A Scream In The Night

A piercing scream rings out!

A shriek, a keening,

That would wake the dead,

Or warn of oncoming horror.

It cuts like a knife

Through the air.

A call like that could only mean a terror most awful.

A murder, perhaps,

Or the most terrible torture.

Maybe Cthulhu has risen from the depths,

The sleeper beneath the ocean

To prey on us all.

The dreadful scream happens again,

Calling all to rise up

And defend the smitten,

The tortured,

Or the slain.

As one, we rise.

As one, we take up arms.

As one, we march.

Except we don't.

The neighbourhood remains nonplussed

Because such screams are commonplace.

It's just a little girl

Overcome with emotion

Because her big brother has tormented her so.

When I was a boy

My parents would have chastised me

And her

For over-reacting to what was obviously a benign piece of childish tomfoolery.

These days,

Parents obviously don't give a shit

To what their over-entitled offspring do.

This makes them as bad as the little goblins they raise,

If not worse.

Tell your unpleasant little brats

To shut the fuck up.