An American Haunting Page #2

- Right, Theny.

And did they succeed, Betsy?

Betsy?

All right, class,

let's leave this for a moment.

It's time for your physical exercise

anyway. Fifteen minutes now!

Fifteen minutes only.

You all right, Betsy?

- I'm tired.

Our house makes...

strange noises at night.

It's hard to sleep.

(child):
Pass it to me, quick!

(creaking)

(creaking)

- Betsy!

- Betsy? You hurt?

- W-where'd she go?

- Who?

- The girl who was swinging with me.

- You were swinging alone, Betsy.

(crying)

- Did you see a girl?

- No.

("screaming")

(clomping)

(creaking)

(creaking)

(creaking)

(gasping)

(panting)

(blowing sound)

(heavy-breathing sound)

(screaming)

- Betsy! I'm here, darling.

- Momma! Momma!!!

Momma!!!!!!!! Momma!!!!!!!!!!

- It's me! Betsy!

- Momma!!!!!!!!!!!

- Betsy, Momma's here!

- Momma!!!!!

(John):
Betsy!!

Betsy! Betsy.

- It touched me.

- Where?!

Who touched you?

- I don't know.

I couldn't see.

(John exclaiming)

- It was just a bad dream, darling.

- But it was so real.

- It's all right, John.

She's had a bad dream.

- Let's just get you back to sleep.

It was just a dream.

- It wasn't a dream.

There was someone on the roof.

- What?

- I think maybe Kate Batts

sent one of her slaves to torment us.

When I find him--

- John!

- --I'll whip him

to within an inch of his life!

- My God.

- What?

- John, look at this.

- That sonofabitch!

- John!

John!!

John... Wait.

John!

Stop. We don't know

who did this!

- I know who did this!

- You don't!

Listen to me!

- Batts is not gonna hurt my daughter.

- Oh, go on, then! Be a fool!

- What are the two foundations

of any civilized community?

- Church and--

- Church and education, that's what.

And this man pioneered them both

for our community,

with his money and with his hands.

- He built the church

and the church condemns him.

- Usury. I broke church law.

- But, Father--

- Moral turpitude.

- Moral turpitude, pah!

He charged a rate of interest

that was just a little higher

than church canon.

But what the elder didn't realize

was who he was dealing with!

- Shhh, James.

The boys are finally asleep.

- Th-that's good. Bless their...

Now, a few chapters...

from the Bible

will take care

of this house's troubles.

- Quietly, James.

- "Hannah prayed and said,

" 'My heart exalts in the Lord...

"My mouth is enlarged

over mine enemies...'

" 'Who am I?

An untamed spirit that spoke to him

"and Jesus answered,

" 'Be silent

"and come out of there.'

"The spirit gave a loud cry

and departed."

Please...

all join hands.

As one,

we shall speak this prayer

three times.

Demon, in the name of Jesus Christ,

be silent

and leave this house forever.

(all):
Demon,

in the name of Jesus Christ,

be silent

and leave this house forever.

Demon, in the name

of Jesus Christ,

be silent

and leave this house forever.

Demon, in the name of Jesus Christ,

be silent

and leave this house forever.

(thunder)

Almost 12:
00

and all is well.

I believe your home is safe.

- I'm sure Kate Batts

is at the root

of these disturbances.

- Yeah.

- A few nights ago,

I saw something.

A man, I think.

Moving about the property.

- Who was he?

- Couldn't make out for sure.

- Was probably the professor.

He's the only one who lives nearby.

- You don't think Richard

has his eye on Betsy, do you?

- He's her teacher,

for goodness sake.

(clock chiming)

Hallelujah, Lucy.

God has answered.

It's midnight

and your house is quiet.

- Thank you, James.

- I beat him, Lucy.

- Oh, did you?

(laughing)

Oh, good night, all.

- Good night, dear.

- Good night.

Now, I wasn't looking, John.

I was talking to your wife.

That game don't count.

- Don't you blame that on me!

(James laughing)

- I'll set for another one.

- Ain't gonna play

if you're gonna cheat.

- I never cheat.

My move.

(rattling)

(panting)

(screaming)

(panting)

(screaming)

- Ahhhh! Dad! Daddy!!

(screaming)

- Open the door!

(John shouting)

(Betsy screaming)

(Lucy):
Betsy!!!

(John):
Open the door!!

(slapping sound)

(screaming)

- Help me!!!!!!

Help me!!!!! Help!!!!!!!

- In the name of Jesus Christ,

cease this at once!

(John):
Oh...

- It's all right.

(shrieking)

- Demon, ghost,

entity - call it what you will,

it is not natural.

- James, James,

listen to yourself.

You're not being realistic.

(James sputtering)

There must be a rational explanation.

- Listen, Richard,

I have documented evidence.

It's the testimony

of Joan Jordan

at the witch trial

of Olive Barthram,

Suffolk Assizes,

of 1599.

First,

scraping on the walls.

Then, knocking.

After that, shuffling.

And then, it clapped the maid

on the cheek...

half-a-score times.

- Do you not think

it is far more likely

that Kate Batts,

unhappy with the ruling,

has sent her slaves to exact

a pound of flesh from you?

- Well, that's what I thought,

but this was not the work of slaves.

- Lord, no!

She was dangling there!

Two feet off the ground!

- All right.

The incidents

always happen at night

and always in Betsy's room.

Correct?

- That's right, Professor.

- So it was dark.

Well, it would've been quite easy

for you not to have seen

someone holding her.

- She was suspended in midair

by something not of this Earth!

- John!

Now, the only logical explanation

is that someone was holding her.

- There was nobody in that room.

- And what about the door?

The strength of three of us

couldn't budge it.

- Well...

the rain that night

could've cause the door to swell.

- It could've.

- And the slaps?

How did we imagine them?

- Now, that's a boy's trick.

Dried peas

blown through a hollow reed.

- A pea shooter?

- Huh!

- No pea shooter

could smack her face

that violently.

- Did you actually see

someone slapping her?

- No, I saw her being slapped.

- But you did not see

someone slapping her?

- No, that's the point.

- So it stands to reason

you may also not have seen

someone holding her.

Now, whatever happened,

it's very clear

that confusion was about that room.

- Professor, we did not all imagine

the same thing.

- There was something unholy

in that room.

- John...

... when the school week is over,

I will come and spend the night

at your house

and I will prove to you

that this is nothing more

than someone

trying to frighten you.

(bell tinkling)

All right, time's up, class.

Leave your slates

on my desk, please.

- Betsy.

Hurry up.

We gotta get to the river

before it gets dark.

- Not today, Joshua.

- We've been planning this for weeks.

- I just don't feel like it.

- Come on, Betsy.

- I said no!

Leave me alone!

- What did you say to her?

- Nothing.

- This will pass, Betsy.

(screaming)

- Why?

Why?...

(child):
Give that back!

(gasping)

- Remember what?

(ominous music)

(door creaking)

(creaking)

(panting)

- No!

No.

(banging)

Shhh!

- No, no!

- No! Don't!

(John):
Lucy, what's happening?!

(Lucy):
What's happening?

- Richard, you should not be watching.

- Somebody wake her!

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes