Erin sat and cried for almost an hour. Eventually, she felt Marshall's arms around her, pulling her close. Socks circled them, whimpering softly. The boy stroked her hair, whispering words of comfort into her ear. When she pulled away, his face was nothing more than a waterlogged, blurry mess, but she was happy he was there.
"She's gone," Erin managed.
Marshall nodded.
"Do you think—?"
"What?"
Erin lifted her glasses and wiped her eyes, focusing on the freckled boy.
"No, it's stupid."
"Tell me."
Erin summoned all her strength.
"Twelve was fierce and determined like Pa. Kind and wise like Ma." She bit her lip. "And brave and adventurous like Clyde."
They both turned to look at the peaceful scarecrow.
Erin folded her hands together. "I told you, it's stupid."
"Not at all," Marshall replied, slipping his hands into hers. "It's a lovely thought."
"We need to do one more thing for Twelve," Erin said. "I'll need your help."
"Anything," Marshall said.
Climbing the iron-rung ladder, they fastened Twelve's lifeless arms to her cross, her mighty bison skull drooping towards her fire-ravaged pirate jacket.
Erin climbed down and stood with Marshall and observed her handiwork.
They looked happy together— Twelve and Thirteen— two beautiful scarecrows hanging from their weather-beaten crosses. Just the way they should be.
"Something's missing," Erin said. "One last detail."
She grabbed a knot of rope and mounted the ladder one final time.
Taking Twelve's left hand and Thirteen's right, she lashed them together.
Standing on the top rung of the ladder, she kissed Twelve on the forehead and whispered, "Mind how you go."
Back on the wet earth, Socks nuzzled against her feet.
Erin rested her head on Marshall's shoulder, their fingers intertwined like the two scarecrows beside them.
Tears came, hard and raw.
She let them fall freely, holding nothing back, letting everything go.
Before them, the moon and stars paled into forever as a magnificent sunrise bloomed across The Endless Blue.
YOU ARE READING
The Last Scarecrow
Fantasy(Scarecrows of Coldharbour Farm #1) WINNER Wattys 2021 | '...adorable and heartbreaking...' Erin loved to build scarecrows. She made a dozen in all. Her Pa showed her how. But he's dead now. Everyone is dead. The Many Years Storm saw to that. Terrif...
