Tales from the Darkside

Man lives in the sunlit world

of what he believes to be reality.

But... there is,

unseen by most, an underworld.

A place that is just as real

but not as brightly lit.

A dark side.

(radio broadcast playing indistinctly)

RADlO ANNOUNCER: More of the same tomorrow,

with a high of only 60.

And now, here are today's top stories.

Chasbury police are looking for the man or animal

whose savage attack has left a man in critical condition

-(ringing continues) -at Mercy Hospital.

The spokesman for the sheriff's office says

the attack may be linked to the bizarre slaying

of a dog in an area home, late last night.

Chief of Police Merle Johnson is asking local residents

to report any sightings of wild animals or dog packs

to his office immediately, and to keep children inside.

Hello?

: Janice, how did you get this number?

No, you cannot talk to Bobby.

You're gonna have to believe

that l'm acting in our boy's best interests.

l cannot be more specific!

There's a problem.

A terrible problem.

But l'm gonna take care of it.

Nobody's gonna get hurt, l'm gonna see to that.

l know what has to be done.

No. l...

Of course l'd never harm him.

l'm not crazy.

l wished l were.

Oh, never mind.

l'm s...

l'm exhausted.

Look, l got to hang up now.

We're gonna be leaving here soon.

No, l will not tell you where we're going.

You've got to stop following us.

Janice... we...

we're not a family anymore.

Good-bye.

-(door creaks) -Son?

That was your mother.

That means we're gonna have to be leaving here

as soon as you can.

Trust me, l know what's best.

lt wouldn't even be safe... for Mom to come.

We don't want anything to happen to her.

Right?

One of these days, we're gonna find a cure for you,

and then everything will be just like it used to be.

: Dad?

Dad?

Now, let's see, you're Mrs. Perry?

Please, call me Janice.

Fine. Janice.

Now, how can l help you?

My husband has kidnapped our son.

lt happened about six months ago.

We were on vacation in lreland.

There was a hunting accident.

Both my son and l ended up in the hospital.

Bobby was very badly hurt.

lt was terrible.

But he's all right now?

Oh, yeah.

l had a head injury.

When l came out of it, the doctors told me that Robert

had just taken Bobby late one night and run off with him.

No explanation? Nothing?

A letter.

Wild and very vague.

Something about Bobby had some kind of problem

and l had to trust him.

l think he's out of his mind.

He just left his job.

Didn't give any notice, didn't call anybody.

He's literally been on the run

with Bobby since they left lreland.

He's dragging that boy all over the country.

l'm afraid Bobby hasn't had a decent meal in six months,

let alone been in school.

You've got to help us.

Why don't you go to the police?

No. Not the police.

l don't want to cause any serious problems

for my husband.

l just want my son back.

l know where he is.

l found the house that they've rented.

Maybe if you would go to him...

tell him he can't do this anymore,

that-that what he's doing is against the law

and he must give Bobby up, he might do it.

l don't think this is something l can help you with.

l am reporting a clear-cut case

of negligence, if not abuse.

This is the Child Service Department, isn't it?

What else do you do here?!

You're absolutely sure

that your husband has been abusing your son?

: Yes.

l've spoken to Robert a few times on the phone.

He's got this idea that there's something wrong with Bobby

and he has to lock him up!

lt's insane!

l'm afraid he's gonna hurt him.

You see...

my son and l have always been very close.

l think Robert is jealous of that.

All right.

We won't make this official.

We'll just pay your husband an informal visit,

see if we can make him see reason.

: Thank you.

l'm sure you're doing the right thing.

A mother should never be separated from her child.

-(heartbeat continues) -(chains rattle)

: Bobby...

Bobby? Wake up, son.

-(birds chirping) -Oh, Dad.

What time is it?

lt's almost 3:00.

You nearly slept the whole day away.

l brought you some food.

Do you feel okay today?

Feel great!

l'd like to get out of here for a while.

l feel like taking a nice, long run in the country.

No.

We can't take a chance on your being seen by anyone.

Besides, it's gonna get dark real soon.

Okay.

Bobby, you know that bad feeling you get

when it happens.

That's gone now, right?

You feel like yourself again?

l guess so. l don't know.

l've been feeling a little... different lately.

How?

Well, always before when it happened,

l didn't want it to, but l couldn't stop it.

Even when l was right in the middle of it,

l wanted it to stop.

l remember looking down at my hands,

and them looking like an animal's.

l was really scared.

But the past couple of times, it's been different.

lt still hurts when it first happens,

but after the pain goes away,

and l start changing,

l feel like l want it to happen, and that l rea...

No, you don't.

You're just not remembering right.

Yes, l am.