Mr. Ichabod had concocted a plan to go and ask Mr. Van Tassel to see if we could stay at their residence for the duration of our time in Sleepy Hollow, or at least until we were able to provide ourselves with a place to stay. I had to be honest with myself, it was a bit risky, but the payoff was big, in terms of warmth and safety. During the six months of trials,
Degamux had instilled that in order to survive, a ranger needed food, which also included fresh, running water, fire, whether under a spit in the woods or a range, shelter, both home or improvised shelters, and safety. Staying with the Van Tassel’s provided just about all of those factors. Lloyd and I would be able to provide protection over a home much easier than in an open environment. Plus, I didn’t really feel safe about being outside after dark.
Its not that I was superstitious or anything, but Abraham Van Brunt and his goons might still have it out for us. Sure, rangers could blend in with their natural surroundings, but these were marshlands for the most part. The only places to hide were either behind bushes, or in the water itself. Not many places to hide there. But there was that fog. Still, I didn’t want to risk it. We were going to stay inside.
We arrived at the Van Tassel residence in the middle of the night. It was a little tricky getting our way over there, but we managed to make it alright. I, however, still felt like there were eyes on me. I felt like I was being watched, or even followed. But every time I would look around to see what was behind me, I would find only my traveling companions or just fog. My mind must have been playing tricks on me again. That had to be it.
Mr. Crane was first to the door. He knocked in a peculiar fashion. Lloyd and I exchanged looks. After a minute or two, a light went on in the house. Its faint glow told us that it must have been a candle. Sure enough, Katrina Van Tassel answered the door, a lit candle in one of her hands.
“Mr. Crane, what are you doing here this hour?” she asked, wiping the sleep out of her eyes with her free hand.
“Miss Van Tassel, my colleagues and I were recently evicted from our previous lodging and are in urgent need of a play to stay,” Mr. Crane said innocently. Lloyd and I exchanged looks again. Even Valen jumped in on the exchanging of looks this time. Nice one, Mr. Crane. “Would it be a terrible burden for you to have us stay here?”
“I suppose I could let you stay here for the night,” she said. “But then you’ll have to speak to my father about any further stays.”
“Of course, Miss Van Tassel,” Mr. Crane said, bowing his head a little. She opened the door and let us in. Just in time too, because my mind was beginning to weave another hallucination. I hurried in to get a change of scenery. The home was a nice and warm change from the outside and its midnight fog. “You do a humble creature much service. Many thanks.”
“Please, call me Katrina,” she said bashfully. Lloyd and I exchanged another look between ourselves. Valen had his jaw gaping for a little while. The three of us didn’t exactly understand how he was able to pull off something like that.
“And I Ichabod, Katrina,” the teacher said.
“Ichabod, there is something I wish to show you... over here,” she said, leading him away after saying, “Your friends can sleep in the next room.”
While I may have not understood what was going on that night when I was that age, I would later understand just what was going on. In the meantime, Lloyd and Valen gave each other the look this time, because I didn’t understand but they did.
After a night filled with the nightmare from before, morning came. Mr. Van Tassel walked into the room to see us sleeping on the furniture.
“Good morning, Mr. Van Tassel!” Lloyd said, using Mr. Crane’s annoying sounding voice. “You’re looking awfully spry.”
