Experiment Scarecrow

Chapter 24

Ominous, dark clouds brewed above, spewing a light rain onto the small town of Deer Falls below, forming puddles in the low spots of the cemetery where Brooke stood underneath an umbrella, listening to the sermon performed by the pastor.

She stood alone on the left side of the grave, while Scarecrow's family stood collectively on the opposite side. She could feel his mother's eyes fixated on her, analyzing every movement that could be registered as an expression across her face. She did her best to ignore it, focused on forcing back the tears that continued to well within her eyes, forming a knot within her throat.

Four days had passed, and each day seemed to grow harder as the realization of his death continued to sink in. Previously, her and Olivia, had been forced back to the police station the same day of the event, where Brooke admitted to Dr. Madden mentioning similar experiments among the other facilities. An investigation launched across the east coast, finding a variety of unethical treatment to patients in those facilities--and the other experiments, who managed to survive, were returned to their families.

The familiar wave of guilt washed over her, forcing her eyes shut momentarily, pushing back the tears once more. Scarecrow, in the end, had helped to save so many other suffering victims, but not himself--and she continued to blame herself for that. If only she could have seen Dr. Madden coming, and warned him. But she didn't. She failed, and yet still arrived, uninvited, to Scarecrow's funeral. 

Around ten minutes passed, yet it felt like an eternity to Brooke, who had been lost in her own thoughts, before the pastor finished his sermon; everyone bowed their heads, murmuring a small prayer. The pastor soon moved to give his condolences to the family; embracing his mother especially. 

She kept her head low until the pastor made his way to her, extending a gentle hand to her. "I am very sorry for your loss; may happy memories give you strength and peace today, and forever," he whispered, once she carefully took his hand.

"Thank you..." she replied, her voice faint and wavering.

The pastor soon pulled away, leaving the family to grieve the loss of their son.

Brooke's eyes fell to the headstone near her side, carefully reaching for it until his mother interrupted her distant thoughts--a slender, proper woman in a dark, lace dress with flaxen colored hair pulled into a tight bun. 

 "You did this," she hissed, having left her husband and younger son behind to isolate Brooke. "You were there!"

She lifted her eyes, taking a step back as their umbrellas collided as his mother pushed closer. "I-I tried to save your son... I swear..."

His mother's dark eyes locked with hers, the stare intensifying. "You knew my son was alive, didn't you? You knew  he had been missing, yet you stayed quiet, AND lied to the police. You wanted him to yourself, didn't you? Well shame on you. You are a disgrace! While my family was suffering-" she paused, pulling a hand up to her eyes to carefully wipe away a small tear, to avoid smearing her mascara, before her enraged disposition returned.

"While my community  was suffering from his disappearance, searching for him for twelve years, you  knew where he was the entire time. I will be taking you to court over this matter." 

Brooke's sorrowful demeanor began to swirl into pure rage, tugging at her reluctance until her eyes soon narrowed back. "Why? So your  entire community can discover how you abused him when he was young? You know that will combat your accusation. You're  the reason why he became what he became; a monster in other people's eyes. You're  the reason why he-why he-..." She took a moment to swallow, recollecting herself to avoid spewing vital information his mother could use against her.