My name is Melinda Gordon.

I just got married, just moved to a small town.

Just opened up an antique shop.

I might be just like you.

Except for the time that I was a little girl, I knew that I could talk to the dead.

It's all right, honey.

Earthbound spirits, my grandmother called them.

The ones who have not crossed over because they have unfinished business with the living.

And they come to me for help.

To tell you my story, I have to tell you theirs.

Did I win? Actually, I think you broke the record.

Ah! - Pick anyone you want.

How 'bout this one? Okay.

Giant stuffed octopus, or sparkly bracelets.

Since you're not six-years-old, I would say sparkly bracelet.

There you go.

Thank you.

Wow, where'd you learn to shoot like that, Tess? I don't know.

Maybe it's genetic or something.

Note to self, never have gunfight with Andrea.

I love carnivals.

Feel like a kid.

Get we have cotton candy? Yeah, but don't come crying to me when you get sick on the tilt-a-whirl.

When I was a kid, my brother would always drag me into the haunted house, try to scare me, but then he would get terrified, and start crying, we'd have to leave.

It was so satisfying.

Step right up, ladies and gentlemen! - Here's your chance to dunk a paramedic! - Enough brew, Jim! Yup, it's for a good cause.

For a good cause.

C'mon, ladies.

I hope for Jim's sake, that water's not cold.

Oh, he'll live.

Dulischner's show starts in five minutes.

We have to get in there.

I had to thumb-wrestle an eight-year-old to get these tickets.

I'll get the seats, you get the cotton candy.

Okay, blue? - Pink! - Okay.

Pink, pink, pink.

Ticket.

Can you, in fact, trust your senses? Is what you see an illusion? Because not everything is what it seems.

Thank you.

And you, even though you are late, you're so beautiful, I have a little gift for you.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, my lovely assistant Vera.

Will climb into this box.

And I will slice her in half, with this saw.

This is the part that always freaked my brother out, completely.

Is something the matter? What have you done? Oh, no! - Ambrose! - What did you do to me? Stop! Stop! How are you feeling? I'm feeling fine.

You're gonna be okay.

If you need anything, let us know.

Thank you both so much.

She's gonna be okay.

It's a superficial wound, no stitches.

We're just gonna go back to the booth.

Bobby.

Bye guys, see you later.

I can't believe I hurt you.

I'm okay.

You've done that trick dozens of times before, Ambrose.

What happened? I don't know.

I, uh the saw, it was so heavy, and I I don't know.

Like I couldn't control it.

You all right? I don't know.

Melinda, what did you see? Something not good, but that saw did not just slip.

Let's go this way.

Hey, Tess, over here.

Go away.

There are a lot of unhappy spirits here.

Why? A lot of people met their maker working at this carnival, but nobody ever wants to leave.

Why not? The carnival was the only place that would take us in life.

Who else would have us in death? Hey.

W hat what is it? Well, I guess whoever joins the carnival, stays with the carnival forever.

Come on.

Come on, it's for a good cause.

Come on, people.

Come on, Mitchell, you weakling.

Come on, right there, right there, you're gonna miss it.

Do you think she's gonna be ok? - I hope so.

He's not gonna get anything.

Jim? Whoo! Man! Would warm water have been too much to ask? I know, baby, it's for a good cause, but you scared me.

It would've been just as good a cause if they'd dunked me into a jacuzzi.

How you two doing? - Good, we're great.

I'm fine.

I'm fine, I just need to eat.

Whoo! Funnel cake, want some? - Yeah.

Sound good.

Bring two.

Why are these so good? It's just like fried dough and sugar.

Yes, that's why it's so good.

Mmm, nutritious too.

Full of vitamins and minerals.

Probably one of each.

Let's go get our fortunes told.

Okay.

Hello? - You're welcome fortune seekers.

You wanna go first? - Sure.

Make yourself comfortable.

Hello, I'm Lillia.

Sorry about the wait.

So, - you're here to have your fortune told.

You are psychic.

What? You know what, it's just the last time I had my fortune read, she said that I would be married by the end of the year, and that was 1999, and, hmm? People are so often mislead by phony or inaccurate readings.

When something doesn't come true, they're always disappointed.

Or relieved.

Would you like me to read your palm? Or do you prefer hypnosis? Not hypnosis, I have visions.

Walk like a Jim, so, - palm? - Right.

Okay, - first tell me your name.

Andrea Moreno.

Oh, you are a woman with many interests, Andrea.

A bit unfocused, but dedicated.

Extremely loyal in your friendships.

And you have a very strong money-line.

You have good financial instincts.

Can you fax that to my accountant? You've been in love, before.

Someone tall.

Green eyes.

Um yeah.

He blindsided you.

But that's all right.

You weren't supposed to be with him.

You knew that in you heart.

He, uh, he may have left you, but he did you a big favor.

You've since gone through many transitions in your life.

I'll say.

No, there's still more to come.

Many lessons to learn.

Do you have a brother? - Yeah.

Um - what? I see tears.

Pain.

You getting all that from her palm? - No, no, this is from her there are certain things I just feel.

When I'm around certain people, I sense things, it's really hard to explain.

I understand.

Something going to happen to my brother? It's probably not serious.

I'm sorry if I alarmed you.

Wait, wait a minute.

Can you check again? I'm sorry.

I think I need Little short of breath.

You should come back another time.

I'll make it up to you.

Wait, are you okay? Actually, I'm a little short of breath myself.

Melinda? You should go, go now.

What's happening? I think we should get out of here right now.

I can't breathe.

Melinda.

The door's stuck.

It won't open.

We had to get out of here.

This way.

No there's nothing there.

That's the only door.

The window.

No, I can't I can't go on the window.

I'll go first, okay, then you can jump.

Come on, this place is falling apart.

You see me? Why are you doing this? What do you have against the carnival? It's her.

It's the witch! Are you okay? Yeah, you were lucky.

You know, we've had more emergencies at this carnival than we've had in grandview in the last two weeks? - Is that all right? - Yeah.

Tell me again what happened? It was the strangest thing, all of a suden, it was like an earthquake.

Lie down for a while, I'm sure you'll be fine.

Is everything all right? I heard there was another accident.

Yeah, everything is fine.

Over here, Ambrose.

Lillia.

She's gonna be fine.

Who are those people? - I don't know, I just met them.

The whole time I felt this this pressure.

Like there was a cinderblock on my heart.

I could tell that Lillia felt the same way.

This ghost is intense.

Sounds like it.

I have to find him again before he hurts Lillia.

It's strange 'cause she seems so fragile.

Seems fragile.

Remember, you don't know anything about this girl.

I feel a connection with her, you know, both of us having gifts and not everybody understands.

That's a traveling carnival.

You don't have to get involved.

Right, like you would ever do that.

Like you would either.

I know you actually feels better, just take it easy anyway.

I promise.

All right, remember.

Any trouble.

Send up the bat signal.

Be safe.

You too.

Come in.

Lillia? Hi.

It's Melinda Gordon from yesterday.

It's nice of you to come back, but there's no need.

I just wanted to make sure you were okay.

Can I do a reading for you? It's the least I could do to repay you for your help yesterday.

Okay.

Now, these are oracle cards.

Please pick eight cards.

But don't turn them over.

Well you, um You've been lucky in love.

But you shoulder some heavy burdens.

Do you have a big family? A lot of people you care for? In a manner of speaking.

Yeah, the saints used to characterize their burdens as gifts from God.

Now this card here, you you have a level of consciousness that that goes beyond the earthly plane.

Have you ever had psychic visions? No, not like you do, anyway.

Psychic visions aren't all they're cracked up to be.

My family thought I was a freak.

They were very strict.

They didn't understand what I could do.

Yeah, I know the feeling.

You do.

I can tell.

You're a very empathetic person.

I can communicate with the dead.

See them and speak to them.

And my gift is to help them, because I'm the only one that can.

Are you saying that you saw someone here at the carnival? Here with you last night.

He was also at the magician Ambrose's show earlier.

He's in his 30s.

He's dressed all in black.

When I see him I can hear the rattling of chains, and its hard for me to catch my breath, you know? Almost like he can't catch his.

You know who he is, don't you? Do you know why he might still be here? Do you know why he's here with us right now? No.

I can't do this.

I'm sorry, I-- I have to leave.

Why doesn't she wanna speak to you? She and my brother killed me.

Five? Ten? Cool.

Five.

Ambrose the magician is your brother? Yes.

And a fine brother too.

Until he betrayed me.

Do you know when you died? Just after the carnival went back on the road.

We always go back on the road in april.

That was three months ago.

If you say so.

Feels like yesterday.

I might be able to help you.

All of you, if you just tell me what happened.

I was this carnival's main attraction.

Like every magicians, I took my inspiration from the great Houdini.

And my younger brother wanted nothing else but to follow in my footsteps.

He had the technique, but not the soul.

And Lillia? Lillia was the most beautiful girl in the carnival.

She joined up with us outside Chicago.

Running from a family she would never talk about.

The moment I laid eyes on her, I know I had to have her.

I did everything in my power to make her mine.

I couldn't stop thinking about her.

I became so obsessed with her that my work suffered.

As painful as it was for both of us, I know I had to keep her at arms length.

She never understood, when we were together we fought about not being together.

Perfecting my act.

Redesigning my act.

Making it more challenging, more extraordinary.

That was my priority.

It didn't leave much time for her.

But then one day I saw them together and I watched the way they looked at each other.

The way he caressed her face.

The way she walked into his arms and they held each other like lovers and I felt like my heart was tearing in two.

The thought of losing her.

Nothing else was important.

I knew that from now on she had to come first, At that moment I wanted to thank Ambrose for opening my eyes They took scenes together make me realized how much I loved her.

How stupid I was not to have seen the deceipt.

Then as if to mark me, on the day I died she read my cards for me and warned me of great danger.

Of course she knew, I wouldn't listen.

Why else would she go through with the charade? The perfect plan.

Ladies and gentlemen, Edward the great, master of illusions will now attempt to escape from the chains of death, shackled with 50 additional pounds of lead weight.

Submerged in a tomb of water.

Start the clock! I knew the instant I ran my tongue accross the key into my mouth - that something was wrong.

Five minutes! I've done this illusion thousands of times.

Then I was their faces through the glass.

They didn't looked at me, their eyes glued to the floor.

They knew the key wouldn't fit the lock, and they were waiting for me to realize it.

I was trapped in an illusion I couldn't escape.

I could hear the bubbles in my heart pounding in my ears.

I couldn't think, I panicked.

I wanted to reach out and grab her, scream at her, why? I wanted her to save me, I couldn't hold my breath any longer.

My lungs filled with water, and I felt this release.

Edward.

Then it was over.

Are you sure about this? Couldn't there be some other explanation? There's no margin for error in what I do.

It just seems so extreme.

If they were in love, why wouldn't they just tell you? There's more than that.

My brother Ambrose hated being in my shadow.

With me gone, he could have Lillia and he could take my place.

Your own brother.

I never thought it possible.

I tried to teach him, to protect him.

But the last thing I saw was Ambrose's face.

The look in his eyes.

He just stood there not even trying to help.

It's not good for you to stay here.

Your feeding your own anger and pain, you need to cross over into the light.

And what would I find there? - I'm not sure.

Peace? Understanding, maybe forgiveness.

Not interested.

Please let me help you.

I'll never cross over while their allowed to live and be in love.

They're gonna pay for what they did to me.

That's the only peace I want.

I didn't ask for your help.

Oh, hello, excuse me.

Could you co--ooh! Wow.

Sorry miss, the patrons aren't really supposed to be back here.

Yeah, sorry, I'm just looking for someone.

Trying to help a friend with a problem.

We take care of ourselves, understand? Do you know where I could find Lillia and Ambrose? Magician's tent.

Last person who stuck his nose in carnival business, ended up face down in a ditch.

Car troubles.

Went right through the windshield.

You can do this, Ambrose.

I know you can.

Just stay focused and relaxed.

Okay, you're right.

You just have to believe in it.

That's the only difference between you and Edward.

He believed he could do anything.

You're right, I can do it.

You'll never do it.

You'll never be as good as I was.

So stop trying.

Take him out! Take him out! Don't save him, let him drown like I did.

I can't do it.

I couldn't do it.

You will.

I'll never be as good as he was.

That is your punishment.

He didn't need to be attached to a safety cable.

Because he was arrogant, Ambrose.

That's why he's dead.

You have it in you to be great.

Even greater than Edward.

I just wish you could see yourself, the way that we see you, not the way your brother saw you.

Just stop talking about it.

It's bad luck to speak of the dead.

What are you doing here? - I just wanna find out the truth.

Well, there it is.

They're in love, that's the only truth that matters to them.

You oughta know how they broke my heart.

I think we could use a little something to take the edge off.

Thanks, Vera, but I really shouldn't.

Why? You knocked up or something? Wait, you mean you're pregnant? That's what you were telling my husband's partner, you're pregnant.

You were afraid for the baby's safety.

I can't believe this.

Is it true? Who are you? What are you doing here? My name is Melinda Gordon.

I was Lillia in the wagon.

When she had to go out the window, I know what happened.

Why it happened.

Lillia? What's she talking about? Can we not do this right now, please? - Ambrose, let's go.

What's going on? I've seen your brother.

I've spoken to him.

His spirit is still here.

He's with us right now.

Come.

Come, please.

Ambrose, let's go.

Let's go.

She never loved me.

I'm sure that's not true.

We take care of ourselves.

Damm.

My brakes! Everything's fine.

You're absolutely sure? Run every diagnostic test you can possibly okay, no, I hear you, okay.

Great.

Thanks a million, Christian.

I'll pick it up in the morning, okay? Car is fine.

I swear the brakes didn't work.

I believe you.

I also believe the car is fine, which means someone's trying to scare me.

Well, they did a pretty good job of scaring me.

I'm sorry.

Don't be, just I'll start riding my bike.

This is not a joke, all right? Look, thrills and chills are one thing, okay? Yeah, I know, I know.

I guess I just assumed Lillia was innocent.

'Cause we bonded over having a gift.

I guess maybe Edward was right about them.

Not everything is what it seems.

I have to try and get Ambrose to tell me the truth.

That's the only way that Edward will get closure and cross over.

Be careful.

I always am.

All right.

Your husband loves you very much.

I never loved anyone that well.

And now I never will.

Here.

Hmm? - The key.

Key.

You.

You say you saw my brother.

Yes.

He's here? - No, not right now.

But he haunts the carnival.

Because now he knows.

Knows what? Is there something that you wanna tell me, Ambrose? Lillia.

No, please stop.

I just need you to tell me the truth.

About what? Edward's stuck here.

You can help him if you'll just tell him what happened that night.

There's no use in hiding it any longer.

He knows about the baby.

But he needs to know the truth about you and Ambrose.

Okay.

I can tell you the truth.

This baby it's Edward's.

Edward was my whole life.

I knew that I came in a distant second to his magic, but I couldn't help it.

Nobody knew the real Edward, not the way I did.

How driven he was to succeed.

His fear of failure.

The pressure he used to put on himself.

Always trying to top his last illusion.

So when I found out I was pregnant, I thought that maybe a baby could change things.

We fought the night that he died.

I wanted him to know about the baby, I did but I was just scared.

I was scared that maybe he wouldn't want me to have it or so I had to tell somebody.

So I I told Ambrose.

And he loved his brother.

He was just afraid of him.

Ambrose told me that I needed to tell Edward the truth.

And I was going to that night after his performance, but it's was too late.

Is everything okay? - Just part of his show.

No, it's not working! Edward! I was just so afraid that something would happen to the baby.

That my grief would suffocate it.

But I held on.

Then to let go.

The baby has his father's tenacity.

How far along are you? Five months.

And Ambrose? Are you in love with him? Look when, two people share this kind of grief, it creates a connection.

I'm sure you see it a lot.

Ambrose is a good man, but I could never love him the way I loved Edward.

But why were you so scared? To know that Edward was with you? That Edward spirit was following you.

I just thought that he'd blame me for predicting his death.

But the key.

How did the key get switched? He's asking about how the key got switched.

I don't know.

But I swear to you it wasn't me.

I know it wasn't you.

Then who? What's this? Lillia? You all right? I don't know, Ambrose.

Your brother's here with us.

He wants to know what happened.

How the key got switched.

Why, he must've taken the wrong one.

Impossible.

You know, don't you Vera? How the key got switched.

Are you insane? What are you looking at me like that? Why it got switched.

Tell them why you switched the key.

You can't know that.

Is Edward telling you this? How do you know? I didn't.

Vera.

You killed my brother.

Ambrose, please.

You were never gonna come into your own when he was around, - he was smothering you.

Vera, what did you do? He was terrible to you.

He was terrible to all of us.

Do you think anyone shed a tear over his death? I did, Vera.

He taught me.

He protected me.

I loved him.

Lillia loved him.

She's carrying his child.

I love you, Ambrose.

Don't you see? I just I wanted to make all your dreams come true.

I gave that to you.

Is he really here? Edward? When he needed you he would make you feel like the most important person in the world.

And he would just throw you away.

Everyone's better off without him! - Wait, Ambrose, please.

Ambrose, stop.

Edward doesn't want you to go.

There's no point.

I'm so sorry that you had to hear all that, Edward, but doesn't it bring you some peace? What? He thought that we killed him? I saw it.

I saw it in your eyes when I was drowning.

I thought you wanted it to happen.

He thought you wanted it to happen.

Wanted him to die? No.

All I ever wanted was to hear you say, that I was good.

Instead of all the relentless criticism, I just wanted to be half as good as you.

I am so sorry, Ambrose.

How did I not see that? He's so sorry.

He doesn't understand why he didn't see that.

You were always looking behind you.

Or around you.

You never saw what was right in front of you.

She's right.

He sees things, he knows things that he didn't know when he was alive.

And now there's nothing I can do.

It's too late.

No, it's not too late.

He knows that he mistreated you both.

He didn't know how much you loved him.

I still love you.

Edward, I always will.

He feels like he doesn't deserve your love.

It's not something that you deserve or don't deserve.

It's what it is.

I love you.

Ambrose loves you and this child, your child will love you.

If I could have just one more day.

Just a few hours.

I would show both of you.

He wishes that he could have one more day with both of you.

You have a lifetime.

This baby.

You'll never be far.

Tell my brother to love Lillia.

Love her the way I never could.

I will.

I will.

Well, I guess the show must go on.

I'm glad Vera decided to turn herself in.

It would've been a spectacle.

Police cars and handcuffs.

Yeah, the perp walk.

Well, that's what it's called.

Ladies and gentlemen, the great Ambrose master of illusions will now attempt to escape from the chains of death, shackled with 50 additional pounds of lead weight.

Submerged in a tomb of water.