A Modern Day Van Helsing

I felt like I was
describing some immortal
being that could not
be killed
but the truth was
I didn't have the stomach for it
or the courage...

Though I dreamed
of some modern day
Van Helsing -
driving a wooden stake
through his heart,
maybe a relative,
lover, or friend
of one of his victims...
actually, to be honest,
more often than not,
in my dream
a sniper's bullet
would be all that
was needed -
decapitation would work fine!
Just one bullet
would be all that
was needed.

I thought at one time,
I could be part of those
who would stop him...
We'd come as one big group
and find him,
in the daylight
and expose him -
and ultimately destroy
the demon.
But that never happened.
I often wondered
how other victims
cope today.
I suppose they also
have the occasional nightmares.
I dare not even contact them,
afraid it would just
bring back the memories...
it's better to just pray
for their well being,
and my own.

Bruce Whealton has been the co-editor and publisher of Word Salad Poetry Magazine since 1995 and their newest publication, Haiku Ramblings. They publish both on the web at WordSaladPoetryMagazine.com and in print. Bruce has a Bachelors Degree from Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master's Degree in Social Work. He has been writing and studying poetry for many years with various mentors. His poetry has been published recently in The Horror Zine, and the associated Anthology called “And Now the Nightmare Begins: The Horror Zine. His poems have also appeared in “lines written w/a razor,” “Childe Bryde,” “lunatic chameleon,” “the thin edge of staring, “Chance Magazine,” Venus Rising, the Wilmington Star News' Port City Poets, and “Gravity Hill,” and “Simple Vows Anthology” which is put out by St. Andrews College Press.

Find more by Bruce Whealton in the Author Index.

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