Monsters and Mysteries in America (2013–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Appalachia - full transcript

IT LOOKED LIKE A CROSS
BETWEEN A MAN AND AN ALIEN

WITH WINGS AND RED EYES.

IT SCARED ME MORE THAN ANYTHING

THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN
IN MY LIFE.

Cheeks: IT WAS BIG --
TOO BIG TO BE A PERSON.

IT STOOD
AT LEAST NINE FOOT TALL.

[ CREATURE GROWLS ]

I MEAN, IT WAS...MASSIVE.

Stith:
YOU KNOW, IF YOU SEEN SOMETHING
FLOATING ON TOP OF THE GROUND,

WOULDN'T YOU, LIKE,
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE?

GUYS, GET THE GUNS.



Joyce: I KNOW
THERE'S SOMETHING OUT THERE.

I KNOW IT'S A -- IT'S A BEAST.

NEITHER ONE OF US WERE SURE IF
WE WERE GONNA MAKE IT OUT ALIVE.

[ METAL CLACKS ]

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator: THE APPALACHIANS --

SOME OF THE OLDEST MOUNTAINS
ON EARTH.

WITHIN THESE DARK HOLLOWS
AND DENSE FORESTS,

AN ANCIENT SPIRIT PREVAILS.

Smith: EVEN SINCE THE SETTLERS
CAME HERE,

THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN
STRANGE OCCURRENCES.

BEING OUT HERE IN THE COUNTRY
AROUND ALL OF THE WOODS --

THERE'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT IT.



IT'S THE SURPRISE AROUND A TREE.

OTHER FORMS OF LIFE
THAT WE MAYBE DON'T SEE.

Stacey:
YOU KNOW, GROWING UP,

PEOPLE KIND OF HAVE
A NATURAL FEAR OF THE WOODS,

OF NOT KNOWING
WHAT'S IN THE WOODS.

[ LEAVES RUSTLING ]

Narrator:
ALONG MUCH OF THE EASTERN U.S.

ARE THE DARK INLAND FORESTS
OF APPALACHIA.

ON ITS WESTERN EDGE WITHIN
BRECKINRIDGE COUNTY, KENTUCKY,

THE HILLS ARE THICK WITH RUMORS
ABOUT A BIZARRE MUTANT BEAST,

A CROSSOVER
BETWEEN MUTTON AND MAN --

A GIANT SHEEP
THAT'S GONE SAVAGE.

Noe: YES, IN THIS APPALACHIAN
PART OF THE COUNTRY,

IT'S BEEN SEEN A LOT.

I WOULDN'T HAVE BELIEVED IT
IF I HADN'T SEEN IT.

IT WAS HUGE. IT WAS HUGE.

Guiley:
THEY'VE GOT WOOLY HAIR --

IT'S USUALLY WHITE
OR DIRTY WHITE --

HUGE JAWS AND FANGS,

AND A TAIL
THAT USUALLY HAS NO FUR ON IT.

Campbell: WE HAD TO GO DOWN
TO THE PUMP HOUSE BY THE RIVER,

AND WE'D FIND DEAD DOGS, WOLVES,

ALL KINDS OF FISH
THAT HAD BEEN ATE ON

AND THE BONES LEFT.

WE HAD ALWAYS HEARD NOISES THAT
WE JUST COULD NEVER EXPLAIN,

LIKE A GROWL ALMOST,

BUT YOU COULD HEAR THEM
FROM LONG DISTANCES.

[ CREATURE GROWLING
IN DISTANCE ]

Cheeks:
THE WOODS ARE MYSTERIOUS.

PEOPLE STILL WON'T GO OUT REALLY
AT NIGHT INTO THE WOODS.

IT'S ONE OF THE FEW THINGS
THAT PEOPLE AROUND HERE

WON'T REALLY TALK ABOUT,

BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING
OUT THERE

THAT KEEPS THEM ALL INSIDE.

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

Narrator:
THAT "SOMETHING" IS A CREATURE

THAT'S KNOWN TO LOCALS
AS "SHEEPSQUATCH."

THE LEGEND MAY HAVE
STARTED LONG AGO...

...SHEEP HERDERS IMMIGRATING
TO APPALACHIA FROM BRITAIN,

BRINGING STORIES OF DEMONS
WEARING SHEEP HIDES AND HORNS.

BUT TO THIS VERY DAY,
THE BELIEF REMAINS IN FORCE.

SHEEPSQUATCH
IS PREDOMINANTLY IN THE WOODS.

I FEEL LIKE THAT IT HAS
BEEN VERY GOOD AT ELUDING.

IT'S HAD TO BE.

IT DOES KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING,

AND I THINK
IT JUST WANTS TO BE LEFT ALONE.

Narrator: SOME CLAIM
TO HAVE CAUGHT A GLIMPSE,

AND RECENTLY, TWO ADVENTUROUS
BRECKINRIDGE BOYS,

RICKY JOYCE AND DAKOTA CHEEKS,

HAD A SHOWDOWN
WITH A SHEEPSQUATCH.

THEY'LL NEVER FORGET IT.

Joyce: WELL, WHEN I TELL
MOST PEOPLE I SEEN IT,

THEY JUST TELL ME
I'M CRAZY, I'M A CRACKPOT.

BUT THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE
THAT BELIEVE IN IT.

MAINLY THE PEOPLE
THAT LIVE AROUND HERE

ARE THE ONES
THAT DON'T CALL ME CRAZY.

Cheeks: IT DIDN'T MATTER
WHAT ANYBODY THOUGHT ABOUT US.

YOU KNOW, WE KNEW, WITHOUT A
SHADOW OF A DOUBT, WHAT WE SAW.

Narrator: AT 13, DAKOTA MET
RICKY JOYCE IN SCHOOL.

THE PAIR HAVE BEEN CLOSE
EVER SINCE.

Cheeks:
THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A FORM
OF TRUST BETWEEN ME AND RICKY,

ESPECIALLY THE OLDER WE GET.

YOU KNOW, HE'S RIGHT THERE
WITH YOU TILL THE VERY END.

Joyce: WE'RE MORE BROTHERS
THAN WE ARE FRIENDS.

HE'S TRUSTWORTHY.
HE'S LOYAL.

I'VE NEVER HAD A FRIEND
THAT HAD MY BACK LIKE HIM.

Narrator:
THAT BOND WOULD BE TESTED
ON A WARM SUMMER WEEKEND

IN JULY OF 2004.

ON A HUNTING TRIP,

DAKOTA AND RICKY VENTURED

INTO SOME KENTUCKY'S MORE
REMOTE TRACKS OF WILDERNESS.

ALL I REALLY NEED
IS THIS.

WE GO HUNTING A LOT, BUT THIS
TIME, IT WAS A LOT DIFFERENT.

COME ON, LILY.
[ PATS KNEE ]

THIS WAS A NIGHT THAT WOULD
CHANGE OUR LIVES FOREVER.

Narrator:
BASE CAMP FOR THE DEER HUNT --

RICKY'S GRANDPARENTS' CABIN

AT THE FOOT OF A HUNDRED ACRES
OF DENSE TIMBER.

[ DOG WHIMPERS ]

BUT THE FIRST MORNING,

SOMETHING'S WRONG
WITH ONE OF RICKY'S DOGS.

AND WE CALLED FOR HER,
AND SHE JUST DIDN'T COME.

WHEN WE NOTICED THAT THE DOG
WAS LAYING IN A DITCH,

WE WALKED OVER,
AND THAT'S WHEN WE FOUND HER.

Joyce: IT APPEARED THAT
SOMETHING HAD TWISTED ITS HEAD

ALMOST COMPLETELY AROUND.

IT WAS -- IT WAS QUITE A SIGHT.

IT JUST SEEMED
KIND OF STRANGE, THOUGH,

THAT SOMETHING JUST HANDLED IT
LIKE IT DID.

Cheeks:
THERE'S NO ANIMAL UP HERE

THAT CAN GRAB AN ANIMAL

BY ITS CHIN
AND THE BACK OF ITS HEAD

AND TWIST IT.

YOU KNOW, NO COYOTE CAN DO IT.

THERE'S NO BEAR
AS FAR AS I KNOW UP HERE.

IT BECAME VERY APPARENT
THAT WE HAD TO FIND OUT,

YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED.

WHAT GOT HER, AND WHY?

Narrator: ARE THERE CREATURES
CAPABLE OF SUCH VIOLENCE

ROAMING THE BACKWOODS
OF APPALACHIA?

THE WHITE THINGS.

I HEARD
IT WAS HALF MAN AND HALF SHEEP.

IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE FACT
THAT IT HAS CLAWS.

IT HAS HORNS.

LOOK AT THE SHEER SIZE.

YOU KNOW, IT COULD POTENTIALLY

REALLY BE
A VERY DANGEROUS THING.

Joyce:
BEFORE THE DOG INCIDENT,

FOR MONTHS,
WE'D BEEN HEARING NOISES

COMING FROM
THE TOP OF THE HILL...

[ CREATURE HOWLING IN DISTANCE ]

...OR GROWLS AND SCREAMS...

THINGS THAT WE JUST
DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT.

WE WENT LOOKING,

TO SEE IF WE COULD FIGURE OUT
WHAT HAD HAPPENED,

SEE IF WE COULD FIND TRACKS
OF ANYTHING BIG,

ANYTHING THAT COULD HAVE KILLED
A 150-POUND DOG LIKE IT DID.

Cheeks: WE DECIDED WE WERE GONNA
HOP ON THE FOUR-WHEELERS

AND STAKE OUT THE HILLTOP.

WE ENDED UP GOING TO
THE FAR SIDE OF THE PROPERTY...

DUDE, I'M TELLING YOU,
IT CAME FROM RIGHT OVER HERE.

...WHERE NOBODY REALLY GOES.

THERE'S NO TRAILS.

WE MAKE A COUPLE LAPS
AROUND THE FIELD.

THAT WAY, WE CAN BOTH EASILY SEE
WHERE THE FOUR-WHEELER HAS BEEN

SO WE KNOW WHERE TO LOOK.

Stacey: I WAS CONCERNED

BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT THEY WERE DEALING WITH,

IF THERE WAS POTENTIALLY HARM
FOR THEM OUT THERE.

Narrator:
THEY SEARCHED THE AREA FOR
HOURS, BUT NO CLUES TURNED UP.

EXHAUSTED, THEY RETREATED
TO THE FAMILY'S HUNTING CAMPER

SET WITHIN THE HILLSIDE.

Joyce: WE ENDED UP
STAYING IN THE CAMPER,

AND WE STARTED HEARING
ALL SORTS OF WEIRD NOISES,

THINGS WALKING AROUND.

[ TWIGS SNAPPING IN DISTANCE ]

WE KNEW A CREATURE WAS CLOSE.

[ DOGS BARKING ]

ABOUT 5:00 A.M. IN THE MORNING,

THE DOGS START BARKING,

AND THEY TAKE OFF
RUNNING DOWN THE HILL.

WELL, ME AND RICKY SIT THERE

AND A LITTLE HESITANT
TO GO OUTSIDE

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
THE OTHER DOGS ARE NOW GONE.

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

Narrator: THE CAMPER
THAT SEEMED A SAFE HAVEN

WAS SUDDENLY UNDER ATTACK.

SOMETHING ACTUALLY RAN
INTO THE TRAILER.

[ CREATURE ROARING ]
[ CLATTERING ]

IT KIND OF SCARED
THE CRAP OUT OF ME.

Cheeks:
IT LITERALLY SOUNDED LIKE
ALL HELL WAS BREAKING LOOSE.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE
YOU CAN HEAR SOMETHING

PRESSING UP AGAINST THE SIDE

AND YOU CAN KIND OF HEAR
THE TENTS START TO BEND.

IT'S JUST
THAT WEIRD, EERIE METAL SOUND.

[ METAL CREAKING ]

AND THEN IT WAS JUST FREE FALL.

IT WAS LIKE IT LET GO,
AND THEN WE HIT.

I WAS TERRIFIED.

I MEAN, THERE SHOULDN'T
BE ANYTHING OUT HERE

STRONG ENOUGH
TO PUSH A CAMPER LIKE THAT.

WHAT THE HELL'S
GOING ON?!

WHEN IT ACTUALLY MOVED
AND TIPPED,

I WASN'T SURE WHAT IT WAS.

[ CLATTERING ]

BUT WE KNEW,
WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT,

THAT THERE
WAS SOMETHING THERE.

Narrator: THEY HAD STARTED
THE DAY AS HUNTERS.

[ METAL CLANKS ]

NOW DAKOTA AND RICKY
WERE FEELING

THEY WERE THE ONES
BEING TRACKED.

NEITHER ONE OF US WERE SURE IF
WE WERE GONNA MAKE IT OUT ALIVE.

Narrator:
IN JULY OF 2004,

DAKOTA CHEEKS AND RICKY JOYCE

WERE ON A HUNTING TRIP
IN THE WOODS OF KENTUCKY.

BUT IT TOOK A HORRIBLE TURN.

ONE OF RICKY'S DOGS
WAS MYSTERIOUSLY MANGLED.

THEN THEIR CAMPER
CAME UNDER ATTACK.

EVERYTHING POINTED

TO APPALACHIA'S
BIZARRE HYBRID BEAST --

SHEEPSQUATCH.

ANYTHING THAT AGGRESSIVE
DOESN'T DESERVE TO BE HERE.

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

IF IT CAN'T COEXIST,
IT NEEDS TO GO.

Narrator:
AT RICKY'S GRANDPARENTS' CABIN,

THEY GATHER MORE AMMUNITION.

I KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING
OUT THERE.

THIS THING KILLED
MY DOG, MAN.

I KNOW IT'S A -- IT'S A BEAST.

WHATEVER IT WAS,
IT HAD TO BE HUGE.

Cheeks: WE WERE DETERMINED.

TO FIND SOMETHING HAVING
THAT MUCH STRENGTH,

IT MADE ME WANT TO FIND IT MORE.

BUT I KNEW THAT, YOU KNOW,
WE COULDN'T JUST GO OUT THERE

ON A FOUR-WHEELER

AND EXPECT EVERYTHING
TO BE OKAY.

I HAD SOME BEAST
THAT LIVED ON MY PROPERTY

THAT KILLED MY DOG ALREADY.

I DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.

I WAS SCARED THAT IT WAS GONNA
COME TO MY HOUSE.

Narrator: WITH GUNS LOADED,

RICKY AND DAKOTA
HEAD BACK INTO THE WOODS.

THEY CROSSED THROUGH A CEMETERY
AND ENTERED AN OPEN FIELD.

Stacey:
YOUR MIND IS TELLING YOU,
YOU KNOW, A THOUSAND TIMES,

"DON'T LET HIM GO,"

BUT ULTIMATELY,

YOU BEGIN TO SHARE HIS PASSION
OF "GET IT. GET IT."

[ CHUCKLES ]

"JUST BE REALLY CAREFUL,
BUT GET IT."

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

Joyce: I SEEN SOMETHING
STANDING IN THE FIELD,

AND AT FIRST,
I THOUGHT IT WAS A TREE.

[ CREATURE GROWLS ]

IT WAS TALL,

BUT IT WAS ALSO KIND OF
HUNCHED OVER A LITTLE BIT.

IT WAS BIG. IT WAS WHITE.

[ GROWLING CONTINUES ]

AND ITS ARMS WERE LONG, BUT
THEY WERE KIND OF OUT LIKE THIS.

AND IT HAD THESE LONG TALONS.

IT WAS TOO BIG TO BE A PERSON.

WHEN IT WAS ON TWO LEGS,

IT STOOD
AT LEAST NINE FOOT TALL.

I MEAN, IT WAS...MASSIVE.

WHEN IT NOTICED US,

IT LET OUT THIS JUST UNGODLY,
GUT-CURLING GROWL.

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

IT CAME STRAIGHT AT US.

RUN! RUN!

[ GUNSHOTS ]

Joyce:
AND WE WERE SHOOTING.

I DON'T KNOW
THAT WE HIT ANYTHING,

BUT I REMEMBER
COMING BACK TO THE HOUSE

AS FAST AS WE COULD.

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

WE SAW SHEEPSQUATCH.
THAT'S WHAT WE SAW.

Narrator: AND THIS WASN'T THE
FIRST SHEEPSQUATCH ENCOUNTER.

Waldridge:
ANYBODY IN THE APPALACHIA REGION

COULD EXPERIENCE
THESE TYPE OF THINGS.

THEY MAY BE OUT HUNTING DEER
OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE

AND STUMBLE UPON A CREATURE
THAT THEY NEVER SUSPECTED.

I WAS ON MY WAY HOME,
COMING DOWN ASHBY LANE,

AND THERE WAS THIS BIG, HAIRY
THING STANDING ON THE ROAD,

AND AS I GOT CLOSER,
I COULD SEE AN EYE.

I THOUGHT IT WAS A DEER,
BUT IT WAS TOO BIG.

SOME KIND OF SHEEP THING
WITH HORNS.

EVER SINE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL,

I'VE ALWAYS HEARD STORIES

OF THE CREEPY THINGS
IN THE WOODS.

I'VE ALWAYS HEARD OF BIGFOOT.

I'VE ALWAYS HEARD
OF SHEEPSQUATCH.

EVEN WHEN DANIEL BOONE
WAS AROUND,

THEY TALKED ABOUT THIS AREA
BEING VERY MYSTERIOUS,

AND THEY WOULD NOT
HARDLY VENTURE THERE

DUE TO CERTAIN THINGS.

YOU KNOW, I GUESS THEY CALLED IT
"THE MYSTERIOUS GROUND"

OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.

SO, IT'S GOT A HISTORY
THAT DATES BACK

ALL THE WAY
TO NATIVE-AMERICAN TIMES.

Narrator:
FROM THEIR DESCRIPTION,

IT'S CLEAR DAKOTA AND RICKY HAD
STUMBLED INTO MONSTER COUNTRY.

WATCH IT! RUN!

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

[ GUNSHOTS ]

Joyce: I'VE BEEN
IN SOME PRETTY SCARY SITUATIONS,

BUT MOST SITUATIONS,

YOU KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH,

AND THAT ONE, I DIDN'T.

SO, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO REACT.

THAT'S QUITE POSSIBLY
THE SCARIEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE.

YEAH, MAN. LET'S GET
THIS STUFF PACKED.

IT SHOULD TAKE US
ABOUT TWO HOURS TO GET THERE.

YEAH.

Cheeks: AS A KID, YOU KNOW,

YOU'RE NOT REALLY SURE
WHAT'S IN THE DARK.

ONCE YOU SEE
WHAT'S JUST BEYOND THE LIGHT

IS WHEN YOU REALIZE
THAT ALL YOUR INNOCENCE IS GONE.

Joyce: IT MADE ME BELIEVE
IN THE UNBELIEVABLE.

I DIDN'T BELIEVE IN MYTHS,

I DIDN'T BELIEVE
IN WIVES' TALES --

NONE OF THAT UNTIL I SEEN THAT.

AND AFTER THAT,
IT CHANGED MY LIFE FOREVER.

I MEAN,
THERE'S THINGS OUT THERE,

AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE.

Cheeks: I WISH WE COULD HAVE
FOUND ITS BODY THAT NIGHT.

BEFORE OUR TIME IS UP --
IT'S DONE --

IF WE HAVE IT OUR WAY,

WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO
DRAG SHEEPSQUATCH

OUT OF THESE WOODS.

Narrator: WHILE FOLKS
IN BRECKINRIDGE COUNTY

ARE FEARING
WHAT'S IN THE WOODS,

IN ANOTHER POCKET OF APPALACHIA,

THE FEAR IS FOCUSED
ON WHAT MIGHT ARRIVE FROM SPACE.

DEEP IN THE HEART
OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, KENTUCKY,

LIES THE RURAL HAMLET OF KELLY.

Morse: KELLY IS A QUIET
LITTLE COMMUNITY.

NOT VERY MANY PEOPLE LIVE THERE.

PROBABLY ABOUT MAYBE
THREE, FOUR CHURCHES AT THE MOST

AND JUST REALLY COMMON
COUNTRY FOLK, LIKE ME.

NO THEATER.
[ LAUGHS ] NOTHING

THERE'S NOT EVEN
A GAS STATION THERE.

Narrator: IN THE MIDDLE
OF THIS TINY SPECK OF APPALACHIA

LIVES NATIVE
GERALDINE SUTTON STITH.

GERALDINE WAS 8 YEARS OLD

WHEN SHE FIRST LEARNED
ABOUT A FAMILY SECRET --

A TERRIFYING ALIEN ENCOUNTER
AT THEIR FARMHOUSE

MORE THAN FIVE DECADES AGO.

YOU TALK ABOUT ONE LITTLE KID
BEING SCARED TO DEATH.

I WAS PETRIFIED.

[ THUNDER CRASHING ]

I WOULD GO AROUND AT NIGHT,
CLOSING THE DOORS AND WINDOWS,

THE SHADES, THE CURTAINS --
EVERYTHING --

AS SOON AS THAT DARKNESS
STARTED FALLING.

THIS IS THE GREAT AMERICAN
HORROR STORY.

GUYS, GET THE GUNS.

Narrator: IN 1955,

ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS
U.F.O. INCIDENTS

ALLEGEDLY TOOK PLACE
AT THE SUTTON FAMILY FARMHOUSE

IN KELLY, KENTUCKY.

Stith:
THIS IS WHERE IT HAPPENED.

THIS IS THE ACTUAL PROPERTY,
THE ACTUAL SPOT --

YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING.

AND SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE, "WOW."

I'LL NEVER FORGET THE DAY

THAT I LEARNED
MY FATHER'S DEEP, DARK SECRET.

IT'LL BE WITH ME FOREVER.

Narrator:
LATE IN THE AFTERNOON,

AT GLENNIE SUTTON'S FARMHOUSE,
THE FAMILY WAS SETTLING IN.

THEY ASSUMED THE DAY
WAS COMING TO AN END.

IT WAS JUST BEGINNING.

Morse:
IT WAS MAMA, DADDY, UNCLE ELMER,

AUNT VERA, BILLY RAY TAYLOR,
AND I THINK HIS WIFE WAS THERE.

AND IT WAS ME, JOHNNY,
AND CATHY,

GRANDMA, CHARLES, LONNIE,
AND MARY.

AND THAT'S --
YOU KNOW, THAT'S IT.

Stith: IT WAS A HOUSE FULL
THAT WEEKEND --

14 PEOPLE
IN THAT LITTLE BITTY HOUSE.

THE ONLY COMMUNICATION
WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD THEY HAD

WAS A RADIO.

THEY WERE ALL IN THE HOUSE,

PLAYING CARDS
OR DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND THE OLD HOUND DOG
CAME RUNNING ACROSS THE FRONT,

TAIL TUCKED, EARS DOWN.

HE WENT STRAIGHT
UNDER THE PORCH.

IT WAS KIND OF EERIE, YOU KNOW?

BUT IT'S LIKE, "OKAY.

MAYBE HE JUST GOT IN SOME
BEEHIVE" -- YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.

DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS,
BUT, OH, MY GOODNESS.

AUGUST 21, 1955,
WAS A LIFE-CHANGER

FOR THE SUTTON/LANGFORD FAMILY.

[ DOG BARKING ]

Narrator:
IT ALL BEGAN LATER THAT NIGHT.

NOW, THEY DIDN'T HAVE
AIR-CONDITIONING.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE RUNNING WATER.

SO, ANYWAY,
BILLY RAY WENT OUT TO THE WELL

TO GET SOME COLD WATER.

[ PUMP SQUEAKS ]

WELL, HE HEARD SOMETHING,
LOOKED UP,

AND HE SEEN
THIS OVAL, SILVER OBJECT

GOING ACROSS THE SKY,

COLORS FALLING BEHIND IT.

DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS,
HAD NO CLUE.

RAN INTO THE HOUSE,
TOLD EVERYBODY.

THEY THOUGHT
HE WAS PULLING A JOKE, YOU KNOW?

BUT LATER ON,
THEY FOUND HE WASN'T JOKING.

SOMETHING WAS OUT THERE.

Narrator:
WHEN BILLY RAY AND LUCKY
WENT OUTSIDE TO INVESTIGATE,

THE LIGHTS IN THE SKY WERE GONE,

BUT THEY WEREN'T ALONE.

THEY NOTICED THERE WAS SOMETHING

COMING OUT OF WOODS
IN THE BACK --

THREE, THREE 1/2 FOOT TALL,

BIG EARS, BIG EYES,
ARMS DOWN TO THE GROUND,

AND IT WAS FLOATING ON TOP
OF THE GROUND, LEGS NOT MOVING.

THEY HAD POINTED EARS, CLAW-LIKE
HANDS, BEADY-LOOKING, YOU KNOW?

THEY HAD A SLIT FOR A MOUTH.

THEY SAID THEY WERE
SILVER-LOOKING, GREEN-LOOKING,

SILVER-PLATED, NICKEL-PLATED.

NICKEL-PLATED'S
WHAT THEY CALLED THEM.

Stith:
THAT WAS AN EERIE THING.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU SEEN SOMETHING
FLOATING ON TOP OF THE GROUND,

WOULDN'T YOU, LIKE, YEAH,
YOU KNOW, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE?

GUYS, GET THE GUNS.

THEY RAN INTO THE HOUSE,

AND MY GRANDMOTHER'S LIKE,

"WHAT HAVE Y'ALL GOT OUT THERE
TO COOK UP?"

AND HE'S LIKE, "MOM,
THERE IS SOMETHING OUT HERE.

I'M NOT LYING."

MAMA, I'M NOT LYING.
THERE'S SOMETHING OUT THERE.

SHE KNEW
IT WAS REALLY GETTING SERIOUS

WHEN ONE GOT A SHOTGUN,
ONE GOT A RIFLE.

Girl:
COME ON, GUYS. COME ON.

Morse: LONNIE, ME, MY SISTER,
AND, I THINK, MY BROTHER

WERE ALL BEHIND THE BUNK BED
AT THIS TIME

BECAUSE WE WERE ALL SCARED.

WE DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN.

WE DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT WAS GONNA TAKE PLACE.

THERE WAS FEAR.

THERE WAS FEAR ENOUGH

THAT I THINK WE WAS ALL CRYING,

ALL OF US KIDS CRYING.

[ GUN COCKS, GUNSHOT ]

ALL OF A SUDDEN,

THERE COMES ONE
AS BIG AS YOU COULD BE.

BILLY RAY FIRES AT IT.

[ GLASS SHATTERS ]

JC SHOOTS OFF A ROUND
TO THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE

'CAUSE ONE OF THEM'S
PEEKING IN THE WINDOW,

AND THEY'RE JUST HAVING
A BATTLE.

THE DARN LITTLE THINGS GET SHOT,
THEY DROP, ROLL AWAY,

AND THEN THEY COME BACK.

YEAH! COME ON!

COME ON, JC!

COME ON, BOY.

YEAH! [ LAUGHS ]

THEY WERE COMING
AT THE DOORS AND WINDOWS,

LOOKING IN, LIKE THEY WERE
WANTING TO COME IN.

YOU'VE GOT CHILDREN THERE.
YOU'RE GONNA PROTECT THEM,

AND THAT'S WHAT THOSE
COUNTRY BOYS DID.

DO IT!

WHOO!

WHOO!

Narrator: FOR THE SUTTONS,

MAKING NICE WITH E.T.
WASN'T AN OPTION.

THEY FELT UNDER ATTACK.

SHOOT FIRST.
ASK QUESTIONS LATER.

Stith: IT WAS JUST SCARY.

THEY WERE SCARED.
THE KIDS WERE CRYING.

EVERYBODY WAS HYSTERICAL.

Narrator: EVENTUALLY,
THE SHOOTING STOPPED.

THE LITTLE GREEN MEN
HAD COME AND GONE.

FINALLY, IT GOT QUIET.

MY DAD SAID, "HIT THE TRUCKS."

SO, THEY TOOK OUT,
JUMPED IN THE TRUCKS,

HEADED TO HOPKINSVILLE.

THERE WAS POLICE OFFICERS THERE.

Narrator:
IN THE DARK OF NIGHT,

POLICE OFFICERS
HEAD TO THE FARMHOUSE

TO CHECK OUT
THE SUTTON'S FANTASTIC STORY.

MY FAMILY HAD A NICE QUIET LIFE.

THEY LOVED THE FARM.

THEY LOVED IT
OUT IN THE COUNTRY,

BUT THAT NIGHT
CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR THEM.

IT WAS NEVER GONNA BE
THE SAME AGAIN.

Narrator: IN THE FALL OF 1955
IN THE HILLS OF APPALACHIA,

THE SUTTON FAMILY MAINTAINS
THAT ALIENS FROM SPACE

DESCENDED ON THEIR FARM.

THEY CAME UNDER ATTACK
BY LITTLE GREEN MEN.

LOCAL POLICE WERE CALLED IN,
BUT BY THAT TIME,

HARDLY A TRACE OF
THE EXTRATERRESTRIALS REMAINED.

A COUPLE OF POLICE OFFICERS
NOTICED THAT IN THE BACK,

WHERE THEY HAD SHOT
ONE OFF THE FENCE,

THERE WAS, LIKE, A GLOWING
SUBSTANCE ON THE GROUND.

BUT THEY COULDN'T FIND
ANY BODIES --

NO HAIR, NO SKIN, NO BLOOD.

NOTHING TO SHOW THAT ANYTHING
WAS ACTUALLY HURT OR KILLED,

EXCEPT THAT THERE WAS
EVIDENCE OF GUNFIRE.

Morse: THERE'S BULLET HOLES,
THERE'S SHELLS,

CASES ALL OVER THE PLACE.

Narrator: BY MORNING,

WORD OF ALIENS LANDING
AT THE SUTTON FARMHOUSE

TRAVELED QUICKLY
THROUGHOUT APPALACHIA.

AND I WAS GETTING READY,
GOING TO THE 8th GRADE,

AND IT WAS JUST THE BIGGEST
THING THAT EVER HIT THIS AREA.

KELLY HAD LITTLE GREEN MEN
RUNNING AROUND

AND FLYING SAUCERS.

THAT WAS SOMETHING
OUT OF "BUCK ROGERS"

OR "FLASH GORDON" OR "SUPERMAN,"

WHICH WAS A BIG THING
WITH ALL OF US KIDS.

Narrator: THE SUTTONS WERE
ONE OF THE FIRST REPORTED

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS.

THEY WOULDN'T BE THE LAST.

Waldridge:
THE APPALACHIA AREA

HAS HAD
SEVERAL FAMOUS SIGHTINGS.

YOU GET INTO KENTUCKY.

YOU GET INTO THE KELLY
LITTLE GREEN MEN SIGHTINGS.

YOU GET U.F.O. SIGHTINGS,
ABDUCTIONS THERE.

Narrator:
REPORTS OF FLYING SAUCERS

QUICKLY BECAME
AN APPALACHIAN PHENOMENON.

Man: WELL, WE WERE
COMING UP THE ROAD HERE,

AND WE LOOKED AROUND
THE CURVE THERE,

AND WE THOUGHT
IT WAS A CAR LIGHT.

WHEN WE GOT AROUND IT,

IT WAS THIS BIG ORANGE
GLOWING LIGHT.

WELL, I FIRST THOUGHT
IT WAS AN AIRPLANE, A JET.

FROM WHAT I SAW,
IT WAS 6 FEET IN DIAMETER.

AND IT WAS IN A CIRCLE.

REALLY SHOWING ITS TINT TO IT.

Man: WHERE DID IT GO?

IT WENT RIGHT IN THE TREETOP.

IT WAS HUGE.

IT GOT ALL KINDS OF STATIC
ON THE RADIO, AND THE CAR QUIT.

THEN IT JUST SAILED AWAY.

Narrator: ADDING TO THE AREA'S
EXCITEMENT AND FEAR

ABOUT U.F.O.s --
CLASSIFIED MILITARY ACTIVITIES

AT NEARBY FORT CAMPBELL,
KENTUCKY,

HOME OF THE 101st
AIRBORNE DIVISION

AND THE SECRET NUCLEAR ARSENAL.

FORT CAMPBELL
WASN'T VERY FAR AWAY.

AND YOU COULD ACTUALLY SEE.

THEY WOULD DO
THEIR NIGHT MANEUVERS

AND THE BIG FLARES WOULD GO UP
IN THE AIR AT NIGHT.

AND SO EVERY NIGHT, WHEN THEY
WOULD DO THE MANEUVERS,

IT WAS LIKE, "OH, MY GOSH.

IS IT FORT CAMPBELL,
OR IS IT SOMETHING ELSE?"

Narrator:
FROM THAT FATEFUL NIGHT FORWARD,

THE SUTTON FAMILY BELIEVED
IN ALIENS FROM OUTER SPACE.

THROUGHOUT APPALACHIA,
U.F.O. SIGHTINGS HAVE CONTINUED,

BUT TO THIS VERY DAY, GERALDINE
REMAINS WARY OF THEIR RETURN.

Stith: YES. IT DOES PUT
A FEAR IN YOU, BIG TIME.

EVEN NOW IF I'M OUT AT NIGHT,
I'LL WATCH THE SKY.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HERE.

THEY'RE HERE.

Narrator:
SOME 400 MILES ACROSS APPALACHIA

SITS POINT PLEASANT,
WEST VIRGINIA,

A SMALL TOWN
WEDGED INTO A SPIT OF LAND

WHERE THE OHIO
AND KANAWHA RIVERS CROSS.

ON ANY GIVEN DAY, MAIN STREET
BEARS LITTLE EVIDENCE

OF POINT PLEASANT'S
DARK SECRET --

THE TOWN FAMOUS
FOR ITS FLYING MONSTER.

Bellamy: THERE WERE KIDS IN CARS
WITH THEIR PARENTS WHO SAW IT.

THERE WERE TEENAGERS
AT A BONFIRE WHO SAW IT.

THERE WERE HUNDREDS
OF SIGHTINGS.

Smith: WE WERE JUST OUT
PLAYING IN THE WOODS AT NIGHT,

AND IT LOOKED LIKE A CROSS
BETWEEN A MAN AND AN ALIEN

WITH WINGS AND RED EYES.

IT SCARED ME MORE

THAN ANYTHING THAT I HAVE
EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.

Jeffers: GROWING UP HERE
IN POINT PLEASANT,

I'VE ALWAYS HEARD
ABOUT THE MOTHMAN.

AS YOU'RE GROWING UP
AND PEOPLE TELL YOU STUFF,

YOU KNOW,
YOU START TO BELIEVE IT.

BUT YOU'VE ALWAYS GOT
THAT DOUBT IN YOUR MIND

UNTIL YOU GO
AND EXPERIENCE IT YOURSELF.

Narrator:
IT ALL BEGAN IN THE LATE 1960s

WITH SIGHTINGS
OF A MOTHMAN MONSTER.

FIRST, THE LOCATION
OF THE SIGHTINGS --

THE TNT BUNKERS,

A FORMER BOMB-MAKING PLANT
BUILT DURING WORLD WAR II.

Bellamy: WELL, THE TNT AREA
WAS AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY,

A TOWN WITHIN ITSELF.

YOU CAN STILL SEE MAPS OF IT

AND SEE HOW IT WAS A TOP-SECRET
FACILITY FOR MAKING EXPLOSIVES.

BUT THEN THEY LET IT
BECOME OVERGROWN,

AND THE BUILDINGS
WERE ABANDONED,

AND THE IGLOOS WERE ABANDONED.

Narrator: AFTER THE WAR,

THE GOVERNMENT
NO LONGER NEEDED THE BUNKERS.

THEY WERE DESERTED,

EXCEPT FOR OCCASIONAL VISITS
BY POINT PLEASANT TEENAGERS,

BORED AND LOOKING FOR FUN.

WE USED TO HANG OUT
AND PLAY AT THE TNT BUNKERS.

THAT WAS THE ONLY THING
TO DO AROUND HERE,

ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER.

[ ROCK 'N' ROLL MUSIC PLAYS ]

Narrator:
IN THE FALL OF 1967,

HIGH SCHOOL KIDS SNEAKED OFF TO
THE TNT BUNKERS FOR A GOOD TIME.

THEY ENCOUNTERED SOMETHING ELSE.

[ WINGS FLAPPING ]

[ SCREAMS ]

RUMORS ABOUT A MOTHMAN
SPREAD QUICKLY THROUGH THE TOWN.

THEY WERE REALLY SERIOUS
ABOUT IT AND REALLY SCARED.

YOU KNOW,
THEY HAD TO SEE SOMETHING.

THEY WERE TOO SCARED
AND TOO EMOTIONAL

NOT TO HAVE SEEN SOMETHING.

AND OF COURSE THAT WAS
THE TALK OF EVERYWHERE YOU WENT.

Narrator: WHILE THE TOWN
WAS TRADING STORIES,

ONE POINT PLEASANT GIRL
CAME FACE-TO-FACE

WITH SOMETHING
SHE'LL NEVER FORGET.

Dewitt:
I WAS AN INNOCENT TEENAGER

TILL I SAW THOSE RED EYES.

I'VE JUST NEVER BEEN
THE SAME SINCE THEN.

Narrator:
POINT PLEASANT, WEST VIRGINIA.

THIS SMALL TOWN
OF SOME 4,000 SOULS

WOULD BE AS ORDINARY
AS ANY APPALACHIAN TOWN,

EXCEPT FOR ITS MONSTER.

THE LEGEND BEGAN IN THE 1960s.

THE TOWN WAS RIFE WITH RUMORS

ABOUT A FLYING CREATURE
WITH GLOWING RED EYES.

Dewitt:
I WAS ABOUT 13 OR 14.

WE DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING
ABOUT THIS SO-CALLED MOTHMAN

TILL THE VERY DAY THAT THE FIRST
EYEWITNESS AT SCHOOL

STARTED TELLING IT.

Narrator: FAYE LEPORT
GREW UP IN POINT PLEASANT,

DIRT POOR AND ONE OF 14 KIDS.

A FAMILY OUTING TO CHECK OUT
THE RUMORS OF THE TNT BUNKERS

BONDED THEM IN A WAY
THEY NEVER EXPECTED.

Dewitt:
MY BROTHER TOOK US TO A MOVIE,

AND AFTER THE MOVIE,
WE WENT DIRECTLY UP THERE

'CAUSE HE WAS GONNA GO FIND IT.

HE WAS GONNA GO UP THERE
AND CATCH THAT THING

AND PROVE IT WAS
SOME GUYS IN A COSTUME.

[ CHILDREN LAUGHING ]

MYSELF -- I WASN'T WORRIED
ABOUT REALLY SEEING ANYTHING

'CAUSE I REALLY DIDN'T
BELIEVE IN IT EITHER.

Narrator: AS THEY DROVE,
THE WEATHER TURNED CHILLY,

THE SKY DARK, WITH ONLY THE MOON
TO GUIDE THEIR WAY.

Dewitt: WE WERE DRIVING
DOWN THE DRAG STREET

TO THE TNT BUNKERS,

AND MY BROTHER
KEPT LOOKING OVER TOWARDS ME.

AND THEN HE TURNED BACK,

AND THEN HE'D LOOK
OVER AT ME AGAIN.

I SAID, "WELL, WHAT ARE YOU
LOOKING AT?!"

HE SAID, "WELL, DON'T LOOK,

BUT THERE'S SOMETHING
BESIDE THE CAR."

SO I TURNED AND LOOKED,
EVEN THOUGH HE TOLD ME NOT TO.

DON'T LOOK!

AND THERE IT WAS
RIGHT BESIDE THE WINDOW,

FLYING RIGHT BESIDE THE CAR.

WHAT IS THAT?!

GET OUT OF HERE!

GO!

EVERYTHING WAS JUST HAYWIRE.

WE WERE SCARED.

Narrator: THEN THE CAR
CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT.

THAT'S WHEN THEY MET MOTHMAN.

THAT THING JUMPED
ON THE HOOD OF THE CAR

AND WAS JUST LOOKING AT ME.

WE WERE JUST MORE OR LESS
IMMOBILIZED.

AND THE WHOLE TIME,

ALL YOU COULD FOCUS ON
WAS ITS EYES,

AND THEY WERE JUST SO RED.

IT WAS JUST BEYOND ANY RED
YOU COULD EVER FIND.

BUT WHEN IT JUMPED UP...

...THAT'S WHEN I SAW IT OPEN UP
ITS WINGS JUST LIKE AN ANGEL.

THEY WERE THAT BIG.

THEY LOOKED LIKE A BIRD'S WINGS,
AND THEY JUST UNFOLDED,

AND IT JUST WENT
OVER THEM BUSHES

AND INTO THE NIGHT AND WAS GONE.

Narrator: ENCOUNTERING
THE DARK-WINGED CREATURE

KNOWN AS MOTHMAN

HAD MADE BELIEVERS
OUT OF THE LEPORT FAMILY.

YET EXACTLY WHAT THEY'D SEEN
COULD NOT BE RESOLVED.

Dewitt:
WE WENT BACK THE NEXT DAY

'CAUSE MY BROTHER WANTED TO GO
AND FIND THIS THING,

THIS CREATURE, AND IT WAS
BLOCKED OFF BY MILITARY,

AND THEY WOULDN'T ALLOW US IN.

HE TRIED TO GO IN.

THEY WOULDN'T LET HIM, AND THEY
GOT VERY STRICT AND FORCEFUL.

"WE DON'T NEED YOUR HELP.
APPRECIATE IT."

HE SAID, "BUT JUST TURN AROUND,
AND GO ON AND LEAVE,

AND WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT."

AND MY BROTHER JUST KEPT GOING.

HE SAID, "WELL, I DON'T SEE
WHY I CAN'T GO IN THERE

AND HELP Y'ALL FIND THIS 'CAUSE
I WANT TO FIND IT MYSELF!"

"WE TOLD YOU TO LEAVE,
NOW LEAVE," LIKE SNARLING.

AND I TOLD MY BROTHER.
I SAID, "COME ON!

DADDY WOULD KILL US IF HE FOUND
OUT WE'RE BACK UP HERE!"

Man:
BACK THE VEHICLE UP. LET'S GO.

TURN IT AROUND.
LET'S GO.

YES, THERE'S
SOMETHING ELSE OUT THERE,

AND I THOROUGHLY BELIEVE THAT
THE GOVERNMENT COVERED IT UP,

AND WITHIN TWO WEEKS THEY LEFT

AND SAID THEY HAD IT
AND THEY TOOK CARE OF IT

AND NOBODY NEEDED
TO WORRY ANYMORE.

WHEN WE EXPERIENCED
ALL THIS, TO ME,

IT WAS JUST ANOTHER THING
I CHALKED UP

AS AN UNEXPLAINABLE EXPERIENCE
IN MY LIFETIME.

BUT I KNOW WHAT I'VE SEEN IS
ENOUGH THAT IT GIVES ME THE IDEA

THAT WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES
THAT'S IN THIS WORLD.

TO THIS DAY, I BELIEVE THAT.

Narrator: WHILE THE SIGHTINGS
OF THE MOTHMAN

STARTED AT THE TNT BUNKERS,

A FEW MONTHS LATER, HE WAS SEEN
ON THE SILVER BRIDGE --

A SUSPENSION TRESTLE THAT LINKS
POINT PLEASANT TO OHIO.

Bellamy: THERE WAS A STOP LIGHT
RIGHT AT THE FOOT OF THE BRIDGE.

IT WAS MALFUNCTIONED,

AND ALL OF THESE CARS
PILED UP ON THE BRIDGE,

AND ONE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE
COLLAPSED,

AND IT HAD DUMPED ONE HALF
OF THE CARS INTO THE RIVER,

AND THEN THE BRIDGE SWUNG BACK
AND THE OTHER SIDE COLLAPSED.

WHEN THE CARS WERE
FLOATING IN THE RIVER,

THE BRIDGE FELL ON TOP OF THEM
AND CRUSHED THEM --

CRUSHED THEM ALL.

IT WAS OVER IN MINUTES.

Narrator:
IT BEGAN WITH A HAIRLINE CRACK

IN A SINGLE "I" BAR.

IN THE END, 46 PEOPLE
LOST THEIR LIVES --

THE WORST BRIDGE COLLAPSE
IN U.S. HISTORY.

Bellamy: FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS
WENT DOWN ON THAT BRIDGE.

A LITTLE GIRL IN MY CLASS,
3rd GRADE CLASS,

WENT DOWN ON THE BRIDGE
WITH HER MOTHER.

Harris: I DON'T REALLY DISCUSS
THE SILVER BRIDGE.

MY FAMILY WAS ON THERE.

DEVASTATED,
COMPLETELY CHANGED ME.

AFTER THE BRIDGE FELL,
EVERYTHING WAS GLOOM, YOU KNOW.

AND EVERYBODY HERE HAD SOMEBODY
THERE ON THE BRIDGE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY
THE MOTHMAN WAS HERE

TO WARN US ABOUT THE BRIDGE.

Harris:
HE WAS SEEN ON THE BRIDGE

A FEW DAYS BEFORE IT FELL,

BUT LIKE A GOOD OMEN SO --
HE WAS BIG AND UGLY --

PEOPLE WOULDN'T CROSS IT.

Narrator:
AFTER THE BRIDGE COLLAPSE,

FEW WANTED TO TALK
ABOUT THE MOTHMAN.

THE SUBJECT DISAPPEARED,

REPLACED WITH SUSPICIONS
THE TOWN WAS CURSED.

Harris: I DON'T REALLY KNOW

WHY EVERYTHING IS ATTRACTED
TO POINT PLEASANT,

BUT POINT PLEASANT HAS HAD
ITS SHARE AT TIMES

OF A LOT OF BAD THINGS
HAPPENING.

I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS
SOMETHING VERY ODD

ABOUT THIS AREA,
ABOUT THIS PLACE.

I ALSO BELIEVE
THAT A LOT OF THE PEOPLE

THAT COME FROM HERE --
THERE IS A DARK CLOUD OVER THEM,

NO MATTER WHERE THEY GO.

Bellamy: I DON'T KNOW
ABOUT ANYWHERE ELSE,

BUT I DO KNOW
THAT THE PARANORMAL PEOPLE

LOVE TO COME HERE.

THEY NEVER LEAVE DISAPPOINTED.

Narrator: BRETT KIRBY
IS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE.

IN THE SUMMER OF 2009,

HE ARRIVED TO POINT PLEASANT
FOR A VISIT,

SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE LEGENDS
OF THE MOTHMAN.

WHEN HE LEFT, HE WAS A BELIEVER.

I CAN'T EVEN EXPLAIN
WHAT HAPPENED TO ME OUT THERE.

IT CHANGED MY LIFE.

Narrator:
POINT PLEASANT, WEST VIRGINIA,

WAS THE SETTING
OF A DAYTIME DATE

FOR BRETT KIRBY
AND JENNIFER JEFFERS,

BUT JUST WHEN THEY THOUGHT
IT WAS GOING TO OFFER ROMANCE,

THEY STUMBLED UPON THE MOTHMAN.

Jeffers: HE HAD NEVER BEEN
TO POINT PLEASANT,

AND SO, HE CAME UP HERE ONE DAY,
AND I TOOK HIM ON A TOUR.

IT WAS REALLY EXCITING,
YOU KNOW,

THAT HE CAME TO SEE ME.

WE WENT TO A FEW DIFFERENT
PLACES AROUND POINT PLEASANT,

AND THEN I TOLD HIM --
I WAS LIKE, "THE TNT BUNKERS,"

I SAID, YOU KNOW,
"THEY'RE OUT THERE."

YOU KNOW, AND HE SAID,
"WELL, WHAT IS IT?"

AND I WAS LIKE, "WELL,
THEY'RE OLD MILITARY BUNKERS

"THAT THEY USED TO USE,
AND, YOU KNOW,

THEY WERE BUILT
ON THE INDIAN BURIAL GROUND."

Kirby: SHE WAS JUST TELLING ME
THAT IT'S HAUNTED

AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW,

IT WOULD PROBABLY BE
KIND OF ROMANTIC AND STUFF.

Narrator:
AS BRETT AND JENNIFER'S DATE
STARTED TO HEAT UP,

THEY DECIDED TO CHECK OUT
THE TNT BUNKERS,

THE SIGHT OF THE ORIGINAL
MOTHMAN ENCOUNTERS.

Jeffers: THE TNT BUNKERS WERE
WHERE PEOPLE USED TO GO PARTY.

WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER
AND IN SCHOOL,

EVERYBODY ALWAYS WENT OUT THERE,

AND YOU ALWAYS HEARD
THE STORIES AND STUFF,

AND THEY ALWAYS,
YOU KNOW, COME BACK

WITH, YOU KNOW, "WE HEARD THIS"
OR "WE HEARD THAT."

BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS
JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE DRUNK.

I NEVER REALLY BELIEVED IT.

Kirby:
WE ARRIVED AT THE BUNKERS.

IT WAS PROBABLY
ABOUT 5:30, 6:00.

THE WEATHER WAS PROBABLY
ABOUT 75, 80 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

WE WENT THROUGH THREE OF THEM,
AND ON OUR WAY BACK,

WE STOPPED BACK
TO THE SECOND ONE.

WHEN I WENT
BACK INTO IT AND STUFF,

IT FELT LIKE IT WAS PROBABLY
ABOUT 10 DEGREES COOLER

THAN WHAT THE REST
OF THE BUNKERS FELT LIKE.

I DID HAVE, LIKE,
A REAL EERIE FEELING AND STUFF,

AND THERE WAS JUST A FEELING
OF UNEASE FOR SOME REASON.

AND I COULDN'T THINK OF WHY.

Kirby: Wow!

THIS PLACE
IS PRETTY NEAT.

Jeffers: AT THAT MOMENT,
THERE WAS NO SOUND.

THE ONLY SOUND WAS,
LIKE, HIM CLICKING THE PICTURES.

AND THEN HE HAD QUIT
CLICKING THE PICTURES,

AND WE WERE STANDING THERE
JUST LISTENING.

DO YOU SEE ANYTHING?

IT'S COLD IN HERE.

[ SIGHS ]

Kirby: THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN...
[ GASPS ]

...SOMETHING JUST, LIKE,
GRABBED MY LEG REAL FAST.

I COULD ACTUALLY FEEL
THE FINGERS, YOU KNOW,

JUST SOMETHING JUST CLAMP
ONTO THE BACK OF MY LEG,

'CAUSE WHEN IT GRABBED ME,

I SPUN AROUND
AND LOOKED BEHIND ME

TO SEE IF IT WAS AN ANIMAL

THAT WAS RUNNING AROUND
OR SOMETHING.

IT KIND OF CREEPED ME OUT

'CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT WAS GOING ON.

AND I TOLD JENNIFER -- I GO,
"SOMETHING JUST GRABBED MY LEG."

AND SHE WAS ALL, "NO,
YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO SCARE ME

AND STUFF,"
AND I SAID, "NO.

SOMETHING GRABBED MY LEG."

I WAS LIKE, "OH, MY GOSH.
THERE IS SOMETHING HERE."

I SAID, "I'M OUT OF HERE."
YOU KNOW, "I GOT TO GO.

"I GOT TO GO. I CAN'T TAKE THIS.

I'M OUT OF HERE."

'CAUSE IT SCARED ME SO BAD.

Kirby: AFTER IT HAPPENED,

I FLASHED A COUPLE, YOU KNOW,
QUICK PICTURES

TO SEE IF THERE WAS
ANYTHING IN THERE WITH US,

SOMETHING LIKE A MOUSE
OR A SQUIRREL OR SOMETHING,

JUST TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED.

Jeffers:
WE WERE TOTALLY FREAKED OUT.

IT WAS JUST SOMETHING
THAT I HAD NEVER EXPECTED,

YOU KNOW, TO HAPPEN.

WE RAN BACK TO THE CAR,
AND THEN WE TOOK OFF.

AND WE WENT BACK TO HIS HOUSE.

AND WE WERE LOOKING
AT THE PICTURES ON THE COMPUTER.

HE CAUGHT MY EYE
ON ONE OF THEM AND STUFF,

AND WE WENT BACK TO IT.

AND THE PICTURE HAD A --

TO ME, IT LOOKED LIKE
AN APPARITION.

IT HAD, LIKE, THE TORSO

AND, LIKE, LOOKED LIKE
AN ARM COMING OFF OF IT.

MY HEART JUST DROPPED BECAUSE I
WAS LIKE, "OH, MY GOSH!

"THERE WAS SOMETHING THERE!

THERE IS SOMETHING THERE!"

Kirby: FIRST SEEING
THE PICTURE -- IT BLEW MY MIND.

I HAD ACTUAL EVIDENCE
ON MY CAMERA

THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING
IN THAT BUNKER

BESIDES ME AND JENNIFER
AT THAT TIME,

AND IT BLEW ME AWAY.

Jeffers:
IT TURNED ME INTO A BELIEVER

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS
HEARD THAT THERE IS DEMONS

THAT WALK UP ON THE EARTH,

BUT I NEVER, YOU KNOW,
REALLY EXPERIENCED IT IN MYSELF

UNTIL THAT MOMENT.

Narrator: SOME 40 YEARS AGO,

A DARK-WINGED MOTHMAN DESCENDED
TO EARTH IN APPALACHIA.

[ SCREAMING ]

SOME WERE TERRIFIED,

BUT IN THE WAKE
OF A HORRIFIC BRIDGE COLLAPSE,

THE MONSTER CAME TO BE SEEN
AS A MESSENGER,

A PROPHET TO WARN
ABOUT IMMINENT DISASTER.

IF A RECENT SIGHTING
IS TO BE BELIEVED,

THE CREATURE IS STILL HERE.

[ GASPS ]

Jeffers: IT MADE US BOTH
BELIEVERS OF THE SPIRITS

AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, CAN HAPPEN
THAT WE NEVER BELIEVED WOULD,

'CAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU
KNOW YOU'LL NEVER FORGET.