Macie and Jane stand outside a big, dark house.
And an eerie tune sings out.
Macie
I don’t think anyone’s home.
Jane rings the doorbell again…
Macie
See. No one’s home.
Jane
And where do you suggest we go?
Jane
Our parents are gone.
Jane
Our house burned down.
Jane
We have NOWHERE to go.
Jane
Aunt Lora’s the only family we have left.
Macie
We should be conducting a search or something.
Jane
What is there to search for?!
Jane
Mom and Dad were BURNED ALIVE.
Macie’s eyes fill with tears.
Jane looks down in shame.
Jane
I shouldn’t have said that.
Macie steps defiantly toward the door…
The door swings open with a groan.
Jane
Macie! What are you doing?!
Jane
You can’t just walk in!
But Macie is already inside, looking around the den.
Jane reluctantly follows.
Jane
Macie! At least help with the luggage.
Inside, it’s dark and dusty.
A rotten smell fills the air.
The walls are oddly bare.
Macie wanders deeper into the house.
And discovers a small, wooden door, barely her height, in one of the hallways.
There are scratches all down the front…
Scratches that look eerily similar to fingernail marks.
Macie reaches for the knob.
A shriek comes from behind her.
Macie runs back to the den and finds Jane…
Looking at a looming figure in the doorway.
The figure steps forward.
Someone they’ve never met…
And have only seen in pictures.
Aunt Lora
Hello. You must be my 2 nieces.
Aunt Lora
I didn’t expect you for another hour…
Aunt Lora
But anyway, welcome to your new home.
Macie wakes suddenly from a nightmare.
She’s sweating profusely.
Jane stirs slightly and groans.
Macie grabs her phone and turns on the flashlight app.
She makes her way down the creaking stairs.
And enters the hallway to the kitchen.
Moonlight streams though the window.
She sees the same, small door she tried to open earlier.
A strip of light beams from underneath.
Macie stops in front of the door.
And why is there a light on at this hour?
Macie reaches for the handle…
But stops when she hears a voice.
She grabs a glass, fills it with water, and takes a small sip.
Suddenly, she hears a groan from behind the door.
It can’t be her Aunt, who’s still humming.
Is someone else in there with Aunt Lora?
Macie sneaks back over and presses her ear against the door.
Her Aunt continues to hum…
But Macie can’t hear anything else.
Then, she hears footsteps…
Coming from behind the door.
Macie places her glass down.
And scurries back up the stairs.
She rushes into her room as the small door opens.
She stands behind her bedroom door…
She doesn’t hear anything.
Then her Aunt starts humming again…
Her footsteps walking away.
Jane chows down on the pancakes Aunt Lora cooked for them.
While Macie just picks at them.
She can feel Aunt Lora staring at her.
Aunt Lora
What’s wrong dear?
Aunt Lora
Did I not make them how you like?
Jane
She’s always been a picky eater.
Jane
She only really liked Mom’s cooking.
Aunt Lora clicks her tongue.
Aunt Lora
Well, that won’t do.
Aunt Lora
Listen here, little one.
Aunt Lora reaches across the table…
Aunt Lora
Your mom isn’t here anymore.
Aunt Lora
Time to accept that and move on.
Macie retracts her hands…
Even Jane stops eating to look at her sister.
Macie
I’m not in the mood for pancakes.
Anger flashes across Aunt Lora’s face.
Aunt Lora
You know Macie…
Aunt Lora
You remind me a lot of your mother.
Macie
What’s that supposed to mean?
Aunt Lora
Well, you’re so pretty.
Aunt Lora
Your mother was always so pretty.
Aunt Lora
Prettier than me…
Aunt Lora
At least that’s what they all said.
Macie
Maybe they were right.
Aunt Lora’s anger resurfaces.
Aunt Lora
You’re a stubborn one.
Aunt Lora
Same as your mother.
Aunt Lora
And you probably always get what you want.
As if she’s reliving a memory, lost in the past.
Aunt Lora
She had the perfect house, the perfect job…
Aunt Lora
The perfect husband…
Aunt Lora snaps back to the present.
Aunt Lora
Not to worry though.
Aunt Lora
I learned how to handle your mother…
Aunt Lora
And I’ll learn how to handle you.
Macie pushes her chair back and stands.
Macie
I’m done with this breakfast.
Macie
I’m not going to sit here and listen to her insult our mom!
Jane looks awkwardly at her plate.
Aunt Lora
Just a second there, dear.
Aunt Lora
You need to ask to be excused.
Macie plasters on a fake smile.
She thinks about just walking away, but…
Macie
May I be excused, please.
Aunt Lora
Yes dear. You may.
Macie stomps off to her room…
Feeling Aunt Lora’s gaze tearing into her back.
Jane
What was that all about this morning?
Macie
I don’t trust Aunt Lora.
Jane
Why do you say that?
Macie
Something is just…off about her.
Macie
I have this feeling.
Jane
She’s just trying to be nice.
Macie
By making fun of Mom?!
Macie
And you just sat by and did nothing!
Jane
Hey! Don’t drag me into this.
There’s silence between the two for a moment.
Macie
I also heard something weird last night.
Macie
I went to get a glass of water in the middle of the night…
Macie
And found that door, in the hallway.
Macie
The one with all the scratches on it.
Jane
Okay, what about it?
Macie
Aunt Lora was in there…
Macie
In whatever room’s behind that door.
Jane
What’s the problem with that?
Macie
I heard this groan…
Macie
And it definitely wasn’t her.
Macie
It sounded like something else was in there with her.
Jane
Oh my God, you’re being so dramatic.
Macie
You don’t understand.
Jane
Like I said, dramatic.
Macie
Something is WRONG here.
Jane looks at her sister.
Her face softens slightly.
And walks toward the door.
Jane
Let’s ask Aunt Lora.
Macie jumps in front of the door, blocking Jane’s path.
Macie
Like I said, I don’t trust her.
Another moment of silence passes between the two.
Macie
I don’t want to live here.
Macie
I want to be home with Mom and Dad.
Jane
But they’re gone, Macie.
Tears rush into Macie’s eyes.
Macie
But there’s still a chance they’re alive…
Macie
There wasn’t any evidence they were in the house!
Jane
They didn’t find any evidence because everything was destroyed.
Jane
And if Mom and Dad were alive…
Jane
Wouldn’t they have turned up by now?
Macie
It just wasn’t like them…
Macie
Mom always made sure to turn the oven off.
Jane walks over to Macie’s bed…
And puts her arm around Macie’s shoulder.
Macie has another nightmare.
This time she’s walking through smoke…
Macie wakes up, panting, sweating, and thirsty.
She eases out the room and down the stairs.
This time, as she passes the door…
But she doesn’t hear her Aunt humming.
Instead, a muffled groan sounds behind the door.
Macie moves toward the sound.
She tries the handle again.
The moon through the window casts a large shadow on the wall…
And then a figure appears to her right.
Aunt Lora
Oh Macie, dear.
Aunt Lora
What are you up to?
Macie
I got thirsty and came to get some water.
Aunt Lora
Well, you won’t find any here.
Aunt Lora
Come. I’ll get you a glass.
Aunt Lora moves to the kitchen.
Macie reluctantly follows.
Aunt Lora pours her some water…
And places it in front of Macie.
She tries to look calm and collected…
But her hands are shaking.
Aunt Lora
You know, your mother used to sneak out.
Aunt Lora
She would meet your father late at night.
Aunt Lora
He was always so romantic, your father…
Aunt Lora’s voice fades away…
A distant look in her eyes.
But then she snaps back to the present.
Aunt Lora
Well, are you all done now?
Her throat too constricted to say anything.
Aunt Lora
Let’s both get back to bed, shall we?
Aunt Lora walks to Macie…
And places her arm around her.
She guides Macie back up the stairs to her room.
Aunt Lora
Goodnight my dear.
Aunt Lora closes the door behind Macie.
Knowing sleep will never come.
Macie rifles through Aunt Lora’s desk.
Jane
I can’t believe you got me to search through Aunt Lora’s stuff!
Jane walks around the room…
Gazing at all of Aunt Lora’s books on the bookshelf.
Jane
This is SO invasive.
Macie
She won’t be back for a while, right?
Jane
That’s what she told me.
Jane
She said we eat a lot—
Jane
Or at least, that I do—
Jane
And that we already needed more groceries.
Macie
You and her are best pals now, huh?
Macie
Tell each other everything.
Macie opens another drawer.
But its contents aren’t interesting.
Jane
You’re sure you heard something last night?
Macie
Positive. Something is down there…
Macie
And we’re going to find out what.
Jane is just standing there.
Macie
Can you at least act like you’re helping?
Jane picks a book from the bookshelf and opens it.
And moves to the next drawer.
Macie
WHAT?! Did you find something?!
Jane
A high school yearbook!
Jane
How old would Mom and Dad have been in ‘78?
Macie
Aunt Lora could be back any minute.
Macie rifles through the open drawer…
Until her hand hits something small and hard.
Could it be the key to the small door?
She pockets it and turns back to the drawer.
There’s also a photo inside.
She turns it over and wipes off the dust.
It’s a photo of their parents' wedding.
But instead of their mother’s face…
Aunt Lora’s face has been glued on top of her mother’s.
Suddenly, she hears a gasp.
Jane points to a picture in the yearbook.
A young version of their mother and father stare back at them.
Their mother’s eyes are crossed out with red “x” marks.
And horns are drawn on her head.
Macie shows Jane the photo she found.
She takes the key out of her pocket…
And sprints out of the office.
Jane
Where are you going?!
Macie runs to the small door.
Jane follows closely behind.
They stand there, frozen.
The scratch marks across the front of the door look more terrifying than ever.
Finally, Macie reaches out with the key.
She turns it and there’s a click.
She pushes the door open.
The creak echoes down a dark passage.
The air is hot and sticky.
Jane
I don’t know about this.
And they have to crouch to avoid hitting the celling.
The light from above fades with each step.
Jane
Macie, we should go…
Macie feels the walls for a switch.
She finds what feels like shelves.
They’re in a large cellar.
Jane
Why would anyone need so much gasoline…
Everything begins to click.
Suddenly there’s a crash.
The groan that follows is louder than ever.
It’s coming from behind another door…
Jane bolts back up the stairs.
Another groan from behind the door.
And something falls out of the room—
It’s a man tied to a chair.
His eyes are wide as he gazes upon her.
Slender and slumped in a chair.
A soft applause fills the air.
Aunt Lora stands halfway down the stairs…
Holding her whimpering sister by the neck.
Anger fills Aunt Lora’s face.
And a girlish laugh escapes her lips.
Aunt Lora
Well look at what we have here.
Aunt Lora
You really are just like your mother.
Aunt Lora
A nosy. Little. Brat.
Macie
Why did you do this?!
Aunt Lora
I had no choice!
Aunt Lora throws Jane down the remaining stairs.
With a scream, Jane tumbles down…
And crashes at the bottom.
Aunt Lora nonchalantly starts down the steps.
Aunt Lora
You see, your mother was always the perfect one.
Aunt Lora
Beautiful, smart, funny.
Aunt Lora
Everyone loved her.
Aunt Lora
Which was fine…
Aunt Lora
I only ever cared about one person.
Aunt Lora’s face softens.
Aunt Lora
But just like everyone else…
Aunt Lora thrusts a finger towards Macie’s mother.
Aunt Lora
After a few years, I almost gave up.
Aunt Lora
But then I realized…
Aunt Lora
I could have it all.
Aunt Lora
The man of my dreams.
Macie
So, you burned down our house?
Macie
Staged my parents' death?
Aunt Lora
As a matter of fact, yes.
Aunt Lora
The hardest part was dragging them out of the house.
Aunt Lora
And bringing them here.
Aunt Lora
After that, I just had to figure out how to get rid of my wretched sister.
Aunt Lora
Entice your father.
Aunt Lora
And make you girls fall in love with me.
Aunt Lora’s eyes are wide.
Macie backs away as Aunt Lora makes it to the bottom of the stairs…
And stops a few feet away from Macie.
Her eyes snap back into focus.
Aunt Lora
If it weren’t for maggots like you…
Aunt Lora grabs a can of gasoline from the wall.
And begins to pour it on the ground around her.
Aunt Lora
It all would have worked.
Aunt Lora pulls a set of matches from her pocket.
Macie’s parents’ gagged screams erupt from behind her.
Aunt Lora’s pulls out a match.
Aunt Lora
But if I can’t have it all…
Macie hears a scuffle from behind her Aunt…
And then with a resounding CRASH—
Aunt Lora falls to the ground.
The unlit match thrown from her hand.
A fire extinguisher in her hand.
Macie finds ropes on the shelves.
As Jane rushes to her parents.
Jane
I can’t believe they’re alive…
Macie and Jane embrace their parents.
After the police came and hauled Aunt Lora away…
They questioned Macie, Jane, and their parents for what felt like hours.
Ambulances and police cars still flood the street with flashing lights.
And Macie and Jane sit on Aunt Lora’s front stoop…
Waiting for their parents to finish getting checked out by the medic.
Jane
I still can’t believe it…
Jane
I’m so sorry, Macie.
Jane
For not believing you.
Jane
For not standing up to Aunt Lora…
Macie
You stood up to her when it mattered the most.
Jane smiles weakly at her sister.
Macie
And now we can finally go home.
Jane
But Macie, there’s no home to go back to.
Macie
As long as we’re all together…
Macie
We’ll always have a home.
