A Haunting (2005–…): Season 4, Episode 10 - Stalked by Evil - full transcript

Narrator: In this
world, there is real evil

in the darkest shadows and
in the most ordinary places.

These are the true stories

of the innocent and
the unimaginable.

Judy McCarthy has great hopes

for her family and
their new home.

But a shadowy presence
prowls its dark corners,

obsessively
tormenting the family.

As Judy struggles to
protect her loved ones,

she uncovers a violent secret

that threatens
everything she holds dear.



Between the world we
see and the things we fear,

there are doors.

When they are opened,

nightmares become reality.

captions paid for by
discovery communications

beyond the sun-drenched
shores of corpus christi, Texas,

musty gravestones Mark
forgotten conflicts and silenced lives.

But sometimes death
is not the final chapter.

Often, restless
spirits roam the earth,

seeking to inflict
their eternal fury...

on the living.

In early 2005,

the McCarthy family moves
from a small apartment

in corpus christi, Texas,
to a house nearby.



Judy McCarthy is a
stay-at-home mom

whose first priority
is her family.

She is always
compassionate and supportive

of her 17-year-old daughter,
caressa, her husband, John,

and her grown
daughter, Lisa lambert.

Recently, Lisa was
laid off from her job

as a human resources recruiter.

No longer able to
support her son, Jacob,

she moved in with John and Judy.

Judy: Lisa and Jacob were
having to sleep on the floor,

and we had to get a bigger place

because a two-bedroom with
one bath just was not big enough.

Narrator: Lisa feels fortunate to
have loving parents she can rely on.

Lisa: I asked them
for their assistance

until I could get on
my feet financially.

That's how we are. It's
just a close-knit family.

Judy: Want to check it out?

Yeah! Okay, have fun.

Judy: Oh, we will!

Lisa: Here, let me help.

Great.

Narrator: Caressa
loves the new house

and the fact that she will
not have to change schools.

Jacob, look.

Nice.

Welcome to my humble abode.

I hadn't had a room this big,
so I was very, very excited.

Can I use your computer
when you don't need it?

Yeah, just make
sure you ask first.

Whoa, what's this?

That's pretty cool.

Caressa: There
was a water heater

that had a door that
led into the hallway,

and there was also a
door into my bedroom.

Judy: Jacob!

Okay, coming, mom.

John: Lisa, honey, look at this.

Narrator: Lisa and Jacob share a
large addition off the living room.

Lisa: Jake, can you help
me put these on hangers?

I loved that we had our
own section of the house

away from everyone,

and we would have our privacy.

Narrator: As they
finish settling in,

a treasured item evokes the
memory of Judy's late father.

Hey, mom.

Judy: I did everything
with my dad,

and whenever we'd go fishing,
that is the lantern we used.

It was my pride and joy.

What do you think?

It looks good.

I think so, too.

Anything else?

It was very special to her

and special to all
of us in that way.

Narrator: As weeks pass,

the family quickly falls
into a hectic routine.

John's supervisory
position as a diesel mechanic

requires him to work long hours.

I'll call you later. Okay, bye.

Oh, Jacob.

Jacob, it is late.

You're gonna be late for
school, hon. We got to go.

When will you be
back? I don't know, mom.

It really just depends
on the job hunt.

We'll see. Have
a good day, okay?

Okay.

Good luck!

Thank you.

Mom, have you seen my compact?

Judy: Did you check your room?

[ Sighs ]

Caressa: I went to
look for my powder.

I couldn't find it anywhere.

I came back into the bathroom,

and it was right there,

just as if it was purposely
placed for me to see.

Thanks, mom.
Where'd you find it?

I didn't.

I thought that it was
Jacob being a prankster,

moving around my compact.

But Jacob went to school,
like, 20 minutes ago.

Narrator: Days turn into nights.

[ Sighing ]

I started to feel
a little uneasy,

kind of a vague feeling
of being watched.

Ahh, good morning.

Good morning.

Well, you're running
kind of late, sleepyhead.

I couldn't sleep.

Are you coming
down with something?

No.

Is everything going
all right at school?

What is with the third degree?

I'm fine. Everything is fine.

Gosh!

Narrator: Later, after
everyone has left,

Judy takes time to relax.

The trench walls collapsed.

In a matter of seconds...

How could such a large
mass suddenly disappear?

And if it isn't...

come together to form
dangerous gangs...

As the car sank
deeper into the river...

Firefighter Dan skyle knew
he and his men had to...

towards first,
fielded by Johnson.

Walson told investigators

that during their Los
Angeles business...

Judy: There's no timer
on the TV or anything.

So I thought maybe
there was something wrong

with the batteries.

Narrator: Weeks pass.

Eerie sounds continue
to echo through the house.

Judy finds comfort in
having her family around...

Two Jacks.

Especially on nights
when John works late.

Okay, you got me.

Nice work.

[ Creaking ]

Did you hear that?

What do you think it was?

Sounded like it
came from my room.

It's probably just
the house settling.

Whose turn is it, anyway? Mine.

Judy: It's an older home.

You're expecting to
hear some type of noises.

Stick 'em up and
give me all your 8s!

Now, what makes you
think I've got any 8s?

[ Laughs ]

[ Creaking ]

You had to have heard that.

I'll go take a look.

No, Jacob. You stay here.

[ Scraping ]

I was a little anxious.

We thought somebody
had broken in.

I didn't know what was in there.

I didn't know what
was gonna happen.

It's freezing in here.

I got goose bumps.

The hair stood up.

The closet.

Caressa: My heart
kind of dropped

when I saw that my closet
door was actually open.

I always kept my
closet door shut.

[ Sighs ]

Oh, thank goodness.

What? Everything okay?

It's okay.

False alarm.

[ Sighs ]

Narrator: Weeks
pass without incident.

I got a job!

As a corporate trainer.

Lisa: I was ecstatic.

It wasn't just a job for me.
It was gonna be my career.

You rock, mom!

My son was thrilled

just because, eventually,
we were gonna be on our own.

Well, let's party! Come
on, we'll celebrate.

Pop the cork on that thing.

Narrator: A few hours later,

after Jacob and John
have gone to bed...

body temperature began to drop,

blood pressure and
pulse decreased sharply.

Confused and disoriented...

Jacob, get back
to bed, young man.

I'm thinking somebody's
playing a trick on me.

We don't have another remote.

Mom, what's wrong with the TV?

It just, like, just came on.

Uh... I thought it was Jacob.

It's been doing
this in the mornings.

I tried changing the batteries,

but it hasn't stopped
it, apparently.

It just turns on
and flips channels.

Caressa: Knowing that
somebody else in the house

was experiencing similar
things was very comforting.

I'm starting to think
the house is haunted.

Oh...

You know, I think
it might be grandpa.

He was always
such a practical joker.

I thought it was my dad
checking in the house

to make sure that
everybody was okay.

But why would he start this now?

He's been gone for years.

Narrator: Lisa has her doubts.

Lisa: She just wanted to have
him in the house with us so much

that she wanted to grasp
onto that possibility that it's him.

You know, I've got a
huge day tomorrow.

I think I'm turning in.

Me too.

Night, caressa.

Narrator: Later,
around 3:00 A.M...

Man #1: Stay away from that gun!

Man #2: Your territory?!
Get out of my territory!

[ Indistinct shouting ]

Stay away from that gun!

Lisa: I wasn't imagining this.

It was within a foot of
that window, if not closer.

I would have seen
them walk away.

I would have at least seen their
shadow, heard their footsteps.

I could smell smoke,

like there was
something burning,

maybe in the living
room or in the kitchen.

[ Breathing heavily ]

Oh, mom.

You almost gave
me a heart attack.

Oh, I'm sorry, honey.

What are you doing up?

I smelled smoke.

Seemed like it was
coming from this room.

I sure don't smell
any now, though.

Mom, it wasn't the
smoke that woke me up.

Really?

What was it?

I heard men outside talking.

And then when I looked to see
them, they weren't even there.

Something weird
is going on, mom.

Narrator: Judy believes the voices
are connected to the haunting.

Judy: That's when I
realized it couldn't be my dad,

that if he wanted to
say something to me,

he would have done
it a long time ago.

And that's when I finally
realized we have a problem.

Can you keep it down?

I have to get up in three hours.

I'm sorry, honey.

There's just weird
things going on here.

We think we might have a ghost.

A ghost?

You got nothing better to
do at 3:00 in the morning?

I'm going back to bed,
and you should, too.

I'm so sorry, honey.

He hasn't experienced any of it.

I know.

Thank goodness
Jacob hasn't, either.

Let's just keep
it that way, okay?

Goodnight, honey.

Lisa: My concern was will he
come in contact with the spirit?

Will it start bothering him?

Narrator: Nothing unusual
happens for several days,

and Lisa's concerns fade.

Caressa, however,

continues to sense an
unseen presence watching her.

Nice. Nice bunt.

All right!

Because the feeling is
most intense in her room,

she has suffered a
string of restless nights.

All right. All right.

And the pitcher
retires another batter.

And the pitcher retires, too.

Aw, come on. Play a little more.

I'm pooped, squirt.

Please? Jake, I said no.

Caressa: Night after night,
not being able to go to sleep.

I was definitely
tired all the time.

Narrator: The sleepless
nights stretch into weeks.

Hoping to calm her uneasiness,

caressa leaves a
light on each night.

[ Scraping ]

[ Creaking ]

Caressa: I felt like something
was about to pop out at me.

[ Creaking ]

Narrator: She tries
to convince herself

that it's just her imagination.

[ Pounding, creaking ]

[ Breathing heavily ]

Caressa.

What are you doing in here?

Whatever's in this house
was in my room last night.

But it isn't grandpa.

Caressa: I knew it
wouldn't be my grandpa

because I wouldn't be
feeling scared and vulnerable

like I was.

Oh, honey.

Narrator: Judy wishes there
was some way to comfort caressa.

Although she still feels
uncomfortable being alone,

caressa presses on.

Ahh.

Why did caressa sleep
in our room last night?

Don't even go there, John.

I couldn't stay in my room.

Why?

I got scared.

I didn't want to be alone.

There's a ghost in there.

Oh, not this ghost
business again.

You're 17.

You're too old to be
sleeping in your parents' room.

My dad never wanted to
believe in the supernatural.

Crying won't help.

He thought that I was
being very irrational.

I need to be heading out, too.

Narrator: That night,
despite her fears,

caressa returns to her own room.

Caressa: I tried my
hardest not to think about it.

I felt like I had to be
strong and tough it out.

[ Creaking ]

I was too scared to look
or move or do anything.

I just laid there, frozen.

My heart started
beating very, very fast,

and I got very, very frightened.

[ Breathing heavily ]

Mom!

I could not move my body,

and I just felt like there
was a huge weight on me.

[ Screaming ]

[ Screaming ]

Caressa, what's
the matter, honey?!

What's the matter?

Honey, are you okay?

I couldn't breathe.

Oh, my god.

How about some fresh air?

They don't open.

Oh.

I forgot.

Narrator: Judy struggles
to find some way

to keep her daughter safe.

I think that's it. It's all
up and running again.

Wonderful. We'll
have heat again.

You know, I was wondering
what would happen

if we needed to get
out of the lease early.

Why?

We think there
might be a ghost here.

If you try to break that lease,
you owe me the rest of the year.

And if you don't
pay up, I'll sue.

Whoa. Nobody's
trying to break the lease.

I think you need
to talk to your wife.

Judy: I wanted out of the
house. I didn't want any part of it.

I wanted to move.

We're not gonna move

just because you think
there's ghosts in here.

John, you're away
at work all day long.

You come home and sleep.

You're never around to see
what's happening around here.

He told me that it was
just our imagination,

that we were being stupid
and silly and everything.

Narrator: A few days later,

caressa stays home from
school to recover from a bad cold.

Caressa: Mom.

Judy: That was about
the most frightening thing,

to see something going
into caressa's room

and just disappear.

Caressa: My heart dropped.

Everything beforehand

had just been hearing
things and feelings.

But seeing that just made
everything that much worse.

Lisa lambert.

Lisa!

Narrator: The ghost's
increasing boldness terrifies Judy.

It seems to be growing
not only stronger,

but more focused on caressa.

You saw it?

Oh, my god.

We got to get out of here now!

Okay, listen, mom.

Go somewhere safe
until dad gets home,

and I'm gonna see if I can
find someone who can help us.

Narrator: Lisa finds Margaret
Prescott's paranormal-research team

and arranges for them to
come out as soon as possible.

Narrator: Soon after,
while John is out of town

and Jacob is staying
at a friend's house,

paranormal investigator
Margaret Prescott

and her son, technical
expert monty Prescott,

meet with the family.

Margaret: The goal of
my group is to help people

to understand what
they're experiencing,

what they're going through.

All right, we'll be
setting up the cameras

throughout the house,

but mostly where
you've had activity.

Like my room?

Especially your room.

Where my heart
went out to this family

was seeing the fear in her eyes,

like something was
coming after her.

Where do you want us to be?

We're gonna need
everyone to leave the house.

That way, we can be sure
that the activity we pick up

is paranormal and not human.

Monty will be in the garage.

He's setting up
a viewing station

so he won't disturb
the house, either.

Let's go.

Narrator: The team has
set up infrared cameras

and digital tape recorders.

They hope to capture
paranormal activity

and ghostly voices
known as e.V.P.,

or electronic voice phenomena.

How's it going?

It's going pretty good.

I think we got a nice
shot of the hallway.

We got a really nice
shot of the bedroom here.

That's where most of our
activity's been happening.

What was that?

Something just hit the camera.

My reaction was that they
didn't want our cameras there,

and they did not want us there.

I'm gonna go fix that camera.

Be careful.

I will. Call me if
there's a problem.

Narrator: Margaret knows any
ghost who can move a camera

is powerful enough
to inflict physical harm.

[ Creaking ]

Margaret: I just
had this feeling

that there was something
inside this closet,

and it just wasn't very nice.

Narrator: She tries
to provoke the ghost

in order to elicit a response
that can be recorded as e.V.P.

Prove to me you're really here.

I try to get from them
why are they here?

Why are they
tormenting this family?

Move something.

Come on. Show yourself to me.

An orb just flew out
of the closet at you.

I think you should
get out of there.

An orb just flew out
of the closet at you.

I think you should
get out of there.

Margaret: I thought, okay,
I'm making a connection

with whatever is in there.

Who are you?

What are you
doing in this house?

Answer me.

If you don't want me here...

Make me leave.

What's happening?

[ Gasping ]

This really strange
feeling traveled up my legs

and just started
traveling up to my arms.

Get out of there!

Margaret: It's like the air
is just being sucked out,

and it was really getting
very hard to breathe.

[ Wheezing ]

Get out of there!

Judy: How'd it go?

Narrator: Margaret
confirms Judy's worst fears...

The ghost is
powerful and violent.

You're gonna need a
cleansing, and I don't do those.

But I can get you in touch
with some people who do.

Oh. Can they do it right away?

I've got to protect my
family, especially caressa.

Judy: I was so scared for her.

This was her room, and
something was invading it.

It'll be about a week or more.

That long?

Well, you can try to
cleanse the house yourself.

Narrator: Judy is willing to
accept any risk to protect her family.

Go to each room
alone with a Bible,

and you order the
spirits to go away.

Thank you.

It'll be okay, okay?

We'll keep in touch. All right.

Narrator: The following
morning, despite her fears,

Judy is determined
to bless the house.

I'm just really not comfortable
leaving you alone to do this.

Let me call in and
take a personal day.

I was very concerned.

Margaret had said that
two things could happen.

You could either really
make the spirit angry,

they could retaliate,

or they will actually
leave you alone.

In god's name...

Narrator: Judy blesses
the house, room by room,

saving caressa's for last.

Leave my family alone.

In god's name,

please leave this house.

Leave us alone.

[ Creaking ]

In god's name, please
leave this house.

Leave us alone.

Leave my family alone!

In god's name,

I command you
to leave this house!

[ Creaking ] Get
out of this house!

[ Wind blows,
creaking, rustling ]

In the name of god,

I command you
to leave this house!

[ Growling ] Leave us alone!

I felt like there was someone
standing right beside me.

I didn't know what
was gonna happen,

and I couldn't breathe.

[ Gasps ]

I thought that I had done
something I shouldn't have.

[ Thunder crashes ]

I tried to cleanse the house,

but I heard angry
knocking on the walls.

Leave us alone!

That means it's not gonna leave.

I need you to hear something.

Man: I'm here.
I'm here for the girl.

I'm here.

I'm here for the girl.

We've got the confirmation
of what this entity wants,

and it was very frightening.

I'm here. I'm here for the girl.

Man: I'm here for the girl.

He's obsessed with caressa.

He wants her.

Her rejection is
making him so angry.

Margaret: She might
have reminded him

of someone he once
cared for a great deal,

and he did not
want to let her go.

Judy: Knowing that
is your flesh and blood

that whatever
this thing is wants,

what am I gonna do?

How am I gonna protect her?

There was a murder in the house.

Narrator: Margaret's research has
uncovered a drug-related murder

that occurred in the
house 20 years earlier.

Get out of my
territory! Your territory?!

[ Indistinct shouting ]

[ Gunshots ]

You know the smoke
that you smelled

and the argument
that Lisa heard?

They're all replays
of that event.

The killer set a fire to
destroy the evidence.

Get caressa out of that
house as soon as possible.

Margaret: The next
step is that this girl's

gonna get harmed in some way.

It's building up more
and more strength

because this
family's afraid of it.

Oh, my god, caressa is due
home from softball practice

any minute now.

I can't have her in
that house alone!

Where's caressa?

Still at softball practice.

Oh, thank god.

Why?

John, we have to move.

What?

The ghost is
obsessed with caressa.

Margaret caught him on tape

saying he wanted the girl.

Man: I'm here for the girl.

John, we have to move.

Judy: I was determined
nothing was gonna get her.

[ Crying ]

Well, that's about it for us.

Narrator: Within days,
Judy finds a house nearby,

and the family quickly
packs for the move.

Now, you and Jacob come
and visit us sometime soon.

Lisa and Jacob relocate to
an apartment across town.

Don't be a stranger. All right.

[ Chuckles ]

Well, I think that
about does it for us, too.

I just need to get one
more box from my room.

Okay, hurry up, honey.

I was never so happy in my
life that we were gonna move.

Mom? I can't get the door open!

It's stuck! Help!

It's not even locked or latched!

Get me out of here! Help!

Get away from the
door! Stand back!

Can you climb out a window?

No, it's nailed shut, remember?

I'm gonna crawl
through the furnace door.

I can see you, baby!

Get me something to pry
it with, like a screwdriver.

Yes!

Give me your hand!

I felt a presence just
bearing down on me.

I just kept thinking
that it's gonna get me.

It's gonna get me.

Give me your hands, baby.

That's it.

Come on, come to dad.
Come on, I got you. I got you.

Something's pulling me!

It's trying to keep
me in the room!

Judy: It felt like something
was pulling her the other way,

towards her closet.

Caressa: It wasn't
letting me leave.

[ Screaming ]

I was so scared.

I got you, baby!

John, she's freezing. We
got to get out of here now.

I was so happy and so scared.

I mean, I didn't ever
want to let her go.

Hold that pose!

Narrator: Several months later,

caressa recovers from her ordeal
and graduates from high school.

Soon after, she
secures a full-time job

and begins taking
college classes.

You're smart, but
that's a dumb hat.

You can't wait to wear
one, can you, squirt?

[ Laughter ]

Once we moved out of the house,
nothing bad happened after that,

and everybody's
doing really good now.

Narrator: But the months of
constant fear for her daughter's safety

will forever haunt Judy.

It's a feeling that I hope to
god I never have to feel again,

and I don't ever want anyone

to have to go through
that with their child.