merry remnant
It was a cloudy, gusty night,
the kind where the streets are empty,
dim lights, no people in sight.
My turn on the phone, the script ready.
I glanced out the window, the clouds looked mad.
My friends sighed, said "Come on, go ahead!".
I dialed a number, my companions cheering.
A ring, another, one more and, behold!
"Hello", I hesitated, "Anyone there?"
"Yes, my dear", said a voice, uncomfortably familiar.
"Well, guess who it is?", said I, with a grin.
To my surprise, the voice knew exactly who.
My heart dropped, my face pale, a flash, a rumble.
I paused for a minute, still in shock. "Remember me?",
came the reply to my silence, followed by a drip-drop.
"I- but, how?", I blurted. "I'm Max, the toy you got for X-mas?"
I was shocked, too stunned to speak. A toy?
a decade old, on the phone, talking to me?
Static, slam, then a whisper- "You left me to rot",
"Do you recall?". "I'm sorry", I pleaded, my arms shivered.
"Oh, so now you remember?", a rustle, "I was promised the world.
Now I'm living in this box, still wondering when you will find me,
in that game we used to play, hide and seek?". My head was spinning,
the windows rattled. Memories flooded. "But- how? How can you talk?"
I awaited a response, nothing came through. A crash, a pitter, a patter.
Perhaps, Max was gone, leaving me guilty and blue. I gasped, saw a flash.
What started as a fun prank call, meant for a stranger, who I'd haunt,
left me shaking, unmoored, spellbound. No traces of the smile I wore.
And, at that moment, followed by a howl, was a friend's voice.
"Why are you trembling?, too cold? Here, drink this soup for warmth."
I stared at my hands, no sight of the phone, leaving me to wonder,
if it was mere delusion, or, somehow, a message from the home I forgot?
~Kea
maiden wolf
quartz pier