I turned out lucky as I entered The Three Georges bar and lounge. Not many
people were there at two in the morning after a Sunday. I nodded to the bar
tender and made my way to the pay phones at the back. Holding the receiver
to my ear, I dialed for long distance and waited till someone answered.
"Hello?" a groggy Nanny van Guard answered.
I quickly told her the entire ordeal, leaving out a few choice parts. She
was immediately interested. After a few short questions she said that she
would come strait away and not to tell anyone that she was coming. Nanny
assured me that she knew exactly what to do. We said our goodbyes and I
left the bar heading home.
The following day, when I met Tom and Becca, I avoided talking about the night before. Only when they asked me directly did I tell them. My story was that I looked a long while and found a possible grave but no sign of the Horseman. They believed me. Before noon I went home to sleep. My dreams were uncharacteristically violent that afternoon. I was charging across an endless battlefield, but I could never reach the proper enemy lines. There were several explosions and a lot of loud shouting. I felt that I should have died several times over. The bullets ripped into me but never slowed me down. I stood after dispatching one of the enemy and looked to my side. There stood a disheveled horseman who had paused in his own charge to look at me. His uniform was green with red trim and bright brass buttons glinted from the light of many fires. His hair, which was tied back in the usual style, was thick and very black. The horseman's face was well defined with high cheek bones and a strait aquiline nose, but nothing compared to the intensity of his eyes. They seemed to be every shade of blue. I was barely able to look away. I studied what I was wearing and was shocked to find that I was dressed in a redcoat's uniform, right down to the shine on the boots. Openmouthed I looked back at the horseman. He gave me a lopsided grin then mock saluted and rushed back into the endless battle. I stared after him. Suddenly, very tired I closed my eyes and the battle melted away to be replaced by the face of my caretaker of eighteen years.
Nanny practically glowed at me from across the kitchen table. I gave her a critical eye and sighed into my cup of hot chocolate. "So glad you like the chocolate, Babe. It's an old recipe." "Really. What kind?" I asked. "German" I spluttered into the cup. I glared at her "Low blow, Nanny" Nanny just smiled at me. "Now dear, tell me about this chivalrous young knight of yours." My mouth dropped open, "He is not chivalrous and most defiantly not young!" "Hmm. I always thought that you would have something for the older, more experienced man. Can't say that I blame you. Even though I haven't met him I don't believe you could have picked anyone better." "Nanny! I'm just helping him. I'm not going to marry the guy." Nanny shook her head and sighed, "I'm afraid that would leave him very disappointed." I looked down on the table "Who cares." I complained of a head cold to my Aunt and Uncle that was sure to last for the next few days and I helped find Nanny a place to stay. I thought that someplace close by and spy free would be nice. So we went to Mr. Spickler's and apparently the pair knew each other. I sat in the living room as they talked about the good old days when ghosts tended to stay in their graves. "Really, Edger! I don't think that all is lost." "Of course you don't, Antoinette. You always believe that things can change." "I've seen it in the Cards, Edger. All will come to pass as I've foreseen it, no worries." "Ann, when will you learn that people are not so simple?" "Ah, but they can be. They just need the right circumstances and persuasion." Her voice paused, "and stop scowling. She will recognize the dangers and take responsibility for her past and his actions. She'll do fine." Mr. Spickler mumbled something about know-it-all witches before calling me into the kitchen. It was good to see Nanny staying with a friend. Finally the elders decided that it was time to make some game plans. Priority one was finding the skull and staying one step ahead of the preacher. "So how do we get the skull? It's still got to be around somewhere." I said. "True enough, Charlotte. Yes, it should still be here. Not in Sleepy Hollow but near. Perhaps in Tarrytown." Nanny said. I perked up and said excitedly "Someplace he can't go. Like the Catholic Church! It would be the last place he could get into." Nanny smiled and even Mr. Spickler seemed pleased "Exactly" she said "and you can go there tonight and look for it. It's perfect." I grinned I liked sneaky work; it made me feel really alive.
It got dark earlier than usual and Nanny helped me get ready. I would ride my bike, it had obvious stealth and I didn't really have a car so it was a lot faster than walking. It wasn't far to the bridge and from there to the old Catholic church. I thanked heaven that people still trusted their neighbors as I slowly opened the unlocked front door. The sanctuary glowed with the light of many candles in the usual Catholic tradition. It was a beautiful place and I would have loved to just stare in awe but I was on a mission and didn't have time to wonder. I looked around the front columns, tapping on their sides every few inches. I didn't find anything, the columns were solid oak from what I could tell. I moved up to the front and started to look around the altar. It too was a solid construction. I turned to gaze upon the crucifix and Madonna behind the pulpit. They seemed to offer me support in my quest, which gave me some comfort. I sat down and studied them seeking inspiration. My eyes slowly trailed their way down to the solid oak paneling beneath the Madonna and her Son. It was beautiful wood with a cheery finish. I gently tapped it with my foot and was met with a very disappointing low thunk. I tapped again and again got the same hollow sound. Hollow! I leaned forward onto my knees and rapped on the panel. Yep, it was defiantly hollow. I took out a pocket knife and gently started to pry at the edges of the panel. It squeaked and started to wriggle free of the wall. I tugged on its edges and I finally gave to reveal a dark compartment filled with dust and cobwebs. I shined my flashlight on the inside and saw an old iron bound chest, pushed back in the wall. I carefully pulled it out and examined the lock. The lock, like the iron on the chest, was old and unexpectedly strong. I studied my pocket knife and found an appendage that could pick locks. In a few minuets I had the lock open and raised the lid on the chest. The hinges screeched in protest but I had it open and didn't care. Inside was a bundle of burlap and other rags. I peeled them away to reveal a large white skull. I turned it to face me and came face to face with the horseman for the first time. The empty eye sockets seemed to see right through me and the skeleton grin chilled me to the core. I carefully packed it into my backpack and returned the chest to where I had found it, closing the paneling for the second time in two hundred years. The teeth on the skull I was pleased to notice looked remarkably like the horseman's teeth in my dream. I left the church and rode back to the Hollow at breakneck speed.
The following day, when I met Tom and Becca, I avoided talking about the night before. Only when they asked me directly did I tell them. My story was that I looked a long while and found a possible grave but no sign of the Horseman. They believed me. Before noon I went home to sleep. My dreams were uncharacteristically violent that afternoon. I was charging across an endless battlefield, but I could never reach the proper enemy lines. There were several explosions and a lot of loud shouting. I felt that I should have died several times over. The bullets ripped into me but never slowed me down. I stood after dispatching one of the enemy and looked to my side. There stood a disheveled horseman who had paused in his own charge to look at me. His uniform was green with red trim and bright brass buttons glinted from the light of many fires. His hair, which was tied back in the usual style, was thick and very black. The horseman's face was well defined with high cheek bones and a strait aquiline nose, but nothing compared to the intensity of his eyes. They seemed to be every shade of blue. I was barely able to look away. I studied what I was wearing and was shocked to find that I was dressed in a redcoat's uniform, right down to the shine on the boots. Openmouthed I looked back at the horseman. He gave me a lopsided grin then mock saluted and rushed back into the endless battle. I stared after him. Suddenly, very tired I closed my eyes and the battle melted away to be replaced by the face of my caretaker of eighteen years.
Nanny practically glowed at me from across the kitchen table. I gave her a critical eye and sighed into my cup of hot chocolate. "So glad you like the chocolate, Babe. It's an old recipe." "Really. What kind?" I asked. "German" I spluttered into the cup. I glared at her "Low blow, Nanny" Nanny just smiled at me. "Now dear, tell me about this chivalrous young knight of yours." My mouth dropped open, "He is not chivalrous and most defiantly not young!" "Hmm. I always thought that you would have something for the older, more experienced man. Can't say that I blame you. Even though I haven't met him I don't believe you could have picked anyone better." "Nanny! I'm just helping him. I'm not going to marry the guy." Nanny shook her head and sighed, "I'm afraid that would leave him very disappointed." I looked down on the table "Who cares." I complained of a head cold to my Aunt and Uncle that was sure to last for the next few days and I helped find Nanny a place to stay. I thought that someplace close by and spy free would be nice. So we went to Mr. Spickler's and apparently the pair knew each other. I sat in the living room as they talked about the good old days when ghosts tended to stay in their graves. "Really, Edger! I don't think that all is lost." "Of course you don't, Antoinette. You always believe that things can change." "I've seen it in the Cards, Edger. All will come to pass as I've foreseen it, no worries." "Ann, when will you learn that people are not so simple?" "Ah, but they can be. They just need the right circumstances and persuasion." Her voice paused, "and stop scowling. She will recognize the dangers and take responsibility for her past and his actions. She'll do fine." Mr. Spickler mumbled something about know-it-all witches before calling me into the kitchen. It was good to see Nanny staying with a friend. Finally the elders decided that it was time to make some game plans. Priority one was finding the skull and staying one step ahead of the preacher. "So how do we get the skull? It's still got to be around somewhere." I said. "True enough, Charlotte. Yes, it should still be here. Not in Sleepy Hollow but near. Perhaps in Tarrytown." Nanny said. I perked up and said excitedly "Someplace he can't go. Like the Catholic Church! It would be the last place he could get into." Nanny smiled and even Mr. Spickler seemed pleased "Exactly" she said "and you can go there tonight and look for it. It's perfect." I grinned I liked sneaky work; it made me feel really alive.
It got dark earlier than usual and Nanny helped me get ready. I would ride my bike, it had obvious stealth and I didn't really have a car so it was a lot faster than walking. It wasn't far to the bridge and from there to the old Catholic church. I thanked heaven that people still trusted their neighbors as I slowly opened the unlocked front door. The sanctuary glowed with the light of many candles in the usual Catholic tradition. It was a beautiful place and I would have loved to just stare in awe but I was on a mission and didn't have time to wonder. I looked around the front columns, tapping on their sides every few inches. I didn't find anything, the columns were solid oak from what I could tell. I moved up to the front and started to look around the altar. It too was a solid construction. I turned to gaze upon the crucifix and Madonna behind the pulpit. They seemed to offer me support in my quest, which gave me some comfort. I sat down and studied them seeking inspiration. My eyes slowly trailed their way down to the solid oak paneling beneath the Madonna and her Son. It was beautiful wood with a cheery finish. I gently tapped it with my foot and was met with a very disappointing low thunk. I tapped again and again got the same hollow sound. Hollow! I leaned forward onto my knees and rapped on the panel. Yep, it was defiantly hollow. I took out a pocket knife and gently started to pry at the edges of the panel. It squeaked and started to wriggle free of the wall. I tugged on its edges and I finally gave to reveal a dark compartment filled with dust and cobwebs. I shined my flashlight on the inside and saw an old iron bound chest, pushed back in the wall. I carefully pulled it out and examined the lock. The lock, like the iron on the chest, was old and unexpectedly strong. I studied my pocket knife and found an appendage that could pick locks. In a few minuets I had the lock open and raised the lid on the chest. The hinges screeched in protest but I had it open and didn't care. Inside was a bundle of burlap and other rags. I peeled them away to reveal a large white skull. I turned it to face me and came face to face with the horseman for the first time. The empty eye sockets seemed to see right through me and the skeleton grin chilled me to the core. I carefully packed it into my backpack and returned the chest to where I had found it, closing the paneling for the second time in two hundred years. The teeth on the skull I was pleased to notice looked remarkably like the horseman's teeth in my dream. I left the church and rode back to the Hollow at breakneck speed.