Evil Within The City
I am riding through the forest on horseback.
Plenty of leaves and stuff to cover my track.
The sky is darkening. A storm is coming.
I find a place that looks becoming.
I pitch my tent. Cover it with a tarp.
I finish just as the rain begins to start.
I wait inside for the rain to end.
There is no one else, so why pretend.
99.9% of all humanity is gone.
The catastrophe has lasted so long.
I haven’t seen another in eight months.
Those left are gathered in a bunch.
“I am on a pilgrimage to New York.”
“There is great evil there.”, I retort.
Then I set out on my way.
I am still headed there today.
I may stay here for the winter.
There is a river that is near here.
I trap and fish for my food.
I even eat roots when in the mood.
The winters are rough with all the snow.
Food is scarce now, don’t you know.
Spring came and it was time to prepare.
The towns and villages are everywhere.
They are vacant. Little left that is useful.
I found enough to make weapons though.
I had to forge my own sword and knives.
I made a crossbow that was very nice.
I would follow the river to New York.
There are no laws or any courts.
I will find this evil that calls to me.
I will kill it and then be free.
I have no idea what it is.
A transformed human? Whatever it is.
It is very strong, mentally and more.
It reaches to within my very core.
I must succeed for all mankind.
No one can live with ‘it’ in their mind.
The days pass on into summer.
It is warm and there’s lots to plunder.
I am getting well fed now.
My strength is building up, somehow.
I finally reach the city limits.
I have miles to go within it.
The evil is in the heart of the city.
I hope it doesn’t have a committee.
I can sense no others as I ride along.
It knows I’m coming. It won’t be long.
The closer I get the more I can feel.
There are others. He makes them knell.
I don’t know how I can get to him.
He has a small army of men.
Finally, I realize where he is.
The Empire State Building. Top floor is his.
He can reach very far out from there.
Mentally, he is everywhere.
He is drawing all men to him.
To answer to his beckoned whim.
I hear him, but I have my own will.
I hope I can hold out till the kill.
Now, this close, I know what he is.
He is responsible for all of this.
He was messing with the genetics of man.
“I’ll make them immortal, if I can.”
His experiment went all wrong.
He created carriers that destroyed the throng.
His serum also altered a virus.
It spread in humans like a wild fire crisis.
He made changes and tried it on himself.
The results were horrible. I know how he felt.
I don’t think he is human now.
He became super strong, somehow.
His brain power is, by far, the worst.
He can control all others. Make them thirst.
Make them dance, make them laugh.
Make them come to where he’s at.
They bring him water and food.
Whatever he wants. They can’t elude.
I can resist, but for how long?
He is mad that I can still get along.
The few that survived the plague, you see,
had a lot of new abilities that shouldn’t be.
Some could mentally talk with animals.
Others could read minds like a manual.
Other mental abilities were displayed.
Levitation, crop motivation, relayed.
But, none had strength and control like him.
He could know all minds through thick and thin.
How can I get to him when he knows all I do?
I’ll figure a way.—– I’m not a fool.
If he thinks I will surrender to him.
There may be a chance I can win.
His minons will bring me to him face to face.
I feel he will slam me all over the place.
Yet, I have to take the chance.
Or, no one will ever find romance.
I have a girl waiting for me.
Or, under his control. I must set her free.
She is probably headed here now.
Like all others, even animals, somehow.
His minions are coming. I feel them close.
I could avoid them, just like a ghost.
But, I must go with them for my plan.
I hide my weapons and walk like a man.
My weapons are on me under my clothes.
Hidden on me from my head to my toes.
I can keep them from searching me at all.
I have some mental skills after the fall.
Mine are much like his, though weaker.
That is why I was called The Seeker.
I don’t know if they are enough.
Pulling this off is going to be tough.
They take me up to the very top.
A lot of climbing with a lot of stops.
He is waiting in his throne room.
The sun forces away the gloom.
Male minions to do all his bidding.
They get for him whatever he thinks fitting.
The female minions were all naked.
Their modesty is totally deflated.
He sat there upon his dais.
Looking proud and pious.
Bigger than humans, with muscles bulging.
He looked at me with a look of loathing.
He was a disgusting, sickening sight.
Enough to give anyone a terrible fright.
“So, you’ve finally saw the light.”
“Beg for forgiveness with all your might.”
“I am Lord and Master here.”
“I am a God, who all should fear.”
“This world is my world now.”
“All will bow a knee to me, somehow.”
“If they don’t, then they are dead”
“I can mentally blow up their head.”
“How about you? Drop to your knees now.”
“Pledge your allegiance to me and cowl.”
I dropped and pledged my allegiance.
I begged for forgiveness with antecedents.
He had me rise and stepped off his throne.
His mental pressure was making me moan.
Then, quick as lightening, I moved apart.
I whipped out my sword and drove it into his heart.
All the minions froze right where they were.
A mental blast, I thought I was dead for sure.
It didn’t last as he fell to the floor.
I came close to do one last chore.
I lopped off his head with one mighty blow.
That put a final end to his show.
The minions were suddenly free.
They were as happy as they could be.
The women quickly clothed themselves.
The men asked me if I needed help.
They kept thanking and praising me.
I said I am nobody, as they could see.
They took the body and threw it off the roof.
Like King Kong, who was not bullet proof.
They wanted to know what to do now?
I said they could survive, somehow.
Time to prosper and repopulate the city.
Make it look alive and pretty.
I slipped away when I could.
Headed for my home in the wood.
I whistled and my horse came running.
“Are you ready to do some hunting?”
I headed on the long track home.
I soon found I was not alone.
It was people who were under his spell.
Also heading home now, and doing well.
Another year passed and I finally found her.
The love of my life, waiting, for sure.
She knew I was still alive and well.
She had been through a living hell.
He kept drawing her toward New York.
She had made it to a major fork.
Then, his control disappeared.
She headed for home again in fear.
She didn’t know if it was over.
Soon though, it was crimson and clover.
A few months later I arrived.
That is when we both came alive.
Years have passed since that mighty quest.
Our children will tell you about all the rest.
———————————-R. W. Johnson—–(2017)