[Child laughing]
Gaze into the crystal ball of a fortune teller.
They say it offers a glimpse into the future.
I see that Kiki has an incredible voice,
and she'll someday be a famous singer.
Cool.
Betty Ann's compassion and intelligence
will lead her to a successful career in medicine.
Really?
Stig will be a professional wrestler.
Yes!
Sam's love for adventure
will make her a famous explorer,
maybe searching the ocean depths
where no one has gone before.
I like this game.
And Tucker.
Hmm.
He'll clean elephant cages at the zoo.
Hey, what does that thing say
for you, smart guy?
I see in my future
a story.
A story about looking into the future.
Imagine if a crystal ball really worked?
Wouldn't it be cool to see what was going to happen to you
tomorrow, or next week,
or 5 years from now?
The only trouble is
what if the future you saw
wasn't a good one?
What if it was filled with fear and danger?
Would seeing a horrible future mean you could change it,
or would it mean you had to live with the knowledge
that you were doomed,
and all you could do was wait for it to happen?
Submitted for the approval
the Midnight Society,
I call this story...
Natalie Miller. She'd say yes.
She looked at me
in the library yesterday.
What do you think?
I don't know. I don't know either of them.
Hey Michael, get out of there!
You're not supposed to go in there.
What are you, mom's spy?
[Boys giggle]
Wanna buy a little brother?
Nah, I already got a lizard.
Hey, what's he doing in there?
Eh, it's a dumb club he's got with his friends.
Whenever they get a new member,
they bring him in there and scare him.
Like an initiation.
Cute.
Maybe Beth Elliot. She'd go.
Yo, Justin.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Beth's cool.
So, do you believe that stuff about the Albert house?
What? Old Mr. Albert haunts the place?
I can't believe that.
So, uh--who are you gonna ask to the dance?
I--I don't know. I haven't decided yet.
Yeah, great. You'll never ask anybody.
You choke every time you look at a girl.
I do not.
Do to.
Do not. Do to.
Do not. Do to!
Excellent.
Hmm?
Get lost, will ya?
Why?
'Cause I don't want an audience. Now go.
Man, I'd give anything for the guts to do that.
What was that?
I didn't quite hear.
You'd give anything for what?
Nothing.
Wait. Don't be shy.
Certainly there must be something I can interest you in.
Have you seen our vomit?
Who are you?
They call me--Sardo.
No Mr., accent on the "do".
And you are?
Justin. No rules, just plain Justin.
So, what are you looking for,
just plain Justin?
Nothing you can help me with.
Try me.
OK, I got this thing with girls.
Don't we all.
No. I'm nervous about asking anybody out.
I'm scared they're gonna say no,
and I'll look like a total geek.
I have exactly what you need!
You're kidding.
I never kid.
I have just the thing to help you solve your problem.
[Mumbling]
Thanks, anyway. I gotta be going.
Voila!
What is it?
It's...
A door... way.
It's a doorway into the future.
It's one of a kind.
I got it from a fortune teller
who fell on hard times.
What's it do?
Well, uh...
You just tell it what you want to see.
Imagine knowing beforehand
whether or not the young lady you ask out
will say yes or no?
[Telephone rings]
Don't move.
[Ring]
Doorway to the future?
Yeah, right.
It's your nickel.
Show me a girl who'll go to the dance with me.
Rip. It doesn't even open.
[Banging sound]
I'll take it!
You will?
You will?!
Of course you will! Why wouldn't you?
After all, it is one of a kind.
And it's a steal at uh...
$64.95.
What?
Oh, but wait.
Today's sale day. It's only $44.95.
I can't afford it.
$24.95?
I've only got $10.
Sold, but I'm losing on the deal.
OK, OK, what's the big secret?
This.
It's who I'm taking to the dance.
I hope you and your little door
have a great time.
No, no, wait.
I don't get it.
It worked before.
Introduce me later.
I know how doors can get a little stuck up.
Ben, wait.
Brad.
Brad!
Brad.
[Echoes]
Aaaahhh!
[Screaming]
Mr. Sardo?
That's Sar-do!
Oh.
I thought you said this was one of a kind?
Eeehhh-yes.
Well--you see, the um...
The doors are uh...
Are a matched set.
And so you see, they are one of a kind,
both of them. Sort of.
All right, they're 2 of a kind, so sue me.
I want to know who's on the other side of that door?
It really works?
I mean uh...
It really works
exactly as I said it would.
Then who is it?
Why, it looks like...
Like...
Like a strange little puppet.
I hate this! It only works for me.
I see.
Well, I'm afraid that any liability
resulting from magical doors
is strictly the responsibility of the owner.
That's you.
That's in the fine print of any oral contract.
I saw a girl.
Consider yourself lucky.
Good day!
Done deal.
Amy Breck said yes.
You mean you nagged her
until she couldn't take it anymore?
Exactly.
So uh--you still going with your toy door?
It's not a toy.
The guy I bought it from told me
it shows the future.
Did you see yourself going to the nut house?
It's no joke, Ben!
I saw a girl hurt in a fire.
And if that's really the future,
then somebody's in a lot of trouble.
And there's nothing I can do
'cause I don't even know who she is!
All right, people, settle down.
Now, before we begin,
I'd like you all to welcome
a new student to our school.
Her name is Ashley.
Everyone,
this is Ashley brewer.
[Bell ringing]
Are you OK?
Yeah, it's just my head.
You're in my class, aren't you?
Yeah, I'm Justin.
I'm Ashley.
Hi.
Uh--I don't want to sound weird but...
Can I ask you something?
Sure.
Uh--have you ever been trapped
in a burning building?
No. What kind of question is that?
Hey!
Sorry, bro.
Who's the babe?!
I thought you were too chicken
to talk to girls.
That's no babe, that's my sister.
Brad!
Oh, well excuse me!
Looks like my brother made friends with your brother.
Hmm, yeah.
Oh, by any chance, is your father a firefighter?
Uh, no.
Listen, I'd better go.
Stop being strange and ask her to the dance.
Forget about the dance.
I gotta warn her about the fire.
What a great ice breaker.
Hi, I just saw the future through a magic door,
and you're doomed.
Wanna go to the dance?
It's not funny. Ashley might be in trouble.
I hope she has smoke alarms in her house.
Smoke alarms?
What is it with you and fire?
Uh--it's kind of a hobby.
Yeah, yeah.
You know, fires and smoke alarms.
You can't have too many smoke alarms.
Yeah. Thanks for the tip.
Man, you gotta get over this.
Ashley, we have a welcome present for you.
Oh, thank you.
No!
Aaahhh!
Are you crazy?!
What did you do that for?
I thought...
Nice work.
If you can't charm 'em, soak 'em.
Here, wear my jacket before you freeze.
No! I mean, don't put that on!
It's OK. He'll be fine.
Bed rest and a little warm milk,
and he'll be good as new.
Ashley, you're in danger if you wear that!
Don't put it on!
I saw it through my-- my little door.
[Kids laugh]
We all did it,
and if you want to be one of us,
you'll do it, too.
W-what do I have to do?
They say old Mr. Alberts haunts the place.
You gotta go up to the master bedroom
and sit in his chair.
In?
[Telephone rings]
Hello?
Uh, is this Justin?
Yeah?
Hi, this is Ashley from school.
Um--is my brother there?
Uh--no. Is he supposed to be?
Well, the little squid told my mother
he was going to visit your brother.
She wants him home for dinner...
Now.
Sorry, he's not here.
Great. Now I've gotta go look for him.
Uh--Ashley?
Yeah?
Listen, uh...
I'm really sorry about today.
And I know it's hard to believe but...
I'm not a total lunatic...
Usually.
You're right. It is hard to believe.
Maybe we could just forget it ever happened
and start all over again?
I'll think about it.
Listen, I gotta go find Brad before dinner burns.
See you later.
Burns?
Dinner burning? Hello, Ashley?
Mary Jo? Where's Michael?
I'm not supposed to say.
Says who?
Michael. He thinks you spy for Mom.
Aahhh!
Aaahhh!
Excellent!
Brad?
Brad, are you in there?
Brad!
Man, it's my sister.
Let's bolt.
I'm not spying for Mom.
I just have to know where he is.
I'll be your best friend.
Give me a break.
Just tell me where he is,
or Mom's gonna find out
who flushed the corn cob down the toilet.
He went to do an initiation.
Initiation?
Like the Albert's house?
Brad.
Brad!
Brad.
This isn't the future.
This is right now.
Brad!
Ashley!
Justin?
Look out!
Aahh!
Where did you come from?
Let's get out of here.
Aahhh!
It's locked.
We're gonna suffocate down here.
There's gotta be a way out.
It's all that little door's fault.
What little door?
The door I saw you through.
The key set "in" and...
The key said--"in".
What are you talking about?
He said it was one-of-a-kind.
But it isn't.
There's 2.
And if one's the "in" door...
The other must be the "out" door.
You really are crazy.
[Justin's voice] Mr. Sardo, help us!
Help us!
That's Sar-do, no Mr. accent...
Hurry, please!
[Coughing]
That's it. I'm changing my name.
It's finally driven me out of my mind.
Help!
Sardo, help!
Help us open the door!
[Coughing]
Hurry!
Who are you?
What do you want?
It's Justin, the kid you sold the other door to!
We're trapped in here. Open the door, hurry!
Please!
Nothing happened.
Justin: Use the key in the sliding panel.
Hurry!
Help us!
Open the door!
I've got it.
This is worth more than I thought.
Open the door!
[Coughing]
My, how interesting.
Are you OK?
Yeah, I think.
What happened?
[Ahem]
I don't know whether this is the right time,
but uh--I don't supposed I could interest you
in purchasing the triplet.
The triplet?
Yes.
It's actually 3 of a kind.
Nah, keep it.
[Gary narrating] The magic door never worked for Justin again.
But whether a door is magic or not
there's one thing that can always be said.
Whenever a door is opened,
it always leads to new possibilities.
You ready?
Absolutely.
[Door creaking]
[Door slams shut]
The end.
Hey, careful!
Let's see if I can tell the future.
I see, I see a guy standing up
and saying, "I declare this meeting
of the Midnight Society closed."
I declare this meeting...
Give it to me, Tucker.
Give it to me, Tucker!
Hey, this thing really works.
Let me try.
Yeah, you're right. I see.
I see a little guy.
He's being pounded by a big guy with glasses.
Ooh, nasty.
Later!
Thanks, Kiki.
Captioned by Grant Brown