Tick, tick, tick, the old hand carved clock sounded it’s tune,
Drip, drip, drip, the rain hit the roof.
And I, inside, sitting, peering into the dark of this dreadful room.
I know not why, this job, I did take, must of been crazy, yet here I am.

Flashing, shining my old flash light, at the paintings on the old walls,
Statues standing about, guarding the master pieces.
Creak, creak, creak, the floor let out its frightful sounds.

The thunder crashed, the lightening flashed, with darkness all about,
I sat thinking, listening, and guarding, my brain wrenching,
I could not handle this room any longer.

But I could not leave for it was my job, my duty to guard,
and protect, I must, even with the darkness, darkness, ire darkness.
As I shone my light this way and that, it appeared as though the statues,

the statues, were peering, staring, gazing back.
Crazy I was headed, mad I was going, I could not stay
As the darkness began to take control over my inter thoughts,

so up I went and I walked, I treaded, and I paced, up and down,
yet the statues seemed to turn their marble heads watching my every move,
as I stepped, thinking all the while how could this be for statues can not move.

But moving they were, so then, I ran, ran through the room within the darkness,
ran to hell knows where. Then, as if out of the twilight, the walls in the dark
came closing in, in toward the statues, in toward me.

Oh, crazy was I to take this job, the thoughts raced within my mind,
running, running, running on, even more, but there, there was no door,
no door, how can this be? A door I did enter, yet no door there be to exit.

Insanity penetrated my mind, for I could understand none of this,
was some supreme power holding me at bay, heart racing,
I stopped, out of breath as I listened.

Tick, tick, tick, drip, drip, drip, the closing of the walls creaking,
I heard the heavy breathing, breathing, yet it was not me,
I looked about, to see who else was in the bellows of this marble room.

Nothing, nothing, nothing but I and the statues, did I see,
In amazement, the statues of marble were breathing, breathing,
so loudly that I ran, ran and ran some more, for they appeared alive.

This could not be, crazy, mad, insane that is what I am,
crazy for taking this job, for statues, walking, breathing, peering,
walls moving, closing, coming in, and this can not be.

It could not be true , yet to me it was, then out of the darkness to my dismay,
I catch sight of a door, and run to throw myself upon it and leave this place,
in a flash I stop just before leaving the evils behind.

I stand, by the door, all I can see is darkness, darkness everywhere,
darkness where the outside should be, darkness where there should be light,
so I did not move, I did not make a sound.

Then from no where, within the shadows, I saw the statues,
walking, moving, breathing, coming toward me, and I...
Tick, tick, tick, drip, drip, drip, creak, creak, creak

Samuel E. Stone © 2004