Dawning of a New Day

[Denise du Pris]

Act 1: A New Day

“When I stand before thee at the day's end, thou shalt see my scars and know that I had my wounds and also my healing.”
Rabindranath Tagore

The scene opens on the quiet town of Sleepy Hollow. The sun was high in the sky, and the town had come to life once more. People moved about the old town getting things ready for Halloween, and the celebrations that were yet to come with the fall festivals. We soon spot the old warehouse looming over the town, where we find Denise sound asleep in the king size bed in the darkened bedroom. The sound of someone knocking on the door to the loft causes her to stir from her sleep, as she opens her eyes and sighs. Sam had probably locked herself out and needed the door opened. Denise gets up dressed in nothing but a tank top and a short pair of shorts, and walks to the front door. As Denise opened the door in just her tank top and a short pair of shorts Klayton stood there smiling at how beautiful she looked.

Klayton: Hey baby i thought I would come surprise you.

Denise smiles softly at him as she realizes what she was wearing. It had only been a few hours since she had fallen asleep, but she felt rested after the long night she had put in.

Denise: It's a wonderful surprise if nothing else. Come in.

Klayton follows Denise in checking out her gorgeous bum as she walked smiling.

Klayton: Did I ever tell you just how gorgeous your bum was?

Denise: I think you have. Listen I'm sorry about your bike. I didn't mean to wrap it around that tree that came out at me.

Klayton: Don't worry about it baby I was more worried about you any way, I'm going to get a new bike later any way.

Denise smiles and kisses him lightly on the cheek. She knew he would be worried when the EMT's had called him about the accident.

Denise: I'm glad Sam got a hold of you, to let you know I was still alive.

Klayton smiled at his one and only Denise as he used his finger to move her hair from her face so he could see into her beautiful eyes.

Klayton: Yeah I'm glad too, after all I know deep down you would be okay but there is still that little part of me that worries about you. Any way you have anything in I'll attempt to do you breakfast?

Denise looks up at the grandfather clock and shakes her head. It was well past noon, and she was starved. It had been hours since she had eaten.

Denise: I would love that, if it were still morning. I know a little place not far from here. My treat.

Klayton was a little confused as he now looks down at his watch realizing she was right. He must of lost track of time due to always having business on his mind.

Klayton: I can't have my lady paying for me. We can go to the place your on about but I'll pay. Well technically Neptune will be paying after all it's his money I have here.

Denise looks at him and nods. She wasn't use to being treated like this. She use to being on her own most of the time.

Denise: Fair enough. Let me go and get dressed. I'll be right back.

Klayton smiles as he nods and winks at Denise. Klayton then goes over and sits on the edge of the couch.

Klayton: I can come help you get dressed if you like baby?

Denise just smiles slyly as she starts to lead him to the bedroom, as the front door opens once again. There was Sam with an arm full of bags, and she smiles.

Sam: I thought I heard voices... You must be Klayton...

Klayton: Yes I'm Klayton it's nice to meet you. I take it you're Sam?

Sam sets the bags down, and extends a hand.

Sam: I am. I hope I didn't interrupt anything.

Klayton shakes Sam's hand as he looks back at Denise smiling.

Klayton: No you didn't interrupt anything, if you had left it maybe five minutes later to enter you may have.

Klayton just smiles, as Sam laughs, as Denise sighs, heading toward the bedroom to get dressed.

Sam: I know... I have the worst timing.

Klayton: It's fine, I'm just trying to break the ice you know it's not every day I have time to stop and just talk. I'm either busy wrestling or busy with business and always look forward to spending the rest of the time with Denise.

Sam just nods, as she gets the bags up, and heads toward the kitchen.

Sam: From the time I met Denise I've been with her. Wait... I know that sounded like something else... It's not what I meant.

Klayton - Need any help Sam after all you know Denise just as well as me and know how long it takes her to get dressed. I know what you meant and don't tell her what I just said I'll be in trouble.

Sam laughs and shakes her head. He was right it did take her a while.

Sam: Trust me it takes her a bit. She was born in France after all. I met actually met Denise when she first came to America. That's been a while.

Klayton: Yeah Denise is awesome even if she did wreck my motor bike but all i was worried about was Denise.

Sam: It's not the first time. That's how she met Nick the first time. She came in as a corpse. Scared him to death when she sat up on the table.

Klayton: Nick his the coroner right? I could imagine that, the only thing that scares me is...well if I told you that I may have to kill you.

Klayton laughs, as Sam nods, as she puts the last bit of stuff away, and heads back out into the living room.

Sam: Yeah. He's a great guy, but spends a lot of time with dead people.

Klayton: Not a good thing spending time with dead people a bit boring well unless your the one who’s killed them that is. I have experienced that many times through choice of course something Denise knows but doesn't seem to care about. That or something she chooses not to show she cares about, it's just they deserved what they had coming if you know what I mean.

Sam: I do. Nick is usually in the morgue... He just works a lot. If anything strange comes in, he calls Denise to help him.

Klayton's phone goes off so he takes it out of his phone just seeing it's a text. Klayton puts his phone backing in his pocket not meaning to be rude but had to check it incase it was important.

Klayton: I'm sorry about that just some jerk who can't handle things at the ranch Denise and me spent the weekend at. I think Denise maybe upset when i tell her about Vapour the female horse she rode on.

Denise: What about Vapour?

Sam and Klayton turn around, and there stood Denise dressed in a short top, and a pair of tight leather pants. Klayton's face just showed no emotion what so ever as he thought Denise would take the news bad.

Klayton - Well Denise think it maybe best if you sit down cause don't know how your take this news.

Denise sits on the couch, as she looks at Klayton.

Denise: What is it?

Klayton walks over to Denise kneeling down in front of her taking her hand holding it as he looked in to her eyes.

Klayton: Well some jerk decided it would be funny and clever to taking Vapour out for a run. Well he didn't know what he was doing and ended up getting Vapour hurt. I just got a text through saying the vet checked Vapour over and that she had to be put down.

Denise sighs, as she hangs her head. She had like the horse and had hoped of buying it from Klayton to put onto Markus's farm.

Denise: What a shame. She was a beautiful horse. At least she's in a better place now.

Klayton had grown up also seeing Vapour grow up too although he tried to hide it you could see he was clearly hurting.

Klayton:Yeah that is true but when I find the jerk responsible he'll regret it I swear. Baby let's just go get some food, we can walk there after all I can do with the walk.

Denise nods, and gets to her feet. Her high-heeled boots clicked on the floor as they headed toward the door.

Denise: sounds like a good idea. I'll show you some of the town while we're on the way.

Klayton: Well it was nice meeting you Sam maybe sometime soon we can all go out for a drink or something?

Sam: You too. Sounds like an idea. Have fun.

Klayton: Cool well sort it out with Denise sometime and we can go to this special place I know. Any way best get going when Denise is hungry she has to eat or I get it in the neck.

Klayton laughed as he winked at Denise. She smiles softly, even though she was hurting from what Klayton had told her. She had seen horse come and go, but it still hurt when they passed away.

Klayton: I'm coming, not literally but you know what I mean.

Klayton laughed as he thought he was being funny but no doubt he wasn't as he follows Denise out. The two of them head down on the elevator and are soon out on the main street. She smiles softly once again, and turns to him, taking his hand in hers.

Denise: Welcome to Sleepy Hollow.

With that the two of them head down the street talking among themselves as the scene fades to black.

Act 2: A Peaceful Afternoon

The scene opens on the old bridge in Sleepy Hollow. The sun was shinning brightly over the countryside, as the leaves fell from the trees surrounding the area. The trees branches that were bare looked like deformed hands in the shadows that they cast along the ground, and buildings. The river that ran beside the town flowed in silence, as a few people moved along the old bridge that leads away from the town. We soon see Denise standing at the railing of the bridge looking down at the water as it passed by. her long hair danced in the wind, as her long black trench coat was tugged gently, as she looked down.

Denise: So far none of you have said a word to any of us. Of course I'm not surprised considering that all of you have everything to lose this week when you step into that ring. Santiago I know that you have already felt the sting of Neptune's feet, and felt each move that he hit you with, but it's going to be nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you. I haven't been in the fed long but I know what I can do in the ring, and have already proven myself to be a challenge. Just ask Nate Bishop. He found out first hand what it was like to suffer at my hands... Or even better ask my latest opponent... Katrina. Of course no one knows where she's at.

Denise looks down at the water, and continues on along the bridge.

Denise: I have been thinking about all the reasons why none of you have said anything. Could it be that you're busy, or perhaps you realize that you don't really stand a chance against us? I'm not afraid to stand in the middle of the ring, and take all of you on. I know Klayton wants to get his hands on you, and I will gladly let him do so. I know I don't have to say much more, just for the fact that there isn't really much more to say to people that don't talk back. Do you realize that you are already dead men before you walk into the ring, or are you just going to show and hope for the best?

Denise starts along the bridge and smiles as she does. She had remembered when the bridge had been made of wood, and was a covered bridge. She stops at the sign that marked the spot that the Headless Horseman couldn't cross and sighs.

Denise: The Legend of the Headless Horseman is one that has been changed time and time again. Some people say that he was a mercenary that came to the new world in seek of carnage, while others say he was a solider from the American Revolution that lost his head, and others think that he is a spirit that was sent from hell to collect souls and drag them to the depths below. If you were ever out in the woods after dark you prayed that the headless horseman didn't find you. But in every story that was told, someone always lost their head, unless they reached the bridge that I'm standing on now. Of course back then the bridge was covered, and made of wood. As soon as you crossed the bridge you were safe, or so the story goes. The Legends go on and on, and will always continue as long as the town exists. My name is and will become Legend over time. If my head is ever taken then my name will live no matter how long it has been. But the tree of you will fall at our hands this week, and hen you do, we will get whatever the prize is.

Denise walks toward the woods, and smiles softly as the leave crunched under her feet. She loved this time of year, and took joy in spending time outside.

Denise: Tell me gentlemen how long do you think you are going to stand against us? You have three of the best competitors in the UWA standing in the middle of the ring facing you, knowing that you are in a fight that you cannot win, no matter what you do. I know I will not stop until you three are laid out on the mat, while we walk away with another win. I'm not afraid of you, because I fear nothing. I hope you are ready to be beaten and broken, after this match is done. See you soon.

Denise continues to walk along the road, and heads toward the woods, and the cemetery on the other side of it, as the scene fades to black.