body slams) (Shawn breathes sharply)
(Laughs) Careful, Shawn,
you don't wanna be under
an investigation for two
murders now, do you?
- I told you everything. Now
get the hell outta my house!
- Well see, technically,
I can come and visit you as long as I want.
See, I've been hired by
the insurance company
to prove that you and
your wife aren't pulling
the old missing pre-insurance scam.
And I can guarantee you this.
They're not gonna let one red cent go
that they don't have to. (Chuckles)
Don't worry, Shawn,
you're not the first idiot
who thought they could pull this off.
(Door opens)
I'll tell you what, if you see Liz,
tell her Wallace says, "hi."
- Get the fuck out. (Door slams)
(Intense music)
(Upbeat theme music) (Audience applauding)
(Object clattering)
(Bed creaking)
Hello?
(Suspenseful music) -
What did that man want?
- (Breathes uneasily) Nothing, he's just,
he's just snooping around, just being nosy.
- [Man] What did you tell him?
- I told 'em exactly
what you told me to say.
That's she's missing and the cops
are doing everything they could.
- [Man] In case you forgot,
I'm gonna tell you again.
If they find out your wife is hiding,
you both will be tortured and killed.
If they don't give you the
money, you both get tortured,
tortured again and again and then killed.
Is that clear?
- You don't have to worry.
You don't have to worry at
all. Everything's taken care of.
(Suspenseful music continues)
(Shawn breathes heavily)
(Soft dramatic music)
- It's been a whole year
since I've been dumped
at this hell-hole.
I thought maybe the
time would go by quickly
once I got used to it, but I was wrong.
So wrong.
I feel like time just gets
slower and slower here.
And every day that passes,
my mind gets crazier and crazier.
I'm dead, but I'm still alive here.
To the whole world, Liz Hawkins is dead.
I'm just a ghost in the woods.
No one cares about me, talks to me.
And Shawn, I've thought
about what I might do
or say if I ever saw him again.
I hate him, but I still miss him sometimes.
And the person who drops off my supplies,
I've tried everything I can to catch him
and tell him what I need,
but he always seems to find
the exact second I walk
away to drop everything off.
They left me one shirt, one
pair of pants, and a raincoat.
But none of that really
matters out here anymore.
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Birds chirping)
- (Panting) Hey, hey.
Another thing, what if
there's a place in the middle of,
a place in the middle of nowhere?
Someone didn't know exactly where it was.
You know?
- Are you seriously
still talking about this?
- You wanna be in the
same place we are right now,
seven years from now?
- What's so wrong with right now?
I mean, we're talking
about having a kid soon.
- You wanna be a kid into this mess?
- What mess? What are
you talking about, Shawn?
I mean, what has gotten into you?
- Look, you remember
my buddy John from work?
- Yeah.
- His brother got, his
brother had brain cancer.
He died two weeks ago.
The medical bills alone
wiped him out clean.
Now his wife is working at a hotel
just to take care of the kids.
- Damn.
- Look, I just don't
want us just getting by.
I want us to have freedom,
take control of our lives,
live in new places. (Panting)
- Do you have an insurance policy?
- Yeah, I do. I got it through work.
- I mean, how much could we get
if we did do something like this?
- Enough money to say "fuck
the world" and live our lives.
(Birds chirping)
(Alarm ringing)
(Power clanks)
- (Sighs) Christ.
(Book bangs) Shit.
(Soft dramatic music)
(Gasps) Holy shit.
(Safe clattering)
(Liz sighs)
(Combination clicking)
(Lid clicks)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Chuckles) 1986.
(Walkman clacks)
(Button clicks)
- [Man on tape] If you're
listening, it's already too late.
Maybe they promised you money or a new life
like they did to me, it doesn't matter.
The only thing that matters
is that you're here now
and there's no escape.
But I'm sure you know that by now.
This audio journal will help guide you.
This cabin, this land, it's not normal.
It may seem like nothing at
first, but as the years go on,
something from this place
starts to get inside of you.
Get some rest. Don't open the door.
Do not trust anyone, even your own family.
They put you out here for a reason
and it's not for your best interests.
We'll talk more soon. (Button clicks)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Map crinkling)
(Button clicks)
(Tree cracks and slams)
(Counter buzzing)
Now I can't be exactly
sure what is going on here,
but from what I've put together,
something not from this earth landed here
thousands of years ago.
I've included a geiger counter in the safe.
Use that to navigate some
of the areas with high radiation
and stay away from those areas.
Also, use that counter to
see if they are around you.
I'm certain that many of
the native American folktales
about horrific creatures
stemmed from these beings.
They seem to come out every
seven to eight years to feed.
They came out during my time around 1982,
so they'll come back
in 1990, '98, and so on.
They can take any shape
or form that they want.
They can get into your mind
to read your thoughts and alter them.
They get inside telepathically.
That's how they communicate.
But the scariest thing,
they don't like to just go out and kill.
They like to tease and torture their prey.
Lastly, they only come out at night.
(Necklace jangling)
(Fork clinks)
(Knock on door)
(Floor creaking)
- Hello?
(Intense music)
(Liz breathes uneasily)
(Phone ringing)
(Suspenseful music)
(Liz gasps and breathes heavily)
(Birds chirping)
(Bed creaking)
(Door opens)
(Rain pattering)
(Suspenseful music)
(Intense music)
- You told me I could see
her at least once a year.
It's been three years. (Breathes uneasily)
How do I know she's still alive?
Man, you could just be telling me that.
I need to know for sure.
Just let me see her. Just for one hour.
When?
- Catch you at a bad time?
- Let me call you later.
I thought I told you
to stay off my property.
- Well, Shawn, I've been
assigned to your case,
so kind of gotta be here, you know?
Everything all right?
You look a little distressed.
Compost? Nah.
(Wallace sighs)
- All right. You need to leave.
- Man, I'll tell you what, no hospitality
around here at all. (Groans)
Let me guess.
You hired some organized
crime thugs to help you
with your little escape plan,
and, ah, now their list of
demands have changed.
Am I right?
It's a very common scam, Shawn.
They look for struggling and, ah, well,
pathetic people like
yourself and they prey on 'em.
But what you don't know is that
when this is all said and done,
and if you get your money,
and that's a big fat giant if,
oh, they're gonna kill you
and they're gonna kill your wife,
then they're gonna take all the money.
- You're full of shit.
I told you, she's missing
and the cops are on it.
- Oh, tonight, why don't you research,
"insurance scam, family killed."
See same many results you get.
(Wallace chewing)
(Tense music)
- Get the hell off my property.
(Distorted singing)
(Distorted singing continues)
- Yeah, I see him right now.
Yeah, he's headed to work.
(Suspenseful music) (Pick clattering)
(Door opens)
(Door closes)
Test. Test.
(Suspenseful music continues)
What in the hell?
(Listening device clicking)
(Suspenseful music continues)
(Drawer opens)
(Doors creaking)
(Keys jangling)
(Key scraping) (Lock clicking)
(Door opens)
(Suspenseful music continues)
(Wrapper crinkling)
(Cell phone buzzing)
(Upbeat rock music on headphones)
(Door opens and closes)
(Wallace sighing)
The house is already bugged.
Yes, I'm sure. Even better
ears than what we have.
(Exhales) Yes, I'm positive.
He's definitely working with somebody,
and they're keeping
pretty tight leash on him.
Look, I put a tracker on his car already.
The guy goes to work, to
the gym, to the grocery store.
It's like clockwork.
Yeah, what I don't get, if she's alive,
how could she go this long
without any communication at all?
(Eerie music)
- [Man on tape] Good morning or afternoon.
It's getting harder to
make these recordings.
I've been feeling ill,
mentally and physically,
but I feel like have to keep
making these for you, for me,
even though I may possibly be dead
by the time you listen to this.
It's nice knowing that for a brief time
our mind could share an interaction.
I want you to get the
map that was in the safe.
Follow it to the best of your ability.
(Counter buzzing) For this next part,
I really need you to
have an open mind about
what you're about to see and feel.
You have to keep in mind that
we are dealing with something
from a time and place
we know nothing about.
Stop the tape and when
you arrive at the location,
continue listening.
(Crows cawing) (Counter buzzing)
(Eerie music continues)
(Counter buzzing rapidly)
(Crows cawing)
I know the counter
readings are off the charts,
but they will only be
dangerous if you're here
for hours at a time.
This next part will be hard.
You will be seeing something
that won't make sense.
Please, just trust me
and try to follow what I say.
(Counter buzzing)
In front of you, hopefully, there will be
some kind of small metal box near a tree.
Open it.
(Eerie music continues)
Now there should be
some kind of fossilized skull
inside of the box.
(Box clacks) My theory is this belonged
to some native American who
was killed by one of the beings,
but something unexplainable
attached itself to the skull.
This skull is like a doorway. Try it.
Just touch the skull and you
can go anywhere you want,
back in time, into the future, anywhere.
(Intense static buzzing)
(Creepy music)
(Whooshing)
(Eerie music)
(Creature snarling)
(Trees creaking and cracking)
(Creature growling) (Liz screams)
(Intense music)
(Eerie music)
(Intense music)
(Liz screaming) (Tentacles slapping)
(Slime squishing)
- Oh god! Help! (Screaming)
(Creature snorting)
(Eerie music)
(Intense music)
- [Man on tape] I'm sorry
you had to experience that,
but it's vital for you to
understand what's going on here.
I've been there before,
standing where you stood.
I've touched the skull and seen everything.
I'm here for you.
I made this tape for you, Liz.
(Intense music continues)
(Shawn slurping)
(Knock on door)
(Phone ringing)
(Eerie music) (Razor slicing)
(Phone ringing)
- [Man] From now on, you use this.
Someone's bugged your
house and possibly your phone.
- Who bugged my house?
- Do not worry. It's been cleaned.
Keep this phone nearby. It's secure.
There's something else for you in the box.
(Box scraping)
She's still alive.
- Yeah. Yeah.
(Eerie music continues)
- [Man] You have one year left, Shawn.
One year and then this is all over.
- Yeah.
What's gonna happen afterwards?
- [Man] You give me the
agreed amount of the money
and then I give you
the location of your wife,
and then we never see
or talk to each other again.
- How do I know?
How do I know that you won't do something?
Kill me and take the money.
Hello? Hello?
- [Man] It does me no good to kill clients.
If I wanted one of you dead, I
could have done it years ago.
(Suspenseful music)
Don't.
We're not gonna kill any of you
unless you want something arranged.
- (Breathes uneasily)
What are you talking about?
- [Man] Your wife.
She's been locked up
in that cabin for six years.
She's getting cabin fever.
- She'll be fine.
- [Man] Do you think she's just gonna
welcome you with open arms?
She thought she was going to summer camp.
You lied and sent her
into solitary confinement.
- She'll be fine. She, she
know it has to happen.
- [Man] Will she or will she kill you
the first chance she gets?
Revenge, perhaps, for
stealing seven years of her life?
(Suspenseful music continues)
- What are you trying to say?
- [Man] When you pick
her up, you take care of her.
Something clean and then
we'll clean up the mess.
- No. No.
I love her. I, I still love her.
(Suspenseful music continues)
- [Man] Shawn, you dumped
her in the woods for money.
You sucked seven years
of her life like a vampire.
- (Breathes uneasily) She's...
I've done everything for her for years.
She can do this one thing for me
so we can live, so, so we
can live the life that I deserve.
Something real.
(Suspenseful music continues)
(Intense music)
(Soft dramatic music)
(Walkman clattering)
(Lid clicking)
(Cover thuds)
- [Man on tape] I know
what you're thinking.
This is impossible and
scary. I agree with you.
This is all very weird, but very real.
I've seen the future.
You can ask me anything
and the tape will answer.
(Eerie music)
- How many fingers am I holding it?
- [Man on tape] Three.
- No, no, no. This is impossible.
- [Man on tape] It should
be impossible, but it's not.
Something happened to me out here.
- Can you really hear me?
- [Man on tape] Not currently,
I'm probably dead by now,
but I've seen all of this when I touched
the skull, you there.
With some practice, I
was even able to change
small things in the
future, but never the past.
- So the future's all pre-planned?
- In a way. It's very complicated.
- Do I escape this place alive?
- [Man on tape] I can't answer that kind
of question right now.
- Why?
- [Man on tape] Death is very tricky
because the way you see
death is not really how it is.
- Well, how do I get out of here?
- [Man on tape] You can't, Liz.
- What do you mean, I can't?
No, there has to be some
way, a road or something.
- [Man on tape] You need
a vehicle to get outta here.
It would take hours to find
the nearest road on foot.
I've tried countless times.
(Eerie music continues)
- How did you end up here?
- [Man on tape] Same
as you, I had a decent job,
wife, kids, and a house.
This guy got a hold of me, said,
"I can make all your dreams come true."
I just had to wait here for seven years
and pretend I was dead.
- Then what happened?
- [Man on tape] You don't
need to know this stuff, Liz.
- I need to know, please.
- [Man on tape] They kept
changing the terms with my wife.
They wanted more and more.
My wife went to the cops
and tried to get us out of it.
- Did she tell the police?
- [Man on tape] No, these
people killed her, my son,
and left me the pictures.
I couldn't take the guilt.
My own selfishness killed them.
I used to have everything
and then I had nothing.
- What about you?
- [Man on tape] I ended my life.
The body is still out there somewhere
near the skull in the box.
That's their whole plan.
- Whose plan?
- [Man on tape] The people
who operate this place.
Do you think it's profitable to only make
a few thousand every seven years?
No. They're descendants of the land.
We were brought here
to feed them, the beings.
- So we're just food.
- [Man on tape] I'm sorry.
- Please. You have to help me.
- How? I'm not even alive anymore.
I know there's a river
way east and that's it.
- (Sighs) How far?
- [Man on tape] I have no idea.
But there's also the
phone trick you could try.
- Phone, phone trick? What phone trick?
- I'm not sure if the phone's the same,
but when I was there,
you could use two prongs
that hang up the phone
kind of like morse code.
So one would be one hit and
two would be two hits and so on.
- Oh my god. Thank you.
- [Man on tape] There's
one more important thing.
You asked me if you get out alive.
- Yes.
- Well... (Walkman clicks)
- Hello?
(Eerie music continues)
Hello? Can you hear me?
Oh shit. Tape's full.
(Tape rewinding) (Liz sighs)
- [Man on tape] I couldn't take the guilt.
My own selfishness killed them.
I used to have everything
and then I had nothing.
- Hello? Can you hear me?
- [Man on tape] I ended my life.
The body is still out there somewhere
near the skull in the box.
That's their whole plan.
(Button clicks)
(Eerie music continues)
(Helicopter whirring)
(Liz breathes heavily)
- Here, here, help! (Breathes heavily)
(Suspenseful music)
- Liz.
(Intense music)
Liz.
- You're not real. You're not real!
- Let's go. I'm here to take you home.
(Pounds on door) Open the damn door!
You can't hide forever. I can take you.
(Phone buzzing)
(Shawn breathes uneasily)
(Eerie music)
- Hello.
- Congrats. The time is all done.
Seven long years.
- Yeah, oh, well, that's all over.
Just tell me how you want your money.
- [Man] Just keep it all.
- What do you mean, just keep the money?
- Keep it all. I need you to do me a favor.
- What's the favor?
Go on. I, I, I gotta get going.
- [Man] The guy who's been pestering you.
- Yeah. Wallace?
- Yes. Kill him.
- What the fuck? Are you crazy?
I'm not your assassin for hire.
Look, just take the
money and let me move on.
- [Man] I don't want the money.
This man knows too much
and will ruin everything.
You have a gun, use it and
then bring the body with you.
- I can't.
- You will. You're about to
vanish and start a new life.
Nothing matters for you anymore.
- Please. - Do it or you both die.
I'll text you an address to Bury him.
Go at night. (Shawn sighs)
(Suspenseful music)
(Knock on door)
- Oh. Who is that?
- [Man] I've already sent him a message
to come to your location.
- (Breathes uneasily) What the fuck?
(Phone clacks)
- Well, here we are,
Shawn. Seven long years.
You know, I gotta hand it to you,
I thought you'd break or slip, but not you.
No, I guess that's why you
called me over here though, huh?
So you can rub my face in it, uh-huh.
- Right.
I just, um...
- Yeah.
Oh yeah.
Um, well, you know,
I'm really going to miss you.
I mean, you were one
of my favorite clients.
And, um, your wife. God rest her soul.
You know, I hope she turns up someday.
(Shawn breathes uneasily)
(Suspenseful music)
The case is closed, Shawn.
I don't give a fuck about
you or your wife anymore.
(Wallace sighs)
(Listen devices clattering)
Do you hear me, Shawn? I
can't help you get out of this.
- Shut the fuck up!
- (Chuckles) Whoa, whoa. Okay, okay.
Where'd you get that? Huh?
(Laughs) Did you get that at a pawn shop?
Have you even shot a gun before?
- Shut the fuck up! Just shut up!
- You're pathetic, Shawn.
You ain't even got the
balls to shoot me. Hmm?
You know, I came over here
hoping to get a go fuck yourself
bottle of wine or something, but no.
No, this, this is so much better.
So, um, you know, why
don't you just have a nice...
(Gun fires)
(Suspenseful music)
(Heart beating)
(Intense music)
(Intense music continues)
(Receiver clacks)
(Prongs clicking)
(Phone ringing) - Hello?
- Yes, yes, my name is Liz
Hawkins and I've been kidnapped
and held in some cabin
in the middle of nowhere.
- [Woman] Hello?
- Hello? Can you hear me?
Fuck. (Breathes uneasily)
(Prongs clicking)
(Phone ringing)
(Distorted voice) Hello?
Fuck! (Breathes heavily)
(Phone bangs)
(Walkman clicks)
(Eerie music)
My name is Liz Hawkins
and if you're listening to this right now,
I'm hopefully far away from this place
or somewhere dead nearby.
I want the world to know that
my husband, Shawn Hawkins,
forced me here to this place.
I don't know where I am.
I don't even know what day it is.
But what I do know is that I
can't stay another second here.
I would rather be out there dead,
starved and thirsty than to spend
any more time here in this place.
I'm heading west,
and hopefully there is a
river or a road or something,
anything that lets me know
that I'm not here anymore.
(Eerie music continues)
It's about two hours after sunrise.
I'm gonna keep walking until sundown
and hopefully by then
I am far away from this land
and whatever haunts it.
(Intense music)
(Intense music continues)
(Intense music continues)
(Intense music continues)
(Intense music continues)
Can I tell you something?
- Yeah. What's up?
- This past month, I've just been thinking
about my parents a lot.
(Sighs) I know it's been a few years,
but still just doesn't feel real.
- I know, baby.
I'm sorry, but it gets better over time.
I lost my father when I was young.
It was pretty hard.
- I know.
Do you think we'll see him again?
- So a woman said something
to me that stuck with me.
She said she believed that we've been dead
for trillions of years.
That if we had the right perspective down,
that our past, present, and
future, that's all in one place.
Meaning your parents may be dead,
but on the other side of the hill,
they're there, laughing, cooking.
It's always there.
- I kind of like that.
(Birds chirping)
(Drawers opening and
closing) (Items clattering)
(Knife slicing)
Get out
- Liz. - Get out!
- Liz, it's me, Shawn. - Get out!
- Liz, come on. Calm down.
Look, I, I got you food. Real food.
- Why are you here?
- It's over. It's been seven years.
I got the money. I mean, we got the money.
We can leave this place. We're free.
- Free? You kidnapped me
for money, you piece of shit!
- You sat there and helped
me plan this whole thing out.
I knew you gonna get cold feet.
So I just gave you a little push.
- No, I never agreed to
this, to this prison camp!
(Breathes heavily) Do you
know what it's like to be here,
all alone, eating the
same fake food every day,
not knowing what day
it's or what year it is?
- I'm sorry. - You're sorry?
Do you even know what's going on here?
There is something in those woods,
and those devils that you made a deal with,
they're only here to feed it.
- You just have cabin fever.
Once we leave, you'll be
back to your normal self.
- No, no. I'm not going anywhere with you.
- Liz, let's go. Come on.
- I know why you're really here.
Yeah, I've seen this all before.
- What are you talking about, Liz?
- You're not here to save
me and take me away.
You're here to kill me. - Don't be foolish.
I'm not here to kill you, Liz.
- Then prove it.
Turn around and prove that
there's not a gun in your pants.
Turn around! (Shawn inhales sharply)
(Suspenseful music)
- (Sighs) Look, it's for my own protection.
They said you wasn't right in the head.
- Huh, this was your plan the whole time,
to keep me out here a prisoner,
and then when you got the
money, you were gonna kill me.
- Liz, you're acting crazy.
I'm not here to kill you. - Uh, no!
- Liz! - No-huh!
- What the fuck, Liz? - No, no, no!
(Gun whacks) (Liz screams and groans)
- Fuck, Liz! (Breathes heavily)
I had a hell of a plan. An airtight plan!
And you had to go mess everything up!
I didn't want this for us.
I wanted us to go off and
be happy. (Breathes uneasily)
But like always, but no.
You couldn't sit inside a fucking house
for a few years in peace!
You always gotta be the cause of drama
and the center of fucking attention!
(Whimpers) I'm not doing this shit no more!
Have a chance at a better life!
(Breathes heavily) You know what?
I think this is best for everyone.
(Breathes heavily) Mm.
(Trigger clicks)
What the fuck? (Trigger clicks)
(Shawn breathes heavily)
(Gun clacks)
(Liz grunting) (Shawn screaming)
(Intense music)
(Gasping) Liz.
Liz, I, I can't move my legs.
I can't move my legs. (Panting)
Please help me.
Please. What the fuck?
Please, Liz.
Please, just call 911, please, please.
I, look, look, you can take the money.
You can take it all.
Just please call 911.
I can't move, I can't move my legs!
Liz! Liz!
(Panting) You can't leave me here.
Please! Liz!
(Breathes heavily) Fuck, fuck.
Liz! Fuck!
Liz! Bitch, I, I can't
move my fucking legs!
(Shawn panting)
(Groaning) Come back!
Liz! You can't leave me here!
Liz! Fuck!
(Soft dramatic music)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Birds chirping)
(Bag unzips)
(Walkman clacks)
(Tape clicks)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Button clicks)
- Can you still hear me?
- [Man on tape] Yeah.
- Ah, I got the car keys.
I'm alive.
- I know. I'm the one who
took the bullets out of a gun.
- How?
- [Man on tape] I guess
when I killed myself,
something in this area
never really let me fully die.
- So you're a ghost?
- [Man on tape] More of a
multi-dimensional person
kind of thing.
- I am truly grateful for you
that it's my time to leave.
- [Man on tape] Where will you go?
- I don't know.
I'm kind of ghost-like,
dead to the real world.
I do know the first thing I'm gonna do
is get the biggest pizza I
can find in a hotel room.
- [Man on tape] Maybe it's
a gift to have a blank slate,
to be born again.
- Yeah. Born again.
I kind of like that.
- [Man on tape] Before you go,
can you do me one last favor?
- Sure. - Take my bones
out of this place, Bury them somewhere far.
Maybe then I'll be
free from this place too.
- Yeah. Somewhere nice and far.
(Birds chirping)
You know, in a weird and twisted way,
I'm gonna kind of miss this place.
- So am I. Well, this tape
is about to come to an end.
(Walkman clacking)
- I'll miss you.
- [Man on tape] I'll miss
you too, but don't worry.
The universe is pretty weird and complex.
I think we might meet
each other again someday.
- All right. (Chuckles)
It's a next life date.
- [Man on tape] In another
lifetime at a coffee shop maybe.
- Goodbye and thank you.
- Goodbye, Liz. Have a great life.
(Soft guitar music)
Let me off the hook
I wanna run wild
get tangled in the sheets
with a lover that isn't you
because I was on my own
when you were by my side
so there's no difference now
except there's nothing to hide
let me go on without you
let me go on without you
let me go on without you
let me go on
oh, how the night gives way to the time
we were the two on the morning line
our love was beautiful,
but now it's gone
our love was beautiful
(Suspenseful music)
(Shawn groaning)
(Shawn breathes heavily)
- What the fuck, Liz?
(Floor creaking)
Is someone here?
(Floor creaking)
(Suspenseful music continues)
What the hell?
(Intense music)
(Shawn screaming)
(Creature snarling)
(Tentacles squishing)
(Shawn gasps and screams)
(Eerie music)
(Eerie music continues)
(Eerie music continues)
(Eerie music continues)
(Eerie music continues)
(Eerie music continues)
(Eerie music continues)
(Eerie music continues)
(Eerie music continues)
(Intense music)
(Intense music continues)
(Birds squawking)
(Spaceship rumbling)
(Spaceship continues rumbling)
(Thunderous explosion)
(Suspenseful music)
(Intense music) (Static buzzing)
(Intense music)
- Okay. One more time, mm.
You're out and someone walks
up to you and they ask you,
who you are and what are you doing here?
What do you say?
- I say, "I don't know where I am
and I'm suffering from amnesia."
- No, wrong. You say nothing, okay?
You pretend that you've
just become conscious
and you're seeing a human person
for the first time in your life.
- Sorry. - All right.
It's, it's fine.
We just need get this, it just needs to,
it just needs to be perfect, okay?
All right, um, so let's talk about food.
You're gonna have enough
MRE's to last you about a month.
You'll eat one in the
morning and one at night.
There'll be a daily vitamin,
so make sure you take it.
- Who's gonna be bringing
me the food and water?
- Yes, just don't worry about it.
This guy takes care
of it every single detail
to make sure everything
runs smoothly, all right?
We just can't have any
single room for error.
You understand?
- Yeah. I just, you know...
- What?
- I just don't understand
why it has to be me who goes.
- Baby, we talked about
this a hundred times already.
Look, you have no family
and, and you don't work.
If I go missing, a lot
of red flags will pop up.
And what about the cops?
What are you gonna say to them?
What are you gonna say when you face them?
- Mm, yeah, I know.
- It's... (Sighs).
Look, Liz, if you have any ounce of fear
or anything like that, you can tell me,
I can make the call and we can cancel this.
- No, no. I, I'm down 100% for this.
- Okay. All right.
Yeah. - Seven years?
- Seven years and we can say goodbye
to this broke-ass lifestyle.
Seven years and we we
get the home of our dreams,
live the life we deserve, the
life we've worked so hard for.
- And you're sure we can trust this guy?
- This is what he does
for a living. All right?
He's helped the most
wanted people live a new life,
and all he asks us for is 10% at the end.
- 10%? - Yeah.
- Of 2 million? - Yeah, I know,
but, ah, that's what it has to be.
Has to be done.
- When will we see each other?
- Um, oh, once a year.
- Once a year? - Yes.
People are gonna be
following me like hawks, baby.
- (Scoffs) What if there's an emergency?
- There will be no cell phones,
but there will be a landline.
You can use it for emergency purposes only,
like your dire need of emergencies.
- Okay. (Chuckles) Oh god.
- What's so, what's so funny?
- Ah, nothing. This is just crazy.
(Sighs) Can I bring books?
- Ah, you can bring
some, but you can't take
your whole library with you, all right?
Look, I'll be there and
he's gonna bring supplies,
food, water, whatever you need.
You can give him a list.
- How far away from you will I be?
- I'll be about six or
seven hours, you know,
it's gonna be a faraway place, you know,
off in the middle of nowhere.
Safe and very secluded.
- Seven years?
- Seven years.
- $2 million?
- $2 million.
And we won't have to work
a day in our lives ever again.
- Let's do it. (Chuckles) Let's just do it.
- Are you sure? (Liz exhales)
Like are you a hundred percent sure?
- Yes. (Chuckles)
- Okay, all right, um, shoot, we,
we're gonna be living the good life.
Trust me, sweetie. We will. (Chuckles)
- So when is this whole
thing supposed to happen?
- Um, um, I'll, I'll call the guy.
I can set up the details
and get everything set up.
You don't have to worry
about a single thing. Okay?
Um, I'll just...(Sighs)
Everything's going to be good.
You're just gonna have
to just relax, you know,
read a book, meditate, do whatever.
Don't worry. Everything's gonna be okay.
(Shower spraying) (Soft dramatic music)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Knocks on door)
You all right?
- Yeah. I'm okay.
- I'm gonna head to the
store. Do you want anything?
- Yeah, no, I'm okay. Thanks.
(Shower spraying)
(Crickets chirping)
- Yeah. She's in a hundred percent.
She's ready.
Yeah, I'm positive, a hundred percent.
No. And you're sure
no one's gonna find her?
I'm just making sure.
What the fuck do you mean, 40%?
The deal was 20.
Hello?
Hello?
(Knocks on window) Oh shit.
(Window rolls down) - Hey.
Everything all right?
- Yeah, everything's good.
- Oh, can you get some chamomile tea?
- Yeah, I can definitely, yeah.
(Shawn breathes uneasily)
(Eerie music)
(Switch clicks)
- Wake up, come on! - Hmm?
- No, what? - Come on, wake up, wake up.
- All right, we have to leave now.
Let's go. - Leave, leave where?
Come on, get up, get
up. We have to leave now.
- What, what, why? - The guy said
it's happening tonight, come on, get up.
- Why, why now? - Look it's, come on.
Get up, sweetie. We have to go.
We have 10 minutes, get up. - No.
What, what the fuck the
are you talking about?
- You don't have a
choice right now, sweetie.
Let's go, come on, we can't... no, no.
- Forget it, I'm not doing this.
- Baby, oh, Jesus, listen, listen.
This guy, these people, you don't wanna
fuck around with 'em, Liz.
Come on, sweetie, let's go.
- What are you talking about?
- Now! - No.
- Liz, Liz. - I can't, no, I'm not-
- if you don't get up right
now, we're both gonna die.
Okay? Get up.
(Suspenseful music)
Ah, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
Look, I'm sorry, um, um.
Look, sweetie, here, ah.
Everything's gonna be
okay, here just drink your tea,
got you some, just drink
your tea and just relax, okay?
All right, we'll pack your
bags, I'll get everything ready,
and it'll be exactly how we
talked about, exactly, okay?
Just relax. Okay?
(Intense music)
(Body thuds)
(Liz breathes uneasily)
(Necklace jangling)
Close your eyes again.
And now think of a place you wanna go.
Now think of a destination
you wanna head in.
- Okay.
- Now open your eyes.
(Eerie music)
(Rain pattering)
(Liz gasps and breathes heavily)
(Bag unzips)
(Liz panting)
- Hello? (Panting)
(Rain pattering)
(Birds chirping)
(Eerie music)
(Eerie music continues)
(Door opens and creaks)
Is anyone here?
(Eerie music continues)
(Phone ringing)
(Liz breathes uneasily)
(Phone clattering)
Hello?
Hello?
- [Man] You are not to leave this property
at any time for any reason.
- Please.
- [Man] The power will shut
off automatically at 8:00 pm.
- I don't wanna do this anymore.
- [Man] Someone will drop off more rations
at the end of every month.
- (Gasps) Can you just listen to me?
I need to speak to Shawn.
- [Man] You only get one
emergency phone call for the year.
Use it only if you are about to die.
- Okay. - Dial 69
and someone will head over.
(Line disconnects) - Hello?
(Prongs and dial pad clicks)
(Receiver clacks)
(Liz cries)
(Package tearing)
(Birds chirping)
(Food squishing)
(Liz inhales sharply)
(Liz sighs)
(Fork clinks)
(Bag unzips)
(Bag zips)
(Eerie music)
(Birds chirping)
(Eerie music continues)
(Birds squawking)
(Liz breathes heavily)
- $500.
They raised the rent up $500. For what?
Ac is never working, right?
Hot water is always warm.
That should be illegal.
- (Scoffs) It's fine, okay?
I'll just get a part-time
job while I finish up school.
I could probably find something from home.
- Oh, no, no. I, I, I don't
want you to do that.
- Well, I can't just sit
here and do nothing.
You know how stressful it is hearing you
complain about money all the time?
- What do you mean, complaining?
I'm, I'm out here every
day breaking my back
for both of us.
- I didn't mean it like that.
I'm just saying I wanna help.
- Well, um, I'll figure something out.
(Shawn sighs)
(Tense music)
(Sighs) You gotta Rob a
bank just to live these days.
- Well, if things get too
bad, you can always kill me.
Collect the insurance money.
- Hey, don't joke like that.
(Soft dramatic music)
I mean, if only one of us goes missing,
no one really has to die.
- (Chuckles) Well, I volunteer
to hide in The Bahamas.
- If one of us goes
missing, after seven years,
we'll get $2 million.
- What the hell are you talking about?
Wait, are you seriously considering this?
- It's just seven years, you, you-
- okay, no, stop, Shawn.
No, this is beyond stupid.
Making me feel weird.
(Scoffs) I would work at the
gas station before I did that.
- Yeah.
Yeah, um, I'm, I was just kidding anyway.
I'll figure something out.
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Insects chirping)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Ominous music)
- Let me introduce myself.
My name's Doug Wallace,
but you can call me Wallace.
I'm sure you're aware that in, um, um,
disappearances like this
where there's large sums
of money attached, well,
there's a little extra caution taken.
- I didn't kill my wife.
The police already said I'm in the clear.
They searched all over
and couldn't find anything.
- Well, I never said you
killed your wife, Mr. Hawkins.
Just because someone goes
missing doesn't mean they're dead.
- Look, I don't have time for this.
You tell me, what do you want?
- (Chuckles) You know, I've, um,
I've gone over the police reports
and there's just one
thing that just, it tickles me.
You know, um, none of her
possessions were missing.
It's almost like someone
just plucked her in the night.
(Wallace chuckles)
- Like I said, I was at work
and when I came home, she was gone.
- Yeah, that's what you said.
Hmm. (Chuckles)
Did you happen to know
that she had a male friend?
- What the hell are you talking about?
- A Mr. Jay Giles.
Um, seems they had a,
an extensive text history,
and, ah, ooh, couple late night chats too.
- I think it's time for you to leave.
(Wallace chuckles)
(Door handle clacks)
- Is that what happened, Shawn?
Did she find another man?
Someone who might,
you know, provide for her.
(Body slams) (Shawn breathes sharply)
(Laughs) Careful, Shawn,
you don't wanna be under
an investigation for two
murders now, do you?
- I told you everything. Now
get the hell outta my house!
- Well see, technically,
I can come and visit you as long as I want.
See, I've been hired by
the insurance company
to prove that you and
your wife aren't pulling
the old missing pre-insurance scam.
And I can guarantee you this.
They're not gonna let one red cent go
that they don't have to. (Chuckles)
Don't worry, Shawn,
you're not the first idiot
who thought they could pull this off.
(Door opens)
I'll tell you what, if you see Liz,
tell her Wallace says, "hi."
- Get the fuck out. (Door slams)
(Intense music)
(Upbeat theme music) (Audience applauding)
(Object clattering)
(Bed creaking)
Hello?
(Suspenseful music) -
What did that man want?
- (Breathes uneasily) Nothing, he's just,
he's just snooping around, just being nosy.
- [Man] What did you tell him?
- I told 'em exactly
what you told me to say.
That's she's missing and the cops
are doing everything they could.
- [Man] In case you forgot,
I'm gonna tell you again.
If they find out your wife is hiding,
you both will be tortured and killed.
If they don't give you the
money, you both get tortured,
tortured again and again and then killed.
Is that clear?
- You don't have to worry.
You don't have to worry at
all. Everything's taken care of.
(Suspenseful music continues)
(Shawn breathes heavily)
(Soft dramatic music)
- It's been a whole year
since I've been dumped
at this hell-hole.
I thought maybe the
time would go by quickly
once I got used to it, but I was wrong.
So wrong.
I feel like time just gets
slower and slower here.
And every day that passes,
my mind gets crazier and crazier.
I'm dead, but I'm still alive here.
To the whole world, Liz Hawkins is dead.
I'm just a ghost in the woods.
No one cares about me, talks to me.
And Shawn, I've thought
about what I might do
or say if I ever saw him again.
I hate him, but I still miss him sometimes.
And the person who drops off my supplies,
I've tried everything I can to catch him
and tell him what I need,
but he always seems to find
the exact second I walk
away to drop everything off.
They left me one shirt, one
pair of pants, and a raincoat.
But none of that really
matters out here anymore.
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Birds chirping)
- (Panting) Hey, hey.
Another thing, what if
there's a place in the middle of,
a place in the middle of nowhere?
Someone didn't know exactly where it was.
You know?
- Are you seriously
still talking about this?
- You wanna be in the
same place we are right now,
seven years from now?
- What's so wrong with right now?
I mean, we're talking
about having a kid soon.
- You wanna be a kid into this mess?
- What mess? What are
you talking about, Shawn?
I mean, what has gotten into you?
- Look, you remember
my buddy John from work?
- Yeah.
- His brother got, his
brother had brain cancer.
He died two weeks ago.
The medical bills alone
wiped him out clean.
Now his wife is working at a hotel
just to take care of the kids.
- Damn.
- Look, I just don't
want us just getting by.
I want us to have freedom,
take control of our lives,
live in new places. (Panting)
- Do you have an insurance policy?
- Yeah, I do. I got it through work.
- I mean, how much could we get
if we did do something like this?
- Enough money to say "fuck
the world" and live our lives.
(Birds chirping)
(Alarm ringing)
(Power clanks)
- (Sighs) Christ.
(Book bangs) Shit.
(Soft dramatic music)
(Gasps) Holy shit.
(Safe clattering)
(Liz sighs)
(Combination clicking)
(Lid clicks)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Chuckles) 1986.
(Walkman clacks)
(Button clicks)
- [Man on tape] If you're
listening, it's already too late.
Maybe they promised you money or a new life
like they did to me, it doesn't matter.
The only thing that matters
is that you're here now
and there's no escape.
But I'm sure you know that by now.
This audio journal will help guide you.
This cabin, this land, it's not normal.
It may seem like nothing at
first, but as the years go on,
something from this place
starts to get inside of you.
Get some rest. Don't open the door.
Do not trust anyone, even your own family.
They put you out here for a reason
and it's not for your best interests.
We'll talk more soon. (Button clicks)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Map crinkling)
(Button clicks)
(Tree cracks and slams)
(Counter buzzing)
Now I can't be exactly
sure what is going on here,
but from what I've put together,
something not from this earth landed here
thousands of years ago.
I've included a geiger counter in the safe.
Use that to navigate some
of the areas with high radiation
and stay away from those areas.
Also, use that counter to
see if they are around you.
I'm certain that many of
the native American folktales
about horrific creatures
stemmed from these beings.
They seem to come out every
seven to eight years to feed.
They came out during my time around 1982,
so they'll come back
in 1990, '98, and so on.
They can take any shape
or form that they want.
They can get into your mind
to read your thoughts and alter them.
They get inside telepathically.
That's how they communicate.
But the scariest thing,
they don't like to just go out and kill.
They like to tease and torture their prey.
Lastly, they only come out at night.
(Necklace jangling)
(Fork clinks)
(Knock on door)
(Floor creaking)
- Hello?
(Intense music)
(Liz breathes uneasily)
(Phone ringing)
(Suspenseful music)
(Liz gasps and breathes heavily)
(Birds chirping)
(Bed creaking)
(Door opens)
(Rain pattering)
(Suspenseful music)
(Intense music)
- You told me I could see
her at least once a year.
It's been three years. (Breathes uneasily)
How do I know she's still alive?
Man, you could just be telling me that.
I need to know for sure.
Just let me see her. Just for one hour.
When?
- Catch you at a bad time?
- Let me call you later.
I thought I told you
to stay off my property.
- Well, Shawn, I've been
assigned to your case,
so kind of gotta be here, you know?
Everything all right?
You look a little distressed.
Compost? Nah.
(Wallace sighs)
- All right. You need to leave.
- Man, I'll tell you what, no hospitality
around here at all. (Groans)
Let me guess.
You hired some organized
crime thugs to help you
with your little escape plan,
and, ah, now their list of
demands have changed.
Am I right?
It's a very common scam, Shawn.
They look for struggling and, ah, well,
pathetic people like
yourself and they prey on 'em.
But what you don't know is that
when this is all said and done,
and if you get your money,
and that's a big fat giant if,
oh, they're gonna kill you
and they're gonna kill your wife,
then they're gonna take all the money.
- You're full of shit.
I told you, she's missing
and the cops are on it.
- Oh, tonight, why don't you research,
"insurance scam, family killed."
See same many results you get.
(Wallace chewing)
(Tense music)
- Get the hell off my property.
(Distorted singing)
(Distorted singing continues)
- Yeah, I see him right now.
Yeah, he's headed to work.
(Suspenseful music) (Pick clattering)
(Door opens)
(Door closes)
Test. Test.
(Suspenseful music continues)
What in the hell?
(Listening device clicking)
(Suspenseful music continues)
(Drawer opens)
(Doors creaking)
(Keys jangling)
(Key scraping) (Lock clicking)
(Door opens)
(Suspenseful music continues)
(Wrapper crinkling)
(Cell phone buzzing)
(Upbeat rock music on headphones)
(Door opens and closes)
(Wallace sighing)
The house is already bugged.
Yes, I'm sure. Even better
ears than what we have.
(Exhales) Yes, I'm positive.
He's definitely working with somebody,
and they're keeping
pretty tight leash on him.
Look, I put a tracker on his car already.
The guy goes to work, to
the gym, to the grocery store.
It's like clockwork.
Yeah, what I don't get, if she's alive,
how could she go this long
without any communication at all?
(Eerie music)
- [Man on tape] Good morning or afternoon.
It's getting harder to
make these recordings.
I've been feeling ill,
mentally and physically,
but I feel like have to keep
making these for you, for me,
even though I may possibly be dead
by the time you listen to this.
It's nice knowing that for a brief time
our mind could share an interaction.
I want you to get the
map that was in the safe.
Follow it to the best of your ability.
(Counter buzzing) For this next part,
I really need you to
have an open mind about
what you're about to see and feel.
You have to keep in mind that
we are dealing with something
from a time and place
we know nothing about.
Stop the tape and when
you arrive at the location,
continue listening.
(Crows cawing) (Counter buzzing)
(Eerie music continues)
(Counter buzzing rapidly)
(Crows cawing)
I know the counter
readings are off the charts,
but they will only be
dangerous if you're here
for hours at a time.
This next part will be hard.
You will be seeing something
that won't make sense.
Please, just trust me
and try to follow what I say.
(Counter buzzing)
In front of you, hopefully, there will be
some kind of small metal box near a tree.
Open it.
(Eerie music continues)
Now there should be
some kind of fossilized skull
inside of the box.
(Box clacks) My theory is this belonged
to some native American who
was killed by one of the beings,
but something unexplainable
attached itself to the skull.
This skull is like a doorway. Try it.
Just touch the skull and you
can go anywhere you want,
back in time, into the future, anywhere.
(Intense static buzzing)
(Creepy music)
(Whooshing)
(Eerie music)
(Creature snarling)
(Trees creaking and cracking)
(Creature growling) (Liz screams)
(Intense music)
(Eerie music)
(Intense music)
(Liz screaming) (Tentacles slapping)
(Slime squishing)
- Oh god! Help! (Screaming)
(Creature snorting)
(Eerie music)
(Intense music)
- [Man on tape] I'm sorry
you had to experience that,
but it's vital for you to
understand what's going on here.
I've been there before,
standing where you stood.
I've touched the skull and seen everything.
I'm here for you.
I made this tape for you, Liz.
(Intense music continues)
(Shawn slurping)
(Knock on door)
(Phone ringing)
(Eerie music) (Razor slicing)
(Phone ringing)
- [Man] From now on, you use this.
Someone's bugged your
house and possibly your phone.
- Who bugged my house?
- Do not worry. It's been cleaned.
Keep this phone nearby. It's secure.
There's something else for you in the box.
(Box scraping)
She's still alive.
- Yeah. Yeah.
(Eerie music continues)
- [Man] You have one year left, Shawn.
One year and then this is all over.
- Yeah.
What's gonna happen afterwards?
- [Man] You give me the
agreed amount of the money
and then I give you
the location of your wife,
and then we never see
or talk to each other again.
- How do I know?
How do I know that you won't do something?
Kill me and take the money.
Hello? Hello?
- [Man] It does me no good to kill clients.
If I wanted one of you dead, I
could have done it years ago.
(Suspenseful music)
Don't.
We're not gonna kill any of you
unless you want something arranged.
- (Breathes uneasily)
What are you talking about?
- [Man] Your wife.
She's been locked up
in that cabin for six years.
She's getting cabin fever.
- She'll be fine.
- [Man] Do you think she's just gonna
welcome you with open arms?
She thought she was going to summer camp.
You lied and sent her
into solitary confinement.
- She'll be fine. She, she
know it has to happen.
- [Man] Will she or will she kill you
the first chance she gets?
Revenge, perhaps, for
stealing seven years of her life?
(Suspenseful music continues)
- What are you trying to say?
- [Man] When you pick
her up, you take care of her.
Something clean and then
we'll clean up the mess.
- No. No.
I love her. I, I still love her.
(Suspenseful music continues)
- [Man] Shawn, you dumped
her in the woods for money.
You sucked seven years
of her life like a vampire.
- (Breathes uneasily) She's...
I've done everything for her for years.
She can do this one thing for me
so we can live, so, so we
can live the life that I deserve.
Something real.
(Suspenseful music continues)
(Intense music)
(Soft dramatic music)
(Walkman clattering)
(Lid clicking)
(Cover thuds)
- [Man on tape] I know
what you're thinking.
This is impossible and
scary. I agree with you.
This is all very weird, but very real.
I've seen the future.
You can ask me anything
and the tape will answer.
(Eerie music)
- How many fingers am I holding it?
- [Man on tape] Three.
- No, no, no. This is impossible.
- [Man on tape] It should
be impossible, but it's not.
Something happened to me out here.
- Can you really hear me?
- [Man on tape] Not currently,
I'm probably dead by now,
but I've seen all of this when I touched
the skull, you there.
With some practice, I
was even able to change
small things in the
future, but never the past.
- So the future's all pre-planned?
- In a way. It's very complicated.
- Do I escape this place alive?
- [Man on tape] I can't answer that kind
of question right now.
- Why?
- [Man on tape] Death is very tricky
because the way you see
death is not really how it is.
- Well, how do I get out of here?
- [Man on tape] You can't, Liz.
- What do you mean, I can't?
No, there has to be some
way, a road or something.
- [Man on tape] You need
a vehicle to get outta here.
It would take hours to find
the nearest road on foot.
I've tried countless times.
(Eerie music continues)
- How did you end up here?
- [Man on tape] Same
as you, I had a decent job,
wife, kids, and a house.
This guy got a hold of me, said,
"I can make all your dreams come true."
I just had to wait here for seven years
and pretend I was dead.
- Then what happened?
- [Man on tape] You don't
need to know this stuff, Liz.
- I need to know, please.
- [Man on tape] They kept
changing the terms with my wife.
They wanted more and more.
My wife went to the cops
and tried to get us out of it.
- Did she tell the police?
- [Man on tape] No, these
people killed her, my son,
and left me the pictures.
I couldn't take the guilt.
My own selfishness killed them.
I used to have everything
and then I had nothing.
- What about you?
- [Man on tape] I ended my life.
The body is still out there somewhere
near the skull in the box.
That's their whole plan.
- Whose plan?
- [Man on tape] The people
who operate this place.
Do you think it's profitable to only make
a few thousand every seven years?
No. They're descendants of the land.
We were brought here
to feed them, the beings.
- So we're just food.
- [Man on tape] I'm sorry.
- Please. You have to help me.
- How? I'm not even alive anymore.
I know there's a river
way east and that's it.
- (Sighs) How far?
- [Man on tape] I have no idea.
But there's also the
phone trick you could try.
- Phone, phone trick? What phone trick?
- I'm not sure if the phone's the same,
but when I was there,
you could use two prongs
that hang up the phone
kind of like morse code.
So one would be one hit and
two would be two hits and so on.
- Oh my god. Thank you.
- [Man on tape] There's
one more important thing.
You asked me if you get out alive.
- Yes.
- Well... (Walkman clicks)
- Hello?
(Eerie music continues)
Hello? Can you hear me?
Oh shit. Tape's full.
(Tape rewinding) (Liz sighs)
- [Man on tape] I couldn't take the guilt.
My own selfishness killed them.
I used to have everything
and then I had nothing.
- Hello? Can you hear me?
- [Man on tape] I ended my life.
The body is still out there somewhere
near the skull in the box.
That's their whole plan.
(Button clicks)
(Eerie music continues)
(Helicopter whirring)
(Liz breathes heavily)
- Here, here, help! (Breathes heavily)
(Suspenseful music)
- Liz.
(Intense music)
Liz.
- You're not real. You're not real!
- Let's go. I'm here to take you home.
(Pounds on door) Open the damn door!
You can't hide forever. I can take you.
(Phone buzzing)
(Shawn breathes uneasily)
(Eerie music)
- Hello.
- Congrats. The time is all done.
Seven long years.
- Yeah, oh, well, that's all over.
Just tell me how you want your money.
- [Man] Just keep it all.
- What do you mean, just keep the money?
- Keep it all. I need you to do me a favor.
- What's the favor?
Go on. I, I, I gotta get going.
- [Man] The guy who's been pestering you.
- Yeah. Wallace?
- Yes. Kill him.
- What the fuck? Are you crazy?
I'm not your assassin for hire.
Look, just take the
money and let me move on.
- [Man] I don't want the money.
This man knows too much
and will ruin everything.
You have a gun, use it and
then bring the body with you.
- I can't.
- You will. You're about to
vanish and start a new life.
Nothing matters for you anymore.
- Please. - Do it or you both die.
I'll text you an address to Bury him.
Go at night. (Shawn sighs)
(Suspenseful music)
(Knock on door)
- Oh. Who is that?
- [Man] I've already sent him a message
to come to your location.
- (Breathes uneasily) What the fuck?
(Phone clacks)
- Well, here we are,
Shawn. Seven long years.
You know, I gotta hand it to you,
I thought you'd break or slip, but not you.
No, I guess that's why you
called me over here though, huh?
So you can rub my face in it, uh-huh.
- Right.
I just, um...
- Yeah.
Oh yeah.
Um, well, you know,
I'm really going to miss you.
I mean, you were one
of my favorite clients.
And, um, your wife. God rest her soul.
You know, I hope she turns up someday.
(Shawn breathes uneasily)
(Suspenseful music)
The case is closed, Shawn.
I don't give a fuck about
you or your wife anymore.
(Wallace sighs)
(Listen devices clattering)
Do you hear me, Shawn? I
can't help you get out of this.
- Shut the fuck up!
- (Chuckles) Whoa, whoa. Okay, okay.
Where'd you get that? Huh?
(Laughs) Did you get that at a pawn shop?
Have you even shot a gun before?
- Shut the fuck up! Just shut up!
- You're pathetic, Shawn.
You ain't even got the
balls to shoot me. Hmm?
You know, I came over here
hoping to get a go fuck yourself
bottle of wine or something, but no.
No, this, this is so much better.
So, um, you know, why
don't you just have a nice...
(Gun fires)
(Suspenseful music)
(Heart beating)
(Intense music)
(Intense music continues)
(Receiver clacks)
(Prongs clicking)
(Phone ringing) - Hello?
- Yes, yes, my name is Liz
Hawkins and I've been kidnapped
and held in some cabin
in the middle of nowhere.
- [Woman] Hello?
- Hello? Can you hear me?
Fuck. (Breathes uneasily)
(Prongs clicking)
(Phone ringing)
(Distorted voice) Hello?
Fuck! (Breathes heavily)
(Phone bangs)
(Walkman clicks)
(Eerie music)
My name is Liz Hawkins
and if you're listening to this right now,
I'm hopefully far away from this place
or somewhere dead nearby.
I want the world to know that
my husband, Shawn Hawkins,
forced me here to this place.
I don't know where I am.
I don't even know what day it is.
But what I do know is that I
can't stay another second here.
I would rather be out there dead,
starved and thirsty than to spend
any more time here in this place.
I'm heading west,
and hopefully there is a
river or a road or something,
anything that lets me know
that I'm not here anymore.
(Eerie music continues)
It's about two hours after sunrise.
I'm gonna keep walking until sundown
and hopefully by then
I am far away from this land
and whatever haunts it.
(Intense music)
(Intense music continues)
(Intense music continues)
(Intense music continues)
(Intense music continues)
Can I tell you something?
- Yeah. What's up?
- This past month, I've just been thinking
about my parents a lot.
(Sighs) I know it's been a few years,
but still just doesn't feel real.
- I know, baby.
I'm sorry, but it gets better over time.
I lost my father when I was young.
It was pretty hard.
- I know.
Do you think we'll see him again?
- So a woman said something
to me that stuck with me.
She said she believed that we've been dead
for trillions of years.
That if we had the right perspective down,
that our past, present, and
future, that's all in one place.
Meaning your parents may be dead,
but on the other side of the hill,
they're there, laughing, cooking.
It's always there.
- I kind of like that.
(Birds chirping)
(Drawers opening and
closing) (Items clattering)
(Knife slicing)
Get out
- Liz. - Get out!
- Liz, it's me, Shawn. - Get out!
- Liz, come on. Calm down.
Look, I, I got you food. Real food.
- Why are you here?
- It's over. It's been seven years.
I got the money. I mean, we got the money.
We can leave this place. We're free.
- Free? You kidnapped me
for money, you piece of shit!
- You sat there and helped
me plan this whole thing out.
I knew you gonna get cold feet.
So I just gave you a little push.
- No, I never agreed to
this, to this prison camp!
(Breathes heavily) Do you
know what it's like to be here,
all alone, eating the
same fake food every day,
not knowing what day
it's or what year it is?
- I'm sorry. - You're sorry?
Do you even know what's going on here?
There is something in those woods,
and those devils that you made a deal with,
they're only here to feed it.
- You just have cabin fever.
Once we leave, you'll be
back to your normal self.
- No, no. I'm not going anywhere with you.
- Liz, let's go. Come on.
- I know why you're really here.
Yeah, I've seen this all before.
- What are you talking about, Liz?
- You're not here to save
me and take me away.
You're here to kill me. - Don't be foolish.
I'm not here to kill you, Liz.
- Then prove it.
Turn around and prove that
there's not a gun in your pants.
Turn around! (Shawn inhales sharply)
(Suspenseful music)
- (Sighs) Look, it's for my own protection.
They said you wasn't right in the head.
- Huh, this was your plan the whole time,
to keep me out here a prisoner,
and then when you got the
money, you were gonna kill me.
- Liz, you're acting crazy.
I'm not here to kill you. - Uh, no!
- Liz! - No-huh!
- What the fuck, Liz? - No, no, no!
(Gun whacks) (Liz screams and groans)
- Fuck, Liz! (Breathes heavily)
I had a hell of a plan. An airtight plan!
And you had to go mess everything up!
I didn't want this for us.
I wanted us to go off and
be happy. (Breathes uneasily)
But like always, but no.
You couldn't sit inside a fucking house
for a few years in peace!
You always gotta be the cause of drama
and the center of fucking attention!
(Whimpers) I'm not doing this shit no more!
Have a chance at a better life!
(Breathes heavily) You know what?
I think this is best for everyone.
(Breathes heavily) Mm.
(Trigger clicks)
What the fuck? (Trigger clicks)
(Shawn breathes heavily)
(Gun clacks)
(Liz grunting) (Shawn screaming)
(Intense music)
(Gasping) Liz.
Liz, I, I can't move my legs.
I can't move my legs. (Panting)
Please help me.
Please. What the fuck?
Please, Liz.
Please, just call 911, please, please.
I, look, look, you can take the money.
You can take it all.
Just please call 911.
I can't move, I can't move my legs!
Liz! Liz!
(Panting) You can't leave me here.
Please! Liz!
(Breathes heavily) Fuck, fuck.
Liz! Fuck!
Liz! Bitch, I, I can't
move my fucking legs!
(Shawn panting)
(Groaning) Come back!
Liz! You can't leave me here!
Liz! Fuck!
(Soft dramatic music)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Birds chirping)
(Bag unzips)
(Walkman clacks)
(Tape clicks)
(Soft dramatic music continues)
(Button clicks)
- Can you still hear me?
- [Man on tape] Yeah.
- Ah, I got the car keys.
I'm alive.
- I know. I'm the one who
took the bullets out of a gun.
- How?
- [Man on tape] I guess
when I killed myself,
something in this area
never really let me fully die.
- So you're a ghost?
- [Man on tape] More of a
multi-dimensional person
kind of thing.
- I am truly grateful for you
that it's my time to leave.
- [Man on tape] Where will you go?
- I don't know.
I'm kind of ghost-like,
dead to the real world.
I do know the first thing I'm gonna do
is get the biggest pizza I
can find in a hotel room.
- [Man on tape] Maybe it's
a gift to have a blank slate,
to be born again.
- Yeah. Born again.
I kind of like that.
- [Man on tape] Before you go,
can you do me one last favor?
- Sure. - Take my bones
out of this place, Bury them somewhere far.
Maybe then I'll be
free from this place too.
- Yeah. Somewhere nice and far.
(Birds chirping)
You know, in a weird and twisted way,
I'm gonna kind of miss this place.
- So am I. Well, this tape
is about to come to an end.
(Walkman clacking)
- I'll miss you.
- [Man on tape] I'll miss
you too, but don't worry.
The universe is pretty weird and complex.
I think we might meet
each other again someday.
- All right. (Chuckles)
It's a next life date.
- [Man on tape] In another
lifetime at a coffee shop maybe.
- Goodbye and thank you.
- Goodbye, Liz. Have a great life.
(Soft guitar music)
Let me off the hook
I wanna run wild
get tangled in the sheets
with a lover that isn't you
because I was on my own
when you were by my side
so there's no difference now
except there's nothing to hide
let me go on without you
let me go on without you
let me go on without you
let me go on
oh, how the night gives way to the time
we were the two on the morning line
our love was beautiful,
but now it's gone
our love was beautiful
(Suspenseful music)
(Shawn groaning)
(Shawn breathes heavily)
- What the fuck, Liz?
(Floor creaking)
Is someone here?
(Floor creaking)
(Suspenseful music continues)
What the hell?
(Intense music)
(Shawn screaming)
(Creature snarling)
(Tentacles squishing)
(Shawn gasps and screams)
(Eerie music)
(Eerie music continues)
(Eerie music continues)
(Eerie music continues)
(Eerie music continues)
(Eerie music continues)
(Eerie music continues)
(Eerie music continues)