I was downstairs in the
Darkness. There wasn’t
much in the kitchen since
Susan moved out, died
Actually, unless this was
A dream. Someone was
In the house which was
Alarming since neither Ben
Nor Duffy barked which
Inclined me toward the dream
Hypothesis. I switched on the
Lights. I had a gun I didn’t
Remember taking. “Come out
Come out, whoever you are,”
I called toward the darkness
Down the hall. There was a
Rustling in the curtain by the
Patio door. I walked closer.
The door was open so I switched
On the lights and looked
Out. There was a rustling
In the trees among the leaves.
“Who are you,” I called upward
Not expecting an answer? “Your
Best chance is to move on,” a
Voice I used to know spoke down.
“Come down. Let’s talk. I won’t
Shoot you.” At that a lithe form
Dropped lightly to the ground
Bearing a startling resemblance
To Susan as she looked when
I first knew her. “Who are you,”
I demanded?” “Don’t you know?”
“You can’t be as you seem.”
“You can’t be,” she countered
“The man I loved was as young
As I am now. Who are you?”
“Someone dreaming, I suppose,”
I sighed, laying my gun on
The patio table and sitting down.
“Why have you come,” I asked,
Half knowing the answer?
“Not something I chose. I was
In your eyes as you see. You
Can’t come back to me and if
I try as I did to come here to be
With you, I fade. I haven’t the
Strength to last this long. There’s
An owl up there,” she gestured.
“A large one. Don’t let Duffy out
Until its gone.” “And will you go
As well,’ I asked? “It’s all a jumble,
Being as I was instead of who I became.
You did enough. You can let me go.
It’s all as it should be, even the
Sorrow. I didn’t need it to know
What you felt all those years.
It was clear. Look at all these
Weeds,” she said gesturing about
“Don’t let everything go.” I
Looked back and saw Duffy and Ben
At the open door, Ben watching me,
Duffy her. Later on we slept.
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