CHAPTER 3: TO BECOME A BELIEVER
Upon entering Mrs. Adams house, the two women were greeted by silence. Mrs. Adams led the way inside, Charlotte following closely behind until they reached the kitchen.
"Judging by the stillness, John and Michael aren't up yet." Mrs. Adams stated lightly with a tender smile as she quickly made her way around her kitchen, fixing up some hot tea for the both of them.
"John and Michael?" Charlotte asked curiously; Mrs. Adams turned to her with a bright smile
"My sons." she answered proudly as any mother would before returning to her task.
"Oh!" Charlotte answered with surprise in her voice.
"They're the Pride and Joy of me and my husband, Will." Mrs. Adams added on, "Do you like kids?" she asked curiously.
"Oh I love them. I work as a Nanny to two kids at the moment." Charlotte answered as the young faces of William and Alexandria flashed across her mind.
"Oh yes, I remembering hearing about that. You work for Mr. Collins, right?"
"Correct." Charlotte answered. At that moment, Mrs. Adams finished preparing a pot of tea on a tray with two glass cups.
"Nice man, he had a lovely wife, may God rest her soul in peace...let's take our tea in the Parlor Room." Mrs. Adams stated as she carried the tray out of the kitchen. Charlotte dutifully followed after her.
Once they were inside the spacious Parlor Room, they took their seats on a comfy sofa while Mrs. Adams set the tray with the tea down on the coffee table before them.
"Now then, let us begin." Mrs. Adams started as she swiftly poured a cup of tea for Charlotte and herself. Charlotte accepted the hot, steaming drink gratefully.
"Thank you." she politely stated.
"You're welcome." Mrs. Adams answered before she took a quiet sip of her tea.
"So..." Charlotte began, "Did you really and honestly see this Horseman fellow?" she asked with great interest. Mrs. Adams lowered her tea to rest in her lap before she gave Charlotte a warm smile,
"I somehow knew you were going to ask that." she answered, "...but yes I did. And so did most of the town as well."
"What did he look like?" Charlotte continued her questioning.
" He was dressed entirely in black armor with black leather boots and a long black and red cape hanging off his shoulders. On his person he carried a long sharp sword and axe upon his hips. And he always rode in upon this fearsome looking black stallion. He was Headless of course." Mrs. Adams explained with great detail.
"How did you see him?"
"Well it wasn't a pleasant encounter, I can tell you that. It all started three years back, when his terrorizing was starting to take effect upon the people of Sleepy Hollow. By this time, at least eight people had been decapitated by him. Any ways, the first time I laid eyes upon this killing monster, was when almost all of the town had fled to the church for safety when someone spotted the Headless Horseman ridding into town once again. The town had been alerted by a man named Baltus Van Tassel who came running down the street screaming that his wife, Mary Van Tessel had just been killed by the Horseman."
Charlotte took a slow sip of the herbal brew she held in her hands, "And the safest place in town would be the church?"
"Yes. You see the Horseman is a demonic figure from Hell itself. Therefore, he is not permitted to set foot on any hallowed ground. As long as one stands on sacred ground, the Horseman can't touch you...physically at least." Mrs. Adams explained, "You see, that night when everyone crowded inside the church for its protection, a small riot broke out among a handful of men; the Preacher accused Baltus for bringing the Horseman to the Church's doorstep, claiming that it was obvious that the Horseman had come for him. People started suggesting things like throwing him out of the church and letting the Horseman have his head if it meant that everyone else would be left alone."
Charlotte nodded her head encouragingly, "Go on..."
" Well, Baltus didn't like that idea at all. He grabbed a pistol out of a man's pocket and pointed at the mutinous crowd, making it very clear that if anyone tried to touch him, he would shoot them between the eye. I was huddled in the back of the church with my family that night, so I can't for certain say what happened in this next part but Baltus did fire the gun off; at the Preacher who had just killed a man in front of him. Baltus naturally became desperate for a way out, in fear of the crowd he backed himself up the staircase in very front of the church till he stood on the preacher's platform looking down on the rest of the town, in front of the window." The older woman took a sip of tea.
" Some men of the town, despite the bloody issues that had happened inside, were still firing their rifles pointlessly at the undead rider who was stalking around the church upon his black stallion. I watched with wide eyes as the murderous ghost sat tall upon his horse, and even till now I've never witnessed anything as frightening in my life. When I finally pulled my eyes away from the monster to glance at my husband and children, the sound of breaking glass and a scream of a young woman came from the front. As I looked to see what had happened, I could not believe my eyes- Baltus stood on that platform, his eyes wide with shock, mouth drooping open and a bloody stake from the fence outside protruding from his chest. In the blink of an eye, he was pulled right through the window to the outside before the horseman, who had so cleverly tied a rope to the end of the stake, dragged him off the church grounds. I saw that man lose his head that night...a gruesome scene it was, of course it wasn't long after that when it was announced that the Horseman would no longer trouble Sleepy Hollow anymore..."
"What made him stop?"
"A man named Ichabod Crane used his sharp wit and intelligence to solve the case. By returning the Horseman's head to him, the Horseman was freed from a Witch's spell that bound him to do her bidding."
"Casted by Mary Van Tessel."
"Mmhmm. Crazy woman she was, and no one even suspected her until the very end when Mr. Crane informed us of her treachery. Of course when the Town did find out, Mary Van Tessel was no more."
Charlotte pieced together the rest of the story, "Because the Horseman took her with him when he left for the last time." Perhaps there was more truth to Mr. Collin's story than she realized.
Mrs. Adams nodded. "Yes, back into the Tree of the Dead. And they have been there ever since." she finished.
Charlotte sat back into her seat, her head reeling with understanding. "Well...though I'm not one to believe in the dead coming back to life...the story does make sense..." the young woman confessed.
Mrs. Adams cocked her head to the side slightly as she studied Charlotte, "My dear, do you believe in God?" she asked.
This question threw Charlotte off, "Yes." she answered hesitantly,
"And his son, our Lord Savior Jesus Christ?"
"Yes, of course."
"Well wasn't he risen from the dead?"
When Charlotte didn't know how to respond to the question, Mrs. Adams reached a hand over and laid it on her shoulder, "A thing that one should try to understand is that there is more than just the power of good on Earth, there is great evil too. And that's a fact that people tend to underestimate."
"Do you believe that he could come back?" Charlotte asked.
"After what I've seen happen in the past, I cannot doubt the possibility, though I hope God forbids it." Mrs. Adams answered. Charlotte simply nodded her head in agreement.
"Here I have something for you." Mrs. Adams said with a soft smile as she placed her now empty tea cup back on the tray before she rose to her feet, "Give me one minute." she asked politely as she swiftly left the Parlor room.
Charlotte waited patiently on the sofa for her return. When she came back she held something within her hand. "I want you to have this." she stated as she opened her hand to reveal a brilliantly cut crystal cross that hung on a simple silver chain. Charlotte's eyes widened at its beauty,
"Oh no, I couldn't..." she began to protest,
"Nonsense. I insist." Mrs. Adams pushed as she then quickly leaned over to clasp the neck around Charlotte's neck. The cross felt cool as it hung right between the tops of Charlotte's breasts that were revealed against the tight fitting of her bodice, "Think of it as a sign of our friendship." she added with a soft smile, "It will protect you from the evils here, wear it close to your heart at all times."
Charlotte glanced down on the shimmering necklace before she looked back over at Mrs. Adams and smiled warmly, "I shall." she answered, "Thank you."
Mrs. Adams smiled once more and reached a motherly hand over and lightly caressed Charlotte's cheek, when she drew her hand away, she spoke again, "Tell me Charlotte, can you ride?" she asked curiously,
"Yes I can."
"Good. Because there's a place I'd like to show you"
"Sounds like an adventure." Charlotte suggested with a smile, "Where do you have in mind?" she quickly asked.
"The place where it all began. Into the Western Woods to the Tree of the Dead." Mrs. Adams answered as she and Charlotte rose from the sofa.
"Why do you want to take me there?"
"I want you to become a true believer"
"And taking me to the Tree will do that?"
"Seeing is believing is it not?" Mrs. Adams stated playfully. Charlotte couldn't help but laugh softly and nod her head. "Well then, " Mrs. Adams continued, "...what are we waiting for? Let's go and saddle the horses." she suggested as she and Charlotte then left the Parlor Room and once again headed outside to their Stables.