It Comes.

Scraping, rasping, furtive sounds;

the noise of night is all around.

Who comes a calling late at night

without the need or want of light?

What kind of creature now does creep

upon that stairway dark and steep?

Haunting, strident, night owls screech.

What things from yonder shadows reach?

Beyond the candle's light I cringe

as from the shadow's gloomy fringe,

before the candle, flickering, warm,

comes oozing now an awful form.

It slithers shapeless 'cross the floor,

I try to run towards the door,

but,  frozen to the spot am I.

That thing now casts it's evil eye.

Malevolent, it hisses, spits,

my brain is helpless, gone my wits;

and now I smell it's fetid breath,

what brings to me this thing of death?

What crime toward mankind have I

committed so that I must die?

What fearful and atrocious thing

has caused the night this beast to bring?

It drags me helpless to the stair;

to God I scream my final prayer.

Its teeth and jaws begin to rip,

from gaping jaws the blood now drips.

I struggle, squirming on the floor,

then someone knocks upon the door.

Thank God, it is another day -

Its Mother with my breakfast tray!