The Last Scarecrow

7 | Stars and Demons

Twelve rowed for many hours beneath the faceless sky. A ghostly moon and a pale sun drifted overhead, hopelessly chasing one another.

The first hours had been the worst. Hundreds of bodies filled the deeper waters around Coldharbour Island, bobbing and turning like rotten apples. Not just human bodies but every species of land animal that you could mention.

The smell was something to behold.

Erin stared at each one, whispering words of good fortune and safe travels to the departed. Raven hid in his nest, croaking directions and gibbering on about the cursed, dead waters that surrounded them.

Small circles of land broke the water from time to time, like the fingertips of an ocean giant breaking for the surface. Bodies lay washed up on the shores of each, waltzing back and forth on the gentle tide.

Twelve rowed tirelessly, gazing up at the stars. "Where do they all come from?" she asked.

Erin looked up. "From the beginning of time," she replied sleepily. "I think."

"Do they have names?"

"I only really know constellations, groups of stars, like Andromeda or Orion."

Twelve nodded. "How long would it take us to row all the way there?"

Erin laughed, then, quietly. "More time than we have."

"Oh."

Twelve eased back in her armchair. "How far does the water go?" she said.

Erin sniffed. "I don't know. Not for sure anyway. The earth's surface was about seventy percent water before The Many Years Storm."

"Where did all the extra water come from?" Twelve said.

"The top and bottom of the world were filled with huge expanses of ice," Erin explained. "They were full of amazing creatures and beautiful landscapes. But they were melting. I guess they're all gone now."

"That's so sad," Twelve said. "I'd love to have seen that."

"Me too."

Evening approached. The skies darkened a fraction. The rhythm of the waves and the yawn of the oars sent Erin and Raven into dreams. Twelve rowed on. Eventually, the bleak hue of dawn bloomed across the grey horizon.

"Where are we?" Raven said, sitting up, his voice filled with agitation.

He gazed into the sky, turning in circles.

"We're— miles off course!"

Twelve sighed.

"I'm sorry. I got confused. There were so many stars."

"I told you to follow the North Star," the blackbird added, looking around.

He stretched his wings and took off at once. Circling high above the boat, rising on the thermal currents, Raven climbed until he was high enough to soar towards the pale sun.

"What's going on?" Erin said, opening her eyes, stretching her arms, rubbing the small of her back.

"I've gone and gotten us lost," Twelve said.

"It doesn't matter," Erin told her reassuringly. She twisted in her seat, staring across the blank grey water that stretched to infinity in every direction. "We'll find our way."

"They all looked the same," Twelve protested, jabbing a finger towards the stars. "They were all shining and fading, as though moving closer and slinking away. I picked one that seemed brighter than the others and rowed towards it. But after an hour or so I changed my mind, heading towards another star that seemed brighter than the rest."