The Last Scarecrow

37 | Reunion

Erin circled the courtyard, searching for Number Twelve. She found the scarecrow lying next the farmhouse. Dropping to her knees, Erin wrapped her arms around Twelve's torso, her tears mixing with the burnt crust on the pirate's jacket.

Twelve lifted her head. "Did we win?" she asked, her voice strained.

"Yes, Twelve," she said, wiping her eyes. "Eight is gone. Her golems too. The Redkites and the wickermen."

"Jack and Tomas?"

Erin looked around the courtyard but there was no sign of them. "I have so many questions for you," she started, then seeing Twelve's face added, "What is it?"

"I feel— strange," the scarecrow replied. "Even though Number Eight was riddled with the darkest, most evil spirits the world had ever known, she was still her sister. There were only a dozen of us to start with. Now, only eleven remain."

Erin's bottom lip begun to tremble.

"What's the matter?" Twelve asked.

"Number Five," Erin managed. "Her sacrifice won us this war. She had so many spirits inside her. Spirits that gave life to the wickermen and the Redkites. She used them all up to save us all."

Whatever strength Twelve had, suddenly faded.

She sunk against the hard cobbles and stared up at the sky. Towards the horizon, the North Star shone brilliantly accompanied by a billion others, smiling down on them.

"I have nine others," Twelve said.

"What?" Erin asked, her cheeks wet with tears, her fingers coiled into the scarecrow's ruined jacket.

"Sisters," Twelve replied. "I have nine more. We should go and find them. They may need our help."

Erin shook her head.

"You cannot go anywhere, not like this."

Levering her head up, Twelve stared at her missing legs.

"Oh dear," she said. "You can give me new ones, right?"

Erin swallowed hard. "I can't. At least, I don't think so," she whispered. "Remember what happened when I tried to give you a new head?"

Twelve nodded.

"Your original legs are— all over the place. I don't think I'll ever be able to put you back together."

Erin turned away, her shoulders juddering as the tears came harder.

"That's okay," said Twelve, her voice becoming slow. "You're the smartest person I've ever known. You'll work something out."

The scarecrow smiled, but only for a second.

Behind Erin, two shadows approached through the fire and the flames.

The first was Marshall, his skin red and sore.

The other crept behind him, one arm around the boy's waist, the other holding a pistol. Tilting her cowboy hat back, Loren sneered. "Don't move. Not even an inch."

"Leave him alone," Erin said, spinning on her knees. "The war is over, and you've lost."

Loren laughed. "Perhaps, but that doesn't mean that I don't get what I want."

"You still think you can have a human body?"

"I know I can!"

"That's madness," Twelve said, lifting herself onto her elbow. "Leave the boy alone and we'll let you go."