[Charles] Previously on Dead Boy Detectives...
Oh, my God.
Niko is infected with a paranormal parasite.
Dandelion Sprites.
-When strong... - [Charles] They exit the body.
Take me instead. I'm a psychic medium. You'd never go hungry again.
For real, it smells like dog shit in there.
[grunting]
Are these your friends?
Wait, you can see them?
Look at these little guys. Couldn't we let them live in my room?
- Your parents? - [Charles] Yeah. My dad was rough.
[Edwin] What the hell is this?
It keeps you in this town.
I'm a fair Cat King.
Count all the cats in Port Townsend, and the bracelet will come off.
We cannot stay. It is dangerous.
[Night Nurse] Lost & Found Department.
We must not allow these two boys to run amok.
Cheating death.
Possessing a witch?
It won't happen again.
[gasps]
Monty, my sweet crow familiar.
Who wouldn't trust that face.
[indistinct chatter]
This is, like, the ninth one that's washed up on shore this month.
Like, where are they even coming from?
But don't get too close, or the evil seagull, he'll--
Oh, wait, wait just a tick.
- An evil seagull? - [ghost] Yeah.
- [imitates seagull squawking] - Right.
[groaning] Jesus!
This headache feels like my eyes are gonna rip apart!
We are not the Dead Boy Doctors.
[whimpering]
[crying]
[Niko sniffles]
[screaming]
[sobbing]
I'm cursed to haunt this painting.
It keeps getting younger while I waste away.
Low magic is often used to imbue iconography with mystic power.
Rub turpentine across the canvas, erase the image. End of curse.
Good-bye.
[Crystal] Holy shit.
Who knew this town was a mecca for troubled ghosts.
With, like, strange problems.
Are there this many ghosts everywhere?
Overpopulation.
Never supposed to be so many people in the world.
The Afterlife has trouble keeping track of everyone.
That leaves ghosts with issues, and more cases for us to crack.
Right. That's all true.
But your case is still our favorite, Crystal.
[chuckles]
[knock at door]
Another potential client.
[Edwin clears throat]
[ominous music playing]
Right, then. Good morning. How can the Dead Boy Detectives help?
My name is Susan. Susan Kessler.
My brother-in-law killed my sister and my two nieces in 1994.
I'm sure you've all heard about the Devlin family murder, so I won't--
Oh, actually, we're new in town.
[Susan] Oh, well, this was 30 years ago.
Still hard to talk about.
My sister's husband snapped, killed his family, then himself.
- Awful. - What monster does that to his own family?
But there's no inherent supernatural mystery to the murder.
Oi.
Bedside manner.
We are detectives who solve supernatural mysteries.
You already know who the killer is.
Someone...
Something is still inside the house where they died.
And you know this for a fact?
I inherited the house after their deaths, but could never bring myself to go in.
Then, after I died last week, I just wanted to visit one last time.
But when I got close, I could...
[softly] I heard screaming inside.
That is so terrifying.
Something horrible is still in that house.
I have to make sure my family is at peace before I move on.
- I don't have much, but... - [coins rattling]
We need to be discerning.
It must be a case only we can solve.
It must right a supernatural wrong.
Evil seagull, severed foot.
Yeah. Maybe we should take getting paid into consideration?
Some of us have weekly rent due. Literally tomorrow.
What about Susan and her murdered family?
I mean, she's devastated.
That's the injustice we fight, innit? Crystal can get her rent money,
and clearing up a 30-year-old town mystery is a feather in our cap.
Well-reasoned, Charles.
Agreed.
[Niko chuckles]
[man screaming]
It's splitting my skull in half!
[screaming]
[Charles groans]
- Oh. - Ew.
Actually, I feel much better now.
[Edwin groans]
Now, while Susan was empathetic, she did not give us much to work with.
At least her head didn't explode.
If we are to crack this case,
research on the family and house seems necessary.
Wait, wasn't Jenny born here?
Bet she knows something about the family.
That's brills. I'll come with.
Of course you will go with her. Always running off together.
Oi. None of that, thanks.
We're not always doing anything.
Let's just get this out the way now.
Yes, if I wasn't being stalked by my psychotic demon ex,
and Charles was actually, you know, alive,
then, he would make a fun addition to my body count.
[Niko giggles]
Body count?
She's saying we'd get it on.
Shag. Smash.
I agree, by the way.
- Not for nothing, but it is doable. - [gasps]
Um, but Crystal's obviously going through a lot of stuff,
and I'm a professional, so, yeah, nothing... Nothing's gonna happen.
Fine. Fine.
I'll be going to the library to conduct actual research,
not third-party conjecture.
Perhaps I can count more cats along the way.
Come on, Niko. We have work to do.
Me? I'm going?
Yes!
The town library is my fourth favorite public building to visit.
You know you can think things without saying them.
Edwin's obviously jealous.
Hmm.
[man on radio] Looks like that storm is picking up.
- Stay indoors and stay safe. - [thunder rumbling]
Now, let's get back to the music.
[rock song playing on radio]
[Crystal] Shatterproof film, huh?
Trying to deter all the hamburglars?
[Jenny] It's a big storm coming through.
If you have plans, cancel them.
They're saying on the news it's pretty severe.
Well, in less terrifying news...
Or maybe the same level of terrifying--
- Aces. You're doing great. - Uh...
Do you know the Devlin murders?
Please tell me you're not doing a stupid podcast or something.
No! No, uh...
I just heard some people talking about it in the, um...
- God, it was the... - Malt shop?
...malt shop, and it sounded crazy.
I was super-young when it happened,
so all I heard was small-town rumor mill gossip.
If I tell you about it, will you leave me alone?
- [Crystal] Mmm-hmm. - Great.
It's a super-fucked-up story, so I'm gonna need some coffee.
No staring.
It's just a disguise.
Edwin, are you always a woman?
Is Charles a woman too?
Can you change your eyes and nose like Mr. Potato Head?
[gasps] Do you know who Mr. Potato Head is?
Yes. No. No. Yes.
Stop it.
Okay.
Why are you wearing it today?
So that you do not look like you're hysterical and talking to yourself.
You seem rather tense.
[gasps] I get it.
It's because of Charles and Crystal. I get that.
I have no idea what you mean.
You could feel the sexual electricity
when they were talking about having sex with each other. Hmm.
[woman] Hey!
We haven't digitized the local papers yet,
but I pulled all the Devlin family articles on microfiche.
I thought dating was hard. Look what happens when you get married.
[laughing] Jeez.
Well, the machine's over there.
Just shout if you need help.
But don't actually shout.
[whispers] It's a library. [chuckles]
I'll be here at the desk if you need me.
Thanks, Maxine.
My Aunt Cindy and I really appreciate your help.
Yes, thank you.
Okay, so the Devlins lived in that old two-story on Haywood
back in the 1990s when people could afford homes.
They were the model family.
But everyone has skeletons in their closet.
And one night, the dad went full psycho slasher movie.
He killed the mom and daughters while they were watching TV. Asshole.
[gasps]
Used an axe.
She should have told us that he used an axe, right?
Ask why the dad went mental.
So, why did the dad just snap?
[Jenny] I heard the wife had an affair.
Or the new Radio Shack in town was taking business from his electronic shop.
Does it really matter?
I heard that, uh...
[clears throat] I know it's stupid, but I heard that the house is haunted.
It's good they're tearing that place down.
- Wait, they're tearing it down? - [ringing]
What the actual fuck?
I'm sorry about my tenant. She's probably drunk or something.
[Esther] Kids these days.
Such hostility
- to go with those sweet, young faces. - [cane clangs]
[Jenny] Just a sec, I'll grab your order.
You know there's no smoking.
[Esther inhales]
No, it's bad for my health.
I'm just so happy to see both of you, that you're still here.
Where's the, um, uptight one?
- Oh, I'd love to catch up. - You wanna catch up?
About the gigantic, bloody woman who lives in the ocean inside your head?
Sometimes you make a deal
with a primordial goddess named Lilith, for immortality,
and, you know,
there's bound to be some blood.
And she can be tricky. [chuckles]
Immortality, like, live forever?
Enough good neighbors. Let's go.
Just a little advice.
This town doesn't actually make for good neighbors.
[Charles grunts]
Ouch, my ghost skin.
[shop bell rings]
[Esther] Getting the windows ready for the storm.
This whole town will wash into the ocean one day.
Wouldn't that be wonderful?
Don't threaten me with a good time.
Oh. [laughing]
[clicking tongue] Oh, Jenny. Such a sour attitude.
Don't ever change.
Unless it's your hair.
You know this tallow is just fat.
Mmm. It's a secret ingredient in my skincare regimen.
It's amazing how eating the right combination of things
can really keep the years at bay. [chuckles]
Right, so, from what we gathered,
it seems the house has been vacant since the time of the--
Oh! I am so sorry.
What kind of idiot falls going up the stairs!
I should've seen you. I don't know how I missed you and...
Hi. Your cute friend with the little bow tie. [laughs]
Nice bracelet, by the way. It's quite the statement piece.
[Niko] Wait.
You can see Edwin?
Yeah. He's a ghost, right?
- How did you-- - [Monty] Right, sorry.
I was in a coma, like, a short coma, from a seriously vicious car accident.
But, um, yeah, when I woke up I could see ghosts. [chuckles]
Same.
Minus the car accident part, and the coma part.
I had these sprites almost rip me apart, turn my hair white,
and now they live in a jar in my room.
Okay. Wow. [chuckles]
I'm Monty, by the way. So, uh, you must be Edwin.
- And you are? - Niko.
- Nice to meet you, Monty. - [cats meowing]
- Forty-eight, forty-nine. Hmm? - What's that?
Counting cats.
Astrology. So cool.
Yeah, wow. That's very Aquarius of you.
How did you know? [gasps] Do Edwin next.
I do not believe that human interactions are dictated by stars.
Okay, that's judgmental.
Uh, but also charmingly stubborn.
Capricorn?
[chuckles]
2,400 years of patterns can't be all wrong. Right?
I could give you guys a reading if you want.
- No. - [Niko] Yes.
We live above the Tongue & Tail Butcher Shop.
Ugh, all right, I suppose.
If you must.
Hard to get, huh?
I respect it.
Uh, I better get these books inside.
It was nice to meet you both.
Oh, my God.
He is so into you.
He's a boy, I'm a boy. If anything, he just enjoys ghosts.
You do know two boys can like like each other, right?
I have a lot of manga about it.
It's really sweet and explicit.
Crystal and Charles are waiting.
Oh.
Okay. So, about those photos.
Dead girls, axes, lots of blood.
- I almost died last week, so do you mind-- - Niko.
Do not tell anyone, as I have a strict reputation to uphold,
but I completely understand.
[thunder rumbling]
[sighs]
No one is specific.
Specificity is key.
Specificity keeps the wheels turning.
I would think that you'd understand that, but then here you are with this request.
You want travel approval to go to Earth with a form G 1215,
but you only have a vague location.
Vague is the enemy of specificity.
These two boys are not where they're supposed to be.
The function of the Lost & Found Department
is to ensure that every dead child goes to their appointed place.
Children are slippery and easily fall through the cracks.
You wouldn't want that, now, would you?
Your failure to provide the correct information
is somehow my fault for being too detail-oriented?
That's rich.
Section 8, paragraph 11, addendum 83C on planetary travel
states that access to Earth is granted within a two-kilometer zone
when apprehending offending ghosts.
Perhaps my superior should hear about this.
I'm sure she would absolutely love that you are keeping me from my job.
Good luck getting an appointment to see her.
We are all too busy.
Look how things are backed up around here.
There's more dead people than we can process.
Come back with a precise location on the mortal plane
and I'll grant your travel.
Simple, specific,
and efficient. Hmm?
- [Night Nurse sighs] - [folder flaps]
So the house is being demolished?
Jenny's account of the crime matches our library findings.
We would have got more but Esther Finch showed up.
The witch? Was she looking for us?
No. She said she's immortal, so plenty of time to get revenge.
Being powerful wasn't enough. She's immortal too.
Told you he'd overreact. Look, it's a small town, innit?
Doesn't mean she's stalking us.
It's not good she knows we're still in Port Townsend.
Let's just focus on the haunted house in front of us.
They're not wasting any time now that Susan's dead.
It's being torn down tomorrow.
We have one night to uncover what remains in the house
so that Susan can move on to her afterlife.
[thunderclap]
[door creaking]
[cats meowing]
[thunderclap]
Get comfy. The Cat King said to keep an eye on the awkward one.
At least we don't have to go inside. This house is fucked up.
[thunderclap]
[electricity crackling]
["Owner of a Lonely Heart" playing]
[chuckles] I remember this. I had the cassette.
Old man got sick of hearing it and smashed it with a hammer.
I'm sorry, your dad smashed your tape with a hammer?
I mean, yeah, but not a big deal.
It does beg the question, who's playing it in this abandoned house?
[door thuds]
♪ Prove yourself... ♪
- [thunderclap] - Is that him?
Crazy dad.
But he's a ghost. Why can't he see us?
[door opens and closes]
And why did he use the door?
♪ Watch it now ♪
♪ The eagle in the sky ♪
♪ How he dancin' one and only ♪
♪ You, lose yourself... ♪
Sorry. Hey, I'm Crystal. We're friends of your sister, Susan.
♪ Be yourself ♪
♪ Give your free will a chance ♪
[door closes]
[thunder rumbling]
Uh, guys, he's got the axe.
Brandon?
What are you doing?
I found the letter.
Think you can leave me for Hudson?
None of you can leave me.
♪ Owner of a lonely heart ♪
[girls screaming]
♪ Owner of a lonely heart ♪
[girls screaming]
[Brandon grunting]
[girl] Please! No! No! Please!
- Stop! No! - [grunting]
♪ Owner of a lonely heart ♪
[Charles grunts]
- [Brandon sniffs] - [thunderclap]
- He... He butchered them. - Right.
- We can't let him get away with that. - [Crystal] Let's go.
Wait, wait, wait.
Wait, wait, wait! We don't have all the information yet.
- [gunshot] - [music stops]
Did they move on?
You would know if Death came.
You'd see us running in the other direction, for one thing.
Edwin, mate, any ideas?
I'm not entirely sure yet.
I am entirely sure that I'm traumatized for life.
[electricity crackling]
["Owner of a Lonely Heart" playing]
[remote clatters]
Mom, I'm starting the movie!
Can you tell Dad to turn down his music?
Right. What's this, then?
I don't... I don't understand.
♪ Take your chances, win or loser ♪
♪ Say you don't want to chance it... ♪
Brandon, are you coming down?
[thunderclap]
At least turn the music down!
♪ The eagle in the sky ♪
[door closes]
[thunder rumbling]
♪ You, lose yourself... ♪
[door opens]
- [door closes] - What's he doing?
Uh... [sighs] You know how he is when he gets stressed.
- Just leave him be. - [door opens and closes]
♪ You've got to want to succeed... ♪
Brandon?
What are you doing?
I found the letter.
Think you can leave me for Hudson?
None of you can leave me.
Oh, no. It's happening again.
- [Brandon grunts] - [girls screaming]
[girl] Mom! No!
[Brandon grunting]
♪ Owner of a lonely heart ♪
♪ After my own indecision They confused me so... ♪
How do we stop this?
We can't just sit here and watch this happen.
- [gunshot] - [music stops]
It's like... It's like they're stuck on repeat.
That's exactly what it is.
If I'm right, it's a loop.
And they've been stuck in it since 1994.
He's been killing his family over and over again since 1994?
Can they feel it?
Edwin, is that even possible?
- [electricity crackling] - ["Owner of a Lonely Heart" playing]
Jesus, I can't watch this again.
What do you know about something called...
...the Stone Tape theory?
[woman] What are you doing?
Token object reading?
[Brandon] Think you can leave me for Hudson?
Psychometry? Nothing?
The texts in our office aren't just for display.
- Less scolding, more reminding me. - [girls screaming]
Just what the fuck is it?
On rare occasions, if the emotional trauma of a death is visceral enough,
it can leave a psychic imprint on the space, in the walls around.
This locks those spirits into a kind of loop,
unable to change anything, unaware they're even dead.
- Ghosts in a trap. - [Crystal] These women have been forced
to live the most painful moment of their life
over and over again for 30 years?
You cannot get off a carousel that never stops.
They're lost, unable to move on to their afterlife.
There's gotta be something we can do to help them move on.
In theory, these cases have a trigger,
an event that caused the loop.
Find it, remove it, that should break the cycle.
- [gunshot] - [Crystal] So...
[sighs] Okay, if we find what sent that shit dad over the edge,
- we can free them? - Exactly.
The letter. He said he found a letter from a bloke called Hudson.
Jenny said there was a rumor the mom had an affair.
Dad finds out, fragile male ego snaps, goes all Jack Torrance in The Shining.
- What is The Shining? - A horror film.
So, we're looking for a love letter.
[electricity crackling]
["Owner of a Lonely Heart" playing]
[clock gonging]
It's getting late.
Without a space to contain the loop, these ghosts will be destroyed.
They're already dead. What do you mean "destroyed"?
Erased. No afterlife, no closure, just darkness forever.
It's the worst thing to happen to a ghost.
Time's not on our side.
Tick-tock.
[thunder rumbling]
You think the girl and dark-haired one will hook up?
Take this seriously, okay?
But also, yeah, they'll hit it.
[meows]
Litty?
[Shaggy] We always find mysterious things.
But there's no point being scared on an empty stomach.
- Have a peanut. - [laughs]
[Scooby-Doo] Mmm.
[Kingham] Dinner alone on a Friday night? How sad.
It's okay. The others are working a case at a spooky house across town.
- [Litty] We heard. - We heard about that.
Looks like they left you behind because you fucking suck.
You do seem to suck, girl.
[scoffs] They didn't leave me behind.
- [Litty] Sad? - [Kingham] You are.
- Your hair is sad. - I'll cry.
I asked to stay back, and Edwin was completely understanding.
I'm sobbing. Must be nice to have understanding friends.
It is. I don't have many friends.
- [Kingham] Makes sense. - I'm surprised.
Yeah, obviously.
Now you'll have even less, 'cause they're gonna die.
They're all gonna fucking die.
- [scoffs] - [Kingham] No friends, but you're fine.
[Litty] Wait. Stop.
- We don't need the sweater. We're good. - No, no, no!
- No! - [Kingham groaning]
[Litty] We were fucking kidding! Can't you take a joke?
[Kingham] Hold my hand, Litty. I don't like sweaters.
[Litty] Stupid fucking bitch!
[thunderclap]
[Litty] I'm sorry, I'm upset.
♪ Owner of a lonely heart ♪
[thunderclap]
[sighs]
[gunshot]
[clicking]
[door creaking]
Hey, uh, I heard a noise next door, by the vent.
I found her diary.
Hope's diary.
[sighs]
"It's like Dad's always watching me."
"I can't get away with anything."
"I'm on eggshells trying not to break one of his crazy rules."
"But they keep getting stricter."
"Graduation can't come soon enough."
What kind of rules, do you think?
Do you remember, um...
what I said about my dad
when we saw my folks through the mirror?
Yeah, you said he was...
rough.
Right.
But it was more than that.
I do check in on my parents because... 'Cause I miss them.
But I'm also making sure that...
That my dad isn't hurting my mum
like he'd hurt me.
[sobs] He was such a cunt.
And I could never make him happy.
No matter how nice I was, or how good at sports I was, or whatever.
[exhales]
This girl,
she knew what that's like.
Now she's stuck.
Charles, I am so sorry.
[electricity crackling]
- Are you-- - [Edwin] Come! I found something!
["Owner of a Lonely Heart" playing]
[Charles sniffling]
It's okay.
♪ Move yourself... ♪
[Charles sniffles]
Charles, have you been crying?
No, mate. It's the dust in this place or whatever.
What did you find?
It's an acceptance letter to a university. Somewhere called Milwaukee.
Hope was leaving.
Uni? What happened to love letters?
Check the masthead.
The school is called Hudson University.
[footsteps approaching]
[Brandon breathing heavily]
- [gunshot] - [gasps]
Okay, let's speed things up.
Charles, in Hope's diary it said this maniac was super-controlling.
If he found out one of the girls was leaving--
"You think you can leave me for Hudson?"
It is not his wife leaving him for another man.
It's his daughter going away to university.
This acceptance letter is the trigger.
Let's keep the bastard from getting his hands on it.
Good luck finding it now, asshole.
- [electricity crackling] - ["Owner of a Lonely Heart" playing]
Uh...
Crystal.
♪ Move yourself ♪
♪ You always live your life ♪
♪ Never thinking of the future ♪
♪ Prove yourself ♪
♪ You are the move you make ♪
♪ Take your chances, win or loser ♪
♪ See yourself... ♪
[woman] Brandon, are you coming down?
At least turn the music down!
[thunderclap]
[volume increases]
[door closes]
♪ So the story goes... ♪
[Edwin and Crystal exhale]
[door closes]
- What are you doing? - Think you can leave me for Hudson?
- [Brandon grunting] - [girls screaming]
Guys, why didn't it work?
- [Crystal gasping] - How do we break this bloody loop?
- [Kingham] What's her name? - [Litty] Niko.
[Kingham] How do you know?
- [Litty] Because I pay attention. - [Kingham] All right.
[thunderclap]
[Kingham] Afraid of the storm? Know what I'm afraid of?
The dark. Hint, hint.
I'm not afraid of the storm.
I was confused when you let your friends who saved you
go to that scary house alone,
but now I see you're just a little bitch.
- [scoffs] - [Kingham and Litty laughing]
- Ow! Oh, my God! - Mmm!
Don't say that.
[Litty] Did being a coward come naturally?
- Or did it take years of practice? - [chuckles]
I just have a very rational fear of death.
Anyone can die. My dad died.
And I literally almost died yesterday.
- That is dumber than your face. - What's that have to do with anything?
They can die and you'll live with the guilt forever.
[Kingham] Yeah.
You're saying I should go?
[Kingham] Do whatever you want. I can't be bothered.
- [Litty] Yeah. - You're right.
I should be helping.
- [Litty] You hungry? - [Kingham] So hungry.
- Babe, do you have any food? - [Litty] We're hungry.
- Hello? Hello? - [Kingham] Sweetie? Food.
- Where you going? - Do you have food?
[Niko] Pot. Okay, that's here, and then the spoon.
- [Litty] Talk it out before you leave. - [gasps] You're not scary.
- [Litty] Hello? - [Niko] Okay.
Where are you going?
Are you leaving us here?
Thanks, guys!
Okay.
Bye.
Cool, Litty. If she dies, who's gonna let us out of this jar?
I feel like I'm doing all of this by myself.
[groaning] God!
I hate you!
Well, I hate you too!
[thunderclap]
- [door closes] - [footsteps approaching]
["Owner of a Lonely Heart" playing]
Removing the trigger should've worked.
Unless that letter wasn't the trigger.
[clicking]
Do either of you hear that?
It's hard with music, but it's... That.
- It's like a clicking sound. - Really, do try to pay attention.
Don't slag her off just because you aren't the all-knowing expert on everything.
What exactly is your malady today, Charles?
You're not yourself at all.
I'm sick of watching this asshole kill his family a million times
for no fucking reason.
Tried it your way and it did nothing.
Sod it, let's try mine.
Charles, what are you doing?
Think you're big and tough with that axe? Big guy killing a bunch of women?
Try this then. [yells]
- [Brandon grunting] - [girls screaming]
You hurt?
Let's get you off the floor.
Okay, you have to get up now. Edwin, what is going on?
This shouldn't happen. He's right, I don't know everything.
- Charles? Can you hear me? Charles! - Hey.
- We need to move him. - Charles, come on!
- Charles! Move! - Come on!
- Move him! - I'm trying!
Try harder!
[gunshot]
- Where the hell did he go? - [electricity crackling]
- Edwin! - I, um...
He would need a mirror for spatial dislocation, so it's not...
- Charles? - Can you hear me?
Where did you go? Charles!
- This is not funny! - [Crystal] Hey, Charles!
Charles, where are you?
- [Crystal] Charles? - Charles!
[exhales]
He's here.
Thank God. There he is.
Don't slag her off because you aren't the all-knowing expert on all things.
Oh, no.
I'm sick of watching this asshole kill his family a million times
for no fucking reason.
Tried it your way and it did nothing.
Sod it.
Let's try mine.
- Think you can leave me for Hudson? - Think you're tough with that axe?
Big guy killing a bunch of women?
Try this then. [yells]
[Brandon grunting]
[girls screaming]
He's stuck in the loop too.
Makes no sense. To get imprinted into the loop
would take a strong emotional response to the trauma.
Isn't it obvious? Charles dealt with some serious abuse.
He looks at Mr. Devlin, sees his own dad.
His father was not a nice man.
Okay, that's very British of you. His dad was bad, Edwin.
Royally fucked-up bad.
He hit Charles and his mom.
Why do you think he puts on a happy face all the time?
'Cause he's just Charles.
No one's that happy all the time.
I've known him for decades. I'd know if something was amiss.
You just said it would take an incredibly strong emotion
to get someone new stuck in the loop, and Charles is stuck.
You're the detective. Deduce what that means.
He's been hiding it from you. Probably been hiding it from himself.
- He wouldn't hide things from me. - You insane? Everyone keeps secrets.
Like you're totally honest about everything in your life?
- [Brandon grunting] - [girls screaming]
[door thuds]
Look, whatever, okay? We need to help Charles.
Is there anything in that crazy infinite backpack you could use?
It took Charles years to learn how to use it.
If I stick my hand in there, it'll be torn off.
- You should know that by now! - How am I supposed to know?
How am I supposed to think with this music?
I am being stalked by a demon. I have no idea who I am.
And the only person who's got my back needs my help,
and we have zero clue what to do.
If I have to hear that goddamn song one more time, I am gonna lose my shit.
["Owner of a Lonely Heart" playing]
The music.
Crystal, that's brilliant.
[gunshot]
We have searched the house. Have you seen a victrola anywhere?
- A what? - A victrola. A phonograph. A stereo.
Where is the music coming from?
Somewhere in this house is a room we haven't found yet.
Oh, shit, yes. Brandon controlled the volume with the remote upstairs.
[electricity crackling]
["Owner of a Lonely Heart" playing]
- [woman] At least turn the music down! - [thunderclap]
[volume increases]
[door closes]
Uh, he pointed it this way.
Ugh.
Quick. Give me a hand with this.
♪ You always live your life ♪
♪ Never thinking of the future ♪
♪ Prove yourself ♪
♪ You are the move you make ♪
♪ Take your chances, win or loser ♪
♪ See yourself ♪
♪ You are the steps you take ♪
♪ You and you, and that's the only way ♪
♪ Shake, shake yourself You're every move you make... ♪
What the devil is this place?
Clearly, the police never found it.
[machine whirs]
♪ Owner of a lonely heart... ♪
Oh, my God.
Son of a bitch owned an electronics store.
See, Hope wasn't just paranoid.
She said he always knew what she was doing.
Because he was watching.
Explains how he knew exactly where to find that letter in the locked drawer.
- [Brandon grunting] - [girls screaming]
[axe clangs]
♪ In the end you've got to go ♪
- ♪ Look before you leap ♪ - ♪ Owner of a lonely heart ♪
[gun cocks]
- [gunshot] - [electricity crackling]
[music stops]
You said the loop is imprinted into the walls of the house.
If it's not the music, could it imprint into something else?
Like the VHS tape?
The what?
No!
If this is holding the loop,
destroying it would be the same as destroying the house. I could lose...
We could lose Charles.
["Owner of a Lonely Heart" playing]
The loop is recorded on this tape.
If we can't destroy it, what if...
- What if we remove its images? - Explain more.
Like you said with that ugly guy's cursed painting and the turpentine.
Erase the image...
And the curse.
The tape is like 4,000 paintings.
We could record new images over them, or static, even.
It is a risk, but may actually work.
Just be ready to run.
Once they're freed, Death will come.
We've been running from her for over three decades.
We cannot be here to be claimed with the Devlins. Understand?
- Okay. - [door closes]
[Edwin breathing heavily]
I don't know how this works.
Luckily, I watched a lot of '80s movies.
♪ Owner of a lonely heart... ♪
[clicking]
You don't hear that?
[clicking continues]
[thudding]
[creature growling]
[gasping]
Shh!
It's a Misery Wraith. I'd often see them skulking about Hell.
They feed off of negative emotions.
The pain in the loop must've drawn it.
A brutal, bloody murder wasn't bad enough?
Think happy thoughts and quickly, quietly finish.
Happy thoughts?
Attract it with negativity, it will break your mind, feed off your agony for years.
Damn it. I know you choose the worst times to show up, on purpose.
Um, actually I'm here to help.
Crystal, what's happening?
Can't you mess around with my head some other time, David?
Damn it. Crystal, if you can hear me, try to stay positive.
[snarling]
All right, Edwin. You'll have to try and stop this loop yourself.
[Crystal grunting]
Crystal, I am so bored of hanging around the abandoned roller skating rink in town,
terrorizing teenagers.
Just let me crawl back in there and I'll destroy that thing.
God, you're such a...
No, no. I am thinking happy thoughts.
But I feel the negative vibes in you.
It's gonna get you killed, but it's also such a turn-on.
No. My friends need my help.
Those tortured women need my help.
[snarling]
I gotta say, these new friends of yours, they make you so boring.
- You used to be such a good time. - [gasps]
[David] You used to be such a good time.
You used to be such a good time. Such a good time.
You used to be such a good time.
- [grunts] - [thuds]
[tries screeching]
[laughs]
Why did you make me do those things?
Oh, I can't make you do anything.
[snarling]
It's getting closer.
Well, if you ever want to know for sure what's real and what's not,
I'll need to get back in there.
She said record.
♪ Owner of a lonely heart ♪
[music distorting]
[girls screaming]
- It's working. - Go to hell.
- [Misery Wraith clicking] - Crystal!
You don't have to love me, or even like me,
but somehow, I'm getting back in there.
Okay, I am done wasting my energy on your fuck-boy bullshit.
[Edwin grunts]
- What happened? Did it work? - [Misery Wraith snarling]
I don't know. Quickly, I can't hold it for long.
[both grunting]
- [snarling stops] - Charles.
[both panting]
- [axe clangs] - [woman gasps]
[all gasping, chuckling]
Crystal, we did it.
Holy shit, we actually did.
Hey.
They are free.
Death will come.
[all laughing]
Plus, there's a thing with no face upstairs eating pain, so, let's go.
You put yourself in danger knowing Death could--
A good detective does what he must to close the case.
[Crystal] It's really beautiful.
The next one won't be so pretty.
[Brandon screaming]
[foghorn blowing]
[Crystal] Thanks for getting that thing away from me.
You really had my back.
And I must admit that you did some very good detective work tonight, Crystal.
[Crystal] Mmm?
Didn't she, Charles?
- Charles? - [Charles] Hmm?
Oh. Absolutely. Saved my neck, didn't you? Totally aces.
Yeah, well, if what David showed me tonight is for real,
I'm not so sure I'm totally aces as a person.
Demons lie, Crystal.
I heard what you said to him about saving Charles.
It's not what you did.
It's what you do that matters.
So, Charles, are you sure you're all right?
What, after being stuck in that loop?
I told you, I'm aces.
Well, if you ever need to talk about--
We closed the case. I'm great.
[metal clanging]
[Niko] I'm coming!
- [panting] - [metal clanging]
Evil go away!
I'm almost there!
Oh, my gosh.
I came to help.
The Internet said that banging pots and pans
scares away the evil things.
[laughing] Niko, is that... Is that a crowbar?
It is.
See? That right there, that's what I'm talking about.
You say it was a Misery Wraith?
God, that must have been mental.
Did you pull the old die-and-go-seek maneuver?
Crystal and I tried something new.
Yeah, the old run-for-our-lives maneuver.
It was terrifying.
Well, it's probably dust by now.
The Misery Wraith can't last without pain to feed on.
[gasps] There's Monty, our new friend.
[chuckles] Hey. Wow, quite the crew you got here.
So, he's alive and he can see the boys?
Oh, he can definitely see Edwin.
I'm Charles. Nice to meet you, mate.
Any pal of Edwin's is aces in my book.
Yeah. Sorry, hands are full.
- [Niko exhales] - I was polite, wasn't I?
- Awkward. - Yeah, you did good.
[Niko giggles]
- You're here? - [Monty] Yeah.
I am. [chuckles]
I mean, I didn't have much else to go on. I didn't get your number.
I do not carry a telephone.
Respect.
Oh, uh, but I realized, uh, that Venus is passing into my, uh, fifth house today,
so I thought it'd be a perfect morning to give you that reading I promised.
Check out that top book.
- Oh, you really did not have to-- - But I did.
[chuckles]
And I'm curious to know what you think.
Ah, well, axe-murder, suicide Groundhog Day drained me, so, uh...
I'm... I'm gonna head up.
Okay, I'll be up soon.
[Monty] What do you think this line means?
[Edwin] The red or the pink?
I wouldn't know where to begin.
Okay, okay, let me explain.
Okay, so, this means you're very protective.
[cats meowing]
Oh, boy. The Cat King's gonna hate this.
You tell him. I'm not telling him.
[cats snarling]
Quit loitering, you little shits.
I'll call animal control.
[indistinct conversation]
Hmm...
I'm busy.
Unless you've found me the information to appease the notary, then let me alone.
It's that exactly, ma'am.
There's something you need to see.
[Night Nurse sighs]
These two were on our missing list for 29 years,
haunting a house in Port Townsend, Washington.
They have a very interesting story about two dead boys there.
We were trapped in a nightmare,
and those amazing ghost boys freed us.
Oh, and their living friend, she helped out too.
They saved us.
[laughs]
Well, now, I dare say they did.
How very gallant of them.
- Boop! - [toy squeaks]
Please, girls, tell me everything about these three young heroes.