Samhain Surprise Pt. 2: A Spooky Halloween Story

Part 2: The Haunting Begins

The walk back to town felt longer than it should have. The night had settled in fully, and the only light came from the distant streetlamps at the edge of Mill Hollow. The scarecrow hung limply over Jordan’s shoulder, its head bouncing slightly with each step. Sam kept glancing over his shoulder, half-expecting to see something lurking in the darkness.

“Relax, Sam,” Jordan said, noticing his friend’s unease. “It’s just a stupid scarecrow.”

“Yeah, well, it feels like it’s watching us,” Sam muttered, earning a chuckle from Alex.

“Of course it does,” Alex teased. “It’s got eyes sewn on, remember?”

But even Alex couldn’t completely shake the feeling that something was off. There was a chill in the air that seemed to cling to them, and the silence was thick, almost oppressive.

They finally reached the school, a darkened building with only a few lights flickering in the windows. Jordan had a plan: they’d sneak in through the side door, prop the scarecrow up in the main hallway, and be out before anyone noticed. Tomorrow, when the school was packed with students for the Halloween dance, their prank would be the talk of the town.

Jordan pulled open the side door with a grin. “Piece of cake,” he whispered, leading the way inside. The others followed, with Sam bringing up the rear, his eyes darting around the dimly lit corridor.

They found a spot near the main entrance, just where everyone would see it as soon as they walked in. Jordan set the scarecrow down and began arranging it, making sure it stood upright. But as he worked, a strange feeling washed over him, like he was being watched. He shook it off, blaming it on the stories they’d been telling.

“There,” he said, stepping back to admire his work. The scarecrow stood tall, its burlap head tilted slightly forward, almost as if it were looking down at them.

Lisa frowned. “It’s creepy,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself. “Maybe we should just leave it here and go. This place gives me the creeps at night.”

Jordan waved her off. “Come on, where’s your sense of adventure? This is gonna be epic.”

As they turned to leave, the air around them grew colder, and the lights flickered overhead. Alex paused, glancing back at the scarecrow. For a split second, he thought he saw it move—just a twitch, like its head had shifted to follow them. But when he blinked, it was still, standing just as they had left it.

“Did you see that?” Alex whispered to Sam.

Sam shook his head, but his face was pale. “See what?”

“Nothing,” Alex said quickly, not wanting to admit that the scarecrow had unnerved him. “Let’s get out of here.”

They hurried back out into the night, the door creaking shut behind them. But as they walked away, the faint sound of rustling straw echoed through the hallway, though there was no wind to stir it.

The next day, the school was buzzing with excitement for the Halloween dance. Decorations hung from every wall, and the students were all in high spirits—except for the four who knew about the scarecrow. They exchanged uneasy glances as they passed the main entrance, where the scarecrow stood, just as they had left it.

But something was different. Its head, which had been tilted slightly forward, now seemed to be turned to the side, as if it were watching the students walk by.

“Did you move it?” Lisa asked Jordan quietly.

“Of course not,” Jordan replied, though he looked uncertain. “Someone must’ve bumped into it or something.”

But no one had touched the scarecrow. As the day went on, the strange occurrences began to pile up. Lockers slammed shut on their own, lights flickered even more frequently, and a cold draft seemed to follow the group wherever they went.

By the time the dance started, the tension had reached its peak. Sam was jumpy, constantly looking over his shoulder, and even Jordan seemed less confident than usual. They tried to enjoy the dance, but it was hard to ignore the feeling that they were being watched.

It wasn’t until the final slow dance that they realized the scarecrow was no longer in the hallway. Lisa was the first to notice, her breath catching in her throat as she saw the empty spot where it had stood.

“Guys,” she whispered urgently, grabbing Alex’s arm. “It’s gone.”

They looked around frantically, but there was no sign of the scarecrow. The music, the laughter, everything faded into the background as they rushed out into the hallway, searching for any trace of it.

And then they found it.

The scarecrow was standing in the middle of the gym, surrounded by the students who had no idea it was never supposed to be there. Its head was turned toward them, its button eyes glinting in the dim light.

For the first time, the group felt a true, bone-chilling fear. It was as if the scarecrow was taunting them, daring them to do something about it. But what could they do? It was just a scarecrow—or was it?

To be continued …