(theme music)
-(rain pattering) -(thunder crackling)
(wind howling)
(indistinct TV chatter)
(thunder roars)
WOMAN: ...just in time for Christmas.
MAN: I can't think of a better gesture.
Celebrating birthdays today, Jennifer Beals is 26...
(tranquil music playing)
Do you hear that music, Mr. Zipper?
(thunder crackles)
(wind howling)
(indistinct breathing)
(indistinct TV chatter)
-(TV host speaking indistinctly) -(audience groans)
(rain pattering)
(thunder crackles)
(gasps)
(screaming)
(screeching)
(creaking)
(creaking continues)
-(thunder crackles) -(light switch clicks)
(ominous music)
Yeah, no, I said I was gonna take care of it.
Come on, sweetie, you gotta eat, please.
Yes, I will be right in.
Come on, sweetie, please?
-(phone beeps) -Just take one bite.
(babbles)
-Come on, Mommy's got to get to work. -(babbles)
Why did that work when you did it?
-You didn't do it right. -Yeah. You didn't do it right.
-(exhales) -(Aaron and Olivia laugh)
Look, and I know this isn't our old house, but give it a chance.
I liked growing up here... most of the time.
(snorts)
(floorboard creaks)
Oh, God, that stupid floorboard.
BROOK: We'll get it fixed.
They add character.
Where did you come from, hmm?
How did I get this glass-half-full girl?
Uh, don't you remember?
You ordered me from the glass-half-full catalog.
(laughs)
Oh, hey.
Last day of summer break. You got any big plans?
Oh, yeah. Huge.
I was gonna take some boxes, break them down.
Maybe take them to the recycling bin.
Look, I know it's been hard ever since your dad and I...
(breathes sharply)
...you know. (chuckles)
Mom, you can say "divorce".
I won't break into a million pieces.
I just want you to know I appreciate it.
-How big a help you've been. -Mom, I'm fine.
Seriously.
(panting)
(breathes sharply)
(breathing slowly)
(birds chirping)
-(thuds) -(clears throat)
Do you mind?
You're blocking my light.
-Oh, sorry, I, I didn't... -I'm kidding.
(scoffs)
How could you possibly be blocking my light from all the way over there?
(breathes) Are you seriously that uptight?
-Um, I... -That was rhetorical.
(sniffs)
Graham.
And you are?
Oh, Olivia.
Olivia.
(thuds)
I'm coming over.
(quirky music)
That looks tedious.
You... you could help me, you know.
Yah, I know.
(thuds)
Oh, good, my new neighbor's a cheerleader. Yay.
-Hey! What's that supposed to mean? -No, nothing.
No, I'm sure you're a fascinating conversationalist.
I'll have you know, not all cheerleaders are ditzes.
I was captain of the debate team.
Uh-huh.
The outside of this house always creeped me out.
(clicks tongue) I have to say,
the inside does not disappoint.
It has that "something bad happened here a long time ago" vibe.
GRAHAM: I'm into it.
-I'm a big fan of the macabre. -(Olivia scoffs)
Then you'd love it here. (breathes)
I've been seeing and hearing weird things since we moved in.
I need examples.
Shadows, like, flickering lights, weird music.
That stuff. (inhales)
But, I mean, that's just what old houses do, right?
-(Olivia chuckles) -(clicks tongue, inhales)
Like, ghosts aren't real, right?
They're not "not real".
(suspenseful music)
Could be nothing.
(clicks tongue) Or... could be a poltergeist.
(spooky music)
(rain pattering)
(creepy music)
(gasps, pants)
(thunder crackles)
(panting)
(indistinct breathing)
(thunder rumbles)
(door creaking)
(thunder crackling)
(suspenseful music)
(floorboard creaking)
(suspenseful music continues)
(creepy music)
(thunder crackles)
-(floorboard creaking) -(indistinct breathing)
-(creaking continues) -(indistinct breathing continues)
(switch clicks on)
(switch clicks off)
(floorboard creaking)
(switch clicks on)
(sighs)
(switch clicks off)
(sighs)
(floorboard creaks)
(sudden music sting)
(gasps)
(panting)
GRAHAM (stammers): This is bad.
I mean, this is really bad, Olivia.
I mean, the mask is one thing, but the suit...
There's nothing more dangerous than a maniac with taste.
(indistinct chatter)
What's wrong?
Uh, I mean, besides the seven-foot demon in your kitchen.
Nothing.
Just... first day at a new school, you know?
Ah, don't worry.
Not like your whole life's riding on making a good first impression.
(exhales)
Jade!
This is Olivia. Olivia, meet Jade.
Jade is one of our resident queen bees and, uh, fellow cheerleader.
So, uh...
My work here is done. Bye!
Ah. So, where are you from?
Uh, Chicago. Basically.
I mean, like, right outside.
But my mom's from here, so...
Party time.
-Hey, I'm Chloe. -Oh, I'm Olivia.
Olivia is trying out for the squad.
Please tell me you're a flyer. We need another good flyer.
-I'm a flyer. -Amazing.
Well, flyer, if you have Saturday plans, cancel them and come to my party.
Thrill n' Chill, baby! (Jade chuckles)
-Thrill n' chill? -It's an amusement park.
They have the most insane roller coaster. (chuckles)
Wait, roller coaster?
The Dragon's Tongue.
It's, like, the oldest roller coaster ever.
My brother said, like, 50 people get thrown off of it every year.
(chuckles)
Anyway, my mom got us priority passes, so we can ride as many times as we want.
(indistinct chatter)
(tranquil music playing)
(tranquil music continues playing)
JADE: Olivia.
Olivia.
-(indistinct chatter) -Mm?
Are you okay?
What?
Oh, yeah, I'm just not the hugest fan of roller coasters.
Uh, it's fine.
It's no biggie.
(school bell rings)
-(thuds) -JADE: It was nice meeting you.
-(background chatter) -(suspenseful music)
-Try "tall guy, strange music." -(keyboard clacks)
-(mumbles) -No, no, no. Wait, wait, wait, wait, no.
-Tall guy, strange music, and a mask. -Shh. Patience.
Please, a little patience.
A paranormal investigator can take years to solve the case.
Can't expect me to solve this in one study hall.
(inhales)
(phone vibrates)
Oy vey. (sighs)
Speaking of being summoned by evil forces...
(Graham sighs deeply)
Sophomore love triangle just went critical,
so I'm being called in to mediate.
Honestly, you solve one crisis,
and suddenly, you're everyone's personal therapist.
Word of advice, Olivia.
Never be great at anything.
It's exhausting.
-Watch my stuff? -Yeah.
(chuckles)
(giggles)
(keyboard clacking)
(tranquil music playing)
(tranquil music continues playing)
(suspenseful music)
(indistinct breathing)
(tranquil music playing)
(indistinct breathing)
(tranquil music playing)
(ominous music)
(tranquil music playing)
(indistinct breathing)
-(door slams) -(gasps)
(hissing)
(fizzes)
(Olivia gasps)
-(fizzes) -(Olivia gasps)
(frizzling)
(spooky music)
(suspenseful music)
No. No...
Come on, come on.
Listen. Okay, okay.
No, no. Please.
(panting) No!
-Come on. -(thudding on door)
Please, please, please, please, please.
No!
(suspenseful music)
(door creaking)
(indistinct chatter)
JADE: Olivia.
Olivia.
-Huh? -Olivia, see this.
-Look how insane... -MAN: Eight percent of riders
-...that is. -lose their lunch,
but one hundred percent lose their minds from our insane loops,
borderline dangerous drops, and one-of-a-kind flaming Spiral of Death.
So hurry, before we get our permits revoked.
Come ride the Dragon.
(upbeat music playing)
All right, second years, you're up.
Everybody else, watch and learn.
Coach, we're short a flyer.
What about Olivia?
Yeah, Olivia's a flyer.
-Yeah, but I-- -MRS. JOHNSON: All right.
On the mat.
I don't know the routine.
You'll be fine, it's easy. One, two, three, step.
One, two, three, up, heel stretch, liberty, heel stretch, basket.
-Got it? -MRS. JOHNSON: Ready, and...
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
♪ L-E-T-S-G-O ♪
♪ Let's go, let's go ♪
♪ Go and get it, get it let's go, let's go ♪
♪ Go and get it ♪
♪ L-E-T-S-G-O ♪
♪ Let's go, let's go... ♪
Here comes the step up.
♪ Let's go, let's go. Go and get it ♪
(foreboding music)
-(Olivia screams) -(thuds)
Oh, my God. Olivia, are you okay?
GRAHAM: Okay, so it haunts you at home, it haunts you at school.
Sometimes you hear music, sometimes you don't.
-Yeah. -It chases you, it doesn't chase you.
Whatever this thing is, it's not very consistent.
But why is it haunting me?
I don't know. Maybe it's an enemy from a past life?
No? Maybe... maybe your grandparents built your house
on top of a haunted orphanage.
Or maybe it is one of your grandparents,
and they came back from the dead to steal your life force.
Whatever the reason is, I give you about a 40 percent chance of seeing graduation.
Thanks, Graham. Makes me feel so much better.
Hey, look on the bright side, right? At least you'd be going out on top.
First day of school and you get an invite to Chloe's birthday party?
You won the popularity Powerball.
Yeah, I don't think I'm going.
Excuse me?
Did I just hear you say you were gonna turn down
an invite from Chloe Gallo?
The Dragon roller coaster thing they wanna ride?
It looks terrifying.
Kid, I guarantee you that it will be less scary
than spending the next four years of your life in social Siberia.
Do yourself a favor, Olivia.
Ride the Dragon.
(pensive music)
MAN: Come ride the only roller coaster condemned by the United Nations.
No height restrictions,
-no age restrictions. -(knock on door)
-We don't even care if... -I just got called back to the office.
BROOK: I know, I know.
Movie night.
Worst mom ever.
-Can't you just work from home? -BROOK: I wish.
But there's this big presentation tomorrow.
Everyone is melting down.
And, of course, I am the only one who can deal with it.
Please don't leave.
Livvy, is something wrong?
No, no, no, it's nothing. It's fine. I...
I think I was just really looking forward to movie night, so...
-(doorbell rings) -BROOK: Oh.
That must be Mrs. Lipton.
Seriously?
Mom, I'm 14.
I don't need a babysitter,
especially not Mrs. Lipton.
What's wrong with Mrs. Lipton?
Butterscotch?
BROOK: My number's on the fridge. Help yourself to anything.
-(indistinct TV chatter) -And thanks again.
Oh, it's no bother at all.
You know, I remember babysitting you when you were a little girl.
(chuckles)
Where on Earth are my keys?
-They're upstairs on your dresser. -Oh.
(indistinct TV chatter)
So...
You knew my mom when she was little?
Hmm?
So you knew my mom when she was little?
Oh, yes. Nervous little thing, used to insist this house was haunted.
(Mrs. Lipton giggles)
Haunted?
MRS. LIPTON: Never could get her to go to bed.
"There's a monster in my closet, there's a monster outside my window."
Children and their imaginations.
Did she ever say what the monster looked like?
Looked like? Hmm.
No, I don't recall her saying.
Oh, but I do remember her saying she would hear music.
That's right. She would hear music whenever it was nearby.
-(thunder crackles) -(gasps)
MRS. LIPTON: Oh, goodness, dear.
You're just as wound up as she was.
(whispering) God, where is it?
(clicks tongue)
-I don't see... -(sudden music sting)
(gasps)
(chuckles) My life-saver.
Livvy?
You saw it too.
The monster.
You'd hear the music before it came.
You saw it when you were my age, didn't you?
The man in the mask.
What is it?
Come here, honey.
(exhales deeply)
I used to call it my nervous monster
because it only showed up when I was worried about something.
I would hear the music.
-(thunder crackles) -(gasps)
BROOK: And then he would appear.
(screaming)
So, are we, like... cursed?
No.
No. We're not cursed.
We're just different.
Your grandma used to call it my Squeamber
because it showed up when I was squeamish or somber.
That's a really dumb name.
(both chuckle)
I think that was the point.
She thought that if it sounded silly, it would be less scary.
And she was right.
When does it stop showing up?
(clicks tongue)
Honey, they never stop.
I still see it from time to time, but we have an understanding.
It's almost like... we're old friends.
(Brook exhales)
Livvy, why didn't you tell me?
I didn't wanna worry you.
I'm your mother, you're allowed to worry me.
You're also allowed to have bad days and be upset.
(thunder rumbles)
You know what?
I'm gonna tell work I can't make it.
No.
If you can face yours, I can face mine.
-(thunder crackles) -I'll be back as soon as I can.
I love you.
(smooches)
-(footsteps receding) -(breathes deeply)
-(thunder rumbling) -(rain pattering)
(suspenseful music)
(snoring)
(thunder rumbles)
(tranquil music playing)
(heavy footsteps thudding above)
(thudding continues)
AARON: Livvy!
(glass shatters)
(tense music)
(Olivia pants)
(creepy music sting)
AARON: Olivia!
(tense music)
(panting)
(heavy footsteps thudding)
(panting)
(sighs)
(screams)
(panting)
(panting continues)
(creepy music)
No.
No!
Hey. Stop!
Stop!
I said stop!
(thunder crackles)
Back off.
Turn around.
Keep turning.
Stop.
(soft piano music)
(thunder crackles)
BROOK: Olivia, Jade's here!
(upbeat music playing)
JADE: Olivia!
You ready to lick the Dragon's Tongue?
Uh, so ready. (chuckles)
Bye, Mom. Bye, Aaron.
The Dragon's Tongue?
Yeah, I'll be fine.
Have a great time.
I will.
Wear your seat belt.
(car engine revs)
-(upbeat music) -(indistinct chatter)
(indistinct breathing)
(creepy music sting)
Sorry, that seat's taken.
GRAHAM: Who are you talking to?
Friend.
(upbeat music)
I didn't know you were invited.
I wasn't.
(upbeat music)
(crowd screaming)
♪ Watch me go ♪
(mysterious music)