Dreams in the Witch House

"**Dreams in the Witch House**" is the sixth episode of Netflix's *Cabinet of Curiosities*, having premiered on October 27, 2022. It is written by Mika Watkins and directed by Catherine Hardwicke. The story is based on H.P. Lovecraft's short story *The Dreams in the Witch House*, part of the Cthulhu Mythos cycle.

## Synopsis

Years after his twin sister's death, a researcher ventures into a dark, mysterious realm with the aid of a special drug, determined to bring her back.

## Plot

### Walter and Epperley

A waltz plays as a man is shown lying dead on a floor. Another man with a jaunty voice narrates that this is a fable about love and life, a story of himself and himself. He promises he will help us figure out, promising a happy ending.

In an old house, some decades ago, a boy, the young version of the dead man from before, sits sleeping at a piano. He wakes with a start as a girl, his sister Epperley, calls his name. Photos around the house depict that the two of them are twins, but Epperley is pale and sickly. He asks her what is wrong. "It's coming," she tells him. He asks her what it is coming. "The ghosts. I don't want to go with them," she tells him. He takes her hand, telling her she's not going anywhere, that he won't let her. She tells him she's scared. He says he promised he'd protect her. He asks if she remembers their promise. She dies and goes still.

Walter shouts that he promised. A wind blows, scattering the pages of music on the piano. Thunder claps and lightning flashes. Epperley appears before him, standing. "How?" he asks. She asks where she is and what's happening. She sees her own body. "A ghost," realizes Walter. Suddenly, she falls to the ground and seems to be dragged away by an invisible force. She shouts at Walter to help her. She is pulled outside and into a forest. He chases after her, but it's too late. She disappears into the woods. She is gone. The wind stops and Walter just stands there, panting.

### The Spiritualist Society

It is now many years later. Walter is an adult, attending a presentation. The man speaking talks of other dimensions and the bridge between worlds. He introduces a woman whom he says brings voices back, "Madame Levine." She appears in a mirror, claiming to be able to speak with a dead couple's son. As the candles grow dark, the audience is disturbed, but the man promises they will not be harmed. Then, Madame Levine suddenly seems to collapse. The man tells the audience to remember what they have seen. Walter stares in attention. Afterwards, however, he and his companion go backstage, Walter saying that the bridge can take him to his sister. He follows, only to discover "Madame Levine" complaining about the turban squeezing her brains out and saying that the last part wasn't acting, that she thought she really was going to be sick on stage. She's nothing but a charlatan. Walter stalks off in disappointment.

As Walter and his companion walk away, he comforts Walter, telling him he knew he thought this might be the one. Walter tells him that he knows the other side is real, that he's seen it. He asks how he can ever prove it to the masses. The companion tells him he has a friend who works for *Time* magazine who asked if he'd be interested in a job, filing and typing. He admits that he's thinking of taking it, that he can't keep scrapping a living with odd jobs and that the Spiritualist Society barely pays anymore. He suggests they reconsider their lives. Walter tells him there's nothing else he wants to do. He says he thought he believed in the cause, but he tells him he doesn't want to be a pauper forever. He stalks off.

Walter returns home to a shabby apartment. He studies a photo of himself and his sister, recalling himself playing the piano while Epperley sang. Back in the present, he goes to bed, his sister's singing still haunting his mind. He enters a house, the headquarters of the Massachusetts division of the Spiritualist Society. He witnesses an argument between a woman who speaks of her visions and a nun who complains that her visions are from the devil, saying to not contact her again. He speaks with another man, Mr. Labuschagne, who says that the woman is a painter who rents a room in Keziah Mason's old house. "The witch?" asks Walter and the man says the woman is not in her right mind and that they need to deal with more reliable people. Walter agrees that he knows of two mediums.

Walter asks Mr. Labuschagne for funding for out-of-state trips to meet the two mediums. Labuschagne, however, flatly denies him, saying that they can't afford it, that their benefactor feels they aren't getting results. Walter says it's just tough to vet the hoaxes, but he says their investors can't keep paying them for dead-ends. He says their office may be closed and they're putting a hold on paid fieldwork. He apologizes, noting that Walter still has his second job.

### Liquid gold

Walter is now at a bar, serving drinks. This is his second job. His friend from before approaches, presenting a copy of *Time* magazine. "You got the job," realizes Walter. Walter congratulates him, addressing him as Frank. Frank tells him they said they need someone else, but Walter replies that he's not interested. Frank tells him they can keep researching in their spare time, but they need proper roofs over their heads. Walter tells him to buy a drink or get out. He walks off, but not before telling Walter that he cares more about his dead sister than the living.

Walter finds himself in a corner of a bar where he overhears two men speaking of "another dimension." He asks them what they mean, telling them that he's seen a forest that takes the dead inside. One of them walks off, but the other remains, telling him they'll speak outside. He introduces himself as Walter Gilman, a researcher for the Spiritualist Society. The man says he's trying to broadcast tribal insights and starts to walk off, but Walter races after, saying he's looking for his sister. He explains about how she died and how she was pulled into a vortex. The man says that it's the forest of lost souls, a limbo. Walter asks if the man can take him and he asks what he can pay.

The man takes Walter to a room where people are dancing to a Spanish song. Another man hands Walter a bottle, telling him it is "liquid gold." "Is it dangerous?" asks Walter and the first man asks how badly he wants to see his sister again. He tells him to not cause any ripples in the forest. Walter downs the contents of the bottle and seems to pass out. He opens his eyes to find himself still in the same chair as before, but with a portal to a gnarled, wooded area in front of him. Everyone else is still there, but as if frozen in time. He steps through. A vine curls around one his arms, seizing and dragging him. He strains against it, but is pulled forward. He then finds himself in the forest. He sees several individuals within and can hear his sister singing in the distance. He runs to her, shouting her name. He finds her, but a vine seizes him and pulls him away. He wakes up, sprawled on the ground and the man from before tells him to next time lie on the pillows.

Walter goes to Frank, pounding on his door. As Frank complains that it's 2 in the morning, he tells him that he saw Epperley. He asks what he's talking about. He tells him to slow down. Frank says that he's taken a drug, asking if he's lost his senses. He asks if he's gone mad, putting an unknown chemical from an unknown gentleman into his body. He says they need to knock sense into him, but Walter says he's not hearing him, that he saw his sister and she was trapped. Seeing Frank's reaction, he asks if he thinks he's making it up. Frank says that he thinks he's desperate. "You never believed at all, did you?" asks Walter. Frank admits he's never seen anything. Walter leaves.

### The Witch House

Walter returns and downs more liquid gold, this time taking the advice to lie down on the pillows. He find himself in the forest again, shouting for his sister. He finds a woman painting a picture of the "witch house." He hears Epperley shouting for him and follows. They embrace. She says she never thought she'd see him again. He tells her she looks exactly the same. "And you're a man," she tells him. He apologizes for not being able to save her. She tells him she realizes now she wouldn't have ended up in the forest if she hadn't been so afraid. She asks if he made it into the Boston Symphony Orchestra, but he admits he stopped playing after she died. He says he couldn't think of anything else but seeing her again. The vine curls and starts pulling him away. He tells her to come back with him and she says she's tried. He is yanked away and wakes up once more. He finds himself holding a scrap of cloth from Epperley's dress.

He goes and consults a book - "Notable Witches of 1780 Salem." He finds a quote by Keziah Mason that states that "ours is but one of infinite worlds." He reads further that she was a late 17th century herbal healer and witch who claimed the ability to travel to different dimensions, using an ancient ritual dagger as a key. It continues that she was tried for witchcraft and hung from a tree on her own property: The Witch House, 33 Osgood St, just 17 miles from Boston. He packs a suitcase, commenting that he has to investigate that house. He goes to Mr. Labuschagne, pleading for funds for the visit. He, however, is unpersuaded. Furthermore, when Walter tells him about the liquid gold, he chastises Walter for drug use. He tells him his membership in the Spiritualist Society is terminated and to return when he's an honorable man again. Walter just walks out. On the way out, he finds a painting of the Witch House. He takes it.

Walter takes up residence in a room even more derelict than the one from before, on the grounds of the Witch House. A rat with a seemingly human face scutters about, chewing on wires and causing the lights to go out. The rat rasps and laughs. Walter studies a book which states that the existence of other dimensions is indisputable. "The next breakthrough is the transport of matter," it states. He seems to hear a voice whispering the contents of the book. He grabs a lantern and takes a look around. He finds an inscription of a body with a pentagram inside and a key on the wall. "Epperley, is this it?" he wonders.

He tries to get to sleep, but finds himself unable to. A substance that looks like blood drops from the ceiling onto his face. A strange, hag-like creature appears from the shadows. It claws at the open book, then comes to Walter. It looms over him, then clutches his chest. It growls and gets in his face. He shudders in terror, then the rat emerges from a creak in the wall and sits atop Walter's chest. It turns to the hag. "Smells like poverty, this one," he comments. It climbs atop the hag, who fingers the photo of Walter and Epperley. "Twins, Jenkins Brown," comments the hag. "Is this the one we've been waiting for, Keziah?" asks Jenkins. He asks if he's come to free them both. As Walter lies muttering in terror, they walk away. Keziah uses a poker to light up the inscriptions on the wall. She growls, then Walter wakes up. He feels his face, but there is nothing.

### Opening a door

Walter gets up, tightening the creaking door. He finds a chip off the wall on the floor and replaces it, revealing another figure with a pentagram inside. Walter states that this is the key: twins. He returns to the bar from before and obtains more liquid gold. He returns to the forest. Epperley tells him he has to go quickly, that something stalked him there, following him through the door. They turn to see Keziah. Epperley tells him that he's disturbing the forest, causing ripples. She shouts to run and takes off. He follows as Keziah shrieks. The two race against Keziah, then hide in a hollow. Keziah departs and Epperley tells him he never should have come back. He tells her he can take her with him, that when he ripped her grown, the fabric came back with him. He tells her that it's because they're twins and that's the key. He says he saw it in Keziah Mason's research and she tells him that Keziah wants to come back too. He says he promised to protect her. "Please let me take you home," he pleads to her.

"Ha! Home!" comments the voice of Jenkins Brown. Walter turns to see the rat, who states that he would rather see the wonders of the world than live dully at home. He says he wants to enjoy life and shouts to Keziah that they're there. The chase resumes, Jenkins shouting that they're not getting away. Walter shouts at Epperley to go as Keziah seizes him, telling him that she will have him. She sucks at his face. Epperley runs back to Walter and pulls him away from her. "He's mine!" shouts Keziah. As Epperley screams, Walter falls out of bed. He sees Epperley on the floor, but her body is insubstantial. She gets up. "You brought me back," she says. She tells him that it is wrong. They hear a crunching noise in the distance and head over to investigate a rat hole. From it emerges the Jenkins Brown rat.

"Greetings, Walter," comments the rat. "Run!" shouts Walter and the two begin to flee, Jenkins pursuing and shouting that Walter can't escape him. They flee to the other side and Walter pleads for the woman there, Mariana, to open up, saying that he lives in the apartment on the other side and there's something there trying to hurt them that's not human. She opens the door, admitting Walter and Epperley. Inside is a painting of the Witch House that she is at work on. "I've seen you before," he says. "You've been meddling in Keziah Mason's work," she realizes. She tells him that she lived in this very house, in the room he's living in and she feels the energy her anger left behind, that she was tortured at Salem. She says that she compels her to paint her visions. She stares at Epperley, saying that she knows her. She pants heavily and reveals a painting that she made of Epperley. "It's you," she says, asking just what Walter has done. He introduces her as Epperley, saying she's his sister and she won't hurt them.

"You opened a door?" asked Mariana, pleading with Walter to tell her that Keziah didn't follow him. "You left a ripple?" she asks. He tells herhe just wanted her sister back. She asks if he doesn't understand that his sister is dead. She reveals two more paintings, one of Walter and one of a Keziah. She says that it's mutually exclusive, his sister and Keziah in one circle and himself in another. She tells him that for his sister and Keziah to become flesh again, he must die. Epperley shakes her head, telling him she didn't ask for this. Walter pleads that there has to be another way. She replies that her paintings never lie. "The witch will have you dead by sunrise," she tells him. Epperley vanishes. He asks Mariana what they can do.

### Keziah's onslaught

Mariana takes Walter to a church, the two racing through a howling snowstorm. The woman inside, Sister Lucretia, greets Mariana coldly, saying she told her to never come back there. Mariana pleads that they are in need of sanctuary. Lucretia threatens to throw her out by the hair. She sees Walter, asking what demons he has been conjuring. She says the dead want him and he won't bring them there. Mariana pleads that they can't fight the darkness alone. She gets down on her knees, saying neither of them want to submit to the Devil and they need her guidance. She asks if all souls aren't worthy of salvation. Lucretia relents, saying that she will give them shelter and pray for their souls, but warns that even holy ground may not keep the demons at bay.

Walter asks Lucretia if he can use her phone. He calls for Frank, who comes and is admitted into the church. He asks what's the matter and Mariana tells him that spirits are after Walter's soul, brought from the Realm of the Dead. Walter tells him he brought Epperley back, but that she disappeared, trying to protect him. Frank tells him he's taking him to the hospital, that it's madness, but Mariana shouts that he won't be safe there. "Silence," orders Sister Lucretia as a voice moans Walter's name in the distance.

Mariana states that Keziah is trying to get in to kill Walter to make her body flesh. Keziah intones that he must die for his sister to live. She appears at a stained-glass window, Walter struggling to get to her. She then flings open the doors, shouting Walter's name. "Get the fuck out of my church!" shouts Sister Lucretia, holding up a cross. Keziah shrieks in agony, shattering a window. The others try to hold Walter back, but he escapes their grip. Keziah pulls at him telekinetically, knocking him this way and that. He shouts at Frank to help him, but Keziah pulls the door shut and Frank is unable to get out. Epperley then appears inside the church and Frank realizes who she is.

Walter finds himself back inside the witch house. Keziah grabs his neck and starts strangling him. She pulls out a knife and he screams for someone to help him. Frank tells Epperley he can't. She races straight through the door. "Do it, Keziah!" shouts the Jenkins Brown rat as Keziah prepares to gouge Walter's eye. Epperley arrives and pulls Keziah away, stabbing the dagger in her eye instead. She shrieks in pain, then crumbles into dust. Walter tells Epperley that he does not want to lose her again. He takes her hand and she shakes her head, saying she's not scared anymore. She tells him to let her go. He tells her he loves her so much. She tells him that she loves him too. She backs away, telling him she's finally free. She fades into nothingness. Walter sits, panting, then collapses, muttering to himself that it's over.

### Jenkins' victory

The Jenkins Brown scuttles over to him. Later, Mariana and Frank stand watch over him, Frank saying that the world will never know what they went through. Mariana says that her painting stated he would be dead by sunrise. She says she's glad she was wrong. Frank tells her that he spent seven years working at the Spiritualist Society and never saw a ghost. "But you were right all along," he says to Walter. Something drips from above onto his face. "What is that?" he wonders, asking Mariana to hand him the lantern. He does so. "It's the attic," he says. They go up to investigate and discover a secret cabinet. Inside, they find the skeleton of Keziah. Below, Walter wakes up. He hears a strange squelching and crunching.

In the attic, Frank finds a box containing the skeleton of a dead rat. "Their corporal bodies," realizes Keziah. "It's in me!" shouts Walter from downstairs. They race downstairs to find a squirming Walter. "What is it?!" asks Walter. He asks Mariana what they do. "Is he dead?" she asks. Frank, however, finds a heartbeat. Upstairs, the skeleton of the rat vanishes into dust. A rat bursts from the inside of Walter's body. "What I've done cannot be undone!" it shouts at Frank. He picks up a plunger and tries to smash it, but it scampers away. Frank tells Mariana to get a doctor. Mariana tells him that he will be okay, but there's nothing they can do. She points at her paintings, saying that they never lie, that she won. Frank sobbing, they leave the room.

The rat returns. He tells Walter that he couldn't escape him. He crawls back into the opening on Walter's body. Walter comes back to life, the waltz playing. It is not Walter. It is Jenkins Brown. He gets it up, Jenkins narrating that this is a happy ending if there ever was one. He puts on a scarf. "Home sweet home," he says. He walks out into the world, narrating that he'll ride this body as long as it lasts. "After all, he wasn't doing anything with it, was he?!" He knocks away a beggar's tin and steals an apple from a homeless man.

## Cast

### Starring

* Guillermo del Toro as Himself
* Rupert Grint as Walter Gilman / Jenkins Brown in Walter's body
* Ismael Cruz Córdova as Frank Elwood
* DJ Qualls as Jenkins Brown
* Nia Vardalos as Madame Levine

### Co-starring

* Gavin MacIver-Wright as Young Walter Gilman
* Tenika Davis as Mariana
* Daphne Hoskins as Epperley Gilman
* Wesley French as Atsidi
* Lize Johnston as Keziah Mason/Witch
* Diane L. Johnstone as Sister Lucretia
* Eric Woolfe as Speaker
* Vickie Papavs as Andre
* Tom Rooney as Mr. Labuschagne
* Dan Guiry as Niyol
* William Poulin as Father
* Jhene Erwin as Mother
* Gaby Moreno as Latin Singer

## Music

The musical tracks featured in this episode include "Epperley," "Frank Arrives," "Get Out of My Church," "Metamorphosis" and "The Den." The music was composed by Anne Chmelewsky. The episode also includes the original song "Mal Hombre" by Gaby Moreno.

## Trivia

* The name of the character Jenkins Brown is reversed from that of the name in the original story and with an "s" added at the end, Brown Jenkin.

## Trailer

Dreams in the Witch House Official Trailer - GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S CABINET OF CURIOSITIES - Netflix