[MUSIC]
Tucker!
[MUSIC]
This better be the place.
My boots are killing me.
[MUSIC]
This is it.
[MUSIC]
I walked into something stringy.
It's just a spider's lab.
Get it off.
I got the wood.
Whoa, whoa.
Whoa.
Face plant.
Hey, you okay?
Yeah.
Hey, I told you guys to wait up.
I'm not as fast as you.
Then you should have stayed home, Roach.
Easy.
You could have beat me.
All right, look.
Let's just sit down, okay?
Where, on the ground?
No, grab a log or a rock.
Yeah, that's much better.
This is exactly how I pictured it.
We closed off the trail, and no
one's been back since we left.
So how's it work?
The rules are simple.
This is all about telling the tales.
Scary tales.
Exactly.
I know you guys.
Just like my brother Gary knew the friends he brought here.
We all love stories that are weird and scary.
And the secret place is where we tell those stories.
Because when we enter the circle, we leave reality behind.
And enter a dark world where anything can happen.
It's still here.
Vang, Megan, Andy, Quinn.
Are we ready?
Then the first one's mine.
Submitted for the approval of the new Midnight Society,
I call this story.
The Tale of the Forever Game.
All right, yeah!
Come on, come on.
On your tail, buddy.
Catch it up there.
Come on.
You gotta catch up.
Come on, yeah.
Catch it up.
Come on, Peter, you're getting lazy.
We should take it easy on her.
Why?
I'm sick of waiting for her.
Let's go.
Hold on, man.
She's your sister.
You okay, Monica?
Yeah.
Do you have to go so fast?
Oh, what's the matter?
Can't you wait-o-wegs keep up?
I'm just not as big as you.
If you don't like it, go home and play dolls.
Why is he so mean to me?
He used to be like that to me, too.
That's all I proved I was as good as he was.
In other words, he's a jerk.
Yeah, pretty much.
Come on, let's go.
Peter, where are you?
Where are you?
I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. Where'd he go?
Not funny.
Well, sure was. For me.
Put your head back.
No, no, no, wait, man, wait.
Check this out.
There's she not trail before.
Yeah, me neither.
Must be one of those renegade biker trails.
Let's hit it.
Shouldn't we stick to the mock trails?
If you want a chicken out fine, you know the way home.
It's safe for you to stick together.
Just follow Peter. I'll be right behind you.
Just try to keep up.
That's creepy.
He dumped a bike down here.
Someone who can't take the heat.
Now what?
This way.
You let us in a circle, smart guy.
[engine revving]
How many of these trees are there?
I think there's only one.
We're going in circles.
It's like we're stuck in a maze.
There's gotta be a trail out.
Let's just take a different path.
That's a bad plan. We should stick together.
Hey, I don't see you coming up with any better ideas.
Yeah, it was your last idea that got us stuck here.
And this idea is gonna get us out.
So move.
[engine revving]
Oh.
A big surprise.
Look!
[music playing]
Hi there.
Glad you could make it.
My name's Nathaniel.
Where am I?
Is this a dream?
No.
It's a game.
You wanna play?
Okay, I get it.
I fell through that rotten tree up there.
And this?
This is the basement of your house.
Right?
Um, sort of.
Do you like it?
It's called "Forever Game."
[music playing]
Hey, cool.
Hey, guys.
I can't hear you.
Oh, too bad, because I'd
really like to freak my sister out.
Mine.
Do you like her?
Like her?
She's a waste of space.
So, how do you play this game?
It starts here at the pitchfork tree.
Spin the spinner and choose any path.
Then it's a first to the door.
So, do you wanna play?
Sure.
Wonderful.
Geez, lighten up, pal.
It's just a game.
Oh, it's more than a game.
Wait till you see. I'll go first.
[pig squawking]
[music playing]
[phone ringing]
Po-Paree.
What does that mean?
Look.
Come on, stop pulling her out.
Come on out, where are you?
It's snow in colors.
Hollyhocks?
I trained ya?
They're flower petals.
Where are they coming from?
How did you do that?
It isn't me. It's a game.
Well, that's great.
My turn.
[pig squawking]
Rain?
My lightning bolts.
Lightning bolts.
Lightning, get out of the open.
Are you sure this is what we're supposed to do?
Yes, stay close to shorter trees.
It's right on top of us.
It's okay.
Bigger trees get hit first.
Excellent.
Monica hates lightning.
What's wrong?
Every time we spin, the last event stops.
Except one.
Which one?
Bird and beast.
Once he's called, he never goes away.
So...
it's just a game, right?
It's over.
Yeah. We're safe now.
Ah!
What was that?
Hey, stop it.
This isn't funny anymore.
But we're only beginning.
Yeah, well, too bad.
I quit.
You can't quit. You have to finish your game.
No, I don't.
Yes, you do.
Why?
Because the winner gets to leave,
and the loser has to stay here forever.
That is why it's called the Forever Game.
This way.
Wait!
Come on!
Clever girl.
Oh, excellent, Monica.
Something weird is going on.
Yeah, you think? It's like something's going on. Yeah, you think?
It's like somebody's...
playing with us.
Who the heck are you?
And what do you mean, "loser" gets stuck here?
Look, don't be angry. I'm a victim like you.
Trick me into playing this stupid game.
You had no choice. Neither did I.
I stumbled into this place just like you.
And when I played, I lost.
I've been stuck here ever since.
Where did it come from?
I don't know.
But it's been here a long, long time.
And what if I don't play?
Then we're both stuck.
Until someone finishes a game.
And what about them?
If you don't play, then they're stuck too.
But as soon as somebody wins, they'll go free.
If they survive.
Look, I'm sorry you're stuck, okay?
But I'm sorry for me too.
At least if you play, you'll have a chance to get out.
But if you don't, you'll be stuck here forever.
And so will they.
Mia!
Mia! Peter!
Peter, come on, stop that.
Look out, where are you?
Peter!
Sticky pit.
Well, that's a good thing, right?
Well, no.
We couldn't get out on bikes,
we're not gonna get out on foot.
Don't say that. We're going to
find Peter and we're going to get out.
Ah!
Help!
I'm sinking!
Here, grab on.
It's pulling me down.
Spin, hurry!
I'm planning my course.
Come on, spin!
Every move is crucial.
Do it.
Now.
Where'd it go?
Your turn. Great. Here we go again.
The booby traps are aimed right at us.
It's like somebody knows exactly where we are.
See?
Spin!
Fast!
It doesn't matter.
Bird and beast doesn't go away.
What does that mean?
Instant night. Instant night.
It'll be nighttime till the end.
What happened?
It couldn't see us in the dark.
We're back at that stupid tree again.
This whole thing started when we found that tree.
So you think that tree has something to do with all this?
Let's find out.
What are they doing?
Oh, it doesn't matter.
I'm five squares away from smelling fresh air again.
It's not over yet. Switch.
We'll go back 15 spaces.
No contest.
I picked switch.
Lucky you.
What do you mean?
Switch means that someone in the forest switches with you.
You're lucky. Yeah. I'm not sure if it's that way. I'm not sure. No. I'm not sure. You're lucky. You're lucky. What are you thinking? Switch means that someone in the forest switches with you. You mean I can leave?
Yep.
Oh, yes.
I'm out of here.
Who takes my place?
Your choice.
Either your sister or your friend.
Isn't that great?
Now you can escape and get rid
of your sister at the same time.
Peter? Peter?
What are you waiting for?
Move the piece and switch with her.
Peter?
Now what did you do that for?
Now you'll never win.
I'm not switching with anyone.
Especially my sister.
Okay.
But now you're gonna pay the price.
I'm not paying anything yet.
Maybe there's a trap door.
There's nothing here.
It's this tree. I know it.
This is what's keeping us in here.
Wait.
It looks dead.
Maybe we can knock it over.
What's going on?
I don't know.
It's the tree.
That's the key.
The Monica knows it.
There's no way they'll knock it down.
Unless I can help.
Yes!
Wait, what are you doing?
That's backwards.
Exactly.
We'll never do it!
It's a lightning night!
Goodbye, Peter.
I'm sorry I have to be you.
No, no, no, wait.
This is torture.
Well, what does that mean?
Broken stick.
Nothing will happen till the next turn.
You mean the lightning won't stop?
Not till you spin.
And I'm in no hurry.
This lightning hits the tree. It might go down.
But we've gotta be right here.
Cause the lightning followed us.
But it's not a little... dangerous.
Spin.
I'm only one space away.
No. No rush.
I'm plotting my course.
[gunshots]
[screams]
Don't move! He's throwing me chills!
We'll have to move down.
Hang in there, Monica.
Monica!
Only second.
Get out!
Whoa!
[birds chirping]
Monica?
Peter?
Are you guys okay?
Fine. Where have you been?
Well, you're not gonna believe this.
I saw the whole thing.
Everything that happened to you guys.
And you were great.
Peter.
Peter!
It's me, Nathaniel.
What happened?
I guess... I grew old after all these years.
But that's all right.
I'm free.
Because you've figured out how
to beat the game once and for all.
Where are you gonna go?
To the old neighborhood.
I haven't been there since the year I ran away. 1929.
Goodbye.
Okay, you gonna tell us what that was all about?
Yeah.
But not until Monica leads us home.
[music playing]
So Peter gave Monica the respect she deserved.
And together they beat the forever game. Forever.
Awesome. That's how it works.
Next time someone else tells a story.
So, are we gonna keep this going?
I'm coming back. Absolutely.
I'm in.
Um, can we like do this in my father's backyard?
Okay, I guess... whatever.
You let anybody know I'm part of
this, they're gonna answer to my buddy.
See your fist.
[music playing]
You know, it's pretty cool. Very cool.
We're back.
[music playing]