Church – Day
It's now storming and the meeting is letting out. Near the churchyard gate, Derek rides with Lila following on her horse. Spencer walks up as Lila dismounts. "What is so urgent, Spencer?"
"Come with me." Spencer leads her to where they can talk away from others.
"Why have I not seen your face for so long? You look much better." She touches his face, but he takes her hand and places the loan agreements there.
"Explain these. I found them secreted away in the sewing room."
Lila's expressions changes just so slightly to guilt.
"Why…why have I scrambled and run and clawed in all directions in all directions, only to find you against me?" He stares at her and Lila stares back, in a small way defeated.
She looks for an out, but there is none. "I have been reading your journal. I'm sorry. I found it too fascinating to resist." She is ashamed. "I rode to catch up with you at the Notory, out of curiosity. Before I found you though, I overheard what you said."
"It was you there?"
"When…when you spoke my father's name along with accusations, I could not believe it. I had to hide these…at least till I could confront him myself."
"And what did he say?"
'He did not do these things. If yoy knew him, you would realize…"
"What did he say, Lila?"
"I have not been able to face him yet."
"The loans give the land to your father. It does not matter survivors are still on their farms. They could be thrown off…tomorrow…a year from now."
"Yes, I have seen that, and I told you why I hid them."
"What would you have me believe."
"If you think I am behind this, say it." She says angrily.
"The name Archer is blackened. You share that name."
"Call me a liar, then, and a murderess. Say it, out and out."
Many people are starting to notice the confrontation.
"Lila…"
"Speak the words, Spencer! What is stopping you? What has happened to your ability to transcend sentimentality?"
Emotions tear at him. Rain pound down harder.
"Oh, no. No! Please…don't dare stand looking as if you still care for me, after all that you have said. If I were to confess, would that ease your suffering? Would that make it easier for you to hate me?" Lila tells him tearfully. "I love you, Spencer Reid. And it breaks my heart knowing you think bad things about me."
They hear a tortured cry and William comes charging through the square on his horse. "The Horseman is coming!" He's barely hanging on and he stops practically falling off, running towards Lila and Spencer. "Save me…"
"Father?"
"He killed her, Lila…" William grasps Lila, fearful and hoofbeats are heard. "The Horseman has killed her."
Far behind, the Horseman rides to follow with his axe held up. Instant mayhem. People scatter all directions screaming. William runs headlong to the church.
"Father!"
Lila runs after him and Spencer backs away, watching the Horseman come, then heads to the church with Derek. William pushes through the iron gate and into tent city, joinging the swarm of townspeople pouring into the church. The Horseman rides behind, closing the gap. Men, women and children run for cover all along the square. Amidst the churchyard panic and Spencer looks back. The Horseman reaches the open gate and Daredevil suddenly rears up. He snorts and can't enter the church. The Horseman grabs Daredevil's reins, tries to move forward again and it has the same result and Daredevil freaks out.
William makes his way in, shoving. People are still clamoring in through the doors. Men pass rifles from stockpiles and climb onto pews at boarded windows. Women herd the childing into a cellar. William searches for a hiding place. He looks across the church to see Hankel closing the doors of his living quarters. Willian moves. "Hankel!"
At the front doors, Lila squeezes in with Spencer and Derek just as people are forcing the doors closed. It's madness. People outside begin pounding and Lila searches.
"Father!"
Spencer goes to a window and looks out between boards.
Outside the church, across the yard, the Horseman gives his axe an underhand toss to the ground inside the gate. The axe instantly begins to degrade to dust in the rain. The Horseman rides and keeps outside the fence.
Inside the church, Spencer comes away from the window, and he looks at panicked citizens. He sees Lila moving up the aisle. She's heading towards William, who slams against the door to Hankel's room.
"Damn you, Hankel! Help me! Let me in!"
They hear rifles boom loudly as men at the window begin firing.
Outside the church the Horseman circles under fire. Great clouds of gun smoke shoot from the church. Men fire down from the belfry. Parts of the Horseman and Daredevil splatter red into the rain as slugs hit without effect. At the other side of the church, the Horseman comes around, heading to the town square.
Inside the church rifleman shout to each other, running to the opposite windows to follow the Horseman. Derek grabs a rifle and leaps to join the brigade. William is still beating Hankel's door when a huge farmer grips William angrily and throws him. "You'll kill us all!" William falls, knocking over pew. Lila's nearby. "You're the one the Horseman wants. Why should we die for you?"
"No!" Lila screams.
The huge farmer picks William up, drags him and shoves Lila aside as she approaches. Spencer pushing past people, trying to reach them.
Outside the church the Horseman brings Daredevil to a halt, yanking a large coil of rope off a hitching post.
Inside the church, the huge farmer shoves William to the floor again. "Get out!"
Others join the rage, pull William towards the front of the church shouting. Spencer struggles to push them off. "Stop this!" Spencer gets to William's side and tries to protect him. "The Horseman cannnot enter! It does not matter who he wants, he cannot cross the gate!"
At the windows, one rifleman turns and cries out. "He's coming back!"
More panic ensues and the huge farmer moves towards William. "We have to save ourselves!"
William pulls the pistol from Spencer's holster, brandishing. "No! Get away from me!"
Outside the church, the Horseman rides past the front and is fired upon. He halts at the wrought iron gate, reaching to yank off one post, which is pointed on top, like an arrow head.
Inside the church, William holds everyone back with the pistol. "The next person to lay hands on me will have a bullet. Stand back!"
"Father…"
"No! Lila, we're safe here." He points to Spencer. "You said it. The Horseman will not have me."
There is a crash, the post spears through a window, and trails the rope tied to it. It skewers William from behind, the bloodied point bursting out his breast bone. William looks down, drops the gun and clutches the post with both hands. Blood streams out his mouth and Lila screams. The rope yanks William back and he slams into the window.
William crashes out, hits the ground and is dragged outside the fence. Daredevil runs with the rope tied around his saddle pommel. The Horseman strides forward with his sword out. William slams into the fence and the rope snaps. He is held there awkwardly and gurgling blood. The Horseman reaches William and chops off his head. Lila faints as sees what happened.