Sleepy Hollow
EXT. FOREST-NIGHT
Katrina sits up, groggy. Lady Van Tassel looks down at her.
KATRINA You… you are alive.
LADY VAN TASSEL Am I? Or, are you and Young Masbath dead along with me?
Katrina sees Young Masbath, and beyond him, the dying fire.
YOUNG MASBATH She commands the Horseman.
LADY VAN TASSEL And, quite beautifully done, wouldn’t you say? It is almost over.
THUNDER again. Wind starts to pick up.
LADY VAN TASSEL (of the wind) He rides tonight.
KATRINA Father saw you die.
LADY VAN TASSEL He saw me thrown… saw the Horseman looming over me as I fled. Things I wanted him to see. But, as long as I govern the Horseman, he cannot harm me. Baltus did not stay enough to see that. He ran as a coward, unfettered by my fate.
YOUNG MASBATH Then, whose body was it… ?
LADY VAN TASSEL The precious servant girl Sarah. I killed her and kept her body hidden, till I needed it. And, when I return to the Hollow tomorrow, my version of the truth will come to pass. (faking meekness) I mean, there I was that fateful day, following Baltus into the woods. I did not know what he was up to… where he was going. I worried for his safety.
Katrina cautiously moves the hand she’s supporting herself with, feels a rock and clutches it.
LADY VAN TASSEL Imagine my surprise, finding him on a liason with a common servant. A girl who had apparently become his secret love.
KATRINA No one will believe your lies, whore.
LADY VAN TASSEL This whore will see your mouth shut forever very soon. But… I am not going to kill you. Not me…
She picks up the Horseman’s skull in her gloved hand.
LADY VAN TASSEL He will have that honor.
EXT. WESTERN WOODS-NIGHT
The Horseman rides Daredevil, a freight train of moldering flesh, heading towards a chasm with no bridge.
They reach it, galloping in mid-air to the other side.
EXT. LONG STRAIGHT ROAD/VAN TASSEL ESTATE-NIGHT
Ichabod guides the coach into the Van Tassel orchard.
EXT. FOREST-NIGHT
Lady Van Tassel admires the skull.
LADY VAN TASSEL (mock sorrow) Woe is me… that spying on my husband in his filthy indiscretion, I saw he and Sarah attacked by the Horseman. Oh pity me… so overcome was I that I wandered in the Western Woods… dazed… nearly blind from terror.
Lady Van Tassel crouches, rubbing dirt on her face.
LADY VAN TASSEL And, tomorrow is my grand performance, having barely survived the elements… (more emoting) By sheer luck I found my way back to the Hollow. But… what do I find here… ? My dear, sweet step-daughter Katrina is dead. Why has God forsaken her?
Seeing that Lady Van Tassel lavish attention on Katrina, Masbath takes this opportunity to ease onto his knees.
LADY VAN TASSEL (of herself, pleased) No one will suspect this sad woman who has been through such an ordeal. With only the empty solace of her money and land to comfort her.
EXT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE-NIGHT
Ichabod leaps from the coach, bounds up the porch.
ICHABOD Katrina!
EXT. FOREST-NIGHT
ICHABOD is HEARD. Lady Van Tassel turns, astonished.
KATRINA Murderer!
Katrina slings the rock-strikes Lady Van Tassel in the head, a glancing blow that knocks her down. Katrina runs.
Katrina grips Young Masbath, helping him up…
But, Lady Van Tassel scrambles up, grabs Katrina and throws her back to the ground.
Lady Van Tassel steps hard on Katrina’s ankle, touches her forehead, bleeding, pissed.
LADY VAN TASSEL You’ve been a naughty girl.
Young Masbath leaps to action, charging head first-slams into Lady Van Tassel, sends her backwards.
Katrina runs and pulls Masbath up. They flee.
KATRINA Ichabod!
Lady Van Tassel rolls, recovering, not very concerned.
LADY VAN TASSEL Little bitch.
EXT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE-NIGHT
Ichabod comes out the open front doors… hearing…
KATRINA (o.s.) (far away) Ichabod!
Ichabod climbs back on the coach, taking off.
EXT. FOREST-NIGHT
Katrina and Young Masbath run out from a line of trees.
KATRINA Ichabod!
YOUNG MASBATH Here we are!
BEHIND IN THE FOREST, Lady Van Tassel rides her white horse, in no hurry. Wind kicks hard. HOOFBEATS are HEARD.
LADY VAN TASSEL Run, Katrina! Fast as your pretty legs will carry you. It makes no difference.
ON THE LAWN, Ichabod drives towards Katrina and Masbath.
Behind, at the tree line, Lady Van Tassel holds up the Horseman’s skull, wind tossing her dress and hair.
LADY VAN TASSEL Nothing will stop him now!
At mid-field, Ichabod reaches Katrina and Masbath.
ICHABOD Climb up!
YOUNG MASBATH Lady Van Tassel…
ICHABOD I know. Hold on.
With Katrina and Masbath on board, Ichabod turns the coach. Katrina unties Masbath’s hands. HOOFBEATS GET LOUDER.
LADY VAN TASSEL Olly-olly oxen-free!
Ichabod looks back towards Lady Van Tassel.
At the treeline, the Horseman breaks into the open, hell on horseback. Full speed ahead.
ICHABOD Christ.
EXT. THE LONG STRAIGHT ROAD-NIGHT
The coach hits the long straight road, away from the house.
Katrina and Masbath hold on as the coach shakes violently.
KATRINA Where are we going?
ICHABOD I do not know. Away.
YOUNG MASBATH Here he comes!
Behind, the Horseman can be seen on the forest bordered road. Closing fast. Breakneck pace.
ICHABOD We might make it to the church.
Masbath takes a lantern, crawls back to the roof.
KATRINA Masbath… !
He ignores, reaching the rear of the coach and throwing the lantern at the Horseman. It smashes on the trail.
ICHABOD Damn it, boy, get back here!
Young Masbath slides back. Katrina helps him.
YOUNG MASBATH What can we do?
ICHABOD Take the reins.
Young Masbath takes them. Ichabod slings Van Ripper’s rifle over his shoulder and starts back. Katrina grips him.
ICHABOD Masbath is right. We must do something.
She releases. Ichabod gets to the luggage area at the rear, struggling to open a storage box.
Behind, the Horseman draws his sword, closer.
Ichabod opens the box, hefting out a long, jagged SAW.
KATRINA Ichabod!
Ichabod looks. The Horseman rides up, swinging…
Ichabod recoils-THWACK-just missed by sword.
The Horseman lets the coach get ahead, shifting to the other side of the trail… coming along side.
Ichabod backpedals, looking to Masbath.
ICHABOD Keep him off! Block him!
Masbath guides the horses over. The Horseman must fall behind to avoid the wheels.
The coach hits a large, fallen tree trunk.
Ichabod bounces, falling…
He hangs off the side of the coach.
Katrina climbs to offer her hand. Ichabod offers the saw.
ICHABOD Take it!
Katrina takes the saw. Now with both hands, Ichabod tries for better purchase. He grips the coach door. It opens…
Ichabod clings to the open door as branches slam him.
He’s reaching to the coach threshold, reaching…
Ichabod pulls himself inside.
BOOM-the door hits a tree trunk, bashed to pieces.
Ichabod looks out from the coach, dazed. He climbs.
Katrina looks back as Young Masbath guides the coach to block the Horseman again.
The Horseman sheaths his sword, riding… reaching to grip the back corner of the coach.
The Horseman dismounts, clinging, climbing…
Ichabod takes the rifle off his shoulder, aiming…
BANG!-splattering the Horseman’s hand point blank. The Horseman hangs on with his other hand.
The Horseman re-grips with the blasted hand, amazing since it’s now all mush and bone.
Ichabod throws the rifle on his way to the driver’s perch, taking the saw from Katrina.
ICHABOD Move forward!
Katrina looks to the horses, then at Ichabod.
ICHABOD Go!
Ichabod takes the reins from Young Masbath.
ICHABOD Help her.
Reins in one hand and saw in the other, Ichabod waits. The Horseman rises up and moves in, taking out his sword.
Young Masbath climbs down to the wooden pole connecting the coach to the bridles, puts out his hand. Katrina takes it.
Behind, the Horseman swings. Ichabod blocks with the saw.
Young Masbath guides Katrina as she leaps onto one horse. Bareback. Young Masbath straddles the horse beside her.
The Horseman swings, backhanded knocks the sword from Ichabod’s hand as Ichabod falls back…
Ichabod hits the bridle post, hanging onto straps for dear life. His feet drag on the trail.
Above, the Horseman comes to the driver’s perch, close enough to kill Katrina. He raises his sword…
Katrina screams, ducking, helpless…
Below, Ichabod pulls a bolt from the coach’s hitching-rod.
He shoves off with his feet.
The Horseman swings…. missing.
The horses detach from the coach, dragging Ichabod along.
The coach careens out of control.
It flies off the trail, hits an incline and sails off, throwing the Horseman.
The coach hits a tree trunk and SMASHES.
FURTHER DOWN THE TRAIL, the coach horses stop. Young Masbath and Katrina climb off as Ichabod gets to his feet, hurting, clutching his previously wounded shoulder.
YOUNG MASBATH What now?
ICHABOD I doubt that’s the end.
KATRINA The church.
ICHABOD He moves too fast.
Ichabod unhooks a lantern off the bridle rail. The trail behind is silent, till a bone chilling SCREECH is HEARD.
KATRINA What was that?
ICHABOD His horse.
They start moving. Ichabod looks around. He sees…
ICHABOD There…
Through the tree line, the Hollow’s massive windmill can be seen against the sky. Katrina and Young Masbath run.
EXT. WINDMILL FIELD-NIGHT
Ichabod, Katrina and Young Masbath book into this open area, heading to the windmill. Another HORRIBLE SQUEAL echoes.
Ichabod looks over his shoulder.
Heavy, low hanging BRANCHES and VINES at the forest edge creep to life, parting… forming a sort of black tunnel.
ICHABOD He’s coming!
The Horseman gallops out, throwing leaves in his wake.
ICHABOD Hurry!
The Horseman readies a battle axe.
Ichabod gets under the windmill, helping Young Masbath up the ladder and in. Katrina next.
The Horseman is almost there.
Ichabod follows Katrina. He gets in, feet dangling. The Horseman dismounts…
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
Ichabod leaps up and struggles with the heavy trap door… slams it. He closes the latch just as the Horseman hits. The door buckles.
YOUNG MASBATH It won’t hold.
Ichabod goes to a large GRINDSTONE against a wall. He struggles to roll it.
Young Masbath helps him roll it to the trap door. It falls on top with a thud. The Horseman’s sword jabs up through the grindstone’s center hole.
The sword withdraws. A POUNDING begins.
EXT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The Horseman chops at the door with his axe.
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
POUNDING CONTINUES. The grindstone shifts. Katrina and Young Masbath back away. Ichabod holds his lantern up, desperate for ideas, searching.
Above, to the right, is the milling platform, where grain is ground and bagged. To the left is the crooked staircase.
Ichabod picks up a bailing hook, a plan forming. He gives his lantern to Katrina and points.
ICHABOD Get up those stairs. Open the door to the roof and wait.
Katrina and Young Masbath obey. Ichabod crosses and climbs the ladder to the milling platform. He grasps a wooden lever, pulling it. Gears above begin to turn.
EXT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The windmill’s rotors CREAK to life, spinning.
UNDER THE WINDMILL, the Horseman keeps chopping. His axe exposes grindstone, throwing sparks.
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
Katrina looks down from the stairs.
The Horseman’s axe pries at the seam of the trap door.
KATRINA Ichabod…
ICHABOD Keep climbing. I will follow…
Ichabod pulls bags of grain, lining them up at the edge of the milling platform.
ICHABOD (under his breath) Hopefully.
ABOVE, Young Masbath reaches the ceiling, throws open the door to the roof.
BELOW, Ichabod cuts holes into the grain bags, so milled grain spills out and falls to the floor, creating dust.
He grabs one open bag and dumps it. More grain dust.
EXT. WINDMILL ROOF-NIGHT
Masbath and Katrina come out. Rotors spin behind them.
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
Ichabod sees below… the Horseman sticks a hand through, trying to push the grindstone aside, then withdrawing. The RACKING axe continues. Won’t be long.
Ichabod grabs one half-full bag of grain, swings it with effort, throws…
The bag smashes on the grindstone, busting the door…
EXT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The grindstone falls through, SLAMMING the Horseman down…
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
Ichabod slices into a sack hanging from a pulley system. More and more dust rises.
Below, the Horseman enters. Katrina shouts from above.
YOUNG MASBATH Look out!
The Horseman moves toward the ladder milling platform ladder, but Ichabod grabs it, pulling it up…
The Horseman just misses the final rung.
Ichabod throws the ladder aside as the Horseman backs off.
Ichabod looks to the staircase. No way to climb down from the milling platform and get there.
The Horseman runs and leaps, grabbing a hanging chain…
The Horseman climbs the chain, swinging…
Ichabod runs across the platform, jumps…
Ichabod grasps the frail rail of the staircase, barely.
The rail creaks, about to break. Behind, the Horseman lands on the milling platform.
Ichabod is losing grip. Young Masbath races down the stairs, grabs his hand. He pulls Ichabod up.
Ichabod’s pistol slips from its holster and falls.
Ichabod and Young Masbath look…
The Horseman, following Ichabod’s lead, runs across the milling platform and leaps…
Grabs the staircase rail, only a few feet from Ichabod and Masbath. Ichabod kicks the rail, breaking it…
The Horseman falls in billowing dust, crashing below.
Ichabod pushes Masbath up the stairs.
EXT. WINDMILL ROOF-NIGHT
Katrina helps them onto the roof.
KATRINA Quickly, close it.
ICHABOD No. (takes lantern, points) Get to the crest of the roof and be ready to jump.
YOUNG MASBATH Jump? Jump where?
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The Horseman runs, agile, up stairs.
EXT. WINDMILL ROOF-NIGHT
Ichabod shepherds Katrina and Young Masbath to the edge where the rotors spin close.
ICHABOD The blades will carry us to the ground. Face front and wait for me.
KATRINA I… I can’t do this.
ICHABOD We have no choice.
Ichabod moves back to the trap door.
Katrina and Young Masbath look at the rotors, and down at the long distance between them and the ground.
ICHABOD Be ready…
Ichabod throws the lantern into the windmill and runs.
ICHABOD Now!
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The Horseman continues up. The lantern falls past.
EXT. WINDMILL, ROOF-NIGHT
Young Masbath jumps. Ichabod grips Katrina and jumps…
They hit one rotor and cling to the frame and cloth. The rotor begins its downwards swing.
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The lantern hits the ground and shatters. FLAMES EXPLODE!
Grain dust is consumed instantaneously-FLAMES ROAR upwards, filling the windmill…
Engulfing the Horseman.
EXT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The rotor is halfway to its lowest point. Masbath, Katrina and Ichabod hang on as the entire structure trembles.
BOOM-flames shoot out the windows, doors and seams, lighting up the night.
On the rattling rotor, Ichabod struggles to hold the frame with one hand and keep a grip on Katrina.
Masbath drops. Ichabod releases Katrina, then drops.
They hit the ground. Ichabod rolls, gasping, holding his
shoulder. They all look at each other in disbelief a moment. Ichabod lets out a sort of rasping laugh, standing.
ICHABOD Okay… come on…
Ichabod ushers them across the field, uphill. Running. Lightning flashes across the sky. THUNDER RUMBLES.
A bolt strikes the windmill, and it EXPLODES…
SHOCKWAVE DEAFENING. The rotors bust apart. Splinters of burning wood spin all directions.
ACROSS THE FIELD, Ichabod, Katrina and Young Masbath keep running. There is a WOODEN CART parked ahead.
IN THE WINDMILL RUBBLE, the Horseman rises, shoving off burning debris. His flame-ravaged uniform smolders.
ACROSS THE FIELD, Ichabod stumbles onwards, but notices something horrible…
In the distance, Lady Van Tassel’s white horse roams free.
ICHABOD (as this registers) Oh, no…
Young Masbath and Katrina are just past the cart when Lady Van Tassel rises from behind it, swings a plank…
SLAMS Ichabod in the chest and sends him down.
Lady Van Tassel grabs Katrina’s hair, drags her.
LADY VAN TASSEL Should have stayed away, Constable.
Ichabod gets up slow, furious, reaches to his holster, only to find it empty. He moves forward.
LADY VAN TASSEL Keep back, or I kill her.
She takes out scissors, holds them to Katrina’s neck. Katrina ceases struggling.
Ichabod keeps Masbath behind him, keeps his distance. Lady Van Tassel shoots a glance…
LADY VAN TASSEL See him…
Par off, the Horseman strides from the wreckage.
LADY VAN TASSEL You cannot kill what is already dead.
ICHABOD Let her go!
LADY VAN TASSEL Yes… yes. I think I will…
Lady Van Tassel spins and throws Katrina in the cart, shoving against it.
ICHABOD No!
The cart rolls downhill. Ichabod moves forward.
Lady Van Tassel turns, brandishing the scissors, slashing and missing. Ichabod backs off.
DOWNHILL, the cart picks up speed, headed for the Horseman.
The Horseman starts running to meet it.
UPHILL, Lady Van Tassel grins.
LADY VAN TASSEL Say goodbye to her.
Lady Van Tassel lunges, stabbing. Ichabod avoids, puts all his fury behind his fist-punches her in the face.
Lady Van Tassel hits the ground and her bag falls open, sending the Horseman’s skull rolling out…
The skull rolls… rolls… landing far away.
DOWNHILL, Katrina leaps out from the cart…
She lands hard…
The Horseman shoves the empty cart aside, still on the move.
UPHILL, Ichabod sees the skull. He runs towards it.
Lady van Tassel grabs Ichabod by the ankle. He falls.
DOWNHILL, Katrina runs back. The Horseman is catching up.
UPHILL, Ichabod tries to pull f ree from Lady Van Tassel.
Young Masbath comes behind her – BAM – hits her in the head with the wooden plank. She’s out.
Ichabod scrambles to his feet.
DOWNHILL, the Horseman catches Katrina, taking her by the hair as she falls to her knees and screams.
UPHILL, Ichabod runs… grasps the Horseman’s skull.
He runs towards the Horseman and Katrina.
DOWNHILL, Katrina struggles, but the Horseman holds her ready by her hair… raises his sword…
UPHILL, Ichabod throws the skull…
ICHABOD Horseman!
The skull spins through the air…
The Horseman drops Katrina, reaches up…
Catches the skull.
Katrina runs.
Ichabod runs to meet her, grabs her as she falls, exhausted. Together, they back away from the Horseman.
The Horseman holds the skull out, then brings it to his shoulders, to its rightful place. THUNDER POUNDS.
TRANSFORMATION begins-blood and flesh rise up from the Horseman’s throat and grip the skull.
Young Masbath drops the plank, watching in awe.
The Horseman’s reformation continues. Muscle forms. Liquids become solids. He is made whole once more, the same evil, human face we saw in Baltus’ stories.
He looks to Ichabod and Katrina, touches his restored face.
Daredevil rides up, SCREECHING. The Horseman replaces his sward and climbs into the saddle.
He rides towards Katrina and Ichabod, but passes them by. They are so exhausted they fall down.
Young Masbath backs up as the Horseman comes, but the Horseman does not want him either.
The Horseman leans to grab Lady Van Tassel’s unconscious form, pulls her up across Daredevil’s back.
He rides away with her.
Ichabod and Katrina watch him go. They look at each other, then kiss gratefully.
Ichabod looks to Young Masbath.
ICHABOD How are you?
YOUNG MASBATH Tired.
Ichabod smiles and holds out his arm. Masbath comes over. Group hug. Lightning brightens the farmland around them.
EXT. WESTERN WOODS, BURIAL GROUND-NIGHT
HOOFBEATS. The Horseman enters the clearing, keeping a hand on Lady Van Tassel. Ahead, the twisted tree awaits.
Lady Van Tassel is awakening, face bloody. She turns her head and looks forward. She screams.
The twisted tree’s wound opens, wide and glowing.
Daredevil picks up speed…
Daredevil leaps just as a lightning bolt blasts down, striking the Horseman.
For an instant, Horseman and horse are transformed, SKELETONS OF LIGHT, entering the tree.
Silence and smoke. At the tree, Lady Van Tassel’s hand sticks out from the tight-shut suture.
The sewn wound on her palm seeps blood.
EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREET, ICHABOD’S HOME-DAY
A bright, busy day in New York. A coach pulls up to Ichabod’s home. Ichabod is the driver. He gets off, goes and opens the coach door. He helps Katrina down. Next, Young Masbath sticks his head out.
Ichabod goes about unloading bags. Katrina holds Young Masbath’s hand, and they look down the street in wonder.
THE END
