NIGHT WALKER
Don’t be too dismissive of shifting sounds in the night
where persistent scratching on frosted window
may be the talons of ghoulish intentions;
where disembodied breathing that chills our spinal chord
be a madman’s razor laughter…
… and what of those twigs crunching blindly behind us
like brittle bones of curious wanderers,
as we walk innocently through a misty forest,
are they the creeping footsteps of a dark hunter’s quest
for beating hearts to feed upon?
Don’t be too casual
of shadows that float by in the corners of moonlight trickery,
elusive masked phantoms of light they may be,
sent to distract us from rational thought.
And that howling wind whistling a blood curdling tune
through the cracks of our stairways to Paradise,
might not that be the approach of sinister wants
to begin our dark imaginings?
Look behind the doors and under beds,
put the stuffed dolls in cupboards and cover the clown
before you lay your head to slumber,
for ruthless teeth await to chatter over flesh
and cacti tongues long to prickle our hopes
to suck and empty us of our deepest desires.
Draw the curtains,
for unseen eyes in the cover of darkness
watch our naïve comfort
ready for sleep to take us to their haunts
to peel our skin back to parade their skilful conquest;
and searching fingers pressing,
seeking our open mouths to slip the moans of ghosts
down our vulnerable throats
to possess our dreams and make them their own.
There be skeletons here,
of past dreams and childhood fancies,
that rise from the depths of blood filled oceans
to claim back flesh
before rot crawled and stripped it from sensual delights.
When alone and you feel warm breath upon your neck
but sends a chill from the grave to the end of your toes,
do you dare look behind
or do you close your eyes
and become a nightwalker ready to face your true fears?
Comments
My dearest Cosi
May I hide along with you? I have shivers and ghost (sorry goosebumps) bumps all over my spine. I felt like if I were hearing Vincent Price speaking and reading a Edgar Allen’s Poe’s all rolled into one. Every topic you touch you take it with a storm. I sure wouldn’t want to go to a campfire with you. Everyone would be laughing seeing me bite my nails with open eyes. (and I don’t bite my nails at all)
Goosebumps and all, I LOVE it. Any vampire ones’? Those and werewolves are my favorite.
Love and hugs
Iris xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoox
Ahh, Iris, I did think of the vampires but I thought I’d give them the night off and let the other ghouls have their moment of glory. Very flattering to associate Price and Poe with this… thank you! Pleasant dreams… nyhaahaahaa!! lol xoxoxo
– Cosimo Piro
Whoa……..shudder……… wow what a good read that was :D
I like the shudder Eva… means my work is done here. Many thanks to you. xo
– Cosimo Piro
GOOD ONE COSIMO!!! THE LAST TWO LINES HOLD A LESSON FOR ALL OF US!!! BRAVO!!!
– Cosimo Piro
I have to go to bed now…..x
I do hope that this won’t disturb a good nights sleep… Many thanks, nan for your input. xo
– Cosimo Piro
a great expression in prose of the imaginings of falling into the abyss of fear created by one self or by the very nature of spirits that circle us and may be taunting for their own aims…….i myself when by myself still fear the dark even if it is the darkness of my own mind that stalks me.
I hear you Loui… for myself, if there’s absolutely no light, or a soft glow for that matter, be it moonlight or a street light I get anxious… like being buried alive. As for the darkness of my own mind I seem to handle that well and doesn’t bother me as much these days. Many thanks, mate.
– Cosimo Piro
OH so this is why I didn’t sleep well last night….I was busy doing this freak out check list! If a horde of bubblers turn up on your doorstep Cos be well warned you sound like you know how to handle all the possible ghoulee situations ;O)
I think I must be a night walker in training but letting the team down somewhat cos it seems chocolate is my preference over blood!
Awesome write mate! xxx
A night walker with L plates dripping with chocolate, ticking off her freak out check list… now that’s a sight I’d like to see! hehe… Many thanks KS… for the vision and the smiles. xoxo just between you and I, chocolate is far tastier
– Cosimo Piro
awwwwwwwwwww glad I’m in the waking hour
though I did just check under my desk
you built this so hauntingly Cos…
I still have nightmares about finger nails down my bedroom window
a throw back from seeing Salem’s Lot as a kid
xxx
hehe… obviously all was clear otherwise you wouldn’t be writing this. I don’t think I’ve seen Salem’s Lot so checked it on YouTube… looks like a freaky movie… it’s still daylight here and my heart leaped at some of the scenes. I still get freaked by curtains blowing inwards ever since I saw a midnight movie when i was 10 or 12. I’ve been trying to find that movie ever since, unfortunately I can’t recall its name or much about it, except that the curtains blowing in was always before a ghost flew in to harm this particular character. Creeps me out just writing about it. Big hugs to comfort. xoxo
– Cosimo Piro
Not dolls nor clowns, but swamps, lagoons, black ones, with 3D creatures. They filled my nights for a long time after that movie… Now I pad about in the dark fearing little in the that dark. It’s little round things actually … I have a cat. ;) Eye of newt, ball of hair, warm…
Oh you do set off the imagine Cos. I too prefer chocolate, dark, but not in the dark…
I love loui’s line, “i myself when by myself still fear the dark” and your entire write as well.
I will be up very late again…
Thank you Dick… yes give me chocolate by a warm, glowing fire any night of the week to fend off those pesky ghoulish thoughts… better than a necklace of garlic. Always great to see you, friend.
– Cosimo Piro
To tell the truth I’d rather be dismissive because to dwell too much can lead down the path of madness. The mind is so powerful.
As to idiots who ‘walk innocently through a misty forest’, in my opinion if they did it at night they get what they deserve :D
I LOVED this Cosi, your mind is deliciously creepy when you set your thoughts to it. :)
A really wonderful write.
Maree x
Thank you Mara… I agree… the mind is powerful and can lead one up the path of madness… one’s imagination can take on whole new worlds, be they heavenly or hellish. Glad you enjoyed reading this one. xo
– Cosimo Piro
Many thanks Iroof… an honor and very pleasing.
– Cosimo Piro