Enter the Dark Side!

Wolf.

2010-08-07T06:21:00.000-07:00

The party had gone really well
but it was time to go,
I said goodbye to all my friends,
those faces that I know,
Then I began the long walk home
and I was not afraid,
Thats no excuse when I look back
at that mistake I made,
For soon I knew without a doubt
that I was not alone,
And as I thought of things I'd heard
it chilled me to the bone,
So I hurried along the street
and ducked around a bend,
That wasn't such a good idea
as it was a dead end,
Turning now to face the threat
I tried to hide my fright,
I saw two men advance on me
their eyes as black as night,
Then I was backed against a wall
my throat had froze in place,
As one man held a pointed knife
with snarl fixed on his face,
Then as I thought my end had come
I saw the strangest sight,
A shadow crept behind the men
It's yellow eyes shone bright,
Then was heard a rumbling growl
that spun the men around,
The biggest wolf I'd ever seen
stood there without a sound,
It's lips drew back revealing teeth
so razor sharp and white,
To those two men at whom it stared
it was a fearful sight,
Then with a snarl the big wolf moved,
the men began to shout,
and in their haste they dropped the knife
while rushing to get out,
Then they were gone into the dark,
it seemed that I was free,
My shoulders slumped in cool relief,
the wolf just stared at me,
And as I looked at lolling tongue
confusion I could feel,
Wolves just didn't live round here,
This whole thing didn't seem real,
As if the wolf could read my thoughts
he seemed to back away,
I will recall what I saw next
until my dying day,
The air around the wolf just gleamed
with tiny pricks of light,
Then swirled with such a dazzling glow
so brilliant in the night,
And where before a wolf had stood
a figure now arose,
He stood there proud before my eyes
without a stitch of clothes,
And then he flashed a brilliant smile
with teeth still dazzling white,
"Be safe," he said before he turned
and vanished in the night.

On Wings of Sleep.

2010-08-07T06:01:00.000-07:00

On wings of sleep I come to you
You do not know I'm here,
I lay beside you on your bed,
I whisper in your ear,
Your chest is rising gently,
You murmur in your sleep,
And as I probe into your mind
your breathing becomes deep,
So strongly now I feel your pulse,
the life force in your veins,
And though I yearn to covet it
some shred of will remains,
For I could take you easily
and slake my wicked thirst,
You'd join me in my twilight realm,
this life that I've been cursed,
Too many years I've been alone
and countless lives I've stole,
Not one has made me feel remorse,
Not one has touched my soul,
But you are different from the rest,
You set my spirit free,
You soothe the beast within the man,
that darker side of me,
Within you I can feel at peace,
begin my life again,
But though you'd give me sweet release
I'd only give you pain,
For I was born of darkness
and you are of the light,
My soul is black as Hades door
while yours still shines so bright,
And so I come to you in sleep
and join with you in mind,
The nearest I can be to you
for one such as my kind,
And you sleep on in unknown bliss
for you know nought of me,
Or nightly visits that I make,
Those times you set me free.

The Keeper

2010-08-07T05:37:00.000-07:00

Twas back upon a moonlit night
beneath a sky with stars so bright
that I beheld an awesome sight,
Thats when I saw The Keeper.

That night I'd been out for a brew
and stayed till late as most men do,
then walked home by a route I knew,
That night I saw The Keeper.

As the graveyard I went past
I felt a sudden icy blast
that set my heart to beating fast,
And then I saw The Keeper.

By metal gates the figure stood
features hidden by darkened hood,
my legs turned into bits of wood,
I knew it was The Keeper.

My mind flew back to being a lad
and hearing legends from my dad,
the scariest time I'd ever had
Was hearing of The Keeper.

He guards the souls of all the dead,
a fearsome sight my Dad had said,
and on the evil folk he fed,
I knew about The keeper!

And now he stood and looked at me
frozen here beneath this tree
his pointed finger I could see
As I stared at The Keeper.

And as he crossed the middle space
to me, still frozen in my place,
I suddenly saw his awful face
And looked upon The Keeper.

Twas then the spell did finally break
no second glance did I dare take,
but ran hard for my own life's sake
Far away from The Keeper.

My life has changed now since that night
since I beheld that awful sight,
It set me on the path to right,
Because I fear The Keeper.

I know that he still guards his flock,
so please, my friend, you must take stock,
and mend your ways before the shock
Of when you face The Keeper.

A Town Named Doom.

2010-08-07T04:59:00.000-07:00

Twas a quaint little town nestled deep between two hills
and it's citizens were purely born and bred,
Sprung from the dust, it was a peaceful place to live
and it's folk were gentle people it was said,
Among the population was a veteran named Old Roy,
a homeless drunk that shambled round all day,
All the townsfolk knew him as the butt of many jokes,
and when he spoke, "You're doomed!" was all he'd say!
The town priest was so proud when a brand new church was built,
he'd often stand and gaze at it with pride,
His sermons were so popular and the church was always full
with the townsfolk every Sunday crammed inside,
One day the priest was stood outside when Old Roy ambled by,
eyeing the priest, "You're doomed!" was all he said,
Twas only minutes later that the townsfolk heard a crash
as the spire fell and crushed the preacher dead!
On the outskirts of the town was where the sawmill used to stand,
the buzzing of it's machines was heard all day,
It was a thriving business and employed a lot of men
until that tragic accident one day,
When the men arrived that day Old Roy was by the gates,
"You're doomed," he said aloud as they walked by,
No one knew exactly how the mill burned to the ground
but the flames all seemed to reach up to the sky,
All towns have a paper and this town produced The Globe,
it's office set back slightly from the street,
The owner, Mr Sugden, liked to print a lot of pictures
of the children, which I guess was rather sweet,
One day while working at the press, Old Roy just staggered in,
he said "You're doomed," before he went back out,
It seems the printing chemicals were the reason for the blast,
Mr Sugden didn't have time to even shout!
Well the townsfolk, not surprisingly, were quick to figure out
that Old Roy was always spotted at the scene,
And being superstitious they were quick to pass the blame
and a mob was formed, their mood was cruel and mean,
Old Roy, it was decided, was a jinx upon the town
and he went from harmless drunk to hated foe,
It didn't take them long to vote for action to be made,
they decided there and then he had to go!
And so Old Roy was bundled up and put into a cart,
then they drove him many miles beyond the town,
All through the ride Old Roy just sat and never said a word,
his face serene as he just gazed around,
They pushed him roughly from the cart before they turned around
and in the dark, "You're doomed," they heard him cry,
Call it Fate or what you like, for later on that night
a meteorite came crashing from the sky!
No one knows about Old Roy, he disappeared from sight,
But legend says that God had sent him down
to warn the folk who turned on him that day so long ago,
before they were all buried with their town!

The Leprechaun

2010-08-05T19:20:00.000-07:00

While hiking in Ireland on a cold and crisp morn,
I had an encounter with a real Leprechaun,
He wasn't of great size, just reaching my knees,
But walked right up to me as bold as you please!
"Good morn to thee young man," he said with a bow,
"Pray kindly tell me where you're off to now."
Well, taken aback as I was with this sight,
I said that in Cleveton I'd be spending this night,
With humming and hawing, he scratched at his jaw
and said, "So you need to walk this road for sure!"
I said that I did, and to my great surprise
he puffed out his chest right in front of my eyes!
"Just as I thought," he said, "but just so ye know,
I must collect a toll from ye afore ye can go."
I stood looking down at him, starting to laugh,
and told him this road was a public footpath!
"Now listen," he said with a sweep of his hand,
"I own this road, and I own all this land!
If you're bound for Cleveton, and I know this is true,
Pay me my toll or I won't let ye through!"
Feeling slight anger at this dwarf dressed in green,
I said I'd be damned if I'd pay him one bean!
"Besides," I said, "though this fact escapes your eyes,
You are a midget and I'm thrice your size!"
Though I expected some more of his quips,
A loud peal of laughter spilled forth from his lips!
"A midget?" he cried, plainly thinking me mad,
"Thats one of the funniest names that I've had!
But as you're a stranger," he said with a smile,
"I see you know nothing of this emerald Isle!
Leprechauns are legend and revered by all,
though we are tiny, our powers are tall!
My magic can stop you from travelling this road,
I'll do that by turning you into a toad!"
Becoming alarmed by this turn of events,
I decided to give him a handful of pence.
Dropping my knapsack I knelt on the ground,
The Leprechaun watched as I rummaged around,
Then before I knew it, as quick as a flash,
His little hand greedily snatched up my cash!
As quick as a wink he was gone from my view,
leaving me broke sitting out in the blue!
When I reached Cleveton much later that night,
the constable listened as I recalled my plight,
"So what you are saying is early this morn,
you were held up and robbed by a wee Leprechaun?"
I said that was correct and was indeed the case,
and watched as a scowl settled there on his face!
"I so wish you foreigners would not come out here
and belittle the fables that we hold so dear,
You may think us stupid, but I must insist
that bloody wee Leprechauns just don't exist!"

Invasion

2010-08-05T19:05:00.000-07:00

Like a rain of fiery bullets
the capsules fell from space,
And everywhere they touched the earth
a plant grew in that place,
Within the shortest space of time
they grew in every plot,
In gardens, fields, on roadsides,
In the town and parking lots.

They thrived upon our warm rich soil
and grew in strength and size,
But Man still did not see the threat
right there before his eyes,
And then the plants developed spines
so lethal, sharp and thin,
And with this last defence in place
the slaughter could begin.

Pulling roots up from the ground
the plants were free to roam,
Converging on the towns and schools,
surrounding every home,
And those poor souls who ventured out
not knowing they were there,
Became infected by the spines
that fired through the air.

And those that were unfortunate
enough to feel their sting,
Became in turn a spiny plant;
a mindless evil thing,
And so as the infection spread
and panic became rife,
Groups of humans stayed indoors
in a bid to save their life.

By the time the forces came
to kill the plants with fire,
Most of mankind ended up
in one big funeral pyre,
So when you notice that tall plant
with spiky looking stem,
Don't shrug and think "It's just a weed,"
It could be one of them!

Mermaid

2010-08-05T18:55:00.000-07:00

The Mermaid sings her lilting song
to all the men at sea,
Her haunting voice invades their dreams,
"Come close, come follow me"
Beneath the waves she mourns alone
and waits for her true love,
Her keening cry will reach the ears
of sailors up above,
For those who just cannot resist
the plea in her soft breath,
Awaits the cold and vicious sea
as they go to their death,
The Mermaid comes to welcome them
and takes them by the hand,
And willingly they follow
to her underwater land,
Some men say she is a curse
on all who sail at sea,
Some believe she feels their pain
and tries to set them free,
But still the Mermaid sings her song
to those who sail above,
Who follow blindly where she leads
and offer her true love.

Ode to Heaven

2010-08-05T18:31:00.000-07:00

I went up to Heaven
and knocked on the gate,
Angel Gabriel said
"Can I help you, mate?"

I stood there politely
and then I replied,
"I'd be much obliged
if you'd let me inside."

He pulled out a register
and looked at his list,
I noticed his mouth
had an arrogant twist.

"So sorry," he said,
"but that I can't do,
It should be twelve years
before we see you."

I said "That may be,
but all things get changed.
I'm sure my admittance
could soon be arranged."

Well, Gabriel tutted
and told me to wait,
Then went off and left me
alone at the gate.

Quite some time passed
before he came back,
His eyes were all glassy
and his jaw hung down slack.

"My apologies," he slurred
"For being a long time,
But the Boss kindly offered me
a few cups of wine."

He said, "As for you,
I just can't let you in.
It seems yours was suicide
and that is a sin!"

I cried "Thats so unfair!
So what shall I do?
Cloud hop for twelve years
then come back to you?"

Well, Gabriel sneered
as he said with disdain,
"I suggest you go downstairs,
don't come here again!"

He turned with a flourish,
In a wink he was gone,
And I was left thinking
that Heaven is a con!

But I wasn't upset
for I had a plan,
In case there were problems
getting in with The Man!

I moved away slyly
and looked for a place
Where no one could see me
or the grin on my face!

I knew going Downstairs
just wasn't for me,
Up in the big penthouse
was where I would be!

So without hesitation
and proud of my sense,
I pulled out my bolt cutters
and hacked at the fence!

The moral, dear Reader,
In this tale of mine,
Is plan things out properly
and then you'll be fine!

If you're planning suicide,
then this you must learn,
Take the right tools
if you don't want to burn!

The Demon Tree

2010-08-05T18:21:00.000-07:00

Far out in the wilderness
there grows a special tree,
It seems to be quite ordinary
to folks like you and me,
But many centuries in the past
this tree was bathed in death,
When from it's boughs a witch was hung
and made her final breath,
For as she died her spirit rose
and sank deep in the wood,
And so she gained eternal life
the only way she could,
Legend says the tree can move
into a different place,
And if you gaze upon it's bark
you'll see the witches face,
Her laughter echoes in the night
and people shake with fear,
If you should see this demon tree,
I beg you, don't go near!

The Cats Purr.

2010-08-05T18:05:00.000-07:00

Softly sighing in his bed
he floats on waves of sleep,
Fingers flexing as he dreams,
his breathing slow and deep,
Slightest movement filters through
and he is half aware
of tiny feet upon the bed;
the slightest pressure there,
Moving softly to his side
to pause beside his hips,
Recognition comes to him,
a smile forms on his lips,
He knows the softly humming purr,
the body held so tight,
So familiar is the weight
that snuggles here each night,
Half awake he reaches out
to gently touch the face,
Fingers touching just a void,
a cold and empty space,
Waking now, his wits return
and knowledge floods his head,
Puss no longer comes to him
for his dear pet is dead,
Sitting upright he can see
the indent by his side,
A trail of pawprints on the bed
the moonlight does not hide,
And then he knows without a doubt
some bonds are meant to stay,
And though dear Puss has travelled on
he has not gone away.

Death Comes to Town.

2010-08-05T17:49:00.000-07:00

Dust motes twist a mysterious dance
beneath a hazy sun,
A deathly stillness fills the air
as life before had done,
A creaking shutter gently sways
with paint all cracked and worn,
On vacant houses all askew
neglected and forlorn,
Shops with windows empty and bare
and panes of filth and grime,
That once were clean and filled with wares
back in another time,
And people that were surely here
have gone without a trace,
Leaving phantoms of their lives,
a pale and ghostly face,
And those who stumble on this place
should never stay till night,
When something wakes and walks abroad
with hunger in it's sight,
An ancient evil now awake
has visited this place,
And gorged on blood and human lives
of which it's left no trace,
And what was once a thriving town
lies desolate and stark,
Its occupant deep underground
where he will wait for dark.

Catalina.

2010-08-04T14:52:00.000-07:00

Twas deep into a moonless night when sleep was hard to find,
The man tossed restless on his bed and tried to dull his mind,
He lay and stared at shadows gathered darkly in the room
When movement caught his vision coming subtlely from the gloom.
Within the blackness he could see the strangest swirl of light
And sweat broke out upon his brow as he felt a stir of fright,
Then from the darkness She appeared, a girl so young and fair,
And tho' twas dark he plainly saw the starlight in her hair.
A smile was playing on her lips as she moved across the floor,
And he had the oddest feeling that he'd seen this girl before.
Finding voice, he asked her who she was and whence she came,
Coming beside him the girl replied "Catalina is my name."
As she shed her flowing robes, not another word was said,
He felt her flesh and drank her scent right there within his bed.
All too soon the dawn arrived, the sun shone on his face,
And tho' he searched hard for the girl, she'd gone without a trace.
When evening came around once more and light began to fade,
He yearned with fever in his blood to repossess the maid,
And Catalina came to him just as the night before,
In burning need he shed her robe and strew it on the floor.
Every night became the same, her hunger and his need,
Like a drug within his veins he was obsessed with greed,
Months went past within a haze, the man grew tired and weak,
His friends enquired if he was ill, to them he wouldn't speak,
Soon he didn't venture out, his health was now quite poor,
But still at night Catalina came demanding even more.
Then one day while all alone he came across a book,
Twas a journal he soon found, so sat to take a look,
Written many centuries past, its pages yellow with age,
He felt himself go rigid in shock as his fingers turned a page,
There before him he could see a portrait clear and bold,
Twas Catalina without doubt, and the book her story told.
His ancestor had met his death through Catalina's wiles,
She'd slowly drained away his life twas said during her trial,
Put to death tho' she had been, it had not ended then,
For to his bloodline she was still a curse on all the men.
He realised then that he would die, it would not take that long,
The only way to beat the curse was if he could stay strong,
So to a church he found his way and finally he could rest,
Regaining strength as he prepared to take the final test.
Confident now he would resist, he foolishly made his way
Back home where it had all began that distant, fateful day.
Sometime later his body was found, barely bones upon a chair,
There was no obvious cause of death - just a perfume in the air.

The Legend of Beowulf

2010-08-04T14:21:00.000-07:00

There once was a kingdom that lived under strife
Beset by a demon that caused loss of life,
So many poor people were slew by this beast
who came under darkness to enjoy his feast,
They knew him as Grendal and quaked at his name,
For nothing could save them at night when he came,
The King, he felt powerless to deal with this plight
And just like his subjects, he cowered in fright,
Inside his castle he shook in his bed
While outside was Grendal who murdered and fed.
Then, one day a stranger rode into their midst,
To speak to the King was what he did insist,
He'd heard of this demon and his perchant to kill
And claimed he could slay him as he had great skill,
The King, he was doubtful that it could be done,
But the stranger called Beowulf would not deem to run,
At nightfall that evening when the beast was abroad,
Beowulf was determined he would fall by his sword.
So did it happen, by the moonlight that night
Beowulf and Grendal met in a fierce fight,
Like all brave warriors Beowulf struck with great calm
And with one clean slash severed Grendals right arm,
The beast fled in terror and Beowulf stood tall,
The King, in his honour, hung the arm on the wall,
All night they revelled and enjoyed a great feast,
But daybreak saw Beowulf ride out after the beast,
And when he did find him, in the name of His Lord,
He slew the beast Grendal with the blade of his sword.
But the fight was not over, for to Beowulfs surprise,
There sprang from the water a hag of great size!
From deep in the water hidden from the bright sun,
She'd watched as brave Beowulf had struck down her son,
Now mindless with sorrow, she would make the Knight pay,
And Beowulf would fight hard for his life this day,
The Sea Hag fought wildly, and although she was strong,
She was no match for Beowulf or his sword sharp and long.
And so it is Legend and is told to this day
How Beowulf the fearless made the demons both pay,
And the Kingdom he rescued did thrive from then on,
And the people were happy now that Grendal was gone.

The Wish

2010-08-04T13:51:00.000-07:00

I remember it so clearly, 'twas a balmy day in May,
when laying down upon my bed, I wished my life away.
Life had not been kind to me, my wife had died that spring,
And with her went my very soul - I had lost everything.
I didn't want to stay alive, I yearned so to be dead,
And when I opened tired eyes, He stood beside my bed.
At sight of him I jerked alert, heart pounding in surprise,
I felt so insignificant before his awesome size!
Dressed in black from head to toe, I could not see his face
Yet knew his gaze was fixed on me, prone rigidly in place.
With trembling voice I asked of him what did he want of me?
I swear I heard him chuckle, though his mouth I could not see.
"I heard your plea," his voice replied, "It allowed me to come through."
He laughed again. "For I am Death, and I have come for you."
Then, quite suddenly I could move, and sprang up in the bed.
"That can't be so!" I almost screamed, "For see, I am not dead!"
"You wished it so," he then replied, "And I felt your deep desire,
Come with me and forsake this life, dwell in tongues of fire."
And then I saw his awful face and could not stop a moan,
Where skin and flesh there should have been was white and mouldy bone!
Twas in that instant that I knew how precious was my life,
How important were the memories that I held of my dear wife,
And Death, he stood and grinned at me, then reached with bony hand,
"Come with me," he said again as my legs fought to stand.
When his fingers gripped my wrist there was no more to say,
I touched the crucafix I wore and started then to pray.
With my words there was a flash, and Death had disappeared,
Taking with him all my dread and thoughts of life I feared.
So next time you are feeling down and think your life is through,
Don't wish for Death to end it all - for He may come for you!

Voodoo Meg

2010-08-04T13:22:00.000-07:00

If you travel up the mountains
where the buzzards soar so high
You'll come upon a wooden shack
that seems to touch the sky,
And if you dare approach it
with a soft and stealthy tread,
You'll see the bones a'hanging
from the trees with crimson thread.
And then, if you're still bold enough
to tiptoe closer still,
you might approach a window frame
and peer in over the sill.
Inside you'd see a wall of shelves
with jars of many things,
Like dried bats blood and spiders legs,
and worms and insect wings.
And if you want to see some more,
as foolish people do,
You'll likely see a roaring fire
with cauldron in plain view.
Perhaps by now you're feeling scared
as you know who lives here,
The voodoo woman known as Meg,
the one that people fear.
Who for a price will make a brew
to torment a poor soul,
or make a waxen effigy
to melt on a hot coal.
She curdles milk with just a glance,
misfortune is her gift,
and if she has you in her sights
she sets your wits adrift.
And voodoo Meg would have no qualms
if she should catch you there,
of turning you into a frog,
she really would not care!
So I would turn around my friend,
some things are best not known,
For if you don't, you could become
another hanging bone!

The Tale of Edgar Bell.

2010-03-08T12:13:00.000-08:00

This short little tale is about an unsavoury character called Edgar Bell. A condemned murderer, his legend lives on still!

***********************

Countless tales are told at night

around a campfire, fierce and bright,

Faces with eyes wide with fear

huddle closer so they can hear

the twisted tale of Edgar Bell,

whose blackened soul still burns in hell.

Edgar Bell was like no other;

killed his sister and his brother,

chained his mother to a wall

and never gave her food at all.

When he came home he'd often bring

a young girl or a homeless thing,

and right before his mothers eyes

their cries would echo to the skies,

For Edgar's evil knew no rein,

he thrived upon another's pain,

and even now he's long past dead

you hear his whispers in your head.

A clink of chains within the breeze,

the slightest movement in the trees,

his mother walks with urgent need

still searching for her evil seed,

for Edgar's work is not quite done;

he knows you're here so you should run!

Go home where you will be more safe,

away from this accursed place!

Your campfire draws his spirit near

and he can feed upon your fear.

Go now, and be sure to tell

your friends the tale of Edgar Bell.

*****************************

And as a follow-up to that horrible little tale, here is something a little more light hearted! This one should make you smile! The title of this whimsical story is;

The Fish.

**********

A man sat on a river bank

his fishing line pulled tight,

He wasn't sure what he had hooked

but boy, it sure did fight!

And after spending near an hour

to get his catch to net,

he realised with mild surprise

it wasn't over yet!

For such a fish he'd never seen,

it's scales were liquid gold,

but that aside, it was a brute!

(If the truth be told!)

It lay there squirming at his feet

and stared him in the eye,

He could not break that steely gaze,

he was afraid to try!

But then, the most amazing thing!

Before the man could blink -

the fish sat up and clapped it's fins,

and then it gave a wink!

"Well done, old son," the fish declared,

"You caught the Magic fish!

And for your prize I am obliged

to offer you one wish!"

The man stood rooted to the spot

and thought he'd gone quite mad,

for talking fish just didn't exist!

What's more, they never had!

The fish continued, "Here's the deal,

A wish is what you've won,

but first you have to put me back

in water, my old son!"

The man, recovered from his shock,

was starting to think quick,

said, "You want me to set you free?

I think that it's a trick!"

"I'll keep my side," the fish replied,

"Tell me what you desire.

Then when I'm free, you can trust me,

for I am not a liar!"

The man considered what to do

and thought he'd play along,

He'd make a wish then put the fish

right back where he belonged.

"Well listen up, here's what I want,"

the man said loud and clear,

"When I get home I want my wife

wearing something sheer!

To make this treat much more complete,

I'd be a happy man

to spend my life with a sexy wife

much younger than I am!"

The fish just sat and gave a nod,

and said, "Then it's agreed!

The minute that you put me back,

you'll have just what you need"

So with no mind to wasting time

and full of hopeful cheer,

the fish was put back whence he came,

and then he packed his gear!

Rushing home with an eager step,

his mind was on his wish.

To have a life with a younger wife,

he wouldn't need to fish!

Full of purpose as he strode in,

he pulled up short with shock!

His wife had on a negligee

instead of her loose frock!

"You have been gone for much too long,

I'm waiting," his wife cried.

But she was still so old and fat -

that ruddy fish had lied!!

"But look at you, what have you done?"

Her voice was full of tears.

And in the mirror he could see

he'd aged by thirty years!

The moral of this fishy tale

that I have told to you,

Is have a care what you request

for it just may come true!

***************************

The Date.

2010-03-04T11:45:00.000-08:00

Lycanthropy. The ability to take on the traits and appearance of a wolf. Yes, we are talking of the werewolf, one of my utmost favourites of books and movies! So much so that several of my tales feature my hairy friend - including this one!

She'd liked him since that autumn day

when he'd passed by her gate,

And like a magnet she was drawn

when he asked for a date,

At first she thought she should refuse

but finally she said 'Yes,'

And now she panicked as she tried

to find the perfect dress!

When dusk fell she was cool and calm

and knew that she looked good,

And then He came, and they set off

together through the wood,

She found he did not talk a lot

and thought he must be shy,

But being such a handsome boy

she could not fathom why!

Then all at once the boy just stopped

and turned to look her way,

She found she was quite nervous at

whatever he would say,

He looked at her with stricken eyes

as if he had to go,

His voice was low as he rushed out

"There's something you should know."

Then things just happened all at once;

the boy, he gave a cry

As he fell down onto his knees

with face turned to the sky,

The moon shone from behind a cloud

just like a silver sun,

And twisting round to stare at her,

the boy just shouted, "Run!"

A sudden terror raced through her,

as right before her eyes

His features changed, and clothing tore

as he increased in size,

His fingers popped to push out claws

and hair grew on his face,

He stared at her with blood red eyes

where she stood fused in place.

Then she was running for her life,

too scared a breath to take,

Behind her she could hear the beast

come crashing in her wake,

Her heart was lodged within her throat;

her terror was complete,

And then she felt the tangled root

that snagged around her feet.

Then she was falling through the air

until she hit the ground,

She lay there straining with her ears,

alert to every sound,

Then all at once the beast was there,

her weight pinned by his claws,

The last thing that she ever saw

was gaping yellow jaws.

And in a time not far ahead,

a girl sits on a swing,

She's new in town and sits and dreams

of love and everything,

Then something seems to catch her eye;

a movement by the gate,

A handsome boy who smiles at her

and asks her for a date.

************************

The Bath.

2010-03-04T11:05:00.000-08:00

This tale is one of my 'little oddities' as I call them! It has no main character, or theme, but is just an ordinary story that turns very quickly into a nightmare!! It just came to me from out of the blue, and I quickly wrote it down! I hope you enjoy it!

Twas often my pleasure at the end of the day

to relax and soak all my tensions away,

Covered in bubbles and soothed by the steam

I'd close my eyes tightly and lie there and dream.

Until that one night that has not long gone by

that I still remember as clear as the sky;

I'd filled up the tub and I'd added some spice

to soften the water and make it smell nice,

Then I disrobed and stepped into the heat

and felt a contentment right down to my feet!

How long I just laid there I don't really know,

and then a vibration began from below.

Instantly curious I opened my eyes

to see the light blink out, much to my surprise!

Not unduly bothered, I sat up real slow

and felt something slimy brush past my big toe!

I jerked in the water in sudden surprise

and felt it again as it snaked around my thighs!

Thats when I panicked as something was wrong

deep down in my bathtub where it didn't belong!

Gripping the tub sides I struggled to stand

then felt something smooth pulling hard at my hand,

I fell back so heavily my head hit the base,

and lashings of tentacles wrapped round my face!

Unable to breathe, I just fought to be free

of what had now gripped and was pulling at me,

The water drained quickly, as now on my side

It pulled me to where the plug hole gaped so wide!

Frozen in terror and gasping for breath,

I knew this thing dragged me toward certain death.

Down through the darkness my arms and legs flopped,

I knew I was dead as my poor heart had stopped!

Then, with a jerk I sat up in sheer fright;

water sprayed skyward and hissed on the light!

I realised then it had all been a dream,

I'd slept in the bath, too relaxed from the steam!

And as I sat smiling in sudden relief.....

I felt the vibration that started beneath!

***************************

The Mirror.

2010-03-04T10:41:00.000-08:00

Mirrors have long held a dark fascination for us, either as gateways to another world or portals for the devil. To gaze into one is to glimpse an illusion, something that sometimes isn't really there! Not bad for an ordinary sheet of glass, for thats all they are.....isn't it??

While passing a small antique shop

he looked in through the glass,

An object seemed to glint at him;

a mirror with frame of brass,

Before he could control himself

he'd entered through the door,

this kind of rash behaviour

he'd never done before!

The mirror was quite hideous,

from up close that was clear,

Yet when he left soon afterwards

He held it gently near,

From that day on the mirror hung

upon his bedroom wall,

He soon forgot his impulse buy

and acting like a fool.

Soon after the bad dreams began,

they plagued him every night,

He'd hear his voice called soft and low

and wake up with a fright,

But then one night when he awoke

he still could hear his name,

and getting up he followed it

right to the mirrors frame.

And as he stared into its depths

he felt it pull him near,

The force so strong he couldn't resist

until he disappeared.

And if you think this tale is strange

and the mirror isn't real,

It waits inside an antique shop

for another soul to steal.

**************************

2010-03-02T11:39:00.000-08:00

Egypt, that magical place of mystery and superstition. Who could fail to be fascinated by the pyramids? Or the colourful egyptian paintings? I have a fascination for all things egyptian, so I had to base a tale there. Didn't I?

The Amulet.

**************

She stood there in the noonday sun

while people bustled around,

Her eyes took in the many sights,

her ears heard every sound,

For Egypt was a land of myth

she'd travelled far to see,

Now standing in the marketplace

she set her senses free.

The crowd around her seemed to shift,

a stillness hit the air,

And as if from out of nowhere

she saw her standing there,

Before her was an ancient crone

in rags, with long grey hair,

Her piercing eyes were white and blind,

locked in a vacant stare.

Before she knew quite what to do,

the crone stretched out a hand,

And siezed her wrist in bony grip

that tightened like a band,

And when she tried to pull away

she could not move her arm,

And then the crone with her free hand

dropped something in her palm.

And suddenly she was alone

back in the noonday heat,

With people pressing all around

as she stood in the street,

She thought her mind was playing tricks

brought on by this strange land,

Until she felt the cold hard weight

that rested in her hand.

She saw it was an amulet;

A carving of an eye,

The centre held a round blue stone

that winked up at the sky,

She thrust it deep within her bag

and then she turned to leave,

Soon back at her hotel, she found

she could at long last breathe.

She woke up deep within the night

not sure what was amiss,

Then saw the serpent on her chest

that gave a deadly hiss,

But by then it was much too late

to move, or even yell,

For then the spectre stole her soul

and took it straight to hell.

The next she knew when she awoke

was the oppressive gloom,

Trapped alive under tons of sand,

inside a Pharoah's tomb,

Meanwhile in a town not too far,

a crone with milky eyes

gives a tourist an amulet

that holds a deep surprise.

**************************

2010-03-02T10:36:00.000-08:00

It doesn't seem too long ago that it was christmas. Add to that the heavy snowfall we've had since then, and you can really picture this next tale! The good old snowman has been in evidence all over the place recently, and is a firm fun favourite! But just wonder....is there such thing as a bad snowman?

Snowman.

*********

It had been such a hectic day,

what fun he'd had outside!

Excited by the fall of snow;

his first toboggan ride!

He'd built a snowman in the yard,

complete with scarf and hat,

a smile upon his icy face,

his belly round and fat!

And laying now tucked in his bed,

he felt a spurt of pride,

and had to have just one more look

at what he'd built outside!

He tiptoed to the window pane

as quiet as a mouse,

he must not wake his family

all sleeping in the house.

The moon shone on the snow outside

that sparkled pure and bright,

his eyes took in this wonderland

and widened in delight!

But then he noticed something wrong;

a frown crept on his face,

for where the snowman should have stood

was just an empty space!

He felt hot tears prick at his eyes

as he rushed from the room,

and pausing just to push on shoes

he ran out in the gloom.

But though he searched the yard three times

till cold nipped at his face,

his precious snowman wasn't there;

It had gone without a trace!

His shoulders slumping in defeat,

in tears that made him blind,

He almost yelped when something cold

fell on him from behind!

He turned around and there he was,

his face lit with a grin,

the button eyes that gleamed so bright

as if lit from within.

The snowman reached an icy hand

and gripped the boy so tight,

and turning back towards the yard

they walked into the night.

And sometime later, with the dawn

there came an awful shout,

The boy was missing from his bed,

had someone forced him out?

And though they searched for many a mile,

he did not come to light,

with not a clue to help them solve

what happened in the night.

And in the yard, two snowmen stand,

their icy faces gleam,

The smaller one has holes for eyes

and mouth formed in a scream.

***********************

2010-03-02T10:31:00.001-08:00

2010-03-01T05:02:00.000-08:00

Zombies

********

Zombies do, supposedly, exist in countries that practice voodoo. Whether there is any truth in that or not, who knows? The zombie portrayed in movies has always struck me as amusing, it could be the bad make-up, or the shambling movement of these creatures. Whichever, I found this next tale coming together rather tongue-in-cheek!

The Burial

***********

I woke up with no memory

of where I was or why,

I only knew that it was dark

in this place that I lie,

The air was kind of stuffy too

and had the oddest smell,

Like some kind of a chemical

as far as I could tell!

I started then to feel around;

I was inside a box,

The knowledge hit me like a blow

and I recoiled in shock!

Inside a coffin I did lie

and yet I was not dead,

Thats when I heard the voices close

somewhere above my head!

I banged and kicked, I scratched and cursed,

and everything went still,

"Did you hear that?" said someone near,

It was my Uncle Bill!

I banged again and heard a gasp

then voices gathered around,

"There's something live inside that box,

It can't go in the ground!"

And with relief I heard one say

"Lets open it and see,"

With muscles coiled I laid in wait;

I wanted to be free!

And when the lid was finally off

and landing with a clang,

I didn't waste a seconds time

as in the air I sprang!

My Auntie Jean let out a scream

and fainted in a heap,

While mass hysteria hit the rest;

they fled like herds of sheep!

Then I was standing eye to eye

next to my dear old Dad,

"This is the final straw," he said,

"You disappoint me, lad!"

As I reeled back in wild surprise,

he had to say his piece,

"Even when you're dead and gone

I still can't get release!

Your whole life was a failure,

causing grief and shame,

You'll never know how hard it's been

to keep my honest name!

And then when we all think you're dead

and I am finally free,

You come back as a zombie boy

to heap more shame on me!"

I heard his words all buzzing around

like flies inside my head,

He'd said I was a zombie, but

that means I must be dead!

I raised my hands up to my face

to see what I would see,

The blue and dryish crusty skin

just didn't look like me!

Meanwhile, my Dad had shambled off,

still muttering under his breath

"A good for nothing zombie lout!

Well, what did I expect?"

And me, I was left standing there

unsure of what to do,

Surrounded by the floral wreaths

with skin that had turned blue!

*****************

Vampires.

2010-02-28T11:37:00.000-08:00

Vampires

********

Probably the most famous of all mythical creatures, the Vampire began it's existance with the famous novel by Bram Stoker. Since then he has evolved into many different guises, and has recently enjoyed a revival in the movie industry.

The nature of the Vampire can vary, from evil to misunderstood, to pitiful. He is currently being portrayed as an unlikely romantic figure! I am among those fans who find the Vampire a creature of dark fascination, so it stood to reason that he would be the subject of several of my tales.

It is fitting to start with this. Enjoy!

Tale of an Immortal

******************

I am perpetual, my life has no end,

For countless centuries among you I blend,

I am unseen as I pass in the night,

You are but cattle that move in my sight

Providing my sustenance, that which I crave

ensuring that never will I need my grave,

Time is no enemy, it gives me no fear,

At the end of your life I will still be here,

I have seen your heritage of bloodshed and strife,

the thrill of destruction that shadows your life,

So I hunt among you and I feel no pity,

You are a stain that blots life in your city,

With centuries behind me; the blink of an eye,

I learnt long ago not to ask myself why

with a bountiful earth and the warmth of the sun,

You continue to decimate by the law of the gun,

And I who bear witness to tyranny and greed

am consumed from within with the force of my need,

For despite life eternal, all alone I am one

who covets your freedom and light of your sun,

Through eons of darkness have I learnt the truth;

That eternity will never compare with your youth,

The cold breath of death that caresses my face

I'd shed in an instant to be in your place,

And you who seek life without illness or end

wilfully squander your gifts and your friends,

But Alas, foolish mortals! You never will learn,

Your world is a paradise for which I must burn.

*****************