WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>Golden hues from the setting sun bathed the fields. The

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<v Speaker 1>harvested crops left behind remnants, the leftovers of a bountiful season.

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<v Speaker 1>Who was our family tradition to take those remnants and

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<v Speaker 1>craft a scarecrow a symbol of protection and gratitude. This

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<v Speaker 1>one's still good for the scarecrow mom.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, dear, that one's too worn for anyone to wear.

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<v Speaker 1>Now, Hey, that's my shirt.

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<v Speaker 2>Why do you think I let you keep it so long? Dear?

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<v Speaker 1>I think we outdid ourselves this year. This one feels

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<v Speaker 1>more lifelike.

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<v Speaker 3>More than just lifelike. It's like it has energy. Can

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<v Speaker 3>you feel it?

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<v Speaker 1>You're more than straw, aren't you? Big guy? We finished up,

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<v Speaker 1>standing back to admire our handiwork. The scarecrows stood tall

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<v Speaker 1>overlooking the fields, its fabric face serene amidst the autumn wind.

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<v Speaker 1>Moonlight streamed through the gaps and the curtains, casting an

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<v Speaker 1>ethereal glow in the room. The distant sounds of nature

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<v Speaker 1>hummed their nightly lullaby. But something felt off. I sat up,

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<v Speaker 1>drawn to the window by something I couldn't explain. Peering out,

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<v Speaker 1>I saw the silhouette of our new scarecrow. The wind

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<v Speaker 1>played tricks, rustling the Scarecrow's clothing, and a dance that

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<v Speaker 1>seemed all too deliberate. It's just the wind, chill out.

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<v Speaker 1>The rustling of the fields grew louder, and I could

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<v Speaker 1>swear I heard whispers, but my logical side said it

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<v Speaker 1>was only my imagination. First night nerves happens every year.

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<v Speaker 1>The winds grew stronger, carrying a tuneless hum, and as

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<v Speaker 1>I strained to listen, the whispers became clearer. Give hurry.

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<v Speaker 1>I slammed the window shut and drew the curtains, diving

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<v Speaker 1>back under my blanket. Bright sunlight streamed through the kitchen windows.

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<v Speaker 1>The smell of bacon and eggs wafted through the air,

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<v Speaker 1>and the familiar clinking of dishes greeted me as I

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<v Speaker 1>entered the scarecrow, and last night's whispering fears felt like

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<v Speaker 1>a dream, distant and almost laughable in the light of

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<v Speaker 1>day morning.

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<v Speaker 2>Sleepyhead, took you a while to come down.

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<v Speaker 1>Ooh, didn't sleep well? Had this weird feeling.

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<v Speaker 2>Scarecrow jitters is all It'll pass.

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<v Speaker 1>Emily clenched her jaw as she gave me a knowing glance.

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<v Speaker 1>Every year, one of us gets the ebgbi's it's a

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<v Speaker 1>ride of passage.

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<v Speaker 3>It's just your mind playing tricks, sweetie.

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<v Speaker 1>My plate was loaded with breakfast, but my appetite had waned.

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<v Speaker 1>The vividness of last night's events seemed silly now, but

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<v Speaker 1>a part of me still on that eerie feeling. Do

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<v Speaker 1>you think it looks different from yesterday? Different? Son, it's

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<v Speaker 1>just straw and clothes. We laughed it off, but the

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<v Speaker 1>unees lingered. As I headed out to stark my chores,

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<v Speaker 1>I couldn't help but glance at the scarecrow one more time.

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<v Speaker 1>I guess I'll have to keep an eye on you,

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<v Speaker 1>won't I. The sun was high as Emily and I

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<v Speaker 1>were doing our usual rounds checking on the livestock.

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<v Speaker 3>Hey, Jake, have you noticed some of the chickens missing?

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<v Speaker 1>Now that you mention it, I haven't seen missus Pott's brood.

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<v Speaker 2>I counted them this morning or short by three.

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<v Speaker 1>Could be foxes. They've been a problem before.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, but I saw the scarecrow earlier, when the sun

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<v Speaker 3>was just coming up.

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<v Speaker 2>It looked I don't know.

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<v Speaker 1>I felt a chill run down my spine. The memory

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<v Speaker 1>if the Scarecrow's altered stance from the morning flashed in

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<v Speaker 1>my mind. Looked what I don't.

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<v Speaker 2>Know, It looked more filled out today.

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<v Speaker 1>We both stared at the scarecrow from a distance, a

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<v Speaker 1>sense of dread building. It was hard to shake off

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<v Speaker 1>the feeling that there was something malevolent about it. We

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<v Speaker 1>should tell Dad let's finish.

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<v Speaker 2>Up here first, and Jake, let's stick together.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, I nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude for my

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<v Speaker 1>sister's company. The sun began to dip below the horizon,

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<v Speaker 1>casting the farm in a warm golden hue. Emily and

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<v Speaker 1>I approached Dad about our concerns. We found him on

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<v Speaker 1>the porch fixing a broken step. Tools spread around him. Dad,

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<v Speaker 1>we need to talk. What's going on.

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<v Speaker 2>It's about the scarecrow. We think we think it's taking

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<v Speaker 2>the animals.

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<v Speaker 1>Again with the scarecrow. Did you two have some bad milk? No, Dad,

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<v Speaker 1>We're serious. Chickens have gone missing, and the scarecrow looks different, bigger, bulkier.

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<v Speaker 1>I've seen plenty of scarecrows in my time. They weather,

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<v Speaker 1>they sag, sometimes they puff up when it rains.

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<v Speaker 2>But it hasn't rained, Dad, And what about the animals?

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<v Speaker 1>The chickens look get your mother we'll go out there

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<v Speaker 1>now and figure it out together. The darkness was pierced

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<v Speaker 1>only by the beam of our flashlights. Emily, Mom, Dad

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<v Speaker 1>and I ventured out together toward the scarecrow.

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<v Speaker 2>Look over, there are those feathers.

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<v Speaker 1>Following the trail of scattered feathers led us to one

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<v Speaker 1>of our missing chickens, or at least parts of it.

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<v Speaker 1>Damned foxes, foxes, are you sure.

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<v Speaker 2>We need to go back? This isn't right. Wait, we

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<v Speaker 2>need to check the scarecrow.

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<v Speaker 1>Approaching the scarecrow, the air grew colder. The thing that

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<v Speaker 1>once stood as a protector of our crops now felt hostile.

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<v Speaker 1>As our flash light beams hit it, there was an

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<v Speaker 1>audible gasp. The scarecrow was no longer just straw clothes.

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<v Speaker 1>It had taken on a grotesque, fleshy form. Feathers peeked

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<v Speaker 1>out from its body, and what looked like a chicken's

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<v Speaker 1>foot dangled from its arm. It's absorbing them. We need

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<v Speaker 1>to get rid of it. Burn it now. The grim

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<v Speaker 1>realization hung in the air. Our creation was turning into

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<v Speaker 1>something evil. We needed to act fast. Our farm had

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<v Speaker 1>turned into a battlefield, and we were preparing for our confrontation.

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<v Speaker 1>We'd never imagined. We stood in a circle around the scarecrow.

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<v Speaker 1>It's silhouette even more distorted in the silvery glow.

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<v Speaker 3>I never thought i'd see the day when I'd point

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<v Speaker 3>this out a scarecrow.

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<v Speaker 1>Neither did I. He began pouring gasoline over the scarecrow,

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<v Speaker 1>his hands steady despite the tension. Suddenly, an unholy screech

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<v Speaker 1>echoed through the night. The skin sarecrow began thrashing violently,

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<v Speaker 1>its limbs flailing, feathers and straw flying in every direction.

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<v Speaker 1>The transformation was almost complete. Its eyes, once vacant, were

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<v Speaker 1>now full, glowing with malevolent intent. Studdy. Without hesitation, Dad

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<v Speaker 1>brew a lit match onto the scarecrow. Flames instantly consumed it,

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<v Speaker 1>illuminating the field with a fiery glow. The Scarecrow's movements

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<v Speaker 1>became more desperate, its screeches louder. We retreated a few steps,

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<v Speaker 1>watching as the creature was consumed. Then, as suddenly as

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<v Speaker 1>it started, the thrashing stopped. The scarecrow, now a fiery effigy,

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<v Speaker 1>collapsed in on itself, turning to ash.

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<v Speaker 2>Is it over?

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<v Speaker 1>I hope so it's done. As the fire continued to burn,

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<v Speaker 1>we stood close, watching for any sign of unnatural movement.

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<v Speaker 1>Next year, maybe we should just go with a plastic owl.

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<v Speaker 1>Is someone there?

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<v Speaker 2>Hello, who are you talking to?

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<v Speaker 1>Oh it's nothing, Probably just a raccoon.

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<v Speaker 2>I didn't know they could talk.

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<v Speaker 1>I wasn't trying to talk to them.

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<v Speaker 2>I just you got scared. Yeah, well don't worry. I'm here.

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<v Speaker 3>If anybody tries to hurt you, I'll cast a spell

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<v Speaker 3>on them.

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks. I feel so safe.

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<v Speaker 2>You're welcome. So do you so want to get out

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<v Speaker 2>of here?

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah? This party is so lame?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, where do you want to go?

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<v Speaker 1>Anywhere? Let's go for a walk.

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<v Speaker 2>I guess as long as we're going there together.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, I only came to this party because I

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<v Speaker 1>knew you would be here.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I knew that You're the only reason I'm here too.

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<v Speaker 1>Really, Yeah, well then let's get out of here.

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<v Speaker 3>It's about time. So what made you decide to dress

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<v Speaker 3>up as Jason?

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<v Speaker 1>Eh? I don't know. I guess I wanted to lure

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<v Speaker 1>an unsuspecting victim away from the crowd and hacker up

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<v Speaker 1>into pieces.

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<v Speaker 2>Hey stop it don't say that.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm sorry. I was just kidding. I hate this dumb costume. Anyway,

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<v Speaker 1>Masks are dumb.

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<v Speaker 2>No, I like your costume.

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<v Speaker 1>If it's you, the get up of a psycho killer

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<v Speaker 1>fits me. Gee.

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<v Speaker 3>Thanks, I didn't mean it like that, you know. Just

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<v Speaker 3>you look good with a knife in your hand.

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<v Speaker 1>Whoa, whoa, whoa? What kind of stuff are you into?

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<v Speaker 2>Never mind, pretend I didn't say that.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm pretty good at pretending. I can pretend to be

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<v Speaker 1>anything you want.

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<v Speaker 2>Shut up, you're bad.

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<v Speaker 1>What. No, I'm not. This is just plastic. It's not real.

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<v Speaker 2>Of course, I know it's not real. I'm not stupid.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, I know you're not stupid. I was just saying

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<v Speaker 1>that I'm not. Actually, it's okay.

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<v Speaker 2>I just don't want to walk around with you like

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<v Speaker 2>an old person. You see that bench over there?

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, what about it?

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<v Speaker 2>Doesn't it look comfortable?

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<v Speaker 1>It would be if you were sitting on it with

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<v Speaker 1>me exactly.

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<v Speaker 2>Let's go. So, are you gonna hack me up into pieces?

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<v Speaker 1>Now? What you mean with this old thing? Not a ants?

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<v Speaker 2>Don't litter you bad boy?

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I don't care. I'll pick it up later later.

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<v Speaker 2>What do you mean later after I'm.

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<v Speaker 1>Done with you? Oh?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah?

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah? What was that? It's probably nothing, just a raccoon.

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<v Speaker 3>Probably nothing, or maybe it is something like a creep

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<v Speaker 3>watching us.

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<v Speaker 1>A creep? What are they gonna see anyway? Two people kissing.

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<v Speaker 1>That's some saucy stuff right there. Shut up.

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<v Speaker 2>Will you just go check for me, please.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm telling you it's nothing. It's just a raccoon or

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<v Speaker 1>a possum, Like.

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<v Speaker 3>That thing you saw out by the house was just

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<v Speaker 3>a raccoon and didn't scare you at all.

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<v Speaker 2>Come on, just go check.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh, come on, I'm telling you it's just a dumb

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<v Speaker 1>rat or something.

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<v Speaker 4>Just a rat.

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<v Speaker 1>Huh, Okay, fine, I'll go check it out.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, scram get out of here. I'm trying to have

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<v Speaker 1>a nice time with my lady here, and I don't

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<v Speaker 1>like all y'all scuttling and fussing around in the bushes

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<v Speaker 1>trying to get a peek. So go on, now get see.

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<v Speaker 1>I told you it was just some dumb animal, nothing

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<v Speaker 1>to worry about. Now, where were we? Huh? Lisa, where'd

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<v Speaker 1>you go? Lisa? Where are you? Lisa? What's going on?

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<v Speaker 1>Who's there? Lisa? I'm coming.

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<v Speaker 4>Help me?

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<v Speaker 1>Hey? Go mmm? How about no? You're sick of what's

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<v Speaker 1>wrong with you? What's wrong with me? I'm not a

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<v Speaker 1>Jason without a machete. Shut up? Why are you doing this?

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<v Speaker 1>Why am I doing this? Why aren't you stopping me?

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<v Speaker 1>Oh that's right, because if you take one more step,

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<v Speaker 1>I'll cut open her throat right in front of you.

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<v Speaker 1>Don't you dare like anything you do will make a

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<v Speaker 1>difference in the end. Don't you realize how screwed you are?

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<v Speaker 1>What are you talking about? Sh who's there? What's going on?

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<v Speaker 1>Show yourselves? You two were such the perfect couple, an

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<v Speaker 1>evil witch and a psycho killer. Such a shame you

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<v Speaker 1>were just a couple of fakes. Otherwise a bunch of

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<v Speaker 1>creeps like us would be easy to all right, if

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<v Speaker 1>only you had your magic want in your plastic machete.

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<v Speaker 1>You should know better than to go wandering where you

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<v Speaker 1>don't belong. Stop.

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<v Speaker 5>I'm sorry, relief, I'll give you anything you want. Just

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<v Speaker 5>let us go, you moron. Can't you tell what we want?

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<v Speaker 1>Is you?

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<v Speaker 4>The days in Sarah's got shorter, and the air got

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<v Speaker 4>crisper as fall around the ones fun in welcoming streets

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<v Speaker 4>now had a gloomy.

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<v Speaker 1>Field in them.

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<v Speaker 4>As the gloomy clouds hung over the air. My brain

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<v Speaker 4>always seemed to fall when it was least expected. It

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<v Speaker 4>became increasingly uneasy during these days and realized I was

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<v Speaker 4>caught up in a horror story I had invented. My

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<v Speaker 4>name is Say, and my family and I used to

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<v Speaker 4>live outside of Sarah's, a charming house. The area seemed calm,

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<v Speaker 4>where the strange things started to happen. A man who

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<v Speaker 4>got into the background was the beginning but on I

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<v Speaker 4>first dismissed him as a chance bystander when he first

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<v Speaker 4>crossed her stream. But the next few days I started

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<v Speaker 4>to watch him more and more as he stood in

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<v Speaker 4>the street looking at her house. He was a tall,

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<v Speaker 4>strange figure with a face that seemed etched with despair.

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<v Speaker 4>His eyes, hoween, were the most alarming thing.

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<v Speaker 1>They were cold.

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<v Speaker 4>And lifeless, and they never stopped keeping an eye on

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<v Speaker 4>my house. During the rainy days of autumn, his presence

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<v Speaker 4>grew more menacing. He would stay there in the rain,

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<v Speaker 4>standing motionless in a movie. My family and I continue

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<v Speaker 4>to notice him as well, and a sense of unease

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<v Speaker 4>swept through our home. Nie as the rain beat against

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<v Speaker 4>the window panes, I made the choice to talk to

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<v Speaker 4>the stranger. I went over to him after stepping outside

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<v Speaker 4>from the street. He didn't even look at me. Or

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<v Speaker 4>make any move. My voice trumble. I said, Hey, what's

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<v Speaker 4>up with you standing around.

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<v Speaker 1>Here all the time.

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<v Speaker 4>He's slowly turning a face, his eyes obsidian in the

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<v Speaker 4>gloomy silence, he spoke in a whisper that made my

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<v Speaker 4>skin crawl me. I was completely terrified by what he said. Oh,

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<v Speaker 4>I watch your household.

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<v Speaker 1>I hurried back inside, terrified and drenched.

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<v Speaker 4>But I didn't tell my father what I'd seen, or

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<v Speaker 4>what he meant by watching my family, or why us.

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<v Speaker 4>I wasn't sure if he believed me, and I didn't

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<v Speaker 4>want to overwhelm them with my fear. The man was

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<v Speaker 4>still there the next day, as if he had never left.

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<v Speaker 4>He stood with his face turned up for letting the

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<v Speaker 4>rains soak into the bones that had started.

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<v Speaker 1>To pour harder.

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<v Speaker 4>My limit had been raged, had decided to get law

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<v Speaker 4>enforcement involved.

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<v Speaker 1>When the police.

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<v Speaker 4>Arrived, they tried to speak to the man, but he

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<v Speaker 4>was still unresponsive. He was questioned, but his only response

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<v Speaker 4>was the menacing phrase, I watch your family. The officers

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<v Speaker 4>advise us to keep an eye on him and report

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<v Speaker 4>any suspicious activity. After they conclude that they had not

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<v Speaker 4>found any evidence of a crime. Weeks passed into days,

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<v Speaker 4>as the man maintained his eerie vigil, we felt like

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<v Speaker 4>prisoners in our own home because we were constantly aware

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<v Speaker 4>of his presence outside. No amount of security cameras or

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<v Speaker 4>reinforced doors could erase the sense of dread that had

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<v Speaker 4>crept into our hearts. One particularly gloomy night, as I

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<v Speaker 4>glanced out the window, I caught sight of something that

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<v Speaker 4>gave me the chills. The person who had been blocking

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<v Speaker 4>the road had left instead. He was standing in front

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<v Speaker 4>of her yard, inches from the glass, staring at me

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<v Speaker 4>with his obsidian eyes. I yelled and ran to grab

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<v Speaker 4>my phone and call my father. Had dialed my father's number,

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<v Speaker 4>my voice trembling as I recounted the Chile encounter.

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<v Speaker 1>After a few rings, he picked up Dad.

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<v Speaker 4>He won't believe what's happening, I said, my words rushed

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<v Speaker 4>and shaking. Say what's wrong, my father replied, concern evident

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<v Speaker 4>in his voice. Someone is watching our house and our family.

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<v Speaker 4>He's on the street every day, watching us, and carefully

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<v Speaker 4>he was trying to understand what was going on. We

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<v Speaker 4>need to call the police again, and this time will

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<v Speaker 4>request a restraining order if necessary.

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<v Speaker 1>Your safety comes first, he finally said.

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<v Speaker 4>I called the police again and locked myself.

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<v Speaker 1>In a room with feet.

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<v Speaker 4>They arrived quickly, and this time they were more serious.

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<v Speaker 4>During his capture, the man made no attempt to resist

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<v Speaker 4>as they led him away, his eerie gaze didn't stop

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<v Speaker 4>frightening me. The police later informed us that the man

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<v Speaker 4>had recently been released from a psychiatric facility and had

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<v Speaker 4>a history of mental illness. Because he thought we held

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<v Speaker 4>the key to some elucid truth, he became fixated on

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<v Speaker 4>our family. He hadn't done anything wrong, despite his eerie

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<v Speaker 4>presence and disturbing words. We were relieved by the experience,

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<v Speaker 4>but there were still wounds that would never completely close.

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<v Speaker 4>Sarah's would once more be tranguled, but I knew that

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<v Speaker 4>my family's nightmares would always be plagued by the memories

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<v Speaker 4>of that traumatic fault. A man who had been lurking

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<v Speaker 4>in the shadows and watching his while it rain was

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<v Speaker 4>no longer there. Although the man's physical presence may have

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<v Speaker 4>been erased by the rain, his menacing gaze would live

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<v Speaker 4>on in her memories.