𝔸𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕠𝕟 𝕎𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣

Scarecrow part 3

Alison huffed, slightly annoyed she had to stay in the car.

"It's not everyday I get a research question on pagan idolatry." The professor chuckled.

"Yeah, well, call it a hobby." Dean said.

"But you said you were interested in local lore? I'm afraid Indiana isn't really known for its pagan worship." The professor told dean.

"What if it was imported? You know, like the pilgrims brought their religion over. Wasn't a lot of this area settled by immigrants?" Dean asked. "Like that town near here, burkitsville— where are their ancestors from?"

"Northern Europe, I believe. Scandinavia." The man answered.

"What could you tell me about those pagan gods?" Dean asked him.

"Well, there are hundreds of Norse gods and goddesses."

"I'm actually looking for one— might live in an orchard." Dean said.

The professor led dean into his office and got out a lore book. He set it on the table and Dean flipped through it.

"A woods god. Well, let's see." The professor put his glasses on then flipped a few pages.

"Wait, wait, wait. What's that one?" Dean stopped him on a page with a picture it e of a scarecrow.

"That's not a woods god, per se." the man said.

"The Vanir?" Dean looked to the guy for confirmation of saying correctly. "Vanir were Norse gods of protection and prosperity, keeping the local settlements safe from harm. Villages built effigies of the Vanir in their fields. Other villages practiced human sacrifice, one man and one female. It kind of looks like a scarecrow, huh?" He looked up at the man.

"Well, I suppose." He said.

"This particular Vanir, it's energy sprung from a sacred tree?" Dean read questioningly.

"Well, pagan believed all sorts of things were infused with magic." The professor said.

"So, what would happen if the sacred tree was torched?" Dean asked. "Do you think it would kill the god?"

The professor chuckled.

"Son, these are just legend we're discussing here." He said.

"Oh, of course. Yeah, you're right. Listen, thank you very much." Dean held his hand out to him.

"Glad I could help." The man shook it with his own.

"All right." Dean started walking back towards the door.

He looked back at the professor as he opened the door and was immediately hit in the face, hard enough to knock him out.

Alison sighed as she unbuckled herself and got down in the floor to her book bag to get her teddy bear, she looked around for dean, but she didn't see him anywhere.

Then her door opened.

"What took you so long?" Alison asked as she turned around but her eyes widened when she saw it wasn't dean.

~~~

Dean looked up as the door opened, the townspeople were putting Emily in there with him.

"Aunt Stacy...uncle Harley, please." She begged.

Harley brought her down into the room, then went back up the stairs.

"Why are you doing this?" Emily asked them.

"For the common good." Stacy answered then closed the doors.