Sitting up in an unfamiliar bed, Thomas reached for his head. He felt groggy and hung over.

A voice said brightly, "You've been asleep a long time..." Looking around the small room, he realised that a young lady was seated by the window, her green eyes regarding him steadily. "Not to worry. I've been watching over you."

Thomas groaned and tried to remember what had happened the night before. All he could recall, after breaking his midsummer hike at the tiny village, was hearing music and singing coming from the tavern, and indulging in a steady stream of refreshing pints.

"Time to awaken. I hope you are up to it," she said with a bemused smile. Rising from her chair, she untied her hair and let her calico dress fall to the floor. When she turned around, he could see wavy, strawberry tresses spilling over her milky bosom. His gaze trailed downwards over her rounded, fertile hips.

As she joined him on the bed, his rising interest was apparent. She took hold of it and quickly mounted. Her strong thighs gripping and riding him roughly like a colt. He could feel her wet expectancy. Before long, he was gasping as she rapidly brought him to climax. Elation seeped into his mind, fighting with the haziness and an inkling that events were occurring too quickly.

Thomas rolled off the bed and staggered to the window to get a breath of air. As he glanced down at the view outside, he started screaming.

In the next field rose a large effigy. Men were busy piling logs around its base, like a bonfire.

He heard her voice next to him laughing, "Oh, that's just the big scarecrow they are getting ready for the harvest."