The Deliverance (2024)
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Director: Lee Daniels
Stars: Andra Day, Glenn Close, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Mo’Nique, Caleb McLaughlin
Plot: In a case widely covered at the time, Latoya Ammons and her three children experienced strange incidents in their Gary, Indiana home that grew progressively worse: the children were levitating, becoming violent with one another, and speaking in deep growls with no recollection afterward. Skeptics abounded, but the Gary Police Department, Department of Child Services, and the local church and hospital all became involved, filing reports that took the supernatural occurrences seriously. Officers, doctors, and social workers said they witnessed many of the incidents, including one in which Latoya’s 9-year-old son walked backwards up a wall. The Indianapolis Star covered it closely as the Department of Child Services investigated it.
* * *
[“I Know Who Holds Tomorrow” by Andra Day playing]
♪ I don’t know about ♪
♪ Tomorrow ♪
♪ I just live ♪
♪ From day ♪
♪ To day ♪
♪ And I don’t borrow ♪
♪ From ♪
♪ Its sunshine ♪
♪ For its skies ♪
♪ May turn to gray ♪
♪ And I don’t worry ♪
♪ About ♪
♪ My future ♪
♪ For I know ♪
♪ What Jesus ♪
♪ Said ♪
♪ And today I’ll walk ♪
♪ Beside Him ♪
♪ For He knows ♪
♪ What lies ahead ♪
[sinister music playing]
[sharp notes striking]
[music fades out]
[city commotion outside]
[scraping]
[boy] Mom! Come look!
Hold on, Dre. Comin’.
Mom, I said, “Come look!”
Little Basquiat.
You did most of it, Mom.
No, we did it together. It’s really good, Dre.
[solemn string music playing]
Come on, you playin’. Still gotta help me make dinner.
Come on. Don’t make me say it again.
[preacher] Praise the name of the Lord!
[congregation clapping]
And there’s something else that you must understand
about Palm Sunday.
Now, Lazarus, he was dead, right?
[man] Yes, he was!
[preacher] And of course, Jesus went and said, “Open up that tomb.”
And Lazarus was up in there.
He said, “Rise up.”
And Lazarus rose up.
He said, “Take them grave clothes off!”
[cheers and applause]
Took them grave clothes off,
and then they had a little celebration for Jesus.
They laid down the palms, and they welcomed Jesus
and gave him the entrance as a king.
And if you believe in your heart
that God has raised him from the dead,
you shall be saved.
[man] You shall be saved!
[cheers and applause fade out]
Why didn’t you let me take that boy to church?
He ain’t wanna go, Mom.
I don’t like making him do what he don’t want to do.
Well, I was hoping he could’ve…
Never mind.
[kids laughing]
If you got something to say, just say it.
This catfish got too much garlic.
Here we go.
Off to the races. You said you wasn’t gonna do this.
I’m just sayin’.
Who taught you to cook like this?
Not me.
[stifling laughter]
Part of the deal with you moving in here, Mom,
was I wouldn’t have to hear your mouth about how I ran my house.
What do you expect me to do, Ebony?
Eat shit with too much garlic?
Jesus Christ.
Ain’t that right, boo?
Momma, shut the fuck up.
[sighs] I want some more milk.
[Ebony] No.
You shouldn’t have had that glass. You lactose intolerant.
You never went to no doctor to tell you that.
You just being cheap.
[laughing]
[utensil clatters]
That’s the last time I’mma tell your ass about talking like that in my house.
Oh, shit.
Dre…
Look at me. Damn.
[sniffs]
Don’t fuckin’ start with me, Berta.
Ain’t had one in three weeks.
Come here, boy.
Damn.
When’s Dad coming home?
I’m going to work.
Eat, Te.
[message sent chime]
[typing on keypad]
[message sent chime]
[message sent chime]
You know when you bring up Dad like that, you’re making shit awkward.
Nate, tell him.
Hello? Can you answer?
[fly buzzing]
[exhales sharply]
Which one of you two keeps fartin’?
It stinks like shit! Ugh…
[faucet dripping]
[exhales deeply]
[fly buzzing]
[blows]
[fly buzzing]
[sniffs]
[fly buzzing]
[flies buzzing]
[Ebony grunts]
[flies buzzing]
Goddamn.
[tires squealing outside]
[distant voices echoing]
[woman arguing indistinctly]
[fly buzzing]
[woman] See this motherfucking bat?
I’mma bust your motherfucking head wide the motherfuck open!
[man and woman arguing indistinctly in background]
[woman] Rotten, dirty, fat-ass son of a bitch.
[man responds indistinctly]
[gulping]
[glass shatters]
[gulping]
[ominous music playing]
[swings creaking]
[man on phone] …that doesn’t account for the three months…
I have three kids, and I just moved into a new house.
I wouldn’t have spent that advance fixing this place up if I’d known this.
Well, miss, it’s not our job to tell you how to spend the money.
Sir, we need to work something out.
There’s nothing we can do now.
Because it’s y’all fault in the first place.
[boy] Oh, hell no!
[Dre] What’s so funny?
Till he start brushing his teeth, stay five feet away from me.
[teen 1] Hey, yo, pussy boy!
Here come pussy boy. What up?
You ain’t hear me?
[teen 2] Chill out.
[Nate] Keep walking.
[Te] Shut up.
Gonna let your sis talk for you?
Bitch.
[teen 2] What you doing?
Bruh, what…
[Nate] Fuck.
[teen 2] What the fuck are you doing?
[Te] What is wrong with you?
[teen 1] Go on, ugly ass.
[Te] Chill!
[teen 2] Sit down.
[Te] Chill out.
[teen 1 yelling] Who you talking to?
[teen 2] Just sit down, dawg!
[man] Unfortunately, there’s no more options at this time, miss.
After three months of nonpayment,
the company’s policy says I have to repossess the car.
Now, if you can make some kind of payment,
we can work out an agreement.
But you’re three months behind.
Can you come up with the…
[phone beeps off]
[moody music playing]
Grandma!
What’s up, lady?
Where’d that come from?
Boy, what is this?
No. Answer me.
You think I’d touch that stuff after seeing what it does to you?
I was hiding it from you.
I should’ve thrown it out.
[Ebony] Is that blood on his shirt?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Where’d that come from?
The corner boys.
Hold this, Shante.
Mom?
[Ebony] Shit.
[Berta] Ebony, stop!
She’s gonna go to jail again.
[tense music builds]
[indistinct chattering]
[teens chattering]
[teen 2] You don’t even know.
Jamir!
You fuckin’ with my son?
No…
[grunts, groans]
Bitch-ass niggas touch my family again, I swear to God…
Touch Nate again, you hear me?
And call your momma. I’ll rock that ho too.
Ms. Ebony, it wasn’t like that…
Don’t, you lying bitch.
Who the fuck hit my son?
He was fucking with him.
It wasn’t like that.
Fuck with somebody else.
[somber music plays]
[music fades]
So, you wanna tell me how to handle my kids now?
You, of all people?
You humiliated him, Ebony.
Wonder where I learned that shit from, Ma?
How do you expect to set an example if you go flyin’ off the handle like that?
‘Cause you set a great example, right?
Fuckin’ model mother you were.
You know I’m not proud of that.
Why would you sniff my breath like that in front of my kids, Ma?
You know I wasn’t drunk.
I’ve knocked bitches’ teeth out for less.
Then do it, bitch.
Girl, I’m just trying to see that you live a clean life.
Yeah, ’cause you got the church now, right?
Praise the Lord, you all brand-new.
The Lord saved me.
You might have your little church friends fooled,
but I remember everything.
Everything.
[tense music plays]
[voices whispering]
[Dre] Your name’s Trey?
Oh, my name’s Andre.
My day today?
How was yours, friend?
How was yours?
[fly buzzing]
[Dre] This is where I live, mostly.
Where do you live?
You live here too?
My brother?
Far, far away, brother.
[flies buzzing]
[Dre] If you want to go home, then go home.
This fucking house.
[Dre] In the garden?
[Dre muttering]
[Ebony] Dre!
What are you doin’?
Nothing.
What I tell you about talking to yourself?
[grunts softly]
Get your little ass in the house.
[lilting strings play]
Go help your grandma.
[woman on TV] Who you hiding from, Helen? The notices couldn’t have been that bad.
[Helen] The show just needs a little doctoring.
Don’t worry.
If it flops, I can always get you a job as understudy for my grandmother.
[Helen] Thanks. I’ve already turned down the part you’re playing.
[woman] Bull.
Merrick’s not that crazy.
[reciting line] “You should know, honey. You just came out of the nuthouse.”
“Not a nuthouse.”
“They drummed you right out of Hollywood.”
“So you come crawling back to Broadway.”
“Well, Broadway doesn’t go for booze and dope.”
“Now, you get out of my way ’cause I got a man waitin’ for me.”
“Well, that’s a switch from the fags you usually get stuck with.”
“At least I never married one.”
[Helen] Get your hands off me!
[Ebony chuckles] Hot heads.
So, Shante, I was thinking, since you and your father are so close,
maybe we could wait until he gets back to do your birthday party.
Are you serious?
So, no party?
No, I didn’t say that.
I did not say that.
I’m saying we could just do something small.
You love being fancy, babe. Let’s just do a really nice dinner.
Make some lamb chops.
Maybe get one of them ice-cream cakes.
Remember the kind from Denise’s, Dre?
So, what about my new phone, Ma?
What about your new phone? The phone ain’t going nowhere.
Steve Jobs gon’ keep making phones.
Uh… Te, wait.
[Berta] Where you going, your head half-braided?
[Te] I’m tired of this.
What are you so tired of, Shante?
Being broke.
Me too.
[somber music plays]
[door slams]
[music fades out]
[door creaks]
[flies buzzing]
[door shuts]
[unsettling rippling sound]
[footsteps descending]
[tense music builds slowly]
[distant slow creaking]
[swings squeaking]
[squeaks]
Ow! Fuck.
Shante!
[clattering]
Damn.
[ominous music builds slowly]
[flies buzzing]
[door creaking]
[lock clunks]
[bell tolls, echoes]
[indistinct chatter in background]
[gentle music builds slowly]
Hey, pretty lady. How you doing today?
Just trying to live, boo. Trying to live.
Come over here and sit with me with your sexy self.
Come here. Come sit down.
Eh, gotta get my shit done.
[gentle music fades]
[ambient soul music playing]
What’s happening, Alberta?
Doin’ the best I can with what God gave me, Melvin.
Well, he did a lot today ’cause you sure look good.
Look at her.
Look. With her fucking titties out. She always got somebody…
Face all painted up.
Doing way too much.
I see you trimmed that goatee.
It was gettin’ wild.
You know, this is the third time I’ve seen you here.
And you still ain’t asked me out.
Um, what are you?
Gay or something?
She need to stop it.
Excuse me?
May I help you?
[chuckles] Thought so.
Catch me outside.
We’ll exchange numbers.
All right, baby.
[woman] Alberta.
Just a moment.
Yeah.
Your last two months still haven’t been paid.
Ugh.
Damn Medicaid. It’s always something with them.
I’ll call Monday, sort it out.
We stopped accepting Medicaid over a year ago.
Well, then, who’s been making my payments?
Well, I just assumed you knew.
Knew what?
That she’s been paying. So that you didn’t have to switch clinics.
She knows you like it here.
[light atmospheric music plays]
[music fades]
Before you say something…
I didn’t drive home.
I was at chemo today.
They told me you’ve been making my payments.
They shouldn’t have told you that.
I don’t know what to say.
You don’t gotta say nothing.
[sniffs]
I’m fucked up. I’mma go pass out.
[ominous music builds slowly]
[menacing music playing]
[gasps]
[door slams]
[footsteps departing]
[door opens, creaks]
[Ebony] Who’s in my house?
[moody music plays]
[flies buzzing]
[scoffs] Damn basement door.
[sighs] Ew.
[exhales]
[flies buzzing]
If somebody’s down there, I’ll fuck you up!
[exhales]
Mm.
[inhales, clears throat, retches]
Mm-mm. Mm-mm. Mm-mmm.
[bat clatters]
[retching, vomits]
[retches, coughs]
Damn.
[continues vomiting, coughs]
[inhales deeply]
[breathing heavily]
[spits]
[screams, pants]
[chuckling, sighs]
Oh my God, baby.
You scared me.
Mm. [spits]
Don’t worry about it. I just ate some bad food.
Where is it?
Where’s what?
My money.
Where did you get all that money?
Nathaniel Duwan, I swear to God, if you selling drugs,
I’mma break that bat off in your skinny ass.
Dad.
He sends me money orders, and I cash ’em.
Why?
‘Cause I’m saving up to get away from this.
Told him I want to get away from you.
Oh, word?
Word.
So where’s my fucking money, Ma?
Who the fuck do you think you talking to?
I fucking hate you!
[clattering]
[somber music plays]
Ma, I’m sorry.
Mom…
Nigga, you fucked with the wrong bitch tonight.
You gotta be fucking…
Ma…
No! Don’t hurt him!
[Nate] Mom…
[Dre groans]
[Dre] Ow!
Andre! Shit.
[Dre groans]
[TV clattering]
Come here. Look at me. I’m so sorry.
I’m so sorry.
Mother of the fuckin’ year, Ebony.
I’m outta here.
Get back here, Nate.
Come here. Let me see.
There you go.
Oh, Dre. I’m so sorry.
So sorry.
[Dre] Mom, it hurts.
[music fades]
I don’t know how such a good person came out of somebody like me.
Don’t leave, Nate.
We need you.
I’m trying. I’m really trying.
[laughs softly]
[distant train horn approaching]
[door creaks]
[flies buzzing]
What did your dad say?
Nothing. It was personal.
Bitch, not today.
He didn’t say anything.
Look at this.
Ew, what the fuck?
Shante.
Watch that fucking mouth.
There was a dead cat in our basement.
Stop. I see.
You’re just sitting there.
There was a dead cat… Okay.
That’s 60 dollars, ma’am.
Call the landlord.
I get paid at time of service.
I’m not paying for that. We just moved in here.
Sixty dollars or this shit goes back down there.
I don’t have it.
I got it.
I got you, Ma.
I’ll be right back, sir.
[door opens]
[vehicle approaching]
[exhales]
[pensive music plays]
I got you now, Ebony Jackson.
Let’s see what excuse you gon’ come up with today.
There you go.
Go home and fry that shit up with some soy sauce.
Ma, chill.
Cynthia.
Ebony.
Can we talk?
Sure. Come on inside.
[truck starts, departs]
[Cynthia] Hey, kids, how y’all doing?
We good.
[Ebony] You can sit wherever you want.
[footsteps descending stairs]
Why didn’t you call my office and let ’em know about the move?
Did you forget I was your DCS officer?
I didn’t know I had to.
Mm.
How’s school going, y’all?
School’s good.
I just left their school, Ebony.
And “good” was not the word they used.
You… found their school already. Okay.
Shante, what happened to your arm?
I don’t remember.
You don’t remember?
That looks painful.
I don’t know. It was there when I woke up.
Mm.
And why are you hunched over like that, Andre?
The playground.
The who?
The playground.
The playground?
So y’all gonna sit here
and act like y’all don’t know where these bruises came from?
They said they don’t remember.
Do you remember?
No, I don’t.
Know what, kids? I need to talk to your momma alone.
Go on.
Shante, take my card.
Go ahead. Take it if it makes her feel better.
Call me anytime.
I didn’t have nothing to do with them bruises, Cynthia.
Mm-hmm.
Look. I’m not here to make your life harder, Ebony, or difficult.
My priority is the welfare of your children.
We getting by.
Yeah, my mom moved in. You see, she’s helping us.
You been drinking?
I drink sometimes, like everybody else does.
Yeah, you been drinking.
[Ebony] How much longer we gotta do this?
[pills rattle]
Till I say we stop.
Now, look.
Their father came into court and made allegations
that there was drugging, drinking, and neglect in this home.
He said that because he wanted custody of our kids.
Then he’s gonna take his ass to Iraq with nowhere for them to live.
Now, you know the agreement we have with the state.
You could maintain custody of your kids as long as I monitor the situation.
I know what the situation is, Cynthia. I’m the one in it.
They need stability.
They need you clearheaded.
Your kids need to know you putting them first, Ebony.
You need to fix this shit.
How I get out of here? Where’s the front door?
It’s right here.
Here, where? Where’s “here”?
You’ve been through the house already.
If you stopped playing musical houses, I wouldn’t have to search for the door.
And what you looking at?
Listen, I’m tired.
You got a baby that think he got whooped by the whole playground.
You got two big kids that don’t have no idea where these bruises came from.
You better stop playin’ with me.
[Ebony] You have a great day, Cynthia.
[Cynthia] You have a better one, Ebony. You and your cockeyed mother.
[moody music plays]
Who’s that, Ma?
[car engine starts]
I don’t know.
Social services.
[car departing]
♪ Happy birthday, dear Shante ♪
♪ My baby! ♪
♪ Happy birthday to you! ♪
[cheering, whooping]
[“You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine” playing]
I’d like to say happy birthday, Shante.
And I’d like to dedicate this song… to your sexy grandmother.
[indistinct chattering]
If you know the words, sing along.
[indistinct chattering]
[laughing]
[Melvin] ♪ You’ll never find ♪
Here we go.
♪ As long as you live… ♪
[Te] Four? Why do you keep rolling four?
Baby, my… Do you know what I do for a living?
My hand been slick like that for years. Give me that.
Now you just… you do what I do.
What you been doing for years?
[laughing]
Half of your wardrobe came from me.
♪ I’m not braggin’ on myself, baby ♪
[woman] You know I boost, nigga.
♪ I’m the one who loves you and there’s no one else ♪
♪ No ♪
My turn.
[Ebony] No.
♪ No one else ♪
[Melvin] You got it.
Time for bed. Let’s go. Come on.
Nope. Give it back.
But Asia promised to teach me how to play dice.
No. Asia, stop teaching my kids to gamble.
Here, Melvin.
Thank you. Say good night.
Come on, Dre. Let’s go. Bedtime.
[Berta] Good night, baby.
Kids, time for bed. Let’s go.
[Asia] Bye, my baby.
Girl, school ain’t teaching them shit.
Shante.
Huh?
[“Funk You Up” by The Sequence plays]
Mom.
Yeah, girl. The phone is real.
[Ebony chuckles softly]
[Te] I love you.
Is that your real daughter?
You mean, did I give birth to her?
Yeah.
She’s my baby.
[indistinct overlapping chatter]
You know, she asked me to move in here with them.
But… ever since we came in here,
none of them been acting right.
I know what is acting right.
[both chuckle]
Know what I was thinking? If they get a Black girl in the palace,
that’s when shit’ll get poppin’.
Child, Prince Charles ain’t gonna let no mongrel baby wear them jewels, ever.
[pounding on door]
This fucking basement.
[tense music playing]
Andre, what are you doing in here?
Dre. Dre!
[snapping]
Dre! Dre. Look at me.
What are you doing?
[tense music fades]
What did you do to your head?
How’d you get past me? You’re supposed to be in bed.
Come here. Look at me.
[Dre winces]
Why were you in the basement?
[tense music builds slowly]
I was talking with Trey.
Who is Trey?
He lives in the hole.
What hole?
The hole downstairs.
Sometimes he lives in my closet.
[scoffs]
Ebony, what’s wrong with your kids?
Look at me.
[Asia] All of them.
You’re burning up. Come on. Let’s go. Back to bed.
Come on.
Get in bed.
[“Dreams” by Lil Kim playing in distance]
[Ebony] You all right?
Mm. Put this on your head.
[pensive music playing]
♪ Then watch this rap bitch Bust all over ya nuts like… ♪
♪ Dreams ♪
♪ Dreams ♪
♪ Dreams of fucking an R&B dick ♪
♪ Dreams of fucking an R&B dick ♪
Let me show you some shit I learned in Dreamgirls.
[man] Let’s see.
[Ebony] Asia, come. I got somebody for you.
Wanna dance with my friend? I got…
[man] Come on. Come down.
Come on. Come on.
Come on, dance with this nigga, bitch.
[indistinct chatter]
[Ebony laughs]
[Ebony] What’s your name?
Wait, Asia…
Don’t you “Asia” me, bitch.
[Ebony] Asia, wait. Hold on. Don’t leave yet.
You have shown your natural Black ass tonight.
Asia, shut… Don’t act like this not how we do.
Hold on, bitch. Don’t leave yet. Wait.
Just stay. Let’s do just one more shot.
I have a job that I have to get to, which is Saks that opens at 9:00 a.m.
You have a job that you have to get to tomorrow
that I hope your drunk ass can make it to.
Thank you.
I’mma get to my job. And I hope you get caught tomorrow.
That’s fine, bitch. Yo nigga’ll get me out.
Sissy bitch!
[Asia] You stanky-pussy-ass bitch!
Never!
[door slams]
Where the fuck is everybody at?
This supposed to be a motherfuckin’ party!
Hello?
[chuckling]
Did y’all see how I put it on that nigga? [chuckles]
[eerie music plays]
Andre.
Bed, now!
Turn around and look at me when I’m talking to you.
I’m scared.
What is going on with you, Dre?
Get upstairs, go.
Get upstairs. Now.
Go. Now. Don’t make me tell you twice.
Now!
Now!
[distant banging]
[distant banging]
[banging]
[banging]
Y’all, stop banging.
[banging]
[creaking]
[door opens]
[footsteps in hallway]
Did y’all hear me?
[low creaking]
[clattering]
Motherfuckers.
[banging]
What the fuck did I just tell y’all?
Call you tomorrow?
[sighs] Yes.
[banging]
[Dre] Mom!
[Nate] Alberta!
Grandma! Grandma! Help!
[banging]
[Ebony breathing shakily]
What did you do?
I…
[eerie music playing]
Shante, what happened?
[crying] I woke up on the floor, and Mom was yelling.
Nate, what happened?
[crying] I… I don’t know.
[Ebony panting, sobbing]
Ebony, what did you do?
She threw us against the wall.
[Ebony] No, I didn’t.
Get out of here.
Uh… [hesitates]
What happened? Hm?
Wait…
[whimpers quietly]
[tense music builds slowly]
[sighs] Can’t get nothin’ right.
Takin’ this shit out.
[classical piano music playing]
[choir singing]
[choir] ♪ A widow bird sate mourning… ♪
[teacher] Black Americans have been more affected by AIDS than…
Well, since the beginning of the epidemic.
While that disparity has even grown deeper.
[flies buzzing]
Because art is truth.
Yes, Andre?
Can I go to the bathroom?
[teacher] 44% of all deaths from AIDS are Black people.
[stifles laughter]
[choir] ♪ The frozen wind… ♪
My brother died from it.
[singing continues]
[choir] ♪ The freezing stream below… ♪
[teacher] The hospitals wouldn’t touch him.
He was a leper.
He died on the street.
[laughing]
[students] Ew!
Andre Jackson, stop this right now.
[no audible dialogue]
[choir] ♪ There was no leaf Upon the forest bare ♪
[music turns ominous]
[sniffing]
[ominous music playing]
[students muttering]
Andre, you stop this right now!
[all shrieking]
[ringtone playing]
Sorry, I have to take this.
Not when you got a client in the chair.
Stevie, I have three kids and a sick mom at home.
Hello. This Ebony.
Wait, hold… Slow down.
[monitor beeping]
[breathing shakily]
Crunchy.
Drive.
Trey.
[pensive music plays]
The good news is your children’s MRI, ultrasound, blood work,
and chest X-ray all look good.
And the psychological evaluations found nothing out of the ordinary.
Then you need to run more tests ’cause something ain’t right.
I don’t think the results will be any different
from any other kinds of tests.
Let’s just see how things go and progress, and take it from there.
There’s nothing to worry about, in my opinion.
Doctor, my son ate his own shit today.
Excuse me. Hi. Hi.
I’m talking to you. I’m their mother.
They were rushed here today.
Having some sort of… breakdown…
I don’t know what they were having. Don’t tell me, “Nothing to worry about.”
Have they been under any psychological stress lately?
Yeah, you know, they…
It’s the kids’ third home in a year.
Their father’s over in Iraq. We don’t know when he’s coming home.
So, yes. I would say the kids are stressed the fuck out.
Ebony, I need you to lower your voice.
She’s trying to help us as best she can.
No. Ma, stop!
I’m not just gonna let her push us out of here.
These are my kids… our babies we’re talking about here.
I don’t know what you have to do. Run more tests?
Ask more fucking questions?
But I’m not leaving here till you tell me what the fuck is going on with my kids.
Ma, where are you going?
I’m not gonna let you talk to her like that.
Why don’t we talk about the bruises?
That’s a conversation I’d like to have.
Hey, y’all stop running.
Stop running.
I don’t want to fight, Ebony.
Ma, did you even hear yourself in there?
“Oh, I’m sorry, Doctor.”
“My little Black daughter must be confused.”
Damn, the kids are sick,
and all you care about is whether I’m acting right or not.
Why don’t you fucking support me?
I support you.
But maybe she’s right.
You ever think of that?
Maybe sometimes other people are right
and you don’t got the answers to everything in the world.
That idea ever go across your thick head?
Maybe there is something else going on with those kids.
You got something you want to say to me?
What the hell happened last night?
I saw them marks on Nate.
You beat them kids, Ebony.
You got some nerve on you.
If you wasn’t old and sick, I’d lay you out right now.
[Berta] If you hit them again, I’m gonna turn you in myself.
Never turned you in.
You the same, Ma.
Cook your collard greens and play Stevie Wonder.
Fuck all these Black men.
You’re just like every other white bitch out here.
Down with niggas till it’s really time to be down with niggas.
Fake bitch. Get in my fucking car.
What are y’all doing? Why y’all…
Fuck you, bitch.
Shante, get in my car.
[pensive music plays]
[distant sirens wailing]
[ringtone playing]
Ma, can you get that?
Ma!
[tapping]
[ringtone continues]
You didn’t hear my phone ringing?
Childish.
You’re childish.
[Ebony] Hello?
This was my grandmother’s.
[recording] This is a call from St. Anthony’s Children’s Hospital
informing you that your balance of $30,593 and 48 cents…
Fuck. Fucking bill collectors.
The Lord don’t put anything you can’t handle.
Mom, please. Enough with the Jesus bullshit for one night.
I’d have been dead if the Lord hadn’t saved me.
He saved me.
He can save you.
Tell him to take the cancer out of your body, ’cause I can’t pay…
Get this shit off my wall…
[somber music playing]
Yeah, there she go.
I remember her.
This is a fix, Ma.
Might not be on that shit no more, but you still getting high.
Ain’t that right, Alberta?
You want me to die, Ebony?
That be better for you?
Your fucked-up mother dead and gone?
Who would you blame then?
[Dre] Mom!
Coming, Dre.
[sinister music playing]
Nate, what you doing?
Nate!
Nate? Nate.
Nate!
[gurgling]
[Ebony] Get off! What are you doing?
Stop! Get off of him!
No!
Alberta!
Ma!
Stop! Let him go!
Stop! Stop! [grunts]
[both grunting]
[Dre gasping]
[coughing]
Baby! Baby. Come here. Come here.
Help me. I don’t know what happened.
Oh, Nate.
What?
[Nate crying] I don’t know what happened.
[sobbing]
[sinister music playing]
[Nate] He just…
I just started strangling him.
I’m so fucking scared.
[music fades out]
[Cynthia] Ebony.
[knocking]
[pounding]
Hey, Cynthia, um…
[coughs] Now’s not really a… a good time.
Ebony, I’m gonna need you to open this door
and let me in so I can do my job.
Okay, but wait. But my…
The kids are asleep and…
Can we do it a different time?
You’re making this so much harder than it has to be.
Open the damn door.
We gotta do it right now, Ebony.
[quietly] Damn. Fuck.
You can’t keep your kids out of school.
This house is making ’em sick.
I can feel it.
And I’m hearing things, like…
And whatever it is, it is infecting my kids.
Ebony.
I talked to the doctor… at the hospital.
She didn’t even fucking look at my kids.
I saw how she was looking at me.
“Just some Black bitch with too many goddamn kids.” Fuck her.
She said your kids are behaving this way because they think that’s what you want.
They playing up into this because they believe that’s what you want them to do.
Andre was in that closet.
Talking some language I never heard before.
He said this little boy told him that he should kill hisself.
Ebony, I’m tired of your bullshit.
I need to see your kids.
You walk in this house with that fucked-up look on your face.
Judging me and judging all this shit.
Black woman to Black woman?
Maybe if you had some kids of your own, you’d get it.
[Cynthia] I have a son.
My son died when he was seven years old.
I couldn’t protect my Julian, Ebony.
There was absolutely
nothin’ I could do.
[tearfully] I turned my back
for two seconds.
Two seconds.
I just turned around…
It was just two seconds that I turned around.
And when I turned…
When I turned back around,
that car had hit my baby.
So…
Black woman to Black woman?
When I see sisters like you taking their kids for granted,
it turns my fucking stomach.
Why you don’t believe me?
I’m not doing anything to my kids.
[sniffs] That’s it, Ebony.
That’s enough. I need to see the kids.
[footsteps descending]
Where are the kids?
A bat?
A bat.
[scoffs lightly]
A fuckin’ bat.
[pensive music playing]
[Cynthia] Stop hitting your kids.
[Berta] Get out of here!
Fuck you, bitch. I don’t hit my fucking kids.
Your mother’s a bitch.
Fuck outta here.
[Berta] Ebony.
You got to get your shit together.
Ma, I…
They’re gonna take our babies.
The fuck is she takin’ pictures for?
[engine sputtering]
Hey, bitch!
I know you’re working with her.
You get your ass back to social services!
[pensive music playing]
You don’t believe me?
It’s not that I don’t believe you.
I just haven’t heard of anything like this before.
They don’t remember anything
when they come out of these trances they’ve been having.
How long has this been goin’ on, Alberta?
Since around the time we moved into that house.
Since you first moved in?
Yes.
There’s something evil in our home, and it is feeding on my family.
I don’t do that sort of thing here.
You should try another church.
[somber choral music playing]
[choral music continues]
[muffled indistinct chatter]
[thunder rumbles, cracks]
[wind blowing]
You came to see if I was beating my kids at the bar?
[woman] I know you don’t have your kids in the bar, Ebony.
And I’m not in the mood for you and Cynthia’s games today.
So go back to your office… or wherever.
Your kids are sick.
There’s an evil spirit in your house.
[thunder rumbling]
I’m an apostle.
A prophet, evangelist.
I go where God sends me.
So, um…
Jesus sent you here to… to save us?
I needed to confirm my suspicion before I intervened.
That’s Janelle.
And that’s Ahman.
Twenty years ago, they lived in your house.
[laughter on TV]
[apostle] That was their first house.
And they were so proud of it.
They came up in ’93 from Memphis.
They were members of my church.
They were a beautiful family.
Those are their kids.
They loved them.
[tearfully] I loved them.
[phone ringing]
[phone beeps]
[static buzzing]
[man] Hey, Alberta.
So what happened to ’em?
[apostle] They took him to several doctors.
They couldn’t find anything wrong with the boy.
[gasps, snarls]
So that’s when they turned to me.
I had to act.
I had to cast out that demon.
I had to do what we call the deliverance.
Like in The Exorcist movie?
I don’t do no exorcisms.
I don’t need an intercessor.
Jesus Christ is my intercessor.
If you act in the power and the authority of Jesus Christ,
you can touch a body,
and the demon will run.
Demons?
Yes. Demons.
[tense music builds slowly]
[apostle] As soon as I walked in that house…
my nose was filled with the smell of death.
I had never been in the presence of such powerful evil.
[dramatic stinger]
[thunder rumbling]
I could not match its strength.
[laughs dryly]
It laughed at me.
And I lost the boy.
What… What do you mean, you lost him?
I don’t know what happened in that house after that.
[deep rumbling]
[thunder cracking]
No!
[yells]
[squelching]
[deep rumbling]
[woman sobbing]
[sobs turn to laughter]
[screaming]
Oh!
[wailing]
Wait, wait, what did I…
What did I do with your head?
[wailing]
[door opens]
[head thuds and rolls]
[screaming]
She strangled the baby girl, and then she hung herself.
[thunder rumbling]
[electricity crackling]
[music peaks then fades]
[Berta gasps]
[grunts, groaning]
[disembodied roaring]
[Berta groaning]
[panting]
[eerie music playing]
The little boy that died…
what was his name?
His name was Trey.
My son has this, um…
this… make-believe friend named…
named Trey.
That’s no friend.
That’s the devil.
Ebony, that demon wants your son.
When my deliverance of Trey failed, it waited in that house
for another innocent child to come along.
And that child is your son Andre.
Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop! Stop!
Fuck is wrong with you?
You know how crazy you sound right now?
Stay the hell away from my family.
And stop fuckin’ following us.
You’re gonna need me.
[thunder rumbling]
[ominous music playing]
[smoke alarm beeping]
Ma! Ma!
Nate!
[smoke alarm continues beeping]
[coughing]
Ma? Ma!
Ma? Ma!
Ma!
Mom!
[crying] Mom…
No. No, wait. wait, wait, wait.
[inhales deeply] Please wait!
[sobbing quietly]
[ominous music builds]
[sobbing] Wait!
[screams] Andre!
[music fades]
What happened to Grandma?
You tell me.
[Te] Mom!
[Ebony] Shante!
Nate!
[footsteps overhead]
[eerie music playing]
[faint indistinct radio chatter]
[tense music playing]
[eerie music builds slowly]
[inaudible]
[camera clicks]
[flies buzzing]
[eerie music peaks and fades]
Where are we going?
I don’t know.
[Dre] What about our suitcases?
I don’t know! I don’t know!
You gotta stop asking me shit, Dre, okay?
I don’t know.
I called her.
You did what?
Someone has to help us now that Grandma’s gone, Ma.
I had to call Cynthia.
[moody music playing]
You think it’s easy doing what I do while we’re barely scraping by?
Newsflash, Missy Elliott, it’s not.
It’s hard as fuck!
I painted y’all rooms, decorated ’em how y’all want.
You want me to go to jail, Te?
Who the fuck you think gonna take care of y’all?
[ominous music playing]
[head thumping]
Dre, stop! What are you doing? Knock it off.
[Dre] It’s all your fault your mother’s dead.
What did you just say to me?
What are you saying? What is he saying, Nate?
It’s all your fault your mother’s dead.
[sinister music plays]
[Ebony screams]
[gasping, shrieks]
[truck horn blaring]
[screams]
[tires squealing]
[sinister music continues]
[panting]
Help me, please! [panting]
Help! Help me.
Help. Please. Please help.
Help me.
Hey, hey, hey.
Please.
[man] Take it easy.
[panting]
What’s going on? What’s the matter?
[sobbing] Something is killing my kids.
Your children?
Yes. Could you please…
[thunder rumbling]
[bell jingling]
[tense music playing]
Where are we?
Nate. Nate, wake up.
[music stops]
In the past six months,
have you ever thought about harming yourself
or your children?
No.
In the past six months, have you attempted to harm yourself or your children?
No. No, of course not.
All right.
Just a simple yes or no will do.
I’m sorry.
Do you feel that your life is out of control?
No.
Do you currently use drugs or alcohol?
No. No drugs. Never.
Does weed count?
Do you use marijuana?
No.
When was the last time you consumed alcohol?
I don’t know.
A few weeks ago, maybe.
Now, Ebony, I know that’s not true.
It is.
No.
No, it’s not, sweetie.
Remember when you came into the hospital, we gave you a blood test?
What do you think the test showed?
You wanna try this again?
This time, you’re gonna be honest with me.
All right.
Do familiar surroundings sometimes seem strange,
threatening, unreal to you?
Yes.
Have you ever heard unusual sounds,
like banging, or chirping, or clicking in your ears?
Yes.
Have you ever been confused about whether…
Ebony? Sweetie?
All you have to do is answer the questions.
It’s not forever.
And it’s the best thing,
I think.
I talked ’em out of 302ing you.
[door opens]
[footsteps approaching]
[Cynthia] They’re sending them to a church foster care, Ebony.
Wait. Let me just…
[door rattling]
[softly] Wait. Wait. Open this fucking door.
Wait, Nate! Nate!
Te!
[Ebony sobbing softly]
[somber music playing]
[eerie piano music playing]
[indistinct dialogue]
[apostle] I was freed by the prayer!
It’s already done!
We are healed!
[all cheer]
That’s the news!
[people clapping and chattering]
[group quiets]
[music fades out]
Why did it choose us?
That thing is ancient.
It’s been waiting for you.
From where?
Lucifer.
The devil himself.
[ominous music plays]
When God cast him out of Heaven,
a third of the angels followed him.
And those angels became demons.
And one of those demons has found its way into your baby.
And through him, it’s possessing the other two.
Well, what does it want?
It wants your baby…
and everybody in that house dead and gone.
Ebony,
this demon, it preys on the weak.
And see, right now, you’re weak.
But we about to make you strong.
[snarling, growling]
How long has he been like this?
He’s been like this all night.
He’s been growling and hissing.
[sputtering]
[woman] A little while ago, he was speaking another language.
[deep snarl]
[ominous music continues]
He hears what’s in here.
If it’s not spoken in faith, it’s just words.
[crying softly] I tried talking to Him…
when I was little.
Bad things happened to me when I was young.
[sinister music playing]
My mom…
My mom let a…
I asked Him to make it stop.
What happened?
[dissonant droning]
[belt buckle clinking]
Nothing.
[dark music playing]
Ebony.
I think you think that this is transactional.
It’s not transactional.
We’re not just doing this
to keep your son away from some demon.
You gotta know that you’re loved.
You’re loved, Ebony.
God loves you.
Come on, we’re gonna pray.
[dark music continues]
Lord Jesus, we acknowledge that you are Lord.
Lord Jesus, we acknowledge that you are Lord.
[apostle] We know that you died for our sins.
We know that you… [sniffs]
…you died for our sins.
Jesus, please forgive us and forgive me.
Yes, Jesus, forgive me.
Forgive me.
Forgive her for her sins. Help her.
[music swelling and receding]
[door creaking]
[fluorescent bulbs buzzing]
Hi, Andre.
Do you remember me?
He likes watching you sleep.
Who likes watching me sleep?
Julian.
How do you know I had a son, Andre?
Did your mommy tell you that?
My mother’s dead.
God is dead.
Why would you say that, Andre?
[in low voice] I’m not Andre, stupid.
[straps creaking]
Who are you?
Unstrap me and I’ll tell you.
That’s not how this works, Andre.
[wheezing laugh]
[snapping]
[menacing music playing]
[music fades]
[tense drumbeat playing]
Let’s not hit the panic button yet, Ms. Henry.
I’m sure there’s a perfectly logical explanation for all of this.
I just saw a little boy break his restraints,
crawl out of that bed, crawl backwards on the floor,
and climb up the fucking wall.
What button should I push, doctor?
Where’s the boy now?
[tense drumbeat continues]
[indistinct chatter]
[elevator dings]
Hey, y’all. How you doing?
Fine. How are you?
Hey, y’all.
[woman] Who is that?
[man] I have no idea.
[indistinct muffled chatter]
[monitor beeping]
[tense music builds slowly]
[menacing note plays]
[monitor flatlining]
[yelps]
[monitor resumes beeping]
Nurse, would you take me to Andre Jackson?
He’s in 509, but I’m not going back in that room.
You’re not going back in that room?
[sighs]
[tense music quickens]
[doctor] Nurse!
[tense music continues]
[tires squealing]
[tense music continues]
[music fades out]
[thunder cracks, rumbles]
Ebony, remember, before we get started, whatever it says to you,
do not listen to it.
It will play on your heart. It will play on your mind.
It will take the form of people that you love.
This is the deliverance of Andre Jackson.
My name is Apostle Bernice James.
The other person present is Ebony Jackson, his mother, who has given me permission…
Say, “Yes, I have.”
Yes, I have.
…given me permission to conduct this deliverance.
We are going to pray. Father…
Father, we ask for your forgiveness.
We ask for your mercy, that you cleanse and sanctify us
for this spiritual warfare.
Ebony.
Get back.
[suspenseful music builds]
[exhales]
[thunder rumbling]
[liquid sizzling]
[inhuman voice screaming]
[sizzling]
[screaming]
[wails]
[sizzling]
[whimpering]
[wailing]
[panting]
[breathing raggedly]
[sizzling]
[soft whimpering]
[panting]
[sobbing softly]
Ebony, please, get these chains off me.
[crying quietly]
[sizzling]
[shouts]
[whimpers]
Apostle James
is here tonight.
[sniffing]
[thunder rumbling]
[in high voice] I can smell your nappy pussy.
[breathing shakily]
And you,
you fucking half-breed whore.
I should have flushed your ass down the toilet
when you were just a blood clot.
[entity laughing]
[choir singing]
[Bernice] Father!
[crying out] Father! Ahh!
[retches, groans]
[yelps]
In the name of Jesus…
[inhales deeply]
…we pull down the strongholds
that have been participating and cooperating
in the life of Andre Jackson and the Jackson family.
[low voice] I’m gonna kill you, bitch.
We break the legal bonds of this demonic spirit…
[growling]
…that has waged war against this Jackson family.
Against his brother.
[Nate screams, gasps]
[laughing]
[Bernice] Against his sister.
[breathing heavily]
[panting]
[sobbing]
Come to the rescue of this family,
who you made in your image.
[thudding]
In the beginning was the word, and the word was God.
[chains snap]
[panting, grunting]
[huffing]
We command every unclean spirit,
every familiar spirit,
every territorial spirit to leave this boy in the name of Jesus.
[laughing maniacally]
Yes, please.
[door slams open]
[Ebony screams]
[wind howling and house shaking]
[Bernice moans]
I told you all, don’t fuck with me.
[Ebony] What’s happening?
[Bernice] Come here.
[Ebony] What’s happening?
[Bernice] Come on, grab… Close the door.
[Ebony] Okay.
[door slams]
[wind ceases]
[Bernice] Go upstairs until this is over.
Okay.
Okay. Don’t hurt him.
[footsteps retreating]
You foul, unclean spirit!
You shut your lies…
[low voice] You the lie, bitch.
You hush!
You said you could save that boy’s soul.
You shut up! You hush!
But he’s in here with me.
He’s in here with us.
[menacing drone]
[warbling]
[footsteps clambering overhead]
[tense music rises]
[gasping]
[low snarling]
[screams, groans]
[yelping]
[gasps]
[sighs]
[screaming]
[glass shattering]
[gasps, whimpering]
[menacing music playing]
[deep rumbling]
[glass cracking]
[groaning and snarling]
[panting]
[screams]
[screaming, groaning]
[exhales]
Leave my son.
[normal] What’s happening to me, Mommy?
[whooshing]
Wait. Wait, wait.
[shakily] Where…
[flies buzzing]
[Bernice weakly] Ebony…
I’m dying.
Oh, Bernice.
[sobbing] I’m so sorry.
[Bernice rasping] I doubted myself… again.
I had fear.
That can’t happen to you.
[breathing raggedly]
No fear.
[breathing heavily]
[footsteps departing]
[flashlight rattling]
[flies buzzing]
[ominous music builds slowly]
[wood creaks]
[floorboard cracks]
[panting]
[ominous music intensifies]
[ominous music continues]
[Dre softly] Can you…
Can you help me?
I can’t get him out, Mommy. Please.
You’re scaring me, Mommy.
Please don’t hurt me.
I’ll be a good boy.
[deep voice rasps]
[sobbing quietly]
[sizzling]
[inhuman snarling]
[sizzling]
[snarling]
[sizzling]
[growling]
[deep voice] You cunt!
[screams, panting]
You don’t even know what you’re doing.
[gasps] Wait.
No! No! No!
No! [yelping]
No.
[deep female voice] You know who I am.
[panting rapidly]
Don’t you?
[Ebony straining]
[shrieks]
I gotta kill all you motherfuckers in here.
[Ebony rasping]
[eerie tones playing]
[breathes deeply]
[gentle music playing]
[Ebony shrieks, grunts]
[coughing, gasping]
[retches]
[gasping, retching]
[groans]
[thuds]
[straining]
[whimpering]
[shrieks]
[groaning]
[retching, straining]
[entity exhales deeply]
[screams, strains]
[Ebony gasping]
[breathing raggedly]
Jesus!
[sinister music swells]
[music recedes]
[static whines faintly]
[static builds and fades]
[static crackles]
[labored breathing]
[Berta] I know you don’t want to talk to me, but…
you can talk to God.
[whooshing]
[inhales sharply]
[tense music playing]
[shouts] Give me back my child!
[deep voice] That motherfucker don’t love you!
Nobody loves you.
Not that nigga that left you.
Certainly not your bitch-ass mother.
My mother loves me.
She was a child of God.
I rebuke you, Satan, in the name of Jesus.
[low rumbling]
[ambient hissing]
[tense music builds slowly]
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Because He lives inside me.
I’m a child of God!
Wait! Don’t!
I rebuke you, Satan, in the name of Jesus.
[ambient hissing]
Don’t do this to us.
Ebony. Ebony, don’t do this to me.
We all we got, girl.
I rebuke you, Satan, in the name of Je…
[cries out]
[gasping, panting]
[exhales sharply]
[speaking in tongues]
[epic music rises]
[speaking in tongues continues]
[Ebony] Jesus!
[speaking in tongues continues]
[Ebony] Jesus! Jesus! Yes, God!
[speaking in tongues continues]
Jesus! Jesus! Yes, God!
[speaking in tongues continues]
[cries out]
Jesus! Jesus! Yes, God!
Help me!
[speaking in tongues]
[snarling, hissing]
[growling]
Jesus!
[windows shatter]
[deep rumbling]
[entity shrieking violently]
[Ebony speaking in tongues]
[flames roaring]
[entity snarling, shrieking]
[Ebony] Yes, God!
Yes, God!
Hallelujah! Yes, God! Yes!
[entity screaming]
[entity shuddering]
No. No.
[panting]
[whimpering]
[entity snarls] No!
[shrieking fades]
[music fades out]
Go back to where you came from.
[heavy whooshing]
[gentle music playing]
[sizzling]
[shallow breathing]
[grunts softly]
[gentle music builds]
Dre?
Dre?
[breathing heavily]
Dre?
[sobbing softly, gasps]
Dre. [gasps]
Dre!
[gasps and sobs] Dre, baby!
[whimpers]
[breathing sharply]
No.
[sobbing]
[Ebony breathing shakily]
[sniffles]
[bells tolling]
[Ebony exhales]
Hey.
Uh, let me get a…
[Cynthia] I talked to my boss, Ebony.
We got a battle ahead of us.
Yeah, I figured.
I’mma get ’em back, though.
How they doing?
They don’t remember.
[exhales]
I’m getting out of here.
Going back to Philly.
Moving in with my auntie.
Till I can get a house together for me and the kids.
Ebony, I’mma talk to the judge.
But your kids were fucked up.
And you got a record.
If it’s God’s will, I’ll get ’em.
I wish I could find your kind of faith.
This’ll help. I promise.
[dark music playing]
You take care of yourself, Ebony.
[dark music continues]
[indistinct neighborhood chatter]
[dark music fades]
[Nate] So, where are we going?
Back to Philly.
I’ve been in touch with your dad.
We’re gonna try and work things out.
[“I Know Who Holds Tomorrow” playing] ♪ I don’t know ♪
♪ About ♪
♪ Tomorrow ♪
♪ I just live ♪
♪ From day ♪
♪ To day ♪
♪ And I don’t borrow ♪
♪ From ♪
♪ Its sunshine ♪
♪ For its skies ♪
♪ May turn to gray ♪
[sinister music playing]
[gentle instrumental music plays]
[menacing drumbeat playing]
[dramatic musical flourish]
[up-tempo tense music plays]
[heavy moody music plays]
[music fades out]
