Summer of 8

In the summer of 1984, the small town of Cape May, Oregon, becomes gripped by fear as a serial killer known as the 'Cape May Slayer' is responsible for the disappearances of 13 teenage boys over the past decade. The community is left in turmoil, with families desperately searching for their loved ones.

Fifteen-year-old Davey Armstrong, whose father is a journalist covering the story, begins to suspect his neighbor, Officer Wayne Mackey, of being the Cape May Slayer. Despite his friends' disbelief, Davey's instincts drive him to investigate further.

After Davey sees a boy inside Mackey's house, who subsequently goes missing, his friends decide to help him investigate. They believe there might be some truth to Davey's suspicions and start documenting Mackey's daily activities.

As they follow Mackey, the boys take note of his strange behaviors, including buying gardening tools and taking nightly jogs. Their growing unease leads them to a series of late-night stakeouts as they try to gather evidence against him.

During a stakeout, Woody and Farraday stumble upon a self-storage unit owned by Mackey and discover suspicious canisters of sodium hydroxide. Meanwhile, Davey and Eats find a bloodstained shirt hidden in Mackey's garden shed, solidifying their fear that Mackey is truly the slayer.

When the boys present their findings to Davey's parents, they are met with anger and disbelief, with Mr. Armstrong accusing them of vandalism. As a punishment, he takes them to apologize to Mackey, who brushes off their accusations and claims innocence.

Davey sneaks out to meet Nikki, a friend, who warns him to stop the investigation. However, the chance encounter leads him to further doubt Mackey's claims of innocence, prompting him to continue unraveling the mystery surrounding his neighbor.

Mackey visits the Armstrong home, trying to provide an alibi by calling his alleged nephew. However, when the call goes unanswered, Davey realizes that Mackey dialed his own number, igniting suspicions once again and fueling his investigation.

During the Cape May Festival, while his friends provide lookout, Davey and Woody decide to break into Mackey's home. There, they accidentally discover a locked basement room decorated to resemble a childhood bedroom, raising alarm bells about what they might uncover.

To their horror, the boys discover the desiccated corpse of a missing boy in the bathtub of Mackey’s basement, alongside a recent abductee. Realizing Mackey's true identity as the Cape May Slayer, they film the chilling scene as evidence to bring to the police.

After reviewing the footage, the Ipswich Police issue an All Points Bulletin for Mackey's arrest. The boys' findings propel the investigation forward, marking a significant turning point in the case against the suspected killer.

Mackey retaliates by abducting Davey and Woody, bringing them to an offshore island while declaring a deadly game of manhunt. As Mackey hunts them down, the boys face their worst fears, fighting for their survival in the wilderness.

In a moment of desperation, Davey creates a distraction so Woody can reach Mackey's cruiser. However, Mackey catches Woody and brutally attacks him, escalating the horror of their situation as Davey becomes the sole target of Mackey’s twisted game.

Though ultimately spared, Davey is left traumatized and in a state of paranoia, as Mackey intends to haunt him for life. Rescued and returned home, the tension remains as the slayer's presence lingers ominously in the background.

As Davey resumes his routine as a paperboy, he passes by the homes of friends and missing boys, reflecting on the horror he experienced. With police tape still around Mackey's house and news headlines stating that the Cape May Slayer remains at large, the haunting fear endures.