"The shadow monster woke up." "It saw the boy in the pot and said:" ""Mmm." "I'm starving."" ""I'm going to eat you up."" "So the monster opened his mouth wide and... swallowed the little tailor whole." "The boy fell and fell into a dark cave filled with slime..." "Is that it?" "That's all I could come up with." "Well, you'll think of something tomorrow." "Let's go to bed." "But I'm not sleepy and I haven't finished it yet." "I know, sweetie, but Mommy's tired from working all day and she needs to sleep." "Here, I'll carry you." "God, you're heavy!" "Your story needs an ending." "Let's see if I can help." "Let me think..." "Remember the scissors the tailor had given his son?" "Well, suddenly he remembered he still had them." "He took them out and started cutting." "Snip, snip, snip..." "Snip, snip, snip..." ""Ouch!"" ""Who's cutting me?" And the little tailor..." "I know, I know!" "The boy cuts his way out, makes himself a monster-skin coat and the arrows couldn't hurt him any more." "I'll finish it right now." "You're going to sleep or you'll be tired in the morning." "Mom..." "We'll get the little boy out of the monster's belly in the morning." "Don't shut it, Meow is still outside." "He might want to come in." "No dreaming about monsters, okay?" "Come!" "Come!" "Leave her alone, monster!" "Let him go!" "Mommy!" "Mommy!" "Mommy, Mommy!" "There, there..." "It's over, sweetie." "There, there..." "The monster came in through the window." "It wanted to take me away." "It was..." "It had no face." "There's no monster in here." "It was only a nightmare." "It was only a nightmare." "Don't worry." "It's over." "What if he comes back?" "If he comes back, close your eyes and count to five." "When you open them, he'll be gone, you'll see." "I'm going to call her." "She is driving me crazy." "I can't stop thinking about her." "Oh, I'm sure Carol would be very happy about that." "Fuck off." "You're not an angel." "Don't tell me you never thought about it." "Listen, mate, I'm very happy with what I've got." "I mean, what could be so wrong with a bit of no-questions-asked, harmless fun with a filthy stranger to spice up your love life?" "Just as long as Carol doesn't find out." "And if she does?" "I'd deny it, wouldn't you?" "Listen, mate, if I were you," "I'd just get it out of the way and tell her everything now." "Fuck off!" "Come on!" "Keep an eye on Frank." "I have to call my daughter." "She is just very lonely." "She must miss you." "Yes, she does." "She misses me very much, but my brother's there, so..." "Send them my love." "I will." "That's nice of you, thank you." "Yeah, I know, she is old." "Hey, Dad." "Where are you?" "Sorry, sweetheart." "I'm still at work." "I'm gonna be another hour." "That's too bad." "Grandma made me her famous cake." "Yeah, don't tell me, chocolate, jam in the middle and fake cream on top." "Is Mum there?" "Can I talk to her?" "Sure." "Dad wants to talk to you." "Hey, baby." "Yeah." "Okay." "Mia, it's so good to see you." "Where is Winnie going?" "Yeah?" "Okay, love you, too." "Bye." "Hey, Winnie, where are you?" "Winnie, where are you?" "Where are you going?" "What have you found?" ""Hollowface woke up because someone called his name."" ""After many, many years, he was free."" ""He wasn't young or old, or ugly or handsome."" ""He had no shape, he didn't even have a face."" ""He remembered a boy with a face that looked like him."" ""Hollowface had to find the boy."" ""He had to find his face."" ""Until one night, Hollowface finally found a face to steal."" ""It was a little boy staring out of a window."" ""Hollowface wanted the boy's face"" ""more than anything else in the world."" ""Without a face,"" ""he had nothing."" ""So he devised a plan."" ""First,"" ""he'd separate the boy from his parents."" ""Then he'd take him back to his lair."" ""He'd rip off his face and wear it himself."" ""That way, everybody would love him."" ""The next night,"" ""Hollowface dressed up as a man"" ""and went back to the boy's house."" ""He ran up the wall quickly."" ""He slipped through an open window."" ""He found the boy's room and slipped inside."" ""The boy was sleeping."" ""Hollowface moved closer and closer,"" ""and closer."" "Continue, Mia." "That's all I have." "You haven't finished it?" "I didn't know how to." "It's not bad." "You've hooked your audience and left us with a cliff-hanger." "Try to finish it for next week." "Well, we are all looking forward to finding out what happens next, aren't we?" "See you later." "Oh, what time is the party again?" "6:00." "Don't forget." "Okay, bye!" "See you." "Hey!" "You're late." "Sorry." "Who is she?" "You're sweaty." "Come, you have to do the cake." "Hey, birthday girl!" "Daddy!" "Happy birthday." "It's a teddy bear!" "We got you something else, too." "Wow, thanks." "It's so cool!" "I've wanted one of them for ages!" "Great." "Oh, yes." "You know, it's actually an antique, it's nearly 50 years old." "An old teddy bear." "Cool." "I love it, Dad, really." "So, how old are you again?" "Nine?" "Ten?" "Dad." "Four?" "Okay, guys." "It's time." "Happy birthday to you" "Happy birthday to you" "Happy birthday, dear Mia" "Happy birthday to you" "Whoo!" "Hollowface woke up because someone called his name." "After many, many years, he was free." "When Hollowface came out of his lair, the people looked right through him." "It was like he was in visible." "He saw people in the street, talking and kissing." "And he knew that, without a face, no one could love him." "Hollowface kept hunting for a boy to steal his face." "He looked everywhere, in every window of every house." "Until one night, he found a house with a child inside." "And an open window." "He crept through the rooms and down the corridor, where he saw a girl who was still awake." "So he crept closer, and closer." "And he forgot all about hunting for the boy." "Now, Hollowface wanted the girl's face more than anything else in the world." "So, he devised a plan." "He would hide in the dark corner of her room and wait for her to go to sleep, and then he would..." "I really want one." "One?" "Just one." "No." "Yes, just one." "No." "No, don't." "You don't need it." "I do." "That's pathetic." "Mia." "Mia, go to your room." "What is it?" "What's the matter, sweetheart?" "Mia, you've school tomorrow, go." "John." "Come on, it's her birthday." "Are you okay, birthday girl?" "I can't sleep." "Too much Coca-Cola?" "It's not that." "No?" "What is it then?" "Come on, let's get you into bed." "Oh, I can see you love my present." "Dad, I'm 12 years old." "Did you hear that?" "Sorry, mate, I think you should've stayed in the shop." "Looks like she is just a little bit too grown-up for you." "Oh, yeah." "She's wearing lipstick and everything." "Come on, you should try to sleep." "Good night, sweetheart." "I love you, Dad." "I love you, too." "One, two, three, four, five." ""He was a murderer from the beginning, and did not abide in the truth, because there is no truth in him." "If ye continue in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed." "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free."" "Wait for us here." "We can do it here if you like." "You have to say, "Hail, Mary, full of grace."" "Hail, Mary, full of grace." "The Lord is with thee." "When was your last confession?" "I don't know." "I don't remember." "That's okay." "Go ahead, tell me." "You needn't be ashamed." "The Lord is good and always forgives us." "Come on." "It can't be that bad." "Come on, Juan." "We're leaving." "No, no, no." "Keep going." "Sorry, mate." "Come on, you." "Concentrate." "You've gotta get all that done by today." "You're the boss." "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Please, mate, hurry, I'm gonna fall!" "John, help!" "I can't hold on." "Come on, John, hurry up, mate!" "Hurry up, I'm gonna fucking let it go." "Hold on!" "John!" "John!" "I'm going to fall!" "Frank!" "Frank!" "Frank!" " Dad?" " Jesus." "You scared the life out of me!" "Are you okay, sweetheart?" "What's the matter?" "I had a nightmare." "What was it about?" "Come, Mia." "Come on, let's go back to bed." "You have school tomorrow." "What if the nightmare comes back?" "Come on." "Dad, where are we going?" "Come on, it's fine." "Shit." "Dad." "Why are you standing out there?" "Come on." "What are you doing?" "Yes, got it." "Do you remember this?" "The anti-nightmare book!" "Dad, this is ridiculous." "Come on." "Come and sit down." "Haven't read this in ages." "Come on." "Now, which one shall we read?" "That one." "This one?" "Okay." "So..." ""if a big red devil with big teeth and claws comes to you" ""and tries to squeeze you in its jaws, just light it up and say..."" "Dad." "Oh, you're too grown... "Boo!"" ""And you'll see it's just a shadow and you can see it through."" "See, monsters are cowards." "If you stand up to them, they run away." "Not this one." "This one's different." "They're all the same." "All cowards." "And you know they'd never dare come into this house if they know I'm here." "But he's already inside." "What do you mean?" "Where?" "I don't know." "I think he spies on me when I'm asleep." "I know he's there." "Right." "Now, to kill a monster, you have to enter their story." "See, they think you're gonna run away, but if you enter their story," "they're screwed." "So..." "Now, there's something missing." "Ah!" "Perfect." "Wow!" "There he is." "There's our monster." "So, you think you're scary, huh?" "Now, listen, mate." "It's the end of the road." "We've had enough." "You cannot keep bothering my daughter at night." "Okay, stand back." "Whoa." "Look at him go." "Wow." "Basketball face, go." "Look at his face." "Ooh." "Spooky." "He looks so angry." "What the hell are you doing?" "Are you crazy?" "What is this?" "Mia, go to your room." "It's all right." "We were just playing." "What do you mean "playing"?" "You could have burned the house down." "She had a nightmare." "We were just getting rid of it." "What do you mean "getting rid of it"?" "What do you mean?" "What is this?" "Sue." "It was a game." "Throw this thing away before it stinks up the whole house." "Mommy!" "Mommy!" "Juan..." "It's okay, sweetie." "There, there." "It's over." "Please, come in." "Juan." "Juan." "Father Antonio is here to see you." "He doesn't seem to have a fever." "Hi, Juan." "My name is Antonio." "Do you remember me?" "Look." "I brought your toy." "I'll leave it here, okay?" "Your mother says you're having trouble sleeping." "Go away." "Why do you say that?" "It's nothing to be ashamed of." "I had nightmares at your age too." "They aren't nightmares." "What are you scared of?" "Witches?" "No such thing." "And the bogeyman isn't real either." "My parents told me about him so I'd finish my dinner." "It's just a story." "You needn't be afraid of stories." "Here's what we'll do:" "You tell me what you're scared of, and I'll tell you what scares me, okay?" "I have a friend I talk to every day who I can't see." "I'm scared... my friend won't answer me." "That I'll talk to him and he won't say anything." "Now it's your turn." "What are you scared of?" "Hollowface." "Who is Hollowface?" "Mia, what's the matter?" "What is it?" "What's wrong?" "Tell me." "He's here." "He's inside." "No, come on, sweetheart." "There's nobody here, it's just you and me." "Look." "Daddy, look." "Mia, get out." "Get out!" "Dad!" "Dad!" "Dad!" "Help me!" "John!" " John, what's going on?" " Call the police!" "Call the police!" "Please." "Just let her go." "Don't hurt her." "My God!" "Sweetheart, are you okay?" "Are you okay?" "What's going on?" "There was a fucking man in the room." "Are you okay?" "Are You okay?" "Baby..." "It's okay, it's okay." "Awful business." "I think he must've come in through the window." "I chased after him, but he'd gone." "Did you see his face?" "Could you give us a description?" "It was dark." "He had a hood on." "Get that to forensics, George." "Now, once an intruder has been seen, he very rarely comes back." "We'll get him." "Don't worry, Mr Farrow." "Thank you." "He said not to worry." "He said he definitely won't come back." "It's okay." "You sit down here, lovely." "Has she said anything?" "What do you want her to say?" "She's terrified." "Are you okay?" "What is it, sweetheart?" "Talk to me." "Mia." "Talk to me." "Sweetheart, tell me what's wrong." "Mia." "Sweetheart, what is it?" "One, two, three, four..." "Mommy, Mommy!" "Juan..." "How are you?" "Everything okay?" "No wonder the father ran off." "Did she tell you that?" "No." "She speaks only of a presence, that there's something inside the boy." "They're both nuts, the boy and the mother." "They would spook anyone." "She told you more than she told me." "You don't know how to treat women." "Will you help them?" "What do you want me to do?" "I don't know." "Make them think you got rid of it." "Got rid of what?" "We're talking about something very serious." "It wouldn't have to be official." "It would be like a placebo." "Antonio, you can't perform such a serious ritual just to settle the nerves of a crazy woman." "No matter how pretty she is." "You can't play around with this stuff, damn it." "Leave them alone." "This is a job for a psychiatrist, not for us." "And then he leapt from your window?" "Oh, Mia." "I'm sorry." "What a terrible thing to go through, it must be terrifying!" "And you haven't been able to speak ever since?" "Or you haven't wanted to?" "Things and..." "It's important I know." "You can't." "You know, it's all right to be afraid." "I get scared too sometimes." "Everyone does." "Please, come with me." "As there's nothing physically preventing your daughter from speaking, her silence is an acute emotional response to the severe shock she experienced." "So what do we do?" "Oh, you have to be patient." "Should she keep going to school?" "Oh, yes, absolutely." "You don't want to disrupt her routine, but I will need to see Mia every day." "Every day?" "Mr Farrow," "I'm sure you want to avoid Mia re-living the experience through flashbacks or recurring nightmares." "We want to facilitate the successful, emotional processing of the trauma through basic counselling." "During the sessions, Mia will confront her fears." "We've found the method to be extremely effective for the children..." "Hollowface did not give up." "He would wait for the right moment to rip off the girl's face." "Hollowface crept closer, and closer and closer." "You haven't got one that's a bit quieter?" "Quieter?" "Wouldn't have a Chihuahua as a guard dog, would you?" "This is a Rottweiler." "It's an excellent choice." "Complete security package." "No more worries." "How about..." "I made you something to eat." "You're doing your homework?" "Listen, Mia, you don't have to do it if you don't want to." ""Want to." Okay." "Come, come here." "Come here." "Sit." "You can only access the images on the central Web site with a password." "It's very secure." "Yes, hi, mate, yeah." "I need to enter a password for a customer." "Name, John Farrow." "Yep." "One, nine, six, seven." "Hi, Juan." "How are you?" "Remember me?" "Juan." "Mommy, I'm having fun!" "We're leaving." "We can't be here." "Let's go." "Come on." "Juan..." "Hollowface crept closer, and closer." "The girl knew that Hollowface was there." "She could feel him watching her." "She wanted to scream for help, but when she opened her mouth she couldn't make a sound." "Her parents couldn't keep her safe because Hollowface was already inside." "He'd made a new lair right in her room, in a dark corner everyone had forgotten about." "His new lair was big enough for both of them." "Hollowface would drag the girl into his lair and keep her there in the dark, imprison her, away from her parents, forever." "Then she wouldn't need her face ever again." "He started calling her to his lair." "She felt his claws reaching out to her." "John!" "Mia, are you okay?" "Are you okay?" "She's fine now." "Her blood pressure is very low." "She needs to rest." "We're going to run some allergy tests." "Anaphylactic shock is a severe hypersensitivity body reaction, but I don't want you to worry, Mrs Farrow, we will find what triggered it." "In the meantime, I'm gonna prescribe some intravenous adrenaline and sedatives in case of emergency." "If she loses consciousness and the ambulance takes too long, you can inject it yourself." "It takes only a couple of seconds to take effect." "I'll have a nurse show you how it works." "Okay." "Thank you." "I'll go get a nurse." "Could you give us a description?" "Yeah, he looked really weird." "It was like..." "It was like he was deformed." "Deformed?" "But it's a good job you installed those security cameras." "I'll have one of my men check the coverage." "But we'll need your password." "Yeah, of course." "Sorry, would you excuse me?" "Hey, how is she?" "She's all right." "She's all right." "It's Dave." "Please, take him." "He's been calling the whole time." "Hello?" "Mrs Farrow, can you tell me what happened tonight?" "I'm calling because your mother asked me to." "Your mother wants us to be..." "Don't worry." "Everything's fine." "I'm taking care of the situation." "She is worried about Mia." "How is she, John?" "I didn't see him." "I just..." "John?" "Dave, I can't talk right now." "Sorry, I've gotta go." "Dave, how are they?" "They'll be fine." "Sit down." "Come with me, Juan." "Lie down." "We're going to pray together." "I'm going to say a prayer and repeat after me, all right?" "Mommy says you're going to make Hollowface go away." "That's right." "Jesus will come, he'll grab Hollowface and poof." "He'll throw him into a pit so deep he'll never get out." "But Hollowface can fly." "Juan, keep quiet and obey the father." "Cross yourselves." "Give me your hand." ""You, Lord, are my refuge." "He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and from the noisome pestilence."" "Repeat it." ""You, Lord, are my refuge." "He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and from the noisome..."" ""From the noisome pestilence."" ""From the noisome pestilence."" ""Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day."" "Juan." "Please." "I don't want to." "That's all right." "We'll try something else." "I'll pray and you repeat it to yourself in silence." "Close your eyes." ""Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day."" "I can't." "I can't do it." "I can't expel him if I don't know who he is." "You know who he is, don't you?" "He has no face." "His face is hidden." "I can't see it." "You can't see it because he's wearing a hood, right?" "Close your eyes." "Try to imagine his face." "Take it off." "Take off his hood." "Father, that's enough." "Good, Juan." "Good." "He's there." "Where, Juan?" "There." "Where is he?" "There's nothing there." "What do you see?" "He's gone." "It's only a statue." "Luisa." "You can't help us." "There's nothing you can do." "It's only a statue." "You imagined the whole thing." "Luisa!" "Luisa..." "Tell me what you saw." "Mommy, where are we going?" "I don't know." "Far away." "Juan, help me." "Close your suitcase." "Do you think he'll follow us?" "No, because we're going far away." "Do you understand?" "You saw him too, didn't you?" "Juan, I didn't see anything." "You hear me?" "Nothing." "What's going on?" "Good morning, John." "Come through." "Is everything okay?" "Sue, where's Mia?" "Is she okay?" "She's here, John." "She'll be fine." "Hello, John." "What is this?" "Please, John, take a seat." "Mia knows that she has the full love and support of both her parents, especially you, John." "You have a very special bond with her." "I should hope so, I'm her father." "Susanna tells me that you haven't slept well since your incident at work." "Well, I think we've all had trouble sleeping ever since a man started appearing in my daughter's bedroom at night." "I understand." "John, there is a very rare syndrome, which is often brought on by stress, which occurs when two people's psyches become entwined." "It's a shared disorder, called "folie Г  deux."" "When two people with close emotional ties share the same hallucination." "Hallucination?" "There's no intruder, John." "It's in your imagination and in Mia's." "What the fuck are you talking about?" "John, I'd like you to look at this, please." "Play that again." "What is this?" "There was no one there, John." "Nobody else in the room, but you and your daughter." "Mr Farrow." "Who the fuck are you?" "This is David Wareton from Social Services." "We're all here to help you, John." "The condition can be treated very successfully through therapy," "but, John, the first step will be to separate you from Mia for a while." "If you have nowhere else to go, we can help you out with that." "I recommend that you speak to my colleague, Dr Nowinski." "He said he'll treat you." "This is ridiculous." "It doesn't make any sense." "I was in the fucking room!" "He was there, he was attacking my daughter." "Sue, you were there, tell them." "Sue." "Tell them!" "Mr Farrow, you need to calm down." "I didn't see anything." "You saw the video." "There's nobody there." "I don't fucking believe you." "So you think I'm crazy, do you?" "Don't worry." "By the time you get home, I'll be out." "Mia, when we get home," "Daddy is not gonna be there." "We have to separate you for a little while." "Mum says you've been writing a story at school." "Who is Hollowface?" "Susanna, it might be easier for Mia if you left us alone for a minute." "Mia, is there something you want to tell us?" "Did your father tell you the story?" "You know Hollowface isn't real?" "Okay, Mrs Farrow..." "If he comes near the house again," "Mrs Farrow, please let us know immediately." "Yes, I will." "We can get a court order." "No, no, no." "It won't be necessary, seriously." "Okay." "So, this is the room." "It's a nice room, Mia." "Do you mind if we talk outside?" "Mia, I'm gonna be back in a minute, yeah?" "Mia." "What if we go for a nice yummy meal tonight?" "Yeah?" "Like a Chinese restaurant?" "What do you think?" "Good idea?" "Let's go." "Luisa, can I speak with you when you have a minute?" "He says he wants to talk to you." "Mommy!" "Mommy!" "Don't worry, it must just be a nightmare." "I'm sure he'll calm down." "Mommy!" "One, two, three, four, five." "There you'll stay forever." "Hollowface woke up because someone called his name." "After many, many years, he was free." "John?" "He's back." "Who is back?" "You know who." "I don't know what you're talking about, son." "Yes, you do." "No." "It can't be." "You said I made him up." "That I was dreaming." "You lied to me." "I'm sorry." "I'm so sorry." "He's hurting Mia." "I was only trying to protect you." "From what?" "Son..." "Forgive me." "Tell me." "I'm sorry, I had to lie to you." "He came to take you that night." "It wasn't a nightmare." "It's okay." "It's okay." "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry." "Three, four, five..." "Come on." "Baby!" "It's me!" "John, she can't breathe!" "What's happening?" "The shot's not working." "Call an ambulance!" "It's me." "I'm here." "Can you hear me?" "I know he's here and I know you're afraid, but that's all over now, because I know who he is and I know why he came back." "Come on, keep talking, keep talking, keep talking." "Hollowface woke up because someone called his name." "After many, many years, he was free." "He wasn't young or old, ugly or handsome." "He had no shape, he didn't even have a face." "They had locked him away in a dark, tiny hole where the sun never shone." "He remembered a boy with a face that looks like him." "Hollowface had to find the boy." "He had to find his face." "When he finally found where the boy was hiding," "Hollowface didn't know what to do." "Seeing the mother kiss the boy made him feel envious." "He wanted to be like the boy." "He wanted to be loved." "So he devised a plan." "First, he'd separate the boy from his mother." "Then he'd bring him to his lair." "And he would rip off his face and wear it himself." "Hollowface moved closer and closer, and closer." "You don't know the rest of the story, but I do." "Hollowface couldn't find the boy and that made him furious." "Where's the boy?" "Leave her alone, monster!" "Don't be afraid, son." "You look like me." "Mia." "Mia, you have to fight back." "You have to." "Mia." "You have to fight back." "You have to fight back, Mia." "Hollowface never stole the boy's face." "Because Hollowface didn't realise something." "The boy's mother would never let him take her son away without putting up a fight." "Mommy!" "Mommy!" "Help me, son!" "Help me!" "No." "Because parents are always willing to do anything to protect their children." "It's all right." "I'm here." "You're safe." "He's gone." "He will never come back again, I promise." "It's over." "Hollowface woke up because someone called his name." "Hollowface wasn't old or young, ugly or handsome." "He had no shape, he didn't even have a face." "He had nothing." "But now, after many, many years," "he was free."