The Scarecrow

The Scarecrow
The Scarecrow is a short horror story set within the summer of 1970. It is a prequel to ROUTE 7 and consists of five chapters, all of which are available to read in full on Wattpad.

Synopsis
ALL GHOST STORIES START SOMEWHERE - In this short story prequel to Route 7, discover how the horror began. In 1970, the Blythe family have a successful farm in the countryside of Florida. After they come across an abandoned scarecrow in their land, the family quickly becomes the target of something evil. Something that will soon become a sinister legend.

Story
In the summer of 1970, farmer Andrew Blythe is returning home via Road 7 after having been into the nearby town to sell some crops. Once he gets home, he's greeted by his wife, Marie and their youngest son Simon who claims to have found something. Simon then leads his parents out into their cornfield where he shows them a scarecrow they found which they recognise to belong to their neighbour, Frank Ford. Marie feels uneasy by the scarecrow when Simon reveals that the scarecrow apparently talked to him, telling the child that it needs a new home tomorrow. Andrew says they can't keep it as it belongs to Frank and so they go off back to the house. Later that evening, Andrew is working on his new car when the signs of a thunderstorm begin to show. Suddenly, a metal clanging catches his attention and so Andrew goes to investigate. He finds the noise came from his barn where he thinks he sees someone hiding inside but he finds no one. One of his scythes are on the floor and as he picks it up, he sees the scarecrow from earlier sitting against the wall. Andrew grabs it and goes inside, demanding to know why Simon brought it back and why he was in the barn. Simon claims it wasn't him. Andrew demands Johnny, their oldest son, to take the scarecrow outside and get rid of it. Andrew apologises to Simon when Marie suggests that maybe Frank was simply trying to get rid of the scarecrow himself. Andrew agrees and promises to pay Frank a visit the following morning. They then eat their dinner.

Later, at around midnight, Johnny is failing to go to sleep when he begins to hear someone breathing. He gets up and looks around his room, but no one is there. As the thunderstorm continues, he walks around his room to make sure he's alone when a voice says "Here I am" from outside of his bedroom door. He reluctantly opens it but again, there isn't anyone there. But when the lightening flashes, it reveals a silhouette of a shadow from behind him and so he spins around to his window but its empty. He shuts his curtains and races back to bed before falling asleep and having nightmares about the scarecrow.

Morning comes and there isn't any sign of the storm from the night before. Marie awakens to find her husband absent from their bed and when she goes downstairs, she steps on straw that she recognises belongs to the scarecrow their son Simon had found. Freaked out, she decides to keep it to herself. She then goes outside where Andrew is watching police cars parked outside of Frank Ford's house. Neither of them know what to make of it when a police car pulls up into their own driveway. Officer Sommers reveals that Frank had committed suicide last night after making an emergency call to the priest, the one who found him. At the scene, Frank had slits his wrists and written Latin words on his wall before hanging himself. Simon overhears this and Marie chases after him before finally catching him in their back garden. Marie tells him that he has nothing to be afraid of when Simon reveals that he's actually afraid of the new guest.

Marie is confused by this and asks Simon to specify what he's talking about. But instead of saying anything, Simon goes silent. After a moment, he tells his mother that the guest just told him it won't be long now before hurrying off inside. Marie is confused and unnerved by this when she hears rustling coming from the edge of the field. She walks over and finds more straw and also discovers footprints from an animal that make it look as though it had been watching them.

Later that night, Marie brings it up to Andrew, expressing her concern for the matter. Andrew, however, plays it off as Simon playing around with his overactive imagination and that it shouldn't get to her. Andrew then comforts her by saying he made sure that Johnny got rid of the scarecrow. Marie nods before they get into bed and go to sleep.

At around half one in the morning, Marie is awakened by Simon who claims that someone is in his closet. Marie accompanies him back to his room and checks the closet, revealing nothing. She switches off the closet light and tells Simon to get back into bed when a whisper from the closet says 'Look again.' A frightened Simon hides under his covers while Marie turns around and switches the light back on, although nothing is there. She tells Simon that they're both just tired and that they need sleep before leaving.

As she walks back to her room, a noise from downstairs startles her. She goes to investigate, only to find that the front door is open and she steps on straw, the same straw that the scarecrow had. Freaked out, Marie slowly walks outside and sees the same scarecrow stood up in their cornfield with its head looking straight at her. She runs back inside and locks the door but when she glances through the glass, the scarecrow is nowhere to be seen. Marie runs back to her bedroom and climbs into bed, fear washing over her entire body.

The next morning, Marie is telling Andrew about what she saw last night, but Andrew comes across as unbelieving of her. She then goes on to tell him about the voice both she and Simon heard and thinks that Frank Ford's death isn't a coincidence. Andrew says he somewhat believes her, but needs to stay rational. Marie just asks Andrew to phone the priest.

Johnny and Simon are walking to the field, discussing who is going to be the one finding the other. Simon manages to convince Johnny its his turn. Simon then runs off into the field, leaving Johnny to count. After counting, Johnny runs off into the field and starts searching for his brother. As Johnny is searching, he hears a faint rustling and smiles to himself, thinking he's found Simon. But when he dives through some of the crops, there isn't anyone there. He gets up and begins to walk away when he hears a voice that says 'Over here'. Confused, Johnny turns around to see a thick copse of crops blocking his view of where the voice came from. The voice then says 'Closer'. Johnny pulls the grove apart, getting a fright when he sees the scarecrow. It's stood up on its beams, its head titled down and covered by the shade. Johnny turns around, shouting for Simon as he thinks its not funny. But then the voice from behind him speaks again, saying 'It's not Simon.' Johnny slowly turns around, gulping as he stares at the scarecrow.

Marie is walking to the backyard to hang some washing out while Andrew is heading towards his barn when they suddenly hear Johnny's screaming. They race into the fields and find him on the ground clutching his leg. Upon investigating, Andrew sees that there are lengthy scratches running from his knee and twisting all the down to his heel. Scooping him up, Andrew races off back towards the house.

Later that night, the family return home after having spent the day at the hospital. Johnny is now using crutches. He and Simon are walking ahead and Simon wants to stay in the living room with Johnny, to which Johnny agrees. They then disappear into the house. Marie states to Andrew that they have to do something about what is happening to them. As the couple mildly argue about what to do, a car pulls up onto their driveway. The driver is revealed to be the priest, Father Coyle. Marie had invited him over early and so the trio go into the house.

Marie, Andrew and Father Coyle are all stood in the kitchen as Father Coyle asks for the couple to explain when it all began. Andrew tells him that it started when he heard and saw something in his barn a few nights back. Coyle asks what was in the barn when Andrew tells him it was a scarecrow and reveals that it belonged to Frank Ford and that Simon found it in their field. Coyle says that it has a foothold and so Marie asks what exactly has a foothold where Coyle reveals an entity, the same one that went after Frank. Coyle further explains that it's attached itself to the scarecrow and their family as its feeding off their fear. He then says he felt its malicious and evil presence just moments ago.

Simon and Johnny are sat in the living room, trying not to overhear in their conversation. After both brothers admit that they're scared, Simon goes over to eavesdrop before being scolded. When Simon starts to walk back over to his chair, he spies something out in the darkness outside. He goes over to the window and freezes. Johnny, confused, joins his side when they see the scarecrow staring right at them from the field. It raises its hand and waves at them, frightening the boys. They scream as they dash towards the kitchen.

Coyle says that the entity is here, which Johnny backs up, telling them the scarecrow is outside. Coyle tells them to get to the Church as they'll be safe there as he pulls out his cross. The lights go off and eerie whisper growls are heard. Coyle begins chanting an exorcism verse when a voice in the shadows says 'No God here.' and he is then yanked into the darkness, his screams going silent. The cross is thrown at Andrew and the family make out the shape of something lurking in the darkness. They flee the house, racing for the car.

Andrew drives away from the house when the tires burst. The headlights begin to flicker on and off, revealing the scarecrow moving closer and closer each time they go off until it reaches them, their screams spreading across the countryside.

The next morning, Officer Sommers arrives at the crime scene, asking what happened. Another officer, West, tells him about the scene and there is no sign of the family to which Sommers says people don't just disappear. Sommers then finds the scarecrow along with a broken beam. He tosses it to the side and the scarecrow smiles before the story ends.

Trivia

 * The short story was originally intended to be a longer one. However, it was cut down as a lot of scenes within the original outline seemed repetitive.
 * It was meant to be set in 1968, but it was moved to 1970 as it underwent more planning.
 * The Scarecrow was inspired by the horror film Annabelle: Creation; both films are prequels and both are origin stories for a demonic entity / possessed object.