The Night God Screamed

At a lakeside ceremony, Billy Joe identifies a traitor among the teenage congregants. The accused girl tries to flee but is caught and baptized by the hooded Atoner; she drowns during the ritual, marking a brutal show of power. The moment sets Billy Joe's cultist menace on full display.

Fanny Pierce's groceries are stolen by a homeless man as she walks through a rundown neighborhood. She continues on to the church kitchen, where her husband Willis pours coffee for the destitute. She voices increasing unhappiness, and Willis reassures her that things will improve as he arranges a big revival.

On the way to the revival, Willis and Fanny stop at a gas station and are stunned to see Billy Joe ride up on the back of a motorcycle. Billy Joe climbs into the truck and poses on a giant crucifix. He compliments Willis on the cross and asks about the revival, while Tennessee makes advances toward Fanny; Willis dismisses Billy Joe as a cultist.

That evening Willis delivers his sermon and asks for donations to support his mission. The silent Atoner appears with his tall cruciform staff. Willis is crucified and murdered on the couple's giant cross.

In court, Billy Joe swears vengeance as Judge Coogan sentences him, Tennessee, and Izzy to death for Willis' murder. The Atoner remains at large after the murder, continuing the cult's shadow.

A year later, Fanny works as a housekeeper for Judge Coogan and his wife. She is asked to supervise their four teenagers during a weekend away, a task that puts her at the center of a household with wary, planning teenagers. The quiet arrangement contrasts with the memories of her past.

Back at the judge's house, Fanny starts receiving disturbing, threatening phone calls. She finds a hooded dummy in the backyard with a note reading 'vengeance' and hides it from the children. The eerie signals hint that someone is watching the house.

Peter sees a hooded figure in the backyard and warns that Fanny's presence endangers the family. That night, a hooded intruder stabs Jimmy to death as the lights go out and the children panic. Peter later discovers the 'vengeance' note.

A hooded figure enters the house and the children hide as Fanny searches for them. The attackers roam the rooms, leaving screams and fear in their wake, as the family fights to stay alive. The tension peaks when Peter's body is found later in a closet.

In a dramatic turn, the hooded figure is revealed to be Peter, who with his siblings staged the terrifying events to frighten Fanny into leaving so they could join in their planned activities. The children explain their motive and the hoax becomes clear.

Sharon rises from the couch, proving the staged murders, and the siblings discuss how to tell the police a plausible story. The deception unfolds as a family project rather than a supernatural attack.

The phone rings with an ominous voice declaring that the sentence is death on Judge Coogan's children and the execution is tonight. The Atoner stands outside as the house’s windows go dark and a male voice screams from inside, signaling the dangerous consequences of the deception.