“I know it’s you,” Annie said. She looked up at the still figure of the scarecrow, her eyes danced. The scarecrow made no reply, it never did.
Her brother Mac stood at a distance and laughed. “Your boyfriend not talking to you?”
Annie ignored him. Every morning she would come to talk to the scarecrow. She knew it stood sentinel over their hut. God’s angel in disguise, here to keep away the demons that have plagued nearby villages. Why else would it stand in a field of thorny vines and rocks? There wasn’t a farm for miles to protect from crows, but it stood here silent and faithful.
“I just want to say thank you. And tell God I said thank you, too.” Annie picked a nearby sunflower and stuck it down its vest, turned toward her brother, and chased him all the way down to the rocky beach on the other side of their hut.
The scarecrow turned its head to watch her run. “You’re welcome, sweet child.”
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Even though it’s not a light time in life, I hope this little flash fiction can bring a smile to your face.
Russell J. Fellows 