Hide and Seek

“Let’s play hide and seek!” He exclaimed,

I nodded, willing to play such a childish game

A mere snicker slipped through reluctant lips

“Count to one hundred…” His voice grew farther

I counted, “...ninety-nine, one-hundred.”

I looked for you, in every obvious hollowed tree,

Under piles of stacked leaves

I looked for you near river banks,

I looked for you near mountain caves

I looked for you near home base

I looked for you near the cemetery gate

I looked for you for hours,

No where to be found

I looked for you until the sun settled down

“Okay! I give up!” I hollered

I expected you to jump out,

Your hiding spot revealed,

But instead... I heard only the whistles of owls

The fiddles of crickets and flapping of wings

“Where are you?” I whispered,

Yet nothing breathed back, just an eerie silent laugh