Channel Zero (2016–…): Season 4, Episode 3 - Love Hurts - full transcript

[DARK MUSIC]

This person, or thing,

that came out of our basement...
[GROANS]

♪ ♪

That's what killed
our friend, Jason.

Somehow, I think I created him

or invited him.

When your father left,
this figure became real,

and losing Jason made you
think about him again.

So do you think that
this figure feels

more real to you when
you're in distress?



You shouldn't have gone to
see the baby like that.

- You crossed a boundary.
- He looks just like me.

You and your husband, do
you fight with him a lot?

I mean, all couples fight.

We have some things we
have to figure out.

But it's just part
of being married.

Is it?

[WHISPERING] There is an ocean

inside of you.

[SCREAMING]

And you can rest at the bottom.

Find the silence there.

Use the silence.

[GASPS]



[SINISTER MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[GROANING]

♪ ♪

[GRUNTING]

♪ ♪

[SCREAMING]

♪ ♪

[BONES CRACKING]

♪ ♪

[PANTING]

♪ ♪

[GASPING, PANTING]

♪ ♪

[CAR ALARM CHIRPS]

♪ ♪

[ENGINE TURNS OVER]

[WHIMPERING]

♪ ♪

Come on!

Come on! Come on!

[ENGINE REVVING]

[GEARS GRINDING]

Oh, shit!

Shit!

[EERIE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[GEARS GRINDING]

♪ ♪

[ENGINE REVVING]

♪ ♪

Oh, my God.

Are you okay?

Hello, 911.

We just had a car accident.

[CHILD CRYING]

That's it? You can't give
me more information?

Fine, okay.

Yes. Yes, I'm on my way.

♪ ♪

[DOG WHIMPERING]

[DOOR OPENS]

♪ ♪

[DOOR OPENS]

- Oh!
- Hey.

S... sorry. I, uh...

- What are you doing here?
- I... I was just outside

and I, uh, saw your
dog running around.

Your door was open.

I... I didn't mean to...

- Are you okay?
- Um...

would you mind sticking
around for a few minutes?

Yeah, yeah.

Sure, sure.

They, uh...

they didn't say how
serious an accident.

Just that I should
bring his clothes.

Well, sometimes they have
to cut people's clothes off

to get them out of
the car, you know?

He wasn't wearing clothes.

Oh.

They said it sounded like...

like someone was after him.

- After him?
- Like chasing him.

Attacked him.

Like how someone attacked
your friend who got killed?

I don't know.

I think so.

Hey, why... Why don't
you let me drive?

You... you seem kind of upset.

Yeah, um... yeah, thanks.

Hey, man.

You all right?

- Yeah, yeah, I'll be okay.
- Ian drove me.

Yeah, we were worried about you.

[SIGHS]

Thanks.

- Thanks for bringing her.
- Yeah, thanks.

- Um, you should get back.
- You sure?

No, you don't have to stay here.

I can if you need anything.

- No.
- Nah.

We don't know how long they're
gonna keep me here, so...

Sure.

Yeah, well, um, you
know where I live so...

Thanks.

Hey, feel better, dude.

Thanks.

Dude.

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

♪ ♪

I've never tried floating
meditation before.

Is it relaxing?

It was.

Why didn't you tell me
you were going there?

I don't know.

I should have.

Was there...

any reason why you felt like
you needed to go there?

Jill.

Tom.

I wanna know.

[GENTLE MUSIC]

[DOOR OPENS]

♪ ♪

You guys up for a little visit?

♪ ♪

Nah, I don't need to watch it.

I was there.

You know, in most
cases like this

we would wonder whether the goal

was to kill her and you
just happened to be there.

But all things being considered,

it's much more likely the
goal was to get you.

Who knew you were
gonna be there?

[GRUNTS]

Because this Vanessa Moss
didn't really advertise

this Jacuzzi closet anywhere.

In fact, she's mostly a doula.

Did I say that right? "Doula"?

She delivers babies.

A doula.

Yeah, this whole floating
meditation mumbo-jumbo,

the clientele is
mostly word of mouth.

Did a friend refer you?

You're in her phone.

There's one linked contact.

Who is "Sarah Winters"?

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

I did some work for
her a while back.

I mean she... yeah, I
guess she knows Vanessa.

♪ ♪

Do either of you know the
person in this video?

Or have any idea why...

he would like a Dr. Seuss
character gone wrong?

No.

No?

His mask, it's, um...

it looks like this character
that Jill created

when we were kids.

She just... she used
to do these drawings.

Come again?

Okay, there are a lot
of these drawings

in our basement, right?

So if this person
was hiding there

then he probably saw
them and made himself up

to look like that or something.

I mean, this... This
person's obviously insane

or on drugs... PCP, something.

He got shot multiple times...
It didn't even slow him down.

But why is he
interested in you two?

Why does he try to kill you...

but make a point of
letting your wife live?

[DOG WHIMPERS]

Hey, Unagi.

[SIGHS]

Hello.

I really think we
should go to a hotel.

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

I have to show you
something first.

♪ ♪

Jill... ♪ ♪

What?

You really didn't see
that guy's face?

Did you or didn't you?

Do you know who this person is?

Do you know why he's
dressed like this?

♪ ♪

He's me.

What?

Come on, I wanna
show you something.

♪ ♪

[DOG BARKS DISTANTLY]

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

- Hey, Mommy.
- Hey.

Hope you're ready for breakfast.

Yes, I'm starving.
Looks delicious.

- Thank you.
- You're welcome.

Hmm. What's that...

What are you looking
at, sweetheart?

It's my favorite YouTube video.

- YouTube video.
- I had no idea.

[EERIE MUSIC]

- You guys okay on drinks?
- I'm good.

♪ ♪

He was there to protect me.

Protect you? From what?

Anything painful.

I know it sounds crazy.

When I was little, I used
to lie awake at night

thinking about all the bad
things that could happen.

To me, to my parents...
[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

After my dad took
me to the circus,

I came up with Pretzel Jack.

I used to draw my
stories about him

and put them under my bed.

♪ ♪

When my dad left...

that's when he became real.

Real?

How?

He walked out of a little door

in the back of my closet.

Like that one.

♪ ♪

[EERIE MUSIC]

He slept under my bed.

And then a few months later,

Mom and I moved away.

It wasn't like I
forgot about him,

it's just...

it felt more and
more like a dream.

Except now he's back.

♪ ♪

What is that?

It's him.

From back then.

♪ ♪

I don't know what that is.

Pretzel Jack killed Jason,
Tom, and that woman.

You know... you saw him.

Jill, I saw...

a maniac in a mask or something.

So did you.

No, it wasn't a stranger.
I felt it.

You felt what?

Some awful connection.

Like family.

It was almost comforting.

Jill, you were in shock.

It was Pretzel Jack.

Somehow he's real.

And he was trying to kill you.

Okay, let's just say
all that's true.

Why would Pretzel Jack
want to kill me, huh?

What?

[TENSE MUSIC]

I just told you my secret.

I'm naked here.

You tell me yours.

♪ ♪

Why didn't you tell
me about the kid?

♪ ♪

[FLESH SQUELCHING]

♪ ♪

[BONES CRACKING]

♪ ♪

Sarah Winters called,
and I answered.

I heard the baby crying.

You have a kid with this
woman, Sarah Winters.

Tell me I'm wrong.

[BONES CRACKING]

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

♪ ♪

The time you and I reconnected,

but when you and I got
together for real, Jill,

we ended it.

Wasn't till later I found
out she was pregnant.

♪ ♪

Jill, she's married, okay?

Her husband thinks that
the kid is his son.

She doesn't want him to know.

♪ ♪

Her husband thinks
the kid is his.

♪ ♪

Yeah.

But he's your son.

Yeah.

Pretty sure that's my kid.

♪ ♪

How old is he?

Eight months, one week.

Why the fuck didn't
you tell me then?

Because, you know, Jill, I
remembered about your dad

wrecking marriages,
screwing up kids.

I fucked up, okay?

Why was it so fucking
easy for you to lie?

It wasn't fucking easy.

You've never been all
the way in this, Jill.

Like, any little
mistake I make...

- Little?
- That could be the reason...

- Little mistake?
- I know.

I know. I know how
fucked up it is

that I did this to you.

Then why did you do it?

Because I love you, Jill.

You wouldn't have loved
me back if you knew.

♪ ♪

I don't know how
we can be together

without hurting each other.

- Stop. Stop.
- No.

Jill, yes... yes, we do.
We know.

- You know how to do this, Jill.
- I don't know.

I don't know how we fix this.

Let's work on this
the right way.

What... what do you mean?

I mean where we're less
likely to hurt each other.

Where?

Where... where do
you want to go?

♪ ♪

[CAR ENGINE STARTS]

♪ ♪

I don't normally
accept patients back

after they've fired me,

but considering
you're in crisis,

I am going to refer you

to a trauma therapist I know,

as well as a very good marriage

and family therapy guy.

Thanks.

Nice to meet you.

And you.

So...

let's just address this
other thing first.

Imaginary friends do feel real

to the children who invent them.

That's the point.

I already had this conversation.

Look, um... [CLEARS THROAT]

We're in the middle of a...

perfect storm right
now, relationship-wise.

I fucked up.

I kept a really, really
huge secret from her,

and I want to make it right.

Okay, here's the thing.

What is love?

Real love.

It's two people
saying, "Here I am.

Vulnerable."

And what do we ask
of our lovers?

Cherish us.

Protect us.

"Here is my soft underbelly.

Are you gonna hurt me?

You gonna cut me
open, spill my guts?

Or...

are you going to show me
your soft underbelly?"

Okay, but wait.

Going back, because
this is important,

this Pretzel Jack thing
is not an illusion.

- It's...
- We, um...

You and I both agree that
there's someone out there

who wants to hurt us...
Or at least hurt me...

And that person has
made himself up

to look like Pretzel Jack...

No, no, he hasn't made
himself up to look...

It's something else,
which is why what I saw

- as a kid is relevant now.
- Babe, we both agree

that it's not safe for us, okay?

- Can we just stay there?
- Right, but...

We're not going back to
the house after this.

- We're gonna go get a hotel.
- Yeah, okay, that's fine,

but you have to listen to what
I'm saying, it's related.

Let's throw away this question

of what you saw as a
kid, just for right now.

Why are you both acting
like I am a kid?

Funny you say that.

Funny that's how you perceive
you're being treated.

Who has imaginary friends?

Kids.

Kids.

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

This is not good for me.

This is not good for any of us.

♪ ♪

[SOFT THUD]

♪ ♪

It's maintenance guys.

Tom, I'm not crazy, okay?
I'm not crazy.

[DISTANT RATTLING]

♪ ♪

- No, no, no, don't.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa.

I... I'm just going to tell

whoever it is making
that noise out there

to keep it down.

It's Pretzel Jack.

♪ ♪

Jillian...

I'm going to prove to
you that it isn't.

♪ ♪

If I open this door and
it's not Pretzel Jack,

will that reassure you?

Hmm?

♪ ♪

[HUMMING SOFTLY]

[SOFT BANGING, CLATTERING]

[SINISTER MUSIC]

♪ ♪

No, no, stay away from him.

No, no, no.

[TENSE MUSIC]

You need to leave, sir.

♪ ♪

Do you want me to
call the police?

♪ ♪

Turn around...

and crawl right back
out that window

just the way... you came.

♪ ♪

[GROANING, SCREAMING]

♪ ♪

Come on!

♪ ♪

Go, go, go, go!

[TIRES SQUEALING]

♪ ♪

Drive.

♪ ♪

- We should call the cops.
- Trust me.

- Come inside.
- Jill, let's go.

You made him real.

What?

You're special.

- You have a condition.
- Jill.

I know because I have it, too.

I'm just like you.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

[THUNDER RUMBLING SOFTLY]

Here you go.

For you.

[SIGHS] Okay.

So, first off, we don't
have a lot of time,

so be open to what
I'm telling you,

crazy as it sounds.

Because the longer
that you resist,

the more danger everyone
around you is in,

especially him.

And whatever you do, stay calm,

'cause your distress is like

the fucking Bat signal, okay?

He's out there, and he'll
come when you call him,

whether you mean to or not.

Okay.

What did you tell him?

Everybody has...

their own emotional
stuff, right?

[TENSE MUSIC]

You know, anxiety issues,
hang-ups, fears.

But for you and I, that stuff...

can become real.

Pretzel Jack is my stuff?

Right, exactly.

I mean, everybody has
secret doors, right?

But you and I can open ours.

♪ ♪

Now, I don't know what issues

you might be dealing with,
but, uh, if I was to guess,

I would say that Pretzel Jack

is something like your emotional

defense system.

How? How is that possible?

I don't know, but I'm guessing

Tom triggered it
last night, right?

Anyway, it's probably not the
first thing you've manifested.

For me, it started young.

I mean, these things we
make as kids, they're...

They're like old toys, right?

You know, may be
weird and beat up,

but they're comforting.

Jill.

What's more likely, here?

That there was a
maniac in our basement

who saw your drawings, or
that you and our neighbor

can mentally manifest
your feelings?

When I was 12,

I went to the National
Science Museum.

I saw a jar there
with a sort of a...

brain tumor in it.

And it occurred
to me, this tumor

is exactly like what we have.

Only our tumor isn't
going to kill us,

and it isn't inside the skull.

It's on the outside just...

Just walking around.

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

Your tumor.

- Yeah, that's what I call it.
- So, what?

This is just, um,
some coincidence

that you happen to
be our neighbor?

It's not a coincidence.

I mean, put yourself
in my shoes.

You... you live your whole
life feeling like you're alone

in the world, and then one day
you wake up and you realize

somebody else shares
your condition...

How? How do you realize that?

Because I can feel her.

She can feel me, too.

She just doesn't know it yet.

If that's true, you should
have told me up front.

Yeah, I should have.

I'm sorry.

But I was worried
I'd scare you off.

Maybe you would have,

but that was up to me, not you.

Jill.

Say I did create him.

How do I kill him?

Sorry it's uh, so
Spartan in here.

Your guys' bedroom is a
little more domestic, huh?

[CHUCKLES]

So... how do you kill them?

Right?

It is possible,
though, if you want

to do it physically, you're
really gonna have to,

you know, take them apart.

I'm talking fully smash
the head, cut it off,

throw him in a meat grinder,
fully incinerate him.

That might do it.

But here's the thing, right?

You don't have to
kill Pretzel Jack.

You just learn to control him.

He's a part of you.
He's like your hands.

Plus, you can
manifest other tumors

whenever you want.

You just gotta be careful.

It... it takes
something out of you.

I get that you might be
having a little trouble

swallowing all this.

Uh... [LAUGHS]

So how about I show you?

Show us?

Name an animal.

Something small and light.

A werewolf.

What?

We're already talking
about impossible things.

Why don't you make a
small, light werewolf?

A cat.

Make another cat.

- I love cats.
- [SIGHS]

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

[INHALES DEEPLY]

♪ ♪

[GASPING]

Oh, what the fuck?

♪ ♪

[BABBLING]

[GASPING, CHOKING]

♪ ♪

[SINISTER MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[GASPING, CHOKING]

♪ ♪

[SOFT CRACKLING]

♪ ♪

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[EERIE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[GASPS]

[CAT MEOWS]

It's a Lykoi.

Werewolf cat.

It's an actual breed.

I didn't just, you
know, make it up.

Google it.

[CAT MEOWS]

♪ ♪

This power... you can
learn to control it.

♪ ♪

Okay.

So, now what, there's
just a weird door

in your bedroom forever?

Well, once you learn how
to really control it,

you know, you can
un-create your doors.

But baby steps.

[LAUGHS]

But I... I can control him.

Yeah, you can.

What about range?

Range?

Does... could he be anywhere,

or does he have to be within

a certain proximity
for him to, you know,

respond to how I'm feeling?

In my experience, you
have to be within

a few hundred miles
for it to work.

So what would happen if
I just got on a plane

and went to Japan?

Well, he'd, uh,
just stand there,

like a car in neutral waiting
for you to come back

or until he just
withered up and died,

which happens eventually.

Either way, it wouldn't
fix your problem

because you'd still be at
risk of manifesting a new one

at any moment.

The point is, we
gotta figure out

what to do about this one.

Now... ♪ ♪

Maybe if we could... [MUTTERS]

Draw him out and... trap him.

Then at least you'd
have time to figure out

how to control him.

♪ ♪

And how would we do that?

[THUNDER RUMBLES]

When Pretzel Jack
goes after somebody,

what does he think he's
protecting you from?

♪ ♪

Disloyalty.

Deception.

Betrayal.

♪ ♪

Okay.

Let me get this
straight, the only way

to not get me killed is
to try to get me killed?

Is that what we're doing here?

Hey. Relax. I've
done this before.

You're in good hands.

[TENSE MUSIC]

I think we should have waited
longer to get married.

♪ ♪

What?

I think we should have

gotten to know each
other better, first.

We've known each other
for over 20 years.

We knew each other more
than 20 years ago.

There's a difference.

Can we not do this
with him here?

It's not supposed to be easy.

He's here to help.

If you want to draw him
out, you have to get hurt.

You have to get really hurt.

You have to be willing
to go where it hurts.

Can you do that?

♪ ♪

[SIGHS]

♪ ♪

Okay.

♪ ♪

I wish I could tell
you she started it.

That's not the truth.

♪ ♪

I was in their bedroom

taking measurements... ♪ ♪

And I heard this laughter
coming from outside.

She was out there with
her kid, her daughter.

She looked so happy.

And good.

And I knew the
marriage wasn't good.

♪ ♪

Few days later, when we
were alone in the house,

it just happened.

[SINISTER MUSIC]

It was never illicit.

The way you imagine it might
be with a married woman.

It just felt comfortable.

- She never wore...
- [PHONE BUZZES]

Supposed to turn your phone
off during therapy, right?

Hey, keep going.
You're doing good.

You're doing really good.

♪ ♪

I don't know where I
thought it would go.

Now... Now she's
raising our son.

And I don't know him.

He'll go his whole life

without knowing who I am.

♪ ♪

I wanna be his father.

I want to teach him the
things my dad taught me.

But now someone else will
teach him different things.

♪ ♪

I think of you that way, Jill.

I think of you as someone
to be a parent with.

But I'm afraid that's
not what you want.

I'm afraid you'll sabotage it.

♪ ♪

You draw a border
around yourself.

I'm worried there's no room
to include anyone else.

Even a child.

[SIGHS]

♪ ♪

I'm afraid that, deep down...

you're like your dad.

I guess that makes two of us.

[SINISTER MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Don't stop now.

This is good, we're
almost there.

Keep going.

Tom... [GENTLE MUSIC]

You're fucked up.

♪ ♪

I love you.

♪ ♪

No, w... wait.

- Wait.
- [HITCHED BREATHING]

Tom.

Tom!

I'm sorry, he gave up.

He shouldn't have. We
were really close.

♪ ♪

[PHONE VIBRATING]

Hello? Who is this?

[BROKEN SPEECH] Jill... I, uh...

- I needed to talk to you.
- Hello?

Jill, it's me. Dad.

[INDISTINCT] ...not
over the phone.

I need to see you right away.

Jill? Jill, are you there?

[TENSE MUSIC]

Who is it?

It was my dad.

Your dad?

♪ ♪

What did he want?

I don't know.

[ELECTRICITY CRACKLING]

[GENTLE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Jillian... ♪ ♪

Stay calm.

If you're calm, he's calm.

Focus.

Deep breaths.

♪ ♪

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Tom?

Tom.

Tom, it's me. Open the door.

Tom.

Hello?

[TENSE MUSIC]

We need to talk.

♪ ♪

[ROCK MUSIC]

[MEN VOCALIZING]

[LAUGHING]

♪ ♪