Sleepy Hollow
BALTUS But, only recently has the Headless Hessian been seen prowling the Hollow, in search of a head to suit his shoulders.
ICHABOD Just a moment… (sits back, incredulous) Are you saying it is he?
HARDENBROOK (aggravated, loud) When a goblin leaps from the nether world, others follow. Poltergeists of the air, water and earth follow and cheer his desecrations!
Hardenbrook BANGS his cane on a table. Baltus puts a calming hand on senile Hardenbrook’s shoulder.
DOCTOR LANCASTER No one knows why he chose to now to climb out from his grave.
FATHER STEENWYCK It is very clear why. Citizens here have long tried to hide sins behind closed doors. Their failed faith has saturated the soil and called forth one of Satan’s own.
ICHABOD Excuse me, gentlemen, but… who has seen this Horseman?
BALTUS Many have.
ICHABOD Then, name one person who has seen him with their own eyes.
A long wait. No reply from the elders. Ichabod rises.
ICHABOD While I will do everything I can to find your assassin, I will look for a man of flesh and blood. Not some goblin-demon from hell.
EXT. BELLTOWER FIELD-EARLY EVENING
The Belltower is covered in defensive spikes. A man climbs down a rope ladder. Below, many ARMED MEN gather. Everyone grim. Philipse moves to the center, on horseback.
PHILIPSE Gather round! Gather and quiet! The hour has come to choose for this night. Each man’s name is in this box and has been checked.
A box is handed up. Ichabod and Baltus arrive on foot at the back of the mob. Ichabod looks…
At a nearby forest, men light TORCH POSTS in a line bordering the forest edge for at least a half mile.
Philipse draws a folded paper from the box, holds it up.
PHILIPSE May the Lord watch over him… (unfolds paper) “Jonathan Masbath.” Are you here?
JONATHAN (o.s.) I am. I take my responsibility.
The crowd parts as JONATHAN MASBATH, a dirt-poor farmer with a bow and quiver of arrows, moves forward. His son, YOUNG MASBATH, 14, grips his arm.
YOUNG MASBATH No, father. Wait… (up to Philipse) He’s already been up once. Why does he go again?
JONATHAN It is a lottery, son. It just as easily might have been one of them.
YOUNG MASBATH Then… I go with you.
JONATHAN No. You obey my wishes. (looks to crowd) Brom. Look after him, will you?
Brom steps up, nodding. Jonathan kisses his son’s cheek, then heads to the rope ladder. Men pat him on the back.
PHILIPSE Someone leave him a horse.
Young Masbath watches his father go. Brom coaxes him away. At the back of the crowd, Ichabod watches skeptically, looks to Young Masbath as he and Brom pass.
ICHABOD You worry for naught, little man. Nothing will harm him there. (looks up, sotto) It is problems here on the ground you people need begin to worry about.
Ichabod watches Jonathan climb, very high above.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD’S ROOM-NIGHT
Ichabod makes notations in a LEDGER BOOK.
KATRINA (v.o.) You will dream.
Katrina strolls in, sits on the bed. Ichabod is nervous.
KATRINA Did they tell? It is something in the air so that dreams come to everyone. According to the elders, an Indian prophet held powwows here before the land was taken, and spells cast then still linger to this day.
ICHABOD Do you often make a habit of sitting on strange men’s beds?
KATRINA You are horribly old-fashioned, aren’t you?
ICHABOD Feel free to form your own opinion. (facing his ledger) Though it appears you already have.
KATRINA Well, I intended to apologize for the behavior of my friend Brom Van Brunt, but it seems I’ve made matters worse. (getting up to go) I’ll leave you to your business.
ICHABOD Excuse me… I should apologize. I, um… I… have no great love of…
KATRINA Other people?
ICHABOD Small talk.
KATRINA It might have been more. Might have been positively grand talk.
Ichabod offers his chair, backing away. Seeing it is the only one, he remains standing. Katrina sits.
KATRINA Is it me, or are you this nervous around all women?
ICHABOD Perhaps it is because your suitor’s hands were recently very nearly wrapped around my throat.
KATRINA My suitor?
ICHABOD The massive fellow… Brom. For someone you call “friend,” he misplaces a good portion of jealousy.
KATRINA He has proposed to me twice.
ICHABOD Which may explain his temperament. To have asked twice means the answer was “no” at least once.
Katrina looks down, discards this with a smile.
KATRINA I’ve read a great deal about your New York City. Do be a dear and tell me all about it. Sounds like an extraordinary place to live a life.
ICHABOD Extra ordinary, yes. But first, you tell me about the Headless Horseman.
EXT. BELLTOWER FIELD-NIGHT
The torches burn bright. ABOVE, in the Belltower, Jonathan Masbath loads a rifle. THUNDER BOOMS.
Jonathan stands, looking to a sky that is all stars and moon. A HORSE is HEARD SHRIEKING. Below, the horse tied at the base of the tower is spooked.
A COMMOTION is HEARD, ground rumbling. Jonathan grips a rifle, cocks it and moves to look…
At the forest edge, a herd of deer stampedes out. They sprint past the tower and across the field.
Jonathan crosses to watch the herd scatter. He crosses back to peer at the forest. Bad news…
A thick FOG creeps from the woods.
As the fog overtakes the base of each torch, a tentacle of mist snakes up to the flame, killing it. All along the forest, arms of vapor snuff torches… one by one by one…
Above, Jonathan sights the rifle along the trees.
JONATHAN Come out, devil… come….
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD’S ROOM-NIGHT
Ichabod leans on a dresser. Katrina’s still seated.
KATRINA Not all think it is the Horseman. Many say witches come from the Western Woods to steal skulls for their cauldrons. Some believe a person in this very town kneels before Lucifer, offering death as tribute. And, still others believe none of it.
ICHABOD Are you so superstitious?
KATRINA To call a person superstitious is to imply they fear magic, but not all magic is black.
ICHABOD There is no such thing as magic.
KATRINA Really? Then… what is your rebuttal to those romantic poets claiming proof of magic in a rose at full bloom, or even in a teardrop?
ICHABOD Poets have silly notions about plants and bodily secretions.
KATRINA (laughs) You are funny.
Ichabod doesn’t get what’s so funny about that. The DISTANT TOLL of a BELL is HEARD. Katrina looks fearful.
She goes to open a window. The BELL TOLLS…
EXT. SLEEPY HOLLOW, OVERVIEW-NIGHT
… TOLLS mournfully over farms and forests…
EXT. FARM-NIGHT
… TOLLS as a MAN comes from his barn, listening, then sprinting towards his home.
EXT. TOWN SQUARE-NIGHT
… TOLLS across the deserted square. Windows go dark. Shutters are slammed shut.
EXT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE-NIGHT
… TOLLS. Ichabod bounds out to the lawn, halting to listen. Katrina and Baltus come out on the porch.
BALTUS Constable, where are you going!?
… TOLLS… TOLLS… then, SILENCE. Ichabod chases away.
BALTUS Come back, sir… (watches him go) Madness.
Baltus ushers Katrina back in. The door slams.
EXT. BELLTOWER FIELD-NIGHT
Ichabod charges across the rocky field. He slows, awed…
The Belltower is down, its mast is splintered. The horse is gone. Ichabod moves to where the crow’s nest lies smashed. No sign of Jonathan.
EXT. SLEEPY HOLLOW FOREST-NIGHT
Jonathan runs past, gripping his bow. It’s QUIET… till HOOFBEATS are HEARD in pursuit.
