Arriving home, he makes it in time to join the family for dinner.

“Ah, you’re back.” Hachi states, “Come join us, we’re just sitting down now.”

Sitting down, they begin to eat, tonight’s dinner is a pie filled with an assortment of vegetables. Drinking down the water, Kenta stays a while and chats a bit. After a while, the suns has completely set and the moon has awoken, everybody begins to slowly dissipate, first the kids, then Kaede, then Hachi.

Making his way upstairs, he reaches his room, stepping inside, he takes off his shoes and walks towards his bed. Lying on top of the soft mattress, he closes his eyes and dozes off.

…

With a muffled scream, he wakes up, struggling to breathe, only to see that his mouth is shut tight. Looking up he sees, the terrifying scarecrow standing above him, holding him with not its hand, but straw ropes coming from its back, wrapping around him, not letting him move a muscle.

Dragging him, he falls of the bed, with a sudden thud, hitting the back of his head. Looking over, he sees the bears are missing again.

So, I’m in a dream?

Not bothering with the door, an explosion of air sends it flying off its hinges. Pulling him roughly, they begin to descend the stair.

*Thump* *Thump* *Thump*

Hitting his head on every step, his vision goes fuzzy, only to restore a second later. Reaching the bottom floor, Kenta notices, that the window is smashed.

Blasting the door with hurricane like wind, splintering in to a thousand pieces. The scarecrow pulls him over the painful glass shards, and out the door. Throwing him out in front, into the stunningly calm night, he is finally free, able to move on his own. He turns around and begins to run, looking back, he can still see the decrepit scarecrow standing there staring at him with its lifeless button eyes. Facing forward, he sees a dark figure in front of him, moving towards him.

Before he has time to stop or change direction, the featureless figure goes straight through him, momentarily stopping him breathe. Gasping for air, he falls to the ground, holding himself up on all fours. He starts crawling away into the darkness, not looking behind. Reaching the exit to the farm, standing there is the scarecrow, holding its arm out, pointed towards Kenta. Straw ropes come flying out.

Wrapping around his leg like a vice, it snaps his shin bone, splintering it. Holding it, it begins walking down the dirt path. Struggling all the way, the rope is unbreakable.

Down the narrow dirt trail, they reach the river. Tossing him out in front, on to the hard grass. It stands still, drooping its head to the floor.

Giving up on running away, he unsheathes his sword, preparing to attack. The scarecrow looks up, interested, staring at him with those button eyes. One step, two step, three step. It slowly walks forward.

Not moving a muscle whether from bravery or utter fear, scarecrow inches closer. About a meter away, he launches to first attack, lunging. Before it hits, the scarecrow vanishes, only to appear behind him. He swings around, only for the scarecrow to do the same.

Repeating this routine, the scarecrow tires Kenta out. No longer can he fight efficiently anymore. Falling to a knee, he breathes heavily, rejuvenating his lost energy. Standing back on two feet, he looks around.

Multiple scarecrows are surrounding him. They attack like a gang of feral dogs. He, beaten, broken, victimized. The scarecrows show no remorse or mercy as they continue the hellacious attack. Injured all over, Kenta notices his regeneration is not working.

Why does it feel so real?

With a last dish effort, he stabs his sword into the chest of one of the scarecrows. The rest disappear. With the sword burrowed into the straw-filled chest, it stands dead still. Slowly, the ruined scarecrow, reaches its hand out, resting it atop of the sword.

It crumbles, turning to ash, and falling to the ground, mixing in with the dirt. With no more weapon, he looks at the scarecrow with dread.

*Psh*

The scarecrow sends one of its ropes, through his chest, breaking his rib and organs, making a clean cut straight through to the other side. The blood reflects the moon as it lies on the grass behind. He’s floating away, dying. It feels so real.

…

Gasping for air, Kenta sits up on the bed. It’s still night time.

That was too real.

Still feeling a pain in his chest, he looks over below the window sill, the bears remain, sleeping silently.

He slows his breathing and calms back down. He prepares to go to sleep again.

*Creak*

The bedroom door opens.