she has
too many eyes
staring
from her too small face
as she glares at me
across the pond
hatefilled spite
shoots
from the too many
orbs

something slithers
just beneath
the surface of the water
that lizard part of my brain
screams to run
but rooted feet
pay no need
to terror
yet part of me
is curious

we had never met
never spoken
never once glanced
at one another
yet she clearly knew me
could not stand
what she saw
in the ten or so
blinking eyes
that held me in place

as something
wrapped itself
around my ankle
pulled me to the ground
then yanked me under
the placid surface
of the pond
i saw a smile
break across her face
in satisfaction

as the water
filled my lungs
before i could
let out a scream
spots danced
before my vision
as oxygen
fled my brain
i struggled
to pull myself free

the last thing i made out
as the light
could no longer filter
down into
the now muddied water
was bodies
clutching upward
toward the failing sun
frozen in various states
of decay