No sleep for the wicked

chapter 11- Wounded

Back to Ashleigh’s POV

I was left in a room alone; I could still feel blood trickling down the back of my head. It silent except for the ticking from a small clock which sat above the leather chair which I had seen Jonathan only sit in a few times, or was it the scarecrow. I sighed and pulled the shirt over my head, the a beating began as if there was a loud drum besides my head, I tucked my head between my knees hoping it would stop but it didn’t, the beating got louder and more and more aggressive. I slid off the wire frame bed and stumbled over to the cabinet which held Jonathan’s pain medication. I grabbed the bottle with shaking hands as my heart beat got faster and stronger, finally I unscrewed the lid only to see the pills scatter across the floor, tear were streaming out of my eyes due to the intense pain. Suddenly the door burst open; I heard it bang against the concrete walls which surrounding me, and this just caused a more excruciating pain, I cried out which caused Jonathan to run to the bathroom. He pulled my up from the floor and carried my back to the bed. His face was cold, and very unemotional. Yet his eyes were filled with a hatred which I though was meant for me.

I walked into the bathroom and picked up several of the pill and placed them back into the orange pill bottle. I looked up at him with sore eyes as my head still throbbed harshly, he just looked down at me distantly, “Jonathan is that you?” I sinister grin curled onto the lips of the man who stood in front of me, “sorry Ashleigh, Jonathan isn’t coming back.” I stopped looming over the side of the bed and threw himself into his brown leather chair. I sat up even though it may my head hurt even more, “what do you mean Jonathan isn’t coming back?” the scarecrow chuckled in his leather chai as he stared out of the window besides him. “I haven’t been, Jonathan crane for twenty years now.” He sighed and chuckled again.

I didn’t understand how could he not be Jonathan Crane, “so who was the man, who took care of me while I have been here? I know he wasn’t you.” The scarecrow violently snapped his head away from the window and just sat there staring at me, he looked outraged, “who else could it of been Ashleigh? I haven’t been Jonathan Crane for twenty years; I changed for what seemed to be the worst, until I met you for the first time and I changed again for the better.” I began to walk over to where I was sitting up on the bed, he swung his leg over and sat behind me, he then grabbed my hair and gave it a gentle yank, so I would give him my attention, “I am no longer just a man who thrives on fear Ashleigh, ever since I met you I thrived for your good nature and kindness towards me. All because the rest of world never gave me niceties like that.” He gently started to stroke my hair. I didn’t utter a word as he spoke to me; I was too afraid that he would snap. But suddenly he stared down at me as if he wanted me to ask him something, so I did.

“What happened twenty years ago?”

Twenty Years Ago- From Jonathan’s POV

It was raining, and once again the school day had finished with another violent episode of bullying. I sighed heavily as the boys had kicked and punched me around the torso, winding me and badly bruising me. I looked up from the black ground to see everything around me had a grey tint, and everyone walking had gloomy faces no matter how much they tried to smile. I sighed once again and walked a little faster, but it wasn’t because of the rain, it was because of the approaching voices from the school bullies. My walking picked up pace and turned into a fast jog but not a full run. I started to hear more approaching footsteps, I started to run as the bullies got closer, I looked ahead of the rain to see the abandoned farm house and the over grown field which surrounded it.

 As I got closer I began to get the feeling that this maybe the last time I see the town I grew up in. I ran faster into the field and didn’t look back.  The field acted as a maze one which would soon engulf me and the boys just never ceased to make my life hell. I ran so fast I started to feel a pain emanate from my chest; my breaking came thick and fast. My body wanted to give up and scream help, but they would just find me faster, I tried to look behind me but there was no one there. I then looked forward only to see myself come face to face with a scarecrow; a hessian hood was painted with a pained expression and it gave out a fear filled demeanour. I grabbed the head of the scarecrow and pulled off the hessian hood, I placed it over my own face. It was time to disappear from the sight of those how wanted to kill me.

 I hid behind the tall dead crop. I looked up at the headless scarecrow as footsteps came closer to the place I was hiding, I slowed my breathing but I knew this place wouldn’t keep he hidden for long. Soon the only bully which dared to enter this forsaken place started to use brute strength to find me, as he started to tear up the dead crops surrounding the scarecrow. I was frozen in place, but not in fear, but defiance. I stood my ground as he came to where I was standing. He smiled evilly as he grabbed the collar of my shirt and yanked to make me fall from my dead stronghold. I landed in the wet mud with was once under my feet. The hate in the boy’s eyes told me he was going to kill me, I raised his booted foot, and slammed it down on my face and with that a sickening crack rang out. But pain was of no use to me. It was kill or be killed. I swung my clenched fist round to hit the boy in the back of the knee causing him to stubble off my head. He growled aggressively and lunged for me as I slid across the muddy ground towards my hessian friend, I pulled him of this metal poll which was loosely planted in the ground, and he was now blinded by rage just where I wanted him.

I held the metal poll like a bat and swung for him; I closed my eyes and swung forwards. I felt him hit the metal poll with a deadly impact; I heard the sickening crack of his ribs breaking under the impact. I grinned sinisterly down at the crumpled yet still breathing mass at my feet. I felt the hessian mask which I wore becoming damper off the heavy rain. I looked down at the pitiful mass and chuckled darkly, I raised the poll to strike him again, but then he uttered, “You’re a monster.” And he was right I was a monster, but they were my creators. “You’re right I am a monster, but it’s all because of you and your friends.” I raised the poll higher and slammed it down onto his skull. I did this again until I could see red in the rain.

As soon as I made sure he was well and truly dead, and pulled off the hessian mask and placed it over what remained of this face, I grabbed the poll I used to kill him and replanted it into the ground. I grabbed my hessian friend and began to dress the boy I had just killed with the hessian’s clothing, I lifted his limp body onto the poll and bound him there. People may look for him in places which seem impossible, yet he will be in clear view for everyone to see. Dressed as a hessian and scaring away all who see him. That Is why I am the Scarecrow.

Back to Ashleigh’s POV

He was a monster; he killed a boy the same age as him, and put him up for show, and now he was sitting behind me stroking my hair as if I would understand why he became the Scarecrow, and thinking I would be able to give him comfort. But I couldn’t he may have saved my three times, but taking one life can never be forgiven by saving another. I jolted off the bed and ran towards the door, I held out my hand so I could grasp the brass handle as fast as possible. I grabbed and twisted the handle and rammed my shoulder against the door only to be met by a locked door. I turned round to see the scarecrow walking towards me with. His dark eyes shone with rejection as I pushed against the door as hard as possible. I was trapped in a room with the Scarecrow.