Witness Marks

## Episode Guide

**Witness Marks** is the eighth episode of *The Haunting of Hill House*.

## Synopsis

A familiar terror revisits Shirley and Theo on Halloween night as Hugh and Steve go looking for Luke, who disappeared on a deadly errand.

## Plot

Steve and Leigh are at the doctor's office trying to find out options for having a child. Steve sees a shadow of a girl coming out of the glass and tells Leigh that they need to talk.

Hugh Crain and Steve follow Luke's trail back to Hill House. After stopping at a gas station, Hugh learns that Luke not only filled up Theo's Jeep with gas, but also bought additional cannisters of gas.

Hugh insists on taking over driving the car, and tells Steve he thinks Luke is going back to the house to burn it down. Hugh is concerned that the house will defend itself if attacked. During the drive, they argue about the cause of Olivia and Nell's deaths. Hugh reveals the reasons why he concealed the truth from Steve, and why feels the house is haunted. He says the family is an unfinished meal to the house Hugh tells Steve that he has seen a ghost, and they recollect the story Steve included in his book about the vanity dresser Steve painted for his mother. Hugh points out that Steve had seen a ghost in the man working on the clock - Hugh had never hired anyone to work on the clock. He also points out that he never built a treehouse because they were only supposed to be there for 8 weeks.

Theo and Shirley begin to follow the rest of the family to Hill House and begin to argue. Shirley insists that she's not perfect, as Theo had said when they had argued in the house. She asks Theo to tell her again about kissing her husband. Theo tries to explain that she had touched Nell the night before the storm, and struggles to share as Shirley interrupts her frequently, continuing to raise their voices at each other until the ghost of Eleanor Crain suddenly screams from the backseat. The car swerves and pulls off onto the side of the road.

Theo jumps out of the car and begins crying she tells her that she touched Nell's body and felt nothing. Theo lost her sensitivity and felt numb after touching Nell. When the lights went out during the storm, Theo was unable to see or feel and felt helpless. When the lights came back on and she saw Kevin, she kissed him without really seeing who he was. Kevin rejected her advances, and Theo says the feeling of shame was better than feeling nothing. She apologizes and Shirley Crain helps her back up.

Luke pulls up to the house and sees lights turn on. He pours gasoline in front of and on the staircase. He counts to seven twice before throwing the lighter. The fire starts but is suddenly extinguished. Luke sees his mother at the top of the stairs reaching for him. Poppy Hill appears behind him and grabs him.

## Cast

### Main Cast

* Michiel Huisman as Steven Crain
* Carla Gugino as Olivia Crain
* Elizabeth Reaser as Shirley Crain
* Oliver Jackson-Cohen as Luke Crain
* Kate Siegel as Theodora Crain
* Victoria Pedretti as Eleanor Crain
* Lulu Wilson as Young Shirley Crain
* Mckenna Grace as Young Theodora Crain
* Paxton Singleton as Young Steve Crain
* Julian Hilliard as Young Luke Crain
* Violet McGraw as Young Nell Crain
* Henry Thomas as Young as Hugh Crain

## Notes

* The title refers to the physical marks left on a clock when it is repaired. Hugh connects this to the man younger Steven said he saw repairing the clock at Hill House.