Return of the Headless Horseman

THE RETURN OF THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN It would be almost two centuries since the dreaded horseman would have caused the disappearance of school teacher Icabod Crane, from the tiny community of Sleepy Hollow. Over those centuries, rumors would come, and go, about Mr. Cranes fate. Some would say that he ran away, for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, fear of Brahm Bones tricks, or, perhaps, that he had just run away, and started a new life, far from Sleepy Hollow. These were some of the suspicions, about the school- teachers disappearance, while others were sure that the headless horseman had claimed another victim. Since Mr.Cranes disappearance, however, there have been no further attacks. Some say that the horseman has been seen, wearing Mr. Cranes head, but most of these witnesses were fresh out of taverns, and so their descriptions were under suspicion. What IS known is that the horseman has been seen, by many persons, but none of these good citizens has reported being attacked. Over time, the legend has became the stuff of fire-side chats, but little more, as this community would look towards its future. In modern times, the idea, of a headless horse-man, would become an idea, not to be feared, but to be joked about. Maybe, thats the reason why the horse-man would choose to make a come back. Maybe, it has something to do with a letter, recently discovered in the U.S. mail, and seemingly penned by the late Mr. Crane. According to the letter, which was authenticated by police, and a librarian, comparison to Mr. Cranes known writing, the new letter stated that the horse-man was "most dis-pleased" at being considered a laugh by these modern people. A warning was issued, in the note: Respect for the past is the only way to be safe, in the future. If insults persist, the horseman will ride, again. Then, in a more insistent hand were written the words: Profaners Beware! Although local law enforcement did not think, for a moment, that Icabod Crane was, still, alive, after all these years,the threat was taken seriously, no matter what its real source. The police agreed with the post office, to keep the whole thing quiet, to see if anyone DID come forward, either to claim responsibility, or to put on a costume. If someone came forward, without publicity, then the police would have their suspect. Atleast three officers did inquire what they should do if anyone did try to act like the headless horse-man, including the swinging blade, the sheriff, and the police chief, said "Wound them, if you can. We want them alive, for interrogation". When the horse-man did begin to show up, the police were left in a bind. There seemed no rhyme, or reason, for the attacks. The victims were honest, hard-working, people who never harmed a soul. As it would turn out, though the "key" would be family ties. All of those attacked by the horse-man, were related to those who made jokes, or laughed about the horse-man. This became clear when one loud-mouth came into the oldest, local, bar, and, in front of the police, said "You all listen up. I am the one who has made jokes, about that dumb old horseman. If any of you wants a fight, over this, come outside and bring it on, with me, direct. Leave my family out of it. I have spoken, not them." Moments later, after the man stormed back out of the tavern door, a scream sounded, from the street, yet the sheriff, and other witnesses, were not prepared for what they would see. The loud mouths wife had been run through, with a blade, and was lying in the street, dead. Over a dozen witnesses would testify to watching the ghostly rider gallop a short distance down the street, then turn, and give the very laugh which people had feared, for centuries. A laugh which made blood run ice cold. On another day, the sheriff would empty his revolver into whatever it was, but to no effect. The headless horse-man would gallop towards the sheriff, then dissolve, into thin air, leaving behind just another hideous laugh. In yet another, quite un-expected, attack, the horseman, again struck, without warning. This time, the location was the Sleepy Hollow high school, and the event was a celebration, of one of the schools teams, which had just won a national title. The schools faculty had, long, promoted such victories, since these occassions drew public attention away from stories of the horseman. The school, and its faculty, wanted to be known for its quality of life, and its educational opportunities. Not as the hunting grounds for a maniacal spirit. The celebration was well underway, and all present were enjoying themselves, until a cart was rolled out, into the gymnasium, and the middle of the celebration. On the cart stood a merry-go-round horse, with a rider, whose costume was cheap, and an obvious fake. The rider had a vlack sack, over their head, and a childs plastic sword, in hand. The crowd was having the expected laugh, inside the gymnasium, when screams, of sheer terror, came inside, through the open doors. When party goers rushed to the doors, which lead to the school parking lot, they found students, on the property, running, and screaming, as they tried to avoid the sleek, black, horse, and the fiery blade, of the phantom rider. The headless horseman let out the hideous laugh, as his blade slashed the air, near his potential victims. Celebration attendee's were struck, dumb, as they watched the scene, before someone called out a name, and said "Enoughs enough. Knock it off. This is supposed to be a party, not a horror movie" At that moment, a fake "rider" came forth, asking "Who are you talking to?" The attendee's then looked on, in surprise, as they realized that their pretend horseman was standing beside them. When someone asked "If you are here, WHO is THAT?", pointing at the "real" horseman, which was chasing a young couple. This is when the rider (the real horseman) came forward, at a trot, then pointed its blade at the group, and, in that ominous, booming, voice, said " Profaners Beware!" Then pointed its sword at the fake rider, saying "Such insulence will not go un-punished, should it continue" When the fake rider removed his mask, and said "Hey, jerk, it was just a joke", the real horseman cleanly removed the fake riders head, before repeating its warning "Insulence will not go un-punished. Profaners beware!" With that, the horseman turned its horse arund, and began to trot away, leaving dozens of dis-believing eyes behind, even as the horseman simply dissolved into the night. After this, the sheriff would request special ordinance, to deal with whatever it was. He was willing to try anything. Sleepy Hollow was, soon, gripped in a panic not seen, for centuries. The question, of WHO the headless horse-man was was replaced by the question of WHAT the horse-man was. The sheriff said he drew down fire, right at the rider, and there were no sounds, like bullets hitting metal, or kevlar. What else could the horse man be? Over the coming weeks, several land-owners would report firing rifles, right at the horse-man, but to no effect. Spent casings confirmed that shots had been fired. The only binding clue, which linked all of the victims, was that each had a family member who had insulted the horse-man. After months of reports, and sightings, as well as thousands of rounds, of ammunition spent, police did the only thing they could think of, to do. All of the threatened family's were joined together, at the community center. The idea was to use them as "live bait". When the idea was put into action, the police actually hoped that it would fail. They didn't like using friends, and neighbors, as "live bait". The trouble was that the horse-man did not care. Just as expected, he materialized, out of thin air, and launched his attack, with that hideous laugh. He rode right through the barrage, from a variety of weapons, including a flame-thrower. His blade was like fire, and it cut the air in a scream which no one ever wanted to hear, ever again. When a few men tried to jump the horse-man, they found themselves jumping right through the thing, and landing on others. Finally, though, the attack ended, with the horse-man stopping on the street, looking back upon the towns- people, and telling those assembled: "Beware! Mockery will be avenged! Beware" With that, the horse, and rider, just dissolved. Then, it was time to count the injured. It was not until the living stood up, and brushed themselves off, that the dead were found. Atleast one member, of each hecklers family, lay dead, eyes peering at nothing. What was puzzling was how people were run through when they were in the middle of a crowd. How could one person be dead, if the persons right next to them, had not a mark on them? When one grieving family member shouted a curse, at the departed horse-man, for killing her sister, the horse-man re-appearred, sliced off the womans head, with a single swing of the flaming blade, while capturing the gruesome prize on his hands. Before the very eyes, of witnesses, the horse-man sat the dead womans head atop its own shoulders, and it seemed to come to life. The voice, however, did not change. The headless horse-man then repeated its pronouncement, before riding off, and vanishing. The sheriff wondered how he would file this, in his report. What would turn out to be even more baffling would be when the horse-man would appear at such places as the local lumber yard. The horseman would be reported as "appearring out of nowhere", waving that blade, scaring workers, then just dissolving, right back into "thin air". The attacks only seemed to decrease when the sheriff, and the police chief, called in the national guard. It seems that the horseman was not prepared to deal with powerful weapons such as machine-guns, mortar launchers, and so on. What baffled the machine gunners was when "got lucky" and reported firing right at the horse-man, at point-blank range, yet their rounds had no effect. When asked, they replied that they had not heard bullets bouncing off of Kevlar, OR body armor. An investigation, of the event, proved that the machine gunneers HAD fired at something. Spent shells were found, nearby. With no rational explanation available, the soldiers stayed around, for a couple of weeks, until all were pretty sure that no more attacks were coming. To be on the "Safe Side", Sleepy Hollow would create a new "rule". It was an un-written law, but it was enforced the same as any written rules. Town council ruled that no one was to speak about the horse-man. Those who defied the rule were encouraged to be silent, or leave the area. Months later, when another note was found, also allegedly in Mr. Cranes handwriting, the note was locked away, in a vault, never to be opened, or read. No one wanted another visit from the area's most un-welcome visitor. As for the horse-mans victims, they would be laid to rest, during a public ceremony. The weather was awful, that day, and noon as some remarked, seemed more like late evening. The bodies were laid to rest, in basic coffins, while the local minister said a generic service. The minister kept it generic since that is how the death certificates read. Simple fact was that no one was willing to give credit to the horse-man. For most of the victims, cause of death was listed as "organ failure". In the next county, a tombstone cutter was tasked with making a bulk shipment of head-stones. These would be the markers, for these victims. During the service, people thought that they were seeing things, when they thought that they saw the horse-man riding past the grave-yard. That evening, the horse-mans dreaded laugh was heard all over town. The police tried to say that it was just the wind, but only until morning. The cemetary's groundskeeper demanded an official report be filed, on the damage he found, when he reported for work, that morning. Every head-stone, of the horse-mans victims, was smashed. This left the police chief queesy since the department had received more calls, from that area, the previous night, than from any other area. A week later, when the headstones were replaced, the horseman re-materialized, with a booming, spectral, voice, saying: "You dare honor those who spoke ill of me?!" With that terrifying laugh, and the whinnying, of the jet black steed, horse, and rider, rode among the last of the headstones, smashing them to bits, right in front of the police. Then, with a final: "Beware profaners, Beware!" The horseman, and horse, would dissolve into the night, just ike most ghosts are reported to do.