FROM THE DEEP

graftheory: Graphic & Animation Exploration by Manuel Creignou

What is this?
It could be a pool of water.
A pool so dark and deep
that it has no bottom.
Shadows of tree limbs float
along its murky surface.

The water flows along the river bank,
snatching pieces of debris
along the way.
Rocks, branches, leaves…
All fall into its dark abyss.
Never to be seen again.

What lies beneath?
Can you hear it rumbling?
Something is moving in the deep.
It looks like a hand.
It’s reaching for me.
An inky black hand.
Should I grab hold of it?
It might belong to a person.
Or maybe not.
It could belong to a creature.

What should I do?
Wait.
I can see two arms.
A dark figure is rising from the water.
It’s too big to be human.
It’s facing me.
It doesn’t have eyes.
A dark shadow,
dripping with inky slime.

It roars.
My ears hurt.
It lifts its feet from the murkiness
and begins to walk toward me.
I want to run.
I want to hide.
But I can’t.
My feet are stuck to the ground.

I hear more roaring sounds.
More creatures are rising from the deep.
How could this be happening?
Is this real?
Or am I hallucinating?
Maybe I’m dreaming.

Then all becomes quiet.
I can’t hear anything.
No roaring.
None of the sounds
of the river bank.
What happened?

“What are you doing?”
I turn around and
see my friends.
I’m standing in front
of the TV screen.
I seem to be blocking
the horror movie.
I feel embarrassed.
I feel ashamed.
I feel myself being hit
by popcorn.
Another Saturday night.