The Family in the Red House by Pat St. Pierre

While walking through woods

near a rambling river

I came upon a paint- peeled red house

barn like in appearance,

broken window panes,

tall grasses covering old cement steps

unattended for years.

Who inhabited this red house

and where are they now?

I entered cautiously through the front door,

looked around the open space.

Dishes with cobwebs adorned

the wooden kitchen table.

Shriveled food occupied the old refrigerator.

The scene appeared as though

a family simply disappeared.

Bedroom quilts covered most beds,

one bed remained unmade.

As I walked around

floorboards creaked like soft screams.

                                               

I slipped moving the small rug with my feet,

I discovered a trap door located in the floor.

Slowly, I lifted the rusty latch.

There in the hollow space

were piled skeleton bodies.

The family stayed behind in the paint-peeled red house.

Pat St. Pierre is a freelance writer of adult fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. She has had three poetry books published. The most recent “Full Circle” published by Kelsay Books. Pat's work has been published both online and in print. Some places are: Boston Literary Magazine, Poetry Pacific, The Camel Saloon, Three Line Poetry, Our Day’s Encounter, Sediments, Gravel, Whisperings, etc. Her blog is www.pstpierre.wordpress.com.