Sleepy Hollow Shooting Script
EXT. CHURCH-NIGHT
Baltus CRASHES backward through the window, hits the ground, DRAGGED…
OUTSIDE THE FENCE, the Horseman rides Daredevil away from the church, with the rope tied around Daredevil’s saddle pommel…
Baltus SLAMS the fence. The rope SNAPS. Baltus is held there awkwardly, gurgling blood.
INT. CHURCH-NIGHT
Ichabod, holding Katrina, cries out- ICHABOD Oh… Katrlna… Oh God, forgive her…
EXT. CHURCH-NIGHT
The Horseman turns Daredevil, riding back… his sword raised high…
… he chops off Baltus’s head.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE-NIGHT
Katrina lies insensible in her bed… the ribbon with the bauble around her neck.
Ichabod stands watching her, alone with his grief and his appalling “secret.”
ICHABOD It was an evil spirit possessed you. I pray God it is satisfied now, and that you find peace. Good-bye, Katrina. The Evil Eye has done its work. My life is over-spared for a lifetime of horrors in my sleep, waking each day to grief.
Ichabod leaves the room, closing the door.
EXT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, KITCHEN, PORCH AND LAWN-DAWN
Ichabod, watch only by Young Masbath, stands by a FIRE burning in a CIRCLE of ROCKS nearby. He has his Ledger. After a moment, he throws the LEDGER onto the fire. The pages catch quickly.
He opens his satchel and digs out a BOOK. His luggage is packed on the porch.
He walks back to the fire, looks at the book in his hand, the book Katrina gave him. He stands staring down.
A DECREPIT COACH is arriving.
EXT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, KITCHEN, PORCH AND LAWN-DAY
The decrepit COACH, with Gunpowder as one of its team, waits, loaded with Ichabod’s baggage.
Van Ripper, the driver, helps Ichabod with strapping the load. Young Masbath watches, not helping.
Ichabod turns to Young Masbath.
Angry tears come to Young Masbath’s eyes. The farewell is like an argument.
YOUNG MASBATH But who will look for the truth when you have gone?
ICHABOD There is no more truth to be found. That is why I can go and leave this wretched place behind me.
YOUNG MASBATH You think it was Katrina, don’t you?
Ichabod clamps his hand over Young Masbath’s mouth. He looks intently into his eyes.
ICHABOD That can never be uttered. Never.
Ichabod takes his hand away.
YOUNG MASBATH A strange sort of witch! -with a kind and loving heart! How can you think so?
ICHABOD I have a good reason.
YOUNG MASBATH Then you are bewitched by reason.
ICHABOD I am beaten down by it! It’s a hard lesson for a hard world, and you had better learn it, Young Masbath- villainy wears many masks, none so dangerous as the mask of virtue. Farewell!
Van Ripper climbs onto the coach. Ichabod looks to the Manor House. Only one light shines, in a SECOND FLOOR WINDOW.
lchabod climbs into the coach.
INT. VAN RIPPER’S COACH-DAY
INSIDE THE COACH, Ichabod slumps. He pounds twice on the coach wall.
EXT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, FRONT LAWN-DAY
OUTSIDE, Van Ripper whips the reins. The coach starts. Young Masbath watches, wiping tears.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, KATRINA’S ROOM-DAY
Katrina wakes. She hears the Coach Wheels. She gets up from the bed and goes to the window. Her POV shows the Coach leaving… Katrina’s face shows that her world has collapsed around her.
EXT. TOWN SQUARE, CHURCH-DAY
Van Ripper’s coach crosses the covered bridge… past the town square … past the church.
Near Doctor Lancaster’s house, the coach passes a flat cart… on which lies the headless corpse of Lady Van Tassel. Ichabod looks at the corpse and he notes the gashed palm of one dead hand.
The cart is being pulled at a walking pace by a single horse. The CART MAN walking, holding the bridle.
The cart man pauses, seeing a RIDER approaching, traveling in the same direction as Ichabod’s coach.
Ichabod realizes that the rider is Katrina. He looks from the coach window and sees Katrina get down from the horse and go to the cart.
Ichabod pulls back from his window and closes his eyes.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD’S ROOM-DAY
Young Masbath enters, looks around the empty room. He goes to sit, crosses his arms on the desk and lays down his head.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, PARLOR-DAY
Katrina enters. She crosses, slumps in a chair, staring into the burning fireplace
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, VARIOUS ROOMS-POV-DAY
A POV MOVES SLOWLY THROUGH THE HOUSE; SOMEONE’S searching various rooms…
INT VAN RIPPER’S COACH-DAY
Ichabod opens his satchel, takes out a bottle of water and gulps from it. In replacing the bottle, he finds… the Book given him by Katrina. He opens the book. There is a DIAGRAM DRAWING on a whole page. Ichabod recognizes… the “Drawing” of the supposed “Evil Eye,” identical to the two we have seen before. But what gets Ichabod’s real attention is the bold “headline.”
The Headline over the Picture is “For The Protection of A Loved One Against Evil Spirits.”
Ichabod gasps, and mutters the words aloud.
What a fool he’s been!
ICHABOD (to himself) But then, who… ?
He is puzzled. He stares at his open palms. The scars on his palms trigger a thought…
Then he understands: something we will soon understand.
He slides the front window panel to shout through it.
ICHABOD (CONT’D) Van Ripper, turn the coach… !
VAN RIPPER What?
ICHABOD Turn around, now!
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, VARIOUS ROOMS, PARLOR-POV-EVENING
SOMEONE still moves through the house, a TRAVELING POV-moving through ROOMS on the ground floor…
Stopping at the doorway of the PARLOR, looking to where Katrina is seated across the room.
INT. DOCTOR’S RESIDENCE, MEDICAL ROOM-EVENING
Mrs. Lancaster comes to answer BANGING on the door. She opens the door and Ichabod pushes past, satchel in hand, taking Mrs. Lancaster’s lantern.
ICHABOD Pardon my intrusion…
There are TWO COFFINS on the floor.
Ichabod throws off the lids from the coffins, looking to the headless BODIES of BALTUS and LADY VAN TASSEL.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, PARLOR-INTERCUT-EVENING
Katrina still sits, her eyes closed. A FIGURE in BLACK moves forward in the darkness behind…
INT. DOCTOR’S RESIDENCE, MEDICAL ROOM-INTERCUT-EVENING
Ichabod goes to lift Lady Van Tassel’s hand with the GASH on its palm, bends to study… pulling at the sewn wound-pulling the stitches apart between his thumbs…
Mrs. Lancaster watches.
INT. VAN TASSEL H0USE, PARLOR-INTERCUT-EVENING
Katrina hears a BOARD CREAK. She sits up, turning…
KATRTNA Who is it?
INT. DOCTOR’S RESIDENCE, MEDICAL ROOM-INTERCUT-EVENING
Ichabod releases the corpse’s hand, tears off his spectacles, shaken by the realization…
ICHABOD No bloodflow, no clotting, no healing… When this cut was made… this woman was already dead.
Ichabod grabs his satchel, bolts out the door…
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, PARLOR-INTERCUT-EVENING
The FIGURE moves closer in darkness…
KATRINA Who is there… ?
The FIGURE comes into the dim, flickering fire light… Lady Van Tassel.
LADY VAN TASSEL Dear step daughter…
Katrina stands, terrified, trying to form words… Lady Van Tassel cackles like a witch.
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D) You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.
Katrina’s eyes roll up as she FAINTS dead away to the floor.
EXT. TOWN SQUARE, DOCTOR’S RESIDENCE-NIGHT
Ichabod runs out from the DOCTOR’S RESIDENCE, leaps up onto the empty coach, pushing Van Ripper’s rifle aside. Van Ripper’s urinating against the side of the building.
VAN RIPPER Be with you in a minute, Constable.
Ichabod whips the horses, driving the coach away.
Van Ripper frowns in confusion.
INT. THE WINDMILL-NIGHT
The interior of the windmill is large and shadowy, with lots of old junk, clutter, machinery, boxes, etc.
Katrina lies unconscious. Lady Van Tassel comes to cut off a clump of Katrina’s hair with SCISSORS, grinning as she does it.
A CONJURING PILE has been prepared, containing a small ANIMAL’S HEART with an iron NAIL through it. Lady Van Tassel adds Katrina’s hair, lights the pile off a lantern.
Lady Van Tassel WHISPERS over the fire. She looks to Katrina, who stirs.
Lady Van Tassel takes the HORSEMAN’S SKULL from a bag over her shoulder, places it in the flames. THUNDER is HEARD.
LADY VAN TASSEL (whispers and chants) Rise up once more, my Dark Avenger! -Rise up!-One more night of Beheading!-Rise up with your sword, and your Mistress of the night will make you whole-a head for a head, my unholy Horseman- rise-rise-rise from the earth, come forth again through the Tree of the Dead… come now for… Katrina!
EXT. WESTERN WOODS, TREE OF THE DEAD-NIGHT
The WIND scatters dead leaves. The TWISTED TREE OPENS WIDE with a RUMBLE-SHAFTS of LIGHT shooting out.
EXT. THE ROAD TO VAN TASSEL ESTATE-NIGHT
Ichabod drives the coach hard ahead.
INT. THE WINDMILL-NIGHT
Katrina sits up, groggy, looking around… sees the dying fire, and Lady Van Tassel watching her.
LADY VAN TASSEL Awake at last. Did you think it was all a nasty dream? Alas, no.
KATRINA My father saw the Horseman kill you…
LADY VAN TASSEL He saw the Horseman coming to me with his sword unsheathed! But it is I who govern the Horseman, my dear, and Baltus did not stay to see.
KATRINA But there was your body!
LADY VAN TASSEL The servantgirl, Sarah, I always thought her useless, but she turned, out useful. Tomorrow I’ll totter out of the woods and spin a tale how I found Baltus and Sarah in the act of lust… as I watched, the Horseman was upon them, and off went Sarah’s head! I fainted and remember nothing more…
KATRINA Who are you?
LADY VAN TASSEL My family name was… Archer.
KATRINA (remembering the cottage hearth) The Archer…
LADY VAN TASSEL I lived with my father and mother and my sister in a gamekeeper’s cottage not far from here…
The conversation is being heard by a MOVING POV among the shadows.
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D) Until one day, my father died, and the landlord who received many years of loyal service from my parents… evicted us. No one in this God- fearing town would take us in…
The MOVING POV stops, spying from behind the clutter. The REVERSE SHOT reveals YOUNG MASBATH, holding his breath.
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D) … because my mother was suspected of witchcraft…
Young Masbath looks about for a weapon. His eyes alight on a large Wooden Mallet.
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D) She was no witch, but I believe she knew much that lies under the surface of life… and she schooled her daughters well while we lived as outcasts in the Western Woods. She died within a year… and my sister and I remained in our refuge, seeing not a soul… until, gathering firewood one day, we crossed the path of the Hessian…
FLASHBACK-FOREST BATTLEFIELD (WESTERN WOODS)-DAY
The Hessian Horseman (avec head) has happened upon TWO YOUNG GIRLS gathering firewood. The girls stand frozen at the sight of him, till one girl drops her firewood and runs…
The second girl remains, holding the Horseman’s gaze.
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
LADY VAN TASSEL I saw his death, and from that moment…
FLASHBACK-FOREST BATTLEFIELD (WESTERN WOODS)-DAY
The Girl watches the burial of the Horseman… and his Head dropped into the grave.
LADY VAN TASSEL … I offered my soul to Satan if he would raise the Hessian from the grave to avenge me.
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
Young Masbath, unseen, works his way quietly around behind Lady Van Tassel.
KATRINA Avenge you?
LADY VAN TASSEL Against Van Garrett, who evicted my family, against Baltus Van Tassel who, with wife and simpering girlchild, stole our home. I swore I would make myself mistress of all they had… (she cackles again) The easiest part was the first-to enter your house as your mother’s sick nurse and put her body into the grave, and my own into the marriage bed.
Katrina cries out in horror.
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D) Not quite so easy was to secure my legacy… but lust delivered Reverend Steenwyck into my power. Fear did the same for the Notary Hardenbrook. The drunken Philipse succumbed for a share of the proceeds, and the Doctor’s silence I exchanged for my complicity in his fornications…
Masbath moves into the open, weapon raised. Katrina sees him and stifles a gasp.
KATRINA (keeping Lady Van Tassel’s attention) Yes! -you have everything now.
LADY VAN TASSEL No, my dear-you do, by your father’s will. But I get everything in the event of your death. (she cackles again)
Lady Van Tassel’s hand reaches for the Mystic Bauble on Katrina’s neck. She rips it free.
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D) (as she does so) This pretty bauble, which I so kindly gave you to wear, has done it’s work. My sister, by the way, sadly passed away…
FLASHBACK-OUTSIDE CRONE’S CAVE HOME-DAY
The Crone falls to the ground outside her cave, unconscious, beaten and bloodied.
A hand-Lady Van Tassel’s hand-enters FRAME to haul the Crone up by the hair, and WE SEE the Crone’s bloodied features face to face with the wicked smile of Lady Van Tassel.
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
LADY VAN TASSEL … quite recently.
FLASHBACK-OUTSIDE CRONE’S CAVE HOME-DAY
Lady Van Tassel holds a SWORD high, SWINGS DOWN… Then we see the separated Head and Torso… and the severed CORD, which had been around the Crone’s neck… and Lady Van Tassel’s Hand reaching for the Mystic Bauble, which had fallen free.
INT. WINDMILL NIGHT
Young Masbath is about ready to bring the mallet down upon Lady Van Tassel’s head.
KATRINA (keeping Lady Van Tassel’s attention) It was the Crone you killed… your own sister…
LADY VAN TASSEL She brought it upon herself…
Like a whiplash, Lady Van Tassel turns cackling at Young Masbath- she sensed him by witchery!
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D) (to Young Masbath) -by helping you and your master!
Young Masbath shrieks and drops the mallet.
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D) You are just in time to have your head sliced off!
Katrina and Young Masbath run to each other for mutual comfort.
LIGHTNING BRIGHTENS the forest. Lady Van Tassel looks up.
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D) The Horseman comes. And tonight he comes for you!
EXT. WESTERN WOODS-NIGHT
The Horseman rides Daredevil, a freight train of moldering flesh…
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
Katrina and Young Masbath are holding hands, scared.
Lady Van Tassel picks up the Horseman’s skull in her gloved hand and puts up her face and gives out a long animal howl. Distantly, Daredevil is heard answering with a scream.
Katrina and Young Masbath run. Lady Van Tassel has need to stop them.
LADY VAN TASSEL Run! There is no escape!
EXT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, PORCH AND LAWN-NIGHT
Ichabod leaps from the coach, bounds up porch stairs…
ICHABOD Katrina!
Ichabod stops, sees FIRELIGHT at the Windmill. He runs… leaps back up to the coach and takes off…
EXT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
THUNDER BOOMS. WIND HOWLS. Lady Van Tassel stands in the doorway with the skull in one hand, laughing.
EXT. AROUND THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WINDMILL-NIGHT
Katrina and Young Masbath break out into the open. Ichabod drives toward them…
KATRINA Ichabod!
Ichabod meets them, halts the coach and jumps down (as the coach horses trot away), running to put his arms around Katrina and Young Masbath…
ICHAB0D Thank God…
Lady Van Tassel’s mad laughter is heard. Ichabod and Katrina turn as…
Lady Van Tassel rides from around the windmill on her white horse. She shrieks with laughter.
ALONG THE TREELINE, the Horseman breaks into the open… Hell on horseback-full speed ahead…
LADY VAN TASSEL (0.S.) Have you come back to arrest him after all?!
Ichabod thinks fast, moving to the windmill, leading Katrina and Young Masbath along with him.
ICHABOD Quickly… !
Behind, wind tosses Lady Van Tassel’s dress and hair. She holds the Horseman’s skull high.
LADY VAN TASSEL Mind your hat, Constable!
Young Masbath scurries up the ladder and in.
Katrina’s next. Ichabod looks behind… The Horseman is almost upon them.
Ichabod follows Katrina, pulling himself up. The Horseman arrives, dismounting, moving forward…
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
Ichabod leaps up, lifts the heavy trap door on its hinges, slams it. The door is POUNDED from outside, buckling.
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 trapdoor. It falls on top with a THUD. Masbath jumps back as the Horseman’s sword jabs up through the grindstone’s center hole.
The sword withdraws. POUNDING begins anew.
EXT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The Horseman chops at the door with his axe.
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
POUNDING CONTINUES, Katrina and Young Masbath back away. Ichabod holds his lantern up, desperate for ideas, searching.
Above, to the right, is the high MILLING PLATFORM, where grain is ground and bagged, and a ladder leading to it. To the left is the crooked, open STAIRCASE.
Ichabod picks up a BAILING HOOK, a plan forming. He gives his lantern to Katrina and points.
ICHABOD Get up these stairs. Open the door to the roof and wait.
Katrina and Young Masbath obey, heading left. Ichabod crosses to the right, starts climbing the ladder to the milling platform…
On the platform, Ichabod grasps a wooden lever, pulling it.
The entire windmill CREAKS and GROANS as massive GEARS and COUNTERWHEELS above begin to turn.
EXT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The windmill’s rotors slowly begin spinning.
UNDER THE WINDMILL, the Horseman keeps chopping…
His axe exposes grindstone, throwing sparks.
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
Katrina looks down from the stairway. The POUNDING on the trap door causes the grindstone to jump.
KATRINA Ichabod…
ICHABOD Keep climbing. I will follow… (under his breath) Hopefully.
Ichabod drags large BAGS of GRAIN, lining them up at the edge of the milling platform.
ABOVE, Young Masbath throws open the door to the roof.
BELOW, Ichabod uses the bailing hook to cut holes into the grain bags, so that MILLED GRAIN SPILLS out and falls to the floor, creating clouds of grain dust.
Ichabod grabs one open bag, dumps it.
He slices into a sack hanging from a pulley system, pushes it so it swings in circles, grain flooding out…
More and more DUST RISES, filling the air…
EXT. WINDMILL ROOF-NIGHT
Masbath and Katrina come out. Rotors spin behind them.
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The GRINDSTONE blocking the trap door FALLS THROUGH as wood splinters and gives. A moment, then the Horseman climbs in.
KATRINA (looking in from above) Behind you!
Ichabod looks down, sees the Horseman, then looks to the staircase adjacent from the high platform. He runs…
He LEAPS across the space between the platform and stairs…
Ichabod grasps the outer rail of the staircase, hanging on, pulls himself up onto the stairs…
Below, the Horseman moves through clouds of billowing dust, runs and LEAPS, incredibly high…
The Horseman grasps a hanging chain, swinging, his momentum carrying him in a wide arc…
Above, Ichabod runs upstairs, to the roof door.
The Horseman’s weight swings him toward the stairwell…
He releases the chain… airborne momentarily…
The Horseman lands high up on the stairwell.
EXT. WINDMILL ROOF-NIGHT
Katrina and Young Masbath help Ichabod onto the roof.
KATRINA Quickly, close it!
ICHABOD No…
Ichabod takes the lantern from Katrina.
ICHABOD (CONT’D) (points) Get to the crest of the roof and be ready to jump.
YOUNG MASBATH Jump? From up here?!
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The Horseman clomps upstairs, axe in hand.
EXT. WINDMILL ROOF-NlGHT
Ichabod shepherds Katrina and Young Masbath to the edge, where the rotors spin close.
ICHABOD Jump for the sails! Wait till I give the word!
KATRINA Ichabod!… I can’t…
ICHABOD Yes, you can, my love-hand in hand…
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 (CONT’D) Be ready…
Ichabod DROPS the LANTERN into the windmill and runs…
ICHABOD (CONT’D) Now!
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The Horseman continues up. The lantern falls past…
EXT. WINDMILL, ROOF-NIGHT
Young Masbath jumps. Ichabod grips Katrina, jumps…
They hit one rotor, gripping the frame and cloth as the rotor begins its DOWNWARD TURN…
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The lantern hits the ground and shatters-FLAMES EXPLODE!
Throughout the windmill’s interior, grain dust is consumed instantaneously-FLAMES ROAR upward…
FLAMES engulf the Horseman…
EXT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The rotor is halfway to its lowest point. Masbath, Katrina and Ichabod hang on as the ENTIRE STRUCTURE TREMBLES…
Flames shoot out windows, doors and seams!
On the rotor, Ichabod struggles to keep a grip on Katrina. Masbath drops. Ichabod and Katrina fall…
They all hit the ground. Ichabod rolls over, gasping, holding his shoulders, getting to his feet…
Ichabod, Katrina and Young Masbath run away as smoldering debris rains down.
EXT. ACROSS THE FIELD-NIGHT
Ichabod ushers them along as they run, heading uphill. Lightning flashes across the sky. THUNDER RUMBLES.
EXT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
Behind, the WINDMILL begins to CRUMBLE, huge burning sections crashing to the ground.
EXT. ACROSS THE FIELD-NIGHT
Ichabod, Katrina and Young Masbath slow, looking back at the incredible conflagration.
YOUNG MASBATH Is he dead?
ICHABOD He was dead to start with-that’s the problem.
KATRINA Look…
EXT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
IN THE WINDMILL RUBBLE, the Horseman RISES, shoving off burning debris. His flame-ravaged uniform smolders.
EXT. ACROSS THE FIELD -NIGHT
Ichabod spins, searching for possibilities… He spots the COACH and HORSES not too far away…
ICHABOD Come on!
They flee toward the coach. Behind…
Daredevil rides to rejoin the Horseman.
EXT. THE ROAD FROM VAN TASSEL ESTATE-NIGHT
The coach hits the long straight road, rumbling at top speed away from the Van Tassel Estate, into the forest…
Katrina and Masbath hold on as the coach shakes violently.
KATRINA Where are we going?
ICHABOD Anywhere!
YOUNG MASBATH He’s right behind!
Behind on the trail, the Horseman chases, closing fast.
KATRINA Make for the church!
ICHABOD We’ll never reach it!
Young Masbath grabs Ichabod’s satchel, offers it…
YOUNG MASBATH Here, sir… you must have something in your bag of tricks.
ICHABOD Nothing that will help us, I am afraid. Take the reins…
Young Masbath takes them. Ichabod gives Van Ripper’s rifle to Katrina, then crawls back across the coach roof.
Ichabod gets to a baggage area at the rear, struggling to open a storage box.
Behind, the Horseman draws his sword, closer.
Ichabod opens the box and pulls out a jagged HAND SAW.
KATRINA Look out… !
Ichabod looks. The Horseman rides up, SWINGS his sword…
Ichabod recoils-THWACK-just missed.
The Horseman lets the coach get ahead, shifting to the other side of the trail… coming along side again…
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.
One wheel hits a large rock…
Ichabod bounces, falling, drops the saw…
He hangs off the side of the coach.
The saw clatters away on the trail.
Ichabod tries for better purchase. He grips the coach door.
Katrina climbs to offer her hand.
KATRINA Take my hand!
Ichabod reaches to her, but the coach door falls open…
Ichabod’s PISTOL falls from the holster and is lost on the trail.
Ichabod clings helplessly to the door as branches slam him.
EXT. BEHIND THE TRAIL
The Horseman gets to his feet. Ahead, Daredevil stands waiting, giving a SCREECH.
EXT. AHEAD ON THE TRAIL NEAR THE TREE OF THE DEAD
Katrina and Ichabod rejoin Mashath, climb off the coach to examine the ruined wheel, panicked.
ICHABOD This is not good.
YOUNG MASBATH We’re doomed.
ICHABOD We have to get out of the open somehow. Quick, follow me…
They turn to run, but suddenly falter, seeing… Riding over the crest of the hill, comes Lady Van Tassel, on her white horse, with Ichahod’s lost pistol in her hand…
EXT. NEAR FOREST-NIGHT
LADY VAN TASSEL What? Still alive?!
Across the distance, the Horseman strides in this direction.
ICHABOD Run, Katrina…
Lady Van Tassel points her gun at Katrina.
LADY VAN TASSEL Yes, do run. And jump. And skip. (she takes aim) And now let’s see a somersault!
ICHABOD Run!
Ichahod makes a move toward Lady Van Tassel, but Lady Van Tassel aims and FIRES-shoots Ichahod in the chest! Ichahod goes down…
KATRINA No!
Young Masbath cries out, falls to his knees beside Ichabod. Katrina moves toward Ichahod… Lady Van Tassel rides forward-GRABS Katrina by the hair, PULLING HER, riding off toward the Horseman… Ichabod lays clutching the smoldering wound in his chest, gasping. Young Masbath holds him…
YOUNG MASBATH Oh, God… no… no…
Lady Van Tassel drags Katrina by the hair as Katrina screams and struggles and kicks.
The Horseman keeps coming…
Lady Van Tassel stops her horse, halfway to the Horseman, drops Katrina and starts riding back, shouting…
LADY VAN TASSEL There she is. Take her, she’s yours!
Katrina gets up to run, stumbles, falls…
The Horseman strides after…
Up the field, Ichabod gets to his knees, feeling his chest with both hands, not quite understanding, struggling to shake off delirium…
YOUNG MASBATH Sir, you’re… you’re not dead…
ICHABOD Not… yet…
Ichabod looks up, trying to comprehend…
Lady Van Tassel had turned her horse, her back to us, keeping her distance from the Horseman. Beyond her, Katrina flees this direction with the Horseman at her heels.
Ichabod’s focused on something…
The black SADDLEBAG slung over Lady Van Tassel’s horse.
Ichabod rises out of pure determination, runs…
Katrina runs… the Horseman is closing on her.
Lady Van Tassel watches, grinning, but at the last second something catches her eye and she turns, just as…
Ichabod LEAPS…
TACKLES Lady Van Tassel off of her horse, taking her down to the ground HARD… her bag falling open…
The Horseman’s skull rolling out…
Ichabod scrambles toward the skull-but falls, halted. Lady Van Tassel grips his leg, holding him.
Young Masbath grabs a heavy, broken TREE LIMB off the ground.
The Horseman is mere yards behind Katrina…
Ichabod struggles to get free from Lady Van Tassel, can’t break her grip when, BANG-Young Masbath SMASHES Lady Van Tassel over the head with the tree limb. She’s out.
The Horseman catches Katrina…
Ichabod scrambles free, running, reaching for the skull… grasping it…
The Horseman holds Katrina ready by her hair as she falls to her knees, screaming and struggling. The Horseman raises his sword…
Ichabod rises, THROWS the skull with all his might…
ICHABOD (CONT’D) Horseman!
The skull spins through the air…
The Horseman suddenly drops Katrina, reaches up with one hand… catches the skull.
Katrina runs. Ichabod runs to meet her, grabs her as she falls. Together, they back away from the Horseman…
The Horseman holds the skull out… 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 watches 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’s stories.
The Horseman looks to Ichabod and Katrina, touches his restored face. Daredevil rides up, SCREECHING. The Horseman replaces his sword, climbs into the saddle.
He rides toward Katrina and Ichabod, but he does not want them. They are so exhausted they fall down. Young Masbath comes to stand with them.
The Horseman leans to grab Lady Van Tassel’s unconscious form, pulls her up across Daredevil’s back.
The Horseman rides away with her.
Ichabod and Katrina watch him go. They look at each other, then kiss gratefully. Ichabod looks to Young Masbath…
ICHABOD (CONT’D) How are you, Young Masbath?
YOUNG MASBATH Weary, sir.
Ichabod holds out his arm. Masbath comes over. They embrace. Katrina touches the burned bullet hole in Ichabod’s clothing.
KATRINA I thought I had lost you.
Ichabod reaches into his clothing, takes out a BOOK he kept in an inner pocket close to his heart…
The BOOK OF SPELLS with a bullet lodged in it.
Katrina wraps her arms around Ichabod.
EXT. WESTERN WOODS, TREE OF THE DEAD-NIGHT
HOOFBEATS.
The Horseman enters the clearing, holding on to Lady Van Tassel. Ahead, the Tree of the dead awaits.
Lady Van Tassel is awakening…
The Horseman grips Lady Van Tassel’s hair, pulling her face up closer to his, just as she opens her eyes…
Lady Van Tassel screams…
As the Horseman brings his face to meet hers, about to engage in a KISS, his jagged teeth open wide.
Ahead, the twisted tree’s wound opens, deep and glowing, as Daredevil picks up speed.
EXT. WESTERN WOODS, TREE OF THE DEAD-NIGHT
Daredevil JUMPS in the air just as a LIGHTNING BOLT blasts down from the sky, 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 as her fingers curl.
EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREET, ICHABOD’S HOME-DAY
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.
Katrina holds Young Masbath’s hand. Ichabod comes to hold Katrina’s hand.
A STRAY CAT watches them- Young Masbath looks entranced at the BUSTLING METROPOLIS.
YOUNG MASBATH Oh, my!
KATRINA (equally impressed) And cobbled streets!
ICHABOD (proudly) Yes… New York, New York! Just in time for the new century! It’s the modern age, Katrina!
KATRINA It’s always the modern age, Ichabod … but the ancient ones endure.
Large snowflakes begin to fall upon the scene.
Ichabod puts an arm around Katrina and the other arm around Masbath.
The CAT is black with one white paw… the Cat from Ichabod’s dreams… The CAT turns to look at the trio.
ECU-The CAT’S EYES ARE HUMAN, INTELLIGENT, KINDLY… They are Ichabod’s Mother’s eyes.
Ichabod, Katrina and Young Masbath enter Ichabod’s house, as the SNOW continues to fall.
THE END
