A Poem by NAVERETEP

 

General Alarm

THE QUIET BEFORE THE STORM

THE SILENCE.

THE STILLNESS.

THAT'S WHAT WOKE ME UP.

IMMOVABLE TERROR

EACH AND EVERY SECOND THAT TICKS WITH A TOCK!

I KNOW I'M GETTING CLOSER TO THAT EXPLOSION

PRAYING FOR THE STILLNESS TO PASS WITH GRACE

BUT AWAITING THE CHAOS.

THE TEMPERATURES RISE AS THE STALE AIR GOES STILL.

MY BREATH BEING PRESSED OUT OF EVERY PORE IN MY BODY

EXHALING IS NOT THE RIGHT WORD.

VOICES OUTSIDE THESE DARK WALLS

DISTANT SHRIEKS

FOOTSTEPS PATTER FRANTICALLY DOWN STEPS AND HALLS

I CAN HEAR THE DRUMS COMING

THE DREADED PERCUSSION.

THE WORST SOUND AND THE WORST LIGHT

MY HEART STOPS.

A BUBBLE OF AIR STUCK IN MY THROAT

HEARING FADES

THAT FIRST DING...

MY FEET ARE AIRBORNE

EYES SHUT

HANDS FIRMLY GRIPPING THE GUTS OF THE BITCH

MEN AROUND ME SCRAMBLE LIKE WORMS IN A CAN

NAKED BODIES WRIGGLING IN PERFECT FLUIDITY

EYE-POKING DARKNESS

PAINLESS TRAMPLING

THE DOOR

THE YELL

THE LIGHT

THAT EVIL SCIENCE EXPERIMENT LIGHT.

THE LIGHT THAT BRINGS A NOXIOUS QUICK REALITY INTO FULL AWARENESS.

A REALITY DEVOID OF REAL OXYGEN

A REALITY OF BLUDGEONING PAIN

BRIGHT RED BLOOD AND FIRE SET AGAINST A BACKDROP OF SEAFOAM GREEN AND MACHINERY GREY.

MAROONED GAUZ

HEAVY COLD WATER

HAZY HOT ENGINE ROOM

SWEAT AND RASHES

DIRTY EYES

THOSE 35 MINUTES

35 MINUTES OF PLASTIC, INTOXICATING OXYGEN.

LUNGS STRAIN

SLOW BREATHING

BREATHE WITH YOUR EARS NOT YOUR LUNGS

HOLD YOUR BREATH

AND SPRINT INTO THAT SMOKY DARKNESS.