Rainy Days, and the Old Red Barn

“Allen saw it first Charlie then later Allen chased the black raven Charlie lived his dreams”. Steady rain had been falling for two straight days In dimming, muted light. Striding out from the middle of a weeded field The two men were very glad To find shelter in an old, standing alone Faded red barn. They hurried to the large open doorway Where the old, dirty black, ragged raven That had led them there with its squawking Had landed on a box just inside the door... There, he now was still lightly squawking at them. Wet, tired, soaked, and hungry Saying nothing to each other They watched as he rose on flapping wings Up onto some higher rafters. Quickly forgetting the raven’s presence Giving each other a nod of relief Both entered. Minutes later Finding a dry spot They tumbled down separately, and quickly fell asleep. ___*___ “Charlie woke first Allen woke later Charlie chased thirst Allen tasted ‘taters.” Sitting up shivering... awake That strange tune in his head Charlie looked around Seeing his friend still, deeply sleeping A most terrible thirst had suddenly woke him From his slumber. He got to his feet in the now misty, false dawn light Facing another raining day With the sooner dream, foremost in thoughts… And those words, ‘wherever had they come from?’ No where in his dreaming memory banks Could he find any ready reference... For there, alone he was Being chased through a very, very hot, noon-time Sun Needing water, any water As it had been days since the last drink. Humming a strange tune Some black bird had taught him He then remembered the ditty he had made up Though nowhere in dreaming mind Could he find ready reference for its creation. Then stumbling broke that reverie And more alert... looking ahead Saw a small stream close by ‘Water!’… he picked up his pace. “Charlie chased thirst Allen woke later Charlie’s health worst Allen tasted ‘taters.” ___*___ Except, behind Charlie… ’It’ closed the distance. Of this... there was no doubt He felt the blackness closing in… Enveloping, then a tearing blackness. Stopping was his death. ‘Choose’.. his mind screamed His parched tongue now swollen, unable to sound Left any words as just thoughts... ‘Flight, or to ground... and drink’ Either way, he knew himself finished. At least... one last taste of… He could see it now clearly… Living Water! The choice was easy… ‘Mirage’ was his last thought. ___*___ “Charlie quenched thirst Allen woke later Charlie died first Allen tasted ‘taters.” Allen woke, still sleepy, yet warm Turning off the strange tune in his head He looked over, seeing his friend lying relaxed Face down, hidden in some old straw and black feathers Still, peacefully quiet... he let him sleep. Besides, he was very hungry again And getting up in the now, misty light of another… Uh oh, rainy day… He decided to search For anything more he and his friend could eat. He rose standing nearest the doorway. The interior of the old barn was still quite dark And really smelled old, and musty. He could feel it had a strange age to it Like his dead Grandfather’s old shed. His memory went back. When he had entered there, he had said What he felt just then... “Tired, finished.” Looking hard into the memory He could just make out the interior silhouette Which was looking just like, ‘It’ feeling like… Drawing him in... ‘Snap out of it Allen’, he firmly told himself... When one’s very hungry, what care is all of that... Life had taught him… At such times as this, when so hungry Reasons and reality can stay far afield. Besides, they had not eaten anything for what… 3 days… Except for some ranky, old potatoes found in the box Last night, in the dark, by the barn’s door. ___*___ “Charlie died first Allen wakes later Charlie’s health was worst Allen tastes ‘taters.” Ah, that strange song inside again And the thought of, and taste of potatoes! Allen scrambled back to the box He suddenly remembered, some left. And in his eagerness for more… Accidentally knocked the whole box over. The potatoes tumbling out were shriveled, moldy and dark No light of any day would ever brighten them up. However, along with the few remaining spuds Out from below also spilled some rather large mushrooms As Allen felt a sudden paralysis begin in his feet. Suddenly his mind cleared, wiser Knowing where now, his quiet friend really was… And where he was soon to join. “Charley chased thirst Allen chased ‘taters Charlie died first Allen followed later.” ___*___ The two policemen looked up Outside the door of the old Red Barn, in the ending rain. They had found two nibbled bodies inside As before, laying in some storage stalls. Sometime later, seeing reason plain. ‘Has some thing to do with the air in this old place’… the youngest said The other swore, ‘Nah, with this rain that ain’t quite the game’. ‘We keep throwing out all we find’, the inspector said... ‘If it’s them… Then where’s the new ones coming from… In that condition…” He looked over at the black bird hopping on an upper railing. “Can’t be explained”, he finished. His partner looked at him “Yep, I know it was the mushrooms did ‘em in Just like the ones before.” He stomped some muddy dirt And black feather pieces off his boot “How many we at now, I figure thirteen.” ___*___ As unnoticed, the ancient Raven flew away... With something dark and moldy in it’s beak Waiting for the next song, and It’s direction. And then, ‘It’ again sowing its goods... Within the next rainy days... Rhymes for Black Fate to speak, and act.