Sparkatale

Up, Down, Left, Right

Awake as you may be you look: up, down

left, right. The darkness comes, unfurling and frothing,

consuming the shapes, the sounds, the sight as your

tongue does a tango; up, down, left, right. Your eyes

take a spin, your fingers break skin and your heart

leaps in as you choke. Breaths break, waves against your lips;

panting and pulling, crashing and collapsing. Lungs no longer

working. You look; up, down, left, right. It's there, in the corner!

Hovering and hoping, churning and seething; you stand, which way?

Up? Down? Left? Right?

Straight, always straight.

You leap, you bound! Heart hammering, fingers trembling;

Darkness knocks. One, two, three! It sees you, it sees me.

Straight curves, left becomes right, up no longer down.

Which way, which way? Quick, it's there!

Darkness panics, surging up, down, left, right, combing your

hair, caressing the skin and taking the blood. A door opens and

you hear, you see; bright light, sweet breath, knock,

knock, knock! Darkness screams; the world trembles and tumbles,

under and over, left and right, up and down. You're free, drunkenness

swimming, happiness slurring, words knock, knock, knocking

against your teeth. But you speak; tongue lilting, smooth vowels

against your ears, feet bare and hands empty, hair a tangled mess.

"Go to sleep," someone whispers and the light vanishes, the door

closes; knock, knock, knock. Darkness gurgles;

boiling and heaving, defeated for the night, but always

up, down, left, right.

So farewell and Goodnight.