Dark Night of the Scarecrow

In a small Deep South town, Bubba Ritter and Marylee Williams form a close friendship that unsettles many residents. Otis Hazelrigg quickly organizes a lynch mob with Skeeter Norris and the Philby and Harliss Hocker brothers. The mounting tension foreshadows a community ready to rush to judgement.

Marylee is mauled by a dog, and Bubba's mother disguises him as a scarecrow to keep him safe from the mob. Bubba is posted in a nearby field to keep him out of sight while investigators search for the culprit. The protective plan backfires as suspicion remains focused on Bubba.

The bloodhounds locate Bubba and the vigilantes shoot him, ending his life. The town learns the murder happened in the field where he stood. Some see it as swift justice, while others fear the mob's power has gone too far.

After learning that Marylee is alive thanks to Bubba's rescue, Hazelrigg mounts a final lie by placing a pitchfork in Bubba's lifeless hands to stage an attack. The staged violence is meant to justify the mob's actions and tie Bubba to the crime. The scene unfolds at the field where Bubba died and the deception begins to unravel.

At the trial, the vigilantes are released due to lack of evidence, and Hazelrigg's perjury comes to light. The courtroom proceedings reveal how fragile justice can be when fear governs everyone's actions. The community's complicity casts a shadow over Marylee and Bubba's memories.

Marylee, still recovering, sneaks out at night to the Ritter house to search for Bubba. Mrs. Ritter cannot bear to tell the truth and tells her Bubba has gone away. Marylee's determination drives her to seek Bubba despite the danger and secrecy surrounding the family.

Marylee sits beneath the stake where Bubba was killed, listening to her mother's evasions. Bubba's memory remains alive as she is told he is merely playing the hiding game. The stake becomes a haunting symbol of Bubba's presence in the town.

Some time later, Harliss discovers a scarecrow in his field and Hazelrigg suspects Sam Willock of complicity. That evening, the wood chipper in Harliss's barn starts on its own as he investigates, and he is killed when the machine claims him.

With Harliss dead, Hazelrigg, Philby, and Skeeter connect the recent events and fear Bubba may still be alive. The scarecrow reappears in Philby's field, but no one knows who placed it there.

At the church's Halloween party, Marylee confronts Hazelrigg and refuses to name anyone. She insists she knows what they did, and Hazelrigg's grip tightens as he tries to pressure her. Philby notes the scarecrow's appearance, but the scarecrow has vanished by the time they reach Philby's field.

Hazelrigg breaks into Mrs. Ritter's house and terrifies her into a fatal heart attack. To hide his involvement, he then engineers a gas leak that destroys the house in an explosion. The district attorney remains suspicious of the supposed accident.

That night, Philby is tormented by noises in his hog pen and flees to a grain silo. The conveyor is switched on and a cascade of grain buries him, suffocating him.

Skeeter, ready to turn himself in, becomes a witness to Hazelrigg's growing fear that Bubba is alive. The two dig up Bubba's grave and Skeeter opens the coffin to find Bubba's body still inside. Hazelrigg stops Skeeter from fleeing, then kills Skeeter with a shovel and fills the grave with Skeeter in it.

Driving home intoxicated, Hazelrigg spots Marylee in the road and pursues her into a pumpkin patch. A plowing machine starts and chases him; he is impaled by a scarecrow holding Bubba's pitchfork. Mortally wounded, Hazelrigg collapses as Bubba's spirit returns and the scarecrow offers Marylee a flower; she smiles and resolves to teach Bubba a new game the next day.