Darkness surrounded Paul.
He pierced it with a flashlight.
He turned the flashlight off.
The hole remained in the darkness.
Paul’s hand was frozen
as if the flashlight was stuck in a hole.
He let go of the flashlight.
It did not fall.
It remained in a glow
emanating from the hole.
Paul tried digging the darkness
away from the flashlight.
The darkness was quite firm
and did not yield to Paul’s hands.
Paul gave up on a midnight snack
and went back to bed
without the flashlight
that hovered three feet
above the living room carpet.
He slept soundlessly.
He woke to a clunk.
The flashlight laid on the carpet.
Paul picked up the flashlight
and pressed the switch.
Nothing. The batteries
appeared to be drained.
copyright © 2022 Kenneth P. Gurney
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