Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (1997) s03e06 Episode Script

[music playing]
DON LAFONTAINE: "Beyond Belief--
Fact or Fiction."
Hosted by Jonathan Frakes.
Tonight, your challenge
is to separate what
is true from what is false.
Five stories-- some
real, some fake.
Can you judge which are
fact and which are fiction?
To find out, you
must enter a world
of both truth and deception--
a world that is beyond belief.
[music playing]
The world of
illusion and reality
are often difficult to separate.
This frame contains a
three-dimensional sculpture
of the face of Albert Einstein.
By moving the frame, the
sculpture moves, too.
You see both the left and
right sides of Einstein's face.
You can even move it up or down.
But here's the surprising truth.
There is no sculpture
on this side.
In fact, the space where
a face appears is concave.
The real face of Einstein is
actually on the other side.
So it is with our
stories tonight.
What appears real may
be hollow on the inside.
Your challenge is to
decide which are true
and which are lies.
We'll tell the answers
at the end of our show.
Reality or illusion?
Not an easy decision.
But don't ponder too hard.
The choice may be
difficult, but it certainly
doesn't take an Einstein.
Comic books are serious
business these days.
Where once cartoons seemed to
be centered around characters
like a clever mouse
or a sassy bunny,
they're now more
about terrorizing
the reader into being
a frightened mouse,
or reduced to a scared rabbit.
Our story is about a cartoonist
who once had the ability
to draw terror in every panel.
But lately, he's lost his touch.
What's about to happen to his
life is anything but comic.
Izzy Wilson was once respected
as the King of Horror,
and made lots of money
creating a variety
of truly twisted comic books.
But respect is the
last thing he's
now getting from his publisher.
The overbearing--
KIP: I've seen this
all before, man.
JONATHAN FRAKES:
--insensitive Kip Sherman.
Come on, Izzy.
What are you doing to me?
I'm not doing
anything to you, Kip.
I'm just trying to
deliver something
scary like you asked me to.
Izzy, this is garbage!
Belongs in a trash
can, all right?
It's good work.
I think it's some of my best.
You gonna argue with me?
No, Kip.
I just think it could
really score for you.
Yeah, yeah.
Maybe a 2.
I need a 10.
The kids today are a
lot more sophisticated
than they used to be, Izzy.
Don't you know that?
Hey, I can't even show my face
at a comic book convention
any more, man, they're
laughing at me.
It's gotta be the
real thing, Izzy.
It's got to be real.
Maybe I could add a little
more blood or something.
Izzy, any idiot can add blood.
What in the world
happened to you?
It's the something
you're not getting, OK?
It's the something that
you're not getting.
And I don't know what
happened to you, man.
You used to be good.
Maybe if you just gave
me a little more direction.
Direction?
[laughs] Oh, Izzy.
What more direction
do you need, Izzy?
I want you to scare me.
That's all.
Don't you understand?
Scare me, Izzy!
I want you to scare me, man.
I want you to scare me to death.
OK, OK, Kip!
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry I didn't
hit it for you, OK?
[sighs] All right.
Just get out of here, man.
Just go.
Just go.
You better hit it this
time, Izzy, or it's over.
I'm gonna hire one of these new
kids right out of art school.
I'm sorry, man.
Listen.
I'm tired of carrying you, Izzy.
I've been carrying
you for 10 years, man.
I understand.
Then make it quick.
Burnout.
JONATHAN FRAKES:
That evening, Kip
Sherman collapsed on his couch.
It was easier to collapse
than to try to sleep
with a guilty conscience
[knocking]
Huh?
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute!
Ah, hold on, hold on.
Take it easy.
Take it easy.
What time is it?
[knocking]
Aw, man-- ungodly hour.
Yeah?
Sir I'm sorry to
bother you so late.
Are you Kip Sherman?
- Yeah.
Do you have an employee
by the name of Izzy Wilson?
Yeah.
Why?
I hate to tell you this,
but he committed suicide.
What?
JONATHAN FRAKES: Kip
had destroyed Izzy.
He had broken his spirit and
taken away his will to live.
Aw!
JONATHAN FRAKES: But he
wasn't about to admit it.
Izzy!
This is Izzy.
Oh, Izzy.
I can't believe this.
He jumped off the
Golden Gate Bridge?
Yeah.
We pulled him out of
the Bay a few hours ago.
Last time you saw him,
were there any problems?
No!
No, he was in good spirits.
He-- [sighs] this is too much.
This is-- it's like losing a
member of the family, you know?
I mean, I was his boss.
But we were-- we were
good friends, you know?
I mean, really,
we were brothers.
Oh, man.
JONATHAN FRAKES: Kip
made several stops
before he stumbled home in the
early hours of the morning.
Aw.
What's this?
Hm.
Oh, man, that's weird.
He must have sent a messenger
before he killed himself.
JONATHAN FRAKES: The envelope
was addressed to Kip from Izzy.
And from the feel of it,
it contained illustrations.
[groans] What a day.
Oh-- [chuckles] Izzy!
KIP (IN MEMORY): Scare me!
I want you to scare me, man.
I want you to scare me to death.
Izzy, Izzy.
IZZY (IN MEMORY): OK, OK, Kip.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry I didn't
hit it for you, OK?
What is this stuff?
I don't know.
Poor Izzy.
Oh, my god.
The wacko drew his own suicide.
Oh, man.
KIP (IN MEMORY): This is Izzy.
POLICEMAN (IN MEMORY):
Were there any problems?
KIP (IN MEMORY): No.
No!
This is really sick.
This is really sick!
Oh, wait a minute.
How did you know I went
to the morgue, Izzy?
That's me standing there.
[music playing]
IZZY: Kip.
What do you think, Kip?
Scary enough for you?
Are you scared yet, Kip?
Am I scaring you now, Kip?
Izzy, no, no.
Did I have to die
to scare you, Kip?
Aah.
Are you scared, Kip?
Aah!
- Die!
- Ah.
Die!
Ah!
Die!
[thud]
[gasping]
JONATHAN FRAKES: Kip
Sherman was pronounced dead
from a heart attack he
suffered while reviewing
drawings for a new comic book.
When the police
arrived, all they found
were Kip's body, the
drawings, and some seaweed
from the San Francisco Bay.
[music playing]
Did Izzy really commit suicide?
Or did he somehow fake his own
death to terrorize his boss?
Perhaps the police
officers were paid to lie.
Was the morgue attendant
in on the deception, too?
Or did Izzy's spirit actually
come back to wreak revenge
on his insensitive boss?
How else could the final
panel have been so accurate?
Is this story a sketchy
diagram of lies?
Or is it drawn from the truth?
DON LAFONTAINE: We'll tell
you whether this story
is true or false at
the end of our show.
Next, a pickpocket encounters
the strangest crime of his life
on "Beyond Belief--
Fact or Fiction".
Planning a trip soon?
How will you protect
your valuables?
How about a belt with
a secret compartment?
Or a pouch that you could
wear under your clothes.
Now, this is a fake
soda can, in which
you can hide your valuables.
Thieves are difficult
to outsmart,
especially pickpockets.
In fact, the crime
of pickpocketing
was once a capital
offense in England.
Its punishment--
a public hanging.
And while the convicted
pickpockets were being hanged
in the town square,
other pickpockets
were walking around picking
the pockets of the crowd.
Louie Wolski comes
from a long line
of pickpockets who have preyed
upon the weak and unsuspecting.
The sad truth is, Louie is proud
of his disreputable heritage.
But he's about to
make a move that
will take his foolish
pride and pick it clean.
Yeah.
[grunting]
Come on!
[men yelling]
LOUIE: I've been a pickpocket
for most of my life.
My Uncle Willy was
a grifter, and he
taught me all the
tricks of the trade
when I was just 10 years old.
He even gave me my nickname--
Louie the Dip.
He said I was the best little
pickpocket he ever saw.
A crowd isn't just
a crowd to me,
it's 100 different
opportunities.
And when opportunity
knocks, I answer.
[music, crowd]
Of course, I had to be careful.
I had two prior
convictions, and another one
would send me up for life.
I did it!
LOUIE: The counter's
always open for action.
I just heard the
numbers on the radio.
I won.
I won the lottery!
[laughter]
- Hi, Eric.
Hey, just like last week
and the week before that.
- Uh-huh.
- Yeah.
Last week I was
one number off.
This week, I got them all right.
[laughter]
I'm telling you, I won!
Four million smackaroos.
I got the ticket right
here in my wallet.
Got it down at
Charlie's Groceries.
I go there all the time.
[laughter]
Did I get lucky?
[laughs] You won't be laughing
when you see me pulling
up in my brand new Caddy.
LOUIE: Everyone knew the
mark was a big bag of air,
but I wasn't so sure.
Besides, this was too easy.
Just in case the big
blowhard did have a winner,
it now belonged to me.
I couldn't wait to
check the numbers.
I don't believe it.
You're telling me this
ticket is worth $4 million?
That's
[laughing] That's right, baby.
And everybody in the bar
was laughing at the guy.
But I figured it
was worth a shot.
Man!
Can I pick them?
I just got it, you know?
When you got it, you got it.
Now what do we do?
Well, the guy said he bought
it at Charlie's Groceries.
So I go down there tomorrow
morning, put down the ticket,
claim my money.
It's his word against mine.
And then we are
out of this dump.
Could we go
someplace tropical?
We can go anywhere you want.
Come on, baby, let's celebrate.
Me and Penny celebrated
well into the night.
I finally did it.
I hit the big score.
I was too excited to sleep.
And besides, I was
feeling a little paranoid.
So I decided to hide the
ticket in a safe place.
My Uncle Willy taught
me a long time ago
that you can't be
too careful, and you
shouldn't trust anybody.
Let's face it, Uncle Willy
never even dreamed of a score
like this.
Hey.
Wake up, it's pay day.
[grunts]
Hey, how come
you slept out here?
No reason.
Guess I just passed out.
What are you doing?
I hid the ticket, you know,
in case somebody broke in
or something.
What's wrong, Louie?
It's not here.
Look, I put the ticket in here.
It's-- it's not here.
You sure that's
where you put it?
You're a little out of it.
Check your wallet.
LOUIE: I thought
maybe in my sleep I
did put it back in the wallet.
It had to be somewhere.
No, it's not here, either.
You didn't take it, did you?
Shut up, Louie.
I didn't steal it.
You probably lost it, you moron.
No, no.
That's not possible.
LOUIE: I was going nuts.
I had the ticket.
I put it in the can.
And then it disappeared.
I tore the house apart and went
through my wallet 100 times.
The big score of
my life was gone.
I had to go back to work.
[clunk]
[music playing]
It was a busy Saturday
afternoon at the bar.
Most of the folks had
gotten paid the day before.
I spied a woman with
an open shoulder bag.
It was no $4
million, but it might
buy groceries for the weekend.
I couldn't believe I
was doing this again.
But I lost my ticket
to the good life.
I was back to being
Louie the Dip.
Smooth, just like always.
Hold it, sir.
Hey, what's going on?
I didn't do anything.
[crash]
Easy!
Easy!
Take it easy!
We're police
officers, and you're
under arrest for pickpocketing.
Oh, you are out of your mind!
Yeah, right.
Hm now.
Where did this come from?
Empty your pockets and
let me see some ID.
LOUIE: I knew they had me.
There was no way around it.
Then they asked me for
my ID, and I couldn't
believe what happened next.
[music playing]
Mr. Daley?
Yeah?
Is this your ticket?
This is it!
It's my lottery ticket!
[laughing]
- Wait a minute.
How did that get in there?
I lost that!
I mean, I never had it.
I mean, that ain't mine.
Look, this is a setup.
LOUIE: The mark cashed
in his lottery ticket
and became another
instant millionaire.
As for me, this was
my third strike,
and I'm now serving 25 years
to life in Folsom Prison.
And I still can't figure
out what happened,
not for the life of me.
[music playing]
How did the missing lottery
ticket find its way back
into Louie's wallet--
a wallet he had searched
through many times?
Could a sharp-eyed
guy like Louie
possibly have overlooked
it on every occasion?
Then again, maybe he was
set up by his girlfriend.
Or is it possible
that Louie had finally
become prey to the ultimate
predator-- the one none of us
can escape?
Perhaps Louie he was
a victim of fate.
Is this story of an unlucky
pickpocket to be believed?
Or have we switched the truth
for a pocketful of lies?
DON LAFONTAINE: We'll tell
you whether this story
is true or false at
the end of our show.
Next, a mystery letter
finds real life terror
on "Beyond Belief--
Fact or Fiction."
JONATHAN FRAKES:
For many people,
one of the true joys of
life is to settle down
with a good mystery
novel, especially
one that has twists and turns
and an unexpected scare or two.
But what about the writers
who create these stories?
What are their own
lives really like?
Frank Young is a
mystery writer who tries
hard to lead a normal life.
Recently, he and his wife
have moved into a house that
seems perfect for the
scary style of stories
that Frank creates.
But before too long, the
author is going to wish he
were in a different profession.
[music playing]
FRANK: My wife
Brenda and I haven't
been getting much sleep lately.
It's been the same
thing every night
ever since we moved
into this new house.
It's a great old house, built
in the 1920s by Mo Fitz.
He was a notorious
gangster and bootlegger
who was shot to death in the
living room back in 1928.
It might seem strange
that anyone would want
to live in a house with
such a dark history,
but I'm a mystery writer, and
I'm fascinated by every detail.
[music playing]
Ah.
Maybe we should
stay in a hotel.
I just can't stand the thought
of another sleepless night.
You still think
it's the wind, Brenda?
Frank, this house
is not haunted.
All old houses make noise.
I just know what it
sounded like to me.
Right.
Like a little girl
crying out for help.
It could be.
In one of her
books, it could be.
In reality, it's just the
wind blowing across the roof
and down the chimney.
But I closed the
flue last night.
Remember?
[music playing]
I have to get to work.
We'll talk about it tonight.
All right?
I love you.
[kiss]
[music playing]
I love you, too.
[kisses]
Bye.
[music playing]
[wind howl]
GIRL'S VOICE: Help me.
Please help me.
[wind howl]
Help me.
Please help me.
[music playing]
FRANK: Six cups of coffee
later, and I'm ready to work.
At least I don't
have a long commute.
My office is right here at home.
The only problem is,
I can't get that noise
we keep hearing out of my mind.
It's a wailing sound,
brief and inconsistent.
Just when we doze off,
it starts up again--
almost like it knows
when we fall asleep,
like it's trying to contact us.
I have to stop thinking
about it and get to work.
I'm on a deadline.
[wind howl]
GIRL'S VOICE: Help me.
Please help me.
FRANK: Deadline or not, I have
to find out what that sound is.
[music playing]
GIRL'S VOICE: Help me.
Please help me.
FRANK: That's not the
wind, and I'm not crazy.
GIRL'S VOICE: Help me.
Please help me.
Hello?
Who's there?
Where are you?
GIRL'S VOICE: Help me.
Please help me.
[knocking]
[knocking]
Hello?
[knocking]
[click]
[music playing]
FRANK: I don't know
what's going on,
but I've got to keep searching.
It's so hot in here,
I can hardly breathe.
GIRL'S VOICE: Please help me.
[music playing]
Come on out of there.
I can't.
They'll shoot me.
I have to hide!
Don't be afraid.
Nobody is going to shoot you.
[slam]
[thud]
[music playing]
Help!
Somebody help us!
[pounding]
It's just so unlike Frank.
He'd never go anywhere
without telling
me or leaving me a note.
We get a lot of these
calls, Mrs. Young.
They usually end up OK.
He probably just run out
to pick up something,
or he had a meeting he
forgot to tell you about.
No way.
That's not my husband.
He never leaves the house
when he's on a deadline.
I paged him three times,
and he didn't answer.
Look, I know this sounds
weird, but I think
he might have been kidnapped.
Why is that?
He's a successful
mystery writer,
and he has some obsessive fans.
We need 24 hours before we can
file a missing persons report.
You're just going to have to--
Wait a minute.
Did you hear that?
What?
GIRL'S VOICE: Please help me.
There.
That.
We've heard that every
night for the past week.
GIRL'S VOICE: Help me.
Please help me.
[music playing]
[knocking]
I don't believe this.
[knocking]
[click]
BRENDA: Frank!
Oh, my god!
Frank!
What happened?
Brenda.
I couldn't breathe in there.
I thought I was going to die.
It's OK.
You're safe now.
The little girl.
There's a little girl in there.
I saw her before I passed out.
I'm OK.
I'm fine.
[music playing]
Over there, in the corner.
FRANK: Everyone thinks
I was hallucinating.
But I know I was talking to
the ghost of Leslie Fitz,
Mo Fitz's 12-year-old daughter.
She disappeared the
night of Mo's murder,
and was never found until now.
She obviously hid in the
secret chamber on the night
her father was murdered.
And now that I found her,
her spirit can rest in peace.
[music playing]
What happened here?
Was Frank really rescued by the
cries of a long dead spirit?
Or was the wailing sound
that saved his life
just the wind blowing
through the cracks
of an old drafty house?
Then how do you explain the
ironic history of the home?
Is this story the product
of a writer's imagination,
or have we unlocked
the truth with the turn
of a skeleton key?
DON LAFONTAINE: We'll tell
you whether this story
is true or false at
the end of our show.
Next, a landlady is frightened
by an invisible presence
on "Beyond Belief--
Fact or Fiction."
[organ music playing]
Sometimes there's nothing
more chilling than sounds
in the night.
The producers of radio
drama understood this well.
Their sound effects table
was filled with items
designed to scare the listener.
Rattling sounds.
[rattle]
Subtle sounds of impending doom,
like the squeaking of a door.
[squeaking]
Violent rain storms.
[rumble]
Or the sound of a stranger
coming through a darkened hall.
[squeaking steps]
Geraldine Collins isn't
afraid of the unknown
or the sound it may produce.
She's a feisty senior
citizen who has
taken control of her own life.
Watch closely, because
the footsteps of terror
are lurking around the corner.
[squeaking steps]
[dog howls outside]
Oh!
Oh, hello, baby.
You want to watch TV with mommy?
Yeah.
It's your favorite show.
Oh, yes.
JONATHAN FRAKES:
Mrs. Gerald Collins
was anything but a merry widow.
She made extra money each
month by renting a small guest
house in her backyard.
At the moment, the
guest house was empty.
But that didn't
mean she was alone.
[growling]
Oh, Mimi baby.
What is it?
Is something wrong?
What's wrong, baby?
[barking]
What is it, Mimi?
[barking]
I know.
I saw it, too.
It's that prowler.
He's back again.
Come on, sweetie.
[growling]
One good shot to the head and
I'll fix his little red wagon.
[music playing]
You see him, Mimi?
[dog barking]
I know you're out there!
I'm armed!
[music playing]
[creaking and wind]
Come out of there and
show yourself, you coward!
I'm ready for you!
[clinking]
What?
[crash]
[thud]
Who's doing that?
[thud]
Stop it!
[screams]
[thud]
[shudders]
[door]
I can't give you a description
because I didn't see anybody.
How many times do
I have to tell you
he was hiding in the bushes?
I saw him move.
So did Mimi.
Mrs. Collins, this is
the third time this week,
I've responded to your call.
And each time it's the same.
You hear a noise outside
and no one's ever there.
So what are you
saying, I'm nuts?
No.
I'm not saying that.
I checked the bushes.
There are no footprints.
It's been raining all week.
If there was someone
there, I'd see prints.
If there was nobody
there, then what
knocked my plants down?
Well, it--
Answer me that.
It could have been anything.
The wind, maybe a
cat brushed by them.
I don't care what you say.
There's somebody snooping on me.
Mimi doesn't bark at nothing.
What are you going to
write down in your report
when I'm murdered?
That the wind did it?
All right.
I'll check the
bushes one more time.
JONATHAN FRAKES: Geraldine
Collins had no explanation
for what might be happening.
But there was at least
one person who did.
NORMA: Officer?
Officer!
Yes, ma'am?
I know who the prowler was.
Who are you?
I'm Norma, her neighbor.
It was Mr. Harper.
Who's Mr. Harper?
He was a tenant of hers--
Mrs. Collins-- until she kicked
him out about a month ago.
He was going through
a terrible time.
He begged her to give him
more time to pay the rent,
but she wouldn't do it.
He was a really nice man.
He died on the
streets two weeks ago.
And she couldn't care less.
So how could he be the
prowler if he's dead?
She thinks he's his ghost.
You want to talk about nuts?
Why don't you just shut
up, you miserable old woman.
You brought all this on
yourself, and you know it.
Evil begets evil.
Why, you nosey old bat!
What you did to that sweet
man will not go unavenged.
Oh, you shut up.
You don't even know what
you're talking about.
You shut up!
Oh, shut up, you
don't know what--
- Oh, why don't you shut up!
- Ladies, ladies!
No, you shut up!
That's enough.
I want you both to go back
to your houses and cool off.
All right?
Fine.
But I know what I know.
She's completely
out of her mind.
There's no such thing as ghosts.
[music playing]
[thunder]
[panting, growling]
[barks]
What is it?
[barks]
What's wrong, Mimi?
[barking]
[thunder]
It's him again, isn't it?
[barks]
All right, that's it.
No more cops.
Mama He's going to
handle this herself.
[thunder]
Don't worry, it's
only a little thunder.
[gasps] Did you hear that?
He's right over there somewhere.
Now, I'm just going to put
you down for a second, Mimi.
I got you this time,
whoever you are.
You don't know who you're
dealing with, buster!
[barking]
Come out of there!
[barking]
[footsteps squish]
Whoa.
This isn't happening.
It can't be!
This can't be!
What?
Oh, leave me alone!
JONATHAN FRAKES: Mrs.
Geraldine Collins barely
survived her night of terror.
She moved out of the
house the following day,
and continued to
relocate four times
over the next five months.
GERALDINE: I'm so sorry.
JONATHAN FRAKES:
The only problem is
the boot prints moved with her.
[footsteps squish]
Was Geraldine seeing things?
Were her delusions brought
on by deep-seated guilt
over her treatment of her
former tenant, Mr. Harper?
Or was she being
tormented and manipulated
by her righteous
neighbor, Norma?
But then, how could Norma
have possibly created
those phantom footprints?
Is it possible that
those prints were
made by a ghost who came
back to collect rent
on a greedy landlady's soul?
Is the story we've just
seen based on fact?
Or have we just handed the
truth another eviction notice?
DON LAFONTAINE: We'll tell
you whether this story
is true or false at
the end of our show.
Next, a teenage girl
joins a witches'
coven on "Beyond Belief--
Fact or Fiction."
It seems that more and more
people are becoming fascinated
with the occult. Witchcraft,
especially among teenagers,
appears to have a
peculiar fascination.
Their books, movies,
and television shows
often deal with the subject--
sometimes realistically,
sometimes tongue in cheek.
Teenager Edie Jamison has
become a victim of witchcraft's
evil seductions.
Her gaze is cold, her
manner is menacing.
And what her future
holds may be in the hands
of a mysterious and
forbidden world.
EDIE: I can't remember ever
being one of those stupid,
smiling little daddy's girls.
And when I turned 15, I
discovered the dark, seductive
powers of witchcraft.
My parents were frightened
by my strange behavior
and demanded that I
see a psychologist.
I had heard about Dr.
Marion John before.
She supposedly had a lot of
success with girls like me.
That didn't bother me at all.
In fact, I welcomed
the challenge.
Hi, Edie.
I'm Marion.
I'm leaving.
Your parents say
you agreed to see me.
Yeah?
Well, I changed my mind.
I don't need any help.
I'm not sick.
I'm a witch.
Why can't my parents
just live with that?
That's kind of a tough pill
for most parents to swallow.
Don't you think?
I don't really care.
[phone ringing]
Do you know they're
afraid of me?
Why do you think that?
Don't pull that
psychology junk on me!
I know what you're all about.
What am I all about?
You're trying to change me
back into some sweet little
innocent girl.
I was never that.
I was born a witch.
But you wouldn't understand.
Nobody understands.
Only other witches.
Do you know many
other witches?
I know a lot of witches.
We're everywhere.
You don't know the
power that we have.
If you did, you wouldn't
be messing with me.
You know, the dark side of
the occult can be very enticing,
especially when you're
under a lot of pressure.
This is not about pressure.
It's about power.
My power over you.
You have no power
over me, Edie.
Oh, yeah?
What if I put a curse on you?
I can do that, you know.
Go ahead.
Put a curse on me.
[music playing]
I'm not afraid of you, Edie.
You will be, Marion.
[scoffs] You'll see
me in your nightmares.
And everything in your
life will go wrong.
EDIE: The next time
I saw Dr. John, I
almost didn't recognize her.
My curse was apparently working.
Hello!
I want you to
remove the curse now!
Why?
You said I have no power.
Don't mock me, Edie!
My fiance left me.
My house had a fire in it.
My office was robbed.
And your face has
been in my dreams
every night for the past week.
I want it to stop.
Do you hear me?
I want it over.
Tell me you
believe I'm a witch.
All right.
You're a witch.
Now, take off the curse.
[laughs] No.
What do you mean, no?
I've told you everything
you wanted to hear.
This is too much fun, doctor.
You're really helping me.
You're helping me
learn my craft.
I want you out of my life.
It's too late.
I'm joining a coven.
Once I'm a member, it'll
be all over for you.
Get out of here.
Get out!
Sleep well.
[music playing]
EDIE: The night I
joined the coven
was the most exciting and
frightening night of my life.
I couldn't wait to be
officially inducted
and follow their rules
for the rest of my life.
Even though I knew I
was meant to be a witch,
I was still terrified by the
intensity of the ceremony.
I had never experienced such a
combination of fear and ecstasy
before.
[music playing]
Take me, high priestess.
I'm ready.
Make me one of you.
Rise before the
high priestess.
[WOMEN CHANTING FOREIGN
LANGUAGE]
Ah!
Oh, my god.
Oh!
Ah!
[WOMEN CHANTING FOREIGN
LANGUAGE]
Repeat these vows, and pledge
your allegiance to the coven.
As above, so below.
I now become a part
of thee forever.
As above, so below.
I now become part
of thee forever.
You are now a
sister of this coven,
and you must obey
our rules forever.
I will obey.
Dr. John?
No.
It can't be.
You're not a witch.
I hexed you!
It was all a trick, Edie,
to get you to join this coven.
What do you mean?
You're now a witch, but a
good one, just like all of us.
This coven is devoted
to kindness and beauty.
No!
No!
No, I don't--
I don't want that!
It's too late, Edie.
Now you'll see me
in your dreams.
And you won't be able to wish
evil on anyone else again.
EDIE: That night, my
life changed forever.
I lost the hatred in
my heart, and became
the happy, caring person
I was always meant to be.
[roaring]
What really happened here?
The doctor in our story
claims that she has pioneered
a unique new treatment to
de-program misguided teenagers
from witchcraft.
She tricks them into taking
vows for good, not evil.
Do you believe this?
Or do you believe
the doctor is really
a good witch, using her own
positive power to battle evil?
Could this story
possibly be true?
Or is it an example of our
writers plying their craft?
DON LAFONTAINE: Next, you'll
find out which of our stories
are fact, and which are
fiction, when "Beyond Belief--
Fact or Fiction" returns.
It's time to take a
look back at our stories,
and find out which ones are
inspired by actual events,
and which ones are
works of fiction.
Now let's look back at the
story of the cartoonist
who haunted his publisher
and scared him to death.
Fact or fiction?
IZZY: Kip?
What do you think, Kip?
Scary enough for you?
Are you scared yet, Kip?
Did you think this
one was simply too far
out to really have happened?
We fooled you.
We based this story on
an actual occurrence
that took place in the late
'60s on the West Coast.
[boom]
How about the story
of the pickpocket who
lifted a lottery ticket?
True or false?
Oh!
Easy, easy.
Take it easy.
We're police
officers, and you're
under arrest for pickpocketing.
Oh, you are out of your mind!
Yeah.
Right.
Now, where did this come from?
Empty your pockets,
and let me see some ID.
If you guessed this one was
totally made up, we got you.
According to our research,
this is what happened
to a pickpocket in New Jersey.
It's fact.
[boom]
What did you think
about the story
of the mystery writer who became
a part of a real life mystery?
Was it true or false?
Maybe we should
stay in a hotel.
I just can't stand the thought
of another sleepless night.
You still think
it's the wind, Brenda?
Frank, this house
is not haunted.
Did you think this story
was too strange to be true?
Well, research tells
us that a similar story
happened in the Midwest
in the early '80s.
[boom]
What about the tale
of the footprints that
haunted the unfeeling landlady.
Real or hoax?
Come out of there and
show yourself, you coward.
I'm ready for you!
[wind howling]
[thud]
[thud]
Did you think this
story really happened?
Not this time.
We were tracking
lies through the mud.
It's false.
[boom]
What was your opinion of the
teenaged girl who was tricked
into dropping her evil ways?
I'm a witch.
Why can't my parents
just live with that?
That's kind of a tough pill
for most parents to swallow,
don't you think?
Did you think this
tale of witchcraft
was nothing but smoke?
Our research tells
us it happened in New
England around the late '70s.
It's fact.
[boom]
So what is it that
separates fact from fiction?
Why do thing happen
to all of us that
have no logical explanation?
The more we seek
an answer, the more
we realize that the only true
explanations are beyond belief.
I'm Jonathan Frakes.
DON LAFONTAINE: The stories
entitled "Louie the Dip,"
"The Wailing," and
"Curse" are true,
based upon research conducted
by author Robert Tralins.
For "Beyond Belief--
Fact or Fiction,
this is Don LaFontaine.
[music playing]