Naked branches, far-reaching black silhouettes,
tapping their slender fingers on cracked windows.
Eerie winds whisk dead leaves across a buckled walk,
while a paint-chipped “for sale” sign creaks to and fro.
Astounded children gather to pass on the ghostly legend;
Old Man Johnson lived to be 103 in this haunted abode,
but his meals of flesh and bones kept him young and spry,
inviting in all who dared touch the knob on his front door.
One by one people began to disappear from the streets,
while Old Man Johnson grew fatter and more malevolent.
Scarlet blood seeped out of rusted drainpipes onto thirsty soil.
Thick, pungent smoke erupted from the slanted brick chimney.
The house grew hungry with the taste of meat and blood,
but the fated old man couldn’t keep the demons at bay.
Murderous screams can still be heard on Halloween night,
and ghastly crimes shadowed through the ragged blinds.
No one knows for sure what happened behind the door,
but some brave children have crossed paths with it.
It’s said that if you approach the door quietly,
the knob will turn itself, inviting you in for a look.
pic: http://the-ashton-theory.deviantart.com/art/whats-behind-the-door-82169534
In a list
A contest entry
- Do the Dictionary #2 by fortyninereasons.
600 points, ended September 21, 2008, 14 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - many prompts contest-PW allowed by BrittlesSkittles.
950 points, ended March 22, 24 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 11 of 11
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Now that has all the hallmarks of a classic tale!
Good luck in the contest!
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Great poem and eerie but I love it that way. You did an awesome write on this and I thank you for writing for me. All of you touched my heart with your kindness. Good luck in the contest and have a good day.
Your zoo family (Bald Eagle)
Sam I Am
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ooooh spooky...nice write
T
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I love the open ending.
Very nice. -
This is good!
I enjoyed this work and it certainly is creepy and well of descriptively. I like most of all what you did with the concept of the doorknob, very good indeed. The flow is pretty solid and word use is fair.
The title is suitable and the picture is nifty and while creepy it doesn't exactly enter the scare zone for me. Even still, the work entertains me and IS creepy, and I do so love the concept of the demonic man eating others to stay young, an always scary concept by itself.
Nice work, thanks for joining the contest, and best of luck!
Truly and Darkly,
Doctor of Horrors, Dirk
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brillaint scary and very well done loved it scared me
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Suspense.... Dramatic. Amazing write. Keep it up. Good Luck in my contest.
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wow. very haunting and suspenseful. i like how you took a prompt and made it into a intriguing story. i enjoyed reading this! the imagery was excellent. great write!
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Excellent write
This should have been a gold winner indeed .Great work here it gave me chills
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some very dark imagery here, creating a eerie feeling like watching a horror movie. An interesting read. Well done.
Rory
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This is so good, love where you took it. The imagery is just amazing, you had me enthralled from start to finish. Thank you so much for your entry.
Juls
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