
Hands Off
Two boys crept into a farmer’s field as the full moon glowed through the dark, velvet sky.
“Over here,” said Liam, “I’m next to the scarecrow.”
He had found a ginormous, orange pumpkin. Perfect for Halloween.
“Wow,” said Asher, “It’s huge.”
“Here, pass me your knife so I can cut the vine,” said Liam.
But Asher didn’t hear him, he was staring at the scarecrow with his stitched eyes and mouth and hands like branches.
“Liam, get away from there.”
“Are you crazy,” said Liam. “This is mine.”
But Asher didn’t move. The scarecrow’s eyes had blinked open and the stitching around the mouth unwound. The lips curled into a grin as one arm pulled away from the stake.
“Liam, it’s moving.”
Liam looked at Asher’s bloodless face, then looked at the scarecrow as the snapping of rope freed his other arm.
As the boys ran across the field, a thick mist swallowed them.
“Which way,” shouted Liam.
“I don’t know. I can’t see anything,” said Asher.
“Where are you?” cried Liam.
There was no response. All he could hear was the wind moving across the land. Liam ran and kept stumbling into the deep furrows where the farmer had been ploughing.
“Asher, where are you?”
Before the mist thickened into a dense fog, he saw the stake where the scarecrow had been. Only the rope remained. Liam shook and trembled with fear. Where had it gone?
“Asher.”
The fog swallowed everything. Liam shivered as icy, vapourised droplets dripped down his neck.
Then he saw a shape through the fog and ran towards it. It was another scarecrow. Impossible. There had only been one before. He moved closer. The face familiar, the clothes like Asher’s. Then something touched his shoulder and he turned slowly.
“Asher?”
Before he had time to scream, two branches covered his mouth.
The next morning the farmer was shocked to find three scarecrows surrounding his prized pumpkin. He took his knife, ready to cut the vine.
“This is perfect for Halloween,” he said.
As he started cutting, something touched his shoulder.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleSpooky, eh?! Brrr… It sent a shiver done my spine. I’ll never look a scarecrow in the face again….
Great story Genya. You’ve kept the tension well balanced throughout. Love the ending.
Thank you for your comments.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleLoved the ending Genya, really spine chilling and didn’t see that coming at all. That scarecrow wasn’t exactly Worzel Gummidge was he!
That made me laugh. Worzel Gummidge. Maybe this scarecrow was a bit more terrifying.
Great story and great ending. I enjoyed reading the spine chilling story.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThank you so much for that. I’m really pleased you enjoyed it.
Not quite the happy looking chaps you usually see stuck in a field! A very chilling tale Genya!
I have always found scarecrows a little creepy for some strange reason.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleHello Genya, you told this story well. I could picture everything that you described, and the farmer wasn’t getting away either!
Really pleased you enjoyed the story. Poor farmer after all his hard work growing the pumpkin.
I really liked the last 2 sentences. The repetition is very matter of fact yet carries the story
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThis is the kind of scary stories we expect and like for Halloween, Genya! Well written and very effective!
Thank you so much. I’m really pleased you enjoyed it.
Greetings – Just ran across this great scary story! I learned a new word “ginormous”, and I also really like your line that reads “The fog swallowed everything”, great imagery. Hope to read more of your stories here in 2021!
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleHi Chris, thank you so much for reading my story and for your encouraging comments.
What happens next? This is the question that all of us are asking ourselves and it’s really funny how all of us will think about a different continuation to your story. Nicely done, Genya!
Hi Katy thank you so much for reading and for your comments.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThe best and scariest story I’ve read here so far. The goosebumps I feel are at the higher level. Very effective. Nice one. Congrats, Genya. Hope to read more stories from you here.
Hi Lotchie and thank you for reading my story and for your lovely comments. I have always found scarecrows to be a bit disturbing even though some of them look quite bright and colourful.
I love it. Hope to read more from you.
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