PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal (1996) s01e02 Episode Script
Possession
These stories are inspired by the actual case files of the "Office of Scientific Investigation and Research".
Is that good? Oh yeah.
Hey, kitty, you like my beef tender loin, huh? - Smells great, honey.
- Yeah, our new friend likes my cooking.
You gonna feed that cat our dinner, are you? - You want to try some? - I think I'll wait till it's cooked.
Ditto.
I'll get it.
Hello.
Hey, Jeff.
Yeah, I heard.
I'll deal with it first thing in the morning.
Tonight? Head office said the numbers were fine.
Okay, all right, fine.
Come by and we'll go over them again tonight.
Yeah, Frank's right here.
He's Oh, my god! Get away from me! Paul.
Look, look! Can't you see it!? Demonic posession.
Occupation of an individual's soul by the devil is a primitive belief.
Yet despite centuries of social advancement, many still appeal to demonic lore in explaining some disturbing and frightening events.
Paul Tanner, software developer, gourmet cook, proud owner with his wife Kelly of a restored Victorian era San Francisco house, is very much your modern man.
But when the foundations of his life were shaken by wrenching visions, fueled through an image of the devil, everyone assumed that this force had set out to capture his soul.
Was Paul Tanner battling an evil influence over the control of his spirit? This was the question facing the OSIR in case number 67102.
Get away from me! Father, you've got to help him.
I've had very little experience in these matters.
There has been no time to prepare.
I'm begging you, Father, please.
We've tried everyting.
We know your hidden sins, Father.
We see through your lies.
Almighty Father, grant strength to your servants to fight against this evil one.
I command you, all evil spirits, through God almighty the Father, through Jesus Christ, and through the Holy Spirit that you depart this his vessel Paul Tanner, whom you now hold captive.
Do not release him, the devil may just be hiding.
Mrs.
Tanner, this is unlike anything that I have ever seen.
But I I will do all I can to free his soul.
Now I must talk to my superiors about this matter.
But perhaps there is another way to help.
Connor Doyle, case manager.
File number 67102.
Day one.
Tanner residence.
Initial sweep reports no anomalous energy fields.
Radiation levels are within an acceptable range.
No unusual environmental conditions that would percipitate the subject's condition.
Perimeter secured, Connor.
Witnesses have signed releases, they're ready to be interviewed.
- Then let's get started.
- All right.
I don't know what you want me to say.
I know these people about six months now.
They're good people.
Lately you can sort of get a sense that it's coming on.
But the first time that it happened there was absolutely no warning.
Well, I'm not an official exorcist in the eyes of the church.
You could say it's beyond my field of expertise.
He is like psychotic.
He is screaming, he starts throwing lamps around, he goes complete nuts.
It kept happening.
The last thing that I wanted to think about was that he was posessed.
When you enter a room and the devil is there, yes, you can feel a presence.
It's just horrible.
One minute Paul's fine and the next he is this monster.
I have like a sensation that I've done something horrible.
With Paul Tanner I couldn't directly sense this kind of evil.
And after trying unsuccessfully to exorcise the demon it was decided that we should contact your office and see if you could help in this matter.
I brought him to the hospital to have our doctor run some tests on him.
And he ran a lot of tests on him but came up with nothing.
What do you do when you're afraid for your own husband? I have no recollection of that other.
And it hurts.
I have no control.
I can't explain it.
Could I have some water? Case file update.
The witness to the episode, Frank Kelterbourne, a friend of the Tanner family, will remain on-site for the duration of the investigations, so as to maintain a controlled environment.
Dr Corless, OSIR team psychiatrist, continues with her psychological assesment.
She will hypnotically regress Paul Tanner to obtain a clear account of the claimed occurence.
V W X Y and relax.
Paul, can you hear me? His pulse is well over 80.
He is exhibiting tremendous physical and mental stress.
Paul, remember: you are relaxing relaxing Can you take us back to May 16 at 8 pm? Where are you? My house, the living room.
Who is with you? Demons.
Three of them.
What do they want? My soul.
The want to take me.
Get away from me! Paul, come back now.
File number 67102.
Day two.
Environmental assessment complete, data pouch containing air, water and soil samples is being sent to HQ for further analysis.
Thus far all baseline results are normal.
Proceeding with on-site surveilance of the Tanner house.
His account of the episode is a delusional reverse of the other witnesses.
Could he be suffering ongoing mental problems? I don't think so.
This is more like a localized traumatic reaction to something.
He has no history of mental illness.
What is he reacting to? Background, archival and field checks reveal nothing unusual.
What else is going on here? What about his job, his relationships? Tanner is heading up a bid for a large software contract.
It's not going particulary well.
Maybe he has a nervous breakdown waiting to happen.
That doesn't match with his psychological profile.
He is absorbed by his work, not overwhelmed by it.
So why these psychotic episodes? Sounds like post-trauma disorder.
Except there is no evidence of any trauma in his life.
What about Father Martin? Although he is not an experienced exorcist, he did follow the strictus of the church closely.
Now, apparently Tanner spoke in tongues for all the religious artifacts.
Does Father Martin think Tanner is posessed? He says he's never seen anything like it.
Connor, you guys better check this out.
Surveilance cams have them at sector 9.
Turn up the audio.
I can't take this any longer.
I think he is getting worse.
I know.
And even if they can help him, you'll never know.
It could still be inside of him, waiting.
It's quite dangerous for you to be alone with him.
It's just not fair.
Kill the sound.
All this extreme behaviour for marrital stress.
It's a variable we'll take under consideration.
Regardless, I don't believe the combination of marrital and professional stress could account for those episodes.
People, we have a situation developing.
- Sedate this man, stat.
- I'm on it.
He's losing it! And in five four three two Let's get him upstairs.
I'll find a man to watch him tonight.
He is gonna be OK.
Case file update.
I remain concerned that Kelly Tanner has also experienced an unexplained violent episode.
Dr.
Corless' medical examination of the Tanners showed that Paul Tanner suffered a dislocation of his shoulder during the struggle with the team.
For their own safety they've been sedated and are being kept under round o'clock watch.
Blood work from the couple has been sent to the OSIR labs.
We expect results in 24 hours.
Is the phenomenon spreading? Hard to say.
Classical posessions rarely involve more than one subject.
Could it be a form of schizophrenia? Not likely.
The psyche assessments that we did would have turned something up.
And we've basically ruled out pshychological stress as a source.
So, any possible transference of Paul's behaviour onto Kelly doesn't track.
We need more data.
Donnor, keep digging.
Remember the exorcism eased Paul's pain earlier.
At this point anything is possible.
Let's keep that in mind.
Frank, you can't leave the house.
Oh, come on.
Just give me an hour alone.
I'm sorry, it's a controlled environment.
It's all right, Donahue.
What's the matter, Frank? I'm just going a little crazy in that house.
Yeah, it can get to you sometimes.
- So, how is Kelly and Paul? - They're resting for now.
Look, Professor, I'm not very religious but this invasion of a demon in the human body and soul You're worried you'll be next.
If it's spreading.
The chances of a demonic posession being transmitted are remote.
Relax.
Sure I've heard things late at night from the Tanner house, screams and things breaking.
That is one marriage from hell.
What about strange lights, fumes? We're talking screaming, okay? It hasn't been this nutty around here since the quake '89 when it knocked down nearly all the chimneys on this block.
Do you know the Tanners' neighbours? We haven't been able to contact them.
No, I've never seen them, sorry.
But if you do, could you tell them to mow their lawn? What are we looking for? You may wanna bring in a structural engineer.
It isn't my expertise, but a neighbour mentioned shifting from tremors.
Still, that doesn't explain what's going on.
Do you feel a breeze, Donahue? Yeah, it's over there.
There is a gap in the wall.
Damn it.
It's a good thing you had all your shots.
Hey, we're gonna make it through this.
Kelly, how you're doing? Exhausted.
But we're fine.
Yeah, we're feeling better.
I'm glad to hear it.
Oh man, did I really do all this? Apparently you did.
God, I don't remember a thing.
When is this going to stop? I'm scared.
Donahue, do you read? What's your twenty? Donahue, Donnor, come in.
We're in the basement, possible Code Red.
Stay here.
He just collapsed and started having a reaction.
Code Red, Donahue is down.
Stay back! I can feel it on my skin.
My god, this sound! It sounds crimson, so crimson.
It tastes too bright.
Ray, it's us! Too red.
Stay back! Case file update.
1740 hours.
Still no evidence to suggest how this phenomenon is being transferred.
Team chemist Sandra Miles will compare the Tanner blood samples with those drawn from security coordinator Ray Donahue.
I've got it.
Blood work is back from HQ.
About time.
Damn.
There are no traces of any foreign substances.
Wait a minute.
What did Donahue say before he went down? Something about colors.
He said: "Sounds crimson, tastes red.
" - Could be synesthesia.
- I'll run an UV filter on the samples.
Lysergic acid diethylamide? LSD? Exactly.
Sometimes when you're on it your senses can blur, you hear colors and taste sounds.
Why didn't we pick up the drug before? It must have metabolized completely before caught it.
I see the Tanners have it also.
We relied on the family doctor's report for the initial analysis, right? They must have done a very basic drug test and missed it too.
It still doesn't explain the violent behavior.
If you don't know that you've ingested the drug, you can panick under its effects.
As they were having bad trips.
Now we just need to find the mode of transference.
They could have picked it up a dozen different ways.
The most common is absorption through the skin.
We should check everything in the house.
If we use a UV illuminator, we'd be able to pick up any traces on the scan.
Let's run full environmentals on the house again.
0200 hours.
Day four.
We're undertaking a full reassessment of all environmental tests.
But now I have a more specific target to look for, LSD.
In its pure state the drug should register as fluorescent on our scans.
Start ultra-violet illumination.
Okay, let's see what we can find.
We have your video feed now, Connor.
Moving through the front of the house.
We're picking up something to the west.
That would be The dining room.
I copy.
Proceeding into the room.
Wait a second.
Our readings have just risen substantially.
Affirmative.
My readings concur.
Looks like our feline friend here is the perpetrator.
The damn cat is toxic? It makes sense, Ray.
The cat could be the common denominator.
All three subjects came in contact with it prior to their abhorrent behavior.
Looks like we've found our mode of transference.
Okay.
How did the cat come in contact with the chemical? Probe in progress, visuals up momentarily.
Homes in this block share the same roofs, piping and other structural elements.
Shifts in the foundations from earthquakes made some kind of crawl space big enough for a cat.
We're clear.
What do you make of that? It's a drug lab.
Apparently the cat found its way into the drug lab and was contaminated with highly concentrated dosages of the chemical in its raw liquid state.
Anyone who came into contact with the cat's fur was contaminated with LSD.
Ironically cats are unaffected by LSD just as humans do not respond to catnip.
The manufacturers of the illegal drug were arrested and charged.
The Tanners have remained together and report no further incidents of abhorrent behavior.
This is case manager Connor Doyle closing file number 67102.
So the devil that Paul and Kelly Tanner fought was not the demon of ancient superstition, but one created by pharmaceutical technology.
Fear and paranoia, however, often coupled with a strong religious element are relatively common responses to psychotropic drugs.
A remarkable example might be the hysteria of the Salem witch-hunts of 1692, which some historians propose was caused by the ingestion of .
fungus, the derivative being LSD.
Scientific investigation offered the Tanners a conventional explanation of the events in their home.
But to Paul and Kelly, that there was a rational cause, did not make their visions any less terrifying, any less real.
What a bloody useless waste of time that party was.
Now, dear, you've always told me it's the price of doing business.
Price of doing business! Next time I see that Ralfy Fenny, can he stuck-up business partners.
I'd like to put me loaf for of his back side.
Try and keep at least one eye on the road.
- Did you see that? - What? Up ahead on the road.
I could have sworn - Are we expecting a storm tonight? - The road, dear, watch the road.
Out of the way! Good Christ! What's your problem? Are deaf or something? In the name of God, help me! Time travel.
It's a concept that captivates our imaginations.
For science fiction writers time travelers are usually depicted as courageous adventurers willing to conquer an unknown future or alter a troubled past.
But what of the ordinary man, snatched from his own time and thrown into unfamiliar future, there to be tortured by the loss of his family and tormented by a strange and threatening world? Within 36 hours after the discovery of a disoriented man in the English countryside, the OSIR was on-site attempting to determine whether his ravings were the delusions of a madman or the desperate pleas of a reluctant traveller, a man out of time.
File number 10103.
Connor Doyle, case manager.
Day one.
Subject found wandering on a road in Spotswood, Bedfordshire County, England.
Preliminary evaluation by Dr Robert Steen led him to transfer the patient to the McMartin Institute, a local psychiatric facility.
Upon reviewing the police report and the subject's statement Dr.
Steen contacted the OSIR.
- Professor Doyle, I presume.
- Doctor Steen.
Welcome to the McMartin institute.
I appreciate your cooperation.
We'll need a complete list of everyone here who has had contact with the subject.
The police reports, clothes, personal effects.
Whatever you require.
According to Doctor Steen's report the subject is stable but confused.
He can apparently communicate in English but the dialect is obscure.
Ms.
Donnor will have to identify its origin.
- I've read Dr.
Steen's report.
This - Hanrihan.
Hanrihan.
His story isn't clear.
Mr John Hanrihan reports being on his farm one minute and facing a metal beast the next.
- Metal beast? - An automobile the couple was driving.
The Boswells.
Their statement wasn't very extensive.
We'll have to talk to them as well.
Let's check it out.
Hopefully we haven't come a long way for nothing.
Mr Hanrihan, we want to help you.
Return me to my rightful home! Mr.
Hanrihan, we must ask you some questions.
Why would no one explain what has happened!? Donnor, can you identify the dialect? It's close to Irish but there is something missing.
Please, sir, could you slow it down a bit.
Speak more slowly.
I wants to know what has happened to me.
We were driving home from Partridge.
It was rather late, about 2 am.
I believed it to be a great hat until he became hysterical, screaming in that accent.
We did a background check on him.
Found no record of the man at all.
No fingerprint matches, no missing person matches.
Even did a check for dental records.
Strangest thing he had none.
He was quite consistent over several our interviews.
It isn't every day that a man appears claiming to be from the 17th century.
What is your name? I be John Hanrihan of Bedfordshire, sir.
And what is your current age? I am five and thirty years.
Where do you live? Me farm be near the town of Spotswood.
Date of birth? I was born 5 April in the year of our Lord 1612.
How did you get here? I do not know that, sir.
God help me.
God help me.
Physiological tests on the subject reveal no trace of modern bacteria or synthetic antibodies.
- That's remarkable.
- It's not impossible.
If he is from a remote region of the Earth his system could be this clean.
Peter? There are no environmental anomalies in the area, there is no hazardous waste there are no toxic gases, there are no abnormal concentrations of energy fields.
It's all clear.
Ms.
Donnor? The subject's accent and speech patterns are unusual.
It's not Irish as it turns out.
In reviewing the tapes we've concluded that the speaker is either from a remote area of the .
Uplands or he has language patterns inherent to a Bedfordshire farmer of the 16th hundreds.
- Interesting.
- There is more.
According to local archives a farmer by the name of John Hanrihan did exist in Spotswood between 1612 and 1647.
The subject could have had access to this information? It would have taken some work.
So the probability of a hoax remains high.
As we've discussed, I'm starting a covert investigation into the local homesteads in the area, I'll try to cross-reference the archival findings.
Good.
Dr.
Hendrix? He is still quite distressed.
Repeated DEP testing was required to interpret his psychodynamics.
But all the data we've collected so far backs up the subject's story.
What about regressive hypnosis results? No luck yet.
Haven't been able to get him into relaxed enough state.
Do whatever it takes to put him under.
File number 10103.
Case manager Connor Doyle.
Day four.
0700 hours.
Regressive hypnosis may reveal what happened to the subject on the night in question.
Tell me what do you see.
Me farm.
I must clear the path.
Why? A tree has fallen from the storm.
When was the storm? Night last.
Good Lord.
What is it? A light.
Tell me what's happening.
What do you see? It's like a pepple in the water.
But there be no water.
It surrounds me.
Help me.
Help me! Please continue.
It has vanished.
Me house, me family is gone.
What do you see? I'm in me field.
But all looks different.
Bright light.
Where am I? Where am I? Where am I? We really appreciate you're taking the time, Mrs.
Lester.
This is a very important project for the university's historical society.
Always glad to help maintain our heritage.
The main house was built in 1809.
And prior to that what was here? Just farmland.
Tea? Yes, thank you.
It's remarkable, Professor Doyle.
It's him.
You mean you think it's him.
Point taken.
Shall we maintain our cover? Don't tip them off just yet.
Find out what you can about the family history.
Hold on.
Genealogical trace report indicates that Lesters are the descendants of one John Hanrihan.
This is my daughter Megan.
And I found the family tree you asked for.
If I may ask, who is the rather striking figure in that portrait? That would be Sir Stewart Lester.
It was painted by a local artist in 1731.
Sir Stewart established .
in this region in 1702.
He was knighted by Queen Anne.
And who were Sir Stewart's parents? Sir Stuart's mother Regina was orphaned at the age of seven after her father disappeared and her mother died of consumption.
She was raised by an aunt.
You wouldn't happen to know the name of her father, the one who went missing? Oh, he didn't go missing.
He ran off, apparently to America.
Really? Now, Megan, that's just folklore.
The truth is that no one knows why John Hanrihan left his family.
He is exhibiting all the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
He doesn't even comprehend what may have happened to him.
- But he is starting to trust you? - Absolutely.
We've got the lab report here on the subject's clothes and personal effects.
They appear to be authentic but not vintage.
What are you saying? I'm saying the fibers match the fibers of the period but haven't aged more than 5 or 10 years.
That would be difficult to do.
It might be possible.
I'm gonna talk to Mrs.
Lester myself, explain our situation, try to get the family's cooperation.
This is absurd! I know how this sounds, Mrs.
Lester.
Are you implying that this man is actually the John Hanrihan? That's rubbish.
There is some evidence supporting his claim.
What might help is a comparative DNA test.
I've heard quite enough.
I think it's time for you to go.
Please, think about it.
Let's dig deeper into Mrs.
Lester's past: family records, conflicts, power struggles.
Excuse me! What is it, Megan? I must apologize for mother.
She can be very close-minded.
You understand that we are trying to help, Megan? Professor Doyle, this man Could he really have travelled through time? That's what we are trying to find out.
And that DNA test you mentioned, that would help your investigation? Yes, Megan, it would.
Case file update.
1900 hours.
The results of the DNA tests of the subject and a possible descendant show a consistent match.
Well, here is this coffee you've become so fond of.
Thank you, sir.
- Mr.
Hanrihan - Sir, call me John if you like.
It be the name me friends call me by.
John, what do you think of everything you've seen? I see miracles and curses, I see evil men.
And I see saints.
These are religious terms you're using.
Is that exactly what you see? Quite so, sir.
I know now that I be in purgatory.
Limbo to either the gates of heaven or hell's damnation.
You think that you're dead? Of that I have no doubt.
And you, sir, are my judge.
To see fit where I spend my eternity.
- John, I assure - Spare me the ruse, sir.
I will do well by you, I swear to that.
You are a good spirit and you will show me my way to the angels' chorus.
But I'm not an angel or a saint.
I'm a man, the doctor.
I can tell by the very glow in your eyes that you have knowledge of the vast unknown that is man's final journey.
I know you will show me the way.
This is a current map of Bedforshire County.
The transparency is a map from 1638.
Now this is Spotswood where Hanrihan's property would likely have been.
And this is where the Boswells found him.
Was the property area covered by our initial assessments? We ran all possible on-site tests, they all came up negative.
It would be helpful if Mr.
Hanrihan could show us the exact spot where he appeared.
Run some tests with the subject present? That's what I'm thinking.
John, we need you to show us the place where you found yourself after seeing the bright light.
I do not know if I can, sir.
But I will try me best.
Thank you, John.
You'll be testing me again, sir? John, you are not dead.
And I am not the guardian of the heavenly gates.
Do you understand? We are we I'm trying to help you.
You've already have.
Still reading baseline levels.
Thank you, Professor.
Biophysical readings? Blood pressure and heart rate accelerated, body temperature raised.
All indicators appear normal.
This is me land.
Me home.
I built this .
with me own two hands.
I know it well.
There is nothing more we can do here.
Then I failed then? All is lost? John, wait! Come back.
Take me home! Come along, Mr.
Hanrihan.
I'm sorry.
All geophysical scans were negative.
There was no displacement of matter or time.
Any theories? That's hard to say.
Subconsciously he could've transported his corporeal state subatomicaly from one point to another.
Pshychokinetic vortex theory.
What about corporeal duplication, a form of reincarnation? Through subconscious compulsion he gains an ethereal awareness of a past life and synthesizes that into his current one.
We just don't have the evidence to support a scientific theory.
And since we don't know how to return him to his home, if he is from the past, we have an obligation to help him adjust.
Hanrihan is still suffering from some highly traumatic experience.
Our focus should be counselling.
I'd like to see him moved to some friendlier surroundings.
I'll take it up with headquarters.
This news should lift his spirits.
He'll be only too glad to leave this dungeon behind.
Would you unlock the door? Code Red, get a team up here.
File number 10103.
Professor Connor Doyle.
Final case log.
An authopsy was performed on the body supporting the theory that John Hanrihan lived nearly four hundred years ago.
Cell structure, stomach enzyme analysis and blood count are consistent with that of a 17th century adult male.
As for how he came to appear in our present we can only speculate that he encountered a phenomenon which instantaneously brought him forward in time.
This phenomenon, whatever it may be, remains unidentified.
Doyle out.
And your wife? Mary-Anne, my sweet precious Mary-Anne.
She had the bluest eyes, sir.
Oh, how I long to see me farm again, to watch me children play.
And my sweet Mary-Anne, will I ever see you again? The Office of Scientific Investigation and Research discovered no conclusive evidence of how John Hanrihan's unhappy journey occurred.
But, if as the work of Einstein, Rosen and Hocking suggests, the fabric of space and time is one which can be bent, then perhaps he was unlucky enough to stumble through a compressed fold in that fabric.
Whatever the reason, Hanrihan's tragic experience is a disturbing antidote to science fiction's premise that time travel is an exciting and glorious adventure.
I'm Dan Aykroyd for Psi Factor.
Is that good? Oh yeah.
Hey, kitty, you like my beef tender loin, huh? - Smells great, honey.
- Yeah, our new friend likes my cooking.
You gonna feed that cat our dinner, are you? - You want to try some? - I think I'll wait till it's cooked.
Ditto.
I'll get it.
Hello.
Hey, Jeff.
Yeah, I heard.
I'll deal with it first thing in the morning.
Tonight? Head office said the numbers were fine.
Okay, all right, fine.
Come by and we'll go over them again tonight.
Yeah, Frank's right here.
He's Oh, my god! Get away from me! Paul.
Look, look! Can't you see it!? Demonic posession.
Occupation of an individual's soul by the devil is a primitive belief.
Yet despite centuries of social advancement, many still appeal to demonic lore in explaining some disturbing and frightening events.
Paul Tanner, software developer, gourmet cook, proud owner with his wife Kelly of a restored Victorian era San Francisco house, is very much your modern man.
But when the foundations of his life were shaken by wrenching visions, fueled through an image of the devil, everyone assumed that this force had set out to capture his soul.
Was Paul Tanner battling an evil influence over the control of his spirit? This was the question facing the OSIR in case number 67102.
Get away from me! Father, you've got to help him.
I've had very little experience in these matters.
There has been no time to prepare.
I'm begging you, Father, please.
We've tried everyting.
We know your hidden sins, Father.
We see through your lies.
Almighty Father, grant strength to your servants to fight against this evil one.
I command you, all evil spirits, through God almighty the Father, through Jesus Christ, and through the Holy Spirit that you depart this his vessel Paul Tanner, whom you now hold captive.
Do not release him, the devil may just be hiding.
Mrs.
Tanner, this is unlike anything that I have ever seen.
But I I will do all I can to free his soul.
Now I must talk to my superiors about this matter.
But perhaps there is another way to help.
Connor Doyle, case manager.
File number 67102.
Day one.
Tanner residence.
Initial sweep reports no anomalous energy fields.
Radiation levels are within an acceptable range.
No unusual environmental conditions that would percipitate the subject's condition.
Perimeter secured, Connor.
Witnesses have signed releases, they're ready to be interviewed.
- Then let's get started.
- All right.
I don't know what you want me to say.
I know these people about six months now.
They're good people.
Lately you can sort of get a sense that it's coming on.
But the first time that it happened there was absolutely no warning.
Well, I'm not an official exorcist in the eyes of the church.
You could say it's beyond my field of expertise.
He is like psychotic.
He is screaming, he starts throwing lamps around, he goes complete nuts.
It kept happening.
The last thing that I wanted to think about was that he was posessed.
When you enter a room and the devil is there, yes, you can feel a presence.
It's just horrible.
One minute Paul's fine and the next he is this monster.
I have like a sensation that I've done something horrible.
With Paul Tanner I couldn't directly sense this kind of evil.
And after trying unsuccessfully to exorcise the demon it was decided that we should contact your office and see if you could help in this matter.
I brought him to the hospital to have our doctor run some tests on him.
And he ran a lot of tests on him but came up with nothing.
What do you do when you're afraid for your own husband? I have no recollection of that other.
And it hurts.
I have no control.
I can't explain it.
Could I have some water? Case file update.
The witness to the episode, Frank Kelterbourne, a friend of the Tanner family, will remain on-site for the duration of the investigations, so as to maintain a controlled environment.
Dr Corless, OSIR team psychiatrist, continues with her psychological assesment.
She will hypnotically regress Paul Tanner to obtain a clear account of the claimed occurence.
V W X Y and relax.
Paul, can you hear me? His pulse is well over 80.
He is exhibiting tremendous physical and mental stress.
Paul, remember: you are relaxing relaxing Can you take us back to May 16 at 8 pm? Where are you? My house, the living room.
Who is with you? Demons.
Three of them.
What do they want? My soul.
The want to take me.
Get away from me! Paul, come back now.
File number 67102.
Day two.
Environmental assessment complete, data pouch containing air, water and soil samples is being sent to HQ for further analysis.
Thus far all baseline results are normal.
Proceeding with on-site surveilance of the Tanner house.
His account of the episode is a delusional reverse of the other witnesses.
Could he be suffering ongoing mental problems? I don't think so.
This is more like a localized traumatic reaction to something.
He has no history of mental illness.
What is he reacting to? Background, archival and field checks reveal nothing unusual.
What else is going on here? What about his job, his relationships? Tanner is heading up a bid for a large software contract.
It's not going particulary well.
Maybe he has a nervous breakdown waiting to happen.
That doesn't match with his psychological profile.
He is absorbed by his work, not overwhelmed by it.
So why these psychotic episodes? Sounds like post-trauma disorder.
Except there is no evidence of any trauma in his life.
What about Father Martin? Although he is not an experienced exorcist, he did follow the strictus of the church closely.
Now, apparently Tanner spoke in tongues for all the religious artifacts.
Does Father Martin think Tanner is posessed? He says he's never seen anything like it.
Connor, you guys better check this out.
Surveilance cams have them at sector 9.
Turn up the audio.
I can't take this any longer.
I think he is getting worse.
I know.
And even if they can help him, you'll never know.
It could still be inside of him, waiting.
It's quite dangerous for you to be alone with him.
It's just not fair.
Kill the sound.
All this extreme behaviour for marrital stress.
It's a variable we'll take under consideration.
Regardless, I don't believe the combination of marrital and professional stress could account for those episodes.
People, we have a situation developing.
- Sedate this man, stat.
- I'm on it.
He's losing it! And in five four three two Let's get him upstairs.
I'll find a man to watch him tonight.
He is gonna be OK.
Case file update.
I remain concerned that Kelly Tanner has also experienced an unexplained violent episode.
Dr.
Corless' medical examination of the Tanners showed that Paul Tanner suffered a dislocation of his shoulder during the struggle with the team.
For their own safety they've been sedated and are being kept under round o'clock watch.
Blood work from the couple has been sent to the OSIR labs.
We expect results in 24 hours.
Is the phenomenon spreading? Hard to say.
Classical posessions rarely involve more than one subject.
Could it be a form of schizophrenia? Not likely.
The psyche assessments that we did would have turned something up.
And we've basically ruled out pshychological stress as a source.
So, any possible transference of Paul's behaviour onto Kelly doesn't track.
We need more data.
Donnor, keep digging.
Remember the exorcism eased Paul's pain earlier.
At this point anything is possible.
Let's keep that in mind.
Frank, you can't leave the house.
Oh, come on.
Just give me an hour alone.
I'm sorry, it's a controlled environment.
It's all right, Donahue.
What's the matter, Frank? I'm just going a little crazy in that house.
Yeah, it can get to you sometimes.
- So, how is Kelly and Paul? - They're resting for now.
Look, Professor, I'm not very religious but this invasion of a demon in the human body and soul You're worried you'll be next.
If it's spreading.
The chances of a demonic posession being transmitted are remote.
Relax.
Sure I've heard things late at night from the Tanner house, screams and things breaking.
That is one marriage from hell.
What about strange lights, fumes? We're talking screaming, okay? It hasn't been this nutty around here since the quake '89 when it knocked down nearly all the chimneys on this block.
Do you know the Tanners' neighbours? We haven't been able to contact them.
No, I've never seen them, sorry.
But if you do, could you tell them to mow their lawn? What are we looking for? You may wanna bring in a structural engineer.
It isn't my expertise, but a neighbour mentioned shifting from tremors.
Still, that doesn't explain what's going on.
Do you feel a breeze, Donahue? Yeah, it's over there.
There is a gap in the wall.
Damn it.
It's a good thing you had all your shots.
Hey, we're gonna make it through this.
Kelly, how you're doing? Exhausted.
But we're fine.
Yeah, we're feeling better.
I'm glad to hear it.
Oh man, did I really do all this? Apparently you did.
God, I don't remember a thing.
When is this going to stop? I'm scared.
Donahue, do you read? What's your twenty? Donahue, Donnor, come in.
We're in the basement, possible Code Red.
Stay here.
He just collapsed and started having a reaction.
Code Red, Donahue is down.
Stay back! I can feel it on my skin.
My god, this sound! It sounds crimson, so crimson.
It tastes too bright.
Ray, it's us! Too red.
Stay back! Case file update.
1740 hours.
Still no evidence to suggest how this phenomenon is being transferred.
Team chemist Sandra Miles will compare the Tanner blood samples with those drawn from security coordinator Ray Donahue.
I've got it.
Blood work is back from HQ.
About time.
Damn.
There are no traces of any foreign substances.
Wait a minute.
What did Donahue say before he went down? Something about colors.
He said: "Sounds crimson, tastes red.
" - Could be synesthesia.
- I'll run an UV filter on the samples.
Lysergic acid diethylamide? LSD? Exactly.
Sometimes when you're on it your senses can blur, you hear colors and taste sounds.
Why didn't we pick up the drug before? It must have metabolized completely before caught it.
I see the Tanners have it also.
We relied on the family doctor's report for the initial analysis, right? They must have done a very basic drug test and missed it too.
It still doesn't explain the violent behavior.
If you don't know that you've ingested the drug, you can panick under its effects.
As they were having bad trips.
Now we just need to find the mode of transference.
They could have picked it up a dozen different ways.
The most common is absorption through the skin.
We should check everything in the house.
If we use a UV illuminator, we'd be able to pick up any traces on the scan.
Let's run full environmentals on the house again.
0200 hours.
Day four.
We're undertaking a full reassessment of all environmental tests.
But now I have a more specific target to look for, LSD.
In its pure state the drug should register as fluorescent on our scans.
Start ultra-violet illumination.
Okay, let's see what we can find.
We have your video feed now, Connor.
Moving through the front of the house.
We're picking up something to the west.
That would be The dining room.
I copy.
Proceeding into the room.
Wait a second.
Our readings have just risen substantially.
Affirmative.
My readings concur.
Looks like our feline friend here is the perpetrator.
The damn cat is toxic? It makes sense, Ray.
The cat could be the common denominator.
All three subjects came in contact with it prior to their abhorrent behavior.
Looks like we've found our mode of transference.
Okay.
How did the cat come in contact with the chemical? Probe in progress, visuals up momentarily.
Homes in this block share the same roofs, piping and other structural elements.
Shifts in the foundations from earthquakes made some kind of crawl space big enough for a cat.
We're clear.
What do you make of that? It's a drug lab.
Apparently the cat found its way into the drug lab and was contaminated with highly concentrated dosages of the chemical in its raw liquid state.
Anyone who came into contact with the cat's fur was contaminated with LSD.
Ironically cats are unaffected by LSD just as humans do not respond to catnip.
The manufacturers of the illegal drug were arrested and charged.
The Tanners have remained together and report no further incidents of abhorrent behavior.
This is case manager Connor Doyle closing file number 67102.
So the devil that Paul and Kelly Tanner fought was not the demon of ancient superstition, but one created by pharmaceutical technology.
Fear and paranoia, however, often coupled with a strong religious element are relatively common responses to psychotropic drugs.
A remarkable example might be the hysteria of the Salem witch-hunts of 1692, which some historians propose was caused by the ingestion of .
fungus, the derivative being LSD.
Scientific investigation offered the Tanners a conventional explanation of the events in their home.
But to Paul and Kelly, that there was a rational cause, did not make their visions any less terrifying, any less real.
What a bloody useless waste of time that party was.
Now, dear, you've always told me it's the price of doing business.
Price of doing business! Next time I see that Ralfy Fenny, can he stuck-up business partners.
I'd like to put me loaf for of his back side.
Try and keep at least one eye on the road.
- Did you see that? - What? Up ahead on the road.
I could have sworn - Are we expecting a storm tonight? - The road, dear, watch the road.
Out of the way! Good Christ! What's your problem? Are deaf or something? In the name of God, help me! Time travel.
It's a concept that captivates our imaginations.
For science fiction writers time travelers are usually depicted as courageous adventurers willing to conquer an unknown future or alter a troubled past.
But what of the ordinary man, snatched from his own time and thrown into unfamiliar future, there to be tortured by the loss of his family and tormented by a strange and threatening world? Within 36 hours after the discovery of a disoriented man in the English countryside, the OSIR was on-site attempting to determine whether his ravings were the delusions of a madman or the desperate pleas of a reluctant traveller, a man out of time.
File number 10103.
Connor Doyle, case manager.
Day one.
Subject found wandering on a road in Spotswood, Bedfordshire County, England.
Preliminary evaluation by Dr Robert Steen led him to transfer the patient to the McMartin Institute, a local psychiatric facility.
Upon reviewing the police report and the subject's statement Dr.
Steen contacted the OSIR.
- Professor Doyle, I presume.
- Doctor Steen.
Welcome to the McMartin institute.
I appreciate your cooperation.
We'll need a complete list of everyone here who has had contact with the subject.
The police reports, clothes, personal effects.
Whatever you require.
According to Doctor Steen's report the subject is stable but confused.
He can apparently communicate in English but the dialect is obscure.
Ms.
Donnor will have to identify its origin.
- I've read Dr.
Steen's report.
This - Hanrihan.
Hanrihan.
His story isn't clear.
Mr John Hanrihan reports being on his farm one minute and facing a metal beast the next.
- Metal beast? - An automobile the couple was driving.
The Boswells.
Their statement wasn't very extensive.
We'll have to talk to them as well.
Let's check it out.
Hopefully we haven't come a long way for nothing.
Mr Hanrihan, we want to help you.
Return me to my rightful home! Mr.
Hanrihan, we must ask you some questions.
Why would no one explain what has happened!? Donnor, can you identify the dialect? It's close to Irish but there is something missing.
Please, sir, could you slow it down a bit.
Speak more slowly.
I wants to know what has happened to me.
We were driving home from Partridge.
It was rather late, about 2 am.
I believed it to be a great hat until he became hysterical, screaming in that accent.
We did a background check on him.
Found no record of the man at all.
No fingerprint matches, no missing person matches.
Even did a check for dental records.
Strangest thing he had none.
He was quite consistent over several our interviews.
It isn't every day that a man appears claiming to be from the 17th century.
What is your name? I be John Hanrihan of Bedfordshire, sir.
And what is your current age? I am five and thirty years.
Where do you live? Me farm be near the town of Spotswood.
Date of birth? I was born 5 April in the year of our Lord 1612.
How did you get here? I do not know that, sir.
God help me.
God help me.
Physiological tests on the subject reveal no trace of modern bacteria or synthetic antibodies.
- That's remarkable.
- It's not impossible.
If he is from a remote region of the Earth his system could be this clean.
Peter? There are no environmental anomalies in the area, there is no hazardous waste there are no toxic gases, there are no abnormal concentrations of energy fields.
It's all clear.
Ms.
Donnor? The subject's accent and speech patterns are unusual.
It's not Irish as it turns out.
In reviewing the tapes we've concluded that the speaker is either from a remote area of the .
Uplands or he has language patterns inherent to a Bedfordshire farmer of the 16th hundreds.
- Interesting.
- There is more.
According to local archives a farmer by the name of John Hanrihan did exist in Spotswood between 1612 and 1647.
The subject could have had access to this information? It would have taken some work.
So the probability of a hoax remains high.
As we've discussed, I'm starting a covert investigation into the local homesteads in the area, I'll try to cross-reference the archival findings.
Good.
Dr.
Hendrix? He is still quite distressed.
Repeated DEP testing was required to interpret his psychodynamics.
But all the data we've collected so far backs up the subject's story.
What about regressive hypnosis results? No luck yet.
Haven't been able to get him into relaxed enough state.
Do whatever it takes to put him under.
File number 10103.
Case manager Connor Doyle.
Day four.
0700 hours.
Regressive hypnosis may reveal what happened to the subject on the night in question.
Tell me what do you see.
Me farm.
I must clear the path.
Why? A tree has fallen from the storm.
When was the storm? Night last.
Good Lord.
What is it? A light.
Tell me what's happening.
What do you see? It's like a pepple in the water.
But there be no water.
It surrounds me.
Help me.
Help me! Please continue.
It has vanished.
Me house, me family is gone.
What do you see? I'm in me field.
But all looks different.
Bright light.
Where am I? Where am I? Where am I? We really appreciate you're taking the time, Mrs.
Lester.
This is a very important project for the university's historical society.
Always glad to help maintain our heritage.
The main house was built in 1809.
And prior to that what was here? Just farmland.
Tea? Yes, thank you.
It's remarkable, Professor Doyle.
It's him.
You mean you think it's him.
Point taken.
Shall we maintain our cover? Don't tip them off just yet.
Find out what you can about the family history.
Hold on.
Genealogical trace report indicates that Lesters are the descendants of one John Hanrihan.
This is my daughter Megan.
And I found the family tree you asked for.
If I may ask, who is the rather striking figure in that portrait? That would be Sir Stewart Lester.
It was painted by a local artist in 1731.
Sir Stewart established .
in this region in 1702.
He was knighted by Queen Anne.
And who were Sir Stewart's parents? Sir Stuart's mother Regina was orphaned at the age of seven after her father disappeared and her mother died of consumption.
She was raised by an aunt.
You wouldn't happen to know the name of her father, the one who went missing? Oh, he didn't go missing.
He ran off, apparently to America.
Really? Now, Megan, that's just folklore.
The truth is that no one knows why John Hanrihan left his family.
He is exhibiting all the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
He doesn't even comprehend what may have happened to him.
- But he is starting to trust you? - Absolutely.
We've got the lab report here on the subject's clothes and personal effects.
They appear to be authentic but not vintage.
What are you saying? I'm saying the fibers match the fibers of the period but haven't aged more than 5 or 10 years.
That would be difficult to do.
It might be possible.
I'm gonna talk to Mrs.
Lester myself, explain our situation, try to get the family's cooperation.
This is absurd! I know how this sounds, Mrs.
Lester.
Are you implying that this man is actually the John Hanrihan? That's rubbish.
There is some evidence supporting his claim.
What might help is a comparative DNA test.
I've heard quite enough.
I think it's time for you to go.
Please, think about it.
Let's dig deeper into Mrs.
Lester's past: family records, conflicts, power struggles.
Excuse me! What is it, Megan? I must apologize for mother.
She can be very close-minded.
You understand that we are trying to help, Megan? Professor Doyle, this man Could he really have travelled through time? That's what we are trying to find out.
And that DNA test you mentioned, that would help your investigation? Yes, Megan, it would.
Case file update.
1900 hours.
The results of the DNA tests of the subject and a possible descendant show a consistent match.
Well, here is this coffee you've become so fond of.
Thank you, sir.
- Mr.
Hanrihan - Sir, call me John if you like.
It be the name me friends call me by.
John, what do you think of everything you've seen? I see miracles and curses, I see evil men.
And I see saints.
These are religious terms you're using.
Is that exactly what you see? Quite so, sir.
I know now that I be in purgatory.
Limbo to either the gates of heaven or hell's damnation.
You think that you're dead? Of that I have no doubt.
And you, sir, are my judge.
To see fit where I spend my eternity.
- John, I assure - Spare me the ruse, sir.
I will do well by you, I swear to that.
You are a good spirit and you will show me my way to the angels' chorus.
But I'm not an angel or a saint.
I'm a man, the doctor.
I can tell by the very glow in your eyes that you have knowledge of the vast unknown that is man's final journey.
I know you will show me the way.
This is a current map of Bedforshire County.
The transparency is a map from 1638.
Now this is Spotswood where Hanrihan's property would likely have been.
And this is where the Boswells found him.
Was the property area covered by our initial assessments? We ran all possible on-site tests, they all came up negative.
It would be helpful if Mr.
Hanrihan could show us the exact spot where he appeared.
Run some tests with the subject present? That's what I'm thinking.
John, we need you to show us the place where you found yourself after seeing the bright light.
I do not know if I can, sir.
But I will try me best.
Thank you, John.
You'll be testing me again, sir? John, you are not dead.
And I am not the guardian of the heavenly gates.
Do you understand? We are we I'm trying to help you.
You've already have.
Still reading baseline levels.
Thank you, Professor.
Biophysical readings? Blood pressure and heart rate accelerated, body temperature raised.
All indicators appear normal.
This is me land.
Me home.
I built this .
with me own two hands.
I know it well.
There is nothing more we can do here.
Then I failed then? All is lost? John, wait! Come back.
Take me home! Come along, Mr.
Hanrihan.
I'm sorry.
All geophysical scans were negative.
There was no displacement of matter or time.
Any theories? That's hard to say.
Subconsciously he could've transported his corporeal state subatomicaly from one point to another.
Pshychokinetic vortex theory.
What about corporeal duplication, a form of reincarnation? Through subconscious compulsion he gains an ethereal awareness of a past life and synthesizes that into his current one.
We just don't have the evidence to support a scientific theory.
And since we don't know how to return him to his home, if he is from the past, we have an obligation to help him adjust.
Hanrihan is still suffering from some highly traumatic experience.
Our focus should be counselling.
I'd like to see him moved to some friendlier surroundings.
I'll take it up with headquarters.
This news should lift his spirits.
He'll be only too glad to leave this dungeon behind.
Would you unlock the door? Code Red, get a team up here.
File number 10103.
Professor Connor Doyle.
Final case log.
An authopsy was performed on the body supporting the theory that John Hanrihan lived nearly four hundred years ago.
Cell structure, stomach enzyme analysis and blood count are consistent with that of a 17th century adult male.
As for how he came to appear in our present we can only speculate that he encountered a phenomenon which instantaneously brought him forward in time.
This phenomenon, whatever it may be, remains unidentified.
Doyle out.
And your wife? Mary-Anne, my sweet precious Mary-Anne.
She had the bluest eyes, sir.
Oh, how I long to see me farm again, to watch me children play.
And my sweet Mary-Anne, will I ever see you again? The Office of Scientific Investigation and Research discovered no conclusive evidence of how John Hanrihan's unhappy journey occurred.
But, if as the work of Einstein, Rosen and Hocking suggests, the fabric of space and time is one which can be bent, then perhaps he was unlucky enough to stumble through a compressed fold in that fabric.
Whatever the reason, Hanrihan's tragic experience is a disturbing antidote to science fiction's premise that time travel is an exciting and glorious adventure.
I'm Dan Aykroyd for Psi Factor.