At some hour on some day

When everyone else found it hard

To stay awake,

I sat in the old leather chair

Watching what as left

Of the fading weather,

Moon peeping through

The slight opening of

The white wooden blades.

Ceiling fan slowly whirling

Whispers in my hair,

When the soft sound came

Round to me though

First seeming like a dream

Maybe I had fallen asleep.

But no, it kept getting louder,

The soft sobs of someone in need

Right outside my door.

I slowly peered through the window

Saw nothing but still could hear

The tearful sorrow right outside the door.

I carefully pulled it open and

Stepped into the chilling night,

A light mist falling like a curtain call

Over the figure hunched over

Hugging her knees,

Sitting on the curb crying.

I called out to her and

Walked her way,

Are you okay ,

Was all I managed to say.

As I sat down beside her,

She never looked at me,

Her pale blonde hair hanging midair

Shrouding her face,

A wedding veil.

Are you lost,

I finally inquired

As we became more

Damp by the hour.

She shook her head,

Still not saying a word.

Is there someone I can phone?

She shook her head no.

And I reached out to touch her

When in the darkness came

The sounds of hooves on

An ancient brick road,

The clicking of horse shoes

Loud and plain.

I tried to focus

As this made no sense at all,

The sounds were there,

But there was nothing to call,

And it got louder and louder until

It stopped right in front of me,

And I still saw nothing ‘til

She got up and reached out her hand,

Upwards towards the horse and this man.

His eyes glowed gold, lighting up

What he wore,

This was a Southern gentleman from

Times of old.

He gripped the girl tight and pulled her

Straight up behind him,

On this ghostly stallion,

It was then that I caught view

Of the face that was once hidden,

Gray, lifeless, wrinkled mask

Of what was once a woman.

Looked right through me

And grinned, disappeared slowly waving,

As I sat in a pool of disbelief

While the sounds of hooves

Faded off into the distance,

Leaving me alone with

Nightmares that from that night

Were just the beginning.