Alana Halsted - October 28, 2022
Image by - Alana Halsted
What’s that sound?
Deafening in the silence:
The gurgles.
The scrapes.
The wails.
It's coming closer;
I must be quiet.
Breath quickening,
Pulse racing,
The thrum of electricity,
The tv static,
Faucet leaking:
Drip drip drip dr-
What was that?
It moved.
Oh god it moved!
I feel death encroaching.
Creeping in, suffocating.
It’s coming into the light.
Its scaly appendage reaches.
Claws the size of my leg,
Eyes glowing,
Jaw unhinging,
Nostrils flaring,
Salivating,
Craving,
Deathly.
Hideousness in every crevice,
Every pore,
Every mark,
Every-
Oh lord it's right on top of me .
I feel every edge of its
boney body,
Slimy stomach,
Coarse legs.
I scream!
Nothing happens.
I'm still alive...
How can this be?
I look into its glowing eyes
But there's no malice,
No hunger,
No killing intent.
There’s only curiosity.
It gently touches me,
Caressing my cheek.
The creature nods lightly.
My heart still spattering,
I try to take back control
It groans.
I let the bête continue.
It touches my hair,
Following the strands
down to my shoulder,
Following the natural flow of my body.
It curls up on my lap,
Almost like a cat
My fears...
All amounting to nothing...