[Child's laughter]
What's with the--
Don't ask.
Stig's not taking off the bag
until you can accept him for who he is.
Yeah, a psycho!
You're not making points this way.
And you're not getting in the Midnight Society this week,
'cause Kiki's up, so take it off.
Stig says go ahead. He can wait.
Go on, Kik.
OK.
I got my idea from a book on symbols.
Like in a band? Ha ha.
Short book!
No, slick. Symbols.
Like signs,
drawings.
It showed how ancient Egyptians
used symbols to communicate.
Yeah. They drew pictures instead of letters.
Exactly.
So I was thinking about how much we use symbols, too.
This is a symbol.
And this.
Even this.
We all know what they mean...
Unless you have a bag over your head.
But imagine a symbol you've never seen before.
It could mean anything.
Good news...
A party...
Friendship...
Or it could be a sign of something else...
Maybe a warning
of unspeakable evil.
Submitted for the approval
of the Midnight Society,
I call this story...
Everyone Claudia knew
was doing something really cool for summer vacation...
Except for Claudia.
Claudia, is that you?
Hi, Aunt Yvonne.
I almost didn't recognize you.
You're getting way too big!
Spending a few weeks with her aunt Yvonne
in the middle of nowhere
wasn't exactly her idea of an exciting time.
How was the flight? Were you nervous?
Oh, no. I'm used to traveling by myself.
Sorry I couldn't pick you up.
It has been a crazy morning.
We have a new guest on 2, and the boiler man's here.
Never a dull moment.
[Laughs] I bet.
A world traveler like you
must think that scenic vista is pretty boring.
But we have our share of excitement.
Do you play backgammon?
Um--um--
You'll learn.
Let's say hi first. Everyone's dying to meet you.
Attention, everyone.
I'd like you to meet my niece, Claudia.
'Bout time we had some new blood around here.
We have the bridge club and gardening club
and bingo on Fridays.
Uh, Aunt Yvonne,
I know this is a place for old people and everything,
but, I mean, am I the only--
Oh! The boiler man! I forgot all about him!
Your room's in there. I'll be back in a sec.
[Music plays]
¶¶¶
Pretty hair.
Such pretty hair.
I once had hair like that, too, you know.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to--
Claudia, it's OK.
Marjorie, this is my niece.
She'll be staying with us for a while.
How nice.
You 2 can have a chat later.
[Music stops]
Is she OK?
Oh, sure.
She just gets confused once in a while.
¶¶¶
go on! Eat the Brussels sprouts, I told him.
But don't say I didn't warn you
when the gas starts acting up!
Aunty Yvonne, are there any, like, younger people
staying here?
Hmm. Well, Ralph Krieger's only 67.
I know what you mean.
There's a girl next door named Kate,
and I told her you were coming.
Thanks, Aunt Yvonne.
Hi.
Do you wanna play baseball?
I really hope you're not Kate.
No, I'm Kate. That's Nikki.
Hi, I'm Claudia.
Hi. Your aunt told me you were coming.
Your parents went on a trip?
Yeah, to South America. I got dumped here.
South America? Cool!
They travel all over for work.
They're botanists. You know, studying plants and stuff.
That's so great! Do you ever go with them?
Um, sometimes--
Come on, let's play.
Later. I want to talk to Claudia.
Nothing exciting ever happens around here.
Same old, same old.
Yeah. My aunt's place is kinda like old folks central.
I know. I help out there sometimes.
Did Mr. Duncan talk about his gas yet?
As a matter of fact, yeah.
There's lots of woods around here.
Are there any good hiking trails?
Are you kidding? That's all there is. You wanna see?
Yeah!
It's not exactly the Amazon.
No, it's great. I love being in the woods.
What's over that way?
Nothing. Just some more woods.
Let's check it out then.
Come on.
We shouldn't go too far from the path.
Whoa!
Just don't look down.
Don't look down.
[Laughter]
What's so funny?
What?
Why are you laughing?
I'm not.
Maybe we should go back.
Whoa!
What is this?
Let's go, OK?
But what's that symbol?
You'll think it's silly.
Try me.
People say this used to be
some kind of ancient burial ground.
Cool!
And something bad happened here years ago.
Someone was murdered.
No way. Really?
Yeah. And apparently, that sign just appeared overnight.
But... what's it mean?
Everyone calls it the Jagged Sign.
They say it's the mark of the dead man.
Ooh!
I love it!
And if you stare at it too long,
you wake the ghost, and it possesses you.
Lemme guess. Then it lures you up to fall to your doom,
right?
Uh, yeah. Something like that.
Where you going?
I wanna go up and check it out.
I don't think you should.
Why not? You don't believe in that ghost stuff, do you?
Well, no, but I'm sorta scared of heights.
So I'll go myself.
Don't!
I don't think there's a way up.
Yeah?
Then how'd he get up there?
Don't look at him!
What? Why?!
It's the ghost!
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Kate, Kate.
I thought you didn't believe in that stuff.
I lied.
It was probably some high school guy from around here.
We'll go back, and--
Claudia!
Aah!
Kate, just relax, OK?
He didn't follow us.
Where'd he come from? How'd he get down so fast?
I don't know. We should have asked him.
Forget it!
Oh, be real. I don't believe in ghosts.
Aah!
Whoa, sorry!
I'm going into town. I won't be long.
Oh, uh, Aunt Yvonne.
Claudia! Do you know anything about--
What?
What's the matter?
Do you know anything about that Jagged Sign thing in the woods?
Kate, did you take her up there?
Uh, yeah, sorta.
I don't want you girls out there.
Why? You don't think it's really haunted, do you?
Of course not.
But that cliff's dangerous,
and it's no place for 2 young girls to be--
[sniffs] To be--
What's that smell?
Something's burning!
Marjorie, no!
I was just making some soup,
and then all of a sudden, all this smoke.
I'm sorry, Yvonne.
Oh, I'm so sorry!
It's OK, Marjorie. It's OK.
Now you go on. We'll take care of this.
Oh...
[Sobs] Oh...Oh...
Oh... this kind of thing is happening more and more.
I can't watch her every minute!
We'll help clean up.
No. Thanks.
I'll do it.
Just do me a favor and stay close to the house.
I don't want to worry about you, too.
[Stairs creak]
[Creak]
[Thunk]
[Creak]
Hello?
Can't sleep.
Maybe some milk.
Thanks for coming over.
Is the sign still there?
No. It disappeared. But I drew this.
You're not supposed to look at it.
I don't believe in curses.
Well, you didn't believe in ghosts, either.
I'm going back to the cliff.
Are you with me?
No! Your aunt said--
You wanted something exciting to happen around here. This is it.
But it's dangerous.
What could he do to us?
It's not him. It's the cliff. That place is hairy.
Well, maybe you're afraid of heights, but I'm not.
Girls.
Can I see you for a sec?
I just spoke to Marjorie's nephew,
and he agreed that it's best
to move her someplace where they can look after her properly.
You mean like a rest home.
Someplace with medical care.
Her health is really failing.
That's so sad.
Yeah. She's been here a long time.
Anyhow, I need help packing up some of her things
to go to the thrift shop.
You 2 didn't have any plans for the day, did you?
Excuse me, Marjorie.
I just wanted to make sure
you meant to give this away.
Oh...
I know it's old and everything, but...
I thought it might have some kind of sentimental value
or something.
Oh!
Whoa!
Eew, gross!
Oh...
Whaddaya know?
An old love knot.
A love knot?
Oh... ladies used to
tie up a lock of their hair
and give it to their boyfriends.
It was a sign of undying love.
Eew!
Marjorie had beautiful strawberry blonde hair when she was young.
You mean like Claudia's?
Uh-huh.
I saw a picture of her.
She looked very much like Claudia.
Here it is. Right here.
Who's the guy?
I don't know. Must be her Beau.
Hello?
Hey!
Where are you?
Marjorie, can I come in?
Marjorie, who is this?
Ohh...
Joshua.
How I must have hurt you.
But I couldn't help it.
Wait!
Don't move.
Joshua and I were hoping to be married,
but we knew our parents would never allow it
because we were so young.
So we decided to elope.
We were going to meet at our secret place in the woods.
Wait. Marjorie...
Where was your secret place?
The cliff.
We were going to meet at the foot of the cliff.
My parents discovered our plan
and prevented me from meeting him.
He died believing that I chose not to come...
When it was because they wouldn't let me.
He died?
What happened?
He always used to say
he wanted the whole world to know how much he loved me.
So...
He climbed up on the ledge
to draw the symbol of our love
for everyone to see.
But the ledge is dangerous,
and before he could finish,
he fell.
Before he could finish.
I never loved anyone else!
And he died
thinking I rejected him.
Marjorie...
Can I borrow this?
Excuse me. Has anyone seen Claudia?
I did. Ran out a few minutes ago like a Jack Rabbit.
Where'd she go?
Seems like she was heading for the woods.
The woods!
Hey! We need a fourth for bridge.
Claudia!
Hello?
Hey, where are you?
[Rock falls]
Aah!
Claudia?
Kate!
Help!
Claudia!
Kate, hurry!
Kate, help!
Kate, hurry!
Hurry, Kate!
Aah!
Just don't look down.
Don't look down.
Kate, hurry!
Claudia, I can't!
Aah!
Kate!
Hurry!
Look!
Who are you? What do you want?
I waited for you, Marjorie.
Why did you take so long to come? Don't you love me?
What's he talking about?
She's not Marjorie, Joshua.
Marjorie couldn't come.
Her parents stopped her.
He thinks I'm Marjorie?
She kept this all these years, Joshua,
as a sign of her love for you
just like the sign you never finished.
She still loves me?
Yes, Joshua. You should go to her.
What happened?
He finished what he started a long time ago.
[Gasps]
Look!
Marjorie passed away that very afternoon.
Everyone said how peaceful she looked at the end,
even happy.
They all thought it was because she was going on to a better place,
but only Claudia and Kate knew
just how true that was.
The end.
Good story.
What do you think, Stig?
He says he can't breathe.
What?!
I'm going next time. This bag thing ain't making it.
All right. Stig's up next,
and we'll take a final vote
of whether he gets in or not.
Sorry.
You're not in yet.
Keep the bandanna.
Captioned by Grant Brown