[Child laughs]
[Muffled heartbeat]
[Thunder]
I'll take off the bag as soon as--
Hey, they're here!
This better be good,
'cause we're going to get electrocuted.
So who's this mystery guy we've been hearing about?
Guys, my friend Sam.
The guy's a girl!
Sam?
It's Samantha.
My friends call me Sam.
Yo, Sam, I'm Frank, and, uh...
I think you're the hottest thing around this campfire.
Thanks. You can call me Samantha.
Ow! Oh! Mercy! Mercy!
The babe's got bite!
I think you're perfect...
Uh, for the Midnight Society.
Do you know the rules?
Sure. I tell you guys a story.
If you guys like it, I'm in.
If not...
[Thunder]
I'm on the highway.
Let's get going, OK?
Good luck.
You're on.
I have lots of stories I could have told,
but I picked one that kind of fits the setting.
There are tons of ancient legends about the woods--
legends of spirits like the Manitou or the Windigo--
but whatever happened to these spirits
once people showed up to hack down their world?
Many moved on,
but some say the truly evil ones clung to home,
with twisted hearts full of revenge
for all who dare disturb their home.
Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society,
I call this story...
[Sam] It was Sarah's first time
at camp grindlestone.
She was a superachiever
who had every medal a trailmaker could earn.
Only problem was, Sarah was so busy with activities,
she didn't have much time for friends.
Kelly, on the other hand,
had been to grindlestone before and hated it.
She had tons of friends at home
and really didn't want to be there.
Ooh!
Walk much?
Sorry. Let me help.
Uh, no one touches my stuff.
I'm Sarah. It's my first time here.
I'm thrilled. What tent you in?
Six. How about you?
Six?
Yeah.
Great. We can be pals.
Is she, like, too perfect or what?
Oh, look-- here's the one she got
for jumping out of an airplane and living.
And here's the one she got for cleaning up
all the pollution in the whole world!
Here's the one she got
for never doing anything wrong ever.
Of course, everybody gets that one.
Hi, guys. Mind if I hang out?
Has anybody seen my trailmaker's vest?
[Squeaking]
Bats.
They hate music.
That is what you're playing, Sylvie, isn't it?
Ha ha.
[Sarah] This place is pretty cool.
"Never enter Watcher's Woods. Ever."
What's Watcher's Woods?
[Sour chord]
You're new, so I'll tell you.
It's a place where people get blipped.
Blipped?
Lost. Vaporized. Erased.
The legend goes way back.
Indian tribes, colonial soldiers,
pioneers...
All gone, never seen again.
So where is this place?
No one knows.
They say it moves like a shark,
looking for victims,
and once you realize you're inside,
it's too late.
Sounds like a stupid camp story to me.
Why is it called Watcher's Woods?
The few who escaped came back crazy,
babbling something about the watcher--
a demon who guards the woods
and picks out its victims.
They blipped in 1919.
Tomorrow will be 75 years to the day.
They went for a hike and were never seen again.
The only trace the searchers found...
were their whistles.
Care to go for a little hike
in Watcher's Woods, superstar?
Uhh! Aah!
Rats! I hate rats!
It was only a little rat.
This is going to be a long couple of weeks.
[Woman] You'll work in teams of two.
The goal's to collect
as many specimens as you can for your nature medals
and get back before dark.
Kelly, I want you to take Sarah.
You know the woods pretty well.
Maybe we'll find Watcher's Woods.
And remember--
no fires.
We don't want any accidents.
Have fun.
So where do we start?
Start by keeping out of my face.
Do you know what the manual says to do if you get lost?
No, but I'll bet you do.
Three sharps blasts on the whistle.
That's the call for help.
Gee, thanks. I'll try to remember that.
You're going to smoke?
Yes.
The fire warning is up.
You are just too perfect, aren't you?
I am not. It's just that--
Look, I'm not into this medal stuff.
Let's just chill
and sneak back to camp, OK?
No! I like it. That's why I'm here.
Yeah? I'm here because my parents
want me out of the house for two weeks.
I'll make you a deal.
I know these woods.
I'll show you a pheasant nest
if we can cut out early and go swimming.
A pheasant's nest? Really?
Deal.
OK, mother nature. Let's roll.
Through there.
It's a tight squeeze.
Give me your pack.
Do you think they're still nesting?
Gosh, I don't know. Go look.
For somebody smart, you're pretty dim.
Adios.
What...
I don't see any nest in there.
Kelly?
Oh, man!
I don't believe this.
I can't be lost. No way.
This is not happening.
What?
There was a path here.
Kelly!
[Echo] Kelly!
[Deep voice] Sarah...
Aah!
Welcome... to my woods.
OK, be cool. Don't lose it.
You can get out of this. You just got to...
Yes!
Ohh!
Uh, hello?
Anybody there?
Hello?
[Static]
[Flies buzzing]
Gross. What died?
Maybe I don't need help that bad.
Aah!
Welcome to Watcher's Woods...
Dearie.
Aah!
Who are you?
It took us 75 years,
but finally, we've got her.
We've waited. Oh, how we've waited.
Are we sure it's her? I'm not so sure.
I'm not her!
Who's her?
Now, do you tell us where you put our whistles,
or do we work on our archery medals?
What whistles?
I guess we shoot.
Can't we play with her a bit first?
No!
Ready...
Aim...
Fire!
No!
Bull's-eye.
Now, what about our whistles?
You...
You're the missing trailmakers.
But you've been gone since--
1919. See?
Her memory's coming back.
Ha ha ha!
Why did you steal our whistles?
I didn't. I don't even know you!
You tricked us. You left us here to die.
Worse--you left us for the watcher.
[Spits]
The watcher--
he said he'd hold our souls
till we found our whistles.
He knew we'd never find them.
So it's eternity for us in his woods.
And it's all your fault.
But now we've got you,
and soon,
you'll be old and dead, as we are.
Almost family.
Ha ha ha!
I...I know where your whistles are.
If you let me go, I'll go get them.
Hmm!
If we let you go,
would you come back?
Yes, I-- yes, I swear!
Oh, dearie?
We don't believe you.
No!
Ha ha ha!
What scares you most?
What?
Let me guess.
I know.
How would you like to play...
With some rodents?
Aah!
I don't think she likes rodents.
Well, we'll give her a chance to make friends.
Careful, now. They're very fast.
Why did it have to be rats?
Kelly.
Sarah! Sarah, get me out of here.
I'm sorry I made fun of you.
I'm sorry I got you lost.
Shh. Be quiet.
They're ghosts, Sarah. They think I stole their whistles.
I wouldn't do that!
No? You did it to me.
I'm sorry!
This is Watcher's Woods. It's real!
We're never going to get out.
Yes, we are. Just...
[Hag] Try this.
Aah! Aah!
Well, well, another visitor.
What are we going to do with this one?
Why not work on our survival medal
and hunt her for food?
Wait. I can help you.
How?
I can get your whistles.
I know where they are.
Are you certain?
Yes. I can run back and get them.
We'll keep your slimy little friend,
and if you're not back by sunup,
she'll be food for the mice and the newts.
Oh, man, Sarah, are you sure?
You got a better idea?
If you're going, go.
Could...
Could you move the bucket?
North star... north star...
north star!
So camp...
that way!
[Deep voice] Sarah...
What? Who are you?
I'm watching you.
Sarah...
Aah!
You fascinate me, Sarah.
I'm eager to add a soul
such as yours
to my precious woods.
Come.
Join me.
Back off.
Flame cannot harm me.
Maybe not you,
but I could torch your precious woods
like dry kindling.
Now let me pass.
I don't believe you.
Try me.
She's not back yet.
So, shall we start on our cooking medals
or on our pet-keeping medals?
Why not cook half of her
and teach the other half to do tricks?
Ha ha ha!
Has to be sharp to be painless.
Sarah!
Got them!
Give them to me!
It's three we need to break the spell,
not two!
But I had them just a minute ago.
What a nasty thing to do to us!
You didn't use your head.
But we will.
Wait! Just let me look for them.
Too late! Too late! Too late!
We're going to make such a mess!
Kelly!
Oh, no!
I found it. It's over here.
Ignore her. She lies.
Kelly!
Oh...
Kelly, please!
On my signal...
1...
2...
3!
Aah!
[Blows whistle]
You OK?
Yeah. I think so.
Could it be?
[Tweet]
What are those?
It's a trail sign.
It means I've gone home.
You, uh... came back.
Yeah.
You saved my neck.
Come on. Let's go home.
Hey, where you been?
Looks like we're going home!
All right!
The end.
So, what'd you guys think?
[Whispering]
Um...
I don't know how to tell you this...
Uh, that's OK.
That's OK. I understand.
Thanks for the shot.
What I mean is,
it's going to be real hard
calling somebody that looks like you...
Sam.
Welcome to the Midnight Society.
Thanks.
No.
You're great.
Captioned by Grant Brown