Cobweb 2023

In a world where emotional distance and neglect can have devastating consequences, Peter’s life is a poignant reminder of the long-term effects of parental indifference. The eight-year-old boy, stuck in a vortex of bullying at school and isolation from his peers, finds solace in his substitute teacher Miss Devine, who offers him a glimmer of hope. However, his parents Carol and Mark, though well-intentioned, are more concerned with maintaining the status quo than addressing their son’s deep-seated insecurities.

As Halloween approaches, Peter’s desire to participate in trick-or-treating is cruelly denied by his parents, citing the unsolved disappearance of a young girl several years prior. The night wears on, and Peter’s frustration builds as he’s forced to confront the harsh reality that his parents are more interested in preserving their own sense of security than nurturing their child’s emotional well-being.

It is then that Peter begins to hear strange noises emanating from within the walls of his bedroom - a mysterious tapping sound that both his parents dismiss as mere imagination. But for Peter, these sounds become a lifeline, a connection to something or someone who understands him. As he continues to converse with this enigmatic entity, known only as Sarah, Peter learns that she was trapped in the walls by his own parents, who are, in her words, “evil.”

As Devine becomes increasingly concerned about Peter’s drawings and claims of paranormal activity, Carol and Mark remain steadfast in their denial, downplaying their son’s experiences as mere fantasy. But Peter is convinced otherwise, fueled by Sarah’s warnings that his parents will stop at nothing to silence him.

The catalyst for chaos arrives when Brian, a ruthless bully, destroys Peter’s prized pumpkin, sending the young boy into a tailspin of despair. It is then that Sarah’s counsel takes hold, urging Peter to take drastic action against those who have wronged him. In a shocking turn of events, Peter pushes Brian down the stairs, shattering his leg in the process.

The consequences of Peter’s actions are swift and severe, as he is subsequently expelled from school and punished by his parents with imprisonment in the basement. It is there that Peter discovers a hidden pit beneath a grate, a grim reminder of the secrets his family has kept for so long.

As Devine attempts to check on her troubled student, she is met with resistance and intimidation by Mark, whose arm bears an unexplained gash. Meanwhile, Sarah’s revelations continue to fuel Peter’s rage and paranoia, as he becomes convinced that his parents are planning to silence him forever.

In a desperate bid to avoid sharing Sarah’s fate, Peter concocts a plan to kill his parents, slipping rat poison into their soup at dinner. Though they attempt to stop him, Carol’s final words - “Don’t let her out” - prove eerily prophetic as both parents succumb to the poisoning before they can intervene, leaving Peter alone and adrift in a sea of uncertainty.

As Peter’s curiosity gets the better of him, he stumbles upon another concealed entrance behind the grandfather clock in his parents’ bedroom. The darkness doesn’t deter Sarah from emerging, her appearance transformed to something unsettlingly otherworldly. As their eyes meet, it becomes clear that she has been playing a masterful game of deception all along, manipulating Peter into carrying out her twisted plan for vengeance against those who locked her away. Her resentment towards Peter simmers just below the surface, fueled by his ability to live a normal life while she was trapped in darkness.

Meanwhile, Brian and his cousins arrive at the house, their intentions fixed on wreaking havoc on Peter. However, they soon find themselves on the receiving end of Sarah’s wrath, meeting a gruesome demise at her hands. Just as all hope seems lost, Devine bursts onto the scene, summoned by Peter’s frantic phone call. Together, they manage to subdue Sarah and imprison her back in the depths of the basement pit, but not before she issues a chilling warning: she will escape once more, and her malevolent presence will haunt Peter forevermore.