Sleepy Hollow Morgue

Sleepy Hollow, NY

October 30, 2000

10:31am

Scully wiped her brow with her sleeve as she continued inspecting the body of a one, John Gilnitz. The clicking of shoes trailed into the morgue; Scully glanced up to see Mulder. Pulling her mask down, she sighed.

"Find anything?" Mulder asked casually as he sat down on the stool facing her.

"Look at this, Mulder." Scully directed him towards the victim's neck, "The weapon used must have been extremely searing in order to leave wounds like these cauterized." Mulder leaned forward and examined the deceased. He frowned and looked up.

"Still no head?"

Scully shook her head, "Nothing. His wallet was our only initial clue; blood work is being processed right now. Same goes for our other victim, Sara Hubbard."

"So what now?" Mulder asked as he inspected the headless corpse.

Gilnitz Residence

Sleepy Hollow, NY

October 30, 2000

4:58pm

Sighing heavily, Scully walked out towards the car. She pulled out the bag that contained the pendant and stared at it intently. Mulder trailed behind, thanking Mrs. Gilnitz. Turning towards Scully, Mulder whispered, "Back to the drawing board." Scully quickly put the necklace away as she made a face at Mulder.

"Mulder, we've turned up nothing so far. This case is getting colder by the second. No leads, no suspects, no weapons, no clues of any kind and the only person who knows what happened to John Gilnitz is lying next to him in the morgue."

"What about the horse tracks in the forest?" Mulder asked quietly.

"Simple, either out killer is using a horse as their means to travel or they were left there by someone with a horse; you know Mulder, not everything can be explained with paranormal ideology." Scully mused sarcastically.

The Hayes Bed and Breakfast Inn

Sleepy Hollow, NY

October 30, 2000

8:43pm

Watching the fan swirl around, Scully closed her eyes willfully, praying for sleep. Dim light flooded the room as Mulder mused over books, papers and notes. Couldn't he ever just sleep? The lack of the sleep the night before left her wary; this case was getting to her; no clues whatsoever had been left. The heads themselves had been yet to be found. As the sounds of Mulder's shuffling papers began to muffle, Scully's mind began to drift.

The wind rushed past the window pane sweeping the young woman's golden curls in a fury of dance. Grasping at the heart pendant that clung protectively to her neck, she peeked out farther peering into the thick black night. The two figures conversed quietly as the woman kept silent trying to hear any words from them. As the shadowy figures shook hands, they came towards the entrance. She listened as there footsteps pounded across the hard wooden floors of the Lessat home.

"Matilda!" Tucking her heart pendant into her bodice, she walked towards the door and out into the sitting room. She curtsied before her father and the other gentlemen she knew all too well. Dreading their conversation, she feigned interest.

"You called for me father; do tell whatever for?"

"Matilda, my love, I have good news for you. Mr. Baudelaire here has come by the by to pray for your hand. I've graciously accepted." He smiled as he gestured over at Victor Baudelaire. Matilda's eyes grew wide as she backed away a bit. Her chest pounded as she covered her mouth. Blinking back her tears, she muffled a cry.

"I've…uh…I need some air!" Her words sputtered out as she moved to the door quickly. As she closed the door, she made her way across the porch out into the night.

Not understanding his daughter's reaction, Mr. Lessat made his way towards the door only to have Victor stop him.

"Please, Mr. Lessat. Let me." He nodded quietly. Victor followed out into the night after Matilda. He called to her, "Matilda! Wait!"

Matilda swept around, her face flushed with anger, "How dare you, Victor! I told you how I felt!"

Victor smiled maliciously, "My dear Matilda, unfortunately for you, you have no choice in the matter."

Her eyes burned with fury, "I won't do it." She turned to walk away but Victor caught her arm in his hand and swirled her back to him. She spat at his feet.

Madness coursed through his eyes as he pulled her closer; his hand grasped at her hip. She struggled, but he kept strong as his hand grazed up her chest to her bodice where he yanked at her pendant that had been hidden in her dress. He came close to her face, so close the smell of alcohol permeated her nose.

"Because of him! He's no one, you understand! He hasn't a cent to his name! He works for me, Matilda! You can't possibly love someone so beneath you!" She rammed her elbow into his chest as she broke free. She ran as fast as she could into the darkness. He followed, listening for any sound of her. Only his gasping breaths made any sound. He trampled on towards his home intent on making Matilda see the errors of her way.

As Victor made his way up towards his home in a fury, he walked over towards the fencing that held his sheep. Pulling the stake from its lock, the door swung open letting the sheep pour out into the night. Running up towards the servants quarters, Victor slammed his fist against the door, "Thomas, wake up! The sheep have escaped!"

The young man jumped from his bed as he heard thumping from the door. He rushed from his bed and unlatched the door. Victor came in hurriedly, "Hurry Thomas, the sheep have escaped! We must find them."

Thomas nodded as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Victor left and went up to his own home. As he entered, he grabbed for his dirk that rested on the wall. Content that it was concealed he went back out into the dark night. Gesturing for Thomas to follow him, they made there way out to the skirts of town by horse back. Victor got down and bent over to examine the ground. "They've gone into the woods, let's go." He mounted his horse again and they went on into the forest edge.

Matilda stumbled across the dirt as she made her way towards Victor's home. Sure that she hadn't been followed, she raced off quietly to find Thomas. Her heart sunk as she reached his quarters from the shadows as she realized the door was wide open. Hearing a horse whinny out across the skirts of town she turned and saw the faintest glint of two horses with men on them. No doubt to whom it could be, she thought to herself. Knowing very well of Victor's jealousy, she held tight to her prayers that Thomas be well. Rushing off after them in the night, Matilda followed the tracks.

Thomas kept a keen eye out for the sheep; so far only two had been tethered to the trees outside the forest. He yawned quietly as he maintained his diligence. Victor eyed him suspiciously.

"I've yet to tell you my good news, Thomas." He coyly suggested as he rode on behind Thomas. They came close to the river and dismounted as Thomas looked at him.

"I'll be married in a fort night to the lady Matilda." He shot a look at Thomas as all the color of Thomas' face faded away. Looking away into the night, Victor came close to him pulling out his dirk.

"She loves another, I'm sure of it but it will soon be rectified." He added morosely.

Twigs snapped and branches grasped at her but she continued on, furiously running on through the woods looking for Thomas. As she broke out into the clearing at the river, her eyes grew wide. Victor stood behind Thomas welding a dirk.

"Thomas!" She cried out in a shrilling cry. As he turned, the dirk made contact with his shoulder. It drove deep inside his skin into bone. Thomas cried out as he fell towards the ground. Matilda cried out again as she came forward.

"Victor! No!" He pulled at his dirk and swung it again, this time connecting with Thomas' neck. It cleaned through halfway. Blood spurted in every direction as Thomas' face went cold with death.

"No one will recognize you without a head!" Victor cried out as he took one final blow separating head from body. Matilda fell to the ground at his body, shaking. Kicking the head of Thomas away, he turned towards Matilda.

"I didn't want you to see that my love. Now that you know, I'm so sorry but I can't let you live." He added quietly. His words sunk in as she sat sobbing. She stopped as she looked up at him. With a burst of energy, she turned and began crawling up in the leaves trying to stand. Taking one last good look at her, he welded the dirk above her and drove it deep inside her back. Her screams pierced through the night. As her body convulsed and fell forward, he pulled the dirk out and then with one fast and powerful sweep he disconnected her head from her body.

Scully's pale body lurched forward as she gasped out into the pitch black darkness that consumed her. Beads of cold sweat clung to her frail form as she glanced around frantically searching for light. As her eyes adjusted she made out the form across from her in his bed. She hissed out at him, "Mulder!"

He stirred but didn't awaken. Scully called out again only louder, "Mulder!" He tossed quickly around and mumbled. He blinked hard as he adjusted to the light, as he focused on Scully, he jolted awake.

"Are you okay, Scully!" He threw his covers back as he made his way over to her bed. Shaking, she turned to face Mulder.

"He killed her." Scully murmured cryptically. Mulder turned on the lamp next to her bed as he came to sit next to her.

"Scully, what's wrong?" Mulder asked eying her carefully. She shook her head as she whispered again, "He killed her." Mulder brought his hands up to her arms where she burned to the touch.

"Scully, you're burning up," Mulder got up and rushed to the bathroom to fetch a cold cloth. When he came back, he ushered Scully underneath the covers and pressed the cloth to her forehead. She shivered and mumbled incoherently.

Mulder pulled the sticky hair back from her forehead as felt her head again. It felt the slightest bit cooler which relieved him. Her eyes fluttered open for a moment before closing again. He smiled slightly when he noticed something strange about her. She wasn't wearing her usual cross necklace but instead there was an old tarnished heart pendant lying there against her chest. He picked it up, turning it over in his hand. It felt as warm as her. She shivered again. He dropped the pendant as he went over to get another blanket for Scully.