| EXT. THE LONG STRAIGHT ROAD -- NIGHT
The coach hits the long straight road, away from the house.
Katrina and Masbath hold on as the coach shakes violently.
KATRINA
Where are we going?
ICHABOD
I do not know. Away.
YOUNG MASBATH
Here he comes!
Behind, the Horseman can be seen on the forest bordered road. Closing
fast. Breakneck pace.
ICHABOD
We might make it to the church.
Masbath takes a lantern, crawls back to the roof.
KATRINA
Masbath... !
He ignores, reaching the rear of the coach and throwing the lantern
at the Horseman. It smashes on the trail.
ICHABOD
Damn it, boy, get back here!
Young Masbath slides back. Katrina helps him.
YOUNG MASBATH
What can we do?
ICHABOD
Take the reins.
Young Masbath takes them. Ichabod slings Van Ripper's rifle over
his shoulder and starts back. Katrina grips him.
ICHABOD
Masbath is right. We must do something.
She releases. Ichabod gets to the luggage area at the rear, struggling
to open a storage box.
Behind, the Horseman draws his sword, closer.
Ichabod opens the box, hefting out a long, jagged SAW.
KATRINA
Ichabod!
Ichabod looks. The Horseman rides up, swinging...
Ichabod recoils -- THWACK -- just missed by sword.
The Horseman lets the coach get a ahead, shifting to the other
side of the trail... coming along side.
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.
The coach hits a large, fallen tree trunk.
Ichabod bounces, falling...
He hangs off the side of the coach.
Katrina climbs to offer her hand. Ichabod offers the saw.
ICHABOD
Take it!
Katrina takes the saw. Now with both hands, Ichabod tries for better
purchase. He grips the coach door. It opens...
Ichabod clings to the open door as branches slam him.
He's reaching to the coach threshold, reaching...
Ichabod pulls himself inside.
BOOM -- the door hits a tree trunk, bashed to pieces.
Ichabod looks out from the coach, dazed. He climbs.
Katrina looks back as Young Masbath guides the coach to block the
Horseman again.
The Horseman sheaths his sword, riding... reaching to grip the
back corner of the coach.
The Horseman dismounts, clinging, climbing...
Ichabod takes the rifle off his shoulder, aiming...
BANG! -- splattering the Horseman's hand point blank. The Horseman
hangs on with his other hand.
The Horseman re-grips with the blasted hand, amazing since it now
all mush and bone.
Ichabod throws the rifle on his way to the driver's perch, taking
the saw from Katrina.
ICHABOD
Move forward!
Katrina looks to the horses, then at Ichabod.
ICHABOD
Go!
Ichabod takes the reins from Young Masbath.
ICHABOD
Help her.
Reins in one hand and saw in the other, Ichabod waits. The Horseman
rises up and moves in, taking out his sword.
Young Masbath climbs down to the wooden pole connecting the coach
to the bridles, puts out his hand. Katrina takes it.
Behind, the Horseman swings. Ichabod blocks with the saw.
Young Masbath guides Katrina as she leaps onto one horse. Bareback.
Young Masbath straddles the horse beside her.
The Horseman swings, backhanded knocks the sword from Ichabod's
hand as Ichabod falls back...
Ichabod hits the bridle post, hanging onto straps for dear life.
His feet drag on the trail.
Above, the Horseman comes to the driver's perch, close enough to
kill Katrina. He raises his sword...
Katrina screams, ducking, helpless...
Below, Ichabod pulls a bolt from the coach's hitching-rod.
He shoves off with his feet.
The Horseman swings.... missing.
The horses detach from the coach, dragging Ichabod along.
The coach careens out of control.
It flies off the trail, hits an incline and sails off, throwing
the Horseman
The coach hits a tree trunk and SMASHES.
FURTHER DOWN THE TRAIL, the coach horses stop. Young Masbath and
Katrina climb off as Ichabod gets to his feet, hurting, clutching
his previously wounded shoulder.
YOUNG MASBATH
What now?
ICHABOD
I doubt that's the end.
KATRINA
The church.
ICHABOD
He moves too fast.
Ichabod unhooks; a lantern off the bridle rail. The trail behind
is silent, till a bone chilling SCREECH is HEARD.
KATRINA
What was that?
ICHABOD
His horse.
They start moving. Ichabod looks around. He sees...
ICHABOD
There...
Through the tree line, the Hollow's massive windmill can be seen
against the sky. Katrina and Young Masbath run.
EXT. WINDMILL FIELD -- NIGHT
Ichabod, Katrina and Young Masbath run into this open area, heading
to the windmill. Another HORRIBLE SQUEAL echoes.
Ichabod looks over his shoulder.
Heavy, low handing BRANCHES and VINES at the forest edge creep
to life, parting... forming a sort of black tunnel.
ICHABOD
He's coming!
The Horseman gallops out, throwing leaves in his wake.
ICHABOD
Hurry!
The Horseman readies a battle axe.
Ichabod gets under the windmill, helping Young Masbath up the ladder
and in. Katrina next.
The Horseman is almost there.
Ichabod follows Katrina. He gets in, feet dangling. The Horseman
dismounts...
INT. WINDMILL -- NIGHT
Ichabod leaps up and struggles with the heavy trap door... slams
it. He closes the latch just as the Horseman hits. The door buckles.
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 trap door. It falls on top
with a thud. The Horseman's sword jabs up through a grindstone's
center hole.
The sword withdraws. A POUNDING begins.
EXT. WINDMILL -- NIGHT
The Horseman chops at the door with his axe.
INT. WINDMILL -- NIGHT
POUNDING CONTINUES. The grindstone shifts. Katrina and Young Masbath
back away. Ichabod holds his lantern up, desperate for ideas, searching.
Above, to the right, is the milling platform, where grain is ground
and bagged. To the left is the crooked staircase.
Ichabod picks up a bailing hook, a plan forming. He gives his lantern
to Katrina and points.
ICHABOD
Get up those stairs. open the door to the roof and wait.
Katrina and Young Masbath obey. Ichabod crosses and climbs the
ladder to the milling platform. He grasps a wooden lever, pulling
it. Gears above begin to turn.
EXT. WINDMILL -- NIGHT
The windmill's rotors CREAK to life, spinning.
UNDER THE WINDMILL, the Horseman keeps chopping. His axe exposes
grindstone, throwing sparks.
INT. WINDMILL -- NIGHT
Katrina looks down from the stairs.
The Horseman's axe pries at the seam of the trap door.
KATRINA
Ichabod...
ICHABOD
Keep climbing. I will follow...
Ichabod pulls bags of grain, lining them up at the edge of the
milling platform.
ICHABOD
(under his breath)
Hopefully.
ABOVE, Young Masbath reaches the ceiling, throws open the door
to the roof.
BELOW, Ichabod cuts holes into the grain bags, so milled grain
spills out and falls to the floor, creating dust.
He grabs one open bag and dumps it. More grain dust.
EXT. WINDMILL ROOF -- NIGHT
Masbath and Katrina come out. Rotors spin behind them.
INT. WINDMILL -- NIGHT
Ichabod sees below... the Horseman sticks a hand through, trying
to push the grindstone aside, then withdrawing. The RACKING axe
continues. Won't be long.
Ichabod grabs one half-full bag of grain, swings it with effort,
throws...
The bag smashes on the grindstone, busting the door...
EXT. WINDMILL -- NIGHT
The grindstone falls through, SLAMMING the Horseman down...
INT. WINDMILL -- NIGHT
Ichabod slices into a sack hanging from a pulley system. More and
more dust rises.
Below, the Horseman enters. Katrina shouts from above.
YOUNG MASBATH
Look out!
The Horseman moves toward the milling platform ladder, but Ichabod
grabs it, pulling it up...
The Horseman just misses the final rung.
Ichabod throws the ladder aside as the Horseman backs off.
Ichabod looks to the staircase. No way to climb down from the milling
platform and get there.
The Horseman runs and leaps, grabbing a hanging chain...
The Horseman climbs the chain, swinging ...
Ichabod runs across the platform, jumps ...
Ichabod grasps the frail rail of the staircase, barely.
The rail creaks, about to break. Behind, the Horseman lands on
the milling platform.
Ichabod is losing grip. Young Masbath races down the stairs, grabs
his hand. He pulls Ichabod up.
Ichabod's pistol slips from its holster and falls.
Ichabod and Young Masbath look...
The Horseman, following Ichabod's lead, runs across the milling
platform and leaps...
Grabs the staircase rail, only a few feet from Ichabod and Masbath.
Ichabod kicks the rail, breaking it...
The Horseman falls in billowing dust, crashing below.
Ichabod pushes Masbath up the stairs.
EXT. WINDMILL ROOF -- NIGHT
Katrina helps them onto the roof.
KATRINA
Quickly, close it.
ICHABOD
No.
(takes lantern, points)
Get to the crest of the roof and be ready to jump.
YOUNG MASBATH
Jump? Jump where?
INT. WINDMILL -- NIGHT
The Horseman runs, agile, up the stairs.
EXT. WINDMILL ROOF -- NIGHT
Ichabod shepherds Katrina and Young Masbath to the edge where the
rotors spin close.
ICHABOD
The blades will carry us to the ground. Face front and wait for
me.
KATRINA
I... I can't do this.
ICHABOD
We have no choice.
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
Be ready...
Ichabod throws the lantern into the windmill and runs.
ICHABOD
Now!
INT. WINDMILL -- NIGHT
The Horseman continues up. The lantern falls past.
EXT. WINDMILL, ROOF -- NIGHT
Young Masbath jumps. Ichabod grips Katrina and jumps...
They hit one rotor and cling to the frame and cloth. The rotor
begins its downwards swing.
INT. WINDMILL -- NIGHT
The lantern hits the ground and shatters. FLAMES EXPLODE!
Grain dust is consumed instantaneously -- FLAMES ROAR upwards,
filling the windmill...
Engulfing the Horseman.
EXT. WINDMILL -- NIGHT
The rotor is halfway to its lowest point. Masbath, Katrina and
Ichabod hang on as the entire structure trembles.
BOOM -- flames shoot out the windows, doors and seams, lighting
up the night.
On the rattling rotor, Ichabod struggles to hold the frame with
one hand and keep a grip on Katrina.
Masbath drops. Ichabod releases Katrina, then drops.
They hit the ground. Ichabod rolls, gasping, holding his shoulder.
They all look at each other in disbelief a moment. Ichabod lets
out a sort of rasping laugh, standing.
ICHABOD
Okay... come on...
Ichabod ushers them across the field, uphill. Running. Lightning
flashes across the sky. THUNDER RUMBLES.
A bolt strikes the windmill, and it EXPLODES...
SHOCKWAVE DEAFENING. The rotors bust apart. Splinters of burning
wood spin all directions.
ACROSS THE FIELD, Ichabod, Katrina and Young Masbath keep running.
There is a WOODEN CART parked ahead.
IN THE WINDMILL RUBBLE, the Horseman rises, shoving off burning
debris. His flame-ravaged uniform smolders.
ACROSS THE FIELD, Ichabod stumbles onwards, but notices something
horrible...
In the distance, Lady Van Tassel's white horse roams free.
ICHABOD
(as this registers)
Oh, no...
Young Masbath and Katrina are just past the cart when Lady Van
Tassel rises from behind it, swings a plank...
SLAMS Ichabod in the chest and sends him down.
Lady Van Tassel grabs Katrina's hair, drags her.
LADY VAN TASSEL
Should have stayed away, Constable.
Ichabod gets up slow, furious, reaches to his holster, only to
find it empty. He moves forward.
LADY VAN TASSEL
Keep back, or I kill her.
She takes out scissors, holds them to Katrina's neck. Katrina ceases
struggling.
Ichabod keeps Masbath behind him, keeps his distance. Lady Van
Tassel shoots a glance...
LADY VAN TASSEL
See him...
Far off, the Horseman strides from the wreckage.
LADY VAN TASSEL
You cannot kill what is already dead.
ICHABOD
Let her go!
LADY VAN TASSEL
Yes... yes. I think I will...
Lady Van Tassel spins and throws Katrina in the cart, shoving against
it.
ICHABOD
No!
The cart rolls downhill. Ichabod moves forward.
Lady Van Tassel turns, brandishing the scissors, slashing and missing.
Ichabod backs off.
DOWNHILL, the cart picks up speed, headed for the Horseman.
The Horseman starts running to meet it.
UPHILL, Lady Van Tassel grins.
LADY VAN TASSEL
Say goodbye to her.
Lady Van Tassel lunges, stabbing. Ichabod avoids, puts all his
fury behind his fist -- punches her in the face.
Lady Van Tassel hits the ground and her bag falls open, sending
the Horseman's skull rolling out...
The skull rolls... rolls... landing far away.
DOWNHILL, Katrina leaps out from the cart...
She lands hard..
The Horseman shoves the empty cart aside, still on the move.
UPHILL, Ichabod sees the skull. He runs towards it.
Lady van Tassel grabs Ichabod by the ankle. He falls.
DOWNHILL, Katrina runs back. The Horseman is catching up.
UPHILL, Ichabod tries to pull free from Lady Van Tassel.
Young Masbath comes behind her - BAM - hits her in the head with
the wooden plank. She's out.
Ichabod scrambles to his feet.
DOWNHILL, the Horseman catches Katrina, taking her by the hair
as she falls to her knees and screams.
UPHILL, Ichabod runs... grasps the Horseman's skull.
He runs towards the Horseman and Katrina.
DOWNHILL, Katrina struggles, but the Horseman holds her ready by
her hair... raises his sword...
UPHILL, Ichabod throws the skull...
ICHABOD
Horseman!
The skull spins through the air...
The Horseman drops Katrina, reaches up...
Catches the skull.
Katrina runs.
Ichabod runs to meet her, grabs her as she falls, exhausted. Together,
they back away from the Horseman.
The Horseman holds the skull out, then 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 drops the plank, watching 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' stories.
He looks to Ichabod and Katrina, touches his restored face.
Daredevil rides up, SCREECHING. The Horseman replaces his sword
and climbs into the saddle.
He rides towards Katrina and Ichabod, but passes them by. They
are so exhausted they fall down.
Young Masbath backs up as the Horseman comes, but the Horseman
does not want him either.
The Horseman leans to grab Lady Van Tassel's unconscious form,
pulls her up across Daredevil's back.
He rides away with her.
Ichabod and Katrina watch him go. They look at each other, then
kiss gratefully.
Ichabod looks to Young Masbath.
ICHABOD
How are you?
YOUNG MASBATH
Tired.
Ichabod smiles and holds out his arm. Masbath comes over. Group
hug. Lightning brightens the farmland around them.
EXT. WESTERN WOODS, BURIAL GROUND -- NIGHT
HOOFBEATS. The Horseman enters the clearing, keeping a hand on
Lady Van Tassel. Ahead, the twisted tree awaits.
Lady van Tassel is awakening, face bloody. She turns her head and
looks forward. She screams.
The twisted tree's wound opens, wide and glowing.
Daredevil picks up speed...
Daredevil leaps just as a lightning bolt blasts down, 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.
EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREET, ICHABOD'S HOME -- DAY
A bright, busy day in New York. 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.
Ichabod goes about unloading bags. Katrina holds Young Masbath's
hand, and they look down the street in wonder.
THE END
|
