The Pale Door

In the dark of night, a family’s peaceful home is violently shattered when a gang of armed thieves invades, leaving brothers Jake and Duncan to grapple with the chilling aftermath of discovering their parents’ lifeless bodies. As flames engulf their home, the harrowing reality sets in, leaving the siblings to confront an unimaginable loss.

Fast forward several years, and Jake finds himself entangled with the infamous Dalton gang while in a seedy saloon. After a deadly gunfight results in the loss of one of their members, the gang is in need of a replacement, and despite Duncan’s cautious warnings, Jake steps forward to fill the vacancy. The gang, albeit reluctantly, accepts him as a temporary member.

The gang embarks on a meticulously planned train heist, but instead of the anticipated gold, they make a surprising discovery: a young woman named Pearl, who claims she was kidnapped from her home in Potemkin. Her promise of a handsome reward for her safe return catches the gang’s attention, but things take a turn for the worse when Duncan is severely injured by a bullet from the Pinkerton agents.

As they escort Pearl, the gang arrives at a tavern where they seek help for Duncan’s deteriorating health. The mysterious Maria, who leads this establishment, greets them warmly and offers her support. Over drinks and laughter, Maria divulges a chilling account of her past—having been wrongfully accused of witchcraft and burned alive while expecting Pearl.

As the night unfolds, the true nature of Maria and her companions is revealed: they are a coven of scarred witches, victims of an age of mass hysteria and persecution. Enraged by their past, they lash out violently against the gang, resulting in tragic losses. The surviving members retreat to a remote cabin to concoct an escape plan.

In a shocking revelation, Maria reveals that Jake is essential for their survival due to his innocence—his lack of blood on his hands and virginity make him a powerful elixir. Determined to find his brother Duncan, Jake and Dodd embark on a perilous mission, only to discover that Duncan has mysteriously vanished. Reuniting with the rest of the group, they prepare for an intense confrontation to reach the safety of a nearby church.

Meanwhile, Wylie’s mind unravels as he succumbs to an uncanny urge to consume shards of glass. Lester starkly informs Jake that their family’s tragic fate stemmed from their own criminal past, having stolen from the land they once cherished. This revelation weighs heavily on Jake, who inadvertently steps outside and finds Duncan seemingly revived. However, this moment of relief is fleeting as Dodd’s impulsive actions lead to an unimaginable transformation, morphing Duncan into a swarm of crows soaring into the sky.

The horror intensifies as Lester’s body contorts in agony, ejecting a dark, viscous fluid from which a crow emerges, signaling the end of his life. Wylie, caught in a dangerous spiral of self-harm, inflicts fatal wounds upon himself with the very shards he was consuming. As chaos reigns, Dodd and Jake flee the church, only to face ambushes and confrontations in the town’s heart. Tragically, Dodd falls during the fight, leaving Jake to face the wrath of the witches alone. In a moment of desperation, Maria and Pearl strike a deal, offering Duncan’s life for Jake’s escape—a deal that Jake reluctantly honors.

As Duncan departs into the unknown, Jake seizes his future, ultimately reclaiming the family farm and starting a new lineage with a child named Jacob. Yet, even amidst the hope, an eerie presence remains—a solitary black crow perched ominously on their balcony, observing as the sun sets behind the horizon, a haunting reminder of the darkness still lingering.

Last Updated: November 17, 2024 at 21:54