Victoria Duncan- 2nd Place

My Best Friend

The shadow follows me around

through every up and down.

It came to me one night,

what most would perceive

as a terrifying sight

came to me with a gentle smile.

Even with its ear ringings screams

and it’s distasteful schemes 

this being would never fail 

to comfort me.

Had anything where to upset me

it would come to my aid 

with a terrifying threatening scream.

However.. I have my regrets

because its protection does not come

with take backs.

With due times my ears have dulled

from it’s persistent screaming

that lingers inside of the corners

of my mind.

It lurks around me, behind, and drags me

along with it like a little puppet.

The day I met it in the dark 

has now since became 

a horrendous memory.

It’s gentle smile has melted

into a sickening grin.

It follows me around

corrupting me with it’s twisted

ideals.

It has tried beckoning me 

into his mindset. 

It lingers, speaks to me.

Whispers in my ear

everything that I want to hear.

That I’ll be alright,

I would be just fine.

All I have to do is shake its hand.

Making a deal with the devil 

seemed so absurd 

but more and more I find myself deferred

from my own mind.

Maybe it wouldn’t be all too bad..

So I shook his hand..

But now everyone has deserted me.

They say I’m untrustworthy.

They say I’m cruel.

They say I’m insane.

But I now see nothing wrong with a little fang.

Nothing wrong with a snarled slag.

They all tell me to be afraid, 

to run and hide.

But I see nothing wrong with its guide.

There now sits a divide between it and I.

As now I’ve grown my own set of horns

and strangling thorns.

I no longer hide from the shadow,

it hides from me. 

Playing my own twisted game of 

hide and seek.

I have agreed to set it free

because no longer need the advice

of someone so inferior to me.

Now I lurk the shadows

and haunt your every dream.

But somehow I still found someone so naive,

naive just like me.

In due time I will train him

to be just like me.

So that way some day I too 

will be set free.