Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Cassie
Almost there?
There’s no way.
How long did I walk before I found Atticus? Two hours?
“I don’t understand.” I chance a glance over at him.
The sky has darkened to scarlet and navy, but there’s enough moonlight to make out his profile.
I note the way the wide brim of his hat dips over his eyes, casting a long, menacing shadow over his covered face, and the way the rope around his neck sways with every step. “How are we almost there?”
When he looks over this time, his eyes lock with mine so intensely that a shiver vibrates down my spine. Not for the first time, I find myself wondering what he looks like beneath that burlap sack.
He said he was less human than I imagined, but his eyes are undeniably human. Expressive, full of life. They reflect his emotions, his awe, rage, curiosity, and relief.
Maybe he isn’t as much of a monster as he thinks he is.
“My magic extends beyond the vines,” he says slowly. “I can tell you exactly how many rows of corn there are without having counted them. If there are animals or people roaming through the stalks. I can also control how quickly we travel through the field.”
I glare at him, almost certain I misheard him.
“You control how fast we travel? Did you keep me lost for hours on purpose then?”
He shakes his head slowly. “No, I cannot control how quickly you travel on your own. Only if you’re with me.”
I blink several times, chewing on that information.
“You made sure we got out quickly… so I’ll leave faster?” I don’t know why I ask the question—it sounds silly as soon as it comes out—but I can’t help myself.
To my surprise, Atticus stops short. My heart jumps into my throat as I stop and turn to face him.
“I can keep you impossibly lost for as long as you want,” he says, his voice impossibly low. “But I think your cousin would start to worry, would they not?”
His words are a threat, a promise, that has my skin heating. Whether with desire or reluctance, I don’t know, but he doesn’t move. It dawns on me after a long moment that he’s waiting for an answer.
Do I want to make it to the end of the cornfield?
Or do I want to get lost with him?
To my surprise, the answer doesn’t come immediately, and my mind wanders instead.
A look up at the sky has my stomach sinking—the orange and red tints of sunset have almost faded completely, replaced by a dark, star-flecked sky.
I’ve been gone several hours longer than I anticipated, and I probably have a million missed calls from Aunt Bonnie and Madelyn. I’m sure they’ll be worried.
But, now that I’m faced with impending freedom, I wish it hadn’t come so quickly.
I want more time with Atticus, to pick his brain and find out what his life was like before the curse. Coming across a sentient scarecrow isn’t something that happens more than once in a lifetime—it shouldn’t happen at all.
What if I never see him again?
What if this is my only chance to talk to him?
My stomach turns at that possibility, but it’s quickly replaced by something more sinister.
If I stay, and my family sends a search party, what would become of Atticus? Would they hurt him? Try to kill him?
As much as I want to spend more time with him, I can’t risk that happening. I can’t put him in danger—
“Cassie.” Atticus’ voice snaps me out of my thoughts, and my attention rockets back to him.
“Sorry. I was just thinking…” I rush, shaking my head. “Yes, you’re right; they’ll be worried. I… I have to go.”
He hesitates for a brief moment before nodding once and turning to continue along the path through the stalks. I follow silently, stealing glances at Atticus as we go, while countless questions play in my mind. There are so many things I want to ask, but I know my time is limited.
By the time I open my mouth to speak, I note the stalks thinning up ahead, and my stomach sinks.
Dammit.
When we reach the end of the cornfield, Atticus stops at the last row of stalks and stares across the landscape. After a hundred years of the same clearing, I wouldn’t blame him if he stood here all night.
I poke my head out past the cornstalks to make sure no cars are approaching—people will have serious questions if they see me emerging from the haunted cornfield—and find the coast is clear. My jaw nearly drops when I note my Honda sitting a few yards away, exactly where I left it.
He brought me to exactly where I entered the field.
The urge to throw my arms around him and hug him creeps up, but I quickly squash it. He’d probably think I was crazy.
Scratch that—he would think I’m insane.
My gaze bounces between Atticus and my car, indecision tugging me in both directions. I know I have to go, but I don’t want to. Finally, they land on him.
“Thank you, Atticus.”
His eyes slide in my direction and nerves skitter through me. I want to commit every part of him to memory, to brand him on the backs of my eyelids. The intensity of his dark eyes, the southern drawl of his voice.
“You’re welcome.” He dips his head in a polite nod. “You should be able to find your way now, correct?”
I giggle, glancing at my car that's sitting mere feet away. “I think I can manage.”
“Good.” He hesitates, like there’s something else he wants to say, but ultimately changes his mind. “Farewell, Cassie.”
With that he turns and heads back into the cornfield, and I watch him go.
Only when he fades into the darkness, his form slipping out of view, do I turn and hurry toward the car.
I sling my backpack into the passenger seat with my heart slamming in my throat and quickly pull a three-point-turn to head back toward town.
I haven’t made it far at all when my phone rings, and I fumble it out of my pocket.
It’s Madelyn.
“H-hey,” I answer, nearly dropping the phone into the floorboard in the process.
“Hey, Cass. Where the hell are you?” she asks. “I’ve been texting you for hours.”
I force a laugh, trying to come up with a believable story on the fly. “Oh, sorry. I… I fell asleep in my car listening to music and just woke up. I’m headed back to the house now.”
I hear a tiny sigh of relief on the other end of the line. “Girl, I thought you were dead. Those farm chores really took it out of you, didn’t they?”
“Yeah,” I chuckle, punching the gas petal. My eyes flick up to the rearview mirror where I can see the haunted cornfield fading into the distance. “Yeah, they did. I’ll see you soon.”
Madelyn must have already told Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Wayne the story about me falling asleep, because they don’t seem worried as I slip into the farmhouse and join them at the dinner table.
They’re having meatloaf and mashed potatoes for dinner, with some kind of dessert casserole that smells heavenly.
“Did you have a good day in town, Cassie?” Aunt Bonnie asks softly as I help myself to the food.
“Yeah, it was great,” I assure her. “Cold Springs is really cute.”
I’m screwed if she asks any in depth questions, because I barely remember the shops Madelyn and I passed the other day. Thankfully, she doesn’t, and Madelyn dominates the conversation talking about the upcoming Halloween festival instead.
Slowly, bit by bit, my nerves dissolve. I nod along with the conversation to make it seem like I’m listening, but I’m not. Not really. My mind is occupied by thoughts of a haunted cornfield and a dark, mysterious scarecrow I can’t seem to shake.
After helping Aunt Bonnie clean up after dinner, I hurry upstairs to my room and flop back onto my bed. A deep sigh escapes me as I stare up at the ceiling, replaying my entire encounter with Atticus.
From his bone-crushing vines that nearly squeezed me to death, to me cutting him loose, to him leading me out of the cornstalks. The way he moved, the way he talked… I think about it over and over until I fall asleep.