Golden hues from the setting sun bathed the fields. The harvested crops left behind remnants, the leftovers of a bountiful season. Who was our family tradition to take those remnants and craft a scarecrow a symbol of protection and gratitude. This one's still good for the scarecrow mom.
Yes, dear, that one's too worn for anyone to wear.
Now, Hey, that's my shirt.
Why do you think I let you keep it so long? Dear?
I think we outdid ourselves this year. This one feels more lifelike.
More than just lifelike. It's like it has energy. Can you feel it?
You're more than straw, aren't you? Big guy? We finished up, standing back to admire our handiwork. The scarecrows stood tall overlooking the fields, its fabric face serene amidst the autumn wind. Moonlight streamed through the gaps and the curtains, casting an ethereal glow in the room. The distant sounds of nature hummed their nightly lullaby. But something felt off. I sat up, drawn to the window by something I couldn't explain. Peering out,
I saw the silhouette of our new scarecrow. The wind played tricks, rustling the Scarecrow's clothing, and a dance that seemed all too deliberate. It's just the wind, chill out. The rustling of the fields grew louder, and I could swear I heard whispers, but my logical side said it was only my imagination. First night nerves happens every year. The winds grew stronger, carrying a tuneless hum, and as I strained to listen, the whispers became clearer. Give hurry.
I slammed the window shut and drew the curtains, diving back under my blanket. Bright sunlight streamed through the kitchen windows. The smell of bacon and eggs wafted through the air, and the familiar clinking of dishes greeted me as I entered the scarecrow, and last night's whispering fears felt like a dream, distant and almost laughable in the light of day morning.
Sleepyhead, took you a while to come down.
Ooh, didn't sleep well? Had this weird feeling.
Scarecrow jitters is all It'll pass.
Emily clenched her jaw as she gave me a knowing glance. Every year, one of us gets the ebgbi's it's a ride of passage.
It's just your mind playing tricks, sweetie.
My plate was loaded with breakfast, but my appetite had waned. The vividness of last night's events seemed silly now, but a part of me still on that eerie feeling. Do you think it looks different from yesterday? Different? Son, it's just straw and clothes. We laughed it off, but the unees lingered. As I headed out to stark my chores, I couldn't help but glance at the scarecrow one more time.
I guess I'll have to keep an eye on you, won't I. The sun was high as Emily and I were doing our usual rounds checking on the livestock.
Hey, Jake, have you noticed some of the chickens missing?
Now that you mention it, I haven't seen missus Pott's brood.
I counted them this morning or short by three.
Could be foxes. They've been a problem before.
Yeah, but I saw the scarecrow earlier, when the sun was just coming up.
It looked I don't know.
I felt a chill run down my spine. The memory if the Scarecrow's altered stance from the morning flashed in my mind. Looked what I don't.
Know, It looked more filled out today.
We both stared at the scarecrow from a distance, a sense of dread building. It was hard to shake off the feeling that there was something malevolent about it. We should tell Dad let's finish.
Up here first, and Jake, let's stick together.
Okay, I nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude for my sister's company. The sun began to dip below the horizon, casting the farm in a warm golden hue. Emily and I approached Dad about our concerns. We found him on the porch fixing a broken step. Tools spread around him. Dad, we need to talk. What's going on.
It's about the scarecrow. We think we think it's taking the animals.
Again with the scarecrow. Did you two have some bad milk? No, Dad, We're serious. Chickens have gone missing, and the scarecrow looks different, bigger, bulkier. I've seen plenty of scarecrows in my time. They weather, they sag, sometimes they puff up when it rains.
But it hasn't rained, Dad, And what about the animals?
The chickens look get your mother we'll go out there now and figure it out together. The darkness was pierced only by the beam of our flashlights. Emily, Mom, Dad and I ventured out together toward the scarecrow.
Look over, there are those feathers.
Following the trail of scattered feathers led us to one of our missing chickens, or at least parts of it. Damned foxes, foxes, are you sure.
We need to go back? This isn't right. Wait, we need to check the scarecrow.
Approaching the scarecrow, the air grew colder. The thing that once stood as a protector of our crops now felt hostile. As our flash light beams hit it, there was an audible gasp. The scarecrow was no longer just straw clothes. It had taken on a grotesque, fleshy form. Feathers peeked out from its body, and what looked like a chicken's foot dangled from its arm. It's absorbing them. We need to get rid of it. Burn it now. The grim realization hung in the air. Our creation was turning into
something evil. We needed to act fast. Our farm had turned into a battlefield, and we were preparing for our confrontation. We'd never imagined. We stood in a circle around the scarecrow. It's silhouette even more distorted in the silvery glow.
I never thought i'd see the day when I'd point this out a scarecrow.
Neither did I. He began pouring gasoline over the scarecrow, his hands steady despite the tension. Suddenly, an unholy screech echoed through the night. The skin sarecrow began thrashing violently, its limbs flailing, feathers and straw flying in every direction. The transformation was almost complete. Its eyes, once vacant, were now full, glowing with malevolent intent. Studdy. Without hesitation, Dad brew a lit match onto the scarecrow. Flames instantly consumed it,
illuminating the field with a fiery glow. The Scarecrow's movements became more desperate, its screeches louder. We retreated a few steps, watching as the creature was consumed. Then, as suddenly as it started, the thrashing stopped. The scarecrow, now a fiery effigy, collapsed in on itself, turning to ash.
Is it over?
I hope so it's done. As the fire continued to burn, we stood close, watching for any sign of unnatural movement. Next year, maybe we should just go with a plastic owl. Is someone there?
Hello, who are you talking to?
Oh it's nothing, Probably just a raccoon.
I didn't know they could talk.
I wasn't trying to talk to them.
I just you got scared. Yeah, well don't worry. I'm here.
If anybody tries to hurt you, I'll cast a spell on them.
Thanks. I feel so safe.
You're welcome. So do you so want to get out of here?
Yeah? This party is so lame?
Well, where do you want to go?
Anywhere? Let's go for a walk.
I guess as long as we're going there together.
You know, I only came to this party because I knew you would be here.
Yeah, I knew that You're the only reason I'm here too.
Really, Yeah, well then let's get out of here.
It's about time. So what made you decide to dress up as Jason?
Eh? I don't know. I guess I wanted to lure an unsuspecting victim away from the crowd and hacker up into pieces.
Hey stop it don't say that.
I'm sorry. I was just kidding. I hate this dumb costume. Anyway, Masks are dumb.
No, I like your costume.
If it's you, the get up of a psycho killer fits me. Gee.
Thanks, I didn't mean it like that, you know. Just you look good with a knife in your hand.
Whoa, whoa, whoa? What kind of stuff are you into?
Never mind, pretend I didn't say that.
I'm pretty good at pretending. I can pretend to be anything you want.
Shut up, you're bad.
What. No, I'm not. This is just plastic. It's not real.
Of course, I know it's not real. I'm not stupid.
Well, I know you're not stupid. I was just saying that I'm not. Actually, it's okay.
I just don't want to walk around with you like an old person. You see that bench over there?
Yeah, what about it?
Doesn't it look comfortable?
It would be if you were sitting on it with me exactly.
Let's go. So, are you gonna hack me up into pieces?
Now? What you mean with this old thing? Not a ants?
Don't litter you bad boy?
Yeah, I don't care. I'll pick it up later later.
What do you mean later after I'm.
Done with you? Oh?
Yeah?
Yeah? What was that? It's probably nothing, just a raccoon.
Probably nothing, or maybe it is something like a creep watching us.
A creep? What are they gonna see anyway? Two people kissing. That's some saucy stuff right there. Shut up.
Will you just go check for me, please.
I'm telling you it's nothing. It's just a raccoon or a possum, Like.
That thing you saw out by the house was just a raccoon and didn't scare you at all.
Come on, just go check.
Oh, come on, I'm telling you it's just a dumb rat or something.
Just a rat.
Huh, Okay, fine, I'll go check it out.
Thank you.
Hey, scram get out of here. I'm trying to have a nice time with my lady here, and I don't like all y'all scuttling and fussing around in the bushes trying to get a peek. So go on, now get see. I told you it was just some dumb animal, nothing to worry about. Now, where were we? Huh? Lisa, where'd you go? Lisa? Where are you? Lisa? What's going on? Who's there? Lisa? I'm coming.
Help me?
Hey? Go mmm? How about no? You're sick of what's wrong with you? What's wrong with me? I'm not a Jason without a machete. Shut up? Why are you doing this? Why am I doing this? Why aren't you stopping me? Oh that's right, because if you take one more step, I'll cut open her throat right in front of you. Don't you dare like anything you do will make a difference in the end. Don't you realize how screwed you are? What are you talking about? Sh who's there? What's going on?
Show yourselves? You two were such the perfect couple, an evil witch and a psycho killer. Such a shame you were just a couple of fakes. Otherwise a bunch of creeps like us would be easy to all right, if only you had your magic want in your plastic machete. You should know better than to go wandering where you don't belong. Stop.
I'm sorry, relief, I'll give you anything you want. Just let us go, you moron. Can't you tell what we want?
Is you?
The days in Sarah's got shorter, and the air got crisper as fall around the ones fun in welcoming streets now had a gloomy.
Field in them.
As the gloomy clouds hung over the air. My brain always seemed to fall when it was least expected. It became increasingly uneasy during these days and realized I was caught up in a horror story I had invented. My name is Say, and my family and I used to live outside of Sarah's, a charming house. The area seemed calm, where the strange things started to happen. A man who got into the background was the beginning but on I first dismissed him as a chance bystander when he first
crossed her stream. But the next few days I started to watch him more and more as he stood in the street looking at her house. He was a tall, strange figure with a face that seemed etched with despair. His eyes, hoween, were the most alarming thing.
They were cold.
And lifeless, and they never stopped keeping an eye on my house. During the rainy days of autumn, his presence grew more menacing. He would stay there in the rain, standing motionless in a movie. My family and I continue to notice him as well, and a sense of unease swept through our home. Nie as the rain beat against the window panes, I made the choice to talk to the stranger. I went over to him after stepping outside from the street. He didn't even look at me. Or
make any move. My voice trumble. I said, Hey, what's up with you standing around.
Here all the time.
He's slowly turning a face, his eyes obsidian in the gloomy silence, he spoke in a whisper that made my skin crawl me. I was completely terrified by what he said. Oh, I watch your household.
I hurried back inside, terrified and drenched.
But I didn't tell my father what I'd seen, or what he meant by watching my family, or why us. I wasn't sure if he believed me, and I didn't want to overwhelm them with my fear. The man was still there the next day, as if he had never left. He stood with his face turned up for letting the rains soak into the bones that had started.
To pour harder.
My limit had been raged, had decided to get law enforcement involved.
When the police.
Arrived, they tried to speak to the man, but he was still unresponsive. He was questioned, but his only response was the menacing phrase, I watch your family. The officers advise us to keep an eye on him and report any suspicious activity. After they conclude that they had not found any evidence of a crime. Weeks passed into days, as the man maintained his eerie vigil, we felt like prisoners in our own home because we were constantly aware
of his presence outside. No amount of security cameras or reinforced doors could erase the sense of dread that had crept into our hearts. One particularly gloomy night, as I glanced out the window, I caught sight of something that gave me the chills. The person who had been blocking the road had left instead. He was standing in front of her yard, inches from the glass, staring at me with his obsidian eyes. I yelled and ran to grab
my phone and call my father. Had dialed my father's number, my voice trembling as I recounted the Chile encounter.
After a few rings, he picked up Dad.
He won't believe what's happening, I said, my words rushed and shaking. Say what's wrong, my father replied, concern evident in his voice. Someone is watching our house and our family. He's on the street every day, watching us, and carefully he was trying to understand what was going on. We need to call the police again, and this time will request a restraining order if necessary.
Your safety comes first, he finally said.
I called the police again and locked myself.
In a room with feet.
They arrived quickly, and this time they were more serious. During his capture, the man made no attempt to resist as they led him away, his eerie gaze didn't stop frightening me. The police later informed us that the man had recently been released from a psychiatric facility and had a history of mental illness. Because he thought we held the key to some elucid truth, he became fixated on our family. He hadn't done anything wrong, despite his eerie
presence and disturbing words. We were relieved by the experience, but there were still wounds that would never completely close. Sarah's would once more be tranguled, but I knew that my family's nightmares would always be plagued by the memories of that traumatic fault. A man who had been lurking in the shadows and watching his while it rain was no longer there. Although the man's physical presence may have been erased by the rain, his menacing gaze would live on in her memories.