Taking sharp corners and bumping into the cornstalk walls, Steve's breathing grew erratic, but he couldn't stop. He needed to --
Suddenly, the blood stopped. Steve's steps stopped and he quickly turned to look for the woman. But there was nothing but corn.
Well, corn and a scarecrow.
Steadying himself into a stance that he learned for fighting bullies, Steve forced himself to look up at the scarecrow. More ominous than others with its tattered black coat and holey black hat. The scarecrow itself made from a faded burlap sack with no face stitched on. Steve wasn't sure if that made it better or worse.
Then, the droopy head tilted. As though it was lifting its head to look up at Steve. Steve's hands shook as he held them up in tight fists in front of him. Standing there for another moment, Steve tried to reassure himself that nothing had happened. That this was just a product of his overactive imagination.
Deciding not to stick around to figure out which it was, Steve started backing away from the monstrosity while keeping his gaze locked on the thing. However, the scarecrow lunged off its wooden post, charging right for Steve.
Instantly turning around to face the front, Steve took off like a shot. Taking the sharp turns and bumping into the loose walls even harsher. Needing to be faster than the thing, but not being able to outrun it fast enough as the monster caught on to the bottom of Steve's navy-blue flannel that peeked out from beneath his corduroy jacket.
It tugged Steve back, closer to itself, and Steve dropped to the ground. As he started being pulled back, Steve dug his hands into the dirt, unearthing clumps in his fight to get away while the monster started lifting Steve's petite frame from the ground.
With a spine-tingling, blood-curdling, screeching hiss, the scarecrow's claws were forcefully removed from the bottom of Steve's shirt, causing the material to rip. Steve dropped back down to the ground with a rattling thud, knocking the air out of him.
Not wanting to remain in such a vulnerable position, Steve quickly gathered his bearings and flipped over. Dried, golden brown leaves and abandoned corn husks fluttered down around him as the scarecrow had been barreled into the wall of the maze.
Eyebrows furrowed, Steve sat up and looked into the new hole where the scarecrow's clothes and burlap skin laid flat on the ground. On top of the inanimate body, was a slender, nearly bald white furred kitten. It sat there on the chest of the once-possessed scarecrow, licking their paw clean.
Slack jawed, Steve pushed his glasses back up his nose and moved to stand. The cat turned it's rather odd shaped head back to look at him with abnormally wide, wise eyes. Steve realized then that he was saved by a young flerken.
"Thanks," Steve breathlessly stated.
Softly, the flerken meowed in reply and hopped off the scarecrow. It's small body made their way over to Steve and purred as they rubbed against his leg. Returning the affection, Steve rubbed the creature between their large ears, earning an even louder purr as they pushed further into Steve. The little fur that they had was matted and dirty underneath. Appeared to be a stray flerken, and that just broke Steve's heart.
"You wanna come home with me?" Steve asked, figuring that it was the least he could do.
The purring only got louder at that. So, Steve eased himself upright and picked up the tiny creature. They curled into a loose ball on Steve's chest and he felt safer as he carried them out of the corn maze. Realizing now that there wasn't a trail of blood along the dirt path.
As much as Steve tried to find comfort in that, he knew better than to accept it as simple as it seemed. It never really was ever as it seemed. Steve knew it. After all, even a cat wasn't necessarily always a cat.
"There you are," Bucky announced, greeting Steve at the mouth of the maze. Standing in front of Steve, he noticed the kitten and simply shook his head, "You and your love for all things ugly."
Playfully, Steve covered the flerken's ears with his hand as though he was protecting it from Bucky. Really, not wanting to offend the very creature that just saved him. Of course, Bucky didn't mean anything by it and reached forward to tenderly stroke their ear, earning an appreciative purr in return.
"I think she likes me," Bucky proudly grinned, as if he had genuinely thought they wouldn't.
"Were you gonna get any more pumpkins?" A teen boy a few inches taller than Steve but sturdier asked, wiping his hands on a dirty, stained rag.
Bucky quirked a brow at Steve, silently questioning him. Steve looked over at the wagon where his deformed pumpkin and the one Bucky wanted sat, and shook his head. He didn't need another one.
"Cool," the boy nodded, reaching down and removing a pulley system that was rigged to the side of the wagon. Gesturing towards Steve, he said, "You can take her, too."
"Thanks," Steve smiled at his new companion.
"Gotta warn ya though," the boy said, "Don't cross her, or she'll be out for blood."
"Oh, c'mon, she's no threat to anyone," Bucky cooed, rubbing over their ear again.
"Either way, just be careful," the boy smirked. Chuckling to himself, he added, "Dad will be glad she's gone though. She sure didn't like him, but not very many do."
With that sentiment, Steve easily spotted the Stark genes. Wondering if the town gossip was true and that the youngest Stark member, Tony, was really going off to college at only fifteen. It wasn't particularly common for kids around there to head off to do bigger and better things. Unless they were part of the coven, but that was even rarer.
"Well," Steve started, holding the sleeping flerken closer, "Thanks for the blood-sucker."
"Of course," Tony good-humoredly scoffed. Gesturing over towards the little shop, he asked, "Need any more help?"
"No, that's okay. Thanks though," Bucky smiled and reached for the wagon handle, "We've got it from here."
With that, Tony nodded and headed back towards the house. Pausing, his brows furrowed and he gestured towards Steve's tattered shirt, "Looks like she already got you."
"Oh, um," Steve swallowed down his fear and lied, "Got it snagged on... something... It's not a big deal."
For a moment, Tony stood there. His brows set in a heavy furrow as he studied Steve for a moment. Almost knowingly. Which made Steve guiltily drop his gaze and duck his face into the flerken's fur. Sleepily, she licked at Steve's face, comforting him in the only way she really could in the moment. Without voicing his questions, Tony nodded another adieu and started back for his house.
As Steve watched him go, something in his periphery caught his eye. Spotting the woman he had chased into the maze. From the side of the house, wearing a bloody hospital gown, she watched him with sad, cold eyes. Effectively, chilling Steve to his bones and causing his blood to burn in his veins.
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The Chilling Adventures of Steve Rogers: Book One (Magical Hydra Horror AU)
Fanfiction"As though his feet were controlled by something other than himself, Steve stepped out of the trees. Not paying attention to any of the other figures standing as still as statues, Steve crossed the well-lit area. His eyes roamed over the boy. He was...
