[music]
[Dramatic Tribal Drums Beat Loudly]
[drums fade away]
[wind blows]
[ominous low drone music fades in]
[voicemail beep] Chris.
I'm out of time.
This is gonna be my last message.
You have the package I sent you and the address to bring it to.
I hope you get this because, the rest is up to you.
[end beep]
Well, everything's ready for your stay.
Where have you traveled from?
Denver.
How was the journey?
Long.
Well, please leave it as you find it and put the keys
in the post box when you go.
My number's in the visitor's book if you need it but, try not to need it.
Do you get many guests here these days?
Not these days.
[car engine starts and drives away]
[door unlocks and creaks as it opens]
[footsteps]
[dark ominous music starts to rise]
[footsteps]
[footsteps on gravel]
[dark ominous music gets louder]
[Chris's heartbeat gets louder along with the music]
[inaudible whispers]
[man chokes loudly on plastic bag]
[music and heartbeat gets louder and louder]
[boots loudly rub on gravel]
[Chris’s scared breathing]
[music and heartbeat stops]
[Chris vomiting]
[phone buzzes]
[footsteps]
Hello?
Where the fuck are you, Chris?
I'm just sorting a few things out.
Where are you?
I'll be back soon.
Karen said your passport is missing.
That's all she knows about where you are.
You've left Karen to just deal with everything and
she's pregnant for God's sake.
I'll be back in a few days.
You're about to have a kid, Chris.
Yeah, a few days.
That's it.
What about the faculty?
The staff don't need babysitting.
That's why I hired them.
I know the news has hit you hard, but Billy was sick.
Growing up in that house, it was inevitable, but you can't be blamed.
We all stopped listening to his nonsense.
I know you feel guilty that you weren't there when he did what he did.
[inaudible mumbling]
[mysterious music fades in]
Where the fuck are you, Chris?
Chris?
[fire crackles in background]
[computer drive starts up]
[from computer speakers] Chris
Thank you, for following the breadcrumbs.
I knew you'd be the one to find them, and probably the only
one that cared enough to look.
Now, listen to my voice.
My breathing is steady, I sound fully conscious.
I am not
what you all think I am.
Since what happened to me and my team, my rabbit hole
just got a little too deep.
Too deep for those around me to follow.
I know by now you'll have received calls about me.
And I know that you're hoping what you've been told isn't true.
Especially...
Especially as it's now too late to ask me.
Where all this started,
long before our expedition was a study on a psychological phenomenon
we called 'The Primordial Fear'.
The realization that the universe is so vast and so infinite, that you
see how horrifically insignificant we are in the grand scale of existence.
That inescapable thought becomes a dangerous obsession for some
mentally vulnerable people.
If you really think on it being so small, so unimportant.
What would be the point of anything?
Why go to work?
Why procreate?
Why keep in contact with loved ones?
Because it all makes no difference to anything.
That thought literally sends some people mad, usually leading
to a psych ward or suicide.
Unfortunately, it tends to be the latter.
What this study led to and what became our focus was a smaller
section of these people who actually embraced this spiral into madness,
refusing to take their own lives.
We found staggering consistencies in accounts by people from all walks of
life, in different corners of the globe.
Who all shared the same story, almost word for word of what they
felt was an inarguable truth.
That, existence is an endless dream of an ancient deity.
More omnipotent and omnipresent than
Whoever we pray to, who they call 'The Origin'.
Every one of these believers also asked the same question,
the basis of their belief.
What if this entity awakes?
Would we blink out of existence or would we join The Origin in its own reality?
Well, that's what these people hope.
They hope to wake this sleeper and put an end to a universe that ignores them.
No one can be insignificant if no one exists.
I'm leaving you our research into their accounts.
All I want you to do is fact check our findings.
Then if you feel fit to pass it on to the people who accuse
me of these, things, then.
Then I guess that's up to you.
But if you are here. God, I hope you are.
Then you have the time, to read, to listen, to witness.
If I'm being honest, Chris that's,
that's all I want, uh, a witness to prove I spent the end of my life
on something tangible, something real.
If you can do this for me, then we're square.
I release you from that guilt you always felt, even though
none of it was ever your fault.
Do this for me, Chris.
Please.
I don't even know where to start.
Jesus Billy.
What was I thinking?
Gods and followers.
[mysterious music fades away]
[rumbling noise fades in]
[deep voice speaks loudly in unknown language]
[rumbling noise fades in]
[deep voice speaks loudly in unknown language]
[music stops - crickets chirp outside]
[concussive noise]
[car alarm outside]
I saw you!
[creature breathing]
[car alarm stops]
[heavy, scared breathing]
[phone buzzes]
[scary music rises]
[scary music stops - leaving silence]
[footsteps]
[relieved sigh]
[quiet laughter]
Okay.
Well, that's how it feels to shit yourself.
You couldn't have done it in a beach hut in Hawaii?
You asshole.
[papers rustle]
Okay.
[Ominous music rises]
[Creepy birds in background]
[Inaudible whispers]
Open the door, light the way (repeated)
[Phone ringing]
Hello?
Mrs Duffy?
Yes?
It's Chris, Chris Rivers.
I was Billy's friend.
Chris.
Yes Ma'am.
How are you?
I'm okay.
Yeah.
Um, how, how are...
Uh, you know, I heard about Billy and I know that I should have, uh,
Yeah I'm,
I'm just, I'm so sorry about Billy.
I just wanted to say that.
It's okay.
Hopefully wherever he is, he's found some peace.
Something he didn't have a lot of in his life.
You we're such a brilliant influence.
Coming back to the UK was one of the worst things we could have done looking back.
No, we, you know, we understood why you left
and we were so proud of you.
It was so brave.
I appreciate that.
But whatever problems his father was causing, it was unfair to pull William
back and forth across the world.
He was always unsettled.
He just didn't know where home was.
Well, he knew it was with you, Mrs Duffy.
You are a good friend, Chris.
I dunno, I didn't talk to him for over a year.
I mean, I did try once, but I was, uh, I was always too busy and
He wasn't easy to get a hold of.
And when you did catch him well, his attention was elsewhere.
Well, that's why I'm calling to be honest.
Um, I'm sorry to drag things up, but I was wondering if you could tell me what
Billy was up to in the last few months?
You know, what he was doing and well, why he did what he did.
He had little time for chit chat, but he seemed focused.
For the first time in a long time after a project somewhere in...
...Eastern Europe?
Czechoslovakia or...
Serbia or...
Bosnia.
Yes, that's it!
When he came back, he'd become obsessed with an area of countryside
we used to holiday at in the summer. A cottage in Wales.
He asked me all these questions about it and the woods nearby.
Endless questions about those woods he used to play in.
I found out he actually stayed in that cottage for months, walking across the
moors and into the woods each day.
I thought it was a peaceful way to live.
It seemed positive, unfortunately, soon after the landlord
found him in the outhouse.
[Emotional music rises]
Mrs Duffy?
Yes.
I'm sorry I wasn't there.
Neither of us were sweetheart.
And if we were, I doubt there would've been much we could do.
I think he made that decision a long time ago.
But, you are going to keep your head up and if you need anything,
you're going to let me know.
Alright?
Thank you.
I will.
And Chris?
Yes Ma'am.
Look after yourself, please.
Life isn't a rehearsal.
Don't waste it.
Yes Ma'am.
Bye Chris.
Goodbye
[Emotional music fades away]
[Haunting music replaces it]
[Cows mooing]
[through headphones] We started to focus all our time searching for signs of these people
who talked about this sleeping deity.
We looked wherever there were reports of, shall we say, overindulgent murders.
Anything ritualistic with a tell-tale signature left at the scene.
A circle within a circle.
We found, lots of them.
When caught, these people all spoke the exact same doctrine.
Endlessly droning about waking the one that sleeps.
They believe by causing so much death,
chaos and fear their ancient God would notice them, choose them due to the
sheer pleasure that it would feel.
They say it feeds off suffering.
The 'chosen' are apparently sent doorways of some kind to pass over to the other
side and join the very thing they worship.
Frankly, these discoveries were intoxicating.
Yes, these people are psychologically damaged.
They were already bending in the wind and 'The Primordial Fear' finally broke them.
But, why do dozens of people thousands of miles away from each other
all quote scripture written about the same imaginary cosmic being.
We eventually spent all our time tracking them.
If you look through our findings, you'd see that
we'd found sites, caves, sewers, woods. Out of the way places
to perform their, depravities.
Even here, we found them here.
[Loud choking]
[Dead bird hits floor]
[Chris' scared breathing]
[Dead bird hits floor]
[Ominous music rises]
[Dead birds hitting floor]
[Footsteps running]
[Out of breath gasping]
That's close enough pal.
[Phone ringing]
Call Handler 1: Emergency. Which service?
Police.
Call Handler 2: Police, what is your emergency?
Hello. I'm staying a Bryn Nos cottage in the valley, and there's a,
there's a man trying to break in.
He broke in last night too and uh and he, he looks dangerous.
Call Handler 2: Where is this man now?
And he's standing right outside my window.
Call Handler 2: Sir, I need you to stay calm, someone...
[Phoneline goes dead]
Hello?
Hello!
Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.
[Scared breathing]
[Footsteps running upstairs]
[THROUGH SPEAKER] Interview with Jason Vanderberg, 8th of April, 2019
in Pretoria, South Africa.
Recorded after he murdered his wife and child. He was the first person
that talked to The Origin that we were able to meet face to face.
The interview resulted in the death of my associate Gurdeep Singh.
Are you burdened with religion Mr Duffy?
Sunday School, as a child.
I tried to be a believer.
Every Sunday I sat there and listened.
Something to help me find courage in the torment, that consumes me.
Do you know why he doesn't answer our prayers Mr Duffy?
He's scared.
Terrified.
Of waking something far older than him.
He knows that by helping us, IT would notice him.
You see, your God is a fucking coward.
IT answers me when I call.
IT listens, it tells me when it wakes.
I will be rewarded for my devotion and when it makes this world drown,
I won't offer my hand to save any of you.
And all that you love, will sink with you!
[Sound of fighting]
Let him go! Guards! Guards!
[Knock on door]
What do you want?
Police officer: Police. There's been a report of a break in?
He's messing with me. Two days in a row now he's broken in.
He's left things, taken things.
I don't know what to do.
He means me harm, that's for sure.
Seems like he's playing with his food.
Police officer: Okay.
If you see him again, give us a call.
I was close by when they called it in, but we might not be so fast to
respond next time. You don't feel safe?
Maybe it's time to move on.
Yeah, I'm here for a couple more days, so...
Police officer: If I was being stalked, alone on holiday, I'll be back home
faster than a ferret up a drain pipe.
Do you know who he is?
Police officer: If I knew that, I'd be speaking with him.
Can I see your actual I.D?
Not just your uniform?
Police officer: Have a good evening, sir.
[Inaudible whispers]
Woman: Open the door, light the way (repeated)
Our path led to Perusica, Bosnia.
Several of the ones we tracked made their way there.
A team of seven headed out in the expedition.
My team had grown since the executive branch of our
organization, increased our funding.
They were fascinated by the consistencies in our reports.
We showed them the roadmap of atrocities making its way to the
Balkans from different continents.
People leaving their signature circle within a circle at
every horror filled site.
We spent months looking across the Bosnian South, but we couldn't find anything.
For the entire winter there were no related incidents.
We couldn't work out why.
Eventually, we had to head home.
With a lack of available plane tickets during the holidays,
we decided to drive back.
But uh, at every town we stopped to sleep we woke to stories of nightmares.
As we moved from country to country local police would find blood soaked
sacrifices in woodland or, abandoned buildings near wherever we stayed.
We realised, we'd walked into their trap.
They were tracking us.
Where we moved, they did too, leaving destruction behind them.
We couldn't go home, we couldn't risk our families.
The authorities logically decided it didn't look good for us, moving along
the same bloody trail across Europe.
That's when the accusations against us started.
So when we reached the UK, my team started to hand themselves in one by one.
Each one that did was found dead just days later, along with their families.
Each bearing the circle within a circle.
Eventually, only my assistant Paula and I remained together.
I remembered a place in Wales my family used to holiday at.
An old cottage far from anywhere.
If they followed us there, there'd be limited collateral damage.
It didn't take long for them to find us.
Deep in the woods we, came across them in the middle of one of their rituals.
They had a man tied up as they cut his skin.
Dozens of them just stood there in the dark watching.
The most unsettling part wasn't that they were opening him up, but
that he seemed to enjoy it.
He wanted it.
Their leader just stood there in the dark watching.
Seeing it, Paula couldn't help but scream.
They chased us for hours through the woods.
All of them.
I got separated from her.
I, I couldn't find her. I didn't find her.
Months later, Paula turned up at a hospital.
She just walked right up to the front door.
But she wasn't her anymore.
Almost feral, covered in strange scars, but, but she was alive.
I do thank someone up there for that.
But they kept following me.
I see the watcher outside every day in black taunting me.
I refuse to let them push me into madness.
But I'm not sure how long I'm gonna last.
Where are you?
[Deep voice speaks loudly in unknown language]
[Wind blowing]
[Bang upstairs]
[Guttural noises]
[Choking noises]
[Scream]
[Phone buzzing]
Karen.
Chris? How can you do this to me?
I had no idea if you were alive or dead.
How could you just take off like that?
No, I know, I know. I'm sorry.
You know the call about Billy, it just, uh, it broke me.
I had to, I had to see what happened.
Why didn't you talk to me?
We are a team.
You don't just run away to wherever you are without a word.
Wales.
What?
But I'm coming home today.
You know, I'm done.
I just wanted to help Billy's family work something out and you know, I
just needed to know what happened.
He was sick, Chris.
I don't think he was, not anymore.
I'm sorry about your friend. I really am.
But he's gone now.
Your family is right here.
We need you.
The baby will be here in a few weeks.
What if he comes early?
Yeah, you're right. I know, I know. You're right.
I'm gonna get the first flight back.
Okay? I promise.
You promise?
I swear, I really miss you.
And bump.
Then get home to us you asshole.
Yes Ma'am.
Now move your ass Rivers. We're waiting.
And keep that damn phone on.
Yeah, I'm on my way.
Was it you?
Did you make him do it?
You stay away from me.
Okay?
You understand?
[Keys landing]
[TV] Paula, can you hear me?
Is that actually you?
It's me.
No it can't be true he's still in there.
It's me, Paula. It's William.
He liked the loudest music.
Too loud, too angry for somebody who's never angry.
I liked Billy.
I always like you too.
And it wasn't his fault.
I wanted to go with him.
Change our lives, he said.
Change the world, maybe.
I did say that.
And he kept his promise.
Everything did change.
I'm sorry about what happened to you.
It happened to him too.
There are fingers pointing at us now, accusing us of
what happened to our friends.
I have to try and find more proof and hopefully some hope for both of us.
Hope!
Hope, is nothing more than a shimmer on the horizon, and no matter how many steps
you take, it is out of reach both of us.
Stop chasing the shimmer.
[frantic commotion] Paula! Paula! Please!
[Paula gasping for breath]
Why are you showing me this?
Haven't you worked it out yet?
You will.
[Dramatic organ music kicks in and gets faster]
[VOICEOVER] But if you are here, then you have the time.
To, witness.
If I'm being honest Chris, that's all I want. A witness to prove I spent the end of my life
on something tangible, something real.
If you can do this for me, then we're square.
I, release you from the guilt you always felt, even though
none of it was ever your fault.
Do this for me Chris.
Please.
[Inaudible whispers]
Walker 2: Open the door, light the way. (repeated)
[from the shadows] The Watcher: Do you know what they are?
They are doorways.
To where?
Redemption, forgiveness.
How can any of us spare the weight of the guilt we carry?
All that pain, all that guilt.
She will help you wash it away.
Like all doors, they are there to be opened.
You hold the key in your hand.
Open her up.
No.
Open her up.
No.
Open her up.
No!
Walkers: Open the door, light the way. (repeated)
Open them up!
[shouting] Open them up!
[Menacing laugh]
[Knife drops on ground]
[Exhausted breathing]
[Knock on door]
Why are you doing this to me?
We're trying to save you, Christopher.
From what?
From yourself.
From those dark thoughts you have when you want to rid
yourself of the shame, the guilt.
That guilt, that guilt is what keeps me going.
That is a lie.
It is the weight that drowns you.
Open a doorway and be blessed.
They are outside waiting.
What will happen if I do?
Each open door provides a little light into
the darkness of the other side.
The more doorways we open, the more light seeps in until we eventually awaken, IT.
You see IT wants to wake and it bestows blessings upon
those that provide more light.
Blessings that can wash away the stench of shame that follows you.
How do you even know who I am?
You know how.
Billy.
Ah, Billy.
You.
You fucking killed him.
You fucking lynched him.
No, he's one of the chosen, one of us.
No, that's a fucking lie.
He was tracking you people to reveal you, to stop you.
Was he?
Did he ever say he wanted to stop us?
He was wounded, broken from a tortured life he didn't deserve.
He saw what we became full of purpose, unburdened by the
weight of our former lives.
He saw us as his salvation.
And unlike all of you.
We would never abandon him.
No, I always looked out for him.
I've still got the scars from standing between him and his piece of shit father.
I always looked out for him.
I showed him a normal life. I was the one who tried to keep in touch.
Billy's the one who stopped any effort to talk to me.
I was his oldest friend.
His only friend.
Ah, so this is about you.
We would never resent him for the life he wanted to lead.
Of course I fucking resent him.
Why wouldn't he ask me for help?
Or his mother or anyone?
Why didn't he talk to me instead of going some fucking goose chase looking
for answers from nut jobs like you?
He should have talked to me.
I would've been there for him.
All I ever wanted was to make sure he was safe, to make sure he was happy,
and it's fucking selfish what he did.
Not a thought for the people that loved him, not thinking of the devastation
it would leave behind for his loved ones, a single phone call, and I
would've fucking been there for him.
You fucking understand that?
I would've been there for him.
Not you.
Who is the selfish one now Christopher?
Billy called and called.
Hey! Hey, hey hey No!
Okay, now that was just to tell us his crazy stories.
No, that was not to tell us the pain he was in.
And why do you think he needed to tell you these stories?
The sound of your voice would've soothed that pain you talk of.
Instead, you ignored him.
Provide an offering, open a doorway and be blessed, or continue with
being a selfish, spiteful creature and drown with the rest of them.
Choose! [WINDOW SMASH UPSTAIRS]
Walker: Open the door, light the way. (repeated)
[SHOUTING] Open the door, light the way! (repeating)
There is another way it notices you, of course.
Defiance, rejection of its blessings, that will anger it more than you know.
Be very careful, Christopher.
When you notice an anthill, you do not take umbrage with one ant.
You step on the whole hill.
Do you understand?
If you reject this gift we offer you, our disappointment will
not only be shown to yourself.
But to your friends, your family, Billy's family, his mother, your
whore wife, your unborn child.
Reject us and you'll drown in their blood.
Choose wisely Christopher.
Wisdom was never my strong suit.
[PHONE RECORDING] How can you do this?
You piece of shit.
Are you crazy?
I can't believe you would talk like that about me, about your child.
I don't know if you are drunk or you've just gone fucking nuts, but good.
I don't ever wanna see you again either.
Our child is better off without you.
Both of us are.
[PHONE RECORDING] Next message
Chris, what is wrong with you?
I've just talked to Dean Forsett.
He's firing you!
Why would you say those things to someone that's been so supportive of you?
And now you haven't got the guts to answer the phone to me.
Wherever you are, stay in your hole.
And rot!
[Whispers] Open the door, light the way.
[SHOUTING] Open the door, light the way.
[Laughing]
[Deep voice speaks loudly in unknown language]
[Rain drops]
[Whisper] He's awake
[Whisper] Chosen
[Whisper] Blessed
[Multiple whispers]
[Whisper] The light awakes. It sees.
Did you see?
[Whisper] He saw
It sees you as we do.
You're one of us now.
Connected
Guided
Do you see?
What's happening to me?
The door was opened.
It sees you, now.
In turn it helps you see.
What am I seeing?
Blessings, connection, and foresight.
What is and what will be.
No! I won't.
Where are you going, Christopher?
Hmm, This is becoming tiresome.
Get away from me.
I'm afraid that's not an option anymore.
We are linked, all of us.
Careful, Christopher.
We will not take rejection again.
Again?
Billy.
That coward.
He refused his blessings.
He didn't deserve what he was offered.
He thought he could put up a fight.
Thought he could refuse us, trying to keep us away.
But he knew he couldn't resist forever.
Unfortunately, he found defiance a little too late in life.
Eventually, our disappointment shone through.
We left him in the outhouse.
Good for you Billy.
He was weak.
That's not what I hear.
The little piggie strung up the big bad wolf.
He was a coward.
We're only brave when we're scared.
He stood up to you.
Fucking yes Billy.
Quiet!
An evil empire defied by the guy always picked last at school.
This is about you.
You are going to obey or your wife will take your place, and how we will make
her suffer along the baby inside of her.
What were the options again?
Submit, become one or your family is going to die.
Yeah, well, A and B are endearing options.
I choose option C.
NO!
Billy?
Where are we?
I don't know.
But I know I'm safe here, somehow, and after everything that's,
that's good enough for me.
You shouldn't be here.
I think I cheated them.
Yeah.
They don't like that.
You did the same as me?
Maybe.
I think I zigged when I should have zagged.
I can't quite remember.
They told me you were one of them.
Their lies trying to make you see what isn't there.
They told me you fought some of them off.
Well, turns out I am pretty formidable when I get pushed.
I think I created this place,
to have somewhere protected.
From them.
Are you okay?
I fade every day.
I forget more, but
that's okay.
It's my time.
My terms.
Can I stay with you?
Hey, no, no. It's not your time.
Besides, you have a son to meet first.
A son?
Yeah.
We didn't even know yet.
You'll be a good father, Chris.
I dunno.
How do even know that?
Because, you always looked after me.
This guilt, you're running from.
It just means you care.
You don't need it anymore.
You were more than I was and you need to realise that's okay.
Swimming in your wake,
it just made me a stronger swimmer.
You stopped me from sinking.
You big wimp. (laughs)
Me?
Hey! I am terrifying.
So what happens now?
It's clear.
Is it?
Clear!
Emergency Resonder: Can you hear me?
Sir? Can you hear me?
We're gonna lose him if we don't move him right now!
Are you ready? Lets go, lets go, lets go!
Police officer: Mr Rivers?
Take it easy, take it easy. It's Okay.
How? How am I here?
Police Officer: I came back to the cottage to see how you're getting on, and I found your hire
car still there and a pool of blood in the field with no body, I assumed not great.
You're lucky to be here, Chris.
Now, can you remember anything at all about what happened to you?
We'll discuss this when you're all healed up. Okay?
If there is any sign of wrong doing, I'll have to look into that I'm afraid.
But for now, I believe someone wants to talk to you.
[Phone ringing]
Chris?
Karen?
It's me, baby.
It wasn't me.
It wasn't me, Karen.
I know. It's okay, It's okay.
They told me what someone had done to you.
All I care about now is if you're all right.
I haven't slept.
I've been pacing, staring at my phone for hours while you've been out.
I'm so sorry.
Don't you worry about that now, we are going to get you on your feet.
We're gonna bring you home to your family.
I'm going to look after you.
They say they will tell me when you're back on your feet so...
...I can get you a ticket home.
Chris v/o: There's too much we don't know about what lives in
the darkness outside our doors.
We sit ignorant in the comfort of our mundane lives.
[Thud on floor]
Safe in the knowledge that we can comprehend every possible danger.
But, for those of you who ignore that friend with the crazy
stories about the end of the world. Maybe, just maybe...
...you should listen.
♪ Music ♪ Illuminate by Gerald Buckfield
[Music] ♪ Instrumental ♪
I stumble home, by the shore, illuminate my life like you never did before.
Like you never did before.
You waste my time, but I want more, I still chase but I should have learnt before.
I should have learnt before.
♪ Instrumental ♪
♪ I start again, on my own, relieve me of my problems when I was alone, ♪
♪ I should have stayed at home. ♪
♪ I stopped trying when you made me worse. (I’m trying, I’m trying, I’m trying) ♪
♪ I stopped trying when I put you first. (I’m trying, I’m trying, I’m trying) ♪
♪ I stopped trying when you made me worse. (I’m trying, I’m trying, I’m trying) ♪
♪ I stopped trying when I put you first. (I’m trying, I’m trying, I’m trying) ♪
(Epic Guitar Solo)
♪ I stopped trying when you made me worse. (I’m trying, I’m trying, I’m trying) ♪
♪ I stopped trying when I put you first. (I’m trying, I’m trying, I’m trying) ♪
♪ I stopped trying when you made me worse. (I’m trying, I’m trying, I’m trying) ♪
♪ I stopped trying when I put you first. (I’m trying, I’m trying, I’m trying) ♪
♪ Song End ♪
Man: Open the door... Light the way.