The Dark Man in the Alley

The Dark Man in the Alley

The alley held a breathless chill,

a stillness wrapped around the bricks,

and in the corner stood a shape,

a man the darkness claimed as its.

He didn’t move, he didn’t speak,

just watched the street with silent eyes,

and every shadow around his frame,

seemed drawn to something deep in him.

The night grew tighter as I passed,

the air grew thin against my skin,

and though he stayed completely still,

his presence followed every step.

The moonlight brushed against his coat,

revealing nothing but his form,

a figure carved from colder thoughts,

a danger shaped in human skin.

I kept my pace and held my breath,

my heartbeat pressing through my ribs,

and never once did he retreat,

nor break the calm that chilled my bones.

When dawn at last began to rise,

I knew the darkness let me leave,

but still I feel the weight of him,

the man the night refused to hide.