[A/N]: Hey guys, when I first watched Sleepy Hollow I was extremely captivated with the idea of the Headless Horseman, and his role as Death, so this fiction is the byproduct of my fascination. I would also like to thank Shadowmere for all the support and help with this story. Feel free to leave your comments, questions or concerns, I definitely want to hear what you guys have to say. Well here we go…

[DISCLAIMER]: I don't own Sleepy Hollow, and all credit goes to the producers. I'm just giving them the credit they deserve.


Laney pulled her jacket tightly around herself, hoping to keep the chilly autumn breeze out. Fall nights in Sleepy Hollow always meant crisp, skin numbing breezes, mixed with dark walks home.

It was almost a trademark of Sleepy Hollow that the autumn nights were voided of any stars. It was as if a star devouring monster came and claimed them; leaving only inky black sky in its wake. Luckily for Laney the moon still shown in the night sky; bathing the small and gravelly road in fragmented shards of dusty moon light.

Though she loved the beauty of the moon, darkness wasn't anything that she hadn't adapted to by now. Laney had survived in Sleepy Hollow long enough to know: always bring a flashlight, and always wear a wooly fall jacket, unless she wanted to freeze into a popsicle on her walk home from work.

Work. The very thought of her job made Laney sigh.

Laney had been plagued by extremely brutal work days for the last year; they always left her mentally and physically drained. It wasn't ideal to work twelve hours a day, but her student loans had to get paid, as well as the house payment. She didn't particularly love being an accounts receivable clerk for the sheriff's department – but there were worse jobs out there; she was sure of that.

Working with numbers was almost a calling to Laney. Her math skills had been exceptional, and many of her professors had prompted her to go into engineering or something more math based – but her lack of funds had kept her from that. She had waited a few years to go college, and realized how much of a mistake that was. That had forced her into working full time and having to go to school simultaneously. It had been tough – but she had pulled through.

Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to scrounge up enough money to keep going on for another two years to receive a bachelors degree. Her old grocery store packing job had barely kept her fed and living in an apartment, and she had been swimming in debt from student loans, so Laney had settled with an associates in accounting.

Her new job kept her little cottage styled home warm and filled with food, and there was nothing wrong with that. She had at least accomplished something better than a grocery store clerk, and now she actually had something to her name other than loans. She had a home. It may have been cheap, a little run down and small, but still it was a home.

The small cottage-like house had been a better investment than a car, and it was a smarter financial decision – but the distance from town was a little annoying, especially without that car she desperately needed. Still, the small cottage had grabbed her heart from the moment she laid eyes on it. It was Victorian styled outside, with its white-washed wood siding and tiny porch. It had claimed her very breath. The interior was compact, but cozy with an old red bricked fireplace and delicate wood furniture.

Though it was tiny, it still was homey and warm. Laney didn't need anything else.

The cottage was definitely a fixer-upper. It's curb appeal wasn't breath taking now – but with a fresh coat of paint, some flowers and exotic grasses Laney was sure it could be the little dream escape she was looking for. Her cottage needed some work – but that was exactly what Laney needed, something to work on. Something she could pour her frustrations into, and still feel productive.

It was better than drinking herself silly on the weekends or partying with her well off college friends. Lately work occupied her time and she was unable to find time to hang out with them.

The girls at work had become her new friends, expect for their incessant nagging and fussing about her walking home. The ladies acted as if they expected to see her on the news as the next murdered victim. They made walking home sound like a life ending endeavor in Sleepy Hollow when it was actually quite entertaining. Laney had been walking to and from work for one year and still she hadn't been dismembered. Though, the ladies at work made such a big deal out of her stretching her legs and saving money, they still never offered her a ride home.

Laney didn't even own a car, and they all knew it – but still they snobbishly got in their Cadillacs and drove by without a second glance at her. Their cares for her safety were long forgotten once they were on their way home. It was just annoying now whenever someone would talk about her walking home. Laney would just scoff at them, and internally sneer at their slightly hypocritical concerns.

But the gossip lately had been wild, and juicier than usual, which kept the ladies from concerning themselves with her. They were either talking about the string of murders or Abbie Mills and her new companion, Ichabod Crane. This new Crane character had caused quite a stir in quiet Sleepy Hollow. Since his appearance Sheriff Corbin and Reverend Knapp had been murdered.

Sheriff Corbin and Reverend Knapp had supposedly been beheaded by this homicidally insane, head severing mad man, and it was bone chilling to think about it.

Some of the rumors about this crazy ax swinging lunatic had caused three girls to care about Laney's well being. They had offered to give her rides home, claiming she must be terrified to walk home; and she was. But she refused to take their pity, all she would offer to them was a laugh. Assuring them she was fine, and they would believe anything; it was just a bunch of lies created to get the old folk lore stirring. The police officers had even assured them nothing was going on in Sleepy Hollow.

It had to be true, because reliable intel was a small perk of working in the accounting section at the local Sleepy Hollow Police Department.

Plus, she was sure that it was probably a group of troubled teens looking for attention. The same thing happened about eight years ago, some crazy kids had been beheading animals for attention. It had been pathetic, but she was sure it was a group of teens that decided to take it one step further, and soon they would be brought to justice.

Laney maintained a steady pace, as she passed the set off weeping willow trees. Smiling, she couldn't help but feel a flicker of joy, she was almost home. With that she picked up the pace, and tried to keep herself distracted.

Laney pulled her coat even tighter, as there was a very sudden shift in the air temperature. Her body responded with an involuntary shiver. The breeze just swept through her as of she was a phantom.

The temperature continued to drop, as if something seemed to be unnaturally sucking the life out of the air, leaving behind a deaden, cold empty shell. Everything hung lifelessly in the space around her, and even time seemed to freeze.

Laney stopped in her tracks; she felt cool air creep around her ankles, and quickly her eyes snapped down.

She gasped, as a white swirl of fog rolled across the ground, enveloping her feet in a sheet of thick, wispy vapor.

It was odd – but nothing was too unusual for Sleepy Hollow. Misty fog, it was nothing to freak out about, Laney scolded herself. Still, she found her feet carrying her home faster.

Clutching her work bag tightly to her chest, she almost sensed herself breaking into a jog. The line of willow trees faded from her vision, revealing the old wooden bridge, that led over a small creek. The forest around the bridge was very thick and consisted of some lovely white birches and conifers.

Just slightly past this bridge, Laney joyously thought. She already hated being out past ten at night – but everything seemed slightly more haunting tonight, especially with the cold mist that blanketed the ground.

As she was about to step over the threshold of the bridge, Laney heard something quite curious.

It was a rhythmic sound, like rain beating against a roof – soft and distant. The noise was distinct and methodical, but it became louder and louder with every second that passed.

The more and more she thought about it, the more the sound resembled that of horses' hooves – but that didn't seem to make sense. Who in the right mind goes horseback riding at night, she wondered.

Laney slowly, turned around, and what she saw made her blood run cold.

About two hundred feet behind her was a pure white steed, charging forth with the speed of a god. It's eyes glowed a demonic ruby red, it looked like something out of hell as its pure white mane fluttered like a flag in the wind – but it was what rode atop the steed that turned her blood to ice.

A headless man adorned in an old red coat, was commanding the horse. He looked as if he had just been ripped out of the ground, stains of dirt were splashed across his jacket. His red coat alone resembled that of a British soldier. Blood was even visible on his uniform from her distance; only because the light of the moon caused it to shine a pale silver.

In his hand he wielded an ancient steel ax; it's very blade blazed a molten orange as if he had just pulled it out of a forge. The ax flowed through the air, leaving behind a trail of misty steam.

Was this some sick illusion? It has to be. Laney rubbed her eyes, just to make sure – but nothing changed, except the monster and the horse were closing in on her. She realized then that her eyes weren't deceiving her.

This can't be... She pleaded with herself, praying it was a nightmare, and soon she would wake up still snug in her bed. But the closer he got, the more this whole ordeal became a reality. It's a headless man, and he's carrying a blazing ax... Laney internally shrieked in terror.

Her eyes must have been as large as quarters, and she felt body shake in pure unadulterated fear. Her very breath was caught in her throat, and she swore she was choking.

"Damn it!" She finally yelped in terror, tossing her work bag at the edge of the bridge. She took off in a haphazard sprint. She went straight into the pitch black forest, not even caring what happened to her wallet or house key.

Headless crazy murderer. Run. Run. Run. Those were the only thoughts that seemed to be running rampant through her head.

That's when she heard heavy boots hit the gravel, and she knew the crazy, headless man was on the ground and was pursuing her on foot.

He was actually following her and she felt her heart quicken. Trepidation sweeping through her very adrenaline filled body. Being hunted was not her usual evening events, and it was definitely taking a toll on her sanity.

The ground was quite unstable, as she climbed down a trail that snaked along the river. It was never too smart to follow an obvious path, but at this point it was important to put as much distance between her and this 'Headless Horseman'.

It was dark, and the trees obscured the moonlight. The trees themselves only allowed small amounts of the phantom light to fight its way through. Still, Laney felt her shoes narrowly dodging tree roots and jagged rocks. She silently prided herself for breaking her work code; she had secretly wore her black tennis shoes today, and now that small decisions was saving her very life.

But her shoes couldn't entirely save her, as Laney awkwardly stumbled down the hill nearly breaking her ankle on a rock that was poking out. Her ankle burned like acid had been dripped on it. Laney unceremoniously pulled herself back to her feet, and she could feel tears streaking down her cheeks as she ungracefully ran deeper and deeper into the ominous woods.

Jump, bush. Tree, left dodge. Duck, leaves. Laney, tried her best to dodge each, as they bombarded her face. Twigs and branches often rebounded and would scratch her cheeks; she could tell that she was getting cut. Her face felt numb, as did her esophagus from the heavy intakes of air. Her lungs burned – and she didn't know how much longer she could keep this up.

She was no damn athlete, so maybe she should stop pretending to be, and just give up now. But she couldn't bring herself to give up, she wouldn't just stop; it wasn't within her nature.

Still, she felt really proud of herself. Laney had never been very athletic – but here she was outrunning a crazy lunatic with an ax. For a few seconds Laney felt like Danny from 'The Shining', as she outran crazy Jack Nicholson and his woodcutter's ax, or in this case the headless man with his 'ax from Hell'.

After a solid ten minutes of running, Laney felt her ankle scream in protest, forcing her to a halt. She leaned against an old birch tree, hoping that would be enough to keep her standing up right.

Her heart was thunder in her ear drums, and her breaths were ragged, which blocking out any sound. Hopefully that headless monstrosity would just give up soon.

A few minutes had passed, and Laney felt her heart beats returning to some normalcy – but her emotions were spiraling down. She was filled with terror and uncertainty.

It seemed those ladies at work weren't wrong after all, she thought miserably – as a wave of fresh tears threatened to spill over. Angrily, Laney choked them down, refusing to let tears get the better of her. Crying wasn't going to solve anything.

She looked down at her swollen ankle, and frowned. Great, this couldn't get any better, first the crazy headless man and now a sprained ankle. Laney stood there leaning against the birch tree for at least five minutes before she considered the possibility that this wild, headless killer wasn't after her anymore.

Still, she stood there in silence. There was not a single sound, or noise of an intruder, other than the cool subtle stream that ran close by. There wasn't a sign that someone or something was out here. Looking around, Laney didn't see anything, until her gaze meandered over to her right toward the river, and she witnessed the outline of a dark shadow, ascending from the water. It looked like a demon that was rising from hell, and she felt a scream rise in her throat.

She witnessed the headless monster pull itself from the water and set forth into the woods once more. His path was locked on her and Laney let out her withheld scream.

This damn monster is rising from the river! How is that possible, she tried to reason – but how could she when it had no head? That defied reason right there.

Laney pathetically attempted to limp away, but the sound of thick, leather boots crashing through the woods were closing in on her, and she knew she couldn't and wouldn't outrun this demon now.

Finally, she felt her foot get caught on a tree root and she tripped onto the icy dirt, face first. The dirt coated her tear stained cheeks. Desperately, she tried to dragged herself a little bit, she contemplated getting up and trying to run away – but she heard the leather boots stop only a few feet away and she knew that this was the end.

This is the end, she was done for, Laney thought. Her final moments were drawing to a close, and all she could think about was her family. Her father, that poor man had already had every conceivable thing ripped from his life, it would devastate him to have one more. She silently wished her father would take her death easily – but she knew he would be destroyed. Hopefully Kate would help him get over her murder and in time they would both heal. It was even a sadder thought that they would never get closure; Laney was sure no one would catch this headless demon.

She rolled over in time to see the very headless man hovering over her, with his fiery ax of doom. The whole image of him brought chills to her flesh, making it crawl. His headless body, and the ax of doom, it seemed to bend with the darkness, and even the moonlight. It all spoke of death, and at that very moment, Laney knew that this headless man was death itself.


[A/N]: Thank you so much for taking the time to read! I would love to hear what you guys thought of the first chapter, so feel free to leave reviews or PM me. Again, thank you so much for reading! :)