Journey to Ixtlan

The poem “They Linger” was written for the prompt, “give me scary and creepyminimum.” The end result is about the zombie apocalypse.


They Linger

Perhaps they linger to resolve
the pain received while alive
wishing vengeance the mortal shirk
by equal measure plus much more
perfection sought where there was none
sorrow begs for Devil’s course

holy orders have no defense
when revenants ask for their due
demand revenge in return
no dis-allowance of their rage
retaliation behooves revenge
as the living join their ranks

now the few are the damned
huddled in the fading light
knowing fate will be a curse
escaping peace of the grave
the invitation is a gift
walking dead will persist

don’t despair if you’re the last
the pound of flesh will be withdrawn
before the coming of the dawn
the once-reviled become the norm
long enduring are deceased
this land without a living soul.

© 2018. Sean Green. All Rights Reserved. 20181020.

I had a dream about being invited to a dinner celebration in a town I had never seen before. By the end the dream I was riding a cow across a field in order to escape from a probable massacre. Does this sound familiar? The cow part aside, it is very roughly the plot to “Two Thousand Maniacs!”. A latter dream that night had a strange twist. The main host for the dinner called and said he was upset that I left early. I told him that I had freaked out and left out of fear. I don't know if he accepted my apology, but I would have done it again.


Two Thousand

Please don't invite me to the picnic
the one with the smiling faces and long knives
tables piled high high with festive fare
my friends and I served as main course.

The day started out simple enough
stranded in the country with broken ride
with locals eager for some company
at annual celebration of comradery.

So much time had been spent
making the town ready for the festival
a gala of decadence by simple people
a sign of their observance of greater purpose.

Sabbath or funeral clothes were worn
the former we assumed to our error
surely they did not dress handsome for visitors
even if they said they did it only once a year.

Through a twisted path we were led
past halls set waiting banquet
at these we did not tarry long
until we arrived at a hall for our sup.

Potato salad stood by deviled egg
fried chicken next to candy ham.
Strangely our hosts paid more attention
to us than the spread made for them.

I separated from the group
did not eat any of the offered food
suspecting that I would sleep
too soon after eating the cole slaw.

Out the back door I escaped
down alleys until I reached the woods
through the rows of planted trees
I made my way to far safety.

The day started out simple enough
I did not realize in the end
I'd ride a cow to not be a meal
but that's a poem for another time.

© 2016, Sean Green. All Rights Reserved, 20160417.

So I spent about two hours watching a horror movie on Sci-Fi channel called “Mortuary”. In the end everyone died. The sad fact is that they deserved to. What would you do if:

a) You buy a mortuary to being a new career with your brand new mortician's license. The building is run-down with a clouded history. Very nasty. Green slime leaks into the yard from the "septic tank". There is a cemetery adjacent to the mortuary.
b) You find a strange key with a star-shape on the end. Your hand is cut in the process. You don't see the tendrils come up from the drain to suck up the blood drops.
c) You go to the cemetery. A private family vault has it’s door open. The door should be locked. Everything grey or green in color.
d) You go into the vault. Very creepy. There are stairs leading down into the earth.
e) You go down the stairs. It's an underground chamber. In the room is a vertical stone slab that has a hole in it the same shape as the key star-shaped key you found. On the vertical slab is the inscription, "In Time Even Death Dies".

Do you:

a) Put the key in, turn it, and hear a clicking sound. There is no apparent motion in the room. Your kids holler for you and you leave the vault. Key is forgotten. Vault is forgotten.
b) Drop the key in the nearest trashcan, move the f*ck away from the mortuary, and find a new profession.

If you picked (a), you and your family are dead mere days later. If you picked (b), you’re probably still alive somewhere, with giant snakes/crocodiles/spiders/beavers/dragons/hamsters/rats/(animal of choice) are attacking you. Remember, this is the Sci-Fi network!!!