Channel Zero (2016) s01e04 Episode Script
A Strange Vessel
1 You guys remember "Candle Cove"? That show used to give me the worst nightmares.
It's back.
Kids will watch it just like we did.
These kids are hurting someone! Hey, drop those knives! - [screaming.]
Mom! - Dane? She stabbed him in his sleep.
Me and Eddie started playing cards one day.
And this one game went on and on.
There was no winner.
We want to know what you did and why you did it.
- No! - Mike! Have you lost your mind? Jesus, Gary.
The last couple of years, Mike and I started emailing, texts.
It became important.
Lily.
It's my daughter.
How did you get here? Look at me.
Look at me.
How did you get here? [whispering.]
How did you get here? [thunder crashing.]
Are you mad at Eddie about something? All he wants to do is watch that show.
Do you think they're dead? Gene and them? Our dad told us one time, if you die, you don't get buried right or cremated, then you can't rest.
Maybe they just ran away.
Can I show you something? It's Pirate Percy.
Eddie made it the other night.
Don't tell him I showed you, okay? [electronic warble, static crackling.]
[adventurous music.]
Ahoy, mates.
What adventure awaits? Do you sense it? Something is coming.
A strange vessel is headed for the Cove.
[insects chirping and buzzing.]
Lily how did you get here? Aunt Carol? It's different.
What is? Do you know where you are? - Home.
- No, baby.
You're at your grandma Marla's house.
There's still no answer.
She's probably asleep.
Baby, where's our house, where you live with me and Mommy? Lily, look at me.
How did you get here? I think you should let her sleep.
[whispering.]
Come here.
Come here.
[pensive music.]
[grunts and sighs.]
[eerie music.]
Please, Kim? Just two minutes.
[whispers.]
Okay.
Good morning.
Someone wanted to see you.
I'm not mad at you.
Is Daddy mad? No, of course not.
He's just busy at work right now.
Buddy, when did you lose a tooth? Jess? I'll be back soon, okay? [eerie music.]
[cell phone ringing and buzzing.]
Mike? Where are you? Has your sister called? [sighs.]
I'm in Seattle at the Is Lily okay? She's here.
Why is she there? She showed up last night.
Wha who brought her there? I have no idea.
She won't say anything.
- Well, let me talk to her.
- She's sleeping.
She's Erica, she's okay, though.
Mike, is there anything you're not telling me? Oh, I'm telling you what I know.
- I'll be on the next flight.
- She's safe with me.
You know that, right? Yeah, well, I'll be on the next flight.
So what'd you tell the kids? That you're stuck at work.
You picked a really bad time to get yourself locked up.
I'm scared.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
I want you to go home, and I want you to get my gun.
What? Keep it on you, just in case.
And if I'm wrong about Mike, then you don't use it.
Jess, please.
I'm scared too.
[cell phone buzzing.]
Mike? I need to ask you for a favor.
What is it? [knock at door.]
- Sheriff? - Acting sheriff.
Still, you're the boss of me today.
I don't know why I said that.
What I meant to say was, I, uh, hope you like the mushrooms.
Oh, oh.
- Those are from you? - Yeah.
Mycology's kind of my main hobby, so these are different varieties.
So there's a hen-of-the-wood, uh, some golden chanterelle, and two different types of shitake.
- They're for cooking.
- Hmm.
I could, uh I could show you sometime.
Oh, that's sweet, but not No, it's okay.
It's okay.
You know, I figured it'd be a no, but I I just thought, you know, what the heck.
Looks like someone didn't listen at the sexual harassment seminar.
[laughs.]
Okay, uh, I'm, uh I'm gonna go back to work now, just [door creaks and clicks.]
Mike? Come on, Mike.
Hey, Eddie.
Is she your girlfriend now? So what if I am? See you tomorrow, Mike.
[doorbell rings.]
[liquid pouring.]
What's Mike doing? Do you always call your Daddy by his name like that? Well, you must call me Grandma, okay? [door creaks and bangs.]
Hey, guys.
Hi.
Lily, I want you to meet my friend Jessica.
Hi.
I've heard a lot about you.
And I brought you some clothes.
Oh, thank you.
Lily, Jessica and I were friends when we were little kids.
I know.
Well, what's your favorite thing to play? Do you like dolls? No.
I like pirates.
[dark music.]
What kind of pirates? Like this one.
How did you know where that was? Honey? It's hard to be in this body.
[eerie music.]
Lily.
I'm not Lily.
Then who are you? You don't know me? You look like my daughter Lily.
I would know you no matter what.
If you're not Lily, then where is she? What is she doing right now? She's dreaming this.
[whispers.]
Let's go watch.
You have to stop.
[whispering.]
Every time we send someone to Candle Cove, it gets stronger.
It's changing you.
You're changing.
You just want to hang out with Jessica.
Promise me you'll never love her more than you love me.
[foreboding music.]
Ahoy, mateys.
What adventure awaits? Do you sense it? Something is coming.
A strange vessel headed for the Cove.
All hands on deck! [music intensifying.]
[ominous music.]
Lily, do you see something behind me? The last time you were in that chair, I think I probably sent you there.
[chuckles.]
And now you're the principal.
I, uh I need to talk to these kids.
These aren't exactly the bad seeds.
Are they in some kind of trouble? No.
Well, you're making it easy on me.
They're all in the same class.
I'll have Mrs.
Booth hold them after the last bell.
[whispers.]
It's ringing.
You know it's not really him, right? Of course.
Can I talk to Lily? I told you, she's sleeping.
Eddie? [tense music.]
Why are you here? Are you back because of the show? Do you know who made it? Do you Do you know how it does what it does? I remember what you did.
I'm sorry.
It's okay.
You had to.
I'm trapped.
If you help me, I can be free and Lily can come back.
How? [foreboding music.]
You've got to be kidding.
His body? That's insane.
If we could stop this by putting him to I'm going to make some tea.
Would anyone like some tea? - Tea? - I'd love some.
- [sighs.]
- And if this doesn't work? Then we're back to where we started.
Or you're in jail with my husband.
I'll be careful.
I'll go tonight, on my own.
Avast, are you ready for battle? If she boards us, what do we do? We fight, hook and dagger, and slash and stab to the very last man.
[sighs.]
Shit.
[sighs.]
[tense music.]
Deputy? Oh.
Hey.
Uh, Mr.
Williams asked you to hold those kids for me? He wanted me to send them up to the office.
No, I heard him say Oh, I guess I misunderstood.
I'm sorry.
What's up? They're pretty good kids.
You haven't had any trouble with them recently? Not ever.
Hmm.
You were teaching in 1988, right? Yep.
I'm that old.
[chuckles.]
Do you remember the Painter twins? Of course.
They knew my son Jacob.
Right, yeah.
What was Eddie like? Shy But very special.
My son Jacob didn't have many friends, and Eddie was kind to him.
My son was a bit simple.
I left my religion behind many years ago, but I do like to think he's in a better place.
I'm sorry.
I'm sure it's hard to talk about.
It's okay.
Well, thanks for your time.
[door creaks and clicks.]
Jacob.
Eddie's here.
He wanted to see you.
Want to go to Skinner's? [somber music.]
[static crackling.]
[adventurous music.]
Boys, look.
[foreboding music.]
Oh, I've never seen a storm quite like this.
Maybe we should abandon ship.
No, don't leave me.
Oh, look, up ahead.
It's Bravery Cave.
- We should go inside.
- [laughs.]
You know, sometimes we think we have to do something, but we really don't.
Remember what it felt like when your daughter was missing? I think if you could go back and go down a different path, you would.
There was no other path.
[indistinct chatter.]
I thought we were meeting at the Crow's Nest.
What do you mean? From just now on the phone when you called me.
[laughter, indistinct chatter.]
I got to go.
You know how to tell me and Eddie apart, right? What? He's got an extra tooth right here.
Well, the only way I could tell is if you tried to kiss me, but I'd know the difference.
She's not coming.
What'd you do, Mike? You were gonna hurt her.
I was gonna take her to Candle Cove.
You're not taking them to Candle Cove.
You're killing them! We are.
We need to look out for each other.
You have to stop.
Why aren't you on my side? Because it's making you do this.
You're my twin.
You're supposed to be with me.
Give me that.
[grunts.]
[dark music.]
- No! - [grunting.]
[grunts.]
[bones cracking.]
[screaming.]
Alex? Hey, Alex! [sighs.]
[ominous music.]
Danger arrives! Draw your sword.
Say it with me.
Protect the ship! All: Protect the ship! Protect the ship! Take those masks off.
What are you guys doing? Rehearsing.
That wasn't "Pirates of Penzance.
" What about yesterday, in the field? Playing surgeons.
We talked about it in class.
Ask Mrs.
Booth.
Did Mrs.
Booth tell you to go to Mr.
Williams' office after school today? No.
We just came here.
Is there a teacher who's supposed to be with you right now? No.
Okay.
Rehearsal's over.
Go home.
Now.
[siren wails.]
[pensive piano music.]
[dramatic music.]
Hey.
What is this? Gary's keys.
I'm coming with you.
Oh, thank you.
All right, keep the change.
See you next week.
[relaxed music.]
[muffled music continues.]
[music fades.]
[engine turns over.]
[hip-hop music.]
[man rapping indistinctly.]
[foreboding music.]
[zipper buzzing.]
[tense music.]
[footsteps, insects trilling.]
[eerie music.]
[panting.]
[sighs.]
[gravel clacking.]
[sighing.]
[flames crackling.]
Can I see? Wow.
You've always been very good.
[sighs.]
All right.
Would you like me to read to you? Do you know what book? [sighs.]
Hmm.
[sighs.]
"Squire Trelawney, Dr.
Livesey, and the rest of these gentlemen, having asked me to write down the whole particulars about Treasure Island, from the beginning to the end, and keeping nothing back but the bearings of the island" [solemn music.]
[exhales.]
[sighs.]
When you think about this, it'll just seem like some nightmare you had.
It already does.
I barely recognize myself.
I recognize you.
Do you still think about what a different version of your life would look like, if things had happened another way? See you tomorrow.
Jess? Thank you.
[dark music.]
[relaxed acoustic guitar music.]
Well, I'm glad you called.
It has been a strange couple days.
I'll take it.
Although next time, I would actually like to cook you a meal, though.
I mean, sorry, not to be presumptuous, that there would be a next time, but, you know, if.
Do you believe in intuition? Like following your gut? Yeah.
Definitely.
Yeah.
Something felt wrong today.
I should've asked more questions.
Are you going back to the station? [stammering.]
I could come with you.
No, I won't be long.
And, uh [chuckles.]
I think I'd like it if you were here when I got back.
Yes, ma'am.
[insects trilling and chirping.]
[doorbell rings.]
Mrs.
Booth? [lock clicking.]
I smell marijuana.
I'm coming inside to investigate.
Mrs.
Booth? Frances? [clattering.]
[door creaking.]
[foreboding music.]
[metallic clink.]
[exhales sharply.]
[light switch clicks.]
[clattering.]
[water plopping.]
[faint mewl.]
Oh, God.
[ominous music.]
[foreboding music.]
[gasps.]
Jesus.
Who are you? Take that mask off.
[floorboard creaks.]
Give me that.
[suspenseful music.]
Give me that! [screams.]
[door clicking and creaking.]
Oh, shit.
Just stay there.
Just stop right there, okay? - Stay there! - You won't shoot us.
- We're kids.
- [sobbing.]
Get back.
Just let me go, okay? [screams.]
[gasping.]
Oh, my God.
[moans.]
- [grunts.]
- [screams.]
[water splashing.]
[gurgling.]
No! Don't! [screaming.]
[gasping and gagging.]
Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! [footsteps tapping.]
Mommy! You're okay.
- Come here.
Come here.
- Daddy? Come here.
I had a nightmare.
Listen to me.
Look, look.
You're okay.
Everything's okay now.
Where am I? How did I get here? You're okay.
You just had a nightmare.
It's back.
Kids will watch it just like we did.
These kids are hurting someone! Hey, drop those knives! - [screaming.]
Mom! - Dane? She stabbed him in his sleep.
Me and Eddie started playing cards one day.
And this one game went on and on.
There was no winner.
We want to know what you did and why you did it.
- No! - Mike! Have you lost your mind? Jesus, Gary.
The last couple of years, Mike and I started emailing, texts.
It became important.
Lily.
It's my daughter.
How did you get here? Look at me.
Look at me.
How did you get here? [whispering.]
How did you get here? [thunder crashing.]
Are you mad at Eddie about something? All he wants to do is watch that show.
Do you think they're dead? Gene and them? Our dad told us one time, if you die, you don't get buried right or cremated, then you can't rest.
Maybe they just ran away.
Can I show you something? It's Pirate Percy.
Eddie made it the other night.
Don't tell him I showed you, okay? [electronic warble, static crackling.]
[adventurous music.]
Ahoy, mates.
What adventure awaits? Do you sense it? Something is coming.
A strange vessel is headed for the Cove.
[insects chirping and buzzing.]
Lily how did you get here? Aunt Carol? It's different.
What is? Do you know where you are? - Home.
- No, baby.
You're at your grandma Marla's house.
There's still no answer.
She's probably asleep.
Baby, where's our house, where you live with me and Mommy? Lily, look at me.
How did you get here? I think you should let her sleep.
[whispering.]
Come here.
Come here.
[pensive music.]
[grunts and sighs.]
[eerie music.]
Please, Kim? Just two minutes.
[whispers.]
Okay.
Good morning.
Someone wanted to see you.
I'm not mad at you.
Is Daddy mad? No, of course not.
He's just busy at work right now.
Buddy, when did you lose a tooth? Jess? I'll be back soon, okay? [eerie music.]
[cell phone ringing and buzzing.]
Mike? Where are you? Has your sister called? [sighs.]
I'm in Seattle at the Is Lily okay? She's here.
Why is she there? She showed up last night.
Wha who brought her there? I have no idea.
She won't say anything.
- Well, let me talk to her.
- She's sleeping.
She's Erica, she's okay, though.
Mike, is there anything you're not telling me? Oh, I'm telling you what I know.
- I'll be on the next flight.
- She's safe with me.
You know that, right? Yeah, well, I'll be on the next flight.
So what'd you tell the kids? That you're stuck at work.
You picked a really bad time to get yourself locked up.
I'm scared.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
I want you to go home, and I want you to get my gun.
What? Keep it on you, just in case.
And if I'm wrong about Mike, then you don't use it.
Jess, please.
I'm scared too.
[cell phone buzzing.]
Mike? I need to ask you for a favor.
What is it? [knock at door.]
- Sheriff? - Acting sheriff.
Still, you're the boss of me today.
I don't know why I said that.
What I meant to say was, I, uh, hope you like the mushrooms.
Oh, oh.
- Those are from you? - Yeah.
Mycology's kind of my main hobby, so these are different varieties.
So there's a hen-of-the-wood, uh, some golden chanterelle, and two different types of shitake.
- They're for cooking.
- Hmm.
I could, uh I could show you sometime.
Oh, that's sweet, but not No, it's okay.
It's okay.
You know, I figured it'd be a no, but I I just thought, you know, what the heck.
Looks like someone didn't listen at the sexual harassment seminar.
[laughs.]
Okay, uh, I'm, uh I'm gonna go back to work now, just [door creaks and clicks.]
Mike? Come on, Mike.
Hey, Eddie.
Is she your girlfriend now? So what if I am? See you tomorrow, Mike.
[doorbell rings.]
[liquid pouring.]
What's Mike doing? Do you always call your Daddy by his name like that? Well, you must call me Grandma, okay? [door creaks and bangs.]
Hey, guys.
Hi.
Lily, I want you to meet my friend Jessica.
Hi.
I've heard a lot about you.
And I brought you some clothes.
Oh, thank you.
Lily, Jessica and I were friends when we were little kids.
I know.
Well, what's your favorite thing to play? Do you like dolls? No.
I like pirates.
[dark music.]
What kind of pirates? Like this one.
How did you know where that was? Honey? It's hard to be in this body.
[eerie music.]
Lily.
I'm not Lily.
Then who are you? You don't know me? You look like my daughter Lily.
I would know you no matter what.
If you're not Lily, then where is she? What is she doing right now? She's dreaming this.
[whispers.]
Let's go watch.
You have to stop.
[whispering.]
Every time we send someone to Candle Cove, it gets stronger.
It's changing you.
You're changing.
You just want to hang out with Jessica.
Promise me you'll never love her more than you love me.
[foreboding music.]
Ahoy, mateys.
What adventure awaits? Do you sense it? Something is coming.
A strange vessel headed for the Cove.
All hands on deck! [music intensifying.]
[ominous music.]
Lily, do you see something behind me? The last time you were in that chair, I think I probably sent you there.
[chuckles.]
And now you're the principal.
I, uh I need to talk to these kids.
These aren't exactly the bad seeds.
Are they in some kind of trouble? No.
Well, you're making it easy on me.
They're all in the same class.
I'll have Mrs.
Booth hold them after the last bell.
[whispers.]
It's ringing.
You know it's not really him, right? Of course.
Can I talk to Lily? I told you, she's sleeping.
Eddie? [tense music.]
Why are you here? Are you back because of the show? Do you know who made it? Do you Do you know how it does what it does? I remember what you did.
I'm sorry.
It's okay.
You had to.
I'm trapped.
If you help me, I can be free and Lily can come back.
How? [foreboding music.]
You've got to be kidding.
His body? That's insane.
If we could stop this by putting him to I'm going to make some tea.
Would anyone like some tea? - Tea? - I'd love some.
- [sighs.]
- And if this doesn't work? Then we're back to where we started.
Or you're in jail with my husband.
I'll be careful.
I'll go tonight, on my own.
Avast, are you ready for battle? If she boards us, what do we do? We fight, hook and dagger, and slash and stab to the very last man.
[sighs.]
Shit.
[sighs.]
[tense music.]
Deputy? Oh.
Hey.
Uh, Mr.
Williams asked you to hold those kids for me? He wanted me to send them up to the office.
No, I heard him say Oh, I guess I misunderstood.
I'm sorry.
What's up? They're pretty good kids.
You haven't had any trouble with them recently? Not ever.
Hmm.
You were teaching in 1988, right? Yep.
I'm that old.
[chuckles.]
Do you remember the Painter twins? Of course.
They knew my son Jacob.
Right, yeah.
What was Eddie like? Shy But very special.
My son Jacob didn't have many friends, and Eddie was kind to him.
My son was a bit simple.
I left my religion behind many years ago, but I do like to think he's in a better place.
I'm sorry.
I'm sure it's hard to talk about.
It's okay.
Well, thanks for your time.
[door creaks and clicks.]
Jacob.
Eddie's here.
He wanted to see you.
Want to go to Skinner's? [somber music.]
[static crackling.]
[adventurous music.]
Boys, look.
[foreboding music.]
Oh, I've never seen a storm quite like this.
Maybe we should abandon ship.
No, don't leave me.
Oh, look, up ahead.
It's Bravery Cave.
- We should go inside.
- [laughs.]
You know, sometimes we think we have to do something, but we really don't.
Remember what it felt like when your daughter was missing? I think if you could go back and go down a different path, you would.
There was no other path.
[indistinct chatter.]
I thought we were meeting at the Crow's Nest.
What do you mean? From just now on the phone when you called me.
[laughter, indistinct chatter.]
I got to go.
You know how to tell me and Eddie apart, right? What? He's got an extra tooth right here.
Well, the only way I could tell is if you tried to kiss me, but I'd know the difference.
She's not coming.
What'd you do, Mike? You were gonna hurt her.
I was gonna take her to Candle Cove.
You're not taking them to Candle Cove.
You're killing them! We are.
We need to look out for each other.
You have to stop.
Why aren't you on my side? Because it's making you do this.
You're my twin.
You're supposed to be with me.
Give me that.
[grunts.]
[dark music.]
- No! - [grunting.]
[grunts.]
[bones cracking.]
[screaming.]
Alex? Hey, Alex! [sighs.]
[ominous music.]
Danger arrives! Draw your sword.
Say it with me.
Protect the ship! All: Protect the ship! Protect the ship! Take those masks off.
What are you guys doing? Rehearsing.
That wasn't "Pirates of Penzance.
" What about yesterday, in the field? Playing surgeons.
We talked about it in class.
Ask Mrs.
Booth.
Did Mrs.
Booth tell you to go to Mr.
Williams' office after school today? No.
We just came here.
Is there a teacher who's supposed to be with you right now? No.
Okay.
Rehearsal's over.
Go home.
Now.
[siren wails.]
[pensive piano music.]
[dramatic music.]
Hey.
What is this? Gary's keys.
I'm coming with you.
Oh, thank you.
All right, keep the change.
See you next week.
[relaxed music.]
[muffled music continues.]
[music fades.]
[engine turns over.]
[hip-hop music.]
[man rapping indistinctly.]
[foreboding music.]
[zipper buzzing.]
[tense music.]
[footsteps, insects trilling.]
[eerie music.]
[panting.]
[sighs.]
[gravel clacking.]
[sighing.]
[flames crackling.]
Can I see? Wow.
You've always been very good.
[sighs.]
All right.
Would you like me to read to you? Do you know what book? [sighs.]
Hmm.
[sighs.]
"Squire Trelawney, Dr.
Livesey, and the rest of these gentlemen, having asked me to write down the whole particulars about Treasure Island, from the beginning to the end, and keeping nothing back but the bearings of the island" [solemn music.]
[exhales.]
[sighs.]
When you think about this, it'll just seem like some nightmare you had.
It already does.
I barely recognize myself.
I recognize you.
Do you still think about what a different version of your life would look like, if things had happened another way? See you tomorrow.
Jess? Thank you.
[dark music.]
[relaxed acoustic guitar music.]
Well, I'm glad you called.
It has been a strange couple days.
I'll take it.
Although next time, I would actually like to cook you a meal, though.
I mean, sorry, not to be presumptuous, that there would be a next time, but, you know, if.
Do you believe in intuition? Like following your gut? Yeah.
Definitely.
Yeah.
Something felt wrong today.
I should've asked more questions.
Are you going back to the station? [stammering.]
I could come with you.
No, I won't be long.
And, uh [chuckles.]
I think I'd like it if you were here when I got back.
Yes, ma'am.
[insects trilling and chirping.]
[doorbell rings.]
Mrs.
Booth? [lock clicking.]
I smell marijuana.
I'm coming inside to investigate.
Mrs.
Booth? Frances? [clattering.]
[door creaking.]
[foreboding music.]
[metallic clink.]
[exhales sharply.]
[light switch clicks.]
[clattering.]
[water plopping.]
[faint mewl.]
Oh, God.
[ominous music.]
[foreboding music.]
[gasps.]
Jesus.
Who are you? Take that mask off.
[floorboard creaks.]
Give me that.
[suspenseful music.]
Give me that! [screams.]
[door clicking and creaking.]
Oh, shit.
Just stay there.
Just stop right there, okay? - Stay there! - You won't shoot us.
- We're kids.
- [sobbing.]
Get back.
Just let me go, okay? [screams.]
[gasping.]
Oh, my God.
[moans.]
- [grunts.]
- [screams.]
[water splashing.]
[gurgling.]
No! Don't! [screaming.]
[gasping and gagging.]
Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! [footsteps tapping.]
Mommy! You're okay.
- Come here.
Come here.
- Daddy? Come here.
I had a nightmare.
Listen to me.
Look, look.
You're okay.
Everything's okay now.
Where am I? How did I get here? You're okay.
You just had a nightmare.