30 Day Picture Prompt Challenge

Expectations

Down in the sub-cellar
stands a large red door;
never seen it open,
never seen inside before.
Outside it extorts to
always keep it closed,
as to what might be inside?
I'm never supposed
to open it.
So I don't know.

If said door is always closed,
might as well be a wall.
Always closed means you can't open it:
for no reason at all.
Looks to be a freezer;
but we don't sell frozen goods.
A panic room perhaps?
Though no clue as to why we should
even have one.
So I don't know.

No one who works here
admits they have a clue.
The boss just gives me a sneer
and says you
ask too many questions,
get back to your sweeping!
Is it where he hides dead bodies
or worse--for safe keeping?
Do I really even
want to know?

I couldn't sleep. The forbidden door
lured like siren's song.
Perhaps I could sneak and take a peek:
would it really be so wrong?
Never been a fan of secrets;
they never boded well.
So I decided I had to take a look--
come high water or come hell!
Yes, I really
need to know.

I waited until the boss was gone
on an appointment out of town,
undid the three way latch
and moved the slat-bar down.
Taking a breath, I pulled ajar
the door that must stay shut,
even though by then I was nervous
and sick deep in my gut.
This was it.
I would know.

I could tell you there were bodies
piled six feet high,
or that I saw bloodstained floors;
still wet and yet to dry.
I could say I found stacks of money
or many bags of drugs,
a hidden, secret office
or a tunnel he had dug.
The curious one;
I had to know.

Anticlimactic, after all my fears,
the room was swept and clean.
Absolutely empty,
there was nothing to be seen.
I was so sure there'd be something,
I mean, how could there not?
With the sign on the door--
and the imagination I have got!
Well, now, at least
I know.

New guy started the other day,
we sent him down to clean,
came back upstairs asking 'bout the door,
and yeah, I was so mean.
Said no one knew what was behind the door,
it must always be shut tight
and he looked at us with widened eyes,
we gave him quite the fright.
Won't tell him
what I know.

415 words