Experiment Scarecrow

Chapter 18

Each day, after school, Brooke returned to the woods to visit Scarecrow--except for when her mother was home on the weekends. She managed to collect more memories from him, ones that often never revolved around his family; always his crows, and what he taught them over the past five years, especially focused on how they were learning to talk. 

But the only information she truly found interesting, was when he admitted to having a brother. But younger or older, he never said.

Despite her and Scarecrow growing closer, she started to feel as if all the others she cared for began to pull away.

Whenever she came home, her mother often had little to say to her; and the few questions that were asked concerned 'Ben,' forcing her to lie once more. The only enjoyable, question less, moments involved the weekends where they could spend more time together.

As for her friends, Olivia and Melanie, especially Melanie, began to distant themselves from her. She knew this by the lack of communication she received from them. But the only one to blame was herself. She often responded to their texts late, and never showed up when they wanted to get together--always claiming she had other plans.

"So what's so special about this 'Ben' anyway?" Olivia asked, with a hinting seething tone; her ebony hair swung behind her in a tight ponytail as she skipped down the school steps next to Brooke.

Brooke sighed, glancing to her friend as she pulled at the straps of her backpack. "You really want to know, don't you?"

"Considering that you're like spending all  of your time with him, uh yeah."

Her hazel eyes flicked toward the sky, the sun managing to peek through the clouds dotting the blue surface. A small smile twitched at her lips, her mind drifting to Scarecrow. "Well, he's such a good listener. He mainly listens actually," she began, beginning to spew her thoughts as they took a left to walk to her house. "He's actually very protective of me, whether he wants to admit it or not. He's just-He's so different from every other guy I've met at school, you know? And he especially loves it when I read stories to him too."

Olivia narrowed her dark eyes, weaving around a ceramic planter on the sidewalk. "What? Is he like five?  Why are you reading to him? Does he not know how to read or something?"

Brooke shook herself from her thoughts, eyes quickly refocusing back on her friend. "I-No... he-he does. I meant like my  stories. You know, the ones I've written... before..." she cautiously worded.

She lifted an eyebrow in suspicious, merely nodding. "Ok... still weird though."

"I-You don't have to be so judgmental! You're lucky I even told you."

"But you did." Her friend shrugged, swerving behind her to look down at the water rushing underneath the bridge below; crashing over rocks and captured logs, forming small whirlpools in between.

"By the way, are you going to Melanie's party in the woods this weekend?" she asked, forced to elevate her voice so Olivia could hear her over the water.

"Huh?" Olivia turned her head from the water. "Oh, hell no. I'm not going to her party. I don't feel like getting in trouble, again. I mean, not that my parents would honestly give a shit if I got drunk, but-" She paused with a shrug. "I don't know why anyone would want to go in there, especially after what happened." She lifted her bandaged arm, insinuating.

"I'm sure their parents are brushing it off as an animal attack, rather than blaming it on 'the mysterious killer,'" Brooke pointed out.

"True, you got a point, but shouldn't we try to warn her? After all, she's our friend. I-I don't want her getting hurt, or possibly killed, either."