PREVIOUSLY
I'm doctor Mommaerts, your psychiatrist.
I counselled you after your accident, right after your memory loss.
So you are friends with your stalker after all.
What's that? What's on the other half?
When we meet again, I doubt you'll know me.
If you remember anything, you can talk to me about it.
You're not allowed to have a mobile here, so hide it.
Is the wooden cabin still ours?
This is where you were last seen with De Geest.
Tell me if you recognize anything. My team found this.
A cloak.
There are no spirits and spectres.
I was scared.
You know what the doctor said.
Hello?
If you don't know, you get confused and your imagination fills in the blanks.
There are no birds here.
- That's not normal, is it? - Could you act normally for once?
Could you? Just for once?
ARIADNE'S THREAD
A long, long time ago,
there was a monster on an island far away from here.
It had the body of a man, but the head of a bull.
It was called Minotaur.
It lived in a maze from which nobody escaped alive.
King Minos would feed children to the beast,
but Theseus, the brave prince from the mainland,
decided to kill the Minotaur to save the children.
King Minos' daughter, the beautiful Ariadne, gave Theseus
an enchanted ball of wool.
And she said:
"This thread will lead you to the heart of the labyrinth,
and all the way back out.
"Back to me."
Romy? What's that?
- I really didn't do that. - Don't lie to me.
- I'm not lying. - You are. I can see it in your eyes.
- Off to bed without dinner. - But...
Off to bed.
Bad mum.
Madam, here you go. 10x15 cm, matte.
Okay, super.
- Ouch. - Did you want glossy after all?
No, but they're blurry.
- You made them and I print them. - I didn't make these.
I'm on them.
They're all blurry. How's that possible?
Maybe it's your camera.
Yes. Maybe.
- Can I bring it in some time? - We don't do repairs anymore.
Okay.
- Fine, how much do I owe you? - It's okay.
Okay, thank you. Bye.
- Hey, honey bear. - Hey, little mole.
Your sister is here. You were going to clear the attic together.
20% DISCOUNT ON ALL YOUR REPAIRS!
Grandpa never threw anything away.
No. It's endless.
- There's something up there. - Wait, let me do it.
It's grandpa's Ouija board. Come, let's call the spirits one more time.
Nikki, I wouldn't do that here.
What's wrong? Are you scared, you chicken?
Okay.
Don't laugh.
We are North, East, South, West.
Spectre, can you hear us?
Yes.
You're not pushing, are you?
No.
Grandpa?
Grandpa, is that you?
Yes.
Is there something wrong with this house?
Is there an evil spectre in this house?
Where is it hidden?
R.
O.
M.
- What are you doing? - Mie, I didn't do anything.
- Yes, you did. - You were pushing.
- That's not true. - I could feel your finger.
- Why would I do that? - What's the use of me...
Really. Honestly...
- Where are you going? - Pick up the kids from judo.
Romy has been acting strange since we moved here.
- What do you mean by strange? - Just...
Strange.
She's not listening, she lies to me, she's not her usual self.
It's her age.
No.
It's this house.
There's nothing wrong with it. I told you, you're seeing things that aren't real.
- Are you saying I'm crazy? - No, I'm not.
The doctors warned you of confabulations in your condition.
It's my condition.
We've had this conversation a few times too many.
Hello, Mie speaking.
Benoit.
- Who is it? - My imagination.
Hello, Benoit.
Wrong number, I suppose?
In that case, they either hang up or apologize.
Something or somebody is bothering us.
I found this yesterday in the cabin we were at together.
TODAY DECEMBER 7TH
So you've seen this before?
- What did you do to your finger? - Why are you refusing to cooperate?
- His life is at stake. - I'm not refusing.
You're asking me things I don't have answers to.
Why are you assuming that I have something to do with this?
Because everything points to you.
- Perhaps he's on holiday. - Without his passport?
It was still in his container. And they didn't know at work either.
Maybe he ran away or he committed suicide.
What do I know?
I'm on to you, girl.
You're hiding behind an excuse.
You only have amnesia when it suits you.
Liars need to have a good memory. Did you know that?
- Are you calling me a liar? - Yes, and I will prove it too.
Mie D'Haeze.
You've turned into a beautiful woman.
You don't remember me, do you? Doctor Trakoshis.
I was your father's best student.
He taught me everything I know. Everything. How is he doing?
I haven't seen him for a while, because they locked me up.
Yes, I heard.
It sounds like an Agatha Christie novel.
So...
This inspector Wolkers asked for some additional tests.
Are you sure you want to do this?
This is not the way things normally go.
I have nothing to hide.
Okay.
Okay, so let's get started. Please get undressed.
Would that be so bad?
Let's see if there's any improvement.
Yes, that...
The human brain.
My brother has one too, but he's a gynaecologist.
I'm going to give you an injection. Don't be startled.
Your previous tests date back to the summer.
Have you noticed any improvement yourself?
I don't think so.
If I don't write something down once I remember it, it's gone.
Write this down:
"If you don't remember, trust your intuition.
It's the closest thing to your memory."
Thanks.
Down the rabbit hole.
Okay, Mie. Let's get started.
Try to recollect the night of the accident.
What's that dark spot?
That's the area where your memory operates.
Normally, it should light up when the brain is active.
So that's the key to my investigation?
Good luck.
Look, thunder clouds.
That's interesting.
Do you want to discuss the results in private first?
- That won't be necessary. - Okay.
Look, magnificent images.
That's a classic example of anterograde amnesia.
But there's good news too.
Here, we see increased activity in the hippocampus.
That's where the long-term memory is recuperated.
But there's still no controllable episodic recollection.
In plain language, please?
Concretely, it means that Mie...
occasionally remembers things.
You see?
But these memories are random.
They come and go and she has no control over it.
- But she does remember? - Have you ever had a sex dream?
Excuse me?
Have you never had a sexual dream, inspector?
Yes.
When you wake up, everything is still very concrete.
Then everything starts to blur
until you're only left with a feeling of excitement.
When somebody asks you what you dreamt, you don't know.
Only that it was pleasant.
That's how it is for Mie.
But neurologically that's good news.
Your memory is slowly waking up.
You may even be fully recovered in a few months' time.
I don't have months.
Dammit.
Doctor...
I've been having nightmares lately.
I often dream about the accident.
That makes sense. That's where your memory loss began.
When it comes to memories, our brain often operates chronologically,
from earlier events to the last events.
Okay.
But does that mean it all really happened?
Or was it just a dream?
TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE DISAPPEARANCE
Mie.
Romy is gone, Benoit.
- What? - Romy is gone.
Romy is gone.
Somebody took her.
There was somebody outside. Somebody took her.
I saw somebody. Romy is sleeping over somewhere else.
Remember?
With a girlfriend.
Romy is sleeping over.
Nobody took her.
Half, okay?
TODAY DECEMBER 8TH
Can I have the results of the scan?
I can't give you the results. They're for personnel only.
She's my patient.
As her psychiatrist, you're welcome during visiting hours.
Doctor Devos doesn't want any outside interference.
I understand. I am happy that the results are positive.
Come.
Mie?
Mie.
Sorry.
I heard about the scan. That's good news, isn't it?
That's good, right? You're doing better.
Can you tell?
Did anything new surface?
I remember Thomas De Geest. I remember meeting him.
You remember him. That's good.
Why didn't you call me?
- How come? - I gave you a mobile phone, didn't I?
Where did you hide it? You wrote it down, didn't you?
Intuition is the closest thing to memory.
Do you have it?
Yes.
Mie.
No.
Hello, who's this?
You can only use that phone to call me.
You're not allowed to have a mobile here. If they take it, I can't help you.
I just wanted to hear my daughter.
I understand.
You're supposed to call me when you remember something.
Then we can work on it together
before other people misinterpret what you're saying.
You see?
Sorry.
Put the phone back under your mattress.
Write this down in your notebook so you don't forget.
Jan.
Jan Peeters.
Are you going camping over there? Come on.
That's her. That's my daughter, Romy.
A real doll.
Do you have children?
Did your daughter answer the phone?
My husband did.
What are you thinking about?
The past.
About how we met.
How did you meet?
On the opening night of a musical I was in.
We only talked briefly,
but he says it was enough to fall in love with me.
Although he was there with his girlfriend at the time.
She had taken him to see the show.
He's not a big fan of the genre.
So that opening night brought you together and then you had Romy.
The best day of my life.
Did that sometimes cause friction between you and your husband?
I didn't mean anything by it.
Priorities change when you're a mother. That's quite normal.
But sometimes the husband can feel excluded.
I'm sorry but I don't know what you're getting at.
Was there still a lot of intimacy between you after she was born?
Are you asking if Benoit was cheating on me?
Benoit doesn't cheat.
He did dump his former girlfriend for your sake, didn't he?
That's different. And he handled it very properly.
He first broke up with her before he got involved with me.
That's what he told me anyway. I never met the woman.
Kitty.
TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE DISAPPEARANCE
Kitty.
What's wrong with the cat?
- I haven't seen her for a while. - I'm glad to be rid of her.
- Why are you wearing a suit? - I have to go to work.
It's Saturday.
I told you that we're trying to reel in a client, didn't I?
Coffee?
I think you're away a lot.
Pass me the marmalade?
- Romy, don't play with your food. - I don't like bologne.
She's refusing to eat again.
Yeah.
I want to take her to see the doctor. She's too skinny.
We'll talk about it later. I'm late already.
Make sure you drink it all.
What are you doing? Damn kid.
Come on, Mie.
Okay, stand up.
Romy, please. It's even on your dress.
Dammit. Get changed.
Call me Kisses, V.
Sorry, I really have to go now.
I won't be too late. See you later.
Bye.
Mie? Mie?
Let's leave the distant alone...
TODAY DECEMBER 8TH
and focus on more recent memories.
Okay.
That will be a short conversation.
You remember Thomas De Geest.
What sensation does this memory give you?
- Can you tell me about it? - No.
Fear?
- Anger? - I don't know.
- Or warmer feelings? - I didn't have a fling with him.
- What? - No.
- Do you think I'm lying? - I'm not saying that.
I'm asking questions. The answers are yours to give.
I have to see a patient. I have to go now.
If you want to talk, just call me.
Okay?
TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE DISAPPEARANCE
Mie.
We arranged a meeting through my site. The Bear Pit.
Tom.
- Where did you get that from? - I found it in the woods.
I sometimes feel like kicking her down the stairs.
It's a horrible thing to say about your own child.
- I don't know. - Yes, it is.
It's the house.
It started when we moved. There's something very bad there.
It's doing something to my daughter.
Stupid, isn't it?
- Benoit thinks so too. - I don't think it's stupid.
There's more to it than meets the eye.
My mother used to have seances. I would go with her as a child.
There was this woman once.
She was woken up every night by someone without a face.
It turned out to be an uncle who had abused her.
And you believe all of that?
The main thing is that it helps people, right?
Psychologically at least.
The mind is capable of many things.
What is two times eight?
Sixteen.
Good. Three times eight?
Twenty-eight.
No.
If two times eight is sixteen, then how much is sixteen plus eight?
Twenty-four?
Done. Can I watch TV now?
What is three times eight?
- Twenty-four. - Okay, you can go.
The spectre is in the house. The spectre is in the house.
- Hello, Mrs D'Haeze. - Hello.
Edith Lagrange. And this is my assistant, Varelli.
Spiritual cleaners.
You called us.
- Yes. Are you the medium? - I am.
But as you can see I wear an XL.
Can I come in?
Yes, of course.
You have a walnut tree in your garden. That's good.
Why?
Walnut trees protect you from evil energies.
Do you have nightmares?
Yes.
Stuff your pillow with walnut leaves. They'll be over soon.
Nice wooden floor.
Woods absorbs, did you know that?
Not just sounds, but also events.
You see?
Wood doesn't forget.
Can I see your daughter?
Yes.
Romy?
Romy, say hi to this lady.
Romy?
Mie?
I'm afraid I can't help you.
Why not?
- I've seen it all before. - I don't know what else to do.
I'm afraid of my own child.
This house is doing something to her. There's something in here.
You can sense it, can't you?
Please, I really don't know what else to do.
Okay.
- But it's going to cost you extra. - Okay.
This is a very special case.
What does that do?
Have you never heard of Newton's laws?
The circle drives the centrifugal forces.
Non-believers call it physics.
Don't worry, child. It's only my glass eye.
This way kinetic energy is transformed into potential energy.
Come on, don't doubt.
They can sense it.
There.
Stay focused, okay?
What's going on here?
- What's all this, Mie? - These people are here to help us.
With the house. To see if anything is wrong.
Would you be so kind to leave the house?
Would you be so kind as to leave the house, please?
Mie, are you going to let them mess with you with this hocus pocus bullshit?
- Get out, dammit. - I will escort them down.
I don't get you, Mie. I really don't get you.
Benoit?
Mum, can I sleep in your bed?
Mum, why are you acting so strange?
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. Come.
I'm sorry, my angel. Mummy is seeing things that aren't real.
TODAY DECEMBER 8TH
Count Vronsky.
May I have this dance?
"Nobody dances except for the fools."
Nietzsche.
Jackson, beat it. Or I'll set your hair on fire.
- Have you changed your mind? - Shut up and dance.
- Spoil-sport at twelve o'clock. - Twelve o'clock?
The scanner tests didn't make me any the wiser.
I hope my colleague will do better with a polygraph test.
Let's play a game.
You consented to this, but you are free to stop at any time. Also during the test.
Refusing to cooperate would be the same as admitting to lying.
I don't think it's quite that simple.
Could you please stick these on your chest?
It doesn't bother you, does it? I haven't eaten today.
Left hand.
This is not a cross-examination,
so just answer the questions and stay calm.
And answer the questions with yes or no. Okay?
Okay.
- Your name is Annemie D'Haeze? - Yes, but everyone calls me Mie.
Yes or no, miss.
Yes.
Okay, this is the month of September.
No, November or Dec...
Sorry. No.
You suffer from amnesia?
Yes.
What's in that notebook?
Drawings, portraits.
Do you know Thomas De Geest?
I will repeat the question. Do you know Thomas De Geest?
Yes or no, miss?
No.
Yes, I don't know. It's neither yes nor no.
Does this cloak look familiar to you?
No.
Is Thomas De Geest still alive?
I don't know.
Jacques, I told you she was unsuitable.
Please wait outside.
Mie.
That notebook of yours.
I'm supposed to believe that it only contains drawings?
This wasn't familiar to you?
Nevertheless, I found it in the cabin in the forest.
I sent it to the lab for a DNA check.
There were two matching profiles.
Yours and Thomas De Geest's.
It's turning out to be quite a nice collection.
Shall we make a deal?
I'm going to be honest with you.
And you're going to be honest with me.
I don't have to find Thomas for my career.
I'm retiring next week.
You could say that this here...
also contains some of my DNA.
As a manner of speech.
Thomas De Geest is my son.
I left his mother when he was still very young.
Thomas took on her surname.
He never wanted to see me again.
But there we are.
I wasn't the best father, was I?
Tom gave me this.
Where is he?
I don't know. Honestly.
But the few memories I have of him are positive.
Did you know that our memory works the same way photos do?
We only take photos of the beautiful things in life.
Holidays, birthday parties, births.
We want to remember them.
We don't record the negative things.
And our minds are just as selective.
Mie.
We have to collaborate.
Any bit of information is important.
Okay.
But you must believe that I don't know what happened to Thomas.
I'm not taking the blame for something I didn't do.
I'm not looking for the bad guy.
I'm looking for my son.
I don't want to let him down again.
THOMAS = TOM = SON OF WOLKERS!
- Hey, Mie. - Hey.
- How are you today? - Fine.
Look, I have post for you.
Thanks.
I'm sorry I haven't been to see you yet. Miss you, Nikki
"Their lies are so powerful that eyes become blind."
NEXT WEEK Happy Halloween.
Gently, you slide into the lovely sand.
You didn't let anyone into your head?
Stop it.
Do you have a second for information on your girlfriend?
I think Dad has a hiding place.
Who is V?
- I've received a letter. - Somebody wants to help.