THE CALUSARI

   

 

                 The helium balloon is moving away horizontally from the boy...on the day the wind was                        blowing north, yet the balloon moved south as if being pulled.....

 

We begin at Lincoln Park, Murray, Virginia, and a young boy (Charlie) and his younger brother Teddy (2 years old) being given ice creams by their parents. Charlie's little brother loses his balloon, and so Charlie's father takes it from Charlie to replace the lost balloon, and of course Charlie is not best pleased. Later mum takes the toddler to the toilet, and secures him whilst she enters a cubicle. However the child's balloon floats out of the window, and when the mother exist the cubicle the restrained child has gone. The young child follows the balloon as it floats away from him and towards the train track, and soon a crown gathers, along with an onlooking and unconcerned Charlie. A train approaches and is unable to stop - the child is killed - and the balloon returns unaided to Charlie.....

At the FBI HQ Mulder closely studies a photograph of a young boy (the 2 year old killed by the train) and explains that the image was taken seconds before he died. Mulder continues that the conductor of the train was unable to stop as there was a malfunction of the train system. A coroners inquest was held due to the circumstances and it was the county medical examiner who called Mulder as he was disturbed by the case. Mulder reverts back to the photo and the helium balloon, which appears to be moving away horizontally from the child - and on that day the wind was blowing north, yet the balloon headed south, as if being pulled by an invisible force. Mulder and Scully go to see Chuck, the 'king of digital imaging,' and there appears to be a collection of magnetic energy near to the balloon, and for Mulder this is proof of poltergeist activity. Mulder also asks another question - how did the child manage to get out of the restraints put on by his mother????

The Agents go to the residence of the grieving parents, Maggie and Steve Helvey, in Virginia. Both parents feel that their sons death was an accident. The agents also meet Maggie's mother, a strange old woman who came to live with them when Teddy was born. The old woman claims that Charlie has the devil in him, and that she needs to carry out various acts on the child to protect everyone else (i.e. painting symbols on his hands). Scully suspects child abuse at the hands of the old woman, and finds that Teddy was admitted to various hospitals on 10 occasions in the two years he was alive, and on checking Charlie's history he too has had problems - but only since the old woman moved in.

The Agents go over to the state department, where Mr Helvey works, and he tells them that things have been strange since his mother in law, Golda, moved in. He says that he met his wife in Romania, and that Golda told her daughter that she was marrying the devil. he continues that superstition rules Golda's life, and that whilst she calls Charlie evil to his face, she also dotes on him, like she is afraid. Scully explains that Charlie will need to speak to a professional counselor. Later on Mr Helvey puts his son in the car to take him to see the counselor, but the garage door jams and when he investigates he is trapped and hung - dying in front of Charlie.

Mulder finds ash at the crime scene and wants it analyzed. Meanwhile upstairs Golda has lit candles, incense and dead roosters - and she seems to be carrying out some form of ritual. A group of old men then arrive and go to the room, and the agents learn that this gathering also has Charlie in the room with them. The analyzed ash reveals that there is nothing organic about it, it should not exist. He seeks a second opinion at the University of Maryland, and the Dr tells them that he has not seen anything like it since his time in India in 1979. He explains that it is holy ash that materializes out of thin air - it is created by the presence of spirits.

Back at the Helvey residence Charlie listens at his grandmothers bedroom door and hears her and the accompanying men continue to chant. At this point a Social Worker turns up and Charlie is laid out on the floor. Mrs Helvey tells the men, Romanian ritualists known as the Calusari, to leave her home. However as they leave Golda grabs her grandson and bolts her door. When in the room Charlie grabs the dead roosters and they seem to come to life - pecking at Golda's eyes. Mulder and Scully break into the room and find that Golda is dead, and Charlie who is cowering, remembers nothing of what happened. Mulder finds more ash on the floor and presses Mrs Helvey on the identity of the old men, and whilst he catches up with them they say little. Mrs Helvey meanwhile explains that she abandoned the old ways exhibited by her mother when she married her husband, and that Charlie was not responsible for any of this as he was just a boy.

Charlie is taken to St Matthews hospital and interviewed by a social worker. He tells her that he doesn't remember what happened and that it wasn't him - it was Micheal. The onlooking Mrs Helvey tells the agents that Micheal was Charlie's twin - however he was stillborn. She adds that her mother wanted to undertake a ritual so that they could divide the souls, and if not the dead would follow Charlie, Later on the nurse at the hospital tries to give Charlie a sedative - however the door slams shut and Micheal appears - hitting the nurse unconscious. When the nurse comes round Charlie is still in bed, and it seems that Mrs Helvey has taken Micheal home with her, believing him to be Charlie. At the Helvey residence it seems that mother has an idea that her son is not Charlie, and begins to light candles and prepare for a ritual. The Agents rush to the Helvey address once more and there is no power at the house - but Mrs Helvey is restrained by an invisible force and Scully is also thrown across the room. Back at the hospital Mulder organises for the Calusari to complete the ritual on Charlie, and an exorcism takes place, with Mulder assisting. Eventually the boy is exorcised and Scully survives the onslaught of the evil twin.

The Calusari leave, telling Mulder that it is over, for now. However they warn Mulder that he must be careful as it 'knows him now.'

 

 

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Episode no. Season 2
Episode 2X21
Directed by Michael Vejar
Written by Sara Charno
Guest Stars Helene Clarkson
Joel Palmer
Original Airdate April 14, 1995
Theme(s) Romanian ritualists. Supernatural intervention. Possession