By Echo Shea

Hold close to me,
Don’t slip away,
For you’ll be lost for good.
The shadows, they will not forgive,
And leave you as they should.

Take my hand,
And don’t let go,
I’ll try to keep you safe.
Follow me into this darkness;
Please, make haste!

Can you feel the softest draft
In the still heat of the night
Where someone reached for you and missed
Almost grasping, but not quite.

I know you hear them calling,
See a flicker of soft light
The voice sounds so familiar;
Is the choice you’re making right?

Please, my dear, just trust me
Those searchers are no good.
Unlike the ones that love you
They do not speak the truth.

Duck down! Be quiet!
If you can hold your breath than do,
And to answer your question, yes,
They can hear your heartbeat too.

Behind me, quick!
The tunnel’s safe,
I’d hurry if you can,
I’ll follow you down soon enough,
If this isn’t my last stand.

Stop it! There’s no time for tears,
Only fear and sweat
And unless you can back it up,
Then anger’s a useless track.

Dear one, I am sorry,
But now I’ve done the best I can,
Our trail’s clear for the moment;
Scream but don’t condemn.

Yes, I do look different
Standing in this light,
But that I’m a bit ugly
Should not cause you such fright.

My dear you are so innocent,
Ignorant and naïve,
Your fears are so simple,
Your panic easy to feed.

Maybe you’re too young to know
Perhaps you don’t believe,
If your parents forgot to teach you
It’s of no mind to me.

My dear, you can never escape
From the shadows of the night,
Should you swim, run, walk, or like a bird take flight.

I know better than any son of day,
Midnight’s breezy voice
Combing her fingers through your hair,
Always offering a choice.
Soon enough you’ll know it too,
And the unknown won’t cause fear.
Soon enough, you too,
Will be like me, my dear.