Enter, The Shadow

Sitting on a pier, gently making figure eights,

pulling toes across the surface of the water.

Oblivious to her plight, or the creature lurking there below,

awaiting fate, like a lamb led to the slaughter.

*

A deal made long ago, at a crossroads after dark,

two shadowed figures strike a deal, and then shook hands.

She was the daughter of a man, devious and cruel,

he vowed her to the beast for payment, as was planned.

An unborn child was what was asked, he gave no thought to what that meant,

he had his eyes glued on those stacks of dollar bills.

A child he had never met, was a price he'd gladly pay,

it bought him freedom to seek out his every thrill.

*

He bounced through towns and women, like he had springs inside his shoes,

he had no regard for them, no feelings or respect.

He’d meet a girl he vowed to love, until her money all ran out,

and left her sitting in her shame and his neglect.

One night while sitting at the bar, drinking from another’s glass,

he saw a gorgeous woman who made all the others pale.

He tried to win her with his charms, she simply laughed and walked away,

Then just your name, he begged her, his voice was weak and frail.

*

She turned and met his eyes, her brows were furrowed now with hate,

Just my name? she asked, her voice was full of fire.

I know the man you are, I will not give you what you ask,

your words are full of lies and tricks bound with barbed wire.

He begged her, reconsider, and then grabbed her by her arm,

he threw her to the ground and took her honor.

When he finished what he’d started, wiped his mouth, and walked away,

he had no idea she was the devil’s daughter.

*

He went back to his room to clean the filth off of his skin,

he left her lying there disheveled and alone.

Little did he know that he had crossed a line this time,

he would soon pay for the seeds that he had sown.

*

She made her way out to the crossroads, months after the attack,

to strike a deal of her own, and change the plan.

She begged the shadowed figure to change the price first asked,

another deal was made, and she’d deliver him, the man.

She found him sitting on a barstool, many years had passed since then,

he didn’t recognize her face, but fell once more.

Into the spell she cast upon him, like no other he had met,

he vowed he’d change his wicked ways and find reform.

*

She said my name is Constance, I have been looking all my life,

for a man to change his ways and vow to me.

I need to leave this evil place, go somewhere far away,

would you take me somewhere safe, across the sea?

*

He couldn’t tell her no; he had no power to resist her,

he never felt the urge to please somebody else before.

He had no idea what was waiting for him in his future,

when she took him by his hand and led him down that wooden pier.

Sitting on the edge of this long and aging dock,

was a beautiful young girl, about eighteen.

He looked her up and down, something familiar caught his eye,

he said, you look like someone from somewhere I have seen.

*

She turned around and smiled, said, yes, although we’ve never met,

I was a part of a plan you once made to get rich.

But when you met my mother, you broke a timeless moral code,

that no one would defile the demon’s witch.

*

As it turns out you are my father, I was meant to pay your debt,

but the beast you met that night, was my grandfather

He knew one day that you would take something that wasn’t yours,

and you’d end up as the offering on his alter.

The man looked at the woman, her eyes ablaze with glowing fire,

he now remembered how he knew her face.

She grinned and said I appreciate your kind and generous gift,

to satisfy the beast, taking my daughter’s place.

*

He tried to run, he begged and cried, but no one came to save him.

His claim to fame, a child unborn, the tables turned, his face forlorn.

Nothing to help turn back the clock, no power now to make this stop.

A desperate man both then and now, a penance to pay a debt to avow.

*

For a moment everything was still-

no one dared to breathe a word.

A bead of water slowly trickled down his face.

Hell knows no fury, like a woman whose been scorned,

everything that happened next was just a blur.

The water stirred, it spun and swirled, a water funnel formed,

a face appeared within the mist, his face turned white in horror.

The shadow fell long, across the dock, consuming every inch of light,

once again, he was face to face, with the shadow from that night

*

Just before he was swept away, into the depths of the abyss,

the darkness spoke, his voice as soft as velvet.

“Do you know me?” the shadow asked, The man shook violently with fear,

“ my shadow” he whispered, the darkness smiled and said, "it’s about time you claimed it!"