The Scarecrow, part two (fiction)

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The Scarecrow (part two)

Cindy stood in the kitchen watching the scarecrow in the darkness. For a time nothing happened, but then suddenly the scarecrow came to life. It awkwardly removed itself off the pole it was hanging on and then wandered away through the field heading towards the fence. Cindy stood there stunned, but then to her surprise she found herself opening the door and following the scarecrow through the field with her heart beating wildly.

She wandered after the scarecrow as though she was in a dream. She could see the scarecrow ahead of her in the dark slowly walking towards the fence. Then it climbed over the fence and laid down in the tall grasses. Cindy kept approaching and once she got to the fence she stopped and looked down at the scarecrow. It suddenly sat up startling Cindy and causing her to quickly back away from the fence.

“Sorry dijn’t mean ta startle yer.” The scarecrow said with a rough dry voice.

Cindy moved slowly towards the fence again. There was the scarecrow sitting up looking at her with a grass stalk in it’s mouth. Her grandma had always said the land around the farm was imbued with magic and that there was a gate to Faerie in the south field, but to be fair Cindy always thought her grandma was a little touched in the head, but now maybe she wasn’t so sure, or maybe she was a little touched too…

“Max?” She whispered.

“If it ijn’t one of ma makers.” Max said. “Why’d ya call ma Max?”

“Er, because we couldn’t decide on your gender and Max could either be short for Maxine, or Maxwell, or Maximilian, or some other name.” Cindy explained to Max, still trying to believe she was actually talking to their scarecrow.

“Is ma gender that important? There be nout tween ma legs cept hay.” Max responded.

‘You could say gender is in the head.” Cindy tried to explain.

“There be nout in ma head cept hay as well.”

“I could try to make you a brain of some sort.” Cindy offered.

“Wat do I need a brain fer? Na scarecrow ever went ta college. All I do is stand in the field.” Max replied.

“So why do you come to lie down in the grass?” Cindy asked.

“I need ta rest sometime. Ya have ma guarding the field all the long day from the bird folk. At night I need ta lie down. Nought at night except the rat an mice folk an the owls an the fairy folk an they not care about yer crops I guard. So I come here ta rest.” Max explained.

“Oh sorry I didn’t realise you needed to sleep as well.”

“Yeh, but don worry, once the sun come up I be guarding yer fields again.” Max stated.

“Well thanks for your help.” Cindy offered, as she always believed it was best to be polite to people who assisted you.

“You and yer pardner made me. I have ta help yer. I’m made from both of yer. You two be different tho. Jess be the doer and you be the dreamer. Jess be really sweet on yer.” Max revealed.

“Well yeah I had guessed that since Jess and I share a bed together and she helps manage my farm.” Cindy replied slightly sarcastically.

“I know her plans for yer.” Max said seemingly ignoring Cindy’s sarcasm.

“Her plans?” Cindy asked surprised.

“She want ta make an honest woman of yer. Mark ma words.” Max replied.

“Huh?”

“If yer gave ma real eyes I wud be rollin them now.” Max said shaking his head a little.

“I guess I should let you sleep, since you have a long day tomorrow.” Cindy said slightly bewildered by Max’s words.

“Much appresheated.” Max responded. “By the way the fairy folk watch yer. They knew yer granma or so they told ma.”

“The fairies watch me?” Cindy repeated.

Here she was standing in the field in the middle of the night talking to her scarecrow about fairies. Maybe she was losing it. Perhaps if she went to bed and slept she would wake up in the morning and realise this was just a dream. She hoped it was a dream.

“Yeh they help guard the land an yer. There be a vampire livin near, but the land be protected from them.” Max revealed.

“Good to know.” Cindy replied wondering what this all meant. Max began to stretch and yawn. “I guess I’ll leave you to rest.”

Max nodded at her and then lay down in the grass again. Cindy walked back to the farmhouse. When she got into bed Jess was already fast asleep and she curled up next to her in the warm bed and quickly nodded off.

When she awoke the next morning and thought of the events of the night before she assumed she must have dreamed it all, but when she got out of bed she noticed her feet were dirty and there was grass and hay stuck to them. She went to the kitchen. In the morning sun there was the scarecrow standing tall in the field again. Maybe it was the wind that made it look like it was waving to her…

Joanne Fisher