Jane! Jane! It's Momma.
Look at me!
J-Jane. Jane.
No! No!
Oh, thank God.
D'you have another nightmare, honey?
Let's get you into a nice hot bath, huh?
Can I do it later? Please?
All right. But you have to get ready
for your father. It's his weekend with you.
I know. I know.
What's this?
I found it in the attic.
Honey, you know the attic's off-limits.
Sorry.
Just don't do it again, okay?
I know how you feel.
November 1848.
I hoped that no one would ever find cause
to open this letter. If you have,
I must assume that unexplained...
or even supernatural events
have begun to occur.
The story of the Bell witch
had always been considered to be a tall tale.
This is not so.
Please, read this journal with great care...
...for its contents may save your life.
Now where are you gonna go?
- Just one kiss. - No, Joshua.
Leave that young lady alone.
Did he try to kiss you again?
Isn't there something you should be doing, Miss Bell?
Oh, I'm sorry, Mother. I was thinking about something else...
Probably about torturing poor Joshua.
You really should be nicer to him, Betsy.
A woman must keep a man on his toes at all times.
Isn't that what you taught me?
I taught you no such thing, Betsy Bell.
I'm gonna make Joshua
love me forever.
Well, then you better stop mistreating him.
You think I was too hard on him?
Just a little bit.
- What would I do without you? - Oh, you'd just shrivel up
and blow away. Now, don't forget your schoolwork.
I won't!
Good evening, sir.
My hat, thank you.
...then James Johnson grabbed it, swallowed a swig of it,
wiped his mouth,
then he took hold of the wheel at the axle
and in an instant, that carriage was up and and out of that snowbank
as if 10 men had had a hold of it. Ten! Ten!
Speak of the devil!
I thought you'd gotten lost!
I'm not stewed
that I can't find the fob next door.
I was telling them about you and that carriage last winter.
- Ha-ha! I did... - Not yet!
...that carriage!
With the help of a good swig of horse liniment.
Who has the drink?
You're three sheets to the wind already.
- I'm so sorry, Professor Powell. - It's all right.
They're just having fun.
Theny!
Is there not a... tradition connected to mistletoe,
- Professor Powell? - Well...
Yes, but...
Elizabeth Bell, it's not appropriate
for a student to place a teacher in such a compromising situation.
- You know better than that, precious. - Well...
it is Christmas, Father.
And I am simply attempting to learn the traditions.
Who better to learn from than one's teacher?
My prize pupil always seems
to have a ready answer for everything, John.
Would you settle for a dance, Betsy?
Oh, John, let them have their dance.
May I steal this Bell for a dance?
I promise not to step on your toes.
John!
John...
- I heard noises on the roof. - It's coming from the attic.
Squirrels?
No, it's too loud for squirrels.
It's the third time I've heard it
- in as many nights. - I hadn't heard it.
You sleep so sound,
you don't even feel me get out of bed.
Yes, I do.
Listen.
- It stopped. - Yeah.
What was it?
Probably that witch trying to wear me out before tomorrow's trial.
Oh, bite your tongue, John Bell!
- Man's a lyin' pig! - Miss Batts!
Stole my land!
Miss Batts,
we have heard
your side of the story.
Please allow John Bell to finish his.
So, we offered her the use of our slave, Samuel,
and the loan of $100
in exchange for our use of that small piece of her land
- that abuts our own. - At 20% interest!
We shook on it!
- Oh! - Spit and shook,
I gave you two harvests to pay
and you didn't pay for it, so you forfeited the land.
It was a fair price for it.
Twenty-percent interest?
Well...
it seemed like a reasonable charge under the circumstances,
given her reputation.
John Bell,
you broke church law.
Twenty-percent interest...
...under church canon...
...is usury.
Miss Batts's land will be returned to her.
What about my timber? He took it off my land and sold it!
You would not have allowed
the cutting of the wood had you not received that money
and the use of the slave.
But he broke church law.
You have the $100 and Samuel.
The profit on the land is John Bell's.
His loss,
the loss of his good name...
...is punishment enough.
That's not fair!
That's their punishment for you,
John Bell.
Just wait until you see mine.
Witchery can't touch me, woman.
Treasure your land,
health and happy family
while you can.
For I swear,
dreadful darkness will fall upon you.
You...
...and your precious daughter too.
Kate Batts...
...well, she was feared by everyone in the village.
They were all convinced she was a witch.
So the Bells took her cursing them very seriously.
At the time,
I didn't believe in curses, ghosts or spirits.
I do now.
John.
Father, you all right?
Yeah.
- We got it, Father. - The wolf?
Wolf?
We shot a deer.
Come see it, Father.
Father!
I heard it.
Back there.
Keep your eyes peeled, it's black as night.
Momma! Momma! Momma!
Oh, let me hold you.
Betsy, what was that crash?
Mother, there's something in my room!
There's something in my room!
Oh, the wind blew the window open. I'll close it.
No! There's something in here.
It got inside.
Well, there doesn't seem to be anything in here now, Betsy.
It was probably just mice, darling.
I don't think so, Mother.
Let's go find your brothers.
Come along.
Let's go find that big, scary mouse! Yeah!
Everyone all right?
We're fine.
Let's get back to bed.
You could have killed us.
Yeah, it was young John.
- He shot a musket into the house. - It discharged accidentally.
He shot a musket into the house, John!
We were taken aback.
I can't get Kate Batts out of my head.
What's done is done!
The church has had its say and that's that,
so just put it out of your mind!
Now, class, who were the couriers
ordered to ride to Concord to warn that the British were coming?
- Yes, Theny. - Paul Revere,
- Samuel Prescott and William Dawes. - Right, Theny.
And did they succeed, Betsy?
Betsy?
All right, class, let's leave this for a moment.
It's time for your physical exercise anyway. Fifteen minutes now!
Fifteen minutes only.
You all right, Betsy?
I'm tired.
Our house makes... strange noises at night.
It's hard to sleep.
Pass it to me, quick!
- Betsy! - Betsy? You hurt?
- W...where'd she go? - Who?
The girl who was swinging with me.
You were swinging alone, Betsy.
- Did you see a girl? - No.
- Betsy! I'm here, darling. - Momma! Momma!!!
- Momma! Momma! - It's me! Betsy!
- Momma!!!!!!!!!!! - Betsy, Momma's here!
- Momma! - Betsy!
Betsy! Betsy.
- It touched me. - Where?!
- Who touched you? - I don't know.
I couldn't see.
It was just a bad dream, darling.
But it was so real.
It's all right, John.
She's had a bad dream.
Let's just get you back to sleep.
It was just a dream.
It wasn't a dream.
- There was someone on the roof. - What?
I think maybe Kate Batts sent one of her slaves to torment us.
- When I find him... - John!
...I'll whip him to within an inch of his life!
- My God. - What?
John, look at this.
That sonofabitch!
John!
John!!
John... Wait.
John!
Stop. We don't know who did this!
- I know who did this! - You don't!
- Listen to me! - Batts is not gonna hurt my daughter.
Oh, go on, then! Be a fool!
What are the two foundations of any civilized community?
- Church and... - Church and education, that's what.
And this man pioneered them both for our community,
with his money and with his hands.
He built the church and the church condemns him.
Usury. I broke church law.
- But, Father... - Moral turpitude.
Moral turpitude, pah!
He charged a rate of interest
that was just a little higher than church canon.
But what the elder didn't realize was who he was dealing with!
Shhh, James.
The boys are finally asleep.
Th-that's good. Bless their...
Now, a few chapters...
from the Bible
will take care of this house's troubles.
Quietly, James.
"Hannah prayed and said,
"'My heart exalts in the Lord...
"My mouth is enlarged over mine enemies... '
"'Who am I? An untamed spirit that spoke to him
"and Jesus answered,
"'Be silent
"and come out of there.'
"The spirit gave a loud cry
and departed."
Please...
all join hands.
As one, we shall speak this prayer
three times.
Demon, in the name of Jesus Christ,
be silent
and leave this house forever.
Demon, in the name of Jesus Christ,
be silent
and leave this house forever.
Demon, in the name
of Jesus Christ,
be silent and leave this house forever.
Demon, in the name of Jesus Christ,
be silent and leave this house forever.
Almost 12:00
and all is well.
I believe your home is safe.
I'm sure Kate Batts is at the root
- of these disturbances. - Yeah.
A few nights ago,
I saw something.
A man, I think.
Moving about the property.
Who was he?
Couldn't make out for sure.
Was probably the professor. He's the only one who lives nearby.
You don't think Richard has his eye on Betsy, do you?
He's her teacher, for goodness sake.
Hallelujah, Lucy.
God has answered.
It's midnight and your house is quiet.
Thank you, James.
- I beat him, Lucy. - Oh, did you?
- Oh, good night, all. - Good night, dear.
- Good night. - Now, I wasn't looking, John.
I was talking to your wife. That game don't count.
Don't you blame that on me!
I'll set for another one.
Ain't gonna play if you're gonna cheat.
I never cheat.
My move.
Dad! Daddy!
Open the door!
Betsy!
Open the door!
Help me!
Help me! Help!
In the name of Jesus Christ,
cease this at once!
It's all right.
Demon, ghost, entity...
call it what you will,
- it is not natural. - James, James,
listen to yourself. You're not being realistic.
There must be a rational explanation.
Listen, Richard,
I have documented evidence.
It's the testimony of Joan Jordan
at the witch trial
of Olive Barthram, Suffolk Assizes,
of 1599.
First,
scraping on the walls.
Then, knocking.
After that, shuffling.
And then, it clapped the maid
on the cheek...
half-a-score times.
Do you not think
it is far more likely
that Kate Batts, unhappy with the ruling,
has sent her slaves to exact a pound of flesh from you?
Well, that's what I thought,
but this was not the work of slaves.
Lord, no! She was dangling there!
Two feet off the ground!
All right.
The incidents always happen at night
and always in Betsy's room. Correct?
- That's right, Professor. - So it was dark.
Well, it would've been quite easy for you not to have seen
- someone holding her. - She was suspended in midair
- by something not of this Earth! - John!
Now, the only logical explanation is that someone was holding her.
There was nobody in that room.
And what about the door?
The strength of three of us couldn't budge it.
Well...
the rain that night could've cause the door to swell.
It could've.
And the slaps?
How did we imagine them?
Now, that's a boy's trick.
Dried peas blown through a hollow reed.
A pea shooter?
- Huh! - No pea shooter
could smack her face
that violently.
Did you actually see someone slapping her?
No, I saw her being slapped.
But you did not see someone slapping her?
- No, that's the point. - So it stands to reason
you may also not have seen someone holding her.
Now, whatever happened,
it's very clear that confusion was about that room.
Professor, we did not all imagine the same thing.
There was something unholy in that room.
John...
...when the school week is over,
I will come and spend the night at your house
and I will prove to you that this is nothing more
than someone trying to frighten you.
All right, time's up, class.
Leave your slates on my desk, please.
Betsy.
Hurry up.
We gotta get to the river before it gets dark.
Not today, Joshua.
We've been planning this for weeks.
I just don't feel like it.
- Come on, Betsy. - I said no!
Leave me alone!
- What did you say to her? - Nothing.
This will pass, Betsy.
Why?
Give that back!
Remember what?
No!
No.
No, no!
No! Don't!
Lucy, what's happening?
What's happening?
- Richard, you should not be watching. - Somebody wake her!
- Oh! - John!
Open your eyes, John.
He'll be all right in the head come morning, Miss Bell.
And the poultice?
He keep them roots on his head a while.
Well...
Betsy appears to suffer from violent nightmares.
Did you see my sister?
- Of course. - You think what my daughter...
- just went through... - Bear with me...
- for a minute here... - The covers were pulled off her bed!
That was no nightmare.
Nightmares may appear to be more than they are.
People often imagine
- they've seen... - We didn't imagine any of this!
You were there, you saw it!
- It was not natural! - There's something evil here.
This is blasphemy!
Who's there?
Show yourself!
Betsy, is that you?
Destroy them, O Lord!
Let them fall by their own counsel!
Quiet, James!
Destroy them! Destroy them!
- Cast them out! - Can you see anyone?
- A multitude of their... - Who is that?
O Lord, they have rebelled against thee!
- Cast them out! - Stop that, James!
The foolish shall not stand!
They shall not stand
in thy sight!
Cast them out! Cast them...
Stop it!!
Damn you to hell!!
Are you familiar with that which Mr. Johnson reads?
Of course it understands the words of the Lord.
That's why it's gone.
Was the reading from the Gospel According to Matthew?
Was that a yes...
or a no?
Shhh!
The Gospel According to Mark?
Is it a Psalm of David?
Why are you here?
Have the Bells disturbed you?
Are we all having nightmares now, Professor?
My mess. I'll clean it.
Anky, could you answer the door, please?
Yes, ma'am.
- Hi, Anky. - Zach.
What you doing here?
Miss Batts told me
to bring this bag to the Bells. She say she found it on her land.
- Bye, Anky. - Bye, Zach.
Who was it, Anky?
It was Zach, ma'am.
- Who works for Kate Batts? - Yes ma'am.
She give him this bag to give to you.
I don't want anything of hers brought into this house.
She say it belong to the Bell family.
No, Mom.
- This is Betsy's. - Yes, Miss Lucy.
And that be Mr. Bell's shirt.
- They's been missing for over a year. - Why would she have their clothes?
What is it, Chloe?
What do you know?
Tell me what you know.
You heard about Miss Kate being a witch and all.
Well, Miss Lucy,
when witches get a critter's blood on folks' clothes,
why, that mean
the person gonna...
Gonna what, Chloe?
Gonna what?
Gonna...
Gonna die, Miss Lucy!
Gonna die!
I'll burn it!!
No, Miss Lucy!!
That'll make it worse.
They're gonna let the devil in!
Hey, come on, come on!
Hey, give it back!
Stop! Wait!
Please, stop!
You're having a nightmare!
It's all right.
What happened?
I don't remember.
I never remember.
- Should I wake your parents? - No!
Please. Please just stay here with me.
Of course, Betsy.
Let's get you covered up.
John!
- I'll kill her. I'll kill her! - No, John.
When they hang you for her murder, what happens to us?
You won't be any worse off
than you are already...
John, I want to have you, John Bell!
But sacrificing my life could end this torment!
We'll find another way, John.
We'll find another way.
Theny?
Yes, Betsy?
Do you believe in the Lord?
Of course I do.
Don't you?
I used to.
Oh, Betsy.
I'm so afraid.
Don't be.
I'm here with ya.
Good night, Betsy.
Good night.
Betsy...
Did you hear that?
Betsy...
Betsy, Betsy, Betsy, Betsy...
Betsy, Betsy, Betsy, Betsy!
Let me out!
- Betsy, Betsy, Betsy, Betsy! - Let me out!
Betsy, Betsy, Betsy, Betsy!
Betsy...
How long has she been this way?
Uh, maybe 30 minutes,
No, more than that.
Theny?
Can you tell us what happened?
It's all right, Theny.
She was having a nightmare.
She was...
fighting with someone.
She started...
hitting herself.
I woke her up and then...
...then this...
voice...
Betsy! Betsy, you're all right.
Shhh...
Betsy! Betsy! Come on!
Come here, come here! Shhh! Shhh!
Shhh! Here, look at me.
Look at me, look at me!
Shhh, shhh.
Betsy...
- Did you hear it? - Shhh...
Bad
John Jr...
Theny...
Lucy...
John Bell...
Tell me the truth...
- What is it, Lord? - Cease this at once!!!
You're gonna die...
- Make him pay. - No, no, no...
- Who are you? - She'll sadden one
- who was once happy... - Go to hell, Kate Batts!
- Precious! Oh! - Oh!
No! Betsy, no!
Betsy! No! No!
- Betsy! - No!
Stop! No!
It spoke.
It had a voice.
But what did it want?
Why was it making Betsy suffer so?
What did she do to make it so angry?
The black wolf?
The young girl,
visible only to Betsy;
the spirit which none of us could see.
How did they relate to each other? Were they one and the same?
The attacks on Betsy got worse.
It spoke more and more.
I tried to get it to tell us
why it had come.
My questions were answered with silence.
Why wouldn't it answer?
In my life...
I've done far more good than not.
Even saints...
commit sins of some sort.
How can you allow...
my family...
to be punished like this?!
It's the way of Satan!
I've offered you my life...
in recompense.
Why do you not take it?
I beg you.
I beg you, Lord.
Rid us of this curse.
Take my life.
The Lord has forsaken me, Richard.
That which attacks Betsy...
attacks you as well.
"Someone who was once happy."
To whom do you think that refers?
Kate Batts.
Everything points to her.
Well, look, if she is the cause, than why not just return the profit
- and the timber to her? - I tried.
Two months ago.
I sent Chloe to see her.
Money in hand.
She sent it back.
Then she does mean to torment you.
Until I die.
This...
entity...
...do you believe it can read your mind?
No, I do not.
No.
But I do believe it can...
hear our conversations.
That's how it knows our every move.
But it is only present on this property.
Yah! Yah!
You know, the fog is awfully thick.
We made good time.
We should be out of the woods soon.
Whoa!
Betsy!
Betsy! Can you hear me?
Whoa! Whoa!
Whoa!
- Go! - Come on!
It's getting closer!
It's gone.
Gone where?
Mother?
I'm right here, darling.
I had the most terrible nightmare.
You were sending me away.
Oh, I would never send you away.
Mother?
Yes, darling?
Am I gonna die?
No.
You're not gonna die.
Now, you just rest.
Just rest.
If this entity...
...can hear us at all times...
...and is in all places...
Then...
there's no escaping it.
You care for her, don't you, Richard?
More than the normal concern of a teacher for a student.
Why would you say that?
I've seen you look at her.
It is true,
there is no one for a day's ride
as comely as your daughter, Lucy.
I would not presume to...
Maybe you should.
I'm almost 20 years her senior.
The same is true of John and me.
Can she love me?
She will.
I'm so afraid for her. Richard, please, marry her.
Your faith in me is flattering, Lucy.
Please.
But I could not,
with good conscience,
marry Betsy merely to be her protector.
I'm sorry.
After that night,
something changed.
The attacks on Betsy became less violent.
The entity now took out its rage on John,
while leaving Betsy in an almost lifeless state.
John...
I'll kill you John...
John...
John... Help her...
Help her, John...
- She's so young... John... - No!...no!
- No! - Help her... She's so young...
- Help her... - Precious.
- Help her... - Oh!
You're gonna die...
You're gonna die, John... Yes...
Precious...
- Your precious... - Precious...
Once sad...
The entity wouldn't let anyone try to help Betsy
when she was under its control.
I felt powerless.
John wouldn't listen.
He fought it.
And in return, he was made to suffer.
You know...
the truth...
See?
Open the door!
Betsy!
Betsy.
Momma...
Help me.
Betsy?
Kate Batts!
Call back your Furies.
Spare my family.
Take it.
Exact your pound of flesh.
I beg you.
End your curse.
Please.
I put no curse on you,
or your family.
You cursed yourself,
John Bell.
Betsy...
Help me...
Betsy...
Help me...
Remember...
Precious.
Momma!
My mom always was a heavy sleeper.
I was born from the union
of evil and innocence.
Part of her soul died
the night John took her innocence.
Avenge me.
Make him pay for what he has done to us.
- Take it. - Thank you.
Well, you sleep so sound,
you don't even feel me get out of bed.
This is Betsy's?
My mess.
I'll clean it.
After that night,
Betsy never heard from the entity again.
Mom?
Mom! Dad's here.
I'm leaving.
Okay.
I love you.
I love you too. Bye, Mom.
Help her!
David?
David!