The Scarecrow and The Elephant Man - Chapter One - Part Four

The clinking of cutlery and the hum of the old jukebox provided a nostalgic backdrop. Tom, Leo, and Zeta sat at a booth; their faces illuminated by the soft glow of a table lamp. They had made it to a diner of a small town near the US - Mexico border.

They had changed clothes for a fresh set. They had raided a clothesline behind a modest house, grabbing what they could.

Tom sported a pair of faded denim overalls with a checkered shirt underneath. Leo had donned a simple, worn-out flannel shirt with trousers that were slightly too big, cinched with a rope belt. Zeta, still retaining his cap, wore a patched-up pair of child-sized trousers and a brightly coloured shirt, looking almost comical in his oversized garments.

The mismatched outfits offered them a semblance of normalcy, though they couldn't shake the discomfort of their ad-hoc disguises. The clothes were clean, at least, which was a small mercy in their otherwise precarious situation.

The comforting smell of coffee and sizzling bacon mingling with the tension of their situation. Leo poured over the diner’s menu, though none of them were particularly hungry. Their minds were focused on the pressing issue of their safety.

Leo took a sip of his coffee, his eyes glancing around to ensure no one was paying them undue attention. "We're not far from the border. We should keep going."

Tom, staring into his cup of coffee, nodded. "You're right. Those Men in Black won't be far behind us." He frowned, "But we'd be stopped at the border. I'm sure my picture adorns their walls by now."

Leo shrugged. "Then we'll have to cross on foot. Go the long way around."

"We need to make sure we have enough supplies for the journey. We can't just head out without provisions."

The waitress came to take their order giving Zeta a curious look when the order was for maple syrup and nothing else. Kids were odd no days. She returned to the kitchen with their order.

As they discussed their plans, the sound of the diner's door opening caught their attention. A few patrons entered, their chatter mingling with the background noise of the diner.

Leo continued, "Once we're there. I know someone…an old friend. They'll be able to help us."

Tom and Leo put their heads together coming up with a list of supplies they would need. They planned to head out once they had a proper rest.

As they drove past a series of dilapidated buildings and neon signs that flickered in the dusk, they spotted a modest motel on the outskirts. The neon sign, though slightly faded, promised a place to rest. It looked like the perfect spot for a brief respite—a safe haven, they hoped, away from the chaos.

The trio parked in front of the motel, and Tom led the way into the lobby. As they entered, a bell chimed softly overhead. The warm, inviting glow from the reception desk was a stark contrast to the outside world.

The receptionist, a middle-aged woman with a welcoming smile, looked up from her desk. Her nameplate read “Marilyn,” and her demeanor radiated warmth. She had a motherly air about her, her hair neatly pinned back and her eyes sparkling with kindness.

"Good evening, my darlings! How can I help you today?"

Tom explained that they were looking for a room for the night. Marilyn's face lit up as she reached for the guest book.

“We don’t have a lot of money.”

"Actually, I could read your tarots in exchange for a room," Leo offered, a grin on his face. "It's just a little something I do."

"What an enterprising young man!" Marilyn’s eyes twinkled with curiosity. "Oh, that sounds like fun! I've always been interested in that sort of thing."

As Leo shuffled his deck of cards, Marilyn chatted amiably with Tom. While Zeta hung back just observing everything.

The woman turned to Tom, "You remind me so much of my son." She ruffled Tom's hair with motherly affection, "I lost him to that dreadful war…he was but a baby, but he saw it as an adventure...that ended up killing him."

"I'm so sorry."

"It warms my heart to see young boys like yourselves living their lives. My son, and many more like him, gave up their lives so you both could have such freedom."

Leo passed over the cards asking the woman to shuffled them and cute the cards into three piles. Finally, he turned a card over on top of each pile, and Marilyn watched with a mix of anticipation and a little skepticism.

Leo’s face looked uneasy. He saw dark omens and troubling signs surrounding the woman, a stark contrast to her warm demeanour. He asked the women to shuffle the deck again, "Once more for luck."

The woman was enjoying their company so much that she didn't think much of the request. It gave her more time with these charming boys. She didn't feel so lonely now they were here.

"Oh, look at this," Leo said, gazing at the new cards, his voice filled with enthusiasm. The king card had suns about the edges, "It’s all about joy, success, and radiant positivity. You’re about to enter a period of your life where everything you touch turns to gold." Next, was the red Ace card with images of cups about the edges. "Pure, overflowing happiness. It's like the universe is lining up to give you the love and abundance you've always dreamed of."

Marilyn beamed, clearly delighted. "Oh, how lovely! Thank you! It's been a while since I've had such hope."

Leo took back his cards, head lowered so as he didn’t make eye contact with the woman. Tom received the key, thanking the woman, bidding her good night. Leo was already out the door with Zeta following behind him.

Marilyn wished them all well before preparing to close up for the night when the lights flickered, casting eerie shadows on the walls.

The Scarecrow Man, formerly of RJ Blackwood’s Carnival of Curiosities, emerged from the darkness. His presence was menacing, from behind the slits of the hessian sack, his eyes pulsating with resentment.

Marilyn, her back turned, was oblivious to the danger. The Scarecrow Man moved silently but purposefully, the sinister grin on his face barely visible in the dim light.

As Marilyn turned around, her eyes widened in horror. The Scarecrow Man lunged at her with a swift, brutal motion. His mottled hands, like claws, wrapped around her throat. In a matter of moments, Marilyn's scream was cut short, her lifeless body collapsing to the floor.

As they settled in, Leo was still processing the eerie feeling he had gotten from the cards. Despite the cheerful facade Marilyn had shown, the darkness he sensed lingered in his mind. He pushed the unsettling thoughts aside, focusing on the immediate comfort of a warm bed and a quiet night.

Tom poured over a map, tracing a possible escape route to Mexico while Zeta tinkered with the radio, hoping to modify it to call home.

Tom sighed, mentally prepared for their journey. He could use a fizzy drink. He headed to reception for a couple of cokes. He suddenly heard a faint rustling noise coming behind him. He turned around. Was that someone in the darkness? Then suddenly the shadow was gone. He felt a chill run up his back. His body breaking out in goose bumps. Men in Black wouldn't be that cautious.

He slipped inside reception going over to a small fridge. with a bottle opener attached to it, that contained the drinks. He uncapped three cokes and was about to leave some coins on the counter when he stumbled upon a scene of unimaginable horror.

Marilyn, once the epitome of warmth and hospitality, lay lifeless behind the desk. Her welcoming demeanour now silenced by violence.

In shock, he dropped all three cokes, and they spilled onto the floor before him. Something grotesque and alarming peeled from the shadows before him.

The Scarecrow Man.

Tom grabbed one of the coke bottles from the floor and threw it at the monster before him. The creature didn’t even dodge the bottle. The thing was hit full force between the eyes. The creature let out a moaned of pain, staggering backwards, giving Tom the chanced to get away.

Without warning, the silence was shattered by a low, ominous creak from the bathroom. Leo’s head snapped up, and before he could react, the bathroom window exploded inward with a deafening crash. Shards of glass rained down as a massive, hulking figure forced its way through the narrow opening.

The Elephant Man.

His grotesque, misshapen body barely fit through the window, but with a terrifying display of strength, he shoved himself into the room. His eyes, small and beady in his monstrous face, locked onto Leo with a murderous intent that froze the young man in place.

Leo’s heart pounded in his chest as the creature lumbered toward him, its heavy footfalls shaking the floor. “No, no, wait!” Leo pleaded, scrambling backward until his back hit the wall. “Please, don’t do this! I know you don’t want to hurt me!”

The Elephant Man paused for a moment, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his twisted features. Leo seized the chance, his voice trembling as he continued, “Deep down you are gentle. You’re not a killer. You don’t have to do this.”

The Elephant Man hesitated, his massive hands clenching and unclenching as if battling with himself. But then, a low, rumbling voice that sounded like a mix of gravel and sorrow emerged from his throat. "I must…cure me...promised freedom."

Leo’s eyes widened with understanding. "Freedom? You think they'll let you go? They're using you, just like before. Don’t let them turn you into a monster that they think you are."

For a split second, the Elephant Man’s hand lowered, his eyes softening as if considering Leo’s words. But then the thought of a cure, of finally being free of the grotesque form that had imprisoned him for so long, tightened his resolve. He lunged forward, his enormous hand wrapping around Leo's throat.

Leo choked, his hands clawing desperately at the creature’s grip. "Please… you don’t… have to…"

Tears welled up in Leo's eyes as the pressure on his throat increased, his vision blurring. The Elephant Man's eyes, filled with both desperation and regret, bore into him.

Zeta watched from the shadows, their large, luminous eyes flicking between the chaos unfolding before him. They had been waiting for the right moment, the exact instant when they could intervene. Their small frame was tense, every fiber of their being attuned to the energy in the room.

In a swift, fluid motion, Zeta placed their hands on either side of the creature's head. The effect was immediate.

The Elephant Man's eyes widened in shock as the searing pain shot through his skull, forcing him to release Leo and stumble back with a guttural cry. His hands clawed at his head as if trying to tear away the agony that Zeta had ignited within him. He staggered, collapsing to the floor, curling into a ball like a wounded animal trying to shield itself from further harm.

Leo, gasping for breath and rubbing his sore throat, watched in astonishment as Zeta calmly approached the quivering mass that had been the Elephant Man. The creature's whimpers filled the room.

Zeta knelt beside the Elephant Man, their expression one of deep compassion and resolve. They placed their hands once more on either side of the creature’s head. The Elephant Man flinched at first, expecting another wave of torment, but instead, a profound calm began to wash over him.

The room seemed to hold its breath. The creature's tense muscles began to relax, and his anguished cries faded.

Leo looked over in shock as the once twisted features of the Elephant Man’s face smoothed out, reshaping into something entirely different.

The Elephant Man’s body unfurled from its defensive curl, revealing a face that was no longer marred by deformity. His skin, once thick and uneven, became smooth and clear. His eyes, previously small and filled with pain, now widened with disbelief as he reached up to touch his own face, unable to comprehend the miracle that had just occurred.

He sat up, trembling, his breath coming in shaky gasps as he took in his reflection in the small, cracked mirror hanging on the wall. The image that stared back at him was not the grotesque monster he had known all his life, but a man—normal, human, and whole. Tears welled in his eyes, spilling down his newly formed cheeks as he whispered in disbelief, "I'm… I’m cured…"

Leo felt a surge of relief wash over him. He approached the man cautiously, extending a hand. "It's over," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "You don't need to hurt anybody."

The man—no longer the Elephant Man—nodded slowly, still overwhelmed by the enormity of what had just happened. He took Leo's hand, his grip firm but gentle, as if afraid that too much pressure might shatter this newfound reality.

Tom barely had time to catch his breath as he fled the Scarecrow Man, his heart pounding in his chest as he rounded the corner of the motel. The dark figure had been relentless, its eerie presence pressing in on him like a living nightmare.

A powerful hand clamped down on his shoulder, yanking him back with such force that he nearly lost his footing. He twisted around, instinctively throwing a punch, but his fist was caught mid-air. Standing before him, with a menacing grin and calculating eyes, was R.J. Blackwood.

"Going somewhere, urchin?" Blackwood's voice was laced with a twisted sense of satisfaction. He was dressed sharply, his dark suit and fedora making him look every bit the enforcer he was. Behind him, the Scarecrow Man loomed.

Tom struggled, trying to wrench free from Blackwood's grip, but it was no use. Blackwood was stronger, and he had the Scarecrow Man backing him up.

"I've been hired to find you and your friends for a price. My price. The people who want you are so desperate for your return they would bankrupt a small island nation for your return," Blackwood hissed, shoving Tom toward the motel room. "Now, let's not make this harder than it has to be."

Blackwood forced Tom through the door and into the room where Leo and Zeta were waiting. Leo looked up in shock, his face paling as he saw Tom being pushed inside. Zeta, standing beside the transformed Elephant Man, turned with wide eyes, immediately sensing the danger.

Blackwood’s eyes swept across the room, narrowing as they landed on the Elephant Man—or rather, the man who had once been the Elephant Man. The change was astounding, the grotesque features replaced with normalcy, leaving behind nothing but a man who looked terrified and confused.

"What the…?" Blackwood's voice trailed off in disbelief as he took in the sight before him. "Well done!" He snarled, sarcastically. "He is no use to me like that." His grip tightening on Tom’s arm. "I'll get nothing for him…people don't want to see perfection. They want disgust."

The Scarecrow Man stepped forward, as if trying to understand what had happened. He ignored everyone else and went over to the former Elephant Man. He began to caress the man's face. He was beautiful. Unblemished. Free.

The creature raised a mighty fist and smacked the stuffing out of the Elephant Man. Blackwood tried to pull the creature away, but he was so hell bent in changing the Elephant Man back to how he was. Nothing else mattered.

In frustration, the Scarecrow Man swung to confront them. He ignored Blackwood's order to halt as he began to trash the motel room. He cried out in a guttural voice of bone chilling jealousy.

Blackwood pulled out a gun. He fired shot after shot until the creature finally fell backwards. This was the moment that Tom waited to wrestle the gun from Blackwood turning to aim it at the carnival owner.

"Come any closer," Tom gasped for breath. "And I'll kill you."

Suddenly, The Scarecrow Man reanimated back to life. He leapt from the floor and pounces on Tom. They went down in arms and legs. Tom trying to get the monster off him. The gun trapped underneath.

Leo grabbed a nearby lamp and smashed it across the back of the creature's head and floored him with it. Blackwood tried to reach for the gun, but Leo picked it up and fired. The man fell backwards beside his monster.

They quickly packed what they could into a couple of bags, that they had purchased earlier, making sure they had food and drink. Coke would do for that and some mini bar snacks. The only thing the Zeta brought was the radio. This was his lifeline home.

Tom led the way, as they navigated through the darkened streets. His heart pounded in his chest, but his focus remained sharp. They had no vehicle now—no easy way out—so they had to rely on their wits and endurance. The border was only a few miles away, but it might as well have been a hundred with the horrors lurking in the shadows behind them.

Leo followed closely, glancing back every few steps. The encounter in the motel had shaken him deeply, but he knew they couldn't afford to lose their nerve now.

Zeta, small and wide-eyed, moved between them, his gaze flicking from one shadow to the next. The alien’s pace was steady, his small frame surprisingly agile. He clutched that radio to his body like it was gold.

They hurried in silence, the only sounds being their labored breathing and the crunch of gravel underfoot. The moon hung high in the sky, casting long, eerie shadows across the ground.

Each step felt like a battle against exhaustion, but adrenaline kept them going. The motel was far behind them now, but the memory of the horrors they had faced there drove them forward.

Tom led them down an old, dusty road that wound its way through the landscape. It wasn't much of a path, but it kept them heading in the right direction.

As they moved deeper into the landscape, the road became less distinct, eventually fading into nothing more than a dry wash of sand and rocks. The air grew colder, biting at their skin, but they pressed on, driven by the knowledge that stopping wasn't an option.

They continued their trek, their shadows stretching out before them like Specters in the moonlight.

Every rustle of the wind, every distant sound, set their nerves on edge, but they didn't stop. They knew they had to keep moving. The border was their only chance at escaping the relentless hunt for them.

The closer they got to the border, the more palpable the tension became. Every noise seemed amplified in the quiet desert night. The wind rustling through the brush, the distant howl of a coyote, the crunch of gravel under their feet—all of it set their nerves on edge.

The trio reached the banks of the river just as the first light of dawn began to break over the horizon. The water was dark and sluggish, winding its way through the barren landscape like a murky serpent. Tom scanned the opposite bank, searching for any signs of movement, but the world around them was still and silent. They had no choice but to press on—this was their only way into Mexico.

Tom crouched down, allowing Zeta to climb onto his shoulders. The alien's small hands gripped Tom's head tightly, his eyes wide with fear and determination.

Leo stepped into the water first, the cold shock of it nearly taking his breath away. The current was stronger than it looked, but not enough to sweep them away. Tom followed, carefully balancing Zeta as he waded into the river.

The water quickly rose to their waists, then to Tom's chest as they moved deeper. The river's chill seeped into their bones, but they pushed forward, the opposite bank looming like a distant promise. Each step was a struggle against the current, but Tom's movements were steady and deliberate.

As they neared the middle of the river, the water surged around them, threatening to pull them under. Zeta tightened his grip, his breath coming in quick gasps.

"It's okay," Tom murmured, his voice calm despite the strain in his muscles. "We're almost there."

The opposite bank seemed to inch closer with every labored step. The current began to ease as they neared the shallows, and finally, with one last push, they stumbled onto the Mexican side.

Tom collapsed onto the muddy bank, Zeta still perched on his shoulders, while Leo slumped beside them, gasping for breath. They were drenched, shivering, and exhausted—but they had made it. The border was behind them, and Mexico stretched out before them like a new beginning.

The three of them lay there for a moment, catching their breath, the weight of their escape pressing down on them. But as the first rays of sunlight warmed their faces, hope flickered in their hearts. They had crossed the river, and with it, a threshold into a new chapter of their journey.

*End of chapter one.

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