(narrator) a beautiful summer day
full of adventure for a young boy.
on the surface, a field like any other
soon to be covered
with neatly arranged family homes.
but today, this curious boy
is about to discover a terrifying secret
that could only be shared within the confines
of the twilight zone.
the hole's over there, sheriff.
okay, follow me.
watch your step, there.
all right, you're down.
what is it,
an old mine shaft?
no, there weren't any mines around here.
it's more like
a cave entrance.
what are those?
looks like some kind of drawings.
i see you're still using one of those old cameras.
gives the most detail.
this is the only part of the cave
we have the paintings in.
why is that, dr. klein?
we think that maybe they used this
as a communal area where they got together.
we don't really know.
we know that you might just be
the first person
to enter this cave since prehistoric times.
since dinosaurs were around?
maybe not that long ago.
but if these cave paintings are authentic
maybe as long ago as 12,000 years.
how's that?
long.
we'll know as soon as we get these...
freeze!
sheriff.
now, very carefully lift your right foot.
take a step backward.
sorry about that.
hope i didn't do any damage.
fortunately, no.
but you'll have to be a lot more careful.
what's this?
we think that's a hunting party.
see, that's a bison.
underneath, the fire.
what's that over there?
oh.
that.
that could be a kind of spiritual doorway.
or a circle where they got together for protection.
wow.
something, huh?
that was really neat, dr. klein.
thanks a lot.
any time, steve.
see you, sheriff.
bye, steve.
looks like you're making progress down there.
what's this problem you called me about?
sheriff, this could be
one of the single most important archaeological discoveries
of the century.
i'll know when i get my photographs
back to the university.
meanwhile, i need to know
that this site will be protected.
protected?
from what?
vandalism.
some of the artifacts have been disturbed.
anything taken?
no, just moved around.
somebody's trying to scare us off.
well, i don't know.
a racoon could have gotten into the cave.
would a racoon drag a sheep's carcass
to the mouth of the cave?
maybe a dog or something?
i don't think anybody means you any harm.
this isn't like the city.
no offense intended.
no offense taken.
but in the city, any cop on the beat
would have noticed that sign.
speak of the devil,
here he comes.
hi, sheriff.
you still here?
in spite of your attempts to scare us off?
now, dr. klein.
what does that mean?
you know what i mean.
she's convinced you're causing trouble up here.
is that, jim?
she's causing trouble.
i've got houses to build.
they find a hole in the ground,
and my schedule is shot.
it's more than a hole in the ground, mr. hilsen.
fact is, it's my ground.
you want some rocks and bones, fine.
take them and leave.
jim, it takes time.
fine, you want to defend the little lady.
little lady?
hold it, hold it, you two.
come on, roy.
you know how it is.
i've got two-bedroom ranch-styles to build.
and swing loan payments to make, i bet.
what's my financing got to do with this?
you're out on a limb financially, aren't you?
if you don't get this development built soon,
you'll lose your shirt, right?
it's none of your damn business.
that's all right.
i don't need protection.
it's those cave paintings
that are priceless that need protecting.
and i'm going to recommend to the state they be protected
under existing law.
so just forget your scare tactics, mr. hilsen.
i won't be shoved around
by some ivory tower intellectual.
dr. klein?
i'll look into the vandalism.
you go on back to your diggings.
go back to your digging.
but i'm going to court.
yeah, that could be your lamb.
dang right, it's my lamb,
and you gotta do something about it.
don't get your shorts in a knot, jacob.
bill dempster's lost some cattle.
wally johnson's broodmare's missing.
my hands are full.
i think it's wolves.
so does wally johnson.
there hasn't been a wolf seen in these parts
for over 30 years.
look, you better find out what it is
and stop it.
i know what my job is.
ha!
dr. klein, do you want to ride with us?
hmm?
we're heading back to the university for the weekend.
do you need a ride?
i'm staying here, john.
you should get out of this hole
for a couple of days.
mm-hmm.
okay.
see you on monday.
have a good time.
bye, dr. klein.
what the hell is this?
hello?
still warm, isn't it?
holy hannah.
you scared the bejesus out of me.
why didn't you answer me?
i didn't know who you were.
what are you doing here?
tracking missing livestock.
the blood trails i've followed the last two days
lead in this direction.
and...?
and i may have an answer.
the animals have been dragged into this cave
and probably cooked right here.
problem is, who's been doing it?
got any ideas?
i couldn't care less about missing sheep.
who said sheep?
i saw the bone, sheriff.
i went up top
to get some equipment.
when i came back, it was there.
what are you doing here?
i work here.
you're not digging with that flashlight.
what's up?
you're going to think i'm crazy.
but there have been some changes in the paintings.
what do you mean changes?
let me show you something.
take a look at this.
yeah?
so?
take a good look.
the hunter is
on the right side
of this little circle thing in the picture.
on the wall, he's on the left side.
looks like the negative's flipped.
no, no, look.
here he's facing toward the circle.
and there
he's not only on the other side of the circle
he's facing away from it.
some prankster could have gotten in
and changed the paintings.
like who?
the same guys who left the carcass
outside the cave.
what about jim hilsen?
maybe heistrying to scare you off.
i'm no fan of jim hilsen.
but he's not bright enough
to pull off something like this.
anyway, these are authentic.
how do you know these are authentic?
sheriff, i studied in the caves
at altamira, gasulla gorge and cap blanc.
i did my dissertation
on cave paintings at lascaux.
you just have to take my word for it.
i know about cave paintings.
okay, they're real.
what's your explanation?
i don't have any.
the fact that they're real
makes it that much more disturbing.
come to think of it
it doesn't explain
what you're doing down here tonight.
something is happening here late at night.
that's the only explanation.
there's someone here all day.
so it happens at night.
and you're spending the night
to get the drop on the bad guys?
i don't know who i'm dealing with,
but i intend to find out.
no, you're not.
let's go into town and come back tomorrow.
you're not in charge here.
i am.
i intend to spend the night
and that's that.
i've got my cot here
so i can keep an eye on things.
doctor...
you just mosey along.
i'll see you tomorrow.
this is my county.
toodle-loo, sheriff.
sweet dreams.
the figures are gone.
what's going on?
who's there?
what the...?
dr. klein?
oh, my god.
i don't believe this.
(narrator) time is the invincible enemy of mortal flesh.
or so modern man believes.
but somewhere in the dark past
a few of our distant ancestors
discovered a way to bridge the millennia.
it's a secret that was buried 12,000 years ago
and rediscovered for a brief moment
in the twilight zone.