(intense instrumental music)
(beeping)
(alarm blaring)
(gentle instrumental music)
(foreboding instrumental music)
(intense instrumental music)
- [Narrator] During the years 1949 through 1970
Dr. Jonathan Rankin conducted extensive research
in the field of psychic phenomena
and catalogued hundreds of events
that defy rational explanation.
The most intriguing aspect of the research
was the discovery of an apparent relationship
between many of these events and certain cemeteries
located throughout the United States.
According to Dr. Rankin 453 people
directly involved in these strange events
were buried in only 23 separate cemeteries
throughout the nation.
This apparent final grouping of people
who were touched by the unknown
is referred to in parapsychology
as the Rankine Cluster Phenomena.
The following episodes are based
on supposedly true events
described in Dr. Rankin's writing
and involving one of the mystery cemeteries.
(intense instrumental music)
(drums beating)
(solemn instrumental music)
There are few things as strange
as reality, for reality comes to us
wearing many faces disguised as all manner of things.
What is reality and what is illusion?
Some things we think are real
may be merely wisps of smoke from our minds
and some things we think illusion
are really cloaked in that guise.
So they may play their part
without knowing what they really are.
(drums beating)
(solemn instrumental music)
- [Preacher] And he who leadeth on.
- [Narrator] Did these events happen by coincidence
or by an unknown and unknowable calculation?
- [Preacher] And whosoever liveth.
- [Narrator] Let's start by populating this day's stage
with some of the characters.
- [Preacher] I know that my redeemer liveth
and that he shall stand at the light of day
upon the earth.
- Dave Terrell, - Though this body
be destroyed, judge
shall I be God. - Frank Cameron,
- [Preacher] Whom I shall see for myself.
- Randy Powell, - And I shall behold.
three young men,
college students, all the boy next door,
all people we've known before.
Brother Taylor, well meaning and God fearing man.
- [Taylor] Blessed be the name of the Lord
and so Lord we commend to thee
the earthly remains of John Davis.
- [Narrator] Johnny Davis, the one
who holds the rather dubious place of honor
at this gathering.
And this is Camille Davis, Johnny's mother,
the seventh daughter of a seventh son.
Does she have anything to do with our story, perhaps?
Let's unfold it.
- He was cut down untimely,
but you and your infinite wisdom know best.
Take the soul of this young man, Lord
and may he dwell in your hallways forever.
The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, amen.
(intense instrumental music)
- Listen you well to my word,
one by land, two by sky.
Look to the heptagon for it is there.
Seven times around go the three of you
and may your reward be just and true.
(engine rumbling)
Look to the heptagon for it is there.
Seven times around go the three of you
and may your reward be just.
- Excuse me, sir, would you like a refill on your drink?
Ah sir, would you like another drink?
- Excuse me, I think she's talking to you.
- Would you care for something?
- Oh, I'm sorry, yes I would.
- Okay, here you are.
There you go.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
Would you care for another?
- Sorry father, guess I was pretty deep in thought.
I didn't even hear her.
- We all get that way sometimes.
Deep thought is sometimes a bridge way across our problems.
- Father, do you believe in the supernatural?
- I'm sorry?
- Well I guess it sounds pretty silly,
but I was wondering if you believed
in the supernatural.
- Don't you realize the supernatural is my business?
You might say I'm a pro at it.
- I hadn't thought of it that way.
I guess you're right.
- I'm one of those many people
who have a supernatural boss.
He's a good boss, gentle boss,
one who knows all the answers.
Sometimes he doesn't tell you what they are.
What made you think of the supernatural anyway?
- Oh nothing.
(solemn instrumental music)
- [Camille] Listen you well to my word,
one by land, two by sky.
- Well yes, something.
Now look father, I'm not a Catholic.
- It doesn't make any difference.
- No, I guess it doesn't.
- Something has been bugging me
for the last couple of days
and I really need somebody to talk to about it.
- So, I've got two ears, talk.
- Well, I guess I should begin at the beginning.
It all started in this pool hall.
Randy Powell, this friend of mine and I
and Dave Terrell, we're all roommates at state.
I'm sorry father, I'm Frank Cameron.
- Good to know you, Frank.
I'm Father Dwayne.
- Good to know you, too, father.
(suspenseful instrumental music)
Well anyway, we were at this pool hall,
just having fun and there was this guy there,
Johnny Davis, we were just sort of kidding him around,
you know we didn't mean any harm.
(suspenseful instrumental music)
- Sure, she's ready.
Don't you think so, Dave?
- Sure she is, man.
(laughs) She was ready last night.
(laughing)
- You know what?
- [Man] What?
- I'll bet we could fix ole Johnny up with her.
- Oh, I don't know, man.
She might be a little tough for him.
- [Randy] What do think, Johnny?
- Who is she?
I don't know many girls.
- She's the new kid that just moved it down the block.
She's about 17 and well, you know.
(laughing)
- Hey Randy, why don't you give her a call.
We can send ole Johnny over from right here.
- All right.
I'll just do that.
Hello?
Darlene, remember me.
This is Randy.
Yeah.
Well, I'm just down the street.
Uh-huh.
You are?
Well, look what are you doing tonight?
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Yeah, I just bet you are.
Hey look, Darlene, Dave and Frank over here
and we have a good friend named Johnny.
He'd like to have a date with you.
You can?
That's terrific.
Well you know what I mean don't you, Darlene?
Yeah.
Well as long as we understand each other.
Well look, this guy that's coming over tonight
is a personal friend of mine.
You dig?
Yeah.
So I want you take real good care of him.
Okay?
Yeah, he'll be over in about ten minutes.
Okay, yeah.
Hey, uh uh, Darlene.
Have fun.
Well, she wants to see him.
What, what's, what's address?
Hey, I forgot her name.
- Ah her name is Darlene.
And she lives at 3536, that's it,
3536 Hamilton, you got that?
- [Johnny] Yeah, you fellas gonna be here?
- [Dave] Yeah, we'll be right here when you get through.
Okay, Johnny, get off.
(jazzy instrumental music)
(laughing)
- Hey man, where was that address you sent him to?
- I don't know, what difference does it make?
(suspenseful instrumental music)
(doorbell ringing)
- Who's there?
- It's me, Darlene, Johnny, you know Randy called.
(intense instrumental music)
- Who do you want?
- Ah come on, Darlene, don't put me down.
Just open the door.
- There's no one here by that name.
This is the Wilson residence.
- Is their name Darlene?
(suspenseful instrumental music)
- No, young man, you've probably got the wrong address
and besides that you're liable to get hurt
walking up to a strange house in the middle of the night.
Why, I've got my husband's pistol out
and I certainly don't want to hurt anybody.
(screams)
(intense instrumental music)
(gasps) Oh dear God.
(crying)
Oh God.
- Darlene.
(laughing)
(sirens blaring)
- He was just child.
I, I know that I shouldn't have had the gun in the house,
but my husband insisted because he travels so much.
Oh my God. (crying)
He was just a child.
- [Officer] It's all right Mrs. Wilson,
it was a tragic accident.
Now I'm sure there won't be any charges,
but you understand you'll have to be
at the station tomorrow.
- I'll tell my husband.
Who was the boy?
- [Officer] John Davis,
lived about six blocks from here.
Is there any reason why he might have come here?
- [Woman] No, all I know is, he asked for a girl named.
- Well that's how it happened, father.
If it hadn't been for a damn fool trick,
Johnny would still be alive today.
- Frank, I know it's upsetting, but a lot of times
without meaning to, we set into motion
things we can't control.
Now maybe if you--
- Wait a minute, father.
I know what you're gonna say, I've heard it before.
But that's not the end of the story.
In fact, I'm not sure it's got an end.
- Go on.
- Well, we all went to the funeral, not a big town.
Everyone knew and liked Johnny.
We could have cut our own throats.
Anyway, after the funeral,
his mother turned to us and said the strangest thing.
- Listen you well to my word, one by land, two by sky.
Look to the heptagon for it is there.
Seven times around, go the three of you
and may your reward be just and true.
(eerie instrumental music)
- And that's what she said, father.
If I could only tell you about the tone of her voice.
The look in her eye.
- All right.
She had just lost her only child.
You can't be too angry with her anger.
- I know, I know, but it's what she said.
And I looked up heptagon
that means a seven sided figure
and she said seven times around go the three of us.
- [Dwayne] What?
- Well, father, seven days after the funeral,
Dave and I were going to chemistry lab.
We were in kind of a hurry.
(foreboding instrumental music)
- [Frank] Hey man, you didn't.
- [Dave] Yes I did, I got her right upside the head, man.
- [frank] You really hit her?
- [Dave] Yep, she just pushed me too far
and I just hauled off and let her have it.
- [Frank] I don't think I could hit a girl.
- [Dave] Hey listen, man, we gotta take
(brakes squealing)
(intense instrumental music)
- (screams) No.
(crying)
- That's the way it happened, father.
Exactly seven days.
- Look, Frank, strange things happen to all of us.
You're upset because of a distraught remark
at a graveside made by a woman
who had lost her only child.
Now you're looking for reasons that don't exist.
The only reason is sheer coincidence.
Besides time will take it away.
I assume it was some time ago.
- No, it wasn't, it was just last Thursday.
- [Dwayne] Today's Thursday.
- I know, it was one week ago today.
That makes this the 14th day and 14 is two times seven.
- Oh, stop it, Frank.
You're letting a simple coincidence jar your entire life.
And God works in strange ways,
but he doesn't deal in hexes or witchcraft.
Forget it, look you got a life to lead.
My advice is just to go back to school and leave it at that.
- Sure, father, sure.
Thanks for letting me bend your ear.
- What else do you think we're here for?
(engine rumbling)
(eerie music)
Well, Frank, this is where I get off.
I hope I've helped you
- Believe me, father, you have.
- Have a nice trip.
(engine rumbling)
(explosion booms)
What happened?
- Flight 180 crashed.
- Oh my God, where are they taking them?
- [Man] Hangar B.
(energetic instrumental music)
(sirens wailing)
(coughing)
(crying)
(wailing)
(dramatic instrumental music)
(coughing)
(eerie instrumental music)
(gasping)
(coughing)
(intense instrumental music)
- Frank.
(heavy breathing)
Frank.
- Hello, father.
(gagging and coughing)
- It's quite all right, Frank.
- No, it's not, father, it's the 14th day remember?
(gentle instrumental music)
- [Man] There's nothing more you can do, father.
(intense instrumental music)
(gentle instrumental music)
- Father, could I talk to you a minute
something's bothering me?
- Well certainly, Father Dwayne shall we go inside?
- No, that's not necessary.
What I have to ask is so strange and unreasonable
that not only do I want God and you to hear it,
I want the outdoors to hear it, too.
- Couldn't be as bad as that.
- Well probably not, father,
but if you remember, I had just gotten off
of flight 180 before that crash.
You recall seven people were killed.
- Yes, yes I do, terrible thing.
It was last Thursday, wasn't it?
- Yes, seven days ago.
Let me tell you the story
that one of the more unfortunate people
on that plane told me.
(eerie instrumental music)
(screams)
(crying)
(screaming)
So father, do you think such a series of coincidences
can just happen?
- Well Father Dwayne, I'll not say to you no.
I know your heart is troubled
and this would be the 21st day, wouldn't it?
- Yes, it would.
I don't know how I'm going to get this out of my mind.
- Shall I tell you?
- If you can father.
- It's really fairly simple as most things usually are.
You mentioned the third boy's name
and you know that he attends college
at the State University.
Why don't you just call him there?
- I've been afraid.
It's a good idea, father.
I've been waiting for God to give me the answer.
- God moves in strange ways and sometimes
employs the most ridiculous messengers.
(laughing)
(solemn instrumental music)
- Thank you, operator.
(phone ringing)
- Yeah.
- [Dwayne] Randy, Randy Powell?
- Nah, this is Joe's Pool Hall, he ain't here.
- It's sort of important I'd like to talk to him.
- Oh, I'm sorry, sir I was just kidding.
Randy's gone for the day,
but I can have him call you when he gets in this evening.
No sir, he's gone skydiving.
(foreboding instrumental music)
- [Rod] So Randy Powell went skydiving.
What was it that woman named Camille said,
one by land and two my air?
Didn't Frank say that he found a heptagon
to be a seven sided figure?
And didn't Dave die seven days after Johnny's funeral
and Frank 14 days after?
What is the reality and what is the illusion?
Our story doesn't tell us,
but I wonder if Randy knows that it's the 21st day?
- Listen you, one by land, two by sky.
Look for the hexagon for it is there.
Seven times around go the three of you
and may your reward to be just and true.
(intense instrumental music)
(foreboding instrumental music)
(birds chirping)
- [Rod] It is tradition that ghosts and ghouls
and various other citizens of the grotesque
wrapped themselves in malevolent mists
and deep darkness.
Horror is a condition existing most often
when morning seems farthest away.
(barking)
So it would seem unlikely that this bright spring day
in 1906 would begin a horror that to this day
haunts a small community in southern Missouri.
(barking)
(gentle instrumental music)
A boy and his dog chased dreams and butterflies
back and forth across Saturday.
Observe one man child and one man child's dog
on their way to a uniquely soul-shattering rendezvous
with darkness, a terrifying encounter with the unknown
(gentle instrumental music)
(barking)
- Lady, hey, Lady.
(barking)
Lady.
Here, Lady.
(barking)
Here, Lady.
(gentle instrumental music)
- Joe, where is that boy?
He goes fishing and plumb forgets about the time.
He's got that dog with him, so I guess it's all right.
I do wish he'd hurry though.
I'm worried the pot liquor and this stew's
gonna be thick as molasses.
- Gonna get colder tonight.
(thunder crashing)
Funny weather for this time of year.
Fog will be thickened pea soup.
Or maybe that pot liquor.
You better water it down again, ma.
- Sometimes that boys a caution.
(clanking)
Oh goodness, you gave me a start.
- Pa, I can't find Lady no place.
I looked and looked, I ain't found her no place.
- Any place and don't say ain't.
- Pa, I couldn't find her.
Will you help me look?
- Son, she'll come home.
Probably out chasing the Coon or a rabbit.
ma maybe the old gal found herself a new lover.
Get your hands washed up.
(gentle instrumental music)
(howling)
- Lady, Lady.
Here Lady.
(gentle instrumental music)
(howling)
(foreboding instrumental music)
Here Lady.
(howling)
Here Lady.
(eerie music)
(moaning)
(dramatic music)
(groans)
Lady.
Is that you, Lady?
(groans)
(deep groaning)
I didn't know what it was, pa.
Please.
No, don't.
Don't.
Oh, please.
(footsteps approaching)
(deep moaning)
- Son, it's me, son.
What in the world are you doing out here?
(deep groaning)
- Papa, papa.
Is it really you?
I didn't know what is was, pa.
- It's all right, son, it's all right now.
What possessed you to come out here, son?
Your ma and I was worried, son
when you weren't home in bed.
Is that your dog down in that hole?
- I don't think it's Lady, pa.
It's a crazy town, ain't it?
(wailing)
- Crazy.
I agree with you there, son.
- It's not Lady, pa, let's go.
- [Joe] Come on.
(foreboding instrumental music)
(wailing)
(birds chirping)
- Anyway, the fact of the matter is
the boy lost his dog.
Yeah, you remember Lady.
Yeah, we've used her for huntin'.
Now it seems the boy was fishing
and fell asleep.
The dern dog plumb disappeared
and she ain't come back.
Well, the kid asked his pa to help find the dog,
but heck, Joe he said dog will come back
and didn't pay it no more mind.
Well, the boy went out looking for his dog
in the middle of the night.
- [Man] Well, you find him?
- Heck no, and that ain't the whole story.
Come on doc.
Joe went out looking for his son,
found him near out of his mind
at the edge of a big hole in the ground.
What hole in the ground?
- I don't know just some big hole somewhere
near Joe's place.
- I'd imagine with all these heavy rains we've been having,
it washed an opening to a cave.
You know this county's full of 'em.
- Yeah, that's true, underground rivers and places
if you fell into em', man you'd never get out.
- Yeah, the craziest thing was the sounds
coming out of that hole in the ground.
Joe and the boy both heard crazy sounds,
weird like, like someone was in trouble
in there at first.
Maybe an animal down in there.
- [Man] Probably the dog.
- Hmm?
- I said it was probably the dog.
- No, they don't think so.
Anyways, Joe is going up to the constable,
trying to get him to go out there
and check up on it.
He thinks--
- Any of you boys wanna go with us out to Joe's place?
Seems like there's a new cave opening, maybe anyway.
Joe seems to think there's something down in it,
moaning and groaning.
- That's right.
- Yeah, we heard, I'll go.
You know we haven't had
as much excitement around here
since widow Jones got into trouble at that book sale.
- All right, let's go.
- Me, too.
Wouldn't want to miss this, back later.
- [Man] Doc.
- I don't want them to leave me.
(suspenseful music)
(grunting)
- Now, now, Jonas.
Jonas, that's all right.
It's just the constable and some other men
gone out to investigate a new cave
where someone or something's fallin' on in.
Now go on home, Jonas, go on.
That a boy.
(foreboding instrumental music)
(dramatic instrumental music)
- What are you gonna do, pa?
Somebody going down the hole?
- Don't know yet, son, we haven't decided.
The constable's gonna look it over.
(gentle instrumental music)
(wailing)
(foreboding instrumental music)
(wailing)
- Come on, boys, take a look at this.
- What's going on with this geyser?
- Well, that's got some hair on it, don't it?
- It wasn't here two day ago, I tell you.
I walked right through here.
- Wow. - Don't get too close.
- [Man] Wow.
- Well what do you think?
- I don't know, Joe.
It's got to take an awful lot to fill that hole.
- Here, let's try this.
(dramatic instrumental music)
(wailing)
(rumbling)
- Pa, that didn't sound like Lady, does it?
- I don't think it could be the dogs.
- I never heard of noise like that before.
- I know one thing, we don't leave
we're gonna get soaked.
- Yeah, you may be right, Joe.
Nothing we can do around here,
at least why it's not without robot.
Come on, boys.
(thunder crashing)
- Come on.
- What about my dog, pa?
You think it might be her down there?
- No dog ever made a sound like that.
Come on.
(foreboding instrumental music)
(thunder crashing)
- Thank you, Mr. Jacobs.
- You're quite welcome.
- Ah, I don't know.
I think we should have stayed out there.
It'll stop raining a few minutes.
Besides there might be somebody down there.
- [Man] Who?
- Well how in the hell do I know.
Anybody, old fool.
But, if there is someone down there,
then I think we ought to go now
and try to get him out.
You know a little Christian attitude
wouldn't hurt any of us around here.
(thunder clashing)
Ole Joe mentioned the mayor's
about to fold, could be she's flipped in the hole.
- Well I think we oughta go back out there tomorrow.
- Whatever's out there in that hole ain't human or animal.
It's the work of the devil.
(foreboding instrumental music)
- Maybe it's a, it's a warning.
(thunder clashing)
(wailing)
(eerie music)
(wailing)
- Son, go saddle the mare and ride into town
and get the constable.
Ask him to get Hank and Ned and anybody else he can find
and meet me at the hole.
It's time we settle this thing.
(dramatic instrumental music)
- Joe, I wish you wouldn't go,
not tonight anyways.
Why don't you wait till tomorrow
when you have more light?
What difference does it make?
I have a worry about it, Joe.
Now look here, woman you and your fore warnings
and premonitions nonsense.
Why the boy still thinks it has something
to do with his dog.
Now, I really don't think the dog is down there,
but we to Jess to at least try.
Don't you agree?
And that, that wailing noise is gettin' serious.
- It could be danger--
- Please, ma, we'll be home fore long, you'll see.
- Oh, you two, there's no stopping you.
You be careful now, ya hear.
- We will, ma, we will.
(gentle instrumental music)
(door slams)
(wailing)
- That's the scariest sound I ever heard.
Makes your skin sort of crawl.
(gentle instrumental music)
- Well, I'll say it again, there ain't nothing
neither human or animal in that hole.
- You may be right.
You know I say we're oughta drop
a stick of dynamite down that hole
and blow it to kingdom come.
- No, no the dog might be down there.
- [Man] It ain't human and it ain't animal.
(footsteps approaching)
- What's that?
- [Man] What's what?
- That noise in the trees.
- [Man] I'm hearing nothing.
- Awe, it's the dummy.
- Oh boy, that's all we need, him out here.
How'd he get out here anyway?
- Ah, he must have walked, I guess.
- Yeah, I remember reading about a cave like that once.
So they used big rooms.
Went back for miles, I mean miles.
All underground, mind you.
Like a city almost room after room
of these crazy pillars of rocks.
A million different colors, some different, some crazy.
Some of the pillars even upside down
hanging from the ceiling.
- Somebody ought to go down there.
- Not me.
- [Man] Hell no, you bust the rope.
- What do you think we oughta do it, Joe?
- I'll do it, pa.
It just might be Lady.
And I wanna get her back, pa.
She might be hurt too and how'd she ever get out?
It's not likely to have anything to do with the dog, son.
- Yes, but it might be, pa.
And if it is, I'd never forgive myself.
- Well if it means so much to you, I'll go down here.
Least ways to take a look.
I'm sure not gonna let you do it.
Bill.
See if you can throw that rope over that limb,
let her hang down right here.
- Okay, men, watch the rope.
(wailing)
- [Man] Man, I wouldn't go down there
for a million dollars.
- If I gave you a million dollars,
I wouldn't want you to go down that hole
on the end of a rope.
- Well if I went down there I wouldn't want you
on the top end either.
- All right, you men hold on tight
to the end of that rope.
It's plenty deep, and there may be water down there, too.
All right, let's get it over with.
Got that lantern ready?
(gasps)
- Oh my God.
(foreboding instrumental music)
Joe.
Oh, Joe.
- Ole Dan has it.
- [Joe] Take it slow, Tom.
- Well where in the hell have you been?
- I got here as soon as I could.
- Well come on, give us a hand on this rope.
We're letting Joe down in the hole.
- [Man] Why didn't you say so?
- [Man] All right, take it slow, Tom.
Remember, you got a lantern down there.
(wailing)
Can't go too fast.
- He ain't on there.
(melancholy music)
- Oh Joe.
- You ain't something.
Heavy as you are you oughta be on the end of this rope
when we're ready to pull Joe up.
- Is that rope still slack? (Joe screaming)
(wailing)
- God, what's happening?
- Oh Joe.
- Pull it up, pull it up.
Somethings happened to my pa.
- Come on, pull, pull.
- [Man] Well, I'm pulling, pulling.
- Hurry up, hurry. - Be careful.
- [Man] Hold on, let's get him out of there.
- [Man] Pull, pull.
- [Man] I'm pulling.
(men yelling)
- Pa, pa.
- Pull it harder.
- [Man] Hurry, hurry.
- [Man] Pull, pull.
- Pa. - Pull it.
- Pull harder.
- Pa.
- Pull harder.
- Come on, pull, pull.
- Hurry. - Be careful, pull.
- Pa, pa.
- Pull. (wailing)
- [Man] He's dead.
- [Jess] Pa?
- He's still breathing.
- [Man] Help him out.
- Here put this under his head.
- [Jess] Pa?
- [Man] He's still breathing.
- God, look at his eyes.
(gentle instrumental music)
- Joe.
- Funny weather at this time of year.
- Pa, I can't find Lady any place.
- [Joe] Go saddle the mare and ride into town
and get the constable.
It's time we settle this thing.
- [Constable] What do you think we ought to do, Joe?
- [Jess] I'll do it, pa, it just might be Lady
and I wanna to get her back, pa.
- [Joe] It means so much to you,
I'll go down there.
(gentle instrumental music)
- He's alive.
- [Man] Lift him up.
(Joe murmuring)
- Easy now, easy.
(wailing)
(screaming)
(intense instrumental music)
- [Jess] Pa, come back.
Pa, come back.
Pa, don't leave me.
- [Rod] No one knows what happened down in that cave.
Joe is a strong intelligent man
who had lived his entire life close to the earth.
Never before had he intruded upon
the affairs of that godless society
that dwells deep within
the bowels of the earth. - Pa, pa.
- [Rod] But he did leave him after a manner of speaking.
Somehow through this wild experience
he had lost his mind.
He was insane and spent the rest of his life
in the state insane asylum.
(dramatic instrumental music)
- Pa, pa.
Pa, pa.
Pa, come back.
(gentle instrumental music)
- [Rod] There is a bridge in our mind
that leads through time and memory from
what we know to sure is beyond knowing.
It sways high and darkly dangerous
above the canyons of our disbelief.
Like some spectral span spun by Devils for us to tread.
To walk this bridge is to accept all kinds of possibilities,
especially the most exciting possibility of all,
the possibility of impossibility.
Some tales of the impossible so capture the imagination
that they quickly spread over much of the country.
The girl in the bridge is such a tale.
Countless variations of this story
are told and retold.
In North Carolina, it is the Lydia story.
in Illinois it's the specter of the mists
and in Texas it's called the white rock lady.
Dozens of interviews and hours of newspaper research
traced the story's origin and consequence spread
across the country from Central Arkansas
beginning in 1929.
Come now and explore the possibility of the impossible.
Come stand beside the girl on the bridge.
(energetic instrumental music)
(intense instrumental music)
(solemn instrumental music)
- We had a wonderful time. - It was fun to be happy.
- Thanks very much.
(mellow instrumental music)
(upbeat instrumental music)
(solemn instrumental music)
(crickets chirping)
- [Senator] Miss, miss, are you all right?
Are you hurt?
Are you okay?
Are you hurt?
(mellow instrumental music)
- No
I'm not hurt.
Would you take me home?
- Of course, I'll take you home,
but, but what happened to you?
Are you here all alone?
- I don't know.
I'm afraid so.
- Are you sure you were all right?
- Please, just take me home.
- [Man] Of course, I will.
Where do you live?
- 3802 Cavanaugh, near the park.
- Now come along, let me help you into the car.
I'll see that you get home.
(gentle instrumental music)
- What happened?
- I don't know.
- Are you sure you're all right?
- I have to go home.
My father worries about me.
(melodious instrumental music)
- [John] Susan.
- Hello.
- [John] I want to talk to you.
Sit down.
- Again, father?
- Susan, I've told you to stay away from that boy
and I mean it.
- [Susan] But I love him.
- That isn't true.
You don't even know what love is.
- Don't I, father?
- No, you don't and I want you
to get rid of that boy or I will.
- I love Paul and I wanna marry him.
- Don't talk like a fool, Susan.
I never want to see that boy around here again.
And besides, he could never support you.
- And Wesley Carver could, is that it, father?
- Yes, he could give you everything you've always wanted
- Everything you've always wanted.
All I want is Paul.
- Susan.
I'd rather see you dead than married to that boy.
- John
John.
- Yes, what is it?
- Why do you have to talk to Susan like that?
- Because she's my daughter and I love her.
Because I don't want to see her ruin her life.
- And you think that loving
and marrying Paul will ruin her life?
- Emma, you know what that boys family's like,
he'd always be poor.
- You know that boy works very hard
at making something of himself.
He reminds me of someone I used to know.
I don't think I know you now, John.
- It's me, Emma. - No, I mean it.
When did money start to mean more than your family?
- It doesn't.
- Really?
You're willing to sacrifice
your daughter's happiness for it.
You're breaking her heart
and I am ashamed for you.
- She'll get over it in time.
I think I know what's best for her.
She's not to see Paul again.
I don't understand why she doesn't like that Carver boy.
- Like him, John, she does like him.
She just happens to believe
you should love somebody in order to marry them.
(solemn instrumental music)
- [John] Don't talk like a fool, Susan.
I never wanna see that boy around here again.
- [Susan] I love Paul and I wanna marry him.
(gentle instrumental music)
(peaceful instrumental music)
- [Paul] I love you.
- I love you, too.
(laughs)
- Susan.
- [Susan] Hmm.
- Remember the first time we came here?
- Always.
You mean the time I forgot the lunch.
(laughing)
How could I forget?
(gentle instrumental music)
Don't.
(screams)
I wanna go swim.
(melodious instrumental music)
(laughs) I love you.
- Honey.
Why do you have to go to that party anyway?
- You know father worries about us.
It's all right.
Breaking my date with Wesley won't help.
And neither will being late.
We better go.
(soft instrumental music)
- You shouldn't have said you'd go with him anyway.
- Paul, you know I had nothing to say about that.
(upbeat instrumental music)
Besides, I told you I'd meet you in the gazebo.
Cheer up.
(energetic instrumental music)
(indistinct background chatter)
- Oh look, here comes Susan with Wesley Carver.
- Well, I thought she was in love with Paul.
- She is, but her father's in love with the Carver money.
- She's not gonna date Wesley, is she?
- Her father is trying to keep her from dating Paul,
but guess who's in the gazebo?
- Paul?
(nostalgic instrumental music)
(indistinct background chatter)
- Saturday night.
- Hi.
- [Paul] Hi, how'd you get way so soon?
- Oh, it was easy.
I sent Wesley out for some punch.
He's probably looking everywhere for me right now.
Paul, I can't stay long.
I love you.
- I love you, too.
- Oh, Paul.
What are we gonna do?
- I know what we could do.
We could run away.
- I've told you to stay away from that boy.
(laughing)
- What's wrong?
- I'm all mixed up.
- You don't even know what love is.
- [Paul] Don't worry, Susan.
I'll take care of you.
- He could never support you.
- Maybe we could talk to father again
and he could give you some ideas about--
- We tried that, you know it.
Our only chance is to go away together.
- Yes, but maybe if we asked--
- Susan.
Do you love me?
(gentle instrumental music)
- Yes, I love you.
- Do you really, really love me?
- Of course, I do.
- Then we'll work it out.
We might not have much,
but we will have each other.
- We would happy, wouldn't we?
- You know we would.
(soft instrumental music)
- There's no other way, is there?
- [Paul] What other way is there?
(gentle instrumental music)
Let's get married.
Let's get married today.
- [Susan] Today?
- Yes.
- [Susan] You mean to today?
- Yes, today, let's get married now, right now.
(laughs)
- [Susan] All right.
(soft instrumental music)
- You mean it, you really mean it.
(laughs)
- [Susan] I do.
- Let's go.
(indistinct background chatter)
- Hey, where you going?
- [Both] To get married.
(suspenseful instrumental music)
- Good evening, sir.
- Yes.
- I hate to do bother you like this, sir,
but my name is Senator Brooksmeyer.
I have a young lady in the car
who says she lives this address,
now, she's quite upset and seems
to have been of an accident or something like that.
- You've made a mistake.
I'm sorry.
(gentle instrumental music)
- You're willing to sacrifice
your daughter's happiness for it.
You're breaking her heart
and I am ashamed for you.
- You must have the wrong address.
She's gone.
- Gone?
But I would've heard the car door.
What's happening?
- I don't know, but I'm sure going to find out.
(suspenseful instrumental music)
Sir, if you'll just explain this to me.
- Let me step outside and close the door.
I don't want my wife upset again.
- I don't understand any of this, sir.
(sighs)
- My daughter was in an accident
on Woodson Road by the old bridge.
- That's right, that's where we found her,
but how did you know?
- Let me try to explain,
she was standing there, you stopped to help
and she asked you to bring her for this address.
- Well, it's right, yes.
- There's only one thing wrong, Senator,
that accident happened many years ago.
And my daughter
was killed.
Time
and time again.
She tries to come back, but she never makes it.
(solemn instrumental music)
God.
I wish she could.
(door shuts)
(melancholy instrumental music)
(intense instrumental music)
(gentle instrumental music)
♪ Remembering how it used to be ♪
♪ Knowing how it could have been ♪
♪ If we could go back to yesterday ♪
♪ And live it all again
♪ I know that if we had the time things would've changed ♪
♪ I think that our lives would be than the same ♪
♪ Wish I still had the kind of life ♪
♪ I once had with you
♪ Before the nights were like the kind ♪
♪ I once shared with you
♪ If there were only something I could do ♪
♪ It's so hard to feel after loving you ♪
♪ For all my dream looking back ♪
♪ On a life that used to be
♪ Never really understanding
♪ Why you had to leave
♪ If we could go back and change ♪
♪ all that's been done
♪ Then perhaps this lonely time ♪
♪ Never would have come
(suspenseful instrumental music)
- [Rod] It has been said that our lives
are merely bridges through time,
but what a death?
We know where death begins,
but across what does it span?
Where does it lead?
These are questions Susan could easily answer,
if we could but find her and this too is possible.
For dozens of people, including the senator,
say she still stands upon the bridge waiting,
perhaps for you to pass her way once more.
(suspenseful instrumental music)
Do we make these memorials to the dead
to help us remember?
Surely, we would never forget those we once loved.
Then is there some other reason, some obscure force
buried deep in the racial memory of man
that makes us create a ceremony
whenever one of us crosses over
to the next portion of eternity.
Can we measure that force?
The force released by a death
and do we know what form it may take?
We know what energy is released by a birth,
by the start of a life in this plane.
We celebrate it joyously at every anniversary,
but what about its opposite?
The energy released in this plane of existence
when a life comes to an end.
Doesn't some portion of it pass
for those who loved him?
Haven't you noticed that the ones left behind
seems somehow stronger, even in the midst of their grief.
Look at the dead boy's mother, her occult powers
never manifested before are almost irresistible.
- Listen you well to my word,
one by land, two by sky.
Look to the heptagon for it is there.
Seven times around go the three of you
and may reward be just and true.
(suspenseful instrumental music)
- [Rod] Now what about Johnny's death,
the accident that set in motion this whole train of events?
Was it an accident?
Was his death the climax of some unfathomable plan
rather than a mindless happening?
His mother, remember was the seventh daughter
of a seventh son.
Her powers were real even if unknown to her
until Johnny's death.
Before you dismiss this as an unfortunate accident
consider for a moment the incredible chain
of coincidental conditions that had to be met,
an address to send Johnny to, chosen at random,
a woman at home alone who opened her door
to a stranger at night,
a careful husband who left his wife a loaded automatic
with the safety off.
- Who's there?
- It's me Darlene, Johnny, you know Randy called.
(suspenseful instrumental music)
- Who do you want?
- Ah come on, Darlene, don't put me down.
Just open the door.
- There's no one here by that name,
this is the Wilson residence.
- Is their named Darlene?
(sighs)
- No, young man.
You've probably got the wrong address
and besides that you're liable to get hurt
walking up to a strange house
in the middle of the night.
Why I've got my husband's pistol out
and I certainly don't want to hurt anybody.
(screams)
(gasps) Oh dear God.
- [Rod] Death, sudden, violent, this is the trauma
that will reinforce the thrust of the mind,
turn loose the death force,
that strange parallel to the life force.
Where will that force go, do you know
and are you all together sure you would want to know?
Let us consider witchcraft for a moment.
Genuine witches are difficult to identify.
They operate without a license,
they're not required to register anywhere,
but witchcraft is booming in America and England.
Thousands of people are dabbling in black or white magic.
Surely then, witches must reveal themselves
from time to time, if only to keep
the faith of the coven fresh and strong.
Witchcraft began, apparently, with earliest mankind.
Once it was called the old religion,
probably tribal fertility rites forced underground
by religious persecution.
Experts in occult matters claimed
to trace the origins of black magic
to migrations from the lost continent of Atlantis.
The last of which reached Egypt
where the powerful secret diagrams
were recorded in the Egyptian Book of the Dead.
The Egyptian Book of the Dead,
famous as the source of most of today's rituals
in the occult.
In a matter of magic, whether white or black,
the key ingredient is belief
and who can measure the power of suggestion,
which is where belief begins.
Remember this suggestion by Johnny's mother
was reinforced by the boy's death.
If a victim is at all susceptible to suggestion
and knows a curse was put on him,
the knowledge alone may be enough
to do him in, one way or another.
- Whatever is out there in that hole
ain't human or animal.
It's the work of the devil.
- [Rod] What do you believe?
Because belief will make itself the power of man's mind,
the power of his belief is only now
beginning to be understood.
Be careful above all of what you decide you want
the wise man said because you will probably get it.
These men are making ready to explore an unknown,
but they have already convinced themselves of the nature
and quality of what they will find there.
They are expecting evil, anticipating enemy
rather than friend, danger rather than promise.
I ask you what did you expect them to find?
Because they did.
(wailing)
- [Man] Man, I wouldn't go down there for a million dollars.
- If I gave you a million dollars,
I wouldn't want you to go down that hole
on the end of a rope.
- Well, if I went down there,
I wouldn't want you on the top end either.
- [Joe] All right, you man hold on tight
to the end of that rope.
It's plenty deep and there may be water down there, too.
All right, let's get it over with.
Got that lantern ready?
(gasps)
- [Woman] Oh my God.
What was the exact moment when Joe decided
to say goodbye to his wife
by dropping the photograph from the wall?
Or was that something Joe decided?
Was it a voluntary thought powered by the extreme fear
that gripped him or involuntary, the last lucid flash
before his sanity went?
- Joe.
- [Rod] We remain baffled by the power of rational thought,
by the hidden sources of creativity,
by the marvels the human mind
can conceive and achieve.
We have attacked the brain with scalpel, drugs, electricity,
but the suspicion grows that its secrets are beyond us.
Is the mind more than the brain?
It is beginning to appear
that there is almost nothing the mind cannot do
from controlling the subtle nuances of our own bodies
to hurling unlikely technical complexities
across the galaxy.
May it not then preside over its own death
in some peculiar fashion, we may never understand?
Some fashion we may never want to understand.
Would understanding bring greater fear?
But we must work our way past fear
if mankind is to go on.
The next great step in the evolution of man
is to learn about his mind, his brain.
Not only where it came from,
we make educated guesses about that,
but more important, where can it possibly go?
Given the courage to overcome fear,
what can we learn about ourselves?
The girl on the bridge is a classic ghost story,
classic because it is a keystone of our culture,
the dear departed who do not quite depart.
Why can't they let go?
Is it because we can't let go of them?
Is our love the anchor that holds some part of them near?
(gentle instrumental music)
- [Senator] Miss.
Miss, are you all right?
- [Rod] Maybe it is something even stronger than love,
more enduring, like obligation,
the belief that there is something you must do.
And remember in the enchanted room
in the unique miracle of the mind,
what you believe to be true
either is true or your mind will make it so.
- So, Randy Powell went skydiving.
What was it that woman named Camille said,
one by land and two my air,
didn't Frank say that he found a heptagon
to be a seven sided figure
and didn't Dave die seven days after Johnny's funeral
and Frank 14 days after?
What is the reality and what is the illusion?
Our story doesn't tell us,
but I wonder if Randy knows that it's a 21st day?
- Listen you.
One by land, two by sky.
Look for the heptagon for it is there.
Seven times around go the three of you.
And may your reward be just and true.
(foreboding instrumental music)