مترسک شبگرد فصل 10

The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight - Chapter 10

Stanley stared hard at me, his big brown eyes filled with confusion.

“I saw it,” I insisted. “Between those two trees.” I pointed again.

“You did? A scarecrow? Really?” Stanley asked. I could see he was really starting to get scared.

“Well… maybe it was just the shadows,” I said. I didn’t want to frighten Stanley.

I shivered. “I’m soaked. I’ve got to get back in the sunlight,” I told them.

“But did you see it?” Stanley asked, his big eyes locked on mine. “Did you see a scarecrow here, Jodie?” “I—I don’t think so, Stanley,” I replied, trying to calm him down. “I’m sorry.” “This is very bad,” he murmured, talking to himself. “This is very bad. I have to read the book. This is very bad.” Then, muttering to himself, he turned and ran.

“Stanley—stop!” I called. “Stanley—come back! Don’t leave us down here!” But he was gone. Vanished into the woods.

“I’m going after him,” I told Mark. “And then I’m going to tell Grandpa Kurt about this. Can you carry back the fishing poles by yourself?” “Do I have to?” Mark whined. My brother is so lazy!

I told him he had to. Then I went running along the path through the woods toward the farmhouse.

My heart pounded as I reached the cornfields. The dark-coated scarecrows appeared to stare at me. As my sneakers thudded on the narrow dirt path, I imagined the straw arms reaching for me, reaching to grab me and pull me into the corn.

But the scarecrows kept their silent, still watch over the cornstalks. They didn’t move or twitch as I hurtled past.

Up ahead I saw Stanley running to his little house. I cupped my hands over my mouth and called to him, but he disappeared inside.

I decided to find Grandpa Kurt and tell him about the scarecrow I saw moving through the woods.

The barn door was open, and I thought I saw someone moving around inside. “Grandpa Kurt?” I called breathlessly. “Are you in there?” My wet hair bounced on my shoulders as I ran into the barn. I stood in the rectangle of light that stretched from the doorway and stared into the darkness. “Grandpa Kurt?” I called, struggling to catch my breath.

My eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light. I stepped deeper into the barn. “Grandpa Kurt? Are you here?” Hearing a soft scraping sound against the far wall, I made my way toward it. “Grandpa Kurt—can I talk to you? I really need to talk to you!” My voice sounded tiny and frightened in the big, dark barn. My sneakers scraped over the dry straw floor as I walked toward the back.

I spun around as I heard a rumbling sound.

The light grew dimmer.

“Hey—” I shouted. Too late.

The barn door was sliding shut.

“Hey! Who’s there?” I cried out in stunned anger. “Hey—stop!”

I slipped over the straw as I started to lurch toward the sliding door. I fell down hard, but quickly scrambled to my feet.

I darted toward the door. But I wasn’t fast enough.

As the heavy door rumbled shut, the rectangle of light grew narrower, narrower.

The door slammed with a deafening bang.

The darkness slid around me, circled me, covered me.

“Hey—let me out!” I screamed. “Let me out of here!”

My scream ended in a choked sob. My breath escaped in noisy gasps.

I pounded on the wooden barn door with both fists. Then I frantically swept my hands over the door, searching blindly for a latch, for something to pull—some way to open the door.

When I couldn’t find anything, I pounded on the door until my fists hurt.

Then I stopped and took a step back.

Calm down, Jodie, I told myself. Calm down. You’ll get out of the barn. You’ll find a way out. It’s not like you’re trapped in here forever.

I tried to force away my panic. I held my breath, waiting for my heart to stop racing. Then I let my breath out slowly. Slooooowly.

I was just starting to feel a little better when I heard the scraping sound.

A dry scraping. The sound of a shoe crunching over straw.

“Oh.” I let out a sharp cry, then raised both hands to my face and listened.

Scrape. Scrape. Scrape.

The sound of footsteps. Slow, steady footsteps, so light on the barn floor.

Footsteps coming toward me in the darkness.