School Spirits (2023) s01e03 Episode Script

Previously on "School Spirits"
- Maddie?
- Simon?
- What the fuck?
- How's your mom?
She's fine. She's sobering up.
Never thought she wouldn't come back.
Has anyone here ever been
seen by a living person?
That doesn't happen, hon.
That is Maddie's blood on the wall.
My DNA is on a boiler room wall,
and my piece-of-shit boyfriend
might have had something
to do with that.
I'm scared of them finding her body.
Were you not, like, the first person
to buy this frosted green
color when it came out?
So you think that she
helped your ex take you out?
What are you doing here so late, Simon?
Am I in trouble?
That's exactly what I'm
trying to avoid, Simon.
So where are you taking me?
Your car.
And listen, let's not mention
this to anyone tomorrow, okay?
Mr. Anderson?
Can I ask what you were
doing there so late?
Drive safe, Simon.
One deputy? That's all I get?
Morning to you too, Sandra.
Some toddler with a
badge down at the station
said that you're calling
off my search party.
- No, not calling it off.
- Just cutting back.
We've had a string of break-ins lately.
I'm just a little short-staffed.
- That's all.
- Uh-huh.
You sure it doesn't have anything to do
with that upcoming election of yours?
You can't save my daughter,
so you're gonna save your job instead.
I assure you, we're doing everything
in our power to try and find out
what happened to your daughter.
Soon as we know something, you'll
be the first to know, promise.
Find her.
Where the hell do you
think you're going?
Like you said, you
haven't found anything yet.
And you know that
means "anything on me."
So I'm going back to school.
What about Xavier?
You were convinced he was, like,
John Wayne Gacy Jr. yesterday.
And to be honest, you kind
of had me convinced too.
I know. I know.
So what happened to that theory?
Last night happened, Maddie.
I mean, what was Mr.
Anderson really doing there?
Maybe he was working late.
Seriously?
Look, I'm not saying
Xavier's not involved somehow.
Maybe they're even working
together, for all I know.
But you gotta admit, that was
sketchy, Anderson showing up.
Yeah, it was shitty timing, for sure.
But, Simon, it's Mr. Anderson.
I mean, this is the guy
who doesn't care if we swear
so long as it's in
the name of literature.
You know, the guy who painfully overacts
all the witches in "Macbeth"
when he has us read it aloud in class.
I do love his Cockney accent.
That's what I'm saying.
He's one of the good ones.
Look, he's not just
a teacher to me, okay?
You know, we're close.
He even gave me his number once.
Not like that.
No, I'm just telling you
this because he's my friend.
- I think you mean "was."
- Whatever.
You have to listen to
me on this one, okay?
It's not him. I'm telling you.
It can't be.
Can you at least just do
your ghost stalker thing
and watch him today?
Who? Xavier or Mr. Anderson?
Mr. Anderson.
You know what? Fine. Watch
them both if you want!
Sorry.
Solicitors, right?
What?
I have received more phone
calls since your death
than I have in my entire life.
- I'm doing my best.
- And I appreciate it.
Hey.
At least this is another
place we get service, right?
How'd you find this one, anyway?
Same as the others.
I just kind of have to linger and wait
until you either see me or don't.
What?
Bathrooms.
You're not gonna linger
and wait there, right?
- Maddie!
- Relax.
I left before I saw anything, obviously.
But you should really
wash your hands more.
And now I'm hanging up. Bye!
Hey, Mr. G.
Hate to wake you up, but I think
freshman English is in here next.
Shit. Sorry.
It's okay.
Unless, of course, you want
to reread "Animal Farm."
I am all full up on
totalitarian allegories,
thank you.
Everything okay?
Yeah, just a rough night is all.
Oh, yeah?
Rough how?
Uh, I'm fine.
- It's fine.
- Okay.
Well, listen, if you
need another extension
on your essay, all you gotta do is ask.
Oh, no. I no, I have it.
Uh, right here.
"Is Orpheus bringing Eurydice
back from the underworld
the ultimate romance or
ultimately problematic?"
I'm intrigued.
Honestly, hats off to you.
I don't know how you
continue to pull it off.
Just with everything
you got going on is all.
Well, I try not to disappoint.
Speaking of, if you
ever can't pull it off,
you know you can always come talk to me.
About
Anything.
I just I know how hard it was for me
to continually keep my lives separate.
I know how exhausting that can be.
Mr. Anderson, I'm not really sure
what you're talking about,
but you don't know anything about me.
Yeah, no. I mean, maybe I do.
Okay.
So you're a recovering alcoholic.
Why should I care?
No, not me.
That's my father's chip.
So why do you have it?
As a reminder, I guess.
That even though I'm not
the one with the problem,
it's okay for me to take
things one day at a time too.
Here.
That's my number.
If you ever need somebody
to talk to, day or night,
you call that, okay?
I gotta get to class.
Shit, look.
Oh, my God, look who's here.
Wasn't he locked up or something?
- Devil boy's back.
- Why is he here?
God, I bet he's wearing
his stupid hair like that
to hide his horns.
How can he show his face?
I can't believe he came back to school.
You don't think it's weird?
- What, Xavier being back?
- No, screw Xavier.
I'm talking about Mr. Anderson
giving Maddie his number.
Wait, Mr. Anderson?
I thought you were just
talking about it being weird
if a teacher gives their student
their number, like, hypothetically.
I was, and now I just took it
to unhypothetical territory.
Well, how do you know this?
There were some kids
talking about Maddie.
- Wait, what kids?
- Online.
- But when was this
- Nicole, doesn't matter.
I'm just asking you, is
it is that suspicious?
I don't know.
Maybe he gives his number
out to a lot of students.
Nicole.
Well, what else do you have?
Do you have, like, proof?
No. I don't. Not yet.
It's just a theory.
I'm looking at every angle, you know.
I don't know, something
just seems off about the guy.
Yeah, well, we've all
been running around
like a bunch of zombies lately, so
plus, have you seen his car?
It's like he sleeps in it or something.
His car?
Really?
You free right now?
What?
Maddie.
Hmm?
How is the obituary coming?
Is there anything you'd like
to share yet with the group?
Uh, it's still a work in progress.
Sorry.
I feel like I barely slept last night.
Gosh, it sounds like you spent
one too many days in a
row inside this school.
Is there another option?
There is, actually.
Gang, I know it's not usually
for another month or so,
but time is relative here, is it not?
So what do you say? Who's
up for another field day?
Yes! Hell yes!
Yes. Yes. Field day. Let's go.
Please kill me.
I love you, Mr. M.
Everybody needs exercise.
And as you'll come to learn,
we ghosts occasionally need
to "exorcise" a few demons too.
Mm-mm.
Am I right, guys?
Yeah, no. I don't do sports.
Well, Maddie, I hear you,
and as the resident jock,
I am going to choose not
to be offended by that.
But I just have two
words for you, mm-kay?
"American Gladiators."
Blaze.
Turbo.
Nitro? Are you come on.
Nobody's heard of this show?
All I remember is
lots and lots of Spandex?
Yes, there were because
they were fricking heroes.
And they're my personal
inspiration for field day.
Leave her alone, you guys.
She doesn't want to play tug of war
unless it's to rip her
ex-boyfriend limb from limb.
Or wait has
somebody's plot thickened?
Do tell.
Who do we have in our crosshairs now?
So I was writing this essay
about my 81-year-old grandma
her name's Juana Alcantara
and her struggles with constipation
And I got to the part of punctuation
Motherf
Is it just, like, a fancier comma,
or is it, like, an Oxford comma, or
You know, these are all
great questions, Nicole.
All of them can be answered
in "The Elements of Style,"
and we got two of them in the library.
Oh.
"Frankenstein"! So good, right?
Yeah, it is.
You know, I actually read
that Mary Shelley wrote that
amongst friends as a dare.
Just a fun fact.
Okay.
Well, this has been a nice chat, Nicole.
I'm a writer.
Do you have advice for someone like me?
Okay.
Uh, yeah.
Not myself, but I'm
sure I can turn you on
to a few books that might help.
Awesome. Okay, great.
Thank thank you so much.
Sure.
Oh, God. Please don't be a finger.
Please don't be a finger.
Oh, gross, dude.
All right. Oh, yep.
Sure.
Madison?
Hey. Are you okay?
Yeah, considering.
Thanks for coming.
You did say day or night, right?
I did. And I meant it.
More importantly, tell me what happened.
My mom said she was
hungry, so I took a shortcut
to get her some food.
I must have gotten turned around.
And I went to use my phone,
and I guess I got distracted, and
Okay.
Hey, it's gonna be okay.
We'll figure this out.
I'm here.
I knew he was full of shit.
Remember that piece of your
phone we gave to Mr. Anderson?
Guess where I just found it.
His fricking glove box.
Yeah, you broke into his car. I saw you.
Not technically, and not the point.
Actually, kind of is, Simon.
- Why would you do that?
- Why not?
I told you I had a feeling
about him, and I was right.
And I told you I would watch him.
Who cares who's watching him?
Maddie, he's holding on
to a piece of evidence.
Now he might be tampering with it,
maybe even trying to get rid of it.
I mean, how do you not
see that that's proof?
- There has to be another reason.
- Sure. Yeah.
Maybe he's saving it as
a trophy for his kill.
Maybe he's gonna smelt
it into a frickin' ring.
Maddie, he's hiding something.
No. He can't be.
You keep saying that,
and I don't understand.
Why can't it be him?
Give me one good reason
why I shouldn't go report
what I found to Hartman
right now, 'cause I'll go.
Because he saved me, okay?
You remember that accident
I was in a few months ago?
The one with your mom's car?
Yeah.
Well, it was Mr. Anderson
that bailed me out of it, all right?
- Mr. Anderson?
- Yeah. He rescued me.
Why didn't you tell me this?
Because I don't know, Simon.
I didn't think I had to.
What?
Nothing.
I just I thought
I thought it wouldn't be
like this now that you're
What?
Dead, Maddie. Now that you're dead.
I mean, you're not making it very easy.
I'm sorry, is my being
dead hard for you?
Well, how am I supposed
to solve this thing
if, even now, you won't even let me in?
What about you?
I asked you to trust me,
and you just went and
- Because I'm trying to help.
- Well, stop, okay?
I'll solve my murder on my own.
Thanks.
Hey!
Need a lift?
I know, I know, you're not into sports,
but I just had to try.
Wally, I'm really not in the mood
for your whole Turbo thing right now.
Okay, Turbo's not my handle, actually.
It's Kaboom.
And also, that reminds me,
we need to come up with one for you.
Okay, look okay, okay, okay.
How about this?
Instead of pacing back and forth angrily
or whatever you're
doing, why don't you do it
with a little bit more speed?
Maddie.
I know how it feels
to be a passenger in your own afterlife,
so maybe try taking the wheel.
Come on. Let's go.
- Here we go.
- All right, fine.
You're gonna love it.
All right, let's do it.
Whoa.
Oh, okay.
All right, let's do it.
Maddie, Maddie, Maddie, Maddie!
Whoo!
Go, Maddie!
Yeah!
Oh, yeah!
It feels pretty damn good, right?
It kind of does, actually.
How have I not done
this, like, every day?
- Oh, shit!
- Oh, shit!
Whoa.
I probably should have mentioned
that I'm not the best driver.
Hey, it's okay. It's all good.
You know what, I knew
you'd be perfect for this.
Let's try something
bigger. Okay, go. Go.
- Okay.
- Let's go! Come on!
Whoo-hoo!
Yeah!
Okay, go big or go home, Maddie.
Come on.
You're not seriously expecting
me to hit those, are you?
Wally.
- Oh, okay.
- Wally. Wally.
- Wally. Wally, stop!
- Oh, yeah!
Yo!
And the crowd goes absolutely nuts!
Whoo!
Yes!
- You're insane, Wally.
- Let's go!
Whoo!
Yeah, Maddie!
- Oh!
- You're insane.
No, you you are a natural.
Hey! Yo!
She just got a strike her first try.
It's crazy. Dang.
So this is field day.
Yeah, yeah.
I mean, it's more like
destroy-the-field day.
But once a year, we come out here,
we just kind of get our aggression
out on the school, you know?
Whoo!
You still mad at me?
- Yes.
- Good.
You're gonna need that anger.
I understand that you've been
having a hard time adjusting
to our metaphysical world.
And what better way to practice
than our little tradition?
Allow me to demonstrate.
Oh! Mr. M, nice swing.
Wow.
Want to try?
Or can't you think of any feelings
you'd like to work through?
Oh, I can think of a few.
What?
Holy shit.
Sorry.
Damn it.
Maddie!
Maddie?
Damn it, where are you?
Shit. Shit.
- What?
- Look.
You liar!
Is he gone?
Yes. No one ever comes up here.
- You are so paranoid.
- Oh, my God.
Ta-da!
You know you didn't have to do that.
- I would have paid you for that.
- What?
After that guy was such an ass
over your mom's card getting declined?
No frickin' way.
It's about time that Kum & Go manager
got a little karmic comeuppance.
Such a frickin' weirdo.
Oh, totally. I'm like, "Eyes up, dude."
Right. So you know what? Cheers.
Mm-hmm.
Taking down one weirdo,
one shoplift at a time.
Mmm.
What is this place?
Old elevator control room.
This factory's been shut down for years.
I don't know.
I guess Shit River didn't pan out
to be the booming metropolis
they thought it would be.
I don't know.
I just like to come up here and escape.
Escape what?
Oh, you know, life.
Also, I love looking for new additions.
First loves.
Break-ups.
Male obsession with their own genitals.
Wait, don't we need to be on it?
I mean, not our genitals, but
We're a part of the history
up here too, now, right?
Wow.
I just did my initials,
but that's really good.
It's just a doodle.
It's stupid.
No, it's not.
I know you always say
that about the drawings
in your notebook or whatever,
but you're an artist.
Yeah, right.
So what, you're just
gonna Van Gogh yourself?
You're gonna cut off your ear and die,
and then when everyone finally
accepts you, it's too late?
What?
No, it's just
no one's cared this much.
Well, maybe you should.
Please tell me you're
at least going to study
rooftop tagging in college.
No, I wish.
I don't think the community college has
much of an art program.
My parents can't afford for
me to go anywhere else, so
Nope.
I will not accept that, Nicole.
You're too good.
You deserve to be around
things that inspire you.
I got it.
When you come visit Simon
and I at Northwestern,
we'll go to all the
art museums in Chicago.
Promise?
Yeah, I promise.
Maddie?
Hey.
Man, I forgot how high up this was.
What are you doing here?
What do you mean?
Maddie used to come up
here all the time, right?
- Right.
- Right.
So I'm looking for her,
checking all the spots.
Isn't that what you're doing?
Uh-huh.
So you didn't, maybe, like a
certain photo to get me up here?
What photo?
Oh, come on, Xavier. Don't play dumb.
I really don't know what
you're talking about.
You stole Maddie's phone.
How do I know you didn't
hack into her account
and use it to lure me up here?
To do what, Nicole?
To be your next victim.
Oh, I know.
I'm totally the girl who goes
into the basement/attic/place
where the killer's totally
waiting to kill people.
Oh, my God. Fuck.
But I just want you to know,
if you "Vertigo" me over this railing,
everyone will hear me scream.
Well, that seems highly unlikely
as I am legitimately afraid of heights.
Seriously, if anyone has
vertigo here, it's me.
It's, like it's, like, hard
for me to even be
standing up here right now.
So you really didn't do this?
No.
So what are you really doing here?
I, um
I followed you.
Oh, okay. Because that's not creepy.
No, I saw you in the library.
It looked like you might
have found something.
Why should I trust you?
Because I've been cleared.
I have an alibi.
Mr. South saw me in the boys' bathroom.
He was fixing a window.
My dad took his statement last week.
Then why haven't you said anything?
Because everybody's already
made up their minds about me.
Haven't they?
Fine.
So then who liked this photo?
Maybe Sandra opened up Maddie's laptop,
did it by accident.
How would you know that?
Because I was over there.
I wanted her to know
I didn't do anything,
and then we hung out.
She's in pretty rough shape, actually.
But you're Maddie's friend,
so you'd know that, right?
Yep, no. We'll do that.
We'll go to Ms. Skoke's class
We'll do that later, though. Thanks.
Mr. Anderson. Hey. I
was just looking for you.
Uh, can we talk?
Uh, yeah. How can I help you, Simon?
I was just wondering what they
said when you turned it in.
The piece of Maddie's phone.
You did turn it in, right?
Yeah. I'm handling it, Simon.
So you didn't turn it in?
See, I only ask because
if you still think
we should leave things
to the people in charge,
that means you're
gonna turn it in, right?
Like, to the cops.
I lied, Simon.
I don't trust the people in charge.
Not yet.
So until I know who to trust,
I'm gonna play things safe,
because the last thing I want
is for anyone to question you.
You understand?
Okay.
Oh, yes!
That was, mwah, beautiful.
I'm gonna find more
shit for us to break.
Best field day ever.
Come on, Charley. Yes, sir!
Okay, you just went
full-on Tonya Harding there.
Everything okay?
Technically, Tonya was exonerated.
But yeah, I guess I did.
I had a fight with Simon.
Oh.
Uh, I'm sorry.
That that sucks.
So what was it about?
Simon thinks that this teacher
that I really, really looked up to
might be responsible somehow.
And I just can't believe that.
Why?
Because it's a teacher?
Maybe you should talk to Rhonda.
That took balls.
No, I'm serious. That took balls.
Well, it was either go back to school
or stay home and troll the trolls.
Hmm. Well, that's never a good idea.
Don't you know you're not
supposed to read the comments?
It's kind of hard not to
when they're turning your face
into a "Hellraiser"-y pincushion.
Mm. That's true.
I don't think that the shit
people are saying about me
is gonna stop for a long time.
We just have to prove
that Maddie's out there.
Then they'll have to shut up.
How do we do that?
The cops have already given up.
It's like the less they
find, the less they look.
Then we look.
You know, I feel like if
we met in the same time,
we would have been friends.
Yeah?
And why is that, cherry pop?
Well, for one, I never
would have had the guts
to do that, alive or dead.
Yeah, well, the longer you're here,
the less you'll care.
You'll see.
Right.
I I was wondering
what the story was between you
and your guidance counselor.
I'm just curious.
Why, so you can blog about it?
Blogs aren't really a
thing anymore, just
they they take too long to read.
Of course they do.
I was more just wanting
to get some answers.
My pain is not for sale.
No, I know that. I just
You think my death can
somehow help you solve yours?
Honestly, I hope not.
I just I had a friendship
with a teacher too.
I guess I'm just trying to
figure out what it all meant.
Mr. Manfredo was the
nicest man I'd ever met.
My father was a pencil pusher.
Long hours, never home.
And my mother cared more
about how that home looked
the lawn, the stupid roses.
But Mr. Manfredo,
he just cared about me.
That sounds nice.
And it was.
He saw that I was something special.
He wrote to fancy schools
to let them know it too.
If I had a grade that
slipped, he was firm.
He knew what it took to
succeed out in the real world,
and he wanted me to
see that world someday.
But then when my dream, or our dream,
became a reality
It all went sideways.
How so?
I was in his office showing him
my acceptance letter to Berkeley, and
he just shut down.
And that's when it became
clear that all that kindness,
all that guidance came with a cost.
What?
What happened?
We argued.
He thought we were one thing.
I disagreed,
and then when I went
to leave his office
let's just say I never left.
Turns out nobody's who you
think they are, cherry pop.
If I got any lasting advice
from my so-called guidance
counselor, it's that.
So he was never caught?
No, he was.
He died in prison.
That didn't change anything for me.
Nothing ever changes here.
It all just resets in the end.
So it's the same room?
That's right. This room
and Ms. Field's room.
They used to be the old
guidance counselor's office.
- How is that possible?
- Well, they put this wall up.
They split the room in two
after Rhonda was killed.
Hang on. Other kids were killed here?
We don't have time for that.
And Rhonda's death is why we
can talk in this classroom.
And the others.
It's why we can talk
in those places too.
Simon, we can talk anywhere
that someone has died.
The scars of the school.
Mr. South talked to me the other day.
He said that the school had scars.
I guess maybe that was what he meant.
Yeah, it's how we can connect.
Great, so
we can connect.
What are we gonna say to each other?
I'm gonna say that I'm sorry
and that I shouldn't have
pushed you away earlier.
Go on.
And
that I think you may be right.
Mm.
Say more about this me-being-right idea.
It hasn't been easy, okay,
to look at everyone in my
life and pick them apart.
But I'm willing to admit
that I might have had a
blind spot to Mr. Anderson.
Thank you.
And, Simon, if he really
is hiding something,
then this classroom might
be our last place to look.
And I can't do this without you, Simon.
I know that.
And for more than the obvious reasons
ditto.
So what are we looking for?
So we're a "we"?
Yes, of course we're a "we."
We're always a "we."
And I'm guessing we need to find
whatever we're looking for
before Anderson comes back.
We are so right about that.
Let's find something that
finally nails this bastard.
Hey, Ms. Nears.
How you doing?
I'd be doing a lot better
if my daughter was back home.
No, of course.
I, um about that, I am so, so sorry
I haven't gone by to check in on you.
Nicole, you're here now.
It's really good to see you again.
Great.
So I come prepared.
I have my flashlight, bug spray,
bear mace, PB&Js, electrolytes
Wait. Did you say bear mace?
Yeah.
Do you want to go into the
dark, scary woods unarmed?
Whoa.
Especially when that's our backup?
Who needs him when I got you two?
Can I ask you something?
Is it about how the metaphysical world
resets itself, because I think
I'm actually starting
to figure that one out.
No.
It's about the accident.
- Why didn't you call me?
- Simon.
No, seriously, forget about
that stupid stuff I said earlier.
I just want to know.
Why not me?
Please, please don't
make me tell you that.
Just let this one go.
Okay.
I didn't crash that car.
Should we wake her?
No.
It's usually best not to.
You say you were driving?
Yeah, that's right.
So your mother
Wasn't even here.
Got it.
You sure about this, Maddie?
What other choice do I have?
They could take away your license.
Better than them taking away her.
Okay, then.
We'll move her.
I'll take her home, but
you're gonna stay here
so they don't think you fled.
When I come back, we'll talk
to the insurance company together.
Okay?
Maddie, you were right to call me.
If anyone else knew,
she could go away still.
That's why I called him and not you.
You couldn't.
Still, I've seen
some of the things
you dealt with at home.
No, that was just the
tip of the iceberg.
You know, I guess I was just worried
that if you really
knew how deep it goes,
you might be scared away.
Well, I'm talking to
your ghost right now,
and I'm still here, so
Would you call me now?
In a fucking heartbeat.
I don't want to do this here.
Shit.
Nothing over here.
Should we regroup?
Yeah. I'm coming to you.
- Nicole, what do you think?
Should we try another spot?
That's what I was asking you.
That's what I was ask
that's right.
- Can you hear anything?
- Yes.
No, that's fine. Fine.
Wait. Why are you in here?
- Can't you just go out there?
- No, that's
- Right.
- No, I don't
- Yeah.
- That's not
God, I don't I don't I'm
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
We already did things your way.
Now we're gonna do them mine, okay?
Nicole?
Did you hear that?
Nicole, was that you?
I found something.
Oh, really? Well, you
well, you know what
I shouldn't have done?
I shouldn't have given
Maddie that fucking money!
That's gotta be Maddie's ticket, right?
Holy shit. I remember that.
She had it in study hall
the last time I saw her.
Maddie? What did he just say?
Did you ask Mr. Anderson for cash?
No.
I know that there are gaps
in my memory, but I'd remember that.
Well, I mean, he
obviously thinks you did.
I mean, shit, maybe this is
the reason that he did it.
Could that be her boot print too?
I mean, it looks like it, right?
Isn't that Maddie's?
Yeah, those are hers.
- What the hell?
- I know it's hard.
You just saw Mr. Hyde
over there on full display.
No.
What the hell? What is that?
Holy shit.
Why does a high school English teacher
have a shitload of cash
hidden in his classroom?
I don't know, Maddie, but I'm guessing
it has to do with why you're dead.