The Whispers in the Walls

Lovecraft taught me that fear of the unknown is universal. Poe taught me the most evil hides behind a human face. King is inspired by both.

The Whispers in the Walls 

By

Carlos Lorenzo Estrada 

"The devil's voice is sweet to hear." - Stephen King 

In the silence of the night

it makes its presence known 

Scratching, crawling,  moaning sounds

that haunt us all alone 

It moves along the ceiling roof 

and deep inside the walls 

Claws against the windowsill 

just as darkness falls 

It speaks to us in whispers 

and calls us all by name 

Seeks to choke the life from us

and drive our minds insane 

Its fingers run along our spine 

as we lie asleep 

Scurries down below the sheets 

across the floor it creeps 

Yet blind to view we know its there 

lingering closely by 

A figure in the night that knows 

it can't be seen by eye 

For in the twilight of the dark 

these voices come to call 

And murmur abhorrent secrets 

             to the shadows in us all...

Author's Note

True story: years ago I worked for a security company at a winery. The hours were horrible because I worked graveyard. To make things worse there was a cemetery located next door. One night about 3 am I heard what sounded like a cat walking along this strip of back road where this winery was located. There was a moon out so I could see past the small guard house beyond the parking lot towards the road. Across the street was a field of grape vines that stretched for miles. As I looked out from the main window I couldn't see this animal crossing by but could hear its meow 50 ft ahead. It cried in intervals of about ten seconds. And sounded as if moving across the path of the road toward the graveyard. As the sound got in the direction straight across from me it stopped for a full minute. And what sounded like a cat's high pitch meow turned into a gravely voice that said...help me. I closed the windows locked the door and hid below the counter top turned of the one light as well. I stayed there shivering till the sun finally broke. I quit the next day and never went back. I just remember that voice continuing to cry like a cat as it moved slowly down the road until I couldn't hear it anymore. Though I still do in my dreams.

Reviews

[keith]

ok man ... if you say so
supernatural? evil spirit? ghostly aberration?

or better yet ... some emerald triangle sample pack?

either way its another great write ... and no i am not becoming a fan of rhyming writes! HA!

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

hahaha thank you Keith I appreciate your words my friend. This is my celebration to the coming Halloween day. A little frightful piece to ready to audience. Plus it helps a little bit in thinking about other things and not the turmoil and true horror we are living in at this time. Every day in the news is a horror story unto itself. We are living out a Stephen King novel. CLE

[keith]

BOO!
treat or trick
your pick
make up your mind
before i do !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

steven king? ... mmmmmmmmmmmmm?
how about rod serling instead ??

god 'dead day' coming!

[Ladysue]

Omg this is extremely superb writing as how it conveyed to the reader as if we were right there. I had chills.. I would have quit too. Brilliantly done..

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you kindly ladysue for your comment on this poem. My tribute to the month of October. I have another dark poem coming next week that is a tribute to one of my favorite writers Lovecraft. I enjoyed writing this poem because of its ryhme scheme that just seem to fall together like a puzzle. The story though in my author notes is absolutely true and to this day still haunts me. Whenever I hear a cat meow in the early dark hours a chill runs up my spine. CLE

[Vertigo Cat1111]

I loved this and this story. The writing is brilliant, chilling and haunting and I’d be so freaked if I was in your situation. One of my favorite books, the monster lured out its victims by pretending to be crying children or dead relatives calling for help and that’s what your story reminded me of, gave me the chills. This is a eerie but beautiful write. The monsters that often lure people in with calls are sometimes called ‘Wendigos.’ I loved this piece, perfect for Halloween. Thank you for sharing.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you kindly VC for the comment. I still get chills at night whenever I hear a cat meow in the night. And the sad thing is I'm a cat person. Always have been. Maybe it's why that voice chose to sound like one at first. Because it knew how I feel about cats. It used the thing I like the most against me. It was the longest terror filled night of my life.

[Lydia Shutter]

Oh my! This is a spooky eerie write for sure. I would have quit that job at the winery too. My goodness, the stuff nightmares are made of! Flawless rhyming in this write, Carlos. I liked it. Just in time for Halloween. Lydi**

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Lydi for your comment. I love this time of year. The creative juices just run like crazy. Though I hate remembering that night back in the 80's. It was the longest most honorific night of my life. I will never forget. I still cringe when I hear a cat meow at night.

[JE Falcon]

I'll have to agree with your choice to not work there any longer. But you have to admit, you got a great poem out of it.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you JE. I agree but damn that place still haunts me to this day. That voice was just so evil, and yet alluring. Like a small part wanted me to walk outside in that darkness towards it. To this day I cringe when I hear a cat meow at 3 am. Afraid it is coming back for me.

[Soren]

A great write, especially for this time of the year in the US. Halloween has it's share of stories. The house I am in was built the year I was born, it has had a series of owners, one was a suicide. I am not a superstitious person but there are many instances where I, my wife, and my children have heard voices from the attic, footsteps in other rooms, doors opening without wind and then closing again. No bad feelings though, it is as if they are all friendly noises. I loved the flow of the poem, it contributed significantly to the mood.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Soren for sharing your thoughts with me. And also sharing your story about the house you live in. I almost feel as if all places are haunted in some way. Like residual memories of those that stay in place familiar to them. Some too minor to capture our attention while others due to powerful emotions associated to them far too strong to ignore. Most are nothing to fear, but some thrive on terrorizing us because it is what they were when alive. Awful people. Thank you kindly again.

[Brad Dehler]

This felt like a horror story but in the form of a poem. I guess it is fitting due to how Halloween is coming around the corner. Creepy but engrossing. And WOW your authors note is all the more frightening.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you kindly for your thoughts on this poem. I love October it's my favorite time of year. The days leading up to Halloween inspires me to no end. Perhaps because my writing influences are Poe and Lovecraft. The story in my authors note is true. I hid below the counter top for about 4 hrs until relief came. And when I got home I called up my employer and quit. There was no way in hell I was ever going back to that place. To this day I cringe if I happen to hear a cat meow at night. CLE

[Brad Dehler]

This felt like a horror story but in the form of a poem. I guess it is fitting due to how Halloween is coming around the corner. Creepy but engrossing. And WOW your authors note is all the more frightening.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

thank you kindly again Brad for your comment.

[John the Baptist]

Damn it, Carlos, now I'll have to drink another glass of cabernet just to get to sleep.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Haha I'm sorry. Both the poem and the true story can be a bit much, but believe me it was harrowing going through it. I hid beneath that counter top for over 4 hrs begging the sun to rise faster. As soon as my relief showed up in the morning I didn't say a word I just opened the gate and left. Never going back again. I still get creeper out hearing cats meow in the middle of the night. CLE

[Lorry]

I shouldn't have read this before bedtime. Or halloween for that matter. I'd sleep with a knife for security, but might wake up with less bits, and I bet they'd be my favourite bits too. 😊

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

This poem definitely reminds me of that night I experienced back in the late 80's. Every time I hear a cat meow at night I cringe. Or even when awake in bed at 3 am and hear what sound like distance whispers, because then I wonder to myself are they really as far as they sound? Or is it only the dark aspects of myself that want me to believe it. I often wonder whenever I see homeless people who are suffering from paranoia screaming in the sky if they are hearing the same voices or whispers in their heads, but the difference is they accept them into their reality. Thank you my friend for your comment.