TW: This story contains body horror, depictions of death and disturbing imagery. Reader discretion is advised.

The Orphanage

Chapter One: The Hanging Boy

"No one enters the cornfield. Not since the fire. Not anymore."

Said an old farmer, sitting on a crooked chair.

Samantha thanked the man, stood up, and turned around. It was time for the group to leave. Megan, Gerard, Jonathan, Austin, and Samantha had come to investigate the town, more specifically, one of its oldest legends.

They got in the car and drove off, the sun slowly setting behind the hills. They wanted to prove the legend wrong, get noticed, and maybe even become known for it.

About an hour later, they parked in front of the orphanage, or what was left of it.

Burnt stone, shattered windows, and withered statues greeted them. All signs of life had long since been erased. They stepped out of the car, flashlights in hand, and began walking towards the cornfield, just as the moon started to rise.

At the very end of the cornfield, up a small hill, stood an old decaying tree. A thick rope swung from one of its branches. Beneath it, a rusty axe laying on the ground.

They stared for a while, then laughed with relief and mocked the old man.
Jonathan laughed, walked up the hill and stood in front of the tree. He stared at the rope, and didn't move from there.

They called out to him.
No response.

Gerard walked up and tapped him on the shoulder, nothing.

He got closer only for Jonathan to scare him.
Everyone screamed, then burst into laughter.

Austin sighed and started walking away from the field, calling out for his friends on his way. They all agreed they had seen enough and chose to return home.

As Jonathan and Gerard began walking back down the hill, a hand grabbed Jonathan’s shoulder.

He turned to look at Gerard, only to find him staring, terrified.
If it wasn't him, who could it be?

From the ashes he was reborn.
And soon, the rope above wasn’t empty anymore.
A boy’s corpse hung from it, staring directly at them.

Jonathan panicked and reached for the axe, trying to cut it down. But the moment he touched it, maggots began crawling up his arm, a black worm emerged from the dirt, writhing unnaturally, and impaled his skin, crawling underneath. Jonathan screamed as the worm tunneled through his throat, came out of his mouth, and re-entered through his eye.

The others ran in fear.

Gerard, filled with fear, picked up the axe and nailed the body to the tree, trying to stop it. Then he started running, but then there was a snap.

He looked back.

The corpse had split in half, the rope now torn.
It fell to the ground and began to crawl, dragging its broken limbs.

Its deformed throat filled with air, then burst out a screech so sharp it made Gerard’s ears bleed and sent the crows flying into the sky.

He tried to escape, but tripped. Megan looked back just to see his body being dragged into the cornfield, his screams fading away as the crows flew.

Samantha reached the car and tried to start it, but it wouldn’t turn on.

Panicking, the remaining three decided to run back toward the town. They didn’t make it far. Exhausted, they collapsed on the roadside just as the sun rose.

When they woke, they were surrounded by crows.

They walked and walked, and were finally able to get back to the town with the hopes of asking for help, but the streets were empty.
Not a single person, not a single sound.

Just a scarecrow standing in the middle of the plaza, made out of stitched skin.

The first chapter seems to end here, no additional information is added in the book.