Night Call

I couldn't sleep last night so I stepped out onto the balcony to smoke a cigarette
there was gentle rain and gentle wind
and no one awake but me
one cigarette became two cigarettes and on three I noticed
the silence around me deepen
I stood there and listened but couldn't hear a sound
except my heart thumping louder and loud
No crickets
No rain
Nothing except me
Was I the night's only witness?
Was I the only person alive?
The dark stretched out and offered a hand
I didn't sleep because of loneliness. I smoked because I was sad.
The darkness stretched further, touched the bare skin of my arm
I looked up to the moon and saw only black
I looked for a star and forgot what a star was
I stubbed my cigarette and stepped back inside
my loneliness turned sour from fear
I closed the balcony door with a click and drew the curtains shut
I fell into bed with sleep on my mind, the terror fading to dreams
but as I lay still, with my eyes falling shut, I heard someone knocking
Knock, knock, knock, three times on the door. Knock, knock, knock, again
I sat up in bed and wished it was a dream
Knock, knock, knock, came the sound. Knock, knock, knock, and then
the door clicked open, I hadn't locked it on my way back in
I was gone before I could scream