Fairytale: The Haunting of Helena

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1

See this insect?

It's an anopheles mosquito,

vector of an infectious disease

known as malaria, which still

today causes 2 million deaths a

year.

The female carries the parasite,

and while searching for blood

to nourish her eggs, she bites

humans and infects them.

The disease involves high fevers

and damage to the kidneys,

liver, spleen, and brain,

causing death in a matter of Days.

For over 50,000 years, this

mosquito was the undisputed

queen of Italy's

pontine marshes, an inaccessible

area inhabited only by wild

animals and outlaws.

In 1929,

dictator Benito mussolini,

founder of the fascist party,

decided to undertake a venture

that had eluded even the ancient

romans.

He wanted to reclaim the

marshes, eradicate malaria, and

transform that area into

farmlands.

It was an enormous undertaking,

which required thousands of

desperate workers from Italy's

poorest areas.

They worked nonstop, night and

day, to present the duce with

littoria, the first fascist new

town.

But how many workers lost their

lives in the marshes?

Hundreds, thousands.

it remains an unsolved mystery,

since the fascist regime

concealed all documentation.

Helena! Please wait!

Buongiorno. Both: Buongiorno.

Buongiorno. Both:

Buongiorno. Helena!

(Phone rings) Ah, si,

questo va in cucina. (Beep)

and to what do I owe this pleasure?

Hey, how's the move going?

How are things in Cancun?

Having fun on the beach with

your new girlfriend?

Come on, Sofia, please.

I just asked, "how is the move going?

Fine.

I feel better now that I'm out

of your house.

Remember it was our house.

Plus, uh, nobody forced you to leave.

And you're gonna be paying more

expenses now.

You just worry about sending

the money for Helena.

I'll take care of the rest.

Dad's on Skype!

He wants to speak to you!

Later!

I don't feel like it right now!

You heard her.

Yes, I heard her.

Just try and have her call me

later.

I'll try, but I can't promise

later. I'll try, but I

can't promise you anything.

Sofia, I understand you're

upset with me, but don't turn

Helena against me, okay?

I never said anything bad

about you to her.

Helena just misses her father.

Please--

it's been almost a year since

she last saw you.

Let's not start this again.

Robert, what is that on your

tooth?

Oh, you mean this here?

This is a diamond.

You like it?

All musicians got it.

But you're not a musician.

Well, listen, I got to go.

Um, have her call me later,

okay?

Bye.

Mum! Come here!

Coming!

I like that closet!

Can I have it?

Yeah, but...When did you see it?

Helena, come on, baby, get up.

Come on.

Helena, up.

I'll be late for work again.

(Groans)

(Sighs)

Helena, come on!

Mum, my tooth is loose.

Show me.

Does it hurt much?

yes, a little bit.

Darling, it's nothing

serious.

It's just your baby teeth coming

out, that's all.

Okay?

Come on.

(Rapid footfall)

Helena, wait!

Come on.

Mummy, scrooge!

(Door buzzes, opens)

(Door shuts)

At the end of the road, turn

right.

I think, pretty soon, you'll

be toothless.

But I don't want a mouth full

of missing teeth.

I want a beautiful smile like

yours.

Of course, you will.

New teeth will replace the old

ones, and they'll be even more

beautiful. And for every tooth that comes

out, you put it under your

pillow, and the tooth fairy will

replace it with a lot of money.

Follow Franklin boulevard

for 4.2 kilometers.

Can we call dad and tell him?

Tell him?

About what?

My tooth.

(Crackling over monitor)

it's 2:
00 in the morning

in Cancun, Helena.

If he's still there.

Follow Franklin boulevard.

Mummy, is the tooth fairy scary?

Why should she be scary?

Mum!

(Sighs) Helena!

Uh-uh-uh. Still.

You're daughter's fine.

(Sobs)

Where is she?

She's just in the next room.

We gave her a cat scan, and

everything looks fine.

You were both very lucky.

(Sighs)

I want to see my daughter.

(Thunder rumbling)

I'm so sorry.

I got distracted.

My tooth fell out.

My tooth fell out.

Where? In the car.

When we had the accident.

All right.

We'll look for it tomorrow.

Go get it.

Helena, I don't even know

where they've taken the car.

I want my tooth.

Helena.

I want my tooth.

Go find it.

Helena, please.

I want my tooth!

Hear me?

Mum! What is it, darling?

Another one is loose.

Close your eyes a moment.

Show me.

What is it, mum? (Sighs)

Nothing, darling. Nothing.

Close your eyes.

Nice and wide.

Okay, it's just gonna hurt a

little bit, okay?

Let's go.

(Zipper zips)

Do you feel better? Yes, mum.

Why don't we go home,

put it under your pillow and wait for the fairy?

What are you doing here?

I was just checking if the tooth was in

place, darling,

and seeing if the tooth fairy had come yet.

But it already came.

See?

The tooth isn't there anymore.

The tooth fairy already took it.

I see.

Come on.

Tomorrow,

I'll tell

you all about the tooth fairy.

Right now, I'm going back to

sleep, okay?

Hey. Did you find any

money under your pillow?

Yes, I found it under my

glass of milk.

Thanks, mum.

And why would you be thanking me?

Well, because I know you were

the one who put it there.

Mm. Mm.

What are you drawing?

The tooth fairy.

She also gave me money.

Look.

Baby, where did you find this?

She gave it to me.

The tooth fairy brought it.

Please take a seat. Thank you.

Excuse me for calling you in, madam.

Helena's never been in trouble before.

She's a very sweet girl.

Please, just tell me what my

daughter has done.

Well, she bought these from

some of the other children.

I don't know why.

Bought?

Yes, with this money.

Are you a collector of old

coins?

So where did you find

the money?

Helena.

Can you at least tell me what

You intend to do with these... With

these teeth?

They're for the fairy. Helena, please.

Now she's angry with my teacher.

She wants her teeth.

So how long has Helena been

displaying this sort of behavior?

Or should we say disorder?

Since she lost her first tooth.

And this fairy supposedly

lives in her closet, does she?

Yes.

Well, children do tend to

have very vivid imaginations.

I mean, I remember when I was a

kid, I was totally convinced I

had a ghost under my bed.

Doctor,

believe me, this is different.

My daughter's behavior is

completely out of character.

She's obsessed with this fairy

and...These teeth.

I mean, I don't know.

Could it be a head injury from

the accident?

Well, nothing came up on the

cat scan, but, uh, if it would

make you feel better, we can

scan her again.

Yes.

Thank you, doctor.

May I show these to a

colleague of mine?

Of course.

Oh, just one thing.

Helena's never suffered from

hallucinations, has she?

No.

Have you?

No.

Um,

anyone in your family?

No, absolutely not.

Well, I really wouldn't worry about anything.

It's probably much less serious

than you think.

She may have heard a scary story

from one of her friends or seen

something on TV.

We'll be in touch.

(Closes, locks

door) Ma'am. Yes?

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