(girl screams)
(thunder)
(girl screams)
(heartbeats)
(rumbling)
(ghostly breathing)
(rumbling)
(creaking)
(footsteps)
(panicky breathing)
(man) No!
(rumbling)
(phone rings)
- How was it? - (man) I played this game, "Stay Alive."
Seriously, man, the sickest shit since Fatal Frame.
It was creepy. Really creepy.
Are you gonna make it over here? Can you come over? You wanna come over?
Dude, look, I'll come up this weekend, we'll burn it solid.
- I'll see you this weekend. - Late.
(thunder)
(banging)
(banging continues)
- Shit, man. Don't you knock? - All right. Whoops.
- Shut the door, perv. - I found you in the game. You got it good.
We haven't played for hours.
Loomis, sweetie, we have got to get you a woman.
So, what's up? What's next? You wanna watch, or?
No, that's cool. Just try not to ruin my parents' sheets, OK?
(thunder/girl screams)
(gasps)
OK.
(rumbling)
This is not real. Don't freak.
(rumbling)
- Hello? - (rumbling)
Rex?
Sarah?
(glass shatters)
Rex! No!
Please!
Oh!
(howls)
(screams)
- That was fast. - Hi. How are you?
- Did you take care of the marina report? - I was just about to.
Oh, don't bother.
He wants to see you right away, and he's in one of his moods.
- Happy birthday, by the way. - Merci, darling.
Hi.
- I was just gonna... - Over a month.
That's how long I've been working on this.
Right? That's, uh...
That's 100... that's 100 hours.
I'm sorry. I'll finish the marina report as soon as possible.
The ma... The what?
- Marina report? - Yeah.
Oh, man.
Hm.
- Hutch. - What?
You know what? Have a seat. Enjoy yourself. OK?
All right, listen to me now, OK? I hired you for one reason, and one reason only.
Now, the walk-through says I dump the ammo and the boss dies.
I'm sorry. We're not still talking about Silent Hill 4, are we?
Yes.
OK. Damn. All right. I don't know what else to tell you. You got the hyperblaster?
Do I look like an asshole? Yes, I have the hyperblaster.
Right, OK. Yeah, dump it.
I mean, it's got unlimited ammo, nullifies the... Hey, can I get tomorrow off?
Let me think about that.
No, no, no. I need it to get to the final boss.
Beat her up. It's the way God intended.
You know, Hutch, if you put as much effort into clerking as you did into gaming,
you could end up like me someday. You know that, right?
OK.
All right, you can take tomorrow. How do I do it?
It's easier to kill her without the blaster.
So lose it right before going down the stairs. She'll die on her own. Game over.
All right. OK. Hey, man, are you hip to this PDA sex thing?
- I haven't got into that. - You've got a phone call, Hutch.
Thank you.
(man) I think that's a vegetable.
Hello?
What?
Oh, Hutch. I'm so glad that you came. It means so much to me.
(vicar) Today we lay to rest Loomis Crowley,
a young man whose life was tragically taken from us.
But let us find comfort in knowing the Lord welcomes Loomis into his kingdom.
- Did you just take a picture of me? - I did.
There are so many crying faces at this funeral and you seem the saddest,
but you weren't crying,
so I took a picture.
- You and Loomis must have been close. - Yeah, we were close.
I mean, we were so close, but... Did you know Loomis?
Kinda.
I grew up with Sarah back in Georgia. I was supposed to hang out with her that night.
Really? Yeah, so was I.
I always thought I'd be taking pictures on her wedding day, not her funeral.
- Looks like you're up. - Emma. Hi.
- Hi. - How are you? God, look at you.
You're so grown-up. How are you doing?
I'm OK. Um, here.
This is your brother's bag. You don't want this?
Mom and Dad won't let me play those video games. They were gonna toss 'em.
You know, they're too violent. Besides, he would want you to have 'em.
Come here. Take care, all right?
(Emma) OK.
Here. If you need to talk, that's my number.
Hey, sunshine.
Didn't think you'd be back so soon.
Give us a kiss.
- Sorry, Hutch. Are you OK? - Yeah, I don't know. It's hard to believe.
Tragedy, Hutch. I tell you, bro, first your parents, now this.
God dealt the straws and gave you a short one, man.
You know, Phin, the problem with your mouth
is that stupid insensitive shit comes out of it. You're an idiot.
Be strong - that's all I'm saying. You know what I mean, bro? You're a rock. I love you.
- I love you too. - Who talks to their brother like that?
- Somebody with an idiot for a brother. - Oh, my God, you're a terrible person.
So, do they know what happened yet?
He was murdered - him and two of his friends.
Holy fucking shit. Really?
What's in the bag?
- Video games, pictures, crap like that. - From him?
Yeah.
- No shit! Is this you two? - Yeah.
Look at that.
Lighter works.
- Gorgeous. - Dude, you can keep that if you like it.
- I'm sorry, Hutch. - You must have been adopted.
Thank you, Loomis.
- So he was a real gamer? - Yeah.
- Any good titles in the bag? - I'm not sure. Check it out.
Goddamn, y'all.
Stay Alive? Never heard of it.
Yeah, that was the game he was playing out the night he died.
He asked me to come over and play. I totally blew him off.
- Hutch, come on. You didn't know. - I know. It's just...
- How'd he get his hands on it? - He did some beta-testing.
I beta-tested for a while. It sucked.
It's like eating a beav - it's awesome at first, then it's goddamn monotonous.
Let's burn a round for Loomis.
I told you, that'd be weird. That was the last thing he was doing.
Sack up, bro.
If Loomis was indeed testing this game, that means it is barely legal.
This could be nice. Everybody likes to touch something for the first time.
I actually get a boner. It's kind of like butterflies, a lot more like...
- A boner? - A boner.
You are a boner.
(clattering)
(rustling)
- Hey. - Jesus Christ!
Can Hutch come out and play?
Swink, you scared the crap out of me, man.
Why, yes, I'd love to come in. Thank you for asking.
I wanna make sure we're all set up.
So...
I'm sorry, you know, about your friend and all.
It...
stinks.
Thanks, man. Look, it's all good. No worries.
It'll be good to hang out with you guys, get my mind off things.
Hey. Ooh.
Dollface, is there something you'd like to tell me?
Hey, you made it. October, fellas, this is Abigail.
She's kind of a friend of Loomis's. She's gonna hang out for a while.
- What's up, mama? - What's up? I gotta pee.
- Oh, yeah. It's right down the hallway. - Oh, sorry.
- You all right? - Yeah, I'm good.
- Girl has got body karate going on. - Shut up.
Hutch, try not to fuck this one up.
- Don't touch me, A-hole. - "A-hole", dude?
Profanity is for the feeble-minded.
Sorry I offended you... fuck-ass.
- Ready for a good night, bro? - I can't stay too late.
I gotta suss out a Naughty Network glitch for the theatre pledges.
You could also take the skirt off and join us playing this virgin game. Would you?
- Virgin? - Yes.
Shoot, I really shouldn't.
OK, I'll figure something out.
- What's with the paparazzi? - It's OK, Mom.
Her one and only experience in town would be a funeral.
Don't worry, you're still the queen bee.
Anyone who says size doesn't matter never played a third-person shooter.
Can I have a 42-incher? You know I like the big ones.
Per usual, that's too much information.
Oh, shit! Oh, man.
You're a whore.
(knocks)
- Yeah? - Abigail, I'm sorry...
The toilet paper is out.
Oh, shoot. Is it under the sink?
That would be the appropriate place, but no, actually, I've got it.
- I can go get October if... - Oh, my gosh, please, no.
- Just pass it through the door. - You want me to?
- The door. - All right.
- There you go. - (squeals) Grazie.
- You wanna close the door? - Oh, yeah. I'm so sorry.
Did you guys grow up together?
We met playing Unreal Tournament online.
You know, Unreal Tournament... Right, you don't play.
I can dig it.
I'll let you finish. Just hold the handle down for at least five seconds.
OK.
What the fuck is my problem?
- You. - No.
- What did you say? - (Abigail) Hey.
God, that thing is gay. And it smells.
- Don't worry, I'll get your back. - Sweet Sebastian Bach, I wanna play.
- Bossman hooking up? - Miller, you signed in? You there?
Fuck, that burns.
No, I'm here.
Loretta called my wife, told her I got caught up in a partner meeting.
- Get dirty, old man. - Not cool.
All right, guys. Enough chatter. The name of this game is Stay Alive.
We don't know much else, other than we're not supposed to have it.
Sit back down.
Bro!
(Phin) Let's do it.
- Dude. - Put your hands on it.
- Disgusting. - Touch it.
(game music starts)
She's stubborn. Isn't letting me get to the game.
Maybe you're supposed to read that prayer right there.
- Just a thought. - Voice-activated? No way.
- That's next-generation technology. - OK.
"Come to me, clouds."
Whoa.
- What? - It's... it's like a séance or...
Can we skip this bullshit cinematic foreplay? I wanna fuck.
- OK. Let's go. Everybody say this, right? - OK.
(all) "Come to me, clouds.
"May you rise as an evil storm born to rip them open.
"Let the cover of night bear witness and destroy those who resist
"so they shall harm me not.
"Let the blood of many cleanse me,
"preserving beauty eternal, I pray you."
(synthesized voice) Welcome. If you're listening to this,
it means you've made a grave mistake.
You spoke the words, and soon you will die for it.
At this very moment, the evil of this place courses through your veins.
You have been marked for death.
Your choice has brought you here,
to Gerouge Plantation.
200 years ago, Countess Elizabeth Bathory
opened Gerouge as a finishing school for young...
- Gerouge. - You've heard of it?
Yeah. Grandma used to tell us if we didn't get home before dark, we'd get taken off...
Yeah, but do you remember Grandma used to wear panties on the outside?
Seriously, though, I know this, guys. I've heard this story.
(voice) What happened to those girls was so depraved
that all accounts were stricken from public record.
The evil of Gerouge has been reborn.
Your salvation lies beyond the gates of this plantation.
Your only chance is this:
uncover the horrible truth about Gerouge Plantation and stop the evil.
But, in order to do that,
you must stay alive.
- My God. - I'm starting to get a little creeped out.
Shut the hell up.
- (Phin) Where the hell are you going? - Just trying to figure it out.
(rumbling)
- (Hutch) What is that? - Whoa.
- You guys feel that? - Hell, yeah. Feel it in my pants, baby.
- Must mean we're close to something. - (Swink) Or something's close to us.
You better pull your weapon, bro.
- Somebody do something. Swink? - No, I'm good.
How do you kill her? She's already dead. Look out!
(screeching)
(man) When fear cripples you, when death's shadow surrounds you,
drop a rose.
It will help you stay alive.
Right. It'll give us a chance to escape ghosts we can't face.
Undead can't cross the twig of a wild rose.
That is what you learn when you read too much goth chick-lit. Lay off the incense.
And the game's fun, but it kind of moves along at a snail's pace.
(Phin) Left, go left. Left! On your left!
Left! Left! Goddamn it, you noob!
(Phin) OK, and you eat my nails, and you eat my nails.
Go round the mausoleum, man. Nice. And eat this.
Come on! Sweet Jesus, these dead bitches are coming out in droves.
Miller, the Bathory tomb, in front of you.
Do not close the door, man. Do not close the door. No! Oh, my God!
Hello, Mumsy.
- Whoa, whoa. What's that? - What's where?
- There. Is something in that wardrobe? - Nice eye.
Thank you.
- Congrats, Abs. You popped your cherry. - (Abigail) It's a secret room or something.
(thunder)
- (Abigail) Is that a diary? - (October) Yeah.
The one from the beginning with the prayer in it.
- (Hutch) Miller, are you OK? - Yeah. No, I'm good.
Are you in those tunnels again? There is no action there. The doors are locked.
Well, they're open now. You know, I'm exploring, tearing shit up.
- Ownin' fools. - "Ownin' fools"?
- I'm telling you, my controller is vibrating. - You'd better drop a rose.
Now I'm out of... I'm out of... I'm out of goddamn roses, man.
- Tell us what you see before you book it. - Some sort of sick torture room or...
God, man. I just saw a flash of dead girls, or...
Goddammit, man.
- Man, she got me. - (Abigail) One of the little girls?
Some woman, man. I think it was the dame from the painting. You know, that countess.
I didn't even get a chance to fight her, man.
- Where's the torture chamber? - I went through a secret entrance.
Hey, are you gonna try and get back in the game?
Well...
Hey, is somebody out there?
- (Hutch) Miller, who are you talking to? - I don't know.
Probably some goddamn rent-a-cop trying to scare the shit out of the living.
You know what they say. You play the game too long, you start seeing shit.
- You know, or have seizures. - (Swink) Games could cause seizures.
Perceptive reality, on the other hand, has yielded some interesting studies.
- (Phin) And you've read them all. - I have. It seems the longer you play,
the more your mind perceives the game world to be a reality.
It's interesting, but it's only a theory. But then there's retinal memory, which...
That is so fascinating, sweetie, but I'm feeling like we should call it a night.
Yeah, some of us have gotta be at work.
But I figured out how to strip those zombie concubines.
How do you do it?
Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A.
Boobs.
Come on, you guys. Hutch is right. We'll pick it back up tonight.
All right. Miller, you can rejoin us then.
Yeah. I'll check my schedule.
Thanks again for hanging, you guys. I really needed it.
- To Loomis. - (all) To Loomis.
To Loomis.
(door creaks)
(door opens, creaking)
(thunder)
(yells)
All right. OK. OK.
(drops keys)
(chuckles)
Perceptive reality.
(door opens, creaking)
(rumbling)
(rumbling continues)
(rumbling stops)
(screams)
- Hutch! - Loretta.
- What's going on? What's going on? - (sobs)
- What's going on? - It's Miller.
Miller?
Miller.
Hey, it's a crime scene. You have to clear out.
Can I get a damn curtain over here?
- I just spoke to him a few hours ago. - Whoa. A few hours ago?
- Get off me. - All right, buddy. Come on. Come on.
Thanks.
I know this kind of thing ain't easy, son. I'm gonna try to be quick about it.
You were here with Mr. Banks last night?
No. I was at my house. We were playing a video game.
His wife said that he was working late.
Yeah, sorry. What I meant was, he was playing from here and I was at my place.
- Just the two of you? - I was with four friends. We were online.
Uh-huh.
- Make sure we get those names. - Roger that.
- Do you live close by? - Yeah, uptown. Off Magazine.
Yeah? That's only ten minutes away.
Those figures could place you at the scene of the crime.
Charlie, chill.
- I just wanna know what happened to him. - All right, now.
OK, if you ever need to give me a call,
my name is Detective Thibodeaux.
I may need to speak with you again.
And I'm sorry about your friend.
Thanks.
All right.
Sweet shit! Get a load of this!
I think I've found bossman's body.
- Oh, God! - That's off-putting.
- Didn't you just say Miller was stabbed? - Man, I can't look at this.
I'll have to quit hanging around with you.
I'm sorry. Phin, if you had any less sense, you'd be half a penny.
Now shut the goddamn game off.
- Because we found Miller's body in it? - It is a horror survival game.
I hate to be a dick, but I think you guys are overreacting a little bit.
- Would you show some respect, man? - Respect?
You pay respect to gamers by gaming, so let's boot it up. To Miller.
- You're not playing for Miller or Loomis. - You didn't even know those guys, right?
If you wanna curl up in the fetal position for the day, fine, but don't expect me to.
As for you, I just met you yesterday, so kiss my ass.
- Phin! - What?
Look, why don't you guys get out of here and let me play in peace?
Peace.
Hey, take it easy.
I'm sorry.
Are you OK?
- I'm just having a hard time, you know? - Yeah.
Abigail, what's your story? We don't know much about you,
other than you've got poor bladder control and can't game for shit.
Well, I grew up in Georgia.
My dad's an architect and my mom's a kindergarten schoolteacher.
I'm going to Princeton in the fall.
Sounds like you've got a perfect little family.
I don't know about perfect.
Sorry. I'm sorry.
- Are you all right? - Yeah.
I've got a thing with fire. It's a long story. No big deal.
What's up?
Finding Miller's body in the game...
Look, I'm no gamer, but there are only so many ways you could die in a video game.
It's all just really bad timing.
Not really. In a sense, the timing is bad because he overresponds to deaths.
But the coincidence of finding Miller's game body and his real body was perfect.
That's why we're freaked out.
It's better in single player anyway.
Dickheads.
(rumble of hooves)
All right, Countess, let's go.
There you are. Oh, you hate mirrors. I forgot.
- You can't break this one. - (horse neighs)
Maybe timing had nothing to do with it. Maybe it was inevitable.
Possible homicidal replication on a sociopathic level.
Where are you going?
Loomis and his friends were playing that video game the night they died. Now Miller.
What are the chances of all of them being murdered right after playing that game?
- Come on, honey. You've gotta relax. - It's just bad timing.
Swink said maybe timing has nothing to do with it.
Did I say that? I have a penchant for big theories. Don't listen to me.
Phineus! Phin! Oh, my God!
What are you doing, man?
I'm pulling this bitch. What's it look like?
What are you doin'?
- What if Loomis and Miller... - Was more than a coincidence?
They both played the game and then they died, so...
obviously the video game killed them, right?
- Are you serious, man? Listen to yourself. - Phin.
I was ready to bite it anyway. Check this mirror I found.
I flipped it. The back works like a mirror, but it won't break like the others.
I think it's made out of polished silver. I don't know. You guys don't have one.
You've been through a lot and I love you, but you're freaking everybody out now.
I know. Yeah.
Nice.
(screeching)
(truck horn)
"No distinguishing marks."
(rumbling)
Hello?
Anybody there?
(rumbling)
(rumbling stops)
Hello?
Jesus Christ!
What are you doing here, Hutch? You shouldn't be in the office.
I'm collecting some things for Miller's family.
The funeral's tomorrow.
I'm sorry, Loretta, I gotta go.
This is why I'm missing my G4techTV weekend wrap-up?
Hot sugar. We had this conversation.
Call me crazy, call me paranoid, I don't give a shit. Just look at this.
- Why isn't Phineus showing? - He said he'd be here, so he'll be here.
OK. So we all saw that Miller was stabbed to death.
The cops think he was stabbed with shears. Loomis's friends too.
Sarah - her body was drained of blood.
The police report said Loomis's neck was broken, and he was hung in the game.
They all died the same way they died in the game.
This can't just be some coincidence.
I don't like this at all.
More importantly right now, where the fuck is my brother?
(sings along to stereo) # Close your eyes, I want to ride the skies in my sweet dreams
# Close your eyes, I want to see you tonight in my sweet dreams
Funky!
(screams)
Is anybody out there?
Phin, are you OK?
- Yeah, I'm awesome. - Phin, it's Hutch. Where are you?
I was on my way, but my whip got stuck out on River Road.
- I'm just south of Binky's Adult Store. - I'll drive.
- Who's that? Abigail? - Yeah.
- What's up, mama? - What's up?
Swink, when you were talking about perceptive reality,
were you talking about hearing or seeing things, or both?
Both. It's bizarre. Retinally speaking...
Shut up. I've not tripped out like this since I ate that blotter acid at Bible camp.
(October) Phin, hang on. We're coming to get you.
Stay on the phone.
(October) You didn't die in the game. I'll be right there.
That's right! I didn't die in the game, baby.
Hey.
(horse neighs)
Wait a minute. In the game, she only comes at night.
(horse neighs)
Is anybody out there?
(horse neighs)
OK, we're close. Look for his car.
Stop, stop! Wait.
Phin!
(distraught muttering)
Please don't do this to me.
Phineus... Phineus...
Oh, my God... Why is this happening?
(mutters and sobs)
Five minutes before we got there.
- Phineus played. When did he play? - October asked him. He said he didn't.
I don't get it.
You need to tell me something?
Yeah. This...
This is gonna sound nuts, OK,
but this game, Stay Alive,
is about the Gerouge Plantation and a woman, Elizabeth Bathory.
- I think I know that ghost story, yeah. - OK. Phineus was run over in the game.
Miller died the same way he died in the game too.
- Wait. Wait a minute, kid. - I got this game last week from a friend.
Him and two of his friends were murdered the same way they died in the game.
Now, explain that.
Right.
That's the Crowley case, over in Church Point.
You lived with that family, right? After what happened with your folks?
Yeah.
You talked to that Crowley kid the night he was murdered?
You know I did, Detective.
Look, all I'm trying to tell you is that someone is tracking this game.
OK? Monitoring it. I swear to you, this is not me.
So somebody knows how you die in this game
and they're killing you in real life the same way?
Some sort of death-by-game copycat killer? (chuckles)
- That's not even possible. - Yes, it is.
- Technically, anybody can hack into... - Shut up.
Let's take a walk.
- Let's see why you're so scared. - I don't think...
Shut up.
- How do you do this thing? - You have to read that.
All right.
"Come to me, clouds. May you rise as..."
There must be a connection.
- Yeah, there is, Hutch. - Look, I already told you...
I'm telling you. Friend or no friend, game or no game,
next time I see you on a crime scene, I'm gonna take you in.
I wonder how you would feel if that was your friend.
- Someone you cared about, Detective. - I would let the cops do their job.
Hey!
Hey, don't play that game.
- You wanna listen to me. - Come on.
I just think it would be better if no one plays.
I can see, at your tender age, something like this might scare you.
- Come on. Come on. - I got it.
All right.
I'm gonna look into this, but you're gonna have to go home, Hutch.
Why don't you lock that kid up?
He rode up on a carriage and mowed down the girl's brother?
This game business sounds like bullshit.
(Swink) That's great. That's just really stupendous.
I know it! We all know it! Something's happening, something bad!
Swink, shut the hell up!
You're not helping, man.
Why did you have to bring that game into our lives, Hutch?
Why?
October.
My brother was all that I had.
That kid meant everything to me, and now he's gone.
October...
I didn't know.
I didn't know. I'm so sorry.
I don't want anybody else to get hurt.
Neither do I.
So we have to do something.
Hutch, I want you to find out everything you can about this game.
OK. I can start with Loomis's house.
I need to stay with Swink and take care of things for Phin.
Are you OK? Are you sure you're up to this?
Hutch, somebody ran my brother down in a horse-drawn carriage.
I'm gonna find whoever did it and hurt them.
OK.
Abigail, stay with Hutch. But if anything happens to him...
And we don't play that game, not for a second.
Hey, a little help here?
Let me guess. Your wife and kids are driving you nuts.
Need something to take the edge off? Something with a high frag-count.
- Do I look 12, man? - I take it you don't play, then.
I retired after I won the Greater Louisiana Q*bert tournament.
- Q*bert, huh? Great. - Yeah, listen.
I need information on a horror game called Stay Alive.
Stay Alive? Never heard of it.
Maybe it's underground.
- Do you know who made it? - Some basehead in his mom's attic.
You know, a game is just an extension of the mind that created it.
You wouldn't play a game by Charlie Manson.
No. Probably not.
Maybe you already have.
(phone rings)
Yeah. Yeah, I got nothing.
No.
It's probably some sort of underground game.
Yeah, right. Anyway, I'll see you in a bit.
(rumbling)
(screams)
(silence)
She must have left at least one of these windows open.
- How do you know that? - I lived with the Crowleys for a while.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, it was like, you know, Loomis's house just felt like home.
Yeah, I used to kinda run here when things got, you know...
- You don't have to talk about it. - No.
My dad went a little nuts,
thought my mom was sleeping around, which she wasn't.
He figured if she wasn't gonna be with him,
she wouldn't be with anybody,
so he set the place on fire.
Just torched it.
The firemen barely got me out alive, but my mom...
She was still in bed when they found her.
I tell myself if I'd been a little older or a little braver,
I would've...
I would've stopped him.
I didn't move.
When he gets out, he'll be 76.
Ain't nothing like family.
This window's open.
So that's why you're scared of fire?
That's why I hate fire.
- I'll go around to the front door, OK? - OK.
Come on.
Let's check out Loomis's room.
(Abigail) What could we find in here that the cops haven't already found?
They didn't know where to look.
- Huh. - What?
What is it?
(Hutch) It's the game company Loomis tested for, where he got the game.
Scary.
I found the address for the game company. Tell me where 1420 Cypress Road is.
Not a problem.
Let's see. Take the Belle Chasse Highway to Breaux Bridge.
Look, we're heading to the game developer.
- This is our only lead. - I don't necessarily think so.
- What are you talking about? - You tell me.
Who strings up her victims by shackle and chain?
Who stabs her victims with silver shears?
Who hunts for her victims in a carriage?
- October... - What?
You have your leads and I have mine. And if I'm right...
You really think her ghost could've been brought back?
I've been reading this book called The Malleus Demonium.
- "The Malleus" what? - It means "the witches' hammer."
It was a handbook for witch hunters during the Inquisition. It says if we find her,
we need to put three nails through her heart, neck, and then forehead.
The nails are gonna put her human spirit back into her body,
and then - this is really, really important, you guys -
"An undead soul is only cleansed by burning its blood."
I just can't believe this.
Detective Charles King was murdered today at Clearwater Mall.
October?
Sources say this murder may be linked...
Oh, my God! The cop, King, he's dead.
What?
- We've got another problem. - (sirens)
Oh, God. The police are here.
OK, OK. Meet us at Loomis's.
- (Swink) Loomis's? - He's right.
- If you don't wanna go to jail, go now. - Jail?
Now! Come on!
(October) Give it to me.
(cocks gun)
Toss the apartment.
What have we got?
God...
Look at this place, Hutch.
(Hutch) Seems like a strange place to create a video game.
Whoa, whoa. Hold on.
Hello?
Sorry.
What are you doing in my house?
I'm sorry. I thought... I thought nobody was here.
Who are you?
- Who are you? - Abigail.
Abigail? Oh.
- Are you looking for something specific? - No.
(Hutch bursts in)
- Get the fuck away from her. - You're both trespassing.
- Wait. - Loomis Crowley.
Loomis Crowley?
He never should've taken my game.
He created Stay Alive.
- So all this... - Is for the game.
I develop the game, then I sell it to a publisher.
But this one is different.
For years I've been wanting to create as authentic a horror video game as I could.
Growing up, I couldn't get the tales of Elizabeth Bathory out of my head.
So this woman, she was real?
Well, the element of truth is always a frightening component to a game.
- Seems it worked on you two. - This isn't about us being frightened.
The reality is... is five people have died after playing your game.
Are you saying this has something to do with me? Is that what you're saying?
They all died the same way their characters died in the game.
You made the game. You tell us.
- Those are my friends. - Jesus...
There's a book that was written by a local author some time ago.
She's not too hard to track down.
I think she might be able to help you.
The book is called "The Lady of Blood."
(deep-South accent) It is a disturbin' tale, to say the least.
- Might keep you up at night. - Probably.
Elizabeth Bathory.
- God, she really was beautiful. - Oh, yes.
She came here from Romania over 200 years ago.
Romania?
Why did she leave?
Nobody knows for sure.
But I assume it was due to her obsession.
Obsession?
See, she had an unhealthy passion for torturing young girls.
- Why would she do that? - Ugliest sin of them all: vanity.
She wanted to remain young forever.
- Sit, honey. - Thank you.
Went so far as to shatter all the mirrors in her mansion.
What does torturing girls have to do with staying young?
Well, their blood.
Their blood?
As the story goes, a young chambermaid was trimmin' the countess's hair
and she accidentally cut her. Fatal mistake.
The countess stabbed that girl to death with the shears,
and then she thought the young girl's fresh blood made her skin softer, younger.
- Like the fountain of youth. - Thus began her obsession.
The Blood Countess.
The countess would hunt the countryside, kidnapping young girl after young girl,
take them back to the most hideous torture chamber.
And there she would bleed 'em dry
and then bathe in a tub of their warm blood.
- Jesus. - No.
Not in her house, precious.
But a local magistrate could ignore the rumors of Gerouge no longer.
They raided the estate, and what they found...
In all, 39 young girls were slaughtered.
Oh, my God.
As punishment,
the townspeople walled Elizabeth up in her tower alive,
condemning her to a death while living.
And she cursed this parish,
vowed that she would be resurrected.
And she promised when that day came,
her wrath would come down upon men, women and children.
Do you know where this plantation is now?
It burnt to the ground over 100 years ago.
But supposedly the black tower and the underground chambers remain.
Their location is a mystery because the parish buried its secret.
Sealed the records. Vowed never to speak of her again.
Do you believe Elizabeth's ghost could be brought back?
You listen to me.
I hope you know better...
than to meddle with the evil of Elizabeth Bathory.
We do, believe me.
But is it possible?
Oh, yeah.
A strong spirit can be conjured up by the proper text.
Proper text?
One day the word will become flesh.
- You remember her diary? - Her diary?
- Yeah, in the game. - Why?
- What if that's it? - What?
The proper text.
Her diary with the prayer, and "one day the words will become flesh."
That would mean that...
This is not about some ghost.
You expect me to believe we conjured up her evil spirit with a game séance?
- To start, we all had to recite that prayer. - That just... It's highly unlikely.
What is it, Swink?
October and I were talking about this. I don't know. Maybe she's onto something.
- Why is the game on? - What?
The game.
I didn't turn it on.
I told you not to play.
- Where's October? - (Swink) She's out smoking.
But you said if we didn't play the game we'd be fine. I thought those were the rules.
I don't know what the rules are. Maybe there aren't any.
October!
It's not possible. I didn't play. None of us did.
- If nobody played the game, that means... - The game's playing by itself.
(jangling)
OK.
- October! - October!
Shit!
No!
(screams)
Let me go!
(screams)
- October! - October!
October!
(screams)
Help me!
October!
Let me go!
- Open the window! Come on! - (screams)
Come on!
Go fuck yourself.
(splutters)
Come on.
It's open. It's open.
Oh, no! No, no, no, no.
You're gonna be OK. You're gonna be OK.
I can fix this. Come on, don't fuckin' leave me.
Goddammit! Please, don't do this to me!
Fuck, fuck, fuck! You can't leave me. You can't leave.
Fuck. Fuck.
- I shouldn't have left her alone. - This isn't your fault, Swink.
This is all my fault.
You should've left when you had the chance.
Your life was perfect before this.
My dad's not an architect.
- What? - My dad's not an architect.
My mom doesn't teach first grade.
- You mean kindergarten? - Whatever. I'm not heading to Princeton.
Pretty much everything I said was bullshit.
- So this van is... - Home sweet home.
I hate telling people the truth and watching them get embarrassed for asking.
We gotta end this.
We gotta stop it.
- I don't think we have much time. - You're right. We don't have a lot of time.
We need to find her body.
- Which means we need to find her tower. - OK.
The game developer knows everything about Elizabeth Bathory.
He's gonna know exactly where her plantation really is.
Hey, Swink, what are you doing?
It's obvious we have to stay alive in the game until we end this.
- One of us has to play. - If you die in the game...
Something won't let us stop playing. Am I right?
If it's gonna play with or without us, at least I can use myself as a decoy.
I can protect us.
Let's go.
- All right, buddy, you know what to do. - Stay alive.
Go on, get out of here. I got these punk-ass bitch motherfuckers handled.
Game time.
This thing is gay.
Hold on. I'm gonna check it out, OK?
Wait here.
Holy shit.
(phone rings)
Thank God, man. Tell me you haven't died in the game.
- No, we're fine. - The place is deserted.
- OK, I need you to get to the back door. - I'm not really sure where that is.
- What room are you in? - Some kind of parlor.
All right. Hold on.
(rumbling)
- (Swink) You're looking at two entries? - Yeah.
Move through the archway, not the doorway, back into the hall.
There should be a staircase to the right and the kitchen to the left.
What's going on, Swink? How do you know all this?
Just pay attention. All right, go through the kitchen and out the back door.
Just keep walking until you see the steps with the statues.
- (Swink) Do you see the iron gates? - (Hutch) Yeah, I see them.
(Abigail) Just like the game.
Jesus Christ.
This is Gerouge Plantation.
We're in the bitch's backyard.
(crash / she gasps)
Elizabeth.
- What does this mean, Hutch? - It means her body's up in that tower.
No shit.
Elizabeth's diary.
All these girls. She killed them all.
(rumbling)
- (screeching) - (Abigail screams)
(Abigail screams)
Abigail's in trouble upstairs. Which way do I go?
Uh...
It's faster to take the staircase around the side.
OK.
(screams)
It's locked! It's locked. I need a crowbar or something.
(Swink) Do you see one on the step?
You gotta be kidding me.
(screams)
- Which way? - Right, to the bedroom.
Come on, Swink.
(screams)
- (Hutch) I can't get in. It's locked. - Wait. I have a key.
- This is... - Fucking insane. Now go!
Hutch!
Swink, I'm not gonna make it.
Let me try something.
(sobs with relief)
What happened? Are you guys all right?
Yeah. You saved her life, man.
- Goddamn sweet! - (Hutch) So, what now?
We need three nails. And one last thing. Remember what October said.
The way to cleanse a witch's soul is to burn her blood.
Wait. The roses. If you're gonna go up there, you can't forget the wild roses.
- You never know, and I bet... - (rumbling)
No! No!
Hell, yeah!
Swink!
Come on, you bitch.
Oh, shit.
Bitch, that's cheating! I'm not dead yet.
(Abigail) Go!
Swink!
- Swink! - (Swink) Help me!
Get away! Get away from me!
Swink!
Hutch, I'm sorry.
OK, we're gonna need a hammer.
That'll work.
All right.
(amplified breathing / hooves)
- You hear that? - Move.
Move, move, move.
Come on.
(Abigail) Open the door!
Hutch!
Hutch, come on. Come on! Hutch!
(screams)
Thanks, Swink.
- (Abigail whimpers) - I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
It's OK. It's all right.
OK?
- I'm gonna go first. Stay right behind me. - OK.
It's OK.
- (rumbling) - Wait. Did you hear that?
OK. All right.
(high-pitched wail / wind howls)
Come on.
This way.
Come on. Come on.
Go.
Fuck.
There should be a second door in here.
This should be the tower. Yeah, come on. Let's go.
(creaking)
(gasps)
Hutch!
- (Hutch) It won't open. - Open it!
OK, wait. Let me think. I can get this open.
- How? - I don't know. Just give me a second.
- Hutch. - It's just a... What?
We don't have the time!
Just think about it. You gotta finish this.
No.
- Listen. - I'm not leaving you.
Hutch.
I want you to go.
You're our only chance.
OK?
- This can't be happening. - Well, it is.
I won't let her take you.
I know.
You be careful of that.
OK.
He loves me,
he loves me not.
He loves me,
he loves me not.
He loves me,
he loves me not.
He loves me...
(moans)
Go away!
(clank / jangle of chains)
(groans)
(screams)
(whimpers)
(moans)
(metallic clunk)
(another clunk)
(clunk)
(yells)
- Hutch! - Come on! Move!
Come on, hurry. Move! Come on, man!
- Move! - Hutch!
Come on. Come on, man! Come on!
Come on! Come on, Hutch!
(distant sirens)
Killer.
(group) Come to me, clouds.
May you rise as an evil storm born to rip them open.
Let the cover of night bear witness and destroy those who resist
so they shall harm me not.
Let the blood of many cleanse me,
preserving beauty eternal.
I pray you.