Knuckleball 2018

As Mary and Paul depart, leaving their son Henry in the care of his grandfather Jacob on the isolated Canadian farm where her father resides, Mary’s thoughts become momentarily fixated on the very same barn where her mother met her untimely demise upon discovering Jacob’s infidelity. The somber atmosphere hangs heavy as she delves deeper into the property, her footsteps echoing through the desolate landscape.

Meanwhile, Henry settles into a newfound routine under Jacob’s watchful eye, learning the intricacies of farming and the art of throwing a baseball from his grandfather’s skilled hands. However, the arrival of Jacob’s peculiar neighbor Dixon serves only to further pique Henry’s curiosity about this enigmatic figure. Jacob’s swift intervention to prevent any further interaction between the two sets the tone for the unfolding drama.

As night falls, Henry finds himself sharing an evening with Jacob inside the latter’s cozy abode, their bond growing stronger with each passing moment. Unbeknownst to them, Dixon lurks in the shadows, his eyes fixed intently on the unsuspecting duo as he secretly makes his way into Jacob’s barn under the cover of darkness.

The next morning brings a shocking revelation for Henry: Jacob lies lifeless in his bed, leaving the young boy reeling with fear and uncertainty. In a desperate bid to reach out to his parents, Henry leaves a frantic voicemail, only for the stormy weather to render reception impossible, ultimately draining the life from his phone.

Mary and Paul manage to intercept part of Henry’s message, prompting Paul to contact local authorities, who dispatch Sheriff Connie to perform a welfare check on the isolated farm. Mary’s insistence that she and Paul return to their son proves futile as the storm rages on, making it impossible for them to reach out to Henry once more.

In his hour of need, Henry turns to Dixon for assistance, only to be met with an unsettling demeanor that further erodes his already fragile sense of security. As Henry confronts Jacob’s lifeless body, Dixon offers him shelter at his nearby residence, feigning concern while hiding a sinister agenda.

Henry becomes increasingly wary of Dixon’s intentions as the latter’s behavior grows more erratic, revealing an unsettling disdain for Henry’s bond with Jacob and cryptically referencing a bloodline that seems to hold significant meaning. As Henry begins to piece together the truth, he switches the contents of two glasses of soda, ensuring that Dixon unknowingly drinks the drugged concoction.

Dixon’s behavior becomes increasingly menacing as he reveals his true intentions, prompting Henry to prepare for the worst by constructing makeshift booby traps around Jacob’s farm in a desperate bid for self-defense. However, just as Henry begins to feel a sense of security, a vision of Jacob compels Dixon to recover from the drugged soda and resume his pursuit of the boy.

Armed with nothing but a baseball bat, Dixon sets out to track down Henry, his determination fueled by a twisted desire for revenge. The chase is on as Henry uses Molotov cocktails to briefly set Dixon ablaze, only to be forced into a brutal hand-to-hand combat against his tormentor.

As darkness descended, Henry sought refuge beneath Jacob’s bed, unwittingly stumbling into a maelstrom of family secrets and deceit. Dixon, Jacob’s estranged son from a clandestine affair, emerged, revealing the shocking truth that Mary’s side of the family was oblivious to his existence. Seizing the momentary distraction, Dixon pounced on Henry, mercilessly tearing his clothes and unleashing a torrent of physical punishment.

The cacophony of chaos drew Sheriff Connie into the fray, only for her to meet a brutal demise at the hands of Dixon’s baseball bat. As the dust settled, Henry seized the opportunity to slip away unnoticed, seeking solace in the barn’s storm cellar. It was there that he stumbled upon a mysterious woman imprisoned within a cage, who, despite their initial animosity, formed an unlikely bond as they conspired against their tormentor.

When Dixon stormed into the cellar, his eyes locking onto the caged woman with a mixture of disdain and familiarity - “Momma” being the term of endearment he used to address her - the atmosphere was electric. The two engaged in a fierce gunfight, leaving each other breathless before finally succumbing to their wounds.

As Dixon lay dying, his gaze locked onto Henry’s, a ghostly apparition of Jacob materialized, imparting a haunting truth: “You were kept secret because you were never going to be good enough.” The weight of this revelation hung heavy in the air as Henry wrestled with the urge to exact revenge on his tormentor’s lifeless form. However, he resisted the impulse, choosing instead to preserve some semblance of humanity.

As the authorities processed the scene, Deputy Sheriff Drew stumbled upon Henry alone within the house. Mary and Paul soon arrived, their presence a poignant reminder that even in the darkest of times, family and love can prove a powerful antidote to suffering. As Henry was escorted away from the devastation, he caught a fleeting glimpse of Jacob’s visage, a bittersweet reminder that some secrets are best left buried beneath the surface.