It's Now 3:34

He will remember forever, it was exactly 3:34

When, out of nowhere, came a knock at the door

One that rumbled the house and rattled him to his core

Like it had done in the past, 25 years before

*

Deep scratches and clawing

Something wild, trying to get in

In his brain, a thought gnawing

"A debt collector of sins?"

*

There was smoke circling the doorway

The scent of cinder and ash

His skin now, clammy and gray

His life flew by in a flash

*

In the rhythm of a song

Though the words seemed to elude him

And the measure was all wrong

As his breath was escaping

*

Rat a tat, tat

Not unlike Morse code

He picked up the bat

He kept next to the door

*

His heart pounding harder

His steps, cautious, 'cross the floor

His skin, sweaty but colder

Perspiration dripped from his pores

*

As he neared the doorway

Another pound, made him jump

Deja Vu began to replay

And the room seemed to hum

*

His breathing grew heavy

Sweat dripped off of his brow

He called his dog, Lenny

But he hid behind the couch

*

He placed his hand on the doorknob

Still gripping the bat

When something made a vase drop

Turns out, it was the cat

*

He gathered his composure

Threw his slipper to chase it away

The end table flipped over

He hid behind the buffet

*

Still the pounding continued

In the sequence of three

He was in such a grim mood

That he started to plea

*

"Hello?" Who is out there?"

He managed to ask

Then, he mumbled a prayer

That no one would answer him back

*

All he could hear, were feet shuffling

And the wind through the trees

He cried, lightly sniffling

Getting down on his knees

*

Then, he peered through the keyhole

But saw nothing, but shadows

Just then, another hard blow

Knocking his bat to the floor

*

The noise startled the dog

Who began chasing the cat

Tipping over the firelogs

Spilling ash on the mat

*

He was falling to pieces

When a voice, small and quiet

Made him pause, he was speechless

Completely frozen with fright

*

The voice whispered to him

"Relax, and everything will be alright"

"If you remain calm"

"And admit I was right"

*

He sat quiet for a minute

And said, "what do you mean"

"I will not be complicit"

"With your motives, unseen"

*

The voice, beginning to anger

Sternly barked, "you know why I'm here"

"I told you not to slander"

"now you see, I was sincere"

*

"I never make threats"

"I stand by what I say"

"But you appear to forget"

"What I told you that day"

*

The man scoured through his memory

but it seemed, nothing would stick

He said, "You'll have to forgive me"

"I think I'm gonna be sick"

*

Then he thought he heard footsteps leaving

Like they had gone down the steps

That's when the pounds became screaming

"I'm not through with you yet!"

*

And then, the walls started to tremble

Shaking the dust from the beams

A figure transcendental

Like something from out of a dream

*

It appeared right before him

Floating there, in thin air

He new now, this was grim

And started pulling his hair

*

The fright was too much

And he fainted straight away

This spirit had a grudge

He knew he was going to pay

*

But, when he woke the next morning

Neatly tucked in his bed

Was this ghost sending a warning

Or was it all in his head?