SVU Scares: “Cerebral Spook”
Submission by Sabra Larson
Not tall, dark, and dreary
but small, stark, and weary
Unworthy of a passing glance
But should you dare to take a chance
This house will scare
This house will bite
This house will wound
This house may frighten
you
Approach the quaint quiet porch
a quiver trails your spine
There is a bracket for a torch
But light has been lost with time
Though your hands are shaking
the air is rather warm
Your fingers are now quaking
as they reach the door
Wood along the frame has swelled
The knob is apprehensive
So few people here have dwelled
Touch is not comprehensive
The door didn’t creak, it weeped
Knowing what lay beyond
The fear didn’t startle, it steeped
Like cold tea, left alone too long
Like a little loose leaf
You tip toe
Into the antechamber
It’s for show
Polished floor, polished art
Your eyes burn from the too clean air
Runny nose, running start
Quick, let’s get out of here!
Though the house is vacant
soft glowing from the walls
throbs in time with your pulse
sets shadows scuttling down your throat
spotlights a small, singular note,
“This is where you begin to fall.”
A ringing begins
crawls in your ears
melts down your neck
oozes along your arms
drains to your fingers
pools in your stomach
filters through your hips
anchors to your knees
crystallizes in your feet
Inhabited and controlled
hollowness has a hold
The frigid floor drops
stairs and stairs and stairs and stairs
The pull never stops
stairs and stairs and stairs
Tripping and tearing
stairs and stairs
Darkening and drowning
down the stairs
Land on your knees
it hurts, they’re bruised
raw and aching
you’re left confused
Sorry
I’ve meant to shorten the trip
intended to cut some layers
tried to get a grip
But here come the ghosts
Yes, here they are now
After you have fallen
They’re curious as to how
You’ve found yourself here
Among the hidden
Among the embedded, but not forbidden
Their vibrant visage
dichotomous to the reek of the past
Their radiant image
opposite from their wintry hands
Nice to look at
not to touch
keep your distance
they’re not worth much
There is one door they all turn away from
One room they avoid and run away from
They’re frightened of its contents
scared to face the truth:
I will never be content
if I stay planted in my youth
This part of the journey is mine
You may watch is you like
I’m grateful you did not leave
at the Do Not Disturb sign
I enter that void of a chamber
volition, not of my own
Pushed by some dim, watery voice
“This fear, my dear, is a choice.”
I look at my heart
on the low table
she beats just for me
steady and stable
See how it can fight
See how it can glow
should I treat her right,
allow her to grow
Set her free
to liven the home
Seek that peace
I needn’t roam
Not small, stark, and weary
but all that is dear to me
Worthy of your passing glance
Thank you for daring to take a chance
This house might scare
This house might bite
This house might wound
This house may frighten
You
but its heart is healing
A wild ride.
Yet, an easier one
with you by my side
