A modest home in a middle class neighborhood. Just like all the others. Two cars. One a Lexus. The garage is filled with toys and tools. Tamu and Marty, siblings, packing their luggage into a car. Their parents, an interracial couple, watch them get ready to leave. Their parents tell them to be safe and are a little overprotective. Tamu's mom wants her to stay longer next time. The siblings get in the car.
Laurie stands in front of an apartment complex. She's a white woman in a Cheech and Chong t-shirt. Garth pulls up in a mid-sized sedan. He's the oldest member of the group and a serious softball player. Edwin hops out of the car and they each hug Laurie. They haven't seen each other in two years. Garth helps Laurie put her suitcase in the car's trunk.
Garth's car is filled with trash and Edwin tries not to touch anything. Laurie and Garth say they haven't seen each other in too long, not since something they all refuse to talk about. They're headed to the same cabin where something happened that is bothering them. None of them is doing well enough to rent a cabin on their own. Laurie seems to remember that they said they had been to this cabin before whatever bad thing happened.
Tamu drives her car, which is VERY clean. Marty says that their mother just misses her and that Tamu doesn't have to be so hard on her. Tamu says that her mother has a phone, too. Marty says that Tamu doesn't have to live with her and doesn't see her when she's alone. Tamu says okay. Marty says he knows what Edwin has been up to, but he has lost touch with Laurie and Garth. She says it's unlikely they've been up to anything. Tamu says she's been seeing a therapist. Marty accepts it and asks if he's got a brother. They laugh.
In Garth's car, Edwin and Laurie share a joint. When they were younger, Edwin and Laurie went to a summer camp in this same forest, although not nearby. Edwin hints he's gay. He offers Garth the joint and Garth chides him, saying he doesn't smoke and drive. He almost makes it through the joke without laughing, then he takes a hit.
The cars drive down a forest road. The area is empty of human elements except for a run-down gas station. They pull into the gas station and park. Tamu pumps gas while the others go inside.
Inside the gas station, Marty gets the key and goes to the restroom.
Tamu goes inside to use the restroom. Marty says Tamu dropped out of the military. Edwin makes sure they have enough beer. Tamu comes back out and Edwin challenges Tamu to race to the cabin.
They drive through the Renaissance National Forest. They turn down a dirt road. They come to a one-car bridge that isn't in great shape, but is passable. Once they cross, they see a sign for an alternate route around the bridge.
Marty tries to get a phone signal. Tamu says she told him so. There won't even be wi-fi. Marty complains that she never told him that, but she told him multiple times. He's upset that he won't be able to set up his fantasy team. She is not at all sympathetic.
Flashback to two weeks earlier, the office Professor Rex Richards at Huron College. He gives a student the bad news that she has failed his class. She says that will cost her a scholarship and he doesn't care, it's her fault she's in this position. She leaves.
Richards answers the phone and it's Tamu. He has a file on her and numerous other students, including Cade Broadus. Tamu is arranging to use his cabin, which he notes is isolated. He shreds Cade's file.
They arrive at Grimm Gate cabin and make fun of the name Richards gave the place. Some of them think it's weird that they rented a cabin from their former professor.
They go inside the cabin, which is pretty much the same as they remember it when they came previously. The fire flares up and almost burns Edwin. Everyone starts to drink and smoke weed. A possum jumps out of a cabinet and scurries around the room. Someone opens the door and they shoo it out the door. The joint falls onto some newspaper and starts a small fire, but they easily put it out.
Flashback to two years ago. The group that is at the cabin is present with Professor Richards and Cade. They are having a discussion about fears. Richards is afraid of getting old and what comes next after death. Cade is afraid of spiders. Tamu is afraid of fire, particularly being burned alive. Laurie is afraid of drowning. Edwin is afraid of being buried alive. Marty is scared of the woods because of Blair Witch. Garth is afraid all the time. It never goes away. Richards tells them step 2 of this "program" will take place at a cabin in the woods.
In the present, something seems to be watching the group through the windows of the cabin. They are playing the card game kings, but are bored. Edwin suggests they play Dare or Dare. The only rules are "no family members." Marty gives everyone a hit of ecstasy. Garth and Tamu are a little hesitant, but everybody joins in. Laurie dares Marty to make out with Garth. He does it with no hesitation. Garth is a little wary at first, but does it and is pleasantly surprised. Tamu dares Laurie to make out with Garth. He's a little wary at first, but does it and is pleasantly surprised. Edwin asks who HE gets to make out with.
Thirty minutes later, Garth is really high and happy. He sits between two making out couples sipping his beer. Tamu and Laurie go to one bedroom. Edwin and Marty go outside. Garth tries to figure out how much money he wasted buying the molly that he is now high on all by himself. He decides to get in the hot tub, where he masturbates.
Edwin leads Marty through the woods. Marty is hesitant, he's afraid of the woods. Edwin runs down the path. Marty follows but he can't find Edwin. A small fox runs across the path. He keeps walking and Edwin jumps out of the woods and scares him. He falls on his ass. Edwin falls on top of him and they start to kiss. The fox watches.
Tamu chases Laurie out the front door and through the woods. Both women are wearing nothing but towels and open-toed shoes. Tamu runs towards the lake. Laurie follows, but isn't enthused. Tamu leaps into the water. Laurie stops at the edge. Tamu stands in the water naked and tempts Laurie. Tamu says she'll keep Laurie safe. Laurie finally caves and goes into the water up to her knees. A crack of lighting illuminates the sky and Laurie runs out of the lake. She heads back towards the cabin. Tamu reluctantly follows. Rain starts to fall.
Garth sits back in the hot tub, smiling and nodding off. It starts to rain and that wakes him. He gets out and goes inside. He goes down into the basement, which is filled with weird books and cages and cases with spiders, snakes and other creepy crawleys. Garth starts flipping through the pages of the Simonic Grimoire. He drops a piece of paper and it falls under the table. He grabs it and reads strange words on the paper. They glow faintly green.
A pair of hands grabs Garth by the waist. He screams and smacks his head. Once he recovers, he sees that it's Marty, who says Garth looked so tempting. Marty says he wants to make it up to him and starts rubbing his leg. Garth tells him to go with it.
Flashback to Huron College hallway two years earlier: Richards chides Edwin for being late to class. In class, Richards hands back papers. He says Garth's paper showed some potential, but he's disgusted by Cade's paper. Richards thinks Cade plagiarized the paper, but he can't prove it. Cade starts to cry. His paper was an attempt to scientifically prove that bisexual men are real. The paper got an “A.”
In the present, Edwin and Marty sit on the couch, sleeping or almost there. Laurie and Tamu playfully cuddle on a loveseat. Outside, a vine creeps towards the cabin. Edwin gets up and goes to the kitchen to pour a drink. A storm begins outside and it knocks down a tree that smashes through the kitchen window. The branches scrape Edwin and he screams. Everyone else hides while Edwin fights back against the tree he thinks is attacking him. It becomes clear that the tree just crashed through the window, though, and everybody calms down. The others all make fun of Edwin.
Flashback to two years earlier. The cabin looks mostly the same. The group is all here, including Richards and Cade. Richards is in the kitchen. Garth and Cade flirt across the room. Richards stares at them. He sees Garth touch Cade's arm and drops his drink, but nobody notices.
Richards crosses between Garth and Cade on his way to the basement. He turns back and makes eye contact with Cade and then goes into the basement. Garth asks what's up and Cade says it looks like he's in trouble. He finishes his drink and goes into the basement.
Later, Richards comes out of the basement alone. He goes to the kitchen to get a drink. Garth asks where Cade is, but Richards says he doesn't know. Cade returns from the basement and Garth asks if he's okay. Cade says he's alright as he's gonna be. Cade locks eyes with Richards and tells Garth he's going to bed. Garth asks Cade if he wants some company, but Cade says no. Edwin arrives with alcohol. Garth stares at Richards, who ignores him.
Later that night, the front door is open and an ambulance waits outside. EMTs carry Cade out on a stretcher, passed out and foaming at the mouth. The next morning, everyone drives away from the cabin, looking like they've been crying. Except Richards.
Later, in the Huron College study room, Richards walks in and tells them that the autopsy results are in. The M.E. ruled that Cade's death was a suicide. He died because of the venom from multiple bites from a poisonous spider. One of Richards' spiders. Richards says Cade was depressed. Garth questions Richards' story, but Richards flips it and makes Garth feel responsible. Richards says Cade pulled the spider out of its case and let it bite him. He was dead before EMTs arrived. The students cry as Richards tells them the details of the funeral.
Back in the present, the gang sits around the living room of Grimm Gate Cabin. Tamu says that "this" isn't going to work. It didn't work last time. They didn't save Cade. Marty says they didn't try that hard. Garth gets upset, but he brushes it off and says that he and Cade weren't a thing. He says Cade was sick. Edwin is a bit obtuse and Tamu, Marty and Laurie chide him. They share a joint and Laurie tells Garth that it would've happened no matter what he did. Marty tells them that everyone is struggling with Cade's death, even Tamu, who hides it well. Laurie wants to start a bonfire now that the rain is gone. A living, moving vine tests the remains of the joint, burns itself and shakes off the pain.
Garth takes a shot of tequila in the kitchen. He goes to the window and looks outside. It's time for a bonfire. Edwin goes to get it started and tells them to grab the s'mores. The others follow.
Outside, the group sits around a campfire. Tamu sits the farthest away. Laurie smokes a joint and says someone should tell them some scary stories. She breaks out the s'mores. Garth makes a toast to facing their fears. Garth is thinking about Cade, but not in a sad way. He says he's thinking about the good times. He asks who slept with Cade. Nobody answers at first. Garth raises his hand. Then so does everyone else but Tamu. She feels like she missed out. They all say she did.
Garth says that Cade was the only one who faced his fire the last time they came. Edwin says that Cade's fear killed him. Garth says maybe it wasn't his fault, maybe they let him down. He can't get his head around Cade killing himself. Tamu asks what he means, but he's not sure, he's just thinking out loud. Laurie says she agrees.
Tamu says she'll face her fear. Edwin brings a flaming marshmallow close to her and she says not right now. Everyone laughs. A misty smoke seeps through the woods. Marty is a little worried about it, but Laurie makes a joke and the party continues. The laughter grows.
Back inside, Garth pours another shot and takes it. He goes to rinse out the glass and the water flows blood red. He drops the glass to the ground and it shatters. Others see it, then the water sputters and clears up. The power goes out. Marty freaks out and says they have to get out of this place. Tamu agrees. She tells everyone to get their shit and meet outside.
Tamu packs her stuff into the trunk of her car. The others are bring their bags outside. Marty and Edwin aren't ready to leave. Laurie notes a big storm is headed their way. The roads are closed and they can't get out until the morning. Marty apologizes to Tamu, who is upset. Edwin is excited and restarts the party.
In the morning, everyone sleeps where they fell. Garth vomits. The others start to wake. Later, they are packed and ready to go. Tamu has already loaded hers in the car. Marty says it's time to hit the road, but Tamu has one last thing to do. She tells everyone to go outside and prepares to face her fear.
She picks up the poker and sticks it into the barely-glowing embers. A huge flame rises up and blasts her onto her ass. It seems to chase her. She pulls herself up using the couch. The fire has jumped to the rug and moves in her direction. She runs to the kitchen and grabs a fire extinguisher and puts the fire out. Laurie comes in from outside to see if she's okay. She says she's just putting out the fire. She goes outside, but before they leave, Laurie says she needs to refill her water bottle.
Laurie and Tamu walk outside and Tamu locks the door. Marty slips on a spot of mud and his bag spills, his clothes going everywhere. He gathers them (and some leaves) and puts them back in.
Tamu’s car leads the way down the dirt road. They come to the bridge and, of course, it’s out. Marty can't believe this is real. Tamu backs up and goes down the alternate road. Garth follows. They come to a sharp curve and Tamu gets nervous that she can't see what's beyond it. In Garth's car, Edwin turns off the radio and Laurie wonders where they're going. But it's fine, an undamaged bridge comes into view and they are able to easily cross. They head home.
Flashback to Richards' house two years earlier: He's quite wealthy. Richards and Cade lay in bed, post-sex cuddling. Richards is happy. Richards asks Cade how his first time was. Cade says it's definitely not his first time. He was joking when he said that before. Cade admits he's bisexual. Richards gets angry. He tells Cade to leave. He says Cade will learn he's gay sooner or later. He calls Cade a liar. He slaps Richards across the face. Richards tells him to get out. Cade leaves.
Richards head butts the wall. Then he picks up a briefcase and takes out the Simonic Grimoire and continues his studies.
Back in the present, Marty sits in his cluttered house. He tosses his bag onto the floor and a few leaves fall out. He turns the TV on and locks the front door. Marty sees the leaves on the ground, picks them up and tosses them into the trash can. He doesn't see it, but one leaf misses and falls to the floor. He goes to sit and watch TV. The leaf moves, but he doesn't see it. He leans his head back and starts to snore. The leaf moves and grows. With purpose.
Garth answers a knock at the door. It's Laurie and she doesn't have a lot of clothes on. She kisses him and grabs his crotch. She invites her and and they have sex.
Marty leans back, sleeping. He starts to smile, but doesn't open his eyes. Like he's being pleasured. He starts to moan. He wakes up and tries to grab his throat. A vine is wrapped around his neck and pulls him over the back of the couch. It chokes him tighter and tighter. The whole kitchen is now filled with moving vines and leaves. Another vine approaches him and plunges into his open mouth. It keeps going until Marty splits open and dies.
Garth and Laurie lay in bed after sex, happy. They confirm that it's just a casual thing. Garth tells her he slept with Marty at the cabin. She gets excited. He says he's just figuring out what he's into. Laurie asks if he's figured it out yet. He says not exactly.
Professor Richards knocks on Marty’s door. No answer. He uses professional lock picks to get inside. Something watches him. He tiptoes inside and doesn't see any leaves or plants except the single leaf next to the trash can. But he does see Marty's remains. He says "that's two."
Garth and Laurie are having sex again. The phone rings. He answers and it's an emergency. He has to leave right away. Laurie asks what's going on. Garth says he doesn't know, it was the professor and something's up with Marty. She asks if she should go along, but he says no, he doesn't want to explain to Richards' why they arrived together.
Richards shuts he door behind Garth, who has just arrived. Richards readies him, but Garth is still shocked by seeing Marty's remains. He asks what could've done that to him. Richards says it's nothing human. Garth asks what that means. Richards says he's done research into mythology and folklore and he thinks that something was woken at the cabin. He says it's hungry and will feed again.
Garth grabs his phone to call Laurie. He explains that Laurie's alone at his house. Richards asks why that would be. Garth says they were hanging out. Richards balls his fists. Garth hangs up and says he's got to go. Richards asks him why he'd be hanging out with Laurie and almost says he thought Garth was gay, but he stops short and Garth leaves. Richards slams the door shut.
Laurie lays in bed at Garth's house. She grabs her phone from the night stand and freaks out. She grabs a prescription bottle out of her bag and pops a couple of pills. She washes it down with water from the bottle she brought from the cabin.
She takes off her clothes and goes into the bathroom. She starts the tub and adds bubble bath. A lot of it. She drinks more from the water bottle and gets into the bubble bath. She spills some of the water from the bottle into the tub. The water briefly flashes green light. She relaxes in the tub.
Garth speeds down the largely empty city streets. He tries to call Laurie again, but no answer. He drives faster.
Laurie plays in the bubbles and hums. The bubbles start to move independently of Laurie and she opens her eyes. She doesn't see anything and closes her eyes. The bubbles boil up into a tentacle that rears up and looks her in the face. She screams and struggles to get out of the tub. The tentacles shoots out of the tub and knock her down. More and more water blast her and she can't break free. She tries to pull herself out of the bathroom, but a wave of bubbles crashes over her and pulls her back into the bathroom. The door slams shut.
In the bathroom, she struggles to stay afloat, but the water keeps rising and rising. It's waist-high now. The water rises up to fill the entire bathroom and Laurie drowns.
Flashback to two years earlier at Grimm Gate cabin, Richards pours over the Simonic Grimoire. He takes notes and learns that six must be sacrificed in six different ways at six different locations for the ceremony, which must commence with a carnal collaboration. He takes more notes.
Back in the present, Garth returns home. He calls out for Laurie, but she doesn't answer. He can't find her until he gets to the bathroom door. He knocks, but no answer. He opens the door and goes in, it's clean and dry. Except for the tub, which is filled with water and bubbles. He finds Laurie's body, floating in the tub.
Garth and Tamu hug as she cries. Edwin looks on with a grim face. Tamu asks why Richards isn't there. Garth says he didn't invite him. Garth says he's not sure he trusts Richards. She asks if he isn't jealous. He forcefully says NO! Edwin asks what's next. Garth confirms that he saw Laurie and Marty dead. Tamu says they have to go to the cabin. Edwin doesn't want to, but he doesn't have any better ideas.
Richards sneaks into Garth's home. He looks around until he finds Laurie's body in the tub. He says "that's three."
Tamu's car pulls up to Grimm Gate cabin. Everyone gets out and goes inside. Garth goes in first and turns on the light. Edwin and Tamu follow. Edwin asks what they're looking for. Tamu says she's not sure. Edwin says he can't go into the basement. Tamu doesn't care and she goes. Garth gets a knife and follows Tamu.
Edwin stays behind and starts drinking. Richards tells Edwin to give him a shot, too. Edwin bumps his head in shock and stares at Richards. Edwin asks what he's doing there and Richards says it's his cabin. Edwin pours the shots and they take them. Richards walks towards the front door and tells Edwin he's really going to like what he has to show him. They go outside.
Richards leads Edwin through the woods. They are not on any visible path. Edwin asks where they are going. Richards says its only a little further. A little further and Richards stands next to a freshly-dug grave. Edwin asks what's going on and Richards swings the shovel and hits him in the head. Blood sprays onto the ground and leaves start to move towards the blood.
Edwin falls and he's having trouble keeping his eyes over. Blood runs into his eyes and he asks Richards what's happening. Richards pulls out a scrap of paper and reads magic words. He tosses the paper into the grave. The grave groans. Richards leaves. A large hand made of dirt emerges from the grave. Then a bunch more. One of hands grabs Edwin's ankle. He starts to scream.
Tamu looks at the various books on the table. Garth checks out the various spiders and snakes and other animals in cages. Tamu says the books look like evidence. The spider that killed Cade is bookmarked in one of the volumes. There are books on demonology and the Enochian language.
Richards arrives and Tamu asks where Edwin is. Garth secretly holds the kitchen knife. Tamu asks Richards what he's done. Richards closes the Grimoire and asks them if they really want him to give the villain monologue. He grabs a piece of paper and starts to read a spell. His eyes glow green as he does.
Flashback to Richards' house, two years earlier. Richards and Cade are naked, they just had sex. Richards is satisfied, but Cade doesn't know why he let Richards talk him into coming back. He slept with someone other than Richards. Richards doesn't care until he finds out it was a woman. He gets angry and tells Cade to leave before he gets back. Richards gets in the story and ignores Cade's further attempts to talk to him. Cade gets dressed and leaves.
Richards walks into the bedroom, wrapped in a towel. He gets dress and checks that the front door is locked. He goes to the dining room table and pulls his notes from his briefcase. He reads the magic words and they glow green. He burns the paper.
That night, Edwin sleeps on the couch. Cade, whose eyes have gone black, opens one of the bedroom doors and sneaks out. He goes down to the basement. He notices a thin light at the bottom and he goes down. He walks towards the cases and the case with the false widow spider in it glow faintly green for a second. Cade is drawn to that case, he opens it and takes out the spider. He picks it up and it bites him over and over. He puts it back in the case, collapses to the floor and starts to foam at the mouth.
Richards' eyes glow green as Tamu rushes at him. His eyes turns to fire and he blasts flames in her direction. She falls backwards dodging them and hits her head hard. The flames don't burn her. Garth grips a knife tightly. Richards threatens to kill him and Tamu. Richards says that Garth is afraid of what he is. He offers Garth the choice to join him or save Tamu, he can't do both. He starts to shoot flames at Tamu again. Garth plunges the knife into Richards' heart. Richard didn't expect it.
Garth helps Tamu, who is stirring. He tells her it's time to get the fuck out of the cabin. Garth warns her she probably has a concussion. They walk up the stairs gingerly, looking back to make sure Richards is dead.
Tamu says goodbye to Garth and drives away. She arrives at her parents house and parks and locks the car. She cries before she walks inside to tell her parents. The camera stays outside and a leaf falls to the ground from the wheel well. Maybe it moves, maybe it doesn't.