Gortimer: I've lived my whole life on Normal Street.
There's a lake at one end,
and a forest of shady trees at the other.
But what lies in between is anything but normal.
Dreams can tell us many things.
What we want.
What we worry about.
What we miss.
A nightmare, however, tells us one thing.
[horse neighing]
[gasping]
It tells us what we fear the most.
[sighing]
♪♪[eerie]
The dark of the cellar swallowed them.
Cobwebs clung to their faces.
They slid the bookshelf aside,
revealing a wooden door with a message
carved by a dull blade.
"We shall always be together, even when we're apart."
Just then, footsteps.
- [tapping] - They swing around,
aim their flashlights, there's something behind them.
♪♪[eerie]
Join us next time for the exciting conclusion of
"The Lost Treasure of Normal Street."
And now we ask our listeners to call in
with their very own stories of treasure hunts.
Consider treasure in the broadest sense of the word.
We want to hear about anything you treasure,
a comic book or a beloved pet.
- Or pancakes. - Ranger.
I had to skip breakfast for this.
You had breakfast. I brought bagels.
You should have let me keep that griddle.
It was in violation of the fire code.
Well, that's it for this episode
of Gortimer Gibbon's life on Normal Street,
where life is anything but normal.
[tones chiming]
And we have no listeners.
We waited for you at lunch.
Yeah, what are you doing here?
Were those lilies?
Yeah. The ones from around the flag pole.
They got trampled.
Don't!
I'm trying to save them.
Why? They were nice flowers,
but now they're just sort of salad.
They're from the garden club planting day.
Oh. [stammers] I'm sorry. Can we help?
What?
Those were the lilies she planted with her mom.
Oh.
[sighs]
[wind blowing]
Gortimer: We need more listeners.
Maybe we hand out fliers at lunch?
Great. Guerilla marketing.
I'll even dress like a gorilla.
Different spelling.
And our show has nothing to do with gorillas.
I know, but I got a credit from the costume shop
for a free rental.
It's either a gorilla or Uncle Sam.
Bad news. I'll give it to you straight.
- Radio's dead. - What do you mean?
Your show doesn't have enough audience.
The student activities board
wants to take you guys off the air.
Our listeners won't stand for that.
What listeners?
There could be listeners. You don't know.
Guys, I'm on your side.
Just focus on making the show more...
- Interactive? - Spontaneous?
More better.
[hoof steps]
[door opens]
Did you hear something?
I thought I lost that. Thanks.
Ranger: You're being stalked by a horse?
You don't mean an actual horse.
No, I mean that, too.
It's definitely an actual horse.
And not.
Yeah, that's the part I'm having trouble with,
the not horse part.
It's a horse,
and horse related artifacts.
A chess piece, a toy, a word in a book.
Anything else?
I've been having nightmares.
Well, what are they about?
I'm on a horse.
And it's galloping.
I don't know where it's taking me.
Is the horse black?
How'd you know?
That's the night mare of Normal Street.
The nightmare of Normal Street?
No. Night mare.
Mare like horse.
Ahh. Continue.
Ranger: Deep in the forest at the end of Normal Street
lives a horse as black as a moonless night.
It's massive and scary, and needs one thing to live:
Fear.
Once you look in its eyes, it has you.
It takes you straight to whatever scares you the most.
There it feasts on your fright,
and returns to the forest until it's hungry again.
Thanks, Ranger.
Look, I know it's scary but it's just a--
a dumb legend, right?
[sighs] Yeah.
Just a dumb legend.
[hoof steps]
- [glass breaking] - [gasping]
Dad? Wha--
I heard this bang, and I opened up the door,
and there was a horse on our patio right there.
Took off as soon as he saw me.
I think he was trying to kick the door in.
I better call the--
You know, whoever you call.
About horses, uh--
Animal control. Police. Cowboys.
[tones chiming]
This is Gortimer and Ranger,
and you're listening to Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street.
[crowd noises]
[beach sounds]
Where life is anything but normal.
That last part was the lake.
I'm creating a soundscape.
[water rushing]
[people shouting]
We return to our story from last time,
"The Lost-- [distorted echoing]
"Treasure of Normal Street."
We need listeners.
That's why I rewrote the script.
I-- I didn't read it.
- Just follow along, okay? - Okay.
We left our heroes in Captain Normal's cellar.
They were just about to open the secret door
when they heard footsteps behind them.
[tapping]
It was the angry groundskeeper.
No, it wasn't. It was your dad.
[whispers] It's more dramatic.
The groundkeeper snatched the chest.
Threw open the lid,
and tossed jewels and gold all over the floor.
[clattering]
And then Gortimer tackled the groundskeeper.
And then simultaneously tossed the chest to Ranger.
Okay, I'm sorry. This is ridiculous.
It's more exciting.
It's a nice story about you and your dad.
You were so excited when he showed up for your birthday.
I actually saw a tear in your eye.
Ranger, don't tell people I cried.
Who cares? No one's even listening.
Watch this.
Okay, listeners, we're gonna take a quick break
for a special call-in contest.
I will give one dollar to our first caller.
Phone the school, they'll patch you through.
Lines are open.
How about 10 dollars?
Ten dollars to our first caller.
100 dollars to our first caller.
Okay, I'm upping it to a grand.
1,000 dollars to the first caller.
[phone rings]
This comes out of your pocket.
[ringing continues]
We can offer you a dollar.
It's Mel.
I've been trying to reach you guys.
My house got broken into. By a horse.
[dramatic music]
H.H.
The only place I can think of for a horse nearby
is that barn past the forest.
Yeah. They used to do pony rides there.
Uh, Something Hill. Um...
Halcyon. Halcyon Hill.
H.H.
I'm adding this to the list of our bad ideas.
There's a list? What else is on it?
Just this.
Should we go in?
The night mare can change the direction of the wind with its breath.
You know what else can change the direction of the wind?
The wind.
Mel: Hello!
I just realized haunted houses are only fun
when you know they're pretend haunted.
W-We found your horseshoe.
I think one of your horses got loose.
You know, you probably have a lot of extra horseshoes.
We'll just leave it right here.
Leaving now.
[clanking]
There's something back there.
Yeah. The horse from your nightmares.
Let's not make introductions.
Wait here.
- Okay. - Okay.
- Wait. What? - Shh.
[snorting]
What are you doing?
Don't look in its eyes.
Uh, that latch was there for a reason.
[neigh]
- Mel! - Get up!
Okay, Daisy. It's all right.
It's okay.
Daisy?
- What were you trying to do? - I'm sorry.
- She could have crushed you. - I went to horse camp.
Then you should know you don't just go into a horse's stall.
Why are you even in here? Go home.
Sorry.
Careful. It's hot.
Thanks.
You okay?
Good. Then I have to ask. What were you thinking?
That I'm sick of this.
The nightmares, the signs.
It came to my house.
Why did it destroy my mom's lilies
in the first place?
We don't know that it did.
[sigh]
Those lilies were a part of her
that was going to keep living.
Now I probably won't have those, either.
Well, you'll always have the memories.
And that's it.
She's not going to be at my 16th birthday.
She's not going to see me graduate high school.
We were going to celebrate with a big trip,
just like she did with her mom.
I-- I'm sorry, Mel.
I really am. I'm sorry.
We get it. I mean, I think I do.
That's what scares me the most--
that no one will ever understand.
[sigh]
What do we do?
I don't know. We got to do something.
What if we make the next show about nightmares?
That way, Mel won't feel so alone?
[sigh] But if we don't get any callers,
she'll feel even worse.
If we don't.
When we don't.
Try to stay positive.
Okay.
I'm positive we won't get any callers.
This is great stuff.
Uh, what is?
You guys are just like you are on the air.
I mean, did a horse really try to break into Mel's house?
Because that's just bonkers.
Uh, I'm sorry. Who are you?
I'm Katie.
I just moved here from Colorado a few weeks ago.
See, you guys remind me so much
of me and my friends back home.
Katie from Colorado.
I mean, I'm-- I'm not lying
when I say you're possibly our only fan.
Probably our only fan.
So how do you like Normal Street?
It's the nicest place I've ever been
where I know absolutely nobody.
Ranger: Well, now you know us.
Hey, do you want to be in the next show?
For legit?
Um, wait.
Do people say that here, or--
They do now.
Hey, uh, Gortimer, a quick word.
♪♪
All right, Normal Street, bad news and good news.
Bad news is we've been cancelled
and this is our final show.
- [crowd booing] - These things happen.
But the good news is there's no one out there actually listening
because we have our one and only fan
in the studio here with us.
So let's give a big Normal Street welcome
to the intrepid Katie from Colorado.
[applause, cheering]
I can't believe I'm here.
You know, the worst part about moving to a new school
is everyone knows everything about everyone
and you're just this outsider
that knows nothing about no one.
But then I found you guys,
and it's like, whoa,
weirdos who can't stop talking.
My kind of crowd.
But now you're going off the air,
so how am I going to hear the rest of the stories?
Well, we could just tell you.
How about one more for all the fans who aren't listening?
All right.
It was the first day of school...
and I had on my favorite hoodie.
[garbage disposer whirs]
[neigh]
[hoof beats]
Dad, I'm going to Gortimer's.
Okay.
[knock knock]
Come in.
Hi, Mr. Fuller.
Hey, guys.
We just came to check on Mel.
She just said she was going to your house
a few minutes ago.
But we just came from--
My house. Uh,
our signals must have gotten crossed.
Come on, Gortimer. Let's go to your house and get Mel.
If you get your signals uncrossed,
have her call me.
Okay.
[neighing]
What are you doing?
All right, what's your thing with this horse?
She came to me, to my house.
Well, sorry. It won't happen again.
She's going to a farm where she can't break out anymore.
Wait. I want to ride her.
- What? - What?
- Are you crazy? - Don't do it.
It's the only way to get past this.
Yeah, you're not deciding. She's a rescue.
You saw. She's not good with--
people.
You're not going to hurt me, are you?
I have to.
You good.
I've got a bad feeling about this.
I'll be okay.
I'll go with her.
I'll make sure it's a safe ride.
- [neigh] - Mel!
I trust you.
This is it? Why would this scare me?
It's not fair. I had courage.
I pushed through, and you brought me here?
Thanks. I get it. I'm alone.
Hey. Stop yelling at the horse.
I'm not yelling. And this is a private conversation.
I don't want you to ride her anymore. Walk her back.
You walk her. I'm done with her.
What's your problem?
You wouldn't get it.
How do you know?
No one does.
You must be very unique.
[sigh] My mom died.
That sucks.
Yeah. It does.
It doesn't suck forever, though.
I'm seeing very little proof of that.
I'm proof.
How?
My dad died.
When?
Five years ago.
We used to ride here together.
What's your name?
Ellis.
You and I have a lot to talk about.
Top post-death pet peeves. Go.
"Things happen for a reason."
Really? Give me one.
"It's going to be okay."
It's not. That's the point.
Feeling guilty for having fun.
Exactly. Like, I was at this party,
and all of my friends were there,
and I was having a really great--
We want to be understood.
It's something we all have in common.
So is the fear that other people won't understand us.
But what if we have the courage
to push past that fear
and reach out?
We might just find
that we don't have to do things alone. and us.