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CHAPTER IV
Part I
Fall was the most beautiful time of year for Sleepy Hollow. Regardless of events I always found peace in the trees as they transform to a different color. Today was the day before a festive Thanksgiving, but in our business we take three days off for celebration of thankfulness. Today of the first.
Completely denying the events of yesterday the satisfaction of dwelling, I rose out of my bed cheerfully.
I stepped outside after my new morning rituals and their stood John just as bright as ever, “Morning Robert.”
I replied to his greeting, “Morning, John.”
“Good day it is. A day we can go on without worry for our business. Eh?” John smiled with a nudge. I nodded and chuckled.
“So who are you going to for Thanksgiving.” I asked
John usually spent the holiday with the few upper class Sleepy Hollow had to offer. However this year was different, “I was invited to Mrs. Weltworth's home. She had a grand meal and wanted to share.”
I grinned, “Good! She could do with more company.”
“What about yourself, Robert?”
I paused as I thought about it. My holidays of the past usually consisted of me alone. But not this year.
I puffed my chest and proudly announced, “I am going to my Grandmothers house!”
John laughed aloud. I did not know if he thought I was jesting, or if it was the way I had said it, but he roared in laughter and nodded, “Ok Robert. ....HA! .....Have a good time.”
John went his way laughing as I stood in front of the bank. With a sigh I left to lock the door. Before I did however I grabbed my side-sack and a knife.
I spent an hour in the patch carving a pumpkin. Just as I finished the chill came down my spine, and I felt his presence.
“Good morning to you.” I spoke without fear in my voice.
In the voice of the husky, “You are seeking your grandmother. Trying again?”
I stood and turned to him. He sat on his horse, but the head of the husky was filthy. It's eyes were faded and its cheeks oozed of pus. A repugnant smell filled the air. The head itself was in a state of decay.
I covered my nose and answered, “Not for your head. I am going for the holiday.”
The horseman let out a disappointed sigh, “You are going because you feel she's alone?”
“No one should be alone on such a day. You have Emma.”
“I will not allow you to sympathize with the witch.”
I kept my silence.
The horseman looked upon me. His deteriorating eyes reflected shame. He spoke nothing, turned away, and rode. The fog consumed him and he was just as soon gone.
I fell to my knees and took a deep breath. I realized how close I was to dying, but I was still alive. The second time I felt so alive.
The pumpkin's flame died off when I reached the bridge, and I returned to my conscious state. I lightly took the pumpkin off and placed it on the ground next to the foot of the bridge. Then I grabbed my head out of the sack and put it back on. I stared at the cottage and realized in daylight it was very cozy. I inhaled the afternoon fresh air and walked across the bridge with a smile.
I approached the door, but before I knocked the voice, so shrill, of my grandmother called out from behind me, “You came back I see.”
I spun around in surprise, “Oh you startled....”
The short old lady's face was of anger. She wasn't happy for my return and I became nervous. She had to reach high for her height, but she managed to grab my ear and she pulled it down to her level. To my surprise my head stayed on, but I was to frightened to ponder.
“Have you no brain!” She growled, “You return again?! I tell you, I shall not give you the head!”
I stammered, “I-I Am not H-here for the head. OW! I am....I'm here for Thanksgiving.”
She glared into my eyes and I stared back with a nervous attempt to smile friendly. What I saw in her eyes was darkness and anger. Soon it dissipated as she continued to stare then she let me go. I stood erect and rubbed me neck as I spoke, “I am honest. I had to tell off the horseman to get here.”
“He's stubborn, but he could never hurt family.” She scoffed, “You're safe from him, but me on the other hand. He'd just as soon kill me.”
She waddled off to her cottaged and waved me to follow.
I walked in and the same warmth from her cooking.
“He doesn't consider you family?” I asked.
“He considers me an enemy. Sit!”
I sat in the nearest chair at the table. She poured some soup in a bowl and placed on the table.
“I sensed you were coming, but I don't know why.”
“Tha-” I tried to repeat myself but she interrupted.
“You will take the cleansing ceremony.”
“Cleansing ceremony?”
She walked back to her stove, “Yes yes yes! You have been tainted.”
“What? By what?”
“The curse.”
“A curse? What are you talking about?”
She stopped and sighed. Turning ever so swiftly she faced me, “When I placed the curse on your grandfather. It effected all his heirs. Your father and your sister too. I can not reverse it on you, for you will die, but your soul will be tainted as well. The ceremony is to ensure that you will have your head in the afterlife.”
“Sound promising.” I sarcastically spoke.
It seemed such dreary thought that even in death I may not have my head.
“So this ritual. What does it pertain to?”
“First,” She pointed, “You must eat the soup. It will warm your spirits. The rest will be cold.”
I finished the soup and presented an empty bowl to prove to her it was done. I felt no less or more warmth from eating it, but since I have witnessed much stranger events, I would believe.
She lead me outside near the river. “Off with your clothes.”
I paused, staring at her. She repeated, “Off with them!”
“What? You can't be serious.”
She nodded, “Yes!”
Defeated I sighed and started to undo my shirt, “Is this so I must be all natural.”
“No! Its so your clothes don't get wet.”
I felt uneasy stripping bare, but fortunately no one was around. She lead me to the riverbed and chanted some indeterminable words.
She then turned to me, “Hand me your head.”
“What?!” I leaned back for an uncertain fear that she was going to strike me.
“It needs be done! The body must be cleansed separate from the mind.”
“But.....couldn't be all done at once?”
She glared at me and I remembered there was no use to arguing. I removed my head and handed it to her. She placed me in a dry pail, and then grabbed another pail and started filling it with river water.
The rest of me went into shock as the icy water splashed on me. I started coughing and water came out of my mouth when she splashed it on my exposed throat. I shivered from the cold water that she continually splashed on me.
I covered myself for decency, and curled up to keep warm.
She continued to chant and splash water on me for ten minutes. It felt like ten weeks. When she finished she lead me to my head and took me up from the bucket by grasping my ears with one hand.
“Now the mind.”
Before I could utter a response she wiped my forehead with an oil and dropped it into a water filled bucket.
At first, by instinct, I held my breath. Then I realized I had no lungs and just inhaled the water. I was expecting to feel it pour from my esophagus like the wine, but I felt nothing in my throat.
Under the water I heard the muffled chanting of my grandmother. Another ten minutes and she picked me up again.
“You are done. You are cleansed.”
I felt relieved. I took a deep breath and let out a satisfied sigh. She hand me to myself and I placed my head on its rightful perch.
“I feel....free.” I commented.
She had a smile as wide as her face, “You are now child.”
Next: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2227453/
CH1: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1711976/
CH2: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1765569/
CH3: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1807211
Part I
Fall was the most beautiful time of year for Sleepy Hollow. Regardless of events I always found peace in the trees as they transform to a different color. Today was the day before a festive Thanksgiving, but in our business we take three days off for celebration of thankfulness. Today of the first.
Completely denying the events of yesterday the satisfaction of dwelling, I rose out of my bed cheerfully.
I stepped outside after my new morning rituals and their stood John just as bright as ever, “Morning Robert.”
I replied to his greeting, “Morning, John.”
“Good day it is. A day we can go on without worry for our business. Eh?” John smiled with a nudge. I nodded and chuckled.
“So who are you going to for Thanksgiving.” I asked
John usually spent the holiday with the few upper class Sleepy Hollow had to offer. However this year was different, “I was invited to Mrs. Weltworth's home. She had a grand meal and wanted to share.”
I grinned, “Good! She could do with more company.”
“What about yourself, Robert?”
I paused as I thought about it. My holidays of the past usually consisted of me alone. But not this year.
I puffed my chest and proudly announced, “I am going to my Grandmothers house!”
John laughed aloud. I did not know if he thought I was jesting, or if it was the way I had said it, but he roared in laughter and nodded, “Ok Robert. ....HA! .....Have a good time.”
John went his way laughing as I stood in front of the bank. With a sigh I left to lock the door. Before I did however I grabbed my side-sack and a knife.
I spent an hour in the patch carving a pumpkin. Just as I finished the chill came down my spine, and I felt his presence.
“Good morning to you.” I spoke without fear in my voice.
In the voice of the husky, “You are seeking your grandmother. Trying again?”
I stood and turned to him. He sat on his horse, but the head of the husky was filthy. It's eyes were faded and its cheeks oozed of pus. A repugnant smell filled the air. The head itself was in a state of decay.
I covered my nose and answered, “Not for your head. I am going for the holiday.”
The horseman let out a disappointed sigh, “You are going because you feel she's alone?”
“No one should be alone on such a day. You have Emma.”
“I will not allow you to sympathize with the witch.”
I kept my silence.
The horseman looked upon me. His deteriorating eyes reflected shame. He spoke nothing, turned away, and rode. The fog consumed him and he was just as soon gone.
I fell to my knees and took a deep breath. I realized how close I was to dying, but I was still alive. The second time I felt so alive.
The pumpkin's flame died off when I reached the bridge, and I returned to my conscious state. I lightly took the pumpkin off and placed it on the ground next to the foot of the bridge. Then I grabbed my head out of the sack and put it back on. I stared at the cottage and realized in daylight it was very cozy. I inhaled the afternoon fresh air and walked across the bridge with a smile.
I approached the door, but before I knocked the voice, so shrill, of my grandmother called out from behind me, “You came back I see.”
I spun around in surprise, “Oh you startled....”
The short old lady's face was of anger. She wasn't happy for my return and I became nervous. She had to reach high for her height, but she managed to grab my ear and she pulled it down to her level. To my surprise my head stayed on, but I was to frightened to ponder.
“Have you no brain!” She growled, “You return again?! I tell you, I shall not give you the head!”
I stammered, “I-I Am not H-here for the head. OW! I am....I'm here for Thanksgiving.”
She glared into my eyes and I stared back with a nervous attempt to smile friendly. What I saw in her eyes was darkness and anger. Soon it dissipated as she continued to stare then she let me go. I stood erect and rubbed me neck as I spoke, “I am honest. I had to tell off the horseman to get here.”
“He's stubborn, but he could never hurt family.” She scoffed, “You're safe from him, but me on the other hand. He'd just as soon kill me.”
She waddled off to her cottaged and waved me to follow.
I walked in and the same warmth from her cooking.
“He doesn't consider you family?” I asked.
“He considers me an enemy. Sit!”
I sat in the nearest chair at the table. She poured some soup in a bowl and placed on the table.
“I sensed you were coming, but I don't know why.”
“Tha-” I tried to repeat myself but she interrupted.
“You will take the cleansing ceremony.”
“Cleansing ceremony?”
She walked back to her stove, “Yes yes yes! You have been tainted.”
“What? By what?”
“The curse.”
“A curse? What are you talking about?”
She stopped and sighed. Turning ever so swiftly she faced me, “When I placed the curse on your grandfather. It effected all his heirs. Your father and your sister too. I can not reverse it on you, for you will die, but your soul will be tainted as well. The ceremony is to ensure that you will have your head in the afterlife.”
“Sound promising.” I sarcastically spoke.
It seemed such dreary thought that even in death I may not have my head.
“So this ritual. What does it pertain to?”
“First,” She pointed, “You must eat the soup. It will warm your spirits. The rest will be cold.”
I finished the soup and presented an empty bowl to prove to her it was done. I felt no less or more warmth from eating it, but since I have witnessed much stranger events, I would believe.
She lead me outside near the river. “Off with your clothes.”
I paused, staring at her. She repeated, “Off with them!”
“What? You can't be serious.”
She nodded, “Yes!”
Defeated I sighed and started to undo my shirt, “Is this so I must be all natural.”
“No! Its so your clothes don't get wet.”
I felt uneasy stripping bare, but fortunately no one was around. She lead me to the riverbed and chanted some indeterminable words.
She then turned to me, “Hand me your head.”
“What?!” I leaned back for an uncertain fear that she was going to strike me.
“It needs be done! The body must be cleansed separate from the mind.”
“But.....couldn't be all done at once?”
She glared at me and I remembered there was no use to arguing. I removed my head and handed it to her. She placed me in a dry pail, and then grabbed another pail and started filling it with river water.
The rest of me went into shock as the icy water splashed on me. I started coughing and water came out of my mouth when she splashed it on my exposed throat. I shivered from the cold water that she continually splashed on me.
I covered myself for decency, and curled up to keep warm.
She continued to chant and splash water on me for ten minutes. It felt like ten weeks. When she finished she lead me to my head and took me up from the bucket by grasping my ears with one hand.
“Now the mind.”
Before I could utter a response she wiped my forehead with an oil and dropped it into a water filled bucket.
At first, by instinct, I held my breath. Then I realized I had no lungs and just inhaled the water. I was expecting to feel it pour from my esophagus like the wine, but I felt nothing in my throat.
Under the water I heard the muffled chanting of my grandmother. Another ten minutes and she picked me up again.
“You are done. You are cleansed.”
I felt relieved. I took a deep breath and let out a satisfied sigh. She hand me to myself and I placed my head on its rightful perch.
“I feel....free.” I commented.
She had a smile as wide as her face, “You are now child.”
Next: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2227453/
CH1: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1711976/
CH2: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1765569/
CH3: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1807211
Category Story / Fantasy
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 50 x 50px
File Size 26.5 kB
Comments