Darkness

My feet are cold; my tiredness lingers; My back aches from stooping so low. Dampened by the frigid water below, I breathed warmth into my numbing fingers. Again, I dipped my shovel into the coarse gravel Of the stream dredging up with a gurgle A mixture of pebbles and sand; Into a bucket I poured it, firsthand. In this wilderness I'm not alone, there's bear. Mindful I am of the sounds around me; A churning stream, rustling leaves, an elk groan, Snapping twigs, anything that would put a scare Or raise my hair. I looked around for a tree, Somewhere to flee before darkness set in. Not far from here, I spied a log cabin. Into this stronghold I placed my supplies; Nature's calm was just a disguise. I latched its massive door; and bolted each shutter. In its stone hearth, I started a fire; Basking in its warmth worries melted like butter. Outside, darkness enveloped the cabin; Strong claws raked its walls peeling away its skin; Relentless growling resonated through the dusty din. Suddenly, I awoke huddled next to a glowing flashlight. Shivering against the muddy walls of a beaver's lodge, I could hear the bear feverishly ripping Through the muddy grass, and the disjointed timbers Above me. Deep beneath the surface darkness arrived Just, as my flashlight flickered, then died.