The Abandoned Barn

The children of Glen Haddock often played near the empty barn on Signal Hill. They would dare each other to approach and brag about going inside at night.

The barn was abandoned years before. The children speculated what evil might lay within and noticed that sparrows would fly inside and never fly out again.

There was a man working the field near the barn. He was frightening in his own way. He warned the children away.

"That's where we lock away the scarecrows after they go bad."

None of the kids ever thought of going into the barn after that.

Scarecrow People

Joey always hated the scarecrow people, especially when everyone else welcomed them. They'll keep the birds away, people said, and tend to the crops. Scarecrows are made to work in the fields. It's their nature.

But Joey asked the tough questions. Where did they come from? How do they talk without a mouth? When people started dying, it was Joey who led the mob that burnt all the scarecrow people like so much dry straw.

When the truth came out, and Bill Bates turned out to be a serial killer, Joey refused to feel remorse. They were still better off.