مترسک شبگرد فصل 26

The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight - Chapter 26

The four of us huddled close together, staring in helpless horror as the scarecrows made their way, chasing Stanley and Sticks across the moonlit lawn.

Grandma Miriam held on to my arm. Grandpa Kurt leaned heavily, squeezing the handle of his cane.

“They won’t obey me!” Stanley screamed breathlessly. He stopped in front of us, holding the book in one hand.

His chest was heaving up and down as he struggled to catch his breath. Despite the coolness of the night, sweat poured down his forehead.

“They won’t obey me! They must obey me! The book says so!” Stanley cried, frantically waving the book in the air.

Sticks stopped beside his father. He turned to watch the scarecrows approach. “What are you going to do?” he asked his father. “You have to do something!” “They’re alive!” Stanley shrieked. “Alive!”

“What does the book say?” Grandpa Kurt demanded.

“They’re alive! They’re all alive!” Stanley repeated, his eyes wild with fright.

“Stanley—listen to me!” Grandpa Kurt yelled. He grabbed Stanley by the shoulders and spun him around to face him. “Stanley—what does the book say to do? How do you get them in control?” “Alive,” Stanley murmured, his eyes rolling in his head. “They’re all alive.” “Stanley—what does the book say to do?” Grandpa Kurt demanded once again.

“I—I don’t know,” Stanley replied.

We turned back to the scarecrows. They were moving closer. Spreading out. Forming a line as they staggered toward us. Their arms reached forward menacingly, as if preparing to grab us.

Clumps of straw fell from their sleeves. Straw spilled from their coats.

But they continued to lurch toward us. Closer. Closer.

The black, painted eyes stared straight ahead. They leered at us with their ugly, painted mouths.

“Stop!” Stanley screamed, raising the book high over his head. “I command you to stop!” The scarecrows lurched slowly, steadily forward.

“Stop!” Stanley shrieked in a high, frightened voice. “I brought you to life! You are mine! Mine! I command you! I command you to stop!” The blank eyes stared straight at us. The arms reached stiffly forward. The scarecrows pulled themselves closer. Closer.

“Stop! I said stop!” Stanley screeched.

Mark edged closer to me. Behind his burlap mask I could see his eyes. Terrified eyes.

Ignoring Stanley’s frightened pleas, the scarecrows dragged themselves closer. Closer.

And then I did something that changed the whole night.

I sneezed.