stench of fear and death

They lie on their backs,
inhaling the staleness of the room,
their sweat and fear.

He relishes their terror,
prowling low in the darkness.
He chastises them with his words,
and goads them into further torment.

A child too scared to cry out;
a mother too afraid to comfort;
a father too deprived of the courage
to protect his loved ones.

He deadens their spirits and happiness.
There is no explanation to why he is here.
He desensitizes and mutates
joy, love and life.

Another family’s time has come,
their faith destroyed beyond repair.
They are not ready to surrender their souls
and accept their sad fate.

He finds pleasure in their pain,
choosing hell over heaven.
He feeds off of the reek
and stench of fear and death.

A boy weeps silently in despair;
a girl clutches at her brother,
drenched in the blood of her family.

He has once again been here.