Ten Seconds in the Dark

We were in the closet

For ten seconds

When the thump thump thump

Let us know

That outside

There was chaos

He took my hand

And counted out

Each of my fingers

One by one

Starting over each time

Before getting

To the thumb

The lights were off

But I could feel the breeze

Off a low-hanging bulb

Just two feet above us

And the musty dusty smell

Of old wool

And broken shoes

Tattered scarves

And someone’s rarely-worn fur

The thump thump thump

Moved around the room

I thought I knew

And I tried to picture it

As it thump-bumped around

My bed

The dresser

Those books I left

In a pile

On the floor

He scratched

At the underside

Of my fingernail

And tried

To control

His breathing

I told him we only had to make it

Ten seconds

With the lights off

And then all our fears would recede

The thump thump thump

Couldn’t find the closet door

Because it’s painted

The same color as the walls

And a few years ago

The knob was replaced

With a small indentation

Which, when pushed,

Would reveal a small entryway

Through which you could enter the closet

The elaborate means of entering

Meant that very little of what was in the closet

Ever came out of it

Really, the space was only good

For consuming oneself in darkness

And practicing how to kiss

With terrified boys

Who were useless

Even in the best of circumstances

But especially so

When there was an unknown entity

Careening around the bedroom

Presumably looking

For something to devour

Thump thump thump

I asked him to practice kissing with me

Because I didn’t feel like studying history

And when he agreed

I suggested the closet

Because when he gets nervous

Sweat pours down from one remarkable spot

Just above his hairline

And while I knew the sweat would eventually

Make its way down to my lips

I thought that if I didn’t see it

It wouldn’t bother me so much

Soooo into the closet we went

After a second

We heard the thump thump thump

And the screams of my nanny

Who, I suspect, was eaten first

But even the world-at-large

Has to agree upon

A certain set of rules

And everybody agrees on the rules

Of ten seconds in the dark

So I knew once that decade of a moment

Was passed

We’d be fine to go back out again

He disagreed with me

And buried himself deeper

Into the lost wardrobe

Most likely wishing for a fictional reprieve

Falling into snow

And discovering a centaur

I knew that the truth of monsters

Was that if you let them

Run around you room forever

Soon enough

They’d do so much damage

Your room would no longer resemble a room

And you’d have to move in with your twin brothers

Who both smell like fried salami

Out of the closet I crept

And sure enough

The thump thump thump

Scurried away at the sound of my approach

Leaving only some disarray

But nothing even a part-time maid couldn’t handle

I invited him to come out

And see

That there was nothing more

To be afraid of

A monster long gone

And a knocked-over pile of books

But he stayed where he was

Wherever that was

And I never saw him again

The indentation was boarded up

And the closet stayed dark

Darker than even I
Cared to explore