The Girl of Sleepy Hollow

Chapter 2

Rose's punishment lasted a week. She was forced to be locked up in her room all day, only to come downstairs for dinner. Every hour or so, her mother or father would come up to make sure she hadn't slipped out again. Although her punishment had gotten her out of her chores, the seven days after Rose's sixteenth birthday were a tedious torture.

Rose's freedom had always been limited. Her parents watched over her like vultures daily. But now she couldn't even leave her room, let alone the house. Rose always wondered why her parents were like that. She had seen other girls her age from her window laughing and playing outside. Why couldn't she be like that?

The days dragged on, and Rose busied herself with whatever she could find to do. She read from the books on her shelf, or doodled pictures on pieces of scrap paper. Every now and then she would hear a giggle or shout from her window. She would look out and see people picking flowers or laughing and talking. She would see kids her age giggling and holding hands. She saw people who had lived in the same town as her for years, yet didn't know her. People whose parents didn't keep them locked up in the house. People who were free.

On the seventh day, Rose sat down with her parents at the dinner table. The past few days had felt like centuries, and Rose had started to feel like her room was suffocating her. Dinner time had become a breath of fresh air. Any change was better than her upstairs prison.

Her parents were quiet during dinner. Once Rose's father had finished his soup, he stood up from his chair and walked towards the door.

"I'm headed down to meet the boys at the tavern" he said. He looked directly at his daughter. "Get to bed early, Rose. Don't be up all night reading those books." With that, he shut the door and left.

Rose ate her soup slowly, trying to the stall time before she had to go back up to her room. Her mother was silent, until she finished her last drop of soup. She put down her spoon and cleared her throat.

"Rose, dear" she said. "I want to talk to you about something."

Rose's stomach tightened. Usually when parents said that it wasn't pleasant business. Then again, she couldn't be in any more trouble than she was now. Besides, this was the most her mother had spoken to her since that night at Raven Rock.

"Yes, mama?" Rose asked.

Katrina put her hands on the table with her fingers intertwined. She stared down at her lap for a moment, then looked up at her daughter.

"Before I begin, let me remind you" she said. "Your father and I are still disappointed in you for sneaking out. We've always told you to stay on our property unless we're with you. What you did had us mad with worry."

Rose nodded. She already heard all of this a week ago. But she wasn't about to say anything that would get her another week of punishment.

"But, that being said" she continued. She took a deep breath. "Your father and I have been talking these past few days, and we believe that, although we are disappointed that it happened, that this incident has opened our eyes."

Rose looked up at her mother in surprise. She had been expecting another homily. How could her protective mother, who never let her leave the house, think that?

"What do you mean?" Rose asked.

"You sneaking out has made us realize something. You're no longer a child. You're an adult now, ready to leave the nest. At some point you'll have to go out without us there to watch you. We can't protect you from dangers forever."

"What dangers?" Rose asked. "What dangers in Sleepy Hollow are there to protect me from? Why do you keep me locked up like this?"

Katrina sighed. "I can't really explain it dear. You wouldn't understand. Just call it a mother's instinct."

"The other mothers in town don't seem to have that instinct." Rose regretted the words as soon as they came out. She had never spoken to her mother like this before. But she needed to know. Why were her parents so protective? What danger was there to fear?

"I'm sorry, mama" Rose said.

Katrina sighed and placed her hand on top of Rose's. "I talked with your father yesterday. And we've agreed it's time we gave you some space. We need to introduce you to Sleepy Hollow. It has always been your home after all." She sighed again. "So, we've decided to let you participate in our All Hallows Eve Frolic next week."

Rose's heart skipped and she sat up a bit. Every year her parents held an All Hallows Eve celebration in the barn. But they had never let her go, and she would always spend her All Hallows Eves watching the barn lights and laughter from her bedroom window.

"Really?" Rose said, still surprised. "I can go to the frolic?"

Katrina nodded. "It doesn't seem right that you've lived in this town your whole life and never been formally introduced its people. I figured a frolic would be a nice way to do that."

Excitement filled Rose's chest like air in her lungs. She felt a smile begin to stretch onto her face. A barn party? It seemed too good to be true.

"Thank you, mama" Rose said. "I can't believe you're actually letting me do this..."

Katrina smiled. "Of course, dear. We had to do it at some point. And if you behave yourself at the party, we'll let you leave the house and explore town when you want."

It was like a dream. After a life of constant supervision, that was all freedom seemed like to Rose. Now it felt like she had stepped out of a cell door. Woken up from a monotone dream or sleep. Before Rose could say anything, her mother held up a hand.

"On one condition" she said. "If we let you do this, you have to promise to tell us where you're going before you go anywhere. And you must stay away from places like the swamp and Raven Rock. Stay in town where everyone else is. And always be back home before sunset."

Rose stood up from her seat and threw her arms around her mother's neck. "I promise!" she said gleefully. "Thank you, mama! I promise I won't do anything wrong!"

Katrina smiled and hugged her daughter back. Once the dishes were clean, Rose sprang up to her room and jumped into bed. She hadn't felt this excited in years. She tried to go asleep, but the thought of the frolic kept her up.

Her life would finally begin on All Hallows Eve.