The Invitation

A traveler one dark-some eve through a woods did wander

Mind untroubled, not a care in his solitary little world

When all at once an eerie grayish, ghostly, glowing mist

From trees and ground arose and around him tightly curled.



His blood, once warm, turned to a chilled, icy flow

His frightened heart from his body tried vainly to jump

He was so busy looking ’round him with wide, wary eyes

He never saw the white faced figure into which he did bump.



He looked up into eyes of blazing, blood red crimson

Above a mouth from which protruded fangs of white

The poor traveler near expired right there on the spot

As his wide terrified eyes took in that horrifying sight!



The traveler closed his eyes and grimly awaited

The piercing throat pain that would leave him dead

The travelers’ eyes snapped open in surprise, however

As a death cold arm lighted on his shoulder instead.



A sepulchral voice slithered through the traveler’s head

“Fear not, mortal, for I have already very well dined

You shall not serve as my meal this moonless night

Rather I sought you out for a purpose of a different kind.”



The traveler swallowed hard the huge lump in his throat

In terror he continued to shiver, shudder and shake

As that eerie graveyard cold voice came yet once again

“Rather an unusual offer to you, dear sir, I would make.”



The vampire glanced sideways at the traveler and said

“I have gathered much treasure from centuries of wars

If you, dear sir, can survive a single full night in my castle

Then both my castle and all of my treasure shall be yours.”



The traveler regarded the vampire with scowling suspicion

In a voice heavy with disbelief he said “Sir, surely you jest!”

The vampire shook his head, “I assure you I’m serious

The castle and treasure are yours if you survive my test.”



The traveler gave the offer some very serious thought

On one hand he’d be rich, on the other food for worms

Then squaring his shoulders he looked at the vampire

And said, “Sir, I will gladly accept your challenge and terms.”



The vampire held out his hand with a smile of satisfaction

“From this challenge you cannot back down or renege

You are oath-bound now, come tomorrow to my castle

I’ll not set you free, no matter how much you beg.”



With a shout of evil laughter the vampire vanished

Just as the sun began lighting the sky in the east

As the vampire returned exultantly to his coffin

He fell into slumber thinking of the next night’s feast.



The traveler held true and honored his oath-bound word

Though frightened he at the castle right on time arrived

As he grimly knocked upon those huge old oaken doors

Against the urge to bolt he bravely fought and strived.



Oh so slowly those huge ancient oaken doors did open

With a wail such as the poor traveler had never heard

The vampire spoke as he motioned the traveler in

“I see that you are both brave and a man of your word.”



The vampire’s eyes were oh so sly, devious and cunning

As he watched the traveler enter in through his portal

He thought to himself, “Tonight my pets and I shall dine

On the flesh, blood and bone of this oh so foolish mortal.



The vampire led the traveler through dank, dark hallways

Then he stopped and opened a heavy wooden door

Within the room was a huge bed and a wooden cabinet

While animal pelts acted as carpeting for the floor.



The vampire tried his best to appear non-threatening

As he looked the pale faced traveler straight in the eye

“To win the challenge you must remain here all night

Attempt to leave and I assure you that you will die.”



The vampire nodded then gave the traveler a chilling smile

Then without another word he turned and left the room

Leaving the traveler only a single tiny stub of a candle

To dispel that huge room’s eerie darkness and gloom.



The traveler had just barely slipped into uneasy slumber

When he was awakened by moaning, screams and a crash

Then knives and swords began flying straight towards him

The now terrified traveler towards the door made a dash.



He had near reached the door when it suddenly vanished

Wide-eyed the traveler watched a skull appear in its place

The huge skull simply hung there, with no sign of a body

Eyes glowing like embers, an evil grin on its bony face.



The traveler slid to a halt and his demeanor did change

One pointing finger towards the apparition he did thrust

Strange sounding words the traveler then did mutter

Moments later the skull disintegrated to floating dust.



The huge skull defeated, the door did once more appear

The traveler, his eyes now strangely glowing, made a dash

Heart beating hard he took to his heels and swiftly ran

Without purpose till into a huge scaled leg he did crash.



The traveler gazed up into the dragon’s eye

A rush of pure terror going straight to the bone

As the dragon lunged the traveler raised his hand

The next moment the dragon was frozen forever in stone.



The traveler returned to his room, then walked to the window

Standing there he gazed out at the moonless night skies

He turned to the door, the time for deception was ended

He left the room with a light of battle in his now glowing eyes.



The traveler searched until he discovered the vampire’s secret abode

Then masking his presence he patiently awaited dawn’s coming hour

He knew the very moment that the evil creature entered his home

For the very air became thick with a dark and loathsome power.



The traveler felt fury fill the air as his missing presence was discovered

He knew the exact moment that the spell-cast dragon was found

The traveler felt that air thicken with menace all around him

As the vampire headed for his lair deep under the ground.



The traveler stood hidden and statue still, barely breathing

As the vampire slowly lay down in his cunning well hidden trap

The moment that the vampire was fully and completely settled.

Holy water and crushed garlic covered ropes his body did enwrap.



The vampire’s howls echoed throughout the entire castle

As the traveler approached, a sharpened stake held high

The traveler’s words came out in a snarl, “You slew my love

For that act you yourself must now die.”



The stake descended with such hate and vengeance fueled force

That it passed through the vampire’s body and into the casket’s wood

As the traveler watched his love’s slayer turn to dust

For the the first time in a long while his heart felt good.



When the traveler was once more outside of the castle he turned

With but a wave of his hand the castle vanished in a huge burst of light

With a vindicated smile, his heart now at peace

The traveler simply faded from sight.



copyright marantha d. jenelle

June 21-2013{/b}