Thanks for pointing out I posted C2 3 times! I'm not sure how that happened, I could've sworn I posted them separately.
"Fern! Fern, have you gone mad?"
I watched as Louisa emerged from the cornstalks. Her dirty blonde hair was loose for once, in messy tangles around her head, and she was dressed in her pajamas. I could tell she had just gotten out of bed, like me. Her brown eyes flashed as she glared at me.
"I can't believe you!" Louisa exclaimed. "I went up to the attic to check on you, and you were gone! I didn't search the house, but I didn't need to. I knew you were running away, like you said you would. You're lucky I didn't tell my parents. I know you'd be in for it, but I thought you were in enough trouble with them."
I glanced down as she started lecturing me. Her voice rang through the silent cornfield. I guessed she was right to be mad, but I was surprised she had tried to find me. Then I jumped out of my skin as I caught sight of the chicken nestled in her arms.
"You found it!" I exclaimed. "You found the chicken."
Louisa stopped yelling and stared at me. "Oh, yeah, I did," she agreed, holding the chicken tighter. "He was wandering around the cornfield. Can you believe that?"
"I know," I muttered, staring at the chicken in her arms. I was surprised by how silent and still it was. "Is… is he…"
"He's fine," Louisa assured. "Just exhausted, I bet."
"He didn't seem exhausted," I muttered.
Louisa glared at me. "What were you thinking, Fern? Wandering out here in the middle of the night?"
She trailed off as well as she noticed the scarecrow behind me, illuminated by the light. Then she caught sight of the jack-o-lantern as well, and her eyes widened. She walked over and crouched down. "And you took this as well?"
"I… I needed light," I explained. "Look, I know I shouldn't have. But it was so dark out here, and…"
"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Louisa demanded. She reached out as if to pick up the jack-o-lantern, before remembering there was a chicken in her arms. "Nobody is allowed to even touch this one."
"Look, I'm sorry," I apologized. "I know I wasn't thinking clearly. But I was just so desperate to get away, and…"
"You never should've taken this," Louisa insisted, reaching out an arm to grip the jack-o-lantern. "We need to take it back to the house, now."
"But why?" I demanded. "These things are scattered everywhere all over the farm, anyway."
"But not this one!" Louisa insisted, turning to me. "You don't know how important this one is. It's… it's different."
"Because of the fire?" I asked.
"Well, yeah," Louisa admitted. "But it's not just that."
"Why would you keep it inside the farmhouse if you keep all the other ones outside?" I demanded. "Especially since there was a fire here."
"There's no time to explain," Louisa insisted. "We just have to get back to the farmhouse. Come on, pick that thing up. My hands are full at the moment, unless you want to hold the chicken."
I definitely didn't. I reluctantly reached over to pick up the jack-o-lantern. "Do we have to go?" I asked. I had come so close to leaving.
"Yes, we do," Louisa snapped. "My parents will be furious at you if they find out what you did."
"Will they?" I retorted. "I think they'd be happy I left. And I'd be happy, too. It isn't far to the next town, is it?"
"I mean, for taking that thing." Louisa reached over to grab the jack-o-lantern. "Just give it back! If you come back, maybe we'll be able to replace it in time."
"Before what?" I demanded, pulling away as Louisa grabbed the side of the pumpkin. "What's so special about this thing?"
"Just give it to me," Louisa insisted, pulling the jack-o-lantern. "Give it to me, or you'll regret it."
I realized she was serious, and decided I'd better do what she said. I let go of the jack-o-lantern, but the next moment, Louisa did as well. It was too much effort trying to clutch the chicken in one hand and pull the jack-o-lantern with the other. She wrapped both arms around the chicken as it began clucking again. I watched in terror as the jack-o-lantern fell over and the light inside spilled out.
Louisa and I both backed away, staring as the light spread over the scarecrow. I realized that what was inside wasn't fire. It glowed a pale silver, almost like the moon, while moving up the scarecrow's body. I wasn't sure what it was, or if it was burning the scarecrow, but it was definitely doing something to it. Even the wide grin painted on the face seemed to falter slightly, as if the scarecrow could feel it. Just as the burlap head flopped down, the light overtook the entire scarecrow. Soon all I could see was the pale, flickering light in the shape of a man's body.
For a moment, I just stared, unable to believe what I was seeing. I was sure fire didn't act like that, but I wasn't sure what it could be. I glanced down at the pumpkin lying on the ground, now completely empty. But its menacing grin still stared up at me. Then Louisa grabbed my arm, and I realized I needed to get away. She let go of me to clutch the chicken again, seeming to forget all about the jack-o-lantern. I was more than happy to follow her as she turned and ran. As she leapt out onto the trail, I joined her. I had forgotten about all thoughts of leaving. I just wanted to get away from what I had seen.
My heart thudded in my chest as I ran through the rows of cornstalks, trying my hardest to follow my sister. I struggled to keep up with her, but I ran faster as I caught sight of the opening in the distance, watching Louisa run out of the cornfield. I let out a sigh of relief as I ran back into the farm. Now I wished I had never left my room. I didn't stop running until I reached the farmhouse. As soon as I was there, I collapsed to the ground, shaking all over. I didn't want to think about what I had seen. I pulled myself to my feet and pulled at the door, but it wouldn't open. I banged and pulled as hard as I could, but it remained shut.
As I turned around, I realized I couldn't see Louisa anymore. She had disappeared.
"Louisa?" I called. "Louisa?"
There was no response. I reluctantly stepped away from the door, scanning the farm. I caught sight of a figure in the distance and started running after it. To my relief, it was Louisa. She turned to me as I called her name, before slowing down.
I ran up to her, panting. "Where are you going?" I demanded.
"I was just going to put him away," Louisa explained, clutching the chicken in her arms. He was completely still, and I thought he had fallen asleep. "Don't want him to escape again, you know."
I followed her to the chicken coop, watching as she placed the motionless chicken inside one of the cages. There was still the feed I had spilled over the ground.
"The farmhouse is locked," I announced. "I couldn't get the door open."
"Really?" Louisa asked in surprise, carefully locking the cage. "That's my fault. I must have left it open when I left. I was more worried about finding you."
"Did you really go up to check on me?" I asked. "I mean, it was pretty late. Didn't you think I was asleep?"
"Well, it wasn't just that," Louisa admitted. "I also wanted to get the book back. You know, the one I gave you. I thought it'd scare you if you read what was in it."
"Well, it definitely scared me," I muttered. "It's an old journal, or something. It must've belonged to that old farmer you told me about, John."
"I considered that," Louisa admitted. "But the thought freaked me out a little, so I decided I'd give it to you. Could you make out what he wrote?"
"I could," I admitted. "Even what happened to the farmhouse. He wrote about burning it down."
"He did?" Louisa exclaimed. "Dad told me about the fire here. But I thought it'd scare you if I told you about it."
"It definitely seems like there was a fire," I admitted. "It explains why this place is so…"
"I know," Louisa agreed. "They managed to save the farmhouse before John burned the entire thing down. They even managed to repair most of it, until it's the way it is now. They think John perished in the fire that he started. But they couldn't find a body."
"And what about the jack-o-lantern?" I demanded. "Why do you keep that thing there? Why is it so special?"
"That isn't important right now," Louisa said. "Are you sure the farmhouse is closed?"
"I'm sure," I replied. "At least, I couldn't open it."
"Maybe I can," Louisa suggested.
I followed Louisa back to the farmhouse. I jumped as I bumped into one of the jack-o-lanterns on the way. I glanced down at the grinning face on the pumpkin, feeling a chill run down my spine.
"Louisa, tell me," I pleaded. "What exactly happened to John?"
Louisa hesitated while tugging at the door. "The legend is that John didn't perish in the fire," she admitted. "That his spirit still exists in the farm. He can't be forced away. But he's kept trapped inside something, so he can't escape and wreck more havoc."
"The jack-o-lantern?" I exclaimed, beginning to realize. "That's what he's trapped inside?"
"At least, he used to be," Louisa admitted, pushing against the door. "You were right, Fern. It is locked."
"I get it. He was trapped inside that one the entire time. And now…" I froze as I remembered what I had witnessed.
"Let's just get inside," Louisa insisted. She raised her leg and kicked the door.
"Stop that!" I exclaimed, pulling her away. "You'll wake them up."
"Maybe that's a good thing," Louisa retorted. "We can't stay out here all night."
"But if they know we were out, we'll be in trouble," I reminded. "Isn't there another way to get into the house?"
Louisa hesitated. "Well, there is," she admitted. "At the back. But I haven't used it in years. I'm not sure if I still fit."
"It's worth a try," I insisted.
The farmhouse seemed completely different as I followed Louisa around. I shuddered at the sight of the flaked paint and crumbling walls, remembering the fire that had been here. I wasn't sure if I wanted to enter again at all.
Louisa came to a stop at the back and crouched down. She reached out and pushed aside the stones near the bottom, revealing a small opening.
"It leads to the kitchen," she explained. She crouched down and tried to fit her head through. She only managed to fit it, but she couldn't fit the rest of her body. She pulled away. "I knew it. It's too big for me." She glanced at me. "But I'm sure it could fit you. You're tiny."
I crouched down in front of the opening and stared inside. I felt Louisa give me a push. I managed to fit my head inside, the musty warmth surrounding me. It was completely dark, and I almost banged my head against the stones.
"It leads right next to the fireplace. You know, built in the stones," Louisa explained. "Don't be afraid. I've done it a bunch of times, and I've never gotten burned. Then you just crawl out and unlock the door at the front."
I crawled out of the passage, breathing in the cold night air. "I can't do that," I insisted.
"Sure you can," Louisa insisted. "Don't be afraid. I used to do this all the time, when I sneaked out."
"You did?" I asked. "Did you try to run away as well?"
"Not really. I did it a lot when… when Dad started going out with Janet," Louisa explained reluctantly. "I wasn't happy about it at first. I know, it sounds hard to believe. We get along so well now, but we didn't at first."
I was shocked to hear that. "So you snuck out when she was around?" I asked.
"Yeah," Louisa admitted. "I snuck out through the passage in the kitchen, and snuck back in. Dad never found out. I don't think he even knows it exists. But I guess it's fine if you can't."
"It is?" I asked. "I don't know if I can."
"I guess it would be scary for you, after everything you've seen," Louisa admitted,
I was almost relieved. I wasn't sure about the idea of spending another night in the farmhouse. "But where do we stay?" I demanded. "I guess we could sleep in the barn…"
"Great idea!" Louisa exclaimed, to my surprise. "We could sleep there! It's not the worst place, and the animals don't make too much sound. We could sleep on the bottom floor."
I wasn't sure if she was serious, but I followed her to the barn. The shingles creaked and the doors tilted, but it wasn't nearly as rundown as the house. The roof glistened in the moonlight.
"Won't the horses notice?" I asked as we stopped in front of the doors.
"They're all asleep," Louisa assured. "Nadia and Aidan have a room here as well, but it's on the other side. They probably won't notice us. And even if they do, I'm sure Nadia won't tell. She's a good sort."
"What about Aidan?" I asked.
"Let's not worry about that," Louisa said, pushing against the oak doors.
The doors creaked loudly while opening. I quietly followed Louisa into the barn. It was too dark to see anything at first. All I could hear was my sneakers thudding on the hay. "Where do we sleep?" I whispered as we passed the stables. I couldn't see any of the horses, so I assumed they were sleeping like Louisa said.
"In the loft," Louisa suggested. "It's at the top, basically the attic of the barn. There's a bunch of hay there, and it's pretty comfortable. You just have to make sure you don't run into any bugs."
I wasn't sure about that, but I followed Louisa through the barn. She came to a stop at the end and gripped a ladder. I watched as she climbed, peering at the loft.
"There's lots of room. But it's pretty musty up here, like in the attic," Louisa called. "And there's probably all sorts of creatures crawling around here. Bugs and worms and stuff."
I gasped in shock. "Really?"
"Of course, we don't have to," Louisa assured. "We could head back to the farmhouse if you want."
I hesitated. I had a feeling she had only agreed to sleep in the barn so I'd change my mind. But somehow, the thought of spending the night in the tiny attic scared me even more, after what I had found out about the house.
"I can handle it," I insisted. "It's only for one night, isn't it? And if it's the barn's attic, it can't be much different from where I usually sleep."
Louisa looked surprised as she climbed up to the loft. She stared down at me. "You're braver than I thought," she said. "I've slept up here a few times before, but I never liked it."
"You have?" I exclaimed.
"When I was really mad at my dad." Louisa stretched out on the loft, resting on top of the hay. "It isn't that bad once you get used to it. Actually, it's probably not much different from the attic in the house."
Louisa leaned over as I began climbing the ladder. I reached up to grab her arms as she helped me up. I rolled over and lay on the hay next to her. Louisa rested her head on a bale of hay, using it as a pillow, and I copied her. I rolled around in the loft, but I realized she was right. It wasn't that different from the attic. At least there was much more space up here, even if the scratchy hay dug into my sides. I stared up at the beams on the ceiling.
"Louisa?" I muttered. "What will we do in the morning? I mean, they'll know we were out here, won't they?"
"Maybe they won't," Louisa said. "If we got up early, we could go out to the chicken coop and collect the eggs. You know, like I do every morning. We could say we wanted to be helpful when they saw us. Then they'd be happy with us."
"Yeah, that's a good idea," I agreed. "But I don't know if I'll be able to get up early."
"Don't worry, I will," Louisa assured. "I'm used to it. Then I'll wake you up. And I won't let you oversleep, even a little."
"Thanks, Louisa." I paused. "Are… are you going to tell your parents about what I did?"
"Which part? Trying to run away, or taking the jack-o-lantern?" Louisa quipped.
"Both," I replied quietly.
"Don't worry, I won't," Louisa assured. "I guess I owe you, after I blamed you for what I did." I let out a sigh of relief. "Then again, there's not much point. They'll probably figure it out, once they notice the scarecrow is gone."
I shuddered at the memory. "What… what did that thing do to it? Do you think there was really a spirit in the jack-o-lantern?"
There was a silence. I could hear the chirping of the crickets and soft wind out in the farm. Then Louisa spoke up in a soft voice.
"I thought it was just a rumor," Louisa admitted. "Even though it didn't seem like fire when I looked." She paused. "But after what I saw, I guess it is true after all."
"It probably is," I agreed. "Whatever that was, it definitely wasn't fire. Maybe the spirit really was freed." I groaned. "And it's all my fault." The thought made me shudder.
"It's both of our faults," Louisa assured. "Just like with the chicken. We're both responsible."
"But what does it do?" I demanded. "It just burned the scarecrow, didn't it?"
"I'm not sure," Louisa admitted. "They say he'll cause havoc if he's released, like he did in life. But I'm not sure how. At least it didn't seem to do more than burn down the scarecrow. But Mom and Dad will want to know where the scarecrow went."
I closed my eyes. I tried to forget about what I had seen, but I couldn't. I kept dwelling on it until I drifted off to sleep. I wasn't sure the scarecrow had burned. It seemed like something else had happened. Like the old farmer's spirit had tainted the scarecrow in some way, the same way he had to the jack-o-lantern.
