[door opens]
[creaking]
[locks door]
[footsteps moving away]
♪
[rattling]
♪
[dog barking in distance]
NEWS ANCHOR: [on laptop] Well, when you take a look at the number of boys
who were hospitalized every year
because they deliberately harmed themselves,
you'll notice that the numbers stay relatively the same
until the last decade or so
when there was a sudden, sharp increase.
And it's getting even worse.
♪
[ominous whispers]
So, what's causing this?
There's no way of knowing for sure,
but it happens to coincide with the rise of social media
and an increase in screen time among young people.
So, technology will certainly be--
[wind whooshing]
[insects chirping]
♪
[gasping]
Out of your child's bedroom
for at least an hour before their bedtime.
There's no reason a child should have a tablet or a laptop,
or any other thing for that matter,
in their bedroom after a certain time.
[news anchor continues]
♪
[door opens]
[door creaking]
♪
[gasps]
- Baby, put the knife down.
Put the knife down, Brandon.
You don't wanna do this, baby.
You don't, you don't wanna hurt yourself again. Come on.
♪ ominous music playing ♪
Just put the knife down.
[screams] [grunts]
[blood splatters]
[gasps]
♪
ASHA: [whispering] Sometimes it doesn't seem fair.
The world is such a beautiful place.
But we're so filled with stress and anxiety most of the time,
we don't even get to enjoy it.
But I figured out a way
to take the things that give you stress
and turn them into something beautiful.
That's what I wanted to show you guys.
First, make a list of all the things
that give you stress,
and then for each item,
find an object that represents that,
something you don't need anymore.
If you're feeling pressure,
like,
maybe you're feeling pressure to succeed or whatever,
you can find something that represents that.
Maybe you feel like no one listens to you.
For that, I've just got these old headphones
that don't work anymore.
[rubbing]
One you have all your items,
we can take them,
and use them to create relaxing sounds
and images, like so.
[crunching]
[squishing]
[tapping foot]
[foot tapping intensifies]
LEAH: [shouts] Asha, we're leaving in five!
[chuckles]
Okay, one more, but no faces.
- Alright. Okay.
- Alright, one, two, three. [camera shutter clicks]
Aww, that's so sweet.
- Hey, I'm proud of you, kiddo.
Ah-ha! There she is.
Alright,
phones on the table, everyone.
Let's go.
- Wait, we're seriously still doing this?
- Well, we have one phone-free outing per week.
We haven't had one this week, so--
- Dad, I swear we're the only family that does this.
- Oh, really? You know who else does it?
The people that invented the technology and the apps
that we're all so addicted to.
- But I'm not addicted.
- Well, then this shouldn't be a problem for you.
- Let's just-- Honey, let's just get it over with, okay?
AMIR: Come on, let's go, out the door.
Let's go. Thank you very much.
Your phones will be here waiting for you when you return.
[door opens, closes]
♪ smooth jazz playing ♪
- He's really good. - I know.
- Other guys look like they're in high school, though.
- They are. Yeah, yeah. - Whoa.
- They wanted to play with him after he won that competition.
I mean, Kamran might as well be in high school.
His scores are high enough.
He's a great kid.
DAVID: Good for him. AMIR: Mm-hm.
♪
- Oh.
There they go.
- Don't stress about it, Leah.
Our daughters' attention spans are shot.
We just have to accept that.
- Are you mad at me? - What?
No, why would I be mad?
- I sent you, like, five texts and didn't hear back.
- Sorry, I'm on a "phone-free outing."
- God, not again.
Well, whatever. At least I've got mine. Come on.
- Ever since I quit,
they've been doubling down on the anti-phone thing.
It's, like, all I did was quit the track team,
but the way they're reacting,
it's like I, I shaved my head and joined a cult or something.
- Well, at least then you'd be doing an extracurricular activity.
♪
[cell phone chimes]
- I'm sorry. Sorry. - It's fine.
- I'm addicted to this local news app thing.
There's something going around, man.
These two kids in town cut themselves apparently
because of some internet challenge.
- Cut themselves?
- Yeah, it's like this, um, scary character that pops up
and tells you to do stuff like cut yourself,
kill yourself, or hurt other people.
It even made this kid stab his own mother.
- What? - Yeah.
[cell phones chime, buzz]
- Why would they just do whatever the thing tells them to?
- I don't know, I mean,
if it's trendy, Amir, kids will do just about anything.
- Boys! - Sorry.
♪
- Thirteen views.
I'm up one view, but that's still 10 down from my last video.
- Let me see.
- I don't know,
maybe I'm just not influencer material.
- Don't give up.
First of all, you need a way better thumbnail.
This one does not make me wanna click on it at all.
Oh, hey, you got a comment.
ASHA: "Wow." Who's Cassidy Johnston?
- Oh no, this is not good.
- Wait, d-do you know her?
- I know that she's, like, evil.
- What do you mean "evil"?
- You know, creepy.
Like, you don't want to get on her bad side.
- But she liked it. She said, "Wow."
- Asha, nobody says "wow" in a good way anymore.
People only say "wow" if it's like,
"Wow, really?"
There must've been something in the video that offended her.
- What? No! I don't even know her.
♪
[muffled] What? I don't even know her!
[indistinct conversation]
EMILY: Hey, Mr. Chaudhry. - Hi, Em.
EMILY: Uh, we were just headed back inside.
See you in there.
[door opens]
[door closes]
- It's another phone-free outing down the drain, I guess.
- We were just looking at my video.
She's helping me get more traffic to my channel.
- Is that all it was?
- Yeah.
- Look, Asha, I, um, I know, okay?
I know this all seems really silly,
all the phone-free outings, whatever, it's just,
these are supposed to be some of the best years of your life, okay?
And I... just don't wanna see you waste it is all.
- I don't feel like I'm wasting it.
Running in circles for hours every day after class
until I'm too exhausted to do anything else,
that's wasting it.
Okay. I mean, like,
I feel like there's a whole world out there.
- I know, and that's--
I mean, that is what I've been trying to get you to see.
I--
Okay.
Look, we should, um, we should get back inside, come on.
KAMRAN: I'm at 30 health right now,
getting full shield would be ideal.
Contact northwest.
[video game sounds]
Uh, popping minis.
Uh, yeah.
[inaudible]
I'd [laughs] like that a lot.
[Kamran continues talking]
I see his teammate.
Engaging.
Finish. Alright. [inaudible]
♪ light music playing over headphones ♪
[cell phone chimes]
[phone chimes]
♪ ominous music plays ♪
[paper fluttering]
[door creaking]
- Hello?
[creaking]
- Asha? [Asha sighs]
Could you come upstairs for a second?
We need to talk to you guys about something.
He looks like this.
- Wait, what is it called again?
- Grimcutty. You sure you haven’t seen it before?
- What is it?
- It's, um, some kind of sick online challenge
that tells you to do stuff like,
I don't know, cut yourself, choke yourself,
even kill yourself.
- Tells us to do stuff how?
AMIR: We're not sure exactly.
You know, it could pop up in the middle of a video,
or be a link that you click on, or even personal messages.
The point is is that it's working, okay?
Couple of local kids already cut themselves because of it.
It even made one kid stab his mom.
- Maybe it's like subliminal messages that flash so fast
you don't even know you saw 'em, like MK Ultra!
- Kamran, we're being serious right now, honey.
- Yeah. ASHA: I don't get it.
Why would anyone do that, though?
- On a dare, maybe. You know, or to get attention.
- You think we're gonna cut ourselves for attention?
- Well, you wouldn't think that somebody would lick
an armrest on an airplane
or climb a tower of milk crates to get attention,
but they did that.
- Okay, well, we didn't.
- We know that. - Yeah.
I'm-- Look, all we're saying is that
we just want you guys to be aware of it, okay?
We know that you like to look at stuff online.
We're gonna respect your privacy.
Just... please don't do anything stupid, okay?
- Dad, I think you can relax.
We're not gonna stab you.
- If someone has a link to the Grimcutty challenge
will you please post it?
I will pay money.
[phone buzzes]
♪
[typing on cell phone]
- We're just overreacting, right, honey?
I mean, she's-- Asha's into weird stuff,
but she's not crazy enough to do something like that, right?
- Sure.
[cell phone buzzes]
What the fuck?
- What is it?
- Linda said Karen and Phil just caught Madison in the hallway cutting herself.
- Because of Grimcutty?
- Didn't say.
- Okay, I don't-- I mean, this just-- It can't, it can't be, uh--
This just--
You know, we should do more research.
- Yeah. AMIR: Yeah, let's--
Just, uh--
[crackling] [ominous whispers]
[sighs]
[rustling]
PERSON: [over earphones] But they're very, very soft.
[rustling]
[toaster pops]
[knife scraping]
[rustling continues]
[typing]
[scraping]
[rustling]
[scraping]
♪ ominous music plays ♪
[knife clatters]
[screams]
- Jesus. ASHA: [screams] Dad!
- What? - Dad!
[clatters]
There's, There's someone in the house! There's someone in the house!
- We-- Are you alright?
- It was right there.
He was tall.
Like, really, really tall. And, um,
he was wearing black, like, I, I wanna say leather.
But, um... his hands were, like, huge.
And... his face, he had, like, big red eyes.
- Kinda like this?
- Yeah. Like, like that.
OFFICER: Thought so.
We've been getting calls about it all night.
- Okay, then somebody dressed up as Grimcutty
is playing a prank on me.
- Is that possible?
- If that's the case, it'd have to be a group of people.
One guy couldn't move around that fast.
- What did I see, then?
I mean, you're the cop.
- Asha.
- You remember what you were doing right before you saw it?
- I was making toast
and watching a video on my phone.
- Do you mind if I talk to your parents for a minute?
I'm having a really hard time buying
that there's some person out there
making these kids--
- But why? Why, Why would they lie?
Why would they make this up?
- Maybe it's telling them to lie.
Like, as part of the challenge.
There's still a lot we don't know about it.
AMIR: Well, thank you.
Okay, I'll show you out.
Thank you so much. OFFICER: Thank you.
- What?
- You better let me hold on to that for now.
- What for? Dad, what are you doing?
- Just a precaution until we figure out what the heck is going on.
- Dad, stop it!
You don't seriously think I'm making this up
because of some online challenge?
- Asha, let go. - Dad, that's--
LEAH: You're gonna get it back tomorrow.
We just need to sleep.
Okay? You should try to get some sleep, too.
[birds chirping]
KAMRAN: 11, 12. I was--
Everything last night was just
a lot.
- Here she is. Why don't you come join us?
You wanna start? - Uh, uh, yes, sure.
Um, so, we've been doing these phone-free outings for a while now, okay,
and you guys have been great.
But we just thought that, you know, with everything that's been happening,
now might be a really great time
for us to up our game a little bit, okay?
So, we've got this new Detox Box--
- I'm s-- The what?
AMIR: So, we take all of our devices,
we put 'em in there, we lock it up.
And then, in a week, we see how we're feeling,
and we decide if we even wanna keep going.
- I have so many questions. - That's what we're here for.
Shoot - Uh-huh.
- Okay, how 'bout why?
- Well, because, um,
clearly, these devices are affecting you guys
in ways that we don't entirely understand yet,
so really, we're just--
- It's an experiment.
- Exactly. - Mm-hm. Yeah.
I mean, it may not make a difference at all,
but we won't know unless we try.
- Can I go first, Dad?
AMIR: Yes, of course.
Great job. KAMRAN: Thanks, Dad. Thanks, Mom.
- Alright, thank you.
Okay.
- Please tell me this isn't because of Grimcutty.
Do you even know what the Grimcutty challenge is?
Or did you just see that photo and hear a bunch of rumors about it?
'Cause, you know, I'd really like to know.
- Sweetie, all we know is that ever since you quit track,
you have become more and more withdrawn, okay?
And it's common for depressed people to have--
- But, But I'm not depressed!
- Look, we have no idea how these devices are affecting you,
but that is the whole point of this.
So, that you can reclaim your focus game.
- And cut your screen time in the meantime.
AMIR: Yeah.
- Okay, what did you guys smoke while I was asleep?
- Look, we're all doing this, okay? Put your phone in the box.
- No!
I'm not letting you guys blame this on phones or anxiety or whatever.
I know what I saw.
It wasn't a hallucination. It wasn't some guy in a costume.
It was a real thing. It was huge and terrifying.
I need you guys to help me figure out what it was!
- Enough, Asha! - Put your phone in the box!
Now!
- Asha, hey! Let go, Asha. - I just wanna call Emily.
LEAH: Asha, let go. - Let go, Asha.
- No, I'll give it back after, I promise! I just--
[screams]
[panting]
Shh.
I wanna use the laptop.
- What laptop?
- [mocking] "Can I go first, Dad?"
The golden boy act doesn't work on me.
I know you have a backup.
Now give it to me. Unless you want me to tell dad.
- What are you gonna do with it?
[typing]
I already spent hours looking. You're not gonna find it.
- Like, what about message boards? Nobody posted a link to it?
- No, there's a lot of people freaking out about it,
but nobody knows what it actually is.
What are you doing?
- Where is everybody?
KAMRAN: I already tried to Skype Zach.
They probably got their stuff taken away, too.
[humming]
ASHA: Wait, what the hell?
[footsteps thumping]
LEAH: [muffled] Did you change the WiFi password?
AMIR: [muffled] I disconnected it.
- Do you think they know we're-- - Shh!
[indiscernible conversation]
- What are you gonna do?
[clock ticking]
♪ tense music playing ♪
[grunts]
♪
[ringing]
[gasps]
[ringing stops]
[phone buzzing]
- Ashmsauce229.
- Hi. CASSIDY: Saw your message.
I was worried I was the only one left that still had a phone.
- No, I just, I just got mine back. How do you still have yours?
- My parents aren't on the Grimcutty freakout train yet.
But I'm not gonna give up my phone.
They can't just take our phones away. That's fascist.
We'll go to the police if we have to.
- No, um, I don't think that's gonna work.
They didn't believe me any more than my parents did.
- Wh-What do you mean?
You saw the Grimcutty?
- I think so.
- Well, what is it? Wait, can you send me the link?
You're the first person I've found that's actually seen it.
- No, I mean, like, I saw it, or something like it,
like, in, in real life, in my house.
- Okay, that's new.
[door opens, closes]
♪
- What?
- I thought I heard something.
♪
[sighs]
CASSIDY: What are you doing?
- [whispering] I can't really talk right now.
CASSIDY: Well, whatever. Just stay on the line.
I think I might've found someone else.
Gonna try to add them.
Hold on.
[footsteps approaching]
KAYLA: [over phone] Did you guys hear about Nathan?
CASSIDY: Who?
- Nathan Childers cut himself, apparently 'cause of Grimcutty.
And Hannah's little brother cut himself, too.
It's no joke. It's really making people do stuff.
CASSIDY: Well, Asha here has seen it.
- You did? Can you send me the link?
CASSIDY: No, she saw, like, a ghost or something.
- [whispering] I don't know what I saw, okay?
The point is it's not online.
My parents keep saying some online challenge,
but all I've seen is that stupid picture.
CASSIDY: Well, the hysteria about it sure spread fast.
KAYLA: Heard some parents are even pulling their kids out of school.
[knocks on door]
- Hold on a second, you guys.
- Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt your reading.
- Oh, it's okay. What's up?
- We wanna talk to you about something.
Can you come downstairs for a minute?
- I'll be right down.
[door closes]
I gotta go. I think I'm about to get the Grimcutty talk.
- I have to go, too.
CASSIDY: Alright.
Listen, no matter what,
don't let your parents keep you home from school tomorrow.
Tell them that you have a test.
Tell them that you love learning, whatever. Just--
We'll meet up there.
KAYLA: Okay.
[call ends]
- Hey, did you find her?
- No, did you? - No.
[heavy breathing]
[ominous whispers]
[soft growl]
[snarls]
[screams]
[screaming]
[growls]
[thudding on door]
[indistinct shouting]
ASHA: Let me go! Let me go! AMIR: Asha, Asha, Asha!
[indiscernible shouting]
- It's okay.
[heavy breathing]
Is she gonna need stitches?
- I don't think so.
- I didn't do this to myself.
- We should probably get it looked at, though.
I can bring her in the morning.
- Eh, what about school?
- Don't worry about it.
- But I, I wanna go.
I have a test.
- No, not until we get this figured out.
- D-Do you even care about my side of the story?
This was an accident.
I used the knife to pry open the box to get my phone,
and then, I got really spooked when I heard you guys coming
because of what happened last night.
And so, I ran downstairs, and then I slammed the door
and then I accidentally cut myself.
That's it.
That's all. I didn't, I didn't do it on purpose.
I didn't do it 'cause Grimcutty told me to.
Okay, look, I don't, I don't know what I saw last night.
But I just really want things to go back to normal.
And I feel like going back to school would really make me feel normal.
Please, I just-- I feel like school's the right--
is the right place for me.
- Maybe she should go.
- No, it's out of the question.
- Okay, well, then do you wanna stay home from work and watch her all day?
- I can't--
LEAH: She wants to go to school, let her go to school.
She has supervision there.
AMIR: Okay, well, then this is on you, alright?
- Can I talk to you upstairs for just-- AMIR: Why?
What did I do this time?
[indiscernible conversation]
[creaking]
PRINCIPAL: [on mic] Good morning, everyone.
As you can see,
some of you have chosen to stay home today
given what's been happening.
Some of you have already talked to your parents about it,
the rest of you probably will later.
But since we're here, we want you to know
that this is a place where you can be completely open
about... social media,
bullying,
FOMO,
these online challenges that are becoming more and more dangerous--
- This is bullshit!
It's just a scary picture! That's all that it is! It's just hype!
It's all BS! We're not in any danger!
Oh my--
- Okay, um, obviously some intense emotions. [door opens, closes]
Which is why we're here, to get everything out into the open.
Now, we are gonna take questions later, but before we get into that,
uh, we have managed to get a very special guest,
who I think can shed some light, and some humor,
on this situation,
which I think we could all use.
He travels across the country talking to teens
about the ups and downs of social media.
Please give a hand for Dave Bagliardi!
- Woo! Alright, how we all doin' this morning?!
Okay, okay. I get it. I get it.
It's early. I know how it is.
You haven't had your Starbucks yet. I feel you. Boy, do I feel you.
But I think we can do a little bit better than that.
So, how y'all doin' this morning?
[scattered applause]
Okay, okay.
Not bad, not bad. I can work with that.
Good morning, everyone. It's good to see you.
As your lovely principal mentioned,
my name is Dave Bagliardi.
And before we get started here today,
I wanna tell you all a little story.
Wayyy back when when I was in high school,
things were a lot different.
And I know you're probably asking yourself,
"What does this old geezer know
about anything that is going on with me, right?"
- Hey, is your friend coming?
- Kay didn't make it.
None of my friends did.
- Do you still have your phone? - No.
My parents got to me after you hung up.
They made me put it in a "Detox Box."
- My parents said the same thing.
They used that exact term? - Yeah.
They said it was to "reclaim my focus game
and cut my screen time in the meantime." - "Your screen time in the meantime."
Where are they getting this?
It's like they're reading from the same script.
- I don't know. It's weird.
Do I even wanna know?
- Unless you've seen it, I doubt you'll believe me.
- Well, I haven't, but
I just wanna know what's brainwashing my parents.
And I want my phone back.
I can't fall asleep without Bob Ross.
- Me neither.
- Alright then, Ashmsauce.
What do we do first?
- If I could just use the internet for, like, five seconds.
- What about the computers in the library?
- Disconnected. I already checked.
- Um.
[chuckles] Alright.
I know someone who will definitely let us use their computer.
Come on.
[door opens] I'll drive.
♪ hip-hop music playing ♪
ASHA: Whose house is this again? CASSIDY: This rich kid, Oliver.
Heard he was having a ditch party.
Looks like I was right.
ASHA: Won't his parents be home?
CASSIDY: Fuck no. They work in, like, international shipping or something,
and they're hardly ever home.
Practically lives by himself.
[doorbell rings]
- Were you even invited?
- We're girls. I don't think he'll care how we got here.
Besides, he's a really big fan of your channel.
- What?!
- Yeah, he's the one who told me about it.
[laughs]
I'm kidding!
You know, for someone who makes ASMR videos,
you're a little tense.
[buzzer sounds, door opens]
♪ hip-hop music intensifies ♪
[people chattering]
♪
CASSIDY: Hey, Oliver.
- Hey, Cassidy! Hey... you guys. Come in. Come in. Come in.
Help yourself to whatever.
- Actually, do you have a laptop that we could use?
- Uh, the WiFi password is on the wall in there.
- We-- [blender whirring]
- We don't have phones.
- Oh shit! 'Cause of Grimcutty?
Wow, that is... fascist. Uh... yeah, sure.
Come on, you can use mine.
So, your parents got the Grimcutty hysteria, huh?
I feel for you, man, but we don't care about that here.
- I don't suppose you know what the Grimcutty actually is?
- What do you mean?
- I mean what it is that's making people cut themselves.
Is it just some asshole sending people messages on WhatsApp?
- Look all I know is it's the reason
we don't have to go to school if we don't want to,
so that is what we're celebrating.
- Wait, wait, wait. I have an idea.
Everyone,
take out your knives!
When I hit record,
I want everyone to start, uh, pretending
like they're brainwashed by Grimcutty, okay?
[laughter]
Three, two, one.
Gah! - Grimcutty. Grimcutty.
ALL: Grimcutty!
[laughter]
- Aren't your parents gonna see that?
- My parents? No. They're in Morocco or something.
♪ hip-hop music playing ♪
Just boot it up for you real quick.
[typing]
There you go. [woman moans]
Oh! Um--
That wasn't-- That's... school, um--
There you go.
- Do I even wanna touch this keyboard?
- Just... do a search for "Detox Box,"
see what comes up.
- Fran, I ordered a breathing treatment for the guy that's in room two.
[Nicholas groans]
- Let go of me, man! Get off me!
This is bullshit!
- Another one of those kids who played that cutting game.
You know, on the internet with that scary guy?
[door closes]
Your kids aren't into that kind of stuff, are they?
- Uh, no. Thank god.
- All I can say is, thank god I don't have kids.
[cell phone chimes, buzzes]
- Hey. - Hey, I just got to the school.
She's not here.
We should never have let her leave the house.
- Okay, calm down, calm down. D-- Are you sure she didn't go home?
- Well, I'm headed home now. Get there when you can.
[call ends]
- Oh god.
♪ hip-hop music continues ♪
- Wait, click on that.
ASHA: Looks like a mommy blogger.
"Hi, I'm Melinda.
"Years ago, I began a journey that would change my life forever.
A journey called motherhood."
- Wait, go back to the post.
- "Is your child's smart phone making them grow horns?"
- "Ear infections: Is your 5G network to blame?"
- "My son is never bored. Here's why that's a problem."
Oh my god, no way.
CASSIDY: That bitch!
- "Cut your screen time in the meantime."
- Anything about Grimcutty?
Does it say what it is?
Oh. - She took it down.
But whatever. I think it’s obvious she’s hiding something.
- Hey, did you hear about that kid in town
that stabbed his mom? - Mm-hm.
- Well, how much you wanna bet that's her?
- How do you know?
- Well, look at the posts. I would stab her.
This has to all be connected somehow.
- Maybe.
Let me see if I can find her address.
[typing]
- Well, let's just regroup tomorrow and do it. I gotta get home.
- Get home?
- Yeah, I just don't wanna freak out my parents even more.
I spent years training them to stop worrying about me,
I don't wanna screw it all up now.
- Why do they worry about you?
- I don't know, they just do.
And I hate it.
- Wa-- Hey, hey, hey, Cassidy?
Are we cool?
- Yeah, why wouldn't we be cool?
- I couldn't tell from your comment if you were, like, pissed off, or--
- My comment on your video?
I thought I just put "wow."
- Well, yeah, but I... I couldn't tell if you meant like "wow."
- You know, in real life, you are way different
than you are in your channel.
Thought you'd be way more, like, chill.
- I am chill.
- Hm. - I am.
- Look, okay, I just hadn't had any time alone to relax
and process all of this.
That's something I need.
I'm actually a really Zen-like person.
- Really?
You don't strike me as Zen-like at all.
- Why not?
- Dude, because... a Zen-like person doesn't have to hide in their room
and meditate every time something goes wrong.
A Zen-like person could be in the middle of the most fucked up,
insane situation ever and still find inner peace.
It's what Zen is.
- That was Sarah. They still haven't heard from her.
- Well, I think it's time to call the police.
- Yeah. [phone chimes]
- Kamran, please just go back downstairs, alright?
Everything's gonna be fine.
- Amir?
- What?
- Oh my god.
- Where is this? - Oh my god.
[growling]
♪ electronic music playing ♪
[indiscernible chatter]
[cheering, whistling]
[typing]
- Ughhh!
[beep]
[ringing]
Please be online. Please be online.
- Boy, are you in trouble.
Mom and Dad just peeled out of the driveway at full blast.
- What?! Do they know where I am?
- Sure seemed like it.
Where are you anyway?
- Never mind. Um... is the WiFi back on?
I need your help finding somebody.
- Yeah, but Dad installed some kind of monitoring software.
Anything I do could set it off.
- Wait, they just left you there by yourself?
- Yeah, so?
I haven't seen the Grimcutty. They don't worry about me.
- Yeah, they don't worry about you.
- Find who?
[typing]
- I need to find out where this woman lives.
Can you do it?
- There are ways, but--
- What?
- This might set off Dad's thing.
I don't wanna get in trouble.
[wind whooshing]
♪ ominous music plays ♪
What the frick is wrong with you?
- Kamran, I don't know exactly what's going on with me,
but I can really use someone to believe me right now.
Please... I need your help.
[sighs]
- Fine, I'll work on it.
- Thanks, stupid.
- You're welcome, jerk.
[call ends]
♪ pop music playing ♪
[typing]
♪
[tires screeching]
- Oh my god. - What?
- She's posting about Grimcutty now.
- What?!
[gasps] [snarls]
- She's posting about Grimcutty, hurry!
♪
- Oh, hey, hey, look at that!
- Huh? - Look at that!
PARTYGOER: Look at what? ASHA: That!
How can you not see that?!
- Goddamnit.
[tires screeching]
[engine revving]
[car honks]
[gasping]
[growls]
[screams]
♪ electronic music playing ♪
- [screams] Help! Help!
Please somebody help me!
Help!
[music stops] Somebody! Anybody!
[people booing]
Help me! [growls]
Help! Anybody!
LEAH: Asha!
- Somebody help me!
[screaming] LEAH: Asha!
[cries] - Asha! Asha!
Drop the knife, Asha! Drop it, drop it!
[crying]
Let me see.
God damn.
- Did you see it?
It was right there. How did you not see it?
- We're gonna get you the help that you need, sweetheart, okay?
I promise.
AMIR: The hell?
Someone's using the WiFi in our house.
Did you leave your laptop out?
LEAH: Me? - Yeah, you.
- Uh, no. It's in the Detox Box with everything else.
- Well, then who the hell is this?
What did you do?
LEAH: What did you do?
Asha, tell us the truth, what did you do?
- It's not his fault.
- Come on.
ASHA: I told him to do it.
Mom, Dad, just calm down!
- Seatbelt! Now!
- Gotcha.
[ringing]
♪ ominous music playing ♪
[ringing continues]
[growls]
AMIR: Kamran!
Oh my god, Kamran.
- He's breathing. - Oh god.
Hey! Get back!
LEAH: Can you hear me, baby?
- I'm gonna call 911.
Uh, hi. Um, yeah, uh, my son,
we just found him on the floor, he-he's unconscious.
[monitor beeping]
[gasps]
- That's it, careful, careful.
You have to go slow because the pain meds
knocked you out pretty good.
The doctors are hopeful.
They're outside right now talking to your dad.
They, They say he could wake up any minute.
- Oh my god, I'm bleeding again. There's blood.
- No, no, no, it's fine. Let me see.
Stay put.
You know what, I have to get somebody to come change your bandages.
And I'm actually gonna get you some clean sheets
and some blue pads while I'm at it.
You just stay put, okay?
We made an appointment for you for later this afternoon.
With a psychiatrist.
- It's not my fault.
- 'Course it's not your fault.
- It's what Dad thinks.
- You know, he's, uh, he's-- Your dad's scared.
So, he... he overreacted, that's all.
I'll be right back.
ASHA: Mom?
You've known me my whole life.
I've never hurt myself before this.
Just think about it, it doesn't make any sense.
- We saw you cutting yourself! You were cutting yourself, Asha.
What am I supposed to do with that? You tell me.
Let's let the psych handle it.
I think that he's gonna help you make sense of this, okay?
I'll be right back.
[door closes]
♪
- [cries] I'm sorry, Kamran.
[sniffles, cries]
♪
PERSON: [over intercom] Sasha Beady, 4152. Sasha Beady, 4152.
- Mr. and Mrs. Johnston?
Come with me, please.
NEWS ANCHOR: New, disturbing reports of teens gathering together
to try the Grimcutty challenge,
watch each other cut themselves,
and even engage in bizarre group cutting rituals.
[door opens] For more on this developing story,
we wanna go now to News Channel 8--
- Okay, I believe you now.
- Where did it get you?
- I was trying to crawl under the bed,
and... it got me in the legs.
Can't even walk.
You know, when I asked you about the cuts,
you could've just said that Grimcutty's this
real life huge fucking creature, and it's gonna cut you.
- When'd you see it? - Last night.
After my parents saw that video, they, like, freaked out
and sent me to my room.
They were convinced I was suicidal.
What happened to you?
Wait, what are you even doing here?
- I got the address.
- Of the mommy blogger?
- I was just on my way there. I stole my mom's keys.
- What, so you're just gonna knock on her door
and be like, "Oh, hi. I'm a huge fan of your blog.
Just happened to be in the neighborhood. And by the way, are you totally insane?"
- I have a theory.
- Tell me. [Asha sighs]
- You just said when your parents saw the video and freaked out,
that's when it attacked you.
And it di-- it didn't attack my brother until my parents found out
he was using a computer and freaked out, too.
It's, like, whenever their hysteria about Grimcutty boils over,
that's when it attacks.
- So... what? Our parents are controlling it?
- Not on purpose.
It's like they don't know they're doing it.
And they can't see it, so when I try to tell them what I saw,
it just makes them think I'm more crazy and just makes them more hysterical.
It's like a vicious cycle.
- Okay, so how do we break the cycle?
- I don't know.
- Well, you need to figure it out soon.
'Cause this psychiatrist that I met with earlier,
my parents are meeting with them right now.
So... if our parents freaking out makes it stronger,
then... I'm dead.
♪
- Oh shit.
Shit.
♪
AMIR: Find anything on there? - No.
- Where's Asha? LEAH: Um, [clears throat]
the psych's office had an opening,
so they were able to take her in earlier.
And she was feeling better, so.
I was actually-- I was just waiting for you.
What did the doctor say?
- More of the same.
He might wake up today. Might not.
They've had a lot of Grimcutty-related cases, so.
You know, this could all just be some kind of cyber-attack.
I mean, they've tried it before.
Use our networks to incite violence.
I mean, anybody could do it from anywhere.
You know, aim it against a particular community if you wanted, like ours.
- Okay, I am, I'm gonna head back down.
I'll, I'll let you know how, how, how it goes after her appointment.
♪
Damnit, Asha.
The hell are you into now?
[handbrake creaks]
♪ foreboding music playing ♪
[doorbell rings]
- Hi, can I help you?
- Hi.
Sorry to just show up like this,
but I read your blog and I was wondering
if I could ask you some questions about it.
It's, It's for a class, and I didn't know how else to contact you, so--
- You could've just emailed me,
but, uh, sure, what, what, what do you wanna know?
- Uh, well, I saw your post about Grimcutty,
and I was wondering-- - Sorry, I don't know what that is.
- Uh, Grimcutty. The online challenge thing you posted about.
- I don't remember anything like that.
- Oh, it's, uh, it's, like, a, um, a challenge thing
that's mak-- well, supposedly, making kids cut themselves.
And there... there was, like, a rumor or something
that, like, it made some kid, like, stab his mom.
[laughs]
- I'm sorry, what, what did you say your name was, honey?
- Asha.
- Asha, if I had a nickel for every time I get asked about this.
Look, the bottom line is that my family had an accident a while ago
and needless to say, it's been blown way out of proportion,
but it's fine.
We're fine. Everything is fine. Really.
- Okay. Well, are you sure you haven't heard of Grimcutty?
- Do your parents know that you're here?
- Do you really not know what's going on?
- What do you mean?
- Everyone in town is reading your blog and following what it says.
Like, religiously.
- Huh.
Well, I haven't, uh, updated it in a while,
but I... I'm very glad to hear that people are connecting with it.
Maybe you should go home.
But you should email me-- - But--
- and if I think of anything, I will let you know, okay?
Drive safe.
[door closes]
[leaves rustling]
[exhales]
[rustling]
[indiscernible conversation]
[muffled] I know, it's for your own good, baby.
No. Drink all of it.
♪
[clattering]
♪
[door creaking]
[loud creaking]
♪
[door creaking]
- [whispering] Hello?
♪
Oh my god.
Hey. What happened to you?
- Put me back.
- What?
- Lock me back in. She'll see you.
- But I have to get you out of here.
- No. I can't make Mom worry about me.
[gun cocks]
- Stay calm, Asha.
Just relax.
Reach back with one hand, grab your phone, and toss it to me.
- I don't have a phone.
- A girl your age leaving your home without a phone?
Think you better tell me the truth.
- Detox Box, bitch!
- Out into the hallway then.
Now!
Come on... oh.
Are you sure you don't have a phone?
- What did you do to him? - Me?
He did that to himself. I'm just trying to protect him.
[car approaching]
[car door opens]
[doorbell rings]
- Um, oh, hi.
- Are you looking for your daughter by chance?
- Yes, is sh-- ASHA: [shouting] Mom! Mom! I'm back here!
- Just come, come in. [sighs]
Please, come in. - I'm sorry.
- She broke in, and I found her in one of the back rooms
and I had to lock her in real quick.
I'm, I'm really sorry, I just-- I didn't know what to do. [Asha yelling]
I was about to call the police.
- Oh gosh. Please, no need. I-I-I'll take it from here.
I am so sorry about this. - No worries.
I'm just gonna unlock her real fast.
I'm, I'm Melinda, by the way. - Yes. Yes, yes, yes.
I know. I read your blog. ASHA: Mom, look out, she's got a gun!
- Gosh, she just, she really hasn't been herself lately,
and I was worried she would do something like this.
I'm-- Again, I'm really, really sorry--
- As long as you're sure that you can handle her, I won't ask.
LEAH: Thank you so much.
- Mom, don't listen to her, she just pointed a gun at me!
- Take it easy.
- I'm serious! She's got her son locked up in a closet upstairs!
- Okay, calm down. We're gonna talk about it in the car, okay?
- No, wait, wait! We can't just leave him here with her.
She might kill him! - Just calm down.
- I'm not gonna let her do that to him, okay?
We have to get him out of here!
She might kill him! We have to save him!
- Asha, stop it! [slaps]
♪
I am so sorry about this.
- Already forgotten.
- We're gonna talk about it when we get back to the hospital.
- Mom, the same thing that was happening to me,
same thing's happening to him, only worse.
- What's happening to you, Asha?
- The Grimcutty.
- No. No. No. - The, The hysteria's feeding it!
No, no, think about it!
It didn't start attacking me until you and Dad saw that photo!
LEAH: Ugh!
♪
- Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, chill for a second.
Hey, will you please just calm down?
- Calm down?
After everything that you have put us through,
you want me to calm down?
- I didn't mean to put you through anything.
- Of course, you didn't!
Because that would require you to think for one second
how your behavior affects us!
But you don't care!
As long as we pay your phone bill, as long as we cook your food,
and buy you the latest versions of everything,
you could give a flying fuck!
[shatters]
[heavy breathing]
Oh my god.
Oh god.
What the hell am I doing?
Alright, just, um,
take that in case anything happens,
stay in the car,
and I'll be right back.
[door opens] - Wait,
Mom, Mom, what are you gonna do?
- Stay in the car, Asha.
- [sighs] Okay.
- Car trouble?
- No, you know, I just had one more thing, if you don't mind.
- Sure.
- See, my daughter, she just said something kind of crazy.
She said something about your son being starved
and, and locked in a closet.
So, I'm just trying to figure out why she, why she would say that.
- Your daughter's quite a character.
- She is, I know, believe me I do know. She's quite a character.
Never known her to be a liar, though.
- Well, I don't mean to presume,
but sometimes people with mental illness
believe things to be true even when they're not.
- I also think I left my keys inside.
- No. Excuse me, excuse me!
This is ridiculous. You need to leave right now.
You know, she said another thing, too.
She said that this whole Grimcutty thing started with you.
Is that true?
- You need to leave my house right now, or I'm gonna call the police.
- Go ahead, call them please, I'll wait.
Maybe they can check on your son, make sure he's okay.
[chuckles]
This big collective freakout about Grimcutty
has put my family through hell,
so I would like to know where it came from.
Did you make it up? Just tell me and I will leave. - My god.
I didn't make it up, I don't know who made it.
I caught my son looking at it online,
and the next thing I know, he's cutting himself.
And ever since then,
I've been trying to keep it out of my house
and away from my child, so I'd very much appreciate it
if you would just stop talking about it.
- Where did he find it?
And what was he doing when he found it? Do you know?
- I, I told you that I don't wanna talk about it.
- Did he cut himself? - Stop it!
Stop it! I've cured him from that.
There's nothing wrong with him now!
There's nothing wrong with him!
Oh god, there's nothing wrong with him.
There's nothing wrong with him.
[growling]
[screams]
No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no!
There's nothing wrong with him.
[screaming continues]
♪
[growls]
[gun cocks]
You bitch!
I had it all under control!
But you just couldn't shut up about it!
[door opens]
Stop! - No!
- Oh god. - Mom!
LEAH: Go! ASHA: Mom!
LEAH: Go!
- Stop! Stop!
I know what's right for him!
There's castle law in this state, and I'm legally allowed to defend myself!
I am the one who spread that photo around,
and now I am the one who has to contain it!
[Brandon grunts] Aah!
[thudding]
♪
LEAH: Asha!
Get the car quick.
[monitor beeping]
[exhales]
[sniffles]
[chair dragging]
[computer beeps]
♪
Laura!
- This is the kid? LEAH: Over here. Yes, yes, please.
Just be careful, I could've sworn for a second
he almost stopped breathing, so--
LAURA: We're gonna need intubation supplies
and RT in room two, stat!
- And I'll be right behind you. LAURA: And page the trauma team!
- I'm gonna go with them.
I need you to stay right here. Don't move, okay?
- Okay. Wh-What about Dad?
- I'm gonna handle it.
[kisses]
You did great.
[indiscernible announcement over PA]
[distant siren wailing]
[person yells]
[people chattering]
[groans]
[groaning]
- Dad?
- I've been going over some of your recent activity.
There's a lot of interesting stuff.
Did you really give your phone number
to someone on the darknet market?
You know how dangerous that is?
- I--
- You could've put this whole family at risk.
How long have you had this thing?
Oh, and your search history:
Grimcutty, like, 50 times,
tennis ball bombs, um,
bat sex,
the Church of Satan, necrophilia,
Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris.
- I didn't know what those things were.
My friends were talking about it, and I didn't know.
I-I was just curious.
♪
[laptop clatters]
[heavy breathing]
- Get up. Get dressed.
[people chattering]
- Kay?
- Oh, hey.
- What are you doing here? Have you heard from Cassidy?
- You don't know.
- What?
- She tried to kill herself.
Stabbed herself in the neck.
She's not supposed to make it.
[sniffling]
[sobs]
- Come on. Put your shoes on. Let's go.
- Where are we going? - Someplace safe.
Hurry up.
- Oh, thank god. Oh, thank god.
- There's something wrong with Dad.
- I know.
- Leah, Leah, where's Asha?
- She's downstairs and she's fine.
- You left her alone?
- That's what I wanted to tell you,
there's nothing wrong with either of our kids.
We got this wrong. - Hey, what the hell is this, huh?
Come on, what is this?
- It's just a-- It's a little something to help you relax.
- [chuckling] What are you doing?
- You need to relax. You need to get some sleep.
- Uh-uh. Hey, Leah, let me have it.
- Just let me give it to you.
- Let me have it.
- You're gonna feel so much better afterwards, please.
I understand that you're just trying to do what's best for the kids.
I know you are.
But I need you to trust me, just this one time.
- You don't understand-- - Please trust me.
AMIR: Leah--
- Ma'am, are you the one that brought the boy in?
- Yes, I can explain.
- You can't just run off like that. LEAH: Okay.
OFFICER: You gotta answer some questions.
- Hey, what the hell is going on?
- Our kids are not crazy, we are doing this to them.
I need you to take the shot.
♪
- [shouts] Kamran!
[panting]
Kamran!
- Whoa, whoa! Slow down, kid.
Do your parents know where you are?
- Kamran!
[deep breaths]
[sobbing quietly]
♪
- Hey, it's okay, it's okay, it's me.
- I just saw the Grimcutty again.
Dad's going ape shit.
- I know. The Grimcutty's feeding off him.
It attacks whenever Mom and Dad freak out.
- What? How do you know that?
- I found that kid who stabbed his mom.
He was trying to kill her, so it would stop attacking him.
It worked. I saw it.
- So, what do we do?
What are you gonna do with those?
- I hurt it once before.
If I can hurt it, maybe I can kill it.
- What if you can't?
You're gonna stab Dad?
- No! I don't know.
It's really killing people now.
If Dad's really freaking out, it could kill us.
- What about Mom?
- Don't worry about Mom, she's cool.
- What? How did that happen?
- I don't know, I don't know, I don't know.
- Asha,
you can't... kill Dad.
- Just stay here for a minute.
I'll try to get Dad's attention.
And if he's focused on me, it'll only attack me.
You'll be safe.
[sighs]
- Good luck, stupid.
- Thanks, jerk.
- Kamran?!
Hey, buddy, it's Dad!
Look, I'm sorry I overreacted, okay?
Everything's gonna be fine!
Everything's--
Everything's gonna be fine.
Kamran?!
[growling]
[Kamran screaming]
Asha.
- Hey, Dad!
- What are you doing here? Where's your brother?
- He's, He's fine. Well, I'm, I'm fine, too. We're both fine.
Everyth-- Ev-Everything's fine.
- Okay, that's good, good.
[Grimcutty growling]
- Hey, Dad, can we start over?
You know... take a breath, relax,
just have a, a calm, rational discussion about everything that's been happening?
- Uh, yeah, yeah. I'm all about that, honey.
You know, why don't you help me find your brother,
and then we can just sit down and all talk it out together.
[Grimcutty growls]
- Dad, I know that a lot of the things
I'm into might not make a lot of sense to you.
- No.
- That can be scary for you, I'm sure.
Um, and I--
Well, I-I-I never try to explain it to you
because I don't think you'll get it.
But I realize now, you can get it.
If we can just have an honest conversation about it--
- Whoa, whoa, Asha, uh, um,
honey, what is, what is that in, in your, in your hand?
What is that, Asha? Let me see.
[Grimcutty growls]
- Actually, I took mom's phone,
and I've been watching Grimcutty videos all day long
and I'm afraid of what I might do!
[Grimcutty growls]
- Can you just give me the scissors? Please, honey, give me the scissors.
Give me the scissors, Asha!
Asha! Asha!
♪
- Alright, you bastard.
Come get some.
[steam hissing]
[growls] [gasps]
[screaming]
[clatters]
[growls softly]
♪
- Asha. [Asha gasps]
Asha, honey.
- Dad, please stop.
- I need you to put those scissors down, okay?
- I don't wanna have to hurt you.
- Asha, please.
[Grimcutty growls] [gasps]
[screams]
No, no, no!
[groans]
♪
[footsteps approaching] [Amir panting]
♪
[deep breaths]
[gasps]
[gasping]
[roars]
♪
[roars]
[grunts]
♪
[thuds]
- Oh no, Dad? [Amir groans]
Dad?
- Asha... I am so sorry.
- What? No, I'm sorry.
- No, no, you have nothing to be sorry for.
- I stabbed you.
- I know, it's okay.
I deserve it.
- No, you don't. You don't deserve it.
[Asha sobs] - It's okay.
Honey, don't cry, it's okay.
- Dad, Dad, I love you. I love you.
♪
[whispering] Hey, everyone.
Gonna do something a little bit different today.
A lot of people have been asking me about Grimcutty,
I guess because of what happened to me and my parents.
So, I'm gonna try to answer a few of those questions now.
First question:
did you kill your dad?
No, I didn't kill my dad.
He's not dead. He's fine.
We're all fine.
I mean, yeah, it's pretty messed up
what we went through as a family.
Hey.
[indiscernible conversation]
But for everyone out there who had to deal with Grimcutty,
I think you get it.
Which is most of you.
Next question:
what if the Grimcutty comes back?
Well, it could happen, I guess.
We still don't know where it came from,
but if some crazy, controlling parent
like Melinda Jaynes got wind of it for the first time,
yeah, it could flare up all over again.
[indiscernible conversation]
But we'll be better prepared to deal with it
the next time around.
DOCTOR: It's okay to talk to me.
- Last question:
my parents still worry about Grimcutty.
Do you have any advice?
I would say
if you want your parents to listen,
you're gonna have to listen, too.
And you have to be honest.
Otherwise, how are they gonna know?
[mother sobs]
[indiscernible chatter]
And if you're a parent,
I would say, it's okay to not understand
everything that's going on with us.
It doesn't mean you screwed up somewhere.
It just means you're human.
And being human is scary sometimes.
You might be afraid of what's gonna happen next.
That's okay.
You're doing really well.
Just give some of my techniques a try.
And most importantly, don't forget to breathe.
[fluttering]
♪