Sarah woke up slowly, her eyes blinking against the soft morning light. Her mother was still beside her, sleeping soundly. For a moment, Sarah just watched her—peaceful, almost normal—and wished she could freeze this moment forever.
But reality was waiting. It was Monday, a school day. She carefully slipped out of bed, tiptoeing so she wouldn't wake her mom.
As she dressed in her school uniform, she tried hard not to think about the strange things her mother had said last night—about the scarecrow, the body in the wardrobe, the police coming to their house. If she just put on a smile, maybe all of this would fade away.
When Sarah finally came downstairs, ready for school, her mom was already awake. The moment their eyes met, her mom rushed forward and hugged her tightly.
"I'll protect you from that scarecrow, Sarah. I promise."
Sarah froze, then slowly pushed her mother back—not with force, but enough to show she wasn't comfortable.
"Mom, please…" she whispered.
Her mother's eyes searched hers. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"
"Stop talking about the scarecrow," Sarah said, her voice trembling. "You're really creeping me out. That thing doesn't move. I don't see any movement. The more you keep talking, the more I… the more I think the police might be right. That maybe—"
She stopped herself, but her mom's face fell. She understood what Sarah meant.
"I'm sorry," Sarah blurted out quickly. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I just… I don't understand what you're saying anymore. And I can't pretend the police didn't come yesterday because of a false alarm."
Her mom dropped to her knees suddenly, clutching Sarah's hands. "I wasn't lying, Sarah. I really saw the body. In the wardrobe. You have to believe me."
Sarah swallowed hard, her chest heavy. She gently helped her mother up. "I don't know what to believe. But I'll try… I'll try to see if what you're saying is true. That doesn't mean I hate you."
Her mother's eyes softened with tears. She brushed Sarah's hair back. "I made breakfast. Just… have a nice day at school, okay?"
---
At school, Sarah tried to act normal, but her mind was spiraling. She sat at her desk, staring blankly at her books.
"Hey, Sarah."
She looked up to see Adrian leaning casually against her desk, his usual teasing smile in place.
"How was yesterday? Don't tell me you were thinking about me too much," he said with a playful wink.
But then he noticed her eyes—red and wet. His smile faded.
"Wait… are you crying?" His voice lowered. "Did I—did I say something wrong? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I'll stop teasing you if you don't like it. Just… don't cry."
Sarah shook her head quickly. "It's not about you. It's about…" She stopped mid-sentence, biting her lip. She didn't want to drag him into her mess.
Adrian frowned, persistent. "Then why are you crying? Come on, tell me. Please. I promise I'll figure out how to make it better."
Sarah hesitated, then finally whispered, "It's my mom. The police came to our house yesterday… everyone thinks she's losing her mind. Even me. I don't know what to believe anymore. Ever since my father want missing She just keeps talking about the scarecrow, about seeing things. I'm scared, Adrian. Everything feels like it's falling apart."
Adrian listened quietly, his expression unreadable. Then, instead of pulling away, he leaned closer.
"Don't worry," he said softly. "It's going to be okay. Maybe your mom's just… stressed. Or maybe it's because your dad disappeared. People react to grief in strange ways. But whatever it is, you're not alone. I'll be here. We'll figure it out together."
Sarah blinked at him, surprised by his calmness. A tiny, fragile smile tugged at her lips.
"Thank you," she whispered.
What neither of them noticed was the figure standing across the hall, half-hidden by the lockers.
Lila.
Her eyes burned with jealousy as she watched Sarah and Adrian together, her hands curling into fists.
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