---
"Please," she sobbed, "it was the scarecrow. He tried to kill me. Because he knows I know about him. His trying to take Sarah away from me.
The Bodyguard's exchanged glances, but one of them — Officer Daniel — didn't laugh like the rest. He stepped closer, rolled up her sleeve, and froze.
Bruises. Deep, vine-shaped bruises, winding around her wrists. He checked her neck — the same marks. Red. Fresh. Too perfect to be imagined.
The laughter stopped.
Daniel bent down, his flashlight tracing the wall where the vines had vanished. "What the hell happened here…" he muttered, snapping photos with trembling hands.
---
Later that night…
Sarah and Adrian were at home, playfully arguing over a horror movie when her phone rang.
It was the police.
"Miss Sarah… you need to come quickly. It's about your mother."
Her heart dropped. She didn't even hear the rest before she was on her feet, dragging Adrian out the door.
When they arrived, Sarah burst into the asylum.
"Where's my mom? What happened? Is she okay?!" she shouted, eyes wild.
Officer Daniel stepped forward, holding his palms up. "Please, calm down. You need to breathe."
"Don't tell me to breathe!" she snapped. "Where is she?!"
He sighed, then motioned toward his office. "There's something you should see."
Adrian followed quietly. When the officer asked if he was family, Sarah stammered, "He's… close to me."
"Boyfriend?" the officer asked dryly.
"Just—please, can we go in?"
Inside, Daniel laid out the photographs — the vines, the bruises, the evidence.
"I don't understand what's happening," he said. "But these aren't rope marks. They look… different. Like something organic."
Sarah stared at the photos, her lips trembling.
"You're saying someone tried to kill my mom?" she whispered.
Daniel hesitated. "With what I've seen, yes. I believe she's being targeted. But by who—or what—I can't say."
Sarah stood abruptly, shaking. "You mean I could've lost her tonight?! She could've died?! And you're telling me you don't know who did it?!"
Adrian caught her before she could break down, holding her close.
"It's okay," he murmured. "We'll figure this out. Just… breathe."
Officer Daniel looked at them both, his expression darkening.
"Miss Sarah," he said softly, "if your mother was right… then whatever came for her—might come for you next."
---