| EXT. THE HOLLOW -- EARLY MORNING
Dawn light, is visible over forests pounded by rain.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, SECOND FLOOR HALL -- MORNING
Ichabod exits his room, satchel in hand. He looks down the hall,
then steps back in to take a white rose from a vase.
AROUND A CORNER, Ichabod comes to the last door. He bends, slipping
the white rose under the crack of the door.
EXT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, FRONT PORCH -- MORNING
Rain. Ichabod comes out. Across the lawn, Young Masbath is bringing
the horses.
LADY VAN TASSEL (O.S.)
Good morrow, Constable.
Ichabod turns to see Lady Van Tassel in a chair, sewing.
LADY VAN TASSEL
Returning to the western Woods?
ICHABOD
Yes, actually.
LADY VAN TASSEL
Use caution.
ICHABOD
(nods, studies her)
Do you know... I think those are the first words I have heard from
you my entire time here.
LADY VAN TASSEL
As my husband says, a wife should be always like an echo, and at
the same time, quite unlike an echo.
(off Ichabod's confusion) Like an echo, she should speak only when
spoken to, and unlike an echo, should never try to have the last
word. or, at least that is what he believes.
Baltus comes out the door, irritable, skillet in hand.
BALTUS
Constable... did you notice anything out of the ordinary during
the night?
Ichabod eyes the skillet, ill at ease, trying not to be.
ICHABOD
um... I ... I did not... no. Why?
BALTUS
Sarah has gone missing... my servant girl. Her things are gone.
Damn it. She has joined the migration out of town.
(to Lady Van Tassel) What about breakfast, woman? Or, am I to starve
to death?
Lady Van Tassel gets up and goes in, taking the skillet.
ICHABOD
I should be going... good day to you.
Ichabod heads towards Young Masbath. Baltus watches from the porch,
disgruntled. He goes in.
EXT. WESTERN WOODS -- DAY
Heavy rain. Ichabod and Young Masbath ride side by side.
YOUNG MASBATH
If the Crone's wound bled hard, that means she was not killed by
the Hessian. Someone only tried to make it look that way.
ICHABOD
You grow sharper by the minute, little man. It boggles my mind,
but I begin to prefer your company over all others.
YOUNG MASBATH
Well... I'm one of the few people who likes you.
ICHABOD
(laughs)
True enough.
YOUNG MASBATH
Then, who murdered the Old Crone? And why?
ICHABOD
Good questions, deserving answers, of which we are in short supply.
A SOUND is HEARD. Ichabod looks back, then to Masbath.
ICHABOD
Quicken pace.
Ichabod rides faster. Young Masbath keeps up.
FURTHER ON, they charge over a hill. Ichabod halts Gunpowder and
climbs clumsily off.
ICHABOD
Ride on.
Young Masbath obeys. Ichabod takes out his pistol and wades into
forest growth, backtracking.
INSIDE THE FOREST, Ichabod bounds through underbrush, low. A HORSE
is HEARD SNORTING. He pushes through branches...
Moving behind a FIGURE IN A GREY CLOAK on horseback.
ICHABOD
Halt and turn. I have a pistol aimed at your head.
The figure stops, pushes off the cloak hood. Katrina.
KATRINA
It is only me.
ICHABOD
Katrina. why do you follow?
KATRINA
I apologize if I worried you.
ICHABOD
A woman should not be out alone in these woods.
KATRINA
But, I am not alone, am I? I only wished to see what you were up
to, and...
(takes out WHITE ROSE)To thank you.
Ichabod softens, but doesn't want to.
ICHABOD
Come along.
EXT. WESTERN WOODS, TREE OF THE DEAD -- DAY
Raining still. Ichabod, Masbath and Katrina come into a clearing,
mouths falling open at the sight of...
A monstrously huge TREE OF THE DEAD, at the clearing's center,
with branches reaching far and wide, knotted and gross, like agony
captured in wood sculpture.
Ichabod dismounts, crossing a line beyond which grass and weeds
will not grow. Young Masbath and Katrina dismount.
YOUNG MASBATH
You were right... it does draw attention to itself.
Ichabod stares up into the endless, dead canopy of branches. He
circles the incredibly wide trunk.
There's a VERTICAL WOUND in the bark, as if the tree once had a
terrible hole in it, now partially healed and disgustingly scarred.
Ichabod approaches.
He feels the mushy scar, picking at its scabs till much sap begins
to trickle. It is red and Ichabod fingers it.
ICHABOD
Blood.
KATRINA
What did you say?
Ichabod goes to where Katrina and Masbath wait with the horses,
digs in a saddle bag for a hand axe.
YOUNG MASBATH
What is it?
ICHABOD
Stay back.
At the trunk, Ichabod thumps the flat end of the axe against the
suture. It sounds hollow. Ichabod begins to chop.
He pulls away loose bark. The tree drips more blood and a clear
goo. Ichabod uses both hands on the axe to hack at the festering
suture.
KATRINA
What are you doing?
ICHABOD
Just... keep where you are.
Ignoring, Young Masbath moves closer. Ichabod keeps chopping, then
grips a large, loose flap of wood, trying to bend it. It's not easy.
Ichabod struggles.
Katrina follows Masbath's slow advance.
Ichabod's pulling... the flap suddenly gives, revealing a blood-soaked,
wide-eyed, gap-mouthed HUMAN HEAD.
Ichabod recoils. Behind him, Katrina stifles a scream, taking Young
Masbath in her arms to keep him from looking.
It is Philipse's head, hanging off the trunk flap, held by roots
grown around and into the flesh.
Ichabod reapproaches, back of his hand to his mouth.
FOUR other SEVERED, DECAYING HEADS are held by ingrown roots within
the dewy innards.
KATRINA
My God... what has happened?
ICHABOD
He... he tries to take the heads... they will not pass.
He looks to the branches towering above.
ICHABOD
Must be some sort of gateway. But, why this place... ?
YOUNG MASBATH
We should go.
ICHABOD
Why this tree?
Ichabod begins looking at the ground, moving around the tree. He
gets to his knees, pushing mud away.
Uncovering a flush HEADSTONE carved with "666."
ICHABOD
(to himself)
"Climb down to the Horseman's soulless place."
(to Masbath)
Bring the shovel.
EXT. WESTERN WOODS, TREE OF THE DEAD -- LATER DAY
Rain. Young Masbath's crouched, muddy, rifle across his knees.
He's watching the tree.
Behind him, Katrina climbs out of the shallow grave near a pile
of mud. Ichabod hands up the shovel.
KATRINA
Masbath, we've found it.
Young Masbath goes to the grave. Ichabod pulls at thick burlap
cloth, straining as it comes away.
Ichabod looks down, disbelieving.
ICHABOD
It cannot be true.
WE SEE: roots have gripped the Horseman's bones and tattered uniform.
The skeleton is all there -- except the skull.
ICHABOD
Why is it every grave I open holds a new mystery inside?
KATRINA
The skull is gone.
ICHABOD
Yes. I did notice that, thank you.
Ichabod climbs out, weary in body and spirit. LIGHTNING. THUNDER.
He stares at the bones.
ICHABOD
This is his silent shrieking... and his desire, to reclaim his head.
Ichabod turns, looking to the bordering forest.
ICHABOD
"He who holds fast the Horseman's desire will guide his reaping
hand."
(pause)
Someone controls the Horseman.
KATRINA (o.s.)
Ichabod!
Ichabod turns, looks...
Katrina and Young Masbath back away, because the ROOTS in the grave
are ALIVE, further entwining around remains.
Ichabod spins to the twisted tree...
The vertical SUTURE SEETHES, pulling inwards... sucking Philipse's
head back in and closing, bubbling.
Ichabod bounds over grave dirt pile, hastening Katrina and Young
Masbath along as he flees.
At the tree, the suture swells.
Ichabod, Katrina and Young Masbath pass where their freaking horses
are tied to a fallen trunk, heading for cover.
A RUMBLING is HEARD from the twisted tree, which suddenly BURSTS
wide, spitting smoldering cinders.
At the tree line, Ichabod, Katrina and Young Masbath cower, looking
back.
From the tree wound, a glow brightens, till the Headless Horseman
and Daredevil EXPLODE-into existence...
They hit the ground running.
Ichabod watches the Horseman ride away with bolts of LIGHTNING
STRIKING the GROUND BEHIND.
The Horseman disappears in the forest.
ICHABOD
His next victim is chosen!
(to Masbath)
Give me distance, then guide her back to the Hollow.
Ichabod runs towards the horses.
YOUNG MASBATH
Constable!
EXT. WESTERN WOODS -- DAY
The Horseman-rips past on Daredevil.
EXT. BEHIND IN WESTERN WOODS -- DAY
Ichabod rides as fast as Gunpowder is able.
INT. KILLIAN'S HOME, KITCHEN -- DAY
Small home. Killian, Thomas and Beth have finished supper. Beth
clears plates as Killian picks his teeth with a knife.
THOMAS
May I be excused, father?
KILLIAN
Do you deserve to be?
THIRD MAN
(shyly)
I think so.
KILLIAN
(smiles)
Then, go.
Thomas gets down from his chair. He goes to the fireplace to light
a tallow wick, which he takes to the next room.
INT. KILLIAN'S HOME, WHITE ROOM -- DAY
Thomas plops on the floor and lights his MAGIC LANTERN: a lantern
with an outer sleeve of glass painted with silhouettes of lions
and monsters.
Thomas turns the lantern and looks to the walls where the creatures,
shadows are thrown. He roars for them, imagining them real and having
a grand time.
INT. KILLIAN'S HOME, KITCHEN -- DAY
Beth comes for more dishes.
BETH
Don't pick teeth. You teach Thomas bad habits.
Killian pulls her to him, playful.
KILLIAN
I am a bad habit. There's nothing for it.
BETH
(kisses him)
No one knows better than I.
INT. KILLIAN'S HOME, WHITE ROOM -- DAY
Thomas continues his fun, shadow animals circling him.
In the shifting light, a baby spider comes from a crack in the
wall. Then, another spider skitters out. More follow.
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