Monsters and Mysteries in America (2013–…): Season 3, Episode 4 - Florida Zombie - Dybuk Box - Shenango Dog Boy - full transcript

Narrator: FLESH-EATING ZOMBIES
ON A RAMPAGE.

I WAS SHAKING LIKE THIS,
AND BLOOD'S ALL ON MY HANDS.

I'M SURE THAT HE WOULD HAVE
ATE OR ATTACKED

20 MORE PEOPLE EASILY.

HE WOULD HAVE
JUST NOT BEEN STOPPED.

Narrator:
A JUNK STORE DISCOVERY

HARBORS A DEMON OUT FOR REVENGE.

[ GASPS ]

I FELT AS IF SOMEBODY
HAD JUST TAKEN A KNIFE INTO ME

AND JUST KIND OF STARTED
RIPPING IT UP

OUT THROUGH MY CHEST.



Man:
IN 18 YEARS OF INVESTIGATING
THE SUPERNATURAL AND PARANORMAL,

I'VE NEVER RAN INTO ANYTHING
LIKE THE DYBBUK BOX.

Narrator:
THE MUTANT MANIMAL NEXT DOOR.

WHEN I HEARD THE HOWL,
MY MOM SAID, "RUN."

WE JUST ALL STARTED RUNNING.

I'M RUNNING. I'M GETTING AWAY
FROM WHATEVER THIS THING IS.

THIS ISN'T HUMAN.

IT WAS DOG BOY.

[ SCREAMS ]

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator: SOUTHERN FLORIDA,

AN AREA LONG-ASSOCIATED
WITH SUNSHINE, CITRUS,

AND THEME-PARK CHARACTERS.

LATELY, IT'S ENTERED
AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT DIMENSION.



BIZARRE AND TERRIFYING ATTACKS,

STRIKING IN THEIR SIMILARITY
AND SAVAGERY.

Anchorwoman: RECOVERING FROM
THE VICIOUS ATTACK

IN HIS FRONT YARD.

Anchorwoman #2:
FRENZIED, CANNIBALISTIC ATTACK.

Narrator: ORDINARY YOUNG MEN,
NO PRIOR HISTORY OF ILLNESS

OR UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR

MYSTERIOUSLY MORPHED
INTO FLESH-EATING MONSTERS.

Tania: I LOOK BACK,
AND I SEE HE'S COMING,

AND I SCREAM AT MY DAD,

TELLING HIM THAT THERE'S SOMEONE
TRYING TO KILL ME,

OR HE'S TRYING TO BITE MY FACE.

[ GROWLING ]

HE WAS ATTACKING MY SON
AND BITING HIM IN THE FACE.

I DIDN'T KNOW
IF IT WAS REAL OR A NIGHTMARE.

[ SIREN WAILS ]

Narrator: IN FLORIDA,
THE PUBLIC WAS ON ALARM,

ANXIOUS ABOUT THE NEXT CASE.

WORRIED THAT SUCH A MONSTER
COULD BE REAL.

THE HYSTERIA
WAS AT SUCH A FEVERED PITCH,

THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL
RELEASED A STATEMENT

DENYING ZOMBIES EXIST.

Mogk: THESE SOUTH FLORIDA
CANNIBAL ATTACKS,

THEY REALLY ARE GETTING
AT THE CORE

OF WHY ZOMBIES ARE SO SCARY.

THIS NOTION THAT YOU COULD BE
MINDING YOUR OWN BUSINESS,

WALKING DOWN THE STREET,

AND SOMEONE
WOULD COME ATTACK YOU,

BEGIN TO EAT YOU
WHILE YOU WERE STILL ALIVE.

I MEAN,
THAT'S REALLY AT THE CORE

OF WHAT MAKES ZOMBIES SO SCARY.

[ SCREAMING ]

Narrator: THANKS TO HOLLYWOOD,
MOST PEOPLE THINK OF THEM

AS REANIMATED FLESH-EATERS,
GOD-FORSAKEN SOULS,

NEITHER DEAD NOR ALIVE.

Man:
"NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD."

IN FACT, THE ZOMBIE LEGEND
WAS BORN OF HAITIAN VOODOO

AND PLANTATION SLAVERY.

Mogk: THE HAITIAN VOODOO ZOMBIE
IS BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE

THROUGH A DRUGGING
AND RELIGIOUS BELIEF

AND A MAGIC CEREMONY.

I DRUG YOU.

YOU PASS OUT,
YOU APPEAR TO BE DEAD.

EVERYONE AROUND SAYS, "LOOK,
LOOK, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE DEAD."

WE BURY YOU
IN A COFFIN UNDER DIRT.

YOU WAKE UP IN THE COFFIN
SEVERAL DAYS LATER,

AND WE DIG YOU UP,
OPEN UP THE COFFIN AND SAY,

"LOOK, I BROUGHT YOU BACK TO
LIFE, SO NOW I OWN YOUR SOUL."

Narrator:
IF IT ALL SOUNDS LIKE FOLKLORE,

CONSIDER A ZOMBIE CASE

THAT OCCURRED
ON THE ISLAND OF HAITI IN 1962.

CLAIRVIUS NARCISSE ARRIVED

AT THE ALBERT SCHWEITZER
HOSPITAL WITH A FEVER.

IT'S GONNA BE OKAY.

STAY WITH ME.

STAY.

STAY.

HIS CONDITION QUICKLY WORSENED.

WITHIN 48 HOURS, HE WAS DEAD.

AND THERE WAS A FUNERAL
THE SAME DAY,

AND HE WAS PUT IN THE GROUND
AND BURIED.

Narrator: 18 YEARS LATER,
CLAIRVIUS'S SISTER, ANGELINA,

WAS WALKING IN HER VILLAGE,

WHEN A FAMILIAR-LOOKING MAN
APPROACHED.

SHE RECOGNIZED
HER LONG-DEAD BROTHER.

HE TOLD HER HIS TRAGIC TALE.

HOW HE HAD LAID PARALYZED
IN THE HOSPITAL,

HEARD THE DOCTORS
PRONOUNCE HIM DEAD,

FELT THE SHEET
PULLED OVER HIS HEAD,

AND LISTENED
AS ANGELINA WEPT AT HIS BEDSIDE.

THEN HE SAW HIMSELF BURIED,

ONLY HIS DEATH
WAS AN EVIL TRICK.

Tallitsch: SOMEONE WHO EXCELS AT
THE DARK ARTS, THE BLACK MAGIC,

DUG HIM OUT OF THE GROUND,
AND THEN PROCEEDED TO USE HIM

FOR THE NEXT 15 YEARS
ON THE PLANTATION.

Narrator: CLAIRVIUS LABORED
IN THE CANE FIELDS

UNTIL HE FINALLY ESCAPED
TO FREEDOM.

Mogk: WHEN YOU GO TO WORK,

AND YOU'RE STANDING
AT THE WATER COOLER,

AND YOU SAY, "OH, I FEEL LIKE
A ZOMBIE TODAY,"

YOU DON'T MEAN YOU WANT TO
EAT YOUR CO-WORKERS, RIGHT?

YOU MEAN YOU FEEL LISTLESS.

YOU HAVE NO WILLPOWER.

THAT ALL COMES FROM THIS NOTION
OF THE HAITIAN VOODOO ZOMBIE.

Narrator:
RECENT ATTACKS IN FLORIDA

HAVE PUT AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT
SORT OF ZOMBIE IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

Mogk: THE CRAZY THING ABOUT
THE MacARTHUR CAUSEWAY INCIDENT,

THERE WAS NO INDICATION
THAT SOMEONE LIKE THIS,

A SEEMINGLY NORMAL GUY
WITH A JOB,

WOULD GO COMPLETELY INSANE

AND ATTACK AND CANNIBALIZE
ANOTHER LIVING PERSON.

Narrator: MAY 26, 2012,
STARTED OUT AN ORDINARY DAY

FOR 31-YEAR-OLD RUDY EUGENE.

WHAT ARE YOU UP TO TODAY?

I'M GOING TO A MUSIC FESTIVAL
DOWN BY THE BEACH.

YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY COME WITH.
IT'S GONNA BE FUN.

IT'S NOT MY THING.
OH, COME ON.

STILL GOING
TO BIBLE STUDY LATER?

YEAH,
I GOT MY BOOK WITH ME,

SO I'M GONNA MEET UP
WITH A FRIEND BEFOREHAND,

AND THEN
I'LL CALL YOU AFTER.

I'LL SEE YOU LATER.
YOU BE GOOD.

YOU BE GOOD.

RUDY'S GIRLFRIEND
STILL CAN'T UNDERSTAND

WHAT DROVE HER BOYFRIEND TO BE
THE MONSTER HE BECAME THAT DAY.

I HAVE TO TALK TO YOU
ABOUT SOMETHING,

BUT I'M SURE
YOU WON'T UNDERSTAND.

WHAT ARE YOU
TALKING ABOUT?

I DON'T KNOW.

I'LL GIVE YOU A CALL LATER
AND EXPLAIN.

RUDY?

RUDY!

HIS FAMILY
WOULD NEVER SEE HIM AGAIN.

Mogk: HE TOOK HIS CAR.

HE PLANNED TO GO SPEND A DAY
ON THE BEACH.

APPARENTLY, HIS CAR BROKE DOWN.

HEY.

I'M JUST GIVING YOU A CALL
TO LET YOU KNOW

I'M GONNA BE REALLY LATE.

Narrator:
ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL REPORTS,

AFTER THE CALL AT 6:30 A.M.,

SOMETHING UNEXPLAINABLE
HAPPENED TO RUDY EUGENE.

SOMETHING HORRIBLE.

[ GROWLING ]

HOURS LATER, HE IS OBSERVED

CROSSING WEST
ON THE MacARTHUR CAUSEWAY.

Tallitsch: RUDY EUGENE
WAS WALKING ALONG THE HIGHWAY,

COMPLETELY INCOHERENT

AND UNAWARE
OF HIS OWN SURROUNDINGS.

HE WAS CONFUSED.

Narrator: AT SOME POINT, THE
CONFUSION TURNED TO NAKED RAGE.

[ GROWLING ]

ON AN EXIT RAMP,
65-YEAR-OLD RONALD POPPO,

A HOMELESS MAN,
SAT PEACEFULLY IN THE SHADE.

POPPO HAD SURVIVED
ON THE STREETS FOR DECADES,

BUT NEVER FACED
ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
WAS SO HORRIFIC,

IT MAKES THE IDEA OF A ZOMBIE
SEEM UNDENIABLE.

HE TORE OFF HIS OWN CLOTHES
AND ATTACKED THIS HOMELESS MAN

AND CONTINUED TO EAT AT HIS FACE
LIKE A SNARLING, FERAL BEAST.

[ GROWLING ]

Narrator:
911 CALLS POURED IN.

MOTORISTS DRIVING BY WITNESS IT.

PEOPLE RIDING THEIR BIKES PAST.
THEY SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.

THEY CAN'T BELIEVE THEIR EYES.

[ GROWLING ]

18 MINUTES
INTO THE FACE-EATING ATTACK,

POLICE ARRIVED ON THE SCENE.

THEY ATTEMPTED
TO GET RUDY EUGENE

TO STOP EATING THE MAN,

AND ALL RUDY EUGENE DID
IS LOOK OVER AT THEM AND GROWL.

Man: HEY, GET OFF HIM!
[ GROWLING ]

[ GUNSHOT ]
THEY SHOT HIM ONCE.

DIDN'T EVEN STOP HIM.

THEY HAD TO SHOOT HIM
SEVERAL MORE TIMES,

AND FINALLY,
THEY WERE ABLE TO KILL HIM.

[ GUNSHOTS ]

Narrator:
THE MIAMI CAUSEWAY INCIDENT

WAS A SINGULAR MOMENT
IN FLORIDA.

PEOPLE IN MIAMI WERE AFRAID
THIS WAS THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

BECAUSE IT WAS
MAYBE SOME ZOMBIE VIRUS.

Narrator: A TOXICOLOGY REPORT
ON RUDY EUGENE

WOULDN'T COME OUT FOR A MONTH.

IN THE MEANTIME, FEARS ABOUT
A ZOMBIE VIRUS BEGAN TO SPREAD.

Mogk: THE ZOMBIE SICKNESS

IS REALLY JUST A VIRUS
WITH LEGS AND TEETH.

IT'S AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE
THAT'S BEING TRANSMITTED

THROUGH BLOOD
OR INFECTED BODILY FLUID

TURNING ONE PERSON
INTO A ZOMBIE,

AND THEN ANOTHER PERSON.

1 ZOMBIE EQUALS 10 ZOMBIES
EQUALS 10 MILLION ZOMBIES,

AND THAT'S REALLY
THE DANGER OF IT.

Narrator: FOR NOW,
THERE WAS ONLY ONE ZOMBIE CASE.

THAT WOULD CHANGE.

[ GROWLING ]

[ SCREAMS ]

MY BROTHER SEES HIM CHASING ME.

TRIES TO TACKLE HIM
AND TRIES TO STOP HIM.

Tony: IT JUST WASN'T, LIKE,
A REGULAR HUMAN BEING.

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE
HE WAS LIKE A ZOMBIE.

I REALLY FELT LIKE
I WASN'T GONNA MAKE IT.

LIKE, THIS WAS THE LAST NIGHT
I WAS GONNA HAVE.

[ SCREAMING ]

[ GROWLING ]

Narrator: IN SOUTH FLORIDA,
A SERIES OF NOTORIOUS ATTACKS

HAVE PUT THE BIZARRE IDEA
OF PREDATORY MAN-EATING ZOMBIES

FRONT AND CENTER.

Mogk: CANNIBALISM IS REALLY
THE ULTIMATE TABOO

IN ALMOST EVERY SOCIETY

THAT HAS EVER EXISTED
ON THE PLANET.

IT ALMOST FLIES IN THE FACE
OF HUMAN SURVIVAL INSTINCTS.

THIS NOTION
THAT YOU WOULD EAT SOMEONE ELSE

THAT IS JUST LIKE YOU.

PEOPLE JUST DO NOT DO IT.

Anchorman:
31-YEAR-OLD RUDY EUGENE CHEWED
OFF MOST OF HIS FACE.

Narrator: MAY 26, 2012.

NEWS OF A ZOMBIE IN MIAMI
SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

Anchorwoman: THE HORRIFIC ATTACK
ON THE MacARTHUR CAUSEWAY

LEFT SO MANY SHOCKED.

Narrator: THE RAMPAGE IN MIAMI
WAS SO VIOLENT,

MANY THOUGHT ITS SOURCE MUST BE

THE DANGEROUS SYNTHETIC
STREET DRUG KNOWN AS BATH SALTS.

WE SEE BATH SALT
PSYCHOTIC BREAKS

ACROSS THE UNITED STATES
AND THE WORLD,

AND OFTEN, IT INCLUDES
THE PERSON STRIPPING NAKED

AND RUNNING AROUND
AND DOING INSANE THINGS.

Narrator: THE RESULTS OF
RUDY EUGENE'S TOXICOLOGY REPORT

WERE A COMPLETE SURPRISE.

Mogk: THEY FOUND NO TRACE
OF BATH SALTS,

ONLY A SLIGHT TRACE
OF MARIJUANA,

WHICH WOULD NOT EXPLAIN
HIS PSYCHOTIC BREAK.

THERE'S NO EXPLANATION FOR IT,
AND TO THIS DAY,

IT'S NOT REALLY UNDERSTOOD
WHY THAT HAPPENED.

Narrator: AS TIME WENT ON,
EUGENE'S CASE WAS DISMISSED

AS AN UNEXPLAINED,
ISOLATED EVENT.

UNTIL RECENTLY.

AN HOUR NORTH OF DOWNTOWN MIAMI

SITS THE SMALL, COASTAL CITY
OF DELRAY BEACH.

SET BACK FROM SEASIDE RESORTS,

QUIET NEIGHBORHOODS,
AND GATED COMMUNITIES.

RECENTLY,
DELRAY BECAME GROUND ZERO

FOR ANOTHER FLESH-EATING FIEND.

BROTHER AND SISTER
TONY AND TANIA GREIN

GREW UP
IN THIS FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD.

THEY PLAYED SPORTS,
HAD GOOD GRADES,

AND LIVED
IN A SAFE, LOVING HOME.

Tony: WE LIVE AT THE END
OF A QUIET STREET

WITH LOTS OF FAMILY
AND FRIENDS AND, YOU KNOW,

NEIGHBORS THAT WE HAVE HERE
THAT ARE VERY FRIENDLY

AND ALWAYS OPEN,
AND IT'S JUST A QUIET PLACE.

Narrator: THAT ALL CHANGED
ON FEBRUARY 4, 2014.

IT STARTED OUT AS A TYPICAL
EVENING FOR THE GREIN FAMILY.

18-YEAR-OLD TONY
AND HIS YOUNGER SISTER, TANIA,

WERE AT HOME HELPING
THEIR FATHER WITH CHORES.

ME AND MY DAD WERE WORKING
ON A TRAILER IN THE BACK

DOING ELECTRICAL,

AND I WAS CUTTING OFF,
LIKE, A PIECE OF WRAPPER

TO GO TOSS AND THROW AWAY
IN THE GARBAGE,

AND THAT'S WHEN IT ALL STARTED.

Narrator:
AS SHE'S TAKING OUT THE TRASH,

TANIA WAS THE FIRST TO NOTICE

THE STRANGE FIGURE
HEADING UP THE STREET.

[ GROWLING ]

HE WAS NAKED,
AND HE WAS JOGGING.

HE WAS REALLY TALL,
VERY MUSCLED,

ALMOST LIKE A LINEBACKER
ON A FOOTBALL TEAM.

HE WAS JOGGING
WITH HIS EYES REALLY WIDE.

HE'S LOOKING DIRECTLY AT ME,
MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH ME,

AND THEN I WAS REALLY SCARED.

I WAS KIND OF TERRIFIED.

[ SCREAMING ]

THE NAKED MAN STARTED TO RUN
RIGHT TOWARDS ME.

Tony:
HE JUST STARTS RUNNING AT HER,

AND THAT'S WHEN
I START SCREAMING, "HEY, HEY!"

HE WAS MAKING MORE LIKE
GRUNT NOISES AND WEIRD SOUNDS.

HE'S GOING, LIKE --

[ PANTING ]

BREATHING HARD
AND KIND OF LIKE WEIRD SOUNDS.

[ GROWLING ]

I WAS SCARED, REALLY SCARED.

TONY TRIED TO STOP HIM.

WHEN I SAW HIM RUNNING
AT MY SISTER,

I THOUGHT
THAT I HAD TO STOP HIM.

I COULDN'T LET HIM
TOUCH MY SISTER.

AND SO, THAT'S WHEN I RAN AT HIM

AND TRIED EVERYTHING I COULD
TO STOP HIM.

[ GROWLING ]

AND I HIT HIM
WITH, LIKE, MY WHOLE BODY.

[ GROWLING ]

AND WITHIN A SECOND,
LIKE WITHIN AN INSTANT,

HE WAS ALREADY ON TOP OF ME.

[ SCREAMS ]

[ GROWLING ]

HE'S SITTING THERE BITING
AND CHOKING ME

LIKE HE REALLY WANTS TO KILL ME.

YOU'RE NOT GONNA TALK A ZOMBIE
OUT OF WANTING TO EAT YOU.

YOU'RE NOT GONNA THREATEN IT
WITH VIOLENCE OR PAY IT OFF

OR SAY, "HEY, ZOMBIE,
EAT MY FRIEND INSTEAD OF ME."

THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO
TO GET THE ZOMBIE TO STOP

OTHER THAN KILLING IT.

Tony: THE WAY HE WAS ACTING
WAS LIKE A ZOMBIE.

BIZARRE AND SCARY.

HELP!

[ GROWLING ]

Narrator:
IN FLORIDA IN 2012,

A NOTORIOUS,
FLESH-EATING ATTACK.

RUMORS CIRCULATED
ABOUT A ZOMBIE VIRUS.

THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL
DISMISSED THE FEARS,

URGING CALM.

THEN ON FEBRUARY 4, 2014,
IN DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA,

18-YEAR-OLD TONY GREIN
AND HIS YOUNGER SISTER, TANIA,

WERE TAKING OUT THE TRASH.

AT THE END OF THEIR DRIVEWAY,

WHEN THEY PASSED THROUGH
THE AUTOMATIC GATE,

ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE.

[ GROWLING ]

[ SCREAMS ]

I'M PANICKED.
I'M TRYING TO SAVE MY SISTER.

[ GROWLING ]

AT FIRST, I THOUGHT HE WAS
GOING TO BITE ME AND JUST LEAVE,

BUT HE'S SITTING THERE
BITING AND CHOKING ME

LIKE HE REALLY WANTS TO --
TO KILL ME.

BECAUSE OF HIS STRENGTH,
THE WAY HE ACTED,

HIS GRUNTING, HIS NOISES.

IT JUST WASN'T, LIKE,
A REGULAR HUMAN BEING.

Narrator:
TONY HAD NEARLY GIVEN UP HOPE

WHEN HE REMEMBERED THE
BOX CUTTER HE WAS USING EARLIER.

HELP!

GRAB MY BOX CUTTER,
AND I JUST STARTED STABBING HIM

IN THE FACE THREE OR FOUR TIMES.

WHEN I STABBED HIM,
HE DIDN'T FLINCH.

HE DIDN'T FEEL IT.
IT DIDN'T FAZE HIM.

IT WAS ALMOST
AS IF HE WAS INVINCIBLE.

[ GROWLING ]

I CAN'T DO ANYTHING
BUT STAB HIM,

AND THAT'S NOT EVEN WORKING,
SO, LIKE, I'M NOT GONNA MAKE IT.

THIS ISN'T GONNA WORK.

Narrator:
SUDDENLY, THE AUTOMATIC GATE,

SET TO A TIMER, BEGAN TO CLOSE.

IT PINS ME,
AND IT PUSHES THE GUY OFF OF ME,

SO THEN I'M PINNED.
I CAN'T FIGHT.

I CAN'T DO ANYTHING.

HE'S GONNA GET ME FOR SURE,

AND I STARTED SCREAMING
FOR HELP.

DAD!

Mario: ALL OF A SUDDEN,
MY DAUGHTER CAME RUNNING,

SCREAMING THAT THERE'S
A NAKED MAN IN THE FRONT YARD

TRYING TO RAPE HER AND STUFF.

WHEN I RAN
TO THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY,

AND I SAW
HE WAS ATTACKING MY SON

AND BITING HIM IN THE FACE.

I DIDN'T KNOW
IF IT WAS REAL OR A NIGHTMARE.

TONY!

I REALLY WANTED TO BACK OFF
AND RUN, BUT I COULDN'T.

I HAD TO PROTECT MY SON.

[ GROWLING ]

SO, I PUNCHED THE MAN.

I PUNCHED HIM IN THE FACE,
BUT IT DIDN'T SEEM TO FAZE HIM.

HITS HIM, JUST ONE GOOD PUNCH,
AND I GUESS, LIKE, THE GUY --

HE DIDN'T REALLY REGISTER IT.

HIS EYES WERE SORT OF --
IT LOOKED LIKE IN A TRANCE.

Narrator: THE ZOMBIE BACKED OFF
AND MYSTERIOUSLY CHANGED COURSE.

I WAS DUMBFOUNDED
IN THE BEGINNING.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO,
BUT THEN I SAID,

"I BETTER FOLLOW HIM
TO FIND OUT WHERE HE GOES.

I GOT TO KEEP AFTER HIM
SO HE DOESN'T GET AWAY."

AND IN THE MEANTIME,

I WAS RUNNING
AS FAST AS I POSSIBLY COULD.

I'M COMPLETELY OUT OF BREATH.

Narrator: BUT THE ZOMBIE MAN
SEEMED TO HAVE

SUPERHUMAN SPEED AND STAMINA.

BY THE TIME MARIO CAUGHT UP
TO HIS SON'S ATTACKER,

THE POLICE HAD HIM CORNERED.

GET ON THE GROUND!
GET ON THE GROUND NOW!

IT WAS A FRANTIC FACE-OFF.

GET ON THE GROUND NOW!

Man:
GET ON THE GROUND!

Mario: AND THEN I HEARD
THE POLICE YELLING,

"GET DOWN, GET DOWN, GET DOWN!"

AND THEN I HEARD THE GUNSHOTS,
BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG.

I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVED
THAT HE WOULD HAVE ATTACKED

AT LEAST 20 MORE PEOPLE.

IT DID NOT APPEAR
THAT HE WAS READY TO STOP.

Narrator: LIKE THE MacARTHUR
CAUSEWAY CANNIBAL,

AN AUTOPSY PERFORMED
ON THE DELRAY ATTACKER,

ANESSON JOSEPH,

FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF DRUGS
OR OTHER SUBSTANCES

TO EXPLAIN HIS VIOLENT BEHAVIOR.

Mario: THE ATTACKER WAS
MUCH BIGGER THAN MY SON, TONY,

AND WHY HE CHOSE TO BITE HIM
IN THE FACE AND BITE HIM --

BITE HIM IN THE EAR,
I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND.

THERE'S A LOT
OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

IN WHAT REALLY WENT DOWN.

[ GROWLING ]

Mogk: THE NOTION THAT THERE
COULD BE A DISEASE OUT THERE,

THERE COULD BE AN INFECTION,

THERE COULD BE SOMEONE
THAT TURNS YOUR LOVED ONES,

THAT TURNS YOUR NEIGHBORS
INTO RAVING MANIACS,

THEN WANT TO ATTACK AND KILL YOU

AND TURN YOU INTO ONE OF IT,
THAT FREAKS ME OUT.

THAT KEEPS ME AWAKE AT NIGHT.

AND SO I FIGURED, HEY,
I'LL OVERCOME MY FEAR, RIGHT?

FACE YOUR FEAR AND OVERCOME IT.

UNFORTUNATELY,
THAT WAS TEN YEARS AGO,

AND I'M MORE AFRAID OF ZOMBIES
THAN I EVER HAVE BEEN.

[ GROWLING ]

Narrator:
IN NORTHWEST MISSOURI

SITS THE SMALL TOWN
OF KIRKSVILLE.

AN AFFABLE COLLEGE TOWN

WITH TREE-LINED STREETS
AND A DOWNTOWN SQUARE.

KIRKSVILLE IS SENSIBLE AND SAFE,

A PLACE TO PUT DOWN ROOTS,
RAISE A FAMILY.

ALL THIS MIGHT BE AT RISK.

NOW THAT SOMETHING WICKED HAS
MADE ITS WAY TO KIRKSVILLE --

AN OLD WOODEN BOX
HOLDING A VERY DARK SECRET.

SO, WHERE'D THIS THING
COME FROM, ANYWAY?

I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK IT CAME
FROM SOMEWHERE OVERSEAS.

ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED IS,

PUTTING MY HANDS
ON THE DYBBUK BOX, IT FELT,

WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED,
AS IF IT JUST TURNED TO LIQUID.

Man: I DO BELIEVE
THAT THE DYBBUK BOX,

FOR WHATEVER REASON,
I THINK IT CAME AFTER ME,

AND I JUST HOPE ITS LESSON
IS OVER

BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A --
IT'S BEEN A REALLY TOUGH ONE.

THE DYBBUK IS
A VERY POWERFUL DEMON,

AND THEY DO CAUSE TROUBLE
IF THEY'RE UNLEASHED.

Narrator: THE OLD WOODEN BOX
THAT ARRIVED IN KIRKSVILLE IS,

BY MANY ACCOUNTS, THE DWELLING
PLACE OF A VERY UNUSUAL MONSTER.

IN ANCIENT JEWISH MYTHOLOGY,
A DYBBUK IS A DEMONIC SPIRIT,

A LOST SOUL OF THE DEAD,

ONE CAPABLE OF POSSESSING
AND TORMENTING A LIVING PERSON.

A DYBBUK MIGHT EVEN BE
CONJURED FORTH AS A WEAPON,

SUMMONED BY THOSE SO DESPERATE,

THEY RISK CALLING FORTH
A MONSTER, EVIL TO FIGHT EVIL.

LYING IN WAIT TILL NEEDED,

A DYBBUK MIGHT TAKE UP RESIDENCE
IN AN ORDINARY OBJECT

LIKE AN OLD BOX.

JASON HAXTON IS THE DIRECTOR
OF A UNIVERSITY MEDICAL MUSEUM

AND AN AVID COLLECTOR
OF ANTIQUES.

IN 2004, HE HEARD ABOUT
A MYSTERIOUS JEWISH ARTIFACT

AND KNEW HE WANTED IT
FOR HIS COLLECTION.

I HAD FIRST LEARNED
OF THE DYBBUK BOX AT WORK

FROM MY STAFF MEMBER,

AND I BECAME CURIOUS AS TO,
WHAT WAS THIS,

AND WHAT WAS ITS HISTORY?

Narrator:
HAD HE KNOWN THE TRUE HORROR

THE BOX WOULD INFLICT
ON HIS FAMILY,

HE MIGHT HAVE RESISTED ITS PULL.

I PURCHASED THE DYBBUK BOX

AND HAD IT DELIVERED
TO MY WORK AT THE MUSEUM.

IT'S CERTAINLY OLD.

YES, IT IS.

Narrator: IT APPEARS TO BE
A SIMPLE WOODEN BOX

FOR STORING WINE.

ITS OBVIOUS AGE
AND CURIOUS CONTENTS

MADE IT ATTRACTIVE
AS A COLLECTIBLE.

BUT BUYER BEWARE.

Jason:
WHEN I WAS EXPLORING IT,

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS
I NOTICED IS,

PUTTING MY HANDS
ON THE DYBBUK BOX,

IT FELT AS IF SOMEBODY HAD JUST
TAKEN A KNIFE INTO ME

AND JUST KIND OF STARTED
RIPPING IT UP THROUGH MY CHEST.

[ GRUNTS ]
AAH!

Narrator:
JASON'S SON, ROSS, REMEMBERS

HIS FATHER'S INITIAL ENCOUNTER
WITH THE BOX.

YOU OKAY?

YEAH.

WHEN HE PUT HIS HANDS ON IT,
HE FELT PAIN.

HE HAD THE TASTE OF METAL
IN HIS MOUTH

THAT HE COULDN'T SEEM
TO GET OUT,

AND HE WAS PRETTY FREAKED OUT.

ARE YOU OKAY?
[ GRUNTS ]

YEAH, ROSS, I'M FINE.
I'M GOOD.

AND IT MADE ME SO SICK
THAT, LITERALLY,

I JUST HAD TO PUT IT AWAY
AND GO HOME.

WE'LL -- WE'LL PICK IT UP
TOMORROW.

AND THAT'S WHEN I STARTED
WORRYING ABOUT THIS ARTIFACT

THAT MAYBE
I'D PURCHASED SOMETHING

AND BROUGHT SOMETHING INTO
MY LIFE THAT I SHOULDN'T HAVE.

Narrator: FOR JASON,
TALES OF THE DYBBUK SPIRIT

WERE ONLY THE STUFF OF FOLKLORE.

NOW HE WASN'T SO SURE.

HIS CO-WORKERS AT THE MUSEUM
WEREN'T SO CERTAIN, EITHER.

WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED
TO YOU?

JASON, WE GOT TO TALK
ABOUT THIS BOX.

Jason: THERE WAS THESE
SUDDEN ACCIDENTS,

UNUSUAL SITUATIONS OF DEATH
AND HORRIBLE INJURIES,

AND THE STAFF ITSELF BECAME
VERY LISTLESS,

VERY DEPLETED OF ENERGY.

WE ALL WANT IT TO GO.
IT'S JUST GOT TO GO.

Ross: HE WAS IN FEAR
FOR HIS CO-WORKERS,

AND HE WAS IN FEAR FOR HIS JOB.

I'LL DEAL WITH IT.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

Narrator:
SO JASON DID THE ONE THING

HE'D NEVER RATIONALLY DO.

I HAD TO
TAKE THE DYBBUK BOX HOME

BECAUSE THERE WAS NO OTHER PLACE
IN MY MIND TO HAVE IT,

AND IT WAS A BAD CHOICE,
PERHAPS,

BUT NOTHING BAD WOULD HAPPEN.

THE STRANGE OCCURRENCES
THAT HAPPENED TO HIM

STARTED HAPPENING TO US, TOO.

[ ELECTRICITY BUZZES ]

Narrator: A DYBBUK IS
AN ANCIENT JEWISH MONSTER

CALLED INTO THE WORLD
TO DO ONE THING --

SEEK REVENGE.

IN 2004, JASON HAXTON,

A MUSEUM DIRECTOR
IN KIRKSVILLE, MISSOURI,

BOUGHT A WINE CABINET ONLINE.

HE SOON BECAME CONVINCED
THE BOX WAS HARBORING A DYBBUK.

[ GRUNTS ]

ONE DAY, MY DAD WAS HOME
WITH THE DYBBUK BOX,

AND AS SOON AS HE BRINGS IT
INTO THE HOUSE,

STRANGE THINGS START TO HAPPEN.

[ RATTLING ]

[ CRASH ]

Jason: ROSS!
COME ON DOWN FOR DINNER!

[ ELECTRICITY BUZZES ]

Ross: WE HAD STRANGE SMELLS
START TO PERVADE OUR HOUSE.

THE HORRIBLE SMELL OF CAT PISS

FOLLOWED BY THE SMELL
OF JASMINE FLOWERS

WOULD JUST SUDDENLY PERVADE
A WHOLE AREA

AND THEN COMPLETELY GO AWAY.

WE HAD NO REAL EXPLANATION
FOR THIS.

HEY.
DAD?

WHY IS THAT BOX THERE?

IT'LL BE OKAY.
JUST GO WASH UP.

WE'D HAVE STRANGE
PHYSICAL OCCURRENCES

LIKE LIGHT BULBS
JUST BURNING OUT ALL AT ONCE.

STRANGE APPARITIONS.

BLACK FIRE WOULD APPEAR AROUND
AREAS THAT WERE NEAR TO THE BOX,

AND IT WOULD BURN IN THE AIR.

Woman:
JUST WISH IT WASN'T HERE.

Jason: LOOK,
THE GUYS WERE A LITTLE UPSET.

I DIDN'T HAVE
A LOT OF OPTIONS.

TODAY WAS --
TODAY IT HAD TO GO.

WELL,
IF THE GUYS WERE UPSET --

LOOK,
IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY.

I WAS THE ONE
THAT BOUGHT IT.

I WAS THE ONE THAT BROUGHT IT
HERE, SO I FELT OBLIGATED.

MY DAD TRIED TO EXPLAIN THIS
UNNATURAL PHENOMENA INITIALLY,

BUT THERE WAS NO EXPLAINING
SOME OF THIS STUFF.

[ ELECTRICITY BUZZES ]

Narrator: AT FIRST,
THE FAMILY WAS MERELY SPOOKED.

THEN THE REAL TERROR SET IN.

JASON'S PHYSICAL HEALTH
DETERIORATED...

...AT AN ALARMING RATE.

OW.

HEY, BABE, CAN YOU LOOK
AT MY SHOULDER?

I THINK
THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT.

[ GASPS ]

[ PANTING ]

HEY, WHAT'S WRONG?

MY EYES.

IT'S OKAY.

NO, IT'S LIKE SOMETHING
SCRATCHED MY EYES.

I WOKE UP, AND IT WAS AS IF
SOMEBODY CLAWED AT MY EYES,

AND THEY WERE ALL BLOODY.

THEY'RE REALLY RED.

MY WIFE NOTICED IT FIRST.

SHE SAID,
"SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH YOU,"

AND I LOOKED IN THE MIRROR.

IT REALLY WAS QUITE SEVERE.

OH, MY GOD.
LOOK AT MY EYES.

I WENT TO SEE
TWO DIFFERENT EYE DOCTORS,

AND BOTH SAID THAT MY EYES
JUST SPONTANEOUSLY DRIED UP.

I WAS, LIKE,
"WELL, HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?"

IT'S, LIKE,
THERE'S NO EXPLANATION,

BUT THAT'S WHAT'S CAUSING
NOW YOUR BLEEDING IS

THE FACT THAT SOMETHING
HAS HAPPENED TO YOU PHYSICALLY.

AND YOU WILL PROBABLY
HAVE THIS THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

Narrator: JASON BEGAN TO SUSPECT
SOME SUBSTANCE ON THE BOX

WAS SICKENING HIM.

YOUR SHOULDER.

Jason: MAYBE I'D PICKED UP
SOMETHING LIKE TUBERCULOSIS

OR POISONED MYSELF
BY TOUCHING THIS THING.

MAYBE THERE'S CYANIDE ON IT
OR ANTHRAX OR WHO KNOWS WHAT.

THE MUSEUM DIRECTOR ORDERED
DIAGNOSTIC TESTS ON THE WOOD.

ALL THE TESTS CAME BACK CLEAN.

Jason: IT'S NOT A PATH
I WANTED TO GO DOWN,

BUT I FELT THAT HAVING NOW
EXPLORED THE SCIENTIFIC REALM,

IT HAD TO BE
MAYBE SOMETHING SPIRITUAL.

I THINK MY BREAKING POINT
WITH THE BOX

WAS WHEN I FIRST VENTURED DOWN
TO THE BASEMENT IN OUR HOUSE.

WE'D HAD THE BOX DOWN THERE,

'CAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT ELSE TO DO WITH IT.

WHEN I DESCENDED THE STEPS,
TURNED ON THE LIGHT,

I SEE ALL THESE LITTLE INSECTS
JUST GATHERED AROUND THE BOX.

AND THEY SEEMED
TO BE BASKING IN IT.

I THOUGHT IT WAS THE SCARIEST
THING I'D EVER SEEN.

Narrator:
WITH ALL THIS TURMOIL,

JASON NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND
THE BOX, AND QUICKLY.

HE DUG INTO THE PAST

AND UNCOVERED
ITS REMARKABLE HISTORY.

IN THE LATE 1930s
IN PRE-WAR POLAND,

HITLER'S PLAN
FOR WORLD DOMINATION

WAS GETTING UNDER WAY.

NAZI SYMPATHIZERS TERRORIZED
JEWS AND OTHER MINORITIES.

A SMALL GROUP OF JEWISH WOMEN
TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO ACT.

IN TRYING TO --
TO PROTECT THEMSELVES

FROM ALL THE EVILS
OF THE HOLOCAUST,

THEY CONTACTED
THE SPIRITUAL WORLD

AND CREATED THIS BOX
TO TRAP THIS ENTITY.

Narrator:
THEY ATTEMPTED TO SUMMON
A DYBBUK TO FIGHT FOR THEM...

WE HAVE TO STAY.
WE'RE DOING THIS.

...PITTING EVIL AGAINST EVIL.

[ CHANTING ]

THEY WERE SO DESPERATE,

THEY RISKED UNLEASHING
A MALICIOUS MONSTER SO POWERFUL,

IT COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED.

[ CHANTING CONTINUES ]

[ RATTLING ]

[ DOORS SLAM ]

JASON NOW UNDERSTOOD
THE BOX'S ORIGINS,

WHAT THE DYBBUK WAS MEANT TO DO.

BUT WHY KIRKSVILLE?

HOW DID IT COME TO RESIDE
WITH HIM?

IF THIS WAS A BOX
THAT WAS PRAYED

TO UNDERSTAND THE HOLOCAUST,

IT MADE NO SENSE TO ME

WHY IT WOULD BE
IN KIRKSVILLE, MISSOURI,

AN AREA THAT IS SO REMOVED
FROM WORLD WAR II

AND THE HOLOCAUST.

Narrator: WHAT HE UNEARTHED
WAS ASTONISHING.

I BELIEVE THAT KIRKSVILLE
IS GROUND ZERO FOR THE HOLOCAUST

BECAUSE OF A KIRKSVILLE RESIDENT
NAMED HARRY HAMILTON LAUGHLIN.

Narrator: IN THE 1920s,
HARRY LAUGHLIN, A BIOLOGIST

EDUCATED
IN KIRKSVILLE, MISSOURI,

DEVELOPED A PLAN
FOR COMPULSORY STERILIZATION --

A SCHEME TO USE
THE NEW SCIENCE OF GENETICS

TO WEED OUT
SO-CALLED "UNDESIRABLES."

IMMIGRANTS, THE HOMELESS,
THE BLIND, AND THE DEAF.

LAUGHLIN'S DANGEROUS IDEAS FOUND
FERTILE SOIL IN NAZI GERMANY,

TAKING ROOT AMONG HITLER'S
RADICAL EXTERMINATION PRACTICES.

LAUGHLIN HIMSELF DIED IN
OBSCURITY BURIED IN KIRKSVILLE.

A FOOTNOTE IN THE GENOCIDE
HE HELPED SPAWN.

Jason: HE WAS BURIED IN A GRAVE
AND FORGOTTEN,

MEANING THAT THE TRUTH OF WHAT
HE DID WOULD NEVER BE OUT THERE.

Narrator: COULD THE DYBBUK
HAVE TRACKED THIS HOLOCAUST EVIL

AND FOLLOWED LAUGHLIN
TO KIRKSVILLE?

UNFORTUNATELY,
IT WAS JASON HAXTON

WHO HAD THE DYBBUK ON HIS HANDS.

PERHAPS BURYING THE BOX
WOULD PUT THINGS TO REST.

Jason:
COULD IT BE A COINCIDENCE,

ON THE DAY THAT WE PUT IT
IN THE GROUND,

THE GROUND OPENS UP?

IT MADE NO SENSE.

WE BURIED THE BOX.

IT WAS OUT TO BURY US.

Narrator:
KIRKSVILLE, MISSOURI.

AFTER THE HAXTON FAMILY
TOOK OWNERSHIP

OF AN ANTIQUE HEBREW ARTIFACT,
ALL MANNER OF MISERY ENSUED --

THE PENALTY FOR POSSESSING
THE DYBBUK BOX.

JASON HAXTON CONSULTED A RABBI
WHO TOLD HIM THAT,

TO MAKE THE BOX INERT,

HE MUST LAY IT TO REST
IN A RITUAL WAY.

IT WOULDN'T DESTROY IT
OR GET RID OF IT.

IT WOULD JUST CONTAIN IT.

Narrator:
BURYING IT NEAR THE HOUSE,

JASON THOUGHT HE'D PUT AN END
TO MONTHS OF MISFORTUNE.

THE NEXT DAY, THE WHOLE FAMILY
FELT A SENSE OF RELIEF,

ONLY IT WAS WAY TOO EARLY
FOR THAT.

MY MOTHER WAS TAKING OUT
FOOD SCRAPS

FROM THE KITCHEN
TO GIVE TO THE ANIMALS,

AND SHE WAS WALKING ACROSS
OUR BACKYARD.

OUT IN THE YARD, THE DYBBUK
HAD MOVED ROCK AND EARTH

TO LAY A LETHAL TRAP.

Ross:
IT WAS A HUGE, HUGE SINKHOLE

THAT JUST ERUPTED
ESSENTIALLY OVERNIGHT,

AND IT ALMOST KILLED HER.

Jason: HAD SHE DEVIATED
JUST SIX INCHES,

IT'S LIKELY SHE WOULD HAVE
PLUNGED TO HER DEATH.

WE BURIED THE BOX.
IT WAS OUT TO BURY US.

Narrator:
WAS IT A COINCIDENCE?

THE HAXTONS COULD ONLY PRAY

THE DYBBUK
WOULD FINALLY SETTLE DOWN.

CURRENTLY, THE BOX IS HIDDEN
AWAY IN A UNDISCLOSED LOCATION.

I ACTUALLY HAVEN'T SEEN IT
IN OVER A YEAR.

Jason: IT'S IN AN ARK.
IT'S IN A MILITARY CASE.

2,000 YEARS FROM NOW,

IT WON'T BE ANY DIFFERENT
THAN WHEN IT WENT IN THE GROUND.

IT'S JUST BURIED.

WE'VE HAD NO MORE
FURTHER STRANGE HAPPENINGS

EVER SINCE IT HAS BEEN SEALED.

Jason:
I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING
THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND,

AND I DON'T WANT TO
PUT ANYBODY AT RISK.

Narrator:
IN NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA,

THE SHENANGO RIVER SNAKES
THROUGH SLOPING GRASSLANDS

AND WOODED HILLS.

TO GENERATIONS
OF PENNSYLVANIA FARMERS,

THIS WAS
A BIT OF HEAVEN ON EARTH.

THEN A WRETCHED BEAST
MADE ITSELF KNOWN --

AN APPALLING MIXTURE
OF MUTT AND MAN.

Peters:
WHEN I HEARD THE HOWL,

I WAS SCARED BECAUSE
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.

IT ALMOST HAD A HUMAN VOICE
TO IT.

Narrator:
MERCER, PENNSYLVANIA --

A SMALL FARMING COMMUNITY
JUST EAST OF THE SHENANGO RIVER.

SISTERS MARGIE LYTLE
AND JANE PETERS GREW UP

ROAMING THE DIRT ROADS,
FREE AS THE BIRDS.

Woman: IT'S SAID THAT THE DOG
LIVES IN AN OLD FARMHOUSE

WITH A COVEN OF WITCHES.

BUT THERE WERE
OCCASIONAL WHISPERS

OF SOMETHING UNUSUAL, UNNATURAL,
SOMETHING THEIR PARENTS FEARED.

Lytle:
MY MOM WAS VERY SCARED.

I MEAN, SHE WAS VISIBLY SHAKEN,

AND SHE JUST COULDN'T
EMPHASIZE ENOUGH,

"BE IN THE YARD BEFORE DARK."

SHE SAYS,
"BE CAREFUL OF DOG BOY.

"SO, YOU KNOW, YOU COME HOME
IF YOU SEE IT OR HEAR IT.

YOU COME HOME."

Godfrey:
THE STORIES OF THE DOG BOY

DATE AT LEAST BACK TO THE 1950s,
THE EARLY 1950s,

BUT THEY MAY REACH BACK
EVEN FARTHER IN TIME

TO LEGENDS
BROUGHT WITH GERMAN SETTLERS.

Narrator: AFTER HEARING ABOUT
HER MOTHER'S FEAR

OF SOMETHING
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD,

JANE AND A FRIEND
LET THEIR CURIOSITY

GET THE BETTER OF THEM.

I WAS ABOUT 10 YEARS OLD,

AND I WANTED TO GO SEE
IF I COULD SEE THIS DOG BOY.

Narrator:
ACCORDING TO LOCAL LORE,

THE DOG BOY LIVED IN
AN ABANDONED FARMHOUSE NEARBY.

Seech: THE LEGEND WAS THAT
THERE WAS A COVEN OF WITCHES

THAT SUPPOSEDLY LIVED
IN THIS RED HOUSE,

AND THEY WOULD CALL UPON
THIS CREATURE

TO PROTECT THE GENERAL AREA
WHERE THEY LIVED.

YOU GIRLS PROMISE ME
YOU WILL NOT GO NEAR THAT HOUSE.

PROMISE ME.

PROMISE.

MY MOTHER WARNED ME
NOT TO GO DOWN TO THAT HOUSE,

BUT I DIDN'T LISTEN TO HER.

THAT'S THE HOUSE.

I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS.

SHOULD WE GO?

I'M NOT GOING.

COME ON, MARGIE.
DON'T YOU WANT TO SEE DOG BOY?

YOU GUYS
ARE GONNA GET IN TROUBLE.

I'M GOING HOME.

Peters:
WE WERE COMING DOWN THE ROAD,

AND JUST AS WE LOOKED OVER
AT THE HOUSE,

AND THIS...DOG BOY

WAS SITTING ABOUT TEN FEET
FROM THE HOUSE.

[ GROWLS ]

[ GASPS ]

AND WHEN WE SAW HIM,
HE SAW US, TOO.

AND HE HAD DARK HAIR
ALL OVER HIS FACE,

ALL OVER HIS BODY.

THREE TO FOUR FEET TALL,

AND HE HAD A BLUE SHIRT
AND A PAIR OF BLUE SHORTS ON.

HE WAS COMPLETELY COVERED
IN DARK HAIR.

THAT'S THE DOG BOY.

YOU REALLY COULDN'T TELL
WHAT HE WAS.

I MEAN,
IT WAS LIKE HE WAS A HUMAN,

BUT HE HAD HAIR ALL OVER HIM,
BUT YET, HE RESEMBLED A DOG.

AND WHEN HE RUN, HE'D RUN
LIKE HE WAS GONNA TRY TO HIDE,

KIND OF HUNCHED OVER,
AND HE WAS -- HE WAS FAST.

I MEAN,
HE WAS RIGHT BEHIND THAT HOUSE

BEFORE WE COULD EVEN BLINK
AN EYE.

[ SCREAMS ]

Narrator: THE GIRLS HAD LAID
EYES ON THE LEGENDARY DOG BOY.

[ GROWLING ]

[ SCREAMING ]

THEIR PATHS WOULD CROSS AGAIN.

AND THAT HAND CAME AROUND.

IT'S NOT A BOY.
IT'S NOT A DOG.

IT'S BOTH.

IT'S BOTH.

[ GROWLING ]

Narrator:
IN NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA

IN THE SHENANGO RIVER VALLEY,

LEGENDS PERSIST
ABOUT A CANINE/HUMAN HYBRID.

SOME SUGGEST IT MIGHT BE THE
PRODUCT OF EUROPEAN FOLK MAGIC.

THE LEGEND OF THE WEREWOLF
IN MANY EUROPEAN COUNTRIES,

ESPECIALLY GERMANY,

WAS THAT THIS WAS SOME SORT
OF SHAPESHIFTER.

USUALLY THEY HAD TO MAKE A PACT
WITH THE DEVIL,

AND IT WAS CONSIDERED
A SORT OF SORCERY

OR WITCHCRAFT TO DO THIS.

Narrator: IN 1955, MARGIE LYTLE
AND HER SISTER, JANE,

WOULD FIND THEMSELVES
FACE TO FACE

WITH A NEIGHBORHOOD LEGEND...

[ GROWLING ]
[ SCREAMING ]

...DOG BOY.

A FEW NIGHTS LATER,

THE SISTERS
AND SOME OF THEIR FRIENDS

WERE ON A LONG WALK

UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE
OF THEIR MOTHER.

MY MOM WAS THE NEIGHBORHOOD MOM.

THE KIDS WOULD COME THERE,
AND THEY ALWAYS FELT WELCOME,

AND SHE WOULD TAKE US
ON THESE WALKS IN THE EVENING.

AND I THINK
IT WAS ONE WAY OF MY MOM KNOWING

WHERE ALL OF US WERE,

AND US KIDS
AND MY BROTHER AND SISTER.

WE WERE WALKING PAST
THIS ONE FARMHOUSE,

AND MY MOM COMMENTED,

"I THINK THAT MIGHT BE
WHERE DOG BOY LIVES."

[ HOWLING ]

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE
A WOLF'S HOWL,

BUT ON THE END OF IT,
IT WAS LIKE A SCREECH.

THAT'S ODD.
IT WAS JUST ODD.

IT WAS SO HIGH-PITCHED,

THAT IT JUST SENT CHILLS
THROUGH MY BODY.

WE ALL LOOKED AT EACH OTHER
AND SAID, "WHAT WAS THAT?"

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS.

IT'S VERY TERRIFYING.

AND MY MOTHER SAID, "RUN."

WHEN I HEARD THE HOWL,
MY MOM SAID, "RUN."

WE JUST ALL STARTED RUNNING.

I WAS, YOU KNOW, QUITE SHORT,
SO I'M LAGGING BEHIND.

I LOOKED BACK BRIEFLY,
AND I SEE THIS CREATURE.

I TURNED BACK AROUND,
I CONTINUED RUNNING.

Narrator:
9-YEAR-OLD MARGIE IS NO MATCH

FOR THE CREATURE'S SPEED.

IN A MATTER OF SECONDS,
THE BEAST HAD CAUGHT HER.

UP ON HIS HIND LEG
AND GRABBED ME, GRABBED MY HAND.

I SCREAMED.
[ SCREAMS ]

AND THAT HAND CAME AROUND
LIKE -- ALMOST --

ALMOST LIKE CLOVEN,

AND I'M SCREAMING
AND TRYING TO SHAKE IT.

AND I COULDN'T SHAKE AWAY
FROM IT

BECAUSE IT WAS STRONGER
THAN I WAS.

IT'S GOT ME.
THIS IS IT.

THIS THING IS GOING TO
DRAG ME OFF SOMEWHERE,

AND I'M GONNA DIE.

[ GROWLING ]

THIS THING IS REAL.

IT DOES EXIST.

IT WANTS ME.
IT'S GOT ME.

[ SCREAMS ]

[ GROWLING ]

MY MOTHER GRABS MY OTHER ARM
AND YANKS ME.

LEAVE HER BE!

AT THAT MOMENT,
IT LOST ITS GRIP,

AND THEN IT RAN BACK
THE WAY IT CAME,

DOWN ON ALL FOURS.

WE RAN
UNTIL WE COULDN'T RUN ANYMORE.

IT'S VERY DESOLATE THERE.

NO HOUSES.
THERE'S NOTHING THERE.

IS THIS THING GONNA COME BACK?

IS IT GONNA TRY TO GET US AGAIN?

AND MY MOTHER SAID,
"STAY TOGETHER.

LET'S ALL STAY TOGETHER,
AND LET'S JUST GET HOME."

[ HOWLING ]

IT WAS ONE OF THE SCARIEST,
HORRIFYING EXPERIENCES

I'VE EVER HAD.

JUST ABSOLUTE FEAR, JUST FEAR.

Narrator:
EVEN SIX DECADES LATER,

CROSSING PATHS WITH THE DOG BOY

STILL HAUNTS AND TERRIFIES
THE SISTERS.

HALF BOY, HALF DOG,
I DON'T KNOW,

BUT HOW CAN THAT HAPPEN?

FOR YEARS, BECAUSE I HAD
SUCH INTENSE FEAR, I AVOIDED IT.

I DIDN'T GO THERE.
I DIDN'T GO ON THAT ROAD.

I DIDN'T GO NEAR IT
BECAUSE OF THE FEAR.

I CAN REMEMBER UP TO THIS DAY
AS TO WHAT I SAW.

NO, I'VE NEVER SEEN
NOTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE.

NEVER.

[ SCREAMS ]

I USED TO BE PRETTY FREE,
YOU KNOW,

AND GO IN THE WOODS AND PLAY.

ALL OF US KIDS DID.

EVEN SITTING HERE
TALKING ABOUT IT,

I CAN FEEL THAT APPREHENSION,

AND SOME OF THAT FEAR
IS STILL IN ME.

LEAVE HER BE!

IT'S STILL THERE,
AND IT PROBABLY ALWAYS WILL BE

'CAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW.

YOU JUST DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S OUT THERE.