“Then, like a death knell, you arrived.
My monster. In the flesh.”
It was the thump, thump, thumping of your uneven steps, as you made your way in my direction. I knew those footfalls like they were alarm bells going off during a fire drill. They pierced my eardrums like thunder. There was nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide. And there I was, helpless to do anything about it. So I did the only thing I could.
I counted the steps — thump, thump, thump — each one growing louder. Closer. By the time I counted to ten, the night seemed darker. As if the stars closed their eyes and refused to shine. Twenty. With every beat, my heart pounded, pumping battery acid through my veins faster and faster — thump, thump, thump — until the last step. Thirty.
Then, like a death knell, you arrived. Thump. My monster. In the flesh. Darkening my doorway. It was then that my torment would begin.
© Sarah Doughty
[Sarah Doughty is the tingling wonder-voice behind Heartstring Eulogies. She’s also the author of The Silence Between Moonbeams, her poetry chapbook, and the acclaimed novels and novellas of the Earthen Witch Universe. Good news, they’re all offered for free, right here! To learn more about how awesome Sarah is, check out her website, stalk her on Goodreads, or both.]
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this is wonderful
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The first lines had me shivering. The rest was no disappointment! Gorgeous, spine-chilling work.
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Agree, this is sensational.
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Oh my…you have captured so much in such a short space. Brilliant and utterly devastating. 💔
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Reblogged this on RamJet Poetry.
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Sarah, I’m running out of ways to express my love and admiration for you. This piece is a like an icicle prick…but it’s warm, too, because your strength is so beautiful and inspiring. ❤
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Aw that makes me smile. I adore you. Thank you!
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You’re welcome ❤
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What you described, is simply, awful for anybody to experience, but, unfortunately, things like this is still happening in the world, and, there’s, not much we can do, but to keep our awareness up, and do our best, to stop this sort of abuse from keep happening around us…
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Very true. Thank you for the kind words and sharing awareness.
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Reblogged this on Blood Into Ink and commented:
Blood Into Ink’s Sarah Doughty
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Reblogged this on Brave and Reckless and commented:
Sarah Doughty giving me the shivers on Sudden Denouement.
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Achingly visceral and ominous. This gave me the shivers Sarah. Brilliant.
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Thank you, love. I really appreciate all the support.
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Thank you, lovely souls at Sudden Denouement, for giving my words a home.
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Awesome!
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Walt, thank you so much for your neverending support.
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It’s my pleasure Sarah 😃
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Very poignant and moving.
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Many thanks, S.K.!
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Wonderfully sinister!
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Thank you.
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There are things that can make chronic abuse worse. A ritualistic aspect to it is one of them. There is no cure for this kind of scarring of one’s soul. Like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, one must vigilantly stave off its menace through things like poetry. Hugs to you for your vigilance, dear poet.
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This is very true. Do much of what happened to me was predictable, because the sequence almost always remained the same. Thank you for seeing the ritual behind this piece.
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you are welcome.
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Love it
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Thanks, lovely!
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“By the time I counted to ten, the night seemed darker” great stuff Sarah
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Thank you, my friend.
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most welcome Sarah
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