History Recap / AreYouAfraidOfTheDarkSeason5TheTaleOfTheDeadMansFloat

* NoNameGiven: While Clorice addresses it as "Red", the credits refer to the evil spirit as the "Corpse".

* EducationThroughPyrotechnics: The present-day portion of the story starts with an explosion in a high school chemistry class. The heroes use supplies from the same lab to defeat the ghost.

* SinisterSilhouette: Across the decades-closed swimming pool, a bit of the covering sheet briefly rises in a human-shaped bulge...

* DeadBecauseOfMe: A possible subversion; while Charlie is grief-stricken and traumatised by his inability to save Billy, he doesn't openly blame himself.

* ShoutOut:
** Habitation of a swimming pool by a murderous spectral corpse somewhat recalls a scene in the climax of ''[[Film/{{Poltergeist1982}} Poltergeist]]''.

* BigDamnHeroes: Zeke jumps into the pool to distract the Corpse from Clorice, Charlie lifts Zeke from the water and out of immediate danger, and Clorice gives the Corpse a lethal dose of manganite.

Forty-two years later, in a smoke-filled Chemistry classroom, a model volcano spits small explosions. Zeke, the volcano's builder apologises for his slight miscalculation.

* DeadBecauseOfMe: A possible subversion; while Charlie is grief-stricken and traumatised by his inability to save Billy, he doesn't openly blame himself for it.

Having moved home, Frank is no longer able to attend Midnight Society meetings. Gary commemorates the departure, and announces tonight's trial of a new prospective member, who, with a sack on his head, is led into the clearing by Tucker. Kiki, already acquainted with Stig, protests. To the tree stump by the stone chair, Tucker directs Stig - who further muddies the water by using Sam's sweater as a cushion. Stig admits to being often told to clean up his act - but argues that sometimes, things are as they are for a reason - and enforced change isn't always for the better. Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, he calls this story "The Tale of the Dead Man's Float".

In 1954, while young Billy jumps into the newly opened school swimming pool. He grimaces at a sudden noxious stench. From beneath, an unseen hand grabs him and wrenches him beneath the water. He breaks to the surface, but is dragged under again. He breaks to the surface again and screams for help. From the office, lifeguard Charlie, having been fooling around with Billy's older sister Cindy, leaps into the water...

In the boy's changing room, behind a locker, is a door marked "TO POOL". In a dim hall, a huge black sheet lies across a disused swimming pool. It opened briefly in the 1950s, before a surprisingly swift closure. Thrilled, Clorice decides to lobby for its re-opening. As the two leave, caretaker Charlie, having secretly followed them, casts a wary eye at the pool. In the black sheet rises a human-shaped bulge...

Weeks later, the swim team have their very own pool. During a practise session, Clorice and Greta swim to the edge. Greta suddenly notices a strange, severely unpleasant smell - Cloricw supposes the pipes must still be dirty. As they both climb out, something beneath the water vainly lunges for her ankles...

Zeke notices a rancid smell - it reminds him of acid. In the water, something seizes his hand and wrenches him head first into the pool. With a gasp, he breaks free to the surface. Clorice pulls him onto the dinghy. Stunned with fear, he reports, in total seriousness, to have been grabbed. Clorice can only suppose it to have been some kind of manifestation of his phobia. The dinghy is violently bumped from beneath. It bucks violently. Something seizes Clorice's wrist and drags her toward the water. Just in time, Zeke grabs her. With forced calm, Clorice suggests they just stay put until someone comes.

With Clorice and Charlie, Zeke hurries into the locker room. He realises the Corpse to be made of water. Charlie lies on a bench, in shock. Nearby, the grill of a floor drain starts to emit a dark red liquid. Zeke sniffs - and the Corpse is standing over them. Clorice screams, and they both run.

By the pool, they despair at having left Charlie defenceless - but how to stop the Corpse? Suddenly, Clorice has an idea. She takes the bottle of manganite - as previously combined by Zeke with water for the combustive effects of his volcano. Clorice tries to unscrew the cap, but Zeke knocks it out of her hands and into the pool; if it touches the moisture on her hands, this stuff will burn them - she needs gloves.

The water around the Corpse, including that of which its spectral body consists, steams and froths. The Corpse writhes in panic, and dissolves into white vapour.

The evil spirit, closes Stig, never bothered anyone again, and Charlie was no longer tortured by his memories. The Midnight Society huddle for a vote. Sam affirms the story to be great, but the vote has to be unanimous, but wasn't. Stig graciously thanks them for the shot. However, add Betty Anne and Gary, they've decided to invite him to a few more meetings, with an eventual second chance. If by then Kiki can abide his company, then he's in.

Weeks later, the swim team have their very own pool. During a practise session, Clorice and Greta swim to the edge. Greta suddenly notices a strange, severely unpleasant smell - Cloricw supposes the pipes must still to be dirty. As they both climb out, something beneath the water vainly lunges for her ankles...

Weeks later, the swim team have their very own pool. During a practise session, Clorice and Greta swim to the edge. Greta suddenly notices a strange, severely unpleasant smell. Clorice supposes the pipes still to be dirty. Beneath the water, something approaches the water-treading legs of Clorice and Greta, both of whom choose precisely that moment to climb out. As Clorice lags marginally behind, something lunges for her ankles...

Zeke desperately treads water, and backs to the edge of the pool. From behind, Charlie lifts him out of the pool. Clorice, now wearing rubber gloves, hurls some manganite into the pool.

Touched by his confidence, Clorice slips into the water; leans on the dinghy, reassures Zeke against any such threat in a swimming pool, and coaxes him into putting his hand into the water. He does so. Clorice is abruptly pulled underwater.

Zeke yells in fright, and hurries to the edge of the dinghy. Clorice emerges, spluttering. By the dinghy, Greta pops up with a yell of "Boo!" swims ashore, and leaves.

In the changing room, draped in towels, a badly shaken Zeke and Clorice sip from mugs. Charlie stares ahead, in weary, abject horror. Having been the lifeguard when the pool first opened, his girlfriend's little brother drowned. When Charlie tried to save him, a powerful, unseen grip pulled the boy away from him. The boy died. No one believed Charlie - until three more people drowned.

By the deserted pool, Clorice, having borrowed the key from her coach, reassures Zeke of their unlikeliness to be caught, and that yes, she has taught swimming before. Noticing his severe unease, she decides to take it slow.

In a small dinghy, the two float across the water. Zeke relates a childhood incident when, while swimming in a pond, he got his foot entangled in some underwater plants. Narrowly saved from drowning by his brother, Zeke henceforth lived in irrational dread of some underwater menace, waiting to reclaim him.

In 1954, while young Billy jumps into the newly opened school swimming pool, lifeguard Charlie adjourns to the office, where he and Billy's older sister Cindy proceed to fool around.

Billy grimaces at a sudden noxious stench. From beneath, an unseen hand grabs him and wrenches him beneath the water. He breaks to the surface, but is dragged under again. Suddenly terrified, he breaks to the surface again and screams for Charlie.

Cindy screams. Charlie grabs a life buoy, and leaps into the water...

Forty-two years later, in a smoke-filled Chemistry lab, a working model volcano spits small explosions. Zeke, the volcano's builder apologises for his slight miscalculation.

Greta asks Zeke what went wrong. Mixing manganite with water, says Zeke, is always combustive - he just miscalculated the ratio. As the class disperses, Zeke sneaks a wistful look at Clorice, and gingerly approaches her: being on the swim team, she might be interested in his recent find. She agrees to meet him tomorrow, 7:30, at the gym.

Zeke leads her to the boys' empty changing room. He pushes aside a locker, behind which is a door marked "TO POOL".

In a dim hall, a huge black sheet lies across a disused swimming pool. It opened briefly in the 1950s, before a surprisingly swift closure.

Thrilled, Clorice decides to lobby for its re-opening. As the two leave, Charlie, having secretly followed them, casts a wary eye at the pool. In the black sheet rises a human-shaped bulge...

After a few weeks, the swim team have their very own pool. During a practise session, Clorice and Greta swim to the edge. Greta suddenly notices a strange, severely unpleasant smell. Clorice supposes the pipes still to be dirty. Beneath the water, something approaches the water-treading legs of Clorice and Greta, both of whom choose precisely that moment to climb out. As Clorice lags marginally behind, something lunges for her ankles...

Zeke wonders if they should go, but Clorice, determined to help him, reiterates her assurance against anything that might grab him. Beneath the water, something watches.

Zeke notices a rancid smell - it reminds him of acid. In the water, something seizes his hand and wrenches him head first into the pool. With a gasp, he breaks free to the surface. Clorice pulls him onto the dinghy. Stunned with fear, he reports, in total seriousness, to have been grabbed. Clorice can only suppose it to have been some kind of manifestation of his phobia. The dinghy is violently bumped from beneath. It bucks frantically. Something seizes Clorice's wrist and drags her toward the water. Just in time, Zeke grabs her. With forced calm, Clorice suggests they just stay put until someone comes.

With a lurch, the dinghy upends, tipping them into the water. Treading water, Clorice gently takes hold of Zeke. Beside them, the end of a long pole slips into the water. Charlie the caretaker yells at her to grab it.

Forty-two years later, in a smoke-filled Chemistry lab, students take cover behind their desks. The smoke comes from a working model volcano, whose mouth spits two small explosions. Zeke, the volcano's builder apologises for his slight miscalculation.

As Zeke wipes the desk, Clorice, to her friend Greta, disdains Zeke's tendency to such antics. Greta, rather more enamoured, compares him to a puppy in need of care.

Greta asks Zeke what went wrong. Mixing manganite with water, says Zeke, is always combustive - he just miscalculated the ratio.

As the class disperses, Mr. Brooks tells Zeke to leave the cleaning to caretaker Charlie. Zeke sneaks a wistful look at Clorice, and gingerly approaches her: being on the swim team, she might be interested in his recent find. She agrees to meet him tomorrow, 7:30, at the gym.

Zeke hesitantly leads her into the deserted boys' changing room. He drags aside a locker. Behind it is a door marked "TO POOL".

Suddenly thrilled, Clorice decides to lobby for its re-opening. As the two leave, Charlie, having secretly followed them, casts a wary eye at the pool. In the black sheet rises a human-shaped bulge...

Some time later, in a small dinghy, the two float across the water. Zeke relates a childhood incident when, while swimming in a pond, he got his foot entangled in some underwater plants. Narrowly saved from drowning by his brother, Zeke henceforth lived in irrational dread of some underwater menace, waiting to reclaim him.

Touched by his confidence, Clorice slips into the water; leans on the dinghy, reassures Zeke against any such threat in a swimming pool, and coaxes him into putting his hand into the water. He does so. With a reassuring smile, Clorice starts another suggestion, but is abruptly pulled underwater.

Zeke wonders if they should go, but Clorice vows to help him, and reiterates her assurance against anything that might grab him. Beneath the water, something watches.

Zeke notices a rancid smell - it reminds him of acid. In the water, something seizes his hand and effortlessly wrenches him head first into the pool. With a gasp, he breaks free to the surface. Clorice pulls him onto the dinghy. Stunned with fear, he reports, in total seriousness, to have been grabbed. Clorice can only suppose it to have been some kind of manifestation of his phobia. The dinghy is violently bumped from beneath. It bucks frantically. Something seizes Clorice's wrist and drags her toward the water. Just in time, Zeke grabs her. Forcing herself to keep calm, Clorice suggests they just stay put until someone comes.

With a lurch, the dinghy upends, tipping the two into the water. Treading water, Clorice gently takes hold of Zeke. Beside them, the end of a long pole slips into the water. Charlie the caretaker yells at her to grab it.

The pool was built, he explains, on the site of an old cemetery, whose bodies were moved. Charlie supposes they must have missed one - its spirit must want revenge for being disturbed. Zeke has an idea. He leads Clorice and Charlie to the Chemistry lab, and takes a bottle of Methyl Orange: It's time for an experiment! As they head out, Clorice also takes the bottle of manganite used for Zeke's volcano.

Deep in the pool, a region of water starts to darken and bubble. As the dye spreads, the water it touches blooms into a vaporous shape. A man-sized mass of dark red starts to solidify. In the water, a crouching, lividly red figure launches a hand to grab Zeke's shirt. Charlie pulls Zeke back. Clorice screams.

Before them, chest-deep in the pool, stands, shrouded in drapes of rotted cloth, a figure whose bare skull is matted with ancient wisps of hair. The entire profile, body and shroud, is bleached dark, pinkish red. The eyeless face stares at Charlie, who stands frozen with horror. While Clorice steers Charlie away, Zeke grabs an oar. As the red Corpse reaches for him, Zeke swings, but the oar, with a splash of water, passes seamlessly through it.

With Clorice and Charlie, Zeke hurries into the locker room. He realises the Corpse to be made of water. Charlie lies on a bench, in shock. Nearby, the grill of a floor drain starts to bubble forth a dark red liquid. Since the Corpse can't hide any more, Zeke realises, it's left the water to take its vengeance on dry land. Suddenly, Zeke sniffs - and the Corpse is standing over them. Clorice screams, and they both run.

With a strangled yell, Zeke leaps into the pool. The Corpse turns around to regard its fresh prey. Clorice, woken from her trance, carries the bottle out of the pool. She pulls on Zeke’s rubber gloves.

* EndearinglyDorky: Greta is openly fond of Zeke's polite, naive enthusiasm. On his revelation of the secret pool; offer to tutor Clorice in chemistry, and confidence of his hydrophobia, she warms to him.

Having recently moved home, Frank is no longer able to attend the meetings of the Midnight Society. Gary commemorates the departure, and announces tonight's trial of a new prospective member, who, with a sack on his head, is led into the clearing by Tucker. Kiki wryly greets the new arrival. Tucker lifts the sack, revealing the face of his friend Stig.

-->'''Stig:''' Hi, babe! \

He kisses Kiki on the cheek. Aghast, she retreats to the fire. Already acquainted with Stig, she protests Tucker's choice of sponsorship. Gary fears unrest. Tucker demands a fair hearing for his friend. The others quietly ascent. To the tree stump by the stone chair, Tucker directs Stig - who further muddies the water by using Sam's sweater as a cushion. Stig admits to being often told to clean up his act - but argues that sometimes, things are as they are for a reason - and enforced change isn't always for the better. Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, he calls this story "The Tale of the Dead Man's Float".

In 1954, at the newly opened school swimming pool, young Billy calls for permission from lifeguard Charlie to jump into the pool. Charlie airily tells him to be careful. While Billy happily leaps in, Charlie adjourns to the registration office, where he and Billy's older sister Cindy proceed to fool around.

Charlie treads water. From beneath the water, something watches him.

Billy grimaces at a sudden noxious stench. From beneath, an unseen hand grabs him and wrenches him beneath the water. Shocked, he breaks to the surface, but is dragged under again. Suddenly terrified, he breaks to the surface again and screams for Charlie.

While Charlie and Cindy snog, they hear Billy scream, and rush to the pool. In panicked, abject terror, Billy thrashes in a desperate struggle to stay afloat.

-->'''Billy: ''There's something in the pool!'''''\

Cindy screams. Charlie grabs a life buoy, and leaps into the water.

Forty-two years later, in a smoke-filled Chemistry lab, students take cover behind their desks. The smoke comes from a working model volcano, whose mouth spits two small explosions, and spews bubbling foam.

From behind the teacher's desk, Mr. Brooks and Zeke Matthews, the volcano's builder, emerge. Zeke apologises for his slight miscalculation.

As Zeke wipes the desk, Clorice, to her friend Greta, disdains Zeke's tendency to such antics. Greta, rather more enamoured, compares him to a puppy in need of care. She urges Greta to the desk, to help Zeke clean up.

As the class disperses, Mr. Brooks tells Zeke to leave the cleaning to Charlie the caretaker. Zeke sneaks a wistful look at Clorice, and gingerly approaches her; being on the swim team, she might be interested in his recent find.

Disdainfully amused by his offer of something fun, she agrees to meet him tomorrow, 7:30, at the gym.

Zeke hesitantly leads her into the deserted boys' changing room. He opens the outermost locker, and grabs it. Last week, he attempted to calculate the volume of the school and made a surprising discovery. He drags the locker aside. Behind it stands a door marked "TO POOL".

In a dim, chair-strewn hallway, a huge black sheet lies across a disused swimming pool. Zeke learned the pool to have opened briefly in the 1950s, before a surprisingly swift closure.

Suddenly thrilled, Clorice decides to lobby for its re-opening. Zeke isn't sure, but she's adamant, and thanks Zeke for his industrious revelation. Buoyed by her praise, he begins to suggest they get together sometime, but is warned not to push it.

As the two leave, Charlie, having secretly followed them, casts a wary eye at the pool. A human-shaped region of the black sheet briefly rises.

Clorice, narrates Stig, campaigns tirelessly for the pool's re-opening. After a few weeks, the swim team have their very own pool. During a practise session, Clorice and Greta swim to the edge and reflect happily on their new asset.

Beneath the water, as a girl swims overhead, something unseen watches. Greta suddenly notices a strange, severely unpleasant smell. Clorice supposes the pipes still to be dirty. While the girls discuss the smell, the unseen presence glides through the depths, turns to face the edge of the pool, approaches the water-treading legs of Clorice and Greta. Very fortunately, they choose precisely that moment to climb out. As Clorice lags marginally behind, something lunges for her ankles. As her feet leave the water, it sinks to the floor of the pool.

By the deserted pool, Clorice, having borrowed the key from her coach, reassures Zeke of their unlikeliness to be caught, and that yes, she has taught swimming before. Noticing his severe unease, she consents to take it slow.

Some time later, in a small dinghy, the two float across the water. Gently amused, she asks why the water scares him. Zeke coyly relates a childhood incident when, while swimming in a pond, he got his foot entangled in some underwater plants. Narrowly saved from drowning by his brother, Zeke henceforth lived in irrational dread of some underwater menace, waiting to reclaim him.

Touched by his confidence, Clorice slips into the water, leans on the dinghy, reassures Zeke against any such threat in a swimming pool, and coaxes him into putting his hand into the water. He does so, and swiftly withdraws it. With a reassuring smile, Clorice begins another suggestion, but is abruptly pulled underwater.

Zeke yells in fright, and hurries to the edge of the dinghy. Clorice emerges, spluttering. By the dinghy, Greta pops up with a yell of "Boo!" and swims ashore. Clorice climbs back aboard the dinghy, and chides her friend's vindictive prank. Greta mocks Clorice's sudden change of heart towards Zeke, doubts the liaison to be in exchange for chemistry tuition, and storms off.

A tad shaken, Zeke wonders if they should go, but Clorice avows to help him, and reiterates her assurance against anything that might grab him. In the water beneath the dinghy, something watches.

Clarice directs Zeke to put his hand in the water again. As he does so, he notices a faint, rancid smell. Clorice wonders what it is. It reminds Zeke of acid. In the water, something seizes his hand and effortlessly wrenches him head first into the pool.

Clorice yells in horror, and frantically looks around the pool for Zeke. With a gasp, he breaks free to the surface. She takes his hand and pulls him onto the dinghy. Zeke gasps for breath. Stunned with fear, he reports, in total seriousness, to have been grabbed. Clorice can only suggest it to have been some kind of manifestation of his phobia. As he begins to concede, the dinghy is violently bumped from beneath. It bucks frantically.

As the two paddle for dear life, something seizes Clorice's wrist and violently drags her toward the water. Just in time, Zeke grabs her. The water is suddenly calm. Shaken, Clorice is now in no doubt that something is in the pool. Forcing herself to keep calm, she suggests they just stay put until someone comes.

Zeke notices the acid smell. With a lurch, the dinghy upends, tipping the two into the water. Treading water, Clorice gently takes hold of Zeke, and prepares to swim to shore. Beside them, the end of a long pole slips into the water. Charlie the caretaker yells at her to grab it.

In the changing room, draped in towels, the badly shaken Zeke and Clorice sip from mugs. Zeke asks Charlie what just tried to drown them. Charlie stares ahead, in weary, abject horror. Having been the lifeguard when the pool first opened, his girlfriend's little brother drowned. When Charlie tried to save him, a powerful, unseen grip pulled the boy away from him. The boy died.

-->'''Charlie:''' Nobody believed me... until three more people drowned. They closed down the pool... People forgot all about it... until now.

The pool was built, he explains, on the site of an old cemetery, whose bodies were moved. Charlie supposes they must have missed one - its spirit must want revenge for being disturbed. Clorice gravely realises that history is set to repeat itself. Zeke has an idea. He leads Clorice and Charlie to the Chemistry lab, and takes a bottle of Methyl Orange: It's time for an experiment! As they head out, Clorice also takes the bottle of manganite used for Zeke's volcano.

They stand by the pool. Zeke, in a pair of rubber gloves, pours in some Methyl Orange. If, as its smell suggests, the spectral fiend is made of acid, exposure to Methyl Orange should turn it red. Soon enough, the smell returns.

Deep in the pool, a region of water begins to darken and bubble. As the dye spreads, the water it touches blooms into a vaporous shape. A man-sized mass of dark red begins to solidify. Zeke stoops for a closer look. In the water, a crouching, lividly red figure launches a hand to grab Zeke's shirt. Charlie hastily pulls Zeke back. Clorice screams.

Before them, chest-deep in the pool, stands, shrouded in drapes of rotted cloth, a figure whose bare skull is matted with ancient wisps of hair. The entire profile, body and shroud, is bleached dark, pinkish red. Zeke and Clorice run. The eyeless face stares at Charlie, who stands paralysed with horror. Clorice and Zeke hastily return. While Clorice steers Charlie away, Zeke grabs an oar. As the red corpse reaches for him, Zeke swings, but the oar, with a splash of water, passes seamlessly through it.

Zeke hurries into the locker room. He realises the Corpse to be made of water. Charlie lies on a bench, in shock. Zeke realises him to need a doctor.

Nearby, the grill of a floor drain begins to bubble forth a dark red liquid. Since the Corpse can't hide any more, Zeke realises, it's left the water to take its vengeance on dry land. Meanwhile, from the drain, dark water seeps onto the floor. Suddenly, Zeke sniffs - and the Corpse is standing over them. Clorice screams, and they both run.

By the pool, they despair at having left Charlie defenceless - but how to stop the Corpse? Suddenly, Clorice has an idea. She takes the bottle of manganite - as previously combined by Zeke with water for the combustive effects of his volcano. Clorice begins to unscrew the cap, but Zeke knocks it out of her hands and into the pool; if it touches the moisture on her hands, this stuff will burn them - she needs gloves.

Clorice dives into the pool after the bottle. Meanwhile, on the tiles by Zeke, red water oozes towards the pool. Clorice surfaces with the bottle. Zeke yells at her to swim, as the Corpse is in the water. Sure enough, it retains its skeletal form, towers above the surface of the pool, and begins to wade towards her. Zeke yells in desperation for her to move, but she's paralysed with fear.

With a strangled yell, Zeke leaps into the pool. The Corpse turns around to regard its fresh prey. Clorice, woken from her trance, carries the bottle out of the pool. The Corpse slowly inches towards Zeke. Clorice, by the pool, pulls on Zeke’s rubber gloves.

Zeke desperately treads water, and backs to the edge of the pool. The eyeless face stares in fiendish anticipation. From behind Zeke, Charlie lifts him out of the pool. Clorice, now wearing rubber gloves, brings forth the bottle of manganite.

-->'''Clorice:''' Yo, Red! Catch! \

She hurls a spurt of manganite. The water around the Corpse, including that of which its spectral body consists, steams and froths. The Corpse writhes in panic, and dissolves into white vapour. Overawed with relief, Charlie softly thanks them both.

The evil spirit, closes Stig, never bothered anyone again, and Charlie was no longer tortured by his memories. While Clorice learned a newfound appreciation for chemistry, she showed Zeke there was fun to be had beyond study - although Zeke still didn't much care for water. The Midnight Society huddle for a vote. Stig, curious about the Midnight Dust, tastes a sample.

-->'''Gary:''' Hey! \

With mutual groans of distaste, they resume their vote. They turn with their decision. Sam affirms the story to be great, but the vote has to be unanimous, which it wasn't. Stig graciously thanks them for the shot. However, add Betty Anne and Gary, they've decided to invite him to a few more meetings, with an eventual second chance. If by then Kiki can abide his company, then he's in. With the bag back on Stig's head, Tucker leads him home.

* ToughRoom: Despite the story being good, even universally agreed on by fans as the scariest episode in the series, the Midnight Society don't think it's good enough to let Stig join.

* DeadpanSnarker: Clorice sometimes wryly relieves Zeke's inordinate worries.

* DeadBecauseOfMe: A possible subversion; while Charlie is grief-stricken and traumatised by his inability to save Billy, he doesn't openly blame himself for it.