Murder on the Balcony

Silence
the world is shrouded in night
eerie mist hangs like a curtain over the stars
as ghosts float over the quiet waters
...
Sleep runs from my tireless eyes
shadows flit across my pale face
voices seem to be calling
tapestries slowly part as if beckoning to me
...
My feet move as if they have a will of their own
out into the cool of night onto the balcony
fingers grip the balustrade
tireless eyes searching amongst the darkness
...
Voices just beyond recognition
reach my ears
whispering meaningless words
a chill runs down my spine
...
A small voice at the back of my mind
urges me to go back to the safety of my room
but my unbearable curiosity overcomes it
I stare ever harder into the night
...
Leaning over the balustrade I catch a glimpse
of something milky white and filmy
drifting in the blackness
goosebumps appear on my unfeeling arms
...
The apparition drifts ever closer
instead of fleeing I strain to distinguish the form
gradually I realize that it has taken on the shape of a young man
except that it had no face
...
Thunder rumbles in the distance
black clouds cover the full moon inking out every speck of light
a north wind yanks at my nightgown
pulling it taunt against my body
...
The ghost of a man floats straight up to the balcony
an unuttered gasp comes from my throat
slowly I step back from the rail
as the specter advances ever nearer towards me
...
My bare feet make no noise as I continue to back away
I can see the ghost clearly now
an unearthly being human in everything except for the fact
that it had no face and was completely transparent
...
A black hole served as its face
a gaping blackness that uttered incomprehensible whispers
dismay etched across my face as I realized I would not be able to escape
lightening flashes in the sky outlining the horror with an electric shimmer
...
Just then my foot catches on the hem of my nightgown
causing me to fall backwards
I stare up into the gaping hole that once might have been a face
slowly a tear crawls down my cheek as I stare in utter horror
...
Lightening reflects off of steel
a scream retching from cold lips
is concealed within the rumble of thunder
scarlet liquid stains white
...
A golden orb peaks over the trees
drenching the world in glorious light
causing every black shadow to retreat to the midnight places
that light can never touch
...
A robin rests on the rail of a balcony
and begins a sweet song
unheeding of the lifeless form lying in a pool of black
with an invisible dagger plunged into her breast
...
The little robin was the last living being that saw the poor girl
for no one ever truly understood what happened that night
the only thing that everyone comprehended
was that there had been a hellish storm one night
...
And during that storm
some thought they had heard a scream as if in unbearable agony
some say it was just imagined
but others say that there was murder on the balcony that hellish night
...