Twisting black smoke arose from
the neighbors chimney, swirling
into the pitch night over the roof
and into the trees-
Sounds unlike cooking utensils
clanging or pots banging, not
even a microwave light-
Something was sounding off, like
a miniature mouse with a howl
like a wolf-
An eery sensation teaming, and
slowly streaming, like old blood
barely porous and peelind-
\\\"Where are the servants-Bart, I say
where are they tonight?!\\\"-her old
wrinkled face spewed spackles of
older ooze from her face as she
bent over reaching for her bedside
slippers-
\\\"Hacking away the night!\\\"-Bart said
grumbling once again, answering
twice the same question in less
time it would take her to see for
herself-
The servants returned from the old
crooked shed, that barely leaned
in any direction correct, but there
it was upright and dead-
\\\"Sir, the hacking is done, may we
be relieved of our services, sir?\\\"
There remained a slight reluctance
in my demeanor, I wanted to
make sure for myself, besides
they woke mother, them-
The scowling wind weaved in and
out of the still nights contempt
and the bored holes with webs
pumping like anxious fingers
mimicing a crawling spider within
them-the fences lines against
ancient looking trees, but they
were no older than me-
The servants left with little chatter
and their voices disapeared with
a bit of laughter-
Hackers, I thought to my dismay
a thought I riddled away-but yet
the word imbedded, in my mind
never leaving me alone to die-
The hacking was indeed completed
and like always a treat was left
and maybe I should eat it, or
better leave it, for the ghouls and
the serpents, the strange ones
that feed on whatever they wanted
I closed the shed door, tight, and
looked for shelter back into the
night-and the sounds of the
house, ever so still now, and
mother went back to sleep, the
chimney smoke ceased to peep-
And the whispy air, lay still, no care
no more, the dead have come
to sleep.
