[ his shoulders tense
inherently distrustful
a warning ache that
flares between his
ribs —
people don’t
simply do things
out of the kindness
of their hearts ]
[ he runs his
tongue along
his lower lip
in contemplation ]
—- ” If you really don’t
think it’ll be too much trouble — “
[ this is really the only
choice he has. to
accept her proverbially
proffered hand
his other option
is to be left in
v a s t and terribly
unfamiliar territory
at least a house
is easy to feel out —
easy to establish
perimeters —
he can always
be acutely aware
of everyone in the
general vicinity —
can have the upper -
hand that wilderness
rarely affords him ]
[ he smiles ]
[ She awaited his response in silence,
watching him.
Wondering just what he was thinking,
what did humans think?
What was he feeling?
For she could only hold the form of a human,
she was not truly one of them,
so the concept which had once been so vivid;
the concept being trapped within a rotting form,
was now so surreal.
P e r h a p s she could at least give this human a pieceof heaven,
untouched by mankind and free from death for only a little while,
for death sought everything, it seemed. ]
“– It is of little trouble, I welcome you. “
[ Turning and bringing her latern up to eye level,
The flame brought forth enough light to guide them. ]
“Why were you within the woods at such an hour,
surely you know it is unsafe?“
[ she looks to him.]