Sleepy Hollow Page #7

Philipse runs towards his house, past Masbath. HOOFBEATS are

LOUDER, CLOSER. Ichabod faces the corn field.

The field explodes open, stalks bending to make way as the

Headless Horseman gallops into view atop Daredevil.

Young Masbath runs, following Philipse.

Ichabod's stunned. He looks down to draw his flintlock

pistol, but the Horseman blows by before he can raise it. A

blast of air knocks Ichabod off his feet.

The Horseman chases Masbath and Philipse.

Ichabod follows.

The Horseman draws his sword.

Young Masbath falls in the grass...

Daredevil's pounding hooves will certainly crush him.

Daredevil leaps over Young Masbath, continuing the charge.

Philipse has a long way to go before home. He looks over his

shoulder. No way he'll make it.

Ichabod, running, watches Philipse slow.

Philipse gathers all his courage and stops, turning. The

Horseman is closing, sword held high.

Philipse raises his talisman.

ICHABOD:

Philipse!

Philipse holds the talisman up, trying to be fearless. The

Horseman swings -- WE HEAR the CLANK of sword on talisman...

Philipse's severed head spins. His body falls and folds.

Ichabod runs past Young Masbath.

The Horseman halts just as Ichabod reaches a point in front

of dead Philipse, aiming his pistol. Daredevil lets out a

SCREECHY CRY. The Horseman rides toward Ichabod.

Ichabod gets on one knee, trying to steady his pistol. The

Horseman closes. Ichabod sweats bullets. FIRES...

The slug SLAMS the Horseman dead center -- bursts through and

rends his uniform without slowing him.

The Horseman is almost on Ichabod. Ichabod cringes, arms

up... as the Horseman passes.

The Horseman leans to skewer Philipse's head with his sword.

With the head as his prize, the Horseman races away.

Ichabod gets up, watches the Horseman head to the forest.

Ichabod looks to Young Masbath, finds his legs will not

support him, falls, trembling. THUNDER BELLOWS.

INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, SECOND FLOOR HALL -- NIGHT

Lady Van Tassel comes to a door, knocks. Sarah stands behind

with a tray of food. Young Masbath is seated near.

LADY VAN TASSEL:

(to Young Masbath)

Has he not come out at all?

Young Masbath shakes his head.

INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD'S ROOM -- NIGHT

KNOCKING is HEARD. Ichabod sleeps restlessly.

ICHABOD'S DREAM -- YOUNG ICHABOD'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT

THUNDER BOOMS. WIND and POUNDING RAIN blast open a window.

Mother comes to it, then moves to comfort fearful Young

Ichabod in bed.

MOTHER'S VOICE (v.o.)

Don't be afraid... don't be afraid.

ICHABOD'S DREAM -- YOUNG ICHABOD'S HOME -- DAY

A keyhole. Young Ichabod's eye peers in...

ICHABOD'S DREAM -- P.O.V. THROUGH KEYHOLE

Mother is kneeled before flour on the floor. She draws

patterns in it, whispering. She blows the flour away.

ICHABOD'S DREAM -- YOUNG ICHABOD'S HOME -- DAY

The Freakish Woman (who argued with Mother) walks towards the

home, supported by a SAD MAN. She weeps, carrying something

in a blanket.

Young Ichabod comes a window, watching, scared.

The Freakish Woman is so weak that she falls. The blanket

opens... the corpse of an infant tumbles to the dirt. The

Freakish Woman's WAILING GROWS LOUDER.

ICHABOD'S DREAM -- FRONT OF YOUNG ICHABOD'S HOME -- NIGHT

TWO MEN in black drag Mother to a coach. She looks back,

fearful, pulled along. A THIRD MAN in black follows.

Young Ichabod struggles as Father restrains him.

YOUNG ICHABOD:

No... mother... no... !

The Third Man peers back, a gray-haired, Cotton Mather-ish

man with a villainous face.

FREAKISH WOMAN (v.o.)

The night of the great storm, I saw

her cross my windows.

ICHABOD'S DREAM -- COURTROOM -- DAY

Many people in the gallery. The Third Man stands in front of

the tearful Freakish Woman in the witness box.

THIRD MAN:

You are certain it was she?

FREAKISH WOMAN:

In the lighting, I did see her.

(points)

Her. Lady Crane...

Mother sits in shackles.

FREAKISH WOMAN:

I will never forget. The next moment,

I found my infant dead... with the

blood welt on his breast.

Those in attendance cry out at this. Ichabod is seated

beside Father, eyes filled with tears.

ICHABOD'S DREAM -- YOUNG ICHABOD'S ROOM -- NIGHT

As before, a STORM RAGES. Ichabod is in Mother's arms.

FREAKISH WOMAN (v.o.)

The night of the great storm, I saw

her cross my windows.

MOTHER:

Don't be afraid...

INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD'S BEDROOM -- DAY

KNOCKING is HEARD. Ichabod gasps awake.

KATRINA (o.s.)

Constable Crane?

Ichabod looks at his hands balled into fists. He opens them

-- has ONE HALF of PHILIPSE'S TALISMAN in each palm.

INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, SECOND FLOOR HALLWAY -- NIGHT

Katrina holds a tray of food. The DOOR is HEARD UNLOCKING.

INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD'S ROOM -- NIGHT

Katrina enters. Ichabod sits at his work table.

KATRINA:

Are you hungry?

Ichabod shakes his head, won't look up. Katrina crosses.

She begins picking up pieces of the PLASTER HOOFPRINT CAST

which lies shattered on the floor.

KATRINA:

You promised justice.

ICHABOD:

If these are the random stalkings of

a monster, what good am I?

KATRINA:

People have put their trust in you.

ICHABOD:

They have done nothing of the sort.

KATRINA:

Won't they still have that justice?

(patience waning)

Or, was it a vain promise?

Ichabod stews, head in his hands. Someone is HEARD

RUNNING... Young Masbath enters, frightened.

YOUNG MASBATH:

Constable Crane... something has

happened.

EXT. WESTERN WOODS -- DAY

The Lenape Indian hangs dead in a tree, lynched. TOWNSFOLK

are gathered. Ichabod makes his way through, followed by

Young Masbath, looking up.

BROM (o.s.)

We do not need you, Constable...

Brom strides towards Ichabod from a group of men spreading a

sheet under the tree. Van Ripper's there.

BROM:

The men who did this have been taken.

We do not need you here.

Brom points to where TWO FILTHY MEN in chains sit in a

horse-drawn cart. An armed man guards them.

ONE FILTHY MAN:

You should thank us. The killings

will end. We saved you all!

The armed man shoves the filthy man to shut him up.

BROM:

They spend two days in chains.

ICHABOD:

Two days... ? For murder?

FATHER STEENWYCK

For poaching. Or, would you remake

our laws now that Magistrate Philipse

has given up the ghost?

ICHABOD:

Does that look like an animal hanging?

BROM:

Looks like an Indian.

Van Ripper cuts the noose rope at the trunk. The Lenape

corpse free falls, landing hard.

The Lenape lies in a heap on the sheet. Van Ripper and

others come to lift the sheet with the Lenape in the middle.

Ichabod watches, noticing...

The Lenape wears a WOVEN PIECE of REED GRASS a cord on his

loin cloth, twisted in a pattern.

ICHABOD:

Wait. Give me a moment...

Ichabod kneels. He removes the woven piece, looking across

the diseased Lenape's body. Something else...

The Lenape's mouth is agape; teeth rotting. Ichabod looks

around, finds a twig. He uses it to pull the Lenape's mouth

open... gets close to peer inside the Lenape's mouth.

INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD'S ROOM -- DAY

A DRAWING of the Lenape's WOVEN PIECE in Ichabod's ledger.

The piece lies near.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote