Shadows.

By Ashleylister @ashleylister

As a child, I would often be entertained at bedtime by my Dad or sister. They would make shadow creatures on the wall using the bedside lamp. There were birds and butterflies, sometimes a deer or a frog. All very interesting to a six year old child. 

As you get older, perhaps like me, your older, mischievious brothers tell you that here are monsters under the bed or that they hide in the wardrobe. If, like me you grow up enjoying being 'spooked' you evolve into an adult who enjoys watching paranormal investigators on dubius TV channels. One show called Ghost Adventures features a team  of paranormal investigators fronted by the ebululent Zac Bagans. The team spend the night 'locked down' in reputedly haunted locations. Some of the shows are really compelling, many feature the appearance of so called 'shadow figures'.

Other paranormal shows claim to have captured images of these phenomena on camera - sometimes they simply take the form of dark masses, in other sightings they appear in human form,sometimes moving, sometimes still. Paranormal investigators often describe these shadow figures as malevolent. Who knows the truth? I certainly wouldn't lke to encounter one. I have seen two spectres, on two random occasions but that is for another blog. This claims to be a true photographic capture. 

I danced professionally in my earlier life and one of my favorite Latin dances is the Paso Doble. The dance signifies the bullfight. The man is the matador, the woman is the cape. The dance is usually set to spanish music in four-four time, sometimes with increasing tempo and intensity. The man parades, swirling 'the cape' to simulate the moves of the matador. It is an exciting dance.  At the climax of a bullfight the matador kills the bull with his sword. Although bloodthirsty, in Spain bullights command huge spectator following, similar to football.


 

In my poem, I suggest a slightly more sinister plot. 

Paso Deadly

He stands shapeless, hid in shadow

arms behind him, foot on wall

cap is lowered, features covered

body language – don’t stop at al

Glance is guarded, walking quickly

bag clutched tightly under arm

heel tips echo, steel on cobble

confident there is no harm.

Then her heel sticks in a crevice

falters and he lifts one eye,

suddenly he steps out strongly

he won’t let her walk on by.

One stride, stop, another longer

leaping forward, grabs her wrist

reels her to him, arm encircles

though she tries she can’t resist.

Stalker and reluctant captive

underneath the streetlight glare

mirroring each other’s movements

transfixed in hypnotic stare.

Steadily the tempo quickens

synchronising syncopation

perfect timing, pace increasing

step by step, no hesitation.

Tap step tap tap, heel tap toe tap

step tap tap. toe step tap toe

suddenly she senses danger,

tightens up, it’s time to go.

Instantly his hold is tighter

pulses racing, fights her will.

Through his all-consuming motion

she surrenders to the thrill.

Now he guides her from the spotlight

into darker, shadowed space

as she sees the bright blade flashing

desperation clouds her face.

Then he lunges, as he plunges

deep incision to her breast

in her scream, her dream of passion

crashes to eternal rest.

So begins his solo movement

heels tap victory on stone

as her body lays discarded

he dances for himself alone.

Silly girl – she should have known!

Don't have nightmares. Thanks for reading. Adele

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