The Twilight Zone (1959) s04e06 Episode Script
Death Ship
You unlock this door with the key of imagination.
Beyond it is another dimension- a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind.
You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas.
You've just crossed over into the twilight zone.
Picture of the spaceship e-89, cruising above the 13th planet of star system 51.
The year, 1997.
In a little while, supposedly, the ship will be landed and specimens taken- vegetable, mineral, and, if any, animal.
These will be brought back to overpopulated earth where technicians will evaluate them, and if everything is satisfactory, stamp their findings with the word "inhabitable" and open up yet another planet for colonization.
These are the things that aresupposedto happen.
Captain.
Something glittered down there.
It was at, uh, I don't see anything.
Something glittered.
We've passed it now.
Well, we went over a lake, you know.
I know, sir, it wasn't that.
Okay, we'll have a look.
But it was probably the lake.
Probably wasting our time.
What are we turning for? What is it? Is something down there? Mason thinks so.
There was something.
What? I don't know yet.
We're almost there.
I know what you're thinking.
Don't.
It's got to happen sometime, doesn't it? You're alien-contact happy.
About time.
Do you really think man's the only intelligent life in the universe? All right, not again.
We're meeting another race.
Great.
It would be great.
Man, wouldn't that be something! It's got to happen why not to us? There it is.
Looks like it might be a ship.
Hardly.
You mean you're still not going to land? Will you take it easy? Will you?! We should take specimens.
I don't like it.
Well, it's up to you, captain.
Okay.
Ted, we're going down! We're-we're going down! I can't even talk to him anymore.
Yeah, what's the matter with him? He's acting strange lately.
I don't know.
Air spring.
Places! Picture of the crew of the spaceship e-89: Captain ross, lieutenant mason, lieutenant carter.
Three men who have just reached a place which is as far from home as they will ever be.
Three men who in a matter of minutes will be plunged into the darkest nightmare reaches of the twilight zone.
I'll, uh check the atmosphere.
We won't need helmets.
Mike.
Mike! Oh, thanks.
Your jumper, captain.
Mason! You can't wait to get out there, can you? What's that supposed to mean? It means i don't like impetuous crewmen; they make mistakes.
Have i made any mistakes, captain? You're on the verge.
Let me know when i make them.
We stay together.
No one takes any risks.
That's an order, mason.
Yes, sir.
Looks like one of our ships, doesn't it? Don't jump to conclusions.
Well, doesn't it? From what i can see of the rockets, it does.
Rocket construction could be standard everywhere.
Even on another planet, captain? That's enough! Itisone of our ships.
How could it get this far off course? I don't like it.
Well, aren't we going to go in and find out who they are? All right but stay together.
It's from earth.
There's no doubt about it.
We don't know that.
But look at the structuring, captain.
We don't know that, carter.
Nope.
Well, maybe it's pressurized.
No, it's not very likely.
The door frame is probably twisted.
Try it together, eh? Yeah.
If it doesn't open, we'll have to forget about it.
Forget about it? There isn't time! It's moving! All right.
Here.
Dear god.
Try the auxiliary light system.
The auxiliary light system! Move! I don't understand.
Oh, it's not what it seems.
I don't understand.
Will you hang on? Put it back.
Put it back! What is this? All right, don't let it get to you.
It's me.
Come away.
It's me.
I said come away.
Carter! It's not what it seems.
That was us in there.
We're dead.
Can you imagine what it was like when this thing hit? We're dead.
Can you imagine? No, our ship is where we left it, just as we left it.
That isn't our ship! Those aren't our bodies! Can you imagine? But they are! No.
I don't know what it is, but there's a logical explanation for this.
Everything has a logical explanation! This is me imagine this is you use your head.
It's not what it seems! Well, then, what is it? What is it? I don't know, but think.
Mason! Yes, sir? We're leaving.
We're going back to the ship.
Radio the station.
They'll tell us what to do.
Yes, sir.
Shouldn't we bury our they're not ours.
Will you go ahead? We're alive.
Alive.
Try it again.
Captain, i've been trying just try it again.
Earth station 1217, earth station 1217, this is spaceship e-89, e-89.
Do you read me? Come in, earth station 1217.
over.
What is this? It was working before.
Maybe it's this planet.
What are you talking about? Maybe there's an interfering field don't be ridiculous.
Try the radionic signal.
Captain, it's not going to work will you do what i tell you once?! Yes, sir.
Again.
Again.
Captain, if it didn't work the first time they didn't hear us.
This return signal works on automatic.
Do i have to tell you that? All right.
But let's go over this again and again, because there's got to be an answer somewhere.
Somewhere! First, those are not our bodies over there.
That i'm sure of.
Now, use your heads.
These are our bodies.
These are our bodies! Listen.
Wait a minute.
Do you both remember what they told us once in training about the theory of circumnavigating time? They said it might be possible for us to leave the earth during one year; then, when we got back, though we thought it was the same year, it might be the year before or the year after.
Remember that? That was just a theory, captain.
No, no, it's not a theory, because that's what's happened to us! We've gone into some kind of time warp right into the future.
And that ship standing out there is in the future? Is that what you're saying? No, no, only the probable future.
What does that mean? That means we're not dead.
And it also means we're going to be dead.
Not if we don't go up.
If we don't go up, we can't crash.
Now, it's the only answer.
We're alive now, mason.
The only way to make certain that we stay alive- you, carter, me- is not to go up.
Then we can't crash.
We avoid it, we prevent it.
We stay.
That's easy enough for you to decide, captain.
Now, what does that mean? You've got no one waiting for you back on earth.
I've made my decision.
I say we vote on it.
You do? You're not the only one, captain.
I'm the only one that gives the orders.
Even where our lives are concerned? Especially where your lives are concerned! I said we stay! For how long, captain? I'm not setting any limit, carter.
One month? Two months? A year? I said i'm not setting we don't have enough food to stay that long.
I've no doubt there's edible food outside.
How will we know what's edible and what isn't? We have no testing equipment.
We'll watch the animals.
I saw no animals, captain, did you? There will be.
If there are, it'll be a different form of life from what we know.
What could edible to them might be deadly poisonous for us! We'll worry about that when the time comes.
The only important thing now is the preservation of our lives! Now, it may not be necessary to stay here permanently.
We may figure something out.
But for now, the decision is to stay.
Not our decision.
Have you a better solution? Working at minimum capacity, the ship's electrical system can hold out for months.
We won't be working at minimum capacity, captain.
Why? 'Cause we're going to need heat- lots of it.
It's only twilight, and already the outside temperature is minus 13 degrees.
Would you rather go up, take a risk of duplicating that ship out there? I don't know.
How could we duplicate it, captain? How can there how can there be two crashed ships two of me dead, two of you, two of mason? We'll go over it again.
Eventually, we'll find an answer.
Hey, mike! Hi, boy.
When'd you get home? You're on leave, huh? Huh? I well, you're looking fit.
I'll bet mary's glad to have you back, huh? Mary? Uh, you mind if i walk with you, mike? When'd you get home? L-i just got here.
You well, i must say, you rocket boys are traveling informally these days.
Uh, does, uh mary know you're coming? I don't think so.
Oh, you're going to surprise her, huh? Yeah.
How long you got? I don't know.
You all right, mike? Hello, mike.
Hello, mike.
Home on furlough? I don't know.
Old mrs.
Nolan.
Still makes that long walk to town every day.
She'll go on forever.
Hey, mike, now you're back, how about some hunting, huh? Not that i ever hit anything with this thing, but hey! Hey, mike! Mary! Mary! Mary! Honey, i'm home! Mary? Mary, honey honey? Mary? Mary? Mary? Mary? Carter? Carter.
Carter, i'm talking to you! What's the matter with you? What's the matter with you? I was home.
What? I was home.
You were here.
Youarehere.
No no.
I swear i was home! There was a telegram it said i'd been killed.
Oh, no.
No, you're alive.
No.
Those people- kramer, mrs.
Nolan they're dead! I just remembered that! Now, stop it, carter.
No, no, kramer, kramer he got killed in a hunting accident.
Mrs.
Nolan now, you stop it! Now, you were here all the time.
It never happened.
There's an explanation somewhere, and i'll find it.
I swear to you, we'll find it.
You and mason and me, we'll fi mason! Mason! Mason.
Twilight zonewill continue after station identification.
Mason.
Where is he? Where did he go? I don't know.
Oh, daddy, i thought i'd never find you.
Jeannie.
I've looked and looked.
I found him, i found him! Lunch is ready, daddy.
And am i hungry after all that searching.
What's the matter, daddy? Come here.
What, daddy? Oh! Jeannie, jeannie.
What is it, daddy? Oh, baby, is it you? What's wrong, daddy? Nothing, honey, nothing.
I'm just happy to see you, that's all.
Oh.
Was that your mother you were calling to just now? Was it, honey? Yes, daddy.
You know.
Where is she? Over by the table, daddy.
You stay right here.
Don't go away.
Okay.
Ted! Well, you startled me, bursting out of the bushes like that.
Ted? What is it? Oh, ruth.
Ruth.
Sweetheart, what's wrong? Nothing.
Nothing now.
Are you sure? Yes, i'm sure.
Ah! Oh, all this, just for lunch? My goodness.
So emotional over a little fried chicken.
Where's jeannie? Back there.
Were you asleep? Are you still asleep? Oh, if i am, i hope i never wake up.
I just want to keep on dreaming.
Let's go, mason.
Ted, why is he here? Get out of here.
I said let's go.
Keep away from here.
You're coming back with me.
Back? Where you belong, on the ship.
No, ted.
You're having a hallucination, lieutenant.
No.
No, it's real.
It isn't.
You're coming with me.
No.
Now, keep away.
Keep away from me! No! You're coming back! No, i'm staying.
Let me go.
Let go of me! I don't want to be here.
I don't want to be here.
Ruth ruth.
Ruth? Ruth.
Ruth ruth! There was no ruth, no jeannie.
What does that say? Read it.
"The wife and daughter of space pilot ted mason died "early this morning when the car that" don't you see, ted? You weren't there.
You weren't there.
They're dead.
You're alive.
I was there, paul.
I was, i was.
No, no, it just you took me away.
No, it isn't true.
Isn't it? You took me away from my wife and my home.
Well, you were both here all the time.
He was gone! No.
We just couldn't see him, that's all.
What are you talking about? I know what it is now.
That's what i'm talking about.
I was wrong.
I was wrong.
It has nothing to do with circumnavigating time.
Nothing at all.
Remember what you thought before you saw that ship over there? Alien contact- that's what you thought.
Well, that's exactly what's happened to us.
I thought you didn't believe in alien contact.
Listen to me.
Neither of you were home.
That is not our ship.
Those are not our bodies.
We've been tricked.
By whom? By whoever it is that lives on this planet and doesn't want anyone else to live here.
Well, don't you understand? We haven't been able to see them, but there are aliens here but aliens who aren't strong enough to kill us or drive us away by force.
So what can they do? How can they keep their planet from being colonized? By mind control.
By picking our brains and finding the death fear and making use of it by-by showing our crashed ship and us dead inside it.
Scaring us so much that we didn't dare take off again.
Therefore, we weren't able to make a report about this planet.
They even know that we can't make a radio report back to earth because there's too much interference here.
A short while ago, you didn't believe there was any interference.
I believe it now.
Everything that has happened on this planet since we landed has been a delusion.
Oh, no no, no, this happened.
It happened.
It was a delusion.
Even mason's disappearance? Why not? If they could make us believe that we saw a crashed ship and our bodies inside that ship, they could make us believe anything.
It isn't out there, then? Oh, maybe you can see it.
You may still be able to touch it again, but that doesn't prove it's really there.
What's going to prove it isn't there, paul? What's going to prove that you're right now? What's going to prove that? Us going up all the way back to earth.
Proving there's nothing keeping us here but deluded fear.
Wait a minute! Wait, wait a minute.
Now, what if you're wrong? I'm right.
You thought you were right before.
You were ready to keep us here indefinitely, you were so sure.
Are you positive enough now to risk all our lives, paul? Yes, i am.
I'm not.
Put it away, carter.
Now, you're not going to take us up.
Remember what you said? If we stayed here, we'd freeze to death or starve to death you'd never see earth again.
He's right, mike.
That's no answer.
Put it away.
We've got to go up.
We've got to go up.
Oh, god have mercy on our souls.
All right.
All right.
Here we go.
Twenty.
Forty we're out! Well you were right.
He was right.
Boy, if ever i see anything glitter on that viewer again, i'll just keep my big mouth shut! Yeah i was right.
Hey, what are you what are you doing? What? Preparing for a landing.
What? Well, now that we know what it is, there's no reason we shouldn't go back.
No reason?! What, are you out of your mind?! We have orders, carter- pick up specimens of foreign life.
We're going to pick them up.
No, we're not! Carter, get your hands off! You idiot! Let go of that thing! You did it! You did it! What'd i tell you?! We're going to crash! No! We're going to die! No! No, we're not going to die.
Carter, auxiliary engines! It's no use.
Carter! Carter, you fool! Auxiliaries on! I don't understand.
Shut up! You haven't even got the guts to fight for your own life.
Are we still going down? You bet we're going down.
And when we get there, you'll see that ship is no longer there- gone, vanished! Because it was never there in the first place.
Air springs.
Yes, sir.
Get set for touchdown.
It's gone.
How do we know we're facing the right direction, captain? Gone, captain? All right, it's still there.
That doesn't mean anything.
I'll tell you what it means.
It means you're wrong.
There's an explanation for this somewhere.
I don't know what it is, but i'm going to find it.
Well, you'll never know.
You know why, captain? Because we've got to go back up again.
And this time, we're really going to crash! No, we're not.
We're not going to crash because we already have crashed.
What are you talking about? Stop fighting it, captain.
You're all out of explanations.
There's only one left, and you know it.
I know nothing of the kind.
Oh, yes, you do.
Carter was home.
That telegram was really there.
I was with my wife and my daughter because i'm just like them now.
No, no.
Accept it, captain.
Stop trying to prove that we're alive.
We are alive.
There's something happening here- i don't know what it is, but there's an explanation for it.
I've given you the explanation.
I don't accept it! We're going to go over it again until i find the answer! Can't you see? That's what we've been doing- going over itagain.
Let us go, paul.
No.
We're dead, paul.
Let us die.
We're going to go over it again, do you hear? We're going to go over it again! We're going to go over itagain! Captain.
Something glittered down there.
It was at, uh, I don't see anything.
Picture of a man who will not see anything he does not choose to see, including his own death.
A man of such indomitable will that even the two men beneath his command are not allowed to see the truth: Which truth is that they are no longer among the living that the movements they make and the words they speak have all been made and spoken countless times before and will be made and spoken countless times again, perhaps even unto eternity.
Picture of a latter-day flying dutchman sailing into the twilight zone.
Next, we delve into the realm of american folklore, and through the offices of a fine writer named earl hamner jr.
, we peruse a little witchcraft and bring you a story called, "jess-belle.
" This exercise in terror and talismans stars anne francis and james best.
? form a ring, circle right with a pretty little thing? ? now break that ring with a corner swing? ? go back home, do-sl-do? Elly! Elly! Elly! Elly! I ain't never seen no cat with spots like that.
A witch.
That cat was a witch.
Beyond it is another dimension- a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind.
You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas.
You've just crossed over into the twilight zone.
Picture of the spaceship e-89, cruising above the 13th planet of star system 51.
The year, 1997.
In a little while, supposedly, the ship will be landed and specimens taken- vegetable, mineral, and, if any, animal.
These will be brought back to overpopulated earth where technicians will evaluate them, and if everything is satisfactory, stamp their findings with the word "inhabitable" and open up yet another planet for colonization.
These are the things that aresupposedto happen.
Captain.
Something glittered down there.
It was at, uh, I don't see anything.
Something glittered.
We've passed it now.
Well, we went over a lake, you know.
I know, sir, it wasn't that.
Okay, we'll have a look.
But it was probably the lake.
Probably wasting our time.
What are we turning for? What is it? Is something down there? Mason thinks so.
There was something.
What? I don't know yet.
We're almost there.
I know what you're thinking.
Don't.
It's got to happen sometime, doesn't it? You're alien-contact happy.
About time.
Do you really think man's the only intelligent life in the universe? All right, not again.
We're meeting another race.
Great.
It would be great.
Man, wouldn't that be something! It's got to happen why not to us? There it is.
Looks like it might be a ship.
Hardly.
You mean you're still not going to land? Will you take it easy? Will you?! We should take specimens.
I don't like it.
Well, it's up to you, captain.
Okay.
Ted, we're going down! We're-we're going down! I can't even talk to him anymore.
Yeah, what's the matter with him? He's acting strange lately.
I don't know.
Air spring.
Places! Picture of the crew of the spaceship e-89: Captain ross, lieutenant mason, lieutenant carter.
Three men who have just reached a place which is as far from home as they will ever be.
Three men who in a matter of minutes will be plunged into the darkest nightmare reaches of the twilight zone.
I'll, uh check the atmosphere.
We won't need helmets.
Mike.
Mike! Oh, thanks.
Your jumper, captain.
Mason! You can't wait to get out there, can you? What's that supposed to mean? It means i don't like impetuous crewmen; they make mistakes.
Have i made any mistakes, captain? You're on the verge.
Let me know when i make them.
We stay together.
No one takes any risks.
That's an order, mason.
Yes, sir.
Looks like one of our ships, doesn't it? Don't jump to conclusions.
Well, doesn't it? From what i can see of the rockets, it does.
Rocket construction could be standard everywhere.
Even on another planet, captain? That's enough! Itisone of our ships.
How could it get this far off course? I don't like it.
Well, aren't we going to go in and find out who they are? All right but stay together.
It's from earth.
There's no doubt about it.
We don't know that.
But look at the structuring, captain.
We don't know that, carter.
Nope.
Well, maybe it's pressurized.
No, it's not very likely.
The door frame is probably twisted.
Try it together, eh? Yeah.
If it doesn't open, we'll have to forget about it.
Forget about it? There isn't time! It's moving! All right.
Here.
Dear god.
Try the auxiliary light system.
The auxiliary light system! Move! I don't understand.
Oh, it's not what it seems.
I don't understand.
Will you hang on? Put it back.
Put it back! What is this? All right, don't let it get to you.
It's me.
Come away.
It's me.
I said come away.
Carter! It's not what it seems.
That was us in there.
We're dead.
Can you imagine what it was like when this thing hit? We're dead.
Can you imagine? No, our ship is where we left it, just as we left it.
That isn't our ship! Those aren't our bodies! Can you imagine? But they are! No.
I don't know what it is, but there's a logical explanation for this.
Everything has a logical explanation! This is me imagine this is you use your head.
It's not what it seems! Well, then, what is it? What is it? I don't know, but think.
Mason! Yes, sir? We're leaving.
We're going back to the ship.
Radio the station.
They'll tell us what to do.
Yes, sir.
Shouldn't we bury our they're not ours.
Will you go ahead? We're alive.
Alive.
Try it again.
Captain, i've been trying just try it again.
Earth station 1217, earth station 1217, this is spaceship e-89, e-89.
Do you read me? Come in, earth station 1217.
over.
What is this? It was working before.
Maybe it's this planet.
What are you talking about? Maybe there's an interfering field don't be ridiculous.
Try the radionic signal.
Captain, it's not going to work will you do what i tell you once?! Yes, sir.
Again.
Again.
Captain, if it didn't work the first time they didn't hear us.
This return signal works on automatic.
Do i have to tell you that? All right.
But let's go over this again and again, because there's got to be an answer somewhere.
Somewhere! First, those are not our bodies over there.
That i'm sure of.
Now, use your heads.
These are our bodies.
These are our bodies! Listen.
Wait a minute.
Do you both remember what they told us once in training about the theory of circumnavigating time? They said it might be possible for us to leave the earth during one year; then, when we got back, though we thought it was the same year, it might be the year before or the year after.
Remember that? That was just a theory, captain.
No, no, it's not a theory, because that's what's happened to us! We've gone into some kind of time warp right into the future.
And that ship standing out there is in the future? Is that what you're saying? No, no, only the probable future.
What does that mean? That means we're not dead.
And it also means we're going to be dead.
Not if we don't go up.
If we don't go up, we can't crash.
Now, it's the only answer.
We're alive now, mason.
The only way to make certain that we stay alive- you, carter, me- is not to go up.
Then we can't crash.
We avoid it, we prevent it.
We stay.
That's easy enough for you to decide, captain.
Now, what does that mean? You've got no one waiting for you back on earth.
I've made my decision.
I say we vote on it.
You do? You're not the only one, captain.
I'm the only one that gives the orders.
Even where our lives are concerned? Especially where your lives are concerned! I said we stay! For how long, captain? I'm not setting any limit, carter.
One month? Two months? A year? I said i'm not setting we don't have enough food to stay that long.
I've no doubt there's edible food outside.
How will we know what's edible and what isn't? We have no testing equipment.
We'll watch the animals.
I saw no animals, captain, did you? There will be.
If there are, it'll be a different form of life from what we know.
What could edible to them might be deadly poisonous for us! We'll worry about that when the time comes.
The only important thing now is the preservation of our lives! Now, it may not be necessary to stay here permanently.
We may figure something out.
But for now, the decision is to stay.
Not our decision.
Have you a better solution? Working at minimum capacity, the ship's electrical system can hold out for months.
We won't be working at minimum capacity, captain.
Why? 'Cause we're going to need heat- lots of it.
It's only twilight, and already the outside temperature is minus 13 degrees.
Would you rather go up, take a risk of duplicating that ship out there? I don't know.
How could we duplicate it, captain? How can there how can there be two crashed ships two of me dead, two of you, two of mason? We'll go over it again.
Eventually, we'll find an answer.
Hey, mike! Hi, boy.
When'd you get home? You're on leave, huh? Huh? I well, you're looking fit.
I'll bet mary's glad to have you back, huh? Mary? Uh, you mind if i walk with you, mike? When'd you get home? L-i just got here.
You well, i must say, you rocket boys are traveling informally these days.
Uh, does, uh mary know you're coming? I don't think so.
Oh, you're going to surprise her, huh? Yeah.
How long you got? I don't know.
You all right, mike? Hello, mike.
Hello, mike.
Home on furlough? I don't know.
Old mrs.
Nolan.
Still makes that long walk to town every day.
She'll go on forever.
Hey, mike, now you're back, how about some hunting, huh? Not that i ever hit anything with this thing, but hey! Hey, mike! Mary! Mary! Mary! Honey, i'm home! Mary? Mary, honey honey? Mary? Mary? Mary? Mary? Carter? Carter.
Carter, i'm talking to you! What's the matter with you? What's the matter with you? I was home.
What? I was home.
You were here.
Youarehere.
No no.
I swear i was home! There was a telegram it said i'd been killed.
Oh, no.
No, you're alive.
No.
Those people- kramer, mrs.
Nolan they're dead! I just remembered that! Now, stop it, carter.
No, no, kramer, kramer he got killed in a hunting accident.
Mrs.
Nolan now, you stop it! Now, you were here all the time.
It never happened.
There's an explanation somewhere, and i'll find it.
I swear to you, we'll find it.
You and mason and me, we'll fi mason! Mason! Mason.
Twilight zonewill continue after station identification.
Mason.
Where is he? Where did he go? I don't know.
Oh, daddy, i thought i'd never find you.
Jeannie.
I've looked and looked.
I found him, i found him! Lunch is ready, daddy.
And am i hungry after all that searching.
What's the matter, daddy? Come here.
What, daddy? Oh! Jeannie, jeannie.
What is it, daddy? Oh, baby, is it you? What's wrong, daddy? Nothing, honey, nothing.
I'm just happy to see you, that's all.
Oh.
Was that your mother you were calling to just now? Was it, honey? Yes, daddy.
You know.
Where is she? Over by the table, daddy.
You stay right here.
Don't go away.
Okay.
Ted! Well, you startled me, bursting out of the bushes like that.
Ted? What is it? Oh, ruth.
Ruth.
Sweetheart, what's wrong? Nothing.
Nothing now.
Are you sure? Yes, i'm sure.
Ah! Oh, all this, just for lunch? My goodness.
So emotional over a little fried chicken.
Where's jeannie? Back there.
Were you asleep? Are you still asleep? Oh, if i am, i hope i never wake up.
I just want to keep on dreaming.
Let's go, mason.
Ted, why is he here? Get out of here.
I said let's go.
Keep away from here.
You're coming back with me.
Back? Where you belong, on the ship.
No, ted.
You're having a hallucination, lieutenant.
No.
No, it's real.
It isn't.
You're coming with me.
No.
Now, keep away.
Keep away from me! No! You're coming back! No, i'm staying.
Let me go.
Let go of me! I don't want to be here.
I don't want to be here.
Ruth ruth.
Ruth? Ruth.
Ruth ruth! There was no ruth, no jeannie.
What does that say? Read it.
"The wife and daughter of space pilot ted mason died "early this morning when the car that" don't you see, ted? You weren't there.
You weren't there.
They're dead.
You're alive.
I was there, paul.
I was, i was.
No, no, it just you took me away.
No, it isn't true.
Isn't it? You took me away from my wife and my home.
Well, you were both here all the time.
He was gone! No.
We just couldn't see him, that's all.
What are you talking about? I know what it is now.
That's what i'm talking about.
I was wrong.
I was wrong.
It has nothing to do with circumnavigating time.
Nothing at all.
Remember what you thought before you saw that ship over there? Alien contact- that's what you thought.
Well, that's exactly what's happened to us.
I thought you didn't believe in alien contact.
Listen to me.
Neither of you were home.
That is not our ship.
Those are not our bodies.
We've been tricked.
By whom? By whoever it is that lives on this planet and doesn't want anyone else to live here.
Well, don't you understand? We haven't been able to see them, but there are aliens here but aliens who aren't strong enough to kill us or drive us away by force.
So what can they do? How can they keep their planet from being colonized? By mind control.
By picking our brains and finding the death fear and making use of it by-by showing our crashed ship and us dead inside it.
Scaring us so much that we didn't dare take off again.
Therefore, we weren't able to make a report about this planet.
They even know that we can't make a radio report back to earth because there's too much interference here.
A short while ago, you didn't believe there was any interference.
I believe it now.
Everything that has happened on this planet since we landed has been a delusion.
Oh, no no, no, this happened.
It happened.
It was a delusion.
Even mason's disappearance? Why not? If they could make us believe that we saw a crashed ship and our bodies inside that ship, they could make us believe anything.
It isn't out there, then? Oh, maybe you can see it.
You may still be able to touch it again, but that doesn't prove it's really there.
What's going to prove it isn't there, paul? What's going to prove that you're right now? What's going to prove that? Us going up all the way back to earth.
Proving there's nothing keeping us here but deluded fear.
Wait a minute! Wait, wait a minute.
Now, what if you're wrong? I'm right.
You thought you were right before.
You were ready to keep us here indefinitely, you were so sure.
Are you positive enough now to risk all our lives, paul? Yes, i am.
I'm not.
Put it away, carter.
Now, you're not going to take us up.
Remember what you said? If we stayed here, we'd freeze to death or starve to death you'd never see earth again.
He's right, mike.
That's no answer.
Put it away.
We've got to go up.
We've got to go up.
Oh, god have mercy on our souls.
All right.
All right.
Here we go.
Twenty.
Forty we're out! Well you were right.
He was right.
Boy, if ever i see anything glitter on that viewer again, i'll just keep my big mouth shut! Yeah i was right.
Hey, what are you what are you doing? What? Preparing for a landing.
What? Well, now that we know what it is, there's no reason we shouldn't go back.
No reason?! What, are you out of your mind?! We have orders, carter- pick up specimens of foreign life.
We're going to pick them up.
No, we're not! Carter, get your hands off! You idiot! Let go of that thing! You did it! You did it! What'd i tell you?! We're going to crash! No! We're going to die! No! No, we're not going to die.
Carter, auxiliary engines! It's no use.
Carter! Carter, you fool! Auxiliaries on! I don't understand.
Shut up! You haven't even got the guts to fight for your own life.
Are we still going down? You bet we're going down.
And when we get there, you'll see that ship is no longer there- gone, vanished! Because it was never there in the first place.
Air springs.
Yes, sir.
Get set for touchdown.
It's gone.
How do we know we're facing the right direction, captain? Gone, captain? All right, it's still there.
That doesn't mean anything.
I'll tell you what it means.
It means you're wrong.
There's an explanation for this somewhere.
I don't know what it is, but i'm going to find it.
Well, you'll never know.
You know why, captain? Because we've got to go back up again.
And this time, we're really going to crash! No, we're not.
We're not going to crash because we already have crashed.
What are you talking about? Stop fighting it, captain.
You're all out of explanations.
There's only one left, and you know it.
I know nothing of the kind.
Oh, yes, you do.
Carter was home.
That telegram was really there.
I was with my wife and my daughter because i'm just like them now.
No, no.
Accept it, captain.
Stop trying to prove that we're alive.
We are alive.
There's something happening here- i don't know what it is, but there's an explanation for it.
I've given you the explanation.
I don't accept it! We're going to go over it again until i find the answer! Can't you see? That's what we've been doing- going over itagain.
Let us go, paul.
No.
We're dead, paul.
Let us die.
We're going to go over it again, do you hear? We're going to go over it again! We're going to go over itagain! Captain.
Something glittered down there.
It was at, uh, I don't see anything.
Picture of a man who will not see anything he does not choose to see, including his own death.
A man of such indomitable will that even the two men beneath his command are not allowed to see the truth: Which truth is that they are no longer among the living that the movements they make and the words they speak have all been made and spoken countless times before and will be made and spoken countless times again, perhaps even unto eternity.
Picture of a latter-day flying dutchman sailing into the twilight zone.
Next, we delve into the realm of american folklore, and through the offices of a fine writer named earl hamner jr.
, we peruse a little witchcraft and bring you a story called, "jess-belle.
" This exercise in terror and talismans stars anne francis and james best.
? form a ring, circle right with a pretty little thing? ? now break that ring with a corner swing? ? go back home, do-sl-do? Elly! Elly! Elly! Elly! I ain't never seen no cat with spots like that.
A witch.
That cat was a witch.