Ghoul

Timmy! Bedtime! Lights off!

Aaah! No problem, Mom!

Goodnight, hon.

He's gaining on us.

Yikes! What are we gonna do?

Blind Wonder, do you see that?

Yeah, we got to save him from that creature.

I'll distract it and you grab it.

Timothy, did you hear me?

Timothy! Answer me!

The start of summer vacation doesn't save you from your chores.

Did you hear me?

I'll do it when this is over. No! You'll do it now.

But, Dad! I don't want to hear it!

If you want allowance to buy comic books and play those Atari games,

then you're gonna have to work outside and around the house, all right?

Randy, why don't you lay off the boy?

Summer vacation just started.

Damn it, Dad. Don't question me.

We both agreed that if you were going to live here with us, that...

Pss, pss, pss, pss. That show. I'm trying to watch it.

Okay. Finish watching your show, but make sure it gets done.

Thanks, Grandpa.

Oh, yeah, no problem.

Hey, mud butt! Huh?

Why don't you pick on someone your own size?

Timmy, come over here and sit with me.

Yeah, Blind Wonder! Yeah, Blind Wonder!

Can I ask you a question?

Sure.

What are you boys gonna do with that underground clubhouse you're building?

Don't worry, I'm not gonna say anything.

How'd you know?

Well, I was taking a walk around where you boys play,

like my doctor says I have to,

and I saw this underground stovepipe.

I started poking around and found a leather strap, I pulled it,

and low and behold, there was an underground hideout.

Oh, man. We thought nobody knew about it.

Nobody does. Just me. I'm not gonna say anything.

Matter of fact, I left you a present down there.

What is it?

No. It's a surprise, but you'll find it.

Thanks, Grandpa! That's awesome.

Hey!

Why are you so out of breath?

Look at my pants.

It was that stray dog again.

He almost got me, but I lost him back at the cemetery.

Wow, the dog did that?

Yeah, it started chasing me. Got my leg, but I kicked him off.

Is that the map? Yeah.

Worked on it all night. You gotta see it!

Well, take it out.

At the dugout. Let's get Barry and look at it there.

I'm supposed to finish this. My dad's already in a bad mood.

You go ahead. I'll finish up here. I need the exercise anyway.

Really?

Sure. Go on.

You boys have a good time.

Thanks, Grandpa! Race ya.

Good morning, boys. Hi, Mrs. Smeltzer.

Who is it? It's...

Rhonda, who is it?

What the hell do you two want?

Banging on people's door this early in the morning. What the hell's wrong with you?

Sorry. We were just looking for Barry.

Well, Barry is over at the cemetery, working,

which you two should be doing.

You got jobs for this summer?

We just wanted to show Barry something.

Well, what is it?

It's a drawing. I made it.

It's a drawing. I made it.

Drawing's for fags.

Are you a queer or somethin'? No wonder your old man took off.

Clark! Don't say such things to that boy!

Rhonda. Shut up and get back in the kitchen!

Let's go.

And where the hell do you think you're going?

What, are you deaf and stupid, boy?

If we're so stupid,

then how come Barry's out doing your job,

while you're still sleeping off last night's bottle?

What the hell did you just say to me, boy?

You heard me. Go ahead. Touch me.

You lay one hand on me and everyone will know about you.

Go ahead. Tell everybody. 'Cause there ain't nothing to tell, you little bastard.

Come on, Timmy.

And I don't want to see the two of you playing

in the cemetery any more, you hear me?

Why do you have to talk to them that way?

There's no need to talk to them that way.

Did you just question me?

Sorry for what he said about your old man.

I don't care about that. I know my dad loves me.

When he comes back from California, everyone will see.

It grabbed my pant leg with its jaws and it was about to rip my pants,

but thank God I kicked it off 'cause it almost made this rope here snap in half.

Nice one! That looked like a triple header.

I'm telling you. It doesn't matter how strong you are.

It's all in the wrist.

Hey, there, Timmy.

Hey. You guys catch anything yet?

Nothing but weeds and a spare tire.

Hold this. Let me show you guys something.

Whoa! That was cool!

What can I say. I'm a natural. It's all in the wrist.

See? I told you. It's all in the wrist.

I know, but we gotta go.

Okay.

See you guys later. I hope you catch something big.

I already have.

She's beautiful. Totally.

Who knows? Maybe we'll add a new member to the dugout this summer.

What?

I don't know.

What is it?

Not sure. Never mind. Let's go.

Hey, guys. How did you know I was here?

Your dad told us. Oh.

Yeah. He was pretty angry.

He sleeps in. Been workin' a lot of nights, lately.

So what happened?

My dad thinks it was Ronny's gang that did it.

You know, busting up the dead heads.

Trying to start up rumors about the old mine and the Ghoul.

Was your dad drinking last night?

I guess so. I don't know.

Why does he drink so much?

My mom says he's been that way ever since the accident.

Is that watch new?

Yeah. My old man gave it to me for my birthday.

About the only thing he's ever given me.

That, and a few fresh ones.

He was acting kind of weird though.

Said we shouldn't be playing around here no more.

Sounds like him. This morning, before he went to bed, he called Reverend Moore.

Got permission to get some signs made up. No trespassing.

But, it's daytime.

The way it sounded, he didn't even want me here, except to work.

No bike riding. No exploring. No nothing.

Where else are we supposed to hang out? The playground?

Plus, we got the dugout right here. We can't just abandon it.

If we're in the dugout, no one can see us anyway.

My dad'll never even know we're here.

Then it's settled? Yep.

We stay.

What's this? It has your name on it.

Oh, wow! I almost forgot.

My grandpa. He told me earlier that he left me a surprise.

In here?

Yeah. He found this place on one of his walks.

Don't worry, though. He's cool with everything.

Even the magazines!

Nice.

You're not gonna open it?

Nah, maybe later. Let's check out the map, first.

Wow! You guys like it?

It looks great.

It's amazing.

You even added Ronny's forts.

The one's that we know about, at least.

Hey. We can use this to plan escape routes and stuff,

before we raid them.

Timmy!

You guys hear that? What?

Timmy!

Timmy? Where are you, Timmy?

Oh, man. That's my mom.

What do you think she wants?

Where are you? Honey, where are you?

Timmy, where are you?

I'm here, Mom.

Timmy, where have you been?

We've been looking all over for you!

I was just... Wait, what happened?

It's your grandpa.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, baby.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains.

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip,

He who watches over you will not slumber.

Indeed He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you,

the Lord is your shade at your right hand.

The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm.

He will watch over your life.

The Lord will watch over your coming and going

both now and forever more.

I hear what you're saying, Steve, but it doesn't make any sense.

Look at this place. Where would it be?

I know what I saw, Ronny. I'm telling you. It's gotta be here.

Even if that's true, this place is big.

Yeah, their hideout could be anywhere.

Well, what do you wanna do?

It's what you're gonna do.