Cry

It was a night so dark, so damp; the fog swirled thick about the lamp, a night not fit for man or beast, a night on which tender hearts ceased to care about mankind's suffering, so nasty was the storm buffeting the tiny humble New England town, its weathered cape cods all battened down. When of a sudden a cry rang out, piercing the fog with a shriek and a shout: Did it herald the dawn of a better day? --Or just proclaim, "Man's lost his way." Shutters opened, blinds upward flew; Denizens craned their necks for a ring- side view. Where was the man who'd issued the cry? Was it a sign of life, or would they all die? Just then a riderless horse galloped down, streaking its way through the town, tossing its mane right then left; of its mystery rider long sine bereft: Whence the cry had come, no one could tell; when an unearthly voice, straight from Hell split the night with a ghastly shriek; shutters slammed tight--no one dared peek, As the horse veered away, frightened itself, by the Devil's advance along with his elfs, Crescendoes of wailing blackened the night--of a poor humble town in a fight for its life.