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EXT. CAVE HOME -- DAY
Young Masbath, waiting by the horses, looks up. Through the trees,
black clouds billow and block the sun.
CAVE HOME, LOWER CAVE -- DAY
The old Crone slumps, still with her back to Ichabod. She does
not move. Wind howls through a hole/window. Rain.
Candles blow out. Ichabod stands, worried.
ICHABOD
Excuse me... um...
She remains motionless. The STORM outside intensifies.
WE SEE the skin of the Crone's wrists transform; swelling in the
cuffs, hardening, cracking and bleeding.
Some thing Ichabod cannot see. He inches closer.
ICHABOD
Are you alright... ?
The Crone turns, hideous, leaping erect -- a half-human, half-demon
CREATURE. Its black clawed hands reaching.
Ichabod recoils, crying out.
Chains on restraining cuffs yank the creature back.
Ichabod hits the floor, knocking over a table of bones. The creature
is chained, but still wants Ichabod. It SCREECHES.
The Old Crone's face seethes from transformation, eyes blood red,
nostrils dripping, teeth now jagged.
CREATURE/OLD CRONE
You seek the warrior bathed in blood... the Headless Horseman.
Ichabod slides back as far as possible while the creature claws
the rock floor, yearning.
CREATURE/OLD CRONE
Follow the Indian trail to where the sun dies. Follow to the tree
of the dead.
The creature pulls, testing the chains. Behind, the BOLT holding
the chains to the wall slips. The wall cracks.
CREATURE/OLD CRONE
Climb down to the Horseman's soulless place and let loose his silent
shrieking. Do you hear? Do you hear?!
Ichabod nods, quaking, aghast. He glances to the exit.
The chain bolt gives more... coming loose...
CREATURE/OLD CRONE
He who holds fast the Horseman's desire will guide his reaping hand.
Catch hold of his desire.
Ichabod bolts for the door. The creature HOWLS, leaping...
The chain bolt breaks...
Ichabod cries out, tackled to the floor...
It is the Old Crone who landed on him. She has returned to human
form, semi-conscious. Ichabod shoves her off.
EXT. CAVE HOME -- DAY
Ichabod runs out into the howling storm, past Masbath.
ICHABOD
We are leaving.
YOUNG MASBATH
What happened?
Ichabod scrambles onto Gunpowder, heading further into the woods,
glancing back. Young Masbath follows.
EXT. WESTERN WOODS, FURTHER ON -- EARLY EVENING
No rain. Dark. A lantern's glow creates shifting shadows as Ichabod
and Young Masbath ride.
YOUNG MASBATH
Follow the Indian trail to where the sun dies. To the tree of the
dead. (looking back)
Maybe we passed it by.
ICHABOD
How could something named "the tree of the dead" fail
to draw attention?
A BIRD CRIES OUT. Ichabod's startled, looking up. The BIRD is HEARD
ALIGHTING. Leaves float downwards.
ICHABOD
We should not go much further in this murk.
YOUNG MASBATH
Should we go back?
ICHABOD
We are far from the Hollow. (dismounts, troubled)
Loath to say it... better to get our backs against a tree and stay
till morning.
EXT. WESTERN WOODS (TIME CUT) -- NIGHT
Horses are tied. Ichabod is seated against a tree. A campfire burns.
Young Masbath lies on a blanket, rifle cross his chest, staring
to treetops.
Leaves and branches shift in the wind. Bats fly wildly.
YOUNG MASBATH
What does it mean... climb down to the Horseman's soulless place?
ICHABOD
"Let loose his silent shrieking." who knows, till we work
at it? I admit not being anxious to find out. (pause)
"He who holds the Horseman's desire will guide his reaping
hand." Whatever the Horseman desires, is, other than extinguishing
lives.
A SNAPPING BRANCH. Ichabod raises his pistol.
ICHABOD
(to Young Masbath)
Do not move.
Ichabod rises. He creeps forward, pistol and lantern forward. Foliage
is thick. CRUNCHING LEAVES are HEARD.
Ichabod crouches, puts down the lantern and picks up a branch.
He tosses the branch to the foliage...
SOME ANIMAL darts away, a running blur.
Ichabod rises, following with his pistol.
ANOTHER ANGLE, MOVING P.O.V.: low to the ground, moving swiftly
at Ichabod...
Ichabod spins, blindsided.
Young Masbath fires his rifle -- CRACK!!
The ANIMAL is KNOCKED DOWN mid-leap, yelping...
The beast lands, a mass of grey fur.
Ichabod comes to stare down. Young Masbath arrives. They both look
to the beast, horrified.
The creature lies helplessly spastic; a TWO-HEADED WOLF, with one
head blown open to brain and gore. It's living head lifts, MEWING
sadly, eyes pleading.
Ichabod steps up with pistol. FIRES. MEWING STOPS.
ICHABOD
What God-forsaken hell is this?
Ichabod swallows back sickness, looking away. Something catches-his
eye.
ICHABOD
Christ...
Through the forest: the SKY'S LIT UP. Distant fire.
EXT. WESTERN WOODS, CAVE HOME -- EARLY EVENING
Ichabod and Masbath ride up, confronted by the Crone's cave vomiting
flame out all orifices.
Ichabod approaches. Embers swirl everywhere. The Old Crone's body
lies amongst bloodied leaves. Headless.
EXT. TOWN SQUARE, DOCTOR'S RESIDENCE -- NIGHT
Much commotion. A MOB in front of the home marked "LANCASTER,
PHYSICIAN." Steenwyck addresses the rabble.
FATHER STEENWYCK
You all stand idle, while this man goes about with a book of secrets
and a bag filled with magic. You all stand idle, while the shadow
of the Devil falls over our town.
Baltus, Lady Van Tassel and Katrina watch at safe distance.
FATHER STEENWYCK
I say, if you do nothing, you share in the blasphemy of Ichabod
Crane!
Killian, on horseback beside his wife, BETH, and son, Thomas, rides
to one side of the shouting crowd.
KILLIAN
Listen to me! Do you want to save your crops? Or would you rather
see your farms go to ruin?
FATHER STEENWYCK
How is he saving our farms? How? Ichabod Crane has brought into
our midst the soulless, moldering corpse of a heretic!
INT. DOCTOR'S RESIDENCE, MEDICAL ROOM -- NIGHT
Ichabod examines the Crone's neck wound with magnification spectacles.
Young Masbath is seated, ledger in his lap.
ICHABOD
The wound is neither smooth nor cauterized, but jagged. She bleeds
like a fountain.
Ichabod lifts her dead hand to show bruises and cuts.
ICHABOD
She did not go quietly.
INT. DOCTOR'S RESIDENCE, PARLOR -- NIGHT
Doctor Lancaster wrings his hands. His WIFE rocks nervously in
a rocking chair. The CROWD outside ROARS as a bonfire lights up
the curtained windows.
The front door is POUNDED open. ANGRY HEN enter. Lancaster stands,
lips quivering. He points insistently to a door.
INT. DOCTOR'S RESIDENCE, MEDICAL ROOM -- NIGHT
Angry men break in. Ichabod looks up.
ANGRY MAN
Step aside, Constable. Step aside.
Ichabod is shoved aside, spectacles knocked off.
The group grasps the Crone. Masbath stands on his chair, clutching
the ledger. Ichabod grabs one man.
ICHABOD
What are you doing?
The man slams Ichabod back.
Magnification spectacles are crushed under foot.
EXT. TOWN SQUARE -- NIGHT
Angry men carry the corpse to a raging bonfire. The mob makes way.
Steenwyck cheers them.
FATHER STEENWYCK
Let her burn! Let her burn!
Ichabod comes out, followed by Young Masbath. The Crone's corpse
is thrown in the fire. Cheers all around.
At Ichabod's side, a man tries to grab the ledger Young Masbath
holds. Young Masbath cries out, hanging on to the book. Ichabod
joins the struggle.
Katrina watches, emotions conflicting.
Other men grab Ichabod. One punches Ichabod in the face.
Katrina rides forward as Baltus calls for her to stop.
Katrina leaps down, into the crowd, pulls men off Ichabod.
KATRINA
Stop this! Leave them alone!
A SHOT RINGS OUT. Chaos halts. Everyone turns, quieting.
The men around Masbath and Ichabod turn to face Brom Bones. Brom
holds a smoking pistol, flanked by Theodore and Glenn.
BROM
Let them go (pointing the pistol)
Are you going to beat an orphaned child, imbecile?
Masbath is released, along with the ledger. Steenwyck moves forward,
pushing people aside.
FATHER STEENWYCK
Are you Ichabod Crane's protector, Brom Bones?
BROM
Only for the moment.
FATHER STEENWYCK
You side with him in this?
BROM
No. I agree he has only made matters worse. But, that will change,
if you listen.
He trades with Theodore, pistol for a long rifle. Brom hefts the
rifle, taking a round slug from his pocket.
BROM
Theodore, Glenn and I offer to ride each day and night to watch
over the Hollow. We will stalk the border of the Western Woods and
haunt the Horseman for a change, with rifles like this... and slugs
like this...
Brom brings the slug to his lips, blows. It WHISTLES.
BROM
Hollowed out and filled with powder.
Brom smiles at Katrina, who watches unimpressed.
BROM
Constable Crane is not the only one who fights with science on his
side.
ICHABOD
I fired upon the Horseman and the bullet did nothing.
BROM
You must have missed your mark.
ICHABOD
I hit him square.
BROM
(to the crowd)
I say... if the Horseman is solid enough to take the lives of our
people, he's solid enough to feel this...
Brom aims the rifle at a BARREL down the road. FIRES.
PLUNK -- the barrel is hit -- EXPLODES. Smoke wafts.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD'S ROOM -- NIGHT
In bed, Ichabod is having unpleasant dreams once more.
FREAKISH WOMAN (v.o.)
The night of the great storm, I saw her cross my windows.
ICHABOD'S DREAM -- COURTROOM -- DAY
Young Ichabod is seated beside Father, eyes tearful. We are back
in the court where Mother stands trial.
FREAKISH WOMAN
In the lightning, I did see her. (points to Mother)
Her. Lady Crane... I will never forget it. The next moment, I found
my infant son was dead, with the blood welt on his breast.
The evil Third Man turns to a jury of TWELVE MEN.
THIRD MAN
You have heard it. The blood welt is the mark of Satan's touch.
As the crowd murmurs in fear, Young Ichabod looks to Father, who
sits with hands clenched, emotionless.
ICHABOD'S DREAM -- YOUNG ICHABOD'S HOME -- NIGHT
In the quiet kitchen, Young Ichabod looks across the table. Father
stares into his food.
YOUNG ICHABOD
She was with me, father.
FATHER
Nothing can be done against them.
YOUNG ICHABOD
She was with me that night.
Father doesn't even look up.
ICHABOD'S DREAM -- CHURCH -- NIGHT
Empty church. Young Ichabod carries a lantern past pews. A soldier
is seated near the altar with a rifle.
YOUNG ICHABOD
May I see her?
The soldier exits through a white door. Young Ichabod waits, looking
up at the vast church. The white door opens and the Third Man steps
out.
THIRD MAN
Go home.
YOUNG ICHABOD
May I see my mother?
THIRD MAN
You do not want to be here. Go home to your father.
YOUNG ICHABOD
She did not do it... please listen...
THIRD MAN
She is guilty.
YOUNG ICHABOD
No, sir, please... she is innocent...
THIRD MAN
She has confessed.
YOUNG ICHABOD
No.
THIRD MAN
She has admitted to her evil and signed a written confession. Do
you know what confession is? (off Ichabod's nod)
All that is left for you now is to pray for her soul.
The Third Man leaves through the white door.
ICHABOD'S DREAM -- YOUNG ICHABOD'S BEDROOM -- MORNING
Young Ichabod buttons his shirt.
ICHABOD'S DREAM -- YOUNG ICHABOD'S YARD -- MORNING
Young Ichabod comes out, looks to the lawn, not understanding.
Father loads a wagon full of belongings.
FATHER
We are leaving. (long pause)
She has gone away.
Realization comes to Young Ichabod. He runs, away across the lawn
as Father calls after him.
ICHABOD'S DREAM -- FOREST TRAIL -- MORNING
Young Ichabod runs, weeping.
THIRD MAN (V.0.)
She has confessed.
ICHABOD'S DREAM -- CHURCH -- MORNING
Empty. Doors are thrown open and Young Ichabod enters. He goes
down the aisle, towards the white door.
THIRD MAN (V.0.)
She has admitted to her evil and signed a written confession.
YOUNG ICHABOD
Mother.
ICHABOD'S DREAM -- CHURCH, BEYOND WHITE DOOR -- MORNING
Young Ichabod enters, halting. The room contains TORTURE DEVICES-:
iron cuffs, thumb screws, knifes and needles.
THIRD MAN (V.O.)
Do you know what confession is?
He walks, numb, eyes locked forward...
In the corner is a SPIKED CHAIR, adorned with sharp iron spikes.
Hundreds of spikes. It is fitted with straps for holding down the
"accused."
Tears'stream down Young Ichabod's face. He kneels, hands on the
spikes of the chair, pressing hard.
As he sobs, blood runs down from his hands.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD'S ROOM -- NIGHT
In bed, Ichabod opens tear filled eyes. He sits up, bringing his
trembling hands to wipe his cheeks. His hands trail blood. He looks
to them...
The old scars are bleeding.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, SITTING ROOM -- NIGHT
Katrina comes to the door. Ichabod is seated by the fire, eyes
bleary, palms wrapped with bloodied cloth.
KATRINA
Constable Crane?
Katrina comes beside Ichabod's chair.
ICHABOD
Allow me some time. I have spent every hour in the company of others.
I need to be alone.
KATRINA
What troubles you?
She moves in front. Ichabod gets up and crosses to sit facing away.
Katrina takes the chair he deserted.
KATRINA
The things I said to you before... I was wrong to say them.
ICHABOD
No, actually, you were not. Every word you spoke had truth in it.
KATRINA
What has happened?
Ichabod sits silent, puts his head back, eyes closed.
ICHABOD
Lady Van Tassel... she is your stepmother, isn't she? She bears
so little resemblance.
KATRINA
What?
ICHABOD
She is not your birth mother, is she?
KATRINA
No, but... why do you ask that?
ICHABOD
What happened to your mother? Is she still alive?
KATRINA
She died. Her lungs were diseased... two years ago. What is this
about?
ICHABOD
Memories have come back. I had them forgotten, and wish I could
forget them again... but they are here now. (pause)
Lord, how I hate this place.
KATRINA
If you want me to go, I will. Do you want me to leave?
ICHABOD
I ... I do not know. I no longer know what I think or what I feel.
Katrina walks to him. She touches his back.
KATRINA
Why are you so afraid of that? Is there truly such harm in uncertainty?
She kneels, smiles a little for him. She reaches to touch his face,
holds his head in her hands. Leans to kiss him.
He rests his head against hers, weary, putting his arms around
her. They kiss passionately.
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