Sleepy Hollow Page #5

BALTUS (v.o.)

Just to look on him made your

blood run cold, for he had filed

down his teeth to rapiers... to

add to the ferocity of his

appearance.

The Horseman lets out a war cry. Jagged teeth. Grotesque.

FOREST BATTLEFIELD -- DAY

Winter. CANNONS can be HEARD BOOMING from afar. Daredevil

lies dead in red snow. FOLLOW FOOTPRINTS away...

BALTUS (v.o.)

He would not finally meet his end

till the winter of seventy-nine,

when New York City was held by

Henry Clinton and Washington

occupied West Point. It was

between those two places, not far

from here...

The Horseman flees, cloak flowing, chased by FIVE rag-tag

REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS. Ahead, a steep, rocky area prevents

escape. Soldier one aims a rifle and FIRES...

Blood explodes from the Horseman's arm as he runs. His sword

falls from his now functionless hand.

Soldier Two grabs the sword.

At the rocks, the Horseman faces the men. Another Rifleman

raises his rifle. The Horseman reaches over his shoulder to

grasp a sheathed knife, THROWS --

THOCK! The Rifleman jerks back, knife in his eye socket.

The Horseman readies an axe. The Revolutionaries move in

with swords. They battle, STEEL AGAINST STEEL. The Horseman

fends off blows from all sides.

Soldier Three lunges, stabs his blade deep into the

Horseman's side. The Horseman roars, brings his axe DOWN...

BREAKS the sword at the hilt...

An UPWARDS stroke sends Soldier Three head over heels in a

fountain of blood.

The Horseman staggers, howling, trying to pull the blade from

his ribs. The remaining soldiers close in.

INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, SITTING ROOM -- NIGHT

Pipe smoke wafts from Philipse's mouth.

PHILIPSE:

Cut off his head with his own sword.

It's a legend told for twenty years.

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.

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