Monsters and Mysteries in America (2013–…): Season 1, Episode 5 - Bayou - full transcript

Hambone: WHAT I SEEN

IS AN UNIDENTIFIABLE,
HAIRY ENTITY.

HE LOOKED LIKE
HE WAS 10 FEET TALL.

HE WAS SO BIG AND POWERFUL.

HE COULD'VE KNOCKED THE GUNS
OUT OUR HANDS AND KILLED US.

Holyfield: ALL OF A SUDDEN,
THEY CAME UPON THIS THING

WITH ITS BACK TO THEM,

AND WHEN IT HEARD THEIR VOICES,

IT STOOD UP, TURNED AROUND,
AND FACED THEM.

Muro:
THERE'S BODIES THAT GO AMISS,

AND THEY'RE FOUND WEEKS,
SOMETIMES MONTHS, LATER



WITH TWO PUNCTURE WOUNDS
IN THE NECK

AND NO BLOOD IN THE BODIES.

Knesel:
HE JUST KIND OF APPEARED.

IT WAS FORCEFUL.
IT WAS VERY AGGRESSIVE.

IT WAS JUST KIND OF
A LITTLE SHOCKING AND STRANGE.

AAH!

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator:
THE SWAMPS OF SOUTHERN LOUISIANA

ARE DISTINCTIVELY BEAUTIFUL
YET DANGEROUS PLACES.

WATERWAYS TWIST AND TURN
LIKE SNAKES.

SUBTROPICAL FORESTS
GROW UNCONTROLLABLY WILD.

CHAOS RULES
THIS WATERLOGGED WORLD.

FOR SOME
THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED HERE,

THEY KNOW ITS WAYS,



BUT TO OTHERS,
THE SWAMPS ARE CURSED,

AND WHOEVER VENTURES WITHIN THEM
RISKS TAKING ON THE CURSE.

NOT MANY PEOPLE HAVE WHAT
IT TAKES TO GO IN THE SWAMP.

IT TAKES A PERSON WITH REAL WILL

AND TO KNOW THE SWAMP
TO GO BACK THERE.

Foret: AS YOU GO THROUGH THERE,
WHETHER ON A BOAT OR ON FOOT,

THERE'S JUST SOMETHING
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT CREEPY

ABOUT BEING IN THE SWAMPS.

Liner: WALKING IN THE SWAMP
OR IN A MARSHLAND AT NIGHT,

WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING
I WOULD ADVISE

OR EVEN ATTEMPT DOING
IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR,

IT'S VERY EERIE.

UM, MAKES YOUR SKIN CRAWL.

YOU'LL HEAR THINGS

THAT YOU DON'T QUITE KNOW
WHAT IT IS.

YOU DON'T FEEL ALONE.
YOU NEVER FEEL ALONE OUT THERE.

Narrator: NESTLED DEEP
IN AMERICA'S BAYOU COUNTRY,

NEAR THE TOWN
OF CUT OFF, LOUISIANA,

LEGENDS PERSIST

ABOUT A MYSTERIOUS
SWAMP-DWELLING BEAST,

A BIZARRE "MANIMAL" --

PART HUMAN, PART WOLF.

Foret:
"LOUP" MEANS "WOLF" IN FRENCH,

AND, THEN, "GAROUL"
IS A FRANKISH TERM

THAT MEANS SORT OF LIKE
A SHAPESHIFTER --

A MAN THAT CAN CHANGE
INTO AN ANIMAL.

THE MOST COMMON FORM
OF WHAT A ROUGAROU LOOKS LIKE

WOULD BE THE BODY OF A MAN

BUT THEN THE HEAD OF,
LIKE, A WOLF OR A DOG.

SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT THAT
IS THE FORM OF THE ROUGAROU,

WHILE OTHERS TELL YOU THAT
IT CAN COMPLETELY SHAPESHIFT

INTO EITHER A DOG OR A PIG
OR EVEN A BIRD.

Narrator: THE LOUP-GAROU,

OR "ROUGAROU," AS
THE LOCAL CAJUNS PRONOUNCE IT,

IS NOT A PEACEFUL BEAST
LIKE BIGFOOT.

ONE COMMON LEGEND
CLAIMS IT'S SOMEONE CURSED

AND FORCED TO ENDURE
A DEMONIC SPELL FOR 101 DAYS.

Luster: THE ROUGAROU COMES OUT
MORE AROUND THE FULL MOON.

IN MY FAMILY, WE HAD SOMEONE
THAT WAS ACTUALLY --

WE KNEW HE WAS.

AND HE COULD BE THERE
IN HIS BED.

YOU KNOW, THE BODY WAS THERE,
BUT THE SPIRIT WAS NOT THERE.

HE WOULD LEAVE HIS BODY.

[ SCREAMS ]

YOU COULD ACTUALLY TOUCH
THE BODY.

YOU COULD TRY TO WAKE HIM,
BUT YOU COULDN'T DO THAT.

YOU KNOW, BUT THEN AGAIN,
IN THE MORNING,

HE WOULD BE BACK,
AND HE WAS HIS NORMAL SELF.

[ GROWLS ]

Narrator:
FOR SOME, THE LOUP-GAROU

IS AN UNFORTUNATE VICTIM
OF POSSESSION,

TRANSFORMED BY THE FULL MOON

AND UNLEASHED TO INFECT OTHERS
WITH THE CURSE.

FOR OTHERS, IT IS A MONSTER

THAT LIVES IN THE SWAMP
YEAR-ROUND.

I KNOW FOR A FACT

THAT THE ROUGAROU
IS BACK THERE IN THE SWAMP

BECAUSE I'VE SEEN HIM COME BACK.

I CAME FACE-TO-FACE WITH HIM.

* MY EYES GLOW LIKE EMBERS
WITH THE SHOCK WAVES *

Narrator: JEBEDIAH HAMBONE
IS A CAJUN MUSICIAN

WHO SINGS ABOUT ENCOUNTERS
WITH BAYOU BEASTS.

Hambone: BESIDES MUSIC,

HUNTING THE ROUGAROU
UNTIL I DIE --

THAT'S MY GOAL IN LIFE.

I'M GONNA GET HIM.

KIND OF LIKE
A BOOGEYMAN-TYPE THING,

SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE
UNDER YOUR BED

OR SOMETHING IN YOUR CLOSET,
YOU KNOW,

LIKE SOME KIND OF MONSTER
TO GET YOU,

AND THAT'S WHAT WE THOUGHT
AS CHILDREN.

[ SNAKE HISSES ]

[ SHRIEKS ]

[ BOTH LAUGH ]

Narrator: IN THE BAYOU,

MANY A MISBEHAVING CHILD
HAS BEEN WARNED --

"THE ROUGAROU
IS GOING TO GET YOU."

BUT JEBEDIAH IS CERTAIN
THE MONSTER IS NO BEDTIME FABLE.

HE BELIEVES THE ROUGAROU IS REAL

AND CLAIMS TO HAVE SEEN IT
MORE THAN ONCE.

Hambone: HE ALWAYS COMES IN THIS
PARTICULAR STRIP OF WOODS

WHICH IS ABOUT FIVE MILES LONG,

AND THAT'S WHERE WE STARTED
SEEING THE SIGNS.

WE HAVE A MONSTER.

I MUST HAVE BEEN ABOUT 15 OR 16

WHEN I FIRST SEEN
THE FIRST SIGNS OF THE ROUGAROU.

THE EVENING STARTED OUT
JUST LIKE ANY OTHER EVENING.

WE WENT OUT THERE,

AND WE PLANNED TO GO
AND GET SOME RABBITS.

Narrator: JOSHUA LAFONT
HAS BEEN FRIENDS WITH JEBEDIAH

FOR 20 YEARS.

HE WAS WITH JEBEDIAH
THAT MEMORABLE NIGHT.

WE LEFT TO GO HUNT DUCKS
AND SQUIRREL, WHATEVER.

I DON'T LIKE TO GO BY MYSELF,
PERSONALLY.

I LIKE TO HAVE SOMEBODY WITH ME.

AND ALWAYS BRING A GUN WITH ME,
ALSO,

BECAUSE YOU JUST DON'T KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE GONNA RUN INTO.

Hambone: WE SMELLED SOMETHING.
IT WAS HORRIBLE.

WE SAID, "THAT MUST BE
A DEAD ANIMAL ROTTING,"

OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WE KEPT ON,

AND WE GOT IN DEEP
INTO THE WOODS, AND WE WALKED.

Lafont: YOU KNOW,
IT'S AN EERIE FEELING.

IT FEELS LIKE
SOMETHING'S CHECKING YOU OUT.

SOMETHING'S WATCHING YOU,
WATCHING YOUR MOVEMENTS.

[ CREATURE HISSES ]

HEY, MAN.
I GOT TO TAKE A LEAK.

I'LL CATCH UP TO YOU.
ALL RIGHT.

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

AAH!

AND MY PARTNER JUST YELLS

LIKE I NEVER HEARD HIM YELL
BEFORE,

AND I RAN OVER AS SOON
AS POSSIBLE TO HIS SIDE.

WAS ABOUT 50 FEET AWAY.

HE COULDN'T TALK.
HE JUST POINTED.

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

Lafont: I WAS PRETTY MUCH IN
SHOCK BECAUSE WHAT I SAW WAS...

Hambone: ...AN UNIDENTIFIABLE,
GIGANTIC, HAIRY ENTITY.

HE LOOKED LIKE
HE WAS 10 FEET TALL,

AND HE WAS SHAPED
LIKE A BIG, FURRY THING.

Lafont: YOU COULD SEE
A REFLECTION OF SOME EYES,

AND THEN THREE THUMPS --
LIKE A THUMP-THUMP-THUMP --

AND HE WAS GONE.

Hambone: WE RAN FIVE MILES
THROUGH THE WOODS

AS FAST AS WE COULD
OUT OF THERE.

WE WERE PETRIFIED.

SINCE WE SEEN THE FIRST ROUGAROU
ALL THOSE MANY YEARS AGO,

IT MAKES NOTHING SURPRISING.

THE ROUGAROU IS THE SURPRISE.

AFTER THAT, THERE'S -- YOU DON'T
HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF NOTHING.

Narrator:
EVER SINCE THIS ENCOUNTER,

JEBEDIAH HAMBONE
HAS WANTED TO SEE IT AGAIN.

FOR YEARS,
HE TRIED TRACKING THE BEAST.

THEN, IN THE WINTER OF 1999,

HE GOT LUCKY.

Hambone: I GO ABOUT A MILE
AND A HALF INTO THE WOODS.

Narrator: SUDDENLY,
JEBEDIAH SPOTTED THE ROUGAROU.

THE ROUGAROU STARTED RUNNING
AWAY, AND I GRABBED MY GUN,

AND I STARTED RUNNING
AS FAST AS I CAN.

I DROPPED MY SHOTGUN,

AND WHEN THE SHOTGUN
HIT THE GROUND...

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]
...THIS IS WHAT I DID.

FUR, CLAWS.

AND I KEPT LOOKING,
AND I KEPT LOOKING.

AND HE WAS LIKE 9 FEET TALL.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EYES.
HE WAS LIKE A MONSTER.

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

AND I SEEN HE WAS A PIG-MAN FACE
WITH A KIND OF APE BODY

WITH FIVE PHALANGES
AND THREE TOES ON EACH FOOT.

IT SCARED THE LIVING HELL
OUT OF ME.

AND WHEN I SAW
THAT PIG-TYPE FACE,

I WET MY PANTS.

I DID.

I LOOKED DOWN,
AND I REALIZED IT, BUT I DID,

AND I PICKED UP MY GUN
AND RAN OUT THE WOODS.

AND IF WE COULD ONLY,
YOU KNOW, GET HIM,

BRING IT,
AND SHOW IT TO EVERYBODY,

YOU KNOW,
THAT IT WOULD ACTUALLY PROVE

THAT WE WASN'T WASTING OUR TIME

OR MAKING IT UP
OR HAVING FUN WITH IT.

Narrator:
IT'S BEEN MORE THAN A DECADE

SINCE JEBEDIAH SAW IT LAST.

Hambone:
IT'S LIKE HE DISAPPEARED.

IT'S LIKE --
DOES HE COME HERE ANYMORE?

I DON'T KNOW.

I'M READY
TO GO BACK THERE AGAIN,

AND I'M NOT GONNA REST
UNTIL I SEE THAT THING AGAIN.

I WANT TO PROVE
THAT THIS IS REAL.

YEAH, THE ROUGAROU EXISTS.

Narrator:
JEBEDIAH IS ONE OF MANY

THAT HAVE SEEN THIS LEGENDARY
BEAST OF THE SWAMP.

ANOTHER FAMILY IN A NEIGHBORING
PARISH SOME 20 MILES AWAY

HAD A TERRIFYING ENCOUNTER
OF THEIR OWN.

MY FATHER SAW THIS CREATURE
GO ON THE TABLE.

IT HAD TEETH LIKE A WOLF...

[ GROWLING ]

...SALIVA COMING
OUT OF ITS MOUTH.

IF I WERE TO MEET ONE TODAY,

I'D BE PRAYING FOR GOD TO
DELIVER IT FROM THE DEVIL.

Narrator: THE ISOLATED SWAMPS
OF SOUTH LOUISIANA

ARE THE NATIVE TERRITORIES
OF THE HOUMA INDIANS.

LONG AGO, THEY FORMED A KINSHIP
WITH THIS WATERY WORLD.

AT THE SAME TIME,

THEY KNOW THE SWAMP
IS A PLACE WHERE EVIL LURKS.

Courteaux: THE SWAMP IS SPOOKY
BECAUSE OF THE ATMOSPHERE.

YOU FEEL LIKE SOMETHING
IS WATCHING YOU ALL THE TIME

IF YOU'RE OUT
WALKING IN THE SWAMP

AND YOU HEAR NO CREATURES,
NO ANIMALS.

THEN THERE'S
SOMETHING ELSE THERE

WALKING IT.

[ BIRDS CHIRPING ]

Narrator: ELIZABETH COURTEAUX
IS A HOUMA INDIAN,

BORN AND RAISED IN THE BAYOU
IN TERREBONNE PARISH, LOUISIANA.

HER FATHER WAS A TRIBAL CHIEF

AND THE MAN THAT SET
A SOLID ANCHOR FOR THE FAMILY

AS ELIZABETH WAS GROWING UP.

Courteaux:
WHEN HE TOLD YOU SOMETHING,

IT WASN'T MADE UP.

IT WAS TRUE.

MY FATHER WOULD HUNT AND TRAP
OR FISH ONLY IN THE DAYTIME,

NOT AT NIGHT.

HE WOULD TELL HIS CHILDREN
NEVER GO AT NIGHT INTO THE SWAMP

BECAUSE IT'S A GOOD PLACE
FOR THE MONSTERS TO HIDE.

Narrator:
AND THERE'S ONE MONSTER

HE WAS ESPECIALLY CONCERNED
ABOUT --

THE LOUP-GAROU.

WHEN ELIZABETH WAS A YOUNG TEEN,
SHE FIRST HEARD THE STORY

OF HER FATHER'S TERRIFYING
ENCOUNTER WITH THIS BAYOU DEVIL.

Courteaux:
THERE'S SOMETHING THAT
I REMEMBER, AS A LITTLE GIRL,

I WILL NEVER FORGET
AS LONG AS I LIVE.

AND HE RUNS OUT THE DOOR!

DAD, WHY ARE YOU
MAKING THIS STORY UP?

AND I STILL GET NIGHTMARES
OF IT.

I'M NOT MAKING THIS STORY UP.
THERE'S NO WAY.

YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?

THE DEVIL CAME TO SEE YOU --
THE DEVIL HIMSELF.

[ THUNDER CRASHES ]

Narrator: IT ALL BEGAN
ONE STORMY SATURDAY NIGHT.

GIVE MOM A KISS.
BYE, MAMA.

Narrator: THE ADULTS
WERE ATTENDING A TRIBAL DANCE,

SO ELIZABETH'S FATHER
WAS LEFT IN CHARGE

TO LOOK AFTER
HIS YOUNG SIBLINGS.

[ THUNDER CRASHES ]

Courteaux: AND THEY HAD TOLD
HIM, "DON'T LET NOBODY IN."

IT'S LIKE THEY KNEW.

THEY KNEW THAT SOMETHING --
THAT SOMEONE WAS OUT THERE.

HE HAD FED THE CHILDREN,
TOLD THEM THE STORIES.

HE PUT THEM TO BED.

GO TO SLEEP, OKAY?

Both: OKAY.

AND HE WENT TO SIT AT THE TABLE
TO DRINK COFFEE.

HE WAS 15, SO HE WAS OLD ENOUGH
TO DRINK COFFEE.

[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]

HE HEARD A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.

IT STARTED AS A NORMAL KNOCKING.

THEN IT GOT LOUDER.

[ KNOCKING ON DOOR ]

WHO'S THERE?
MY FATHER SAID, "WHO IS IT?"

DIDN'T ANSWER.

IT KNOCKED HARDER STILL.

[ POUNDING ]

MY FATHER SAYS,
"YOU CAN'T COME IN,"

AND THEN HE HEARD THE VOICE --
A VERY RASPY, GROWLING VOICE --

TO LET HIM IN.

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

AND HE SAYS, "NO. GO AWAY.
I AM NOT GONNA LET YOU IN."

SO, WHEN HE SAID THAT,

IT BROKE THE LATCH
AND OPENED IT.

AAH!

MY FATHER WAS VERY TERRIFIED,

BUT HE WAS MORE AFRAID
FOR THE CHILDREN THAN HIMSELF.

HE CONFRONTED IT,

AND IT JUMPED ON THE TABLE
ON ALL FOURS.

HE THOUGHT THAT THE CREATURE
WAS GONNA CUT HIM -- KILL HIM.

BUT IT WASN'T THE CASE.

HE WANTED MY FATHER TO CUT HIM,

TO DELIVER HIM FROM THE CURSE,
TO SET HIM FREE.

NO! NO!

THE CREATURE WAS VERY STRONG --
STRONGER THAN ANY MAN.

[ GIRLS WHIMPERING ]

Liner:
ROUGAROU IS A CREATURE

THAT IS ACTUALLY HALF HUMAN

AND HALF "GOD KNOWS WHAT
OTHER KIND OF ANIMAL."

MOST PEOPLE WOULD SAY
IT'S HALF WOLF OR IT'S HALF DOG.

BUT NO ONE REALLY KNOWS EXACTLY
WHAT THE OTHER HALF IS.

COULD BE HALF DEMON.

Luster: IT'S NOT EVERYONE
THAT CAN BE A ROUGAROU

OR WANT TO BE A ROUGAROU.

I BELIEVE
THERE'S SOMEWHAT OF A CURSE --

YOU KNOW, DOING THINGS
THAT YOU NORMALLY WOULDN'T DO.

ONE OF THE WAYS IS IT'S A CURSE.

SO, IF SOMEONE
PUTS A CURSE ON YOU,

THEN THAT TRANSFORMS YOU
INTO A ROUGAROU.

Narrator:
AND ACCORDING TO THE LEGEND,

THE ONLY WAY OUT OF THE CURSE
IS BLOOD.

SOMEONE WHO IS A ROUGAROU,
AND THEY GO TO ATTACK A PERSON,

AND THEN THAT PERSON CUTS THEM

AND DRAW BLOOD
FROM THE ROUGAROU.

[ GROWLING ]

AT THAT MOMENT, THE ROUGAROU
TURNS BACK INTO HIS HUMAN FORM.

Narrator: ONE OF THE STRANGEST
THINGS ABOUT THE LOUP-GAROU --

IT MIGHT BE
THE NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR.

Luster:
THE ROUGAROU CAN BE ANYONE --

YOU KNOW, A MEMBER OF YOUR
FAMILY, YOUR AUNT, YOUR UNCLE.

Narrator:
IT WAS A REALIZATION

THAT ELIZABETH'S FATHER
WOULD COME TO FIND

AFTER HIS HORRIFIC NIGHT
WITH A LOUP-GAROU.

THE NEXT DAY,
HE WAS WALKING DOWN THE ROAD.

HE MET UP WITH HIS COUSIN,

AND HE NOTICED THE COUSIN
HAD A BANDAGE ON HIS ARM.

AND WHEN HE SAW THAT,

HE KNEW EXACTLY WHO IT WAS,

AND HE AVOIDED HIM.

DID NOT WANT TO TALK TO HIM,
DID NOT WANT TO BOTHER WITH HIM.

Liner: WHEN HE SAW HIS COUSIN
THE NEXT DAY

WITH THAT SAME TYPE OF WOUND,

HE REALIZED
THAT THAT WAS AN INSTANCE

WHERE HE WAS ENCOUNTERED
BY THE LOUP-GAROU.

Narrator:
ELIZABETH'S FATHER WAITED YEARS,

WHEN HE WAS IN HIS 60s,
BEFORE TELLING ANYONE

ABOUT THE NIGHT HE HAD A DEATH
STRUGGLE WITH THE LOUP-GAROU.

I SAID, "DAD...

WHY DID YOU MAKE THIS UP?
...YOU MADE THAT UP."

I'M NOT
MAKING IT UP.

HE TOLD ME

THAT HE WOULD SWEAR
ON A STACK OF BIBLES

THAT THAT HAPPENED TO HIM.

YOU SAW A MONSTER?

MY FATHER'S STORY
MADE ME REALIZE

THAT THERE ARE THINGS
IN THIS WORLD

THAT CANNOT BE EXPLAINED,
THAT CANNOT BE CHANGED.

MY MOTHER -- SHE TOLD HIM --
SHE SAYS,

"YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?

THE DEVIL CAME TO SEE YOU --
THE DEVIL HIMSELF."

[ HEART BEATING ]

Narrator:
THE LOUP-GAROU HAS BECOME
A CREATURE OF LOCAL LEGEND,

PASSED DOWN
FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.

BUT, FOR ELIZABETH,

THE LOUP-GAROU IS FAR MORE
THAN FOLKLORE.

Courteaux:
THE LOUP-GAROU IS REAL.

FROM THIS DAY, IT IS LURKING

OUT INTO THE SWAMPS
AND OTHER AREAS.

Narrator:
90 MILES TO THE EAST,

LOCALS IN HONEY ISLAND SWAMP
ARE ALSO CONVINCED

THERE'S SOMETHING MONSTROUS
LURKING,

AND THEY HAVE THE EVIDENCE
TO PROVE IT.

Narrator: AT THE JUNCTION
OF THREE INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS,

SLIDELL, LOUISIANA,

IS A BUSTLING WAY STATION
ALONG THE GULF.

BUT JUST OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS
LIES PRISTINE WETLANDS,

HOME TO ONE OF
THE MOST INTRIGUING MYSTERIES

THE SWAMP HAS TO OFFER.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT LIVING
IN THE SWAMP IS FREEDOM.

WHEN I'M OUT THERE, THE ONLY
PERSON I CAN DEPEND ON IS ME.

YOU'RE NOT SURE
WHAT LIES AROUND THE NEXT BEND.

IF I MAKE A WRONG MOVE,
IT COULD COST ME MY LIFE.

SO THERE'S ALWAYS THAT THOUGHT
IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD

THAT THERE'S A POSSIBILITY
OF SOMETHING LURKING,

WHETHER IT BE MAN OR MAN-LIKE.

I'M NOT SURE.

Narrator: FOR OVER 40 YEARS,
LOCALS HAVE COME ACROSS

AN UNIDENTIFIED SWAMP CREATURE
PROWLING THESE PARTS.

Benson:
IT LOOKED LIKE, IN THE DISTANCE,

IT WAS BETWEEN
6 AND 7 FEET TALL,

AND IT WAS RUNNING,

AND IT WAS IN WATER
THAT WAS ABOUT 4 FEET DEEP,

AND IT WAS MOVING FASTER
THAN ANY MAN.

IT CREEPED ME OUT.

Schutte: FIRST THOUGHT
THAT CAME TO MY MIND

WHEN I SEEN IT MOVE OUT
FROM BEHIND THE TENT

WAS, "OH, MY GOD, WHAT IS THIS?"

[ CREATURE HISSES ]

Holyfield: I KNEW
THAT SOMETHING WAS OUT THERE.

DIDN'T WANT US THERE.
IT WAS LIKE IT WAS A TERRITOR--

LIKE, YOU KNOW,
"YOU DON'T BELONG HERE.

THIS IS WHERE I LIVE. GET OUT."

Narrator:
MANY CLAIM TO HAVE SEEN

HONEY ISLAND'S SWAMP MONSTER.

ONE MAN MANAGED TO FILM IT.

Holyfield:
HARLAN FORD, MY GRANDFATHER,
WAS THE FIRST PERSON

TO REPORT A SIGHTING

OF THE HONEY ISLAND
SWAMP MONSTER.

HEY, HARLAN.

HE WAS
AN AIR-TRAFFIC CONTROLLER,

AND HE WAS ALSO A PILOT.

BACK IN 1963,
HE WAS FLYING OVER THE SWAMP.

HE SAID THE COMPASS
WOULD START SPINNING.

IT WOULDN'T READ.

AND EVERY TIME THEY'D FLY OVER
THAT SECTION, THAT WOULD HAPPEN.

IT WAS LIKE A MAGNETIC TYPE
OF THING.

SO THEY DECIDED
THEY WERE GONNA GO ON FOOT.

[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION ]

THEY WERE GOING
THROUGH THIS AREA.

IT WAS KIND OF AN OPENING,
LIKE A CLEARING.

[ CREATURE MOANS ]

WHAT WAS THAT?
ALL OF A SUDDEN,

THEY CAME UPON THIS THING
THAT WAS ON ALL FOURS

WITH ITS BACK TO THEM,

AND BILLY WAS LIKE,
"WHAT IS THAT THING, HARLAN?"

I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT
BEFORE.

WHEN IT HEARD
THEIR VOICES,

IT STOOD UP, TURNED AROUND,
AND FACED THEM.

[ HISSES ]

THEY WENT TO GET THEIR GUNS
'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW

WHAT IT WAS GONNA DO,
AND IT TOOK OFF AND RAN.

THEY DIDN'T EVER HEAR
WATER BREAK.

BUT THEY SAW NO SIGN OF IT
AT THAT TIME.

LET'S TRY OVER HERE.
COME ON.

MY GRANDFATHER SAID

IT STOOD AS TALL OR TALLER
THAN HE WAS.

HE WAS 6'4".

AND HE SAID THE THING
HE REMEMBERED MOST WAS ITS EYES.

IT HAD THESE AMBER-COLOR,
REAL INTENSE EYES

THAT JUST STARED AT HIM.

LOOKED HIM EYE-TO-EYE BEFORE
IT TURNED AROUND AND RAN OFF.

I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT.
COME ON, COME ON, COME ON.

HIS EXACT WORDS --
"IT SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME."

HE SAID, "I'D NEVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE THAT EVER."

YOU KNOW,
HE'D BEEN OUT THERE FOR YEARS,

AND HE SAID
AT THAT MOMENT HE REALIZED

THERE WERE THINGS OUT THERE
UNEXPLAINABLE.

Narrator: IN FACT,
AFTER HIS FIRST SIGHTING,

HARLAN FORD BECAME FIXATED
ON SEEING THE CREATURE AGAIN.

Holyfield:
HE GOT VERY CURIOUS ABOUT IT

AND STARTED, YOU KNOW,
KEEPING AN EYE OUT,

ALWAYS LOOKING
OVER HIS SHOULDER, YOU KNOW.

[ GOAT BLEATS ]

Narrator: HARLAN EVEN TRIED
SETTING OUT BAIT FOR THE BEAST.

YOU STAY
RIGHT THERE, HONEY.

Holyfield:
WHEN WE WERE CHILDREN

AND WE USED TO PLAY
WITH THIS GOAT

MY GRANDFATHER BROUGHT HOME --
WE THOUGHT IT WAS OUR PET.

[ CHUCKLES ]

AND WE LEARNED THAT HE WAS
TAKING THE GOAT TO USE FOR BAIT,

SO WE WERE TRAUMATIZED, CRYING,
"PLEASE DON'T TAKE OUR GOAT.

IT'S GONNA BE EATEN
BY THE SWAMP MONSTER."

SO, HE WENT OUT THERE AND TOOK
THIS GOAT TO STAKE HIM OUT.

I DON'T WANT HIM
TO TAKE OUR GOAT.

[ GOAT BLEATS ]

I DON'T THINK HE WILL,
HONEY.

AT THE END OF THE DAY,
HE SAID,

"WELL, THAT SWAMP MONSTER
MUST BE A VEGETARIAN

'CAUSE HE DIDN'T EAT THE GOAT."

[ GOAT BLEATING ]

"OR MAYBE HE JUST IS TOO SMART.
HE KNEW WHAT WE WERE DOING."

Narrator: THE MONSTER DIDN'T
HAVE AN APPETITE FOR GOAT,

AND, AS MOST LOCALS AGREE,
WHATEVER IT IS,

IT HASN'T SHOWN AN INTEREST
IN HARMING PEOPLE --

NOT YET.

Benson: THERE'S NEVER BEEN ANY
ACCOUNTS IN WHICH I'M AWARE OF

OF THE CREATURE
BEING AGGRESSIVE.

BUT JUST LIKE ANY ANIMAL,

IF YOU PUSH IT INTO A CORNER,
IT CAN BE DANGEROUS.

Holyfield: MY GRANDFATHER --
I DON'T THINK HE WAS CONCERNED

THAT THE CREATURE
WAS GONNA COME AFTER HIM.

BEING IT RAN FROM THEM,
HE THOUGHT,

"WELL, MAYBE IT'S JUST AS SCARED
OF ME AS I WAS [LAUGHS] OF HIM."

[ GOAT BLEATING ]

Schutte:
I THINK IT WANTS TO EXIST,

AND I THINK THAT'S ALL
IT REALLY WANTS.

THE SWAMP IS SO VAST.

THERE ARE SO MANY PLACES
THAT ARE INACCESSIBLE.

IF IT WANTS TO REMAIN HIDDEN,
IT'S GONNA REMAIN HIDDEN.

[ GOAT BLEATS ]

NOW, MAYBE THE SIGHTINGS
WE GET OF IT

OR REPORTS WE GET OF IT

ARE WHEN IT'S TRAVELING
FROM ONE PLACE TO THE OTHER,

'CAUSE I DON'T DOUBT --

LIKE ANYTHING ELSE,
YOU HAVE SEASONS IN THE SWAMP,

AND CERTAIN AREAS OF THE SWAMP
ARE GONNA PROVIDE FOOD BETTER

AT CERTAIN TIMES A YEAR
THAN OTHERS.

Narrator:
HARLAN FORD'S USE OF BAIT

WOULDN'T BE
HIS LAST CLEVER ATTEMPT

TO PROVE THE MONSTER WAS REAL.

HE WAS REALLY FIXATED ON TRYING
TO SEE THIS CREATURE AGAIN.

HE BECAME KNOWN
AS "THE MONSTER HUNTER."

Narrator:
IT WOULD TAKE ANOTHER 10 YEARS,

BUT HARLAN FORD
FINALLY GOT ANOTHER CHANCE

TO SEE THE HONEY ISLAND
SWAMP MONSTER,

AND THIS TIME, HE SUCCEEDED
IN BRINGING BACK PROOF.

Narrator:
THERE'S SOMETHING MYSTERIOUS

LURKING
IN THE HONEY ISLAND SWAMP

NEAR SLIDELL, LOUISIANA --

A BAFFLING BEAST MANY SAY

THEY'VE SEEN
WITH THEIR OWN EYES.

DANA HOLYFIELD'S GRANDFATHER,
HARLAN FORD,

FIRST SAW IT IN 1963

AND DEDICATED
THE REST OF HIS YEARS

TO PROVING ITS EXISTENCE.

I'M SURE
THERE IS SOMETHING OUT THERE.

THERE'S BEEN TOO MANY CREDIBLE
EYEWITNESSES THAT I'VE MET,

BESIDES MY GRANDFATHER,

WHO HAVE SEEN IT
AND HAD SOME KIND OF ENCOUNTER.

Schutte: WHEN I SAW IT,
IT APPEARED TO BE UPRIGHT.

IT APPEARED
TO BE COVERED IN HAIR.

Benson: MOST OF THE EXPERIENCES
YOU HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT

USUALLY HAVE TO DO
WITH HEARING NOISES,

AND IT'S KIND OF
A HIGH-PITCHED SCREAM

THAT THEY TALK ABOUT HEARING.

[ CREATURE SCREECHING ]

Narrator: DANA HASN'T SEEN
THE MONSTER HERSELF,

BUT SHE'S COME CLOSE
WHILE CAMPING.

Holyfield:
AS THE NIGHT WENT ON,

IT SOUNDED LIKE
SOMETHING PICKED UP A STICK

AND STARTED BEATING ON A TREE,
LIKE A CALL.

[ CLUNK ]

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

AT THAT MOMENT,

I KNEW THAT SOMETHING
WAS OUT THERE

AND COULD, IF IT WANTED TO,
JUST TEAR THIS TENT APART.

I WAS A LITTLE SCARED.

[ CLUNK ]

[ CLUNK ]

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

Narrator:
NO END TO THE SIGHTINGS,

BUT FIGURING OUT WHAT THIS BEAST
COULD BE REMAINS MORE DIFFICULT.

SOME HAVE WONDERED
IF THE SWAMP MONSTER

IS SOME BAYOU VARIETY
OF BIGFOOT,

A SOUTHERN-FRIED SASQUATCH.

Benson: IT'S DESCRIBED
AS A SASQUATCH-TYPE CREATURE,

APPROXIMATELY 7 FEET
IN STATURE.

SOME SAY AROUND 400 POUNDS.

Narrator: ONCE AGAIN,
DANA'S GRANDFATHER, HARLAN FORD,

LEFT IMPORTANT EVIDENCE --

PLASTER IMPRESSIONS
OF FOOTPRINTS

HE FOUND ALONG THE MUDDY BANKS
OF HONEY ISLAND.

Holyfield: IT WAS IN 1974

THAT HE CAME ACROSS TRACKS
IN THE MUD

IN AN AREA
THAT WAS A WATERING HOLE,

AND THEY HAD HAD HOGS
THAT HE FOUND DEAD IN THAT AREA

WITH THEIR THROATS
JUST RIPPED OUT,

AND THAT'S WHEN HE SAW TRACKS.

HE'S JUST ASSUMING

THIS CREATURE
MUST'VE MADE THESE TRACKS,

SO THEY WANTED TO POUR
THE PLASTER OF PARIS

AND GET THE EVIDENCE --

SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY
COULD LOOK AT AND STUDY THEM

AND SEE, YOU KNOW,

HAVE THEY EVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE THIS?

Narrator:
UNLIKE THE FIVE-TOED HUMANOID

OFTEN ATTRIBUTED TO BIGFOOT,

HARLAN FORD'S TRACK CASTS
SHOW SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT --

FOUR TOES, WEBBED,
AND, AT 9 INCHES IN LENGTH,

ALMOST 50% SMALLER
THAN TYPICAL BIGFOOT TRACKS.

TO SOME,
THEY APPEAR TO HAVE ELEMENTS

OF BOTH PRIMATE AND GATOR.

IF SO, IT BEGS THE QUESTION --

HOW DID THIS CREATURE GET HERE?

Benson:
THERE'S AN OLD STORY THAT WAS
TOLD TO ME WHEN I WAS A KID.

I WANT TO SAY
IT WAS A P.T. BARNUM TRAIN

THAT HAD DERAILED IN THE SWAMP,

AND SOME OF THE CIRCUS ANIMALS
HAD GOT OUT,

AND SOME SAY
THERE WAS THIS HALF HYBRID --

HALF GORILLA BETWEEN A HUMAN
AND A PRIMATE THAT HAD MATED.

Narrator:
WHILE ITS ORIGINS REMAIN MURKY,

THE SWAMP MONSTER'S IDENTITY
TOOK ON NEW LIFE IN 2002

WHEN DANA HOLYFIELD
STUMBLED UPON A MIRACULOUS FIND.

Holyfield: WHILE I WAS MAKING
MY DOCUMENTARY,

MY GRANDMOTHER CAME UP
WITH THIS BOX OF TAPES --

OLD SUPER 8 REELS --

AND SOME OF THEM
WERE MARKED "ALLIGATOR,"

SOME OF THEM WAS MARKED
"TURKEY" AND "DEER."

BUT THERE WAS THIS ONE
IN THE BOX

LABELED "HONEY ISLAND MONSTER."

SHE SAID, "I'VE NEVER SEEN IT."

SO WE GOT IT OUT, AND WE PUT IT
UP ON OUR KITCHEN WALL.

[ PROJECTOR RUNS ]

Narrator:
LIKE A TIME MACHINE,

THIS SECRET FILMSTRIP
TRANSPORTED THEM

BACK ALMOST THREE DECADES

WHEN HARLAN FORD WAS COMBING
EVERY INCH OF THE SWAMP,

DESPERATE TO CONFIRM
THE EXISTENCE OF ITS MONSTER.

Holyfield: WE'RE ALL SITTING
THERE, AND WE'RE WATCHING,

AND WE SAW THAT THING WALKING.

IT WAS IN THE DISTANCE,
BUT YOU COULD TELL.

AND IT WAS HAIRY.

IT WAS WALKING ON TWO FEET
THROUGH THE WOODS.

WE WERE STUNNED -- AMAZED --

THAT HE DID CAPTURE SOMETHING
ON FILM.

Narrator:
HOW DID HARLAN FORD FINALLY
MANAGE TO GET FILM FOOTAGE

OF THIS FAMOUSLY SHY CREATURE?

Holyfield: HE WAS OBVIOUSLY
UP HIGH IN A TREE BLIND,

AND, FROM HIS POINT OF VIEW,
THIS THING WALKS --

LIKE, IT COMES IN.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT KIND OF SHUT --
LIKE, MAYBE HE STOPPED TO LOOK,

AND THEN IT PICKS UP
WITH IT WALKING ON.

Narrator: STRANGELY, HARLAN FORD
NEVER MADE THE FOOTAGE PUBLIC.

Holyfield:
I THINK HE WAS JUST AFRAID

PEOPLE WOULD GO IN THERE,
HUNT IT DOWN, AND KILL IT,

AND HE WANTED
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT IT

'CAUSE HE REALIZED,
THROUGH OTHER INCIDENTS,

THAT THERE WERE MORE THAN ONE.

Narrator: SKEPTICS SAY
UNTIL THE CREATURE IS CAPTURED,

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE DOUBT.

BUT MANY LIVING
NEAR HONEY ISLAND

DON'T NEED MORE CONVINCING.

Holyfield: I NEVER DOUBTED
MY GRANDFATHER'S ENCOUNTER

BECAUSE I KNEW
THE TYPE OF PERSON HE WAS.

HE WASN'T GONNA
MAKE UP SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

HE DIDN'T HAVE A REASON
TO MAKE IT UP.

I'D LIKE TO SAY TO NONBELIEVERS,

GET YOU A TENT AND GET YOU
SOME CAMPING SUPPLIES

AND GO SPEND THE NIGHT
IN THE HONEY ISLAND SWAMP

AND SEE IF YOU DON'T COME OUT
WITH A DIFFERENT OPINION.

[ CREATURE GROWLING ]

Narrator: WHETHER YOU TRY
HUNTING FOR IT OR NOT,

NO ONE CLAIMS
THAT HONEY ISLAND'S MONSTER

HAS SO FAR BEEN A THREAT
TO LIFE OR LIMB.

YET ONLY 40 MILES AWAY,

IN THE HEART
OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS,

PEOPLE CLAIM THERE'S DEFINITELY
SOMETHING DANGEROUS IN THE AIR.

"OH, MY GOD, THERE'S A MAN
ON THE ROOF. HE'S GONNA JUMP."

[ SCREAMS ]

[ JAZZ MUSIC PLAYS ]

Narrator:
FAMOUS FOR ITS CAJUN CUISINE

AND DIXIELAND JAZZ MUSIC,

"THE BIG EASY" IS ONE
OF THE MOST UNIQUE DESTINATIONS

IN THE WORLD.

NEW ORLEANS, BY DAY,

IS A MELTING POT OF ATMOSPHERE
AND CULTURE.

BUT BY NIGHT,

THE OLD COBBLESTONE STREETS
TAKE ON A DARKER CAST.

Smith: NEW ORLEANS HAS ALWAYS
BEEN A DANGEROUS CITY.

GROWING UP HERE,

WE WERE TOLD DON'T COME
INTO THE FRENCH QUARTER.

IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS PLACE.

I REMEMBER FINDING MYSELF
ON A SIDE STREET LATE AT NIGHT

AND FEELING EYES PEERING AT ME

AND GETTING A LITTLE CHILL
UP MY SPINE.

Narrator: FROM ITS VERY START
IN THE EARLY 1700s,

CATASTROPHE, VIOLENCE, AND DEATH

WERE A PROMINENT PART
OF THE CITY.

Smith:
NEW ORLEANS HAD MASSIVE YELLOW
FEVER EPIDEMICS EACH YEAR,

PEOPLE DYING BY THE THOUSANDS.

WE HAD TWO MAJOR FIRES
IN THE 1700s

THAT DEVOURED OVER HALF
OF THE CITY EACH TIME,

AND THEN NUMEROUS HURRICANES.

A LOT OF DEATH ON TOP OF DEATH
ON TOP OF DEATH.

THIS SORT OF CREATES A SITUATION

WHERE IT IS A HOTBED
FOR HAUNTINGS,

SO YOU HAVE A LOT
OF SPIRITUAL ACTIVITY HERE

BECAUSE PEOPLE DIED
TRAUMATICALLY.

Narrator: AND FROM THE CITY'S
PAINFUL BEGINNINGS,

A CONCERN WITH VAMPIRES
PROWLING THE NIGHT

EMERGED EARLY ON.

THE VAMPIRE LEGEND
SEEMS TO HAVE GOTTEN ITS START

IN A PECULIAR WAY --

OF ALL PLACES,
AT A ROMAN CATHOLIC CONVENT

IN THE FRENCH QUARTER,

AND WITH THE ARRIVAL FROM FRANCE

OF AN INTRIGUING TROOP
OF YOUNG WOMEN.

Smith: THESE LADIES
WERE CALLED CASKET GIRLS

BECAUSE THEY CAME TO THIS
COUNTRY WITH LARGE WOODEN BOXES

THAT RESEMBLED COFFINS,

SUPPOSEDLY HOPE CHESTS GIVEN
TO THEM BY THE KING OF FRANCE

AS THEIR DOWRIES

BECAUSE THEY WERE BRIDES
FOR THE SETTLERS.

Narrator:
THE CASKET-SHAPED CASES

IMMEDIATELY RAISE QUESTIONS.

Smith: MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE
THAT THESE WOMEN ARE RESPONSIBLE

FOR BRINGING THE VAMPIRES OVER
IN THOSE COFFIN-LIKE BOXES.

Narrator: WHISPERS
TURNED INTO FULL-BLOWN FEARS

THAT, BEHIND ITS IRON GATES,

THE CONVENT HOUSED
MORE THAN MARRIAGEABLE VIRGINS,

THAT THE GIRLS HAD TURNED
VAMPIRES LOOSE IN THE ATTIC.

300 YEARS LATER,

THE URSULINE CONVENT
STILL STANDS,

THE ONLY BUILDING
IN THE FRENCH QUARTER

THAT SURVIVED
THE 18th-CENTURY FIRES.

THE URSULINE IS NO LONGER USED
AS A CONVENT,

YET RUMORS CONTINUE TO SWIRL
AROUND ITS CLOISTERED WALLS.

Smith: PEOPLE IN THE LOWER END
OF THE FRENCH QUARTER

SWEAR THAT, OFTENTIMES,
LATE AT NIGHT,

THE TOP SHUTTERS WILL OPEN,

ONLY TO BE SHUT
WHEN THE SUN COMES UP.

Narrator: FOR STARR MURO
AND LISA PELOQUIN,

TALES OF VAMPIRES
WERE JUST THE STUFF OF LEGEND,

EXCEPT FOR THE NIGHT
IT ALL TURNED TOO TRUE.

WE WERE SHAKING.
WE WERE ALL FREAKING OUT.

EVERYBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT IT.

"DID YOU SEE THAT?
OH, MY GOODNESS!"

IT WAS JUST A REALLY WEIRD
EXPERIENCE

FOR EVERYBODY THAT WAS INVOLVED.

Narrator:
ONE COLD AUTUMN EVENING,

STARR WAS WITH A GROUP
OF FRIENDS

PASSING BY THE URSULINE CONVENT.

IT WAS ME AND LISA AND THEN SOME
OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAD JOINED US.

WE WERE LOOKING UP, AND
ONE LADY ACTUALLY POINTED OUT,

"OH, MY GOD, THERE'S A MAN
ON THE ROOF OF THE CATHEDRAL.

HE'S GONNA JUMP."

THE VERY FIRST THING
THAT WENT THROUGH MY MIND

WAS, "HOLY CRUD," YOU KNOW.

"OH, MY GOODNESS. THIS GUY
IS GONNA COMMIT SUICIDE."

[ SCREAMS ]

AND THEN HE JUST
LITERALLY FLOATED OFF.

HE'S FLYING!

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT?
WHAT DO YOU SAY? WHAT DO YOU DO?

I MEAN, IT'S JUST -- HE'S GONE.
HE LITERALLY FLEW AWAY.

I DON'T KNOW
THAT I WAS FRIGHTENED,

BUT MORE IN JUST DISBELIEF --
JUST AWE.

Woman: OH, MY GOD,
WHERE DID HE GO?

IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS

THAT, YOU KNOW,
I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU DO?

YOU CAN'T EXPLAIN IT.

YOU CAN'T PUSH
THE "REWIND" BUTTON

AND WATCH IT
AND TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT.

Narrator: IF ALL THESE
SO-CALLED VAMPIRES ARE DOING

IS FLYING THROUGH THE NIGHT,
IT MIGHT JUST BE ENTERTAINING.

UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'RE RUMORED
TO ACT LIKE VAMPIRES

IN OTHER,
FAR MORE DANGEROUS WAYS.

Smith:
WE WERE FOOD FOR THEM.

IT'S JUST A MATTER
OF THEY FEED ON US.

Muro:
THERE'S BODIES THAT GO AMISS,

AND THEY'RE FOUND WEEKS,
SOMETIMES MONTHS, LATER

WITH TWO PUNCTURE WOUNDS
IN THE NECK

AND NO BLOOD IN THE BODIES.

Smith: IN 2003, THERE WAS A
GENTLEMAN HERE ON A CONVENTION.

HE WAS VERY INTERESTED
IN THE VAMPIRE CULTURE.

HE WASN'T SEEN AGAIN
UNTIL THE MAID FOUND HIM

IN HIS HOT TUB OF HIS HOTEL ROOM
THE NEXT MORNING.

THEY HAD SKINNED HIM
AND THREW HIM IN THE HOT TUB.

I DON'T THINK HE TOOK
THE WARNINGS SERIOUSLY ENOUGH.

YOU KNOW, LITERALLY
BROUGHT THESE PEOPLE HOME,

AND THEY KILLED HIM.

Narrator: WHEN SHE WAS
BARHOPPING ONE NIGHT

ALONG THE QUARTER,
VALERIE KNESEL

WASN'T LOOKING FOR VAMPIRES,

BUT A BLOODSUCKER
MANAGED TO FIND HER ANYWAY.

Knesel:
HE JUST KIND OF APPEARED.

IT WAS FORCEFUL.
IT WAS VERY AGGRESSIVE.

OF COURSE,
MY HEART WAS BEATING FAST.

HE DID TRY TO BITE MY NECK.

IT WAS JUST KIND OF
A LITTLE SHOCKING AND STRANGE.

Narrator: NEW ORLEANS --

GROUND ZERO
FOR AMERICAN TALES OF VAMPIRES.

ITS UNUSUAL MIX
OF OLD-WORLD ARCHITECTURE,

SWAMPLAND CLIMATE,
AND VOODOO MAGIC

HAS CREATED THE PERFECT GROUND
FOR VAMPIRE LEGENDS TO GROW.

THESE RUMORS ARE SO COMMON,

NATIVES OF NEW ORLEANS,
LIKE VALERIE KNESEL,

ARE RAISED WITH THEM
AS BEDTIME STORIES.

Knesel: GROWING UP HERE,
I WOULD HEAR STORIES

OF SITUATIONS
IN THE FRENCH QUARTER, MAINLY,

WHERE VAMPIRES
WOULD COME OUT AND PLAY

OR THAT HAD PLAYED, YOU KNOW,
IT BEING SUCH AN OLD TOWN.

BUT I'VE NEVER REALLY FELT
FRIGHTENED BY THE FACT

THAT VAMPIRES COULD POSSIBLY
ROAM THE STREETS OF NEW ORLEANS.

Narrator: THAT SELF-ASSURANCE
WOULD BE TESTED IN 2007,

WHEN VALERIE
AND HER FRIEND ELIJAH BRADSHAW

WENT OUT
FOR A NIGHT ON THE TOWN.

Bradshaw: IT WAS JUST
A REALLY REGULAR DAY.

NO WEIRD FEELING.

IT WAS JUST
A LAST-MINUTE DECISION

TO GO OUT TO FRENCHMEN ANYWAY.

FRENCHMEN STREET
IS OUR LOCAL MUSIC AVENUE.

Knesel:
THAT NIGHT, WE JUST WANTED
TO WALK AROUND FRENCHMEN STREET

AND HAVE SOME DRINKS, LISTEN
TO SOME GOOD, LOCAL MUSIC.

[ DOORBELL RINGS ]

Narrator: THEIR PLANS
HAD BARELY TAKEN SHAPE

WHEN A TAXI DRIVER
SUDDENLY SHOWED UP.

DID YOU CALL A CAB?

YEAH, BUT I DIDN'T EXPECT HIM
TO RING THE DOORBELL.

I DO REMEMBER
THAT BEING VERY ODD,

HIM COMING TO THE DOOR
AND NOT CALLING THE HOUSE,

WHICH I THOUGHT
WAS PRETTY STRANGE.

Knesel: WE TOLD HIM WE WANTED
TO GO TO FRENCHMEN STREET.

WATCH OUT
FOR THE CRAZIES.

HE MADE SOME MENTION OF US

GOING TO HANG OUT
WITH THE CRAZIES

OR TO WATCH OUT FOR THE CRAZIES.

IT WAS JUST SOMETHING
ABOUT HIS TONE THAT WAS OMINOUS.

IT KIND OF JUST SET THE TONE
FOR THE REST OF THE EVENING.

Knesel: THE WHOLE TIME,
HE WAS DRIVING VERY ERRATICALLY,

AND ELIJAH AND I ARE JUST
KIND OF LIKE,

"WHOA, THIS GUY
IS THE CRAZY ONE."

JUST WANTED TO GET OUT
OF THE CAB AND HAVE FUN.

Narrator:
THANKFULLY, A FEW MINUTES LATER,

THE CAB RIDE CAME TO AN END,

BUT THAT'S WHEN THINGS
REALLY GOT WEIRD.

I'LL BE RIGHT IN.

VALERIE CAME FACE-TO-FACE
WITH AN UNUSUAL STRANGER.

Knesel:
HE JUST KIND OF APPEARED.

SO, IT WAS A LITTLE STARTLING
FOR HIM TO ALL OF A SUDDEN

JUST SHOW UP
RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.

GOOD EVENING.

IT WAS KIND OF
AN INTENSE FEELING,

JUST THE WAY
HE LOOKED IN HIS EYES.

IT HAD THAT, YOU KNOW,
KIND OF [GASPS] --

TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY A LITTLE.

Smith:
MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD INSTANCES

WHERE THEY HAVE RUN ACROSS
AN INDIVIDUAL DRESSED IN BLACK,

AND HE'S VERY MYSTERIOUS.

IT'S ALSO DESCRIBED
AS IF HE LANDS --

LIKE THERE'S NO ONE THERE, THEN
SUDDENLY THERE IS SOMEONE THERE,

AND THEY HAVE LITERALLY HEARD
HIS FEET HIT THE GROUND

AS IF HE WAS NOT ON THE GROUND
PRIOR TO THE ENCOUNTER.

Narrator:
A VAMPIRE'S AMBUSH IS BELIEVED

TO INVOLVE MESMERIZING THEIR
VICTIMS WITH A TELEPATHIC BOND.

WHEN THE PREY SURRENDERS FULLY,

THE THROAT-PIERCING FIEND
DELIVERS HIS DARK GIFT.

GOOD EVENING.

THANK YOU.

BUT VALERIE'S TRANCE
WITH THE STRANGER

WAS SUDDENLY INTERRUPTED.

WITH THE CROWDS
ALONG FRENCHMEN STREET,

SHE WAS SWEPT INSIDE A BAR.

[ LAUGHTER ]

SAFELY INSIDE, VALERIE AND
ELIJAH HAD A MOMENT TO REFLECT

ON THE STRANGE MAN

AND THE UNUSUAL THINGS
HE SAID TO HER.

Knesel: IT WAS JUST KIND OF
UPSETTING, THE QUESTIONS --

ABOUT MY FAMILY AND ASKING ME
WHAT MY FAIRY TALE WAS.

I EVENTUALLY
WALKED OUTSIDE FOR AIR,

JUST, YOU KNOW,
KIND OF CLEAR MY HEAD

'CAUSE IT WAS JUST
A LITTLE DISTURBING.

Narrator: WHEN VALERIE
DIDN'T RETURN RIGHT AWAY,

ELIJAH BECAME
INCREASINGLY CONCERNED.

I KEPT CALLING HER,
AND I COULDN'T --

SHE NEVER PICKED UP THE PHONE.
SHE NEVER GAVE ME A CALL BACK.

SO I WAS A LITTLE DISTURBED,

BUT I WASN'T GONNA GO
CHASE AFTER HER.

I THOUGHT I MAYBE
SHOULD STAY HERE AT THE BAR

JUST IN CASE SHE DOES CALL BACK.

I DIDN'T LOOK AT IT AND BE LIKE,

"OH, THIS GUY'S A VAMPIRE,"
OR ANYTHING.

I DIDN'T THINK THAT.

Narrator:
PERHAPS HE SHOULD HAVE.

Knesel:
I LOOKED OVER, AND HE WAS THERE.

I HAD LOOKED BACK A FEW TIMES,

AND THEN HE WAS JUST --
POOF -- THERE.

SO IT WAS A LITTLE STARTLING

FOR HIM TO ALL OF A SUDDEN
JUST SHOW UP.

WE MEET AGAIN.

HE SEEMED VERY CONCERNED
FOR HOW I WAS DOING,

AND HE THEN WAS KIND OF
COMING ON TO ME,

YOU KNOW, TRYING TO KISS ME
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

IT WAS FORCEFUL.
IT WAS VERY AGGRESSIVE.

IT WAS JUST KIND OF
A LITTLE SHOCKING AND STRANGE.

HE KEPT KIND OF
GOING FOR MY NECK.

THAT'S KIND OF WHERE
HE WANTED TO FOCUS HIS PASSION.

[ SCREAMS ]

IT WAS REALLY STARTLING.
IT WAS VERY SHOCKING.

I WAS JUST KIND OF --
I JUST LOOKED AROUND,

AND, "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?"

AND DEFINITELY THE MOST
CONFUSING PART OF THE EXPERIENCE

WAS JUST HOW HE HAD VANISHED --

YOU KNOW, THERE ONE SECOND,
GONE THE NEXT.

IT WAS JUST COMPLE--

I COULDN'T WRAP MY MIND
AROUND IT.

Narrator: ONLY HIS UMBRELLA
REMAINED BEHIND.

Knesel: I DIDN'T WANT
TO KEEP THE UMBRELLA.

I JUST DIDN'T WANT IT.

JUST THE WHOLE EVENING
KIND OF REMINDED ME

OF JUST SOMETHING STRANGE
AND UNEXPLAINABLE,

AND I DIDN'T WANT THAT UMBRELLA.

Bradshaw: EVENTUALLY, SHE JUST
WALKS BACK INTO THE BAR,

AND THEN SHE SEEMED
A LITTLE DISORIENTED,

AND SHE WAS LOOKING AROUND,
AND SHE WAS LIKE,

"WHERE DID HE GO?
WHERE DID HE GO?"

SHE WAS JUST LIKE,
"IT WAS JUST SO STRANGE."

"OH, I JUST FELT SO DIZZY, AND
EVERYTHING WAS JUST A WHIRLWIND.

AND THEN HE WAS JUST GONE."

IT WAS A VAMPIRE EXPERIENCE.

Knesel: HE WAS A VAMPIRE.

NO OTHER EXPLANATION --
HE WAS A VAMPIRE.

Smith: ANYTIME
I'M IN THE FRENCH QUARTER,

I AM TOTALLY AWARE
THAT ANYTHING --

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE OUT HERE.

ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE AND ANYTHING
CAN HAPPEN AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.

YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S OUT THERE,

AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS
SOMETHING HUMAN.