The Harvest

Chapter One

Willowbrook, a small village where most of the year nothing happens until later September when the harvest begins, once all crops and been picked and looked after the farmers bring their produce to town to kick off the Harvest Festival where people from all around come to buy locally grown produce followed by a three day long celebration where laughter and music fills the streets, activities such as apple bobbing are done in the village centre. For most this is their favourite time of year whereas others tend to avoid as much as they can.

Surrounding the village is a large forest where local teens go to smoke and drink, one particular group of friends having grown tired of the upcoming festival decided to head to the woods for an evening's break. Once they had set up their seats which happened to just be logs of fallen trees the fun began. Hours passed as they all chatted away, drinking beers and listening to music. After a while the sun began to set so they walked towards a clearing not far from where they sat to watch over the horizon and look down into Willowbrook at the street lights starting to turn on.

'Anyone fancy a j?' Asked one of the boys, reaching into his pocket to pull out a metal tin in which he had pre-rolled for the antics of the evening. Everyone said yes, some putting on how excited they were much to the annoyance of the group. 'Do you guys ever think about what it'd be like to...just ya know be a plant? Would never have had to go to school or college, jobless and chilling. Feeding off of the sun and just being one with nature.' Piped up the boy with the metal tin, laying on his stomach and running his hands through the grass occasionally blowing his mop of curly brown hair out of his face. 'No, no I think it's safe to say most of us here haven't thought about that, if we could photosynthesise hell yeah I'd like that means I don't have to eat as often. May I remind you you're part way there already, you've got the weed, always chilling and you too are jobless. Which reminds me, don't you have a job centre appointment tomorrow?' One of the others uttered with a snarky tone which causes a chuckle from the others sat around. 'Alright yeah, yeah very funny dickhead. You can all laugh and take the piss but none of you say no when offered so I guess I'll stop offering any.' The whole group groaned and started paying compliments sarcastically causing a chorus of laughter from everyone. Several minutes pass and the group disperse, most heading off home leaving only four Alex bringing out a wooden box and started rolling more, Killian fiddling about with the speaker and getting more to drink while the other two - James and Christine - were sat on a log, running hands along each other and kissing. 'Oh look here, Alex, we've got front row seats to the show!' Killian said, gesturing wildly towards James and Christine. 'Aww, how lovely,' Alex muttered in a high pitched voice. 'Jamtine are treating us oh you little love birds so lovey dovey, go right ahead pretend we're not here.' Alex had to muffle his laughter as he spoke.

'Oh shut up with Jantine you absolute twat, we're not in college giving out these stupid couple names anymore.' Christine snarled, picking up a small twig and playfully throwing it at Alex and Killian. 'Alright, alright, we'll stop teasing you if you both stop the show and rubbing it in our faces that we're alone.' Both boys said, exchanging a deviant look. 'Now, who wants to tell scary stories? We need to set up the fire anyway, why not lean into the whole schtick of a group in the woods telling scary stories eh?' Alex asked, trying to convince everyone. James, Christine and Killian all shared a look and in unison said yes. 'Alright then, well usually it's either myself or Killian who start off so one of you should go this time.' Alex mumbled while trying to light a cigarette. 'Well I don't know any good ones so it should be James!' Christine exclaimed, nudging her head against James and giving him puppy dog eyes, the flickering of the campfire making her blue eyes quite eerie to look at. 'James if you don't start so I can stop getting creeped out by that look I swear I will throw this bottle at you' Killian teased, tossing an empty beer bottle in his hands and catching it, pretending to throw it at times. Everyone went quiet, and with one final sip of his drink and clearing his throat James begun to tell his tale.

'This story takes place here in Willowbrook, legend has it during the Harvest Festival every 100 years a malevolent force comes to town known as The Reaper. During the celebration a figure shrouded in black can be spotted weaving in and out of the crowds and trees along the edge of town. When someone would try going to speak to him he would vanish into thin air. As the first day of the festival came to an end people became unnerved, it's said everywhere goes cold and feels like death itself when he is near. That night the residents of the village made sure all doors were locked and windows closed though nothing could save them.

The next morning screams rung out from the village centre, hung up on a maypole, surrounded by the stalls of food and games hung the daughter of the village mayor Gwendolyn Wise, strung up by what seemed to be a thick rope but rather her intestines, suddenly a gust of wind uncovered the gazebo below revealing 3 more bodies, one of a child and two of grown men. From that day they cancelled what is normally a joyous time here, though this wasn't the end for centuries passed and people would shriek at the sight of black.

1923, Harvest Festival begins and once again something in the air feels off. Stood front and centre was The Reaper, no more hiding he could be seen more clearly now in the light of day. Donning a black cloak covering his entire body, he wore a tattered scarecrow mask, some tears where you could see nothing but a void and in his hand a scythe with a handle that resembles a tree branch. All started screaming, for days people would not leave their homes and at night all would avoid windows for if he caught you staring at him in the dark, no locked doors or windows can save you. Then he just vanished, now a century later he may come back. Who knows where he goes during this time or what he does but for all we know, he could be watching over the village right now,' James went on, slowly moving his hand behind Christine catching the eyes of Alex and Killian who had to hide any laughter. 'Perhaps he's watching over us right now!' He exclaimed, gripping Christine by the shoulder causing her to scream out loud. 'Don't do that! You know how nervous I get,' Christine looked up, her eyes starting to water. 'Oh babe, I'm sorry it was just a laugh come here.' James wrapped his arms around her giving a big hug. Several more hours pass and finally they all decide to pack up and head home. On the walk back to the village Christine kept looking around at all noises she could pick up on. The three boys gathered around her as they walked so she had someone to her back and all sides, eventually they came to a fork in the road where James and Christine said goodbye and headed home.

'Hey do you want to come back to mine for the night? I've got things to make a Thai if you'd like?' Alex asked, coughing slightly as he does so. Killian turned to him and just before speaking a woman ran past and a cold feeling spread over the two of them, one of dread. 'You know what yeah, I'll give you a lift to your appointment tomorrow also. God knows the buses her are unreliable.' Killian and Alex made their way back to settle down for the evening, cooking, playing games together and drinking.

'I'm just going on my run. I'll be back soon, mum!' A young woman called out into her house as she finished putting on her trainers. 'Alright, don't forget to take your hi-vis so you can be spotted. Have a good run, I love you.' A voice said further within the house. 'I love you too.' With that the young woman closed the door and began her loop around the nearby streets. Hearing some voices she gets scared before noticing the two boys walking towards the opposite direction and giving a little wave. As she rounds the corner the young woman feels like she's being watched so stops to take her earphones out and look around her. Seeing nothing but houses, cats and foxes she continues. As a shadow runs by her on the road she trips and scares herself. 'It's just a plastic bag, calm down Jess,' she thought to herself. Jess stopped to catch her breath quickly before feeling like a hot iron poker had been pushed into her, suddenly a metal clang makes her town around, as she does so she feels a liquid on her hands looking at them she sees her blood and stood in front of her was a man donning a cloak and tattered scarecrow mask, the metal sound revealed to be a scythe on the floor splatters of blood on the blade before she could scream everything went black for the last thing young Jess saw is not her family, not her friends, all she saw was evil. The evil of The Reaper.