(theme music playing)
NARRATOR: Man lives in the sunlit world
of what he believes to be reality.
But... there is,
unseen by most, an underworld.
A place that is just as real
but not as brightly lit.
A dark side.
(thunder crashing)
(thunder rumbling)
(gasps)
Did I frighten you, Cathy?
I just didn't hear you come in, darling.
I'm sorry.
Yes, as a matter of fact,
I walk very slowly and softly these days.
(chuckles)
You might also say that I...
that I creep instead of walk.
Why?
Why in God's name
do you put up with the likes of me?
(thunder rumbling)
Cause you're such a good kisser.
(chuckles)
(doorbell ringing)
Who could that be?
That should be Michael.
I didn't know Michael was coming down.
Just for a little business.
It won't take long.
I'll let him in.
No. I'll get it.
(groans)
Hello, Michael.
(sighs)
(door opening)
Well, here's the last and final one, Edward.
The order from Thorton Plastics.
Well, you know what that means--
endless dull lunches
with Cornelius Thorton.
And you'll have to at least smile at all of his bad jokes. Michael,
you never want to become a rich man.
It's a bloody bore. (chuckles)
Well, I'll try to remember that, sir.
A Ouija board?
Cathy, you're playing that silly game again.
Edward, it's a perfectly harmless way
for me to spend my time.
And I do have a lot of time.
Ever since I was a kid,
I've heard bad things about Ouija boards.
Come on now, Michael, wake up and join the 20th century.
He's right, Michael.
It's just a game.
In fact, why don't we play right now?
You don't have to leave right away, do you?
Well, no, no, but I don't really think that I can...
Go ahead, Michael, indulge the girl.
Stay right there, Michael.
(thunder rumbling)
Okay, put the board on your knees.
Now, place your fingertips like this.
Now, the presiding spirit of this board is called Ben.
After Benjamin Fairchild, the original owner
of this house.
Oh, oh, I see.
Ben, are you here?
Ah, we have a quorum.
I suggest we ask Ben a question
right off the bat that will put him to the real test.
Ben,
when you're not here with the board,
where do you live?
The madness room.
The madness room?
What could that mean?
I know exactly what it means.
I've done some research on the history of this house
in the local library.
It turns out that this is
one of the oldest houses in this part of the country.
Now, don't tell me that this house is haunted.
Well, not haunted, exactly,
but supposedly there's one room--
one very, very weird room.
Everyone that's ever stayed in that room
has gone insane.
Sounds like the bedroom of my first wife.
All right, Cathy, where's the location of this madness room?
I want to stay clear away from it.
That's just it, Edward, no one knows.
About a hundred years ago,
his young wife Ophelia Fairchild was staying in it.
One day, she shot her husband through the heart with a pistol.
Then grabbed their baby and ran to a well and... jumped in.
After that the room
was sealed off.
It's been sealed off for a hundred years.
The next question is obvious--
Maybe there shouldn't be any more questions, Edward.
One question leads to another, Michael,
so let's put Ben to the real test.
Let's ask him where the madness room is located.
Ben...
where is the madness room?
"Fire."
"Ring."
Fire... ring.
Fire.
I know it means fireplace.
What about ring?
There's a ring.
Maybe...
it means we should remove this brick.
(thunder rumbling)
(thunder crashing)
My God!
Here.
A key.
To the madness room!
And look, this must be an old set of blueprints to the house.
Don't you see what Ben's up to?
If there's a room shown here, where there's not a room now,
then that must be where the madness room is.
Edward, what do you think of Ben now?
Well, I... I must admit it's very strange.
You are going to stay and help us look for it, aren't you?
Oh, well, I don't know. I...
Oh, what's the matter, Michael?
Are you afraid?
No! I'm not afraid!
Michael, I want you stay and give us a hand.
All right, Edward.
Can I have a drink?
Help yourself.
Oh, this is going to be fun.
Can I fix you something, Cathy?
No, thank you.
Edward?
No, thank you, Michael.
Alcohol is one of my many pleasures
that my doctors see fit to deny me.
Did you find anything?
I don't know.
Edward, you have such a sharp eye.
Will you take a look?
Yes. Of course.
Michael, I think we ought to ask Ben
if he has any further instructions.
Yeah. All right.
Ben, any last words?
This is like looking for a buried treasure.
Scoff... at...
me... and... damned...
you'll... be.
It's moving so fast.
Lock... the... door...
behind... us... four.
You know that long empty hallway?
On the west side, there isn't any rooms.
But, according to this drawing, there is a room there.
Drop... key... in... crack.
The...
only... way...
back.
(tapping on wall)
All right.
(tapping)
Well, according to this drawing,
it should be right here.
Yeah. I think this it.
The madness room.
There you are, boy.
Go to it.
Hold this.
Well, I... I guess we can get in now.
Go ahead, Edward.
Oh. I get the honors, huh?
All right.
Good heavens, Cathy. What's the gun for?
Protection.
I'm afraid a gun
isn't much protection against ghosts.
CATHY: Where's the light switch?
Oh, come on, Cathy.
This room has been sealed off for 100 years.
You expect there to be a light switch?
You're right, Edward. As usual.
Here's a lamp.
You want a lighter?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Okay, hold this.
That's a lot better.
It sure is.
Strange room.
Let's look around.
So this is where Ben lives.
Wait a second.
What were Ben's instructions?
"Lock the door behind us four."
Four?
Three of us and Ben.
That's four.
You really think that we ought to lock the door?
Well, we're here. Let's play Ben's rules, huh?
Hmm. Here's that crack in the floor
that Ben was talking about.
It's odd about the key.
What's that?
Ophelia Fairchild's diary.
"July l7, 1888.
"I love my baby, but it cries.
"I want to make my baby stop crying forever.
What's happening to me?"
Cathy, I don't think you better...
No! No! Stay away from me.
"July 28.
"It's a beautiful day outside even though it's raining.
"The raindrops are speaking to me.
"They're saying, 'Deceit. Deceit.
"'Deceit.
"'Death.
'Death. Death.'"
Cathy.
Don't touch me.
Your hands are so cold.
So clammy.
Cathy, what...?
I said, don't touch me.
Cathy, be careful with that.
It's this room.
I think it's getting to her.
Yes, the room is getting to me! The house
is getting to me!
Most of all, dear husband, you are
getting to me! (cries out)
Edward, what is it? What's wrong?
Oh, that pain again! Come on over here and lay down.
I think we need to get you to a doctor.
No one is leaving.
For heaven's sake, Cathy! The man has a weak heart!
Wrong! The man has no heart.
I think we need to get you out of this room.
Give me the gun!
I don't want to hurt you.
Cathy, give me the gun.
(gunshot)
"Drop... key... in crack, the only... way back."
Cathy...
maybe...
maybe this will break the spell.
Oh, no.
No, Cathy.
(gunshot)
Cathy?
You're a genius.
So are you.
You see, darling,
there was never any madness room.
When you were in the hospital,
and I was having the house remodeled,
I simply had an ordinary room refurnished and boarded up.
You're both going to come into a lot of money.
But what if I don't... don't cooperate,
and... and I refuse to die?
Michael has thought of that.
He'll just help you along.
Michael!
Where's the key?
He dropped it in that crack.
Don't you have another one?
No. I thought you had one.
I don't have another one.
Then why else did you spell out that last message
about dropping the key through the crack?
I didn't spell that out.
I thought you did.
(coughing)
(choking)
Oh, Ben.
Ben.
(laughing)
(loud laughter)
NARRATOR: The dark side is always there.
Waiting for us to enter.
Waiting to enter us.
Until next time, try to enjoy the daylight.