Night Of The Scarecrow

By Robert Cottom

When six friends head out for their summer vacation, they come across a town that holds a dark past. When they find themselves trapped with in the town. The only way to escape is to solve the mystery of the town.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert Cottom
• Release date: Jul 7, 2010
• ISBN: 9781458139184

Robert Cottom

My name is Robert Cottom, I'm thirty-eight, I live in La Belle, Florida. I have always wanted to be a writer and now I'm taking a shot at it.

Book preview

Night of the Scarecrow

By Robert Cottom

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2010 Robert Cottom

Chapter One:

Summer vacation was here and for Bob Johnston and his friends, this was going to be the best vacation ever. Bob was an outgoing boy, he had just turned seventeen and he had been waiting all year for this day to come. For his friends, Kelly Nick, Tamera, John, and Lucy, they were all ready for the trip of a lifetime.

They were going to head up to Ohio to the Ski resort where they were going to spend all summer playing in the snow and skiing. They head up there ever summer, but this time everything was going to change. Bob was going to ask Kelly to marry him in a few days and he knows she would say yes.

As for his friends John and Lucy, they too were going to do something special up there this year, but Bob didn’t know what John had planned. Bob was in his room packing his things, he packed his toothbrush and some other things that he might need. While putting his stuff into his bags, he heard the doorbell ring.

As he opened the door, he saw that it was Kelly and he just stood there. Kelly’s long blonde hair flowed in the breeze that was blowing and he always get lost in her beautiful blue eyes, every time he sees her.

Come in. He said.

Are you ready to go? She asked, looking around for his bags.

I’m almost done; just have to grab one more thing before I go. He told her, as he headed back into the bedroom.

Kelly sat down on the couch and picked up a magazine that was on the table. She sat there for what seemed like forever and then Bob walked out of his room with his bags in hand.

Ok, now I’m ready.

Walking out to the car, Bob put the bags into the trunk. Getting in, he started the car and headed to pick up Nick. Nick was a longtime friend of Bob and Kelly’s. They all went to the same College and High School as well. Nick, seventeen as well, had short brown hair and brown eyes. He played for the soccer team and was about to be made captain.

His sister Tamera, was a good girl, she never let anything get her down. She was a good artist and could draw anything that came to mind. Pulling into the drive, Bob pushed the horn and they came out with their bags and he got out helping them. Nick reached over and they shook hands and then got in.

This is going to be the best, I can just tell. Nick said.

Are John and Lucy going to meet us somewhere? Kelly asked.

Yea, they’re going to meet us at the first rest stop and then they’re going to follow us up. Bob told her, looking over at her and then smiling.

Pulling out onto the highway, they were off and nothing was going to stop them from having fun. They drove for hours and Kelly saw a sign on the road that read, Now leaving Florida.

Kelly heard her phone ring and reached into her pocket. Bob looked over at her to see if it was John calling, but Kelly shook her head.

Yes dad I’ll be fine and yes for the ninth time, I have enough money.

Kelly put her phone back into her pocket and then looked over at Bob.

I wish sometimes, he didn’t ask so many questions.

Well at least your dad didn’t pick on you like our dad does. Nick said.

They drove on for hours, when Bob saw a gas station and pulled in. Kelly and Tamera got out and walked into the station to take care of some girl business and the boys stayed outside. Bob filled up the tank and put his card back into his wallet. Nick asked him if he wanted anything to drink and then headed in.

Once back on the road, Kelly reached over and turned on the radio. She changed it like four times before finding a station she liked. Nick pulled out his earphones and plugged them into his iPod.

It was nine p.m. and they needed to get something to eat. As they drove through Georgia, Bob pulled into a restaurant. As they all got out, Nick noticed John’s car and walked over to make sure that it was indeed his. Looking in the window, he saw the silver skull on the dash and then he knew it was John’s.

Hey John and Lucy are here.

Walking in, they saw them at a table and walked over. Sitting down they all started talking about their trip. One of the waitresses came over and took everyone’s order and then headed back to put it in.

Have you guys found a place to stay the night? John asked.

John was a football jock and in really good shape too. He was eighteen and had short brown hair that he kept buzzed and dark brown eyes. He also has a tattoo on his left arm of a skull.

Yes, we’re going to stay at the Wester Inn. Bob told him.

Lucy was john’s girl for about four years now and they were happy together. Nothing ever got between them and John was hoping that she would marry him some day, but for now, he just likes having her around. Lucy was eighteen with shoulder length back hair and green eyes. Lucy would go to every game to watch her man play.

After every game, he would sit with her talking about how good he did. Sometimes she wished that he would talk about something other than football, but she knew he loved the game, just as much as she loved him.

After they were done eating they paid the bill and headed to the hotel that wasn’t far from where they were. Pulling in, Bob and the others got out and headed for the office. Getting their keys, they headed to their rooms.

Bob and Kelly were in a nice room; it had pictures on the walls and a bathroom that you could throw a party in. Bob walked over and sat down on the bed and Kelly sat down next to him and reached over to rub his back.

I still can’t get over all of this.

All of what? Kelly asked.

Oh, nothing bad, I’m just glad we are able to come up here this year, you know because of what happened.

He will be fine and please don’t let it get you down, ok. Kelly said to him, while still rubbing his back.

Later that night, Bob was tossing and turning in the bed and when he opened his eyes, he saw that he wasn’t in the hotel room anymore. Sliding out of the bed, he walked over and looked out the window. He started to notice that he was home and waiting for his father to come home. Walking out of his room and down the hall, he stopped to look into the living room.

He saw his Brother Michael sitting down next to the TV playing his games. Just then he heard the door open and he turned to see his father walking in.

"Damn it Michael, you better not be playing those damn video games! His father yelled.

Michael hurried and turned the game off and jumped up onto the couch. His father walked into the living room and saw him sitting on the couch.

You were playing them weren’t you?

Yes, but not long. Michael answered back.

I swear, if I catch you playing them ever again, I will beat you until you can’t stand. Do you understand me?

Yes sir. Michael said back in a sadden tone.

Bob stood there watching his past play out in front of him. He couldn’t understand why this was happening again.

Michael was getting ready for bed, when his father walked in and slammed the door shut. Michael asked what the matter was but his father didn’t say anything. Bob remembered that Michael was only nine at the time. That was the night that his father beat Michael so bad that he couldn’t walk for a week. Bob never for gave his father for what he did that night.

Kelly opened her eyes and saw that Bob was having a bad dream and reached over to wake him.

Bob, wake up.

Bob was standing in his brother’s room, running his hands over his toys and clothes. Bob at the time was sixteen and cared for his brother very much. When he came home one afternoon after school he saw trucks out front of his home and paramedics walking in and out of the house. Bob ran up to the door and ran inside.

Bob wake up Hun you’re having a bad dream. Kelly said again, still trying to get him up.

Running up to his brother’s room, he looked past the man standing in the doorway and he couldn’t believe his eyes. He heard one of the paramedics talking about how he was found hanging from the ceiling fan and then he heard them say that he was still alive. Bob was grateful to hear that and turned to look for his father.

Kelly finally woke him up and Bob sat up and started to cry. Kelly moved closer and put her arms around him.

It’s ok, he’s fine now.

I know I just wish I would have been there that day to stop my father from doing that to him.

They sat there talking for a while and then he lay back down. Kelly sat there wondering about Michael and how he was doing now.

The next morning, everyone packed up their things and headed down to check out. Nick walked up and put his things back in the car and waited for the rest. Once they were back on the road Bob saw that John had his turn signal on and he pulled up behind him and saw that he was turning into a gas station. Kelly looked down at her watch and saw that it was almost eight.

She hoped that they would be almost through Tennessee by dark. Passing a sign on the highway that let them know they were leaving Georgia and they were now in Tennessee. Kelly was surprised that the traffic wasn’t that bad all the way there, until they hit Tennessee. They pulled up behind one of the cars on the road and John pulled up behind them.

What’s going on up there? Nick asked, trying to see.

I don’t know, maybe an accident? Bob answered back.

When they started to move again, they saw a cop standing in the road and he stopped them. The cop told them that the road was closed and he pointed them to a side route. Bob turned on his signal and they headed down a road that wasn’t on the map. Bob stayed close to the cars in front of him so that they wouldn’t get lost.

Kelly pulled out the map again and started looking it over and she saw that there was a road coming up that they could take.

Wow, look at all the corn fields. Lucy said, looking out the window.

Yea, I think that’s all they grow up here. John told her.

Bob found the road Kelly was talking about and they turned. The road didn’t look like it was used that much and there were holes in it that made driving hard. John pulled up alongside of Bob and asked where they were going.

The map shows this road will take us back to the main road. Bob yelled out the window.

John was cool with that and pulled back behind them. They drove for hours and it was starting to get dark again and this time they didn’t know where they were. Kelly noticed a sign that they were about to pass and she looked out the window to read it.

Good there’s a town up ahead.

Driving into the town, Bob found a place to eat he pulled over. John pulled into the next spot and got out.

Wow, this place looks really old. Lucy said, looking around.

I don’t like it here. Tamera said.

Bob walked up to the restaurant