The X-Files s02e21 Episode Script

Charlie! Come on, Charlie.
Here you go, sweetie.
Charlie? Hey, ice cream! Oh.
You want some ice cream? Here, Charlie.
Here you go.
Look! There it goes.
Going to balloon land.
Go bye-bye.
Shh.
Oh, sweetie, don't cry.
Look, here's some ice cream.
Want some ice cream? Teddy? Teddy, here's your balloon.
Look at that.
Such a mess.
We got to clean you up.
Charlie and I will wait for you.
That was my balloon.
- Eat your ice cream before it melts.
- I don't want any ice cream.
I want my balloon.
We'll get you a balloon, okay? No.
I want my balloon.
Fine.
We'll get you another balloon.
That was a waste of good money.
Ooh! There we go.
Okay.
Okay, oh! There we go.
That's a boy.
Such a good boy.
Okay.
Okay, Teddy.
I'll be right back, okay? # There were six in a bed and the little one said "Roll over, roll over"# # So they all rolled over and one fell out # #Five in the bed and the little one said "Roll over, roll over"# #So they all rolled over and one fell out # #Four in the bed and the little one said "Roll over, roll over"# # So they all rolled over and one fell out # # Three in the bed and the little one said "Roll over, roll over"# #So they all rolled over and one fell out # # Two in the bed and the little one said ## Teddy? Teddy! Teddy! Teddy! Teddy! Ready? There's a kid on the track! Oh, my God! Teddy! Teddy, get away from there! Teddy! Get off the track! No! Oh, my God! Teddy? Oh, Maggie.
Teddy.
This photo was taken at an amusement park three months ago.
The young boy in the background is Teddy Holvey, age two.
- He was killed just seconds after this was taken.
- How? According to the police report, he wandered onto the tracks of the miniature train.
The conductor was unable to stop due to a malfunction of the braking system.
Teddy's father works for the State Department, so a coroner's inquest was held due to the unusual circumstances surrounding the accident.
And did the inquest come up with anything unusual? No.
But the county medical examiner called me afterwards.
He was disturbed by this case and by this photograph.
And I think with good reason.
This is a helium balloon.
And one thing I did learn in kindergarten is when you let them go, they float up, up and away, but this is moving away from him horizontally.
Did you learn about wind in kindergarten? I called the National Weather Service, and they said on the day Teddy died the wind was blowing north, but you see, the balloon is moving south, as if it's being pulled against the wind.
Pulled? By whom? I don't know.
That's why I came to Chuck, the king of digital imagining.
Chuck can extract incredibly small details from a simple photographic print.
Not details.
Information.
Watch the monitor.
We have limitations on how much information the eye can perceive unaided.
But with this special software, which I designed, we can detect hidden information.
We can manipulate it, enhance it.
Watch right here.
There it is.
It's clearly a concentration of electromagnetic energy.
So you're saying that a ghost killed Teddy Holvey? Has anyone checked the camera that took this photo? The lens or pressure plate? It all checked out.
I think from the information, this is clearly some kind of poltergeist activity.
This information is the same reason why you'll see a newspaper photo with Jesus' face appearing in the foliage of an elm tree.
It's a chance occurrence of light and shadow.
In order to get on those tracks, Teddy Holvey had to escape this child-proof halter that his mother tied to a sink.
I've seen slippery two-year-olds.
So the C.
M.
E.
Took it home and put it on his own two-year-old, and found out it was physically impossible for the kid to reach around and free himself.
So, unless Teddy Holvey was the reincarnation of Houdini And that would be an X-File in itself.
I don't understand.
There's already been a formal inquest.
We're here apart from that investigation.
We have reason to believe something may have been overlooked.
- Like what? - The possibility Teddy may have been helped onto the tracks.
Oh, my God.
There were over 100 witnesses.
We saw Teddy ourselves.
He was chasing a balloon.
There was no one else around.
It was an awful accident.
But that's all it was.
An accident.
Do you have any reason to suspect someone may have wanted to hurt Teddy? He was just a baby.
Why would anybody want to hurt him? I don't know what you're getting at.
We loved Teddy.
If you're suggesting this is like that woman who drowned her kids in the lake, you're way out of line.
Mrs.
Holvey, did you hear anything in the bathroom before Teddy disappeared? I already told the inquest.
I heard nothing.
Mrs.
Holvey, at the time of the accident, did you have any hired help? No.
My mother came to live with us once Teddy was born.
Around the time of Teddy's death, had you noticed anything strange happening around the house? Things moved, odd objects appearing? Anything like that? It's that damn smoke detector! I'll be right back.
Ah, does this happen often? It's an old house.
We have a problem with the wiring.
Mother.
Mother, it was just a false alarm.
No! Mother, stop it! What is she saying? Maggie! You marry a devil.
You have devil child.
I'm sorry.
- You recognize this? - Sure, it's a swastika.
It's also known as a gammadion or fylfot.
It's an ancient symbol used for protection or good luck.
It's been used by various cultures since the Middle Ages.
The Holvey's child had one on the back of his hand last night.
My guess it was drawn there by the old lady to protect the boy.
- I saw her drawing it.
- And you didn't think that was strange? - I saw her drawing it.
- And you didn't think that was strange? I think this boy needs as much protection as he can get.
But just not from ghosties or beasties.
Take a look at this.
Have you ever heard of Munchausen by proxy? Yeah, my grandfather used to take that for his stomach.
It's when a parent or caretaker brings harm to a child by inducing medical symptoms, usually as a way of gaining attention or status.
If you look at Teddy Holvey's medical history, you'll see he was admitted to various hospitals ten times during the two years he was alive.
That's once every three months.
Projectile vomiting at three months, diarrhea at four months, vomiting, diarrhea, diarrhea? - Each time they were unable to determine the cause.
- And no one questioned this? The family moved a lot because of Steve's job.
And records take time to transfer from hospital to hospital.
But this kind of abuse is not limited to just one child.
So I checked out Charlie's history as well.
- Charlie had medical problems too? - Since his brother was born.
Which is right when Holvey's mother-in-law moved in.
Often the perpetrator of Munchausen by proxy will view the child as evil.
The old woman would be a likely candidate, but it could be any family member.
Do you feel like taking a walk over to the State Department, Scully? Things have been strange since Golda, my mother-in-law, moved in with us.
I met Maggie in Romania in 1984.
Golda forbade our marriage.
Said I was the devil.
After I transferred back to the U.
S.
, things got somewhat better, until Teddy was born and she came to live with us.
That's when the strangeness really started.
What kind of strangeness? Superstitions rule Golda's life.
She'll spit when anyone compliments the kids.
Once she moved in with us, she started pouring hot water over the threshold to ward off demons, tying red strings around the kids' wrists.
One day I caught her throwing chicken guts on the roof.
Then Teddy and Charlie started getting sick a lot.
And you suspect Golda? She'll call Charlie evil right to his face.
But at the same time, she dotes on him like she's afraid of him.
Afraid of him or for him? I just don't know.
Are you familiar with Munchausen by proxy? Are you accusing us of child abuse? Teddy's medical records have raised some questions.
I could never say this to Maggie, but I've wondered if it wasn't Golda who snuck in and let Teddy out of the bathroom that day.
I'd like to interview your son Charlie, Mr.
Holvey, with a professional counselor.
Oh, boy.
This is gonna be hard.
What do they want? To take Charlie away? They want him to talk to a social worker.
She's expecting him.
Social worker? They'll put lies into Charlie's head.
- You're being unreasonable.
- You want to take him away.
You blame me for Teddy, and now you want to take him away from me! I'm not gonna listen.
This is ridiculous! If you want to come, you can, but I'm taking Charlie now.
No, Steven.
He's my son too.
What is that? Come on, Charlie.
Let's get your coat.
- You have no right to do this.
- Maggie.
Come on.
We'll meet you out front.
- Okay, you buckled in there? - Yeah.
Good.
Damn it.
No! No! Daddy! No! No! No! Daddy! No! Mulder.
Daddy, no! Daddy! No! Daddy! Daddy! You see this? Find anything? Yeah, maybe.
Looks like ash.
Yeah, it's everywhere.
Look at this.
The Holvey's said earlier that they had some problems with the wiring of the house.
- It could be from the motor shorting out.
- I checked.
It's working fine.
- What do you think it is? - I don't know, but I'm gonna have this analyzed.
Before we do anything, I think we should get Charlie out of this house.
I just put a call into a social worker who's going to come and make a report.
The courts are reluctant to intervene in these matters.
Not when a child is in danger.
And not after they see two dead roosters in the old woman's bedroom.
Really? You still think this is Munchausen by proxy, Scully? Without a doubt.
What did you do? I didn't do anything.
Stay away from our house! - Hey, you want to see something weird? - What? Chem lab analysis of the ash from the Holvey's house.
- No trace of any metal, no carbon, no oxygen, no nothing.
- What do you mean? It contains nothing organic or inorganic.
In fact, according to the technicians, this ash doesn't exist.
Come on.
- Where are we going? - To get a second opinion.
Oh, wow! Haven't seen this for a while.
Not since India, 1979.
- India? - Before Chuck succumbed to the glamours of academia, he did a tour of duty on the old hippie trail.
It's called Vibuti.
Holy Ash.
Technically, it's known as an apport.
Something that materializes out of thin air.
Wait a second.
Nothing just materializes out of thin air.
You've read the Bible? - RememberJesus creating the loaves and the fishes? - Yeah, but that was a parable.
In 1979, I witnessed a guru named Sai Baba create an entire feast out of thin air.
Too bad you didn't take a picture.
You could've run it through your computer and seen the entire Last Supper.
Vibuti is created during the presence of spirit beings.
Or during bilocation, which is a phenomenon where a person's energy is transported to a different location.
That energy could have been what set off the garage door opener.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, that.
- Or somebody activated the remote control.
- Who are you suggesting? Who was standing outside when the garage door opened unexpectedly on us yesterday? The old lady.
And Charlie.
Mrs.
Holvey? My name is Karen Kosseff.
I'm a social worker with the F.
B.
I.
I've been instructed to file a report for the court.
May I come in? No.
Please.
I've already had enough trouble.
I understand, Mrs.
Holvey.
But if you won't talk to me, I'm going to have to put that in the report, and it could very well complicate your situation.
- Mommy! - Charlie! Oh, my God! Charlie.
It's okay, Charlie.
It's okay, Charlie.
It's okay.
He's been sick.
My mother was supposed to be looking after him.
Mother! Mother! Get out of my house! Get out! I have had enough, Mother.
I want you out of my house.
No! Mother! Mother! Mother! Agent Scully, the grandmother's taken the child.
She's locked him in the room with her.
She may have a knife.
I've called 9-1-1.
- What happened? - There were three strange men performing some kind of ritual.
No! No, Nanna! It is the only way.
No! Mother! Oh, my God.
Mother! Mother! Mother! That should about do it.
Okay, guys.
Did you talk to Charlie? He says he doesn't remember anything.
The coroner's preliminary report states that she died of a heart attack.
But those wounds, Mulder, I'd swear it looked like her eyes were pecked out.
There was more ash beneath the old woman's body.
And look at this.
What is it? It's mugwort.
I think it's a ceremonial herb.
You think this was a ritual killing? No.
The reverse swastika and red string around Charlie's wrist are protective devices.
- Protection against what? - I don't know.
But I think the old woman knew the family was in trouble.
And those men were here doing a ritual to help her.
I told you before, get out of my house! I am not interested in your superstition.
Now, get out! Now! Mrs.
Holvey? - It's all right.
- Who are they? They are the Calusari.
In Romania they are responsible for the correct observance of sacred rites.
What did he say? He said it's not over.
The evil is still here.
Excuse me.
Sir, can I have a word with you? I'm with the F.
B.
I.
I'd like to ask you some questions.
You were trying to protect the family, weren't you? You said there was still evil here.
Sir! I can arrest you if I have to.
The evil that is here has always been.
It has gone by different names through history: Cain, Lucifer, Hitler.
It does not care if it kills one boy or a million men.
If you're trying to stop us, the blood will be on your hands.
Mrs.
Holvey? This is a difficult time, but there are some questions that need to be answered.
My mother used to say that evil follows evil.
Once someone suffers a misfortune, they'll always have bad luck.
I used to think that was just a superstition.
Now I don't know what to believe.
I blamed her, you know? For all that's happened.
I thought maybe she was putting a curse on us to punish me.
Punish you for what? For abandoning the old ways.
I was raised to believe as she did in spirits.
The unseen world.
When I married Steve and came to this country, I left all that behind.
Do you know what kind of ceremony she was performing upstairs? She was trying to cleanse the house of evil.
She thought Charlie was responsible somehow.
How could he be responsible for all this horror? He's just a little boy! We should talk to Charlie and find out what happened in your mother's bedroom.
Charlie, I was told they found you in your grandmother's room yesterday.
Can you tell me about it? Do you remember how you got there? No.
Your mother said you were there.
Don't you remember? I wasn't there! Many people saw you in the room.
It wasn't me! I wasn't there! It wasn't me! - Who was in the room? - No! Was there someone else in the room? No! I didn't hurt her! Charlie, Charlie.
Who hurt your grandmother? Charlie! It was him! Who, Charlie, who? It was Michael! Michael! Mrs.
Holvey? We never told him.
It was agreed upon.
It was our secret.
What secret, Mrs.
Holvey? What are you talking about? Michael.
He was Charlie's twin.
He was stillborn.
Steven and I agreed never to tell Charlie about it.
My mother, she wanted to perform the ritual of separation when she heard of Michael's death to divide their souls.
She said if we didn't, the world of the dead would follow Charlie.
But it was just a superstition.
Charlie! I need your help! - Charlie? - He's having a seizure.
Don't restrain him.
Let's turn him on his side so he doesn't aspirate.
Charlie, you're going to be okay.
- How's Charlie? - He's resting.
- How's Mrs.
Holvey? - I'm amazed she hasn't broken down completely.
She's in the waiting room trying to get some sleep.
The doctor said that Charlie had some kind of a seizure, but they've been unable to determine the cause.
I'm sorry, Charlie.
I didn't mean to scare you.
I'm Nurse Castor.
I'm just going to give you something to help you sleep.
- I don't want a shot! - I know, but that's what happens when you spit out your medicine.
- We have to give it to you some other way.
- No! Charlie, I just want you to relax.
It's not going to hurt.
- Afterwards, I'll give you a sticker.
- Leave me alone! Charlie, it'll just be a little pinch.
I want you to relax.
- Stop it! - Charlie, I want you to behave.
- Leave me alone! - I want you to behave.
- Just relax.
- No! Don't do it! Don't do it! No, Michael! Michael, don't! Mommy? I want to go home now.
Charlie? What are you doing up? Why are you dressed? They said I could go home now.
Who said that? The doctors.
They said I could leave.
All right, then.
Let's just get your coat.
We'll talk to the doctors.
No, Mommy.
Let's just go home.
Now! Okay, Charlie.
We'll go straight home.
What are you looking at? - Is that Mrs.
Holvey? - Where? There.
I think she's got Charlie with her.
Nurse! - Are you all right? - He hit me.
- Who, Charlie? - No, the other one.
There were two of them, two boys.
- We've gotta get to Mrs.
Holvey's house.
- Why? That boy you saw leave? That wasn't Charlie.
Are you saying that Mrs.
Holvey left here with a ghost? Spirit or ghost, I'm not sure.
But it's what we saw in the photograph.
It's what the old woman was trying to protect the family from.
- But - Whatever it is, it's killed three people.
You've got to get to Mrs.
Holvey's before it happens again.
What are you gonna do? Get help.
There you go, Charlie.
- Aren't you going to have some? - No, dear, I'm not hungry.
- Tomorrow we can go to the park.
- Yes, sure.
Can I have a balloon? Uh-huh.
Can we ride the train, Mommy? Now, you finish up and Mommy will be right back, okay? Please, God, don't let it be true.
What are you doing, Mommy? Mommy? Guard the door.
Mrs.
Holvey? Hello? Come hold him down.
Don't look at it! Look away or it will recognize you! Charlie? Mommy? It hurts! Do not let go! He tricks you! - Are you all right? - Charlie? Let the boy rest.
We must find the mother.
The boy needs her.
- Scully, are you all right? - We're okay.
How's Charlie? Charlie? Hello, sweetie.
- Charlie? - It is over for now.
But you must be careful.
It knows you.
The strange case of Charlie Holvey and the deaths that occurred during his possession by a dark and malevolent force are unsolved.
The boy, who will celebrate his tenth birthday next month, remains under the watchful care of his mother.
And though I believe him innocent of the crimes, I am disturbed by the warnings of the Calusari.
That neither innocence nor vigilance may be protection against the howling heart of evil.