[Creaking]
[Clattering]
[Child's laughter]
Had enough, big guy?
Oh, this is real fair.
You're 200 pounds heavier.
Shh.
I'm not hurting him.
I know. Just--shh.
What are you doing?
I want everyone to be real quiet.
Uh, hello.
Everyone settle and just listen.
What are we listening for?
Silence.
Total silence.
That's impossible. Absolute silence doesn't exist.
Yeah, there's always something making noise.
Exactly.
So when grownups say they want it quiet,
there's no way,
'cause there's no such thing.
I'll remember that.
But what if there could be total silence?
What if you could stop every sound, every buzz?
Every breath?
You couldn't.
Where there's life, there's sound.
Say that another way.
You take away sound,
and you take away...
Life.
Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society,
I call this story...
Woman: Come along, children.
Don't lag behind there, children.
Come along, children.
Pay attention, and we're off to the children's library,
where I hope you'll spend many hours.
That's it.
Here are some of our librarians
going all the way back to 1837.
Pay attention, children.
Rats.
"Quiet, reading room."
[Screams]
[Screaming silenced]
[Alarm rings]
Listen up, everybody.
For your history project,
I've assigned teams.
Check this list for your partner.
I got Barry Evans.
[Gags]
Who'd you get?
I'm with Jace Ellman.
Ooh, Jace the face. Lucky you... not.
What's wrong with Jace? I think he's kind of cute.
Yeah, he thinks so, too.
He's way conceited, Laurie.
He's not.
Trust me. If his head got any bigger,
they'd put him in a parade.
Laurie "The Icicle" Napier.
Sorry, Jace.
Laurie's OK.
Come on. Her head's got too many brains.
If it were any bigger,
they'd put her in a parade.
Check this out.
My name is Laurie Napier.
I may be a geek, but that's OK,
because I'm way smarter than you.
[Giggling]
Oh, uh, hi. We were just--
Talking about me. I heard.
So, uh, it looks like we're gonna be working together.
Wow. I feel so privileged.
What'd I tell you. The ice queen.
¶ A, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, I, j, k, l, m, n... ¶
Don't go too far.
¶ Q, r, s ¶¶
[rattling]
[Screams]
[Scream silenced]
Natalie?
Natalie, where are you?
[Computer game sound effects]
Shh.
We need these books from downstairs,
if it's not too much trouble.
I know how busy you are.
I'm just trying to get you to lighten up.
Don't bother. Get the books.
Why don't you get them?
Because I'm already doing all the work.
Because you won't let me do anything.
Because maybe I don't want to flunk.
Let's flip for it.
Heads, I go, tails, you go.
Aw, come on. Live dangerously, all right?
Uh...
2 out of 3?
Good-bye.
Chilly.
Very chilly.
Hello?
[Both gasp]
Goodness, you frightened me.
May I help you look for something?
Uh, n-no, thanks.
It's about time. Did you find...
I didn't know you wore glasses.
Uh, I don't....
Usually.
[Sighs]
Why are you so jumpy?
I'm not jumpy.
What do we do now?
I do research.
You sit there and don't bother me.
[Computer game sound effects]
Do you mind?
Why are you treating me like a kid?
Because you're acting like one.
That's it.
I'm out of here.
Uh, hey.
Hey, you can't take my books.
They're not your books. I need them to write my report.
Our report.
This team thing isn't gonna work.
Give me the books, and I'll write the report.
Maybe I should write it.
One of has to, because we sure can't do it together.
Fine. I didn't want to work on a team anyway.
Oh, no.
Jace? Do you have my notebook?
Why would I have it?
I gave it to you at the library yesterday.
Oh. Yeah, that's right.
I must have left it in the basement.
I need those notes for the paper. Go get it.
Hey, I got practice.
You want to write the paper?
You get it.
But you left it there.
That's 'cause I'm not as smart as you are.
I forget things. I act like a kid.
All right, we'll both go.
You got to show me where you left it.
I told you, I got practice.
Jace, I got to write that paper tonight.
All right.
I'll meet you there later.
OK.
I can't get there till 7:00.
I'll see you at 7:00.
Fine.
Hey, Laurie. You really got to lighten up.
[Disgusted sigh]
Why didn't you check the closing time?
Hey, you said 7:00, not me.
I'm gonna flunk. I've never flunked anything in my life.
No? You didn't do too hot in the teamwork department,
remember?
[Groans]
There's nothing else we can do,
except...
Maybe I can open one of those windows.
Y-you can't be serious. That's, like, illegal.
You got a better idea?
Jace, don't.
It's OK. I forgot the notebook, I'll get it.
You don't have to.
Sure I do.
I don't want to be responsible
for the only time you ever flunked.
Doesn't matter, anyway.
We're out of luck.
The paper's due tomorrow.
I can't write it without those books.
You're a genius.
Can't you just make it up or something?
You think I'm some computer, don't you?
[Rattling]
Look.
I must have loosened it up.
Man, it's weird in here at night.
Why'd you do that?
What happened to the copy machine?
It used to be right there.
Yeah.
Where'd all the computers go?
And the VCR?
Yeah.
[Rattling]
What was that?
The radiator, I think.
Let's bolt.
We have to get my notebook.
Right. That's, uh... In the basement.
Where'd you leave it?
Over there, I think.
But everything's different.
What do you mean?
It wasn't like this yesterday.
There were a lot more books,
and that room wasn't there.
Look at this. 1910.
It's got to be some phony antique.
Hey, maybe we shouldn't mess with--
Come on. Live dangerously.
[Both scream silently]
[Screaming]
What are we gonna do?
Let's get out of here.
It's Mrs. Hurley. Mrs. Hurley, it's me, Laurie Napier.
No talking in the library.
That's not Mrs. Hurley.
There's room for 2 more.
[Both scream]
Who are you?
Get away from me.
[Laughs]
Laurie...
[Laughs]
Jace!
Who was that? What happened to your voice?
Come on.
Try the others.
What are you looking for?
The phone.
They're gone!
The fire alarm. It's gone too.
Everything modern is gone.
Jace, what is going on?
Silence is golden.
[Laurie screams]
[Evil chuckling]
[Clatters]
[Clattering silenced]
[Footsteps overhead]
[Heart beating]
[Heartbeat stops]
[Music plays]
I'm going to teach you a lesson,
just like I do to all loud children.
My reading room is so peaceful and quiet.
You'll grow to like it, just like all the others.
[Chuckles]
[Laughing]
No, don't! Leave him...
[Laughing]
I think it's time you joined me downstairs.
[Computer game sound effects]
No, stop it. Stop it now.
Stop it!
Stop it now.
Children who make noise in the library
must be punished.
[Whump] Ow!
[Moaning]
What are you kids doing in here?
How did you get in?
What the...
It--that was a...
My voice is back!
Mine too.
The reading room.
We found the missing kids.
There's a door behind there.
Hurry.
This door hasn't been opened in years.
Are you guys OK?
Yeah, I think.
Look in here.
Wow. It's like a tomb in here.
I got to call this in.
You kids stay put.
[Children laughing]
Whoever they were, I think they're free now.
[Laughter continues]
They're never gonna believe us, are they?
I'm not sure I believe us.
You know, maybe we're not such a bad team, after all.
Is this anybody's?
My notebook.
You kids can go now.
If we need you, we'll call.
We still have to write that paper.
We?
Come on. Let's live dangerously.
Cool story.
Yeah. I never knew silence
could be so creepy.
I declare this meeting
of the Midnight Society closed.
Speaking of libraries, I have books to return.
Does anyone want to keep me company?
But it's way past closing.
I was gonna drop them in the night slot.
I got to go.
Yeah.
Oh, and look at the time.
Got to roll. See you guys next time.
Hasta la vista.
Tucker?
Bye.
Come on! Just leave me at the corner.
You don't have to go near the building.
Guys?
Captioned by Grant Brown