A guest in my brother’s home
Five a.m.
Dark bedroom
Wife asleep
Tiptoe to locate clothes
Crack shins on suitcase
Hold back painful scream
Open bedroom door slowly
Noiseless success
Step into dark family room
Close door gently
Take two steps into darkness
Hear deep throated growl
Freeze in place
Listen
Take one step forward
Hear growl again, closer
Retreat to bedroom door
Open, no regard for noise
Wife sleeps peacefully
Sit in corner rocking chair
Write poem in darkness
Listen for scratching on door
Trapped