Every year, the little town of Dusky Hollow had a community pumpkin patch. It was about what you would expect for a rural event: the whole town always came together to pitch in, not only staffing the vacant field where it occurred, but also providing a small selection of entertaining things for the local kids to do on any given day. Old Man Gresham would usually hitch up his mule on Sundays to do a hay ride at dusk. The local PTA would host a bake sale every Friday, with proceeds benefiting the school library. Mr. Grimes, the school principal, would usually offer community service hours for the teens if they volunteered. And the volunteer fire department Ladies’ Auxiliary would always host a pumpkin carving contest on Halloween itself.

    This year was no different. The bake sale had already raised $237 for the library. Seven teens had finished their community service requirements for graduation in the spring. And Barry the mule was back in his pasture for the winter, having dragged the wagon around for his annual contribution of three Sundays of work after the harvest was brought in. 

    But there was one thing different about this year. One little thing. And it went almost entirely unnoticed amidst the chill air and hot apple cider scents wafting up to meet each other over the crisp scent of roasting pumpkin seeds. 

    Mrs. Ripple had commented on it early on. “Oh! Where did this lovely scarecrow come from?” 

    Everyone else just shrugged. Surely someone had placed it there. What did it matter who had donated it? It was a nice addition to the ambiance, really. The ratty old clothing was surely the hand-me-downs of one of the teens, probably something they’d outgrown. And if it was a little creepy to see the tatters blowing about once the sun set, then it just set the mood for the occasion. 

    But no one seemed to know just who had placed it there. The ladies all shook their heads. No, it wasn’t them. And the men all agreed that it wasn’t their kid’s clothing. Maybe someone from the rival high school in Hapsburg had snuck over and put it up as a prank for homecoming? It seemed like something the kids would do. A few of the smallest children were outright scared of it, their eyes wide as their parents carried them past. Little Emma Waterly had run sobbing back to their family car and refused to even go near it.

The scarecrow was set up right at the entrance, greeting every family that entered with its slightly sinister smile drawn on the straw stuffed burlap bag that served as a head. A dilapidated straw hat shaded its glowering eyes from the setting sun. The raggedy plaid flannel was tucked into a pair of faded blue overalls, with bits of straw poking out like a rat had tried to drag the stuffing loose for a nest. It hung upon its cross like a crucified icon, almost blasphemous in its similarity to the statuary in the town church. 

tbc

Part one was written by RedCloudBeast. their novel A Song in Darkness is a wonderful piece of fiction, with dynamic and colourful characters. Be sure to check it out! You can find the link in the authors comments below.