An Apparition On Friday The 13th

It is the Dark of the Moon.

The wind is howling through the trees.

The coyotes will begin their nightly howling soon.

Gravel and crispy, colorful leaves crunch under my boots.

Beneath their soft suede, I can feel the pebbles and tree roots.

Leaves rain down with each subsequent gust.

As I venture away from the roadside onto the leaf-blanketed soil of the forest floor,

I take extra care to avoid slipping on the dew-dampened leaves,

Or the tree roots camouflaged beneath them.

I pull my sweater more tightly around me in an effort to block out the chill.

The increasingly bare branches overhead appear spectral.

Like looming gargoyles in the night

And the mere thought sends a shiver down my spine.

I can faintly make out the silhouette of an owl perched above me.

Fallen twigs snap in the distance

And my breath catches in my throat.

An ominous snap echoes into the night as a heavy branch breaks free.

My mind begins to play tricks on me

Envisioning something far more sinister than a falling limb.

On this night of the New Moon,

Everything appears otherworldly.

A sharp screech sounds, and I whirl to my left.

Most likely an owl, victoriously claiming his prey.

A metallic click sounds to my right

I turn in time to see a lone lantern glimmering to life.

Twigs crunch slowly, softly.

Someone clearly attempting to minimize the sound of their approach.

Who could be out here?

Has my overactive imagination inadvertently summoned something straight out of a nightmare?

I’m frightened now.

All alone, or am I?

I will not run nor cower.

‘Hello?’ I call into the night

As I widen my stance and brace for a fight.

A twig snaps.

Leaves rustle.

I stand waiting with bated breath.

‘Show yourself!’

“If you insist…”

He steps into the light, and my breath lodges in my throat.

I’m certain I’ve never seen a more gorgeous human being.

Despite the lack of moonlight, his eyes are luminous.

He’s unbearably alluring.

Where did he come from?

‘Wha- what are you doing out here?’

My imagination is in overdrive.

I am desperately hoping that he’ll say he happened upon my car

That he was looking for its owner,

Trying to see if they needed help.

Not because he’s some crazy axe murderer.

He simply smiles at me.

Yet there is nothing simple about his smile.

His silent grin spoke of many things,

And it did not provide a single answer.

“I could ask you the very same.”

Fair enough.

‘Do you often take midnight strolls in the middle of nowhere?’

“Why yes, actually, I do.”

Okay, I was not expecting that.

Before I can respond, my feet begin to propel me forward,

Towards this exquisitely mysterious stranger.

I cannot tear my eyes from his gaze.

His look is one of pure compulsion

And I, I was helpless to deny him.

His lips caressed my neck, and a sigh softly escaped my lips in surrender.

He whispered, “Do not be afraid.”

As his fangs suddenly pierced the tender skin covering my jugular.

Vibrant colors burst behind my eyelids,

And my body becomes putty beneath his ministrations.

My reaction is purely visceral.

Who is this man? This beautiful creature of the night?

Where did he come from?

When he’s finished with me, will he transform and take flight?

Conflicting thoughts swirl through my mind,

Yet I stand still, willing and compliant.

Perhaps, I’ve bumped my head?

I’ve gotten lost in the woods while searching for help.

I must’ve stumbled upon one of those enormous tree roots and been knocked unconscious.

That would explain my obedience.

Except the heat of his mouth cannot be denied.

Nor my body’s reaction to it.

My subconscious has me leaning into his embrace

Willing to indulge in every one of his dark desires.

My instincts caution that I’m nearing the point of no return,

Yet I could not care less.

Even as my knees feel weak with anticipation,

My heart thunders in trepidation.

Reluctantly, his lips abandon my neck.

My body trembles as the brilliant colors, and the warmth of his embrace fade away.

I open my mouth to speak,

Though no words come.

He raises a finger to my lips,

Smiling in satisfaction.

A million thoughts swirl through my head,

Yet before I can give voice to a single one the world goes dark

And I awaken in my bed.

I bolt upright, taking in my surroundings.

It is not possible that all of that was merely a dream.

I grope around for my phone to check the time.

3:13 am on October 14th.

It’s Saturday.

Friday the 13th is over.

My bare feet touch the floor, and something damp?

Switching on the bedside lamp,

I look down at the floor and find my boots lying there.

Their suede is wet and darkened by the soil from the forest floor.

My hand moves to my neck, and warm tingles move through me.

So, it wasn’t a dream after all.

I rise from my bed and gaze out the window,

When my eye catches on the lantern,

It’s set atop a log at the edge of the wood,

A tall, familiar form stands beside it…

. . .

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This poem was originally published on Medium.