Quietly Stalked

Silent for the moment, it sits waiting; looming in the corner, one eye gleaming. Other occupants of the room, cower. The classics stifle sneezes as their dusty pages flutter with fear. The Bible hugs the lower shelf of the table; protected by its own nonentity and irrelevance. The monster watches. One small movement will alert it. My impotent pen drops and rolls to its favorite hiding place. My groping finger lures the lurking beast to action In helpless fascination I stare as the creature calls for re-enforcements. They’re coming in by twos and threes. I recognize war and pestilence as lewdness and vulgarity quickly follow. I try to calm the ogre when the room becomes crowed with rudeness, crudeness and indecency. Horror and fear filter in pushed by murder and mayhem. I frantically search for old familiar friends. Manners and kindness have been overcome by the brutish force of the invaders. No longer in charge of my own living room, I almost succumb to the subtle enticement of the demon in Pandora’s box, posing as a simple source of entertainment . Sanity stirs, causing one faint flick of my finger. The serpent crawls back into his lair to sulk and formulate plans for another invasion of my peace and quiet. By: Joyce Johnson came in 7th