| The Tale of the Night Nurse | |
|---|---|
| Season 7 , Episode 13 | |
| |
| Air date | June 11, 2000 |
| Written by | Michael Koegel |
| Directed by | Mark Soulard |
| Episode guide | |
| Previous The Tale of Many Faces |
Next Part One: Submitted for Approval |
The Tale of the Night Nurse is the Thirteenth episode of the Seventh season of Are You Afraid of the Dark?, as well as the Ninety-First episode in total. Also, this episode was the Season Seven finale, as well as the series finale.
Cast[]
Midnight Society Cast[]
- Vanessa Lengies as Vange
- Elisha Cuthbert as Megan
- David Deveau as Andy
- Daniel DeSanto as Tucker
- Kareem Blackwell as Quinn
Story Cast[]
- Shadia Simmons as A.J.
- Kerry Duff as Nicki
- Charles Biddle, Sr. as Grampa
- Keenan MacWilliam as Emily Jerome
- Amanda Strawn as Emily's Mother/Mrs. Jerome
- Danette Mackay as The Night Nurse
Intro[]
That night, happens to be a very cold night. Megan enters the clearing requesting for a big campfire to be made because it's freezing. Tucker comes in next rubbing his cold hands together and remarks that it's really cold. While preparing the campfire, Andy accidentally sneezes at Quinn. Quinn is mad and snaps at him to sneeze somewhere else. Andy apologizes and Vange sitting next to him tell him: "Gesundheit".
The five of them are now sitting very close to the campfire, to keep themselves warm. Andy sneezes again, and a concerned Megan asks him if he has a cold. Andy says it's just allergies, but sneezes again. Tucker asks him if he's sure about it. So Vange asks him if he got his flu shot yet. Feeling frightened at the mention of it, Andy says no way. Quinn questions her about it. So she says that she gets a flu shot every year and asks them if they ever do. The boys all says no and Megan says no, because she has a fear of needles. Vange says it's just a little shot, and it's much better than getting sick. Quinn says there is nothing worse than getting a shot. Andy agrees with him, Vange tells that that she can think of something worse.
Heading over to the storyteller's chair, she says it's what her story is about. Because if you get really sick, somebody has to take care of you. Someone who knows how to make you better and you have to trust that person. Because they know what is best for you right? But what would happen, if the person who was taking care of you, was the one person in the world you should fear the most!? and nobody believed you? And nobody else knew or could help. Hearing this, Vange's friends are now intrigued and shocked.
Vange throws in the campfire dust. It makes the fire more intense while she submits her story for approval of The Midnight Society. She calls her story "The Tale of the Night Nurse" and begins her story.
Story[]
Vange tells the story. The story takes place during wintertime. One afternoon sisters A.J. and Nicki were just dropped off by their parents. They will be staying with their grandpa for a month. The girls think it's wonderful. Because for a month they'll be able to do whatever they want. Since their grandpa is a soft touch.
Shortly after arriving, A.J. is shoveling the driveway and steps. When suddenly Nicki starts a snowball fight. They are having a great time. They are throwing snowballs at each other. Then suddenly out of nowhere a Woman and her child appear. They're heading into the house carrying birthday presents. Nicki ducks just as A.J. tries to pelt her with a fastball. It misses and hits the woman. What they didn't know is that the woman and her child have suddenly disappeared.
A.J. and Nicki run inside the house. They ask their grandpa where the woman is. So A.J. can apologize for accidentally hitting her. Grandpa has no idea what they're talking about. They try to confirm that they saw a woman and her child coming inside. When Grandpa realizes they mean with birthday presents. He denies it. Then he strongly says that nobody else has been invited into the house.
That night, A.J. wakes up. She can hear music, noise and laughter coming from downstairs. A.J. calls asking who is there. But she gets no answer. Still hearing it, she slowly walks downstairs into the pitch black dining room. She finds a lit white birthday cake that reads: "Happy Birthday Emily". When she turns on the lights, the cake has vanished. Suddenly she looks into the mirror nearby. In the reflection, a group of people have appeared holding the cake screaming: "Surprise!". She is terrified and screams. She nearly bumps right into Nicki, who came downstairs hearing all the commotion and screaming. Nicki asks her what her problem is. But she just runs back upstairs scared straight.
The next morning, Grandpa asks them what all the noise and screaming from last night was all about. A.J. tries to explain that she heard sounds and saw visions of people in the dining room. Nicki just laughs saying that she's twelve years old and already going crazy. Grandpa just ignores it. He makes them a breakfast of dried cereal and strawberries. Nicki lectures A.J. Because she can't eat strawberries. Because she is allergic to them. Grandpa says he forgot and apologizes.
A little later that day, A.J. suddenly sees a ghost of a girl. The girl is getting ready to head down the stairs. She is carrying a big pile of birthday presents. Realizing that she was going to trip and fall, she called out to her to be careful. The girl tries to be careful. Then she stops midway to pick up her bracelet. But afterwards she trips and the presents go tumbling. Then suddenly the girl and the presents vanish. This leaves A.J. scared out of her skin and screaming.
Hearing her scream, Grandpa and Nicki come in concerned. They ask her what the problem is. A.J. tells them what she saw. Nicki doesn't believe it. Then Grandpa says she must have seen: "The birthday girl". Grandpa takes them to his attic. He explains that during their visit he was hoping they wouldn't be bothered by the ghost. Because he didn't want them to be scared.
Grandpa, explains that 40 years ago (from when this aired) a girl just about A.J.'s age fell down the stairs during her birthday party. She injured her leg and had to stay in bed. The girl's mother hired a night nurse to look after her. However, they say that the Night Nurse was a little crazy. One night when the girl was sleeping, she filled a hypodermic needle with poison. Then gave it to her and she never woke up. The Night Nurse claimed that she was innocent. Until the day she died in prison.
Grandpa tells him he found out everything. Because when he moved into his house, The girls family had forgotten an old trunk. Which contained old newspapers and family memorabilia. Even the girl's old birthday dress. From reading the article, they learn the poor girls name was Emily. Nicki figures that her ghost haunts the house. Because of unfinished business. A.J. figures that Emily wants their help. So she's trying to tell them something. (Also what they don't realize, is the house is trapped in a time loop. Of the day of Emily's birthday). Grandpa then tells them that since they know, not to mess around with ghosts and let them rest in peace.
The girls, try to contact Emily's ghost. So they buy a chocolate cake. They light the candles and call out to her telling her happy birthday. Then they invite her over to come and have some cake. When that doesn't work, they realize they can at least enjoy the cake themselves. Nicki blows out the candles, making a wish for the ghost to appear. However they get more than they bargained for! Tampering with birthday magic, has caused the ghost of the murderous Night Nurse to appear! The Nurse is armed with her needle, She seriously says that it's time to give them a shot! They both scream terrified. They drop the cake and run.
They tell their grandpa and he is furious. He regrets telling them the story. Since he knew that it would scare them. Grandpa doesn't believe that the ghost of The Night Nurse has appeared. Because all the years he's lived in the house, the only ghost he's ever seen is Emily's. Apparently she is harmless. He tells them to clean up the mess and to once again stop fooling around with ghosts. Nicki runs up to the attic. She searches for clues in the trunk to see if they can help Emily. A.J. soon joins her. A.J. decides to try on Emily's birthday dress, and it's a perfect fit.
Suddenly, the attic is tidy and Nicki is not there. A.J. is now dressed just like Emily. Confused she walks around looking for answers. She sees the big pile of birthday presents. Then a woman at the bottom of the stairs, refers to her as Emily. It is Emily's mother. She tells her to bring her presents downstairs. So she can open them. A.J is shocked to realize that putting on the dress, she's been transported through time, and she's now Emily. She quickly takes off the dress and returns to the present.
She explains what just happened to Nicki. But she doesn't believe her. She scoffs asking if the Nurse was there as well. When opening the door to head back down, The Nurse is there. She says that she's been waiting for them! Nicki locks the door, realizing they're doomed. A.J. suggests she'll go back in time as Emily, and not fall down the stairs. By not falling down the stairs, Emily will never get injured. Therefore she will not meet the cruel fate of the Night Nurse's poisonous needle. Therefore they will no longer be victims of the Night Nurses' ghost who is now after them.
Nicki, is worried that A.J. might mess it up. So she wants to be the one to do it. However the dress won't fit her. Reluctantly she lets her sister do it. Just before A.J. puts on the dress, the Nurse says to open the door because she's losing her patience. Nicki replies by saying that she is about to lose both patients. A.J. puts on the dress and travels to the past again. However The Nurse has found a key. So she has let herself into the attic!
A.J. (as Emily) maps out everything very carefully. As she saw her mother again she is warned to be careful coming down the stairs. The Nurse tauntingly tells Nicki that she knows that she's hiding somewhere and she will find her. The Nurse finds a terrified Nicki hiding in a chest.
Then suddenly in the past, A.J. (as Emily) carefully puts the presents down to pick up the bracelet. She realizes that bending over suddenly to grab it must have made Emily trip in the first place. She cheers and feeling overconfident. Therefore she quickly climbs down the rest of the stairs. Then suddenly she trips and comes tumbling down and passes out. Her mother comes running to her. She cries out for a doctor.
Nicki is huddling and terrified. As The Nurse is about to give her the poisonous shot. She says that it will only hurt a bit. Then that sensing Emily needs a nurse, she says that she is needed somewhere. So she will deal with her later. The Nurse suddenly vanishes, leaving her screaming. She closes the trunk and resumes hiding.
A little later, A.J. (as Emily) wakes up thinking it was a dream. Only to realize she's in Emily's room. She is now in the clutches of The Night Nurse! The Nurse thinks that she has had some memory loss, when hearing her say that she isn't Emily. She tries to seem nice. She says that she understands that she's had quite an accident. Now she wants her to help her and give her some "Medicine".
A.J. (as Emily), is just about to be given the shot. Then she throws it away into a nearby teddy bear. The Nurse tells her not to do it again, retrieving the needle. A.J. (as Emily) panics running around looking for a place to hide. However everywhere she hides, The Nurse just instantly appears saying that she can't hide. A.J. (as Emily) screams running off and tries to take off the dress. But now it's stuck this time.
She encounters The Nurse over and over again. The Nurse is now getting very exasperated and grabs by the head. She bites her and gets free. The Nurse is now impatient saying that with one little prick the penicillin will make her feel all better. A.J. (as Emily) remembers that Emily dropped her bracelet. Which happened to be her medical alert bracelet. She quickly tells The Nurse that she's allergic to it. The Nurse (probably heard this many times from people who hate needles) doesn't believe her at first. Then A.J. (as Emily) says that she is. So she shows her the medical alert bracelet that reads: "Penicillin".
The Nurse, looks at it very seriously. She gets very serious and tells her to never take it off again! The Nurse now gets very emotional. It is almost like she's going to cry. The Nurse tells her that without that bracelet on, she didn't know. Therefore, if she gave her the shot, she might have been killed from an allergic reaction! She tells The Nurse: Well yeah! The Nurse promises to give her no more shots. Then she nicely helps her out of the dress.
A.J. is sent back to the present. She explains to her sister that The Night Nurse only made a mistake. She didn't mean to kill her. The whole thing was a misunderstanding. Looking through the trunk, they now discover that Emily's history was altered. Emily didn't die. She graduated from high school in 1965, and went on living. Nicki applauds her for not screwing this up. Their Grandpa asks them if their done hunting ghosts now. They happily say: yes.
Ending[]
Vange ends her story saying "The end". Quinn is impressed telling her that it was great. Andy says that The Nurse didn't mean to hurt Emily. She just made a mistake. Vange says: "Exactly". Megan says "And that's supposed to make want to go get a flu shot?.. I don't think so".. Suddenly, Andy sneezes again. Quinn is mad telling him keep his nasty germs to himself. Then suddenly Tucker sneezes, too. He replies saying that he now hopes that he's not getting sick. Now Megan expresses concern and suddenly she now sneezes too.
They all get up, with Quinn saying that he hopes the clearing isn't becoming like a nest of germs. Suddenly he sneezes as well. Tucker suggests for them not to breathe on anyone. Megan has a better suggestion: For everyone to take different routes home. The four of them all agree. So the four of them each hurry home on a different route.
Then afterwards, Vange puts out the campfire. She laughs and smirks. She is about to say: "If they had just gotten their flu shots". When suddenly she now sneezes too. She is annoyed and screams out loud :"Aww man! Now you guys got me sick!". She then hurries to get home for the night.
- Vange's last story.
- Amanda Strawn, who portrayed Emily's Mother, had made two previous appearances in the show during the original series. She first appeared in "The Tale of the Shiny Red Bicycle" as Nurse. Her second appearance was in the episode "The Tale of the Chameleons" as Mrs. Robinson.
- Danette Mackay, who portrayed The Nurse, previously in the show before. She first appeared in the episode "The Tale of the Wisdom Glass" as The Keeper.
- Shadia Simmons and Kerry Duff also appeared together as sisters in another program. They also appeared as sisters Alicia and Margo in the Goosebumps episode "The Night of the Living Dummy II".
- Keenan MacWilliam would soon become well known for her role of Carole Hanson, in the television series The Saddle Club.
- Kerry Duff, who portrayed Nicki, is the younger sister of Shannon Duff. Shannon Duff appeared in the original series episode "The Tale of the Quiet Librarian" as Laurie Napier.
- Nicki states that ghosts always return due to having unfinished business. Outside of the story, Megan previously says this when prefacing "The Tale of the Walking Shadow," for which Vange was present. Hearing this may have inspired Vange to give the character of Nicki the same belief.
- It was never explained whether or not the show was cancelled or just ended after this episode.
- This is the third episode in which history is altered, changing the fate of the tragic victims. The first two were "The Tale of Locker 22" and The Tale of the Long Ago Locket.
- The Night Nurse is mentioned in "Ghost Island", the third season of the 2019 reboot. That makes this the only episode from the revival seasons to be referenced in the reboot thus far.
- DJ MacHale has said that this is one of his favorite episodes.
