Sleepy Hollow
INT. CHURCH-DAY
Baltus makes his way in, shoving. People are still clamoring in through the doors.
Men pass rifles from stockpiles and climb onto pews at boarded windows. Women herd children into a cellar.
Baltus searches for a hiding place. He looks across the church to see Steenwyck closing the doors of his living quarters. Baltus moves…
BALTUS Steenwyck!
At the front doors, Katrina squeezes in with Ichabod and Young Masbath just as people are forcing the doors closed. It’s madness. People outside begin pounding.
Katrina searches.
KATRINA Father!
Ichabod goes to a window, looking out between boards.
EXT. CHURCH-DAY
Across the yard, the Horseman gives his axe an underhand toss to the ground inside the gate.
The AXE instantly BEGINS TO DEGRADE TO DUST in the rain.
The Horseman rides, keeping outside the fence.
INT. CHURCH-DAY
Ichabod comes away from the window, looking to panicked citizens. He sees Katrina moving up the aisle…
She’s heading towards Baltus, who slams against the door to Steenwyck’s room.
BALTUS Damn you, Steenwyck! Help me! Let me in!
RIFLES BOOM LOUDLY as men at the windows begin firing.
EXT. CHURCH-DAY
The Horseman circles, under fire.
Great clouds of gun smoke shoot from the church.
Men fire down from the belfry.
Parts of the Horseman and Daredevil splatter red into the rain as slugs hit without effect.
AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CHURCH, the Horseman comes around, heading to the town square.
INT. CHURCH-DAY
Rifleman shout to each other, running to the opposite windows to follow the Horseman.
Young Masbath grabs a rifle and leaps to join the brigade.
Baltus is still beating Steenwyck’s door when a HUGE FARMER grips Baltus angrily and throws him…
HUGE FARMER You’ll kill us all!
Baltus falls, knocking over pews. Katrina’s nearby.
HUGE FARMER You’re the one the Horseman wants. Why should we die for you!?
KATRINA NO!
The huge farmer picks Baltus up, dragging him and shoving Katrina aside as she approaches.
Ichabod’s pushing past people, trying to reach them.
EXT. CHURCH/TOWN SQUARE-DAY
The Horseman brings Daredevil to a halt, yanking a large coil of ROPE off a hitching post.
INT. CHURCH-DAY
The huge farmer shoves Baltus to the floor again.
HUGE FARMER Get out!
Others join the rage, pulling Baltus towards the front of the church, shouting. Ichabod struggles to push them off.
ICHABOD Stop this!
Ichabod gets to Baltus’ side, trying to protect.
ICHABOD The Horseman cannot enter! It does not matter who he wants, he cannot cross the gate!
At the windows, ONE RIFLEMAN turns, crying out.
ONE RIFLEMAN He’s coming back!
More panic. The huge farmer moves towards Baltus.
HUGE FARMER We have to save ourselves!
Baltus pulls the pistol from Ichabod’s holster, brandishing.
BALTUS No! Get away from me!
EXT. CHURCH-DAY
The Horseman rides past the front, fired upon.
He halts at the wrought iron gate, reaching to yank off one POST which is pointed on top, like an arrow head.
INT. CHURCH-DAY
Baltus holds everyone’s back with the pistol.
BALTUS The next person to lay hands on me will have a bullet. Stand off!
KATRINA Father…
BALTUS No! We’re safe here. (points at Ichabod) You said it. The Horseman will not have me.
CRASH, the harpoon-like post SPEARS through a window, trailing rope tied to it…
CRACK-SKEWERS Baltus from behind, the bloodied point bursting out his breast bone.
Baltus looks down, drops the gun… clutching the post with both hands. Blood streams out his mouth. Katrina screams.
The rope yanks Baltus back. He SLAMS into the WINDOW…
EXT. CHURCH-DAY
Baltus CRASHES out, hits the ground, dragged…
Outside the fence, Daredevil runs with the rope tied around his saddle pommel. The Horseman strides forward, sword out.
Baltus SLAMS the fence and the rope snaps. He is held there awkwardly, gurgling blood.
The Horseman reaches Baltus… chops off his head.
INT. SLEEPY HOLLOW FORESTS-DAY
The storm has passed. Empty forest. Long, peaceful pause, till Ichabod makes his way through, searching the ground.
Ichabod comes to look down a small hill. The corpse of Lady Van Tassel lies headless, in a dirty, torn dress.
Ichabod walks to the body. Lady Van Tassel’s arm is twisted behind. The sewn cut on the palm of her hand faces up.
ICHABOD (shouting back) Here! I have found her… (looking at corpse, quiet and miserable) Here she is.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, UPSTAIRS HALL-EARLY EVENING
Doctor Lancaster comes out from where Katrina is asleep. He closes the door, wipes his sweaty face. Ichabod waits.
DOCTOR LANCASTER It has been a terrible jolt to her nerves.
ICHABOD You will stay at her side?
Doctor Lancaster nods. Ichabod walks.
EXT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE-EARLY EVENING
It’s getting dark. Ichabod comes out and crosses the porch. A few of the Hollow’s residents are here. Young Masbath gets up and follows Ichabod onto the lawn.
Ichabod walks without waiting.
YOUNG MASBATH She’s the one who controlled the Horseman, isn’t she, sir? Sir? (no answer)
ICHABOD I need time for thinking. Without you hanging on my coattails for a change.
Ichabod keeps walking. Young Masbath stops, wounded.
EXT. WESTERN WOODS, TREE OF THE DEAD-NIGHT
Ichabod stands holding a torch, looking up. The whole area is bright from the light off a giant fire.
There are broken lanterns and barrels around the agonized, twisted tree. The tree is aflame, fire dancing up the trunk, and through every branch to lick the sky.
EXT. FOREST-DAY
Dawn. Ichabod is seated overlooking the Hudson. He stares at the beauty around him, brooding through bleary eyes. Gunpowder is tied to a tree. BIRDS SING.
The ledger is open in Ichabod’s lap. He thumbs pages absently, just keeps staring off.
EXT. FOREST-DAY (TIME CUT)
A fire burns in a circle of rocks. Ichabod’s ledger is thrown in. The pages catch quickly.
