[spooky theme]
♪
[evil laughter]
[mysterious music]
[phone ringing]
You've got Book Time.
No, we don't do online orders.
We're an actual brick and mortar book store.
Yeah? Thank you for the business advice.
I'll keep that in mind.
[sighs]
Mr. Cooper.
Sarah. Still knockin' em dead, I see. Hm.
What can I do for you today?
Well just a reminder.
The new lease kicks in next week.
I haven't signed it.
Well that's your problem.
At a glance, I'm guessing that's the least of your problems.
Seriously, who buys books anymore?
Readers. Readers buy books.
I happen to be a reader, Mr. Cooper,
and I've been reading up on tenant's rights.
You can't just double the rent on a whim.
It's illegal.
Is it? Since the redevelopment began,
real estate prices in the area have skyrocketed.
There's nothing like a new high-end housing development
to cure a few ills.
And as such, it's within my rights to command
fair market value
upon the expiration of your current lease.
He's right. It's not illegal.
It's immoral.
Immoral.
Oooh. Another reader.
My mother stuck by you, Mr. Cooper,
through thick and thin.
All of your other tenants bailed.
You owe her.
Martin, we have a customer.
You want to see if she needs help, honey?
Ooh! A customer.
Now!
Scoot.
[chuckles]
Oh, I'd hire her in a heartbeat.
Ew.
That is illegal.
I'll be back at the end of the day.
New lease in hand.
You'll either sign it or you won't.
It's strictly business, dear.
It's kill or be killed out there.
Kill or be killed.
Come on.
[ominous music]
[computer malfunction sounds]
So? How's it going?
Guess.
You know, this is literally
the computer they used to land Apollo 11.
Well that would make it a collector's item.
Maybe we could sell it?
Ha. Ha.
I hate to admit it, honey, but you were right.
Book Time needs an online presence.
Tomorrow we go shopping for a new computer.
How? I heard that jag-off.
We can't afford jack.
We'll find a way. We always do.
If you're thinking about firing me, forget it.
I don't get paid as it is.
I would never fire you. But it looks like...
Dawn?
I'm sorry, I really am.
She's a sweet kid, but we need to cut down on overhead.
Starting with her?
Jesus, Mom. We were gonna do dinner and a movie this weekend.
"Night of the Flesh Eaters."
Is that the name of the movie or the dinner?
Ha, ha!
Oh, trust me.
If she really likes you, and what's not to like?
It won't make any difference.
God, you're such a... mother.
That's my job.
I'll tell her at lunch.
I promise, I'll be gentle.
Please let me... let me do it.
Ok.
[computer malfunction sounds]
Hey. I'm halfway through clearing out the cellar.
Who knew roaches came in so many shapes and sizes?
Uh, it's that ass-hat again, isn't it?
She's not an ass-hat, she's just out of options.
Who? Wait, what are you talking about?
My mother.
-Oh. -She needs a miracle.
-[thud] -[curious music]
Where'd you find this?
It's just a bunch of stuff under the stairwell.
"Image 10, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania." Image 10.
I don't know.
Let's open it.
Ok. Here.
[Martin] Holy shit!
[Dawn] What is it?
A miracle.
A what?
Image 10 is the company that made "Night of the Living Dead."
Wait, the-
[both] "Night of the Living Dead".
This must have been Romero's office and if I'm not mistaken,
these could be the unfinished horror comics of George Romero.
These must be worth a fortune. They were never released.
"When there's no room left on the page,
"the dead will walk the earth."
Hey, 3D glasses inside.
I know he loved 3D.
You know what this means, don't you?
I think so, but tell me anyway.
Well, for starters it means you're unfired.
Fuck! I was fired?
Um, forget it, forget I said that.
Hey, do me a solid, grab some plastic sleeves from storage.
You got it.
[chilling music]
[unearthly whispering]
What the fuck?! Fuck!
Hey, whatcha doing down there?
I fell on my ass.
Yeah, I see that.
This 3D is phenomenal. Try it.
Ok, first things first,
we need to get this fortune into plastic.
You should go tell your mother what you found.
What you found.
[ominous music]
[clattering sounds]
Hello?
Is someone there?
[indistinct groaning]
[ominous music]
Neat.
Mom... here it is, here. Check it out.
All our problems are solved. It's a miracle.
Eww.
Brain Rot.
Ulgh. Looks like a pretty cheesy miracle to me.
That's cause you're not wearing the special 3D glasses.
It says they were designed specifically for these comics.
3D doesn't really work on me, honey.
Excuse me, could one of you point me to your horror section?
Martin is an expert.
Would you like to help the gentleman?
Yes. Here. Right this way.
We've got everything alphabetized.
Aliens, blobs, creepy kids all the way down to xenomorphs,
yetis and zombies.
This is my favorite part of the store.
-You got good taste. -Thanks.
-[scream] -[thud]
[screaming]
[continues to scream]
[Martin] Oh, my god.
[screaming]
[growling and snarling]
-[screaming] -[growling and snarling]
Martin!
Martin, what is that scream?
The dude in aisle three!
What?
Mom, wait.
What?
Honey...
[yelps]
Martin, what is going on?
It's gone.
What's gone? Who did this?
We gotta move before it finds us.
Shit!
Dawn. Come on.
Oh, my God.
-Sir... Sir, are you ok? -Please.
[gags]
-Come on, please. -This can't be happening.
-Oh, come on. -Is this real?
[groaning]
Mom, we gotta go! We gotta go now!
Martin, we have to help him.
-The cellar's the safest place. -What are you doing?
-Come on! -Why are we running?!
Let's go!
What is happening?
Martin!
Martin, look at me.
Who is on the other side of that door?
-[pounding on door] -You wouldn't believe me.
Give it a shot.
-A flesh eater. -A what?
A 3D zombie attacked the dude in aisle three.
A 3D zombie.
[laughs] Ok. So this is a prank.
You're getting back at me for firing your little friend.
It's not a prank.
It came out of the book after I tried on the glasses.
Alright, this is not funny!
-It stopped. -[cell phone ringing]
Dawn's calling.
[Dawn] Bro, where are you at?
Store room. Where are you?
I'm in the office working up some pricing.
I swear this is the computer that landed Apollo 11.
I love her so much.
What?
Listen, do you trust me?
Sure.
Then don't ask questions.
Lock the door and wait until we get there.
[Martin] Something's in the store.
You can't see it but it's there.
Wait, what do you mean I can't see it?
So...
An invisible zombie attacked our only customer.
Ouch, that blows.
[Martin] Right?
[crashing]
Um, something just slammed up against the glass.
Lock the door.
I gotta save her.
An invisible zombie? Really?
[screaming]
Martin!
Damnit! It's jammed.
Wait a minute. If the glasses brought it out,
maybe I can bring out something else to help us.
Oh, you are really pushing it. I mean, I could ground you.
It just never seems to work. I just don't, I don't...
Perfect.
Hello there!
Hi.
Which convention is this?
Hey, this used to be my old office.
Image 10?
Right. Who are you?
I'm Martin. This is my mother, Sarah.
Nice to meet you.
[Sarah] Who are you talking to?
I'm sorry, she's not being rude
it's just that she can't see you without these.
That's alright.
I can't see her too well without these.
[chuckling]
Oh, just... Martin, stop!
Hello there.
Mom, meet George Romero.
Please, it's just George.
Hello George.
If it's alright, I have about a hundred questions.
First, how did I get here? Second... that's all I got.
[chuckles]
[glass cracking]
[glass shattering]
Oh, God!
Mr. Romero, George... First off, I'm a huge fan.
I saw you on Chiller Theatre with Bill Cardille
when you guys ran "Night of the Living Dead" uncut.
And "Dawn of the Dead".
I changed my learners permit
just so I could get in on opening night.
You did what?
I'm kidding. And these... brilliant.
But, they did bring one of your Brain Rot zombies to life.
Zombies aren't real, kid.
The ones I created technically aren't even zombies.
I called mine ghouls.
And bringing a comic book to life,
well that sounds like something straight out of a com...
Far out. I always wanted to work in 3D.
[laughs]
[snaps]
Mr. Romero.
Please, it's George.
George, our stock girl's trapped inside the office,
and the door is jammed.
[George] Does she have any weapons?
A machete, molotov cocktail, screwdriver in the ear?
Uh, she's got like a... like a knife.
Your friend's a goner.
You're king of the zombies.
Ghouls.
So you invented the genre. You'd know how to stop them.
So... so what's he saying? What's he saying right now?
Um, just general info.
Our best bet is to shoot it in the head.
Destroy the brain, destroy the ghoul.
A ghoul.. a ghoul?
He insists on calling them that.
[glass shatters]
-[thud] -Oh, my God!
And be ready to improvise if a gun's not available
make do with whatever's handy.
[call phone ringing]
Hold that thought, George. Incoming call.
Hello?
Martin, there's shit moving by itself in here.
Whatever you're doing, do it fast!
Yeah, I'm working on it. I'll call you back.
[Dawn] Ok.
Martin, what's your friend doing now?
[zapping]
He's improvising.
Ok.
Oh!
[crashing]
-[zapping] -Come on.
[crashing]
[screaming]
Here! I'll take this.
[Martin] Dawn!
[groaning]
Oh, my god!
[moaning]
What?
Oh Fuck!
Bend at the knees, Martin honey.
Don't want to hurt yourself.
I totally dig what you've done with the place.
[George] Family owned and operated?
[Sarah] Yep, my late husband and I
took out a small business loan 15 years ago.
Almost to the today.
[George] And you've retained creative control ever since?
Far out!
[chilling music]
Mom!
Mom, the glasses!
-[chilling music] -[growling]
Um, I can see that too.
What?
[Martin] Shit. That's a real zombie. We are majorly fucked.
[low growls]
There's another pair of glasses.
[Sarah] What happens if it puts them on?
It means they're learning. They're actually learning.
[zombie vocalizing]
Jesus, it's bringing out more.
What?
[zombies vocalizing]
Can they get through?
Oh, definitely. They have strength in numbers.
Also, I'm not exactly known for my uplifting endings.
Yeah, he says yeah.
How is this possible?
[George] I think I might know how.
Back in the day, we delivered our first six comics
to the printer and the stuff looked dynamite.
When the guy we hired to do the glasses demanded more bread,
So, my publisher filed a lawsuit
and all our hard work got tossed into a crate.
As it turns out, the glasses guy had an uncle
who, get this, was a voodoo priest in Trinidad.
So, the uncle cursed the glasses.
A punishment beyond our wildest comprehension.
[chuckles]
Give me a break, right? It's a funny story!
And no one's laughing.
Yeah, we're not laughing cause invisible zombies
are about to break in.
Ghouls, but I see your point.
Wait, he's their creator, right?
Ask him how to kill them.
Unfortunately, movie rules don't apply to comics.
I was all set to lay down the new rules in issue 7
but we got screwed over by the whole voodoo curse thing.
Wait a minute, that's it!
Now is your chance.
Just write us a happy ending!
Finish the story.
I only write em how I see em, kid.
And from where I'm standing,
the odds are stacked against you.
[crashing]
[growling and snarling]
[chilling music]
[yelps]
Mom!
-[screaming] -[snarling and growling]
Let go of her!
[screaming]
[growling]
-Mom! -[screaming]
[dramatic music]
[thuds]
[frantic breathing]
Thanks, George.
That's not how I envisioned it, kid.
Fix this. Your words, your rules.
Ok.
There's no power.
-Old school. Pen and paper. -What?
[screaming]
Dawn!
[George] Improvise. I don't need paper, I am paper!
[struggling grunts]
Destroy the glasses, destroy the ghoul.
Now's your shot kid. Get it in one!
[dramatic music]
[snarling and growling]
[panting]
Now that's a George Romero ending.
See you around the graveyard, kid.
[Martin] Goodbye, George.
[Cooper] Time to pay the piper.
[sinister music]
What the fuck is this?
I got a realtor coming in an hour to take pictures.
Where's your mother, hm? That bitch is gonna pay.
I'll own her!
[screaming]
Sweet Jesus!
Help me!
No can do, Mr. Cooper. It's strictly business.
It's kill or be killed out there.
[screaming and yelling]
♪
Took us a while to knock her out.
She is a strong-willed girl.
Couldn't tell if she wanted to kill me or kiss me.
Bit my finger then told me I was hot.
With drugs...?
That was before we administered the drugs.
Hi, baby! Wakey wakey.
We extracted the teeth.
[groaning]
Mom, I can't feel my tongue.
You can't feel your...
-My, my... -Her tongue.
The numbness is temporary and should wear off soon.
-Mom, mom... -Oh.
Shelby, honey.
She said the numbness is temporary.
Tastes like blood.
If you're gonna yack, do it in this.
[retching]
Mommy's here.
I will never leave you.
My own mom left when I was a kid.
No note.
Took off one day.
Oh, sorry.
Or she was taken.
I just need to be there for every single second
of Shelby's life.
Keep her safe.
Miranda.
Oh, yes, sorry.
Here's the list of post-op instructions
to avoid dry socket,
Shelby's pain meds, no solid foods.
You took off her necklace?
I had to, for the surgery.
Right, of course.
[groaning]
Ok. But we gotta get this back on as soon as you feel better.
So we match!
Fu...
You want to keep gauze in there till the bleeding stops.
...you.
Oh, I love you too, sweetie.
Kids, right?
They grow up too fast.
You just gotta savor every minute.
Bi...
Maybe not every minute.
Oh, do you have the teeth?
It's just that I've saved all of Shelby's baby teeth
and I want to add these to the collection.
Now I'll have a complete set.
Gross.
What?
Here they are.
[retching]
How are you feeling, Shel baby?
Fantabulous. Fabulous.
It occurs to me that this would be the perfect time to get into
that hard head of yours.
Hm. Fire away.
Ok, well this will be fun. Keeping any secrets from me?
Mm. Mom, it's anesthesia, not truth serum.
Fine.
But, if you really want to know,
I have been a bad, bad girl, Mother.
Boing!
I told you no.
Yeah, well I told myself yes.
When did you do this?
Last Saturday.
Where?
Kaitlyn's house.
You did it yourself?
Mom, it's fine.
I disinfected the needle with hand sanitizer.
I'm like responsible and shit.
Stuff.
Your perfect tummy.
I used to blow kisses on this tummy.
I'm ready to try new blows and kisses.
Shelby!
[laughs]
At least you were safe at Kaitlyn's
and not traipsing around town.
But then we snuck out
and we went to this party at this guy Connor's house.
And he's friends with James and Matias and I tried Schnapps
and it was minty like toothpaste
Like, the Tooth Fairy.
And it made me feel like woo... like this.
It was nice.
I don't want you hanging around Kaitlyn anymore.
She is a bad influence on you.
I influence myself, Mom.
Whichever way the influence went,
you snuck out and went drinking.
I didn't know where you were.
Anything could have happened to you.
You could have been kidnapped by them!
Trafficked by perverts!
You could be on some pedophile's yacht
halfway around the world by now!
Mom.
I have seen the movie "Taken" and I know how these things go.
You could have been tortured by some underground sex ring
and leave me alone.
Shelby, you're my everything.
I am locking you down for your own good.
You are never leaving this house again.
Mom, you tried that with Dad. Didn't work.
Shelby, that is not fair.
You smothered him until he had to leave us
just to breathe again.
Enough! Stop it! Stop it.
[muttering]
Yeah, ok, Mom. Good talk.
Can't wait to get as far away from here as possible.
Everyone leaves, Mom.
Everyone.
And Mom, what's the common denominator?
It's you.
Everybody leaves you, Mom.
[moaning sounds]
[chilling music]
[door squeaks open]
[baby crying]
[Doctor's voice] Congratulations, it's a girl!
[Miranda] We are going to name her Shelby.
[chilling music]
[singing] ♪ Rock-a-by baby on the treetop, ♪
♪ when the wind blows, the cradle will rock. ♪
[humming lullaby]
Everyone leaves you.
[humming lullaby]
♪ I'll be all alone.
[continues to hum]
Hey, Mom.
Shelby got her wisdom teeth out today.
I'm gonna put it in your old box with all her others.
I've saved every one.
Anyway, I hope you're happy.
Wherever you are.
Aw, Shelby.
Hmm.
Complete set of baby teeth.
Oh, Shelby.
I wish I could box you up and keep you forever, Shelby.
Mm.
Oh well.
[ominous music]
[ominous music heightens]
Shelby? You have a visitor.
Kaitlyn!
You can go, Mom.
[laughing]
[Shelby] Bring Jell-O!
[sinister music]
[indistinct clattering]
Who's there?
Iron repels them.
[ominous music]
[ominous music heightens]
[laughing]
Oh my gosh. How are you?
You didn't text me back all day.
I thought you died.
Oh my gosh, did you die?
Like, how even was your surgery?
Did the doctor slice you up Friday the 13th style?
Sorry, yeah I slept all day. I still feel puffy.
Do I look like a chipmunk?
No chipmunk whatsoever. Cross my heart.
Yeah, good.
I spent all day with bags of frozen peas pressed on my face
to minimize the damage.
Well, your hard work paid off. Minimal puff.
Less chipmunk, more early Miley Cyrus.
The Hannah Montana years.
Cheeky. Not puffy.
So, honestly, how was it?
My mom says I have to get my wisdom teeth out
so they don't grow in
and wreck all the money they paid for braces
and I'm not loving that idea.
What are wisdom teeth even for?
Do you feel dumber now that they're gone?
Well, the actual event was a blur.
And it hurts like a mother, I'm not gonna lie.
I do think though,
the scariest part is that my mom kept the teeth.
And apparently she kept all my teeth.
Oh. Serial killer.
I wonder what else she'd save.
I hope you never have to lose your appendix... or kidney.
Right? I'm traumatized.
I mean, it's not like I believe in the Tooth Fairy anymore.
I know my mom took the teeth, but I didn't know she kept them.
Wait, there's no Tooth Fairy?
Sorry to destroy your childhood.
Childhood's been destroyed for years.
You're good.
And when I figured out there was no tooth fairy
and it was her this whole time, she was more upset than I was.
And like, I'm the one she was lying to all those years.
And she kept denying it, like, "Mom, let it go. I grew up."
Anyway... ew, somewhere in this house is a pile of teeth.
[laughing]
[ominous music]
You can't have her.
Everyone leaves you.
[ominous music heightens]
[ominous music]
[ominous music heightens]
[indie music plays]
Don't mind if I do.
Sure, help yourself.
I have a brilliant idea.
-Oh really? -Hmm.
We should go hunt for your teeth!
Oh my god.
I'm filled with excitement and dread.
Come on, it'll be fun. Like an Easter egg hunt.
Like if the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy teamed up
for the grossest holiday ever.
♪
[growling sounds]
[crashing sounds]
♪
Maybe the nursery?
Yes.
I'm right behind you. I need another pain pill.
Woah.
This place is fucking crazy.
Ah!
Ugh.
Shel?
Is your mom superstitious?
My Irish grandma told me about growing up
with iron sewn into her clothes.
It's supposed to repel...
Oh! Tooth Fairy.
Hey, I think I found the teeth!
Never mind.
[clicking sounds]
Hey, Shel, get in here.
[whimpering]
[chilling music]
[gasps]
Ah! Ah!!
Shelby! Shelby!
[frantic breathing]
-[screaming] -[monstrous baby vocalization]
♪
Did you find the teeth?
Come back! Don't leave me all alone.
Ow.
Mom, where's my freaking Jell-O?
What, what are you grinding up the horse hooves from scratch?
[ominous music]
What happened?
You and your friend trashed the nursery
while I'm getting the Jell-O you asked for?
We didn't do this.
Oh, of course you did.
You don't care about me
and all the things that I do to keep you safe.
I'll make you care.
Things are gonna change around here,
starting with the company you keep.
The teeth. What happened to the teeth?
Maybe the Tooth Fairy finally came to collect.
Tooth Fairy.
There's no such thing as the Tooth Fairy, Mom.
Quiet.
What, worried she might hear you?
Shh!
Yeah, well my Tooth Fairy's the worst.
You know, she only left me one stupid quarter per tooth.
You know, Kaitlyn's mom, I mean, Tooth Fairy, left her $5.
But then I guess she's not a low-income single mom Tooth Fairy
who got dumped cause she's a big clinger.
Never anger the fey, Shelby. They are vengeful spirits.
Shelby, your necklace! You didn't put it back on!
We can go two seconds
without our dumb matching pendants, Mom.
Iron protects you!
Protects me from what?
The fey!
The fey?
Fairies aren't real, Mom. You're just really delusional.
They took your grandmother.
That's a story you made up to avoid the truth.
She left you.
She saved me.
They were going to swap me with a changeling.
I would love to escape to fairy town like Grandma.
Anything to get away from your insane delusions.
-No! -Hey, fairy. Hey Tooth Fairy!
-You're not real, are you? -Shh!
No one believes in you. You're just an old fairy tale.
Just a stupid, motherfu-
[chilling music]
[sinister voice] Shelby!
It's your teeth, Shelby. Those are your baby teeth.
Mom, why didn't you save them?
This is your fault. I hate you!
Is that?
[chilling music]
Oh shit.
That's Kaitlyn's.
[chilling music heightens]
[gasping]
[chomp]
[screaming] No!!!!!
[sinister voice] Oh teeth!
[chilling music heightens]
Stop! Stop! Stop!!!
[frantic breathing]
The box!!!
[yelping]
Shelby.
[Miranda panting]
Don't leave me all alone.
[cooing]
Oh, no, no.
No, no...
A changeling!
Hi, it's ok. It's ok.
[sniffling] Oh...
[baby coos]
Mommy's here.
You'll always be my baby, won't you?
Together forever.
♪ Rock-a-bye baby,
♪ on a tree top...
♪ When the wind blows...
♪
[thunder crashes]
♪