مترسک شبگرد فصل 19

The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight - Chapter 19

Feeling the fear rise to my throat, I stepped out of the corner and moved past him, into the light from the doorway. “I—I was looking for you,” I stammered. “Sticks, why are you trying to scare Mark and me?” “I warned you,” he said, lowering his voice to a whisper. “I warned you to get away from here, to go back home.” “But why?” I demanded. “What’s your problem, Sticks? What did we do to you? Why are you trying to scare us?” “I’m not,” Sticks replied. He glanced back nervously to the barn doors.

“Huh?” I gaped at him.

“I’m not trying to scare you. Really,” he insisted.

“Liar,” I muttered angrily. “You must really think I’m a moron. I know you threw that scarecrow onto our path this morning. It had to be you, Sticks.” “I really don’t know what you’re talking about,” he insisted coldly. “But I’m warning you—” A sound at the doorway made him stop.

We both saw Stanley step into the barn. He shielded his eyes with one hand as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. “Sticks—are you in here?” he called.

Sticks’ features tightened in sudden fear. He let out a low gasp.

“I—I’ve got to go,” Sticks whispered tensely to me. He turned and started jogging toward Stanley. “Here I am, Dad,” he called. “Is the tractor ready?” I watched the two of them hurry from the barn. Sticks didn’t look back.

I stood in the darkness, my eyes on the empty doorway, thinking hard.

I know Sticks was lying to me, I thought.

I know he made the scarecrows move at night. I know he dressed as a scarecrow to scare me in the woods and at the barn. And I know he tossed that scarecrow in front of the horses this morning.

I know he’s trying to frighten Mark and me.

But enough is enough, I decided.

Now it’s payback time.

Now it’s time for Sticks to be frightened. Really frightened.