Location:
Sleepy Hollow
Year: 1797
The new schoolteacher entered the small school building.
The children all stared at him as he entered. He was tall and thin. Almost
abnormally in both cases. His skin was rather pale and his nose long and
pointed and a bit crocked. He smiled at the children. They did not speak, but
moved about restlessly in their chairs.
"Good morning, children." he said in a slightly
high voice. They did not reply. "My name is Mr. Crane. I will be your new
school teacher." he explained. "Now, I'm going to go around the room
and when I point to you, tell me your name and how old you are... all
right?" he said. He pointed to a small boy. The boy shied back in his
seat. "Come now. Stand up and give us your name."
"Timmy." the boy said softly, not standing up.
"Good, Timmy, how old are you?"
"6." he replied.
"Good." The teacher pointed to the small girl
next to him. She stood and smiled at him.
"My name is Suzanne and I'm 8 and a half years
old." she smiled.
"Good, Suzanne, you may have a seat. And you?"
he pointed to student after student until he had finished with this. He began
the lesson.
He taught them math and a little history.
"Do any of you know about the revolutionary
war?" He asked.
"I do!" Suzanne waved her hand in the air.
"Really? well tell us." Mr. Crane smiled at her.
She blushed.
"Well the Revolutionary war happened when America
wanted to be independent and England didn't want them to be. They had a war and
we kicked their butts."
"Suzanne, don't talk like that." Mr. Crane chastised
her. She lowered her eyes to the floor. "Please continue."
"And that was where the headless horseman lost his
head?"
"Who?" Mr. Crane asked.
"The headless horseman. Don't you know the
legend?"
"It is merely a legend. Nothing more Suzanne you
cannot rely on them, they are make-believe."
"No. The headless horseman is real. People in town
have seen him."
"Who has seen this man?"
"Well. Bram."
"Anyone else?"
"Well, no..." Mr. Crane cocked an eyebrow at
her. He had met Bram when he had first arrived. Bram was the village idiot.
That was all that could really be said about him. He was a testosterone-powered
muscle-head with no brains to speak of.
"He was just messing with you." Mr. Crane
insisted.
"No he wasn't. The horseman is real!" Suzanne
argued. Mr. Crane was about to speak when the clock in the corner behind his
desk went off. He did not speak the words but merely waved the kids off from
their first day with him. He sighed and walked outside.
A woman stood in the road. Suzanne was running to her. the
woman was small and thin with golden-blond hair and greenish-blue eyes. She was
the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life. He could barely take his
eyes off her. She smiled at him and blushed.
"Hello, are you the new school teacher?" she
asked sweetly. Ichabod could barely form words.
"Y-y-yes. I am. Are you Suzanne's mother?"
"No. I'm her aunt. Her mother is sick, I sorry to
say."
"That's terrible."
"Yes, it's a dreadful virus that has infected her.
She's taken to bed, so I must walk Suzanne home."
"Do you live around here?"
"Yes, I live just up the road from Suzanne and my
sister. Come along Suzanne it's getting dark, you don't want to be outside when
the sun sets."
"Would you like me to escort you home?"
"Would you? That would be wonderful."
"Of coarse my dearest lady. It would be my pleasure
to see you both home safely." Ichabod bowed a little so that his eyes met
hers. She smiled and blushed again.
They walked Suzanne home to her mother. Ichabod proceeded
to take the beautiful woman to her home. When they reached the front door
Ichabod turned to her.
"Would you be so kind as to tell me your name, sweet
lady." Ichabod took her hand and kissed her fingers. She blushed again.
"My name is Katrina." she said softly.
"Katrina. That is a lovely name. I am Ichabod
Crane."
"Well, Mr. Crane-"
"You may call me Ichabod." She laughed a little.
"Ichabod." she looked down, "Would you like
to come inside? I mean to have dinner or something" He smiled at her.
"Of coarse, my lady." Dinner was not all he
intended to get that night as he entered the small home...