Have we decided what we're gonna do yet?
Not yet. Who knows? Maybe the fresh air will help.
- It's a vacation right? - More or less.
Actually, it's more of a moral-support weekend.
- So you think it's gonna be heavy? - I don't know, Franklin.
Your dad dies in a hunting accident. Think that might weigh on you a bit?
- It's only been a year since he passed. - Sam doesn't seem too affected by it.
Yeah, not to you, she wouldn't.
Thanks for inviting me.
I'm glad you came. I didn't think you would.
I think I need to be out of my element.
Besides, this is a big weekend for all of us.
That's what I'm counting on.
Hey, guys. What's happening?
- Hey. - How's everybody doing?
Hey, how you doing?
Great. I've never been out of the city like this before.
Pretty cool, huh?
- What, you got no trees in the hood? - What's wrong with you?
Dom.
- This is cute. What is it? - Like a dream catcher, but different.
How?
My father taught me how to make them. He made that one.
It's our way of staying connected to those that have passed on,
like my mother and father.
Welcome to Canmore.
- Looks homey. - Yeah, for a ghost town.
Cute, huh?
Load up. This is the closest thing to civilisation we'll see for a while.
- How far are we from the lake? - About an hour's drive.
- Babe, you're not gonna get anything? - I'm just gonna stretch my legs.
Hey, there. Can I get three packs of those?
Three packs of those, please.
- Gonna have a feast, are we? - Just some restocking.
- Don't worry. We'll all help out. - Thanks.
These parts ain't safe this time of year.
- OK. - Fabulous.
I didn't see you there.
I should get back to my friends.
Yeah.
- What's up, Kate? You all right? - There's this guy over...there.
- What guy? - You're losin' it, girl.
- Hey, guys, check it out. - What, are we there?
Yeah. Look to your right.
Yeah, look. Sam got a lake named after her.
My dad discovered it 30 years ago. He loved it so much, he named me after it.
Here we are.
- Wow, this is beautiful. - Yeah.
It's good to be home.
- It's the spirit of the forest. - I'm sorry. Say that again.
The spirit of the forest. It's like a greeting.
It's a good omen.
The spirit of the forest. I like that.
Yeah, but let's not talk about spirits and shit like that, OK?
Come on. Let's go.
Come on.
Dominik, you're in there with me. You guys can throw your stuff in that room.
Quaint.
Put your swimsuits on. The water looks beautiful.
- You ready? - Yeah.
Sam, where are you?
I'm over here.
- Am I intruding? - No, not at all. Come have a seat.
- What are these rock circles? - They're grave markings.
I believe they help connect the spirits of those who have passed on
with our world.
- Are your parents buried here? - No, it's just symbolic.
Keeps me close to them. Like those dream catchers.
I'm seeing a whole new side of you since we got here.
This is where I belong.
How you been feeling?
I'm good.
Having you guys here really helps.
Not too many people understand me like you do.
I feel the same way.
Come on.
- This looks dangerous. What's this? - It's just an old logging pole.
Comes in handy if anybody steps out of line.
I'll bet.
You've got quite the place here, Sam. It's so quiet.
Where are all the other cottage people?
Most of them are old and like the quiet, so you'll never see them.
Others come up for only a few weeks a year.
If it wasn't a six-hour drive, I'd consider getting a place here.
I'm serious. The lake is so calming.
Actually, you know what? I'd probably get a place closer to the city.
What is that?
- It's about time. - How exciting.
- We get to meet other cottage folk. - Behave, Dominik.
Hey.
This is Jesse. That's Dominik, and that's Kate and Melanie.
- Hi. - And that's...
- Hey, what's up man? Franklin. - Cool.
- Fire on Wolf Island tonight? - You gonna set it up?
- It'll be ready when Orion peaks. - OK. I'll bring the kids.
- Later. - Bye.
- OK. Who was that? - Yeah!
Jesse? We grew up together around here, spent summers at the lake.
I see. This is why she stays single. It all makes sense now.
No, it's not like that. His cottage is just around the point.
Anyway, what's this he said about the wolf catching fire on the island?
Sweetie.
No, he's setting up a bonfire on Wolf Island tonight. It's tradition.
Tradition.
- You like what I did? - Very cute.
What do you think?
- I've never seen so many stars. - I know. I had no idea.
OK. What was that?
- I don't know. - Oh, God.
Wait.
Come on.
All right, story time. Anybody got any spooky stories?
No? All right, I got one. It's a true story, too.
It happened to a friend of mine's cousin.
She was baby-sitting these two little kids, three and five.
She's sitting in the dark by herself watching TV and the phone rings.
She goes over and she picks it up and she says, "Hello?"
The guy on the other end's breathin' real heavy and he says to her,
"Have you checked on the children?"
- She freaks out, gets up... - Franklin, come on.
- What? - Everybody's heard this one.
Have you checked on the children? That's older than your boxers. Hello!
- No, it's a true story, for real. - You can be so cute sometimes.
- I'm telling you, it's true. - I liked it. It was good.
Does anyone else have a story, one that actually works?
- Tell 'em about the house, Sam. - No.
Come on. They seem brave enough.
No way.
What house?
Nothing. It's just Jesse trying to cause trouble.
Sam, if you have something, share it.
It's not an urban legend or a ghost story.
- Even better. Come on. - Yeah, come on. Spill it.
Fine, but if you wanna hear the story, then it comes with an adventure.
- Then I really wanna hear it. - Are you sure you guys are up for this?
Enough already. Get on with it.
10 minutes away from here, there's an old broken-down house.
We passed it on the way up here. It's in the middle of nowhere.
- Tucked away off the side of the road? - That's the one.
Well, a long time ago this man lived there.
His family owned hundreds of acres of land around here, really wealthy.
This man met this simple country girl from a small town and they fell in love.
His family wasn't too happy, but, being the independent type,
he went off and built this little house
on a chunk of their land in the middle of nowhere.
He married this girl and everything was wonderful.
They had a daughter and eventually a son.
This is where the story starts to go off.
Their son was sick.
Not physically but mentally.
He wasn't retarded or anything. He was just a little off.
By the time he was nine, he became too much for his parents to handle,
throwing temper tantrums, erratic sleeping patterns,
disappearing into the woods and hiding, that kind of thing.
Not knowing what to do about his son, the man turned to his family for help.
His parents had the boy taken away, sent to a place deep in the woods.
It wasn't an insane asylum, but it catered to people with special needs,
if you know what I mean.
His parents thought it was for the best.
And over time the family functioned as if there'd never been a son
and everything went back to being wonderful again.
Eight years later, the boy, who was about 16 or 17,
manages to escape from the hospital.
They do a search, but he's nowhere to be found.
His family's notified and they are devastated.
He's been alone in the wilderness for weeks and he's probably dead.
And then, in the dead of night, the boy finds his way back home.
And he creeps into his house and slaughters his entire family.
Father, mother and sister.
Blood still dripping from the stick, he disappears into the woods.
The surrounding townsfolk were horrified and they tried to find the boy,
but to this day he has not been found.
Now, around harvest time every year since then,
people have started to go missing.
And in their place a corn-husk doll would be left behind.
Legend has it, he still roams the woods around these parts.
And you brought us here?
It seems like there's a doll hanging from every house in that small town.
The surrounding towns have bought into the legend and hang them for protection.
No one's gone missing in years, have they?
I don't know. I don't think so. I haven't heard of anything.
When I was young, we tried to find him, but I don't think he's around any more.
- I'm not telling you this to scare you. - Whatever.
No, really. I've been up here my whole life and I've never seen the guy.
Me neither.
Apparently, that house is still haunted by the ghosts of his murdered family,
and if you go up there late at night,
you can hear the whole thing take place all over again.
Seriously, those two, I don't know about them, man.
Well, I might as well, considering I've soiled my underpants.
- That's sick. - What? Like you didn't?
Sorry if I spooked you at the gas station.
It's OK.
It's just that we don't get many girls as pretty as you passing through.
- If I'd have known you were with Sam... - It's fine.
Man, this is living.
It sure is. Tell you what, it beats the city.
Please. For a little while, not for ever.
Yeah, that's true.
Come on, let's pack it in.
I'm tired.
City girl can't handle the country air.
Dark sleep.
You all right?
Yeah, I'm fine.
- Water? - Thanks.
You OK?
Yeah. I'm fine.
It's not the dream again, is it?
No.
No, it's just...
It's this place.
So many memories.
How do you do it?
Do what?
All alone, no family.
It's difficult sometimes.
I miss my father so much.
He was my life.
It just takes time, Sam.
You know what? You know what?
We're your family now.
Whatever happens, we'll all go through it together.
It'll all work out.
Come on. Let's go back to bed.
- Thanks, Dom. - Come on.
Now, calm down now, Thelma.
Someone there?
This ain't funny no more.
- Don't do that. - You're getting rusty, city girl.
- In your dreams. - I thought you'd still be sleeping.
Please.
God, it's good to be home.
- Yeah, well, we missed you round here. - Thanks.
I forget how much I miss it until I come back.
No shit.
So, tell me about your friends.
- They're kind of like a little family. - What do you mean?
Dominik's parents disowned him when they found out he was gay.
He took Melanie under his wing years ago.
Her parents died. She bounced around for years before ending up on the streets.
That's where she met Franklin. They went through a drug thing together.
That's interesting.
Kate's parents split up a long time ago
and are too preoccupied with themselves to bother with her.
She's also just come through a long, nasty relationship, so she's still raw.
Nasty?
She took a baseball bat to him one night.
- She hospitalised him for a week. - That's impressive.
So they all sort of clicked together and formed this family unit.
- Wounded geese tend to gather. - That they do.
It works out well. You fit right in.
- Watch it. - Let's go wake these guys up.
I'm starved.
Hey.
- Did you see that one? - Not bad.
So, Sam, last night you said that with that story came an adventure, right?
- Well? - In time.
- Just tell us what it is. - Patience.
Yeah, baby, have a little patience.
- Who's helping me with dinner? - I will.
Thank you.
That was great.
Yeah.
- Where are you off to? - To the dock to check out some stars.
I'll come with you.
Watch your step.
Wow.
Do you know any constellations?
It's Orion the hunter. It's one of my favourites.
Cool.
- You've heard of the Big Dipper, right? - Yeah.
It's always just over the top of the mountain.
Oh, yeah.
You really love it here.
Yeah, I guess I do. I mean, what's not to love?
Don't you feel isolated, like you're missing out on the rest of the world?
After you spend enough time up here, it kind of seeps into you
and you stop needing or wondering about other places.
What do you mean?
Take a look up at the sky, at the water,
feel the trees swaying in the breeze,
and there's a calmness to it, a peace.
And over time it kind of finds its way to your core
and you kind of become one with it.
It's powerful. It's pure.
I'd give you a week up here and I'll bet you never wanna leave again.
That was hell. Have these people never heard of a dishwasher?
- Where's Kate and Jesse? - Down on the dock.
That's kinky.
- Come on, let's go. - Where?
- I told you there was an adventure. - Oh, God.
- Hey, you wanted to hear it. - Come on, let's go. It'll be fun.
- Come on. - Up.
Hey, Jesse, let's go!
- Where are we going? - To have a little fun.
You'll see.
- That better not be what I think it is. - You're kidding me.
- Man, this is cool. - Why settle for just a story?
- Everybody out. - Let's go.
What? Are you whacked? There's no way I'm getting out of this truck.
Fine. Dominik, come on, let's go.
Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit.
- This is insane. - Yeah.
That's pretty.
Just lovely.
Man, it's freaky in here.
Come on.
No, this is as far as I go.
- Jesus! - Kate?
I'm fine.
I think there's another door back there.
What is it?
Hey, guys?
- Jesse spook you? - Yeah.
Dork.
This is stupid.
- Find anything? - No.
I know there's a back door and another room somewhere, but it's just too dark.
Can you see anything?
I think something fell from the chimney.
- Yeah, wait. I think I see something. - What is it?
- I don't know. I can't make it out. - Well, grab it.
- I'm not reaching in there. - Come on. What are you, a wuss?
Fine.
- What? - Was that necessary?
I got it.
Check it out.
That's cool.
Jesse, enough all ready.
What the fuck was that?
- Get the fuck out of here now! - We're going!
- Hurry up! - Open the door! Open the door!
- Hurry up. - Shit.
- Come on, Sam. - Sam, please, hurry up!
- Drive! - Come on!
That wasn't funny, you guys.
Oh, my God. What the hell just happened?
- Holy shit. - What a rush.
I'm glad you thought that was so funny. I almost died back there. Dead, OK?
Hey, guys, look. Check it out.
- What is it? - Get rid of it.
- I don't want it. - Sure, right. You and that damn doll.
- I didn't put it there. - Yeah, whatever.
Honestly, I think I'm still in shock.
That is the last adventure I ever go on.
- You didn't even get out of the truck. - Exactly.
- What happened in there, anyway? - Nothing, really.
- I'll tell you when we get to the city. - Good idea.
- I need a drink. Anyone want something? - Definitely.
So, has this ever happened to you guys before?
No. I mean, I've heard noises from the house before and felt a presence,
but never the screaming.
Yeah, that was pretty intense.
Understatement.
Even the book is creepy.
Be careful with that, man. That's a souvenir.
Not if I can help it.
Baby, I had no idea you were such a chicken.
Dominik?
- What's wrong? - Yeah, what's it say?
It's like a journal or something.
A journal?
- It's his journal. - Whose journal?
The guy...
The guy that killed his family.
You're kidding me, right?
Are you serious?
There's like a dedication on the inside cover.
What does it say?
"To my family who I love and cherish and who will always be with me."
"September 5th, 1959. It has been hard alone.
All they had to do was talk. They could not talk.
I hear her voice late at night sometimes, screams.
It is cold and dark.
I needed things. She did not love me.
The medicines are gone. I am free, free from all of them.
If they could not love me, they had to go. Dark sleep for everyone.
I'm safe here. The animals are good. They talk.
I hear her voice still, screaming."
Jesus Christ.
"December 4th, 1959. They have stopped looking for me.
It is OK for me now. I visit my house.
I keep warm in the forest. It provides like the others could not.
At least they talk to me now when I visit."
Wow, the next entry is like years later.
"October 3rd, 1965.
I left the forest years ago and moved to a small town nearby.
Nobody recognises me.
I still go to the forest sometimes. I even spend a couple of nights there.
I hear people telling my story sometimes. It makes me laugh inside.
Mom and Dad are very proud of me."
That's creepy.
"November 2nd, 1973. Life has been good.
I have learned how to be a mechanic,
bought a cottage on a nearby lake and met a girl.
She's very quiet and pretty. Jessica.
I brought her to the house and she likes it.
Dad said it's just like how he met Mom, small town and all."
OK. "July 1st, 1976. Today is a great day."
What was that?
- I don't know. - OK, guys, can we just stop now?
I'm getting really freaked out.
Yeah, maybe we should. Dominik, put the book away.
Come on. It's probably just the wind blowing a dead branch off a tree.
We're safe in here, though, aren't we?
Can't we just talk about happier things?
I'll go check it out. You keep reading.
Yeah, keep going. This is kind of fun.
Fine, just hurry up.
OK, where was I?
OK, right. "July 1st, 1976.
Today is a great day. I have babies.
She gave birth to twins today. I'm so happy.
Mom and Dad are grandparents now.
Jessica isn't doing so well, though.
It was hard for her, 'cause I wanted it to be natural,
like the way the animals do it.
She might not make it.
I can teach them things about animals and show them the woods. I'm happy."
Yeah, happy for a sick and twisted murderer.
He made her give birth to twins naturally. Sounds like hell.
OK, this is the last entry.
"August, 1995. I'm so proud of my kids.
They are just like me. That's what Mom says.
Well, except they are much smarter.
They go to school in town and have lots of friends.
They spend time in the woods with me.
We listen for the animals and everything. I love them so much.
I taught them this game where their friends run loose in the forest.
We have to chase them down and put them into dark sleep,
so they always stay with us, like Dad, Mom, sis and Jessica.
It's fun. They're really good at it. I'm very proud of them.
I named my daughter after the lake and my son after my dead wife.
She is happy with that.
Jesse took over at the garage and Sam moved off into the city. She is..."
What the fuck?
- Sam? - This isn't funny.
What do we do?
- OK, stop playing, Sam! - What the fuck do we do?
- No, no, no, no! This is a joke, right? - Franklin, do something.
- We have to get out of here! - Don't! Don't!
- Sam! - We're fucked!
Yes, you are.
No. You're not doing this.
- Oh, yes, I am. - Run, run, run!
Go, go!
Please, please, please, Sam. It's me. Don't.
Sam, no, please! Please, Sam, no! It's me.
It's me, Sam. No! No!
I'll watch over you now. Dark sleep.
Don't stop, Kate. Run!
What?
We aren't alone.
- What do you mean? - I mean, he's out there.
Have you lost it? I saw him die.
Now could you focus?
No one is out there but these little rats running through our forest.
Now just enjoy this.
Let's do this.
All right. That's what I like to hear.
Come on, baby.
Come on, baby, get up. Come on.
We're gonna make it out of here. We just gotta keep running.
See? We already lost 'em. We gotta find the road.
- We're gonna get out of here. - Dominik's dead.
I know Dominik's dead, baby, OK? But you can't think about that right now.
Franklin!
It's over there. It came from over there.
- No, it's this way. Come on. - Franklin, where are you?
Come on, baby.
- Check it out. - We can't just knock on their door.
- Why not? - We don't know who's in there.
It's gotta be better than what's out there. Maybe a phone or car keys.
There's no keys. Come on.
Hello?
It seems empty.
We need some help. There's nobody here.
Come on, do something. Look for something useful.
- Phone's dead. - Surprise, surprise.
Oh, shit.
- What are you doing? Look what I found. - We gotta get outta here.
Why?
- Oh, shit. - Let's go.
OK.
We're going for the van, OK?
Now!
Franklin!
Fuck!
You're kidding me.
- Which way? - I don't know.
Fuck! I think it's this way. Come on.
- Are you sure? - I think so. Come on.
What are you doing? We gotta keep moving, OK?
I need you to walk it off. Walk it off. Walk it off.
Fuck, how did we get involved in this shit?
Can we jog a little bit? OK, come on.
Kate? Shit. Go, go.
I can handle her. I'll catch up with you.
- No. - Run!
All right, bitch.
What were you gonna do with this, city boy?
Franklin!
- Dad's out there. - Jesse, for Christ's sake.
I picked up his scent.
- We put him down there together. - Have you checked the grave?
- No one could survive a blow like that. - He's pissed. I can feel it.
So what? Even if he's still alive, how strong could he be?
He's old and wounded. It's nature's way, Jesse.
He was becoming a burden. You could see it as clear as I could.
- Yeah. - He even knew.
- But what if...? - Don't tell me you're afraid.
He's gonna kill us.
If he were alive, what else would he be doing? It's the natural order.
I don't like this.
Who's taking care of you now?
- You. - Right.
I brought these people up for the hunt, didn't I?
So don't be such a chicken shit.
Fine.
I'll get her. She's mine and I want her.
Kate!
Kate, I'm not gonna hurt you.
Fuck! That hurt.
That shit ain't gonna work on me.
I told you. I told you. I told you, OK?
I'm not gonna hurt you, OK? I'm not gonna hurt you.
Just hear me out, all right, Kate?
I'm gonna let you go now, OK? But just hear me out. OK?
OK.
When the cat's away...
I thought that we had something, you know?
I felt it and I know you did, too.
Look, I'm really not a bad guy.
And once you see how things work around here, I know that you'll fit in.
Kate, I can provide for you, and you already know Sam very well.
I know this is all happening so fast, with the story, the lies and everything.
But I promise you, Kate, it won't happen again, OK?
Yeah, I promise you.
What do you say?
- You're so twisted. - I said I'd handle this, Sam.
You're doing a great job.
Shit.
What's this?
You were right. He's alive.
Now finish her off. We're being hunted.
Kate, honey, she's right.
There's only one way for us to be together.
Dark sleep for ever. We all stay together.
Sam!
Jesse?
No, no.
Let's take him down in the forest.
I'll be back for you.
We'll split up.
I'll lead him back. You keep an eye on me.
You know how this has to be.
You can't do this any more.
Jesse?
Jesse.
Good one.
You taught me well.
But this is my family now. Your time has passed.
This is what you wanted.
You didn't think I forgot about you?
Are you looking for something?