I awake.
The heat was too much to bear,
in my unairconditioned room,
of our one-story house,
on that summer night.
I think of heading to the living room,
and camping out on the couch,
underneath the AC.
Still lying down,
I look at the foot of my bed
where the doorway remains five inches open.
And standing there,
is the silhouette,
of a small, skinny being.
Too tall to be my younger brothers,
too short to be anyone else.
Maybe it's the vacuum cleaner?
No.
I see that stationed behind it.
The silhouette peers in at me,
staying perfectly still.
I can't turn on the light,
to see what it really is,
because I can't stand up.
I can't move.
If it knows I'm awake,
it might **** me!
All I can do is lay there and stare back.
laying perfectly still.
I stare for what feels like hours,
until I decide to close my eyes for a bit.
I may have fallen asleep for a few short minutes,
I may not have.
But when I reopened my eyes about five minutes later,
and peeked down at my doorway,
It was gone.
I can see right through the spot where it used to be,
where the vacuum cleaner is,
and the vent.
So I stand up,
cautiously walk out my door,
into the living room,
Nothing.
It is nowhere to be found.
So I lay down,
under the AC on the couch,
in our one-story house,
on that summer night.