ZsaZsa Avenges

The mandarin orb

Benign and Bewitching,

It had all its fruitiness scooped out, as Juan Carter bore through the tinctures of its farm-bred flesh.

Tiny ,  pink fingers  scuttled into the scatters of bread knife, toothpicks and  sterling-silver spoons only to be snapped by his father’s beefy, pumpkin-primrose  hands.

 

“Now, no fooling around Eth!

Daddy is getting Mr. Jack ready!”

 

           Troika eyes                                     Jagged, macabre grin

Dawdled

In the sphere of Persian-vermilion.

Innards lit with

Trifling terracotta urns

Of kindled paraffin oil,

It hung

On ebonite curtain rods

Teasing the dying October air.

 

“Hey pops! This is spooky!”

Carter Sr. was pleased.

“Happy Halloween, son”

 

*~*~NIGHTFALL~*~*

The revelries ebbed away leaving a shriveled Texas neighborhood. The elms groaned on the banks of the Turtle Creek as a colony of spectacled flying foxes descended upon the deserted Dallas streets.

Somewhere in Pemberton Hills, Carter Residence, little Ethan twitched in his sleep. His unmindful lips smacked off Necco-Wafer crumbs he had gobbled in Trick-or-Treat parades.

A sudden, wily chill creaked open the window panes !

Eth wrapped himself tighter in the warlock cloak he was still dressed in.

 

 

Wordless POP!

A four-legged creature loomed on the window sill. It was a

Norwegian Forest Cat.

Ember eyes

And

Furry coat of

Smoky, oriental patterns.

Ethan Carter slept away oblivious to her feline glowers that ogled him. She sneered as she saw Jack- the Pumpkin head, still bobbing amidst swaying nylon sheets.

Her paw rose to meet

Its hanging hollowness.

(A pee-wee cucumber beetle clamored out.)

She pawed again!

Upside down went the lantern!

The urns tumbled!

The linens at the window got smeared in the paraffin-combustion promptly setting off in a yellow-maroon blaze.

 

 

The old Mrs. Connelly woke up squinting at the light from her Cheyenne Road apartment.

“Isn’t that at the Carters’?

Jesus Christ!

Henry! Call the 911!”

 

o~o~THE MORNING AFTER~o~o

Khaki-clad men in round metal caps bustled in the flooded neighborhood. Water still dribbled from the pipes of big, red tanks towards that half-baked Salisbury steak they once called home. The ambulances went bangety-bang as they rushed in to carry off an unconscious five-year old boy. No one heard the oriole singing that day!

 

“I’m sorry to bother you Mr. Carter

But we found these in your son’s room; Might be some animal’s”

Sheriff Jones spoke to a dazed man.

Long, tabby hairs!

* * FLASH BACKS * *

A Monday street

The chauffeur honked its way through

Until a confetti

Of whiskers-n-bones

Dunked under in a squash.

 * * * * * *

“That must be ZsaZsa, the Sebestyén’s cat

But she got ran over...um… last week…by my car.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

This was written for Halloween… It’s just one week away I guess, so I decided to publish the poem as a precursor :) As you can see, it is actually a prose-poem… a prosaic form interspersed with poetic verses… I wanted it to give a colorful, picture-postcard feel keeping in mind the celebrations that are about to trigger off, but this is what I have managed… It’s just a simple, no-frills write with some dark humor to offer… bit long, but couldn't help it..let me know if you enjoyed it :)
P.S : I’m a bit busy till the 4th of November ( I have two exams lined up ). So a big sorry if I haven’t been able to attend to your read requests… But I promise to get back to all of you as soon as I wind up things…. Take care and a Happy Halloween in advance :)

Reviews

[Michael of Gilead]

Ha!

Very creative.

[Robbie~xoxo~]

This is yet another creative piece! There is a festive treat within your font that adds to the Story and gives texture to this read. For me, this is a spooky fun, fantastic write... Nicely done!

[Tree]

I have to admit I was throw off a little by the dazzling array of fonts (though I might add, it was really creative) But nontheless your story came through wonderfully; and Aaron , I loved the ending ;)

Diego

[Kelsey]

Wonderfully done- way to put us all in the mood for the season. The way you present this is great, the story is amazing, and the piece in itself is fantastic and screams Halloween. x

[Sheila Kline]

This is absolutely awesome my friend - from content, style, Halloween sentiments - it is refreshingly different and does have a picture-postcard feel!! There are many lines that literally jump out at me, so it is most difficult to pick a favorite!
Good luck with your exams!! Please keep us posted!

[Crystal Marie Dreier]

This is good, I like the feel of it and I really like that you wrote something for halloween!

[An owl on the moon]

Thank you for the wondrous poetry and the happy wishes for the days ahead! There was a feeling for me that I was almost "reading" a painting here, with your different fonts and fabrics blended together to take us across the season. Brilliant, my friend!

[Shubham's View]

Despite the multiple fonts and chaotic layout of the poem, it is a wonderful read, from the picture of a happy family as a precursor to the definite spook that follows, to the tide turned evil, wherein, the last laugh is someone else's, well written mate!

[Dayran]

In the mood for Halloween .... this is certainly a trick.

[Claire Twinn]

There are some excellent descriptions and metaphors in this poem, I love the free style too.