The Man In the Mist
~~oooOOO The Man In The Mist OOOooo~~
Going to my cousins house, a long drive in the car
Over the moors with dry stone walls, it was very far
The house in the middle of a field alone and swathed in a mist
The owls hooting, bats flying, but any trees I must have missed.
“The sea mist is in” my cousin said, “lets go inside now quick.”
A man was standing in the shadows, in his hand was a stick.
The waves were nosily rolling in as she pushed us through the door
A quick glance behind me as I entered, the man was no more.
“Who is the man outside?” I asked as she drove huge bolts home
That is Fred our ghost, we had a séance - and now he’s on the roam.
What do you mean? He haunts this place, and his name cannot be Fred
And people that died long ago do not come back - they are dead.
Fred says he lived where the barn once stood there are owls and bats there too
But since we called him he wants to enter the house – a chill wind blew.
It’s when the mist rolls in, we find we must lock and bar all the doors
If you hear footsteps in the night stay in bed until they pause.
That night in bed the light went out; my little sister was afraid
The sheets were damp the mist inside, so a small request she then made
Mandy can I sleep with you I am scared and I am so very cold?
I said "jump in but make it quick", but I did not feel really bold.
Her footsteps came round the bed and she sat upon my feet
"Get off my feet and into bed then perhaps this cold we will beat."
Her little voice came to me - from her own damp dark bed
I haven’t got out of it yet, I was looking for my teddy bear instead.
I peeped over my bedclothes and saw a shape sat on my feet
"Oh no" I cried "Fred’s in here, do you think he wants to eat?"
My little sister whispered, "please don’t say that it's true
What is he here for Mandy”, she whispered “what is he going to do?”
My body shaking, my mind in tatters - a ghostly hump sat on my bed
My heart beating loudly; the hairs prickling and standing on my neck and head.
"Please Fred what is it that you want, please don’t hurt us here?"
My sister whimpered under covers, "If he is dead, how can he hear?"
The ghostly hump of Fred lifted suddenly from my feet
I saw him shake his stick I thought us he was going to beat.
He waved the stick, the misty room cleared, the light suddenly came back on
I put my head under the covers and when I peeped over he had gone.
By Mandy Tams 22/04/12
Copyright © Mandy Tams The Golden Girl | Year Posted 2012
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