---
Sarah and Adrian were walking back from school when Sarah said she needed to stop by Adrian's house to work on the school project.
Adrian grinned. "Ooooh, my wife wants to come home with me."
Sarah shoved him lightly. "Stop calling me that. I'm not your wife, Adrian. I'm here for the project. Not a date."
"Fine, fine," he teased, holding up his hands. "It's not a date. Just serious, boring homework."
But the moment they stepped into Adrian's house, Sarah froze. Three small girls rushed from different corners, squealing.
"Uncle Adrian is back!" they chorused, hugging him.
Adrian bent down, ruffling their hair. "Yes, yes, I'm back. Did you miss me?"
Sarah stared, wide-eyed. She'd never seen this side of him before.
"Are they your sisters?" she asked.
"Yes," Adrian nodded.
One of the little girls finally noticed Sarah and whispered loudly, "Uncle Adrian, is this your girlfriend?"
Adrian smirked. "Yes."
"No!" Sarah protested instantly. "We're just doing a project. Nothing more."
The little girl frowned. "That's a shame. Uncle Adrian never brings girls home. You're the only one. Maybe you'll marry him one day. You're really pretty."
Adrian quickly covered her mouth, laughing awkwardly. "Okay, okay, upstairs now. Be good."
The second girl tugged at Sarah's hand. "He really likes you, you know."
Sarah laughed despite herself. "I think you've got little minions that tease just like you."
Adrian winked. "Careful—you're falling for me already."
Sarah scowled. "Don't push it. Let's focus on the project."
---
Meanwhile, back at Sarah's home, her mother staggered through the door, drunk and exhausted. She poured herself water in the kitchen, trying to clear her head.
But something felt wrong.
Her blurred gaze drifted out the window toward the field. She blinked, trying to focus.
Then her stomach dropped.
The scarecrow was gone.
It had always stood there, a fixed and silent sentinel. But now the field was empty.
Her breath quickened. She stumbled outside, clutching the porch railing, and walked shakily to the spot where the scarecrow usually stood. Nothing. Only the disturbed earth, a faint silk-thread trail as though the figure had… uprooted itself.
Her heart pounded. Sarah.
She rushed inside, calling her daughter's name. "Sarah? Sarah!"
But Sarah wasn't home. Panic clawed her chest.
A dull thud echoed through the house.
Wood… hitting wood.
She froze.
The sound came again. Thud. Thud.
Her breath hitched. She followed the noise, whispering her daughter's name, whispering prayers under her breath.
It was coming from the basement.
She hesitated at the door, trembling. "Sarah? Are you down there?"
No answer—only the relentless thud. thud.
Her shaking hand pushed the door open. She stepped into the basement.
The door slammed shut behind her.
Screaming, she rushed to reopen it. It wouldn't budge. In desperation, she flicked on her phone flashlight and searched.
The sound was louder now. Thud. Thud. It was coming from the wardrobe in the corner.
Her hands shook as she pulled the door open—
And what she saw inside made her drop her phone and scream until her throat tore.
Darkness swallowed her cries.
---
Later that evening, Sarah returned home from Adrian's place, smiling to herself about the silly teasing.
But as soon as she opened the door, she froze. Flashing red-blue lights. Police officers. Neighbors whispering and gossiping at the fence.
Her mother was outside, frantic, yelling at the officers. "I saw him! I saw the man that went missing! He was in the basement!"
Sarah's chest tightened. "Mom, what are you talking about?"
One officer sighed. "Ma'am, we checked the basement. There's nothing there."
Her mother grabbed Sarah's shoulders desperately. "You believe me, don't you? The man your father hired to clear the field—the one who vanished—I saw him. He was hanging there! His chest—his chest was torn open!"
The neighbors gasped.
Sarah shook her head, pale. "Mom, stop… you're scaring me."
Another officer cut in sharply. "This is the third time you've called us with something like this. If it happens again, there will be consequences."
But her mother's eyes darted wildly toward the field. She pointed, screaming. "It's the scarecrow! He moved it! It was gone, I swear it was gone!"
Everyone turned.
The scarecrow stood quietly in the field, motionless, exactly where it had always been.
Sarah whispered, "Mom… it's there. It never left."
Her mother's face went white with terror. "No… no, I swear, it wasn't there… I saw it move. I know what I saw."
But no one believed her.
Not even Sarah.
---