Pay the Ghost

On Halloween night, young Charlie disappears during a carnival, leaving his father Mike Lawford desperate and frantic. This event sets off a year-long search filled with growing dread and unanswered questions for the Lawford family.

As time passes with no leads, Mike and his wife Kristen start experiencing strange occurrences in their home. These unsettling events seem to communicate a connection to their son Charlie, hinting that something supernatural is at play.

Mike catches a fleeting glimpse of Charlie on a bus, igniting a spark of hope. However, upon running to check, he finds the bus is empty, leaving him with only the haunting phrase 'pay the ghost' spray-painted nearby as a clue.

Mike seeks clues at a rundown building where he meets homeless individuals. During this bewildering experience, he hears chilling screams and is warned by a blind man about an ominous presence that emerges each year before Halloween.

Mike confronts supernatural terror when he views the ghastly sight of three burned children. This horrific vision signals the very real threats surrounding their family and foreshadows the grim events to come on Halloween.

Desperate for answers, Mike and Kristen consult a psychic, who unintentionally opens a door to terror. She ominously reveals that 'it's here' and that it has claimed all the children, before suffering a horrific fate herself.

As tensions escalate, Mike hears Charlie's voice through Kristen, leading him to discover a mysterious symbol on her. It unveils an ancient Celtic Halloween ritual connected to a widow's curse, tying directly to their son's disappearance.

Friend Hannah educates Mike about the widow wrongfully accused of witchcraft and the yearly abductions of children. This dark history reveals that every Halloween, this grief-stricken spirit exacts revenge by stealing living children.

As supernatural forces close in, Mike and Kristen are attacked by a swarm of ominous black vultures. This escalating violence leads to Hannah's tragic death, intensifying Mike's determination to rescue Charlie.

In a moment of desperation, Mike returns to the blind homeless man for guidance. He trades his watch, only to learn he must save Charlie before midnight on Halloween or risk being trapped forever in a realm of darkness.

Mike's journey leads him to a lonely cabin where he discovers countless trapped children's souls. This harrowing journey marks the climax of his quest as he seeks to rescue Charlie from the malevolent forces lurking around.

Upon locating Charlie and two other children, a chaotic escape ensues as they are pursued by the vengeful widow's ghost. The urgency and fear propel them to flee, but they are met with significant danger.

In a climactic moment, the spirits of the other kidnapped children rally together to thwart the ghost widow. Their unexpected support turns the tide in Mike's favor, allowing them to completely escape the wrath of the spectral figure.

With dawn breaking, Mike and Charlie finally return home, seemingly safe from the horrors they endured. Kristen, unaware of the tragedy, welcomes back her son, but a foreboding sense of dread remains.

As they settle back into their routine, a black vulture ominously leaves their lives. This dark omen suggests that the threat is not entirely over, leading to a chilling scene that hints at future dangers.