We're All Going to the World's Fair (2021) - full transcript

Late on a cold night somewhere in the U.S., teenage Casey sits alone in her attic bedroom, scrolling the internet under the glow-in-the-dark stars and black-light posters that blanket the ceiling. She has finally decided to take the World's Fair Challenge, an online role-playing horror game, and embrace the uncertainty it promises. After the initiation, she documents the changes that may or may not be happening to her, adding her experiences to the shuffle of online clips available for the world to see. As she begins to lose herself between dream and reality, a mysterious figure reaches out, claiming to see something special in her uploads.

Hey, guys, it's Casey.

Hey, guys, Casey here.

Today I'm gonna be taking
the world's fair challenge.

Hey guys, Casey here.

Welcome to my channel.

Today, I'm going to be taking
the world's fair challenge.

This is Poe.

He's going to be taking the
challenge with us today.

I don't know what to expect.

Okay.

All right, let's get started.



I want to go to
the world's fair.

I want to go to
the world's fair.

I want to go to
the world's fair.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay, now,

now the video.

Okay, that was the
world's fair challenge.

Thanks for watching.

And I'll make sure to update

if I start to
notice any changes.

I think,

I think I'm turning
into something,

something terrible.



So
you want to join

the internet's scariest
online horror game?

Well okay.

But just remember,

we can't be held responsible

for what you become.

All you have to
do to get started

is take the challenge

and then you begin
reporting your symptoms.

If other players like the
direction you're taking the story,

they'll help you
expand it further.

Small green brick

dropping

from my throat to my stomach,

and then another.

Orange this time.

And shaped like an L.

It took me a while to realize

this is Tetris.

I'm playing Tetris.

Now it's all I'm doing.

They're up to here now.

They're getting closer

to my neck.

It's three o'clock
in the fucking morning.

Sorry.

Hey guys.

So, I took the
world's fair challenge

because I love horror movies and

I thought it might be cool to
try actually living in one.

I used to sleep walk
a lot as a little kid

and I would tell myself these
scary stories in my head

so I could fall asleep for once.

And when I'd tell myself
these scary stories,

usually when I'd
fall asleep at night,

I'd have these crazy dreams.

And I swear in my head it
was like Paranormal Activity.

Like I'm not even
lying with you.

Like it was like I was walking

around the house possessed
by some evil spirit.

It's funny, I'd be dreaming.

I know I'd be dreaming
when it used to happen

but it was like I was also
awake at the same time.

It was like watching
myself on a TV

all the way across the room.

And I was aware of my actions.

Yes, granted I was aware,

but I couldn't control myself.

I've been kind of
feeling that way recently

ever since I watched that video.

That feeling's kind of
creeping up on me a little bit.

I'm not really sure
what to do about it.

I was kind of used to
not having to stress

about every single
time I fell asleep

that I'd do something crazy

or like get run over by a car,

just like standing
in front of the car.

Cause I tell you if, if-

I might be aware
that a car is coming,

but I would just stay there.

My whole body's numb.

I know it should
be cold right now

but I don't feel anything.

Okie dokie artichokie.

I'm going to record
myself sleeping tonight.

This is so stupid.

Who wants to watch dumb videos?

Hey.

Shh.

Shh.

You're okay.

Shh.

Did you have a bad dream?

Yeah.

Those are hard.

Sorry you had a bad dream.

Shh, shh, shh.

It's okay.

You're fine now.

It's okay.

I know it takes a while
to come out of the,

out of the nightmare.

Sometimes it feels,

sometimes it still feels real

even when you're awake.

It's all okay now.

It's all okay.

You're okay now.

I'm right here.

I'm right here.

You can go back to bed.

Go to bed.

Go back to bed.

Shh.

Close your eyes.

Close your eyes.

Close your eyes, close your eyes

and go to bed.

Close your eyes,
close your eyes.

Shh, shh, shh.

Close your eyes, shh.

Close your eyes.

You can go back to bed.

Shh, shh, shh.

You can go back to bed now.

Shh.

You're okay.

You're okay, you're okay now.

Shh, shh, shh.

Shh, shh, you're okay.

You're okay, you're okay.

Have sweet dreams.

Have sweet dreams.

Sweet, sweet,
sweet, sweet dreams.

Have good, sweet dreams.

Dream of good things.

Dream of nice,

warm wonderful things.

You're safe.

You're safe and
comfortable with me.

You're okay.

Shh, shh, shh.

Shh, shh, shh.

It's okay.

It's okay.

It's okay, it's okay.

It's okay, it's okay.

You're okay now.

You're okay.

Go back to bed.

Hi guys.

I'm JLB,

and this channel is for my
latest world's fair stories,

drawing and fan theories.

I love collaborating
with other players.

But be warned,

this is an in-game channel

for serious players only.

So if you message me,

I hope that you're ready
to get scared together.

Hello?

Hi.

Thank you for talking with me.

I'm,

I'm sorry my video scared you.

I didn't know how else
to get your attention.

It's okay.

But it's really freaky.

Thanks.

I've seen your videos.

I've been trying

to get in touch with you.

You said you think
I'm in trouble?

How much have you read

about the world's fair?

Just a little bit.

I mean, I mostly just
watch the videos online.

It goes a lot
further back than that.

Oh.

Yeah, there's
a lot of mythology,

lore and history,

different theories

and supernatural events.

It can be confusing

if you're just starting
to learn about it.

But there does seem
to be a pattern.

You do the challenge,

and then you start to change.

Right.

Right.

The video.

It's like a conduit.

It can access your dreams,

the deepest things

you keep hidden, and then,

then it changes you.

I've seen it do things to people

you wouldn't believe.

What are you?

A paranormal investigator?

No.

No.

I'm nobody.

Why are you talking to me?

I want to try to
help you if I can,

but I need to know

that you're telling the truth,

things you described in your
last video in the woods.

I need you

to promise me that
you're not making it up.

No,

I'm not.

How do you know?

I don't.

I mean,

sorry, I'm I'm not that good
at talking with other people.

That's okay.

It's okay.

It's just for most people,

I know it's a really big change,

like they turn into a vampire,

evil clown or something.

It's not what it
feels like for me.

I understand.

It's like I can feel
myself leaving my body.

It's like is making
me someone else.

It's making me bad.

I can't tell my
father about this,

he'll think I'm fucking crazy.

Will you
keep making videos

so that I know you're okay?

Deal.

Yeah, I'll try.

Okay, okay.

You know, I knew it
would happened like this.

All my, all my friends,

they were so happy
to just settle

with like a little,

little army men

or Chinese finger traps.

Not me.

I needed to win it.

It was Stitch.

It was my favorite character
from my favorite movie,

big,

fluffy plush doll,

so big and cuddly,

all the way on the top shelf.

And I wanted it
more than anything.

I, I, I dreamt of it even.

I would dream that, that I,

that I'd just take it home

and I would hug it

and love it forever.

It's gotten worse.

But it feels good.

It tingles when you touch it.

what is that?

What is that in there?

Tim pick up.

Don't watch the video.

It's getting stronger.

I want to go to
the world's fair.

I want to go to
the world's fair.

I want to go to
the world's fair.

This is another
video for Casey

from JLB.

I'm going to try
recording myself sleeping tonight.

It's November 14th.

11:52 p.m.

It's snowing here today.

I need to figure
out what's going on.

It takes you
about seven minutes

to really fall asleep.

Sleep is normal
most of the night.

You toss and turn a little bit.

Now,

watch this.

This is right around
4:55 a.m. by my estimate.

Casey,

this is your scariest video yet.

It's just like
"Paranormal Activity".

It's taking you over

and making you someone else.

Keep making videos

so I know you're still okay.

It's raining here tonight.

♪ The town is asleep ♪

♪ The snow begins ♪

♪ I watch the snow ♪

♪ From my bedroom window. ♪

♪ The snow is cold ♪

♪ And my room is hot ♪

♪ Are you watching it too ♪

♪ Across ♪

♪ This ♪

♪ Town ♪

♪ Love in winter ♪

♪ Feel so good ♪

♪ You're the gust of wind ♪

♪ Against my bedroom window ♪

♪ There are not
footprints in the snow ♪

♪ There are no
snowplows on the road ♪

♪ Let's take a walk
down my street ♪

♪ Under the light ♪

♪ Fallen ♪

♪ Snow ♪

♪ Love in winter ♪

♪ Feels ♪

♪ So ♪

♪ Good ♪

♪ I'm a marshmallow melting ♪

♪ You're my favorite book ♪

♪ Love in winter ♪

♪ Feels so good ♪

♪ You're the gust of wind ♪

♪ Against my bedroom tonight ♪

♪ Marshmallow melting ♪

♪ Melting, melting ♪

And there are the lockers.

And there are the desks.

And that's the vice
principal's office.

Watch out.

Leaves.

The AutoZone.

I swear,

some day soon,

I am just gonna disappear

and you won't have any
idea what happened to me.

My father keeps a
gun in the barn.

Thinks I don't know where.

Stop smiling.

Hey, stop smiling.

Stupid, you're an idiot.

I see you there.

Even if you won't
show your face.

You can't can't stop me.

♪ I'm a marshmallow melting ♪

♪ You're my favorite book ♪

♪ Love in winter ♪

♪ Feels so good ♪

♪ You're the gust of wind ♪

♪ Against my bedroom ♪

Christmas was fine.

Honestly. I spent most
of it worrying about you,

rewatching your old
videos for clues.

Casey, I can feel the
forces of the fair

pulling you in closer with
each new video you upload.

And I don't really know you,

but I feel like I do.

And I wanna save you.

Send me a message when
you see this video.

We need to talk soon.

Hey guys, Casey here.

So I'm going to be doing
a tarot card reading

for whoever's watching.

You know who you are.

So we have the Knight of Wands,

Knight of Pentacles,

the Hierophant,

Five of Pentacles,

the Chariot,

the Nine of Swords,

the Nine of Cups,

the Eight of Cups,

the High Priestess,

Three of Pentacles

the Empress,

Quee-King of Sword, excuse me.

Four of Cups, Temperance.

Whoever's watching this

must be a little bit of a,

a lonely person.

Must be a little bit of a person

who seeks comfort in things
that they cannot have

with the Nine of Swords.

Probably has a lot of anxiety,

probably has um, a
lot of mental issues.

The Three of Pentacles.

They're trying to
deceive people.

I don't know if you
guys can see or not.

I could show you
a little closer,

but this guy he's
just walking around

like he knows everything.

I hate people like that
that know everything.

They just always are like,

well, no, this is how it is.

Who are you to
tell me how it is?

Who are you to tell me
how it is, I don't know.

The Chariot.

They keep pushing
a certain agenda

over and over again.

They keep charging forward
with the same boring message,

acting like they're the big guy.

But you have anxiety and you're
lonely and you're fearful.

So how strong are you exactly?

How powerful are you exactly?

Very slow moving.

Nine of Pentacles.

Can't seem to get a
wrap on life, can you?

I appreciate you
guys for watching.

And I'll talk to you
guys another time.

Bye.

My father needs to go.

I know this.

I'll wait until the morning.

It'll be a long time,
but I won't be nervous.

And then at 6am when he gets
up for his first job of the day

I'll be ready for him.

Three shots to the stomach.

And I'll stand there
and watch him bleed.

I don't wanna do it,

but I don't think I'll be
able to control myself.

I don't know.

Maybe I'll just
kill myself instead.

Why won't you help me?

19.

18.

17.

16.

15.

14.

13.

12.

11.

10.

Nine.

Eight.

Seven.

Six.

Five.

Four.

Three.

My name is Poe.

I love you.

I'm still scared of the dark.

This little guy,

he helps me sleep at night.

I had him since I
was five days old.

No.

No.

Poe.

What did I do to you?

What did I do to you?

I know how it's gonna end now.

I'm going inside the video,

through the computer,

inside the screen.

Are you familiar with
the strange loop theory?

The video's a fake,

but so is all of this.

What does that make the video?

Strange loop
theory is one theory,

but have you read
some of the others?

I feel it though.

I think I've always felt it.

This world wasn't real.

It's just some kind of dream

I need to wake up from.

Right.

But have you read about Ka-Rom?

She was trying to trap you

inside the fair grounds.

That's exactly what
she'd want you to think.

How long do you think I have?

I mean you're the expert, right?

How long until I do it?

No need to sugarcoat it.

I promise I'm not scared.

I need to
ask you something.

Sure.

What is it?

Well, we need
to go out of game first.

Is that, is that okay?

Sure.

What's that?

It's an expression.

It means outside of the
margins of the game,

the MMORPG.

I didn't know that term.

Massive multiplayer
online role playing game,

you know it's

just a game we're
playing, right, right.

Oh.

I mean yeah.

Yeah.

And then, you know,

they're just trail heads, right?

The video, Ka-Rom,

the strange loop theory?

Trail heads?

Stories, yeah,

for us to explore

because I've just
been a little worried

because I guess,

I don't, I don't know
how to say this exactly,

but your videos

have been pretty intense lately.

Well, it's a
horror game, right?

Yeah, it's a horror game,

but I,

I don't know.

When I was

still in high school,

and I had a tough time too,

and I know it can
be hard sometimes,

and maybe you get stupid
thoughts in your head.

What,

what do you think?

I was actually
gonna kill myself?

I, I, I...

Or kill somebody else?

I was just worried.

I wasn't sure if
you were playing,

or acting,

or letting off
steam or whatever.

Or if you kind of meant it.

I thought about
reporting your videos,

but I don't know.

I know it doesn't
really do anything.

I could call police.

I don't really know
where you live.

You thought about
calling the fucking police!

Jesus Christ!

They're just videos.

What is wrong with you?

They're pretend.

I have to go.

Casey.

That's not even my name.

Wait.

I'm sorry, you seem
like you're, you know.

I just need you to-

No, no.

I swear,

someday soon

I am just gonna disappear.

And you won't have any
idea what happened to me.

It wasn't until a year later,

I finally heard from her.

She sent me a message on Skype,

apologizing for

not responding sooner.

She told me that

she had spent some time

in an assisted care facility
that winter and spring.

And then she only now felt
comfortable with writing.

We traded messages for a while.

She told me her real name.

I told her mine.

She told me she was
starting a theater program

in the city that spring.

We met for coffee in Manhattan.

And she finally saw my face.

We made the awkward small talk.

I think we both felt
weird sitting there,

actually in front of one
another after all this time,

like we both had so much to say,

we just didn't know
where to begin.

Afterward,

we walked uptown together,

her towards the subway,

me towards the Long
Island railroad.

And it was only
outside the subway

that I finally worked up
the courage to ask her

about that night.

Before I could get
the full question out,

she cut me off.

She apologized for the things
she'd said to me that night.

I told her it was all right.

I knew she didn't mean them.

And then she didn't say
anything for a long time.

But when she spoke again,

it was like

she knew she was about to say
something that she shouldn't.

That
night I made it there.

I know it sounds
crazy, but it's true.

I made it there,

to the planetarium,

across the crowds,

into the heart of the fair.

But something brought me back.

I don't know what it was.

So I told her

how I had stayed up that night,

all night till dawn with my
hands on the computer screen

and how I'd prayed for her.

I know

I felt it.

We were hungry,

so we grabbed
dollar pizza slices

from the dollar pizza place,

made plans to meet up
again soon and see a movie.

And then we said goodnight.

We hugged on the street
outside Penn station.

I couldn't believe I
was actually there,

that I was touching her.

And then we both
made our way home.