Shadows of the Hollow: A Tale Reimgine

Nosey Little Man

Ichabod Crane it would seem was asking a lot of questions about the town, its history, and its ghost stories. He was quite taken with the most infamous of all the spectors in the land. The headless horseman has been told around the fires for decades. Not long after I arrived, I too heard the story during a hunting trip with Baltius. It's a story and nothing more. I have never encountered the galloping hessian on my rides home. What made me second think about Crane's intentions was the mention that he had been inquiring about me. One of the maids told Elias that Crane has been visiting Katrina regularly. During their conversation, inquiries about me are one topic that is mentioned.

To teach the man a lesson in meddling in my affairs the pranks shifted from the locals to solely him. When those pranks did not delay him I took extreme measures to frighten him away. Late one night we broke into the schoolhouse and turned everything upside down. Hugo was able to use some spells to have a lesson written upside down on the chalkboard. The desk and chairs we piled into a tower, tossed all the books off the shelves and drew random sigils on the glass windows using flour. We laughed all the way back to my cabin where we drank into the night. Since Ichabod loves to hear ghost stories then he can handle a few ghosts.

Back at my cabin we pass a bottle around laughing at our little joke. Once the bottle was near empty the joking and laughing fell into grim conversation.

"The men are saying that he is only after Katrina because of her fathers money. The maid employed by Van Tassel told me that he gleams at the polish silverware and devours food like a starving animaling." Elias said. "He never shuts up about Shakespeare or frightening things he has seen on his travels."

"Is this the woman that you sneak off to see each weekend?" Josiah asks teasingly.

"I plan to marry her once I get enough money. She will be happier with me. A woman like her should be left in servitude. I will make her a happy wife." Elias continued.

"I can imagine how many children you two will have." I teased. "Girls with long honey-colored hair and boys full of mischief, your wife will have gray hair by the time they are two years old."
He shot me a vulgar gesture before returning to the rum. We spoke some more about what Crane has been doing in the home. I mentioned how I hardly see her anymore. Every Sunday I would wait for her after church. Kat had always loved taking a ride with me through the woods and surrounding community. With her top Daredevil we would gallop through the woods with the boys in tow. Laughing like school children. I would return her home close to dark. Secretly I think they also miss her company.

"Maybe Crane will back off now that is aware of your presence." Levi mumbled.

"I doubt it. He is obsessed with Kat and her fathers wealth. If anything he might try something else. Something darker."

The boys turned to me.

"I think Crane is going to try something. I'm not sure what but until he leaves we need to be careful. If he so much as see's us, the whole town will believe him. I think we should move deeper into the forest during our hunts."

They agreed. With the bottle empty the boys left for home. I stayed up most of the night trying to figure out what Crane was planning. It's not like Kat to fall for tricks. She refuses to even look, much less speak to me. Crane would keep her all to himself. An annoying fellow he is. Still he has no idea what I could really do to him.