Caren Krutsinger Poet Prose Poetry

The Neighbor

She is friendly and as welcoming as anyone in the neighborhood in the spring, outside, in her garden.
She collects neighbors the way anteaters collect ants, without hardly trying.
They see her out there, and they put on their spring jackets and join her.
She listens and she laughs, and she enjoys them like no other person ever has, appreciating them.
They invite her to their houses, but she dare not go, so she makes an excuse.
They only see her in the spring, which seems curious, but they are too busy showing themselves to ask about her life.
She seems private, somehow, and they respect that.

None of them know that she lives a secret life, a terrifying life, inside the house, with her abductor.
No one knows that she was kidnapped when she was nine, and she is fearful of everyone, even them.
No one realizes that he is watching, and seething with anger that he let her out, worried about what she might say.
As they flock to her, to have her listen to them, he is plotting how he will make her pay.
And she does.
It is her last outing.

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Sherry Asbury November 6, 2018 at 7:16 PM Wow - packs a punch - literally. Been there almost the same. You made me relive some haunting memories - the perfect job of a poet! Caren Krutsinger November 6, 2018 at 7:18 PM Thank you Sherry. I try to make people think; this time it was a rather unexpected accident as my muse twisted it to a completely different ending which often happens to me.

Ilene Bauer November 6, 2018 at 5:02 PM i surely did not expect that ending, caren! very chilling... Caren Krutsinger November 6, 2018 at 7:06 PM Ilene, that makes two of us.

M. L. Kiser November 6, 2018 at 1:40 PM Um, very sad and terrifying; there are many who fall prey to such types; you've penned some food for thought here; we all need to spend some time thinking about these victims and how we can do our part to prevent such things. Caren Krutsinger November 6, 2018 at 2:58 PM I think we need to be hyper-vigilant and aware. If something "feels" wrong too, often it is.

Tom Cunningham November 6, 2018 at 12:14 PM A sad story Caren, have heard of that sort of thing going on, if the victims survive the are mentally scarred for the rest of their lives . Tom. Caren Krutsinger November 6, 2018 at 1:21 PM Tom, I want to let people know it is rather selfish to only tell their stories, rather than listen.

Rhona Mcferran November 6, 2018 at 7:51 AM Wow, that was absolutely chilling at the end. And I think the scariest part is that there are so many people like her neighbors... so self-absorbed that they would never know- never asking the questions to even get a clue... Very thought-provoking. Caren Krutsinger November 6, 2018 at 8:10 AM Thank you Rhona. I was thinking about specific times that victims were too terrified to ask outsiders for help, even when they had access to them, afraid of the retribution that would have to be paid, daring to trust no one.