- I don't know if I wanna do this. - Relax, Laine, it's fun.
First, the rules.
You can never, ever play alone.
You can never play in a graveyard. And you always have to say goodbye.
To start, you circle the board once for each player.
Then we say, "As friends we gather, hearts are true."
"As friends we gather, hearts are true."
"Spirits near, we call to you."
Is someone here with us?
Debbie, cut it out!
If a ghost is here, you can see them through the planchette.
It's the eye to the other side.
If someone is here with us, make yourself known.
What are you guys doing?
Get out of here, Sarah!
Calm down. It's only a game.
Goodbye.
- Laine, hey. - Deb. Where are you?
I'm here. I've been here.
It's just been a little rough this week.
You've gotta tell me what's been going on. And don't think you're bailing on me again.
- We're gonna be late for the game. - Ugh. Oh, yeah.
You know, I don't think I'm coming.
Oh, well. I'm not leaving until I get to talk to you.
Fine.
I'll be right out, just give me a sec.
What's going on?
- Are you sick? - No.
- Did you and Pete have a fight? - No, nothing like that.
Then what is it?
- Nothing. - Debbie, tell me.
I just don't wanna go out tonight.
No secrets between us, remember?
Remember that game we used to play, where you ask questions about the future?
- The Ouija board. - Yeah.
A couple of weeks ago, I played it.
Just messing around and...
I don't know. I don't know.
That is just a game.
You know you've always been like this, right?
- Like what? - Just a total and complete spaz.
You're right, I'm being crazy.
Look, I don't even have to go to the basketball game. We always lose.
- I'm just gonna come in with you... - No, don't.
I mean, my folks are gonna be home any minute,
and I'm just being dramatic, and everything is fine.
Are you sure you don't wanna come?
I have leftovers inside, I'm gonna rock it out,
but I will see you in the morning, that's for sure.
- Okay. Do you want me to order for you? - Mmm-hmm.
- Pancakes with the works? - Mmm-hmm.
Okay.
- I miss you. - I miss you already.
No.
Laine, hey. Sorry I'm late. I have a surprise for you.
Check this out.
Oh, you have a map.
Yep. This is the place I was telling you about.
It's up the coast, away from everyone.
- We can make camp right about here. - Yeah.
Hike down to the beach anytime we want.
It's the first time I'm hearing it as "we."
I want you to come with.
But I thought this was your big camping trip with the guys.
I know, but I started thinking about it and I realized I'd miss you too much.
Okay, so you're surfing all day. What do I do?
I'm gonna teach you. By the end of the week, you'll be one with the waves.
- It's gonna be awesome. - Oh, my God, no.
- I promise. Come on. - Mmm-mmm.
You can forget about the world for a while, leave it all behind.
I can't wait to see you run this past my dad.
I got that covered, too. Tell him it's the senior trip. Fully chaperoned.
- Good luck with that. - What? I can be persuasive.
- Really? - Yeah. I've been told this.
- By who? - You. Every day.
Okay, very cute. Break it up, you two.
- Hello. - Hey.
Hey, Iz. Little more bean juice.
Uh-huh.
Where's Debbie?
- Oh, I think she's running late. - Mmm.
So, what time are we hitting that party tonight?
- I think we're passing. - Yeah. We might watch a movie or something.
- No, come on, you guys can't. - Yeah.
Laine's making you bail on me.
You're a big girl, Iz. There's nothing wrong with flying solo.
Yeah, me showing up alone, that's not really a good look for me.
- Not everybody has, you know, this. - What's this?
Your perfect couple situation.
Look at her acting like she's not the one
who breaks up with every guy she goes out with.
I can't help it, I'm a picky bitch.
God!
What's up?
I gotta go. It's my dad.
Let me guess, your sister?
Yep. Causing chaos wherever she goes. I'm sorry, guys. Come on.
- What's going on? - I'm so sorry.
Nona wanted to be here for you. Laine, sit down. We need to talk.
I don't wanna sit down. Just tell me what's going on.
Laine, sit down.
I don't wanna sit down! Someone tell me what's going on!
It's about Debbie.
Nona, can I talk to you?
Uh-huh.
I don't think I can go in.
This doesn't seem real. She should still be here.
She's still here.
She's right here.
Here.
I just don't understand.
None of us can.
She told me that she'd see us the next morning.
Why would she say that if she was going to...
We'll never know.
I wish she would have talked to us about whatever it was.
I know what the police say, but I can't believe she'd ever...
And that Carol found her like that, it's just horrible.
They're packed and coming to stay with me.
Can't be in this house another night.
Pete.
Laine.
- I'm so sorry. - I'm sorry, too.
I brought flowers.
Debbie liked this kind.
They're really pretty. Do you want me to put them in some water?
No. I'll find her mom.
I should give them to her.
Laine.
- You were everything to her. - Mrs. G.
I'm sorry. I just...
I just wanted to be in her room.
It's okay.
The hours you two spent in here.
Hmm.
And by fifth grade, you'd picked out your college.
She used to draw pictures of...
of what our dorms would look like.
Everything was purple.
Yeah, I remember that.
Her purple phase.
Thank you for watching the house while we're gone.
I don't know when we'll be back.
Here.
I put these things together for you.
She'd want you to have them.
Always remember her.
No, that's it, that's the one. Look!
Let me see your bootyshake!
See? It's good!
Ladies, I need you to keep it down in there.
We do have other customers.
We were a lot cooler than we're making this seem.
Right. Pete says, "How are you gonna dance?"
- Look at my girls! - I'm glad I have it now!
- Oh, my God, I need to see you. - I'm gonna cry!
- Aw, my girls! Look at you! - Jeez.
- You need to pull that up a little. - Booty-tooch.
- Oh, I'm sorry. - Oh, my God!
Why are you always pulling up my dress?
Whether or not you have any sort of affection inside of you
that you want to give to your boyfriend...
- You don't think I have any affection? - I mean, right now, I don't know.
You're gonna love me for doing that.
Mmm, why?
Really, Sarah?
After everything that happened today, you have to do this?
- Do what? - Sneak out.
Make things so hard, all the time.
Look, I just wanna get out of here and forget this shitty day, all right?
Oh, I'm sorry, but you're not going anywhere.
Mom is not around. She hasn't been for a while.
And you don't need to be her, okay?
It's not your job to hover over me all the time.
I wish I didn't have to.
Well, then just don't care so much. It's way easier.
- Okay, Dad, here's your flight confirmation. - Ah...
Once the permits get approved, I'll be back.
- It might be a few days, though. Okay? - Okay.
Nona knows I'm leaving, so call her if you need anything.
Yeah, I got it covered, Dad. Don't worry. Bye.
Have a safe trip.
I'll text you when I get there.
We have class in a half hour. How long is this gonna take?
Um, Mrs. G just wants me to check a few things. So, two minutes.
Sure.
Oh, and can you go around back and check the pool cover?
Yeah, I got it.
Hello?
- Hey. - Oh, my God.
It's me. Are you ready to go?
I didn't even hear you come up.
What is that?
Just something Debbie and I used to do ages ago.
- It was a joke, right? - We pretended it was real.
We asked it questions like, "Do I have a secret admirer?"
"Will we be friends forever?"
Things like that.
And one of you was just pushing it?
Yes.
I didn't know she had one.
I have so many questions.
If I had just stayed. I was right here. If I hadn't have left her, you know...
Laine,
it's not your fault.
You just don't know when it's gonna be the last time you get to talk to someone.
I never even got to say goodbye.
I know.
Pete.
- Hey. - Hey.
Can you talk?
Yeah, sure.
Okay.
I haven't gotten a chance to check in with you yet.
Are you doing okay?
I guess.
I can't bring myself to erase her voicemails.
I keep listening to them and it's like she's here, you know?
Leaving me messages, making plans.
Before Debbie died,
did you notice anything going on with her?
Like what?
Acting different.
Yeah, she seemed worried about something.
Did she ever say what it was?
It just kind of started out of nowhere.
I didn't know what was going on. I'd text her, she'd blow me off.
I thought maybe she wanted to break up with me or something.
A few days ago, I went to her house to try to talk to her.
- She didn't even want me to come inside. - She did the same thing with me.
- Why are you asking me all this? - I guess I'm just not ready to let her go.
Neither am I.
I don't know. When I'm in the house, it just feels strange.
- You miss Debbie. We all do. - No, this is different.
I can't explain it. It's like she's there.
Laine, listen. Everyone's still in shock, okay?
But those things you were telling me the other day about feeling guilty,
you don't have to keep doing this to yourself.
Do you ever feel like even after someone you love has died,
there's still a way you can talk to them?
But you can't do that. She's gone.
The board. Isn't that what you're supposed to do with it?
Yesterday, you said it was just a game.
If we play the game and nothing happens, then I'll never bring it up again.
But I really wanna try, so will you guys just do this with me?
Sarah?
I'm heading out. I'll be an hour.
Sarah!
- Yeah? - I'm going out. I'll be back in a bit.
Hour. Yeah, cool. Got it.
Hey! Get out of here!
What the hell, Laine?
For a minute there, I actually had a little faith in you.
- We hang out. What's wrong with that? - What's wrong with that is that you're a kid
and that guy is too old for you!
All right. Since you can't be left alone, you're coming with me.
- I'm not going anywhere. - Get your stuff. I'll be in the car.
I don't wanna be in this house. It feels wrong.
Look, this is where Debbie died.
We have to play here.
It's okay.
We're all together.
So, where are we gonna do this?
In there.
I'm gonna go and get the board.
How are you even supposed to talk to someone using a board game?
I mean, like, "Yo, can you hear me?
"Signal's real bad. I only got, like, one bar in here."
Your sister wants to do this. So, just zip it and go along.
Hmm.
- Oh, my God! - Jesus!
- Pete. - It's okay.
It's just me. I heard you come in through the front.
What the hell are you doing, man?
I have a spare key for the back. I come in that way all the time.
- So, let's play. - Wait.
There's a few rules first.
Like, you're never supposed to play in a graveyard,
never play alone, and always say goodbye.
Can we just do this?
I don't even think I believe in these things,
but I still don't wanna touch it.
Come on. They sell them in toy stores.
Circle the board, once for each of us.
And then you say these words.
"As friends we've gathered, hearts are true.
"Spirits near, we call to you."
If there's a presence here, please make yourself known.
Is there a presence here among us?
This is a joke.
Come on, you guys. Who's doing that?
- Sarah, cut it out! - I'm not pushing it.
Is there something you wanna tell us?
H-I...
It spelled, "Hi, friend."
Hi, friend.
When I was here yesterday, was that you?
Oh.
Who is this?
Debbie.
Sarah, if that's you pretending to be Debbie, then that's really messed up.
- I swear it's not me, all right. - Okay, this is freaking me out.
- Let's just stop it now. - I'm sorry. Just put your hand back, please.
Debbie,
was there something I could have done?
Was there some way we could have helped you?
If there's anything you wanna tell us about why you did...
If you did this to yourself...
Did you really do this?
Guys, calm down. It's an old house.
Laine, keep going.
- Debbie, I miss you. - I miss you, too.
We all do.
If you can hear us, we just...
I don't know, we just wanted a chance to say goodbye.
- Laine! - Iz.
It's not even real, okay? It's just a game.
It's all the lights. They're all out.
So, be honest. Was it you moving the planchette?
No.
- You? - No. No way.
For all we know, it was Laine.
Maybe it was really something she needed.
Might not have even known she was doing it.
Is it Debbie? Did she do this?
- Where are you going? - Just a second.
- Deb, is that you? - Laine, please stop, okay? It's not her.
What if it is? What if she's trying to tell me something?
Oh, my God!
- What happened? Are you okay? - What was that?
I saw a reflection in the mirror, and then someone pushed me from behind.
Can we just get out of here, please?
Come on.
- Why are you bringing that home? - It was hers. I want it here.
What?
It's just that you need to believe that was really Debbie.
You were there. It was weird, right?
Yeah, it was weird.
But I don't know if it means anything.
But what if it's her? What if she wants to tell me something?
You wanted us to play, we did. And now we can leave it alone.
Laine, you said goodbye to her.
I know you'll find the moment when you're ready, but...
I think you can start to move on.
- Good night. - Good night.
I couldn't sleep last night.
We don't have to talk about it.
I had all these weird dreams. I keep thinking about being in her house.
Iz, I know you didn't wanna be there.
You did it for me. So, thank you.
I owe you.
Let's just forget the whole deal, yeah?
- Yeah. - Okay.
Nona, what are you doing?
You should never touch these things. You used it, didn't you?
It was just once.
Promise me, Laine. Do not go seeking answers from the dead.
Get rid of the board.
Yeah, I will. Mmm, I promise, Nona.
Who is that?
- Good night, Hank. See you tomorrow. - Uh-huh.
Oh, hey, can you grab the garbage on your way out?
Thank you.
Hi, Isabelle.
Where?
No, no, it doesn't sound crazy at all.
I'll pick you up. I'll be there in a few minutes.
This idea of messages from the board
is nothing more than our unconscious minds.
It's known as the ideomotor effect.
Involuntary motor muscles kick in which drive the movement of the planchette.
We're simply telling ourselves what we wanna believe.
Sarah?
- Was that you? - No, I thought it was you.
Dad, you home?
Dad!
Go!
Do you have your phone?
- No. - No?
Shh. It's outside.
Okay, just be quiet, just be quiet.
Sarah, stay back, okay?
Isabelle was shaking when I picked her up last night.
I called this morning to check in. She doesn't even wanna leave the house.
And I saw it, too.
"Hi friend." Carved right into my desk.
Did we all see it?
Debbie's trying to reach us.
- What could she want? - If we wanna know, we gotta ask her.
I think we should say the words together.
As friends we've gathered, hearts are true.
Spirits near, we call to you.
If there's a presence here, make yourself known.
Debbie, we're all here for you. We all got your messages. We're here.
Can you show us a sign?
Are you here?
Come on, guys.
You didn't kill yourself, did you?
I knew it.
Debbie, if you didn't do this, who did?
Did someone hurt you? Did someone...
Who did it? Who hurt you?
Debbie, why won't you answer us?
I have a question.
On our first real date away from everybody else,
we told everybody we went to the fair,
but where did we really go?
We went to the lookout.
By the point, in the canyon.
Do you remember that?
What I said to you?
This isn't Debbie.
What do you mean?
I never took her there. Not once.
Is this you, Debbie?
Then who the hell is this?
"D."
"Z."
Is this who we were talking to the other night?
Oh, my God. Were we ever talking to Debbie?
Laine, we can stop.
When Debbie played the Ouija, did she make contact with you?
D.Z., where are you?
The chair.
I don't see anything.
Guys, I think we should get out of...
"Run"?
- "She's coming." - Who's coming?
"Mother."
- Sarah, wait! - What happened in there, Laine?
It doesn't matter, because we're not playing anymore.
Okay? We're walking away from the board, the whole thing.
Debbie played, and now she's dead.
Look, what if we made the same mistake? What if we broke some sort of rule?
Hey.
Hey. We're finished with this, okay?
Operation Clean House.
I get to clean
the attic!
God.
All right. Attic done. I did the best I could. Um...
I'm not gonna lie, that was not fun.
However, I did find something.
Along with a lot of old junk from the previous owners.
Ta-da! It's cool, right? Oh.
- They go together. - She found it in her house.
Do I like my find?
Oh.
Yes. Am I cleaning the attic again? No.
Answer my question. I'm waiting.
"R."
She played alone?
"H-I-F-R-I-E-N-D." Whoa.
"Hi, friend."
As you know, our community has been devastated the last few weeks.
First with Debbie, and now, Isabelle.
I wanted to talk to each of you because...
I just wanna make sure you and your friends are okay.
When you lose someone close to you, there's always help available.
We care about you.
Now, um...
there's a lot of very, very helpful information in here
about dealing with loss and moving forward.
You have no idea what you're talking about.
- Laine, we're only trying to help you. - You can't.
I'm not even sure who can.
Trevor.
We need to talk. All of us.
You made us play. Now, Isabelle's dead.
I know, and I'll never forgive myself.
This thing, it's haunting us,
wherever we go, watching everything we do.
It's coming for all of us. So, who's next?
Hey.
- Look, back there with Trevor... - He's right.
Hey, I need you. It's just us now.
What does this spirit wanna do with us?
It's angry. When Debbie played, she woke something up in her house.
Okay?
Pete, please. I need your help.
I think that's where Debbie found it.
Laine, are you all right?
- Laine! - I'm coming!
Pete.
Pete, grab this.
It's heavy. Okay.
Laine!
Hey, this is the family.
For some reason, they're still connected to the house.
From the look of these photos, I'd say this is the late '40s, the early '50s.
Is there a way to get any records?
I don't know. Property archives or something?
I can try.
We need to find out who they are.
Laine, you should come look at this.
I found this old article.
Doris Zander.
D.Z. This is her.
Pete, listen. Doris Zander.
She used to live in Debbie's house with her mother.
D.Z. was a missing girl. They never found her.
They suspected the mother had something to do with her disappearance.
So, who is the other girl in the pictures with them?
Doris had a sister.
And she might still be alive.
May I help you?
I'm here for visiting hours.
Thank you.
They told me my niece was here to visit.
I don't have a niece.
My name is Laine. I'm here to ask about your sister, Doris.
Doris.
My best friend, Debbie, lived in your old house.
She's not alive anymore.
And this is gonna sound really strange but...
but I think I know why.
I believe there's a presence in that house.
I wouldn't be surprised if there's more than one.
I found pictures of you and your sister.
You found pictures? You found my family photos?
Yeah. I can bring them to you, or send them, if you like.
Please bring them.
I haven't seen my sister's face in a very long time.
At least not her real face.
I believe I saw her. Me and my friends. And her lips,
they were stitched shut.
Mother did that to her.
My mother practiced mediumship.
And if practice makes perfect, let me tell you,
she was pretty damn good, depending on your point of view.
She conducted seances, she used spirit boards. Anything.
A bit reckless, actually. Doris loved my mother.
She wanted to help. She was fascinated by it all.
And when the seances got bigger and my mother really made connections,
she needed a vessel. A vessel to give them a voice.
- Who? - The spirits.
She used Doris.
And then something went wrong with Mother.
Chasing the dead and living in all those shadows, something snapped.
She couldn't turn it off. She couldn't break the connection.
Mother was consumed by them.
She was insane.
So, she did that to Doris.
To her lips. To stop them from talking.
And then Doris went missing?
Missing.
She never left the house, did she?
No. No, she didn't.
Mother wasn't herself. She killed Doris.
And after that, I did what I needed to do to stop Mother.
That's why I'm here.
But that doesn't mean Mother is gone.
- How did you see her? - What?
You said you saw her.
You said you saw her lips. How did you see her?
You wouldn't have been able to see her. Not unless you...
Look, I just wanna stop whatever it is that is happening. My friends are dying.
No, you opened up a channel.
You made a connection. With what?
- A spirit board, I bet. - Yeah.
You played in a graveyard, and now she's awake again.
Both of them. Mother, too.
And if you could see them...
- Just through the planchette. - Not for long.
They're getting stronger.
The points of connection. In your case, it's the body and the board.
The link is between them. The energy is growing,
and it is hard to stop.
Mother used to have a secret room.
She sealed it up, after Doris, down in the basement.
Don't go alone. Mother will try to stop you.
What do I have to do?
You need to cut the stitches from her mouth.
And if it works, you have to pray that Doris can deal with Mother.
It's supposed to be somewhere here. Pete, grab this.
This is crazy, Laine.
We should just leave. We shouldn't be here.
What?
The shadow.
Trevor!
Pete! Trevor! Pete!
Laine! Keep going!
Sarah, I need your help!
Laine!
Stay there. I found her.
No, no, no, not now.
Come on. Stop. Come on!
Come on.
No!
- Are you guys okay? - Yeah.
Where's Laine?
Okay, to our future selves,
I hope we look back on this, and, um...
- No, it looks so good. - My boobs look huge.
Okay, turn around. What does it look like in the back?
Hold on. Let me see.
You look so beautiful!
- I know. - Thank you.
Oh, my babies. Look at my angels.
I miss you, Debbie. All the time.
Debbie?
Ms. Zander.
Oh. My tenacious little niece.
I did everything you said.
We found the body, I cut the stitches, she sent Mother away.
But it didn't work. Why didn't it work?
Mother must have come back, because my friend Pete, another friend, is dead.
She's free.
You lied to me.
Your mother didn't try to hurt us. She tried to stop us.
Your mother wasn't the one that was evil.
- It was... - I told her that I would help her.
I heard the voices, too.
They tell you the most wonderful,
awful things.
You're gonna hear them, too, little girl.
You'll hear them soon enough because she's coming to get you, too.
- I always told her. I told her. - Ms. Zander.
She's gonna be nice to me. She knows I was gonna help her
- and now she's gonna be nice to me. - Calm down. You have to calm down.
She's gonna keep her promises!
No! No!
You have to break the connection or it will keep coming back for you.
- I'll burn the board. - That won't be enough.
A spirit this strong could bring it back.
A connection, once made to a spirit, is very difficult to break.
The board is just the conduit. You have to sever the connection
- on both sides. - How?
Your connection is through the board and that little girl's body.
The spirit lives through both of them, so you must destroy them both.
- What? Destroy the body? - And the board. And you must hurry.
- I'll call Trevor. - Thank you.
- Trevor. - Sarah?
We're back here.
Wait up!
Sarah?
Laine?
Trevor's already here.
Trevor!
Where is he?
Trevor?
No!
Laine, what do we do?
Laine!
Go get the board.
- We need the body, too. - Let's burn this damn thing...
- Laine! - Sarah!
Sarah!
Ah!
Hey!
As friends we've gathered, hearts are true.
Spirits near, we call to you.
Doris, I'm playing alone! You have to play!
Ow!
Hey.
- Feeling any better? - Yeah. Yeah, I guess so.
I just miss them.
All the time.
Yeah, me too.
I guess you never really feel like you get to say goodbye
and maybe that's okay.
Oh, well... Maybe there are no goodbyes.
Not really.
I keep wondering about that night.
That poor little girl.
All of those dark spirits that were in her.
Where do you think they went?