"Reader Beware" is the fifth episode of Season 1 of the Disney+/Hulu series, Goosebumps.
Synopsis[]
Margot is given a scrapbook in which she uncovers a terrifying secret about the Biddle House.
Plot[]
Nora asks when she'll be able to talk to Lucas. The nurse tells her to rest, take her medication, and she'll be back with her son soon. Nora reluctantly takes the medication. Another patient approaches her and knows she's the "sawmill lady." Nora ignores him and sits down. She hears fingers drumming on the table and asks the patient to stop, but when she looks up, she sees Harold Biddle. She watches as he bursts into flames, saying he wants Slappy back. Nora screams as she backs into a wall.
Bratt/Biddle watches Nora through the door. A nurse sees him and asks if she can help him. He says he's there to donate blood, so she directs him to the second floor, where the blood drive is happening. She says he's at the psychiatric ward. He says he's in the wrong place. He says Nora doesn't looks so good as he looks back in.
Stokes drives Margot and Lucas home in his busted car. Stokes gets Lucas's bag out of the trunk and asks if that's all his stuff. He say yes, because he wasn't really focused on packing. Stokes says they can go get more if they need it. When Stokes touches Lucas, he flinches and says he's still sore. Stokes thinks it's from the roof stunt and says he still needs to call his insurance company about that. He leads Lucas inside and says Lucas is welcome to stay with them for as long as Nora needs. He goes to continue, but Margot cuts him off and takes Lucas to the guest room.
Lucas asks Margot where they are so many towels on the bed. She says it's only three and a hand towel. Margot asks if everything's okay because he's been through a lot. He just wants to see his mom. He can only call her on the phone right now. He feels dumb to be talking about his mom when there's so much else going on. He finds it all so weird. Margot's glad to have him staying over. He says he's glad he's there, too. Margot hears a noise and looks out the window to see Sarah approaching the house. She tells Lucas her mom is there.
Sarah, Stokes, Margot, and Lucas all sit at the table. The only noise is Lucas eating. Lucas asks if Sarah is living in Seattle permanently. She says no, it was temporary and she's back now. Stokes asks if she means back back. She wanted to tell him in person and thought it would be a fun surprise. Stokes offers wine all around and when both kids refuse, he says it was a test. Once he's out of the room, Margot asks Sarah what's going on. They didn't talk to the other parents like she asked. Sarah says she has to take care of some things before she can get into it. Margot can't understand how complicated this is. Margot says she can, but Sarah still can't talk about it. They whisper argue until Stokes comes back. He's having trouble removing the cork, but finally gets it and pours the wine. Margot asks to be excused and leaves the table. Sarah leaves next to unpack. Then Lucas leaves.
Isaiah tells James he broke up with Allison. James is relieved the curse is broken. Isaiah doesn't think she was that bad, but James says she wasn't even interesting enough to be the worst. The breakup was inevitable. James asks if he's told Margot. Isaiah's planning to tell Margot when she gets there. He asks if James knows that Lucas is staying at her house. He asks if he has something to worry about. James says Lucas is straightforward, unlike Isaiah, who has said he and Margot are just friends for years. Isabella comes in with a pizza and is upset that Margot called the meeting and hasn't arrived yet. Isabella steps in some of the slime left from the dupe
Margot vents to Lucas about Sarah. Lucas tells her she doesn't have to be fine. Margot is upset because Sarah could come through for her right now and she isn't. She started being distant once Margot was in high school, like she was waiting for Margot to grow up to be free. When Margot asks if this is the way to James's house, Lucas admits it's the long way. He wants to show her something first. He points to a playground where he broke six bones in his left hand. He wanted her to know things get better even when they don't seem like they will. Also, he thinks she's really cool, funny, and smart. She made him feel dumb, but not in a mean way like the others. And he wants to kiss her, but he's not going to. She leans in and kisses him.
Margot and Lucas apologize for being late. Isaiah asks where they were and Lucas says they took the long way. James asks what Sarah said and Margot tells them she said nothing. She probably should have texted that, but they already had the meeting planned. Sarah gave the excuse of not wanting to say the wrong thing, but she did indicated she'd say more later. This is just how her mother is. Isabella understands. Her mom sucks and she literally dreamt about killing her. When the others look at her, she says it was while she was wearing the mask and realizes she didn't tell them about that. Lucas says she has rage inside her. Isabella says her therapist, her mom's friend, says the same thing. They decide to keep going to school and wait for the next bad thing to happen.
Bratt looks in the mirror and sees Biddle, who says it's time for them to learn the truth. Bratt closes his book and puts it in his bag.
The nurse tells Sarah that Nora's on a lot of medication, so she's woozy. Sarah goes over to Nora and sits down. Nora asks if Stokes knows she's back. Sarah says he does and asks how Nora ended up there. Nora says she was trying to protect the kids. Sarah wouldn't know anything about that. Nora called her and told her she saw Biddle and now everyone thinks she's crazy. Sarah says she told the police she saw giant worms. Nora says she told everyone the truth. She told Eliza, Ben, and Victoria and now she's in the psychiatric ward. And she saw him again in the hospital. He asked where "he" is and said he wanted him back. He's looking for Slappy and he's coming for their kids.
Bratt/Biddle puts his book down next to Margot and asks if her mother's name is Sarah. Margot says it is and he tells her he was cleaning out his basement and found a scrapbook, which he gives to Margot. He thought he could show it to her mom because there are pictures in there of her in high school. Margot can look at it, too, if she wants. Once he's gone, Margot opens the book. She sees a picture of her mother as a high schooler opposite a page about worms. Suddenly, Margot sees Young Ben and Young Sarah in front of her. After Ben leaves, Sarah talks to Harold, who is sitting alone. He takes her picture for the photo club and she says she'll meet him in the darkroom in ten minutes. Margot snaps out of it when Ms. Dowling tells her she's just been staring into space. Margot denies being on drugs and turns to a page about the darkroom. She repeats that she's not on drugs and asks Ms. Dowling where the dark room was in 1993. Ms. Dowling was it was where the AV room is now. Margot packs up and leaves.
Margot goes into the AV room and opens the scrapbook again to the page about the darkroom. Sarah compliments Harold on his photography. He's taken pictures of all his favorite things. Sarah understands that and says Harold she should reconsider coming to hang out with her friends this weekend. Harold says maybe. Margot snaps out of it when an AV kid comes in and asks what Margot is doing in there. Margot says her mom and Biddle were friends. The AV kid says that's cool and asks to get a projector. Margot grabs her things and leaves.
Isaiah waits for Margot, holding a small bundle of flowers. Lucas walks up, saying Margot told him to meet her there. Isabella and James soon join them. Isaiah says it looks like Margot reached out to everyone. Lucas thinks she reached out to him first, but Isaiah doubts that. Margot runs up to them and says her mom knew Biddle. It's all in the scrapbook.
Sarah confronts Victoria about drugging Nora. Victoria thought she restricted Nora's visitors. Sarah asks if the chart says to drug her. Victoria says she's sedated because she was reported to be a danger to herself. She was at the sawmill talking about haunted worms. She's having a nervous breakdown. This is what happens when people say things like that to the police. Sarah doesn't believe Victoria believes she's helping Nora. Victoria says she's trying to handle the situation. Nora is agitated and talking about ghosts. Where does Sarah think that's going. Sarah says Nora told her she saw Biddle and he's looking for Slappy. Victoria says that's why Nora needs to be helped. Sarah asks if Victoria believes her and Victoria says no. But this is dangerous. The lives they built are destroyed if she can't keep it together.
In the auditorium, Margot explains to Isaiah, James, Isabella, and Lucas how the scrapbook works. All the information they need is in the scrapbook. Isabella finds the timing of Bratt's arrival suspicious. Isaiah takes the scrapbook from Margot, saying it's dangerous. Lucas takes it back, saying Margot can decide for herself. But he does admit it's a bit dangerous. Margot promises them Sarah won't tell them anything, so the scrapbook is their chance to find the truth. She has to do it. She sits down and opens the scrapbook again. Harold is on the stage and Sarah asks why he wanted to meet her there. Harold says he's scared. He thinks someone is trying to hurt him. Sarah asks if someone threatened him. He says he can't explain it. Sarah has to meet with Ben, but says they'll talk about it later. Harold grabs her to keep her from leaving, but she pulls her arm away and leaves. Harold looks at Margot and tells her he won't let her leave either. He tells her to come with him. Margot's eyes have turned black and the others are unable to snap her out of it. The scrapbook pages flip on their own.
Sarah runs into Stokes in the hallway and asks what he's doing there. He says he was there visiting Nora. She asks why he was visiting her and he says they should probably talk.
Stokes has told Sarah he's seeing Nora. Sarah thought they were just on a trial separation and he says they were, are. Sarah thought they'd at least talk before a verdict, but he thought the separation was the verdict. She left them months ago. Sarah says she wanted them to come with her. If they had moved together, none of this would have happened. Stokes says that would have meant him leaving his career and Margot her school and friends. Sarah says she told him she needed to leave, that she couldn't stay there. She can't tell him why. He thinks she just won't tell him. He hates that this is how it's happening. He loves her, but he can't see this working out. She asks if it's over and he says yes. Sarah gets up and leaves.
Sarah cries in her car.
Sarah goes to Nora despite being told visiting hours are over. She says Stokes told her everything. Nora asks what that means and Sarah says she knows they're sleeping together. She says it's okay. Well, it's not okay, but it will be. The nurse comes and tells Sarah she can't be there. Sarah just needs to tell Nora something and then she'll leave. Sarah tells Nora she's not unwell, but they want her to think she is. The medication she's taking is for people seeing things that aren't there, but she's not like that. If she wants to leave, she has to stop taking the pills and stop talking crazy. People don't understand. They don't believe her, but Sarah does. They need to protect their kids. Sarah leaves and a nurse brings Nora medication. Nora pretends to take them, but spits them out.
James is upset that they let Margot do this. Isaiah reminds him that Margot didn't give them a choice. Isabella slaps Margot, but it does nothing. James remembers how the scrapbook only works if you're in the place connected to the page. He picks up the book and says the house on the page it flipped to is the Biddle house. Lucas realizes they need to use the scrapbook there to get her out. They just need to get Margot out of the school.
They push Margot out on a dolly and load her into James's Jeep.
Biddle drags Margot to the house, where he shows her some kids sneaking in. Harold looks around and asks who is there.
Suddenly, they're inside and Margot sees Harold lighting a candle for light. He goes to the basement and Margot sees the teens run to the basement door and bang on it.
Margot is in the basement, holding a candle. She falls down the steps, starting a fire that spreads quickly. She starts coughing and Isaiah and Lucas come and get her out of the basement.
Outside, Margot realizes they followed her into the scrapbook. Margot says there were other people in the house. They watch as the teens run out, coughing and carrying a chest. They recognize the teens as their parents: Nora, Eliza, Ben, Victoria, and Sarah. Sarah wants them to go back in for Harold, but Ben stops her as the flames shoot out the window. Nora says she told them and they didn't believe her. Victoria wants them to call someone, but Eliza says he's dead. That doesn't mean they have to ruin their lives, too. She can't go to jail. Ben grabs the chest and they leave.
As they snap out of it, James asks if they just found out their parents are murderers. Margot says that's not possible, but Isabella say it makes sense. That's why all of this is happening to them. Biddle is getting back at them for what their parents did to him. Margot says their parents have hidden things, but she doesn't believe they would kill someone. Lucas says they literally just did. Isaiah agrees with Margot. There must be more to the story. He wants to know what was in the case. Bratt calls to them, saying if they want to see what's in the case, they should come inside and he'll tell them all about it.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Zack Morris as Isaiah Howard
- Isa Briones as Margot Stokes
- Miles McKenna as James Etten
- Ana Yi Puig as Isabella Chen-Lopez
- Will Price as Lucas Parker
- Rachael Harris as Nora Parker
- Justin Long as Nathan Bratt
Guest starring[]
- Rob Huebel as Colin
- Ben Cockell as Harold Biddle
- Rhinnan Payne as Allison
- Francoise Yip as Victoria
- Lexa Doig as Sarah
- Alex Felix as Young Sarah
- William Chris Sumpter as Young Ben
- Taylar Hender as Young Nora
- Michelle Mao as Young Victoria
- Samantha Blaire Cutler as Young Eliza
Co-Starring[]
- Terry O'Sullivan as Ms. Dowling
- Bronwen Smith as Nurse 1
- Natalie Von Rotsburg as Nurse 2
- Gabriel Carter as Patient
- Lou Halsey as AV Kid
- Tate Chernen as Student
Music[]
| Song | Performer | Scene |
|---|---|---|
| "Absolutely (Story of a Girl)" | Nine Days |
|
| "Feel Electrified" | Wolfgang Black |
|
| "Tru Love" | SHIPS, Joshua Mckenzie Mitchell |
|
| "Today" | The Smashing Pumpkins |
|
| "Movin Up" | The Vaults |
|
| "Runnin" | Debby Friday |
|
Gallery[]
Episode Stills[]
