Windmill Field
Spencer, Lila and Derek run into the open area, heading to the windmill. They hear another horrible squeal and it echoes. Spencer looks over his shoulder. He sees the heavy, low hanging branches and vines at the forest edge creep to life, parting and forming a sort of black tunnel. "He's coming!"
The Horseman gallops out and throws leaves in his wake. "Hurry!" The Horseman readies a battle axe. Spencer gets under the windmill and helps Derek up and the ladder and in. He then helps Lila. The Horseman is almost there. Spencer follows Lila as he gets in feet dangling and he sees the Horseman dismounts from Daredevil.
Spencer leaps up and struggles with the heavy trap door and slams it shut. He closes the latch just as the Horseman hits it. The door buckles.
"It won't hold."
Spencer goes to a large grindstone against a wall and he struggles to roll it. Derek helps him roll it to the trap door. It falls on top with a thud. The Horseman's sword jabs up through the grindstone's center hole. The sword withdraws and they hear the Horseman pounding on the door.
Outside of the windmill, the Horseman chops at the door with his axe.
Inside the windmill, the three inhabitants kept hearing the pounding at the door. The grindstone shifts. Lila and Derek back away as Spencer holds his lantern up, desperate for ideas and searching. Above to the right, is the milling platform, where grain is ground and bagged. To the left is the crooked staircase. Spencer picks up a bailing hook and has a plan forming. He gives his lantern to Lila and points up. "Get up those stairs. Open the door to the roof and wait." Lila and Derek nod their understanding and go up the stairs. Spencer crosses and climbs the ladder to the milling platform. He grasps a wooden lever and pulls it. Gears above begin to turn.
Outside the windmill the rotors creak to life and spin. Under the windmill, the Horseman keeps chopping. His axe exposes the grindstone and it throws sparks.
Inside the windmill Lila looks down from the stairs. She sees the Horseman's axe pry at the seams of the trap door. "Spencer!"
"Keep climbing. I will follow." Spencer pulls bags of grain, line them up at the edge of the milling platform. "Hopefully." He says under his breath.
Above him, Derek reaches the ceiling, throws open the door to the roof. Spencer cuts holes into the grain bags, so milled grain spills out and falls to the floor creating dust. He grabs one open bag and dumps it. More grain dust.
Derek and Lila come out of the windmill. The rotors spin behind them.
Back inside, Spencer sees that the Horseman is sticking a hand through, trying to push the grindstone aside then withdrawing. He hears the axe contine and it won't be long until he gets in. Spencer grabs one half-full bag of grain, swings it with effort and throws. The bag smashes on the grindstone, busting the door.
Outside, the grindstone falls through, slamming the Horseman down.
Back inside, Spencer slices into a sack hanging from a pulley system. More and more dust rises. Below, the Horseman enters. Lila shouts from above.
"Look out!" Spencer hears Derek tell him.
The Horseman moves toward the ladder milling platform ladder, but Spencer grabs it and pulls it up. The Horseman just misses the final rung. Spencer throws the ladder aside as the Horseman backs off. Spencer looks to the staircase. No way to climb down from the milling platform and get there. The Horseman runs and leaps, grabbing a hanging chain. The Horseman climbs the chain and swings. Spencer runs across the platform and jumps to the staircase. He grasps the frail railing of the staircase, barely. The rail creaks about to break. Behind the Horseman lands on the milling platform. Spencer is losing grip and Derek races down the stairs, grabs his hand and he pulls Spencer up. Spencer's pistol slips from its holster and falls. Spencer and Derek look the Horseman, following Spencer's lead, runs across the milling platform and leaps. He grabs the staircase rail, only a few feet from Derek. Spencer kicks the rail and breaks it. The Horseman falls in billowing dust and crashes below. Spencer pushes Derek up the stairs.
Outside the windmill, Lila helps them onto the roof. "Quickly, close it."
"No." Spencer takes the lantern and points. "Get to the crest of the roof and be ready to jump."
"Jump? Jump where?" Derek asks confused.
Inside the windmill, the Horseman runs, agile up the stairs.
On the roof, Spencer shepherds Lila and Derek to the edge where the rotors spin close. "The blades will carry us to the ground. Face front and wait for me."
"I…I can't do this, Spencer."
"We have no choice, love." Spencer moves back to the trap door. Spencer and Derek look at the rotors and down at the long distance between them and the ground. "Be ready." Spencer throws the lantern into the windmill and runs. "Now!"
In the windmill, the Horseman continues up. The lantern falls past.
On the roof, Derek jumps. Spencer grips Lila and they jump. They hit one rotor and cling to the frame and cloth. The rotor begins its downward swing.
The lantern hits the ground and shatters. The flames explode. Grain dust is consumed instantaneously as the flames roar upwards, filling the windmill and engulfing the Horseman.
The rotor is halfway to its lowest point. Derek, Lila and Spencer hang on as the entire structure trembles. Flames shoot out the windows, doors and seams. It lights up the night. On the rattling rotor, Spencer struggles to hold the frame with one hand and keep a grip on Lila. Derek drops. Spencer releases Lila and then he drops. They hit the ground. Spencer rolls, gasps and holds his shoulder.
They all look at each other in disbelief a moment. Spencer lets out a rasping laugh and stands. "Okay…come on…" Spencer ushers them across the field uphill. They run.
Lightning flashes across the sky and thunder rumbles. A bolt strikes the windmill and it explodes. The shockwaves are deafening. The rotors bust apart. Splinters of burning wood spin all directions. Across the field Spencer, Lila and Derek keep running. There is a wooden cart parked ahead.
In the windmill rubble, the Horseman rises, shoving off burning debris. His flame-ravaged uniform smolders.
Across the field, Spencer stumbles onwards, but notices something horrible. In the distance, Lady Archer's white horse roams free. "Oh, no." Derek and Lila are just past the cart when Lady Archer rises from behind it and swings a plank. It slams Spencer in the chest and sends him down.
She grabs Lila's hair and drags her. "Should have stayed away, Constable." Spencer gets up slow, furious, reaches to his holster, only to find it empty. He moves forward. "Keep back or I kill her." She takes out scissors and holds them to Lila's neck. Lila ceases struggling. Spencer keeps Derek behind him and keeps his distance. Lady Archer shoots a glance. "See him…you cannot kill what is already dead." The Horseman strides from the wreckage.
"Let her go!" Spencer tells her angrily.
"Yes…yes. I think I will…" Lady Archer spins and throws Lila in the cart and shoves against it.
"No!" Spencer screams at her.
The cart rolls downhill and Spencer moves forward. Lady Archer turns, brandishing the scissors, slashing and misses. Spencer backs off.
Downhill, the cart picks up speed, headed for the Horsemen. The Horseman starts running to meet it. Uphill, Lady Archer grins a sadistic smile. "Say goodbye to her." She lunges intending on stabbing Spencer. He avoids it puts all of his fury behind his fist. He punches her in the face. She hits the ground and her bag falls open, sending the Horseman's skull rolling out. The skull rolls and rolls landing far away.
Downhill, Lila leaps out from the cart. She lands hard. The Horseman shoves the empty cart aside and is still on the move.
Uphill, Spencer sees the skull and runs towards it. Lady Archer grabs Spencer by the ankle and he falls.
Downhill, Lila runs back and the Horseman is catching up.
Uphill, Spencer tries to pull free from Lady Archer. Derek comes behind her and hits her in the head with the wooden plank and she's out. Spencer scrambles to his feet.
Downhill, the Horseman catches Lila and takes her by hair as she falls to her knees and screams.
Uphill, Spencer runs and grasps the Horseman's skull. He runs towards the Horseman and Lila.
Downhill, Lila struggles, but the Horseman holds her ready by her hair and raises his sword.
Uphill, Spencer throws the skull. "Horseman!" The skull spins in the air.
The Horseman drops Lila, reaches up and catches the skull.
Lila runs and Spencer runs to meet her. He grabs her as she falls, exhausted. Together, they back away from the Horseman. The Horseman holds the skull out, then brings it to his shoulders, to its rightful place. The thunder pounds.
Blood and flesh rise up from the Horseman's throat and grip the skull. Derek drops the plank and watches in awe. The Horseman's reformation continues. Muscle forms and liquids become solids. He is made whole once more, the same evil, human face as the story that William told. He looks to Spencer and Lila and touches his restored face. Daredevil rides up screeching. The Horseman replaces his sword and climbs into the saddle. He rides towards Lila and Spencer, but passes them by. They are so exhausted they fall down. Derek backs up as the Horseman comes, but the Horseman does not want him either. The Horseman leans to grab Lady Archer's unconscious body and pulls her up across Daredevil's back. He rides away with her.
Spencer and Lila watch him go. They looks at each other and kiss each other passionately. Spencer looks to see Derek walk towards them. "How are you?"
"Tired."
Spencer smiles and holds out his arm. Derek comes over. They have a group hug. Lightning brightens the farmland around them.
Western Woods, Burial Ground
The Horseman enters the clearing, keeping a hand on Lady Archer. Ahead, the twisted tree and waits. Lady Archer is awakening and her face bloody. She turns her head and looks forward. What she sees makes her scream. The twisted tree's wounds open, wide and glowing. Daredevil picks up speed. Daredevil leaps just as a lightning bolt blasts down, striking the Horseman. They enter the tree. At the tree, Lady Archer's hand sticks out from the tight-shut suture. The sewn wound on her palm seeps blood.