WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, in theaters now.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark certainly appears to be headed toward a definitive conclusion, at least initially. But, just like the series of children's horror books on which it's based, director André Øvredal's film specializes in the unexpected.

Set in 1968, in the small town of Mill Valley, Pennsylvania, Scary Stories centers on a group of teens who seek refuge in the supposedly haunted Bellows House where, as local legend has it, the family's tormented daughter Sarah murdered children nearly a century earlier. There, they uncover her book of scary tales, and accidentally awaken the spirit of Sarah, and unleashing it upon the town. Terrifying new stories begin to appear, written in blood, on the pages, focused on the teens.

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By the end of the film, protagonist Stella (Zoe Colletti) has figured out how to appease the spirit of Sarah Bellows (Kathleen Pollard), seemingly ending her hold on Mill Valley and freeing herself from Sarah's curse.

But the final moments reveal that Stella's adventures are only just beginning, opening the door to further exploration of the world of dark and frightful tales she inhabits. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark sets up a sequel that could take the characters deeper into folklore and urban legends, while on a quest to save her fallen friends.

The Final Story

After the stories in Sarah's book spell doom for her friends Auggie (Gabriel Rush) and Chuck (Austin Zajur), Stella and Ramón (Michael Garza) are left as the final two targets. While Ramón tries to keep the Jangly Man distracted long enough for Stella to return the book to Sarah's long-abandoned home, Stella becoomes trapped in a past version of the house, alongside Sarah, forced to live the same terrors she did.

Stella confronts Sarah, promising to reveal the truth about her death but condemning her for targeting unconnected people out of rage. Sarah disappears with a screech, taking the Jangly Man with her just before he could murder Ramón. Sarah writes up the true story of Sarah, which is met with a mixed reception by the public. Meanwhile, Ramón, who had previously feared the war in Vietnam, allows himself to be drafted, but not before receiving a letter from Stella that hints how deep her feelings for him have grown.

Not Done Yet

The final scene reveals that Stella still has Sarah's cursed book. Rather than leaving it to rot within the Bellows House, Stella is determined to learn more about the book and what it can do. She's come to the conclusion that, if she can figure out how the book works, she might be able to find a way to bring back Auggie and Chuck. Unlike Tommy (Austin Abrams), whose body was transformed into a scarecrow and found by Stella, no trace of Auggie or Chuck still exists. Auggie was pulled into seemingly endless darkness by the Toe Monster, and Chuck was absorbed by the Smiling Woman.

That gives Stella hope that she can save her friends from their fates. She's not alone in her mission, either. Her father Roy (Dean Norris) and Chuck's sister Ruthie (Natalie Ganzhorn) are along for the ride. Ruthie also had been a target of Sarah's stories, with a nest of spiders bursting from beneath her cheek. Although she spent time in a mental hospital after the incident, she appears calm in the backseat of Roy's car, with a scar across her cheek where the wound once was.

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Where We Go From Here

The final shot shows the three driving down an empty road, on a mission to learn more about Sarah's book. Although they were able to discover the source of Sarah's rage, Stella's attempts to learn more about the magic failed. When she went to Sarah's old friend Lou Lou (Lorraine Toussaint), the elderly woman hints there was no witchcraft involved in what happened with Sarah. Although she could be forgetting something important, it could suggest there's something else powering Sarah's curse.

Any proposed sequel would probably trace the origins of those scary stories, and how the book was able to access them. When Sarah told the story that ended with Chuck being attacked by the Smiling Woman, it seemed as if she were almost possessed by something. There could be greater dark magic that used Sarah and her rage as a means of attacking the world. Stella also received a pen from Sarah that, when dipped in blood, can add to the cursed book. If the pen were to still work, then it might give Stella the perfect tool to fight back against whatever darkness and save her friends.

Directed by André Øvredal, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark stars Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Abrams, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, Lorraine Toussaint, Austin Zajur and Natalie Ganzhorn. The film opens Friday nationwide.