My name is Peter Grey and this is my story

 

I was the shepherd boy of a small village

An orphan

And I feared the villains

 

And by villains I mean the gnashing teeth of monsters others can’t see

I mean evil dark and malicious silence

I mean the things I know that others won’t believe

 

The first time I saw him he was watching my sheep

His eyes were red like the colour that dripped from his smile

He growled and I cried out for someone to save me

 

And by cried out I mean I screamed his name as if becoming a banshi

I mean I felt hot tears melt my cheeks and drown my voice

I mean there was no way they couldn’t hear me

 

The village stormed toward me with pitchforks and fire

“Where is he boy?!” they sounded like thunder

I shouted “There!” and pointed at Wolf violently

 

And by pointed violently I mean why would they even need to ask me?

I mean they stared at him oblivious, dazed, and confused

I mean he watched and laughed at me while I desperately jabbed my finger at him, failing

 

My name is Peter Grey and this is my story

 

When the village left in anger I sat defeated

I watched Wolf steal a sheep and meander away amused

I silently questioned why they couldn’t see the villains.

 

And by silently I mean with knees in my chest and shoulders shaking violently

I mean hot-flashes and unblinking eyes

I mean staring at the forest and waiting

 

The second time I saw him he was watching me

With the same eager eyes and haunting smile

This time I kept eye-contact and was louder

 

And by louder I mean leaves waved around me

I mean my voice cracked and I let my breath leave

I mean they were faster and more terrified than the last time

 

Again up the hill were the pitchforks and fire

The same “Where is he boy?” like thunder

I whispered “There…” and lifted an arm without turning

 

And by without turning I mean I never broke eye-contact

I mean I was terrified and refused to face their angry faces

I mean I saw him and they thought I was fooling

 

My name is Peter Grey and this is my story

 

I followed him with my eyes as he stole two sheep

I fell to the ground as he laughed and I clutched my knees again but tighter

My eyes were closed to forget the memory and yet it was burned into me

 

And by burned into me I mean he may not have been a forest member

I mean I saw that smile branded onto my eyelids

I mean he was real and I couldn’t deny him

 

He was there a third night and this time crept from the woods

His eyes were eager and his smile was hungry

“Go ahead and yell” he said and I did

 

And by yell I mean I squeezed my eyes closed and clenched my whole body

I mean the ground quaked beneath us

I mean even as I dropped with my lungs they refused to hear me

 

There were no pitchforks and fire

They didn’t believe me

They thought I was misleading

 

And by misleading I mean I couldn’t lead others to see my villains

I mean he mislead me into looking away

I mean I mislead myself into blinking

 

My name is Peter Grey and this is my story

 

I said I dropped with my lungs and I did

He was out of the forest already and I was twice as vulnerable

My sight was blurry and I didn’t move

 

And by didn’t move I mean I couldn’t move

I mean I was petrified and under his spell

I mean I felt him breathing

 

And he struck my neck with his hungry smile

 

He was no ordinary wolf

 

And I became the villain.